THE CRUCIFIXION
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Rhys, Ernest
Pilate. Peace I bid every wight; Stand as still as stone in wall, Whiles ye are present in my sight, That none of ye clatter nor call; For if ye do, your death is dight. I warn it you both great and small, With this brand burnished so bright, Therefore in peace look ye be all.
What? peace, in the devil's name! Harlots and dastards all bedene273 On gallows ye be made full tame. Thieves and michers ken274 Will ye not peace when I bid you? By Mahoun's blood! if ye me teyn,275 I shall ordain soon for you Pains that never e'er was seen, And that anon: Be ye so bold beggars, I warn you, Full boldly shall I beat you, To hell the de'il shall draw you, Body, back, and bone.
I am a lord that mickle is of might, Prince of all Jewry, Sir Pilate I hight. Next bring Herod, greatest of all, Bow to my bidding, both great and small, Or else be ye shent;276 Therefore keep your tongues, I warn you all And unto us take tent.277
1st Torturer. All peace, all peace, among you all! And hearken now what shall befall To this false chuffer278 here. That with his false quantyse279 Has made himself as God wise Among us many a year. He calls himself a prophet, And says that he can bales280 beat281 And make all things amend, But e'er long know we shall, Whether he can overcome his own bale,280 Or 'scape out of our hand.
Was not this a wonder thing That he durst call himself a king And make so great a lie? But, by Mahoun! while I may live, Those proud words shall I never forgive, Till he be hanged on high.
2nd Torturer. His pride, fie, we set at nought, But each man reckon in his thought And look that we naught want; For I shall seek, if that I may, By the order of knighthood, to-day, To make his heart pant.
3rd Torturer. And so shall I, with all my might, Abate his pride this very night, And reckon him a crede. Lo! he lets on he could no ill, But he can aye, when he will, Do a full foul deed.
4th Torturer. Ye fellows, ye, as I, have rest, Among us all I rede282 we cast To bring this thief to dede.283 Look that we have what we need too For to hold strait this shrew.
1st Torturer. That was a noble rede; Lo, here I have a band, If need be, to bind his hand; This thong, I trow, will last.
2nd Torturer. And one to the other side, That shall abate his pride, If it be but drawn fast.
3rd Torturer. Lo, here a hammer and nails also For to fasten fast our foe To this tree full soon.
4th Torturer. You are wise, withouten dread, That so can help yourself at need To thing that should be done.
1st Torturer. Now dare I say hardily, He shall with all his mawmentry284 No longer us be-tell.
2nd Torturer. Since Pilate has him to us gi'en Have done, quickly, let it be seen, How we can with him mell.285
3rd Torturer. Now we are at the Mount of Calvary, Have done, fellows, and let now see How we can with him play.
4th Torturer. Yes, for as proud as he can look, He would have turned another crook, Had he the rack to-day.
1st Torturer. In faith, sir, since ye called you a king, You must prove a worthy thing That falls into the weir. You must joust in tournament, But sit you fast, else you'll be shent,286 Else down I shall you bear.
2nd Torturer. If thou be God's son, as thou tells, Thou canst save thyself--how shouldst thou else? Else were it marvel great; And canst thou not, we will not trow What thou has said, but make thee mow When thou sitt'st in that seat.
3rd Torturer. If thou be king, we shall thanks adylle287 For we shall set thee in thy sadylle288 For falling be thou bold289 I promise thee thou bidest a shaft If thou sitt'st not well thou hadst better laft290 The tales that thou hast told.
4th Torturer. Stand near, fellows, and let us see How we can horse our king so free By any craft; Stand thou yonder on yon side, And we shall see how he can ride. And how to wield a shaft.
1st Torturer. Sir, come ye hither, and have done, And get upon your palfrey soon For he is ready bowne:291 If ye be bound to him be not wroth, For be ye secure we were full loth On any wise that ye fell down.
2nd Torturer. Knit thou a knot, with all thy strength For to draw this arm at length Till it come to the bore.
3rd Torturer. Thou art mad, man, by this light! It wants, in each man's sight Another half span, and more.
4th Torturer. Yet draw out this arm, and make it fast, With this rope, that well will last, And each man lay hand to.
1st Torturer. Yes, and bind thou fast that band, We shall go to that other hand, And look what we can do.
2nd Torturer. Do drive a nail there throughout, And then there shall nothing doubt, For it will not breste.292
3rd Torturer. That shall I do, so might I thrive, For to hammer and to drive Thereto I am full pressed; So let it stick, for it is well.
4th Torturer. Thou sayest sooth, There can no man mend.
1st Torturer. Hold down his knees.
2nd Torturer. That shall I do. His nurse did never better do; Lay on with each hand.
3rd Torturer. Draw out his limbs, let see, have at.
4th Torturer. That was well drawn out, that, Fair befall him that so pulled! For to have gotten it to the mark I trow laymen nor clerk Nothing better should!
1st Torturer. Hold it now fast there One of you the bore shall bear, And then it may not fail.
2nd Torturer. That shall I do withouten dread, As ever might I well speed Him to mickle bale.
3rd Torturer. So, that is well, it will not brest,293 But now, let see, who does the best With any sleight of hand.
4th Torturer. Go we to the other ende Fellows, fasten fast your hende,294 And pull well at the band.
1st Torturer. I counsel, fellows, by this weather That we draw now all together, And look how it will fare.
2nd Torturer. Now let see, and leave your din And draw we ilka syn from syn.295 For nothing let us spare.
3rd Torturer. Nay, fellows, this is no play, We no longer draw one way, So mickle have I espied.
4th Torturer. No, for as I have bliss Some can twig whoso it is Seeks his ease on his own side.