Sithe of þese þree worschipfuƚƚ kynges alle þe worlde from þe risyng of þe sonne to his downe-goynge ys fuƚƚ of preisyng̛ and meritesLeft out in MS. Tit., but readable in MS. Cbr., and, þerfore, as the rysyng̛ of þe son̄ cleritℏ in hys beemes, so þis worlde (!)read hitshynetℏ in meritis of̘ þese þree kyngis; ffor inMS. as þe springyng̛ and rysyng̛ of þe sonne, þat is to saye in þe Este of þe worlde, theseMS. So these þree kynges in body and flessℏ lyuynge, Crist, verray god and man, wiþ her ȝiftis, þat were bodily & in menynge gostely, sought and worschiped, and so þese þree kynges, þat of myscreauntes were þe first byleuyng men and of myscreauntes þe firste maydenes, þe birtℏ of Crist,MS. birtℏ þat was Crist þe verray sonne, fyrste schewed and honoured amonge mysbeleued men. and so goynge-doune of þis sonne in þe bileue of̘ þese þree kyngis, as a shynyng morowetyde bitokenetℏ a cleer wheder folowing̛ (!): ffor þis goynge-doun of þe sonne þese þree kynges whanne þei were ded, witℏ her reliquys & myraclys in manye maners ... schewed and expressed.See the Lat. text: In quem tamen ortum solis ejus occasus quasi aurora valde rutilans claram auram sequentem presignans jam refulget: nam ipsum solis occasum prefati tres Reges eorum reliquiis venerandis et signis carne soluti multipliciter ornauerunt et in ipso solis occasu primicias suas et fidem gencium virtutibus et signis approbauerunt. But for as moche as þese þre kynges what þei wrouȝte in þe birtℏ of the sonne Crist, in dyuers bokes and placis is often wreten and openly schewed, but what they diden aftir, parcas to many men it is vnknowe: wherfore aftir hirynge, sight and speche of oþere men to þe worschip of̘ god and oure lady seynt Mary and þese þree kynges somme thynges hire ben writen̄ and of̘ dyuerse bokes sette and putte in oon.

Thys matere of þe þree blesside kyngis toke bygynnyng̛ of̘ þe prophecie of̘ Balaam, the prest̘ of Madian, prophete: the whicℏ Balaam amonge aƚƚ oþere þingis prophecied and sayde Orietur stella ex Iacob & exurget homo de Israel & ipse dominabitur omnium gencium, this is to saye: a sterre shall springe of̘ Iacob and a man shaƚƚ rise vponr. vp of Israel and shaƚƚ be lorde of̘ alle folk̘--as it is conteynede fully in the olde testament. Of this Balaam is altercacyoun̛ in þe Este bitwene þe Iewis and cristen men: ffor þe Iewis sayne in her bokes that Balaam was no prophete but an Enchauntoure& thoruȝ wicche-crafte and þe deuellis craft̘ he prophecied; wherfore in writing̛ he schulde be cleped an enchauntour and no prophete. aȝens þe Iewis cristen men sayn andMS. and alle allegen þat Balaam was a paynem and was þe first prophete þat was nooMS. and noo Iewe, & prophecied to hem þat were noo Iewes, & gloriously propheciede of̘ þe Incarnacioun of̘ oure lorde Ihesu crist̘ and of̘ the comyng̛ of these þree kingis. for if̘ his prophecie had come thoruȝ the deuellisHere the Cambridge MS. begins to be readable. craft, þe deuyl wolde naȝt haue forbode hym to curse israel. but god of grete loue schewed to balaam by a aungeƚƚ þorwe tokenys, or þat he greuyd god by his euyl counseiƚƚ. but, as it is aforseyde þat balaam was þe first prophete þat was no Iewe, and prophecied to hem þat were no Iewes: therfore þe Iewes in her bokys clepe hym a enchauntour and no prophete. Also in her bokys is a questioun of Iob, whom god with his owne mowthe commendeþ: of whom þe Iewes riȝt noȝt or litel take kepe of, siþe þat he was a paynym and naȝt of þe hebrewes. ferthermore þey seye þat Iob was tofore Moyses lawe and in þat tyme he dwellid in Mesopotamye, naȝtwithstondyng̛ þat þe scripture seiþ þat he was in þe londe of Vs, in syrle, and dwellid in a toun þat is nowe clepyd there Sabob, þat is fro damask .ix. r. a dayes iourney; where his sepulcre is seye to þis daye. and biside þat same toun seynt Poule was cast downe in þe felde and þere conuertyd to crist. alsor. and so þe Iewes kepe riȝt nouȝt of þe prophecies of balaam ne of his woordes, r. ne of Iob but in her bokys sette hym at nouȝt--of wich hit were longe to telle and to declare.

Whan þe childryn of israel were go oute of Egipt and had wonne and made soget to hem Ierusalem and alle þe londe lyggyng aboute, and noman was hardy in aƚƚ þat countrey to sette aȝens hem, for drede þat þey hadde of hem: þan was there a hille þat was cleped Vaws, þe wich hille also was cleped þe hiƚƚ of Victory: and on þis hiƚƚ þe warde & þe kepyng of hem of ynde was ordeyned and keped by diuers aspyes by nyȝt and by daye, ffor þe childryn of israel and afterwarde for þe Romayns; so þat, ȝif any pepil in any tyme purposed with stronge hande to entre in to þe countreye of the kyngdom of ynde, anoon aspyes of othir hillys aboute thorwe tokenys schewed and warnyd þe kepers þat were in þe hiƚƚ of Vaws, as by nyȝt þey made a grete fyre and by daye þey made a grete smoke. ffor þat hiƚƚ Vaws passeth of heithe aƚƚ othir hillis MS. hiƚƚ in þat countreye of ynde and in aƚƚ þe eest. and so, whan any swich tokene was sey by day or by nyȝt, than anoon aƚƚ maner of men of þe countrey aboute made hem redy to aȝenstondeThese words are cut away in the MS.,ȝif any enemyes had come. wherfore in þat tyme þat balaam so gloriouselicℏ prophecied of þe incarnacioun of oure lorde ihesu and of þe sterre and seyde Orietur stella &c.;, as hit is aforseyde: than aƚƚ þe grete lordys and aƚƚ þe oþir pepil of ynde and in þe eest desired gretlicℏ to see þat sterre, and byhotten ȝiftes to þe kepers of þis hiƚƚ of Vaws and more-ouer hyred hem with grete mede, þat, ȝif hit so were þat þei siȝe byThese words are cut away. daye or by nyȝt fer or nere any lyȝt or any sterre in þe eyre or in þe firmamenteThese words are cut away. othir than was seiȝe tofore-tyme, anoon þei scholde schewe and sende hem woorde. and so longe tyme þatr. þe comune fame and loos of this sterre was spoke and bore þorwe aƚƚ þe londys of þe eest. and of þe name of þis hiƚƚ of Vaws arose vp a worschippeful and a grete kynrede in ynde & in þe eest, þe wich is cleped þe progenye of Vaws in to þis daye; and þer is naȝt a more worschepefuƚƚ ne a more myȝty kynrede in aƚƚ þe londys and þe kyngdoms of þe eest, as hit schal be schewed afterward̛. and þis worschippefulMS. worschip-pulful kynrede kam first of þe worschippefuƚƚ kynges blode þat was cleped Melchior, þat offrid golde to oure lorde ihesu crist, as ȝe schulle here aftyr.

In þe ȝeere of oure lorde a .M.1 and .CC., whan þe citee of Acon̄, þat in þis contreye is cleped Akers, florisshed and stode in his vertue, Ioye and prosperite and was enhabited richelich with worschippeful prynces and lordys and with diuers ordres of men of religion and of aƚƚ maner of men of diuers naciouns and tungys, in so moche þat þe name and þe loos of þat cite Acon̄ was bore þorwe þe worlde, and moreouer aƚƚ naciouns and tungys com thidir and brouȝte thidir boþe by londe and by þe see ofomit of aƚƚ manere of marchaundiȝes of þe worlde, soo þat þere was no citee liche þerto of nobleye and of myȝt: than, for þis grete name and grete loos and meruayles þat were þere, þe grettest of berthe þat were of þis progenye of Vaws com oute of ynde in to Acon̄; and whan þei siȝe þere aƚƚ thyng̛ more wonderfuƚƚ þan in ynde and in the contreye of þe eest, than, bycause of desport, þei abiden there and made a feire and a stronge casteƚƚ in acon̄ for any kyng̛ or lorde. and þey brouȝte with hem oute of ynde and of þe eest many ryche and wondirful ornamentis and Iewels. and among aƚƚ oþir Iwels þey brouȝte a dyademe of golde, arayed with precious stonys and peerlys, þat r. and in þe hiest place aboue stode lettres of chalde and a sterre made lyche after þe sterre þat aperyd to þe .iij. kynges whan þei souȝte god, with a signe of þe cros byside. and þat diademe was Melchior, þe kynge of Nuby and of arabye, þat offrid golde to god, as þey seyȝen.MS. siyȝen ffor thorwe þat diademe and þe merites of þe .iij. blessed kynges god aƚƚmyȝty heled and savid boþe man and beest of diuers enfirmites; and what man þat was take with þe fowle euyl: whan þe croune was leyde vppon hym, anoon he was hoole. wherfore afterwarde þe maister and þe ordre of templerys gat þe same diademe of gold, with many oþir preciouse Iwels; of þe wich croune þei hadde late grete profite of offrynges. but, aftir tyme þat þe ordre of templers was distruyed there, where þat diademe and oþir preciouse ornamentis bycome aftir, hit was neuer knowe ȝit in to þis daye--wherfore þer was grete sorwe made in aƚƚ þe contreye longe tyme after. // Also þe same princeys of Vawes brouȝte with hem oute of ynde bokys, wryte in hebrewe and Chaldee, of þe life & of þe dedys of þes .iij. blessed kyngys: þe wych bokys were afterwarde translate in to frensshe. and so of þes bokys, and of heryng and of syȝt, and also of sermouns and omelyes þat be drawe oute of diuers bokys, be thus write togedir and pute in to one boke.// Also ȝe schul vndirstonde þat þe olde kynred of þis progeny of Vawes bereþ aƚƚwey in her baner in to þis daye a sterre with a signe of þe cros, made after þe same maner and þe same foorme as hit aperid to þe .iij. blessid kyngis in þe tyme of þe berþe of oure lord ihesu crist.--And so hit was þat aƚƚwey after þat balaam hadde prophecied of þis sterre and certeyn men were ordeyned to loke þerafter vppon þis hiƚƚ of Vawes, as hit is aforseyde: þe more þat þis sterre was loked after, þe more þe fame and þe loos of þis sterre encresid and was spoke of þorwe þe londe of ynde and of Chaldee, and aƚƚ þe peple desired to see hit.

