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1    Al men þat wyll her of þe sege of Jerusalem, her ȝe may her
2of gret meraculs þat almytty God wroȝt to schow his goodnys
3and of gret vengans þat he toke for syn.
4    Furst ȝe schall wndurstond þer felle iij þinggys to þe juis,
5þat is to say pylgremag. Hit began in Jacobe, þat went vnto
6Eygypt wytt his lenage; and þer þay wer in gret saruavg,
7speycyally aftur þe dethe of Jacobe, tyll God send Meyses to
8delyuyr þem. And he lad them þoovrow þe Rede Seye: by
9þe gret myȝt of God þe wattur stode styll vpe in bothe sydys
10and let þem pas into þe dessert of Cannon. And as kynge
11Pharrov com them to have slayn, when he was in þe see wytt
12all his ost, þe wattur ouerhyllyd þem and drownnyd them
13al, for þey wer rebel aȝennyst þe commandment of God.
14But þe juis, þat wer callyd þe peppull of Hisyrayll, wer fede
15wytt manna, þat cam from heyvyn, mad wytt angellys, and
16her clovthis wer wyttout weme fortty ȝere. And for all þis
17gret meracullys they dyde mammatre and offendyt allmyȝtty
18God.
19    Þen fell þey into gret saruage and traldome in Babelon,
20and þat contenovyd fyfty ȝer ȝer God graciously þem delyvyrte;
21and soo is ȝeyt þe terme of fyfty ȝere wytt vs þe ȝer
22of gracse.
23    But þer was in þem gret dyssper, and þerfor God warnyd
24þeme of gret wengans commyng to þem, as þe good clarke

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25Josepphus reyhersyt in þis wys: 'The day schall come þat
26the sytte of Jerusalem schal be destryid and þe juis confondyde
27for þer sin. Messias schall send hem scham, war and confusion.
28Ther schall com ij prynsis froo Rome, þe fadyr and þe
29son, and thay schall dysstry þe cytte of Jerusalem and all
30þe juis þat þey fynd þerin. And þe fadyr schall geet suche
31worschype þat he schall be Emparowr. But for all þis warnyng
32of profycy þey wyll not amend þem of þer syne.' Etc.
33
34
35    Aftur þe dethe of Cryst þer came monny wengans to þem.
36But vij ȝer aftur Crystys deth þe juis slowe sent Jamys þe
37yongyr; þey sayd sent Jamys preychyd in Jerusalem to amend
38þem of þer syne. And þey made hyme þe beschope of þe tovn.
39He werryd no lynnyn nodyr wollon, noþyr eete fleche nor
40fyche noþyr berd, nodyr was wesseh nor baþid, but he was
41cloþid in heyr. And he knelyd to God in prayers, þat his bone
42wex hard as horne. Soo he prayid for þe juis, but þei guyt
43hyme ewyll his mede.
44    On a day of her pasca gret multytud of peppull wer geydyrt,
45and þey bad Jamys not teyche þe doctryne of Cryst and he
46wold have love of þem. But he boldlyche praychyd tyll þey
47puld hyme dovn of þe pulpyte þat he stod in. And as he knelyde
48in his prayers, voon wytt a fullynge-stafe smot þe brayn ovte
49of his hede. And þey þat lowyt Jamys berryid hym wytt
50onovre. And on hyme God schewyde gret meracullys and on
51þe juis grete wengans, but þei wold not amend them.
52    And Jamys was callyd þe brodyr of Cryst for he was so
53lyk hyme. And he was warnyng and tokyn to þe juis þat þei
54schuld amend þer lyve.

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55    The secund tokyn was: As þei wer at þer fest in pascha, þe
56stattys and þe commyns, þen fyl a stryfe, þat þay fyl and
57slove euyryche odyr wytt þer cnywys, þe nombur of xxx M,
58by þe uenyjavns of God.
59    The iij tokyn was an heyfer bor to sacryfyce þat sodenly
60fel don amonge þe pepull and calwyd a lambe.
61    The iiij tokyne: On pasche nyȝt at iiij of þe bele a lyȝte
62was in þe tempull as hit hade byn daylyȝte, and þerof þey
63hade gret fere.
64    The v tokyn: Þer came a blast and a doon þat hit brast
65vp þe gattys, and schemyt þe wallys schuld ouerturn.
66    The vj tokon: On a vennysday at eve þey hard a crye in
67þe tempull, saying: 'Goo we hens, goo we hens!' All þe pepull
68ron away for feyr.
69    The vij tokyn: Þer was a ster in þe skye wytt a scharpe
70peynt as a speyr alle a ȝer ouer þeme.
71    The viij tokon: Þei see in þe skye mene and hors armyd þat
72some tyme fowȝt and some tyme reste, þat sore afeyrryde
73þem. And þey sayd hit was tokyn of war or hovngur. Þey
74sayd soth and wyst not, but þey wold not amend.
75    The ix tokon was charys and waynys in þe clovdys aperyng
76and anon frov þer syȝt.
77    The x tokon was: iiij ȝere or þe sege began þer was bore
78a man of Jude, þe sone of Jhesu Ananye. He stod vpe on
79wyȝtsonday at þe fest and callyd on þe word, west, est, north
80and sowthe. And þer come iiij wyndys on þe tempulle of Jerusaleme
81and on þe cyty and on the pepul for her syn, as hyme
82semyd in his wision. He sayd: 'We schall have wengans for
83sin.' For þis wordys þei byte hyme sor and broȝt hym befor
84Pylat. And he sayd as he sayd before, and euyr he cryid:
85'Alas, Jerusalem, alas, we schall be confoundyt for synn!' And

