ANnas / and Cayphas / Symeon / Datan / Gamalyell / Iudas / Leuy / Neptalym / Alyzaundyr / zaryus. And many other Iewes / came to Pylate and accused our lorde Ihesu in many thynges And thus they sayd. We knowe hym well that he is the sone of Ioseph y e wryght the whiche was borne of Marye. And thus he sayd / that he is goddes sone & kynge And not only that. but the Sabotte whiche is yeuyn to vs for ease and reste / he brekyth And so he wyll our lawe Pylate answered thus and sayd. What is that. that he hath do. And how maye he breke our lawe The Iewes answered thus and sayd We haue by oure lawe that no man sholde do no worke vpon the Sabotte And this Ihesus with his fals craftys helyth meny maladyes. As blynde / lame / crokyd / & mezyll. And thꝰ he breketh our Sabotte / with his fals craftys Pylat sayd howe maye he do suche thynges by euyl workynge. ¶ The Iewes answered for he is an euyll worker and by the prynce of deuylles that is Belsabubbe he putteth out deuylles And thus by deuyllys are all this werk is put to hym Pylat answeryth thus that ye say that Belsabubbe is prynce of deuylles Is not he a deuyll / this was neuer harde afore this tyme that a man myght do such workes by the deuyll but by the vertue of god. I suppose y t he doth suche workys And so for the helche of mankynde he helyth al seke And so I se for his well doynge ye accuse hym. Than the Iewes answerd and sayd Syr we praye you to do hym to come afore you And than shall we here what he wyll saye. Than clepyth Pylat a sergaunt & sayd vnto hym Go he sayd & brȳge Ihesu hyder Thā wēte y e sergaūte to Ihesu & kneled before hȳ And a cloth that he had ī his hande he cast vpon the groū & sayd to our lorde Ihesu Syr go vpon this cloth for the Iustyce wyll speke with you. Whan the Iewes sawe the sergaū te do suche worshyp to our lorde they ccyed to Pylate & sayd Why cōyth not thꝭ sergaūte forth lyghtly w t Ihesu we se wel y t he doth worshyp to hȳ as though he were a kȳge And kyst [Page]his cloth afore hym Than clepyth pylate the seruaunt to hy [...] And sayd why dedyst thou suche worshyp to hym. The seruaunt answered and sayd for I sawe Ihesu come in to Iherusalem vpō an asse ād there I sawe folkes spredde clothes vpon the grounde byfore hym and dyd hym reuerence and he wente there vpon And than I sawe another company of chyldryn with braunchys and flouers in theyr handys syngynge (O sanna in excelsys) That is for to saye blessyd be thou that comyst in the name of god Than sayd the Iewes to the seruaunte / the chyldren of ebrewe the synge ebrewe. and thou that arte borne of Grece how vndyrstandyst thou ebrewe The seruaunt answered here to and sayd I asked an Ebrewe And he tolde it me / Than sayd Pylate to the Iewes. What is O sanna for to saye. The Iewes answeryd it is to saye make me safe or ellys lorde saue me. Than sayd Pylate to the Iewes Lo your owne selfe bere wytnesse of y e wordys of your owyn chyldren What hath than the seruaunt mydone that ye blame hym thus without a cause Thā sayd Pylate to the seruaunt brynge [...]hesu afore I me And loke thou brȳ ge hym as it plesyth the.
¶ Thā the seruaunt brought our lorde Ihesu in to the parlore and dyd Reuerence to hym and worshyp as he had done afore And sayd to our lorde Ihesu My lorde Pylat y e hye Iustyce wyll speke with you And as our lorde Ihesu entred in to the parelour were seruauntys that helde masys ī theyr handys And at the comynge in of our lorde the masts bo wed downe to our lorde Ihesu vpon whiche masys were ymagis of golde after the Empowre. And whan the Iewes sawe that the masys with ymagys bowed downe and dyd reuerence to oure lorde god than they cryed vpon them that helde y e masys And whan that Pylate sawe that. also he sayd to the Iewes. Ne meruell not you that the ymages vpon the masys that they holde in theyr handys bowe downe it is semynge to me that with out reason ye crye vpon hym Than sayd y e Iewes to Pylat we se veryly y t they bowed downe to hȳ & [Page]dyde reuererence to hym. than clepyd Pylat these seriauntꝭ to hȳ & sayd to thē. Why lete ye your malys bowe downe to Ihesu. And the seriauntys answered & sayd Syr we be pay nymes & seriauntys of y e temple. But whan Ihesu came in they bowed ageynst hym vnwyttȳge & wyllȳge of vs they dyde reuerence to hym Than sayd Pylat to the mastyrs of the lawe These ye of the moost myghty men amonge you. & lete them holde these mases And than shall we se whyder they shall bowe or not. whan this was done. Pylat cōmaunded them for to holde the mases sekerly. and than he sayd & swore by holy Cezare yf that the ymages on the mases bowed downe whan y t Ihesu comyth in. that they sholde sore for thynke it. Than sayd Pylat to y e seriaūt whose name was Akarya. lete out Ihesu and brynge in hym agayne as it lyketh y e to brynge hym Than wente our lorde Ihesu out of y e parloure And pylat called thē y t helde the masys. And swore by y e myght & y e hyght of holy Cezare y t yf y e ymages bowed downe whan y t Ihesu came in. he sholde smyt of ther hedys Than cōmaunded Pylat y t Ihesu sholde be brought in And the seriaunt brought hym in lyke as he had do byfore Whan y t our lorde Ihesu entred in to y e parloure. y e ymages bowed downe And dyde reuerence to our lorde lyke as they dyde y e other tyme byfore. And whan Pylat sawe y t he was hugely abasshed. & so he arose vp of his sete. And as he was rysȳ vp came a messenger fro his wyfe whose name was Procula / & this messanger delyuered to Pylat a letter. & thus it sayd.
¶ Howe Pylatys wyfe sente a messenger to delyuer Ihesu
Pylat be not ageȳst thꝭ ryghtfull. mā. for I haue this nyght be hugely dremyde for hym And be that I wote well y t he is a ryghtfull man. And whā y t Pylat had red this letter. he sayd to all the Iewz. ¶ Syrs ye knowe wel that my wyfe is a paynym. And ye wose well that she hath edyfyed meny of youre Synagoges. she sendyth vnto you y t she knoweth this man for a ryghtfull man. For mykell trybulacyon and dysease she hath suffred this nyght for nym Than sayd the Iewys to Pylat. haue we not sayd vnto the that he is ā euyll man And werketh by deuylls crafte For by deuylls hath he thꝰ tysed thy wyfe Than clepyd Pylat our lorde to hȳ and sayd thus. Seest thou not that alle the Iewes bere; wytnesse ageȳst the: And thou gyuest no maner of answere. than sayd our lorde Ihesu vnto Pylat. euery man hath power to speke with his mouth be it good oryll and so shall ye well se. than the Iewes sayd vnto our lorde Ihesu. what shal we se. We all knowe well that thou were begoten in fornycacy on. And for thy byrth dyde herowde sle all the chyloren ī bed leem and in the countrey aboute that were within .ii. yere & a halfe of age. And Iosepe & mary went in to Egypt for drede of herowde And whā herowde was dede they came ageyne into the cyte of Nazareth. And whan Pylat herde this. he sayd vnto the Iewes. Than is that Ihesu that herowde [Page]dede seke for to sle. And the Iewes answeryd and sayd that it was he. Than doubted Pylat moche more than he dyd to fore And so there were .xii. Iewes that drewe them by themselfe And thus they sayd to Pylat. Syr we knowe well that this man is not borne in fornycacyon for we knowe wel that Iosepe wedyd marye his moder And so he is not borne in fornycacyon. it semyth that your wordes be not trewe / for For Iosepe wedyd marye as they saye that be of your own folke Than sayd Annas and Cayphas and other Iewes that had sayd that Ihesu our lorde was borne in fornycacyon and that he was an euyll werker. And that his dyscyplis were fled and proselyty. Than clepyde Pylat Annas and Cayphas and askyd them what was proselyty And they sayd y t proselyty was paynemys chyldren. and so be his dyscyples And for that they say that he is not borne ī fornycacyon thā answered these .xii. men whos names be these Lazarus. Asstorius. Antonius. Iacob. Serius. Gamaliel. Isaak. Fynees. Azarius. Agrippa. Amenus. & Iudas. We saye that wene are proselyty but we be Iewes chyldren and we saye trou the. that we were there that Iosepe wedyd marye Than clepyd Pylat these .xii. men that sayd thus. And he coniured them by the hyght of holy Cezare. Yf that he were borne in fornycatyon that ye bere wytnesse and suerce And othe byfore all this peple And these .xii. men answeryd to Pylat and sayd we haue by oure lawe y t we ne oughte to swere for y t is sȳ but we wyll swere by holy Cezare yf it be not as we saye we wyll be culpable of deth We se well that thyse. .xii. men that Ihesu is not borne in fornycacyon to be byleued by her worde And we saye all that he is borne in fornycacyon and that he is an euyll werker And thus he sayth that he is goddis sō and therto a kȳge And yet thou wylte not beleue vs that haue the lawe to kepe.