Whan Eȝechias reigned and was kyng̛ of þe londe of þe Iewes, ysaye þe prophete gloriouslicℏ prophecied of oure lady seynt Marye and of her soon and seyde Ecce virgo concipiet & pariet filium: loo, quod þis prophet, a mayde schal conceyue and bere a childe. in þe tyme of þis ysaye kyng Eȝechias was syke to þe dethe; and ysaye in þe name of god tolde and seyde to kyng Eȝechias þat he scholde deyȝe. wherfore Eȝechias turned hym to a vaƚƚ, as holy wrytte seiþ, and wept, and naȝt for drede of dethe onlich, but for he had noon eyere and þe byhest of abraham and of kyng̛ dauid and also þe prophecie of balaam and of ysaie scholde fayle and peryssℏ in hym. wherfore oure lorde ihesu crist had mercy of hym and encresid his life lenger by .xv. ȝeere. and than Eȝechias asked a tokene of god hereof: þe wich tokene was this that þe sunne scholde goo bakward or withdrawe hym aȝens his kynde; andMS. and and god suffryd hitomit hit þat hit scholde so be. and þees chaldees þan, seyng þis wonderful token in þe sunne and in heuene, þei wondridMS. wrondrid gretlicℏ þerof; and whan þei herde þat þis tokene in þe sunne was do for kyng̛ Eȝechias, than þei sent to hym many ȝiftes, and were in purpos and wiƚƚ to come and worschippe hym. but, ffor þe kyng Eȝechias of verry Innocency of hert made a dissimilacion and wolde naȝt knowliche þat þis tokyn was for hym, and also he wolde naȝt thank̘ god þerof, but had a lytil pryde in his hert: wherfore god was sumdele wroþe aȝens hym; and þerfore god sent toEȝechias þe kyng bi his prophet ysaye þat aƚƚ þe ȝiftes þat were sent to hym byr. of þe chaldees by her messangeres, scholde be bore in to babyloyne--as his write in þe bible. ffor, þow Eȝechias was kyng̛ of þe Iewes bore and þat wondirful tokyn in þe sunne was schewed for hym, ȝit he was naȝt þat man þat scholde aryse vp of israel MS. ierlm and be lorde of aƚƚ folk, as balaam prophecied. And ȝe schul vndirstonde þat þe chaldeis and þe greekys in þat tyme ȝaf hem mochel to astronomye and had grete delyte þerin, in so mochel þat euery mayde in a mannys hous knewe þe course of þe sterres and of þe planetys; and ȝit aƚƚwey þei ȝif hem þerto bisclich, and specialich kyngis & princeys: for þey haue maistris of þat science, and ȝiue hem grete wages, to teche hem þat cunnyng̛ of astronomye.

After Eȝechias reigned Manasses, and þis Manasses kilde ysaye þe prophete. and after Manasses reigned Amon; and after hym reigned Iosias: and in his tyme Ieremie prophecied. and in þe tyme of Ieremye reigned Ioachym: and in his tyme Nabugodonosor and þe chaldees biseged Ierusalem, and destruyed hit, and bare awey aƚƚ þe wessels & þe ornamentys þat were in þe temple of god & in þe kyngis hows, in to babiloyne, as ysayas had prophecied tofore; and also he brouȝt many Iewes prisones in to babiloyne--þe wich babiloyne is fro ierusalem .l. dayes Iorney; and þei þerer. þere þei were in captiuite and in prisoun .lxx. ȝeere. to whom Ieremye þe prophete sent and ȝaf bokys of þe lawe of god and of prophecies, þat þei scholde noȝt be forȝete, as þe bibil witnesseth. and in þis captiuite of Iewes danyeƚƚ prophecied, vnder Tirus,r. Cyrus; lat. sub typo þat was kyng of Peers, of þe Incarnacioun of oure lord ihesu crist, whan he spak de lapide absciso de monte sine manibus conscidencium,as ȝe schul here aftir; and among̛ aƚƚ oþir danyeƚƚprophecied to þe Iewes and seyde Cum venerit sanctus sanctorum, cessabit vnctio vestra, That is to seye: whan he þat is moost holiest of seyntes comeþ, than schal ȝoure vnccioun seese. after þis Tyrus, kyng̛ of Peers, and þe chaldees commaunded and dide write and translate oute of hebrewe in to Caldee alle þe bokys of þe Iewys, and þe prophecies of ysaie, Chore (!), Ieremie, daniel, Michee, and balaam, and aƚƚ oþir prophecies: and among̛ aƚƚ þes bokys and prophecies þei founden þat many thing̛r. thingis scholde be fulfilled by þe Chaldees and hem of peers after þe prophecies, and specialich after þe prophecie of balaam þat seyde Orietur stella ex Iacob, as hit is aforseyde. and for þes prophecies and þe bokys of þe Iewes and for oþer causys þe Chaldees and þei of peers were þe more feruent and studieng̛ after þis sterre. wherby we schul vndirstonde þat aƚƚ this was do of goddys ordinance and of his mercy and also to strengthyng̛ of oure feiþ, þat balaam, þe first prophete þat was no Iewe, by a sterre prophecied þe first clepyng̛ of hem þat were no Iewes, whan he seyde Orietur stella &c.;; and this clepyng̛ of þat pepil god almyȝty first bygan and perfourmed by his berthe and by thes glorious and worschippeful kynges. and thow þei of Peers and of Chaldee were paynyms,MS. paynynis ȝit by thes prophecies and by thes bokys of þe Iewys þey founde weƚƚ and wyst þat, whateuer god had byhote by his prophetys, he was myȝty to fulfiƚƚ and to perfourme hit. // So þey ordeyned .xij. of þe wysest men and of þe grettest clerkys of astronomye þat were in aƚƚ þe contrey aboute, and ȝaf hem grete hire, to kepe þis hiƚƚ of Vaws aforseyde for þis sterre þat was prophecied by balaam. and þe cause þat þere were ordeyned .xij. men as hit is aforseyde, was þis: that, ȝif hit so were þat oon man deyde, anoon þer scholde be putte an oþir man in his stede; and also an oþir cause was þat summeMS. suty of hem scholde kepe þat hiƚƚ and loke afterþis sterre at o tyme, and summe at an oþir tyme. neuerþeles þe pepil lokid naȝt onlich after þe sterre, but after þat man þat was betokened by þis sterre, þe wich man scholde be lorde of aƚƚ folk̘.MS. folkis // Also þei of ynde and of Chaldee þat come of-tyme in to Ierusalem bycause of Marchaundiȝe and also for desport--þe wich for þe moost partye be lernyd in astronomye--seyȝe þat in ynde and in oþir placys aboute be many sterres in þe firmament þat mowe naȝt be seyȝe be nyȝt;See the Lat. text but specialich on þis hiƚƚ of Vawes in a clere wedir be seyȝe many diuers and stronger. straunge sterres þat beneþe vnder þe hiƚƚ be riȝt nouȝt seyȝe.// Also, as hit is aforseyde, þis hiƚƚ of Vaws passeþ of heiþ aƚƚ þe hilles of þe eest; and aboue hit is nomore of brede þan a litel chapel is made þer-vppon: þe wich chapeƚƚ þes .iij. worscheppeful kyngis dyd make of stone and of tymber. and þer be aboute þis hiƚƚ many grees for men to go vppe to þe chapeƚƚ a-hiȝe, and also þere growe many goode trees and herbys and diuers spices alle aboute þe hiƚƚ--forTit. or ellis men myȝt noȝt weƚƚ go vp-on þis hiƚƚ, bycause it is so hiȝe and so narwe. // There is also a pilere of stone made aboue þis chapel, of a wonder heithe, and in þe heede of þis pilere stondeþ a gret sterre, weƚƚ made and gilt, and þat sterre turneþ with þe wynde as a fane: and throwe þe liȝt of þe sunne by daye and also þorwe þe liȝt of þe moone in þe nyȝt þe same sterre ȝif liȝt a gret weye aboute in þe contreye. and many oþir merueyles be tolde of þis hiƚƚ of Vaws, þe wich were longe to telle.

