¶ How Pylate toke of the moost auncyent men of the lawe / as bysshoppes & other maysters to counseyle.

THan Pylate toke of y^e moost auncyent men as bysshoppes and maysters of y^e lawe and sayd. Syrs do not ayenst this symple man for I doo you to [Page]wete that he is not worthy to be deed / is not he more worthy that hath heled maladyes thā he had broke y^e sabbot daye. Than sayd y^e Iewes a good Iuge take hede yf ony mā hath done a forfayte ayenst Cezar / were he not worthy to be deed. And thā Pylate sayd vnto them yes. Thā sayd y^e Iewes moche more is he wor­thy y^t forfayteth ayenst god / for he sayd hym selfe that he is goddes sone / for whan we coniured hym that he sholde tell vs yf he were goddes sone or not / he deny. [...] it not / & yet he sayd y^t we sholde se the sone of man [...] tynge vpon y^e ryght hande of the godhede / comynge out of y^e skyes of heuen. And whan Pylate herde thus he ledde oure lorde Iesu vpon that other parte of the parlore & sayd to hym. Man I ne wote what I maye do with y^e. Than sayd our lorde Iesu to Pylate. Moy ses and y^e prophetes here before preched of my passyon & of my resurteccyon. Whan Pylate herde this he ꝓ nounced all the wordes of our lorde to y^e Iewes. And anone the Iewes sayd to Pylate. What woldest tho [...] here more of his fals felaūder. Thā sayd Pylate take hym ī to your synagoge / and deme there on hym your lawe. The Iewes answere / our lawe commaundeth y^t yf ony man syn or trespasse ayenst ony man he shall withdra we hym .xiii. dayes out of the temple. And he y^e synneth or trespasseth ayenst god by slaunder / oure Iawe biddeth that he shal be stoned to deth. And for as moche as Iesus sayth that he shall syt in heuen vpon the ryght syde of y^e deuyne mageste / and that he shall come frome heuen in to y^e skyes / for this sclannder we wyll that he be crucyfyed. Than sayd Pylate y^e is not good that ye cast you for to do. And than Pylate loked aboute hym & sawe many men & women that wepte sore / and helde theyr countenaunce vpon hym. Than [Page]vnder Cezare the Emperour. Whan y^e Iewes herde this than they sayd to Nychodemus. ye take thou the trouth of Iesu / and y^e thou may haue thy dwellynge place w^t hym. Than lyfte vp Nychodemꝰ his handes to heuen & sayd. God graūt that I may haue parte of the trouth of Iesu / & a dwellyng place myght I haue of hym. God graūte that it may be so as ye haue sayd

¶ How certayne Iewes shewed to Pylate the myracles that Chryste had done.❀

ANd anone there starte forth a Iewe afore Py­late / and thus he sayd. My lord Pylate I say beddred .xxxviii. yere / & euery day for y^e most parte in peryll of deth / & so it befell that my lord Iesu came by me and had pyte on me / and than he had me take my bedde and go home ī to my hous / and anone with his wordes I was made hole. And anone after came an other Iewe afore Pylate and thus he sayd. My lorde Pylate I was poore blynde / as my lorde Iesu passed afore me I sayd to hym Iesu the sone of Dauyd haue mercy on me. And he had mercy on me / and he put his hande to myne eyen & than I sawe. And than another Iewe that stode afore Pylate sayd. Syr I was a me fell & my lord Iesu cryst made me hole with his wor­de. After that came an aged womā afore Pylate and fayd my lorde Pylate I was dyseased with the reed flyx thre pere and more / and Idyd not but touche the hemme of the vesture of my lorde Iesu / and anone I was made hole of my malady / & therfore / my lorde pylate haue mercy on hym / and do hym not to deth. And whan Pylate herde this he fered. And anone a grete company of Iewes y^t our lorde Iesu had heled cryed [Page]all with one voyce. A grete sauyour of y^e people is our lorde Iesu. whan Pylate herde this he sayd vnto Cay phas & Annas / and other maysters of y^e lawe. I mer­uayle why y^t your forne faders prynces & bysshoppes of y^e lawe heled not men of theyr infyrmytes / as this man doth. And they answered no worde therto. And these men y^t our lorde had heled cryed with one voyce Our blessyd lorde Iesu hath wrought many dyuyne myracles / as he y^t reysed Lazar fro dethe to lyfe whiche had layen deed foure dayes in y^e erth / and our lord Iesu by the vertue of his wordes reysed hym out of his moment & brought hym a lyue amōge vs & his systers / & made hym to syt with hym at his table. Whā Pylate herde this he was all abasshed for fere & cryed with an hygh voyce to the Iewes & sayd. Men what is this that ye wyldo. Ise that without gylte ye wyl shedde the blode of hym that hath nothynge wrought amysse. Than rose Pylate vp & toke Nychodemus to hym & these .xii. men whiche that sayd that our lorde was not borne in fornycacyon / & thus he sayd to them Syrs I haue grete affeccyon in you / tel me what I shall do with hym. And they sayd syr we can not saye but we wyll neuer asseut to the wyll of y^e maysters of the lawe nor to theyr werkes / and therfore let thēse wel to theyr soules that they may be saued at the day of Iugement. Than turned Pylate to y^e maysters of the lawe & to the other Iewes and sayd thus to them Syrs ye knowe well that it is y^e custome amonge vs to delyuer a prysonere to the people for y^e loue of our sabot y^e hye daye of sacryfyce / & syrs ye know well that I haue ī my prysō a noble pryloner a mā sleer whiche is worthy to be deed / whose name is Barabas / wyll ye that I delyuer you hym or elles Iesu whiche is w^t [Page]out gylte & not worthy to dye. The prynces and y^e byf shoppes and y^e olde men they sayd with one voyce we wyll that thou delyuer to vs Barabas. Thā sayd Pylate what wyll ye than say that I do with Iesu whiche is called cryft. Than sayd y^e Iewes w^t an hye voy ce / let hym be crucyfyed / & some sayd yf thou let hym go thus / thou ne arte Cezars frende syth that he laid this foule sclaūder that he is goddes sone / and therto a kynge / for who so euer sayd y^t he is a kynge / he spe­keth ayenst Cezare. And whan that Pylate herd this he was wonders heuy / and thus he sayd to y^e Iewes all dayes from y^e begynnynge ye haue be cōtraryous to them y^t haue done well to you / & to hym ye haue do­ne moche harme & moche turmentynge. Than sayd y^e Iewes what is he y^t hath done so moche good to vs Than sayd Pylate our god whiche hath holpē you & delyuered you out of y^e handes of Egypte which drowned your enemyes in the depnesse of y^e reed see & [...]edde you thrughe the water of the see also drye as vpon y^e groūde. And also in deserte he reyned vnto you māna and made water come out of the harde stone in desert whiche that ye dranke of & all your beestes. And also he gaue to you the .x. cōmaūdementes of y^e lawe. And in all these cōmaūdementes that he hath charged you with ye haue ben contraryous to your god. As whan ye made a calfe to be your god / whiche wold haue dysheryted you & dystroyed you ne had Moyses be your mayster / that prayed to your god for you for y^e peryl y^t ye were in / & now ye saye to me that I hate my kyng & am not his frende yf I delyuer not this man Iesus that hath cured moche of your people of many if yrmy tyes whiche is your kynge that neuer dyde euyll but euer moche goodnesse and profyte. Whan the Iewes [Page]herd this they were full of anger & maltalent / & thus they cryed all togyder & sayd. Our kyng is Cezarem perour of Rome. For we know wel y^t Iesꝰ is no kyng though y^t kyngꝭ sought hym in Bedlem & sayd y^e they sought y kynge of Iewes / & offred to hȳ gyftes / but yet is he thertore no kyng / we knowe well y^e whā He rode herde say that they sought y^e kyng of Iewes / he wold haue slayne hȳ therfore. And so he dyd slee thou­sandes or chyldren therfore in Bedlem & all y^e coūtre a bout / as we haue sayd to you here before. whā Pylate herde this he cōmaūded thē to be styl / & thā he sayd to thē. A is it not he thā y^t Herode sought for to slee. And y^e Iewes answered & sayd y^t it was he. And anone Pylate dyd cōmaūded water to be brought to hym / & afore thē all he wasshed his hādes sayng thꝰ. I am not gylty of y^e spyllȳge of this ryghtful mānes blode & y^e may you well se / but y^e blode of hȳ be vpon you & vpon your chyldren. Than cōmaūded Pylate y^e a grete cōpany of knyghtes sholde be brought afore hym to his parlore. And thā Pysate cast y^e sētence vpō our lord Iesu cryst and thus he sayd to hym.

