Part 1

GOOD FRIDAY

AND OTHER POEMS

BY

JOHN MASEFIELD

AUTHOR OF "THE EVERLASTING MERCY" "THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET" "THE TRAGEDY OF POMPEY THE GREAT," ETC

New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1916

_All rights reserved_

COPYRIGHT, 1915 and 1916 BY JOHN MASEFIELD

Set up and electrotyped. Published February, 1916. Reprinted February, 1916.

GOOD FRIDAY

A DRAMATIC POEM

PERSONS

PONTIUS PILATE, Procurator of Judæa. PROCULA, His Wife. LONGINUS, A Centurion. A JEW, Leader of the Rabble. A MADMAN. A SENTRY. JOSEPH OF RAMAH. HEROD. SOLDIERS, SERVANTS, THE JEWISH RABBLE, LOITERERS, IDLERS.

THE SCENE

_The Pavement, or Paved Court, outside the Roman Citadel in Jerusalem. At the back is the barrack wall, pierced in the centre with a double bronze door, weathered to a green color. On the right and left sides of the stage are battlemented parapets overlooking the city. The stage or pavement is approached by stone steps from the front, and by narrow stone staircases in the wings, one on each side, well forward. These steps are to suggest that the citadel is high up above the town, and that the main barrack gate is below. _THE CHIEF CITIZEN, THE RABBLE, JOSEPH, THE MADMAN, HEROD,_ and _THE LOITERERS,_ etc., enter by these steps. _PILATE, PROCULA, LONGINUS, THE SOLDIERS_ and _SERVANTS_ enter by the bronze doors._

GOOD FRIDAY

A DRAMATIC POEM

PILATE. Longinus.

LONGINUS. Lord.

PILATE [_giving scroll_]. Your warrant. Take the key. Go to Barabbas' cell and set him free, The mob has chosen him.

LONGINUS. And Jesus?

PILATE. Wait. He can be scourged and put outside the gate, With warning not to make more trouble here. See that the sergeant be not too severe. I want to spare him.

LONGINUS. And the Jew, the Priest, Outside?

PILATE. I'll see him now.

LONGINUS. Passover Feast Always brings trouble, Lord. All shall be done. Dismiss?

PILATE. Dismiss. [_Exit_ LONGINUS. There's blood about the sun, This earthquake weather presses on the brain.

_Enter_ PROCULA.

You?

PROCULA. Dear, forgive me, if I come again About this Jesus, but I long to know What Herod said. Did he dismiss him?

PILATE. No. He sent him back to me for me to try, The charge being local.

PROCULA. Have you tried him?

PILATE. Ay, Henceforth he will be kept outside the walls. Now, listen, wife: whatever dream befalls, Never again send word to me in Court To interrupt a case. The Jews made sport Of what you dreamed and what you bade me fear About this Jesus man. The laws are clear. I must apply them, asking nothing more Than the proved truth. Now tell me of your dream: What was it? Tell me then.

PROCULA. I saw a gleam Reddening the world out of a blackened sky, Then in the horror came a hurt thing's cry Protesting to the death what no one heard.

PILATE. What did it say?

PROCULA. A cry, no spoken word But crying, and a horror, and a sense Of one poor man's naked intelligence, Pitted against the world and being crushed. Then, waking, there was noise; a rabble rushed Following this Jesus here, crying for blood, Like beasts half-reptile in a jungle mud. And all the horror threatening in the dim, In what I dreamed of, seemed to threaten him.... So in my terror I sent word to you, Begging you dearly to have nought to do With that wise man.

PILATE. I grant he says wise things. Too wise by half, and too much wisdom brings Trouble, I find. It disagrees with men. We must protect him from his wisdom then.

PROCULA. What have you done to him?

PILATE. Made it more hard For him to wrangle in the Temple yard Henceforth, I hope.

_Enter_ LONGINUS.

PROCULA. You have not punished him?

PILATE. Warned him.

LONGINUS. The envoy from the Sanhedrim Is here, my lord.

PILATE. Go. I must see him. Stay. You and your women, keep within to-day. It is the Jewish Feast and blood runs high Against us Romans when the zealots cry Songs of their old Deliverance through the land. Stay, yet. Lord Herod says that he has planned To visit us to-night, have all prepared.

PROCULA. I would have gone to Herod had I dared, To plead for this man Jesus. All shall be Made ready. Dear, my dream oppresses me.

[_Exit._

PILATE. It is this earthquake weather: it will end After a shock. Farewell.

