Pylat be not ageynst thꝭ ryghtfull . man . for I haue this nyght be hugely dremyde for hym And be that I wote well that he is a ryghtfull man . And whan that Pylat had red this letter . he sayd to all the Iewz . ¶ Syrs ye knowe wel that my wyfe is a paynym . And ye wose well that she hath edyfyed meny of youre Synagoges . she sendyth vnto you that she knoweth this man for a ryghtfull man . For mykell trybulacyon and dysease she hath suffred this nyght for nym Than sayd the Iewys to Pylat . haue we not sayd vnto the that he is Turrian euyll man And werketh by deuylls crafte For by deuylls hath he thus tysed thy wyfe Than clepyd Pylat our lorde to him and sayd thus . Seest thou not that alle the Iewes bere ; wytnesse ageynst the : And thou gyuest no maner of answere . than sayd our lorde Ihesu vnto Pylat . euery man hath power to speke with his mouth be it good oryll and so shall ye well se . than the Iewes sayd vnto our lorde Ihesu . what shal we se . We all knowe well that thou were begoten in fornycacy on . And for thy byrth dyde herowde sle all the chyloren in bedleem and in the countrey aboute that were within .ii. yere & a halfe of age . And Iosepe & mary went in to Egypt for drede of herowde And whan herowde was dede they came ageyne into the cyte of Nazareth . And whan Pylat herde this . he sayd vnto the Iewes . Than is that Ihesu that herowde dede seke for to sle . And the Iewes answeryd and sayd that it was he . Than doubted Pylat moche more than he dyd to fore And so there were .xii. Iewes that drewe them by themselfe And thus they sayd to Pylat . Syr we knowe well that this man is not borne in fornycacyon for we knowe wel that Iosepe wedyd marye his moder And so he is not borne in fornycacyon . it semyth that your wordes be not trewe / for For Iosepe wedyd marye as they saye that be of your own folke Than sayd Annas and Cayphas and other Iewes that had sayd that Ihesu our lorde was borne in fornycacyon and that he was an euyll werker . And that his dyscyplis were fled and proselyty . Than clepyde Pylat Annas and Cayphas and askyd them what was proselyty And they sayd that proselyty was paynemys chyldren . and so be his dyscyples And for that they say that he is not borne in fornycacyon than answered these .xii. men whos names be these Lazarus . Asstorius . Antonius . Iacob . Serius . Gamaliel . Isaak . Fynees . Azarius . Agrippa . Amenus . & Iudas . We saye that wene are proselyty but we be Iewes chyldren and we saye trouthe . that we were there that Iosepe wedyd marye Than clepyd Pylat these .xii. men that sayd thus . And he coniured them by the hyght of holy Cezare . Yf that he were borne in fornycatyon that ye bere wytnesse and suerce And othe byfore all this peple And these .xii. men answeryd to Pylat and sayd we haue by oure lawe that we ne oughte to swere for that is syn but we wyll swere by holy Cezare yf it be not as we saye we wyll be culpable of deth We se well that thyse . .xii. men that Ihesu is not borne in fornycacyon to be byleued by her worde And we saye all that he is borne in fornycacyon and that he is an euyll werker And thus he sayth that he is goddis son and therto a kynge And yet thou wylte not beleue vs that haue the lawe to kepe .