Whan þe tyme of grace and of mercy was come þat god wolde haue mercy of aƚƚ mankynde, in wich tyme þe fadir of heuene sent downe his soone to take flessℏ and blode of oure lady seynt Marie and to be bore man of her for sauacioun of alle þe worlde: in þat tyme octouianus, þat was emperour of Rome and helde þeempyre of aƚƚ þe worlde, in þe ȝeere of his empire .xlij., as seynt luk telleþ, he sent oute a commandement to descrye alle þe worlde--Exiit edictum. // And þis discrying̛ was first made vnder Cirinus, þat than was bisshop̄ of Cyrye. and euery man ȝede forþ in to his contrey. þan ȝede Ioseph oute of galile, þat is a cite in Naȝareth, in to a cite of Iury þat was kyng̛ dauid, þe wich cite was cleped Bedleem: bycause þat Ioseph was of þe howsholde and of þe meyne of kyng̛ dauid. þerfore he ȝede in to þat contreye, with oure lady seynt Marye, þat was his wyfe, and also gret with Childe. soo whan þei were þere, þe tyme was come þat oure lady seynt Marie scholde be deliuered of her childe: and was delyuered. and sche wrapped hym in cloþis, and leyde hym in a manger: for þer was noon oþir place. and scheperdys weren fastby in þe same contreye, kepyng̛ her schepe in þe nyȝt. and a aungeƚƚ of heuene comme and stode byside hem with a gret liȝt: whereof þei were gretlich adrad. and þan þe aungeƚƚ seyde to hem: "be noȝt adrad: for y teƚƚ ȝou a grete Ioye þat schal be to aƚƚ þe pepil: ffor þis daye is bore to vs oure lorde crist in þe cite of dauid. and þis schal be to ȝou a tokyn: ȝe schulle fynde a ȝong̛ childe wrapped in clothis and put in a manger." and þan sodeynlich þer cam a gret multitude of aungelis of heuen preysyng̛ godd and seyde Gloria in excelsis deo Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis, // That is to seyȝe: Ioye be to god an hiȝe and pees in erthe to men of gode wiƚƚ.--& ȝe schul vndirstonde þat Bedleem was neuer of no grete reputacioun neþer no place of grete quantite. and hit hathe a goodeLat. petrosum fundum (MS. Corp. Chr. preciosum fundamentum) fundament and a goode grounde: for þer be many caves and dennys vndir erþe. and þat bedleem is from ierusalem but .ij. litel Myle. and hit is but a casteƚƚ, but hit is cleped a citee bycause þat kyng̛ dauid was bore þere. and in þat toun was sumtyme a hows þe wich was þehows of ysaie þat was fader to kyng̛ dauyd,// In þe wich hows, as hit is aforseyde, was kyng̛ dauid bore an anoynte in to þe kyngdom of israel by samuel þe prophete: and in þe same place god, cristisr. crist, godis soone of heuene, was bore of oure lady seynt Marie, þe holy virgine. and þis place was sumtyme in an ende of a strete þat þan was cleped þe couered strete--and þe cause þat þe strete is cleped so, is þis: bicause of gret hete and brennyng̛ of þe sunne hit was heled aboue with blak clothis and oþir thyng̛r. thyngis to kepe þe sunne oute --and so hit is vsed ȝit there aƚƚwey. and in þis strete was wonte to be a grete chepyng̛, or a feyre, onys in þe weke of olde clothis and of oþir thyng̛,r. thyngis and specialicℏ of tre oþer of tymbyr. and in þat place þat was in þe ende of þe strete and in þe wicℏ stode sumtyme a hows þat was kyng̛ dauid and ysaye his fadir, þer left a litil hows tofore a denne vnder erþe, made and schaped like a litil celere: and þere ysaye, þat was fadir to kyng̛ dauid, and oþer þat dweiled aftir him̛ in þat place, putten certeyn necessaries þat longed to householde þer, fore hete of þe son̄ne. hit is also þe maner in aƚƚ þat contreye, boþe in citees and in townes, þat þer be certeyn howses þe wich be cleped there alchan, þat we clepe here ostryes: and in þes howses be Mulys, hors and assis and camayles aƚƚwey redy, þat, ȝif hit so be þat any pi'gryme or marchaunt or any man þat trauayleþ be þe weye be hit fer or nere, and him nede any beest, for hym-self̘ or for his marchaundiȝe, þan he goth to swich a hows þat is cleped alchan, and þere he may hyre a hors or what beest þat he wil for a certeyn prys. and whan he hathe what beest þat hym liketh, þan he goth forþ from þat cite to anoþer citee, þere as he wil abide and rest hym for a tyme: þan he dischargeþ hisMS. hym his hors, or what beest þat he hathe, of his berthen and so sendeth hym in to swich a hows þat is cleped þere also alchan, in þe wych hows be also swich beestysas hit is aforeseyde to hyre. and þan þe maister of þe hows takeþ þis beest and ȝifeþ hym mete, and whan he may, he sendeþ hym home to þe same place þat he comme fro. // And ȝif hit so be þat he may noȝt kepe hym, þan he wil take þe same beest and lede hym oute of þe citee and bryng̛ in þe weye; and so þe beest wil go forþ home withoute ledyng̛ of any man, euene to his maister hows, withoute perile of wylde beestys or thefys in þe weye. and so euery man þat haþ any swichTit.: any suche hous with suchebeestees, euery man knoweþ otheris beest, be þei neuer so fer fro oþir. and of swich howsys þe lordys of þe grounde haue grete wynnynge and grete toƚƚ of hyryng̛ of þes beestes. // And swich a maner hows was tofore þe berthe of crist in þe same place þere criste was bore. but aboute þe Natiuite of oure lord ihesu crist þat hows was alle destruyed, in so mochel þat þer was nothyng̛ left bote broke wallys on euery syde, and a litel cave vndir erþe and a litil vnthrifti hows tofore þe cave: and þere men solde brede on þe same grounde. // hit is also vsage in aƚƚ þat contreye þat alle þe brede þat schal be solde, schal be brouȝte in to a certeyn place: and of þe brede þat is solde in þe daye, þe kyng̛ and þe lorde of þe grounde at nyȝt schul haue þerof a certeyn of moneye. and whan kyng̛ dauid was made kyng of israel, þan þe hows þat was sumtyme is fadir, left onlich to hym; but by processe of tyme, whan ierusalem was destruyed and alle þe contreye aboute, noman toke kepe of þis hows, becauser. and hit was also destruyed and no thyng̛ left but, as hit is aforseide, a litil vnþrifty hows and a cave vndir erþe, and wallys on euery side. and tofore þis hows was brede solde; and tymber and oþir thynges þat were brouȝt to market, þat myȝt noȝt be solde at o tyme, were put in to þis litil hows tyl þe next market; and assis and hors and oþir beestys þat com to þe market, were teyde aboute þis vnthrifti hows. // But for to speke of þe first matere aȝen:Whan Octouianus had sent houte a commaundement as hit is aforseyde, þat euery man and womman scholde go to his cite and to his towne þere he was bore, than ȝede Ioseph and oure laydy seynt Marye, rydynge on a asse, late in þe euetide toward þe citee of bedleem, as hit is aforseyde. and bycause þey cam so late and alle placys were occupied with pilgrymes and oþir men, and also þey com in poure aray, andr. þei ȝede aboute þe cite and noman wolde resceyue hem, and specialich for men sayȝe oure lady Mary, a ȝonge womman, sittyng̛ vppon an asse heuy and sory and ful wery of þe wey, and also gret with childe and nyȝe at þe tyme of beryng̛ of her childe: þan Ioseph ledde oure lady in to þis forlete place þat noman toke kepe of, downe in to þe litiƚƚ derk̘ hows. and þere oure lorde ihesu crist þe same nyȝt was bore of oure lady, þe blessed virgine, withoute any dissese or sorwe of her body, for sauacioun of alle mankynde. and in þat hows tofore þe cave of olde tyme was left a manger, of þe lengthe of a fadome, made in a waƚƚ; and to þat same manger was an ox of a poure man teyde þat noman myȝt euerr. owher?herborwe. and byside þat ox Ioseph teyde his asse: and in þat same manger oure lady seynt Marye wrapped her blessed sone in clothis and leyde hym þeryn in heiȝe tofore þe asse and þe ox--for þer was noon oþir place. // ȝe schulle vndirstonde also þat in aƚƚ þat contrey hit is þe maner þat in diuers ostrijs be mangeres, summe made of erþe and summe of stoone, and euery manger is of .iij. or .iiij. feet of lengthe, in so mocheƚƚ þat a hors or any oþer beest may haue his manger by hym-self: and swich a manger was made of stone in the same place þere crist was bore, and in þat same manger oure lady seynt Marie leyde her soone, as hit is tolde afore.

In thilkMS. thiƚƚ dayes, whan þe commaundement was sent from cesar Augustus, as hit is aforseyde: than was herodes made and ordeyned kynge of þat londe of Iwes by þe Emperour and by þe Romayns. and ȝit herodes was no Iwe ne kynge of Iwes bore; but, bycause þat þe same cesar augustus and þe Romayns had made sogettysTit. & Harl.: sogett to hem þe londe of Iury and many oþer prouinces aboute hem in to ynde, peers and Chaldee þorwe strong̛ hande, he made hym kyng̛. wherfore aƚƚ þe contrey aboute wist weƚƚ þat herodes was but a alyen and neuer com of kyngis blode ne of Iwes bore. but, as hit is aforeseyde, he was made kynge by þe emperour and by þe Romayns, so þat þe prophecie of danieƚƚ scholde be fullefilled in þe tyme of þe berthe of crist, þe wich danieƚƚ seyde Cum venerit sanctus sanctorum &c, as hit is aforseyde. ȝit þe Iwes, contynuyng in her malice and in her falnesse, seyden þat longe tyme aftir þe Natiuite of crist her vnccioun cesyd noȝt, but þey had many kyngis aftir. but ȝit þe fals Iwys forsake naȝt þat herodes com of a Iwe on þe fadir side and of a woman-paynym on þe modir syde, and so he was no verrey Iwe. wherfore cristen men make þe Iwys vtterlichMS. viterlichconſuse of þat prophecie of Iacob her patriark, þat seyde þus Non auferetur sceptrum de Iuda nec dux de femore eius, donec veniat qui mittendus est: Et ipse erit exspectacio gencium, // that is to seye: the sceptre of Iuda schal noȝt be bore aweye ne þe stok of þe lynage, til he come þat schal be sent: and he schal be þat folk̘ hauer. hane ? abede. and many oþer questyons be bitwix þe cristene men and þe Iewys in þat contrey of her vnctioun and her kynges.

Whan god was bore of oure lady seynt Marye for sauacion of alle mankynde, as hit is aforseyde, þe wich lorde is euer redy to aƚƚ men þat clepe vppon hym in trewthe: þan þis sterre þat was prophecied by balaam &MS. a longe tyme abide and loked aftir by þe .xij. astronomers in þe hiƚƚ. of Vaws, as hit is aforseyde, þe same nyȝt and þe same oure þat god was bore þe same sterre beganne to arise in maner of a sunne briȝt schynyng, and so aftir in þe foorme of an egle hitascendid aboue þe hiƚƚ. // And al þat day in þe hiȝest place of þe eyre hit abode withoute any mevyng, in so mochel þat, whan þe sonne was moost hote and moost hiȝe, þere was no difference in schynyng bitwix þe sterre and þe sonne. Neþerles sum bokes seiȝe þat in þe same daye þat god was bore, were many sonnes seiȝe. but whan þis day of þe Natiuite of oure lorde was passed, þe sterre ascendid vp in to þe firmament. and þe sterre þat thus was schewed, is no-thyng liche to sterres þat be peynted here in diuers places: ffor hit had riȝt many longe strakys and beemys, more brennyng and more liȝter than a bronde of fuyre, and as an egle fleyng and betyng þe eyre with his wynges, riȝt so the strakys and þe bemys of þe sterre stered hym-r. hemself aboute. and þe sterre had in hym-self a fourme and a liknesse of a ȝonge childe, and aboue hym a signe of þe holy cros; and a voys was herde in þe sterre seying̛ Natus est nobis hodie Rex Iudeorum qui est exspectacio gencium & dominator eorum. Ite ad inquirendum eum & adorandum,that is to seye: this day is bore to vs þe kyng̛ of Iewys þat folk hauer. hane? abede and lorde is of hem: goþ and sekeþ hym & do hym worschip. // Therfore we schul vndirstonde þat for þe strengthyng̛ of oure feiþ and to afferme þis mater aforseyde, almyȝty god, whos prouidence in his ordinance faileþ noȝt and, as seynt Poule seiȝeth, vocat ea que non sunt tamquam ea que sunt, þis is to seye, he clepeþ þilk þat be noȝt as weƚƚ as þilk þat be, of his prouidence þis he did and disposed that he hym-self þat in þe olde testament ȝaf a voys of an asse or made an asse to speke to balaam, he wolde in þe begynnyng of þe newe testament ȝeue a voys to speke oute of a sterre þat was prophecied by balaam. than alle þe peple, boþe man and woman, of alle þe contrey aboute, whan þey seiȝe þis wondirful and merveylous sterre and also herde þe voys oute of þe sterre, þey were grettlich agast and had gret wondir þerof; but ȝit þei wist weƚƚ þat hit was þe same sterre þat was prophecied by balaam, þat was no Iwe, and longe tyme was desired and abede of alle þe peple in þat contrey.--

In þe secounde ynde was þe kyngdom of godolye: of þat kyngdom balthaȝar was kyng̛ whan crist was bore; and þis baltaȝar offred cense to god. and þer was also in þat londe of olde tyme þe kyngdom of Saba. and ȝe schul vndirstonde þat in þis londe many mo gode specys growen þanMS. þat in aƚƚ þe contrey of þe eest, and specialich þer groweþ encense, more þan in aƚƚ þe placys of þe worlde. and hit droppeþ downe oute of certeyn trees in maner of gumme, and in oþer placys þer is but litil or noone.

