o shamefully? Is it not possible to refrain from thus tearing
to pieces and beginning to execute your criminals even before they are
judged?' They made no answer, but shouted out to the guards, 'Bring him
on--bring him to be judged!' and then, turning to Pilate, they said, 'Listen
to our accusations against this malefactor; for we cannot enter the
tribunal lest we defile ourselves.' Scarcely had they finished these
words; when a voice was heard to issue from the midst of the dense
multitude; it proceeded from a venerable-looking old man, of imposing
stature, who exclaimed, 'You are right in not entering the Praetorium,
for it has been sanctified by the blood of Innocents; there is but one
Person who has a right to enter, and who alone can enter, because he
alone is pure as the Innocents who were massacred there.' The person who
uttered these words in a loud voice, and then disappeared among the
crowd, was a rich man of the name of Zadoc, first-cousin to Obed, the
husband of Veronica; two of his children were among the Innocents whom
Herod had caused to be butchered at the birth of our Saviour. Since
that dreadful moment he had given up the world, and, together with his
wife, followed the rules of the Essenians. He had once seen our Saviour
at the house of Lazarus, and there heard him discourse, and the sight
of the barbarous manner in which he was dragged before Pilate recalled
to his mind all he himself had suffered when his babes were so cruelly
murdered before his eyes, and he determined to give this public
testimony of his belief in the innocence of Jesus. The persecutors of
our Lord were far too provoked at the haughty manner which Pilate
assumed towards them, and at the humble position they were obliged to
occupy, to take any notice of the words of a stranger.

The brutal guards dragged our Lord up the marble staircase, and led
him to the end of the terrace, from whence Pilate was conferring with
the Jewish priests. The Roman governor had often heard of Jesus,
although he had never seen him, and now he was perfectly astonished at
the calm dignity of department of a man brought before him in so
pitiable a condition. The inhuman behaviour of the priests and ancients
both exasperated him and increased his contempt for them, and he
informed them pretty quickly that the had not the slightest intention
of condemning Jesus without satisfactory proofs of the truth of their
accusation. 'What accusation do you bring against