t least thou pretendest so to be, and dost even expect to be
believed. Be easy, I will no longer refuse the title and the sceptre
which are so justly thy due.'

Annas then called for the sheet of parchment, about a yard in
length, and six inches in width; on this he wrote a series of words in
large letters, and each word expressed some different accusation which
had been brought against our Lord. He then rolled it up, placed it in a
little hollow tube, fastened it carefully on the top of a reed, and
presented this reed to Jesus, saying at the same time, with a
contemptuous sneer, 'Behold the sceptre of thy kingdom; it contains thy
titles, as also the account of the honours to which thou art entitled,
and thy right to the throne. Take them to the High Priest, in order
that he may acknowledge thy regal dignity, and treat thee according to
thy deserts. Tie the hands of this king, and take him before the High
Priest.'

The hands of Jesus, which had been loosened, were then tied across
his breast in such a manner as to make him hold the pretended sceptre,
which contained the accusations of Annas, and he was led to the Court
of Caiphas, amidst the hisses, shouts, and blows lavished upon him by
the brutal mob.

The house of Annas was not more than three hundred steps from that
of Caiphas; there were high walls and common-looking houses on each
side of the road, which was lighted up by torches and lanterns placed
on poles, and there were numbers of Jews standing about talking in an
angry excited manner. The soldiers could scarcely make their way
through the crowd, and those who had behaved so shamefully to Jesus at
the Court of Annas continued their insults and base usage during the
whole of the time sent in walking to the house of Caiphas. I saw money
given to those who behaved the worst to Jesus by armed men belonging to
the tribunal, and I saw them push out of the way all who looked
compassionately at him. The former were allowed to enter the Court of
Caiphas.

CHAPTER VII.

The Tribunal of Caiphas.

To enter Caiphas's tribunal persons had to pass through a large court,
which may be called the exterior court; from thence they entered into
an inner court, which extended all round the building. The building
itself was of far greater length than breadth, and in the front there
was a kind of open vestibule surrounded on three sides by columns of no
great height. On the fourth side the columns were higher, and b