N-Town Cycle, Play 38 [Christ's Appearance to Cleophas and Luke on the Way to Emmaus, and Thomas' Doubt] Hic incipit Aparicio Cleophe et Luce. 1 CLEOPHAS My brothir Lucas, I 3ow pray, 2 Plesynge to 3ow if şat it be, 3 To şe castel of Emawus a lytyl way 4 şat 3e vowchesaf to go with me. 5 LUCAS All redy, brother, I walke with the 6 To 3one castell with ryght good chere. 7 Euyn togedyr anon go we, 8 Brother Cleophas, we to in fere. 9 CLEOPHAS A, brother Lucas, I am sore mevyd 10 Whan Cryst, oure mayster, comyth in my mynde. 11 Whan that I thynke how he was grevyd, 12 Joye in myn herte kan I non fynde. 13 He was so lowlye, so good, so kynde, 14 Holy of lyf and meke of mood. 15 Alas, şe Jewys, şei were to blynde 16 Hym for to kylle şat was so good. 17 LUCAS Brothyr Cleophas, 3e sey ful soth: 18 They were to cursyd and to cruell. 19 And Judas, şat traytour, he was to loth, 20 For golde and sylvyr his maystyr to selle. 21 The Jewys were redy hym for to qwelle, 22 With skorgys bete out all his blood. 23 Alas, şei were to fers and felle; 24 Shamfully thei henge hym on a rood. 25 CLEOPHAS 3a, betwen to thevys—alas, for shame— 26 They henge hym up with body rent. 27 Alas, alas, they were to blame! 28 To cursyd and cruel was şer intent. 29 Whan for thurste he was nere shent, 30 Eyzil and galle şei 3ovyn hym to drynke. 31 Alas, for ruthe, his deth thei bent 32 In a fowle place of horryble stynke. 33 LUCAS 3a, and cawse in hym cowde they non fynde. 34 Alas, for sorwe, what was here thought? 35 And he dede helpe bothe lame and blynde, 36 And all seke men şat were hym browght. 37 A3ens vice alwey he wrought; 38 Synfull dede wold he nevyr do. 39 3it hym to kylle şei sparyd nought. 40 Alas, alas, why dede they so? 41 JESUS Well ovyrtake, 3e serys in-same. 42 To walke in felachep with 3ow I pray. 43 LUCAS Welcom, ser[e], in Goddys name; 44 Of good felachep we sey not nay. 45 JESUS Qwat is 3oure langage, to me 3e say, 46 That 3e haue togedyr, 3e to? 47 Sory and evysum 3e ben aiway— 48 3oure myrthe is gon; why is it so? 49 CLEOPHAS Sere, methynkyth şu art a pore pylgrym 50 Here walkynge be şiselfe alone, 51 And in şe ceté of Jerusalem, 52 şu knowyst ryght lytyl what şer is done. 53 For pylgrymys comyn and gon ryth sone; 54 Ryght lytyl whyle plygrymes do dwelle. 55 In all Jerusalem, as şu hast gone, 56 I trowe no tydyngys şat şu canst telle. 57 JESUS Why, in Jherusalem what thynge is wrought? 58 What tydyngys fro thens brynge 3e? 59 LUCAS A, ther haue they slayn a man for nought, 60 Gyltles he was, as we telle the. 61 An holy prophete with God was he, 62 Myghtyly in wurde and eke in dede; 63 Of God he had ryght grett poosté. 64 Amonge şe pepyl his name gan sprede. 65 He hyght Jesu of Nazareth, 66 A man he was of ryght grett fame. 67 The Jewys hym kylde with cruel deth, 68 Without trespas or any blame. 69 Hym to scorne they had grett game, 70 And naylid hym streyte ontyll a tre. 71 Alas, alas, methynkyth grett shame 72 Without cawse şat this xulde be. 73 CLEOPHAS 3a, sere, and ryght grett troste in hym we had, 74 All Israel countré şat he xulde saue. 75 The thrydde day is this şat he was clad 76 In coold cley and leyd in grave. 77 3itt woundyrful tydyngys of hym we haue 78 Of women şat sought hym beforn daylyth. 79 Wethyr they sey truthe or ellys do raue, 80 We cannot telle şe trewe verdyth. 81 Whan Cryst in grave şei cowde not se, 82 They comyn to us and evyn thus tolde: 83 How şat an aungell seyd to them thre 84 That he xuld leve with brest ful bolde. 