Sone of the fader withouten spotte al clene That doest away the worldes synne and tene Haue mercy on vs of thyn hygh goodnesse Syth thou thy self in parfyte holynesse Allone thou art sothely holy and no moo And lord allone ouer al thynge And worthyest and hyghest eke also O crist Ihesu of heuen and erthe kynge With the holy ghoost in glorye reynyng Ay with the fader by eternyte Thre knyt in one thrugh parfyte vnyte How the shepherdys founden cryst wyth our lady capitulo xliiij aNd whaÌ„ the aungels with this heueÌ„ly soÌ„ge The byrth of crist had magnefyed With parfyte gladnesse that was hem amonge To heuen anone ageyn they haue hem hyed And the hiâ—rdys by one accorde alyed Ben hastely vnto bethlem gone Where they founden when they came anone Marie and Ioseph and the chylde also Leyd in a stable accordyng euery dele As the aungel had sayd hem vnto And of the sight they lyked wonder wele And in hâ—m self gan knowe and fele That al was soth that they sayd afore Of the aungel how a chylde was bore In to this world mankynde for to saue After the recorde of olde prophecye Wherof they ganne so grete a ioye haue That al attones they gan magnefye God aboue deuoutly and to glorefye Retornyng hem deuoyde of euery smerte And marie choos within hir herte Conseruyd al that she dyd see Worde and dede and euery maner thynge That befylle in this natyuyte Ful secretly theron ymagenynge And prudently hir self gouernynge Kepte hir sone with al her besy cure Whiche on this day as sayth bonauenture Lyke a spouse from his chambre is goon His chosen chyldre thrugh his benygnyte In his chirche to ioye hem of syon By parfyte pees sothfast vnyte And he this day hath shewyd the beaute Of his face of excellente fayrnesse In whos honour this day of hygh gladnesse Was made the ympne the gospel sayth also Our alther myrthe and ioye to encrees Gloria in excelcis deo And in erthe this day a parfyt pees To man was shewyd withouten ony lees And as saith powle goddis benygnyte This day apperid in our humanyte How god wold not be borne but of a mayde moder and wyf capitulo xlv aNd ouer this as he eke telle can God was this day in symylitude In erthe honoured in liknesse of man And he this day his godhede dyd enclude In our manhode and shortely to conclude This day also yf I shal not feyne Befyl also other thynges tweyne The wonderfullest and most meruaylous That euer yet were seen tofore Wherof no wyght by kynde is capyous First how god to saue that was forlore Lowly in erthe list to be bore And how a mayde in hir virgynyte Myght also chylde and a moder be The whiche thynges passen and transende Reson of man by kyndes liknesse But fayth aboue must al comprehende And hit enbrace by parfyt stablenesse And make his grounde vpon the wytnesse Of propheâ—es whiche in her prophecye So longe aforne gan to speke and crye After the comyng of thys myghty kynge Our olde woo and trouble to enchace To whom dauyd sayd in his writyng O bâ—â—sful lord shewe to vs thy face And we in sothe onely thorugh thy grace Shullen saued be from al myschyef drede And also now in our grete nede Sende to vs thy comfortable light Vs to enlumyne liggyng in derknesse Eke ysaye with al his Inward sight Vp to heuen gan his loke to dresse And said lord of thy grete goodnesse Out of desert from the hard stone Vnto the doughter dwellyng in syone Send doun thy lambe fulfilled wyth mekenesse Tâ—at lordshyp hath and domynacion Of al the erthe our dole to redresse And wold god for our sauacion This myghty lord for to come a doun The hygh heuenes wold brekâ— on tweyne Vs to releue of that we so compleyne And dauyd spake eke this lord vnto In the sawter our sorowes for to fyne And sayd lord in relees of our woo In hygh heuyns thy mercy make enclyne And doun dyscende lat thy grace shyne Vpon vs wretchis in the vale of sorow And lord do dawe thy holy glad morowe Quod salamon and shewe to vs thy light Of thy mercy rewe on our distresse And with thy vertues that be so moche of myght That no man may counte theym ne expresse Fulfylle syon with hygh gladnesse Thy peples hertes make to renewe That thy prophetes may be founde trewe For out of the shal procede anone The myghty kyng and lord of Israel And now this day is coruen out of stone Without hondes of that holy helle Of whiche somtyme the prophete danyelle In his book wrote so longe aforne To signefye that there shold be borne At Iherusalem where as a myghty kynge Shal come in haste his peple to vysite And he shal brynge pees in his comynge Of whom the power shal not be a lyte For hit shal laste as hym lyst to wryte From see to see and al the erthe sprede Thorugh out the world in lengthe and brede And baruk commaunded to Iherusalem To be holde in al his beste entente Toward the brightnesse of the sonne beme And wysely loke in to the orient To see the gladnesse that this day is sent Doun to the erthe now that criyst is bore Of whos comyng so many a day afore Spake ysaye sayd in wordes playne The hygh heuens doo your grace adewe And sayd also the skyes shold rayne Vpon erthe her moysture for to shewe And bad the grounde eke in wordes fewe For to opyn and thus this heuenly shoure For to brynge our alther sauyour And Ieromye spake eke of this day And said on heyght god shold make sede A grayne of dauyd fayrer than floure in maye Whiche in fresshnes shal euer sprynge sprede And conserue Iuda out of drede And eke Israel kepe in sykernesse And he shal make dome and rightwysnesse Vpon the erthe of hygh and lowe degree And rightwysnes men shal his name calle Whan he cometh to sitte in the see Of kyng dauyd in his ryall stalle And he also tofore the prestys alle Bothe of Iuda and leuy shal deuyse With newe encence to do sacrefyse To god aboue for the grete offence Of the peple and ignoraunce With his offeryng make recompence Or that the swerde be whette of vengeaunce Euen lyke as made is remembraunce In malachye in the same wyse This sonne of lyf shal sprynge and aryse To al the that hym loue and drede And ben expectant with al humylite On his comyng to suche he shal out shede His light of grace at his natyuyte Wherfore be glad lyke as hit may be Thou bethleme y callyd effrata Though thou be lytyl namyd in Iuda For â—ut of the shal procede anone The myghty kyng and lord of Israel And now this day is coruen out of stone Withouten â—â—ndes of that holy helle Of the 〈◊〉 somtyme the prophete danyelle In his â—â—ke wrote so longe aforne â—o sigâ—efye
that there shold be borne A chylde in soth without touche of man Of a mayde after his beheste That lyke a stone was y corue out than Whan he was borne of this hygh feste Only to bere the crowne and the cheste In babylonye of the grete ymage That made man first for to doo oultrage For now in soth comyn is the day Of prophetes so longe beforne â—ehyght For cryst Ihesu playnly this is no nay Is lyke a stone who so lokyth a right Whiche by his wysdom his faders myght And the vertu of the holy ghoost Was coruen out so clene of euery coost Of that blessyd parfyt holy hylle That growyth ful of holsom flouris fayre For out of hir that was in herte and wylle A parfyt mayde humble and debonayre Lyke as the dewe of heuen doth repayre Vpon hermon alwey newe and newe Amendyng ay the fresshnes of her hewe Right so thorow vertu lastyng ay in one Of the holy ghoost this day of marye Was coruen out the sothfast angle stoou Whom that prophetes prayse and magnefye For she this day was the glad skye Whiche the chylde of elye dyd see So plesantly dessende from the tree Vpon the erthe nakyd and barayne Of holsom faite and of erbys sote That hath shadde the comfortable rayne The grayne of grace for our alther boâ—e That percyd hath euen to the rote Of our Welfare to do the leuys sprynge For she allone is the felde flourynge That somtyme gaue so passyng a swetenes To Isaak whan he was falle in age Of whiche he cast so Inward gladnesse That hym thought hoâ—e his corage Renewyd was and wyth a glad vysage Vnto Iacob of hertely ioye sayde On his clothys as he his hondes layde How ysaac prophecyed the byrthe of cryst by towchyng of the clothys of hys sone Iacob capitulo xlvj myn owne chylde and my sone dere The grete swetenesse of the fressh odoure Of thy clothyng to me is so entere That hit fro me deuoydeth al langoure Seyng tofore that there shold a floure Out of the felde sprynge of his kynrede The whiche shold suche an odoure shede That al the world shal comforte fynde hele In the swetenes agaynst eche maladye And souerayn helthe in euery myschyef fele So that this was no wyght but marie That by dyssent cam of his alye Out of the whiche to glade al our chere This day in erthe there dyd a floure appere The swettest yet that euer man behelde Passyng the rose and the floure delyse And of this holy fressh fayr felde Somtyme the spouse spake in canticis Whan he it sawe so