¶ How Pylate cōmaun­ded the Iewes y^e no bylaynes shold put Iesu cryste to his passyon but knygh­tes.

THyne owne people hath dyspreued all that euer I haue spoken for the / and therfore I cō ­maunde at y^e begynnynge y^e no mā lay hādes on hȳ but yf he be a knyghte / or [Page]elles of gentyll blode / for it is not syttynge that a kyn­ge sholde be slayne of vylaynes / & therfore I cōmaūde that at the fyrst begynnynge that he be scourged to y^e pleasynge of the fyrst prynces / and than lyfte hym vp vpon the crosse / and with hym two theues the whiche that hath beneuyll doers / that one by name [...]ysmas and that other Gesmas / and lette them be slayne with vyllaynes / and no gentylles to touche them. And thā our lorde Iesu was ledde out of the parlore / and the two theues with hym / and than they lebde them in to another parlore / wherin was a pyller of whyte mar­ble / and there they dyspoyled our lord Iesu out of his clothes / and bounde hym naked vnto the pyller / and there they bete hym and scourged hym with yerds & whyppes / soo hugely that there was no skynne hole vpon hym / and that was a pyteful syght for to se that blessyd body standynge all naked before all the people scornynge & sayenge thus to our lord god in his scourgyng / do gladly our kynge for this is our fyrst begynnynge. And than the maysters of the lawe sayd to the knyghtes / do on our kyng a softe garmēt and let vs crowne hym for our kynge. And than y^e knyghtes dy­de vpon hym a clothe of sylke whiche for haboundaūce of blode was so clonge to hym / that at y^e pullynge of it was an hondred folde more payne to hȳ than was his scourgynge. And whan they had pulled of this gar­ment they dyde on hym a reed man tell of sylke / and after that they set a garlande of thornes vpon his heed / & they pressed soo sore y^e garlande of thornes vpon his heed that the thornes perced downe in to his brayne & soo at the laste they ledde hym to the crosse / and there they crucyfyed hȳ bytwene two theues. Dysmas an the ryght syde / and Gelmas on the lefte syde. And so [Page]they put to his mouth a sponge full of azell and gall a that they put to his mouth for to drynke of. And thus that blessyd lorde Iesu suffred all that euer they wold doo to hym. And than our lorde Iesu loked vp to the fader and sayd thus. My fader forgyue thē this tres­pace / for they ne wote what they do / & than y^e knygh­tes kest lottes vpon his vesture for to wete who shold haue it / and than the prynces of y^e lawe with bysthop­pes and many other / they cryed vnto oure lorde Iesu and thus they sayd. Thou hast heled many other / and thou ne mayst hele thy selfe / yf thou be goddes sone come downe of the crosse and we shal byleue on the. And thā sayd y^e knyghtes in scorne yf y^u be kyng of Iewes delyuer now thy selfe. And than was cōmaūded that a knyghte sholde be broughte forthe whose name was Longeus / and hym they made to put a spere to Iesus syde. This knyght Longeus was blynde / and so the prynces of the lawe made hym for to perce our lordes syde & so there came out of his syde bothe blode & water / & so y^e blode came rēnyng downe by y^e spere shafte vnto Longeus hande / and he by auenture wyped his eyen with his hande / and anone he dyde se.❀

ANd than Pylate dyde wryte a bylle vpon y^e whiche was wryten. Iesus nazarenus rextudeorum. That is for to saye. Iesus of Nazareth kynge of Iesus. And this was wryten in hebre we / greke / and latyn. And this tytle they put aboue his heed vpon the crosse. Than Gesmas the thefe whiche henge on the lefte syde of our lorde sayde thus to our lorde Iesu / yf thou be god delyuer bothe the and vs. Than Dysmas that henge on the tyghte syde of our lorde Iesu blamed hym for his wordes & [Page]thus he sayd to hym. It semeth by thy wordes that y^u dredest not god nor byleuest not in hym / and therfore thou arte endlesly dampned / for wel thou wotest that we haue deserued that we suffre deth / but he hath ryght nought forfayted nor mysdone / and without deler uynge he is brought here to. And whan Dysmas had sayd these wordes he loked vpon Iesu cryst and thus he sayd to hym. Lorde Iesu haue mercy vpon me whā thou comest in to thy kyngdome. And than answered Iesus vnto hym and sayd. This daye shalte thou be with me in Paradyce / & that tyme was aboute myd­daye / and fro this tyme vnto none of y^e daye the sonne was hydde and lost his bryghtnes / and the vayle of y^e temple was smyten downe to the groūde in two partyes and some men saye that an aūgell dyde it with a trace of fyre. And this aūgel sayd many one heryng I am wytnesse of y^e passyon of Iesu Cryst. After that our lorde Iesu cryste cryed with an hyghe voyce and sayde. Fader in to thy handes I be take my spyryte / & than he yelded vp his soule vnto his fader. And whan Centurio that was prynce ouer the Iewes / and Constable in lyke wyse saw these tokens that were be fall he gloryfyed god & sayd / forsoth this man was ryght full / and that is wel seen by y^e tokens that are be fallē And soo all the people that were there as good folkes whan the sawe these werkes of y^e vertue of our lozde they smote the yrbrestes with theyr handes.❀

¶ Howe Centurio tolde Pylate of the wonders that was at Chrystes passyon / and the same Pylate tolde the Iewes therof / and of the precyous cloth that our lorde was buryed in.❀