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86when he wold not seys his saying, thay let hyme goo, but
87þey wold not amend þem of her synne but foullov her ovn wyll.
88And þe vsavge was alayd when Jhesu sayd 'Consummatum
89est,' that betokenyȝth: 'The newe testement is begon,
90for þe old is indyte and fulfyllyth for loue of man.' And they
91had þe doctryne and all þe dedis of Cryst wryttyn in þer
92bokus of þer on wryttyng, but þey wold not do þeraftur, as
93hit was prewyd when sent Teyllyn fond þe holly cros. Schwe
94owercome them by þer on bokus, and ȝeyte wold þey not ask
95mercy for þe dethe of Cryst and of þe saynttus of Cryste;
96and þerfor ȝe schall her how þey sped.
97
98    But furst spek we of Waspasyon, þe nobul kyng, þat was
99sor syke in leppur, and a cankur in his nose and lyppus, þat
100he sawe no helpe but dethe. And when he was bore, he had
101waspus in his nos, and þerfor men callyd hyme Waspassyon.
102This þingis God send to hyme for þis cavssys, þat hath set
103all his werkys at serttayn. And as God is lord aboue all þingis,
104so is þe Emparowr kyng aboue all erthly lordys and kyngis.
105And notwyttstondyng Waspasion wos not Emparovr at þe
106begynnyng of þis werke, but he was son aftur, so þat þe moste
107worthi Lord almyȝty wold be awreykyde by his most nobyle
108seruant. But he was so stynkyng in his leppur þat no man
109myȝt soffyr þe stynche noþyr abyde in his chambur, but by
110a wyse þei put his met vnto hyme, for he myȝt nat aryse tyl
111God hyme conforttyd.
112
113    But at þe deth of Cryst was Tyberyis Emparowr of Rome
114and raynnyd xxxiij ȝer. And in his viij ȝer Cryst soffyrt his
115passyon. The juis wryt a letter to þe Emparovr, saying he
116dyde wrong to sle ryȝt blod, Jhesu Cryst, and to set vp mammatys

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117and to do fals sacryfyce in þe temppull and to spend
118þer offeryng in his on vse wyttout leve of þe gouernowrs of
119þe tempule; and wytt þat he made a condyte commynge into
120his hows aȝenst her vsage. And for his mysdedys he was
121iugyte to exile. When he hart þis, he ordent a ryche present
122wyth letteris gaylly indyet and send hit to þe Emparowr as
123followyth afturward. But next was Gayus Emparovr and next
124hyme Clarydiis and þen Nero, þat slow Pettur and Povle,
125and next hyme Waspasyon.
126    But furst Waspasyon was kynge of Gallyse and of Gascony.
127And he had a son þat hyȝt Tyttus, þat on a tyme was in þe
128cytty Burdex. And þer Tytus saw a schype comme seylyng
129þat come frome Jerusalem. Tytus send for þe mastur of þe
130schyfe, and his name was Nataane, a man of Jude, þat went
131to Rome to bere trevage and letteris froo Pyllat to þe Emparour
132Tyberius, and soo he told to Tyttus. 'But I have,' he sayd,
133'hade gret lete wyth temppas, and I am wynd-dryfe to þis
134plas.'
135    Tyttus sayd: 'Tyburryus is dede, and iij Emparovris have
136byn sethe.' But Tytus seythe: 'In Iude bythe good lechis;
137and yfe þou can telle me to a leche þat can heylle my fadyr,
138I schal wyll reyward þe and send þe to þe Emparovre vppon
139myne non cost.'
140    'Syr', sayd Nathone, 'I am no leche, but in Jude was wrongfully
141do to dethe a trowe profete Jhesu of Nazarethe, þat
142ellyȝt men, boddy and sovle.' And he tellyd to Tytus of
143Crystus wertus preychyng and his holly werkys and grete
144meracullys, and þat he schowyd hymeselfe verry God and
145man, and how he send his dessypullys to preche and gawe
146heme power to heylle all syknys - and þem þat feythfully
147belewyȝ on Jhesu Cryst, they heyllyȝ hem in boddy and sowll

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148and howe he send þe Holy Gost to his desypuls aftur
149his assencion and tawȝt to þem lxx langagis to teche all þe
150world. 'And yf þey fadyr myȝt speke wyth one of his desyppuls
151and wyl beleve in Jhesu Cryst, I dar say he schale be hole.'
152    This harde Wellosiane, þat was stowarde wyth Waspasyon,
153and fayn he wold hit wher fulfyllyd. But furst þey send Nataan
154to Nero, þe crwell Emparovr þat sclow hymselfe, and þerof
155was Rome ful fayn. And as ȝe schall her afturward, they chovs
156Waspasion Emparovr, for he was moste of honnovr. And þey
157þoȝt þat Tytus schuld keppe þe charge in his fadyris stede.
158But þis was to ȝer aftur þat Nataan woos goo home.
159    But nowe twrne we to Nataan, howe he dyde his meyssage.
160He hath take his trewage to þe Emparovr and letterys frow
161Pyllat. In þis wyes he told þe profycy that þe juis hade, how
162Cryst schuld be bor of a mayd of juis kynd to save man, þat
163was forlore. And he callyd to þe Emparovr in his letteris alle
164þe myrracullys and the teychyng of Cryst þat Pylat hade
165wryte in his bokus. And he ascwsyd hyme in his letteris þat
166þe juis wer only þe cavs of his dethe, and not he, but as he
167nedys most ȝeyfe jegement by þe crye of þe pepull. But he
168was not exscwssyd so byfor God and man, for he knew þe
169troth, as his on bokus wyttnyssyt, but he wold not do þeraftur
170and amend hyme of his syne noþyr abay to Godys lawe.
171    As for to know how Pylat toke his name: In Spen ther was
172a kyng þat was callyd Tyrus. He gat a chyld on a mylwardys
173doȝttur þat hyȝt Pyla, and her fadyr hyȝt Atus, and þe
174chyld was callyd Pylatus. The kyng gat a chyld on his wyfe
175þe sam ȝere, and þis to chyldorn wer togeydur. And for þe
176trowe chyld was strongur þen Pylat, Pylat slow hyme. And
177þe kynge most send a chyld in trevag to Rome, and he send
178his son Pylat and put hym not to dethe. And at Rome was
179þe kyngis son of Fravns; and for he was callyd mor genttyll