fresshe at his deuyse And habundaunt of a tempre eyre And that it was so passyng Iâ—ly fayre How the garnet appyll is lykened to our lady capitulo xlvij o How the bawme of heuenly lycoure Of thy swetenes with souerayn suffysaunce Lyke paradyse shedyth his vapoure Erly a morowe auoydyng al greuaunce Lyke the frute that is of suche plesaunce The garnet appyl of colour golden hewed Thorow whos odoure the corage is renewed Of euery wyght that may the eyre receyue For euen lyke as the golden rynde Is playne shynyng as ye may conceyue His colour kepyng euer in one by kynde And doth his pypynes in the scales bynde To do comforte to seke in her accesse Right so marie our sekenes to redresse This day hath borne the holsom holy frute The frute of lyf that with his swete breth Is remedye and also cheef refute To mankynde agayn the feuer of deth For as the grayne of the garnet sleeth The stronge axes and doth the hete auale Right so this day out of the golden scale The holsom pepyne and the grayne of lyf Crist Ihesu gan first to appere And of marye moder mayde and wyf The goldyn garnet with gis scales clere Beyng al hole and euer a like entere Was borne in soth for to refresshe blyue Our olde axes and right as the olyue His oyle shedith and braunche leef ne tree Apperith not of fayrnes ne coloure Right so marye flouryng in chastyte This day hath borne our alther sauyour The oyle of pees to stynte our langour To softe our soris and our swellyng slake Of al our woundes whan they smerte oâ— ake And now this day shortely for to wryte This blâ—sful tyme of the natyuyte Of yonge Ioseph the cote polymyte Wrought by the poure of al the trynyte Within the closette of chosen chastyte Parformyd was and by none hande of man As alysaunder wel wherce can Within his book made in speciall On cantica as ye may rede and see The whiche cloth of purpyl most ryall Hewyd wyth clennesse of virgynyte This day hath shewyd in our humanyte The godhede hoole for by this cloth is ment Of our kynde the freel garnement How Ioseph fygurid the byrthe of crist capitulo xlviij aLso this day of Ioseph the canele Amyd the felde that doth the vertu floure Was gaderyd vp by clennesse euery dele Whom al that other gan worshyp and honoure For in chastyte clene chosen bowre Of maydenhede this canel grewe by kynde That whan the brethern of Ioseph dyd bynde Eueriche his sheef the byble gan deuyse How hit stode vp amonge hem euerichone And al the other gan attones ryse And worshippyd hit mekely one and one For this Ioseph sawe this day allone Sonne and mone and sterris eke eleuen To hym obeye vpon the hygh heuen And the sothfast garner of the holy greyne As sayth guydo was a mayde swete In whom was shytte sothely for to seyne The sacrid store and eke the halowyd whete Of the seuen yere that dyd in plente flete For on this parfyt roote vertuous The seuen eeris of grayne so plenteuous This day be growen to ful perfeccion To saue egypte in his grete nede And for to be to hym sauacion In crafte whan he hath nede For this is the grayne that fostre and fede With ful repaste woman chylde and man And al his brethern dwellyng in canaan T is yonge Ioseph this Ioseph the second Shal by his wytte helpe and releue And Iacob made in plente to abounde With fulsum fode at morow and eke at eue That the hunger on no syde ne greue Of the seuenth yere vnto his lignage And like as Ioseph in his tendyr age Thought he sawe hygh vp in heuen Sonne and mone in his auysion And therwithal sterris eke elleuen Honoure hym with grete deuocion Of this Ioseph excellyng of renowne This newe Ioseph crist Ihesu hym selue Of the sterris and the signes twelue Honowrid was with lowe subieccion Though he laye lowe in an oxes stallâ— For bothe troni and domynacion And hole the courte aboue celestyal This hygh feste for a memorial The laudis songe in the heuen quere Lyke as dauyd â—ad in the saultere Preyseth the lord of the high empyre And with one voyse his byrthe glorefyeth That hath with loue brent and set a fyre Seraphyn wherfore hym magnefyeth Betwene two bestis
And fro the bondes of her dwellyng place Of veray force dryue hem and enchace And of his byrthe longe or that it felle In a vysyon wonderful of sight Spake the prophete callyd danyâ—lle And sayd hym thought he sawe vpon a nyght Lyke to beholde as he 〈◊〉 right A sone of man comyng with a 〈◊〉 To whom power honour and regally There geuen was perpetuelly to abyde And his kyngdom by eternyte Shal stonde hole and not deuyde Whiche shal not passe neyther corupte be Who 's comyng eke whan he dyd see The holy prophete olde ezechyel Sayth thus the byble can you telle I shal ordeyne prudently prouyde An herdeman my slepe to kepe sure To wake the flockes euery tyde To kepe hem wysely in to her pasture And forthermore he doth vs eke assure The holy prophete forthe in his wrytyng Sothely affermyng that there shal be a kyng Of al folkes whos empyre shal be one And no lenger deuyded in to tweyne Whiche in ydolis made of stocke and stone Ne shal nomore be pollute to ordeyne False offerynges to god that they seyne And the prophete that callyd is adgee Ful opynly who so lyst to see Wryteth of his byrthe in a lytyl stounde Euen lyke as he was enspyrid That he shal moue heuen see and grounde And he that is of al most desyrid Shal come in haste lyke a kyng a tyrid For ioye of the whiche holy zacarye To crystys spouse this doth specefye 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 thou doughter of syon And synge thou doughter of Iherusaleme Beholde 〈◊〉 kyng shal come right anone That shal be 〈…〉 in bethleme And his power shal fro 〈◊〉 to royame The bondes 〈◊〉 of his ryaâ—te As ferre in soth as ony flood or ony see Holden her course as they wyth wawes wynde Out of her moder the grete occian Of whos comyng malachye maketh mynde Within his book the byble telle can How the name of hym bothe god and man Shal stretche his stremys withouten wene Fro thylke place where the sonne shene Reysith his light whan hit begynneth dawe At the vpryste in the mornynge Vnto the west where he goeth vnder wawe Tyl efte ageyn his chariete he brynge In to the este that doth the larke synge For ioye onely that his bemys ryse And of his comyng doth eke amos deuyse And sayth he shal newely by myracle Restore ageyn and eke reedefye Vpon that day the myghty tabernacle Of kyng dauyd with al the regallye And of this chylde wryteth also ysayâ— Whan he is borne that in his presence Kynges for drede shullen kepe salence A questyon assoyled whiche is worthyest of kyng wyne or woman capitulo lvij A questyon assoyled whiche is worthyest of kyng wyne or woman capitulo lvij aNd as in erthe is made a questyon Of thynges thre whiche was worthyest Kyng wyne or woman in comparison Eche y praysid holden as for best And al this stryf as darius gan lest Zorobabel withouten ony slouthe Aboue echone had preferrid trouthe And whyle they were atrauerse of thise thre Eueriche holdyng his opynyon Zorobabel of ryght and equyte To woman yaue his commendacion Makyng forthwith of trouthe mencion Onely in signe as he can deuyse Fro woman first trouthe must aryse Whiche is the bonde knotte pryncipalle Of al vertu hit may not be denyed And therwithal so excellent ryalle With god hym self that is next alyed And for hit is so moche magnefyed Thorow the world of pryce and worthy fame God chese hym self of that to bere the name And with his mowth hym self so list hym calle As the gospel makyth mencion And by recorde of prophetâ—s alle God descendyng to one conclusion This day in erthe for our sauacion Of a woman in maydenhede flouryng To mankynde trouth dyd spryng And fro heuen rightwysnes behelde How trouthe mercy in a mayde mette And thus is trouth spronge out of a felde Where the holy ghoost the rayne of grace sette To make the graffe that he fro Iuda fette To fructefye and a pure virgyne That shal be tytle of the same lyne The crowne of Iuda to hym accepte anone And vnderfonge hit as a champyon Whiche was byrafte so many a day a gone From sedechye aweye in babylon Whan that was made a transmygracion By the tyraunt nabugodonosore Who 's cruelte last shal nomore How our lady ought worthely to be recommendyd and worshypped for the byrthe of cryst capitulo lviij nOw he is borne that is rightful eyre That shal make better than neomyâ— His peple of Iuda for to haue repeyre Ierusaleme ageyn to reedefye Though herode that falsely doth ocupye As a foreyn thrugh his cruel myght By tyrannye and no tytle of right Of whom the kyngdom shal not longe endure The reygne vsurpyng by extorcion For the lord of euery creature This day hath take his Iust pocessyon In bethlehem within a smale dongeon He his moder as who sayth but allone To wayte on hym other fewe or none A lady myn how god hath made the riche Thy self allone al richesse to possede For in this world