ANd Centurio tolde to Pylate all that was be fall. And whā Pylate herde this he was wonders heuy and lory / and so for forynesse and heuynesse he ne ete nor drāke that daye Than called Pylate the Iewes / and thus he sayde to them. Meruayle ye not of y^e tokens that here be fallē at the passyon of Iesu / and that the sonne loste his ly­ght and also the day. And the Iewes sayd to Pylate. Syrit was the clypse of the sonne as we haue vnder­standen of wyse men afore vs. Thā sayd Pylate how may it be that y^e vayle of the tēple is smyten a sonder and many graues vndone / & deed men ryse vp frome deth to lyfe / hath y^e clypse of the sone done all this. All these tokens men tell me are befallē in the cyte of Ie­rusalem / & [Page]yf ye byleue not me aske Centurio / & they that were with hym whiche kepte Iesu. Than were these men brought forthe afore y^e Iewes whiche that bare wytnesse / & thus they sayd. Forsothe we saye y^e in the dyenge of Iesu the erth groned & shoke as a water doth whan it is meued / & we same that many bo­dyes arose frodeth to lyfe / & by these tokēs we byleue that this Iesus is goddes sone. Than y^e apostles and holy women that had folowed our forde Iesu fro Ga­lylee / sawe that was befallen & that men had done to hym dre we them by them selfe. Than Ioseph of Bar­mathy kest hȳ for to by a precyous clothe for to wynde our lorde Iesu in whan he myght gete graūte of Py­late for to haue y^e body. And on thꝭ wyse came Ioseph by this precyous cloth as ye shall here. ¶ There was a knyȝt of Capharnane whose name was Leuy / this knyght wedded a yonge lady / and by processe of tyme they had togyder a doughter / whom they called Syn donia and her they put to lernynge / & so by processe of tyme she wexed a curyoꝰ werker / as of clothes of golde and clothes of sylke / and of all other womens wer­kes. And so at the last whā god wold this Leuy dyed and than his wyfe for y^e grete loue that she loued hym she fell in to a grete malady as in a palsey / so ferforth that she myght neyther stere hande nor fote / and so for this grete sekenes she fell ia gret pouerte so ferforth that she ne had to lyue vpon / but vy the werke of her doughters handes. And so it befel that vpon the same daye that our lorde Iesu was deed this lady sayde to her doughter. My dou ghter Syndonia thou knowest well that our grete sabbot day is nere / than must we ete our paske lambe / & on this daye is y^e grete market at Barmathye / therfore good doughter go and araye [Page]the / & take some of thy werke that thou hast wrought and bye vs there suche thynges as is nedeful to the & me at this holy tyme. Her doughter Sindonia answered to her moder and sayd / moder your wyll shal be do ne / and moder I doo you to vnderstande that I haue wrought the curyousest cloth that euer was made / for it fell so grac yously to werke that it is more curyous than I can skyl of / and than y^e lady sayd to her doughter lette me se that clothe / and Syndonia she wed this cloth to her moder. And whā this lady saw this cloth she sayd thus. Blessyd be that lorde that hath made y^e to werke suche a cloth / and doughter vpon my blessynge sell it to no man but yf he tell the what he shall do withall. And than this mayde Syndonia wasshed & bawmed her / and arayed her to the market / and in y^e market stode Ioseph of Barmathye with moche peo­ple spekynge of our lordes deth / and by auenture this mayde Syndonia came before hym / & Ioseph of Bar mathye espyed y^e clothe that hanged on her arme / and asked her yf she wold sel that cloth. And she answered and sayde ye syr. And than Ioseph asked her y^e pryce & she sayde .xxx. besauntes. And anone Ioseph payed to her .xxx. besauntes. And Syndonia fell downe to his fete prayeng hym y^t he wolde tell her what he sholde do withall. And than he answered her & sayd. Doughter this daye is deed an holy prophete that men called Iesus of Nazareth / and that holy ꝓphete Ipurpose for to bury & wynde in this cloth / doughter now haue I tolde y^e what Iwyll do withall / and therfore tel me who made this cloth that I haue bought of the. And this mayde sayd that her selfe made it. And Ioseph asked her what was her name / and she sayd Syndonia Than sayd Ioseph now after you I shall name this [Page]cloth for this cloth shall be named Syndonia / & than this mayde wente home to her moder & tolde her how she had spedde / and her moder asked her what shold be done with the cloth. And Syndonia tolde her that the holy prophete that was y^t tyme deed sholde be buryed therin. And who shall bury hym therin sayd this lady And Syndonia sayd y^t Ioseph of Barmathye sholde burye hym therin. And whā this lady herde this she sayd thus. Wolde my lorde god & that prophete that I had gyuen that cloth to his buryeng. And anone with that word she was more holer thā euer she was afore And anone y^e lady and her doughter fell downe to the groūde vpon theyr knees thank ynge our lorde god of this glorious myracle. And so afterwarde our lord gaue them suche grace that the moder was wedded to a worthy duke / & her doughter was Empresse of Rome And so they lyued euer after in our lordes seruyce / & whā Ioseph of barmathye had bought / this precyous cloth whiche was lorde & Constable ouer all Pylates me / he was a full good man & a ryghtful / he was not assented to the accusacyōs and wordes of the Iewes he abode y^e kyngdome of god / & so he came to Pylate & asked hym the body of Iesu. And Pylate graūted hȳ it. Than this Ioseph & Nychodemus toke downe the body of Iesu of the crosse / and hym he wounde in this Sindonia that he had bought / & he buryed him in his monument / where as neuer man was buryed in & so y^e Iewes wolde haue slayne Ioseph & the .xii. men y^e had spoken for our lorde Iesu afore Pylate. And also they wolde haue slayne Nychodemus / & also those y^t our lorde had made hole of many grete infyrmytes and alson they had dyscouered afore Pylate all his good werkes that he had done in euery place.❀

¶ How the Iewes cōspyred euyll agaynst Nychode mus and Ioseph / and of many other meruayles.

THAN Nicho demꝰ. we wed hi selfe to y^e Iewes / hicause y^e he was theyr prynce & theyr guyde / & sone after there gadered a grete multytude of Iewes in toy^e tēple afore Ny chodemꝰ / and thus he said to thē. How may this be that ye are entred ī to this holy tēple whiche haue your hanoes blody of the dethe of Iesu that ryghtfull man whom ye haue vntruly crucyfyed. Than answe red to Nychodemus / Annas & Cayphas / Symeon & Datan / Gamaliei / Iudas / Leuy / Neptalim / & all the other Iewes / how arte thou so hardy to come amōge vs that arte consentynge to Iesu / and therfore suche parte as he hath must thou haue with y^e in this worl­de. Than answered Nychodemus and sayd. A men y^e peas of Iesu be with me in this worlde / and in that other endlesly. And y^e Iewes answered & sayd. A men [Page]And as Nichodemꝰ had āswered thus / came Ioseph of Barmathye amonge them & sayd thus to y^e Iewes why be ye beuy to me w^t maletalēte for Iasked y^e body of Iesu of Pylate / and Ido you to were y^t I haue bu­ryed hȳ in my newe monumēt / & woūde hym in a pre­cyous clothe y^e is called Syndonia. And I say to you that ye haue wrought euyll & synfully y^e ye haue vn­truly crucyfyed Iesu without deseruynge / & also malycyously ye ꝑsed his syde w^t a spere / & whā y^e Iewes herd this they toke Ioseph & cōmaūded hȳ to be kept well & thus they sayd to Ioseph. we knowe well y^e y^u arte not worthy to haue a buryenge place amonge vs for we shal gyue thy flesshe & careyne to wylde bestes & wylde foules / and to be deuoured w^t houndes. Than Ioseph sayd to thē these wordes / ye be lyke to proude Golyas as y^e prophete sayth / to me lōgeth vengeaūce & I shal yelde it sayth god. And yet whā y^t Pylate wasshed his hādes & sayd I am vngylty of this mannes blode shedyng / he answered & sayd / y^e blode of hym be on vs & on our chyldren / wete it well that fro y^e tyme forwarde shall y^e wrath of god come vpon you & vpon your chyldren as your selfe sayd / & whā y^e Iewes her de this they were ryght angry / & put Ioseph in a derke pryson & shyt the dore strongly & put therto kepers. Than Annas & Cayphas and other bysshoppes of the lawe / kest for to assemble them after y^e sabbot daye for to slee Ioseph / & whan they were assembled they sent to the pryson and vndyde the dore / but they founde not Ioseph therin / wherfore they were fore abasshed.

¶ Howe one of y^e knyghtes that kepte the sepulcre of our lord came and tolde the maysters of the lawe how our lorde was gone in to Galisee.