Than cōmaunded Pylat that all sholde go out of the pareloure saue these xii men that sayde that oure lorde was not borne in fornycacyon. And also he cōmaunded that our lorde [Page]Ihesu sholde be ledde oute vnto that one syde of the pareloure. Than sayd pylat to these .xii. men. For what cause is that they wyll brynge Ihesu to deth And they answered ād sayd. that the masters of the lawe had hym ī hate for that he helyd maladyes and sekenesse vpon the Sabot Than sayd Pylat. A I se well for his gode werkes they wyll sle hym Than wence Pylat oute of the pareloure ful of heuynes and sayd vnto all the Iewes I haue wytnesse that I can fynde in this man no poynte of deth. The Iewes answered yf hene had be an euyll doer. wene had a delyuered hym to the Thā sayd Pylat to y e Iewes / what sayd god that there sholde no man be slayne but of me. than entred Pylat ī to the pareloure ageyne. & clepyd our lorde Ihesu to hym and sayd. Thou arte kynge of Iewes. Oure lorde Ihesu answered ageyne / thou sayest that of thy selfe or ellys other haue sayd that to y e of me. Than sayde Pylat to oure lorde Ihesu. Thou wotest well that I am no Iewe but of thyne owne nacyon as Bysshoppys and prynces haue delyuered the to me. but I neuer what euyll thou hast do them. yf thou be kȳge Iewes answere to me. Oure lorde answered to hym My kyngdome is not in this worlde for yf my kyngdome were in this worlde. my mynysters wolde not be ageynst me that I sholde not haue be delyuered to the but my kyngdome is not nowe here. Than answered Pylat. than I se well thou arte a kynge. than answeryd oure lorde Ihesu thou sayest that I am a kȳge and to that I was borne and for to declare to the worlde that who so be of crowth. wyll here my worde. Thā sayd Pylat what is trouth. be thy worde there is but lytyll trouth ī erth Our lorde sayd to Pylat. vnderstonde trouth how that it is Iugged in erthe of them that dwell there in. And thus sayd Pylat to the Iewes. I haue wytnes both in heuen and in erthe sonne and mone. that I can fynde no cause of deth in thꝭ man.
¶ Than answeryd the Iewes. is not this a grete cause that he sayth of oure Temple. That he myghte stroye it & reyse it [Page]ageyne in .iii. dayes than sayd Pylat what temple is that / y t ye speke of And the Iewes answered that it was y e Salamō temple whiche was in edyfyēge .xlvii. yere And this Ihesus sayd that he sholde dystroye it and rayse it ageyne in .iii. dayes I am without gylte of spyllynge of this mannys blode. And that shall ye well see. what wyll ye do with hym the Iewes that were full of enuy cryed all with one voyce. the shedynge of his blode be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren.
¶ Howe Pylate toke of the moost Auncyent men of y e lawe as bysshoppes & other maysters to counsell.
Pylate toke of the moost Auncyent men as bysshoppes and maysters of y e lawe Syrs do not ageynste this symple man for I do you to wyt that he is not worthy to be dede Is not he more worthy that hath helyd maladyes. than he had broke the saboth Than sayd the Iewes A good Iuge taketh entent yf any man hath do a forfet ageynste Cezare were he not worthy to be dede And Pylate sayd yes. Than sayd the Iewes moche more is he worthy y t forfettyth ageȳst god for he sayd hym selfe that he is goddys son For whan we counioured hȳ y t he sholde tell vs yf he were the sone of god. And he denyed it not And yet he sayd we sholde se the son of man syttȳge vpō y e ryght hande of y e godhede & comynge oute of the skyes of heuyn And whan that Pylat herde this he ledde our lorde Ihesu on that other parte of the pareloure & sayd to our lorde. Man I ne wat what I maye do with the.
¶ Than sayd our lorde Ihesu to Pylate Moyses and y e prophetys here byfore they prechyd of my passyon and of my resurreccyon Whan that Pylate herde this he pronowced all the wordes of our lorde to the Iewes And anone the Iewes sayd to Pylat what woldest thou here more of his fals sclaū der Than sayd Pylate take hym in to your synagoge. And deme there on hym your lawe. the Iewes answered / our lawe cōmaundeth that yf any man syn or trespasse ayēst any mā he shall withdrawe hym .xlii. dayes out of the Temple. [Page]And he y t sȳned or tresspassed ageȳst god by sclaūders Our lawe byddeth y t he shal be stonyd to deth And for asmoche as Ihesꝰ sayeth y t he shall syt ī heuȳ vpō y e ryght syde of y e deuyne maieste And y t he shall cōe fro heuȳ ī to y e skyes. For this sclaūder we wyll y t he be crucyfyed Thā sayd Pylat y t is not good y t ye cast you for to do And than Pylat by helde aboute hȳ & sawe meny mē & wymē y t sore wepce And helde ther coū tenaūce vpō hȳ. thā sayd pylat to y e bysshoppys & maysters of y e lawe I se well y e mekyll of y e peple they wyl not y t thꝭ mā dye. Thā sayd y e maysters of y e lawe. Good Iuge we se well y t he must be deed And for drede of deth worse he maye not leue Than sayd Pylate / what is the cause y t he sholde be deed for. thā sayd y e Iewes. for y t he sayeth y t he is goddys sone ād therto a kȳge.
¶ Howe Nychodemꝰ spake to Pylate for Ihesu.
Nychodemꝰ y e worthye Prynce / was y t tȳe afore Pylat & thꝰ he sayd I haue ofte tymes. spoke to the masters of y e lawe ād to al y e Iewes. & thꝰ I haue sayd vnto thē y t vngodely & vntrewly they do a mysse ayēst Ihesu. For many gloryous sygnes & tokȳs hathe he wrought amōge vs / y t neuer none of oure forfaders wrought afore vs & therfore I coūsell you let hȳ go & do hȳ no more harme For yf y e tokyns & y e myracles be of god y t he hath wrought it shall endlesly endure after his [Page]dayes & yf it be not of god but by ēchaūtemēte or by sōe charme yt shalle not endure. ¶ For moyses that was of god he shewed meny tokens in Egypt whiche that god bad hym do afore kynge Pharao than were there two men Iames. and zambres whiche that were Gogolers ād wyches that deceyued the peple they made the same tokyns y t Moyses made. And the Egypcyons helde the tokȳs of god And for they were not of god they perysshed And all that euer helde withall And therfore I saye let this mā go And do hym no more harme for I saye forsoth he is not worthy to be dede And parauenture this Ihesus maye be a prophet sente to vs as Moyses sayd to our forfaders that our lorde god sholde chese and sende a prophet of our owne nacyon And that we sholde here & byleue hym as god his owneselfe And parauenture thꝭ maye be the same man y t god sayd thus of And this Ihesus be the same man sente of god he is come to the saluacyon of them y t byleue truly And to the dampnacyon of them y t beleue not ryght as our lorde god sayd vnto Moyses that yf any man refuse the prophet And wyll not here what he shall say in my name he shall be put out of my people All this haue I sayd vnto the Prynces and Bysshoppes of the lawe whan y t y e Iewes herde this that Nycodemus sayd afore Pylat they sayd thus we se well that thou arte a dyscyple of Ihesu ād therfore thou spekyst for hym Than sayd Nycodemus to y e Iewes a than is not thys lorde Pylat here a dyscyple of Ihesu that hath spoke thus for hym is not he the hyghe Iustyce vnder Cezare the Emperour whā the Iewes herde this thā they sayd to Nycodemus. ye take thou the trouth of Ihesu And more thou haue thy dwellynge place with hym Than lyfted vp Nycodemus hys handys to heuen and sayd God graunt y t I maye haue parte of the trouthe of Ihesu. And a dwellynge place more I haue with hym god graūte it as ye haue sayd so more it be.
¶ Howe certayne Iewes shewed to Pylate the myracles y t Cyrste had done.
ANd anone there sterte forth a Iewe afore Pylate. And thus he sayd. My lorde Pylate. I laye bedredde in my bedde .xxxviii. yere And all the dayes for y e moste parte in ꝑyll of deth. And so it befell that my lorde Ihesu came by me & had pyte on me. And than he had me take my bedde and go home into my howes. And anone with his wordes / I was made hole And anone after came another Iewe afore Pylate and thus he sayd My lorde Pylate I was pore blȳde And as my lorde Ihesu passed afore me I cryed vnto hȳ And sayd Ihesu the son of Dauyd haue mercy on me. And he had mercy ō me And he put his hande to myn eyen and than I sawe.
¶ And thā another Iewe that stode afore Pylate sayd Syr I was a mezell and my lorde Ihesu made me hole with his worde. ¶ After that came an agyd woman afore Pylate ād thus she sayd. My lorde Pylate I was desezed with the red flyx .iii. yere and more And I dede not but touchyd the hem of the vesture of my lorde Ihesu And anone I was made hole of my maladye and therfore my lorde Pylate haue marcy on hym and do hym not to deth And whan that Pylate herde this / he feryd / And anone a grete cōpanye of Iewes whyche that our lorde Ihesu had helyd they cryed al with on voyce. A grete Sauyour of the peple is our lorde Ihesu. Whan Pylate herde this he sayd vnto Cayphas and Amyas. And other maysters of the lawe I merueyl why that your forme faders and prynces and Bysshoppys of the lawe helyd not men of theyr Infyrmytees as this man doth And they answered no worde therto And these men that our lorde had helyd cryed with one voyce Oure blysshyd Lorde Ihesu hath wrought many deuyne myracles as he that reysed Lazare / fro deth to lyfe. Whyche that had layne dede foure dayes in y e erth And our lorde Ihesu by the vertu of his worde he reysed hym oute of the mōment and brought hym alyue amonge vs his sustres And dyde hym syt wyth hym at hys table / And whan y t Pylate herde this he was all abasshed for fere [Page]and cryed with an hyghe voyce to the Iewes and sayd. Mē what is this that ye wyll do I see that without gylte ye wyl shedde the blode of hym that hath nothynge mysse wrought Than rose pylat vp and toke Nycodemus to hym and these xii. men whiche y t sayd that our lorde was not borne in fornicacyon and thus he sayd to them.