In þe thridde ynde was þe kyngdom þat was cleped thaars: of that kyngdom was Iaspar kyng̛ in þe tyme of þe berthe of crist; þe wich Iaspar offrid Mirre to god. and in þis londe is þat yle þat is cleped þere Egriswille:Harl.: in the which yle s. Thomas the apostell lieth & in this londe in þe wich yle groweþ Mirre more plente þan in any place of þe worlde. & hit wexeþ liche eerys of corn þat were brent with þe wedir, and hit wexeþ riȝt thik. and whan hit is ripe, hit is so softe þat hit cleueþ on mennys clothis as þei go by þe weye: and than men take smal coordisMS. coordris and gerdelys and drawe hem aƚƚ aboute þe eerys, and þan þe myrre cleueþ vppon þes coordys and gerdelys, and than afterward þe myrre is wronge oute of hem. // Wherefore we schulle vndirstonde þat aƚƚ þis was doo of grete ordinaunce and of þe gret mercy of god þat þes .iij. kyngis, Melchior, baltaȝar, and Iaspar, of þilk londys and kyngdoms in þe wich þes ȝeftes wexed and growed and also þe wich scholde be offrid to god, in þe olde prophecie raþer of þes smale londys þei scholde be cleped kyngis than of oþerr. ther gretter londys--wherof seiþ dauid þe prophete Reges Thaarsis & insule munera offerent, Reges Arabum & Saba dona adducent &c.;, That is to seye: kynges of thaars and of þe yle schul offre ȝiftes, kyngis of arabie and of Saba schul brynge ȝiftys. sumtyme þes kyngis had oþir namys: for Melchior was cleped kyng of Nuby and of arabie, baltaȝar was cleped kyng of godolye and of Saba, & Iaspar was cleped kyng̛MS. kyngis of thaars and of þe yle of Egriswiƚƚ. and hit was cleped þe kyngdom of thaars because hit was annexed to þe same yle. and so þe namys of her kyngdoms be specified in special for difference of oþir citees and yles þat be þere aboute in þe contrey.

WhanMS. Than þes .iij. blessed kyngis euerych in his weye with his oost and his company were almoost come to Ierusalem save .ij. myle, þan a grete and a derk clowde heled aƚƚ þe erþe, and in þat derk̘ clowde þei lost her sterre. of þis prophecied ysaias and seyde: ¶ Surge illuminare Ierusalem, quia venit lumen tuum & gloria domini super te orta est: quia ecce tenebre operient terram & caligo populos &c.;, that is to seye: Ierusalem, aryse and take liȝt, for þi liȝt is come and þe Ioye of god is sprunge vppon þe: for loo derkenes schulle heele þe erþe and a clowde þe pepil. whan þes .iij. kyngis were nyȝe Ierusalem, þan Melchior,kyng of Nubye and of arabie, with his pepil was come fastr. first byside Ierusalem and by þe hiƚƚ of caluarie þere crist was do on þe cros, þorwe þe wiƚƚ of god þere he abode in a clowde and in derkenysse. and þat tyme þe hiƚƚ of Caluarie was a roche of .xij. grees of heithe, and on þis hiƚƚ thefys and oþer men for diuers trespacys were putte to her dethe. there was also bisyde þis hiƚƚ a hiȝe-weye and to þis hiȝe-weye were .iij. hiȝe-weyes metyng to-gedir. and so, for þe derkenesse of þis clowde, and also bycause þei knewe noȝt þe weye, þei abiden þere and ȝede no ferþer at þat tyme.

After þat Melchior was thus come, as hit is aforseide, þan next hym a litil vndir þis clowde cam þe kyng̛ Balthaȝar, þe woche was kyng̛ of Godolye and of saba, with his folk̘MS. folkis: and he abode bysyde þe mounte of olyuete in a litel towne þat is cleped þere Galile. // And ȝe schulle vndirstonde þat holy writ spekeþ mochel of þis towne: for þe disciplys of god allmyȝty tofore his resurreccioun and after were wont aƚƚwey to come togedir in þat towne pryuely for drede of þe Iewes; and in þat same litil toun̄added from MS. Tit. god aƚƚmyȝty aperid to his disciplis after his resurreccioun, as hit is write: Precedet vos in Galileam: ibi eum videbitis, That is to seye: he schal go tofore ȝou in to Galile and þere ȝeMS. he schul see hym. but þer is an oþer londe þe wich is cleped galile, and þat is a grete lordschip, and þat is from Ierusalem þre dayes iourney.

Than afterward, whan þese .ij. kynges Melchior and Balthaȝar were come and abyden in þes placys aforseyde in þe clowde and in derkenesse, than þe clowde bygan to ascende and wex clere; but þe sterre aperid nouȝt. so whan þese .ij. kyngis syȝen þat þey were nere þe Cite of Ierusalem: þey noon of hem ȝit knewe oþir, þey toke her weye toward þe cite, with aƚƚ her folk̘MS. folkis. and whan þey come to þis hiȝe-weye byside þe mounte of Caluarie, þere as þes .iij. weyes metten togedir: þan kam Iaspar, kyng̛ of thaars and of þe yle of Egriswille, with aƚƚ his oost. and so þes .iij. glorious kyngis euerych with his oost, and with her cariage and beestis metten togedir in þis hiȝe-weye byside þe hiƚƚ of caluary. and noȝtwithstondyng̛ þat noon of hem neuer tofore had seye oþer ne noon of hem knewe oþirs persone ne knewe of oþirs comyng̛, ȝit at her metyng euerych of hem anoon-riȝt with grete Ioye and grete reuerence kyssed oþir. and þow þey were of diuers langage, ȝit euerych of hem, as to her semyng̛, spak aƚƚ o maner of speche. so afterward, whan þey had spoke togedir and euerych of hem had tolde his purpos and þe cause of his weye, and aƚƚ her causes were acordyng̛ in to one: þan þei were mochel more gladdere and more feruent in her weye. and so þey ryden forþ, and sodeynlich at þe vpperysyng̛ of þe sunne þey come in to þe cite of Ierusalem. and whan þey knewe þat Ierusalem was þe kyngis citee þe wich her predecessours and þe Chaldeys of olde tyme had byseged and destruyed, þey were riȝt glad, supposyng̛ to haue founde þe kyng̛ bore in þat citee. fforthermore ȝe schul vndirstonde þat herodes kyng̛ and aƚƚ þe citee was gretlich desturbled of her sodeynlicℏ comyng̛. ffor her cumpany and her bestis þey were of so grete a noumbre and so a greter. grete a multitude þat þe cite myȝt noȝt resceyue hem, but for þe moost partye þey lay withoute þe Cite aƚƚ aboute--wherof ysayas prophecied and seyde ffortitudo gencium veneritr. veniet tibi, inundacio camelorum operiet te, dromedarij Madian & Effa, omnes de Saba venient, aurum et thus deferentes et laudem domino annunciantes et cetera, That is to say: The strenghe of folk̘MS. folkis comeþ to þe--þat is to seye to þe cite of Ierusalem--grete plente of Camelys schul hele þe, and dromedaries of Madyan and Effa schul come to þe, aƚƚ men schul come fro Saba, bryngyng gold and encense and schewyng̛ preysyng̛ to god.