ANd as they were ī this are ruaylyng they and ne entred in to theyr synagoge / & amonge thē there came one of the knyghres y^t kepte the sepulcre & to them he tolde ryght sykerly y^t our lord Iesu was not in y^e monument. And anone the maysters of y^e law asked hym where y^e they had done hym. And y^e knyght thus answered them and sayd. As we kepte y^e graue the erth shoke / and than we sawe veryly that an aun gell descended downe frome heuen and lyfted vp the stone from the monumente / and set hym there vpon / and his face was very bryghte / and his vesture was whyte as snowe / and for the grete drede that we had we laye as we were deed. Than we herde the aūgelt say vnto the women that were comen to the sepulcre dysmaye you not nor drede you not / for I knowe well that ye seke Iesu that was crucyfyed / but Ido you to were that he is rysen and is not here / for ye shall se hym in Galylee / as he sayd to you before. And whan the prynces of the lawe herde this they sayd to y^e knyght. Is Iesus than on lyue / we may not vyleue this that ye say. Than the knyght answered them. Iesus hath done many myracies that ye haue well herde / & sene and ye byleue it not how shold ye than byleue vs but your owne demaūde is good / whan ye aske yf Iesu be on lyue / whome than sayd y^e Ie wes to y^e knyght we shall yelde to [...] Ioseph yf ye wyll yelde to vs Iesu for we do you to were that Ioseph is ī Barmathy Than sayd y^e knyght / & we do you to were that Iesu is in Galilee rysen frō deth to lyfe / & there they sholde se hym. And whan y^e Iewes herde this they had gret drede / & thus they sayd among themselfe / yf men here these wordes of these knyghtes they shal all byleue in Iesu. Than they assembled them togyder & gaue to [Page]the knyghtes treasure / and thus they sayd to thē. Goye and say to y^e people as ye lay & slepte his dyscyples came pryuely by nyght & stole y^e body of Iesu / & yf Py late knowe here of we shal excuse you. Thus y^e knyghtes toke this treasure & proclamed as they cōmaūded them / & so theyr wordes were soone spred all aboute.

THan came there thre men whiche y^t hyght Fy nees / Abbas / and Leuy / these thre men came fro Galilee in to Ierusalem and thus they sayd to y^e prynces & to all them y^t were in the synagoge. Syrs we haue herde & sene Iesu whiche that ye crucified & fyt and speke to his dyscyples vpon y^e moūt of olyuete and there he preched to them & sayd. Go & preche my name & my gospell thrugh out y^e worlde / baptysynge in the name of the fader / and y^e sone / and y^e holy ghost And what so euer he be that wyl be baptysed & byleue in me he shall be saued / & he that byleueth not shall be dampned. And whan y^e prynces herde this they sayde to these thre men. Men gyue praysynge & worshyp to our lorde Iesu and be a knowe yf this be true that ye haue harde and lene / & these men sayd all togyder w^t one voyce / by that lorde that is god of Abraham / of ysa ac / and Iacob / we sawe Iesusy ttynge and prechyng to his dyscyples / & yf we couer this that we haue her­de and sene we sholde do grete syn̄e. And anone y^e prȳ ces rose vp and helde y^e lawe in theyr handes / & thus they said to them. we conture you by the lawes of our lorde that ye kepe this counseyle y^e ye haue sayd to vs of Iesu / and so they gaue to these thre men grete trea­sure / and so they sente thre knyghtes with them for to brynge them in to theyr owne countree / and that they sholde nolenger abyde in Ierusalem.❀

SO came there agrete assemble of comyns to y^e prynces / and thus they sayd with a grete cō ­playnt / what tokens are these that are befallē in Israhell. Than Annas and Cayphas conforted thē & sayd we ought not for to byleue y^e knyghtes that kepte the sepulcre wherin that Iesu was put / they sayd to vs that they had sene an aungell lyfte vp y^e stone from the monument / and peraduenture his dyseyples sayd to y^e knyghtes / and we wote well y^e they gaue to y^e knyghtes grete treasure for to say thus / and so stale awaye his body / thus men ought to byleuevs rather than the dyscyples that gaue the knyghtes grete treasure for to bere false wytnesse. Than arose Nychodemus vp and thus he sayde to them / ye haue herde what these thre men haue sayd & sworne vpon the lawe that they sawe Iesu sytte and speke to his dyscyples vpon the mount of olyuete / and there he styed vp to heuen. And ye wote well that y^e scrypture telleth vs that Elye y^e holy prophete was rauysshed in to paradyce / and whā mē asked his dyscyple Elyze we where that his fader Elye was / he answered rauysshed in to heuen. & than they supposed well y^e he was rauysshed by y^e holy gost & lefte hym somwhere on y^e moūtes of Israell / & therfore they sayd let vs seke some men that may go and seke hym. So they wente and sought thre dayes & thre nyghtes / but they coude not fynde Elye / & therfore I counfeyle you for to sende some for to seke y^e moūtes of Is [...]ahell / for parauenture y^e holy ghost had rauysshed Iesu / & parauenture he may be founde / let vs than do penaunce for the trespasse y^e we haue done. This coū ­seyle of Nychodemus was plesynge to all y^e Iewes & so they sent men for to seke our lorde Iesu / but they myght not fynde hym in no place. And wan these men [Page]were repayred agayne they sayd to y^e te wes / we haue lought Iesu on euery hyll of Israel / & in euery dale & ī euery place / but we can fynde hȳ no where but we haue foūde Ioseph in y^e cyte of Barmathy / & whā y^e prynces herd this they were wōders ioyful & mery / & they gloryfyed god y^e Ioseph was foūde / & so y^e fewes & may sters of y^e lawe assembled thē togyder / & kest amonge thē how they myght speke to Ioseph / & so they made letters which sayd thꝰ. Peas be w^e the & also w^e them y^e be w^e the / we knowe well y^e we haue spn̄ed in god & in the / & therfore fader Ioseph come to vs syth y^e we haue knowyng y^e we haue greuously syn̄ed & trespast flyenst y^e & hugely we meruayle of thy delyueraūce & takynge away fro vs. we knowe well y^e we cōspyred euyl coūseyle ayenst y^e but goddelyuered y^e fro vs / but peas be w^e the fader Ioseph worshyppes of all people.

¶ How y^e Iewes chose .viii men that were Iosephes trendes to desyre hym to come to them.❀