_Enter_ CHIEF CITIZEN.

CHIEF CIT. Hail, Lord and friend. I come about a man in bonds with you, One Jesus, leader of a perverse crew That haunts the Temple.

PILATE. Yes, the man is here.

CHIEF CIT. Charged with sedition?

PILATE. It did not appear That he had been seditious. It was proved That he had mocked at rites which people loved. No more than that. I have just dealt with him. You wish to see him?

CH. CIT. No, the Sanhedrim Send me to tell you of his proved intent. You know how, not long since, a prophet went Through all Judæa turning people's brains With talk of One coming to loose their chains?

PILATE. John the Baptiser whom old Herod killed.

CH. CIT. The Jews expect that word to be fulfilled, They think that One will come. This Jesus claims To be that Man, Son of the Name of Names, The Anointed King who will arise and seize Israel from Rome and you. Such claims as these Might be held mad in other times than ours.

PILATE. He is not mad.

CH. CIT. But when rebellion lowers As now, from every hamlet, every farm, One word so uttered does unreckoned harm.

PILATE. How do you know this?

CH. CIT. From a man, his friend, Frightened by thought of where such claims would end. There had been rumors, yet we only heard The fact but now. We send you instant word.

PILATE. Yes. This is serious news. Would I had known. But none the less, this Jesus is alone. A common country preacher, as men say, No more than that, he leads no big array; No one believes his claim?

CH. CIT. At present, no. He had more friends a little while ago, Before he made these claims of being King.

PILATE. You know about him then?

CH. CIT. His ministering Was known to us, of course.

PILATE. And disapproved?

CH. CIT. Not wholly, no; some, truly; some we loved. At first he only preached. He preaches well.

PILATE. What of?

CH. CIT. Of men, and of escape from hell By good deeds done. But when he learned his power And flatterers came, then, in an evil hour, As far as I can judge, his head was turned. A few days past, from all that we have learned He made this claim, and since persists therein. Deluders are best checked when they begin. So, when we heard it from this frightened friend, We took this course to bring it to an end.

PILATE. Rightly. I thank you. Do I understand That friends have fallen from him since he planned To be this King?

CH. CIT. They have, the most part.

PILATE. Why? What makes them turn?

CH. CIT. The claim is blasphemy Punished by death under the Jewish laws.

PILATE. And under ours, if sufficient cause Appear, and yet, if all the Jews despise This claimant's folly, would it not be wise To pay no heed, not make important one Whom all contemn?

CH. CIT. His evil is not done. His claim persists, the rabble's mind will turn. Better prevent him, Lord, by being stern. The man has power.

PILATE. That is true, he has.

CH. CIT. His is the first claim since the Baptist was, Better not let it thrive.

PILATE. It does not thrive.

CH. CIT. All ill weeds prosper, Lord, if left alive. The soil is ripe for such a weed as this. The Jews await a message such as his, The Anointed Man, of whom our Holy Books Prophesy much. The Jewish people looks For Him to come.

PILATE. These ancient prophecies Are drugs to keep crude souls from being wise. Time and again Rome proves herself your friend, Then some mad writing brings it to an end. Time and again, until my heart is sick. Dead prophets spreading madness in the quick. And now this Jesus whom I hoped to save. Have you the depositions?

CH. CIT. Yes, I have.

PILATE. Give me.

CH. CIT. This is the docquet.

PILATE. This is grave.

CH. CIT. I thought that you would think so.

PILATE. I will learn What he can say to this and then return. Wait. I must speak. Although I shall not spare Anyone, man or woman, who may dare To make a claim that threatens Roman rule, I do not plan to be a priestly tool. I know your Temple plots; pretend not here That you, the priest, hold me, the Roman, dear. You, like the other Jews, await this King Who is to set you free, who is to ding Rome down to death, as your priests' brains suppose. This case of Jesus shows it, plainly shows. He and his claim were not at once disowned; You waited, while you thought "He shall be throned, We will support him, if he wins the crowd." You would have, too. He would have been endowed With all your power to support his claim Had he but pleased the rabble as at first. But, since he will not back the priestly aim, Nor stoop to lure the multitude, you thirst To win my favor by denouncing him. This rebel does not suit the Sanhedrim. I know.... The next one may.

CH. CIT. You wrong us, Sire.

PILATE. Unless he blench, you 'complish your desire With Jesus, though; there is no king save Rome Here, while I hold the reins. Wait till I come.

