From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama
The Towneley Cycle, Play 21 - The Buffeting (Colophizacio)
001 Primus Tortor. Do Io furth, Io! / and trott on a pase!
002 To anna will we go / and sir cayphas;
003 Witt thou well of thaym two / gettys thou no grace,
004 Bot euerlastyng wo / for trespas thou has
005 So mekill.
006 Thi mys is more
007 Then euer gettys thou grace fore;
008 Thou has beyn ay-whore
009 Ffull fals and full fekyll.
010 Secundus Tortor. It is wonder to dre / thus to be gangyng;
011 We haue had for the / mekill hart stangyng;
012 Bot at last shall we be / out of hart langyng,
013 Be thou haue had two or three / hetys worth a hangyng;
014 No wonder!
015 Sich wyles can thou make.
016 Gar the people farsake
017 Oure lawes, and thyne take;
018 Thus art thou broght in blonder.
019 Primus Tortor. Thou can not say agaynt / If thou be trew;
020 Som men holdys the sant / and that shall thou rew;
021 Ffare wordys can thou paynt / and lege lawes new.
022 Secundus Tortor. Now be ye ataynt / for we will persew
023 On this mater.
024 Many wordys has thou saide
025 Of which we ar not well payde;
026 As good that thou had
027 Halden still thi clater.
028 Primus Tortor. It is better syt still / then rise vp and fall;
029 Thou has long had thi will / and made many brall;
030 At the last wold, thou spill / and for-do vs all,
031 If we dyd neuer yll. /
032 Secundus Tortor. I trow not, he shall
033 Indure it;
034 Ffor if other men ruse hym,
035 We shall accuse hym;
036 His self shall not excuse hym;
037 To you I insure it,
038 With no legeance. /
039 Primus Tortor. Fayn wold he wynk,
040 Els falys his covntenance; / I say as I thynk.
041 Secundus Tortor. He has done vs greuance / therfor shall he drynk;
042 Haue he mekill myschaunsce / that has gart vs swynke
043 In walkyng,
044 That vnneth may I more.
045 Primus Tortor. Peas, man, we ar thore!
046 I shall walk in before,
047 And tell of his talkyng.
048 Haill, syrs, as ye sytt / so worthi in wonys!
049 Whi spyrd ye not yit / how we haue farne this onys?
050 Secundus Tortor. Sir, we wold fayn witt / all wery ar oure bonys;
051 We haue had a fytt / right yll for the nonys,
052 So tarid.
053 Cayphas. Say, were ye oght adred?
054 Were ye oght wrang led?
055 Or in any strate sted?
056 Syrs, who was myscaryd?
057 Anna. Say, were ye oght in dowte / for fawte of light
058 As ye wached ther owte? /
059 Primus Tortor. Sir, as I am true knyght,
060 Of my dame sen I sowked / had I neuer sich a nyght;
061 Myn een were not lowked / to-geder right
062 Sen morowe;
063 Bot yit I thynk it well sett,
064 Sen we with this tratoure met;
065 Sir, this is he that forfett
066 And done so mekill sorow.
067 Cayphas. Can ye hym oght apeche? / had he any ferys?
068 Secundus Tortor. He has bene for to preche / full many long yeris;
069 And the people he teche / a new law.
070 Primus Tortor. Syrs, heris!
071 As far as his witt reche / many oone he lerys;
072 When we toke hym,
073 We faunde hym in a yerde;
074 Bot when I drew out my swerde,
075 His dyscypyls wex ferde,
076 And soyn thay forsoke hym.
077 Secundus Tortor. Sir, I hard hym say he cowthe dystroew / oure tempyll so gay,
078 And sithen beld a new / on the thrid, day.
079 Cayphas. How myght that be trew? / it toke more aray;
080 The masons I knewe / that hewed it, I say,
081 So wyse;
082 That hewed ilka stone.
083 Primus Tortor. A, good sir, lett hym oone;
084 He lyes for the quetstone,
085 I gyf hym the pryce.
086 Secundus Tortor. The halt rynes, the blynd sees / thrugh his fals wyles;
087 Thus he gettis many fees / of thym he begyles.
088 Primus Tortor. He rases men that dees / thay seke hym be myles;
089 And euer thrugh his soceres / oure sabate day defyles
090 Euermore, sir.
091 Secundus Tortor. This is his vse and his custom,
092 To heyll the defe and the dom,
093 Where so euer he com;