THan they chose. viii. men which that were frē des to Ioseph & sayd whan ye come to Ioseph salue hym in peas / & do to hȳ gretynges in our behal­fe & delyuer to hym these letters. So these men went forth to y^e cyte of Barmathye / and whā they came afore Ioseph they salued hym & grete hym & delyuered to hym y^e letters And whā Ieteph had reed these letters he sayd thus, Blessyd be my lorde god that hath coue­red me with his wynges / and also blessyd myght he he that hath saued me from all myscheue. Thā Ioseph ladde all these men in to his place / and y^e nexte day aftes he toke his hors and rode with them in to Ierusa­lem. And whan y^e Iewes w^t the maysters of the lawe [Page]herde tell of his comynge they wente worshypfully ayenst hym / and whā they mette with hym they sayd thus to hym. Peas be at thy comynge fader Ioseph / & Ioseph answered. The peas of our lorde be to all his true people. And than y^e maysters of the lawe with all the people they kysted Ioseph. And Nychodemus led Ioseph in to his hous. Than the nexte daye after An­nas and Cayphas and Nychodemus ladde Ioseph in to the temple / & thus they sayd to hym. Fader Ioseph gyue vs knowlege and to god this temple of that we shall are of you / fader Ioseph ye knowe well y^t ye ber­ryed the body of Iesu / and fader ye knowe well y^t we shette you inpryson & we coude not fynde you therin & therfore tell vs what befell there Thau Ioseph an­swered & sayd what ye dyde she its me in y^e eldse pry­son vpon y^e sabbot daye as I was in my [...] or y [...] & prayers y^e place was spredde aboue me w^t huge lyght as me thought feont the foute partyes of y^e ayre / and so Ilyfte vp my heed and sawe mylorde Iesustande fast by me shynyng with grete clerenesse / & so for drede that I had Ife [...]dovone flatte to the gooūde. Than my blessyd lorde Issaher [...] me by the h [...] de and ly [...] me vp from the groside and wasshed my fate kyssyn [...] me and thus he sayd to me. Broder Ioseph y^e are elens by y^e water of thy fayth / for thy synnes ben rel eased & forgyuen / and theres my frenbe haue [...]od [...]e [...]e [...] set holde me & knowe what I am and so Ioyde behold [...] him & sayd any may ster Elye and he answated agayne & layd. I am not Elyt but I am Iosucryst y^e wh [...] the thou buryed worshypfully / & than fayd I to hym Lorde shewe me thy monument where Ibaryed the And than my forde Iesu hente me by the hande and ladde me to the monumente / and there he shewed me [Page]the precyous Syndonia that I wounde hym in. And than I knewe verrly that he was my lorde Iesu / & so I fell downe and worshypped hym / and sayd my lorde Iesu blessyd myght thou be that arte come hyder for to vysyte me / & thrughe thy grace hast delyuered me & so he helde me by the hande and ladde me to y^e cyte of Barmath ye. And than he ladde me in to my place and sayd to me. Ioseph broder peas be with the / and loke y^e thou go not out of thy place these .xi. dayes / for y^e Ie­wes shall do many grete dystresses to many of my frē des / & now shall I go to my dyscyples & speke to them of y^e saluac yō of the worlde. And whan he had sayd y^t worde he vanysshed awaye from me / and whā y^e prynces of the lawe & other Iewes herde this that Ioseph layd / they were hugely abasshed / & for y^e grete drede y^t they had they fell downe to y^e erthe / and so they cryed and sayd. what tokens are these y^t are befallen in Isra hell the knyghtes that kepte y^e sepulcre bere wytnesse y^t they lawe an aungell dyscende downe from heuē / & that Iesu was rysen frodeth to lyfe / and that he shal he sene in Galelee. And we knowe welthat Iesu was a man / and his fader and moder we knowe well / both Ioseph and Marye. What may we saye here ayenst. Than sayd a Iewe whose name was Leuius. I knowe well the begyunynge of Iesu / for I haue ben mothe with them / for vpon a tyme as I was in y^e temple in myn offrynges and orylons / that same tyme saynt Symeon toke hym in his armes / and thus he sayd to hym. My lorde godlette now thy seruaūt come to the in peas / for myn eyen haue sene thy helth that thou or­deyned or ony people was. Than sayd y^e Iewes. Let vs sende for these thre men that sayd that they sawe Iesu spekynge to his dyscyples vpon the mounte of [Page]of yuete. And so they sente for these thre men / and whā they were comē for them they sayd truly that god of heuē was on lyue / and that we sawe berely how that Iesustped in to henen afore all his dyseyples.

THā āswered Annas & cayphas / out law sayth that by y^e wordes of two or thre is suffycyent wytnesse / what may we sayhereto / we know well y^e Enocke pleased god / and was rauy flhed in to heuē & y^e fepulchre of Moyses myght neuer be foūdē. Pylate delyuered to vs this Iesu whiche we bere w^t frourgꝭ & crowned hym w^t thornes / & after warde was crut y­fyed / & smote hym in y^e syde w^t a spere & Ioseph buryed his body in y^e sepulcre / whiche y^e now bereth wytnes y^t he is on lyue. And these men say y^t they sawe hȳ stye vp in to heuē / & thā Ioseph tolde another gret meruay le y^t there rose vp many deed bodyes out of the yr gra­ues I wote well y^t some mē of thē haue ben in Ieru­falē / which y^t mysbyleuers haue not sene / & we know well y^t saynt Simeon receyued Iesuin his atmes in y^e temple whiche was a full holy man / this Simeon had two sones whose names were Gariꝰ & Leuicius & we were at theyrdeth & at theyr but yenge. Go now and serche the yr graues / but I wote well they be not there / but they be in y^t cyte of Barmathye in orylons & speke to nomā / but kepe thē styll as though they were deed / & therfore let vs go to thē w^t worshyp / & brynge them to y^e temple / & whā we haue cōiured them pars uenture they wyll tell vs somwhat of y^e resurtete you of Iesu / and how that he rose from deth to lyfe.

¶ How the Iewes wente to seke two deed men that were rysen from dethe to lyfe in Barmathye.

ANd so al y^e iewes & maysters of y^e law went to y^e graues of these two bredren / & so they foūde thē not there. And anone they wente to y^e cyte of Barmathy which was .xl. myle fro Ierusalē / & so they foūde thēlyuynge. Than they kyssed thē & led them w^t them to Ierusalē with grete worshyp / & thā they lad thē ī to theyr synagoge / & whā they had shet y^e dores surely they toke theyr lawꝭ / & cō fured thē by y^e lawe of Israell / & by god adonay yf y^t theylyued / & yf y^t Iesu was god of Israel y^t reysed thē whā Gariꝰ & Leuiciꝰ herd this cōiuracyō / they loked vp togyder in to heuē. And thā they made sygnes of y^e holy crosse on thē / & than they sayd & spake / gyue vs ꝑ thement & ynke / y^t we may wryte thyngꝭ y^t we haue [Page]herde and sene / and so they gaue to them bothe ynke and perchement / and whan they were set they wrote bothe togyder and sayd thus.

¶ Our lorde Ielucryst is resurreccyō of y^e deth & lyfe y^t byleue vpon hȳ / suffre vs to say y^e secretes of thy dy­uyne mageste that y^u dydest in hell by y^e deth of thy ho­ly crosse / for we be cōiured by y^e for to speke of y^e / y^u hast cōmaūded to thy seruaūt by Myghell thyn archaūgel y^t we shold tel y^e secretes of thy dyuyne mageste what y^u dydest in hell after thy holy resurreccyō as we were w^t our forne faders in y^e grete preuy depnes of derknes there came a grete bryghtnesse as it had ben a beme of lyght fro y^e sonne / and y^t kest alyght royall vpon vs / & anone Adam y^e was our forne fader / and patryarkes & prophetes rose vp lyghtly & sayd. This is y^e lyght of hym y^t behyght vs for to sende to vs endeles lyght and anone ysaac with an hyghe voyce began for to saye.

¶ This is y^e lyght of our fader sone of god as I sayd here afore whan I was on lyue in the londe of zabulō and neptalem ouer y^e flomiordan. The people that sa­te iderkenes sawe grete bryghtnes of lyght & y^e lyght was sente to them that sate in y^e shadowe of deth that was there as it had ben a sterre shynynge aboue vpō vs. And as we were in this Ioy and gladnesse of this lyghte that shone vpon vs there came to vs our fader Symeon and thus he sayd to vs with grete Ioye.