85 3itt Petyr and Johan preve this wolde: 86 To Crystys graue they ran, thei tweyne. 87 And whan they come to şe graue so coolde, 88 They fownde şe women ful trewe, serteyne. 89 JESUS A, 3e fonnys and slought of herte 90 For to beleve in Holy Scrypture! 91 Haue not prophetys with wurdys smerte 92 Spoke be tokenys in signifure 93 That Cryste xuld deye for 3oure valure 94 And syth entre his joye and blys? 95 Why be 3e of herte so dure 96 And trust not in God, şat myghtful is? 97 Bothe Moyses and Aaron, and othyr mo— 98 In Holy Scrypture 3e may rede it— 99 Of Crystis deth thei spak also, 100 And how he xuld ryse out of his pitt. 101 Owt of feyth than why do 3e flitte 102 Whan holy prophetys 3ow teche so pleyne? 103 Turne 3oure thought and chaunge 3oure witte, 104 And truste wele şat Cryst doth leve ageyne. 105 LUCAS Leve ageyn? Man, be in pes. 106 How xulde a ded man evyr aryse? 107 I cowncell şe such wurdys to ses 108 For dowte of Pylat, şat hy3 justyce. 109 He was slayn at şe gre[t] asyse 110 Be councell of lordys many on. 111 Of suche langage take bettyr avise 112 In every company şer şu dost gon. 113 CHRISTUS Trewth dyd nevyr his maystyr shame. 114 Why xulde I ses than trewth to say? 115 Be Jonas şe prophete I preve şe same, 116 şat was in a whallys body iij nyghtis and iij day. 117 So longe Cryst in his grave lay 118 As Jonas was withinne şe se. 119 His grave is brokyn, şat was of clay; 120 To lyff resyn a3en now is he. 121 CLEOPHAS Sey nott so, man! It may not be, 122 Thow thyn exaunple be sumdele good. 123 For Jonas on lyve evyrmore was he, 124 And Cryst was slayn vpon a rood. 125 The Jewys on hym, they wore so wood 126 şat to his herte a spere they pyght! 127 He bled owt all his herteblood. 128 How xulde he thanne ryse with myght? 129 CHRISTUS Take hede at Aaron and his dede styk, 130 Which was ded of his nature. 131 And 3it he floryschyd with flowrys ful thyk 132 And bare almaundys of grett valure. 133 The dede styk was signifure 134 How Cryst, şat shamfully was deed and slayn, 135 As şat dede styk bare frute ful pure, 136 So Cryst xuld ryse to lyve ageyn. 137 LUCAS That a deed styk frute xulde bere, 138 I merveyle sore şerof, iwys. 139 But 3itt hymsylf fro deth to rere 140 And leve ageyn, more woundyr it is. 141 That he doth leve, I trost not this, 142 For he hath bled his blood so red. 143 But 3itt of myrthe evyrmoor I mys 144 Whan I haue mende şat he is ded. 145 CHRISTUS Why be 3e so harde of truste? 146 Dede not Cryste reyse thorwe his owyn myght 147 Lazare, şat deed lay vndyr şe duste 148 And stynkyd ryght foule, as I 3ow plyght? 149 To lyff Cryst reysid hym a3en ful ryght 150 Out of his graue, şis is serteyn. 151 Why may nat Cryste hymself şus qwyght, 152 And ryse from deth to lyve ageyn? 153 CLEOPHAS Now trewly, sere, 3oure wurdys ben good, 154 I haue in 3ow ryght grett delyght. 155 I pray 3ow, sere, with mylde mood, 156 To dwelle with vs all şis nyght. 157 CHRISTUS I must gon hens anon ful ryght 158 For grett massagys I haue to do. 159 I wolde abyde yf şat I myght, 160 But at şis tyme I must hens go. 161 LUCAS 3e xal not gon fro us şis nyght. 162 It waxit all derke, gon is şe day; 163 şe sonne is downe, lorn is şe lyght. 164 3e xal not gon from vs away. 165 CHRISTUS I may not dwelle, as I 3ow say; 166 I must şis nyght go to my frende. 167 şerfore, good bretheryn, I 3ow pray, 168 Lett me not my wey to wende. 