Than commaunded Pylat that all sholde go out of the pareloure saue these xii men that sayde that oure lorde was not borne in fornycacyon . And also he commaunded that our lorde Ihesu sholde be ledde oute vnto that one syde of the pareloure . Than sayd pylat to these .xii. men . For what cause is that they wyll brynge Ihesu to deth And they answered and sayd . that the masters of the lawe had hym in hate for that he helyd maladyes and sekenesse vpon the Sabot Than sayd Pylat . A I se well for his gode werkes they wyll sle hym Than wence Pylat oute of the pareloure ful of heuynes and sayd vnto all the Iewes I haue wytnesse that I can fynde in this man no poynte of deth . The Iewes answered yf hene had be an euyll doer . wene had a delyuered hym to the Than sayd Pylat to the Iewes / what sayd god that there sholde no man be slayne but of me . than entred Pylat in to the pareloure ageyne . & clepyd our lorde Ihesu to hym and sayd . Thou arte kynge of Iewes . Oure lorde Ihesu answered ageyne / thou sayest that of thy selfe or ellys other haue sayd that to the of me . Than sayde Pylat to oure lorde Ihesu . Thou wotest well that I am no Iewe but of thyne owne nacyon as Bysshoppys and prynces haue delyuered the to me . but I neuer what euyll thou hast do them . yf thou be kynge Iewes answere to me . Oure lorde answered to hym My kyngdome is not in this worlde for yf my kyngdome were in this worlde . my mynysters wolde not be ageynst me that I sholde not haue be delyuered to the but my kyngdome is not nowe here . Than answered Pylat . than I se well thou arte a kynge . than answeryd oure lorde Ihesu thou sayest that I am a kynge and to that I was borne and for to declare to the worlde that who so be of crowth . wyll here my worde . Than sayd Pylat what is trouth . be thy worde there is but lytyll trouth in erth Our lorde sayd to Pylat . vnderstonde trouth how that it is Iugged in erthe of them that dwell there in . And thus sayd Pylat to the Iewes . I haue wytnes both in heuen and in erthe sonne and mone . that I can fynde no cause of deth in thꝭ man .

¶ Than answeryd the Iewes . is not this a grete cause that he sayth of oure Temple . That he myghte stroye it & reyse it ageyne in .iii. dayes than sayd Pylat what temple is that / that ye speke of And the Iewes answered that it was the Salamon temple whiche was in edyfyenge .xlvii. yere And this Ihesus sayd that he sholde dystroye it and rayse it ageyne in .iii. dayes I am without gylte of spyllynge of this mannys blode . And that shall ye well see . what wyll ye do with hym the Iewes that were full of enuy cryed all with one voyce . the shedynge of his blode be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren .

ANd anone there sterte forth a Iewe afore Pylate . And thus he sayd . My lorde Pylate . I laye bedredde in my bedde .xxxviii. yere And all the dayes for the moste parte in peryll of deth . And so it befell that my lorde Ihesu came by me & had pyte on me . And than he had me take my bedde and go home into my howe . And anone with his wordes / I was made hole And anone after came another Iewe afore Pylate and thus he sayd My lorde Pylate I was pore blynde And as my lorde Ihesu passed afore me I cryed vnto him And sayd Ihesu the son of Dauyd haue mercy on me . And he had mercy on me And he put his hande to myn eyen and than I sawe .

¶ And than another Iewe that stode afore Pylate sayd Syr I was a mezell and my lorde Ihesu made me hole with his worde . ¶ After that came an agyd woman afore Pylate and thus she sayd . My lorde Pylate I was desezed with the red flyx .iii. yere and more And I dede not but touchyd the hem of the vesture of my lorde Ihesu And anone I was made hole of my maladye and therfore my lorde Pylate haue marcy on hym and do hym not to deth And whan that Pylate herde this / he feryd / And anone a grete companye of Iewes whyche that our lorde Ihesu had helyd they cryed al with on voyce . A grete Sauyour of the peple is our lorde Ihesu . Whan Pylate herde this he sayd vnto Cayphas and Amyas . And other maysters of the lawe I merueyl why that your forme faders and prynces and Bysshoppys of the lawe helyd not men of theyr Infyrmytees as this man doth And they answered no worde therto And these men that our lorde had helyd cryed with one voyce Oure blysshyd Lorde Ihesu hath wrought many deuyne myracles as he that reysed Lazare / fro deth to lyfe . Whyche that had layne dede foure dayes in the erth And our lorde Ihesu by the vertu of his worde he reysed hym oute of the mōment and brought hym alyue amonge vs his sustres And dyde hym syt wyth hym at hys table / And whan that Pylate herde this he was all abasshed for fere and cryed with an hyghe voyce to the Iewes and sayd . Men what is this that ye wyll do I see that without gylte ye wyl shedde the blode of hym that hath nothynge mysse wrought Than rose pylat vp and toke Nycodemus to hym and these xii . men whiche that sayd that our lorde was not borne in fornicacyon and thus he sayd to them .