094 I tell you before, sir.
095 Primus Tortor. Men call hym / a prophete and godis son of heuen;
096 He wold fayn downe bryng / oure lawes bi his steuen.
097 Secundus Tortor. Yit is ther anothere thyng / that I hard hym neuen,
098 He settys not a fle wyng / bi sir cesar full euen;
099 He says thus;
100 Sir, this same is he
101 That excusyd with his sotelte
102 A woman in avowtre;
103 Ffull well may ye trust vs.
104 Primus Tortor. Sir lazare can he rase / that men may persaue,
105 When he had lyne fower dayes / ded in his graue;
106 All men hym prase / both master and knaue,
107 Such wychcraft he mase. /
108 Secundus Tortor. If he abowte waue
109 Any langere,
110 His warkys may we ban;
111 Ffor he has turned many man
112 Sen the tyme he began,
113 And done vs great hangere.
114 Primus Tortor. He will not leyfe yit / thof he be culpabyll;
115 Men call hym a prophete / a lord full renabyll.
116 Sir cayphas, bi my wytt / he shuld be dampnabill,
117 Bot wold ye two, as ye sytt / make it ferme and stabyll
118 To geder;
119 Ffor ye two, as I traw,
120 May defende all oure law;
121 That mayde vs to you draw,
122 And bryng this losell heder.
123 Secundus Tortor. Sir, I can tell you before / as myght I be maryd,
124 If he reyne any more / oure lawes ar myscaryd.
125 Primus Tortor. Sir, opposed if he wore / he shuld be fon waryd;
126 That is well seyn thore / where he has long tarid
127 And walkyd.
128 He is sowre lottyn:
129 Ther is somwhat forgottyn;
130 I shall thryng out the rottyn,
131 Be we haue all talkyd.
132 Cayphas. Now fare myght you fall / for youre talkyng!
133 Ffor, certys, I my self shall / make examynyng.
134 Harstow, harlott, of all? / of care may thou syng!
135 How durst thou the call / aythere emperoure or kyng?
136 I do fy the!
137 What the dwill doyst thou here?
138 Thi dedys will do the dere;
139 Com nar and rowne in myn eeyr,
140 Or I shall ascry the.
141 Illa-hayll was thou borne! / harke! says he oght agane?
142 Thou shall onys or to-morne / to speke be full fayne.
143 This is a great skorne / and a fals trane;
144 Now wols-hede and out-horne / on the be tane!
145 Vile fature!
146 Oone worde myght thou speke ethe,
147 Yit myght it do the som letht,
148 Et omnis qui tacet
149 Hic consentire videtur.
150 Speke on oone word / right in the dwyllys name!
151 Where was thi syre at bord / when he met with thi dame?
152 What, nawder bowted ne spurd / and a lord of name!
153 Speke on in a torde / the dwill gif the shame,
154 Sir sybre!
155 Perde, if thou were a kyng,
156 Yit myght thou be ridyng;
157 Ffy on the, fundlyng!
158 Thou lyfys bot bi brybre.
159 Lad, I am a prelate / a lord in degre,
160 Syttys in myn astate / as thou may se,
161 Knyghtys on me to wate / in dyuerse degre;
162 I myght thole the abate / and knele on thi kne
163 In my present;
164 As euer syng I mes,
165 Whoso kepis the lawe, I gess,
166 He gettis more by purches
167 Then bi his fre rent.
168 The dwill gif the shame / that euer I knew the!
169 Nather blynde ne lame / will none persew the;
170 Therfor I shall the name / that euer shall rew the,
171 Kyng copyn in oure game / thus shall I indew the,
172 Ffor a fatur.
173 Say, dar thou not speke for ferde?
174 I shrew hym the lerd,
175 Weme! the dwillys durt in thi berd,
176 Vyle fals tratur!
177 Though thi lyppis be stokyn / yit myght thou say, mom;
178 Great wordis has thou spokyn / then was thou not dom.
179 Be it hole worde or brokyn / com, owt with som,
180 Els on the I shall be wrokyn / or thi ded com
181 All outt.
182 Aythere has thou no wytt,
183 Or els ar thyn ere dytt;
184 Why bot herd thou not yit?
185 So, I cry and I showte.
186 Anna. A, sir, be not yll payde / though he not answere;
187 He is inwardly flayde / not right in his gere.
188 Cayphas. No, bot the wordis he has saide / doth my hart great dere.
189 Anna. Sir, yit may ye be dayde. /
190 Cayphas
191 Nay, whils I lif nere.
