The Bowers and Flecchers
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250 255 260 265 270 275 280 285 290 295 300 305 310 315 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 360 365 370 375 380 385 390 395	CAYPHAS   Pees, bewshers, I bid no jangelyng ye make, And sese sone of youre sawes and se what I saye, And trewe tente unto me this tyme that ye take, For I am a lorde lerned lelly in youre lay. By connyng of clergy and casting of witte Full wisely my wordis I welde at my will, So semely in seete me semys for to sitte, And the lawe for to lerne you and lede it by skill, Right sone. What wyte so will oght with me Full frendly in feyth am I foune; Come of, do tyte, late me see Howe graciously I shall graunte hym his bone. Ther is nowder lorde ne lady lerned in the lawe, Ne bisshoppe ne prelate that preved is for pris, Nor clerke in the courte that connyng will knawe With wisdam may were hym in worlde is so wise. I have the renke and the rewle of all the ryall, To rewle it by right als reasoune it is; All domesmen on dese awe for to dowte me That hase thaym in bandome in bale or in blis; Wherfore takes tente to my tales and lowtis unto me. And therfore, sir knyghtis . . .          Tunc dicunt: [MILITES]            Lorde [CAYPHAS]   I charge you chalange youre rightis To wayte both be day and by nyghtis Of the bringyng of a boy into bayle. I MILES   Yis, lorde, we schall wayte if any wonderes walke, And freyne howe youre folkis fare that are furth ronne. II MILES   We schall be bayne at youre bidding and it not to balke Yf thei presente you that boy in a bande boune. ANNA   Why, syr, and is ther a boy that will noght lowte to youre biding? CAYPHAS   Ya, sir, and of the coriousenesse of that karle ther is carping,1 But I have sente for that segge halfe for hethyng ANNA   What wondirfull werkis workis that wighte? CAYPHAS   Seke men and sori he sendis siker helyng, And to lame men, and blynde he sendis ther sight. Of croked crepillis that we knawe Itt is to here grete wondering How that he helis thame all on rawe, And all thurgh his false happenyng. I am sorie of a sight that egges me to ire; Oure lawe he brekis with all his myght, That is moste his desire. Oure Sabott day he will not safe But is aboute to bringe it downe And therfore sorowe muste hym have. May he be kacched in felde or towne For his false stevyn. He defamys fowly the Godhed And callis hymselffe God Sone of hevene. ANNA   I have goode knowlache of that knafe. Marie me menys, his modir highte, And Joseph his fadir, as God me safe, Was kidde and knowen wele for a wrighte. But o thyng me mervayles mekill overe all Of diverse dedis that he has done. CAYPHAS   With wicchecrafte he fares withall, Sir, that schall ye se full sone. Oure knyghtis thai are furth wente To take hym with a traye; By this I holde hym shente. He cannot wende away. ANNA   Wolde ye, sir, take youre reste, This day is comen on hande, And with wyne slake youre thirste? Than durste I wele warande Ye schulde have tithandis sone Of the knyghtis that are gone And howe that thei have done To take hym by a trayne, And putte all thought away And late youre materes reste. CAYPHAS   I will do as ye saie, Do gette us wyne of the best. I MILES   My lorde, here is wyne   that will make you to wynke; Itt is licoure full delicious,   my lorde, and you like. Wherfore I rede drely   a draughte that ye drynke, For in this contré, that we knawe,   iwisse ther is none slyke, Wherfore we counsaile you,   this cuppe saverly for to kisse. CAYPHAS   Do on dayntely and dresse me on dees And hendely hille on me happing, And warne all wightis to be in pees, For I am late layde unto napping. ANNA   My lorde, with youre leve, and it like you, I passe. CAYPHAS   Adiew be unte, as the manere is. MULIER   Sir knyghtys, do kepe this boy in bande, For I will go witte what it may mene, Why that yone wighte was hym folowand Erly and late, morne and ene. He will come nere, he will not lette; He is a spie, I warand, full bolde. III MILES   It