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180þen Pylat, Pylat soon slow hyme. And þen þe romans sende
181hym wyth commyssion into þe heylle of Peynttus, and þer
182he was so cursyd þat all men ferryd hym.
183    But kyng Herrod for his crwelty send for hyme and mad
184hym juge of Jude in Jerusaleme. And for parttynge of her
185goodis þey to wer aungurre, but þe onment was made in
186þe senddyng of Cryst: at þe tyme of his passion Pylat send
187hyme to Herrode, and Herrod send hyme aȝeyne, and þer
188Pilat and Herrod wer acordyt and mad at one. And at þe
189sayd tyme of Crystus passion þe juis sede: 'His blod on vs
190and owre chylldorn.' And so into þe tokyne of veniance God
191send to þem þe blody flyxe and most on good fryday.
192    But leve ve þis and torne we aȝeyne to Nathaan. When
193Nathaane had don his herrond to Nero, he had letteris of
194wyttnys of al þe matteris and his gon home. Uelysyane, the
195steward wyth Waspasian, went to Waspasian and tolde to
196his lorde all þe wordyse of Nathaon, how Pylat and þe juis
197dyde Cryst to dethe, þat came to save mankynd, takyng
198fleche and blod of þe wyrgyn Maree, conseywyd of þe Holly
199Gost, werry God and mane. Þe manheyde dyid for mannys
200sowle savacion, and þe godhede arysyd aȝeyne when he
201hade fete the sollys owt of heylle, þat he dere boȝt wyth his
202byttur passyon. And aftur þat he oftyntymys aperryd to his
203desyplys, and in þer presense he asendyt to þe Fadyr in heyuyn
204and send to heme þe Holly Gost and ȝavfe þeme all langgage
205to teyche all þe world and ȝaf theme power to heylle in
206bothe bodye and sovle þat faythfully belewyt in hyme and

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207keppyt his lawys. 'And ȝeyfe ȝe may have on of his dysipplys,
208I hoppe ȝe schall be hooll.'
209    Waspasion was glade of þis talle and bade Wellosian goo
210in hast to gete hyme a dessipull of Cryst. And so Welosian
211went to Jerusaleme and tok his tyme and ryme by þe temppull
212of Dawytt in the hows of Jacobe, a jwe; but he was a preuey
213crystyn mane.
214    Wellosiane told to hyme þe cavse of his commynge and
215desiryde to her of Cryst and to spek wyth some of his dessipplys
216and þat he myȝt have some reylikus of Cryst. Jacobe was
217glade and tolde hime of his myrraculs and howe falslye he
218was put to dethe. And he sayde: 'My doȝttur was von of þe
219Marys þat went wytt boxis hym to anynt. And yf þi mastur
220and lorde beleve on hyme, I dar say he schall be hoole. And
221I wyle send for a lady þat lowyt Cryst, and I hoppe þat schew
222and I schall geyfe þe good concelle.' And then was Wellysian
223glade.
224
225    On morrow Welosiane and Jacobe went to Pilat. But Vellosian
226wold not alyȝt of his hors tyl he com to Pylat, for his lord
227Uaspasion, kyng of Galyce, for he was lord of Jerusaleme,
228and he wold have an nanswer in hast, 'for,' he sayd, 'þe trevage
229hatþ be longe behynd.'
230    Pilat askyd yf Nero wer dede, and he sayd: 'Nay, but my
231lord Waspasion in his levetennand.' He made his herrand to
232Pylat to take þe markys on his face to knowe hyme anodyr
233tyme.
234    Pylat was wrothe wyth him and porposyd him to sleye.
235But þer was a knyȝt þat was namyd Barrobas, þat was delyuyrt
236frove preson at þe dethe of Cryst, and he sayd: 'Hit

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237wer scham to do þis knyþ harme þat is aloon; and he semyth
238a good knyȝt, for he dothe well his message. But dred not of
239Waspasion, for we wyll make þe owr kynge. And yf Waspasioon
240set vppon þe, he schall hit sor aby. And so send him worde
241by þis good man.'
242    Uelosian rode to his in full glad þat he knew Pylat. And
243Jacob broȝt a ladye þat hyȝt dame Werony, and schewe grant
244to goo wyth hyme to conford and helpe his lorde. Dame Werony
245sayde: 'I deyllyd in Gallaly and was syke in þe blody flyxe.
246And I come to þis tovne to have helpe of Jhesu of Nazarethe,
247and was he lade to þe juis to his dethe. And I tok a cloth:
248my wyl was to ber hit to a paynttur to hawe þe fugur of his
249face; but as he bar þe cros toward his passion, I cryd on hyme
250for sokor. And his blessid modyr Mary, schew sawe a cleyn
251cloth in my hond, and þerwytt schew wyppyd þe face of her
252son Jhesu, for he swet for beyryng of þe cros, and all þe
253markys of his face wer sene in þe clothe þat I wold let have
254paynttyd. Owr Lady sent Mary toke to me þe clothe aȝeyne,
255and I mekely hit kyssyd and allsoo þe heme of þe clothe þat
256he werryd. And I toke his blessynge, and anon I was hole.
257But for I love Cryst Jhesu, Pylat hattyþe me, and þerfor
258I am glade to goo froo his power.'
259    Sche made her reydy and went wyth Welosiane. But furst
260at þe prayer of Welosian Jacob send for some of þe juis þat
261put Cryst to dethe. And þey wyth gret game and jeying
262told all þe storry of his passion. And Welosian bar hit preueyly
263in his mynd tyll þe tyme come þat hit myȝt be awengyt. He
264þonkyd Jacob and prommyssid hime to be his good frende.
265    Velosian hath goodly take his leve of Jacob; and toke his
266lady wytt hyme into Gascony into his oon place, ther fore to

