Child Ballads - Additions and Corrections

23. Judas

[P. 243 b. Trinity College Manuscript B, 14, 39, has been recovered, and Professor Skeat has had the kindness to furnish a copy of the ballad. Wright's text proves to be in all essentials accurate; but, on account of the age and great interest of the poem, Professor Skeat's copy is here reproduced. The ballad has no title in the Manuscript.

Hit wes upon a scere þorsday þat vre louerd aros.
ful milde were þe wordes he spec to iudas.
iudas þou most to iurselem oure mete for to bugge.
þritti platen of seluer þou bere up oþi rugge.
þou comest fer iþe brode stret fer iþe brode strete.
summe of þine tunesmen þer þou meist i mete,
imette wid is soster þe swikele wimon.
iudas þou were wrþe me stende the wid ston.
for the false prophete þat tou bileuest upon.
Be stille leue soster þin herte þe to breke.
wiste min louerd crist ful wel he wolde be wreke.
Iudas go þou on þe roc heie up on þe ston.
lei þin heued i my barm slep þou þe anon.
Sone so iudas of slepe was awake.
þritti platen of seluer from hym weren itake.
He drou hym selue bi þe cop þat al it lauede ablode.
þe iewes out of iurselem awenden he were wode.
Foret hym com þe riche ieu þat heiste pilatus.
wolte sulle þi louerd þat hette iesus.
I nul sulle my louerd for nones cunnes eiste.
bote hit be for þe þritti platen, þat he me bi taiste.
Wolte snlle þi lord crist for enes cunnes golde.
Nay bote hit be for þe platen, þat he habben wolde.
In him com ur lord * gon as is postles seten at mete.
Wou sitte ye postles ant wi nule ye ete.
ic am iboust ant isold to day for oure mete.
Vp stod him iudas lord am i þat
I nas neuer oþe stude þer me þe euel spec.
Vp him stod peter ant spec wid al is miste.
þau pilatus him come wid ten hundred cnistes.
yet ic wolde louerd for þi loue fiste.
Still þou be peter, wel i þe i cnowe.
þou wolt fur sake me þrien. ar þe coc him crowe.

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25

30

33

V. 24, *. The word c'st; has here been erased, and should not be inserted. Skeat.

V. 27. Blank space. Read 'frek' (= man). Skeat.

The Manuscript has íí at end of ll. 8, 25, 30. This means that there are here two second lines, i.e., that three lines rime together. Skeat. The long f's of the Manuscript are printed s.]

This page most recently updated on 30-May-2011, 12:56:13.
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