Afterward̛, whan þes .iij. kyngis were come in to þe cite of Ierusalem, þan was herodes þat same tyme present in þe cite of Ierusalem; and, as hit is seyde tofore, he was ordeyned kyng̛ by þe Emperour and by þe Romayns; and he was but ȝonge of age. so þes .iij. worschipful kyngis whan þey were come in to þe citee, þey asked of þe pepul of þis childe þat was bore-- wherof spekeþ þe euangelist in þe godspeƚƚ Cum natus esset Ihesus &c.;, þe wicℏ is þis: Whan crist ihesus was bore in bethleem, a cite of Iury, in þe dayes of herodes, þat was kyng̛MS. kyngis of þe same londe, þe .iij. kyngis com oute of þe eest and seyde: "wher is he þat is bore þe kyng̛ of Iwes? we siȝe his sterre in þe eest and we come to do hym worschip." whan herodes herde þis, he was destourbled, and aƚƚ Ierusalem with hym; andhe gadrid togedir aƚƚ þe pryncys of þe preestis and asked of hem where crist scholde be bore. and þey seyden: "in bethleem of Iury; thus hit is wryte by þe prophete: and þou bethleem in þe londe of Iury, þou art noȝt litil among̛ þe pryncys of Iury: of þe schal go oute a duke þat schal rewle my pepil of israel." þan herodes priuelich cleped to hym þes .iij. kyngis and lerned of hem þe tyme of þe sterre þat aperid to hem; and so sent hem forþ in to Bethleem and seyde: "gooþ and enquereþ biselich of þis childe, and whan ȝeMS. he haue founde hym, come telle me, þat I mowe come and do hym worschip." whan þey had herde þe kyng̛, þey ȝede her weye. and þe sterre þat þey siȝe in þe eest, ȝede forþ tofore hem, tyl þey come þere þe childe whas. and whan þei siȝe þe sterre, þey were riȝt glad: and þey ȝede in to þe hows and there fonde the child̛ witℏ Marye his moder.Added from MS. Tit. and þan þey openydMS. spenyd her tresours and offrid to hym gold, ensens, and myrre. // Of þis, why þes .iij. kyngis com first in to Ierusalem raþir þan in to bethleem, many bokys in diuers maners declare and expowne, and many cawses be wryte, wich wherer. were long to telle. But among̛ aƚƚ oþir causes one þer was þat kyng̛ herodes and þe cite were so destourbled for her sodeynlicℏ comyng̛, þe wich is þis: ffor þey syȝen þat þey were kyngis and her oost com oute of þe eest and of Chalde þe wich of olde tyme þorwe þe suffraunce of god had of-tyme pursued her kyngis and bysiged and destruyed þatr. þe cite and þe londe aboute. also þey were destourblid bycause þey were com from so ferre contrey to worschip þe kyng̛ of Iewes þat was newe bore; and bycause þat herodes was but an alyen and was made kyng̛ by þe emperour and by þe Romayns, he was agast last he scholde haue lost his kyngdom bycause þat crist was bore. // Also an oþir cause was þat þes .iij. kyngis of goddis ordynaunce com in to þe cite withoute auysement whan þey had lost her sterre: for Ierusalem was þe kyngis cite and aƚƚwey kyngis of þe londe were moost abydyng̛ in þat cite, and doctours of þe lawe and þe scribys with her scripturis and prophecies were euermore present in þe cite; soo þat þees Iewes and þes scrybys þat knewe longe tyme tofore þe berþe of crist and þe place where he scholde be bore, mowe neuer schewe no skille to excuse her falsnesse and her trecherie. of þis seynt Gregory in a Omely spekeþ wel hereofom. hereof and seiþ: Iudeos profecto bene Ysaac, cum Iacob filium suum benediceret, presignauit, qui caligans oculis & prophetiȝans in presenti filium non vidit, cui tamen imposterum multum preuidit & cetera, That is to sey: by þis ysaac we mowe vnderstonde þe Iewys; for ysaac whan he was blynde, he blessed Iacob, his sone, and profecied of hym, and ȝit, whan he had hym tofore hym, he siȝe hym noȝt, and ȝit he siȝe many thynges þat scholde falle to hym afterward. riȝt so þe Iewes were ful of þe spirit of prophecie, but hym þat þey prophecied of, whan þey had hym among̛ hem þey knewe hym noȝt; ffor þey dyspysed hym whan he was bore, whom longe tyme tofore þey prophecied of his berþe; and noȝt onlich þat he scholde be bore, but þe place where he scholde be bore þey tolde to herodes; so þat her kunnyng̛MS. kummyng and her prophecie schal be witnesse to her dampnacioun, and to vs help of oure byleue and cause of oure sauacioun.

Whan þes .iij. kyngis were enformed by herodes and by þe doctours of þe lawe of þe berþe of crist and of þe place where he was bore, and so were passed oute of þe cite of Ierusalem: þan þe sterre aperid to hem aȝene as hit dyd arst, and so hit ȝede forþ tofore hem tyl þey come in to bethleem, þe wich is but .ij. litil Myle fro Ierusalem. and fast by þat place, as hit is aforseyde, were þe schepherdys to þe wich þe aungeƚƚ aperid with grete liȝt and schewed to hem þe berþe of crist: and þes .iij. worþi kyngis riden by þe same place þere þe scheperdys were, and spak with hem. and whan þe scheperdys siȝe þe sterre, þey runne togedir and seyden þat in swich a liȝt and in swich a cleernes a aungel aperid to hem and tolde hem of þe berþe of crist. // fferthermore aƚƚ þat þe aungeƚƚ had spoke to hem, and aƚƚ þat þey had seiȝe and herde, and aƚƚ thyng̛ þat was do, þey tolde euery thyng̛ to þe .iij. kyngis. whereof þey were wonder glad, and with goode chere herde and toke goode consideracioun of þe scheperdys woordys: and so of witnesse and of þe woordys of þe scheperdys and of þe voys of þe aungeƚƚ þat was herde oute of þe sterre, þei had no doute of no thyng̛. // Summe bokys in þe eest seyen that þe woys þat was herde oute of þe sterre, was þe voys of þe same aungeƚƚ þat schewed þe berþe of crist boþe to þe schepherdys and to þe .iij. kyngis. They seiȝe also in þe eest þat þe Iewes byleve þat þe aungeƚƚ þat ȝede tofore þe childryn of israel with a pylere of fuyre whan þei ȝede oute of egipt, þat was þe same aungeƚƚ whos voys was herde in þe sterre and þat ȝede so forþ with þe sterre tofore þe .iij. kyngis. ffor whan þe .iij. kyngis spak with þe schepherdys, þe sterre more and more bygan to schyne bryȝtere and briȝtere. ffulgencius seiþ in a sermoun þat he makeþ: as an hows is made of .ij. sydes, ij. wallys, þat be ioigned togedir by corner-stonys, Riȝt so holy chirche is made of .ij. peplys as .ij. sydes, ij. vallys, þe wich be ioigned togidir in o fey and o byleve of a cornerstone, crist ihesu. this .ij. sydys, þis .ij. vallys were kyngis and schepherdys, þat come from diuers contreys & crist a corner-stone in o fey and o byleve knewe and worschipped. þis .ij. sydys, þis .ij. vallys, of kyngis andIewys, were ferre departed a-twynne, whan þey were in diuers and contrary byleue. // But whan þe corner-stone crist was mene bitwene hem, he drewe hem boþe to hym & made hem, bothe kyngis and Iewys, one pepil, þat is to seye cristen pepil, in name as þei were one in grace of pryuy bileve; by oure crist, þe wich, as þe apostil seiȝth, is oure pees, makyng̛ .ij. thyngis one, soo þat boþe Iewys and kyngis ware made one //. Therfore to þis cornerstone crist boþe þis sydes, boþe þis wallys com and made o corner of trewe byleve. ther. that; Tit. the too o syde, þat o walle of kynges cam to crist whan a newe sterre aperid to hem; that oþer syde, þat oþir walle of Iewys cam to crist whan aungelysr. a aungel aperid to hem. þes .iij. kyngis were þe first of myscreauntes þat leved on crist; þes scheperdys ware þe first of Iwys þat leved on crist. this syde, þis valle of kyngis cam from ferre; this syde, þis valle of Iewys cam fro nyȝe. Needis mooste þes kyngis come fro ferre to crist, whan afore þey worschipped fals mawmetys and after byleued in hym. this syde, þis valle of Iwys cam to crist but fro nyȝe: and þis bytokeneþ þat þey were founde nyȝe þe place þere crist was bore in. þes kyngis from þe ferre countreys of þe eest ware brouȝt to crist, and þow þei hem-self̘ were no Iwys, ȝit, as þey seyde, þey com to worschip and honoure crist, þe kyng̛MS. kyngis of Iwis.

Whan þes .iij. kyngis with aƚƚ her oost and her cumpany had spaker. spoke with þes scheperdys and ȝafr. ȝeue hem ȝiftis, and so ryden forþ to bethleem: þan anoon, as þey knewe þat þey were come to þat place Bethleem, þan þey liȝt doune of her hors and chaunged aƚƚ her arraye and cloþed hem in þe beest and richest aray þat þey hadde, and as kyngisMS. king̛ scholde be, arayed hem. and aƚƚweye þe sterre ȝede forþ tofore hem. // And þe more nyȝe þat þe kyngis come to þe place þere crist was, þe more þe sterre schyned briȝtere and briȝtere. and so þe same daye þat þes .iij. kyngis ȝede oute of Ierusalem in þe first houre of þe daye, þe same daye þei come in to bethleem in þe sixt houre of þe daye. and þan þes .iij. kyngis riden þorwe þe couered strete as hit is tolde afore, til þei were afore þat litil hows and caueMS. and sone, erased þere crist was: and þan þe sterre stode stiƚƚ on þe grounde tofore þe litil hows. and sone after þe sterre departed hym-self in so gret liȝt þat þe litil hows and þe cave with-yn were ful of liȝt; and þan anoon aȝene þe sterre hit ascendid vp in to þe eyre, and þer stode stille aƚƚwey aboue þe same place; but þe liȝt abode in þe place þere Crist was and oure lady. and,added from the other MSS. as hit is seyde in þe gospeƚƚ afore: Et intrantes domum &c.;, That is to seye: & þey ȝede in to þe hows and fonde oure lady and her childe: and þei fille adowne & worschipped hemr. him and offrid to hym ȝiftes, golde, mirre and encense. Of þis come afterward an vse þat in aƚƚ þe contrey of þe eest þerr. as MS. Roy. schal no man come to presence of þe sowdan or of a kyng̛ to speke with hym, but he haue gold or syluer or sumwhat ellis in his handys; and also, or he speke to þe sowdan or to þe kyng̛,MS. kyngis he schal kisse þe grounde--and þis manere is vsed in aƚƚ þe contrey of þe eest in to þis daye. // fferthermore frere Menours, whan þei come to presence of þe sowdan or of a kyng̛, þey offre to hym peres or applys: for þey seyȝe þat þey mowe towche no gold ne siluer; and þes perys and applis be resceyued of þe sowdan or of þe kyng̛ with aƚƚ reuerence and mekenes.— that same daye þat þes .iij. kyngis souȝten god and worscheppid hym with ȝiftes in bethleem, oure lord ihesu crist was þat tyme in his manhede a litil childe of .xiij. dayes age, and he was sumdele fatte; and he laye wrapped in poure clothis and in his modir lappe.Tit. and he lay wrappid in pore Clothis and in heye in the Maunger vp to the armes Also oure lady, seynt Marye, hys moder,added from Tit. as hit is write in diuers bokys, sche was in persone flesshy and sumdele broune; and in þe presence of these .iij. kyngis sche was couered with a whiteLat. blaveo (C. C. blanco) & a poure Manteƚƚ, and þat Manteƚƚ sche helde cloos tofore her with her lift hande; & her heede was helied aƚƚ-togedir, saue þe face, with a lynnyn clothe; and sche sat vppon þe manger and with her riȝt hande sche helde vp god almyȝty hede. so afterward þat þes .iij. kyngis had worschipped god and kyssed his hande deuoutlich, andr. þeileyde her ȝiftes byside þe childes hede: whatr. and what was do with þes ȝiftes, ȝe schul here afterward̛.