192 Anna. Sir, amese you.
193 Cayphas. Now fowll myght hym befall!
194 Anna. Sir, ye ar vexed at all,
195 And perauentur he shall
196 Here after pleas you;
197 We may bi oure law / examyn hym fyrst.
198 Cayphas. Bot I gif hym a blaw / my hart will brist.
199 Anna. Abyde to ye his purpose knaw. /
200 Cayphas. Nay, bot I shall out thrist
201 Both his een on a raw. /
202 Anna. Sir, ye will not, I tryst,
203 Be so vengeabyll;
204 Bot let me oppose hym.
205 Cayphas. I pray you, and sloes hym.
206 Anna. Sir, we may not lose hym
207 Bot we were dampnabill.
208 Cayphas. He has adyld his ded / a kyng he hym calde;
209 War! let me gyrd of his hede! /
210 Anna. I hope not ye wold;
211 Bot sir do my red / youre worship to hald.
212 Cayphas. Shall I neuer ete bred / to that he be stald
213 In the stokys.
214 Anna. Sir, speke soft and styll,
215 Let vs do as the law will.
216 Cayphas. Nay, I myself shall hym kyll,
217 And murder with knokys.
218 Anna. Sir, thynk ye that ye ar / a man of holy kyrk,
219 Ye shuld be oure techer / mekenes to wyrk.
220 Cayphas. Yei, bot all is out of har / and that shall he yrk.
221 Anna. All soft may men go far / oure lawes ar not myrk,
222 I weyn;
223 Youre wordys ar bustus,
224 Et hoc nos volumus
225 Quod de Iure possumus:
226 Ye wote what I meyn;
227 It is best that we trete hym / with farenes.
228 Cayphas. We, nay!
229 Anna. And so myght we gett hym / som word for to say.
230 Cayphas. War! let me bett hym! /
231 Anna. Syr, do away!
232 Ffor if ye thus thrett hym / he spekys not this day.
233 Bot herys;
234 Wold ye sesse and abyde,
235 I shuld take hym on syde
236 And inquere of his pryde,
237 How he oure folke lerys.
238 Cayphas. He has reuyd ouer lang / with his fals lyys,
239 And done mekyll wrang / sir cesar he defyes;
240 Therfor shall I hym hang / or I vp ryse.
241 Anna. Sir, the law will not he gang / on nokyn wyse
242 Vndemyd;
243 Bot fyrst wold I here
244 What he wold answere;
245 Bot he dyd any dere
246 Why shuld he be flemyd?
247 And therfor examynyng / ffyrst will I make,
248 Sen that he callys hym a kyng. /
249 Cayphas. Bot he that forsake
250 I shall gyf hym a wryng / that his nek shall crak.
251 Anna. Syr, ye may not hym dyng / no word yit he spake,
252 That I wyst.
253 Hark, felow, com nar!
254 Wyll thou neuer be war?
255 I haue meruell thou dar
256 Thus do thyn awne lyst.
257 Bot I shall do as the law wyll / if the people ruse the;
258 Say, dyd thou oght this yll? / can thou oght excuse the?
259 Why standys thou so styll / when men thus accuse the?
260 Ffor to hyng on a hyll / hark how thay ruse the
261 To dam.
262 Say, art thou godys son of heuen,
263 As thou art wonte for to neuen?
264 Jesus. So thou says by thy steuen,
265 And right so I am;
266 Ffor after this shall thou se / when that [I] do com downe
267 In brightnes on he / in clowdys from abone.
268 Cayphas. A, ill myght the feete be / that broght the to towne!
269 Thou art worthy to de! / say, thefe, where is thi crowne?
270 Anna. Abyde, sir,
271 Let vs lawfully redres.
272 Cayphas. We nede no wytnes,
273 Hys self says expres;
274 Whi shuld I not chyde, sir?
275 Anna. Was ther neuer man so wyk / bot he myght amende.
276 When it com to the pryk / right as youre self kend.
277 Cayphas. Nay, sir, bot I shall hym styk / euen with myn awne hend;
278 Ffor if he reue and be whyk / we ar at an end,
279 All sam!
280 Therfor, whils I am in this brethe,
281 Let me put hym to deth.
282 Anna. Sed nobis non licet
283 Interficere quemquam.
284 Sir, ye wote better then I / we shuld slo no man.
285 Cayphas. His dedys I defy / his warkys may we ban,
286 Therfor shall he by. /
287 Anna. Nay, on oder wyse than,
288 And do it lawfully. /
289 Cayphas. As how?
290 Anna. Tel you I can.
291 Cayphas. Let se.
292 Anna. Sir take tent to my sawes;
293 Men of temporall lawes
294 Thay may deme sich cause,
295 And so may not we.