Syrys I haue grete affeccyon in you saye to me what I shall do with hym And they sayd syr we can saye for we wyll neuer assente to the wyll of the maysters of the lawe nor to theyr werkes & therefor let them se well to ther sowl is that they maye be saued at the daye of Iugement than turned Pylat to the mastres of the lawe and to other Iewes and sayd thus to them Syrs ye knowe wel that it is the custome amonge vs to delyuer a prysoner to the pepyll for the loue of our sabot the hyghe daye of sacrafyce And syrs ye knowe well that I haue a presoner in my preson a noble presoner a man slear whiche is worthy to be deed . whos name is Barabas wyll ye that I delyuer you hym or ells Ihesu whiche is withoute gylt and not worthy to dye The prynces and the bysshopps and the olde men they sayd all with one voyce we wyll that thou delyuer to vs Barabas Than sayd pylat what wyl ye than saye that I do wyth Ihesu whiche is cleped cryste Than sayd the Iewes with an hyghe voyce lete hym be crucyfed and so . me sayd yf thou let hym go thus thou ne arte Cezars frende syn that he sayd this foule sclaunder that he is goddys sone And therto a kynge for who so euer sayeth that he is a kynge he speketh ageynst Cezare And whan that Pylat herde this he was wondre heuy and thus he sayd to the Iewes all dayes fro the begynnynge haue ye be contraryous to them that hath do well to you . And to hym ye haue do mykyll harme and mekyll turmentrye Than sayd the Iewes / what is he that hath do so mykyll good to vs Than sayd pylat our god whiche hath holpe you and delyuered you oute of the handys of Egypte whiche drowned your enmyes in the depnesse of the rede see And ledde you thorughe the water of the see also drye as vpon the erth And also in desert he reyned to you manna And made water out of the harde stone in deserte whiche that ye dranke of & all your bestys And also to you he gaue the .x. commaundementys of the lawe . And in all these cōmaūdemētys that he hath charged you with . ye haue been contraryous to your god As whan ye made a Calfe to be your god whiche wolde haue dysheryt you & dystroyed you ne had moyses be your mayster that prayed to your god for you for the peryll that ye were in . & nowe ye saye to me that I hate my kynge And am not his frende yf I delyuer not this man Ihesu that hath curyd mekylle of your peple of many Infyrmytees whiche is your kynge / that neuer dyd euyll but euer moche goodnes & prophet whan the Iewes herde this they were full of wroth & of maletalente . And thus they cryed all togyder and sayd Our kynge is Cezare Emperour of Rome but we knowe wel that Ihesus is no kynge thoughe the kynges sought hym in bedleem & sayd that they sought the kynge of Iewes & offrede hym gyftes but yet is he therfore no kynge we knowe well that whan herowde herde saye that they sought the kynge of Iewes . herowde wolde haue slayne hym therfore And so he dede sle thosandys of chyldren therfore in bedleem and in all the contrye about as we haue sayd here to you afore . whan that Pylat herde this he commaunded them to be styll & to holde them in pease and thus he sayd to them . A is it not he than that herowde sought for to slee And the Iewes answered and sayd that it was he And anone Pylat dyd commaunde water to be brought hym . afore them all he wasshed his handes seynge thus I ne am gylty of spyllynge of this ryghtfulle mannes blode & that maye ye welle se . but the blode of hym be vpon you and on your chyldren Than commaunded Pylat that a grete company of knyghtes sholde be brought afore hym to his pareloure And than Pylatte kest the sentens vpon our lorde Ihesu & thus he sayd to hym .

