These accusations were all vociferated at once; some of the witnesses stood before Jesus and insulted him while they spoke by derisive gestures, and the archers went so far as even to strike him, saying at the same time, ‘Speak; why dost thou not answer?’ Annas and his adherents added mockery to insult, exclaiming at every pause in the accusations, ’This is thy doctrine, then, is it?  What canst thou answer to this?  Issue thy orders, great King; man sent by God, give proofs of thy mission.’  ‘Who art thou?’ continued Annas, in a tone of cutting contempt; ’by whom art thou sent?  Art thou the son of an obscure carpenter, or art thou Elias, who was carried up to heaven in a fiery chariot?  He is said to be still living, and I have been told that thou canst make thyself invisible when thou pleasest.  Perhaps thou art the prophet Malachy, whose words thou dost so frequently quote.  Some say that an angel was his father, and that he likewise is still alive.  An impostor as thou art could not have a finer opportunity of taking persons in than by passing thyself off as this prophet.  Tell me, without farther preamble, to what order of kings thou dost belong?  Thou art greater than Solomon,—­at least thou pretendest so to be, and dost even expect to be believed.  Be easy, I will no longer refuse the title and the sceptre which are so justly thy due.’

Annas then called for the sheet of parchment, about a yard in length, and six inches in width; on this he wrote a series of words in large letters, and each word expressed some different accusation which had been brought against our Lord.  He then rolled it up, placed it in a little hollow tube, fastened it carefully on the top of a reed, and presented this reed to Jesus, saying at the same time, with a contemptuous sneer, ’Behold the sceptre of thy kingdom; it contains thy titles, as also the account of the honours to which thou art entitled, and thy right to the throne.  Take them to the High Priest, in order that he may acknowledge thy regal dignity, and treat thee according to thy deserts.  Tie the hands of this king, and take him before the High Priest.’

The hands of Jesus, which had been loosened, were then tied across his breast in such a manner as to make him hold the pretended sceptre, which contained the accusations of Annas, and he was led to the Court of Caiphas, amidst the hisses, shouts, and blows lavished upon him by the brutal mob.

The house of Annas was not more than three hundred steps from that of Caiphas; there were high walls and common-looking houses on each side of the road, which was lighted up by torches and lanterns placed on poles, and there were numbers of Jews standing about talking in an angry excited manner.  The soldiers could scarcely make their way through the crowd, and those who had behaved so shamefully to Jesus at the Court of Annas continued their insults and base usage during the whole of the time sent in walking to the house of Caiphas.  I saw money given to those who behaved the worst to Jesus by armed men belonging to the tribunal, and I saw them push out of the way all who looked compassionately at him.  The former were allowed to enter the Court of Caiphas.