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267rest, and went to his lord and told hyme howe he hade sped
268and how he hard þe juis tell all þe passion of Cryst. Waspasion
269sayd: 'And I may be hole, I wyll be awengyt on þat crwelle
270dethe and dede.'
271    The lond ferryde of þe dethe of Uaspasion and crownyd his
272sone Tyttus and made hime kynge. And þat was one þe morrow
273þat Welosian was come home. And has dame Wyrony stod
274in her in, sche sawe pope Cleyment come in þe way, þat was
275come fro Jerusaleme wyth Pettur and Povle, þat Nero slow.
276And þis lady spake to Cleyment and told hyme why schow was
277come, and þe pope was ful glade. And at þe prayer of Welosian
278þey went bothe to þe kynge.
279    Uaspasion welcommyd þeme gladly and prayd þeme of
280conford. Sent Cleyment sayd, yf he wold have helpe, he most
281beleve one Jhesu Cryst, þat all helpe is inne, the sone of God
282and of þe wyrgyne Marry and werry God and mane, þat com
283to by man frow thraldom, for wythout his passion mane myȝt
284not be sawyd. And sent Cleyment declaryd to hyme þe fethe
285and þe lawys of God omnipotent.
286    Uaspasion sayde: 'Ȝif I be hole, I wyll be a crystyne man and
287I welle awenge þe dethe of Cryste; for I wyll sleye all þe juis
288þat I fynd, and I wylle sele xxx for a d for þey sold þer Lord
289for xxx d.'
290    Then sayd Cleyment: 'Kyngis worschyppe hyme at his
291byrthe, furst Errowd, þat slow gret multytud of chyldorn for
292his sake; and as bokus tellythe, þe sayd Erawde suffyrd all
293syknis in his boddy and nowe þe paynnys of heylle. And I
294hoppe þat kyngis schall awenge his deth. Beleve his power is
295to hele þe. He reysyd þe knyȝte þat lay deyd in his grave iiij
296dayis. And aftur þat he asenddyt to hewyne, he sent þe Holly
297Gost to his decippuls, as he befor prommessid to þeme, and

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298taȝtht þem lxx launggagis to preche all þe worde and
299ȝavfe þeme power to hele in body and sovle all þat wold
300on hyme beleue and fayȝthfully serue hyme.'
301    The kynge Uaspasion beleuyd þis well wyth all þe syrcumstanse
302of þe fayth as he was tawȝt, and sent Cleyment
303hyme asayllyd. Dame Werrony toke Cleyment þe wernakull
304þat Cryst wyppyd on his face, as befor is sayd. And sent Cleyment
305was reyuessid wyth onowr and bar þe warnacul to þe
306kynge. And he reuerently hit kyssid and worschyppte þe
307Fadyr and þe Son and þe Holly Gost and þe warnacull in þe
308worschype of Crystus face, þat hit towchyd and þerof wos
309þe merk, and anon he was hole and praysyd almyȝtty God.
310    And he sayd: 'I wyll awenge þe dethe of Cryst wyth his
311grace, for I wot well he is þe son of God. And when I have done
312þat dede, we wyll be crystynd all and geyf gret mede to þe
313lady dame Verony.' And schw prayd hyme geyf to Cleyment
314what he wold, for schw wyll abyd wyth hyme. And he ȝavfe
315þem londys and renttus and gret reywardys.
316    Sent Cleyment consayld hyme to take crystendome in hast,
317but þe kynge sayd he wold furst wreke þe dethe of Cryst.
318And he send for his son Tytus and for his lorddys. Also he
319send to Nero þe Emparovr for lycens, and he sayd he most
320wreke a spyte ido in Jerusaleme. And Nero hyme grant, but
321he knew nat the cavse, for he was cursyd and louyt not
322Cryst.
323    The kynge mad hyme reydy, and furthe they went. But at
324þe prayer of sent Cleyment and of dame Werony þe kynge

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325commandyt pece to ale crystyn men and yafe þem good warrante
326þat no man schwld theme greve. Waspasion and his son
327Tyttus went to schepe wyth a C M men. Sent Cleyment hyme
328blessyd and toke his leve at þe see and went home, and dame
329Werony wyth hym, in Goddyse pese. And þe kynge had good
330weddur and wynd at wyll and wylle sped and all his men.
331
332    In vj wekus Waspasion sayllyd to Acrvs and toke þe tovne
333wyth force and set in men to keppe hit and wente into þe lond
334and slowe and brent and toke vittayle plentte. And on a fryday
335thay come fro Arryse to Japheth and segyt þe tovne. And
336God send to þe pepulle of þe conttray wondyr þingis, of rayne,
337hayle, snowe and wyndyse and hongur and gret sykenyse,
338but to Waspasion and to his pepull God send welthe inowe in
339all þer jornaye.
340    But þe tovne wold not ȝeld þem longe tyme. Waspasion
341swar he wold not go thens tyl hit wer ȝelde. And þen they rone
342euyryche apone odyr wyth þer weppun tyll all wer slayne in
343þe tovne save ij knyȝttus þat lovyd togeydur, þat wold sley
344none odyr of þeme. Þe tone hyȝt syr Japhel, and he was kyne
345to Syser, of þe blod of Waspasion. And þerfor þe kynge mad
346hyme of his conssell and his gyd to Jerusaleme, and þat he
347dyd full well.
348    They left keppars in Japhete and went þer way. Þe crystyn
349men in Jerusaleme had warnyng of þe Holly Gost and went
350ouer flom Jurdane to a place þat men cale Pellan, and þer
351þey deyllyd. But some wold see what schuld fale and abyde in
352Jerusaleme.
353    When Pyllat wyst þat Japheth was nome, he feyryd sor and
354send for gret helpe. Then to hyme came Archeles, þe kynge of
355Gallale, þe sone of Erroawd, þat slowe þe chyldorne of Hissarell.
356He came wyth a gret host, and also þe conttray came to Jerusaleme