Syrys I haue grete affeccyon ī you saye to me what I shall do with hym And they sayd syr we can saye for we wyll neuer assente to the wyll of the maysters of the lawe nor to theyr werkes & therefor let them se well to ther sowl is that they maye be saued at the daye of Iugement than turned Pylat to the mastres of the lawe and to other Iewes and sayd thus to them Syrs ye knowe wel that it is the custome amonge vs to delyuer a prysoner to the pepyll for the loue of our sabot the hyghe daye of sacrafyce And syrs ye knowe well that I haue a presoner in my preson a noble presoner a mā slear whiche is worthy to be deed. whos name is Barabas wyll ye that I delyuer you hym or ells Ihesu whiche is withoute gylt and not worthy to dye The prynces and the bysshopps and the olde men they sayd all with one voyce we wyll that thou delyuer to vs Barabas Than sayd pylat what wyl ye than saye that I do wyth Ihesu whiche is cleped cryste Than sayd the Iewes with an hyghe voyce lete hym be crucyfed ād so. me sayd yf thou let hym go thus thou ne arte Cezars frende syn that he sayd this foule sclaunder that he is goddys sone And therto a kynge for who so euer sayeth that he is a kȳge he speketh ageynst Cezare And whan that Pylat herde this he was wondre heuy and thus he sayd to the Iewes all dayes fro the begynnynge haue ye be contraryous to them that hath do well to you. And to hym ye haue do mykyll harme and mekyll turmentrye Than sayd the Iewes / what is he that hath do so mykyll good to vs Than sayd pylat our god whiche hath holpe you and delyuered you oute of the hādys of Egypte whiche drowned your enmyes in the depnesse of [Page]the rede see And ledde you thorughe the water of the see also[?] drye as vpō y e erth And also in desert he reyned to you māna And made water out of y e harde stone in deserte whiche ȳt ye dranke of & all your bestys And also to you he gaue y e .x. commaūdemētys of y e lawe. And ī all these cōmaūdemētys y t he hath charged you with. ye haue bē contraryous to your god As whā ye made a Calfe to be your god whiche wolde haue dysheryt you & dystroyed you ne had moyses be your mayster y t prayed to your god for you for y e peryll y t ye were in. & nowe ye saye to me y t I hate my kynge And am not his frende yf I delyuer not this man Ihesu y t hath curyd mekylle of your peple of many Infyrmytees whiche is your kynge / y t neuer dyd euyll but euer moche goodnes & prophet whā the Iewes herde this they were full of wroth & of maletalente. And thus they cryed all togyder and sayd Our kynge is Cezare Emperour of Rome but we knowe wel y t Ihesus is no kynge thoughe y e kynges sought hym in bedleem & sayd y t they sought y e kynge of Iewes & offrede hym gyftes but yet is he therfore no kynge we knowe well that whā herowde herde saye y t they sought y e kynge of Iewes. herowde wolde haue slayne hym therfore And so he dede sle thosandys of chyldren therfore in bedleem and in all the contrye about as we haue sayd here to you afore. whā y t Pylat herde this he commaūded them to be styll & to holde them in pease and thus he sayd to them. A is it not he than y t herowde sought for to slee And the Iewes answered and sayd that it was he And anone Pylat dyd cōmaūde water to be brought hym. afore thē all he wasshed his handes seynge thus I ne am gylty of spyllynge of this ryghtfulle mannes blode & y t maye ye welle se. but the blode of hym be vpon you and on your chyldren Than cōmaunded Pylat that a grete cōpany of knyghtes sholde be brought afore hym to his pareloure And than Pylatte kest y e sētēs vpō our lorde Ihesu & thus he sayd to hym.
¶ Howe Pylat commaunded the Iewes y t no vylayns sholde put cryste to his passyon but knyghtes.
THine owne peple hath dyspreuyd al that euer I haue spoke for y e. & therfore I cō maūde at y e begȳnȳ ge y t no mā leye hādes ō hȳ but yf he be a knyght or ellis of gentyll blode. for it is not syttȳge y t a kȳge sholde be slayne of vylaynes And therfore I cōmaūde y u at y e fyrst begȳnȳge y t he be scorged to y e plesȳge of y e fyrst prynces & thā lyfte hȳ vpō y e crosse. & with hȳ .ii. thefꝭ whiche y t hath be euyll doers y e one by name Dysmas. & y e other Gesmas. & lete thē be slayne with vylaynes. & no gētylles to touche thē. & thā was our lorde Ihesu / lede oute of y e parelour & y e .ii. thefes with hȳ. & thā they ledde thē ī to another parelour wherī was a pylar of whyte marble. & there they spoyled our lorde out of his clothys & boūde hȳ naked vnto y e peler & there they bette hȳ & scourged hym with yerdes & whyppys so hugely y t there was no skyn vpō hȳ & y t was a synfull syght for to se y e blyssed body stōdȳge al nakyd afore all y e peple scornȳge & sayenge thus to our lorde god ī his scourgynge Do gladly our kȳge for this is our fyrste begȳnȳge. & thā y e masters of y e lawe sayd to y e knyghtes Do on our kȳge a softe garmēt. & lete vs crowne hȳ for our kȳge And thā y e knyghtes dyd vpō hym a cloth of sylke whiche for habūdaūce of blode was so clūge to hȳ y t at y e pullynge of it was. C. folde more peyne to hȳ thā was his scourgȳ ge. & whā they had pulled of this garmēt they dyde ō hȳ a rede mātell of sylke. & after y t they set a garlonde of thornys on his hede. & they pressyd so sore y e garlonde of thornys on his hede y t y e thornys percyd downe ī to hys bravne & so at y e last they lede hȳ to y e crosse. ād there they crucyfyed hȳ betwene [Page]ii. thefys Dysmas on the ryght syde and Gesmas on y e lefte syde And so they put to hꝭ mouth a spone that was drypped full of drynke that they had made with Ayzell and gall And that they put to his mowthe for to drynke of And thus that blessyd lorde Ihesu suffred all that euer they wolde do to hȳ And than oure lorde Ihesu loked vp to the father. and thus he sayd. My fader foryeue theym this trespasse for they newot what they do And than the knyghtes kyst lottys vpon his vesture for to wyt no sholde haue it And than the Prynces of the lawe with bysshopps and meny other / they cryed vnto our lorde Ihesu and thus they sayd. Thou hast helyd many other and thou ne mayste hele thy selfe. yf thou be goddys sone come downe of the crosse and we shall beleue on y e And than sayd the knyghtes in skorne. yf thou be kynge of Iewes delyuer nowe thy selfe And than was commaunded that a knyght sholde be brought forth whos name was longeus And hym they made put a spere to Ihesus syde. This knyght longyus was blynde and so the prynces of the lawe made hym for to perce our lordes syde And so there came out both blode and water And so the blode came rynnynge downe by the spere shafte vnto longyus hande and he awnterously wyped his eyen with his hande And anone he myght se.
ANd thā Pylat dyd wryte a byl on whiche was wryten. Ihesus. Nazarenus. Rex. Iudeorum That is for to saye / Ihesus of Nazarreth / kynge of Iewes and this was wryt in Ebrewe grece and latyn And this tytle they put aboue his hede on y e crosse. Than Gesmas the thefe whiche henge on the lyfte syde of our lorde sayd thꝰ to our lorde Ihesu yf thou be god delyuer both the and vs. Than Dysmas that henge on the ryght syde of oure lorde Ihesu he blamed hym for his worde And thus he sayd to hym It semeth by thy worde that thou dredyst not god nor beleuest not in hym. And therfore arte thou endlesly dampned. For well thou wotest that we haue dyscerued that we suffre but he hath ryght nought for [Page]fettyd nor mysdoue and without dysceruynge he is brought herto And whan Dysmas had sayd this wordes he loked vpon Ihesu and thus he sayd to hym / lorde Ihesu haue mercy vpon me whan thou comyst in to thy kyngedome And than answered Ihesus to hym / and sayd this daye shalte thou be with me in paradyse. And that tyme was about myddaye & fro that tyme in to none dayes was the son hyd and lost his bryghtnes and the vayle of the temple was smyten asondre fro the hyght downe to the grounde on .ii. partyes and some men saye that an aungell dyd it with a trace of fyer And thꝭ aungell sayd thus in men herynge I am wytnysse of the passyon of Ihesu cryste After that our lorde Ihesu cryed with ā hyghe voyce ād sayd Fader in to thyne handys I betake my spyryt And than he yelded vp his soule to his fader And whan Centuryo that was prynce ouer the Iewes and constable and sawe these tokens that were befall he gloryfyed god and sayd forsoth this man was ryghtfull. and that is well sene by the tokens that are befall and so all the peple that were there as good folkys whan they sawe these werkes of the vertue of our lorde they smyte theyr brestys with theyr handys.
¶ Howe Centuryo tolde Pylate of the wonders at crystys passyon & the same Pylate tolde the Iewes and of the precyous cloth that our lorde was buryed in.
