Peter Robins, his website

Judas

Variant 23

1
HIT wes upon a Scere-thorsday that ure loverd aros;
Ful milde were the wordes he spec to Judas.
2
`Judas, thou most to Jurselem, oure mete for to bugge;
Thritti platen of selver thou bere up othi rugge.
3
`Thou comest fer ithe brode stret, fer ithe brode strete;
Summe of thine tunesmen ther thou meiht imete.'
4
. . . . .
Immette wid is soster, the swikele wimon.
5
`Judas, thou were wrthe me stende the wid ston,
For the false prophete that tou bilevest upon.'
6
`Be stille, leve soster, thin herte the tobreke!
Wiste min loverd Crist, ful wel he wolde be wreke.'
7
`Judas, go thou on the roc, heie upon the ston;
Lei thin heved imy barm, slep thou the anon.'
8
Sone so Judas of slepe was awake,
Thritti platen of selver from hym weren itake.
9
He drou hymselve bi the cop, that al it lavede a blode;
The Jewes out of Jurselem awenden he were wode.
10
Foret hym com the riche Jeu that heihte Pilatus:
`Wolte sulle thi loverd, that hette Jesus?'
11
`I nul sulle my loverd [for] nones cunnes eihte,
Bote hit be for the thritti platen that he me bitaihte.'
12
`Wolte sulle thi lord Crist for enes cunnes golde?'
`Nay, bote hit be for the platen that he habben wolde.'
13
In him com ur lord Crist gon, as is postles seten at mete:
`Wou sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete?
14
[`Wou sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete?]
Ic am ibouht ant isold today for oure mete.'
15
Up stod him Judas: `Lord, am I that . . .?
`I nas never othe stude ther me the evel spec.'
16
Up him stod Peter, and spec wid al is mihte,
. . . . . .
17
`Thau Pilatus him come wid ten hundred cnihtes,
Yet ic wolde, loverd, for thi love fihte.'
18
`Still thou be, Peter, wel I the icnowe;
Thou wolt fursake me thrien ar the coc him crowe.'

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