[Page] ¶ How Vaspasyan sente Guy his Seneshall vnto Iherusalem for to haue some thyng of our lorde Ihesu cryst / and how Pylate refused hym the trybute.

THen sayd the Emperour yf it be so as you say I praye you that ye prolonge it no more / but that incontynent you go theder / and yf that ye fynde ony thynge of the holy prophete brynge it to me. And knowe that and the holy prophete hele me I shal venge his deth / and dystroye the Iewes / so many that I shall gyue .xxx. for a penye / ryght so as they gaue .xxx pence for a holy prophete. And also I wyll that ye say vnto Pylate syth that ye goo theder / y^t it dyspleaseth [Page] me gretely of that / that he sendeth me not the truage that he ought for to sende me. The whiche he was ac­customed for to sende my fader. And also he sente it me by the space of thre yere. But nowe he hathe fayl­led me by seuen yere. And yf that he quyte hym not / pardon not. Syr sayd the Seneshall I shall doo well your wyll and commaundement yf it please god. And then Gay the Seneshall made hym redy honourably as vnto a Seneshall apperteyned / and embassatour of an Emperour. Notwithstondynge he ledde not w^t hym many men / but alonely foure knyghtes / & squy­ers and somtre horses / and pages at his wyll. And after toke money of the Emperour at his pleasure / and toke leue at hym and mounted on horsbacke with his men / and wente by londe vnto the porte of Vallette / And there they put themselfe vpon y^e see / and rowed so moche vpon y^e see by the pleasure of god that they arryued at the porte of Darre. And whan they were in Arre they put themselfe vppon the lande and rode vnto the cyte of Iherusalem. Where as they lodged them secretely in the hous of a good holy man / y^e whiche was called Iacob the sage fader of Mary and so: iourned there thre dayes.

ANd whan the Seneshall Gay and his fe­lawes hadde soiourned in the sayd hous of Iacob thre dayes withoute makynge themselfe to be knowen what they were vnto ony body. Iacob his host spake vnto hym as foloweth and sayd. Syr me thyngeth that you are a man puyssaunt and also dyscrete and noble [Page] I beseche you that ye wyll tell me of what coūtree you are / and what ye seke. For and yf ye wyll tell me I promyse you for to helpe you with all my power.

THen y^e Seneshall Gay answered to Iacob his hoste. By god hoste you seme me to be a goode man / and therfore I shall tell it you. Knowe y^t I am y^e Seneshal of the Emperour of Rome / that is my lorde and yours / and he trusteth moche in me. And knowe y^t Vaspazyan the Emperoure by whom Rome & Iheru­salem is gouerned / is so taken in the vysage with ma­ladye / and the body soo euyll apparaylled with lepre y^t he may not sustayne hymselfe / but behoueth hym to lye nyght & day. And it is a ryght pyteous syght to se hym Of the whiche he and all his folke hathe greate dole / & dyspleasure. For they can fynde noo surgyens that can hele hym / and gothe euer in empayryng / for the whiche fayre hoost I am come hether. For I herde saye & spe­ke at Rome of a holy prophete that was named Ihesꝰ of Nazareth that the Iewes had crucefyed in this cy­te / & all by enuye / bycause that he dyde many myracles in his lyfe / at his dethe / and after his dethe. And I ha­ue sayd vnto my lorde the Emperour that & he myght fynde ony thynge that had touched the body of the holy prophete / that incontynent y^t he sholde haue it / he shol­de anone be heled / in asmoche as he had his truste in y^e holy prophete. So that my lorde hathe sent me hether for to se yf I myght fynde ony thynge / & that yf I myghte fynde ony thynge for to brynge it hym. And ther­fore fayre host I am come hether for that cause. Wherfore I praye you that and ye can gyue me ony coūsayl that ye wyll gyue it me / for ye shall haue grete good / & [Page] grete honoure of my lorde the Emperour. And I swere you that ye shal be for euer a grete lorde in his courte. And I praye you that ye hyde me nothyng. For of a trouthe I shall not retorne towarde my lorde tyll y^t I haue founde some thynge.

SYr sayd Iacob to y^e Seneshal tell me yf, it please you yf my lorde y^e Emperour byleue not in the holy prophete / and yf that he haue not adoured hȳ as god of heuen that is almyghty. And the Seneshal tolde hym that he worshypped the ydoles / and wyll not leue it for nothynge. And then Iacob sayd to him Syr retorne you agayn hardyly syth that he byleueth not in the holy prophete the whiche suffred dethe and passyon as I dyd se. And also I sawe hym dyscended from the crosse / and put in the monument of the good knyght Ioseph of Armathye / y^e whiche was his frende. And syth I sawe hym whan he was arysen frome deth to lyfe / preche to his appostles and said. Go your wayes thorowe the worlde and preche the gospell vnto all the worlde and to euery creature. And saye vnto them that who byleueth in the sone of the vyrgyn Marye / and shall be baptysed shal be saued. And who that wyll not byleue shal be dampned. Wherfore I tel you that and he byleue not in the holy prophete / and wor­shyp as god almyghty he may not be heled. But and he wolde byleue he shall be heled anone / as haue bengrete foyson of other. Syr I tel you an exemple. There was a lady that was called Vernyque of the coūtre of Galylee. And that same lady was so leprous y^t she durste not fynde herself amonge people / yet hadde she [Page] her fayth that the holy prophete Ihesu crist sholde hele her. And whan she knewe that the Iewes wold put hym on the crosse / she had ryght grete sorowe & came to the mount of Caluary where as y^e Iewes put Ihesu cryst on the crosse. And she sawe there the vyrgyne Marye that behelde as they put her dere sone on the crosse. And there was his appostle that was called Iohan the euangelyst with her. And Veronyque durste not approche nere them / for bycause of her maladye / cryed and made grete sorowe. And then whan y^e vyr­gin Marye sawe her wepe so she made her signe with her hande for to come vnto her. And incontynent she came. And then the vyrgyn Marye toke a kerchyer y^t Veronyque bare vpon her heed and put it on the face of Ihesu cryste bycause that he swette. And inconty­nent the semblaunce of y^e face of Ihesu cryst was portrayed in the sayd kerchyer. And the vyrgyn Marye gaue it vnto Veronyque for to hele her.

HEre sayd Gay the Seneshal this I byleue wel But I praye you that ye wyll sende for the said woman. And y^t she come with me vnto Rome to my lorde the Emperour. For I wote well that he wyl byleue in the holy prophete. And whan he shall be heled all crystendome shall be exalted by hym. And also he shall venge the dethe of the holy prophete.

ANd then Iacob sente for her by one of his ser­uauntes / & a squyer of Gayes. Whan she was come Iacob tolde her how the Emperoure had sente [Page] his Seneshall for her / for to come and hele hym at ro­me of his leprehode. And he sayd to her these wordes to the ende that the fayth of Ihesu cryst were exalted And also he tolde her that she sholde brynge the clothe and other thynges yf she hadde ony. And Veronyque sayd to hym y^t she was well contente to go theder / for she byleued that the vertue of Ihesu cryst sholde hele the Emperoure. And yf y^t it myghte be done all y^e peo­ple wolde byleue in Ihesu cryst. And whan the Seneshall herde her speke so / he had ryght grete Ioye / and badde y^t she sholde apparayll her for to departe.

THen sayd Gay the Seneshall I must speke w^t Pylate. And Iacob answered hym y^t he wold go with hym gladly. And they twayne with theyr cō ­pany wente for to speke with Pylate. So they foūde hym before the temple of Salamon. Then gay the seneshall salued hym in saynge. Syr Pylate I am mes­senger of the Emperour of Rome my lorde and yours And he maūdeth you by me y^t ye sende hym the trybute of seuen yere that you owe hȳ. And knowe that he is euyll content with you / bycause ye haue not sent hȳ the trybute euery yere as ye sholde. Neuertheles yf ye sende it hym by me he shall not be so euyll contente w^t you / seynge you are so farre of.

WHan Pylate herde Gay the Seneshall speke so / he made hym ryght euyl chere & semblaūt And answered hym ryght proudely in menasynge hym / & sayd to hym y^t he wolde haue his coūsayl [Page] And then an euyll man that was of his counsayll / and was his Seneshall / the whiche was called Barrabā sayd before theym all. I counsayll that nothynge nor hōmage he reknowlege to the Emperoure / but saye y^t he was lorde hymselfe of Iherusalem. For also y^e peo­ple wolde rather haue Pylate to theyr lorde than the Emperour / or ony other. And that the Emperour kepte & were lorde of Rome and of Lombardye. And said vnto Pylate that he neded not to fere of nothynge / & that and the Emperour came with al his men to Iherusalem for to make warre / he myght not lyue by de­faute of water / bycause y^t there is noo water nere this cyte. And then Pylate helde his counsayll for good / & commaunded that they sholde slee Gay the Seneshal But barrabam sayd that it sholde be yll done. For messengers ought for to haue no harme for ony thynge y^t they say / so that they haue it by cōmaundement. And then Pylate badde hym retorne and saye vnto the emperour that he helde nothynge of hym.

¶ How Gay the Seneshal retorned to the Emperour with Veronyse. And how the Emperoure was heled by the vernacle.

THen Gay departed from Pylate moche an­gry / and thought hym for to retorne incon­tynent vnto Rome / and toke leue of Iacob his host and gaue him fayre Iewelles / & of treasour grete foyson. And departed from Iherusalem with Veronyque and al his company / & [Page]

rode vnto Cesarye / and into Acre. And there they to­ke shyp and had good wynde / so that they came to the porte of Valette in ryght grete Ioye euerychone to be landed in sauete. And aboue all Gay the Seneshall. For he had hope that god sholde do him suche honour that his trauayll sholde be his saluacyon. And whan they had soiourned there two dayes they mounted on horsbacke and rode to Rome vnto the Emperour whiche abode in right grete payne bycause of his malady [Page] that he had on hym. And whan the Emperour knewe of the comynge of his Seneshall he had ryght greate Ioye and wyll for to speke with hym. And at y^t same tyme that Gay was comen vnto rome the Emperour had sente for all the kynges and prynces of his Empyre. Whether was come / kynges / dukes / erles / and ba­rons / knyghtes / and all the nobles of his sayd Empy­re. For he wolde croune his sone Tytus / bycause that he hymselfe was so dysfygured and myght not walke to gouerne his Empyre / for y^e whiche he wolde crow­ne hym on the morowe.