none is the lyche Of plente ryal fro the londe of mede Where the hylles of golde ben as I rede May no tresoure in his menes reyse Ageyn thy tresure for to counterpeyse For certes lady thou allone hast alle That within heuen aungels desyre The Iewel riche the tresour celestyalle Of heuen kyng of erthe lord and syre And hym that hath al the hole empyre Of londe see the monarchye Thow hast hooly lady myn to gye And as austyn the holy doctour writeth In a sermon of the natyuyte We may to the say right as he byddeth With deuout herte knelyng on our kne O blessyd lady floure of virgynyte We prayen echone o welle of our welfare Lyke a moder not thy mylke to spare Yeue hym plente that is so plenteous Of fulsomnesse aungels to fede And yeue hym sowke the pyment gracious Of thy pappes let thy condyte shede The swete mylke al about in brede Moderly it makyng to auale On his fayr tendyr lymmes smale Glad mayst thou be that sauf list to vouche With his softe rounde lyppes lyte To haue plosaunce thy brestis for to towche Onely to sowke thy blessyd pappys whyte And that hym list so godely to delyte For his playe to haue so moche blisse Euer amonge thy holy mouthe to kysse And sodeynly with childely chere Iocounde Than anone thy whyt necke to enbrace With his softe tendyr armys rounde And than attones falle on thy face And of his eyen fulfilled of al grace A goodely loke to the ward enclyne And so forth his chekys leye to thyn And with his fyngrys mowth eyen touche His smalle pawmys on thy chekis leyne His yonge face betwene thy pappys couche And holde hym stylle with al his besy peyne And grype hem fast with his hondes tweyne For therin was his heuenly repaste Thy yonge sone whan he lyst breke his faste There was his fode and his norisshyng pure
attendaunce My spryte also with herte thought in fere Reioysid bath with fulsum habundaunce In god that is myn herte souerayn entere And al my ioye and al my suffysaunce My hole desyre and al my sustenaunce Within my thought so depe he is graue That but in hym wythout variaunce In al this world I can no gladnes haue For he from heuen goodly hath beholde Of his handmayde the humylite Wherfore in soth al onely for he wolde Alle kynredys shal blessyd calle me Of the whiche the thanke o lord be vnto the With pace and honour of euery voyce tunge Thorow armony of sothfast vayte For this allone be to thy name sunge For he to me hath do thynges grete Of hygh renowne and passyng excellence His grace made fully inâ— to flete For he is myghty of his magnyfyce nâ—e His name holy and moste of reuerence That wyl I leue hit shal me neuer sterte With al my trewe faythful dyligence To thanke hym of al my hoole herte And he his mercy most passyngly famous For kyn to kyn so doun to kynrede Shal thorow his grace be so plenteuous Perpetually that it shal procede And specially to them that louen and drede Myn owne lorde with herte wylle and mynde To suche his pyte shal euer sprynge sprede Of due right neuer be behynde He hath his arme enforced maad stronge His dreedful myght that men may see knowe And proude men they reyne not ful longe He seruyd hath maad him ful bowe With al his herte doun of the whâ—le hem throwe For to abate hir surquedrye and pryde Or they were ware her pompe was ouerthrowe Ful sodenly and seyde her boste a syde And myghty tyrauntes from her ryal see He hath avalyd and y put a doun Aod humble and meke for hir humyâ—â—te He hath enhaunced to ful hygh renowne For he can make atransmutacion From bowe to hygh as it is seen ful ofte And whan hym list the domynacion Of worldly pompe to falle ful vnsofte He hath fulfilled and fosteryd in her nede With the goodes of plenteuous largenesse Hem that were hungry Iâ—dygent in drede And hem relecid of al her wretchidnesse And he the riche hath raught from his richesse Ful wylde waste to make vpon the playne And sodenly plungyde in distresse Al solytarye left hym lygge in vayne For he his chylde chosen of Israel Benygnely hath taken to his grace And of his mercy is remembrid wel To wyde onely vengeaunce from his face And humble pees shal ocupye hys place And pyte shal be sosid in his stalle And trouthe shal his right so enbrace To sette mercy aboue his werkys alle As he hath spoken faythfully behyght To our faders that hath ben here tofore To abraham to his sede of right That his mercy shal leste euermore For nere his mercy al the world were lore Vnto the whiche to make man attayne He haâ—h made mercy our kynde to restore And of al his werkis to be souerayne How our lady after the byrthe of saynt Iohn baptist torned to nazareth capitulo xxiij aNd whan this blessyd gracious dytee Was sayd to god deuoutly of marie I fynde after playnly how that she Stylle in the howe bood of zacharye Thre monthes the gospel may not lye And after that I rede in certayne To nazareth that she went agayne And there abode in contemplacion In her prayers alwey day by day With many an holy medytacion To queme her lord in what she can or maan From whom hir thought went neuer Hir ful mynde ne hir remembraunce For but in hym she hath no plesaunce In al thys world of no maner thynge For al her ioye was on hym to thynke What euer she dyd prayeng or worchyng No thynge but he myght in her herte synke For fynally whether she wake or wynke Amyd hir herte he was alwey present So fixe on hym was sette her hoole entent And day by day this holy lyf she ladde This parfyt mayde thorow hygh deuocion So feruent loue vnto god she had There may be made no deuysyon For she sequestrid hir opynyon From al the world let it playnly goon So hole to god she gaf hir herte alloon For euer in loue she brent more amd more Toward god in his hygh seruyse Was al hir lust with herte sette so sore Al erthely thyng she fully doth despyse And day by day her wombe gan to ryse Through the fulfillyng of the holy ghoost Therein by loke whom she louyd moste This mene while Ioseph ay soiourned In galylee god wote ful Innocent Of al this thyng and why he not retorned Was for that he was so diligent In carpentrye with al his ful entent Sundry werkis of meruaylous empryse By carpentrye to forge and deuyse For in this crafte inpassyng excellence He had in soth hygh discressyon And was had most in reuerence Of al the werkmen of that regyon And for he had in connyng suche renowne Lyke a mayster ther is nomore to seye The werkmen al his byddyng dyd obeye And when he had al his werke acheuyd He is repayryd to nazareth ageyn But lord how he was in his herte ameuyd When that marye he hath with chylde y seyn That sore astonyd he not what he may seyn So at his herte hit sat so Inwardly Tyl at thâ— laste he abrayed sodaynly And said allas how hit is falle of newe In myn absence or what thyng may this be 〈◊〉 this mayde so faithful so trewe 〈◊〉 with chylde god wote not with me That somtyme had auowyd chastyte And to my kepyng eke delyuerd was What shal I saye of this sodeyn caas What shal I answer my self to excuse Vnto the bysshop yf he me appose For eyther must I playnly hir accuse Or my gylt with this gylt enuose This thynge is opene I may it not enclose O blessyd god so do me now this grace Out of my brest this wooful ghoost to trase For certes lord hit were thy wylle I had leuer vtterly to deye Than thorow my worde this mayde for to spylle As I mote nede yf I hir bewraye And on my self yf I the charge laye For to afferme she hath conceyuyd by me I mote accuse hir vow of chastyte And so my sylf appeche of vntreuth Sithen I in soth dyd hir neuer knowe O blessyd lord haue on this mater reuthe For vtterly my wyt is brought so lowe To see corne growe where no sede is sowe And reson also platly can I none How a mayde with chylde shold gone And floure forthe in hir vyrgynyte I neuer sawe ne neuer yet dyd rede And this I doubte my reson can not see How that marie hath kept her maydenhede In myn absence this I double drede My witte is brought wote not where to torne For double cause that I haue now to morne That one is this that my fantasye May neuer accorde that she dyd offence And reson playnly agaynward doth denye