semes by his sembland he had levere be sette By the fervent fire to fleme hym fro colde. MULIER   Ya, but and ye wiste as wele as I What wonders that this wight has wrought, And thurgh his maistir sorssery Full derfely schulde his deth be bought. IV MILES   Dame, we have hym nowe at will That we have longe tyme soughte; Yf othir go by us still, Therfore we have no thought. MULIER   Itt were grete skorne that he schulde skape Withoute he hadde resoune and skill, He lokis lurkand like an nape; I hope I schall haste me hym tille. Thou caytiffe, what meves thee stande So stabill and stille in thi thoght? Thou hast wrought mekill wronge in londe And wondirfull werkis haste thou wroght. A, lorell, a leder of lawe, To sette hym and suye has thou soght. Stande furth and threste in yone thrawe, Thy maistry thou bryng unto noght. Wayte nowe, he lokis like a brokke, Were he in a bande for to bayte, Or ellis like an nowele in a stok Full prevaly his pray for to wayte. PETRUS   Woman, thy wordis and thy wynde thou not waste, Of his company never are I was kende. Thou haste thee mismarkid, trewly be traste; Wherfore of thi misse thou thee amende. MULIER   Than gaynesaies thou here the sawes that thou saide, How he schulde clayme to be callid God Sonne, And with the werkis that he wrought Whils he walketh in this flodde, Baynly at oure bydding alway to be bonne. PETRUS   I will consente to youre sawes;   what schulde I saye more? For women are crabbed,   that comes them of kynde. But I saye as I firste saide,   I sawe hym nevere are; But as a frende of youre felawschippe   schall ye me aye fynde. MALCHUS   Herke, knyghtis, that are knawen   in this contré as we kenne, Howe yone boy with his boste   has brewed mekill bale: He has forsaken his maistir   before yone womenne. But I schall preve to you pertly   and telle you my tale. I was presente with pepull   whenne prese was full prest To mete with his maistir,   with mayne and with myght, And hurled hym hardely   and hastely hym arreste, And in bandis full bittirly   bande hym sore all that nyght. And of tokenyng of trouth schall I telle yowe, Howe yone boy with a brande   brayede me full nere (Do move of thez materes emelle yowe), For swiftely he swapped of my nere. His maistir with his myght helyd me all hole, That by no syne I cowthe see no man cowthe it witten And than badde hym bere pees in every ilke bale, For he that strikis with a swerde with a swerde schall be streken. Latte se whedir grauntest thou gilte. Do speke oon and spare not to telle us Or full faste I schall fonde thee flitte, The soth but thou saie here emelle us. Come of, do tyte, late me see nowe, quickly In savyng of thyselffe fro schame, . . . Ya, and also for beryng of blame. PETRUS   I was nevere with hym in werke that he wroght In worde nor in werke, in will nor in dede; I knawe no corse that ye have hidir brought, In no courte of this kith, if I schulde right rede. MALCHUS   Here, sirs, howe he sais and has forsaken His maistir to this woman here twyes, And newly oure lawe has he taken; Thus hath he denyed hym thryes. JESUS   Petir, Petir, thus saide I are When thou saide thou wolde abide with me In wele and woo, in sorowe and care, Whillis I schulde thries forsaken be. PETRUS   Allas, the while that I come here, That evere I denyed my Lorde in quarte, The loke of his faire face so clere With full sadde sorowe sheris my harte. III MILES   Sir knyghtis, take kepe of this karll and be konnand; Because of Sir Cayphas we knowe wele his thoght. He will rewarde us full wele, that dare I wele warand, Whan he wete of oure werkis how wele we have wroght. IV MILES   Sir, this is Cayphas halle here at hande; Go we boldly with this boy that we have here broght. III MILES   Nay, sirs, us muste stalke to that stede and full still stande, For itt is nowe of the nyght, yf thei nappe oght. Say, who is here? I MILES            Say, who is here? III MILES                                       I, a frende, Well knawyn in this contré for a knyght. II MILES   