THine owne peple hath dyspreuyd al that euer I haue spoke for thee . & therfore I commaunde at the begynnynge that no man leye handes on him but yf he be a knyght or ellis of gentyll blode . for it is not syttynge that a kynge sholde be slayne of vylaynes And therfore I commaunde thou at the fyrst begynnynge that he be scorged to the plesynge of the fyrst prynces & than lyfte him vpon the crosse . & with him .ii. thefꝭ whiche that hath be euyll doers the one by name Dysmas . & the other Gesmas . & lete than be slayne with vylaynes . & no gentylles to touche them . & than was our lorde Ihesu / lede oute of the parelour & the .ii. thefes with him . & than they ledde them in to another parelour wherin was a pylar of whyte marble . & there they spoyled our lorde out of his clothys & bounde him naked vnto the peler & there they bette him & scourged hym with yerdes & whyppys so hugely that there was no skyn vpon him & that was a synfull syght for to se the blyssed body stondynge al nakyd afore all the peple scornynge & sayenge thus to our lorde god in his scourgynge Do gladly our kynge for this is our fyrste begynnynge . & than the masters of the lawe sayd to the knyghtes Do on our kynge a softe garment . & lete vs crowne him for our kynge And than the knyghtes dyd vpon hym a cloth of sylke whiche for habundaunce of blode was so clunge to him that at the pullynge of it was . C. folde more peyne to him than was his scourgynge . & whan they had pulled of this garment they dyde ō him a rede mantell of sylke . & after that they set a garlonde of thornys on his hede . & they pressyd so sore the garlonde of thornys on his hede that the thornys percyd downe in to hys bravne & so at the last they lede him to the crosse . and there they crucyfyed him betwene ii . thefys Dysmas on the ryght syde and Gesmas on the lefte syde And so they put to his mouth a spone that was drypped full of drynke that they had made with Ayzell and gall And that they put to his mowthe for to drynke of And thus that blessyd lorde Ihesu suffred all that euer they wolde do to him And than oure lorde Ihesu loked vp to the father . and thus he sayd . My fader foryeue theym this trespasse for they newot what they do And than the knyghtes kyst lottys vpon his vesture for to wyt no sholde haue it And than the Prynces of the lawe with bysshopps and meny other / they cryed vnto our lorde Ihesu and thus they sayd . Thou hast helyd many other and thou ne mayste he le thy selfe . yf thou be goddys sone come downe of the crosse and we shall beleue on the And than sayd the knyghtes in skorne . yf thou be kynge of Iewes delyuer nowe thy selfe And than was commaunded that a knyght sholde be brought forth whos name was longeus And hym they made put a spere to Ihesus syde . This knyght longyus was blynde and so the prynces of the lawe made hym for to perce our lordes syde And so there came out both blode and water And so the blode came rynnynge downe by the spere shafte vnto longyus hande and he awnterously wyped his eyen with his hande And anone he myght se .

ANd than Pylat dyd wryte a byl on whiche was wryten . Ihesus . Nazarenus . Rex . Iudeorum That is for to saye / Ihesus of Nazarreth / kynge of Iewes and this was wryt in Ebrewe grece and latyn And this tytle they put aboue his hede on the crosse . Than Gesmas the thefe whiche henge on the lyfte syde of our lorde sayd thus to our lorde Ihesu yf thou be god delyuer both the and vs . Than Dysmas that henge on the ryght syde of oure lorde Ihesu he blamed hym for his worde And thus he sayd to hym It semeth by thy worde that thou dredyst not god nor beleuest not in hym . And therfore arte thou endlesly dampned . For well thou wotest that we haue dyscerued that we suffre but he hath ryght nought for fettyd nor mysdoue and without dysceruynge he is brought herto And whan Dysmas had sayd this wordes he loked vpon Ihesu and thus he sayd to hym / lorde Ihesu haue mercy vpon me whan thou comyst in to thy kyngedome And than answered Ihesus to hym / and sayd this daye shalte thou be with me in paradyse . And that tyme was about myddaye & fro that tyme in to none dayes was the son hyd and lost his bryghtnes and the vayle of the temple was smyten asondre fro the hyght downe to the grounde on .ii. partyes and some men saye that an aungell dyd it with a trace of fyer And thꝭ aungell sayd thus in men herynge I am wytnysse of the passyon of Ihesu cryste After that our lorde Ihesu cryed with Turrian hyghe voyce and sayd Fader in to thyne handys I betake my spyryt And than he yelded vp his soule to his fader And whan Centuryo that was prynce ouer the Iewes and constable and sawe these tokens that were befall he gloryfyed god and sayd forsoth this man was ryghtfull . and that is well sene by the tokens that are befall and so all the peple that were there as good folkys whan they sawe these werkes of the vertue of our lorde they smyte theyr brestys with theyr handys .