169 CLEOPHAS Trewly, from vs 3e xal not go! 170 3e xal abyde with us here stylle. 171 3oure goodly dalyaunce plesyth us so, 172 We may nevyr haue of 3ow oure fylle. 173 We pray 3ow, sere, with herty wylle, 174 All nyght with us abyde and dwelle, 175 More goodly langage to talkyn vs tylle, 176 And of 3oure good dalyaunce more for to telle. 177 LUCAS 3a, brothyr Cleophas, by myn assent, 178 Lete us hym kepe with strenth and myght! 179 Sett on 3owre hand with good entent 180 And pulle hym with us şe wey well ryght. 181 The day is done, sere, and now it is nyght. 182 Why wole 3e hens now from us go? 183 3e xal abyde, as I 3ow plyght— 184 3e xal not walke şis nyght vs fro. 185 CLEOPHAS This nyght fro us 3e go not away! 186 We xal 3ow kepe betwen us tweyne. 187 To vs, şerfore, 3e sey not nay, 188 But walke with us; şe wey is pleyne. 189 CHRISTUS Sythyn 3e kepe me with myght and mayn, 190 With herty wyll I xal abyde. 191 LUCAS Of 3oure abydyng we be ful fayn, 192 No man more welkom in şis werd wyde. 193 CLEOPHAS Off oure maystyr, Cryst Jesu, 194 For 3e do speke so mech good, 195 I loue 3ow hertyly, trust me trew. 196 He was bothe meke and mylde of mood, 197 Of hym to speke is to me food. 198 If 3e had knowe hym, I dare wel say, 199 And in what plyght with hym it stood, 200 3e wold haue thought on hym many a day. 201 LUCAS Many a day. 3a, 3a, iwys. 202 He was a man of holy levynge. 203 Thow he had be be childe of God in blys, 204 Bothe wyse and woundyrfull was his werkynge. 205 But aftere 3oure labour and ferre walkynge, 206 Takyth şis loff and etyth sum bred. 207 And than wyl we haue more talkynge 208 Of Cryst, oure maystyr, şat is now ded. 209 CHRISTUS Beth mery and glad with hert ful fre, 210 For of Cryst Jesu, şat was 3oure frende, 211 3e xal haue tydyngys of game and gle 212 Withinne a whyle, or 3e hens wende. 213 With myn hand şis bred I blys, 214 And breke it here, as 3e do se. 215 I 3eve 3ow parte also of şis, 216 This bred to ete and blythe to be. Hic subito discedat Christus ab oculis eorum. 217 [CLEOPHAS] A, mercy, God! What was oure happ? 218 Was not oure hert with loue brennynge 219 Whan Cryst, oure mayster, so nere oure lapp 220 Dede sitt and speke such suete talkynge? 221 He is now quyk and man lyvenge 222 şat fyrst was slayn and put in grave! 223 Now may we chaunge all oure mornynge, 224 For oure Lord is resyn his seruauntys to saue. 225 LUCAS Alas, for sorwe, what hap was this? 226 Whan he dyd walke with vs in way, 227 He prevyd by Scripture ryght wel, iwys, 228 şat he was resyn from vndyr clay. 229 We trustyd hym not, but evyr seyd nay— 230 Alas, for shame, why seyd we so? 231 He is resyn to lyve şis day; 232 Out of his grave oure Lord is go! 233 CLEOPHAS Latt us here no lengere dwelle, 234 But to oure bretheryn şe wey we wende. 235 With talys trewe to them we telle 236 That Cryst doth leve, oure maystyr and frende. 237 LUCAS I graunt şerto with hert ful hende: 238 Lete us go walke forthe in oure way. 239 I am ful joyfull in hert and mende 240 şat oure Lord levyth, şat fyrst ded lay. 241 CLEOPHAS Now, was it not goodly don 242 Of Cryst Jesu, oure mayster dere? 243 He hath with us a large wey gon, 244 And of his vprysyng he dede us lere. 245 Whan he walkyd with us in fere, 246 And we supposyd hym bothe deed and colde, 247 şat he was aresyn from vndyr bere 248 Be Holy Scripture şe trewth he tolde. 