Gose furthe, on youre wayes may yee wende, For we have herbered enowe for tonyght. I MILES   Gose abakke, bewscheres, ye both are to blame, To bourde whenne oure busshopp is boune to his bedde. IV MILES   Why, sir, it were worthy to welcome us home; We have gone for this warlowe and we have wele spedde. II MILES   Why, who is that? II MILES                                The Jewes kyng, Jesus by name. I MILES   A, yee be welcome, that dare I wele wedde, My lorde has sente for to seke hym. IV MILES                                     Loo, se here the same. II MILES   Abidde as I bidde and be noght adreed. My lorde, my lorde, my lorde, here is layke, and you list. CAYPHAS   Pees, loselles, leste ye be nyse? I MILES   My lorde, it is wele and ye wiste. CAYPHAS   What, nemen us no more, for it is twyes. Thou takist non hede to the haste   that we have here on honde; Go frayne howe oure folke faris   that are furth ronne. II MILES   My lorde, youre knyghtis has kared   as ye thame commaunde, And thei have fallen full faire. CAYPHAS                           Why, and is the foole fonne? I MILES   Ya, lorde, thei have brought a boy in a bande boun. CAYPHAS   Where nowe, Sir Anna, that is one and able to be nere? ANNA   My lorde, with youre leve me behoves to be here. CAYPHAS   A, sir, come nere and sitte we bothe in fere. ANNA   Do, sir, bidde tham bring in that boy that is bune. CAYPHAS   Pese now, Sir Anna, be stille and late hym stande, And late us grope yf this gome be grathly begune. ANNA   Sir, this game is begune of the best; Nowe hadde he no force for to flee thame. CAYPHAS   Nowe, in faithe, I am fayne he is fast; Do lede in that ladde, late me se than. II MILES   Lo, sir, we have saide to oure sovereyne, Gose nowe and suye to hymselfe for the same thyng. III MILES   Mi lorde, to youre bidding we are buxom and bayne, Lo, here is the belschere broght that ye bad bring. IV MILES   My lorde, fandis now to fere hym. CAYPHAS                                 Nowe I am fayne, And felawes, faire mott ye fall for youre fynding. ANNA   Sir, and ye trowe thei be trewe   withowten any trayne, Bidde thayme telle you the tyme of the takyng. CAYPHAS   Say, felawes, howe wente ye so nemely by nyght? III MILES   My lorde, was there no man to marre us ne mende us.2 IV MILES   My lorde, we had lanternes and light, And some of his company kende us. ANNA   But saie, howe did he, Judas? III MILES                              A, sir, full wisely and wele: He markid us his maistir emang all his men And kyssid hym full kyndely his comforte to kele Bycause of a countenaunce that karll for to kenne. CAYPHAS   And thus did he his devere? IV MILES                                    Ya, lorde, evere ilke a dele: He taughte us to take hym   the tyme aftir tenne. ANNA   Nowe, be my feith, a faynte frende myght he ther fynde. III MILES   Sire, ye myght so have saide   hadde ye hym sene thenne. IV MILES   He sette us to the same that he solde us And feyned to be his frende as a faytour; This was the tokenyng before that he tolde us. CAYPHAS   Nowe, trewly, this was a trante of a traytour. ANNA   Ya, be he traytour or trewe geve we never tale, But takes tente at this tyme and here what he telles. CAYPHAS   Now sees that oure howsolde be holden here hole So that none carpe in case but that in court dwellis. III MILES   A, lorde, this brethell hath brewed moche bale. CAYPHAS   Therfore schall we spede us to spere of his spellis. Sir Anna, takis hede nowe and here hym. ANNA   Say, ladde, liste thee noght lowte to a lorde? IV MILES   No, sir, with youre leve, we schall lere hym. CAYPHAS   Nay, sir, noght so, no haste. Itt is no burde to bete bestis that are bune, And therfore with fayrenes firste we vill hym fraste And sithen forther hym furth as we have fune. And telle us som tales, truly to traste. ANNA   Sir, we myght als wele talke   tille a tome tonne. I warande hym witteles   or ellis he is wrang wrayste, Or ellis he waitis to wirke   als he was are wonne. III MILES   His wonne was