calmly, 'Goddys sone I am, I sey not nay to the!' Still later in the
same scene, the silence of Jesus before Herod (sustained through forty
lines or more of urging and vile abuse, besides cruel beatings) lifts
Him into infinite superiority over the blustering, bullying judge and
his wretched instruments. It is true that the Bible gives the facts, but
with the freedom allowed to the dramatist the excellence of the original
might have been so easily spoilt.

To Mary is reserved perhaps the deepest note of pathos within the play.
The scene is 'The Crucifixion of Christ', and she is represented lying
at the foot of the Cross. Jesus has invoked God's forgiveness for His
murderers, He has promised salvation to the repentant thief, but to her
He has said nothing, and the omission sends a fear to her heart like the
blackness of midnight. Has she, unconsciously, by some chance word or
deed, lost His love at the close of life? The thought is too terrible.

O my sone! my sone! my derlyng dere!
What[14] have I defendyd[15] the?
Thou hast spoke to alle tho[16] that ben here,
And not o word thou spekyst to me!

To the Jewys thou art ful kende,
Thou hast forgeve al here[17] mysdede;
And the thef thou hast in mende,
For onys haskyng mercy hefne is his mede.

A! my sovereyn Lord, why whylt thou not speke
To me that am thi modyr in peyn for thi wrong?
A! hert! hert! why whylt thou not breke?
That I were out of this sorwe[18] so stronge!