be borne doun And so wyl trouth haue domynacion For ony falsenes that men can conspyre Than she that was so fully sette a fyre Of the holy ghoost ne dar but lityl drede To drynke water whether hit be thykke or clere To take a preef of hir maydenhede For hir harme it shal haue no power For to deface her colour or hir chere But rather amende more and clarefye The derke dymmyng of euery clowde skye And so marie stondyng in the place And al her frendys about enuyron Where men may see vpon many a face Of frendely routhe and compassyon The salte treris falle and renne doun For drede and loue they had for to seen So hard assaye made on hir age grene But she alwey constant as a walle In thought in chere abasshyd neuer a dele Ne in hir herte dredyth not at alle But vpon god tristyth alwey wele That he of trouth shal trye out the stele And by that she spake but wordes fewe Withouten speche he shal the dede shewe And whan the water fully was confecte Lyke the statute and the rytes olde The bysshop hath the cuppe first directe Vnto Ioseph and hym the parel tolde And manly he gan hit holde And dranke hit vp chaunged not his chere And seuen tymes aboute the aultere He went than by custome as he ought Of face and colour alwey lyke newe And to marie also the bysshop brought A cuppe of water she of herte trewe Acceptith eke this godely fressh of hewe And or she dranke this holy parfyt mayde Al opynly thus to god she sayde How our lady prayed to god to shewe hir vyrgynyte capitulo xxxij o Sothfast lord that hast the knowlechyng Of euery thyng thorow thy myght And art so trewe and so iust a kyng To hygh and lowe thou wylt do right And nothyng may be shroudyd fro thy sight Thorow none engyne ne thy face asterte But sothfastly knowest euery herte So that no wyght fade may ne fayne Tofore the eye of thy sapyence Now let thy grace doun fro heuen trayne Clerely in dede and not by apparence To shewe in me yf ther be offence Of ony gylte myn auowe to appeche To the I praye so thy light to reche That hit be couthe here al opynly To wete in soth whether I in chastyte Haue ledde my lyf as faythfully Lyke as thou knowest for the loue of the And yf I haue my virgynyte Conceruyd hole this is myn oryson Make opynly a demonstracion And with that word the drynke she dyd ataste And went hir course about the aultere And al the peple gan to gasen faste Yf ony signe dyd in hir appere Other in colour countenaunce or chere But al for nought playnly as I tolde The more on hir they losten and beholde The more she was in hir sight fayre And lyke as phebus in Ioly grene maye Whan she hath chasid the derk mysty ayre Shyneth more clere the bright somers daye Whan thylke vapours ben dryuen clere awaye Right so Ioseph and also marie So fressh were in euery wyghtes eye That to beholde they thought hit dyd hem goode The longe day in hir opynyon For in her face alwey was the bloode Without palyng or ony drawyng doun And alwey more fayr of Inspeccion Of whiche thynge the peple gan meruayle And for astoned thoughten her wittes fayle How the bysshop and the peple dredde hem of the assaye that was maad to our lady capitulo xxxiij aNd in partye gretely weren dysmayed Lest that god on hem wold take vengeaunce For they so ferre goddis myght haue assayed Oâ—f errour blynde and veray Ignoraunce And right forthwith of hertely repentaunce They bonchen her bâ—estys wiâ—h fystys wonder sore And al attones fâ—â—len doun afore This holy mayde with humble reuerence And wolden hir feet haue kyssyd there anone Axyng mercy of hir grete offence And she forgaue it hem euerychone And al the bysshops and the peple gone Benygnely to brynge hir aweye And to hir paleys fully hir conueye Of whom the noyse to the heuen runge Wiâ—h herte and speche as they magnefye The lord aboue in euery wyghtes tunge For ioye and myrthe gan hym glorefye And al the day thus in melodye They ladde forâ—h tyl hit drowe to eue And godely than of hir they took her leue And forth they went euery man his waye In the storye as made is memorye But marie in al the haste she maye Entrâ—d is in to hir oratorye As she that haâ—h wonne the victorye Of al tho that aforne gan muse Hir maydenhede of malyce to accuse And thorow hir merite hath the mouthis shette And lippys closid of hem that weren in were And day by day kepyng hir closette Contynuelly lay in hir prayere Expectaunt euer lyke as ye shul here With humble herte and deuoute obeysaunce Vpon the tyme of hir delyueraunce The holy ghoost beyng ay hir guyde Hir chaumbre she kept her day awaytyng As ye shal here yf ye list to abyde And god toforne yet or the birdes synge And or that floura doth the flouris sprynge Tofore the calendys of apryle or of maye My purpose is playnly yf that I maye For to procede forth in this dytee So as I can or make mencion Of the feste and solempnyte That callyd is the Incarnacion Only thrugh helpe and supportacion Of hir that is so plenteuous benygne Or that phebus entre in the signe With this carecte of the ariete Of this feste somwhat shal I wryte But o alas the rethorikes swete Of petrake fraunces that coude so endyte And tullyus with al his wordes whyte Ful longe agone and ful olde of date Is deed allas passyd in to fate A comendacion of chauceres capitulo xxxiiij aNd eke my master chauceris now is graue The noble rethor poete of brytayne That worthy was the lawrer to haue Of poetrye and the palme attayne Tâ—at made first to dystylle and rayne The gold dewe dropys of speche eloquence In to our tunge thrugh his excellence And fonde the flouris first of rethoryke Our rude speche onely to enlumyne That in our tunge was neuer none hym lyke For as the sonne doth in heuen shyne In mydday spere doun to vs by lyne In whos presence no sterre may appere Right so his dytees withouten ony pere Euery makyng with his light distayne In sothfastnes who so takyth hede Wherfore no wonder though myn herte playne Vpon his deth and for sorow blede For want of hym now in my grete nede That shold allas conueye and dyrecte And with his supporte amende and correcte The wronge traces of my rude penne There as I erre and goo not lyne right But that for he ne may me not kenne I can nomore but with al my myght With al myn herte myn Inward sight Prayeth for hym that now lyeth in cheste To god aboue to geue his sowle good reste And as I can forthe I wyl procede Sithen of his helpe ther may no socour le And though
my penne be quakyng ay for drede Nether to clyo ne to calyope Me list not calle for to helpe me Ne to no muse my poyntel for to gye But leue al this and say vnto marie O clere castel and the chaste toure Of the holy ghoost moder and virgyne Be thou my helpe counceyl and socoure And let the stremys of thy mercy shyne In to my breste this thyrd book to fyne That thorow thy supporte and benygne grace Hit to parforme I may haue lyf and space How Cryst was borne after the makyng of the world fyue thousand an hundred four score and xix yere capitulo xxxv wHan al was hushte al was in salonce And in his cours the longe sterry nyght Was half past fresshe of apparence Lucyna shone in heuen fayr and bryght Thy word o lord that is most of myght Whiche ay abydeth parteth not fro the Sente dissendyth from thy ryal see Hath sodeynly vpon al erthe Shad his light for our sauacion As I shal synge or mayes day the ferthe Yf ye lyst here of humble affeccion How in the yere of computacion Fourty and two of octauyan Ferthermore after the world began Fyue thousand as beda list defyne And an hundred sothely this is no lees And therwythal nynty yere and nyne Whan al the world in rest was in pees Withouten warre and of olympyades In the hundred nynty yere and thre And by cronycle eke as ye may see Than augustus by coÌ„maundement Generally withouten excepcion Bad by his lettris that the president Of eche prouynce cyte borough or towne â—â—orow out the world make discripcion Of euery hede so that eche man At a certeyn day in al the haste he can Vpon a payne be founde in the cyte 〈…〉 was borne without more delaye Boâ—he hygh and lowe of what estate he be After his statute his tribute for to paye And that no man be hardy to say nay To quyte hym self of euery circumstaunce To make in opyn a reconysaunce With hand assured and hole professnon Of the prouynce tofore the president That he is subget vnto come town With al his herte and his hole entente And here vpon that he payed his rente As the custome and the statute bonde That is to say that he brynge in his honde A large peny enprynted wyth the name And the ymage of the Emperour And there vpon he shold anone atame Another of newe and for the more honour With hond touchyd swere for swete or soure Whyle he lyueth and neuer for to rewe With herte and body playnly to be trewe To tempre his byddyng to obeye Withouten grutchyng or rebellyon With al his myght for to lyue and deye And than anone the dyscripsion Of euery heed in his owne towne Was made in haste where that he was bore And after that I fynde furthermore His name was regestrid with hem there Perpetuelly to be in mynde And this discryuyng yf ye list to here Was made first in syrye as I fynde By one cyrynus the peple for to bynde To be to rome in subieccion For 〈◊〉 cyrynus in that regyon Was preferrid there vnder the emperour In â—okes olde as made is mencion And â—hiles he was theyr gouernour Was first than begonne the discripcion The 〈◊〉 in soth after the foundacion Of myghty rome seuen hondred fyftene At whiche tyme with his bemys shene Was fressh phebus in his first face Of caprycorn the lowest stacion The same yere callyd the yere of grace The yere of