THen came Gay the Seneshall Ioyously before the Emperour his lorde / and salued hym in makynge hym reuerence. And the Emperour sayd y^t he was ryght welcome. In demaundynge hym yf he had founde ony thynge y^t myght hele hym. And Gaye sayd vnto hym. Syr make you gladde and Ioyous & yelde graces vnto god Ihesu cryst. For I haue foūde a holy lady that hathe his fygure in a clothe / with the whiche clothe she was heled also sone as she had tou­ched it. the whiche lady was all leprous. And syr yf ye wyll byleue stedfastly in Ihesu cryste ye shall be heled anone / and elles ye can neuer be heled.

THen the Emperour sayd vnto Gay his Seneshall. I byleue well all y^t you haue sayd / wherfore yf it please Ihesu cryst for to gyue me hel the I shall venge his dethe. Nowe make come to me that lady / and that she brynge with her the clothe al­so [Page] worthely as vnto it apperteyneth to be brought.

SYr sayd Gay the Seneshall to morowe whan all your baronnye is togyder I shall make the lady to come before you in the presence of them all to the ende that euery body se the myracle / and byleue in Ihesu cryste. And then ye may crowne your sone Tytus. And the Emperour sayd that it was well spoken And sayd that at the pleasure of god be it done.

AFter Gay y^e Seneshall retorned vnto his house / & the Emperour abode in his palays. And whan Gay was in his hous he founde Veronyque / & sayd to her. Lady my lorde the Emperour wyl that ye come before hym to morowe in y^e mornynge. But ma­ke your prayers vnto our lorde Ihesu cryste y^t he wyl shewe of his grete myracles on the Emperour / that it wyll please hym to guarysshe hym of al his maladyes to the ende that all the people byleue in hym that he is almyghty god.

ANd whan the lady herde it she put her in orayson and prayed oure lorde moche swetely for the guarysshynge of the Emperoure. And euen so as Veronyque was in orayson a dyscyple of Ihesu cryst passed for by the dore / and she lyfte vp her eyen & sawe hym passe. And anone she knewe hym and called hym by his name. And sayd vnto hym. Broder Clemens our redemptour Ihesu cryste be with you alwayes. [Page] And Incontynent the dyscyple was moche meruayl­led and had ryght greate Ioye whan he herde he was called by his propre name / & speke of Ihesu cryst in y^e house of the Seneshall. And then Veronyque sayd to hym. Be not aferde of nothyng for I tell the y^t crystendome shal be exalted by y^e. And for to gyue y^e in know­lege what I am. I am the woman that was lepre in Galyle / whiche was heled by y^e Vernacle. And I am comen in to this countree for to hele the Emperour by the grace of god. Wherfore I praye you that you co­me with me & preche to hym y^e holy lawe and fayth of Ihesu cryste. And then the dyscyple dyde knowe that it was the pleasure of Ihesu cryst. And sayd at y^e pleasure of god be it done. I praye you said he tel me your name. And she tolde it hym.

¶ How Veronyque shewed the Vernacle to the Em­perour / and how he was heled of his lepre.

VHen the dyscyple toke leue of the lady & wente his waye. And whan it came on the morowe / the Emperour wolde not adoure the Ydoles / bycause that he had no stedfaste byleue in them thrugh his se­neshall. And whan it came to the houre of tyers al the barons were assembled where as the Emperour was in a fayre bedde. And then he made to come his Seneshall / clemence / and Veronyque / whiche gaue the vernacle to Clemens. And whan they were before y^e Em­perour Veronyque salued him & said to hym. Syr vnderstonde y^e sermon of this holy man that is dyscyple of Ihesu cryste. And after the sermon by the pleasure of al myghty god you shall be heled. Then the Emperour made scylence to be made all aboute. And he moū ted on a scaffolde & preched the natyuyte & passyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste entyerly / & how he shall come at y^e daye of Iugement to Iuge the quycke & the deed Whan the sermon was done / Veronyque and he put them in orayson / and prayed Ihesu cryste almyghtye that it wolde please hym to shewe his myracle / & gode vertue. And whan they had adoured hym / they vnfolded the holy clothe seynge all the baronny / & put it be­fore the Emperour / and made hym adoure it. Incon­tynent that he had worshypped it / he was hole & sounde / so y^t it semed that he had neuer ben seke. Then he arose and wente all aboute / wherof his barons was ryght Ioyfuyll / and yelded thankes and graces vnto our lorde Ihesu cryst / as Clemens the dyscyple had taught them.

¶ How Vaspasyan crowned Tytus his sone Emper­oure.

AFter that the graces was yelded to god / y^e Emperour crowned his sone Tytus Em­perour of Rome moche honourably. And whan it came on y^e morowe in the mornynge Clemens preched to the Emperour / to Tytus his sone & to all the barons. And whan he had fynysshed / he yelded graces vnto god and vnto y^e em­perour / and to all his barons / & sayd Amen.

THen Clemens & Gay the Seneshal sayd vnto the Emperour that sith Ihesu cryst had heled hym y^t he sholde baptyse hym for his loue. For Ihesu cryst ordeyned the baptysme / w^tout y^e whiche no man can be saued / and also cause all your barons to be baptysed. [Page] ¶ Then the Emperour sayd I am moche beholden vnto this woman that hathe trauayled so moche for me / and toke Veronyque by the hande and sayd to her. Lady take of myn Empyre as moche as you wyll castelles or townes / excepte Rome that is chyef of mȳ Empyre. And Veronyque answered. Syr I thanke Ihesu cryste and you also. I praye you that & ye wyll gyue me ony thynge gyue it to Clement that is dyscy­ple of Ihesu cryst / for I haue gyuen me vnto hym. & the Emperour answered her / lady y^t whiche you wyll pleaseth me. And Clement sayd vnto the Emperoure Syr I wyll haue none other thynge of you / but that ye wyll be crystened and byleue in the lawe of Ihesu cryst / that hathe done you so grete grace / & cause your men to be crystened / for he is god almyghty.

THen answered the Emperour / frende I wyll that thou be appostoll & chefe of all crystendome / & make to preche the lawe of Ihesu cryst thrughe all myn Empyre / & who y^t wyll conuerte them it shall please me well. But knowe y^t I wyll not baptyse me tyll that I haue venged the dethe of Ihesu cryst / and then I wyll be baptysed / and al my men also / yf he gyue me grace for to retorne in saufte. Then the Emper­our toke vp Clement / and made hym appostoll. And made to make a chirche of saynt Symeon / and an auter. And vpon the same auter he put the clothe of y^e vernacle where as was the semblaunce of the face of our lorde Ihesu cryste / and put it vpon two pyllers of fy­ne golde. And made for to ordeyne in the chirche fayr vestymentes & copes. And he made make many fayre [Page] fontes for to baptyse all them that wolde be baptysed And there saynt Clemens baptysed Veronyque without chaūgynge her name. And then he preched by dy­uers tymes in the sayd temple. And afterwarde there was baptysed euery day more and more.

ANd then after this the Seneshal entred with Vaspasyan in to his chambre / and sayd to hȳ Syr I haue grete Ioye y^t you are heled so wel thrugh the grace of Ihesu cryst. Nowe syr I wyll tell you of Pylate your prouost how he spake to me whan I de­maunded hym your truage that he oweth you. He made me ryght euyl chere / in saynge that he wolde sende you nothynge / nor that he knewe not y^t he helde ony thynge of you in y^e cyte of Iherusalem / nor therabout And yet I tell you that and I hadde spoken ony more he wolde haue made me to haue be slayne And whan I sawe that I wolde not make noo longe processe for the grete Ioye that I had to haue foūde some of that that was necessary to you. But wel I tolde hym from you that he sholde yet be dystroyed And as I tolde hȳ that a Iewe a holy man rose vp & sayd before all / that within an .C. yere after in Iherusalem sholde be soo grete famyne that the moder sholde ete her chylde for hongre. And another Iewe y^t was called Iacob sayd also that for a trouthe the holy prophete said with his mouthe that in shorte tyme sholde come the dystruccyon and vengeaunce of Iherusalem / & that there shol­de not abyde one stone vpon another. And sholde be so grete hongre in the cyte that the moder sholde ete her chylde. Whan Pylate herde y^t he was moche angrye / [Page] And sayd vnto them that and euer they spake of that more / he sholde make them be hanged. Now beholde syr how Pylate your prouost is true vnto you.

¶ How Vaspasyan and Tytus assembled theyr hoost for to go and dystroye the cyte of Iherusalem.

WHan the Emperoure herde that whiche Gay his Seneshall tolde hym / he was moche angrye / and maunded anone thorowe out his Empyre / and on the other partes that al men berynge armes / and other artyfycers to that necessarye / shold come armed and apparaylled to Rome. And incontynent all they of his empyre & other came theder in fayre ordynaunce after theyr estate. And theder was come kynges / dukes / erles / barons and knyghtes / & dyuers other prynces. And were wel ordeyned and armed for to entre in to batayll. And were well in nombre .iii. C. M. knyghtes / without the other folke. And the Emperoure had made to make what shyppes & other vesselles .xxx. M In the whiche vesselles he and all his men put theym vpon the see. And then made to syng / crye / & blowe w^t trompettes and clarons / and mynstrelles playe on all sydes. And made to pulle vp the saylles in suche ma­ner and guyse / that it semed y^t heuen and erthe sholde assemble togyder. And they had so good wynde and so fayre weder that within .v. wekes they arryued at the porte of Acre. Soo that in a mornynge at the sōne ry­synge they y^t were within the towne of Acre came and yelded the keyes to the Emperour. And he toke them to mercy. And whan they had refresshed them there / Vaspasyan and Tytus his sone with all theyr armye wente and assyeged a castell / that was bytwene Ihe­rusalem & acre / and it was called Alcaffert. And whan the Iewes of the castell sawe so many men lodged a­boute the castell. They wolde haue yelded them glad­ly yf they had knowen they sholde haue had mercye.