Melchior, þat was kyng̛ of Nubye and of arabie, þat offrid gold to god, he was leest of stature and of persone. Balthaȝar, þat was kyng̛ of Godolye and ofSaba, þat offrid encense to god, he was of a mene stature in his persone. and Iaspar, þat was kyng̛ of thaars and of þe yle of Egriswiƚƚ, þat offrid Mirre, he was moost of persone; and he was a blak̘ Ethiope--where-of is no doute: ffor among̛ aƚƚ oþer þe prophet seiþ Coram illo procident Ethiopes & inimici eius terram lingent, Venient ad te qui detrahebant tibi, & adorabunt vestigia &c.;, ¶ That is to seye: tofore hym schulle fal doune Ethiops, and his Enimyes schul likke þe erþe; þei schul come to þe þat detrayed þe, and þei schul worschippe þe stappys of þi feet. ¶ fferthermore þes .iij. kyngis and her oost, hauyng̛ rewarde to þe stature þat men were of þat tyme, þey were riȝt litil of persone, In so mochel þat aƚƚ maner of pepil merveiled mochel of hem. and þat schewed welle þat þey were come fro ferre contrey oute of þe eest: ffor þe nerrer toward þe eest and þe nerrer þe vpperisyng̛ of þe sunne þat men be bore, þe lasse þei be of stature and þe feblere and þe more tendre. ¶ But herbes be hottor,Tit. hotter and better; Harl. better and hotter and aƚƚ maner of spices be better and serpentis and swich oþir perlous beestis be gretter and more venomus, and alle maner of beestis and fowlys þe nerre þe sunne þei be, þe more and þe gretter þei be.--Also ȝe schulder. schulle vndirstonde þat þes .iij. kyngis euerych of hem brouȝt oute of her londys many riche ȝiftes and riche ornamentis þat Aliȝandre left in ynde and in Chaldee and in perse, and aƚƚ þe ornamentis þat Quene Saba fonde in Salemons tempil, and diuers vessels þat were of þe kyngis hows and of þe tempil of god in Ierusalem, þe wich in þe tyme of þe destruccioun of Ierusalem were bore in to her contreys and londis by hem of perse and of Chalde; and many oþer Iwelis, boþe golde and siluer and oþir preciouse stonys þes kyngis brouȝt with hem to offre to godd. // But whan þei foundyn oure lord ihesu crist leyde in heiȝe in þe manger and in poure clothis, as hit is aforseyde, and þe sterre had ȝove so gret liȝt in aƚƚ þe place þere crist was, þat hit semyd as thou þei had stonde in a fourneys of fuyre: þan þes .iij. kyngis were so sore aferde þat of aƚƚ þe riche Iwels and ornamentys þat þei brouȝt with hem, whan her tresori was openyd, þei toke no thyng̛ but þat com first to herMS. hers handys. as Melchior, þe kyng̛ of Nubie and of arabie, toke oute of his tresorie a roundeMS. unde appil of gold, as mochel as a man myȝt holde in his hande, and .xxx. gilt penyes: and þat he offrid to god. Balthaȝar, þe kyng̛ of Godolie and of Saba, he toke oute of his tresorie encense, as hit come first to his honde: and þat he offrid to god. Than Iaspar toke oute of his tresory Mirre: and þat he offrid to god, with wepyng̛ terys. and so þes .iij. worschippeful kyngis were so agast, and also so deuoute and so feruent in her oblacioun, þat of aƚƚ þe woordis þat oure lady seyde þat tyme þey toke but litil consideracioun, save onlich þat to euery kyng̛ as þey offrid to god sche bowed downe with her hede mekelich and seyde deo gracias, þat is to seye: y thank god.Harl. adds: or thanked be god-- þe appil of gold þat Melchior kyng̛ offrid with þe .xxx. gilt penyes, was sumtyme kyng̛ Aliȝaundres þe grete: and þat appil he dide make of smale parties of gold̛ þe wich he had gadrid of þe tribute of aƚƚ þe worlde; and þat appilhe bare aƚƚwey in his hande. and þis appil was left in ynde whan he was come fro paradis terrestre, with many oþer riche ornamentys. more-ouer hit is þe maner in aƚƚ þe contrey of þe eest þat, whan þe sowdan or a kyng̛ passeþ þorwe a cite, þan euery man, after þat his power is, tofore his owne dore he schal cast encense and Mirre in a fuyre; and what man þat doþ hit noȝt, he schal be holde as for a rebeƚƚ aȝens þe sowdan or aȝeyns þe kyng̛--for þerto is take grete kepe. and þis vsage bitokeneth in aƚƚ þe eest trewe subieccioun & dewe obedience, bothe to god or to a Mawmet or to a kyng̛ wether hit is do to.MS. to do // fferthermore in olde tyme Martires were noȝt onlich constreyned to worschippe Mawmetys, but also to worschippe hem with encense and fuyre. and þis maner þe sarȝyns aƚƚwey aske of cristen men þat be in her prisoun: for to come in to her tempil and of þe saryȝns cost willefullicℏ to do sacrifice with fuyre and encense.

Whan þes .iij. kynges had þus perfourmed her wey and her wiƚƚ and had offrid and do aƚƚ þing̛ þat þei come fore, þan, as mankynde askeþ and wolde, þe .iij. kyngis and aƚƚ her men and hors and oþir beestys gunne ete and drinke and slepe, and toke hem to her rest and desport aƚƚ þat day after in bethleem; ¶ ffor, as hit is tolde tofore, þei had neþer ete ne drunke tofore in þat .xiij. daies. and than þe[i] tolde mekelich to alle men in þat cite of bethleem and of þe contrey aboute, how wondirfullich þe sterre had brouȝt hem þider from þe ferþest partye of þe worlde. fferthermore, as þe Euangelist seith: ¶ Et responso accepto in sompnis ne redirent ad Herodem, per aliam viam reuersi sunt in regionem suam, ¶ That is to seye: a answere was take to þes .iij. kyngis in her slepe þat þei scholde naȝt turne aȝen to herodes: and so by an oþir wey þey ȝede home in to her kyngdoms. than þe sterre þat tofore-tyme ȝede a-fore hem, hit aperid no more aftir. and so þes .iij. kyngis, þat sodeinlich mettyn togedir at þe Mounte of caluarie, þei riden aƚƚ .iij. home togedir to her kyngdoms, with grete ioye and honour, and toke her herboure by þe weye, as men scholde do. ¶ Also þes .iij. kyngis with alle her pepil and her cariage riden þorw alle þe londys and prouynces þat Olofernes of olde tyme had alsoom. also ride and passed by with aƚƚ his oost; in so mochel þat þe pepil supposid þat Olofernes had be come þider aȝene. fferthermore, as þei come in to any towne or cite, þei were mekelich and worscheppefullich resceyued of alle þe pepil; and euermore þei preched and tolde to aƚƚ þe pepil, as þei riden, alle þat þei had seyȝe, do and herde: so þat in aƚƚ þe contrey, as þei riden, þei were so meke and so gracious among̛ alle þe pepil, þat her name and her loos neuer aftir was forȝete. but þe wey þat þei had riden tofore oute of her londys and of her kyngdoms in .xiij. daies þorwe ledyng̛ of þe sterre, þei myȝt noȝt vnneþe go aftir ne ride home aȝene in .ij. ȝere; and þat was do þat þei and aƚƚ oþir men scholde knowe what difference is bitwix goddis werkyng̛ and mannys werkyng̛.

Whan herodes and aƚƚ þe scribis and oþir pepil herd telle þat þes .iij. kyngis were go home aȝene and were noȝt come to hym as he had bad hem, þan of grete enuye and malice he pursued aftir hem a grete weye. and alle-wey as he rode aftir þes kyngis, he fonde alle þe pepil blesse hem and preyse hem & teƚƚ of her grete nobley. wherfore þis herodes of grete anger brent and destruyed alle þe londe þat was vndir his power þat þes .iij. kyngis had ride by, & specialich hem of Thaars and of cecile, for he putte vppon hem þat þey had suffrid hem priuelich to passe ouer þe see in her scheppys: and þerfore he brent alle her schippis and alle her gode. ¶ Also kyng̛ herodes and þes scribys pursued þes .iij. kyngis of grete envie, ffor þei had herde how merveylouslich þei were come oute of her londys & kyngdoms in xiij. daies þorw ledyng̛ of þe sterre and howe aftirwarde þei ȝede home aȝene withoute any sterre þorwe guydes and interpretours--ffor alle maner of men þat þes .iij. kyngis passed by, suffised noȝt to telle howe wonderlich þei passed nyȝt and daye by hem. and þerof Iewes þat dwellyd aboute in diuers londys and placys, bare wittnesse herof to herodes and to alle þe scribys and to oþir Iewes. and so for þis wondirful doyng̛ þe paynyms, þat had no knowleche of holy writ ne of þe berþe of crist, cleped þes .iij. kyngis Magos, þat is to seye wicchis; and þe Iwys, þat knewen þe scripturys and þe berþe of crist and þe place,MS. places of envie and of falsnesse excited þe paynyms alle aboute to calle hem wicchis--and so hit was brouȝte in to a vsage þat þei be cleped so ȝit in to þis daye. of þis name diuerse bokes and exposiciouns telle, þe wich is noȝt nede to telle here. // But withoute dowte, þei were glorious kyngis, and of þat londys and kyngdoms in þe eest moost worschippeful and myȝty, as cristen men þat dwel þere bere wittenesse. and þerfore, to do aweye alle maner of dowte of alle þat is aforseyde, and in repreuyng̛ of þe falsnesse of þe Iwes, aƚƚmyȝti god, þat is euer wondirful in his werkys and glorious in his seyntys, wolde haue þe priuete of his berþe to be knowe to aƚƚ þe pepil, so þat his glorious name, þat first was onlich hid in þe londe of Iury in to his berþe, þat same name alle maner of pepil and alle maner naciouns fro þe first partie of þe worlde in to þe last scholde worschippe and preyse.