ANd Centuryo tolde to Pylate all that was befall And whā y t Pylate herde this he was wō der heuy & sory. And so for sorynesse ād heuynesse he ne ete nor dranke daye Thā clepyd Pylate y e Iewes & thꝰ he sayd to thē. Meruellye not of the tokyns y t be befall at the passyon of Ihesu. y t y e son loste his syght & also the daye And the Iewes sayd to Pylat Syr it was the Clyps of the sonne as we haue vndyrstō dynge of wyse men afore vs. than sayd Pylat howe maye it be y t the veyle of the temple is smyt a sonder & many grauys vndone & dede men ryse vp fro deth to lyfe. Hath the clepys of the sonne do all this. All these tokens mē tell me are befall and sene in the Cyte of Iherusalem And yf ye beleue not me aske Centuryo And they that were with hym whiche kepte Ihesu Than were this men brought forth afore the Iewes whiche that bare wytnesse and thus they sayd forsoth we saye y t in the dyenge of Ihesu. The erthe groned and shoke as water doth whan it is meuyd And we sawe that meny bodyes rose vp fro deth to lyfe. & by these tokens we beleue y t this Ihesus is goddes sone. Than the Apostles & holy women y t had folowed our lorde Ihesu fro Galylee sawe that was befall & y t men had do to hym they drewe them by themselfe.
Than Ioseph of Barmathye keste hȳ for to bye a precyous cloth for to wynde in our lorde Ihesu whan he myghte gette graunte of Pylat for to haue the body. And on this wyse came Ioseph by thꝭ precyous cloth as ye shal here.
There was a knyght ī Capharnāe whos name was Leuy This knyght wedyd a yonge lady & by procys of tyme they [Page]had togyder a doughter. Whōe they clepyd Sȳdonya & her they put to lernynge. & so be processe of tyme she wexed a curyous werker as of clothys of golde and clothꝭ of sylke & of all other womens werkes. And so at the laste whā god wolde this Leuy dyed. & than his wyfe for the grete loue that she louyd hym she fyll in a grete. Maladye as in a colde palzye. So ferforth that she myght nether styre hande ne fote so for this grete sekenes she fylle in a grete pouerte so forfoth that she ne had to leue on. but by the workys of her doughters hā de And so it befyll that vpon the same daye y t our lorde was deed this ladye sayd to her doughter. Doughter Syndonya thou knowest well that our grete sabot daye is nye. Than must we ete oure paske lambe and on this daye / is the grete market at Barmathye. Therfore good doughter go & aray the and take some of thy worke that thou haste wrought. ād bye vs suche thynges there as is nedefull to me and the at this holy tyme Her doughter Syndonya answered to her moder. & sayd moder your wyll shall be done. And moder I do you to vnderstonde that I haue wroughte the Curyouseste cloth that euer was made for it fyll gracyously to wourke y t it is more curyous than I can skylle of And than the lady sayd to her doughter. let me se y e cloth / And Syndonya shewed this cloth to her moder And whan this lady sawe this cloth she sayd thus blessyd be that lorde that hath made the to werke suche a cloth And doughter vpon my blessynge that thou sell this cloth to no man but yf he tell the what he shal do wythall And so this mayde Syndonya she wasshed her & bawmyde and acayed her to market and in the market stode Ioseph of Barmathye with a grete peple spekȳge of our lordꝭ deth And by a venture this mayde Syndonya came byfore hym And Ioseph of Barmathye aspyed the cloth hangyuge on her arme. and asayd her yf she wolde felle that cloth.
And she answered and sayd syrye.
And thā Ioseph asked her the pryce And she sayd .xxx. besaū tys & anone Ioseph payed to her .xxx. besaūtes. & Sȳdonia [Page]fyll downe to his fete prayenge hym / that he wolde telle her what he do with all sholde And than he answered to her and sayd Doughter this daye is dede an holy prophet that men clepyd Ihesus of Nazareth and that holy prophete I purpose me to bery hym and wynde hym in thys cloth Doughter now haue I tolde the what I wyll do withalle and therfore tell me who made this cloth that I haue bought of the / and this mayde sayd that herselfe made it And Ioseph asked her what her name was and she sayd Syndonya than sayd Ioseph nowe doughter after you I shall name this cloth forth is cloth shall be named Syndonya And than this mayd wē te home to hyr moder and tolde her how she had spedde And her moder asked her what sholde be done with the cloth And Syndonya tolde her that the holy prophet that was that tyme dede sholde be veryed therin And who shall verye hȳ ther in sayd this lady And Syndonya sayd that Ioseph of Barmathye sholde berey hym therin And whan this lady herde this she sayd thus. Wolde my lorde god and that prophet y t I had yeuē that cloth to his beryēge And anone with y e worde she was holer and more sowne than euer she was afore. And anone the lady & her doughter fyll downe on ther knes thankynge our lorde god of this gloryous myrakyll And so afterwarde our lorde yaue them suche grace that the moder was wedyd to a worthy duke and her doughter Syndonya was Empresse of Rome And so they leuyd euer after in our lordys seruyce. And whan Ioseph of Barmathye had bought this precyous cloth whiche was lorde and Constable ouer all Pylatys meyne he was a full good man and a ryght full he was not assentyd to y e accusacyons & wordys of y e Iewes he abode the kyngdome of god and so he came to Pylat and askyd hym the body of Ihesu And pylat graunted hym Than this Ioseph and Nycodemus / toke downe the body of Ihesu of y e crosse and hym he wonde in this Sondonya / that he had bought And he beryed hym in his mōment wherein that neuer man was beryed and so the Iewes wolde a [Page]slayne Ioseph and the .xii. men that had spoke for our lorde Ihesu afore Pylat. And also they wolde haue slayne Nycodemus and also tho that our lorde made hole of meny grete Infyrmyces And also they y t had dyscouered afore Pylat al his good workys that he had do in euery place.
¶ How the Iewes conspyred ageynst Nycodemus & Ioseph & of many other merueyles.
THā Nycodemus shewed hymselfe to the Iewes. for y t he was ther prynce and ther gyde. And not longe after there was gadered a grete assemble of Iewes into the temple, and afore Nycodemus & thus he sayd to them, Howe maye thꝭ be y t ye are thus entryd in to this holy Tēple. whiche that your handes be blody of y e dethe of Ihesu that ryghtfull man whiche that ye vntruly crucyfyed. Than answered to Nycodemꝰ Annas / and Cayphas / Symeon / and Datan / Gamalyell Iudas / Leuy / Neptalym / and all the oder Iewes / how art thou so hardy to come amonge vs that arte consentynge to Ihesu And therfore suche parte as he hath mutte thou haue with the in this worlde Than answered Nycodemus and sayd. Amen. the pease of of Ihesu be with me in this worlde & in y e other endlesly And the Iewes answered & sayd. Amen And as Nycodemus had answered thus. Came Ioseph of Barmathye amonge them ano sayd thus to the Iewes why be ye heuy to me with maletalent for I askyd y e body of Ihesu of Pylat And I do you to wyt y t I haue beryed hym in my newe Mommente and wounde hym in a precyous clothe y t is called Syndonya. And I saye to you y t ye haue wroughte [Page]euyl & synfully y t ye haue vntruly crucyfyed Ihesu without dyscernȳge & also malycyously ye persed his syde with a spere. & whan y e Iewes herde thꝭ they toke Ioseph & cōmaūded hȳ to be kepte well & thꝰ they sayd to Ioseph. we knowe wel y t thou arte not worthy to haue a beryenge place amōge vs for we shall gyue thy flesshe and careyne to wylde bestys ād wylde fowles & to be deuoured wyth houndes. Thā Ioseph sayd to them these wordes be lyke to proude Golyas as the prophet sayeth to me longyth venyaunce. And I shall yelde it sayth god And ye whan y t Pylat wasshed his handes & sayde I am vngylty of thys mannys blode shedynge ye answe ageyne & sayd y e blode of hym be on vs & our chyldren. wyte it well y t fro y t tyme forwarde shall the wroth of god come vpō you & on your chyldren as your selfe sayd. And whan y e Iewes herde this answere they were wonder angrye & ther they put Ioseph in pryson on whiche pryson was no wyndow & no syde so y t there myght no lyght come in but at the dore. That dore they shet myghtely & put therto kepers. than Annas & Cayphas and other bysshoppys & masters of y e lawe / kest them to assemble the nexte daye after y e sabot. & there they sholde sle Ioseph / And whan they were at ther assemble. they sente to y e preson & vndyde y e dore. but they founde not Ioseph therin as they had put hym. & so they were hugely a meruayled.
¶ Howe one of the knyghtes that kepte the Sepulcre of our lorde came and tolde the masters of the lawe how our lorde was gone into Galylee.