Whan all the hoost was in theyr tentes our lorde sent [Page] so grete snowes / and so grete wynde that with payne myght ony holde them in the hoost. And y^e castell was well stuffed and garnysshed of all thynges. For the lorde of the castell hadde fortefyed it / whiche was a holy man & a good knight of Ioseph of Armathies kynne that put our lorde in sepulcre.

SOne after the Emperour toke the castell & made to slee all y^e Iewes saue Iafet & .viii. other that were hydde in a seller vnder the erthe / & were there thre dayes. And whan they sawe they dyed for hongre they ete one after another / excepte Iafet and one of his cosyns y^t accorded not therto. Then Iafet sayd vnto hym. I was lorde of this castell / and also I was holden for noble and a holy man. Grete foly shall it be to vs yf we dye here. Yssue we out for we may lyue no lenger / & go we hardyly to the Emperour / & make vs be knowen to hym / & I am sure he wyll take vs to grace and mercye.

THen the Emperour made to bete downe y^e castell and fyll the dytches. And Iafet and his cosyn yssued hut of the caue and went vnto the Emperour and kneled downe before hym. And Iafet sayd vnto the emperour. Syr I was lorde of this castell y^t you haue made to bete downe. And nowe I haue vnderstonde y^t you are comen in to this countre for to venge the dethe & the passyon of our lorde Ihesu cryst / that with wron­ge was crucefyed within the Cyte of Iherusalem.

And are comen for to take Pylate / for he consented y^e forsayd dethe. And knowe y^t my cosyn Ioseph of Ar­mathye dyscended the holy prophete of y^e crosse / & put hym in sepulcre. And knowe that we may do you gre­te ease yf ye wyll take Iherusalem / thrugh counsayll So we praye you syr to haue mercye on vs. And then y^e Emperour toke them to mercy. And Iafet prayed them to gyue them some mete / in countynge them all theyr myseryes of hongre / and the Emperour made them haue mete / & demaunded theim yf they byleued in Ihesu cryst / & they sayd ye. Then he made them of his preuy counsayll.

¶ How Vaspasyan & Tytus toke counsayll / & howe they besyeged Iherusalem.

ANd after Vaspasyan and Tytus his sone had counsayll y^t they sholde go before Ihe­rusalem with all theyr hoost. And it happened them that whiche saynt Luke recoun­teth y^t sayd. Whan Ihesu cryste approched nere Iherusalem he wepte vpon it & sayd to the Cyte yf thou knewe what shall happen the thou wolde wepe. For thou knowest not the daye of thy vysytacyon for thou shalte be all enuyronned / assyeged / and assaylled. And they shall not leue one stone vpon another / & the sones y^t shall be with the shall be dystroyed.

PYlate knewe not yet nothynge of the comynge of the emperour / nor of his men y^t came agayn hym. For on suche a daye euery yere the Iewes of all the lande theraboute made a grete feest in the cyte of Iherusalem. And also there was comen y^e grettest parte of the Iewes. And the sone of Herodes y^t was crowned kynge of Galylee y^e whiche was called Archelaus was comen to the feest with all his men. And whyles that the Iewes was in Iherusalem / there belwe soo grete a wynde that none of the Iewes wold not yssue out of the cyte / nor retourne to go in to theyr countres bycause of the wynde that was so grete and stronge.

ANd then Vaspasyan the Emperour & Tytus his sone with all theyr hoost came and asseged Iherusalem all aboute / by suche maner that there ne myght nothynge yssue nor entre but that it passed by the hoost. And whan Pylate & they that were within [Page] the cyte of Iherusalem sawe the hoost and soo many folke aboute the towne / they were moche strongely a­basshed. And Pylate was then moche abasshed. And then the kyng Archylaus was sore abasshed & sayd to Pylate y^t he sholde doubte of nothynge / for there was so moche good chyualry in the cyte of Iherusalem / & that she was so well and soo strongly garnysshed that they neded not to fere of nothyng / so that they armed them and wente all assayll and sende backe them that were in the hoost of the Emperour. To the ende that they of the sayd hoost dyde repente theim of that they were comen. And also that the hoost myght not longe endure by defaute of water. And the counsayl pleased moche Pylate / and made crye thrughe al the cyte that euery body sholde arme hym. And incontynent euery body armed hym. And whan they were euerychone armed they came before pylate at the palays. And whan they wolde haue yssued out of the cyte of Iherusalem the Emperours men were so nere approched the wal­les of the cyte that they durst not yssue / but had coun­sayll to shytte the gates / and put a partye to kepe the walles / and the other dysarmed theym to bere stones vpon the walles. And incontynente made to crye that euery man sholde bere stones vpon the walles. Except them that kepte the walles / and that the cyte sholde be well garnysshed. They were well .lx. thousande to be re stones vpon the walles. And Pylate and the kynge Archylaus were dyfarmed / and eche of theym had on theyr mauntelles of grene / and Pylate helde a whyte staffe in his hande. And Pylate and the kynge Archy­laus sente worde to the Emperour that they wolde go and speke with hym vpon assuraunce / withoute ony [Page] fraude or gyle.

THen Vaspasyan the Emperoure / Iafet / Gay the Seneshall with .xl. knyghtes came to the walle of the cyte where as was Pylate and the kynge Archylaus. And Tytus sone of the Emperoure abode in the hoost. And then Vaspasyan demaunded of gay his Seneshall whiche was Pylate. And he sayd vnto hym that it was he y^t helde the whyte staffe in his hande. Then Vaspasyan began for to speke vnto Pylate and sayd. Pylate my noble Iulyus cesar gaue y^e Ihe­rusalem in kepyng / and wylled that thou was his prouost / and that thou gouerned this lande. And whan y^u knewe that he was deed thou sent me the truage that thou ought by thre yere. And syth hast ben seuen yere without sendynge it me. And whan I sente to the for it by Gay my Seneshall thou sayd vnto hym vyllany And sayd to hym that thou helde nothynge of me / and yet sayd to hym that I sholde képe well Rome & Lombardye / & that thou sholde kepe wel Iherusalem / and reknowledged no homage nor truage. Wherfore I wyl y^t thou make open the gates of this cyte to the ende y^t I may do my wyll with the & with all them that is en habytynge there within.

¶ How Vaspasyan spake vnto Pylate / and what an­swere Pylate gaue hym.

THen answered Pylate to Vaspasian themperour and sayd that he sholde take coun­sayll / and so departed and wente and held hys counsayll with all his barons / and w^t the kynge Archylaus. And the sayd Archylaus spake fyrste and sayd to hym that he neded not to doubte the menaces of the Emperour. For you maye wele defende you agaynst him and resyste. For you haue within this cyte so moche good chyualry that I byleue that in the thyrde partye of y^e worlde there is not soo many good men. And it sholde be greate shame to you yf you defended you not agaynst the Emperoure [Page] And myshappe take hym that shal yelde hym to them perour to do his wyll. And whan y^e kynge Archylaus had spoken so / the Seneshall of Pylate that was cal­led Barrabam sayd to Pylate. Syr the kynge gyueth you good counsayll. For knowe certaynly that ye nede not to haue fere of the Emperour / for he hathe not the puyssaunce to abyde with his hoost in this countree the space of two monethes / for they shall haue no wa­ter but yf they go and fetche it ryghte ferre at the lake of the deuyll. There where as perysshed two cytees▪ that was called Sodom & Gomor. And that sholde be to grete payne for them. Wherfore I byleue y^t the em­perour maye not abyde longe aboute vs. And also we may well holde vs .vii. yere agaynste hym. Wherfore I counsayll you that you defye hym of y^t that he hathe ben so hardy to come on this syde the see. And that he retourne the sonest that he may. And Pylate and the kynge Archylaus and all y^e baronny helde it for good counsayll / and wente vpon the walle where the Em­perour with all his men abode hym at y^e fote of y^e sayd walle. And Pylate began to speke to the Emperoure and sayd. Syr retourne your way and kepe wel your lande. For I shall kepe this cyte well from you / & frō all myne enemyes. And knowe that I shall not yelde you this cyte. But I counsayll you that you dystroye you not / & that you retourne.

THen the Emperour said to pylate. Do not spe­ke to me to retourne / but tell me yf ye wyll yelde me the Cyte as to your souerayne lorde temporell. For I promyse you that you nor no man within y^e cy­te [Page] shall haue no mercy of me. Then sayd Pylate ye speke folysshely / for knowe y^t I shall not yelde you y^e cyte nor reknowlege you not for lorde / but defye you from hensforth. And wyte y^t I shall do with you y^t that ye wolde do with me.

¶How Vaspasyan retourned all angrye in to his pa­uyllyons / & how his knyghtes complayned vnto hym for water for theyr horses.

THen the Emperour retourned to his tentes all angrye / & recounted all vnto his sone Tytus / the whiche thanked god y^t it was so happened. Then [Page] came there many knyghtes and pages before the Em­perour demaundynge hym how they sholde haue water / for .xl. myle aboute the hoost they myght fynde no water for to water theyr horses. Whan the Emperour herde those complayntes he meruaylled / & sayd to Iafet of Casset. How may we haue water for our horses and other beestes. And Iafet sayd. Syr and you haue grete foyson of beestes make many to be flayne & salte the flesshe for the men of the hoost / and make y^e hydes to be dressed and sewed togyder / and make bougettes of them for to cary the water styll from the lake of the deuyll in to the valeye of Iosephat tyll that it be full / And whan the Emperour and Tytus his sone hadde herde Iafet gyue suche coūsayll they helde it for good And anone they made to flee what oxen / what kyen / gotes / camelles / and horses .lx. thousande. And sythe made to salte the flesshe / and corye the skynnes / and sewe them togyder / & stratched them in the valeye of Iosaphat. And whan y^e valeye of Iosaphat was ap­paraylled y^e Emperour sayd to Iafet y^t he sholde thynke to make come water from the lake of y^e deuyll / and to fyll the valeye of Iosaphat.