ANd Centuryo tolde to Pylate all that was befall And whan that Pylate herde this he was wonder heuy & sory . And so for sorynesse and heuynesse he ne ete nor dranke daye Than clepyd Pylate the Iewes & thus he sayd to them . Meruellye not of the tokyns that be befall at the passyon of Ihesu . that the son loste his syght & also the daye And the Iewes sayd to Pylat Syr it was the Clyps of the sonne as we haue vndyrstōdynge of wyse men afore vs . than sayd Pylat howe maye it be that the veyle of the temple is smyt a sonder & many grauys vndone & dede men ryse vp fro deth to lyfe . Hath the clepys of the sonne do all this . All these tokens men tell me are befall and sene in the Cyte of Iherusalem And yf ye beleue not me aske Centuryo And they that were with hym whiche kepte Ihesu Than were this men brought forth afore the Iewes whiche that bare wytnesse and thus they sayd forsoth we saye that in the dyenge of Ihesu . The erthe groned and shoke as water doth whan it is meuyd And we sawe that meny bodyes rose vp fro deth to lyfe . & by these tokens we beleue that this Ihesus is goddes sone . Than the Apostles & holy women that had folowed our lorde Ihesu fro Galylee sawe that was befall & that men had do to hym they drewe them by themselfe .

Than Ioseph of Barmathye keste him for to bye a precyous cloth for to wynde in our lorde Ihesu whan he myghte gette graunte of Pylat for to haue the body . And on this wyse came Ioseph by thꝭ precyous cloth as ye shal here .

There was a knyght in Capharnāe whos name was Leuy This knyght wedyd a yonge lady & by procys of tyme they had togyder a doughter . Whome they clepyd Syndonya & her they put to lernynge . & so be processe of tyme she wexed a curyous werker as of clothys of golde and clothꝭ of sylke & of all other womens werkes . And so at the laste whan god wolde this Leuy dyed . & than his wyfe for the grete loue that she louyd hym she fyll in a grete . Maladye as in a colde palzye . So ferforth that she myght nether styre hande ne fote so for this grete sekenes she fylle in a grete pouerte so forfoth that she ne had to leue on . but by the workys of her doughters hande And so it befyll that vpon the same daye that our lorde was deed this ladye sayd to her doughter . Doughter Syndonya thou knowest well that our grete sabot daye is nye . Than must we ete oure paske lambe and on this daye / is the grete market at Barmathye . Therfore good doughter go & aray the and take some of thy worke that thou haste wrought . and bye vs suche thynges there as is nedefull to me and the at this holy tyme Her doughter Syndonya answered to her moder . & sayd moder your wyll shall be done . And moder I do you to vnderstonde that I haue wroughte the Curyouseste cloth that euer was made for it fyll gracyously to wourke that it is more curyous than I can skylle of And than the lady sayd to her doughter . let me se the cloth / And Syndonya shewed this cloth to her moder And whan this lady sawe this cloth she sayd thus blessyd be that lorde that hath made the to werke suche a cloth And doughter vpon my blessynge that thou sell this cloth to no man but yf he tell the what he shal do wythall And so this mayde Syndonya she wasshed her & bawmyde and acayed her to market and in the market stode Ioseph of Barmathye with a grete peple spekynge of our lordis deth And by a venture this mayde Syndonya came byfore hym And Ioseph of Barmathye aspyed the cloth hangyuge on her arme . and asayd her yf she wolde felle that cloth .

And she answered and sayd syrye .