comforte and remyssyon Beyng the thyrteneth the Indyccion The golden nombre of the same yere Eyghtene acounted in our calendere How Ioseph our lady went to bethlem to paye trybute capitulo xxxvj tHe yere of herode thyrty yere and one Whan made was the discripsion As ye haue herde that Ioseph must gone To bethlem for conclusion To paye his tribute in his owne towne As the statute afore doth specefye By cause that he and also marie Wherof the housolde the tribe borne Callyd Iuda and of the kynrede Of worthy dauyd as I haue sayde toforne And on her iorney as they gan hem spede And holy Ioseph dyd her brydel lede And sodeynly marie than abrayde And vnto Ioseph euen thus she sayde Y wys qd she me thynketh that I see Two folkis gretely discordyng Vpon the waye apperyng vnto me That one reioysyng that other compleynyng To whom Ioseph benygnely lokyng Answerd agayn bad hir ryde in pees And prayed hir also not to be recheles Ony wordes for to speke in vayne But holde hir waye and hir iourney right And vnwarely afore them in the playne Apperid an aungel with face sterne bright Of whom the beaute yaue a plesaunt light The place enuyron a swete odoure And his clothyng the like lyly floure Was whyt in soth as snowe that falleth newe Whiche gan anone chere and loke to meue And therwithal with a chaungyd hewe Bygan also Ioseph to repreue And shortly bad his wordes that he leue And sayd in soth that he was to blame For to be bolde ony wordes to tame Ayenst marie thrugh thy neclygence To say that she spake ony wordes veyne For that she sawe was none apparence But veray soth as she hath it seyne For tryste me wel and be right certeyne Of this folke of whiche she spake to the In sothfastnesse like as thou shalt see Ben the folkis and the peplis tweyne That ben disseuerid in ful large space That one of Iewes that wepe shal and pleyne With many tere distyllyng in her face That wylfully shal refuse his grace Of froward herte for to be benygne To deuoyde and playnly to resygne The Synagoge with her rightes olde Whiche in shorte tyme shal drawe to declyne And her faces quenche and wexe colde With sacrid light that weren wonte to shyne For tyme is come that they must fyne And the waylyng of her derkyd chere Vnclose shal shewe as bright and clere This tyme of grace fully to obeye With herte wylle with humble chere For goddis worde that no man may withsaye Hath hastyd it goon ful many a yere To abraham and also Isaac in fere And to Iacob that in her holy sede Ful hastely who so wyl take hede Shal al the peplys blessyd be Thrugh out the world in euery londe reâ—â—e And with that word that Ioseph myght see The aungel stye aboue the sonne beme And be goth forth toward bethleme With marie tyl that they bothe tweyne In ful lityl space gan to atteyne To the bondes of bethlem the cyte Wery and mate somdele of hir vyage Where they founden of peple suche plente In the cyte of euery maner age That they myght haue no maner herbegage In al the towne neyther boure ne halle Saue a stable and a litel stalle That was sequestrid and y sette a syde Out of al prees the story sayth expresse â—ade for bestys therin to abyde 〈◊〉 streyte narowe shadowyd with derknesse In
his subieccion Withouten obstacle and haue poscessyon Of ydume for his heritage With many another riche regyon And of Seyr the riche baronage Shal to hym lowte for his renoun So that this sterre in conclusion Whiche in bethleme brightest of sterris alle The whiche aboue the lytyl oxys stalle So shene shone at the natyuyte Of the chylde as ye haue herde me telle Betokeneth playnly as ye shul after here That the lord of heuen erthe and helle Wâ—iche may of moab the tyrannye felle Was there by look helde his hostage Iâ— a staâ—le narow as ony cage 〈◊〉 bestis though he were lord of alle 〈…〉 world may at his wylle gouerne Whicâ—e in his honde hangith as a balle In 〈…〉 his mâ—ght is so eterne And 〈…〉 thâ—ng marye gan concerne Within her self sâ—ker and ful â—â—oos And after that she mekely vp roos How our lady receyuyd the mydwyues capitulo xlj aNd to the dore wonder womanly She went a paas and whan she dyd see The mydwyues ful benygnely She brought hem in with al humylite Shephora and also Salomee And hem welcometh in ful lowe manere And whan that they thise signes sawe in fere Of the sterris and the bestys knele Toward the chylde to do hym reuerence And gan also by other tokens fele Of maydenhode that there was none offence And that she stood hole in that excellence Of parfyt clennesse and virgynyte And moder to be and floure in chastyte Withouten wemme on ony party founde Of al the preues that they make coude And whan they sawe her pappis so habounde With heuenly mylke sent from aboue the cloude Shephora gan theÌ„ne to crye ful lowde That a mayde hath a chylde borne The whiche thynge was not seen beforne In al this world who so list to take hede For it in soth the right of al nature Passith playnly also doth excede The wytte of man I do you wel assure But I see wel thrugh the myghty cure Of goddys honde this thynge is brought aboute Wherof platly I am no thynge in doubte But assentyd with herte and hole credence Hauyng theron none ambyguyte And theÌ„ne anone for the grete offence And for wantriste of her felow salome Opynly that al men myght see Wexe in that arme dede and colde as stone With whiche she was hardy for to gone How the honde of Salome wexyd drye capitulo xlij tHe childe to touche of presumpsion And his moder without reuerence Deuoyde of drede or of deuocion Or ony faithful humble aduertence Don as hir ought of his magnyficence Wherfore anone for hir hygh trespace Al opynly in the same place She punysshid was that al myght hit see And gan for sorow wepe and complayne And sayd lord haue pyte vpon me And of mercy rewe vpon my payne And of myn offence that thou not dysdayne Ne to thyn hyghnes hit be no displesaunce That I a wretche blynde of ignoraunce Offendyd gretely hath in thy sight Of moche vnkunnyng and Indiscressyon And sodeynly in al theyr syght Euen amyddes of that mancion An aungel bright sent from heuen doun Dyd appere byddyng hir anone With deuoute herte that she shold goon Ful humbly in her beste entente Vnto the chylde for to haue socoure And touche the hemme of his vestemente Reuerently and with grete honour For he in soth is the sauyour Of al the world and of al mankynde And power hath playnly to vnbynde Al tho that playnen and ben in distresse Whan they to hym mekely wyl calle And salome deuoutly gan hir dresse Toward the childe on her knees falle And said o lord that power hast of alle Let thy mercy on me sprede For to socour me in this grete nede Me wretchyd wyght punysshed rightfuâ—â—â— And lost for euer saue onely thy grace For in soth saue onely thy mercy I haue lost myn arme allas for my trespace And with that word as she dyd enbrace To touche the cloth that he laye in bounde Without more this salome hath founde Remedye and was made hole agayn Sodenly or she coude it spye And vp she rose and may no lenger fayn But in the strete opynly gan crye How the lord that al this world may gye Descendyd is and bycome man And whiles that she thus in the strete ran Tellyng the byrthe of the sterre also And of hir arme and of hir sodeyn cure The peple gan faste to drawe to To herken more of this aduenture For in her speche soÌ„me gan hem assure And that her wordes myght be credyble And specially for to them vysyle The sterre shone euer aboue the hous Ay lyke fyx wythout mocion So bright so longe so glad so ioyous That al that had Inspeccion In herte parfyte and trewe entencion â—hat they weren reioysid and made light And al this thynge felle vpon the nyght On a sonday myn auctour wyl not lye As ye may fynde yf ye list to rede The viij kalendis for sothe of Ianuarye Whan marye example of maydenhede Was of age who so wyl take hede Sixtene yere thys floure of nazareth At the vysion of saynt Elizabeth Playnly recordeth loke and ye may see And in this nyght of moste worthynesse Of crystys byrthe and natyuyte As the gospel saith and berith wytnesse Whan the shepherdes with grete besynesse Kepte her watche the longe wynters nyght Vpon her shepe an aungel with grete light How the aungels apperid to the shepherdis and tolde the birthe of cryst capitulo xliij aMyd the felde to hem dyd appere And gaue hem comfort in her grete drede And bad hem be light and glad of chere For I ad he shewe to you in dede A ioye that doth euery ioye excede That fynally shal of al dysease To al folke comforte be and ease And be to hem refuyte and socoure In al myscheues and aduersite For now this day mankyndes sauyour In bethleme of dauyd his cyte Is borne in soth lyke as ye may see Goth and beholdeth how that it is falle And ye shullen fynde in an oxes stalle How that he lyeth in clothis narow wounde This yonge faunte with chere ful benygne The whiche thyng when that ye haue founde That al is soth let be to you a signe And sodenly with lawde pryse condygne With the aungel the hole chyualrye Of al heuen by one armonye For ioye herof gan to say and synge Glorye and honour in the heuenly see Be vn to god eternally durynge And in erthe pees and reste be To al tho men that of one vnyte This hygh feste honoure and magnefye And we echone of one melodye O myghty lord we prayse and blesse the And worshyp eke with humble reuerence And glorefye thyn hygh mageste And thankyng gyue to thy magnyficence For thy glorye and thyn excellence O thou lord god o kyng celestyal O god the fader most myghty founde at alle And god the sone his chylde aboue eterne Crist Ihesu borne of this heuenly quene O god also the chosen lambe so derne
