Here begins the appearance to Cleophas and Luke
CLEOPHAS My brother Luke, I you pray, Pleasing to you if that it be, To the castle of Emmaus a little way That ye vouchsafe to go with me. LUKE All ready, brother, I'll walk with thee 5 To yon castle with right good cheer. Even together anon go we, Brother Cleophas, we two together. CLEOPHAS Ah, brother Luke, I am sore moved When Christ, our master, comes into my mind. 10 When I think how he was grieved, Joy in my heart can I not find. He was so lowly, so good, so kind, Holy of life and meek of mood. Alas, the Jews, they were so blind 15 Him to kill that was so good. LUKE Brother Cleophas, you tell the truth: They were too cursed and too cruel. And Judas, that traitor, he was too loth, For gold and silver his master to sell. 20 The Jews were ready him for to quell, With scourges they beat out all his blood. Alas, they were too fierce and fell; Shamefully they hung him on a rood. CLEOPHAS Yea, between two thieves -- alas for shame -- 25 They hung him up with body rent. Alas, alas they were to blame! Too cursed and cruel was their intent. When for thirst he was near spent, Vinegar and gall they gave him to drink. 30 Alas, for pity, his death they meant In a foul place of horrible stink. LUKE Yea, and guilt in him they could not find. Alas for sorrow, what was here thought? And he did help both lame and blind, 35 And all sick men that were to him brought. Against vice always he wrought; Sinful deeds would he never do. Yet him to kill they spared not. Alas, alas, why did they so? 40 JESUS Well overtaken, good sirs, the same. To walk in fellowship with you I pray. LUKE Welcome, sir, in God's name; Of good fellowship we say not nay. JESUS What is your language, to me you say, 45 That you have together, you two? Sorry and heavisome you be alway -- Your mirth is gone; why is it so? CLEOPHAS Sir, methinks thou art a poor pilgrim Here walking by thyself alone, 50 And in the city of Jerusalem, Thou knowest right little what there was done. For pilgrims coming and going right soon; Just a little while pilgrims do dwell. In all Jerusalem, as thou hast gone, 55 I believe no tiding thou canst tell. JESUS Why, in Jerusalem what thing is wrought? What tidings from thence bring ye? LUKE Ah, there they have slain a man for nought, Guiltless he was, as we tell thee. 60 A holy prophet with God was he, Mighty in word and also in deed; Of God he had right great power. Among the people his name began to spread. He was called Jesus of Nazareth, 65 A man he was of right great fame. The Jews him killed in a cruel death, Without trespass or any blame. Him to scorn that made great game, And nailed him straight on to a tree. 70 Alas, alas, methink it great shame, Without cause that this should be. CLEOPHAS Yea, sir, and right great trust in him we had, All Israel country that he should save. The third day is this that he was clad 75 In cold clay and laid in grave. Yet wonderful tidings of him we have Of women that sought him before daylight. Whether they say truth or else do rave, We cannot tell the truth or right. 80 When Christ in the grave they could not see, They came to us and even thus told: How that an angel said to them all three That he should live with breast full bold. Yet Peter and John prove this would: 85 To Christ's grave they ran, those two. And when they came to the grave so cold They found, certainly, the women full true. JESUS Ah, you fools and slow of heart To believe in Holy Scripture! 90 Have not the prophets with words smart Spoken by tokens that signify That Christ should die for you and I And then enter his joy and bliss? Why are still your hearts awry 95 And trust not in God, that mightful is? Both Moses and Aaron, and others more -- In Holy Scripture you may read it -- Of Christ's death they spoke also, And how he should rise out of his pit. 100 Out of faith then why do you flit When holy prophets you teach so plain? Turn your thought and change your wit, And trust well that Christ doth live again. LUKE Live again? Man, be in peace. 105 How should a dead man ever arise? I counsel thee such words to cease For fear of Pilate, that high justice. He was slain at the great assize By the council of lords, many a one. 110 Of such language take better advice In every company where thou dost go. JESUS Truth did never his master shame. Why should I cease the truth to say? By Jonah the prophet I prove the same, 115 That was in a whale's body three nights and three days. So long Christ in his grave lay As Jonah was within the sea. His grave is broken that was of clay; To life risen again now he is. 120 CLEOPHAS Say not so, man! It may not be, Though thine example be somewhat good. For Jonah alive always was he And Christ was slain upon a rood. The Jews against him, they were so mad 125 That to his heart a spear they thrust! He bled out all his heartblood. How should he then rise as he must? JESUS Take heed at Aaron and his dead stick, Which was dead of his nature. 130 And yet it flourished with flowers full thick And bore almonds of great value. The dead stick was a sign sure How Christ, that shamefully was dead and slain, As that dead stick bore fruit full pure, 135 So Christ should rise to life again. LUKE That a dead stick fruit should bear, I marvel much thereof, iwis. But yet himself from death to rear And live again, more wonder it is. 140 That he doth live, I trust not this, For he hath bled his blood so red. But yet of mirth evermore I miss When I remember that he is dead. JESUS Why be ye so hard of trust? 