er._ Bind him well, and let us lift.

_1st Torturer._ Full short shall be his thrift.

_2nd Torturer._ Ah, it stands up like a mast.

_Jesus._ I pray you, people, that pass me by,
That lead your life so lykandly[304]
Raise up your heart on high;
Behold if ever ye saw body
Buffet[305] and beaten thus bloody,
Or dight thus dolefully;
In this world was never no wight
That suffered half so sair.
My mayn,[306] my mode,[307] my might
Is naught but sorrow to sight,
And comfort--none but care!
My folk, what have I done to thee
That thou all thus shall torment me?
Thy sin bear I full soon.
How have I grieved thee? answer me.
That thou thus nailest me to a tree,
And all for thine error.
Where shalt thou seek succour?
This fault how shalt thou amende
When that thou thy saviour
Drivest to this dishonour
And nail'st through feet and hende.[308]
All creatures whose kinds may be trest,[309]
Beasts and birds, they all have rest
When they are woe begone.
But God's own son, that should be best,
Has not whereon his head to rest,
But on his shoulder bone:
To whom now may I make my moan
When they thus martyr me?
And sackless[310] will me slone,[311]
And beat me blood and bone,
That should my brethren be?
What kindness should I kythe[312] them to?
Have I not done what I ought to do,
Made thee in my likeness?
And thou thus rives my rest and ro[313]
And thinkest lightly on me, lo,
Such is thy caitifness.
I have shown thee kindness, unkindly thou me 'quitest,[314]
See thus thy wickedness, look how thou me despitest.
Guiltless thus am I put to pine,
Not for my sin, man, but for thine.
Thus am I rent on rood;
For I that treasure would not tyne[315]
That I marked and made for mine.
Thus buy I Adam's blood,
That sunken was in sin,
With none earthly good,
But with my flesh and blood
That loath was for to wyn.[316]
My brother, that I came for to buy,
Has hanged me here, thus hideously,
Friends find I few or none;
Thus have they dight me drearily,
And all be-spit me piteously,
A helpless man in wone.[317]
But, Father, that sittest on throne,
Forgive thou them this guilt.
I pray to thee this boon--
They know not what they doon,
Nor whom they thus have spoilt![318]

_1st Torturer._ Yes, what we do full well we know.

_2nd Torturer._ Yes, that shall he find within a throw.

_3rd Torturer._ Now, with a mischance to his corse!
Wenys[319] he that we give any force[320]
What evil s