After þat þes .iij. kyngis were come wit grete trauaile to þe hiƚƚ of Vaws þat isom. þat is aforseyde, þan þei made þere a feire chapeƚƚ in worschippe of þe childe þat þei hadde souȝte. // Also þei made þere couenaunt to mete togedir aƚƚ .iij. at þat same place onys in þe ȝere; and at þat same place þei ordeyned her sepulture. Than a litil wile after aƚƚ þe princys and lordys and worschippeful knyȝtes of her londys and kyngdoms, heryng̛ of þe comyng̛ of þes .iij. kyngis, anoon þei riden to hem, with grete solempnite and grete worschipp, and met with hem at þe place aforseyde, and with grete mekenes and humilite resceyued hem. and whan þey herde how wondirlich god had wrouȝt by þes .iij. kyngis, þan þei had hem in more reuerence, love and drede euermore aftir. so whan .þes .iij. kyngis had ordeyned her testamentys and do what þei wolde, þan þei toke her leveMS. love euerych of oþir, and euery kyng̛ with his pepil rode home in to his owne londe and kyngdome þat he come fro, with gret Ioye and solempnite; and þus euery kyng̛ departed from oþer in her bodilich personys, but neuer in her hertys, as for þat tyme. ¶ And whan þei were come home in to her owne londys, þan þei tolde and prechid to alle þe pepil alle þat þei had seiȝe, herde and do in alle her wey; also þei did make in aƚƚ her templis a sterre aftir þe same forme and þe same liknesse as hit aperid to hem. wherfore many paynyms left her errours and her mawmettis, and worschipped þe childe þat þes .iij. kynges had souȝt.and þus þes .iij. worschepeful kyngis þei dwelled in her londys and kyngdoms in worschepeful and honest conuersacioun til þe ascencioun of crist and þe comyng̛ of seynt Thomas þe appostel.

After þe tyme þat þes .iij. kyngis were go fro bethleem forþ in to her contrey, than þer bygan to wex a grete fame of oure lady and of her childe and of þes .iij. kyngis alle aboute. wherfore oure lady for drede of þe Iwes fledde oute of þat litil hows þat crist was bore in, and went in to an oþir derke Cave vndir erþe: and þere sche abode with her childe til þe tyme of her Purificacioun. and, as goddis wiƚƚ was, diuers men and wommen lovid oure lady seynt Marie and her soone, and mynistrid to hem aƚƚ maner of necessaries þat were neder. nedeful to hem. and afterward, whan þe feiþ bigan to wexe & encrese, þan þere was made a chapel in þe same cave in þe worschippe of þe .iij. kyngis and of seynt Nicholas. and in þis Chapel is a stone vppe þe wich oure lady seynt Marie was wonte to sitte whan sche ȝaf her childe sowke. ¶ And on a tyme as sche sat on þis stone and ȝaf her sone sowke, þer fiƚƚ adowne from her tete a litil melk̘ on þe same stone: þe wich melk is seiȝe þere ȝit in to þis day, and þe more hit is scraped with knyfes þe more hit wexeþ; and þis melk is bore in to diuerss places of pilgrimes. also whan oure lady was go oute of þe litil hows and come in to þer. þis cave, sche hed forȝete byhynde her her smok and the clothis þat crist was wrappyd Inne, I-folde all-to-gidre and leideadded from MS. Tit. in þe heiȝe in þe manger: and so þere þei were hoole and fresshe in þe same place in to þe tyme þat seint Elene, þe worschepeful Quene, þat was modir to þe kyng̛ Constantyn, com þedir in to þe same place.// ffor þe Iwes of envie heelde þat place þerMS. þat crist was bore a fowle and a cursed place, In so mochel þat þei wolde noȝt suffre man ne womman, childe ne beest to go in to þe place. fferthermore whan oure lady was come in to þe tempil and offrid her childe with turtlis or dowes after Moyses lawe, as holy writ telleþ, and Symeon toke hym in his armes and seyde, Nunc dimittis seruum tuum, &c., ¶ That is to seye: Now lorde, lat þi seruant be in pees aftir þi worde: The same tyme Symeon and anne, þe olde womman, in presence of þe scribys and þe pharisees prophecied many thyngis of oure lord ihesu crist, as holy writ telleþ. and so grete a name was aryse of oure lady and of her soone among̛ þe Iwes þat sche myȝt noȝt ne also durst noȝt abide no lenger in þat place for drede of kyng̛ herodes and of þe Iwes. and, as þe gospel seiþ: Angelus domini apparuit in sompnis Ioseph dicens surge accipe puerum, &c.;, ¶ That is to seye: a aungeƚƚ of godd aperid to Ioseph in his slepe and seyde: "aryse and take þe childe and his modir and fle in to Egipte and be þere til y telle þe; ffor hit is to come þat herodes schal seke þe childe to leseTit. and Harl. slee hym." than Ioseph arose and toke þe childe and his modir and ȝede in to Egipt in þe nyȝt; and þere he was til herodes was dede. and ȝe schul vndirstonde þat oure lady seynt Marie and her soone dwellid in Egipt .vij. ȝere. and Egipt is fro Bethleem .xij. dayes iourney. ¶ And in þis wey þat oure lady seynt Marie ȝede in to Egipt, and in þe weye þat sche come aȝene, growe drye roses þe wich be cleped þe roses of Ierico, and þes roses growe in no place of aƚƚ þe contrey but onlich in þe same weye. and þes rosys scheperdis of þe contrey þat go aboute with her schepe, þei gadir hem in tyme of ȝere and selle hem for brede to pilgrimes and to oþir men of þe contrey aboute;Here is a fol. missing in Harl. and so þei be bore in to diuers londis aboute. ¶ fferthermore in þe same place þere oure lady dwellid with her soone, is now a gardyn in þe wich groweþ bawme; and þis gardyn isMS. as noȝt fullich as longe and as brode as a man may cast a stone. ¶ And þer be also in þis gardeyn .vij. wellisMS. weƚƚ of water, in þe wich oure lady seynt Mary wasshed her soone and bathed hym, and vysshe her clothis and her sonys clothis. and ȝe schulle vndirstonde þat in þis gardyn be many busshis of bawme, and þei be mochel liche to busshes of rosys; and þes busshes be litil hiȝer þan a fathome of lengþe, and þe leuys be liche treyfoyles. and to euery busshe a cristyn man, of þe sowdan̄s prisoners, is assigned, to kepe hit and to make hit clene. and þere is a grete merveyle and a grete miracle of þes busshes of bawme: ffor þer may no man kepe hem and diȝt hem but he be a cristen man--and þat haþ of-time be previd: ffor whan a Iwe or a paynym kepeþ hem, anoon þe busshes wexen drye and growe nomore. and in þe monthe of MarcheMS. Martheþe sowdan is allewey abydyng̛ in þis gardyn: and than þe roddys be kytte as a wyne, and whan þei be kitte, þei be bounde aboute with cotoun, and vndir þe kittyng̛ of þe roddys and þe cotoun be sette disshes of syluer. and so the bawme renneþ downe in to þes vessels oute of þe kittyng̛Tit. kuttynges and þorwe þe cotoun, as water renneþ oute atte þe vyne. and oute of þes disshes þe bawme is put in to a grete potte of syluer, and þat potte is more þan .vj. galouns. // And þan þe sowdan takeþ alle þis bawme in to his owne kepyng̛ specialich; but whan any messanger is sent from any kyng̛ for bawme, þan þe sowdan ȝif hym a litil viol ful of bawme. and whan þe bawme is aƚƚ gadrid and dropped oute of þe roddys, þan þe sowdan goþ home: and þaneuery cristenman þat haþ a busshe to kepe, he takeþ þe roddes þat be kitte, and seeþ hem in water in a clene potte: and þe bawme swymmeþ aboue þe water as hit were fatnesse of flesshe: and þis bawme is goode for alle maner of brusours, and ȝif a man be woundid, hit wil make hym hoole anoone. and þis bawme is solde to pylgrymes of diuers contreys, and so hit is bore þorwe diuers londys aboute. ¶ But þis bawme is no-thyng so vertuous ne so goode as þe bawme þat droppeþ oute of þe roddys whan þey be kitte. ffor, an a man take a drope of þisMS. þe bawme and ley hit on a mannysTit. on his honde, anoon hit renneþ þorwe-oute on þat oþer syde, and þat place schal neuer be corrupt ne rote aftir. and þis bawme is as þouȝ it were thynne grene wyne, a litil troublid. and this bawme isadded from Tit. cleped rawe bawme and the toþer is callid soden bawme. Manye moo vertues ben̄ of this bawme,added from Tit. þe wicℏ were longe to telle here. but aƚƚ þe men in þe eest byleve trewlich þat þis place haþ swich a vertue of growyng of bawme bycause oure lady dwelled in þe same place .vij. ȝere and, as hit is aforseyde, sche wisshe and bathed her sone in þe same wellys and also visshe his clothis and her owne in þe same water. // fferthermore ȝe schul vndirstonde, as hit is aforseyde, þat Melchior, kyng̛ of Nubye and of arabie, offrid to godd a rounde appil of gold and .xxx. gilt penyes. of þes .xxx. gilt penyes ȝe schul here þe first bygynnyng̛ and þe last ende. // Thara, þat was fadir to abraham, did make þes .xxx. gilt penyes in þe name of þe kyng̛ of Mesopotamye þe wich was cleped Nynus. and þus.r. þis abraham, whan he ȝede a pilgrimage oute of þe londe of Chaldee in to Ebron, þat in þat tyme was cleped arabie, he bare þes .xxx. gilt penyes with hym and bouȝte with hem a place for his sepulture and for his wyf̘added from Tit. and for his childryn, ysaac and Iacob aftirward Ioseph was solde of his breþerin in to Egipt to Marchauntys þat were of hismahely for þes same .xxx. gilt penyes. Aftirward̛ whanne Iacob was dede, thanne were thes xxx gilt penyesadded from Tit. sent to þe londe of Saba for diuers spycys and oynementys for þe sepulture of Iacob: and so þei were putte in to þe kyngis tresory. þan by processe of tyme in kyng̛ Salemons tyme þe quene of Saba offrid þes .xxx.MS. iij gilt penyes, with many oþir riche Iewels, in þe tempil of godd in Ierusalem. so aftirward, in þe tyme of Roboam, þat was kyng̛ Salemons soone, whan Ierusalem was destruyed and þe tempil of godd despoiled, þan þes .xxx. gilt penyes were brouȝt to þe kyng̛ of arabie: and so þei were put in to his tresory, with many oþer riche ornamentys þat were brouȝt oute of þe tempil of god. Than aftirward, whan crist was bore in bethleem, þan Melchior, þat was kyng̛ of Nubye and of arabie, toke þes .xxx. gilt penyes, and many oþir riche ornamentys and Iewels, with hym, by-cause hit was þe fynest gold and þe best þat he had in his tresory; þerfore he toke þes same with hym and offrid hem to godd in bethleem þer as he was bore. ¶ Than aftirward̛, whan oure lady seynt Marye ȝede oute of bethleem in to Egipte for drede of kyng̛ herodes, þan sche lost aƚƚ þes ȝiftes þat were offrid in þe weye, and þei were aƚƚ bounde in a clothe togedir. so aftirward hit happed, þer was a schepherde in þat contrey þat kept schepe; þe wich had so grete infirmite and so grete dissese þat þer myȝt no leche hele hym, and aƚƚ þe goode þat he hadde he ȝaf to diuers lechys to be hole, and hit myȝt noȝt be. ¶ Than on a tyme as he ȝede in þe felde with his schepe now in o place now in an oþir, he fonde þes .xxx. gilt penyes, with encense and Mirre, bounde alle in a clowte togedir. and whan he had founde þes ȝiftes, he kept hem priuelich to hym-self, til a litil afore aȝensom. aȝens þe tyme þat god ȝede to his passyoun. and whan þis scheperde herde speke of swich a holy prophete þat helid aƚƚ men of her infirmites with a worde, þan he com to god and preide hym of grace and of help: and þan god aƚƚmyȝty anoon helid hym, and enfourmed hym of þe feiþ. þan þe scheperde offerid to god with goode deuocioun þes .xxx. penyes, with encense and Mirre, as þei were aƚƚ bounde togedir in a clowte. and whan god sayȝe þes .xxx. gilt penyes, with encense and Mirre, he knewe hem wel, and bad þe scheperde þat he scholde go in to þe tempil and offre aƚƚ þes thynges vppon þe autere. and so þe scheperde did, aftir þe commandement of god, and offryd vppon þe autere in þe tempil þes .xxx. gilt penyes, with encense and mirre, with grete deuocioun. // And whan þe preest þat in þat tyme kept þe tempil sayȝe swich oblacionsr. oblacioun offrid on þe autere, in þe worschep of þis oblaciounsr. oblacioun he was reuested and ensensed þe autere; and bycause þat oblaciouns were seelde seye in þe tempil, þe preest of þe tempil tok aƚƚ þes .iij. þingis and put hem in to her comune tresory. and a litil while aftir, þat is to seye þe thrid daye tofore cristes passyoun, Iudas Skariot com in to þe temple to þe princys of þe lawe and to þe Iwys, and made couenaunt with hem to betraye his maister god aƚƚmyȝty: & for his trauayle þe princys of þe Iwys toke oute of her tresory þes .xxx. gilt penyes and ȝaf hem to Iudas Skariot, and so þis Iudas sold godd almyȝty his maister for þes .xxx. gilt penyes. than whan aƚƚ þis was do and crist, goddis sone of heuen, was betrayed þorwe his discipil and scholde be dede for aƚƚ mankynde, as his wiƚƚ was: þan þis Iudas repent hym and was sory for his mysdede, and ȝede in to þe tempil aȝene to þe princys of þe Iwys and cast downe to hem þese .xxx. gilt penys. ¶ Than whan aƚƚ þes was done,Tit. and Harl. and, instead of Than--done as þe gospeƚƚ seiþ, he ȝede & henge hym-self. so þan þe Iwys bouȝte with .xv. of þes gilt penyes a feelde for sepulture of pilgrymes, as þe gospeƚƚ telleþ, and þeMS. and with þe oþir .xv. penyes þe Iwys ȝaf to þe knyȝtys þat kept þe sepulcre of crist. ¶ Also ȝe schulle vndirstonde þat þe liknesse of þes .xxx. gilt penyes wereTit. and Harl. was vsed in aƚƚ þat contrey boþe in name and in money from abrahams tyme in to þe destruccioun of Ierusalem, þe wich was do by Tytus and Vaspasianus. But from þe tyme of abraham in to cristys passyon þes .xxx. gilt penyes were neuer desseueryd ne departed, but euermore þei were bore hoole togedir; and whan crist was solde for hem, þan anoon þei were disseueryd and departed aboute in diuers placys. fferthermore þe cause why þes .xxx. gilt penyes were cleped syluer in þe godspeƚƚ, noȝtwithstondyng̛ þei were fyne gold, is þis: ffor hit is þe comune name and þe comune vsage in aƚƚ þat contrey so for to clepe hem, as men clepe in þis contrey gold of biȝende þe see Scutys, Motouns or floryns. ¶ And ȝit in þe eest þe same preent is made, boþe in gold and in siluer and in copir, and kept among̛ grete lordys of þe contrey. and þe preent of one of þes .xxx. gilt penyes is þis: on þat o side is a kyngis hed corouned, and inr. on þat oþer side be write lettres of Chaldee, þe wich men kunne noȝt rede now.MS. corr. now rede and one of hem is as mochel worþ in weight and in valwe as. iij. floreyns. and many merueiles be tolde of þes .xxx. gilt penyes, þe wich were longe to telle.--¶ Also whan oure lady and Ioseph were warned to come oute of egipt by a aungeƚƚ, as þe gospeƚƚ telleþ, þan þei were bode go in to galilee: and þere þei dwelled in a cite þat is cleped Naȝareth--and so þe prophecie was fulfilled quoniam Naȝareus vocabitur, þat is to seye: he schalbe cleped a man of Naȝareth. and what crist wrouȝt and did in erþe fro þis tyme to his passioun, þe euangelistys declaryn openlich in þe gospeƚƚ.