145 Did not Christ raise through his own might Lazarus, that dead lay under the dust And stank right foul, as well he might? To life Christ raised him again full right Out of his grave, this is certain. 150 Why may not Christ himself thus quite, And rise from death to life again? CLEOPHAS Now truly, sir, your words be good, I have in you right great delight I pray you, sir, with mild mood, 155 To dwell with us all this night. JESUS I must go hence anon full right For great errands I have to do. I would abide if that I might, But at this time I must hence go 160 LUKE Ye shall not go from us this night. It waxes dark, gone is the day; The sun is down, lost is the light. Ye shall not go from us away. JESUS I may not dwell, as I you say; 165 I must this night go to my friend. Therefore, good brothers, I you pray, Prevent me not my way to wend. CLEOPHAS Truly, from us you shall not go! You shall abide with us here still. 170 Your good conversation pleases us so, We may never have of you our fill. We pray you, sir, with hearty will, All night with us abide and dwell, More goodly language to talk at will, 175 And of your good dalliance more to tell. LUKE Yea, brother Cleophas, by my assent, Let us keep him with strength and might! Set on your hand with good intent And pull him with us our way well right. 180 The day is done, sir, and now it is night. Why will you hence now go from us? You shall abide, -- do us delight -- You shall not walk this night from us. CLEOPHAS This night from us you go not away! 185 We shall you keep between us twain. To us, therefore, you say not nay, But walk with us; the way is plain. JESUS Since you keep me with might and main, With hearty will I shall abide. 190 LUKE Of your abiding we be full fain, No man more welcome in this world wide. CLEOPHAS Of our master, Christ Jesus, For you do speak so much good, I love you heartily, trust me true. 195 He was both meek and mild of mood, Of him to speak is to me food. If you had known him, I dare well say, And in what plight with him it stood, You would have thought on him many a day. 200 LUKE Many a day. Yea, yea, iwis. He was a man of holy living. Though he had been the child of God in bliss, Both wise and wonderful was his working. But after your labour and far walking, 205 Take this loaf and eat some bread. And then will we have more talking Of Christ, our master, that now is dead. JESUS Be merry and glad with heart full free, For of Christ Jesus, that was your friend, 210 Ye shall have tidings of joy and glee Within a while, ere you hence wend. With my hand this bread I bless, And break it here as you do see. I give you part also of this, 215 This bread to eat and happy to be.
Here suddenly Christ disappears from before their eyes
CLEOPHAS Ah, mercy, God! What was our hap? Were not our hearts with love burning When Christ, our master, so near our lap Did sit and speak such sweet talking? 220 He is now quick and man living That first was slain and put in the grave! Now may we change all our mourning, For our Lord is risen his servants to save. LUKE Alas, for sorrow, what hap is this? 225 When he did walk with us in the way, He proved by Scripture right wel, iwis, That he was risen from under clay. We trusted him not, but always said nay -- Alas, for shame, why said we so? 230 He is risen to life this day; Out of his grave our Lord is gone! CLEOPHAS Let us here no longer dwell, But to our brethren the way we wend. With tales true to them we tell 235 That Christ does live, our master and friend. LUKE I grant that wish with heart full kind: Let us go walk forth in our way. I am full joyful in heart and mind That our Lord liveth, that first dead lay. 240 CLEOPHAS Now, was it not goodly done Of Christ, our master dear? He hath with us a great way gone, And of his rising we did from him learn. When he walked with us together, 245 And we supposed him dead and cold That he was risen from under his bier By Holy Scripture the truth he told. LUKE Right lovingly done, forsooth, this was, What might our master to us do more 250 Than us to cheer, that forth did pass? And for his death we mourned full sore; For love of him our mirth was lost; We were for him caught in sorrow long. But now our mirth he doth restore, 255 For he is risen both hail and strong. CLEOPHAS That he is thus risen I have great wonder! A heavy stone over him there lay. How should be break the stone asunder That was dead and cold in clay? 260 Every man this marvel may, And dread that Lord of much might. But yet of this no man say nay, For we have seen him with open sight. LUKE That he doth live, I know well this; 265 He is arisen with flesh and blood. A living man, forsooth, he is, That rudely was torn upon a rood. All hail, dear brother, and change your mood, For Christ doth live and hath his health! 