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357for socur for fer of Waspasion, for he slow and brent
358in all þe conttrey.
359    Pylat sent spyis to wyt what way þat Waspasion come. And
360he and Ercheles rode out at þe gat and asayde her horssis.
361But he hade no grace to flee, for Gode hade ȝeyfe hyme respyt
362forty ȝer, but he wold not amend.
363    When þe spyis come aȝeyne to Pylat, they told what way
364þe host come and sayd þey wer wondyr strong. And þen
365Pylat feryd sore. Þen sayd Archeles to Pylat: 'Ferryd I noþinge,
366for þer is no wattur ner þe cyty þen flem Jurdane. And when
367þey fynd no freche watur, þey most nedys fle, and we wyl
368follo and sley þeme all.'
369    And whil þis tale was a tellyng, þe tovne was besegyte. And
370þis was þe iiij and xxx ȝer aftur þe dethe of Cryst. On þe day
371of paske Waspasion bade Japhel, for he knew þe conttre, he
372rood about þe cyty and see what was to be done. And so he
373dyde and set þe host in gouernance wyth monny feyttys of war
374and byte done þe subbarbuse to þe toune wale.
375    And for þey had noo freche wattur, þey toke skynnys of
376bestus and mad fyll hundyrtys of bagis and bogyse and fet
377wattur one horsbakis and fyld so myche in þe wale of Josephath
378þat euyry man had inowȝ. And þey dayly fete more.
379    And when þhe pepull of Jerusaleme sawe wattur in þat wale,
380they merweld sor and told Pylat. Pylat and Archelese and
381Josephus, þe good clarke, went to se hit and soor merveld
382on þat case. And þen mastur Josephus, he sayde: 'This his
383þe hond of Myssyas, for God is wrothe wyth vs for þe dethe
384of þe profete Jhesu of Nazareþet.' But Archeles sayd: 'Pylat,
385drede þe not, but keppe þe cyty, and þou schalt have þi wyle.'
386    Uaspasion and Japhele and Welosian stod and save Pylat
387on þe wallys, and Wellosian consellyd his lord to him to speke

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388and se what he wold say. Waspasion sayde: 'Pylat, se me,
389þat ame þi lord and wyle awenge þi fals dedis.' But at þat
390tyme he wase not his lord but sayd so to make hyme ferd. And
391Pylat ȝavfe hyme no word for sorro.
392    Then sayd Waspasione to Archelese: 'Þou art forsworne,
393and so was þi fadyr. Þou wer bettur hold wyth me þen wyth
394þe tovne. Thi fadyr dyid in vofule paynis, and so schalt þou
395or longe tyme pas.' But þey ȝavf hime no answer but so departtyd.
396    Pylat sayd: 'I feyr þis kynge, for he is of Syseris blode and
397kynd and he wole do as he sayth.' Archeles sayd: 'We be stronge
398inoȝth. I reyde þe wage hyme battayll.'
399    And Pylat dyde aftur his consell and wagyt him battayle.
400And Waspasion toke hit wyth glad cher and sayd: 'Pylat, þou
401schalt have schame of þi battayl wytt the myȝt of God.'
402    And þey manly schet and cast ingyne, arrowe and quarrell
403into þe tovne and slove gret multytude of pepule. And þe
404tovne myȝtly þeme defendyd. And a quarrel haplye sclove
405a povr mane þat went wyth chyldorne in þe stret. But þe juis
406hild hym a profete, and þerfor þey feyrryd full sore.
407    But in þe j ȝer of þis sege dyid Nero þe Emparowr. He
408left Tytus to kepe þe sege, and he went to Rome and was
409crovnnyd Emparovr in þe saryssynnis wyse. And he hastyd
410hyme to Jerusaleme.
411    The good man Jacobe sayde to Pylat: 'Þis jwe þat we cale
412a profet sayd xx ȝer passid þat þis tovne schvld be destryid;
413and nowe he is slayne, I leve hit þe mor. I rede ȝe ȝeyld vpe
414þe tovne.'
415    Pylat wytt hyme was wrothe and sayd: 'Þis was þi concent
416wyth Welosian, and þat þou schalt aby full sore.' He lete
417fettur Jacobe wytt yrone and cast hyme into a fovle dovngone
418to dy wyttovte mete and drynke for lake of foode.

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419    The doȝttur of Jacobe, Mare, prayd to God for hyme and
420sayd: 'Lord, I beleve on þe and come to seche þe wyth eyntment
421at þi tombe, wyllynge þe to honovr and pleys. So helpe
422my fadyr, þi seruante.'
423    And allmyȝtty God send an angele and fet Jacobe oute of
424presone and set hyme wythout þe tovne wallese. He knelyd
425dovne and þankyd God, and þen he went to þe host.
426    Welosiane hyme welcommyd and broȝt hyme to þe Emparovr
427Waspasion and sayd: 'Tis is ovr frend þat herberd
428me in Jerusaleme when I went to get yove helpe and conford.'
429Þe Emparovre hyme welcommyd and wos glad. And Jacob
430hyme told how Pylat hade hym presond and how he was
431delyuyrt by an angel. And also he told hyme all þe juis consel.
432    The Emparovr wos glad and mad hyme gret cher. And of
433hyme he askyd consele to make a dyche abovt þe tovne, þat
434no man schwld go away vnspyid. And so hit was don and mad
435in hast, and þat þe juis sovr reypent.
436    Pylat toke his conssayle of Archeles, of Barrobas, and of
437Josephus. And þey in þe nyȝt layd plankus ouer þe dyche
438and come ovte wyth xxxv M of horsmen and l M of fotemen, and
439sore þi met in battayl. And gret multytud of pepul wer dede
440in both partys. But Pylat lost xl M, and he schappyd into
441þe tovne. And Josephus wose hurt soor; but he was a preway
442crystyne man and most knew of þe juis lave; and he wos full
443sorry for his kyne was ettynne.
444    But Jacob let make charnels and berryd þe peppul. And þe
445Emparovr wos glad and gretly conforttyd wyth þe wyse consell
446of Jacob.
447    Þen began gret sowrro and hovngur in þe cyty. They eete
448horse, cattys, rattys and myse and þe fen in þe waye and
449þeron dogis and þerone cyldorne, and þe stronggyr eete þe