ANd as they were in thꝭ meruellynge they ētrede ī to ther synagoge & amōge thē cāe one of y e knyghtys y t kepte y e sepulcre & to thē he tolde sykerly y t Ihesu was not ī y e mō mēt & anone y e masters of y e lawe askyd hȳ where they had done hȳ & y e knyght answered & sayde thus As we kepte the Graue the erth shoke & thā we sawe verelly y t ā aūgyll dyscended downe fro heuȳ & lyfte vp y e stone fro y e mommēt & set hȳ there vpon & his face bryght. And there was as it beleuyn & hꝭ vesture as whyte as euer was snowe And for the grete drede y t we had we were as we had ben deed Than we herde y e Aungell saye to y e women y t were come to y e sepulcre dysmaye ye not nor drede you not I knowe well y t ye seke Ihesu y t was crucyfyed. I do you to wete y t he is rysē & is not here for ye shal se hȳ ī Galylee as he sayd to you afore And whā y e prȳces of y e lawe herde this they sayd to y e knyght Is Ihesꝰ thā on lyue we may not beleue thꝭ y t ye say Thā answered y e knyght Ihesu hath wrought meny myracles y t ye haue well herde & se & ye leue it not. howe sholde ye thā byleue vs. but your owne demaūde is good. whā ye aske yf Ihesu be on lyue. whōe Thā sayd y e Iewes to y e knyght. we shal yelde to y u Ioseph yf ye wyl yelde to vs Ihesu we do you to wete y t Ioseph is ī y e cyte of Barmathye thā sayd y e knyght yf Ioseph be ī barmathie. we do you to wete y t Ihesu is in Galylee & there sene rysen [Page]fro deth to lyfe & y t they sholde se hym in Galylee. And whan y e Iewes herde thꝭ they had grete drede & thꝰ they sayd amō ge thēselfe. yf mē here this wordes of these knyghtes / they shall al beleue ī Ihesu Thā they assēbled thē togyder & gaue to y e knyghtes tresoure & thꝰ they sayd to thē Go ye & saye to y e peple as ye laye & slepte his dyscyples came preuely be nyght & stole y e body of Ihesu. & yf Pylat knowe herof. we shal excuse you Thꝰ this knyghtes toke this tresoure & proclaymed as they cōmaūded thē. & so ther wordes were sone spred all aboute.
THā cāe there .iii. mē whiche y t hyght Fynees. Abbas. & Leuy. these .iii. mē came fro Galylee in to Iherusalē & thꝰ they sayd to y e prynces & to thē al y t were ī y e Synagoge. syrs we haue herde & sene Ihesu whiche that ye crucyfyed syt & speke to his dyscyples vpon the mounte of Dlyuet & there he sermoned unto them & sayd Go & preche my name & myne euangelye thorughe out the worlde baptesynge in the name of the fader & y e son & the holy goost And what so euer he be y t wyll be baptyzed and byleue in me he shall be saued And he that byleueth not shall be dampned And whan the prynces herde this they sayd to these thre mē Men yeue presynge and w [...]rshyp to our lorde Ihesu / and be a knowe yf this be trewe that ye haue herde and se And these men sayd all to gyder with one voyce by y e lorde y t is god of Abrahā / Isaac / & Iacobe. we sawe Ihesu syttynge & prechynge to his dyscyples & yf we couer this that we haue herde & se we sholde do grete syn. And anone the prynces rose vp & helde the lawe in ther handys & thus they sayd to thē We conioure you by y e lawes of our lorde that ye kepe this counsell y t ye haue sayd to vs of Ihesu. & so they gaue to these thre mē grete tresoure and so they sent .iii. knyghtes with them for to brȳge them ī to ther owne cō trey & y t they sholde no lenger abyde in Iherusalem.
SO cāe there a grete asēble of comyns to y e prynces. & thus they sayd with a grete cōplaynt. what tokyns / are this y t are befall in Israell Thā Annas & Cayphas cō fortyd thē & sayd Owte we not for to byleue y e knyghtes. y t kepte y e Sepulcre wherī that Ihesu was put They sayd to vs / y t they had sene an aungelle lyfte vp y e stone fro y e mommente ād parauenture his dyscyples sayd to the knyghtes & we wote well that they gaue to the knyghtes grete tresoure for to saye thus & so they stale awaye his hody thus men owght to byleue vs rather thā y e dyscyples y t gafe to the knyghtes grete tresoure for to bere fals wytnesse Than rose Nycodemus vp and thus he sayd to them ye haue herde what these .iii. men haue sayd and sworne vpon the lawe / that they they sawe Ihesusyt and speke to his dyscyples vpon the mounte of Olyuet & there he styed up to heuyn & ye wote wel y t y e scrypture tellyth vs that Ely the holy prophet was rauys shed into paradyse & whan men askyd his dyscyple Elyzew where y t his fader Ely was he answered rauyshed ī to heuȳ And thā they supposed well that he was rauyshed by the holy goost And lefte hym some where on the Mountes of Iraell & therfore they sayd lete vs seche some men that maye go and seke hym So they went & sought thre dayes and .iii. nyghtes [Page]but they coude not fynde Ely. And therfore I counsel you to sende some men that maye seke the mountys of Israell for parauenture the holy goost hath rauysshed Ihesu. ād parauenture he maye be founde lete vs than do penaunce for the trespasse y t we haue done This counsell of Nychodemus was plesynge to all the Iewes & so they sent men for to seke our lorde Ihesu but they myght not fynde hym ī no place. And whan these men were repayred ageyne they sayd to the Iewes. we haue sought Ihesu on euery hyll of Israell & in euery dale & in euery place. but we can no where fynde hym but we haue founde Ioseph in the cyte of Barmathye And whan the prynces herde this they were wonder Ioyful & mery & they gloryfyed god y t Ioseph was founde. And so y e Iewes & masteres of the lawe assembled thē togyder & keste amonge them howe they myght speke to Ioseph. & so they ordeyned & made letters & sente to Ioseph sayenge thꝰ. Peas be with y e & also with thē y t be with the. we knowe well y t we haue synned in god & in y e. & therfore fader Ioseph. come to vs sen y t we haue knowynge y t we haue greuously synned & trespassed ageynst y e And hugely we merueyll of thy delyueraunce & takynge aweye fro vs. we knowe well y t we ymagynde & ordeyned euyll counsel ageynst the. but god delyuered the fro vs. But pease be with the fader Ioseph worshypped & of all people.
¶ Howe the Iewes chose .viii. men that were Iosephes frē des to desyre hym to come to them.
THan / they chose .viii. mē whiche y t were frē des to Ioseph & to them they sayd whan ye come to Ioseph heyleth hym in please. & do to hym gretynges on out behalfe ād to hym ye delyuer these letters. these mē wē te forthe to the Cyte of Barmathye. & whan they came afore Ioseph they heyled hym ād grette hȳ. & delyuered hym the letters. And whan Ioseph had red this letters thā sayd he thus Blessyd be my lorde god y t hath kyuerde me vnder his wȳges & also blessyd mut he be y t hath saued me fro all myscheues thā Ioseph ladde all these men in to his place And the nexte day after he toke his hors & rode with thē to Iherusalem And whā y e Ihewes with the masters of the lawe herde saye of his cō mynge they yede worshypfully ageynst hym / ād whan they met with hym they sayd thus to hym Pease be at thy cōmȳ ge fader Ioseph And Ioseph answered. The peas of our lorde be to all his trewe peple And thā y e masters of the law with all y e peple they kyssed Ioseph. And Nycodemus ledde Iososeph in to his place Than y e nexte daye after Annas / and Cayphas & Nycodemus they lad Ioseph ī to y e temple & thꝰ they sayd to hȳ. fader Ioseph yeue vs knowlechȳge & to god ī hꝭ tēple of y t we shall axe of you. fader Ioseph ye knowe wel y t ye buryed y e body of Ihesu. & fad (er) ye knowe wel y t we shet y u ī presō & we coude not fȳde y u therī & y erfore tel vs what befel [Page]Than Ioseph answered & sayd. whan ye dyd shet me in the close preson vpon the Sabot daye as I was in my Orysōs and prayers that place was spred about me withe huge lyght as me thought fro the .iiii. partyes of the eyer And soo I lyfted vp my hede and sawe my lorde Ihesu stonde fast by me shynynge with grete clernesse And so for drede that I had I fyll downe [...]lat to the groūde. Than my blyssed lorde Ihesu hente me by the hande and lefte me vp fro the grounde & wasshed my face kyssynge me and thus he sayd to me Brother Ioseph thou arte clene by water of the feyth for thy synnes be relesed and foryeue And therfore my frende haue no drede but byholde me and knowe what I am. and so I dyd beholde hym and sayd. my mayster Elye. And he answered ageyne & sayd I am not Elye but I am Ihesu cryste whome y t thou worshypfully beryed than sayd I to hym. Lorde shewe me thy momment there that I beryed the. And than my lorde Ihesu hente me by the hande and ladde me to the mommente And there he shewed me the precyous Syndonya / y t I wonde hym in Than knewe I verelly that he was my lorde Ihesu And so I fyll downe and worshypped hȳ And sayd my lorde Ihesu / blessyd mote thou be. that arte come hyder for to vysyt me and thorughe thy grace hast delyuered me. & so he helde me by the hande and lad me to the cyte of barmathye. And than he ladde me in to my place & sayd to me Ioseph brother pease with the. And loke thou go not oute of thy place this .xl. dayes for the Iewes shall do many grete dyszesys to many of my frendys And nowe shall I go to my dyscyples & speke to them of the saluacyon of the worlde. And whan he had sayd that worde. he vanyssheh fro me And whan the prynces of the lawe and other Iewes herde this that Ioseph sayd. they were hugely abasshed. And for the grete drede that they had they fell downe to the grounde and so they cryed and sayd. sayd what tokens are this that are befall in Israell The knyghtes that kepte the Sepulcre they bere wytnesse that they sawe an Aungyll dyscende downe fro heuyn [Page]y t Ihesu was resyn fro deth to lyfe & y t he shall be sene in galylee And we knowe well that Ihesu was a man & his fader & moder we knewe both Ioseph & Mary. what may we saye here ayenste thā sayd a Iewe whos name was Leuyꝰ I knowe wel y e begynnynge of Ihesu for I haue moche be with thē. for vpon a tyme as I was in the temple in my offrandys & my orysons. that same tyme saynte Symeon toke hȳ in his armes & thus he sayd to hym. My lorde god let nowe thy seruaunt cōe to the in pease for my eyen haue sene thi helth y t thou ordeyned or any peple was Than sayd the Iewes Let vs sēde for these .iii. men that sayd they sawe Ihesu spekynge to his dyscyples vpon the Mount of Olyuet And so they sente for these iii men & whan they were come afore them they sayd treuly y e god of heuyn was on lyue And y t we sawe verelly howe that Ihesu styed in to heuyn afore all hꝭ discyples.
