_Primus doctor._ Heyl, Herowde, most excyllent kyng! We am comawndyd to thin presens, — Pylat sendyth the be us gretyng, And chargyth us, be oure obedyens, _Secundus doctor._ That we xuld do oure dylygens To bryng Jhesus of Naȝareth onto the, And chargyth us to make no resystens, Becawse he was born in this countré. _Annas._ We knowe he hath wrowth gret folé Ageyns the lawe shewyd present; Therfore Pylat sent hym onto the, That thou xuldyst gyf hym jugement. _Herowde Rex._ Now, be Mahound my God of Grace! Of Pylat this is a dede ful kende; I forgyf hym now is gret trespace, And schal be his frend withowtyn ende. Jhesus to me that he wole sende, I desyred ful sore hym for to se; Gret ese in this Pylat xal fynde, And, Jhesus, thou art welcome to me! _Primus Judæus._ My sovereyn lord, this is the case, The gret falsnesse of Jhesu is opynly knawe; Ther was nevyr man dede so gret trespas, ffor he hath almost destroyd oure lawe. _Secundus Judæus._ ȝa! be fals crafte of soserye, Wrowth opynly to the pepylle alle, And be sotyl poyntes of nygramancye, Many thowsandys fro oure lawe be falle. _Cayphas._ Most excellent kyng, ȝe must take hede, He wol dystroye alle this countré, bothe elde and ȝyng; Yf he ten monthis more procede, Be his meraclys and fals prechyng, He bryngyth the pepyl in gret fonnyng, And seyth dayly among hem alle, That he is lord and of the Jewys kyng, And the sone of God he doth hym calle. _Rex Herowde._ Serys, alle these materys I have herd sayd, And meche more than ȝe me telle; Alletogedyr thei xal be layde, And I wyl take thereon cowncelle. Jhesus, thou art welcome to me; I kan Pylat gret thank for his sendyng; I have desyryd ful longe the to se, And of thi meracles to have knowyng. It is told me thou dost many a wondyr thyng, Crokyd to gon and blynd men to sen, And thei that ben dede gevyst hem levyng, And makyst lepers fayre and hool to ben. These arn wondyr werkys wrougth of the, Be what wey I wolde knowe the trew sentens. Now Jhesu, I pray the, lete me se O meracle wrougth in my presens. In hast now do thi dylygens, And peraventure I wyl shew favour to the; ffor now thou art in my presens, Thyn lyf and deth here lyth in me. _And here Jhesus xal not speke no word to the Herowde._ Jhesus, why spekyst not to thi kyng? What is the cawse thou standyst so stylle? Thou nowyst I may deme alle thyng, — Thyn lyf and deth lyth at my wylle!