Rewfyn and Lyon wyl se 3our presens,
And se 3ow here or this day be past.

Annas. Sere, Ikan the thank of thi dyligens,
Now ageyn my cosyn I wole walk;

Serys, folwyth me onto his presens,
for of thes materys we must talk.

Here Annas goth down to mete with Cayphas, and in the mene tyme thus seyng,

Cayphas. Now onto Annas let us wende,
Eche of us to knowe otheres intent :
Many materes I have in mende,
The wiche to hym I xal present. -
Primus doctor. Sere, of alle othere thyng remembre this
case,
Loke that Jhesus be put to schame.
Secundus doctor. Whan we come present beforn Annas,
Whe xal rehers alle his gret blame.

Here the buschopys with here clerkes and the Phariseus mett, and the myd place, and ther wal be a lytil oratory with stolys and cusshonys clenly be-seyn, lyche as it were a cownsel-hous ; Annas thus seyng,

We come, ser Cayphas, and 3e, jewgys alle,
Now xal 3e knowe alle myn entent;
A wondyr case, serys, here is befalle,
On wiche we must gyf jewgement.
Lyst that we aftere the case repent,
Of on Cryst that Goddys sone som doth hym calle ;
He shewyth meraclys and sythe present
That he is prynce of prynces alle.

The pepyl so fast to hym doth falle,
Be prevy menys, as we aspye;

3yf he procede, son sen 3e xalle,
That oure lawys he wyl dystrye;

It is oure part thus to deny:
What is 30ur cowncelle in this cas?

Cayphas. Be reson the trewth here may we try,
I cannot dem hym withouth trespace;

Because he seyth in every a place,
That he kyng of Jewys in every degré.

Therfor he is fals, knowe wel the case,
Sesar is kyng and non but he.

Rewfyn. He is an eretyk and a tretour bolde,
To Sesare and to oure lawe sertayn;
Bothe in word, and in werke, and 3e beholde
He is worthy to dey with mekyl peyn.
Leon. The cawse that we been here present,
To fortesye the lawe, and, trewth to say,
Jhesus ful mere oure lawys hath shent,
Therfore he is worthy for to day.

Primus doctor Annas. Seres, 3e that ben rewelerys of the
lawe,
On Jhesu 3e must gyf jugement,
Let hym fyrst ben hangyn and drawe,
And thanne his body in fyre be brent.
Secundus doctor Annas. Now xal 3e here the intent of me,
Take Jhesu that worke us alle gret schame;
Put hym to deth, let hym not fle,
For than the comownys thei wyl 3ow blame.

Primus doctor Cayphas. He werke with wechecrafte in eche place, And drawyth the pepyl to hese intent; Bewhare, 3e jewgys, let hym not passe, Than be my trowthe ze xal repent. Secundus doctor Cayphas. Serys, takyth hede onto this case,

And in 3our jewgement be not slawe; Ther was nevyr man dyd so gret trespace, As Jhesu hath don ageyn oure lawe.

Annas. Now, bretheryn, than wyl 3e here myn entent,
These ix. days let us abyde;
We may not gyf so hasty jugement,
But eche man inqwere on his syde.
Send spyes abouth the countré wyde,
To se and recorde and testymonye,
And than hese werkys he xal not hyde,
Nor have no power hem to denye.

Cayphas. This cownecelle acordyth to my reson.
Annas. And we alle to the same.

XXVI. THE ENTRY INTO JERUSADEM.

Jhesus. ffrendys, beholde the tyme of mercy,
The whiche is come now withowt dowth;

Mannys sowle in blys now xal edyfy,
And the prynce of the werd is cast owth.

Go to 3on castel that standyth 30w ageyn,
Sum of myn dyscyplis go forthe 3e to ;
There xul 3e flyndyn bestys tweyn,
An asse tyed and here fole also.
Unlosne that asse, and brynge it to me pleyn;
Iff any man aske why that 3e do so,
Sey that I have nede to this best serteyn,
And he xal not lett 3ow 30ur weys for to go :
That best brynge 3e to me.
Primus Apostolus. Holy prophete, we gonoure way,
We wyl not joure wourd delay,
Also sone as that we may,
We xal it brynge to the.

Here theiffecche the asse with the fole, and the burgeys seyth,

Burgensis. Herke 3e, men, who 3aff 30w leve,
Thus this best for to take away ?

But only for pore men to releve,
This asse is ordeyned, as I 3ow say.
Philippus. Good sere, take this at no greff,
Oure mayster us sent hedyr this day,
He hath grett nede withowte repress,
Therfore not lett us, I the pray,
This best for to lede.
Burgensis. Sethyn that it is so that he hath 50w sent,
Werkyth his wylle and his intent,
Take the beste, as 3e be bent,
And evyr wel mote 3e spede.

Jacobus minor. This best is brought ryght now here lo!
Holy prophete at thin owyn wylle,
And with this clothe, anon, also,
This bestys bak we xal sone hylle.
Philippus. Now mayst thou ryde whedyr thou wylt go,
Thyn holy purpos to fulfylle,
Thy best ful redy is dyth the to,
Bothe meke and tame the best is stylle.
And we be redy also,
If it be plesynge to thissyght,
The to helpe anon forthe ryght,
Upon this best that thou were dyght,
Thi jurney for to do.

Here Cryst rydyth out of the place and he wyl, and Petyr and John abydyn stylle, and at the last, whan thei have done ther prechyng, thei mete with Jhesu,

Petrus. O, 3e pepyl dyspeyryng, be glad |
A grett cawse 3e have, and 3e kan se,

The Lord that alle thynge of nought mad,
Is comynge 3our comfort to be.

Alle your langoris salvyn xal he,
3our helthe is more than 3e kan wete,