[_Exit_ PILATE.

THE MADMAN. Only a penny, a penny, Lilies brighter than any White lilies picked for the Feast.

_He enters, tapping with his stick._

I am a poor old man who cannot see, Will the great noble present tell to me If this is the Paved Court?

CH. CIT. It is.

MADMAN. Where men Beg for a prisoner's freedom?

CH. CIT. Yes. What then?

MADMAN. I come to help the choosing.

CH. CIT. You can go.

MADMAN. Where, lord?

CH. CIT. Why, home. You hear that noise below, Or are you deaf?

MADMAN. No, lordship, only blind.

CH. CIT. Come this-day-next-year if you have the mind. This year you come too late, go home again.

MADMAN. Lord. Is the prisoner loosed?

CH. CIT. Yes, in the lane. Can you not hear them cry "Barabbas" there?

MADMAN. Barabbas, Lord?

CH. CIT. The prisoner whom they bear In triumph home.

MADMAN. Barabbas?

CH. CIT. Even he.

MADMAN. Are not you wrong, my Lord?

CH. CIT. Why should I be?

MADMAN. There was another man in bonds, most kind To me, of old, who suffer, being blind. Surely they called for him? One Jesus? No?

CH. CIT. The choice was made a little while ago. Barabbas is set free, the man you name Is not to be released.

MADMAN. And yet I came Hoping to see him loosed.

CH. CIT. He waits within Till the just pain is fitted to his sin. It will go hard with him, or I mistake. Pray God it may.

MADMAN. I sorrow for his sake.

CH. CIT. God's scathe.

_Enter more_ JEWS.

MADMAN. A penny for the love of Heaven. A given penny is a sin forgiven. Only a penny, friends.

1ST CIT. The case was proved. He uttered blasphemy. Yet Pilate gives him stripes: the man should die.

3RD CIT. Wait here awhile. It is not over yet. This is the door, the man shall pay his debt. After the beating they will let him go And we shall catch him.

2ND CIT. We will treat him so That he will not be eager to blaspheme So glibly, soon.

3RD CIT. We will.

1ST CIT. Did Pilate seem To you, to try to spare him?

2ND CIT. Ay, he did, The Roman dog.

3RD CIT. We will not.

2ND CIT. God forbid.

1ST CIT. Well, we'll stay here.

2ND CIT. We will anoint this King.

CH. CIT. You talk of Jesus?

1ST CIT. Yes.

CH. CIT. I had to bring News from the Temple but a minute past, To-day is like to be King Jesus' last.

1ST CIT. So?

CH. CIT. It is sure. Wait here a little while.

1ST CIT. We mean to, Lord. His tongue shall not defile Our Lord again, by God.

CH. CIT. By a happy chance There came a hang-dog man with looks askance, Troubled in mind, who wished to speak with us. He said that he had heard the man speak thus That he was the Messiah, God in man. He had believed this, but his doubts began When Jesus, not content, claimed further things; To be a yoke upon the necks of Kings, Emperor and Priest. Then, though he found him kind In friendship, he was troubled. With bowed mind He came to us and swore what Jesus claimed. This Emperor over Kings will now be tamed.

VOICES. Will Pilate back the priests?

CH. CIT. He cannot fail. It threatens Roman power.

A VOICE. Listen, friends, Pilate is coming; hark! the sitting ends. No. 'Tis the Bench.

[_The bench is set by_ SLAVES.]

What will Lord Pilate do?

THE SLAVES _do not answer._

You Nubian eunuchs answer to the Jew. Is the man cast?

A SLAVE. The circumcised will see When Rome is ready.

[_Goes in and shuts the door._]

A VOICE. There. They nail a tree. They make a cross, for those are spikes being driven. He's damned.

A VOICE. Not so, he still may be forgiven. The cross may be for one of those two thieves.

A VOICE. I had forgotten them.

A VOICE. This man believes That Pilate was inclined to let him go.

2ND CIT. That was before this charge came.

A VOICE. Even so This Roman swine is fond of swine like these.

A VOICE. Come, Pilate, come.

A VOICE. He will not have much ease This Paschal Feast, if Jesus is not cast.

A VOICE. There is the door. Lord Pilate comes at last. No. 'Tis the trumpet.

[A TRUMPETER _comes out._]

VOICES. Blow the trumpet, friend.

A VOICE. Roman. Recruit. When will the sitting end?

VOICES. Fling something at him. Roman.