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450wekir. And þey drow lote who schwld eete oþyr. But þe gret
451men wer confortyd in þer hongyr by þe wertw of presious
452stonnys þat þey had one heme.
453    Þer was a lady of þe conttray þat hyȝt Marey, and schoe
454deyllyd wyth a lady þat hyȝt Clarys in þe cyty. Both wer
455good crystyn wemen. The doȝttur of Mary was dede for hongur,
456and so wer allmoste both ladyse, for to þeme was lewyd no
457þinge to ette.
458    And þen sayd Claryse: 'Ete we þis chyld.' But Mary
459sayd: 'Nay, raþyr wyl I dye.' Þer come a angele and bade
460þeme eete þe chyld. 'for hit is þe profysy þat wemen schuld
461eete þer chyldorne.'
462    And so þey rost þe chyld. Pylat felyd þe savyr of þis rost
463and send þerefor, and þen wer þe wemen ful wo. But when
464Pylat save what hit was, he commandyt þat no man schwld
465eete his chyld nor woman, but þat þey schwld eete þer treysore.
466And so þey eete gold and sylvyr wyth corne and heye, but hit
467dyd þeme no good. But afturward þey wer fayne to fete hit
468ovte of þer boddys.
469    But aftur þe husbond eete þe wyfe, and þe wyfe eete þe
470husbond, and euyrry man slow odyr for þer treysser in þer
471boddyse, that þe strettys lay ful of dede men. And when thay
472hade no treysore in þem, no man wold þeme byrre but cast
473þeme vppon heypuse and let þem lye. And so þe pepule wer
474lost wyth stenche. But when þe tovne was get, Tyttus let
475bren þem for stenche. And when he saw þat dolful syȝte, he
476fel dovne on his kneis and sayd: 'Lord God, þow knowyst wele
477þis is not for my fadyr nor for me, but for þer on synnis.'
478
479    But byfor þis tyme þe counsseyle of þe cyty bad Pylat yeld
480þe sette and tovne. And Pylat sayd: 'Nay, abyde ȝe a whylle
481yf anny of þis lordys may dye or yf we may þem pleyse wytt
482ȝeyftus of owr treysovr.'

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483    The Emparovr send Jacob to wyte yf þey wold geyfe vpe
484þe tovne. Jacob came to þe walle and callyd a jwe, and he fet
485to hyme Josephus. And when he sawe Jacobe, he askyd hyme
486how he came owt of preson. And Jacob hyme told howe, by
487þe myracul of God. And Josephus thankyd God.
488    And when Jacobe see he wase a crystyne mane, he wase
489glad and told to hyme þe forsayde meracullus of Waspasion and
490of sent Cleyment and dame Werony and Welosyane and of
491hymeselfe, as þe storry before tellyȝt. And þen Josephus hyme
492prayd to pray to þe Emparovr for þe crystyne pepul, and Jacob
493hyme grant.
494    But Jacob askyd Josephus yf þey wold held þe tovne. And
495he sayd: 'Naye, but Pylat wolde asay yf he myȝt askape
496wyth pleysovr of ȝeyftus. And yf þe Emprovr wer a crystyn
497mane, we wold ȝeld vs to hyme, but we have leuyr deye þen
498ȝeld vs to a sarussyne.'
499    Þey toke her leve and departtyd. And Jacob told to þe
500Emparovr what answer he hade. Then sayd Josephus to Pylat:
501'I have herd tyþingis þat þe Emparovr wyl vs al destrye. I rede
502ȝe cale yowr pepull and se what is to done.'
503    Pylat lete a crye, and þe pepul aperyd before hyme. He
504askyd of þeme what was her counsel best to done. Some sayd:
505'We leve her to longe. Mysseas is rovthe wyth vs, for he is
506þe sone of God, and we as fovllis stryve aȝenst ovr lord God,
507and we be worthy to suffyr wo. We fynd in profycy þat þe
508romans schvld vs destry, and now we aske mercy to late. But
509go we ovte and schort we ovr lywys, for bettur is schort
510payne þen longe.' And some sayd: 'Hit his fayrer dethe to
511sley eche oþyr þen to ȝeld vs to more payne.' And so xj M
512slov euyreche odyr and fel dede for stynche of dede men.

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513    And þey þen begane to cry Jhesu mercy: 'We have sor
514afendyt. We fynd sothe þat þou spake govynge to þi passion:
515Weppe ȝe not for me, but for yovr chyldorne and for yovrselfe,
516and so we may nowe, and curse þe brestus þat ȝave vs sovke
517and þe body þat vs bar. And þerfor, Pylat, ȝeld vp þe tovne,
518for ve no lengur may leue.'
519    Then Pylat, Archeles, Josephus, Barrobas and þe commynte
520went to þe wallys and sayd to þe Emparovr: 'Tis is þe last
521daye of vij ȝer. We may no lengur þe tovne kepe. Tel vs wheþyr
522we schale lyve or dye, for we moste vs ȝeld.'
523    When þe Emparovr þis herd, he fel doune on his kneis and
524þankyd almyȝtty God. And þen he stod vpe and sayd: 'Þou
525slowe Cryst in his manhede wythoute gylte. On hyme ȝe had
526no mercy, nor none ȝe geyt of me.'
527    When Archeles þis herd, he slowe hymeselfe wyth his ovn
528sorde and fele adovne ouer þe walle. The Emparovre sayd:
529'He is traytur and was trayttur, and so he dyid. 'But he bade
530byrre hyme worþeyly, for he was a kynge.
531    Pylat toke þe keyis and oppynd þe ȝattys, and Tytus wyth
532his host went in. But in þe prese Josephus wyth fel men
533askappyd into þe cyty of Jenopozame. Þe Emparovr let þeme
534sowe in and þe cyty bysete, þat þey myȝt not skape. But
535Joseffus wold not ȝeld hyme to þe Emparovr, for he was not
536crystynd. But þe Emparovr so sovr hyme besett þat he toke
537wytt hyme xj fellowys and flede into a cave. And for hongur
538þey drove lottys who schovld eete odyr of þem, and þe lotht
539fel to Josephus þat he schuld dye. But God wold not so, for
540his wyte holpe fel men.
541    When Josephus se he schuld be dede, he lepe on his fellow
542and toke frov hyme his sword and hyme slove. And so he

