|
XXXIII
THE TILEMAKERS’ PLAY (OR MILLERS’ PLAY)
I SOLDIER
Hail! loveliest lord that ever law led yet,
Hail! seemliest sovereign on every side.
Hail! stateliest in place in strength that still is set.
Hail! liberal. Hail! lusty to lords allied.
PILATE
Welcome, all. What tidings this tide?
Let no fear to speak forth defeat you.
2 SOLDIER
Sir Herod, sir (this I'll not hide),
As his good friend desires now to greet you.
For ever,
In what manner soever he may meet you.
By himself full soon will be sent you
And says that ye shall not dissever.
PILATE
I thank him sincerely, sir. Wish him the same,
But what marvellous matters did this man there tell?
I SOLDIER
For all that lord's language, his lips, sir were lame,
For all spurrings in that space no speech would he spell,
But dumb as a door did he dwell.
Thus no fault in him can he find,
For his deeds to condemn him and kill,
Nor in bonds more fiercely to bind.
And there
He sent him to yourself, and assigned
That we, your knights, all well inclined,
With him to you quick should repair.
PILATE
Sirs, hearken.
Ye hear what we have upon hand.
Lo! how these knights speak that went to the King.
Sir Herod, they say, no fault in me found,
But made a firm friendship with friendly liking.
Moreover he spake, and nought spared,
Full gently to Jesus this Jew,
And then to these knights he declared
How faults in him found he but few
To die.
He tried him, I tell you for true;
For to harm him, he deemed it undue
So alas, sirs, truly say I.
2 SOLDIER
Lo! here's he, my sovereign, for whom you have sent.
PILATE
Stir not from that stead, but there still stand.
Shame be his share if on tricks he is bent.
I will search him, i'faith, and find what's in hand.
ANNAS
Oyez!
Jesus, thou man of noble Jacob's kin,
Thou native of Nazareth, we call thee by name.
To meet thy accusers we bid thee come in
And answer thine enemies. Defend now thy fame.
HERALD
Oyez. Judicatur Jesus.
PILATE
Say, man,
See you not now the charges of weight
These clergy accusing you state?
Speak, then, in excuse, if you can.
JESUS
Each man upon earth of speech has a share,
In weal and in woe to use at his will.
If he govern it godly, as God would hear,
For his spiritual speech he need not fear.
But that man who governs it ill,
Unhappy man, ill shall he fare.
For each word of your mouth by the tale,
Account you must give without fail.
PILATE
Sirs, hear.
Take heed to the bray that ye make.
In this man no lies can I take,
Nor cause for his punishment clear.
CAYPHAS
It is not without cause that we come to accuse.
We would have you know that, in good faith.
PILATE
True witness I bear, ye will never refuse,
Till ye drive him to doom and to death.
Then take him yourselves to your care,
And what your own law will allow,
Condemn the man's body to bear.
ANNAS
Nay, Pilate, prince peerless, no more.
Beyond any doubt ye know well
We may not, no, none of us may,
As you truly know, any man slay.
PILATE
Should I doom him to death who deserves not in deed?
But why ye so hate him is plain every way.
He is faultless, i'faith, and as God is my speed,
I grant him my good willto go on his way.
CAYPHAS
Not so, sir; for as is well known.
He claimeth a kingship and crown;
Who so stoutly would step to that throne,
You should judge him, sir, to be put down
And die.
PILATE
Sir, truly that touches to treason;
He shall bitterly rue for that reason,
Or stir from this place shall not I,
Sir knights stout and strong take this caitiff in keeping;
Skelp him with scourges and hurt him full sore.
Torture him too till for woe he is weeping.
And then bring him to us again as before.
I SOLDIER
Well may he curse the day he was born.
Soon shall he be served as you bade us.
ANNAS
Come, strip off his clothes that are worn.
2 SOLDIER
All ready, sir, we have arrayed us.
Have done.
Fit to deal with this fellow we've made us.
Give Sir Pilate no cause to upbraid us.
3 SOLDIER
Set about him in earnest anon.
4 SOLDIER
Let us get off his gear, God give him ill grace.
I SOLDIER
They're soon snatched off; here are his-trashes.
3 SOLDIER
Now bind him in this band.
2 SOLDIER
I can do it apace.
4 SOLDIER
He’s bound fast. Beat on with hard slashes.
I SOLDIER
Leap in now, and lace him with lashes,
And lay on this liar to play him.
2 SOLDIER
Let us drive at him fiercely with dashes;
All red with our whips we'll array him
And rend him.
3 SOLDIER
For my part I'm pressed for to pay him.
4 SOLDIER
Yaha! Send him sorrow; assay him.
I SOLDIER
Take him till I've time to attend him.
2 SOLDIER
Swing to this pillar; too swiftly he sweats.
3 SOLDIER
Sweat, may be, sure, for force of our flails.
4 SOLDIER
Rush on the rascal: revive him with whips.
I SOLDIER
Revive him, I reckon, with rods and with raps.
2 SOLDIER
For all that we do, this niggard he naps.
3 SOLDIER
Waken him, then, with wind of our whips.
4 SOLDIER
Now fling to this flatterer with flaps.
I SOLDIER
Lord,
How like you this lark, and this lore that we learn you?
2 SOLDIER
Lo, I pull at his tunic. I am a proud payer.
3 SOLDIER
Thus your cloak shall we clout to cleanse you and turn you.
4 SOLDIER
I am strange set in strife for to stir you.
I SOLDIER
Thus with blows is this beggar well basted.
2 SOLDIER
I trow with this trick we shall tear you.
3 SOLDIER
All thy teachings untrue thus are tested.
Knave arrant.
4 SOLDIER
I hope to drive hard now I'm rested.
I SOLDIER
I wot well my weapon's not wasted.