And than Ioseph asked her the pryce And she sayd .xxx. besaūtys & anone Ioseph payed to her .xxx. besauntes . & Syndonia fyll downe to his fete prayenge hym / that he wolde telle her what he do with all sholde And than he answered to her and sayd Doughter this daye is dede an holy prophet that men clepyd Ihesus of Nazareth and that holy prophete I purpose me to bery hym and wynde hym in thys cloth Doughter now haue I tolde the what I wyll do withalle and therfore tell me who made this cloth that I haue bought of the / and this mayde sayd that herselfe made it And Ioseph asked her what her name was and she sayd Syndonya than sayd Ioseph nowe doughter after you I shall name this cloth forth is cloth shall be named Syndonya And than this mayd wente home to hyr moder and tolde her how she had spedde And her moder asked her what sholde be done with the cloth And Syndonya tolde her that the holy prophet that was that tyme dede sholde be veryed therin And who shall verye him ther in sayd this lady And Syndonya sayd that Ioseph of Barmathye sholde berey hym therin And whan this lady herde this she sayd thus . Wolde my lorde god and that prophet that I had yeuen that cloth to his beryenge And anone with the worde she was holer and more sowne than euer she was afore . And anone the lady & her doughter fyll downe on ther knes thankynge our lorde god of this gloryous myrakyll And so afterwarde our lorde yaue them suche grace that the moder was wedyd to a worthy duke and her doughter Syndonya was Empresse of Rome And so they leuyd euer after in our lordys seruyce . And whan Ioseph of Barmathye had bought this precyous cloth whiche was lorde and Constable ouer all Pylatys meyne he was a full good man and a ryght full he was not assentyd to the accusacyons & wordys of the Iewes he abode the kyngdome of god and so he came to Pylat and askyd hym the body of Ihesu And pylat graunted hym Than this Ioseph and Nycodemus / toke downe the body of Ihesu of the crosse and hym he wonde in this Sondonya / that he had bought And he beryed hym in his mōment wherein that neuer man was beryed and so the Iewes wolde a slayne Ioseph and the .xii. men that had spoke for our lorde Ihesu afore Pylat . And also they wolde haue slayne Nycodemus and also tho that our lorde made hole of meny grete Infyrmyces And also they that had dyscouered afore Pylat al his good workys that he had do in euery place .

ANd as they were in thꝭ meruellynge they entrede in to ther synagoge & amonge them came one of the knyghtys that kepte the sepulcre & to them he tolde sykerly that Ihesu was not in the mōmēt & anone the masters of the lawe askyd him where they had done him & the knyght answered & sayde thus As we kepte the Graue the erth shoke & than we sawe verelly that Turrian aungyll dyscended downe fro heuyn & lyfte vp the stone fro the momment & set him there vpon & his face bryght . And there was as it beleuyn & his vesture as whyte as euer was snowe And for the grete drede that we had we were as we had ben deed Than we herde the Aungell saye to the women that were come to the sepulcre dysmaye ye not nor drede you not I knowe well that ye seke Ihesu that was crucyfyed . I do you to wete that he is rysen & is not here for ye shal se him in Galylee as he sayd to you afore And whan the prynces of the lawe herde this they sayd to the knyght Is Ihesus than on lyue we may not beleue thꝭ that ye say Than answered the knyght Ihesu hath wrought meny myracles that ye haue well herde & se & ye leue it not . howe sholde ye than byleue vs . but your owne demaunde is good . whan ye aske yf Ihesu be on lyue . whome Than sayd the Iewes to the knyght . we shal yelde to thou Ioseph yf ye wyl yelde to vs Ihesu we do you to wete that Ioseph is in the cyte of Barmathye than sayd the knyght yf Ioseph be in barmathie . we do you to wete that Ihesu is in Galylee & there sene rysen fro deth to lyfe & that they sholde se hym in Galylee . And whan the Iewes herde thꝭ they had grete drede & thus they sayd amonge themselve . yf men here this wordes of these knyghtes / they shall al beleue in Ihesu Than they assembled them togyder & gaue to the knyghtes tresoure & thus they sayd to them Go ye & saye to the peple as ye laye & slepte his dyscyples came preuely be nyght & stole the body of Ihesu . & yf Pylat knowe herof . we shal excuse you Thus this knyghtes toke this tresoure & proclaymed as they commaunded them . & so ther wordes were sone spred all aboute .