IAphet made redy two thousande horses y^t bare water euery daye incessauntly from the lake of the deuyll / and made it to be put in y^e valeye aforsayd as it had ben a ponde all full / so moche that the valey was all full / & helde also wel as it had ben all of one pece And by the wyl of god the water was also fayre and clere / and also fresshe as the water that cometh out of the roche.

[Page] ¶ How Pylate and kynge Archylaus put Iacob the fader of Mary Iacobe in pryson / & how an aūgel had hym out of the cyte. And how he recounted it to Vas­pasyan and Tytus.

WHan Pylate and the kynge Archylaus / and the other folke of Iherusalem sawe that the valeye of Iosaphat was full of water / they meruaylled moche / & thou­ght incontynent that Iafet had gyuen that counsayll. For he was a holy man Iewe and of grete engyn. And Pylate began to abasshe hym right strongly / and in his herte thought y^t he wolde he were [Page] out of the cyte in a felde. And repented hym moche of that he had not yelded the cyte to the Emperour. And the kyng Archylaus and Barrabam the Seneshal of Pylate that had gyuen hym that counsayll comforted hym moche strongly and gretely / and sayd vnto hym Pylate wherfore do you abasshe you / for yf the emperour and all his hoost abyde here seuen yere / they shall haue neyther strength nor puyssaunce to haue this cy­te by force. And also he may not abyde here longe / by the whiche we shall acquyre grete honoure.

ANd whan Iacob fader of mary Iacobe herde this he helde it for grete foly / and sayd to Py­late. Syr I meruayll me moche how ye byleue this y^t these tell you. For wytte it certaynly that you can not holde / nor we agaynst the Emperour. But and ye wyl byleue me I shall gyue you good counsayl. And Pylate wolde wete what counsayl he sholde gyue. And Iacob sayd to hym / syr sende worde to the Emperoure y^t ye wyll yelde hym the cyte to doo his pleasure. And I byleue he shall take you to mercy. And thenne Pylate sayd vnto hym / thou art acursed / and also hast renyed our lawe. Soo thou ought not to be byleued / nor thy counsayl also. For yf the Emperour had this cyte thou wolde retorne and byleue in his lawe payen / and well it appereth. For thou sente vnto hym Veronyque y^t is a false woman and a wytche / that hathe heled hym by her vnhappy craftes and enchaūtementes. Thou hast done that / & I shall take vengeaunce on the. Then Pylate made hym to be taken and fastened to a cheyne of yron / and made hym to be put in his pryson in the dongeon [Page] of a grete toure that was vnder the palays of y^e sayd cyte.

¶ How Iacob made his prayers vnto our lorde Ihe­su cryste in the pryson.

ANd whan Iacob was in that same pryson the whiche was moche obscure / he reclamed euer our lorde Ihesu cryste / in saynge that by his pyte and swetnes he wolde not lette hym deye there. And whan his doughter Marye Iacobe herde tell that her fader [Page] was in pryson / & so trauaylled by Pylate / she put her in orayson and prayed god moche swetely in saynge. / Fayre lorde god Ihesu cryste beholde how thy frende my fader is in pryson. I praye the that thou kepe him me that his enemyes may not do hym yll. Fayre fader god that delyuered Ioseph of Armathye from the pryson of Pylate delyuer my fader also. And incontynent as she had fynysshed her prayer / the aungell of god de­lyuered her fader / seynge all the kepers / the whiche ne myght stere nomore than they had ben deed / and ledde hym out of the cyte before the Emperoures tente and there lefte hym.

WHan Iacob was at the entre of the tente of the Emperour they y^t were there wende that he had ben a spye / & began for to take hym. And whan Gay the Seneshal sawe hym / he knewe hym anone / & sayd that he had ben his hoost. And in kyssynge hym ledde hym before the Emperoure / & sayd syr this man was myn hoost that ensygned me to Vexonyque.

THen the Emperoure demaunded hym how he was yssued out of the cyte / for he hadde herde saye that Pylate hadde made hym to be put in pryson And Iacob sayd vnto hym that our lorde Ihesu cryst hadde sente vnto hym an aungell that had delyuered hym out of pryson and had brought hym theder. And whan the emperoure hadde herde hym he made hym greate chere / and reteyned hym of his owne courte / [Page] with Iafet of Casset / & wylled that he were of his preuy counsayll / and made to make hym honour and grete feest of all his men.

¶ How Vaspasyan assembled his counsayl for to wyt how he myght assayll Iherusalem / and how Iacob gaue hym counsayll for to make dytches aboute Ihe­rusalem.

THen Vaspasyan the Emperour made come tytus his sone and drewe hym a parte with Ia­fet [Page] and Iacob / and had .lx. barons y^t were of his counsayl secrete / and sayd to them. I haue made you come heder to the ende that we haue counsayll how we shal do with this cyte. And I wyll that Iacob say fyrst his oppynyon. For god hathe done hym the grace that he hathe sente hym his aungell for to take hym out of pryson to the ende that he tell vs of Pylate and of kynge Archylaus how they bere theym w^tin the cyte / & what they saye / and what they do / & what is theyr entencyō

IAcob sayd then vnto y^e Emperour. Syr I shall tell you of the dede. Knowe that yonder within the cyte is but lytell vytaylles / wherfore they can not holde longe. And also they are moche abasshed / for in all y^e lande with payne is there abyden one Iewe but that they are comen vnto the feest yonder within. For it was a custome euery yere to make y^e feest And whan you had layde the syege none durst yssue out / nor also none toke no hede of you. Wherfore I tell you syr that they shal be sone dyscomfyted / for they are not garnysshed with vytaylles / neuertheles they may yssue oute by dyuers places. So I counsayll that ye make to be made grete pyttes / to the ende that none yssue oute w^t ­oute your lycence. And whan theyr vytaylles shall be spended they shal yelde them vnto you / or elles ye shal neuer wynne it.

THen the Emperour and the barons of the coū ­sayll helde it for good and wel spoken. And in contynent the Emperour made to crye thrughe all the [Page] hoost that all they whiche medled them with makyng of pyttes sholde come vnto the Emperour / and incontynent it was done. And whan they were come before the Emperour they founde them well togyder .v. M. werkemen. Then the Emperoure cōmaunded theym for to make depe pyttes aboute the cyte of Iherusalē And sayd vnto Iafet and Iacob that they sholde be y^e admynystratours. And Iafet and Iacob behelde be­twene them bothe where they shold begyn the forsaid dytches. So they made them be begōne where as thē thought best / and ledde with them .xx. M. archers wel garnysshed for to kepe them that made y^e pyttes. And the werke men made them in the maner that Iafet & Iacob commaunded them. So they made the forsaid dytches .xxx. culdettes depe / and .xx. brode.

¶ How Pylate assembled his men of armes for to fy­ghte with the Emperour.

WHan Pylate sawe y^t they made dytches in suche wyse / and that they kepte them so strayte. He demaunded counsayl of y^e kynge Archylaus / the whiche made sende for Ioseph of Armathye to counsayll that sayd. Syr we may doo none other thynge / but I counsayll you that we arme vs to morowe in the mor­nynge euerychone / and that we go and assayll theym. For the sonne shall smyte them in the faces / & we shall dystroye them all. And Pylate and the kynge Archy­laus helde that counsayll for good. And made crye at nyghte thrughe all the cyte that on the morowe at the poynt of the daye they sholde be armed afore the tem­ple of Salamon in a ryght fayre place that was there And whan it came on the morowe they were well ar­med and apparaylled / and ordeyned theyr bataylles / & were well .xx. M. knyghtes / and .lx. M. squyers / & wel lxx. M. archers and sergeaūtes surely dressed. And py­late cōmaunded that they sholde entre wysely in to batayll / and that none dysordred them / but kept them at the ordenaunce of the capytaynes.

THen Pylate and the kynge Archilaus toke the xx. M. knyghtes & yssued by the grete gate of the cyte. And incontynent as one of the watche of the Emperour sawe them yssue out all armed he moūted on horsbacke and ran & recounted it vnto the Emper­oure. And then the Emperour sente for Tytus his so­ne / and for Iafet and Iacob / and sayd to them that in contynent they sholde make to crye that euery Capy­tayne sholde be armed with all theyr retynewe surely [Page] And incontynent it was done / for of themselfe it was apparaylled from daye to daye. And whan they of the hoost knewe wherfore they were yssued / they hadde ryght grete Ioye / and anone came all armed before the Emperour. And the Emperour sayd vnto them that they sholde haue batayl. And tolde vnto them how pylate came agaynst them with his men: & badde theym for to ordeyne theyr bataylles / & that euery body were redy for to smyte vpon theyr enmyes. And whan they were redy and all armed / the Emperour / tytus his sone / and y^e other kynges / dukes / erles / barons & knyghtes and all other maner of folkes yssued oute there as they were lodged / & were men without nombre. And whan they were comen there as y^e hoost of Pilate was it was aboute tyers. And the men of Pylate were not yet all yssued out of Iherusalem. Whan they were all out the bataylles were ordeyned / and made the myn­strelles to playe and to blowe vp the trompettes / and entermedled them togyder in suche maner / y^t ye shold neyther haue sene nor herde heuen nor erthe / & smote the one vpon the other so myghty strokes with speres vpon theyr sheldes and other harneys that at the fyrst batayll there deyed thre thousande what of one what of other of them of Pylate. And of them of the Emperour .viii. C. and the batayll dured vnto y^e houre of no­ne.

AFter that the bataylles were ended / they put themselfe all asyde and rested them. And whā they had rested them on bothe partyes they retourned agayne vnto the felde / and began the batayll agayne / [Page] so sharpely that there deyed on y^e parte of Pylate thre thousande and seuen hondred men of armes. And on the Emperours parte a thousande and two hondred. And the batayll dured vnto the sone settynge.

¶ How our lorde shewed a grete myracle for Vaspasyan and his hoost at the batayl. And how Pylates men were dyscomfyte.