A VOICE. O, have done. He will not hang until the midday sun And we shall lose our sleeps. Let sentence pass.

A VOICE [singing]. As I came by the market I heard a woman sing: "My love did truly promise to wed me with a ring, But, oh, my love deceived me and left me here forlorn With my spirit full of sorrow, and my baby to be born."

A VOICE. Why are you standing here?

A VOICE. I came to see.

A VOICE. O, did you so?

A VOICE. Why do you look at me?

A VOICE. You were his friend: you come from Galilee.

A VOICE. I do not.

A VOICE. Yes, you do.

A VOICE. I tell you, No.

A VOICE. You know this man quite well.

A VOICE. I do not know One thing about him.

A VOICE. Does he know the cur?

A VOICE. Ay, but denies. He was his follower.

A VOICE. I was not.

A VOICE. Why, I saw you in the hall, I watched you.

A VOICE. I was never there at all.

A VOICE. So he would be a King.

A VOICE. That was the plan.

A VOICE. I swear to God I never saw the man.

A VOICE. He did; you liar; fling him down the stair.

A VOICE. I did not, friends. I hate the man, I swear.

VOICES. You swear too much for truth, down with him, sons. Leave him, here's Pilate.

_Enter_ LONGINUS _and_ SOLDIERS.

LONGINUS. Stand back. Keep further back. Get down the stair, Stop all this wrangling. Make less babble there. Keep back yet further. See you keep that line. Silence. These Jewish pigs.

THE JEWS. The Roman swine.

_Enter_ PILATE.

PILATE. Longinus.

LONGINUS. Lord.

PILATE. No Jew here thinks him King. They want his blood.

LONGINUS. They would want anything That would beguile the hours until the Feast.

PILATE. I would be glad to disappoint the priest. I like this Jesus man. A man so wise Ought not to end through crazy prophecies. Still, he persists.

LONGINUS. They are a stubborn breed. The medicine Cross is what they mostly need.

PILATE. Still, this man is, in fact, a kind of king, A God beside these beasts who spit and sting, The best Jew I have known.

LONGINUS. He had his chance.

PILATE. O, yes, he had. We'll let the Jews advance Into the court. I tried to set him free. Still, if he will persist, the thing must be. And yet I am sorry.

LONGINUS. I am sorry, too. He seemed a good brave fellow, for a Jew. Still, when a man is mad there is no cure But death, like this.

PILATE. I fear so.

LONGINUS. I am sure. Shall I begin?

PILATE. Yes.

LONGINUS. Sound the Assembly. [_Trumpet._] Sound The Imperial call. [_Trumpet._]

PILATE. You people, gathered round, Behold your King.

VOICES. Our King. I see him. Where? That heap of clothes behind the soldiers there. He has been soundly beaten. Look, he bleeds. A cross on Old Skull Hill is what he needs.

PILATE. What would you, then, that I should do to him?

VOICES. Stone the blasphemer, tear him limb from limb, Kill him with stones, he uttered blasphemy, Give him to us, for us to crucify. Crucify!

PILATE. Would you crucify your King?

VOICES. He is no King of ours; we have no King But Cæsar. Crucify!

PILATE. Bring pen and ink.

LONGINUS. Hold up the prisoner, Lucius; give him drink.

PILATE. I come to sentence.

SERVANT. Writing things, my lord.

PILATE. Fasten the parchment to the piece of board. So. I will write.

VOICES. What does his writing mean? It is the sentence of this Nazarene, Condemning him to death. A little while And he'll be ours. See Lord Pilate smile. Why does he smile?

PILATE. Longinus.

LONGINUS. Lord.

PILATE. Come here. Go to that man, that upland targeteer, I want this writ in Hebrew. Bid him write Big easy letters that will catch the sight.

LONGINUS. I will, my lord. Make way.

[_Exit_ LONGINUS.

A VOICE. What's on the scroll?

A VOICE. It gives the prisoner into his control To nail to death, the foul blaspheming beast.

A VOICE. D'you think he will be dead before the Feast?

A VOICE. They'll spear him if he lingers until dark.

A VOICE. When Feast begins he will be stiff and stark. There's little life left in him as it is.

VOICES. We'll hammer iron through those hands of his, And through his feet, and when the cross is set Jolt it; remember. I will not forget.

A VOICE. Here comes the sentence.

_Enter_ LONGINUS.

A VOICE. Wait; it is not signed.

A VOICE. Come to the hill, you will be left behind. I want a good place at the cross's foot.