249 LUCAS Ryght lovyngely don, forsothe, this was. 250 What myght oure mayster tyl us do more 251 Than us to chere, şat forth dede pas? 252 And for his deth we murnyd ful sore; 253 For loue of hym oure myrthe was lore; 254 We were for hym ryght hevy in herte. 255 But now oure myrth he doth restore, 256 For he is resyn bothe heyl and qwert. 257 CLEOPHAS That he is şus resyn I haue grett woundyr! 258 An hevy ston ovyr hym şer lay. 259 How shulde he breke şe ston asoundyr 260 şat was deed and colde in clay? 261 Euery man şis mervayle may, 262 And drede şat Lorde of mekyl myght. 263 But 3it of şis no man sey nay, 264 For we haue seyn hym with opyn syght. 265 LUCAS That he doth leve, I woot wel this; 266 He is aresyn with flesch and blood. 267 A levynge man, forsothe, he is, 268 şat rewly was rent upon a rood. 269 All heyl, dere brothyr, and chaunge 3oure mood, 270 For Cryst doth levyn and hath his hele! 271 We walkyd in wey with Cryst so good 272 And spak with hym wurdys fele. 273 CLEOPHAS Evyn tyll Emawus, şe grett castell, 274 From Jerusalem with hym we went. 275 Syxti furlonge, as we 3ow telle, 276 We went with hym evyn passent. 277 He spak with us with good entent; 278 şat Cryst xuld leve he tolde tyll us, 279 And previd it be Scripture, verament. 280 Trust me trewe, it is ryght thus. 281 LUCAS 3a, and whan he had longe spokyn vs tylle, 282 He wold from vs a gon his way. 283 With strenght and myght we keptyn hym stylle, 284 And bred we tokyn hym to etyn, in fay. 285 He brak şe loff as evyn on tway 286 As ony sharpe knyff xuld kytt breed. 287 şerby we knew şe trewth şat day: 288 şat Cryst dede leve and was not deed. 289 PETRUS. Now trewly, serys, I haue grett woundyr 290 Of these grete merveylis şat 3e vs telle! 291 In brekynge of bred ful evyn asoundyr 292 Oure mayster 3e knew and Lord ryght well. 293 3e sey Cryst levith, şat Jewys dyd qwelle. 294 Tyll us glad tydyngys şis is, serteyn! 295 And şat oure maystyr with 3ow so longe dede dwelle, 296 It doth wel preve şat he levith ageyn. 297 A, brother Thomas, we may be ryght glad 298 Of these gode novell şat we now haue. 299 şe grace of oure Lorde God is ouyr vs all sprad; 300 Oure Lord is resyn his se[r]uauntys to saue. 301 THOMAS Be in pes, Petyr, şu gynnyst to rave! 302 Thy wurdys be wantowne and ryght vnwyse. 303 How xulde a deed man şat deed lay in grave 304 With qwyk flesche and blood to lyve ageyn ryse? 305 PETRUS. 3is, Thomas, dowte şe not oure maystyr is on lyve. 306 Record of Mawdelyn and of here systerys too; 307 Cleophas and Lucas, şe trewthe for to contryve, 308 Fro Jerusalem to Emaws with hym dede they go 309 THOMAS I may nevyr in hert trust şat it is so! 310 He was ded on cros and colde put in pitt, 311 Kept with knyhtys iiij, his grave sealyd also. 312 How xulde he levyn ageyn şat so streyte was shitt? 313 PETRUS. Whan Mawdelyn dede tell us şat Cryst was aresyn, 314 I ran to his graue, and Johan ran with me. 315 In trewth, şer we fownde he lay not in presyn— 316 Gon out of his grave and on lyve şan was he. 317 Therfore, dere brother Thomas, I wole rede the, 318 Stedfastly şu trust şat Cryst is not deed. 319 Feythffully beleve a qwyk man şat he be, 320 Aresyn from his deth by myght of his godhed. 321 THOMAS I may nevyr beleve these woundyr merveles 322 Tyl şat I haue syght of euery grett wounde, 323 And put in my fyngyr in place of şe nayles. 324 I xal nevyr beleve it ellys for no man on grownnde. 