to wirke mekill woo And make many maystries emelle us. KAYPHAS   And some schall he graunte or he goo, Or muste yowe tente hym and telle us. IV MILES   Mi lorde, to witte the wonderes that he has wroght, For to telle you the tente it wolde oure tonges tere. KAYPHAS   Sen the boy for his boste is into bale broght, We will witte or he wende how his werkis were. III MILES   Oure Sabott day we saye   saves he right noght That he schulde halowe and holde   full dingne and full dere. IV MILES   No, sir, in the same feste   als we the sotte soughte, He salved thame of sikenesse   on many sidis seere. CAYPHAS   What than, makes he thame grathely to gange? III MILES   Ya, lorde, even forthe in every ilke a toune He thame lechis to liffe after lange. CAYPHAS   A, this makes he by the myghtis of Mahounde. IV MILES   Sir, oure stiffe Tempill, that made is of stone, That passes any paleys of price for to preyse, And it were doune to the erth and to the gronde gone, This rebalde he rowses hym rathely to rayse. III MILES   Ya, lorde, and othir wonderis he workis grete wone, And with his lowde lesyngis he losis oure layes. CAYPHAS   Go, lowse hym, and levis than and late me allone, For myselfe schall serche hym and here what he saies. ANNA   Herke, Jesus of Jewes will have joie To spille all thy sporte for thy spellis. CAYPHAS   Do meve, felawe, of thy frendis that fedde thee beforne, And sithen, felowe, of thi fare forther will I freyne. Do neven us lightly — his langage is lorne. III MILES   My lorde, with youre leve, hym likis for to layne, But and he schulde scape skatheles it wer a full skorne, For he has mustered emonge us full mekil of his mayne. IV MILES   Malkus, youre man, lord, that had his ere schorne, This harlotte full hastely helid it agayne. CAYPHAS   What, and liste hym be nyse for the nonys, And heres howe we haste to rehete hym. ANNA   Nowe, by Beliall bloode and his bonys, I holde it beste to go bete hym. CAYPHAS   Nay, sir, none haste, we schall have game or we goo. Boy, be not agaste if we seme gaye; I conjure thee kyndely and comaunde thee also By grete God that is liffand and laste schall ay, Yf thou be Criste, Goddis Sonne, telle till us two. JESUS   Sir, thou says it thiselffe, and sothly I saye That I schall go to my Fadir that I come froo And dwelle with hym wynly in welthe allway. CAYPHAS   Why, fie on thee, faitoure untrewe. Thy fadir haste thou fowly defamed, Now nedis us no notes of newe, Hymselfe with his sawes has he schamed. ANNA   Nowe nedis nowdir wittenesse ne counsaille to call, But take his sawes as he saieth in the same stede: He sclaunderes the Godhed and greves us all, Wherfore he is wele worthy to be dede. And therfore, sir, saies hym the sothe. CAYPHAS                   Sertis, so I schall. Heres thou not, harlott?   Ille happe on thy hede. Aunswere here grathely to grete and to small, And reche us oute rathely som resoune, I rede. JESUS   My reasouns are not to reherse, Nor they that myght helpe me are noght here nowe. ANNA   Say, ladde, liste thee make verse? Do telle on, belyff, late us here nowe. JESUS   Sir, if I saie the sothe, thou schall not assente But hyndir or haste me hynge. I prechid wher pepull was moste in present And no poynte in privité to olde ne yonge. And also in youre Tempill I tolde myne entente, Ye myght have tane me that tyme for my tellyng Wele bettir than bringe me with brondis unbrente, And thus to noye me be nyght and also for nothyng. CAYPHAS   For nothyng? Losell, thou lies, Thy wordis and werkis will have a wrekyng. JESUS   Sire, sen thou with wrong so me wreyes, Go, spere thame that herde of my spekyng. CAYPHAS   A, this traitoure has tened me   with tales that he has tolde, Yitt hadde I nevere such hething   as of a harlott as hee. I MILES   What, fye on thee, beggar,   who made thee so bolde To bourde with oure busshoppe?   