Sothfast seleer of his sustenaunce The tonne of lyf that euer dyd endure Ay lyke fresshe vnto his plesaunce With sacrid lycour of holy habundaunce That none but he may touche ne appronhe For hit for hym was onely set a broche For in that lycour is ful remedye Holy refuyte and playne medecyne Ageyn the venym brought in by enuye Thorugh false engyne malyce serpentyne Whan the snake made adam to dyne Of the appyl that was intoxicate Falsely with god to make hym at debate But now the mylke of thy pappys tweyne Benygne lady is to vs triaâ—le Within thy breste spryngeth from a veyne Ayenst the deth to be to vs obstacle O how it is a passyng hygh myracle Thorow goddes myght by nought ellys Out of a breste to see two smale wellys Of a mayde spryngyng as a ryuere To yeue hym drynke that is kyng of alle O goodely lady o heuenly botelâ—re Whan we in myschyef to the clepe calle Somme drope of grace let vpon vs falle And to that celer make a redy weye Where thou of mercy allone berist the keyâ— And of grace let be no scarsete Good lady that art of grace welle For now this day in erthe is borne of the The sothfast god of heuen erthe and helle Whiche is come doun with vs for to dwelle And hath of the our mortall kynde y take Of al our woo an ende for to make Somtyme fro heuen fyâ— doun the manne To refresshe the hungry in her nede And that befyl in deserte right thanne Whan moyses the peple dyd lede But now this day in erthe man to fede An humble mayde to al that ben trewe In this desert hath brought manna newe Whiche to aungel is the food of lyf To man repaste of ioye and of gladnesse Chyef recomforte and restoratyf To al feble oppressyd with sekenesse O good lady o myrrour of mekenesse Benygne floure of womanhede the welle In this deserte where as now we dwelle Send vs thy manna of souerayn hertes he le To our comforte and consolacion And let vs grace in thy mercy fele For our refuyte and refeccion And in this vale of confusion Let the grace fro the skyes rayne The manna of lyf that we may attayne For thou allone arâ— comforte synguler To al tho that no refuyte conne This day also of mercy the ryuere Fro whiche al grace is to mankynde ronne The sterre also that hath brought forth the sonne The sone of lyf in erthe for to wone O mayde o moder o doughter of thy sonne Whiche none in soth sithe the world began Was bothe two but thy self allone For who is he that remembre can First or last late or ellys soone So bright a sonne spryng of so fayr a mone Saue this day the sonne of lyf most shene From the aroos thou a mayde clene Without eclipsyng or lesyng of thy light For thou a moder and mayde bothe two In vâ—â—tuâ—ayâ—e like shene and bright O fayr â—oose o roose of Ierico That hast this day god and man also In bethelem borne ageyn the greye morowe The nyght to voyde of al our olde sorowe Of liknessis of our lady in commendacion of hir capitulo lix nOw fayr â—edre cyâ—resse of syon Spryngyng light of nazareth Chosen chambre of wyse salamon Floure of the felde swettest on holte heth Of whom al vertu saueth men fro deth Of syloe the water eke depurid Wherby the lepre of Naman was recuryd Laude and glorye of Iherusalem Thow namyd arte and of Israel gladnesse Holsom cestern this day of bethlehem The thrist of dauyd to sâ—aunche and distresse Of paradyse the welle in sothfastnesse Foyson that floweth in to sondry royames The soyle to adewe with his swete stremes The lond also of promyssyon That mylke and hony bothe in fere shedyth The soyle and grounde of our sauacion With his herbys that fosterith vs and fedeth Now blessyd mayde whos mercy euer nedeth Also that lyuen in thy seruyse This hygh feste so for vs deuyse That in honoure of thy sone dere We may of herte rede synge and praye And let the stremys of thyn eyen clere Thy seruauntes o lady myn conueye To contynue fully vntyl we deye The to serue with hertely loue and drede As moste is plesyng to thy womanhede And this feste of festys pryncipalle Callyd the feste of the natyuyte Make loue pees to reygne oueralle And hertis ioye wyth parfyt vnyte Voyde al dyscorde let no rancour be In hertes closed by malice or enmyte But of thy grace so gouerne vs and gye This hygh feste in whiche thy sone was borne Now this mydwynter nyght with ful affeccion Whyle phebus shyneth in the caprycorne We may the serue with al deuocion And lady myn in conclusion Now this monthe that callyd is decembre Vpon thy seruauntes faythfully remembre How cryst was circumcisyd capitulo lx wHan Ianus bifrons in colde Ianuarie With frosty berde entryd in the yere And phebus chare neyeth to aquarie His watery bemys tofore feuerere Whan that his light was pale nothyng clere And from hym late was passyd lucyne The same nyght as I sawe her shyne A ourned newe with bemes glad and merye On the heuen and cast his stremys doun I gan remembre of the hygh ferye That callyd is the circumcision How hit befyl than by reuolucion By iuste acountyng in the calendere The first day of the newe yere And thought I wold in my book procede Of this feste somwhat for to wryte And to the gospel first I gan take hede Of this day how luke list to endyte Though he therof speke but a lyte And was ful brief and compendyous Yet of this day hygh and glorious He writeth playnly sayth how that anone After the day of the natyuyte When eyght dayes passed were and gone The chylde was brought with al humylite To the temple lowly for to be As the lawe of the Iewys hath deuysed The eyght day to be circumcisâ—â—n And he therto mekely dyd obeye And with a knyf made ful sharpe of stone His moder lokyng with a pyteouâ— eye The chylde was corue therwythal anone That al abowt the reed blood gan gone Without abode as sayth bonauenture And for the payne he dyd endure And for sharpenes of the sodayn smerte The chylde gan wepe that pyte was to heâ—â— Wherfore his moder of veray tendyr herte Out brast on teris myght hir self not stere That al bydewyd were hir eyen clere Whan she sawe hym that she louyd so So yonge so fayre to wepe so for woo But he anone in al his passyon For al that he was so yonge of age In manere he had a compassyon To see his moder to wepe in her rage And put his hande vnto hir vysage On mouthe and eyen passyngly benygne And as he coude goodely made a signe Withouten speche to stynte her wepyng That came to hir of moderly pyte And she ful wel conceyuyth his menyng From poynte to
to wareye Make her malice mekely to obeye To thy name make hem stonde al backe Or they haue power to hawnte her cruel myght And wicked spirites so horible blacke That besy ben to wayte vs day and nyght Lete thy name dryue hem out of sight And in our forhede whan we Ihe Impresse Make vs of grace her malice to oppresse For to thy name hooly we commende Our lyf our deth body herte alle Our sâ—wle also whan we hens wende O crist Ihu o lord Inmortal Prayeng to the whan thou vs deme shal To saue al tho from eternal shame That haue ful fayth hoole trist in thy name How by the prophecye of balaam watche was made vpon an hylle capitulo lxvij tHou lord whos light dessendith fro so ferâ—â— Thorow the roundenes of the speres nyne Withouten whom phebus ne no sterre Vpon heuen power hath to shyne Let now thy light my derknes enlumyne That thorow thyn helpe I may my style gye Somwhat to sey of thyn epyphanye And let my brest benygne lord be dewyd Doun with somme drope from thy mageste That was this day by a sterre y shewyd Out of the este to worthy kynges thre Whiche on this nyght of thy natyuyte Gan first aspye the bright bemys clere Of this sterre on the heuen apere Of whom the sprynge was not cansille Of fortune ne sodayn auenture For many a day or this thyng befylle And many a yere by recorde of scripture With a waytyng wonder besy cure In veray soth as I remembre can A certeyn kynrede toward the occian Whiche of the stocke and the lyne cam Who so list loke in bookes from a ferre And of the blode of olde balaam That somtyme had with his asse werre The whiche sayd there shold ryse a sterre Out of Iacob and from Israelle Al be that he