2 SOLDIER
He swoons or he faints now, I warrant.
3 SOLDIER
Loose him then lightly; now lay on your hands.
4 SOLDIER
If he die for this deed, undone were we all.
I SOLDIER
Unbound is the wretch, and unbraced are his bands.
2 SOLDIER
Fool, how fares thou now?—foul might thee fall.
3 SOLDIER
Now because him our king he bade call,
We will crown him as king with a thorn.
4 SOLDIER
Yea, but first this purple and pall
And these worthy weeds shall he wear,
For scorn.
I SOLDIER
I am proud in this work to appear.
2 SOLDIER
Let us clothe him in clothes bright and clear,
As a lord of his lordship forlorn.
3 SOLDIER
'Twill be long ere thou meet with a crowd
As thou mett'st with this morn.
4 SOLDIER
Set him now in this seat, so seemly in hall.
I SOLDIER
Now twist a crown tightly with this thick thorn.
2 SOLDIER
It fits him so tightly his brains will fall.
3 SOLDIER
And thus will we teach him his tales are too tall,
His brain is beginning to bleed.
4 SOLDIER
His blunder has brought his downfall.
Now reach him all ready a reed
So round;
For his sceptre 'twill serve him indeed.
I SOLDIER
Yea; it is good enough in this need.
Let us greet him now fair on this ground.
I SOLDIER
Ave, rex royal and rex Judaeorum.
Hail! comely king, with no kingdom or throne,
Hail! duke doughty, thy deeds are dumb.
Hail, man unmighty to help thine own.
3 SOLDIER
Hail! lord without any land for to lend,
Hail! king; hail! knave feeble of hand.
4 SOLDIER
Hail! hero who hast no force to defend,
Hail! fellow so strong that thou canst not stand,
Half alive.
I SOLDIER
Yah, harlot! now heave up thy hand
And give thanks to thy servants, this band
Who salute thee—and ill mayst thou thrive.
2 SOLDIER
Now lead him betimes, and linger no more;
To Sir Pilate our prince our prowess we'll praise.
3 SOLDIER
Yea, lightly let's wend on our ways.
4 SOLDIER
Prepare now; no time this to tarry.
I SOLDIER To Pilate
My lord, will ye list to our lays?
Here's the fellow you bid us go harry
And thresh him full sore.
PILATE
Well, bring him before us—
His bruises well show.
I suppose of his saying he'll cease evermore.
Sirs, behold now, I say.
Here—Ecce homo,
Thus bound and thus beaten and brought
You before.
Meseems that it serves him full sore;
For his guilt on this ground is he grieved.
If you like now to list to my lore,
And the measure that now I shall move,
It may move you to mercy the more
And grace.
For to doom him to death I deplore;
I would fain set him free from this place.
Your custom hath been to let go
Some felon to freedom this day.
CAYPHAS
Barabbas in prison lies low;
At this feast now release him, we pray.
PILATE
A rebel still raging to slay?
Would ye rather that I should release
This Jesus?
OMNES
Barabbas, we say.
PILATE
Will ye cease?
None is heard, for each howleth so loud.
OMNES
Not this man; Barabbas!
PILATE
Peace, peace!
Ye clamour and call in a crowd.
If this is your will so to be,
For Jesus now what is your mind?
His evil deeds done show to me,
For in him no fault can I find.
Good he ever hath done to mankind.
CAIAPHAS
Away with him now! Let him die!
PILATE
Shall I scourge him again, and unbind.
OMNES
Nay! Crucify him. Crucify.
If thou loose him, thou'rt not Caesar's friend.
PILATE
On you be his blood then, say I.
CAIAPHAS
On us be his blood. Make an end.
OMNES
Crucify!
PILATE
Then since your will I may not bend;
All my part in his bloodshed I henceforth deny.
BEADLE
Here is all, sir, for which ye did send.
Will you wash while the water is hot?
PILATE
Bear witness, all ye that are here,
From the guilt of his blood I am clear,
For innocent he.
CAYPHAS
On us that same blood, without fear,
And our children to come, let it be.
OMNES
On us and our sons let it be.
PILATE
From Barabbas his bonds now unbend;
With grace set him free from this spot,
Where you will.
BARABBAS
Worthy men, whom I see here so great,
God increase all your comely estate,
For the grace which I have by your will.
PILATE
Hear the judgement of Jesus, all Jews that are nigh
Crucify him on a cross, on Calvary to die.
I condemn him today this death for to die.
Therefore hang him on high upon that high hill.
And on either side of him I will
That a felon ye hang on that height,
I think it both reason and right,
In the midst, since his malice is most,
Ye hang him.
Then torment him, some torture to taste.
More words now here will I not waste.
But cease not, to death till ye bring him.
CAYPHAS
Sir,
That seems to our sight in all soberness said.
Now, knights that are ready this caitiff to lead,
The life of this lout at your pleasure is laid.
I SOLDIER
Let us alone, lord, and learn us no more.
Sirs, set to him sternly and sore;
Bind his body; the cords round him cast.
2 SOLDIER
Let us bind him in bands all bare.
3 SOLDIER
Here is one, full long will it last.
4 SOLDIER
Lay on here.
5 SOLDIER
I pull till my power is past,
Now fast is he, fellows, full fast.
Let's stir us; we may not long stand here.
ANNAS
Draw him fast; hence take you; have done.
Go, do him to death without longer delay,
For dead must he needs be by noon.
All mirth must we move in the morn that we may;
It is truly our great Sabbath Day.
No dead bodies unburied must be.
6 SOLDIER
We will see well to do all ye say;
We will trail him full fast to his tree,
Thus talking.
4 SOLDIER
Farewell; now quickly we wend.
PILATE
Now sure, a fine company ye,
And forth in the devil's name be walking. |
York Mystery Plays