¶ Gloryfye our lord god Iesu cryst our sauyour whiche I receyued a chylde in y^e temple / and toke hym in myne armes sayenge thus / let now thy seruaūt passe for myn eyen haue sene thy helth / whan all y^e grete cō ­pany of layntes that were ī hell herde this they were wōders Ioyful & mery. And after came another mā to vs as it had bē an heremyte / & our forne fader asked [Page]hym what he was / & he answered agayne and sayd I am a voyce of a prophete of an hye cōpany for I haue gone afore y^e face of his comynge / & also to make redy y^e way of his comynge / and to gyue helth & cōnynge to his people in the remystyon of theyr synnes / & whā Isawe hym come tome I was fulfylled with y^e holy ghost / and thus I sayd / se the lawbe of god & be holde hym that doth awaye synne of the worlde / and hym I haue baptysed in the Flomiordan & vpon hym I sawe y^e holy ghost delcende in lykenes of a doue. And than I herde a voyce y^t came fro heuen sayenge thus / this is my sone in whom grete plesynge is vnto me. And now I am come before hym to you to she we to you the sone of god is come fro he yght for to delyuer vs y^t syt in derkenesse / and in y^e shado we of dethabydyng his mercy. Whan y^t Adam our forne fader was baptysed anone he sayd to Seth his sone. Tell to thy thyldren & to patryatkes & prophetes y^t the aungell layd to the whan I sente the to y^e gates of paradyce that y^u shol­dest praye our lorde god y^t he wolde sende to me by his aūgeil of y^e fruyte of lyte / & also of the oyle mercy for to anoynte withall my membrs suche tyme y^t I was fulfylled ful of malady & sekenesse. Than Seth starte vp & sayd with an hygh voyce. As I was at y^e gates of paradyce prayenge our lorde god of y^e oyle of mercy our lorde sente Myghell his archaūgell sayage thus vnto me our lorde god hath sent me to y^e / trauayle not for to haue y^e oyle of mercy to anoynte w^t Adam thy fa­der / Ido do the to were thou mayst not haue it vnto the last day be complete of .v. M. and .v. C. yere. And than shall the sone of god Iesu cryste come in to y^e worlde for to reyfe the body of Adam thy fader / and y^e bodyes of the holy sayntes patriarkes and prophetes / & than [Page]shall he be baptysed in flomiordan / & whā he cometh out of the water than shall he anoynt with the oyle of mercy all those y^t shall byleue in hym / & than shall the sone of god go downe to hell and lede Adam thy fader in to paradyce to the tree of lyfe & mercy. whan the patryarkes & prophetes herde this y^e whiche Seth had sayde / they made than grete Ioye & gladnesse / and as they made this grete Ioye Sathan the prynce of hell and mayster of deth sayd to y^e maysters of turmentry Make the redy for to receyue Iesu Cryste the which that gloryfyeth hym self to be y^e sone of almyghty god and yet he is man that dredeth deth / for he dyd say my soule is heuy ayēst deth. And this Iesu hath wrought many heuynesses & euylles ayenst me for them that I made blynde croked & lame & mezel he hath made hole by his worde. And also y^e deed that I haue brought to the he hath reysed to lyfe. Than the prynce of turmen­try answered to Sathan what is he y^t is somyghty by his worde / and thou sayest that he is man that dredeth deth / al that euer were myghty in erth thou hast brought thē to my bōdes / & yf he be so myghty in man hode as thou sayest. I saye to y^e he is so myghty in dyuynyte y^t we may neuer resyst agaynst hym / & yf y^e he sayd that he dradde deth I saye to y^e that he wyll dys­ceyue the and ouercome y^e at all tymes / & than answered Sathan to the maysters of y^e tourmētry and said Why dredest thou for to receyue myne aduersary and thyne I haue made the Iewes for to be ayenst hym / and I haue made redy the rodde that he shal be smytē with / and I haue made redy y^e tree that he shal be crucyfyed on / & thre nayles for to fastē hym therto / and I haue made a drynke with azel & gall that he shal drynke / and I tell the that he shall be deed anone / & I shall [Page]brynge hym redely to the. Than answered the prynce of the tourmentrye / this that thou sayest y^t he by his myght hath taken fro me them that were deed / what hopest thou he may be y^t dothe suche maystryes by his worde. I dred me perauenture that this was he that toke away Lazer from me and reysed hym that was thre dayes deed / whome that I helde boside in my pryson / and hym he yelded to lyfe by his worde. Than an swered Sathan and sayd. I do the to were that he is the same Iesu. And whan y^e prynce of turmentry her­de this he sayd to Sathan I cōture the by thy vertue & myne that thou brynge hym nothere to me / for whā I herde the commaūdement of his worde I trembled and shoke for dred and all my fell sergeaūtes with me so that we ne myght kepe Lazer / but he fle we fro vs so swyfte as it had ben an Egle out of the bondes that we had hym in / and y^e erth that he laye in deed vndyd and yelded hym quycke fro hym / wenest thou Sathā for to holde suche a lord that toke his seruaunt fro vs maugre vs all by the vertue of his worde / were y^u wel this without doubte yf thou bryng hym hyder that is so myghty to saue all mankynde / he wyl put vs hens I say Sathan and all tho that be shytte in our pryson and strayned by their synne in our bōdes by hym they shal be delyuered and brought vnto euerlastynge lyfe And as they spake thus togyder there came a voyce as it had bē thonder of y^e holy ghost / and thus he sayd. (At tollite portas pricipes vr̄as) ye prȳces of deth vn­close your gates / for y^e prȳce of glory shal entre therin And whan the prynce of hell herde this voyce he sayd to sathan / go hens fro vs & thou be myght yo fyght / go fyght with hym that is kyng of glorye. And so helkest sathan fro hȳ / & thā he sayd to his fell sergeaūtes [Page]shyt myghtely your gates with yren barres & fyght myghtyly / & withstande hym myghtly that the kyng of blysse come not herein / y^t our strength be not taken frome vs / and we be put vnto endelesse soro we. And whā the sayntes herde this they sayd with an hyghe voyce to y^e deuylles and to y^e prynces of turmentynge wretches vndo your gates and let the kyng of glorye come in. Than sayd Dauyd y^e prophete / prophecyed I not whan I was lyuynge in erth & sayd thus (Quia hec est dies quā fecit dn̄s exultemus et letemur in ea That is to say / this is the day y^t god made / therin we may be blythe and glad. And after hym sayd ysaye to all y^e sayntes. Sayd I not whan I was lyuyng that y^e deed sholde be lyfte vp & the bodyes that lye in gra­ues sholde be reysed vp frode the to lyfe / & that they y^e be in erth shold be full of Ioye / & yet I saye now more ye cayt yues of deth and hel where is now your pryde where is now youre vyctorye. whan y^e sayntes herde ysaye say these wordes / they sayd all at ones to y^e prȳ ce of hel. Vndo your gatꝭ wretches for ye be but takē & boūde & may not helpe your selfe. Thā came y^e voyce y^e seconde tyme sayenge thus (Attollite portas vr̄as) And whan that hel herd this voyce come two tymes he answered vnauysedly thus (Quis ēiste rex glorie that is to say / what is y^e kynge of blysse. And than an­swered Dauid sayenge thus. I knowe well y^t voyce by his wordes of y^e holy ghost. For I ꝓphecyed it afore, and now I say to the hell (Dūs deus fortis etpotens dn̄s potēs ī prelio / ipse est rex glorie) this is for to say. Our lorde god stronge and myghty / & myghty in ba­tayle / he is kyng of glorye (Et ipse de celo ī terram as­pexit vt audiret gemetꝰ cōpeditorū vt solueret filios interēptorū) That is to saye / that blessyd lorde behel­de [Page]fro heuen to erthe to here y^e waymentynge of them that are in bondes / and that he sholde vnbynde y^e chyl dren that were brought to y^e deth to be slayne / & ther­fore thou vylsayne stynkynge hole vndo thy gates y^e the kynge of blysse may come in.