296 Cayphas. My hart is full cold / nerehand that I swelt;
297 Ffor talys that ar told / I bolne at my belt,
298 Vnethes may it hold / my body, an ye it felt;
299 Yit wold I gif of my gold / yond tratoure to pelt
300 Ffor euer.
301 Anna. Good sir, do as ye hett me.
302 Cayphas. Whi shall he ouer-sett me?
303 Sir anna, if ye lett me
304 Ye do not youre deuer.
305 Anna. Sir, ye ar a prelate. /
306 Cayphas. So may I well seme,
307 My self if I say it. /
308 Anna. Be not to breme;
309 Sich men of astate / shuld no men deme,
310 Bot send them to pilate / the temporall law to yeme
311 Has he;
312 He may best threte hym,
313 And all to rehete hym;
314 It is shame you to bete hym
315 Therfor, sir, let be.
316 Cayphas. Ffy on hym and war! / I am oute of my gate;
317 Say why standys he so far. /
318 Anna. Sir, he cam bot late.
319 Cayphas. No, bot I haue knyghtys that dar / rap hym on the pate.
320 Anna. Ye ar bot to skar / good sir abate,
321 And here;
322 What nedys you to chyte?
323 What nedys you to flyte?
324 If ye yond man smyte,
325 Ye ar irregulere.. Cayphas. He that fyrst made me clerk / and taght me my lare,
326 On bookys for to barke / the dwill gyf hym care!
327 Anna. A, good sir, hark! / sich wordys myght ye spare.
328 Cayphas. Els myght I haue made vp wark / of yond, harlot and mare,
329 Perde!
330 Bot certys, or he hens yode,
331 It wold do me som good
332 To se knyghtys knok his hoode
333 With knokys two or thre.
334 Ffor sen he has trespast / and broken oure law,
335 Let vs make hym agast / and set hym in awe.
336 Anna. Sir, as ye haue hast / it shalbe, I traw.
337 Com and make redy fast / ye knyghtys on a raw,
338 Youre arament;
339 And that kyng to you take,
340 And with knokys make hym wake.
341 Cayphas. Yei, syrs, and for my sake
342 Gyf hym good payment.
343 Ffor if I myght go with you / as I wold that I myght,
344 I shuld, make myn avowe / that ons or mydnyght
345 I shuld make his heede sow / wher that I hyt right.
346 Primus Tortor. Sir, drede you not now / of this cursed wight
347 To day,
348 Ffor we shall so rok hym,
349 And with buffettys knok hym.
350 Cayphas. And I red that ye lok hym,
351 That he ryn not away,
352 Ffor I red not we mete / if that lad skap.
353 Secundus Tortor. Sir, on vs be it / bot we clowt well his kap.
354 Cayphas. Wold ye do as ye heytt / it were a fayr hap.
355 Primus Tortor. Sir, see ye and sytt / how that we hym knap,
356 Oone ffeste;
357 Bot or we go to this thyng,
358 Sayn vs, lord, with thy ryng.
359 Cayphas. Now he shall haue my blyssyng
360 That knokys hym the best.
361 Secundus Tortor. Go we now to oure noyte / with this fond foyll.
362 Primus Tortor. We shall teche hym, I wote / a new play of yoyll,
363 And hold hym full hote / frawrord, a stoyll
364 Go fetch vs!
365 Froward. We, dote! / now els were it doyll
366 And vnneth;
367 Ffor the wo that he shall dre
368 Let hym knele on his kne.
369 Secundus Tortor. And so shall he for me;
370 Go fetche vs a light buffit.
371 Froward. Why must he sytt soft / with a mekill myschaunce,
372 That has tenyd vs thus oft? /
373 Primus Tortor. Sir, we do it for a skawnce;
374 If he stode vp on loft / we must hop and dawnse
375 As cokys in a croft. /
376 Froward. Now a veniance
377 Com on hym!
378 Good skill can ye shew,
379 As fell I the dew;
380 Haue this, bere it, shrew!
381 Ffor soyn shall we fon hym.
382 Secundus Tortor. Com, sir, and syt downe / must ye be prayde?
383 Lyke a lord of renowne / youre sete is arayde.
384 Primus Tortor. We shall preue on his crowne / the wordys he has sayde.
385 Secundus Tortor. Ther is none in this towne / I trow, be ill payde
386 Of his sorow,
387 Bot the fader that hym gate.
388 Primus Tortor. Now, for oght that I wate,
389 All his kyn commys to late
390 His body to borow.
391 Secundus Tortor. I wold we were onwarde. /
392 Primus Tortor. Bot his een must be hyd.