THen our lorde Ihesu cryst that wolde that his dethe were venged dyde a myracle / for they of the batayll wende y^t the sonne wol­de haue rested / and began to departe from the felde. And the sone by the wyll of god tourned towardes oryent / and arose vp as it had ben fayre mornynge / and the nyghte was passed / & was a fayre clere daye vnto the sone settynge. And thus the­re was no nyght bytwene the two dayes. Whan themperour and Tytus his sone had sene y^e grete myracle that god had made / they thought that it was not goddes wyl that they sholde yet yssue out of the felde. And then they retorned and began to smyte vpon the hoost of Pylate / & Pylate on theym / and the batayll dured vnto myddaye. And there deyed vpon the parte of Pylate foure thousande two hondred and fyfty And on y^e Emperours syde a thousande and fyfty.

THen the batayles were moche strongly chaffed one agaynst another / and wente & rested them tyll euen songe tyme. And then they came agayne to y^e felde and smote the one vpon the other / and dured tyl nyght. And there was slayne on Pylates partye thre thousande & .l. persones. And of them of y^e Emperour iij. C. l. So that in all there deyed on Pylates parte .x. M. men. And on the Emperours .iij. M. iiij. C. And in that same batayll the Emperoure reysed vp the felde / and droue Pylates hoost vnto the gates of the cyte of Iherusalem. And as they reculed theym they herde a man that cryed styll Vaspasyan go in to Iherusalem. Wherof euery body was abasshed / for they wende it [Page] had ben prophecye. And at that same entre was hurte Ioseph of Armathye with a spere in the thyes / but he was not moche the wors. And whan Pylate & the kynge Archylaus were retrayed within the cyte they we­re ryght sore trauayled / and had grete sorowe for the losse they had receyued in the batayll. For they neuer had so grete sorowe afore for nothynge nor after. And the Emperoure wente and lodged hym in his tentes / with his men / and ther they refresshed them / for they were ryght wery euerychone.

WHan the Emperour sawe that Pylate yssued not out of the cite. He said vnto Iafet and vnto Iacob that they sholde thȳ ke to make the pyttes / to the ende y^t they myght haue soner done. And they went and put to as many werkemen as was before / for mē ynowe put to theyr handes. And they were wel .xv. M werkemen / soo that in lytell space they had made the sayd pyttes all aboute Iherusalem / by suche manere that no persone ne myght yssue nor entre w^toute theyr lycence. For the sayd pyttes were made depe and bro­de as ye haue herde before.

WHan Pilate sawe that no man ne myght yssue he and the other barons of the cyte assembled them / and dyscomforted them moche / and all the othe people also. And there cryed and sayd euer a voyce (Vaspasyan go) in Iherusalem is deed. And it wolde saye it by oure blessed lorde Ihesu cryste. / [Page] but we shall saye y^t this prophet was agaynst vs. Syr Pylate ye had euyll counsayll whan ye wolde not yel­de this cyte vnto the Emperour our lorde. Nowe may we well se that y^e tyme approcheth that this voyce ga­ue that abode at the gate of the cyte and sayd. Go Vas pasyan in to Iherusalem for all y^e people deyeth now in this cyte by the stretes.

THen Pylate herde the crye of the people / & he wente and counsaylled hym with kyng Archylaus and with his barons and other knyghtes / & abo­ue all other Ioseph of Armathye spake fyrst and sayd to Pylate. Syr here can be noo remedye saue that we make styll these folke / and that there be made two grete pyttes for to put them that be deed in / for they are to nere the cyte. And is ryght peryllous for pestylence And also that there come no closynge to the cyte. And also that we kepe vs wysely / and make the vytaylles to be wel kepte / for in veryte there is ryght lytel seyng that we are so many. For there is well .xxx. thousande straūgers that are comen for this feest. And none can put them out. Wherfore it is of necessyte that euerichone kepe well theyr vytaylles.

ANd whan he hadde herde the counsayll of Ioseph of Armathye he sayd y^t it was wel sayd / And badde Ioseph do it after his owne pleasure. The whiche Ioseph made to make two grete pyttes wherin they dyde put the deed bodyes / y^t was well in nom­bre .xiii. thousande. And made to kepe the vytaylles.

[Page] ¶ What grete famyne was within the cyte of Iheru­salem / and how the people came and complayned vn­to Pylate.

AFter that there happened so greate famyne within the cyte of Iherusalem and derthe / that there abode no wylde herbe to ete that myght be had. And also ete the deed beestes were they horses / dogges / cattes / or ony o­ther beestes. For theyr hongre was so grete that all y^t they myght gete was sone gone.

VHen was more gretter crye in Iherusalē than had be afore / for the folke deyed for hongre / & whan they were deed they were borne in to the pyttes where as was the other. And in dede there was foun­de deed for one daye for hongre by the stretes thre hon­dred and forty persones / of the whiche Pylate had grete dole / moche more than he had before.

THen Pylate had in his counsayll and made cry that what persone had no mete that he sholde take there as he myghte gete it. And of this the poore folkes had grete Ioye / and wente thrughe the stretes by greate hepes theder as they thoughte to fynde ony mete. And incōtynent as they sawe smoke / or smelled ony sauour of mete in what someuer hous it was they entred and who that myght take moost had moost / by suche manere that they spylte al the vytaylles in short tyme / so that there was founde no mete within the cy­te of Iherusalem. And in the ende they wente vnto y^e gates of the cyte that were couered with boylled leder and ete therof for the grete hongre that they had. And there was in Iherusalem so grete derthe that a lytell ferdynge lofe was worth .lx. peces of golde. And an apple was worth the weyght of golde. And whan all the vytayles was eten soo that there was none founde no more to sell / they gnawed the wodde and ete the erthe. And then the folkes deyed in the stretes for pure hon­gre innumerable.

NOw then happened that a lady that had to na­me Marye / the whiche had ben wyfe of y^e kyn­ge of Affrycke. The whiche deyed in the tyme y^t Ihe­su cryste was crucefyed. That same lady wylled not to be maryed ony more / and she had a doughter and a noble lady that was her felowe / y^e whiche was called claryce and she had a sone. These two ladyes came in to Iherusalem and were conuerted to the fayth of Ihe­su cryste / & was baptysed. And these two ladyes was well garnysshed of vytaylles so as it apperteyned vn­to a quene / vnto the tyme that the men of Pylate dyd stele it from theym. And they were euer in orayson to­wardes Ihesu cryst / for they had strongly theyr fayth And as it is sayd before the Iewes had stolen theyr by taylles excepte herbes that they had in a gardyne that was within theyr hous / and of these herbes they lyued Whan al theyr herbes was eten the doughter of y^e quene of Affryke was moche feble for hongre / and deyed without ony other sekenes / wherof the quene had ry­ght grete sorowe and wepte moche strongly. And also the sone of the felawe of the quene deyed for grete hongre / for the whiche his moder made ryght grete dole / And also for that that they had grete hongre / also wel as for theyr chyldren that were deed.

WHan the felawe of the quene sawe & con­sydered theyr grete sorowe / she sayd vn­to the quene. Lady leue we this sorowe / in peas / and take we my chylde and cut a quarter / and roste we it sith that we haue none other thynge for to ete / and that all is gone.

And whan the quene herde that / of grete sorowe & hy­dour that she hadde she fell downe vnto the erthe in a swowne.

¶ How as the two ladyes were in counsayll & the que­ne in swoune an aungell badde the quene roste and ete her chylde.

ANd then as the quene Marye laye swounyng an aungell came that toke her vp & comforted her / and sayd vnto her. Lady god sendeth you worde by me that you ete the chylde to the ende that / y^t which [Page] he hathe sayd shall be accomplysshed & done. For Ihe su cryst spoke it with his propre mouthe in this Cyte the daye of Palmesondaye whan he entred mounted vpon an asse. And that in y^t generacyon sholde be pestilence and famyne so grete in Iherusalem that the moder sholde ete her chylde / for the grete hongre y^t sholde be in the cyte. The whiche cyte sholde be dystroyed in suche maner that one stone sholde not abyde vpon another / & so grete dystruccyon of people. Wherfore sayd the aungell to the lady it behoueth to be so done / & god wyll that it shall be so accomplysshed. So the aungell departed from her and wente his waye.

THen the ladyes abode wepyng & toke y^e chylde and cut of a quarter with the sholder & layde it to roste. And in rostynge it there yssued oute a ryghte grete and good odoure / in suche wyse that it smelled al aboute the strete. And Pylate & the kynge Archylaus wente thrughe the cyte thynkynge & aduysynge howe they myght do. And whan they were before the house of the quene Pylate smelled the good odoure of y^e rost / and had grete luste to haue therof. Soo he called a ser­geaunt and sayd to hym. Goo se where this roste is / & saye vnto hym that oweth it y^t he sende me some / for I had neuer so grete desyre of nothynge of y^e worlde nor neuer shall.

THen the sergeauntes that were .x. or .xij. wente thrughe the strete serchynge where the roste myghte be. At the laste they came in to the hous of the Vas. & Ty. [Page] good quene and called at the gate. And whan they were within they salued the ladyes and said. Ladyes my lorde Pylate prayeth you that ye wyll sende him some of your good roste / for he sayeth that neuer the dayes of his lyfe he had not so grete desyre of nothynge.

THen sayd the quenes felawe / By god frendes gladly / and she toke the thre quarters that were lefte of her chylde / and toke a knyfe & sayd to them / Lordes holde me there and I shall cut you some to bere to your mayster whiche shall make it be dressed af­ter his appetyte. And whan the sergeauntes sawe the chylde cut / and that the lady wolde cut it yet agayne for to sende to Pylate / they were so agast and had soo grete hydour y^t they were almoost out of theyr wytte And retourned all confused before Pylate. Whan Pylate sawe them come he sayd vnto them / from whens come you so abasshed / brynge ye me no roste y^t I sent you fore. And the sergeauntes sayd vnto hym. Syr a lady hathe quartred her chylde / and hathe made to roste a quarter that she wyll ete. And whan we had as­ked her / she toke the chylde & wolde haue sente you a quarter / and that ye sholde make it to be rosted & dres­sed after your appetyte. The whiche whan we sawe we had grete horrour and greate sorowe / soo that we hadde almoost ronne out of our wyttes / and we dyde yssue out of her house also soone as we myghte for the grete horrour that we had to se her cut her owne chyl­de and roste it.