Thy bane schall I bee. JESUS   Sir, if my wordis be wrange or werse than thou wolde, A wronge wittenesse I wotte nowe ar ye, And if my sawes be soth thei mon be sore solde, Wherfore thou bourdes to brode for to bete me. II MILES   My lorde, will ye here, for Mahounde? No more now for to neven that it nedis. CAYPHAS   Gose, dresse you and dyng ye hym doune, And deffe us no more with his dedis. ANNA   Nay, sir, than blemysshe yee prelatis estatis; Ye awe to deme no man to dede for to dynge. CAYPHAS   Why, sir, so were bettir than be in debate; Ye see the boy will noght bowe for oure bidding. ANNA   Nowe, sir, ye muste presente this boy unto Sir Pilate, For he is domysman nere and nexte to the king, And late hym here alle the hole, how ye hym hate And whedir he will helpe hym or haste hym to hyng. I MILES   My lorde, late men lede hym by nyght, So schall ye beste skape oute o skornyng. II MILES   My lorde, it is nowe in the nyght; I rede ye abide tille the mornyng. CAYPHAS   Bewschere, thou sais the beste, and so schall it be, But lerne yone boy bettir to bende and bowe. I MILES   We schall lerne yone ladde, be my lewté, For to loute unto ilke lorde like unto yowe. CAYPHAS   Ya, and felawes, wayte that he be ay wakand. II MILES                       Yis, lorde, that warant will wee. Itt were a full nedles note to bidde us nappe nowe. III MILES   Sertis, will ye sitte, and sone schall ye see Howe we schall play popse for the pages prowe. IV MILES   Late see, who stertis for a stole? For I have here a hatir to hyde hym. I MILES   Lo, here is one full fitte for a foole; Go gete it, and sette thee beside hym. II MILES   Nay, I schall sette it myselffe and frusshe hym also. Lo, here a shrowde for a shrewe, and of shene shappe. III MILES   Playes faire in feere, and ther is one and ther is — two; I schall fande to feste it with a faire flappe, And ther is — three, and there is — four. Say, nowe, with an nevill happe, Who negheth thee nowe? Not o worde, no. IV MILES   Dose noddill on hym with neffes That he noght nappe. I MILES   Nay, nowe to nappe is no nede, Wassaille, wassaylle!   I warande hym wakande. II MILES   Ya, and bot he bettir bourdis can byde, Such buffettis schall he be takande. III MILES   Prophet, I saie, to be oute of debate, Quis te percussit, man? Rede giffe thou may. IV MILES   Those wordes are in waste,   what wenes thou he wate? It semys by his wirkyng   his wittes were awaye. I MILES   Nowe late hym stande as he stode   in a foles state, For he likis noght this layke,   my liffe dare I laye. II MILES   Sirs, us muste presente this page to Ser Pilate, But go we firste to oure soverayne   and see what he saies. III MILES   My lorde, we have bourded with this boy And holden hym full hote emelle us. CAYPHAS   Thanne herde ye some japes of joye? IV MILES   The devell have the worde, lorde, he wolde telle us. ANNA   Sir, bidde belyve, thei goo and bynde hym agayne So that he skape noght, for that were a skorne. CAYPHAS   Do telle to Sir Pilate oure pleyntes all pleyne And saie, this ladde with his lesyngis has oure lawes lorne; And saie this same day muste he be slayne Because of Sabott day that schal be tomorne. And saie that we come oureselffe for certayne, And for to fortheren this fare, fare yee beforne. I MILES   Mi lorde, with youre leve, us muste wende, Oure message to make as we maye. CAYPHAS   Sir, youre faire felawschippe   we betake to the fende. Goose onne nowe and daunce forth in the devyll way.	good sirs; (t-note) cease; sayings (talking) full attention truly; law skill; applying of intelligence wield seemly; seat; seems; (see note) teach man; have ought [to do] off, do quickly request neither proved; value perplex him sovereignty; kingdom judges; dais ought to fear bondage give reverence (bow) (t-note) fellow; misery keep watch; are about question; run out obedient bonds bound (tied up) bow (submit) man partly; enjoyment; (see note) man Sick; unhappy; gives secure healing; (see note) cripples hear heals; in order happenstance urges; anger violates observe caught; field speaking knave; (see note) mean; is called save recognized; carpenter one witchcraft gone forth trickery; (see note) defeated