393 Secundus Tortor. Yei, bot thay be well spard / we lost that we dyd;
394 Step furth thou, froward! /
395 Froward. What is now betyd?
396 Primus Tortor. Thou art euer away ward. /
397 Froward. Haue ye none to byd
398 Bot me?
399 I may syng ylla-hayll.
400 Secundus Tortor. Thou must get vs a vayll.
401 Froward. Ye ar euer in oone tayll.
402 Primus Tortor. Now ill myght thou the!
403 Well had thou thi name / for thou was euer curst.
404 Froward. Sir, I myght say the same / to you if I durst;
405 Yit my hyer may I clame / no penny I purst;
406 I haue had mekyll shame / hunger and thurst,
407 In youre seruyce.
408 Primus Tortor. Not oone word so bold!
409 Froward. Why, it is trew that I told!
410 Ffayn preue it I wold.
411 Secundus Tortor. Thou shalbe cald to peruyce.
412 Froward. Here a vayll haue I fon / I trow it will last.
413 Primus Tortor. Bryng it hyder, good son / that is it that I ast.
414 Froward. How shuld, it be bon? /
415 Secundus Tortor. Abowte his heade cast.
416 Primus Tortor. Yei, and when it is well won / knyt a knot fast. I red.
417 Froward. Is it weyll?
418 Secundus Tortor. Yei, knaue.
419 Froward. What, weyn ye that I rafe?
420 Cryst curs myght he haue
421 That last bond his head!
422 Primus Tortor. Now sen he is blynfold, / I fall to begyn,
423 And thus was I counseld / the mastry to wyn.
424 Secundus Tortor. Nay, wrang has thou told / thus shuld, thou com in!
425 Froward. I stode and beheld, / thou towchid, not the skyn,
426 Bot fowll.
427 Primus Tortor. How will thou I do?
428 Secundus Tortor. On this manere, lo!
429 Froward. Yei, that was well gone to,
430 Thar start vp a cowll.
431 Primus Tortor. Thus shall we hym refe / all his fonde talys.
432 Secundus Tortor. Ther is noght in thi nefe / or els thi hart falys.
433 Froward. I can my hand vphefe / and knop out the skalys.
434 Primus Tortor. Godys forbot ye lefe / bot set in youre nalys
435 On raw.
436 Sit vp and prophecy.
437 Froward. Bot make vs no ly.
438 Secundus Tortor. Who smote the last?
439 Primus Tortor. Was it I?
440 Froward. He wote not, I traw.
441 Primus Tortor. Ffast to sir cayphas / go we togeder.
442 Secundus Tortor. Ryse vp with ill grace / so com thou hyder.
443 Froward. It semys by his pase / he groches to go thyder.
444 Primus Tortor. We haue gyfen hym a glase / ye may consyder,
445 To kepe.
446 Secundus Tortor. Sir, for his great boost,
447 With knokys he is indoost.
448 Froward. In fayth, sir, we had almost
449 Knokyd hym on slepe.
450 Cayphas. Now sen he is well bett / weynd on youre gate,
451 And tell ye the forfett / vnto sir pylate;
452 Ffor he is a Iuge sett / emang men of state,
453 And looke that ye not let. /
454 Primus Tortor. Com furth, old crate,
455 Be lyfe!
456 We shall lede the a trott.
457 Secundus Tortor. Lyft thy feet may thou not.
458 Froward. Then nedys me do nott
459 Bot com after and dryfe.
460 Cayphas. Alas, now take I hede! /
461 Anna. Why mowrne ye so?
462 Cayphas. Ffor I am euer in drede / wandreth, and wo,
463 Lest pylate for mede / let ihesus go;
464 Bot had I slayn hym indede / with thise handys two,
465 At onys,
466 All had bene qwytt than;
467 Bot gyftys marres many man.
468 Bot he deme the sothe than,
469 The dwill haue his bonys!
470 Sir anna, all I wyte you this blame / for had ye not beyn,
471 I had mayde hym full tame / yei, stykyd hym, I weyn,
472 To the hart full wan / with this dagger so keyn.
473 Anna. Sir, you must shame / sich wordys for to meyn
474 Emang men.
475 Cayphas. I will not dwell in this stede,
476 Bot spy how thay hym lede,
477 And persew on his dede.
478 Ffare well! we gang, men.
479
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Proper Citation: NeCastro, Gerard. The Towneley Cycle, Play 21 - The Buffeting (Colophizacio). From Stage to Page - Medieval and Renaissance Drama. http:www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/drama. Date Visited.