A VOICE. I've got a stone for when they move the brute. Besides, I mean to bait him on the way. I'll spatter him with filth.

A VOICE. No, come away.

PILATE. Imperial finding in the High Priest's suit. In the name of Cæsar and of Rome....

LONGINUS. Salute.

PILATE. I, Procurator of Judæa, say That Jesus, called the King, be led away To death by crucifixion, here and now. In the name of Cæsar and of Rome....

LONGINUS. We bow To the sentence of the court.

PILATE. See sentence done. This is your warrant.

LONGINUS. Sentence shall be done.

VOICES. Away, friends, hurry. Keep a place for me. Get there before they come, then we shall see All of the nailing and the fixing on.

PILATE. Longinus.

LONGINUS. Lord.

PILATE. Display this scroll upon The head of Jesus' cross, that men may read. Wait; I'll declare it publicly. Take heed.... I add this word, that over Jesus' head This scroll shall be displayed till he is dead. Show it, Longinus. Read it if you choose.

VOICES. "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." We'll make him King, we'll set him up in state. At Golgotha. Come; drag him through the gate. Give him his cross. Come, soldiers.

CH. CIT. Israel, wait. Wait. I must speak. Lord Pilate.

VOICES. Stand aside.... Are we to miss his being crucified?

CH. CIT. Wait. Only wait. One word.

MADMAN. Lord Pilate. Lord.

SENTRY. Stand back.

MADMAN. I'll speak.

SENTRY. I'll tame you with the sword.

MADMAN. Lord Pilate, Jesus is an upright man, I heard his teaching since it first began. You are mistaken, Lord, you are misled. Spare him, great King.

SENTRY. Get down.

MADMAN. Kill me instead. He never said this thing. [_He is beaten aside._]

LONGINUS. The company, Attention. Front. Take up the prisoner. By The left, quick wheel. Down to the courtyard, wheel.

THE TROOPS _go out by the doors, into the barracks, so as to reach the main gate from within. The _PRISONER_ is not shown, but only suggested._

A VOICE. He cannot lift his cross, I saw him reel.

A VOICE. We'll find a man to bring it. Hurry, friends. Three to be nailed.

A VOICE. The thieves will make good ends; They always do. This fellow will die soon.

A VOICE. The troops will spear them all before full moon. Come; watch them march them out. Get mud to fling.

_They hurry down the staircase O.P. side._

CH. CIT. [_to Pilate_]. Lord Pilate, do not write "Jesus the King." But that "He called himself, 'Jesus the King.'"

PILATE. Empty this water here.

[SERVANT _does._]

Remove this board. Take in the bench.

CH. CIT. I have to ask, my lord, That you will change the wording of your scroll, My lord, it cuts my people to the soul.

PILATE. Tell Caius Scirrus that I want him.

[_Exit_ SERVANT.

So. [_To_ CHIEF CITIZEN.]

What I have written, I have written. Go.

_Exit _CHIEF CITIZEN. PILATE_ watches him. A yell below as the _TROOPS_ march out from the main gate. _LONGINUS'_ voice is heard shouting._

LONGINUS. Right wheel. Quick march. Close up. Keep your files close.

_A march is played, oboe and trumpet. _PILATE_ goes in, the _TROOPS_ salute, the bronze doors are closed, but a _SENTRY_ stands outside them. _THE MADMAN_ remains._

MADMAN. They cut my face, there's blood upon my brow. So, let it run, I am an old man now, An old, blind beggar picking filth for bread. Once I wore silk, drank wine, Spent gold on women, feasted, all was mine; But this uneasy current in my head Burst, one full moon, and cleansed me, then I saw Truth like a perfect crystal, life its flaw, I told the world, but I was mad, they said. I had a valley farm above a brook, My sheep bells there were sweet, And in the summer heat My mill wheels turned, yet all these things they took; Ah, and I gave them, all things I forsook But that green blade of wheat, My own soul's courage, that they did not take. I will go on, although my old heart ache. Not long, not long. Soon I shall pass behind This changing veil to that which does not change, My tired feet will range In some green valley of eternal mind Where Truth is daily like the water's song.

_Enter the_ CHIEF CITIZEN.

CH. CIT. Where is Lord Pilate?

MADMAN. Gone within.

CH. CIT. You heard The way he spoke to me?

MADMAN. No, not a word. The dogs so bayed for blood, I could not hear. Ask the tall sentry yonder with the spear.

CH. CIT. I wish to see Lord Pilate.