dare; warrant (promise) tidings soon deception matters (business) (t-note) sleep advise earnestly nothing else like it confidently graciously; dais; (see note) kindly cover; with bedclothes persons (i.e., I am ready to sleep) am going unto you bonds; (t-note) discover following evening stop appearance; wished to; seated escape know through; sorcery cruelly slip by escape looks [as if] lurking; ape moves you to great; land beggar (fool); expositor accompany; sue push into; crowd great deeds badger bonds (tied up); bait (in sport) owl; stump privily; prey breath ere; known mistaken; be assured error contradict; words flood Willingly; bound (loyal) words (t-note) nature before (see note); (t-note) always believe boast great misery demonstrate; openly crowd; urgently [desired] strength dragged; fiercely; (see note) ropes bound truth sword chopped speak; among cut off; ear healed; whole sign; recognize bade; every bad situation; (t-note) struck down you admit your guilt on (i.e., make you flee) [line missing, see note] bearing; (t-note) deed body (person) region twice perverted thrice before prosperity (i.e., denied) alive pierces (cuts); (see note) care; knave; clever knows place; (t-note) (i.e., midnight); sleep; (see note) (t-note) (t-note) known (i.e., taken in enough) Go away jest; bishop; gone to warlock wager seek afraid sport, if you wish are you fools call; twice heed; urgency at hand ask; fare forth run proceeded commanded into good luck discovered rope bound; (t-note) near; (t-note) (t-note) together bound interrogate; game; properly them glad; captured proceed humble; obedient; (t-note) gentleman; bade [us] seek; frighten (t-note) (i.e., blessings on you); (t-note) deception circumstances; capture nimbly recognized cool (detract from) rascal; know duty each and every way (t-note) ten o’clock weak (poor) friend seen directed deceiver sign trick (i.e., give we no thought) pay attention; hear household; kept together worthless fellow; much sorrow inquire; sayings hear bow before teach; (t-note) (t-note) sport; beat; tied up will; question proceed; further; found (see note) empty barrel (i.e., defective of mind) ere accustomed custom (powerful) deeds tell [us] before attend to begin to know tenth; tear out; (t-note) boasting; (see note) explore (know) ere keep holy; observe worthy; precious feast fool cured; sickness on all sides; (t-note) truly to go; (t-note) heals; [being] long [dead] power strong; (see note) palace; praise If it were scoundrel; boasts; quickly; raise in great quantity deceptions; undermines laws loosen [his bonds]; leave then; (t-note) (see note) mar; words; (t-note) move (speak); kin business; ask tell; quickly; ability to speak; gone remain silent unscathed power ear foolish hasten; rebuke (see note) beat before fearful; seem impressive [in dress] engage living; (i.e., everlastingly) (see note) worthily; state of bliss (i.e., nothing more) neither place dead (t-note) Hear head fittingly give; quickly; (t-note) do you desire to quickly; hear slander; hasten; [to] hang secret arrested swords unsheathed annoy punishment betray inquire of; heard angered mockery jest slayer false be expensive jests too hastily; (see note) hear to say; is needed strike deafen; deeds dishonor; authority (dignity); (see note) ought; judge; in order to beat [him] dispute (see note) judge near hear; whole (see note) escape from scorn (scandal) teach faith reverence watch; always awake needless advice a game (see note); [worthless] man’s benefit goes; stool; (see note) cloth (rag), hood beat shroud; evil one; of fair (t-note) attempt to make fast evil; (t-note) comes near hit; fists So that he doesn’t fall asleep (see note) unless; jests; abide receiving (t-note) Who smote you; Answer if; (see note); (t-note) useless what do you think he understands behavior are gone fool’s estate; (see note) game wager sported pursue him vigorously among jests (jokes) quickly escapes complaints; plainly lies slain advance; matter (t-note) fiend (see note); (t-note)