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543asschapyd and went to þe Emparoure. Þe Emparovr askyd
544what he wose, and he sayd: 'Josephus, þat wrot þe storry of
545Crystus dethe and of juis laves and of her prophecy þat now
546is favle.' The Emparovre sayd: 'Þou arte a spye. Þou schalte
547be dede; for yfe þou wer so wyse a man, þou myȝt have warnyd
548þe juis of her harme.' Then sayd Josephus: 'I take wyttnis
549by þe bokus þat I wrote and allso of þe juis þat I to þem
550hit told many ȝeryse passyd.'
551    The bokys were fete of þe juis lawe, and hit was fond as
552Josephus had sayd. And also hit was wyttnyssyd of mony
553men. And Josephus told to þe Emparovre þat he wase a
554crystyne mane, and Jacob for hyme vndurtoke. And so þe
555Emparovr hyme toke to grace.
556    Þen sayde Josephus: 'Ȝe may see by þis bokus þat I told
557þe juis xl dayis befor þat ȝe schuld be Emparour and also of
558þe sykenys of yowr sone Tytus, and wytt my covnsel I schal
559helpe to make hyme hole.' For Tytus was sore syke in a cardyacull
560take wyth þe jay of his fadyris honovr. And þe Emparovr
561sayde to Josephus: 'Yf þou can my son helpe, I wyl þe reywarde
562ryȝt wele, for I love hyme most of al þis world.'
563    So on day Josephus sayd to Tytus: 'I trust ryȝt wele
564yow to helpe of your syknys. But grant me þat ȝe be not
565wrothe wyth no man þat I brynge wytt me into yowr presens.'
566And Tytus hyme granttyd. A man þat Tytus movste hattyd.
567Josephus let set hyme at þe mete in þe presens of Tytus and
568hyme worthyly serwyd. The blod in his body hete for gret
569grame and angur, and so his cardyacule frow hyme went, and
570he was hole. And when he save hit was for his heyleth, he
571þankyd God. And þen Tytus forsovked all þe wrath þat he
572hade to þat. And Tytus toke Josephus nexte to hyme wyth

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573gret love. And þe Emparowr was ful glad and hym wele
574reywardyde.
575
576    But torne we to the sege of Jerusaleme. When Pylat se
577Tytuse at þe ȝawttys of Jerusaleme, he proferd to ȝeyfe hyme
578his bayllywyke yf he myȝt geyt hyme his lyve and leve to
579dweyll styll in þe cyty. And to þe Emparovr he wold ȝeyfe
580a C sparhavkus ramage and a C of jentyl fawcons and xxx
581mutys of hovndys and a C clothis of sylk and of gold and x
582leons, x lebarttus, x boris, x mullys lad wytt treyssore, syluyr
583and gold, and wyth precyos stonnis. And Tytus þus told his
584fadyr þe Emparour. But he commandyt to kepe hyme into
585good hold, for he schvld have no grace.
586    Tytus, as þe Emparour hyme bade, went into þe tovne,
587and Jacob wyth hyme to tell wyche wer crystyn men, theme
588to save. And þe Emparovr keppyd wyttovte, þat none schuld
589fle. Þey fyllyde þe dychys and opond þe ȝattys, and Tytus
590went in wytt iij C men wel armyd. He toke Pylat, and xxx
591knyȝttus hyme keppyd. And þe juis þat wer take alyve, þei bond
592heme in heyppus, þat none of þeme askappyd.
593    And as he let bette dovne þe wallys, in a thyke place of þe
594walle he fond Joseph of Barmathe, fayr of coullur, þat seyuyn
595ȝer was in þat place wythovt mette or drynke, for he thavȝte
596þe lawe of Cryste, þat hyme wel fede wyth his godnys. Tytus
597send hyme to þe Emparovr, and he hyme knewe note, for he
598was most worthy mane aftur þe Emparowr.
599    Then Tytus, Japhelle, Josephus, Josefe and Jacobe broȝt
600all þe crystyne men befor þe Emparovr, and he lete clothe
601theme in whytte, þat þe host myȝte þeme knowe and worchype.
602
603    The pepull þat wer sawyd told to þe Emparovr how þe juis
604hade eyttyn her treyssour. And þerwyth þe Emparovr was

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605glade, for hit schuld, he sayd, torne þeme to payne; and let
606make a crye and sold xxx jwis for a penny for þey sold þer
607Lorde for xxx d. And þey full sovr tormenttyd wer to fette
608þe treyssour oute of her bellys; but þe Emparour bade do to
609þeme þe most payne þat þey myȝte, and so þey hade.
610    Then Tytus bade bette dovne þe wallys and þerwyth fyle
611þe dychis; for he lete no þinge stond but þe tempul of Salamone
612and þe castyl wytt þe tour of Dawyte to fulfyll þhe profycy.
613And þey berryde þe juis into downgheppus wythovte þe towne.
614And þer wer sold a C M and mo, and dede wyth weppyn
615and hongur CCCC M and xvij. And her wenganse schall euyr
616laste, for þey be, and euyr schalle, in bondauge and gret
617traldome.
618    Tytus brouȝt Pylat to þe Emparour and sayd: 'Her is þe
619traytur þat put Cryste to dethe.' The Emparovr sayde: 'In
620tymys me semyth I may well loue þis mane. I can note be
621wrathe wyth hyme. Loke ȝe þer be no gyle.'
622    An olde mane þat stod bysyde, he sayd he had one hyme
623þe cote þat owr Lady made and toke to Cryste, 'and by þe
624wertwe of þat clothe and of þe presyovs stonnys on hyme he
625may go saufe amonge his foomen.'
626    Thay toke frome hyme þis cote, and þen was þe Emprovr
627ful wrothe and sayd: 'Þou art worþy mor schame þen all þe
628jwis.' He lete put hyme in a barrel of stele and porpossyd to
629caste hyme in þe see, but he abod to do hyme mor pyne.
630    And when he come to Rome, he lett take hyme owt and put
631hyme into a darke presson and feed hyme wyth barlay brede
632and wattur. But in feste dayis he hade mete inowe. And so he
633laye ij ȝer on þe bare grovnd. And he neuyr reypent hyme
634of hys syne, but wyth a knyfe þat he borrowyd of his kepper
635to pare wyth a peyr he hymeselfweth slowe.