ANd as Dauyd had sayd this to hell / came vpō them the gloryous desyred kynge of glorye in fourme of man / & enlumyned all the derkenesse of hell with the gloryous bryghtnesse of his gloryous face / & all y^e gates & shyttyngꝭ with yren barres & boltes all to braste in his holy comynge / & all y^e tell fendes made hym space and waye. And whā y^e sayntes sawe Iesu our sauyour come with aūgelles / they were abasshed of y^e grete Ioye so y^t theyne durste speke / but w^c grete and softe herte they sayd thus. Our lord god & our sauyour y^u arte come to vs kyng of glorye to delyuer vs out of the bondes fro these false felons / & blessyd be thy name / for now shall we be made hole. Than came our lorde Iesu & brast all y^e bondes that we were bounde with / & cōmaūded that we sholde be delyuered of all anguysshes from that tyme forwarde. And whan the prynce of hell with all his fell sergeaūtes sawe y^e gre­te bryghtnesse / they had than huge sorowe and drede. Than .x. prynces of hell rose vp of theyr setes w^t huge full roryng and cryenge / & sayd thus with grete way mentyng. O Iesu how we be ouercome by the / what man arte thou that reysest thy request ayenst god vn knowyng vs what arte y^u that brekest all our power what arte thou that arte so grete & appered solytel in erth. what arte thou that was so meke & lowly ī erth & now thou arte a pryncely fyghter in fourme of mā & now kynge of glorye y^e was deed & now thou lyuest [Page]and now al creatures tremble and quake by the crosse and by the deth / & were buryed in a sepulcre & art dyscended downe to vs / all quyck creatures trēble & quake be thy deth / & all the foure elementes shewed theyr tokens / & now hast thou delyuered al them that were deed & dystroubled / & put to myschefe al our ful fel my hysters. what arte y^u that hast delyuered thē that we­re dystreyned here amonge vs for theyr synne / & haste called them agayne to theyr fyrst fraunchyse. what arte thou that gyuest lyght to them that are blynde by y^e bryghtnesse of thy godhede. And thā all y^t were in hel cryed with one voyce and sayd. A what arte thou y^e arte so myghty a man & so clere in mageste shynynge w^t out blame & clene of erthly synne / what arte thou that entrest in to our regyon & countree without drede / and doubtest no poynt of turmentynge but hast fro vs all tho that were streyned in our bondes / parauenture y^u arte that Iesu y^t our nrynce Sathan sayd to our prynces that thou sholdest take to y^e al the power of y^e worlde by thy deth of y^e croste. Than our lorde Iesu Cryste toke Sathan and bounde hym and del yuered hym in to hell to the prynce of turmentry. Than be helde Sathan saynge thus to hym. A [...]chucnk [...]prynce of perdycyon Belsabub with thy thre hedes / lyer vpon y^e aūgelles of god why hast thou do this false dede. A what a dyffpoylynge thou behyghtest vs whan y^u let hym falle to suche a dede / what harme thou dyd to vs whā thou let the kynge of glorye be crucyfyed. A thou fals Sa­than thoune wotest what thou hast done / for this Iesu hath enlumyned all the derkenesse of deth with the clerenesse of his dyuynyte / and hathe now broken all the gates of our depe pryfons / and vnbounde all that were therin / & they that were ī our turmentryes they [Page]scorne vs & by theyr prayers we shal euer after be ouer come y^t neuer afore durst saye one worde ayenst vs / & now shal neuer none of mākynde come amōge vs but euer shal lede vs where they wyl / y^e neuer afore durst do ayēst vs / & now are they fulfylled ful of merualoꝰ Ioye by y^e praysynge of theyr lorde god. A thou prynce of all shrewdnes / and fader of all telonyes why hast thou done thus / how durst y^u do suche a lorde be crucy­fyed / for now be all tho that were in dyspayre fro y^e be gynnyng vnto this tyme now in helth & in endlesse ly te. And we shall neuer here theyr grudgȳge gronyng nor wepynge. A thou fell Sathan all y^e ryches y^t thou haddest cōquered by thyn apple ī paradice / y^u hast now lost by y^e tree of y^e crosse / and all thy Ioye is perysshed whyle that y^u hast crucyfyed hym y^e was ayenst the / & wete thou well that thou shalte suffre tormentry end lesly in myne horryble pryson. A thou fals cursed Sathan auctor of deth & fader of pryde thou sholdest fyrst haue enquyred his cause: & yf he had be worthy dethe and yf thou haddest founde noo cause of dethe in hym thou sholdest haue lefte hym on lyue / but thou founde no faute nor cause to crucyfye hym / and bycause thou were so hardy to crucyfye hym / thou arte y^e cause that he is entred in to our regyon / and wotest thou what y^u hast done. I saye to y^e thou hast all forlorne & we wret­ches shall dwell in turmentrye y^t euer shal last as hel And as Sathan spake thus came the kynge of blysse and thus he sayd to hel. Thou prynce of hell Sathan thy power shall be endlesly too dwell here in stede of Adam and his chyldrē & all my ryghtfull people. and than our blessyd lorde spredde forth his ryght hande & sayd come to me my holy & al that haue myn ymage & my lykenesse whiche were dampned to y^e deth by the [Page]fruyte of the apple & by y^e deuyll / & now may ye well se y^t the deuyll is dampned by the tre & by the crosse / & anone all y^e sayntes assembled thē togyder vnder our lordes hande. Than our lorde toke Adā by the ryght hande & sayd thus to hym. My peas be with y^e and all my ryghtfull chyldrē / & all my holy sayntes / & thā our fornfad fell downe on his knees afore our blessyd lor­de wepȳge for Ioye / & thus he sayd (Exaltabote dn̄e qm̄ suscepisti me nō delectasti ī imicos meos suꝑ me. Dn̄e deꝰ meꝰ clamaut ad te et sanasti me deduristi ab iteris aiam meā sanasti me a descēdētibꝰ in lacū) This is to saye. My lorde I shall enhaunce y^e for that thou hast taken me / for y^u ne hast suffred myne enymyes to be aboue me. My lorde god I haue crted to the & thou hast made me hole / y^u hast brought my soule out of hel & hast saued me from them y^e are fallen in the depnesse of y^e lake. And than al the sayntes fell downe to our lordes fete sayenge all with one voyce to our lorde god / y^u arte come to vs byer of y^e worlde / blessyd be thy name as thou she west to vs by the holy lawes & by the holy prophetes / thou bought vs agayne by thy holy crosse and y^u arte come downe to vs by thy holy vertue for to drawe vs fro deth / & fro y^e horryble paynes of hel / and thā our blessyd lorde lyfte vp his hāde & made y^e sygne of y^e holy crosse on Adam and on his holy sayntes. And so he toke Adam by y^e ryght hāde & styed out of hel vp in to the ayre & all y^e sayntes folowed hym. Than kynge Dauyd sayd with an hygh voyce (Cantate dn̄ocā ­ticū noū quia mirabilia fecet) That is to say. Synge to our lord god a newe song / for he hath wrought meruayles (Ethec est gloria oibus sāctis eius) this is to say / blessyd be god for thy grete Ioy to all his sayntes Than after Dauyd said Micheas (Quis deꝰ sicut tu [Page]domine auferens iniquitatem & trāsgrediēs peccataet nunc continens in testimonio tram tuā. &c) That is for to say. Whois suche a lord as our lorde Iesu cryst is puttynge away al euylles of synne / and after hym sayd Abacuk the prophete. Thou comest out w^t helth vnto thyn humble people for to delyuer all thy frendes from all sorowes dyseases and trybulacyons. And thā after hym sayd all y^e holy sayntes w^t one voyce. Bles­syd myght thou be that cometh ī the name of our lorde Iesu cryst / for thou arte Ioye and also blysse vnto all thy true people (Alleluya) And than all y^e prophetes pronounced all theyr prophecyes that they had shewed in erth with grete pleasynge to our lorde god. And than all the sayntes sayd / this is oure lorde god that shall gouerne vs without ende. Alleluya.

¶ Howe our lorde ledde all his holy sayntes in to the Ioyes of paradyse / & of the thre men y^t they mette.