THan answered Annas & Cayphas / Oure lawe sayth y t by the wordes of .ii. or .iii. is suffycent wytnesse what maye we saye herto we knowe well y t Emoke pleasyd god & was rauysshed in to heuȳ & the sepulcre of moyses myght neuer be founde Pylat delyuerde to vs this Ihesu whiche we bete with scorgys & crowned hym with thornys & afterwarde was crucyfyed & smet hym in the syde with a spere And Ioseph buryed his body in the Sepulcre. Whiche y e nowe beryth wytnesse that he is on lyue And these men saye that they sawe hȳ stye vp in to heuyn And than Ioseph sayd another grete merueyle that there rose vp meny dede bodyes out of theyr grauys I wote well that som men of them haue be in the cyte of Iherusalē whiche y t ye mysbeleuers haue not sene And we knowe well that saynte Symeon receyued Ihesu in his armes in the temple whiche that was a full holy man. this Symeon had two sonys whos names were Garyus and Leuycyus. and we were at ther deth and at ther berynge Go nowe and seche ther grauys but I wote well they be not there but [Page]they be in the cyte of Barmathye they be in orysons & speke to no man. but they holde them stylle as thoughe they were deed. And therfore let vs go to them with worshyp and brȳ ge them to the temple. And whan we haue conioured them paraduenture they shall tell vs somewhat of the resurreccyon of Ihesu And howe that he rose fro deth to lyfe.
¶ Howe the Iewes wente to seke .ii. deed men that were rysen from deth to lyfe in Barmathye & of other thynges that they shewed.
ANd so alle the masters of the lawe with the Iewes wente to the grauys of these .ii. bretherne & so they founde them not there And anon they wente to the cyte of Barmathye whiche was .xl. myle fro Iherusalem. and so they founde thē layde. and so they kyssed them and lad them with hȳ to Iherusalem with grete worshyp And than they lad they into ther Synagoge And whan they had shyt sykerly theyr doris they toke the lawes and them in ther handes And so they cō ioured them by god of Israell and by god adonay yf that they leuyd & that Ihesu was god of Israell that reysed theym. Whan Garyus & Leuycyus herde this coniuracyon they lokyd vp togyder in to heuyn. And than they made sygnys of the holy crosse on theym and than they sayd and spake yeue vs perchemyne and Inke that we maye wryte thynges that we haue herde and sene And so they yafe to them both ynke and perchemyn And whan they were sette they wrote both togyder and sayd thus.
¶ Oure lorde Ihesu cryst. is resurreccyon of the deth and lyfe that byleue on hym. suffer vs to saye the secretys of thy deuyne maiest that thou dedyste in hell by the deth of thy holy [Page]crosse. for we be coniured by the for to speke of y e Thou hast commaunded to thy seruaunte by Mychaell thy archaungyll that we sholde tel the secretys of thy deuyne maieste what thou dedyst ī hell after thy holy resurreccyon / as we were with our forme faders in the grete preuy depnes of derkenes there came a grete bryghtnesse as it had be a beme of lyghte fro the sonne And that kest a lyght royall vpon vs And anone Adam that was our forfader of all mankynde ād Patryarkes and prophetes rose vp lyghtly and sayd This is the lyght of hym that be hyght vs for to sende to vs endles lyghte And anone Isaake with a hyghe voyce began for to saye.
This is the lyght of our fader son of god as I sayd here afore whan I was on lyue in the londe of zabulon and neptalē ouer the flume iordayn The peple that sat in darkenes saw grete bryghtnesse of lyght and that lyght was sente to them that sat in the shadowe of deth that was there as it had be a sterre shynȳge aboue upō vs And as we were ī this Ioye & gladnesse of this lyght that shoke vpon vs there came to vs our fader Symeon and thus he sayd to vs with grete Ioye
Gloryfy our lorde god Ihesu cryst our sauyour whiche I receyued a chylde in the temple and toke hym in my armes sayenge thus. lete now thy seruaunt passe for myn eyen haue sene thy helth whan all the grete company of sayntes that were in hell herde this they were wonder Ioyfull and mery. And after there came another man to vs. as it had bene an Ermyte. and our forfader askyd hym what he was And he answered ayē and sayd I am a voyce of a prophet of an hye companye for I haue go afore the face of hys comynge and also to make redy the waye of his comynge and to yeue helth and connynge to his peple in the remyssyon of ther sȳnes And whan I sawe hym come to me / I was fulfylled with the holy gooste. and thus I sayd see the lambe of godde and beholde hym that dothe awaye synne [Page]of the worlde and hym I haue baptysed in the flume Iordā & vpon hym I sawe the holy goost descende in lykenesse of a doue And than I herde a voyce that fyll fro heuyn sayenge thus. this is my son in whome grete plesynge is to me. And nowe I am come afore hym to you to shewe to you the sōne of god is come fro hyghte for to delyuer vs that syt in derkenesse & in the shadowe of deth abydynge his mercy. whan y t Adam our forfader was baptyzed anone he sayd to seth his son. Tell to thy chyldren & to patryarkes & prophets that y e Aungell sayd to the whan I sente y e to y e gates of paradyse y t thou sholdest praye our lorde god that he wolde sende to me by his aungell of the frute of lyfe. & also of the oyle of mercy for to anoynte with all my membres suche tyme that I was fulfylled full of malady with sekenes. Than Seth sterte vp & sayd with an hyghe voyce. As I was at the gatys of paradyse prayenge our lorde god of the oyle of mercy Oure lorde sente Mychaell his archaungell to me sayenge thus Oure lorde god hath sente me to the. Trauayle not for to haue the oyle of mercy to anoynt with Adam thy fader I do y e to wete thou mayste not haue it vnto the laste day be complete of v. M. &. v. C. yere than shalle the son of god Ihesu cryste cōe vpon erth to reyse the body of Adam thy fader And the bodies of his holy sayntes And than shall he be baptyzed in flom Iordane. And whā he comyth out of the water than he shal anoynte with the oyle of mercy all tho that shall beleue ī hȳ and than shall the son of god go downe to hell ād lede adam thy fader into paradyse to the tre of lyfe and mercy whan y e patryarkes and prophetes herde this that Seth sayd thā they made grete Ioye and as they made grete Ioye Satan the prynce of hel and master of deth sayd to the master of turmē try Make the redy for to receyue Ihesu whiche that gloryfyed hym selfe to be the son of god And yet he is man that dredyth deth for he sayd my soule is heuy ageȳst deth This Ihesu hath wrought meny heuynes & euyllys ayenst me for thē that I made blynde crokyd and lame and mezel he hath made [Page]hole by his worde And also the dede that I brought to the he hath reysed to lyfe. Than the prynce of turmentrye answered to Sathan what is he that is so myghty by his worde And thou sayest that he is man that dredyth deth All that euer were myghty in erth thou hast brought them to my bō dome and be bownde in my poust & yf he be so myghty ī mā hode as thou sayest I saye to the he is so myghty in dyuynyte so ferforth that we may neuer do ageynste hym. And yf y t he sayd that he drad deth I saye to the that he wyll dysceyue the and ouercome the at alle tymes And than answered Sathan to the master of turmentre & sayd why dredyst thou for to receyue myne aduersary and thyne. I haue made the Iewes for to be ageynst hym And I haue made redy that he shall be smyt with and I haue made redy the tre that he shalbe crucyfyed on ād .iii. nayles for to fast hym therto And I haue made a drynke with ezyll & gall y t he shal drȳke And I tel the that he shall be dede anone And I shall brynge hym bowde to y e Than answered the prynce of turmentrye this. that thou sayest that he by his myght hath take fro me them that were deed what hopyst thou he maye be that doth suche masterys by his worde. I drede me parauenture that this was he that toke a way Lazare fro me and reysed hym that was .iiii. dayes dede whome that I helde bownde in my preson & hym he yelded to lyfe by his worde Than answered Satā & sayd I do the to were that he is the same Ihesu And whan the prynce of turmentrye herde this he sayd to Satan I conioure the by thy vertu and myne that thou brynge hym not here to me for whan I herde the cōmaundement of his worde I trembled and shoke for drede and all my fell seriauntis with me so y t we ne myghte kepe lazare. but he flowe fro vs as swyfte as it had be an Egle oute of the bondys y t we had hym in and the erth that he laye in dede vndyd ād yalde hȳ quyke fro hym wenyste thou sathan for to holde suche a lorde that toke his seruaunt fro vs manger of vs by the vertue [Page]of his worde wyt thou well this without dowte yf thou brȳ ge hym hyder that is so myghty to saue almankynde. he wyl put vs hence I saye satan and all tho that be shet in oure preson and strayned be ther syn in our bondis by hym they shal be delyuered and brought to euerlastynge lyfe. And as they spoke thus togyder there came a voyce as it had bene douder of the holy goost and thus he sayd.