therof no tyme coude telle Vpon whos word fully in beleue There shold aryse suche a sterre light Weren twelue chosen the trouthe for to preue Within mydwynter euer fro nyght to nyght Whan in aquarie phebus shadde his light For to awayte in al her best wyse Whan this sterre in heuen wold aryse And these twelue weren of kynrede Of balam as ye haue herde me telle That yere by yere shold take hede Vpon an hylle besyde a lytyl welle And ther in fere a certeyn space dwelle Anoynted bathed in clothes whyte And they of custome to speke but a lyte But in prayer in certeyn rytes vsid They must wake and wayte in specialle And none of hem platly to be excusid Vpon this hylle namyd victoryalle And yf one dyd that his sone shalle This statute olde his place ocupye â—r effys one that were next of alye 〈◊〉 this commytted duryng many yere 〈◊〉 custome vsid of antyquyte 〈◊〉 phebus went by meuyng circuler â—o they kept her tymes by degree And eche yere weren certeyn dayes thre 〈◊〉 â—aâ—kyng cast and computacion Sought chosen out by good eleccion For 〈◊〉 awayte the vprist by the morowe Of this sterre with his lemes glade Whiche balam sayd shold auoyde her sorowe At his vpâ—â—st whos bemes may not fade To shewe his light in euery shroude shade Without wrestyng or drawyng to declyne Tyl at the last for the same fyne To see this sterre most famous of renown On the heuen whan hit shold appere The worthy kynges as made is mencion Vpon the hylle to gyder goon in fere For cause they who so list to here Were of the stocke of balam doun discendyd Wherfore of sorte the hylle they be ascendyd As fyl on hem by custome to succede At a certeyn of the yere by reuolucion And on this hylle estward they toke hede By good auyse in her Inspeccion The same nyght of the Incarnacion Whan crist was born in bethlehem of marye The same oure the sterre they aspye Of newe aryson in the oryent Ful lusty of whom the bemes light Gan enlumyne al the firmament From este to west it yaue so clere a light That of the stremes euery maner wyght Astonyd was they were so bright shene And to the eye ful persant for to sene The whiche sterre drowe his course of right Toward the hylle lyke as bookes telle Where the kynges the long wynters nyght It to awayte solytarye dwelle And there anone vpon her knees felle And thankyd god with al her hertes luste Whiche hath not hem defrauded of her lust How the thre kynges perceyuyd the sterre capitulo lxix aNd al that nyght to gyder as they woke Vpon this sterre that shone so fayr clere And sodaynly vpward as they gan loke They sawe a chylde aboue the sterre appere So yonge so fayr in a golden spere Ful ryally stonde aboue his hede A large crosse that was of blood ful rede The whiche chylde spake to hem anone Aboue the hylle with voyce and chere benygne And bad hem fast that they shold gone In to Iuda right as ony lyne And folowe alwey the sterre for a signe That shal hem brynge to that regyon Where the kyng most worthy of renown Was borne that tyme to haue the regallye Of Iewes lond of veray dewe right To whom the sterre dyd specefye Whan he was borne with his clere light And they anone whan passyd was the nyght The next morowe no lenger list abyde But toward hym cast hem for to ryde With grete araye and ryal aparayle As was sittyng to theyr worthynesse They shope hem forth for they nolde not fayle To do honoure to his noblenesse With hem they toke golde grete richesse To spende yeue also for they ment With yeftes grete the chylde to present And forth they gone no lenger wold they tarye Thorow many a londe many a dyuerse yle Eueriche of hem on a dromedarye Whiche weren so swyfte that ful many a myle They passyd haue within a lityl whyle That in the space of dayes thyrtene By conduyte onely of the sterre shene They entrid ben in to Iherusaleem That of Iuda was the chyef cyte Conueyed euer with the bright beem Of the sterre that was so fayr to see And whan they amyd the cytee be Not astonyed axed in audyence Where is the kyng grettest of reuerence Of Iewes borne for to bere the crowne Who 's sterre we haue seen in the oryent That from heuen cast his stremys downe Whiche al the world vnder the firmament Is glad to see we of one entent Haue yeftes brought out of our contre Hym to honoure in his ryall see And whan herode of theyr comyng knewe He troubelyd was also al the town And gan anone to chaunge chere and hewe And made in haste a conuocaciyn Of al the prestys dwellyng enuyron To knowe clerely be certefyed Of the place that was specefyed Of prophetes where crist shal be borne And they anone the trouthe to hym tolde In bethlehem as they ful longe aforne Fownden out in her bookes olde And al the
is the feste of candelinesse For sundry skylles in conclusion As olde bookes make mencion And how this feste first took his name So as I can to you I wyl ataine How candelmasse took first the name capituse lxxxij sOmtyme whan rome thorugh his hye renoun Was most flowryng in power in myght Euery fyfthe yere by reuolucion In februarie vpon the first nyght Eche man chylde with a taper light Went in the cyte two two a paas Vnto a temple whiche sacrid was To 〈◊〉 of olde fandacion That moder was to mars omnypotente In whos honour this processyon Ordeyned was by grete auysemente At eche lustre wenyng in her entente That her power and grete worthynesse Preseruyd was thrugh helpe of this goddesse From al asaute of euery aduersayre Supposyng fully in her opynyon That she fortâ—â—e made debonayre For to susteyne the honour of her toun And thorugh her helpe and medytacion That myghty mars to encrece her glorye In al conquest yaue to hym glorye For whiche cause thorugh out the cyte As ye haue hâ—â—de of hygh lowe estate Was fiâ—st ordeyned this solempnyte In the temple that was consecrate To februa the goddesse fortunate Thorow helpe of whom they were victorious And so this custome superstitious In Rome towne as myn auctor seyth Obseruyd was long and many a day Yet after that they torned to the feyth But euer in one this â—yte they kepte alway For old customme is hard to put away And also vsage greuyth folk ful sore To doo away that they haue kepte yoâ—â— But at the laste pope Sergius Of the peple seeyng this errour And that the customme was ful peryllous Dyde his deuoyre and also his laboure That ryte to chaunge in to the honoure Of oure lady soo that this hye feste From the hyest doune to the loweste Euery man and woman in her honde To the Temple shold a tapre brynge Thorowe oute the world in euery maner londe And ther with al make her offryng After the gospel the prestes hand kyssyng With lyght solempne that al myght it sene In honour only of the heuen quene That best may be oure medyatryce To hyr sone that is withoute fayle Bothe lord and kyng and she Imperatryce Of lond and see of pees and of batayle Withouten whome no conquest may auayle For she hath power more in sothfastnesse Than Februa of Rome the goddesse And thus this ryte was vtterly refusyd By sergyus as ye haue herd deuyse That was aforne of hem of Rome vsyd Ful many a day in her paynym wyse Whome to sowe al Cristen must despyse And of candels whan this rite gan passe Came the name fyrst of Candelmasse This feste also of ful long agone The name took of the processyon Made of Anna and holy Symeon When they hym meâ— with grete deuocyon Brought to the temple to this oblacion As was the lawe customme and vsaunce Of holy chirche for a remembraunce Obseruyd forthe fro yere to yere Of February on the fyrst day With sacrid lyght vppon taperis clere Shynyng as bryght as phebus in may Whan the peple in what they can or may Ful redy ben of one entencyon To make in fygure a presentacyon Of Crist Ihesu with al her ful myght Sygnefyed who so can take hede By the tapre that we offre lyght For fyrste the waxe bytokeneth his manhede The weke his sowle the fyre his godhede For as the wex is made of newe Thorow smal bees of floures fresshe of hewe Thorow clennesse only and dylygent laboure On blossoâ—es gadred and to hyue brought Soo Crystes manhode grewe oute of a floure Whoo 's fresshe beaute of colour fadeth nought For a mayde clene in wylle and thought Lyche as wexe of floure soote and glade Is tryed oute and doth hem not to fade So Crist Ihesu conseruyng hyr clennesse His manhoode took of a mayde free She standyng hole flouryng in fayrenesse With al the fresshenesse of vyrgynyte And as a tapre is one to geder on thre Soo thylk lord that is bothe thre and one Took flesshe and blood to saue vs euerychone Of a mayde whiche this day fro 〈…〉 Mekely wente to be 〈◊〉 To the temple of Ierusâ—lem As her to forne it is specyfyed In whoo 's honour this feste is magnyfyed Of al Cristen men with fresshe tapres shene To sygnefye who so that wyl be clene Must offre a tapre to geder made of thre Of feythe and werke and trewe entencyon For sothfastly but