ANd than our lorde toke Adam our forne fa­der by the hande and ledde hym in to para­dyse and al his holy sayntes with hym / and them he delyuered to Myghell his archaū gell / and he ledde them in to paradyse where as is end lesse Ioye. And whā they were entred in to paradyle there came ayenst them two men of grete age and the sayntes asked them what they were / and how it my­ght be that they were there so bodyly and had not ben with them in hell. Than one of them answered and sayd I am Enocke that by y^e worde of god am translated hyder / & he that is with me here is Elias tesbytes whiche was brought hyder in a brennynge chayre / & yet suffred we no deth / but we are kepte to y^e comyng [Page]of Antecryst to fyght with hym w^t wordes & tokēs of our lorde god / and of hym we shall be slayne in y^e cyte of Ierusalem / & thre dayes and a halfe after we shall ryse fro deth to lyfe / & be taken vp in y^e skyes. And as Enocke tolde this to y^e sayntes / there came to them a man berynge vpon hym y^e sygne of y^e holy crosse. And whan all y^e sayntes sawe hym they sayd to hym what man may thou be that hast here y^e lykenes of a thefe / and why berest thou the sygne of the holy crosse. And than this man answered vnto them and sayd / forsoth ye say truly that I was a thefe / & many cursed de des dyd I in erth. And therfore the Iewes crucyfyed me with our lorde Iesu / and whan I sawe y^e sterynges of y^e elementes in his passyon I byleued that he was sauyour of the worlde / and maker of all creatures / & kyng almyghty / thā sayd I to hym / lord haue mercy on me / and haue me in mynde whā thou comest in to thy kyngdome. And anone that blessyd lorde toke my prayer / and sayd to me. This day shalte thou be with me in paradyce. And than he toke me the sygne of the holy crosse / and sayd to me / bere this sygne with the & go to paradyce. And yf the aungell that is keper of paradyce wyll not suffre y^e toentre in / she we hym the sygne of the crosse / and saye to hym y^e Iesucryst whi­che that was now crucyfyed sente me to the / & whan I had sayd this to the aungell / anone he vndyde y^e gates and ledde me ī to paradyse / and set me on y^e ryght syde sayenge thus to me / suffre and holde y^e here a ly­tell whyle / for Adam whiche is fader of all mankynd with all this chyldren and all the frēdes of god shal come hyder by the vertue of crystes passyon. And whan the holy sayntes as patryarkes & prophetes had her­de these wordes of this thefe than they sayd al w^t one [Page]voyce. Blessyd be our lorde god almyghty endlesse fa­der of mercy that suche grace hath gyuen to synners & brought vs to y^e Ioye of paradyse & in to the pastu­re of delyght and to endlesse Ioye. Amen.

THese are the holy secretes of the dsuynyte that we haue sene I Garius & my broder Leuiciꝰ but our lorde god wyll suffre vs no lenger to tell and she we vnto you the secretes of his dyuyn yte / for saynt Myghell the archaungell sayd to vs / ryse & go in to y^e cyte of Ierusalem / and be there in prayers & gloryfye the holy resurreccyō of our lorde Iesu cryst with your bretherne that rose with you / and that ye speke to no persone / but be you as domme vnto the tyme that our lorde shall suffre you for to shew the secretes of his dyuynyte / and so y^e holy aungell saynt Mychaell cōmaū ded vs to goo to flomiordā to a place there that many are rysen w^t vs in wytnesse of y^e resurreccyon of our lorde Iesu cryst. Our lorde god hath graūted vs thre dayes to be in Iherusalem & holde there y^e holy palke of our lorde god with our frendes / & also that we shal be bapt ysed in y^e flomiordan eche of vs / at y^t tyme ma­kynge whyte stooles. And thus saynt Myghell com­masided vs y^t we sholde be in orysōs in y^e cyte of Bar­mathye / and y^e we sholde she we to you these holy secretes / and therfore gyue praysynge to our lorde god / & be a know of your defaute / and do penaūce y^t he maye haue mercy vpon you. Now peas be with you of our lorde Iesu cryst that is lauyour of vs all Amen.❀

¶ How Nychodemus and Ioseph tolde to Pylate all that these two mē hadde sayd / & how Pylate treated with the prynces of the lawe.

ANd whan this serypture was wryten this Garins and Leuicius rose vp / & so Gartus delyuered the byll that he had wryten in to y^e handes of Annas & Cayphas & to Gamaliel. And Leuicius gaue that he had wryten in to the handes of Nychodemus and Ioseph of Barmathye / and anone they w̄ere transfygured and was no more sene / for bothe y^e bylles were all one hande / as though one man had wrytē them both / and there was not one letter more in that one than in that other. And whan y^e Iewes & maysters of y^e laws had reed these bylles & vnderstode thē they were hugely abasshed & ashamed And than they sayd amonge them that forsothe Iesu was very goddes lone / blessyd myghte he be endlesly for all thyng be reth wytnesse therof. And anone after they went out of y^e lynagoge. And than Nychodemus & Ioseph of Barmathy tolde all this vnto Pylate and than Pylate dyd wryte all that whiche was befallē of Iesu / and of that the Iewes had sayd of hym. And all these meruayles he dyd put ī his bokes. After that Pylate entred in to the Iewes / and afore hym assem­bled all y^e maysters of the lawe / as prynces & byssop­pes. And than Pylate dyde commaūde the gates and dores to be shette / and than he said to them. Syrs it is done me to were that ye haue amonge you a newe storye of grete scrypture the whiche scrypture I coueyte for to se / and therfore I charge you that it be brought in to my presence. And whan it was brought to his presence / than sayd he to them all. I coniure you all by y^e vertu of our lorde whiche that is fader and maker of all thynge that ye ne hyde no coūseyle but for to say y^e trouth. Syrs ye knowe by y^e scryptures that is wry­ten here that Iesu whiche y^t yecrucyfyed is very goddes [Page]sone / & so it be houeth hym to come ī to this worlde for the helth of mankynde. And therfore I charge you that ye tell me what tyme y^t cryst sholde come by your lcrypture. Whan y^e Annas and Cayphas were thus coniured / they charged & commaunded that all sholde go out of the temple saue Pylate and them two. And than they sayd to Pylate good Iuge thou hast so con­iured vs that we must nedes shewe to the y^e trouth of this that thou hast enquyred of vs. Syr vnto y^e tyme that we hadde crucyfyed Iesu / we knowe not that he was goddes sone / but we wende that y^e vertues that he wrought had ben done by some charme. Thā made we vs assemble in this temple / & here we dyd reherle all y^e vertues that he had wrought. And so there were many of our lynage that sayd that they had sene Iesu after his passyon: and that they had herde hym speke to his dyscyples / & they sayd y^t they lawe hym stye in to heuen / and we lawe also two men that Iesu reysed fro deth to lyfe which tolde vs many meruayles that Iesu dyde in his dyenge & after / & that may ye were by thre scryptures y^e we holde in our handes / but our custome is suche that we do worshyp to storyes y^e ha­ue bē here afore in our synagoges / and so we fynde by wytnesse of god in y^e fyrst boke as it sayth y^e Myghell the archaungell sayd to Seth that was y^e thyrde sone of Adam whan .v. M. and .v. C. yere were cōplete thā sholde y^e sone of god Iesu cryste come fro heuen / & yet we abede his comyng & parauēture this god of Isra hell that sayd to Moyses that he sholde make a hutche of wydnes in y^e lenght of two cubytes and an halfe / & in the lenght of a cubyte and an halfe / & these .v. cubytes we vnderstande vy y^e olde testament that whan. v M. and .v. C yere is comen / than shall Iesucryst the [Page]sone of god come in to y^e hutche / that is the wombe of y^e maydē Marye Thus our scrypture bereth wytnes of hym that shall be y^e sone of god / & a kynge of the people of Israell / but after y^e passyon of Iesu we & oure prynces meruayled of y^e tokens & wordes that were done by hym / & so we loked our storyes & coūted all y^e lynage downe to Iosephs lynage / & y^e lynage of Ma­ry that was moder of Iesu / & so we haue accounted that fro y^t tyme that god made y^e worlde and Adam the fyrst man vnto Noes flode is two. M. &. v C. yere And fro the flode to Abraham is thre. M. &. v. C. yere / and fro Moyses to Dauyd is .v. C. yere / & fro y^e trās­mygracyō of Babylone to y^e incarnacyō of Iesu cryst is foure. C. yere / and thus is y^e accounte in all .v. M yere. All these thynges & maruayles dyd pylate wry­te for to be redde of all them y^e sholde come after. and than Pylate wrote a letter to the cyte of Rome / and to Claudio the Emperour. &c.