Attollite portas principes vr̄as). ye prȳces of deth vnclosyth your gatys for the prynce of glorye shall entre therin And whan the prynce of hell herde this voyce they sayd to Satā Go hens fro vs and yf thou be myghty to fyght. Go fyght with hym that is kynge of glorye. And so hel kest Satan fro hym and than he sayd to his fel seriauntes. shet myghtly your yatys with Iron barrys and fyghte myghtely and withstonde hym strongely that the kynge of blys come not herin that our strength be not take fro vs and we to be put to end les sorowe And whan the sayntes herde this. they sayd with an hyghe voyce to the deuyll and to the prynce of tormentri Wreches vndo your gatys and lete the kȳge of glorye come in. Than sayd dauyd / Prophyced I not whan I was lyuȳ ge in erthe and sayd thus. (Quia hec est dies quā fecit dn̄s exultemus et letemur in ea). That is to saye. this is the day that god made therin we maye be blyth and glad. and after hym sadd I saye. to all the sayntes. sayd I not whan I was leuynge that the deed sholde be lyfte vp and the bodyes that lye in grauys shall be reysed vp fro deth to lyfe and that they that be in erth shall be full of Ioye. and yet I say now more. ye kaytyfes of deth & hell where is nowe your pryce. where is nowe your vyctory. whan the sayntes herde I saye say these wordys. They sayd alle at onys to the prynces of hell. Undo your gatys wrechys for ye be but take and bounde. & maye not helpe your selfe. Than came the voyce the seconde tyme sayenge thus. (Accollite portas vr̄as). And whan that hell herde thꝭ uoyce come .ii. tymes he answered vnaduysedly thus. (Quis est iste rex glie). That is to saye, what is the [Page]kynge of blys. and than answered dauyd sayenge thꝰ I knowe well that voyce by his wordes of the holy goost. for I prophecyd it afore and nowe I saye to the hell. (Dn̄s deus fortꝭ et potens dn̄s potens in prelio / ip̄e est rex glie). That is for to saye. Our lorde god stronge and myghty. & myghty ī batayle he is kynge of glorye. (Et ip̄e de celo in terrā aspexit ut audiret gemitus compeditorū vt solueret filios int (er)empto (rum) That is to saye. that blyssyd lorde byhelde fro heuyn to erth to here the waymentynges of them that are in bondys and that he sholde vnhynde the chyldren that were broughte to the deth to be slayne. And therfore thou velayne stynkynge hole vndo thy gatys that the kynge of blysse maye come in.
ANd as Dauyd had sayd this to hell vpon them came the gloryous desyred kȳge of glorye ī fourme of man and enlyghted all the derkenesse of hell with the gloryous bryghtnesse of his gloryous face And all the gatys and shetynges with Iron barrys and boltys all to brest in his holy comynge ād all the fell fyndes made hym space and waye And whan the sayntes sawe Ihesu our sauyour come with aūgels they were abasshed of the grete Ioye that they ne durst speke but with grete and softe herte sayenge thus. Our lorde god and oure sauyour thou arte come to vs kynge of glorye to delyuer vs out of the bondys fro these fals felons And blessyd be thy name for now shall we be made hole. Than came our lorde Ihesu and braste all the bondys that we were bounde with and cōmaūded that we sholde be delyuerd of all anguyshes from that tyme forwarde. and whan the pyrnce of hell with al his fell seriauntes saw the grete bryghtnesse they had than huge sorowe and drede. than .x. prynces of hell rose vp of theyr setys with huge rorynge & cryenge ād sayd thus with grete wemētȳge O Ihesu how we be ouercōe by y e what mā arte thou y t reysyst thy requeste ageynst god vnknowynge vs [Page]what arte thou that brekyst all our poure what arte thou that arte so grete and apredyst so lytel in erth. What arte thou that were soo meke & lowly in erth and now arte thou a prȳ celly fyghter in forme of man And now kynge of glory that were dede and nowe thou leuyst & now all creturs tremylle & quake by thy crosse & by thy deth. & were buryed ī a Sepulcre and arte descended downe to vs all quyke creatures tremyll & quake by thy deth & all the foure elementys / shewyd ther tokyns And now hast thou delyuered all that were dede & dystroblyd & put to myschefe alle our foull fell mynysters. What arte thou that haste delyuered theym that were dystrayned here amonge vs for ther synne and hast clepyd thē agayne to theyr fyrste fraunchyse. what arte thou that yeuyst lystght to them that are blynde by the bryghtenesse of thy godhede. & than all that were in hell cryed with one voyce and sayd A what arte thou that arte so myghty a man ād so clere in maiest shynȳge wythout blame and clene of erthly synne what arte thou y t entryst in to our regyō & contreys without drede and dowteste no poynte of turmentynge but hast fro vs all tho that were streyned in our bodyes parauē ture thou arte that Ihesu that our prynce Satā sayd to our prynces that thou sholdest take to the alle the powere of the worlde by thy deth of the crosse Than our lorde Ihesu cryst toke Satan & bonde hym and delyuerd hym in to hell to the prynce of turmentrye & sorowe Than byhelde satan sayenge thus to hym A thou prȳce of perdycyon Belsabub with thy thre hedes lyer vpon the Aungels of god why haste thou do this falce dede A whiche a dyspoylynge thou behyghteste vs whan thou let hym fal to suche a dede what harme to vs thou dede whan thou let the kynge of glory be crucyfyed. A thou fals sathan thou ne wotest neuer what thou hast do for this Ihesu hath Illumyned all the darkenesse of deth with the clernesse of his deuynyte & hath nowe broke al the gatys of our depe presons and vnbounde all that were therin / ād them that were in our turmentreys they scorne vs. And by [Page]ther prayers we shall euer after be ouercome that neuer afore durst saye one worde ayenst vs. And nowe shall neuer none of mankȳde come amonge vs but euer shall lede vs where they wyll that neuer afore durste do ageynst vs And nowe are they fylled full of meruellous ioye by the preysȳge of ther lorde god. A thou prynce of all shrewednesse and fader of all felonys why hast thou do thus / howe durst thou do suche a lorde to be crucyfyed for nowe be all tho that were in dyspeyer fro the begynnynge in to this tyme nowe in helth ād in endles lyfe And we shall neuer here of ther crowchynge gronynge nor wepynge A thou fell satan all the ryches that thou haddest conquered by thy appyll in paradyse thou hast nowe loste by the tre of thy crosse. and alle thy Ioye is perysshed whyle that thou haste crucyfyed hym that was ageȳst the and were thou wel that thou shalte suffer tormentry endlesly in my orryble preson. A. O thou fals and cursyd Satā auctor of deth and fader of pryde thou sholdest fyrste enquyred his cause and yf he had be worthy deth. And yf thou hadest founde no cause of deth in hym thou sholdest haue lefte hȳ on lyue but thou fonde no fawte nor cause to crucyfye hȳ & for thou were so hardy to crucyfy hym thou arte the cause y t he is ētred ī to our regyon. And wote thou what thou hast do I saye to y e thou hast all forlorne & we wreches shal dwell in turmentrye that euer shall laste as hell. And as Satā spake thus togyder came the kynge of blys and thus he sayd to hell Thou prynce Satā thy power shall be endlesly to dwel here in stede of Adam and his chyldren and all my ryghtful peple And than our blessyd lorde spred forth his ryght hande & sayd come to me my holy and all that haue myne ymage & my lykenesse whiche were dampned to the deth by the frute of the appyll and by the deuyll. and now may ye well se that the deuyll is dampned by the tre and by the crosse And anone all the sayntes assembled them togyder vnder our lordes hande Than oure lorde toke Adam by the ryght hande and sayd thus to hym. my pease be with the and all my ryghtfull [Page]chyldren and all my holy sayntes. and than our forme fader fyll downe on his knees afore our blessyd lorde wepȳge for Ioye. ād thus he sayd. (Exaltabo te dn̄e quoniam suscepisti me non delecrasti inimicos meos suꝑ me. Dn̄e deꝰ meꝰ clamaui ad te & sanasti me. deduxisti ab inferis aīam meā. sanasti me a descendenti (bus) ī lacū). This is to say. My lorde I shall enhaunce the for that thou hast take me. for thou ne hast suffred myne enmyes to be abone me. My lorde god I haue cryed to the & thou hast made me hole. thou hast brought my soule owte of hell and hast saued me fro them y t are fal in depnesse of y e lake & thā all the sayntes fylle downe to our lordꝭ fete sayenge all with one voyce to our lor god. thou arte cōe to vs. Byer of the worlde. blessyd be thy name as thou shewdest to vs by thy holy lawes and by thy holy prophetes thou bought vs agayne by thy holy crosse and thou arte cōe downe to vs by thy holy vertue for to drawe vs fro deth and fro the horryble paynes of hel And than our blessyd lorde lyfted vp his hande & made the fygne of the holy crosse on Adam & on his holy sayntes And so he toke Adam by the ryghe honde and styed out of hell vp in to the eyre & al the sayntes folowed hym. Than kynge Dauyd sayd with an hyghe voyce. Cantate dn̄o canticū nouū quia mirabilia fecit). That is to saye Syngeth to oure lorde god a newe songe for he hath wrought merueyllys. (Et hec est gloria oī (bus) icantis eius). That is to saye. blessyd be god for this grete Ioye to alle his sayntys Than after dauyd sayd Mycheas.
Quis deus sicut tu dn̄e auferens iniquitatem & transgrediens pccā & nūc continens in testīo irā tuam. &c̄.