WHan Pylate herde the answere that the sergeaūtes brought hym from y^e ladyes of the chylde He had ryght grete hydour and doubted hym For the whiche he ye­de in to his palays and layde hym dow­ne in his bedde of the grete sorowe that he had / & there he helde hym ryght dolent and dysconforted. And the ladyes were in theyr house / that wepte and complay­ned theyr chyldren. Neuertheles they began for to ete for the grete hongre that they had / for god had cōmaū ded them. And euer in etynge they wept ryght strongly. but it behoued that they ete therof / for god had spoken it with his owne mouthe. And whan they hadde eten the chylde of Claryce they beganne for to ete the doughter of the quene / but there was the ryght greate doloure whan the quene began for to ete of her doughter / for euery body that sawe her wepe might not kepe them from wepynge of the pyte and greate sorowe y^t she had and demeaned.

ANd whan Pylate hadde ben thre dayes in his bedde sorowfull and dysconforted / he rose vp and wente vnto kynge Archylaus afore the temple of Salamon where as he was. And thether he made to come all his barons and all his counsayll / and said vnto theym my lordes I can not tell what counsayll we may take agaynst this Emperour / for we are in grete dystresse by this that we haue no vytaylles / and also I knowe certaynly that there is happened in this cyte a ryghte grete sclaunder and a grete mysauenture / hor­ryble and ryght hydeous for to here and to recounte. / [Page] That is that the moders ete theyr chyldren for hongre So that I counsayll that we yelde this cyte vnto the Emperour / and yf he wyl take me to mercy that he do it / for I had leuer deye alone than al the people sholde deye. For the Emperour knoweth well that none is to blame but I alonely.

WHan Archylaus and all the other barons her­de the counsayll that Pylate gaue / they were ryght sory and moche dolant and sayd all we­pynge. Ha god what shall we do with our lorde Pilate And then the grete complayntes arose in the cyte soo that they herde them in the hoost of the Emperour / & the crye was moche grete seynge that it was no daye but that there deyed in the cyte .iiij. C. persones of the grete famyne that there was.

THen Pylate said that y^t whiche he had sayd he wolde perfourme. And sayd vnto y^e kynge Archylaus that he sholde arme hym with .v. M. knyghtes. And whan they were armed they wente to the dytche there as the Emperour was. To the which they maunded that they wolde speke with hym in sa­uete. And incontynent the Emperour / tytus his sone Iafet and Iacob and .xx. M. knyghtes well armed came where Pylate & the kynge Archylaus abode them And whan the Emperour was come Pylate beganne to speke to the Emperour and sayd. Syr Emperoure haue pyte on me and on all this people yf it please you and take the cyte and the treasoure and all that there [Page] is / and let vs goo in to straunge landes exyled by the worlde.

¶ How the Emperour spake vnto Pylate & the kyng Archylaus and what answere they had.

THen the Emperoure answered to Pylate and sayd. Yf thou wylte yelde me the cyte / thyselfe and all them that are within for to do my pleasure I shall do it gladly / and otherwyse not / and I promyse [Page] the that I shall haue no mercy on none within the cy­te no more than thou had on Ihesu cryste.

ANd then the kynge Archylaus sayd vnto the Emperour. Syr I am sone of kynge Herode your grete frende that was kynge of Galylee. And after his dethe I succeded the realme / Wherfore I bese­che you that it wyll please you for to take me to mercy For my fader nor I dide neuer nothynge agaynst you nor agaynst your fader / & also we dyde neuer consente to the dethe of Ihesu cryste. And ryght dere lorde my fader was ryght preuy of the courte of your fader.

THen sayd the Emperoure to the kynge Archy­laus / arte thou than the sone of Herode y^t ma­de the persecucyon of the lytel chyldren / and wolde haue slayne Ihesu cryst in his enfance. The man y^t hath no pyte nor mercy ought not to fynde no pyte nor mercy. Thy fader wolde haue slayne Ihesu cryst the pro­phete whan he was borne / and made to sle all the chyl­dren that he myght fynde vnder the aege of two yere / & had mercy on none And made sle in nombre .C. xliiij M. And for this cause I shall neuer haue mercy on y^e and thou shall repare the iniquytees of thy fader.

ANd whan the kinge Archylaus herde y^t he dyscended all in a rage / & vnarmed hym. And af­ter drewe out his swerde / & sayd vnto the Emperoure Neuer please it the greate god y^t you or man paynym [Page] vaunt hym of my dethe. And then he put the poynt of his swerde agaynst his brest & thurste hymselfe a fote thorowe the body / & so fell downe deed in to the pytte. Whan Pylate & his men sawe y^e kynge Archylaus so deed / they were ryght sorowfull & retourned in to the cyte / and recounted to the people all the dede of kynge Archylaus / and the answer of the Emperoure. Then the men of the sayd kynge & all the other people made grete sorowe / and rente theyr gownes / & pulled theyr heere / and made so grete sorowe that there was neuer none sene so grete in the cyte of Iherusalem nor in no ne other place.

ON the morowe Pylate made to come Ioseph of Armathye before hym & Barrabam his Sene­shal & all the other people & demaunded them coūsayll And also sayd to them. Lordes you se wel that we can holde no lenger agaynst this Emperour / and that god hath forgoten them. For neuer no cite was in so grete trybulacyon as this cyte is / for we haue no vytaylles but shall deye all for hongre / counsayll what we shall do nowe.

THen Ioseph of Armathye sayd. Syr we cannot gyue you no good counsayl syth y^t the Emperour wyll not take you to mercy. Euyll were ye coū saylled to be enemye with the Emperour / for ye maye well wete that we maye not resyste agaynste hym nor holde agaynst his pussaunce longe.

PYlate sayd I knowe well what we shal do. In this cyte is moche greate rychesse of golde and siluer and of precyous stones / and the Emperour and his men weneth well to haue it / I knowe well howe they shall haue nothynge / and it shall be our profyte / We shall make to grynde the precyous stones & the o­ther treasour stampe in morters of brasse / in suche maner y^t they may be eten / & thus we shall passe our lyfe. And whan the Emperour and his men shall take the cyte they shall not fynde the treasoure. For also grete thanke shall we haue withoute treasoure as with the treasoure.

¶ How Pylate made his complaynt to the barons of Iherusalem / and how he yelded vp the cyte vnto the Emperour / whiche made Tytus entre in with .xx. M. knyghtes.

ANd whan Pylate hadde gyuen and sayd this good counsayll / they sayd al y^t it was well spoken. And euery body wente vnto theyr houses / and they that had golde syluer or precyous stones they dyde so as he had sayd. And they that had to moche they gaue vnto them the whiche had none And of that same treasour they lyued well .xxi. dayes.

THen whan the treasour was all eten / all y^e peo­ple came before Pylate & sayd vnto hym. Syr Pylate we haue done that the whiche ye haue coun­saylled vs of the treasoure / but it is all spylte and consumed / what shall we do from hens forthe. And then Pylate was moche pensyfe and sorowfull / and began for to wepe before them all and sayd. Lordes you ha­ue made me your mayster / lorde / and gouernoure of you all in this cyte / but from hens forth I can not go­uerne you. So I praye you & requyre for god pardon that and euer I dyde you ony hurte that you wyl pardon it me.

ANd whan all y^e Iewes sawe that Pylate dys­comforted him so / they began for to wepe / for they thought well that they sholde be all dystroyed / & there was none but that they wepte / and had so grete sorowe that they myghte not answere neuer a worde vnto hym / but lamented moche strongly.

ANd then Pilate said lordes haue we good hertes and put we vs vnto the wyll of the greate god and go we yelde vs to the Emperour to doo with vs his good wyll. For it is better that we go vnto him than we sholde let vs deye for hongre / for there is not one day with another but that there deyeth in this cyte threhondred persones. And parauenture it shal come in his mynde to take vs to mercye / or y^e moost gretest partye.

SOne after this Pylate yssued out of the cyte of Iherusalem with all the people / and went vnto the pyttes that the Emperour had made to make / And Tytus the sone of the Emperour wente then on sportynge with his knyghtes alonge the pyttes syde And Pylate knewe hym by his armes sygned with y^e Egle / and made hym sygne with his gloue. And whā Tytus sawe hym he came thederwarde with his said knyghtes. And Pylate began for to speke vnto Titus and sayd vnto hym. Syr Tytus newe Emperour we supplye you all that it please you to praye your fader that he haue mercye on vs / and also yourselfe to haue pyte / and take these poore people vnto mercy whiche requyre you all wepynge. And take noo regarde vnto our iniquytes / but of your bounte & gentylnes you take compassyon on vs.

WHan Tytus the sone of the Emperour herde y^t he maunded it vnto y^e Emperour his fader by two of his knyghtes. The whiche two knightes [Page] that Tytus had sente towarde the Emperoure recounted vnto hym all the case. And whan Vaspasyan had herde that / he sente worde thrughe all y^e hoost that they sholde come al armed before hym. And he hȳ selfe wente and armed hym with his best harneys / & the moost rychest and wente incontynent towarde tytus with all his men of armes that he had about Iherusalem / the whiche were without nombre.

INcontynent as Tytus sawe his fader come he made hym reuerence and sayd vnto hym. Syr se here Pylate the whiche is accorded for to yelde you the cyte / so that it please you for to take hym to mercy and all the people that is with hym / the whiche dothe praye you for to do it wepynge. And Vaspasyan y^e emperoure sayd that it was not tyme / for it was by grete force.

THen sayd Vaspasyan vnto Pylate. Yf y^u wylte yelde me the cyte & all them y^t are within (w^t the) to my mercy & wyll / I am redy for to do it. But I tell you y^t I shall haue also lytell pyte on you as you had on Ihesu cryst / for I shal venge his dethe in you and vpon you.

