_Cayphas._ Sere Pylat, takyght hede to this thyng! Jhesus we han beforn the browth, Wheche owre lawe doth down bryng, And mekyl schame he hath us wrowth. _Annas._ ffrom this cetye into the lond of Galylé, He hath browth oure lawys neyr into confusyon, With hese craftys wrowth be nygramancye, Shewyth to the pepyl be fals symulacyon. _Primus doctor._ ȝa! ȝet, ser, another and werst of alle! Aȝens Sesar, oure emperour that is so fre, Kyng of Jewys he doth hym calle, So oure emperoures power nowth xuld be! _Secundus doctor._ Sere Pylat, we kannot telle half the blame That Jhesus in oure countré hath wrowth; Therfore we charge the in the emperores name, That he to the deth in hast be browth! _Pylat._ What seyst to these compleyntys, Jhesu? These pepyl hath the sore acusyd, Because thou bryngyst up lawys newe, That in oure days were not usyd. _Jhesus._ Of here accusyng me rowth nowth, So that thei hurt not here soulys ne non mo. I have nowth ȝet founde that I have sowth, ffor my faderys wyl fforth must I go. _Pylat._ Jhesus, be this than I trowe thou art a kyng, And the sone of God thou art also,— Lord of erth and of alle thing,— Telle me the trowth, if it be so! _Jhesus._ In hefne is knowyn my faderys intent, And in this werlde I was born; Be my fadyr I was hedyr sent, For to seke that was forlorn. Alle that me heryn and in me belevyn, And kepyn here feyth stedfastly; Thow thei weryn dede I xal them recuryn, And xal them bryng to blysse endlesly. _Pilate._ Lo! serys, now ȝe an erde this man, how thynk ȝe? Thynke ȝe not alle be ȝoure reson? But as he seyth it may wel be, And that xulde be this incheson. I fynde in hym non obecyon Of errour, nor treson, ne of no maner gylt; The lawe wele in no conclusyon Withowte defawth he xuld be spylt. _Primus doctor._ Sere Pylat, the lawe restyth in the, And we knowe veryly his gret trespas; To the emperour this mater told xal be, Yf thou lete Jhesus thus from the pas! _Pylat._ Serys, than telle me o thyng, What xal be his acusyng? _Annas._ Sere, we telle the altogedyr, ffor his evyl werkys we browth hym hedyr; And yf he had not an evyl doere be, We xuld not a browth hym to the. _Pylat._ Takyth hym than after ȝour sawe, And demyth hym aftyr ȝour lawe. _Cayphas._ It is not lefful to us, ȝe seyn, No maner man for to slen; The cawse why we bryng hym to the, That he xuld not oure kyng be. Weyl thou knowyst kyng we have non, But oure Emperour alon. _Pylat._ Jhesu, thou art kyng of Juré? _Jhesus._ So thou seyst now to me. _Pylat._ Tel me than, where is thi kyngham? _Jhesus._ My kyngham is not in this werld, I telle the at o word. Yf my kyngham here had be, I xuld not a be delyveryd to the. _Pylat._ Seres, avyse ȝow as ȝe kan. I can fynde no defawth in this man.