That is to saye. Who is suche a lorde as our lorde god is puttynge awaye all euyllys of synne. and after hym sayd Abacuk the prophet. Thou comyst out with helthe to thy peple for to delyuer all thy frendys fro all sorowes & dyszezys. thā after hym sayd all y e sayntes Blessyd mot thou be y t comyste in the name of god for thou arte Ioye and blyssyd to all thy peple. ( Allia). And than all the prophetes pronowncyd alle [Page]ther prophyces that they had shewed in erth with grete plesynge to to our lorde god And than all the sayntes sayd. this is oure lorde god. that shalle gouerne vs withoute ende. Allia).
¶ How our lorde led all his holy sayntes in to y e Ioyes of paradyse & of the thre men y t they mette.
ANd thā our blessyd lorde toke Adam our forme fader by the hande and led hym in to paradyce and al his holy sayntes with hym and them he delyuered to Mychaell his archaungyl and he led them in to paradyce where is endles Ioye / And whan they were entred in to paradise there came ageȳ ste them .ii. men of grete age. And the sayntes asked thē what they were. ād how it myght be that they were there so bodyly and had not be with them in hell. Than one of thē answered ād sayd I am Emoke that by the worde of god I am translated heder. and he that is with me here is Elyas tesbytes whiche was brought hyder in a brennynge chare ād yet suffred we no deth but we are kepte to the commynge of Antecryst to fyght with hym with wordes and tokyns of oure lorde god and of hym we snall be slayne in the cyte of Iherusalem And .ii. dayes and a halfe after we shall ryse fro deth to lyfe and betake vp in the skyes. and as Emoke tolde this to the sayntes there came to them a man berynge on hym y e sygne of the holy crosse. And whan al the sayntes sawe hym they sayd to hym what man may thou be that hast here the lykenes of a thefe And why beryst thou the sygne of the holy crosse. And than this man answered to them and sayd forsoth ye saye truly that I was a thefe and many cursyd ded is and fals dyde I in erth. And therfore the Iewes crucyfyed me with our lorde Ihesu. And whan I sawe the sterȳges of y e Elemētꝭ ī hꝭ passyō I byleued y t he was sauyour of y e worlde & maker of al creaturs & kȳge al myghty thā sayd I to hȳ [Page]lorde haue mercy on me And haue me in mynde whan thou comyst in to thy kyngedome. And anone that blessyd lorde toke my prayer and sayd to me forsoth this daye shalte thou be with me in paradyce And than he toke me the sygne of y e holy crosse and sayd to me Bere this sygne with the and go to paradyse and yf the aungell that is keper of paradyse wyl not suffer the to entre in. shewe hym the sygne of the crosse & saye to hym that Ihesu cryst whiche that was nowe crucyfyed sente me to the And whan I had sayd this to the Aūgel anone he vndyd the gatys and led me in to Paradyce. And set me on the ryght syde sayenge thus to me Suffre and holde the here a lytell whyle For Adam that is fader of all man kynde with all his chyldren and all the frendys of god shalle come hyder by the vertue of Ihesu crystys passyon And whan the holy sayntes as patryarkys & prophetys herde thyse wordes of this thefe than they sayd al with one voyce. Blessyd be our lorde god almyghty endles fader of mercy that suche grace hath youen to synners and brought vs to the Ioy of paradyse and in to the pasture of delyte & to endles Ioye. Amen.
THese are the holy secretys of the deuynyte that we haue sene. I Garyus ād my brod Leuycyus but our lorde god wyl suffer vs no lenger to telle and shewe vnto you the secrettys of his deuynyte for saynte Mychaell the archaungell sayd to vs Ryse & go in to the cyte of Iherusasem and be there in prayers / and gloryfye the holy resurreccyon of oure lorde Ihesu cryste with your bretherne that rose with hȳ and that ye speke to no person. But be you as the domme. in to the tyme that our lorde shal suffer you for to shewe the secretys of his deuynyte And so the holy Aungell saynt Mychaell cōmaunded vs to go to flōme Iordane to a place there that many are rysen with vs in witnesse of the resurreccyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste. Oure lorde god hath graunted vs .iii. dayes to be Iherusalem & holde there the holy paske of our lorde god with [Page]our frendys And also that we shalbe baptyzed in the flā me Iordan eche of vs at that tyme takynge whyte stolys. & thus saynt Mychaell cōmaūded vs y t we sholde be ī orysons ī the cyte of Barmathye & y t we sholde shewe to you these holy secretys And therfore yeue presynge to our lorde god and be a knowe your defaute and doo penaunce y t he maye haue mercy vpō you. Nowe pease be with you of our lorde Ihesu cryste y t is sauyour of vs all. Amen.
¶ Howe Nycodemus & Ioseph tolde to Pylat all y t thyse .ii. mē had sayd & how pylat treatyd wih the prȳces of y e lawe.
ANd whan this scrypture was wreten this Garyus & Leuycyus rose vp And so Garyus delyuered the byll y t he hath wrytē in to the handys of Annas & Cayphas & to Gamalyel And leuycyus yaue that he had wryt in to the handes of Nycodemus & Ioseph of Barmathye. and anone they were transfygured ād were no more sene of them. for both byllys were all one hande as though one man had wrette them both. And there was not one letter more ī y e one than in that other And whan y e Iewes & masters of the lawe had red these bylles and vnderstonde them they were hugely abasshed all & shamed And than they sayd amonge them that forsoth Ihesu was verye godys son blessyd moche be endlesly for al thynge beryth wytnesse therof And anone after they wente out of the Synagoge And than Nycodemus and Ioseph of Barmathye tolde al this to pylat And than Pylat dyd wryte al that was befall of Ihesu of y t the Iewes had sayd of hȳ And all these merueyles he dyd put in his bookys after that Pylat entred in to the Iewes and afore hym assembled al y e Masters of the lawe as prynces and Bysshoppes. And thā Pylat dyde cōmaunde the gatys and dorys to be shyt. And than pylat sayd to them Syrs it is do me wyt that ye haue amōge you a newe story of grete scrypture whiche scrypture [Page]I couet for to se. And therfore I charge you y t it be broughte to my presence And whā it was brought to his p̄sēce. thā sayd he to thē all I cōioure you all by y e vertue of our lorde whiche y t is fader & maker of all thȳge y t ye ne hyde no coūsel but for to saye y e trewthe. Syrs ye knowe by the scryptures y t is wryt here that Ihesu whiche that ye crucyfyed is very goddis son & so it behoued hȳ to come into this worlde to y e helth of mākynde. And therfore I charge you y t ye tell me what tyme y t cryste sholde come by your scrypture. Whā y t Annas & Cayphas were thꝰ coniured they charged & cōmaūded y t all sholde go out of y e tēple saue Pylat & they .ii. Thā they sayd to Pylat good Iuge thou hast so cōiured vs y t we must nedꝭ shewe to y e / y e trouth of this y t thou hast enquyred of vs syr into y e tyme y t we had crucyfyed Ihesu. We knewe not y t he was goddys son. but we wēde y t y e vertues that he wrought had ben done by some charme. thā made we vs to assemble in this temple And here we dyde reherce all the vertues y t he had wrought And so there were many of our lynage y t sayd y t they had sene Ihesu after his passyō & y t they had herde hym speke to his dyscyples. And also they sayde y t they sawe hym stye vp ī to heuyn And we wote well y t we sawe .ii. men whiche y t Ihesu reysed fro deth to lyfe whiche tolde vs meny merueyllys y t Ihesu ī his dyenge dyde & after. & y t maye ye wyt bi ther scrypturs y t we holde ī our hādis But our custome is suche y t we do worshyp to storyes y t haue be here afore ī our Sinagogys / & so we fynde by wytnes of god ī y e fyrste booke as it sayeth y t Mychaell y e Archaūgyll sayd to Seth y t was y e thyrde son of Adam. Whā .v. M. & .v.C. yere were complette thā sholde y e sō of god. Ihesu cryste come fro heuyn & yet we abyde his cōmynge. And paraduēture this god of Israell y t sayd to moyses y t he sholde make an hutche of wydnes in the lēgth of .ii. kebettys & an halfe. ī y e length of a kepet & ā halfe. And these .v. kebettys we vnderstonde by y e olde testamēt y t whā .v. M. &. v C. yere is come thā shal Ihesu cryst y e son of god cōe in to the hutche. y t is the wombe of y e maydē Mary [Page]thꝰ our scryptur berith witnesse of hȳ y t shal be y e sō of god & kȳge of y e peple of Israel But after y e passyō of Ihesu we & our prynces merueylled of y e tokens & workes y t were do by hym And so we lokyd our storyes & coūted all y e lynage downe to Iosephes lynage. And y e lynage of Marye y t was mod (er) of Ihesu. & so we haue acounted y t fro y e tyme y t god made the worlde & Adā y e fyrste mā vnto Noyes flode is .ii. M. & .viii C. yere And fro y e flode to Abraham. is .iii. M. & v.C. yere. And fro Moyses to Dauyd y e kynge is .v.C. yere And fro y e transmygracyon of Babyloyne vnto y e īcarnacyō of Ihesu cryst is .iiii.C. yere. And thus is y e accoūte in all .v. M. & .v. C. yere All these thynges & merueylles dyd Pylat wryte ād put in his offyce in fayer velommys so y t it myght be red ād knowen of all mē y t sholde come after hym & after y t Pylatte wrote a letter to the Cyte of Rome & to Clawdyo the Emperoure. Amen.