ANd whan Pylate herde that answer of them­perour and all the other also that was there / they were moche sorowfull and angrye & made a crye moche greate in wepynge and lamentynge / & knewe not what they sholde do more but sayd to vaspasyan. [Page] Syr take the cyte and all that you shall fynde therin / and vs al in lykewyse and do your good pleasure ther with as lorde.

THen Vaspasyan the emperour made inconty­uent to fyll the dytches y^t he had made to ma­ke. And anone after he sente Tytus his sone Iafet & Iacob with .xxx. thousande knyghtes in to the cyte / and sayd vnto theym that they sholde shytte the gates to the ende that none of the Iewes sholde yssue nor escape from theyr handes.

ANd Tytus dyde anone that the whiche y^e em­perour his fader had cōmaunded him / and entred in to the cyte with the .xxx. thousande knyghtes / and toke Pylate and gaue hym to kepe to ten of his knyghtes / and sayd vnto theym that they sholde kepe hym well. And after he made to take & bynde all the o­ther Iewes olde and yonge of the cyte. Of the whiche ther was withouten them that were slayne in the ba­tayl that was done before / and without them that were deed for hongre thrughe the cyte .C. iij. M. And as he had done so he made to open the gates.

THen the Emperour Vaspasyan & all his hoost sommyers / charettes and all the other maner of men that watched aboute the walles of the cyte of Iherusalem bycause that none of the Iewes sholde yssue / dyde entre in to the sayd cyte and went al vnto [Page] the temple of Salamon. And there the Emperoure & all the other yelded graces to god Ihesu cryste of that he had gyuen them so good vyctory. They made gre­te feestes and reioysed them and helde them well at ease. And theder ye sholde haue sene come all manere of folkes / excepte of Iewes▪ And there they had vytayl­les ynoughe / for it was brought vnto theym frome al partes.

¶ How Vaspasyan the Emperour and Tytus his sone made for to sell .xxx. Iewes for a penye.

ANd whan the Emperour Vaspasyan sawe y^t his men helde so many Iewes bounde and w^t holden / he sayd vnto them. Lordes syth that our sauyour Ihesu cryste hathe done vnto vs so grete grace y^t he hathe gyuen vs vyctorye I wyll auenge his dethe as I haue promysed hym. And wyl that these Iewes whiche we haue taken be solde. And in lyke wyse as they bought Ihesu cryste for .xxx. pens / soo wyll I y^t xxx. Iewes be solde for a peny. And incontynente he made to crye al aboute where his men of armes were lodged that who someuer wolde by ony Iewes that they sholde come vnto them y^t were ordeyned for to sel them / & that they sholde haue xxx. Iewes for a penye as sayd is. And the Emperoure ordeyned .xv knygh­tes for to selle them vnto all comers.

THen whan the cry was made there came a knyghte before y^e forsaid Emperoure whiche sayd vnto hym. Syr I wolde haue a penyworth of these Iewes. And incontynent the Emperoure made to be delyuered to hȳ a penyworth. Whan this said knight had his .xxx. Iewes he had his spere in his hande and came before the sayd Iewes y^t he had bought & smo­te one of them in to the body so that he fel downe deed to the groūde. Then as the knyght drewe out his spe­re there yssued out of his body a grete streme of golde & syluer. Of the whiche the knyght meruayled moche And toke another Iewe and sayd to hym. I wyl that thou tell me yf thou knowe what this is for to saye / & in what wyse this Iewe casteth out blode in semblaū ce of golde and syluer. And then that same Iewe said [Page] Syr yf you wyll assure me fro dethe I shal tell you w^t oute ony faute what it is for to saye. And the knyght swore and assured hym of his lyfe. And then the iewe tolde hym by ordre how Pylate had made them for to ete theyr vessell and moneye / and precyous stones / & all the treasour of the cyte / to the ende that y^e Emper­our nor his men sholde not finde it / and that they sholde haue no Ioye of nothyng. And we haue lyued longe therby / for we had none other mete.

FOrthwith that was knowen thrugh the hoost wherfore euery body bought of the forsayd Iewes. And the Emperour cōmaunded that there shol­de be delyuered vnto euery body that wolde bye for a penye. And whan Iafet and Iacob sawe that all the Iewes were almoost solde vnto the knyghtes. And y^t they slewe them vp for the treasoure y^t they had eten / they sayd vnto the Emperour. Syr one knyght amongest the other that is for to wete amonge the Iewes / ought for to be / whiche was frende vnto Ihesu cryst And the sayd knyght is called Ioseph of Armathy / y^t ayded for to dyscende Ihesu cryst of the crosse / & put him in to his sepulcre / and Nychodemus that was w^t him. Also there sholde be a lady quene and her felawe and theyr two chyldrē. The whiche quene was called Marye of Affrycke / & byleued moche strongly in Ihesu cryst. Wherfore we praye you syr for to take theym to mercy / for they were neuer consentyng to the dethe of Ihesu cryste.

¶ How Iafet & Iacob founde Ioseph of Armathye and brought hym before Vaspasyan the Emperoure and Tytus his sone / & how he toke hym to mercye.

THen the emperour sayd vnto them. Loke and make to be loked yf you can fynde them / & make them come before me. And then Iafet and Iacob serched and made to serche al about / and they founde none but Ioseph of Armathye. And after they wente in to the house of the quene / for they had had often in her house grete consolacyons with her / and they foū ­de her deed & her felawe also. Then they retorned to y^e Emperour with Ioseph of Armathye. And whan y^e [Page] Emperoure sawe hym he demaūded hym yf it was he that dyscended Ihesu cryst of the crosse / & he sayd ye / wherfore the Emperour toke hym to mercy.

SO whan y^e Emperour sawe y^t the Iewes was not all solde yet / he demaunded of the knygh­tes y^t solde them how many penyworthes they hadde yet for to selle / and they sayd that they had well .vi. pe­nyworthes. And y^e Emperour badde them y^t they sholde sell no mo / for he wolde kepe those .vi. for to do hys pleasure with.

IN Iherusalem was made than so grete slaughter of Iewes y^t no man might go by the stretes in Iherusalem but on deed bodyes / so grete nombre there was. And it was by the coūsayll that Pylate gaue vnto the Iewes for to ete theyr treasour. And knowe y^t yf they had not eten it they y^t had bought theym wolde haue taken many of theym to mercy. But for y^e loue of the treasour there was slayne .lxxiij. M. & thre hondred and fyfty.

THen whan the mortalyte of the Iewes was done the Emperour made y^e bodyes to be borne vnto y^e walles of the cyte / and after he ma­de to bete downe the walles so that there abode not o­ne stone vpon another thrughe all the cyte / excepte y^e temple of Salamon / and the toure of Syon / y^t was Dauyds. For god wolde not that the sayd temple nor [Page] the sayd toure were beten downe. Then was accom­plysshed the propre wordes y^t our lorde spake on pal­mesondaye whan he wepte vpon the cyte of Iherusa­lem in entrynge in to it.

NOtwithstondynge Tytus the sone of the Emperour afore that y^e cyte was beten downe he wente in to euery place and made to take the harneys wherwith the cyte was well garnysshed. And also to­ke all the clothes of golde and other clothes of sylke / that they myght fynde. For as for the other treasoure the Iewes had eten it / for y^e whiche they were all slayne / excepte the syxe penyworthes that the Emperour withelde / and Ioseph of Armathy / and y^e Iewe that had tolde how they had eten theyr treasours.

THen whan the Emperoure and Tytus his so­ne had done that / and had soiourned them there and theyr men / they sayd vnto Iafet and Iacob / & Ioseph of Armathy that they sholde lede them there as Ihesu cryste was put vpon the crosse / and to flome Iordayne / and to the sepulcre / and there as he raysed vp Lazarus. And to all the places where Ihesu cryst had ben and done myracles. And they answered that they wolde do it with a good wyll. And whan the Emperour and Tytus his sone and all theyr men were vysytynge y^e holy places / all in wepynge they yelded graces vnto our lorde Ihesu cryste.

[Page] ¶ How the Emperoure toke shyppyng with all his armye for to retorne to Rome.

AFter this the Emperour and Tytus his sone with theyr armye / & with Pylate & with the syxe penyworthe of Iewes toke theyr shyppes & arryued at acres / where y^e Emperour put y^e thre penyworths in thre shyppes withoute mete or drynke to goo where as it sholde please our lorde Ihesu cryste. And put in eche shyppe two penyworths of Iewes / for our lorde Ihesu cryste wolde not that all the Iewes sholde be deed / [Page] but that there abode on the erthe for a perpetuall re­membraunce and memory to all the crystyens. And it happened so as god wolde that one of the shyppes ar­ryued at Narbonne / the other at Bourdeaulx / and y^e other here in Englonde. And the Iewes that were w^t in went that it had ben done by myracle / and that had had pyte on them. But god dyde it bycause y^t alwayes there sholde be remembraunce of his dethe and passy­on.

THen the Emperour and his sone Tytus made to apparayll fayre shyppes and grete / and made grete prouysyon of vytaylles / as wel of whete / wyne / water & other vytaylles grete foyson. And anone they put them within the shippes that were fayre and grete and well aourned with Iafet / Iacob Ioseph of Armathye and all theyr men. And god gaue them soo good wynde and so good fortune and so good porte y^t within ten dayes they arryued at valecte. And fro va­lecte they wente by lande vnto Rome wel and in good helthe. And whan clement the appostolle knewe that the Emperoure and tytus his sone came / he wente a­gaynst them with all his clergye well aourned and in grete processyon.

¶ How the emperour Vaspasian was receyued at Rome / and how he was crystened and tytus his sone / w^t all theyr men.