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636    When þe Emparovr þis herd, he sayd: 'He dede most wekyd
637dede, and þerfore he hathe most schamfull dethe; for he myȝt
638do no werse dede þen deme ovr Lord to deth.'
639    Thay put hyme into þe barreylle and lade hyme into a dyslate
640place by a wattur syde. But for stynche and for feyr of feyndys
641þat wer abovte hyme many men wer dede. Then þey toke
642hyme vp and cast hyme inte a wattur. And þer he dyde myche
643sowrrov for he myȝt not synke. So he wase tossyde wyth
644fenddys, wyth stenche and cry and darknys and wyth brennynge
645feyr, þat no man durst come ny þat place.
646    But on a nonetyde þer come a schepe and se þat cruvele
647syȝte and hard þe cry and see þe barreyll tossyd wyth fendys,
648and vnnethe they toke londe but wer ner loste. And þo þey
649wente into þe cytye on Vyene and told þe clarkys of þe cyty
650in what a feyr þat þey wer. And þen þe clarkys and laye pepull
651wyth gret pennans-dowynge prayde to Gode to be delyuyrt
652of hyme. And Gode send to þeme a wayse and bad þeme
653go to þe wattur syde, and so þey dyde. And þer þey sawe
654a roche of stone opone on þe see syde, and wyth a gret blast
655of wynd, lyȝttynnyng and þondorynge he was cast into þe
656roche of stone, and þe roche clovsyde aȝeyne. Þe peppule
657þankyde God. And so þey wer of hyme delyuyrt.
658    But þer as he lay forst þe hole cane no mane stope, for men
659sayth hit gothe to helle. Etc.
660
661    But turne we aȝeyne to Jerusallem. Whyll þe Emparovr
662lay at sege, he sent oute his men for wettayle. And as he þeme
663bade, thay toke all þe castyllys and tovnnys in Jude into
664þer one hondyse and slow al þe peppull þat wold not torne
665to Goddys lawys; and al þat wyll torne to Goddys lawe wer

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666sworne to be trowe. And þe Emparour on þeme set lawe and
667keppynge.
668    And þe Emparovr rewarddyte genttylmen þat wyth hyme
669wer in war wyth londyse and renttus, and þe commentye he
670rewardyte wyth odyr goodyse plenty; for he made cleyne
671alle þe lond of þer gooddys and yafe hit to his men. And he
672heme thankyde and toke his schepe, and so to Rome he sayllyde.
673    But when he came to lond, wyth hyme mete in presessione
674sent Cleyment and all his clargye and þe lady dame Weronye
675wyth grete multytud of pepulle, hyme welcommynge and
676þankynge allmyȝtty Gode. Cleyment and þe lady mad gret
677jaye þat Jacobe, Joseph of Barmathe, Josephus and odyr
678crystyne men wer savfe and þeme welcommyd wyth gret
679gladnyse.
680    The Emparovr wase crystynd in hast, and so wer all his
681pepule. The Emparour let schave all his men in tokyne of
682clennyse. And when þey wer screwyne and crystonyd, he
683clothyde þeme wyth whyte in tokenyng of cleynnyse and of
684Goddyse lawe.
685    The Emparour byldyd v churchus and worþily þem induid.
686And to þeme he yafe monny ryalle ornamenttus. And he send
687into all his londdyse to keppe þe lawe of God and peys, and
688 so hit wase do in all his dayis. And his sone Tyttus and þey
689lewyde a holly lyfe.
690    The Emparour let close þe warnacul in syluyr and in golde
691and put hit into a crystal stone, þat men may hit see but not
692hondyle. And dame Weroyny hit yaf to þe churche of seynte
693Pettur in Rome.

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694    Þen sente Cleyment sacryd þe Emparour and sete on hyme
695þe crovne. And the Emparour set on seynt Cleyment a mytur
696wyth a crovne and a presius dyadyme for chefe of all clarkys
697and fadyr of all holly churche. And so be þe power þat God
698yafe to Pettur and to his sussessowryse the Emparour hyme
699confermyde poppe, as ȝer wose chose by þe crystyne clergey.
700Etc.
701
702    At þe tombe of Waspasion the Emparovr, God schowyd
703myracullys to blynd and to lame. And Tytus leuyde aftur hyme
704a good lyue and euyry daye gafe gret almys for þe loue of
705God. And he hade a good ende of this worlde.
706
707    The jwis wente to Jerusaleme to byld hit aȝeyne, but hit
708was not þe wyll of God, for þey schall neuyr have habytacione
709but in bonddauge. And as þey toke þer markys to bylde þe
710place þat wose dystryid, they sawe a crose alle blody one þe
711erthe all blody, þat wase tokon her wenganse was not done.
712And for feer þey went þer way. Anodyr tyme þei come aȝeyne,
713and as þey toke merkys, þei sawe þe crose and her clothis
714full of blode. And þey went þer way for fer. They come aȝeyne
715þe þrede tyme, and as þey stovpyd to take þer mercus, they
716hade no power to speke. But a feyr come frome þe grovnd
717and brend theme all to povdyr.
718
719    This wytnyssythe Josephus, þat good clarke, þat sawe and
720wrot þer actus. Etc.
721
722    Her enddyth þe sege of Jerusaleme.