270 We walked in the way with Christ so good And spoke with him words fell. CLEOPHAS Even till Emmaus, the great castle, From Jerusalem with him we went. Sixty furlongs, as we you tell, 275 We went with him even passing. He spoke with us with good intent; That Christ should live he told 'til us, And proved it by Scripture, verament. Trust me true, it is right thus. 280 LUKE Yea, and when he spoke us till, He would from us go on his way. With strength and might we kept him still, And bread we took him to eat, in faith. He broke the loaf as even in two 285 As any sharp knife should cut bread. Thereby we knew the truth that day: That Christ did live and was not dead. PETER Now truly, sirs, I have great wonder Of these great marvels that you us tell! 290 In breaking of bread full even asunder Our master you knew and Lord right well. You say Christ liveth, that the Jews did quell. Till us glad tidings this is, certain! And that our master with you so long did dwell, 295 It doth well prove that he liveth again. Ah, brother Thomas, we may be right glad Of this good news that we now have. The grace of our Lord God is over us all spread; Our Lord is risen his servants to save. 300 THOMAS Be in peace, Peter, you begin to rave! Thy words be wanton and right unwise. How should a dead man that dead lay in grave With quick flesh and blood to live again rise? PETER Yes, Thomas, doubt you not our master is alive. 305 Witnessof Magdalen and her sisters two; Cleophas and Luke, the truth for to contrive, From Jerusalem to Emmaus with him did they go. THOMAS I may never in heart trust that it is so! He was dead on the cross and put cold in the pit, 310 Kept with knights four, his grave sealed also. How should he live again that so straight was shut. PETER When Magdalen did tell us that Christ was arisen, I ran to his grave, and John ran with me. In truth, there we found he lay not in presence -- 315 Gone out of his grave and alive then was he. Therefore, dear brother Thomas, I would advise thee, Steadfastly thou trust that Christ is not dead. Faithfully believe a quick man that he be, Risen from his death by might of his Godhead. 320 THOMAS I may never believe these wonders marvellous 'Til that I have sight of every great wound, And that put my finger in place of the nails. I shall never believe it else for no man on ground. And 'til that my hand the spear's pit has found, 325 Which did cleave his heart and make him spill his blood, I shall never believe that he is quick and sound, In truth while I know that he was dead on the rood. PETER Christ be thy comfort and change thy bad wit, For faith but thou have, thy soul is but lorn. 330 With steadfast belief may God inform you yet, Of a meek maid as he was for us born. JESUS Peace be among you! Behold how I am torn. Take heed of my hands, my dear brother Thomas. THOMAS My God and my Lord, night and every morn 335 I ask mercy, Lord, for my great trespass! JESUS Behold well, Thomas, my wounds so wide, Which I have suffered for all mankind. Put thine whole hand into my right side, And in my heartblood thine hand that thou wind. 340 So faithful a friend where mightest you find? Be steadfast in faith, believe well in me. Be thou not doubtful of me in thy mind, But trust that I live, that dead was on tree. THOMAS My Lord and my God, with sight do I see 345 That thou art now quick, who hung dead on the rood. More faithful than I there may no man be, For my hand have I washed in thy precious blood JESUS Because thou hast seen me, therefore thy faith is good. But blessed those that of this have no sight 350 And believe in me. They for their meek mood, Shall come into heaven, to my bliss that is so bright. THOMAS As a ravished man whose wit is all gone, Great mourning I make for my dreadful doubt. Alas, I was doubtful that Christ from under stone 355 By his own great might might in no way go out. Alas, what moved me thus in my thought? My doubtful belief right sore me vexed. The truth do I know that God so hath wrought: Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit 360 He that was both dead and cold put in grave To life is risen by his own might. In his dear heartblood my hand washed I have, Where that the spear-point was painfully put. I take me to faith, forsaking all unright; 365 The doubt that I had full sore me vexed. For now have I seen with full open sight: Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. I trusted no tales that were to me told 'Til that mine hand did in his heartblood wade. 370 My doubt doth demonstrate Christ living full bold And is great argument in faith us to glad. Thou, man that sayest this, from faith never thou fade. My doubt shall ever cheer thee, that sore me hath vexed. Trust well in Christ, that such a miracle hath made. 375 Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. The preaching of Peter might not convert me 'Til I felt the wound that the spear did cleave. I trusted never that he lived, that dead was on tree, 'Til that his heartblood did run in my sleeve. 380 Thus by my great doubt our faith may we prove. Behold my bloody hand, to faith that me annexed; By sight of this mirror, from faith not remove Quod mortuus et sepultus nunc resurrexit. Though that Mary Magdalen in Christ did soon believe 385 And I was long doubtful, yet put me to no blame. For by my great doubt, our faith may we prove Against all heretics that speak of Christ's shame. Trust well Jesus Christ, the Jews killed the same; The fiend hath he defeated, our faith that ever vexed. 390 To heaven you bring, and save you all the same That mortuus et sepultus iterum resurrexit. Amen
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