WHan the Emperoure and Tytus his sone sawe Clement y^e appostolle they dys­cended of theyr horses & kissed Clement with ryght grete Ioye / and made grete feest in the cyte of Rome and thrughe al the other countrees for the loue and honour of them­perour / and in especyall for the vengeaunce of Ihesu cryste / and of his dethe and passyon that the sayd em­perour and his sone Tytus had made. And then y^e ap­postolle put hym for to preche euery daye the fayth of Ihesu cryste. And the Emperoure / tytus his sone / & all theyr men herde hym gladly. And whan the appostolle hadde preched eight dayes / he wente for to se the Emperour in his palays and sayd vnto him. Syr our lorde hathe done you so grete grace & so grete honour that he hathe made you to dyscomfite and haue vyctorye [Page] agaynst your enemyes / wherfore I am comen for to praye you that the promesses that you haue made to hym y^t you wyll accomplysshe it w^t good herte. And what promesse is it sayd the Emperour. Syr sayd the Appostolle y^t you do make you to be baptysed. Then the Emperour answered I vttre it / and wyl that it be done to the pleasure of god Ihesu cryste w^t good wyll So make to make and apparayll the fonte. And then the appostolle departed thankynge god Ihesu cryste ryght ioyously. And anone the sayd Clement made to apparayll the fonte / and at the ende of thre dayes he baptysed the Emperour and Tytus his sone in y^e na­me of the fader / the sone / and y^e holy ghost and chaū ­ged not theyr names. And after he baptysed the Se­neshal Gay / Iafet / Iacob / Ioseph of Armathye / and after the kynges / dukes / erles / barons / prynces / and other folkes of the Emperours and other.

ANd then whan all the men of the Emperoure & all the other multytude of people y^t was the­re was baptysed / the other came vnto the appostolle and made them be baptysed with good wyll. And cle­ment had ryght grete Ioye / & yelded graces vnto our lorde Ihesu cryste / & vnto them that were baptysed. And whan the people sawe y^e myracles y^t god shewed in the baptysyng of the seke and lame whiche were heled of all maladyes in yssuynge out of y^e water / all the people byleued in god / and in the holy lawe and fayth of Ihesu cryste / and bette downe all the temples of y^e ydoles / and made chirches of them.

[Page] ¶ How the Emperoure gaue lycence vnto his men of armes for to retorne in to theyr countrees.

THen whan that was done y^e Emperoure gaue lycence vnto al his barons for to retorne in to theyr countrees. And euery baron had of y^e appostolle theyr byleue in wrytynge or they departed. Then af­ter the Emperour and tytus his sone assembled theyr counsayl and badde them Iuge Pylate & gaue them the cause. So they helde theyr counsayll and after re­torned to y^e Emperour and sayd. Syr we knowe well y^t Pylate hathe deserued to deye / but your fader y^e em­perour ordeyned y^t all the straungers sholde dye at Vyenne. And therfore we Iuge hȳ to deye thus there.

[Page] ¶ How Pilate was Iuged vnto dethe and after was sente vnto Vyenne for to haue execusyon.

FYrste we ordeyne that the Iustycer make to be made in the myddes of y^e place a grete pyller of foure cubettes of heyght with out the grounde. And vpon the sayd pyl­ler be put a polle of a fadom of heyght / so made that it may susteyne Pilate. And that he be put on the sayd pyller wel bounden vnto the pole vpright and all naked / and that he be oynted with hony & oyle and wryten a hye ouer his heed agaynst the sayd pole This is Pylate that mysknewe Ihesu cryste / and re­nyed his ryghfull lorde the Emperoure. And that he [Page] haue the vysage towarde the sonne. And whan he ha­the ben there vntyll nyght from tyers / let hym be dyscended / and cut of one of his eres. And then after put hym in pryson / and that there be gyuen vnto hym mete and drynke ynoughe / and that he haue none yll pryson / to the ende y^t he may lyue .xxi. dayes in tourment As he made to lyue hymself & the other with the trea­sour .xxi. dayes that were in the cyte of Iherusalem: y^t he and the other Iewes ete whan theyr vytaylles were faylled. And the ere cut be put in suche a place that Pylate may se it whan he shall be on y^e said pyller▪ Af­ter vpon the morowe that he haue wele to dyne / and that he be ledde agayne vpon the sayd pyller well oynted / and that he be there vntyll nyght / and that he haue the other ere cut of / and that it be put with y^e other And that there be gyuen vnto hym alwayes mete and drynke ynoughe. And the thyrde daye that there be taken frome hym his preuy membre. The fourth daye y^t they cut of one of his handes. The .v. daye that the o­ther hande be cut of. The .vi. daye that they cut oute a thonge from his necke vnto his hande. The .vii. daye that they take as moche on the other syde. The .viij. daye that they make be taken from hym one of the so­les of his fete. The .ix. day that they make to be taken of the other sole of his fote. The .x. daye that they make to be reysed vp a thonge frome his membres vnto his foundement. The .xi. daye that they make to reyse vp another thonge in the same place of crosse / to y^e en­de▪ that he bere the crosse as he made Ihesu cryste doo The .xij. daye y^t they make to cut of one of his armes / The .xiij. daye the other arme. The .xiiij. daye one of the sholders. The .xv. daye the other sholder. The .xvj [Page] daye that they flee his berde. The .xvii. daye that they cut of one of his fete. The .xviii. daye that they cut of the other fote. The .xix. day that they breke one of his thyes as he dyd vnto the theues that were hanged by Ihesu cryst. The .xx. daye the other thyghe. The .xxi. daye all the body with all the membres be drawen / & that they cut of his tongue / and after the heed. And y^t they make him be quartred / and hanged on the pyller in the same place to the ende that there be remembraū ce. And then .x. dayes after that he be brente and put in asshes and caste in to the ryuer of Rosne. And se here how we Iuge hym to euyll dethe and cruell / bycause that he was traytour vnto god Ihesu cryst / and to your owne selfe. And bycause that he hathe made soo moche people to deye / and made dystroye so many gode places.

WHan the Emperour herde y^t the senatours of Rome had Iuged hym so for to deye. He sayd vnto the knyghtes that kepte hym that they sholde lede hym vnto the prouost of Vyenne from hȳ And made to gyue them lettres sealed for to bere vn­to the said prouost / with the hole sentence. Then they departed and brought Pylate vnto the prouost of Vyennne and delyuered hym to hym with the sentence / And whan the bourgeyses of Vyenne knewe that the knyghtes were come from the Emperour theyr lorde they made them grete chere and honoure. whan y^e prouost of Vyēne had redde the lettres of the Emperour and the sentence of y^e senatours of rome / incontynent he made to make a chayre. And after made Pylate to [Page] be set in it. And therin he dyde sytte at his ease / but he myght not remeue hym. And syth the prouóst made y^e chayer and Pylate to be put in to a welle. And the chayer was tyed with grete chaynes of yron aboue / soo y^t Pylate touched not the water. And there he abode vnto the tyme that the pyller was redy vpon the whiche he sholde be put. And they gaue hym alwayes mete & drynke ynoughe euery day whan that he demaunded or called for it.

THen after the prouost made to plante in y^e place of Vyenne the pyller / and helde hym wel ioyously with the knyghtes that had broughte Pylate. For the said Prouost wolde not that they sholde retorne vntyll the tyme that the Iustyce were done of Py­late. And the bourgeyses and the other men of estate of the cite of Vyenne made them alwayes grete chere for the loue and honoure of the Emperour theyr soue­rayne lorde.

ANd whan the pyller was planted & all ordey­ned the night before that the Iustyce of Pylate sholdè be done. The prouost made hym to be drawē out of y^e welle. And whan he was oute he was so chaū ged that he had no vysage of a man (but of a deuyll) Whan the Prouost sawe that he made hym to be put in to a toure that was by the brydge of Vyenne in the ryuer of Rosne / the whiche was moche depe. In that same profounde toure was thre manere of stages or places. And the ryuer of Rosne wente roūde about it [Page] And in the fyrste stage he made to put kepers and ser­geauntes. And in the seconde he made to put Pylate to the ende that he were better at his ease. And in the thyrde he made to put men of armes.

¶ How as y^e prouost of Vyenne wolde haue taken pylate out of the toure for to haue made execusyon / the toure and Pylate founded in abysme.

WHan it came vnto the morowe in y^e mornynge / the prouost / the knyghtes / and dyuers other went in to the toure for to haue had Pylate to haue set hym on the pyller. And whan they were in the tour they said vnto the kepers that kepte Pylate that they sholde brynge hym oute. And then all the brydge and the ryuer was charged with men that wolde se y^e ius­tyce that they wolde do on Pylate. And at the houre y^t the kepers wolde haue taken him for to haue brought hym in Iustyce / all the toure was full of deuylles al­so well without as within that sayd all with one voyce. Pylate is ours / pylate is ours / leue hym vs. All the toure trembled / wherof the Prouost and all the other that were there with hym / and the kepers also hadde ryght grete fere / and ryght grete horrour / and yssued all out of the toure and mounted vpon y^e brydge. And whan they were vpon it they behelde the toure / and sawe on the turrettes aboute the toure a grete multy­tude of deuylles. And the toure entred with Pylate & all the deuylles into the ryuer of Rosne in abysme.

WHan the Prouost / the knyghtes / y^e bourgeyses and all the other folke sawe that they meruaylled moche strongly / & wolde wete and se yf the toure were entred depe in. Soo they sayd vnto a maryner of the ryuer that he sholde take a bote and goo se yf it were depe there as the toure entred with Pilate. And the maryner wolde not bycause of the peryll. So they fastened a bote with cordes vnto y^e toppe of y^e brydge [Page] and made it go vnto the place where the toure was entred / in y^e whiche place y^e water rored moche strongly And after they had .iiii. C. fadoms of corde for to lengthe the other corde y^t was to shorte. And whan the bo­te was there it entred in with al y^e corde / soo that they put more therto / and tyed the ende of it vnto a vessell of corke / & lete it go softly / but all entred in and neuer herde tydynges of the toure / nor of Pylate not of no­thynge elles. And yet dare none approche nere y^e sayd place. And the pyller is yet ryght vp in Vyenne. The deuylles toke Pylate in y^e toure / bycause he sholde not conuerte hym thrughe the cruell payne. Then whan all that was done the knyghtes toke theyr leue and rode vnto the Emperoure and recounted to hym all the dede. Whan the Emperour herde that he made Iafet Iacob and Ioseph of Armathye to wryte the dystruccyon and vengeaunce of Iherusalem / for they knewe it well. And also the dethe & Iustyce of Pylate as you haue herde worde by worde.