325 And tyll şat myn hand be sperys pytt hath fownnde, 326 Which dede cleve his hert and made hym sprede his blood, 327 I xal nevyr beleue şat he is qwyk and sownde, 328 In trewth whyl I knowe şat he was dede on rood. 329 PETRUS. Cryst be şi comforte and chawnge şi bad witt, 330 For feyth but şu haue, şi sowle is but lorn. 331 With stedfast beleve God enforme şe 3itt, 332 Of a meke mayde as he was for us born. 333 CHRISTUS Pees be amonge 3ow! Beholde how I am torn. 334 Take hede of myn handys, my dere brothyr Thomas. 335 THOMAS My God and my Lorde, nyght and every morn 336 I aske mercy, Lorde, for my grett trespas! 337 CHRISTUS Beholde wele, Thomas, my woundys so wyde, 338 Which I haue sufferyd for all mankynde. 339 Put şin hool hand into my ryght syde, 340 And in myn hertblood şin hand şat şu wynde. 341 So feythffull a frend were mayst şu fynde? 342 Be stedfast in feyth, beleve wel in me. 343 Be şu not dowtefful of me in şi mynde, 344 But trust şat I leve, şat deed was on a tre. 345 THOMAS My Lord and my God, with syght do I se 346 şat şu art now quyk, which henge deed on rode. 347 More feythful şan I ther may no man be, 348 For myn hand haue I wasch in şi precyous blode. 349 CHRISTUS For şu hast me seyn, şerfore şi feyth is good. 350 But blyssyd be tho of şis şat haue no syght 351 And beleve in me. They, for here meke mood, 352 Shall com into hefne, my blysse şat is so bryght. 353 THOMAS As a ravaschyd man whos witt is all gon, 354 Grett mornynge I make for my drediful dowte. 355 Alas, I was dowteful şat Cryst from vndyr ston 356 Be his owyn grett myght no wyse myght gone owte. 357 Alas, what mevyd me thus in my thought? 358 My dowtefful beleve ryght sore me avexit. 359 The trewthe do I knowe şat God so hath wrought: 360 Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. 361 He şat was bothe deed and colde put in grave 362 To lyve is aresyn by his owyn myght. 363 In his dere herteblood myn hand wasch I haue, 364 Where şat şe spere-poynt was peynfully pyght. 365 I take me to feyth, forsakynge all vnryght; 366 şe dowte şat I had ful sore me avexit. 367 For now haue I seyn with ful opyn syght: 368 Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. 369 I trustyd no talys şat were me tolde 370 Tyl şat myn hand dede in his hertblood wade. 371 My dowte doth aprevyn Cryst levynge ful bolde 372 And is a grett argument in feyth us to glade. 373 şu, man şat seyst şis, from feyth nevyr şu fade. 374 My dowte xal evyr chere the, şat sore me avexit. 375 Truste wele in Cryst; şat such meracle hath made. 376 Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. 377 The prechynge of Petir myght not conuerte me 378 Tyll I felyd şe wounde şat şe spere dyde cleve. 379 I trustyd nevyr he levyd, şat deed was on a tre, 380 Tyll şat his herteblood dede renne in my sleve. 381 Thus be my grett dowte oure feyth may we preve. 382 Behold my blody hand, to feyth şat me avexit; 383 Be syght of şis myrroure, from feyth not remeve 384 Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. 385 Thow şat Mary Magdalyn in Cryst dede sone beleve - 386 And I was longe dowteful, 3itt putt me in no blame. 387 For be my grett dowte oure feyth may we preve 388 A3ens all şo eretykys şat speke of Cryst shame 389 Truste wel Jesu Cryst, şe Jewys kyllyd the sam 390 The fende hath he feryd, oure feyth şat evyr avexit. 391 To hevyn 3ow brynge, and saue 3ow all in-same 392 That mortuus et sepultus iterum resurrexit. 393 Amen.