they conioyned be Withoute partyng or deuysyon Nother his offryng ne oblacyon How fayr outward pleynly that it seme To god aboue it may neuer queme And though this tapre brenne bryght al day And enuyron make his lyght to shede If werke of feyth prolonged be away And trewe entent folowe not the dede Fare wel his guerdon his meryte his mede For whan these thre be not knette in one He nys not able to offryng for to gone For yf these thre to geder be not meynt Feyth werke and hoole entencion His offryng fareth but as a tapre queynt That yeueth no lyght but bryghtynesse enuyron For derke of dede from al deuocyon His offryng is but yf this thre Be knette in one thorow perfyght vnyte Now Cryst that art the sothfast holy lyght The hert of man for to enlumyne Vppon vs wretches for thy see so bryght Lete the sonne of thy mercy shyne For loue of hyr that is a pure vyrgyne Whiche on this day to the temple went Of mekenes only the foâ— to present 〈◊〉 whoo 's prayer lord of thy myght Graunte vs grace whan we be olde And shal deye to holde oure â—â—pres 〈…〉 To fore thy see where that it is tâ—ld Seuene chaundelors al of 〈◊〉 gold Fresshely with lyght stonde afore thy 〈◊〉 The dye to come of mercy graunt vs grace And in this exyle where as we soiournâ— Graunt vs lord whyle that we ben here In February as Phebus doth retourne The circuite of his golden spere Vppon this day ay fro yere to yere With tapres fresshe and 〈…〉 To kepe and halowe 〈◊〉 honour of that 〈◊〉 To whome 〈…〉 Dedyâ—â—t 〈…〉 Whiche 〈…〉 Betwene 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 To thy 〈…〉 Sancte Indiuidue trinitati Ihesu cristi crucifix humanitati gloriose beate marie virgini sit semp terna gloria ab omni creatura per Infinita seculorum secula Amen Vnto the holy and vndeuyded trynyte Thre persones in one veray godhede To Ihesu crist crucefyed humanyte And to our blessyd ladyes maydenhede Be geuyn laude and glorye in veray dede Of euery creature what someuer he be World withouten ende amen say al we Benedictum sit dulcissime nomen Ihesu crysti â— gloriosissime marie matris eius ineternuÌ„ vltra Nos cum prole pia benedicat virgo maria Amen Blessid be the swettest name of our lord Ihesu crist and most glorious marie His blessyd moder with eternal accord More than euer tendure in glorye And with hir meke sone for memorye Blesse vs marie the most holy virgyne That we regne in heuen with the ordres nyne Enpryntyd by Wyllyam Caxton
though he in erthe lyeth Ful humbly thrugh his humylite And now this feste of the natyuyte The hygh aungels and vertues alle Preysen hym as they ben wonte to done And let the swetenes of theyr notis alle Doun to the erthe where goddis owne sone This day â—ath chose with vs for to wone And lyeth now wrappyd in his moders barme Whom wel softely with her holy arme And with the fayrnes of his fyngres whyte Ful softely she doth hym enbrace And in so moche in herte doth delyte His tender lymmes to welde and compace And to beholde the goodlyest face That euer was forgyd by nature For hit was he â–ª I dar wel you assure Whom she behelde wyth hyr eyen meke That from eterâ—e was in hâ—s faders thought And one wyth hym who can take kepe His owne word that al made of nought Whom a mayde hath to mankynde brought Thorow hir mekenes of heuen erthe quene The lynyal stocke of Iuda to sustene Whom that Iacob on his fatal day Whan antropos shold his threde vntwyne Whiche câ—oâ—o had put longe in delaye And lachesis or they wold it fyne Gan to blesse thus to hem deuyne Whan al his brethern stood enuyron This olde gray with a ful softe sown O Iuda Iuda thy brethern euerichone Shal prayse and worshyp the grete renoun Of thyn estate whiche shalt of al thy foon The pryde oppresse and make hem lowte doun That shal be clepyd the whelpe of the lyon The ryal beste whiche maugry who sayth nay Shal myghty be to catche and take his praye And prowdly bere hit home vnto his caue My sone Iuda in thy dredeful tene For thrugh thy myght thou shalt victory haue Magre echone that the reuers mene For who shal mowe withstande or sustene Thy kyngly power to make resistence Ageyn thy manhode and thy magnyficence That shal in the so clerely shewe and shyne Without clipsyng of ony maner clowde The septer of whom in soth shal neuer fyne To be famous by reporte of lawe lowde Ne neuer cese ne in couert shroude Tyl a duc aryse of thy kynrede Whom al the world shall obeye and drede The whiche in soth is for to be sent Out of thy sede by successyon Lyke a kyng to holde his parlement With his kegys and his regyon And he shal be to euery nacion Sothfast abydyng socour in her nede And he shal bynde his myghty sterne stede Of very force at the holsom vyne And tye his asse vnder the grapys rede And he his stole that like to god doth shyne And his palle by myght of his manhede Shal wesshe in grapys that shullen blede The reed blode deper than scarlet hewe And thus arayed in his vester newe Of loke be shal be sterner to beholde Than the stremys of the light sterre And of eyen fayrer many folde Than wyne fynyd shynyng thrugh a verre And like yuore that comyth fro so ferre His tethe shal be euen smothe and whyte And like in soth as Ioseph list endyte The sone of Iacob in his testament Wherto his chyldren he makyth mencion Tofore his deth wyth ful deuoute entente His presence as they knelyn doun To hem rehercyng the grete auysion Whiche he had in egypt goon ful yore In the foreste amonge the holtes hore How that he sawe twelue hertes whyte Ful lustely goo in her pasture And after that as lyncolne lyst to wryte He sawe of Iuda borne a creature Of thought dede a veray mayde pure And in his dreme he thought he dyd sene Of hir brought forth without spotte al clene A lambe most fayr to his Inspeccion That euer he sawe vnto his plesaunce On whos lyft honde stood a fierce lyon And bestys al by one alyaunce That were in erthe thrugh cruel resemblaunce A forcyng hem by sheltron in batayle By felle malice this fayr lambe to assayle But or they auayle myght in fight The lambys power made hem for to deye And hem vanysshed thrugh his humble myght That man aungel whan they this conquest seye They fyllen doun and the lambe dyd obeye Sent of god this meke werriour Whiche was borne to be our sauyour Vnto mankynde and proteccion To slee the lyon that he may not endure And accordyng with his auysion This lambe of god clad in our armure This day was borne of a mayde pure And lord of al here in a litel cage By kyn descendyd out of lignage Of the worthy and myghty brethern two And as burion out of a stocke growyng Right so thys chylde from leuy and also Fro myghty Iuda grewe out succedyng Borne of the blood to be preest and kyng So entremedlyd by successyon Of bothe thyse two was the generacion Tyl the braunches be ronne and so ferre gone By lynyal cours descendyng as a steyre Tyl the kynredes were bothe growen in to one In to a braunche to haue her repeyre That was preuyd playnly to ben eyre The right of leuy in preesthode to succede And by Iust tytle who so list take hede For to be kyng and bere the dyademe After his fader and be successoure To worthy Iuda of Israel to queme To be hir prynce and myghty gouernoure And fro Iacob this burion and this floure Fyrst gan sprynge to Iesse tyl hit raught And so forth doun tyl the buddes caught How nature obeyeth to virgynyte ca xlix tHe holy sydes in a pure virgyne To bere frute that shal mankynde saue And now this day the prophecye to fyne In bethleme within a lityl caue Kynde and mayde suche werre haue For this matere how no creature To mannys myght Iustely by nature That ben contrarye haue her restyng place For mayde and moder shortely for to seye In one persone to gyder may not trace For by kynde that one must voyde aweye But in this caas nature dyd obeye To a mayde and gaue vp hole her right Wysely aduertyng she was to feble of myght In this mater to holde chaumpartye With hir that was of face most benygne Whâ—rfore she wydeth al rancour and enuye And humbly hir quarel doth resigne For hiâ— were vayne for nature to malygne Though she of kynde be the emperesse Agayn hir lord that made hir so maystresse That she mote nede of necessyte In euery thynge to his wylle obeye And be mynyster vnto his volunte Syth of her myght he berith hym self the keye For in to hir by no maner weye It is no wronge ne no preiudyce Though of a mayde without synne or vyce That was so holy and parfyt founde at alle He wold grace descende doun so lowe To take the clothyng fâ—â—el and mortalle Of our kynde to make a burion growe That neuer was of man sette no sowe But wyth a worde and the consentynge Of a mayde a graâ—fe burgenynge Of Iudas stocke this day gan appeâ—â— Whan crist was bore of a mayde free And the fader sent his sone dere Doun to the erthe to make an vnyâ—â— By parfyt loue and feruent charyte Eternally be