Whan cure lord ihesu crist was styed vp in to heuen, þan he sent seynt Thomas, his apostil, in to ynde, to preche þere goddys worde; In þe wich Inde, as hit is aforseyde, þes .iij. kyngis þat tyme regnyd and were lordys. ¶ And þow hit so were þat seynt Thomas aȝens his wille ȝede in to þat londys,Tit. þoo londes ȝet ȝe schulle vndirstonde þat þis was do of þe grete prouidence of god þat þis same appostil þat put his hande in to goddys syde to knowe þat he was werry god þat was aryse vp fro dethe to lyfe for saluacioun of aƚƚ mankynde, he scholde go and preche þe passioun of crist, his resurreccioun and his ascencioun to þes .iij. worschippeful kyngis þat souȝten oure lord ihesu crist in bethleem in his Natiuite and þere with ȝiftys worschipped hym; and,and om. in Tit. and Harl. as seynt Gregory seiþ: Id nobis omnibus profuit quod hij Reges & hee gentes eiusdem domini nostri Ihesu Christi infanciam quesierunt & oculis viderunt et deuotissime muneribus adorauerunt & probauerunt, ¶ This is to seye: this was to vs aƚƚ a profite þat þes worschepeful kyngis and her pepil souȝten þe childehode of crist and with her yȝen siȝe hit and with ȝiftys worscheppefullich and deuoutelich honoured hit and for soþe proued hit. fferthermore ȝe schul vndirstonde þat seynt bartholemewe, Symon and Iudas, þat were cristys disciplis, were also sent in to ynde to preche þe feyȝ among aƚƚ þe pepil: for þer be many parties of ynde, and o party of ynde is more þan aƚƚ þe party of þe worlde on þis half of þe see--ffor þis party of þe world on þis half of þe see, þer cristendom is, is nomore descried ne acounted in aƚƚ þe eest but a .C. dayes iourney.

Aftir þat seynt Thomas þe appostil in þe kyngdoms of ynde had preched goddys worde and had go aboute aƚƚ þe yles and prouyncys & do many myraclys þorwe þe signe of þe cros and of goddys worde:Harl. adds: as in heling of sike men of aƚƚ maner infirmitees & deliuering men that were traueyled or turmented with wilde sprites: þan as he ȝede aboute in þe templys, he fonde a sterre in euerych tempil, peynted aftir þe sterre þat aperid to þe .iij. kyngis whan crist was bore; In þe wich sterre was a signe of þe cros and a childe aboue. and whan seynt Thomas sayȝe þis sterre, he asked of þe bisshoppys of þe tempils what hit was. and þe bisshoppys tolde to seynt Thomas how þat swich a sterre of olde tyme apperid on þe hiƚƚ of Vaws in tokyn of a childe þat was bore and scholde be kyng̛MS. kyngis of Iwys, as hit was herde oute of þe same sterre, ¶ And for þis cause þe .iij. kyngis ȝede oute of her londys in to bethleem wondirfullich þorwe ledyng̛ of þe sterre and come in to bethleem in xiij. dayes and þer offrid to þis childe þat was bore, but with grete trauayle aftirward̛ þei comen home in to her londys and kyngdoms in .ij. ȝere; and ofom. of aƚƚ þat þes .iij. kyngis had do, herde and seyȝe, þe bisshopes of þe tempils tolde to seynt Thomas þe appostil. ¶ Than whan seynt Thomas herde aƚƚ þis, he thanked god, and with grete ioye preched to þe bysshopys and to þe pepil þe childehode of god, his passioun, his resurreccioun and his ascencioun, and aƚƚ þe werkys of crist while he was in erþe; wher-þorwe þe bisshoppes of þe templys and many oþer folk̘MS. folkis were conuerted to crist and were cristened. ¶ fferthermore seynt Thomas mekelich declarid and expowned to alle þe pepil þe vndirstondyng̛ of þis sterre and of þe cros and of þe childe, and he caste owte of her templys aƚƚ Mawmetys and halwed hem in þe worschip & þe name of þe childe þat was bore, as hit is aforseyde. and so swich a fame bygan to aryse in aƚƚ þisr. þe contrey aboute of seynt Thomas for þe grete myraclys þat he wrouȝt, þat aƚƚ maner of folk þat had any infirmitees or turmentyng̛ of wykked spirites, þei com to seynt Thomas, and he in þe name of god and þorwe þe signe of þe cros helid hem, and conuerted hem to þe cristen feiȝth and cristened hem. and þei þat were so conuerted to crist, did many myraclys þorwe signe of þe cros aftirward aboute in diuers placys þer-as seynt Thomas had noȝt be.

Whan seynt Thomas had þus prechid and tauȝte þe pepil as hit is aforseyde: þan he ȝede to þe kyngdoms of þes .iij. kyngis: and he fonde hem hole of body and of a gret age. and as Symeon had answere of þe holy goost þat he scholde noȝt deyȝe til he had seyȝe crist, goddis sone, and so abode hym tyl he was brouȝt in to þe tempil, and þer toke hym in his armys: riȝt so þes .iij. worschippeful kyngis preyden to god þat þei scholde noȝt deyȝe til þei were renewed with þe holy goost and with þe sacrament of baptisme. ¶ So whan þey herde þat a man þat was a disciple of crist was come in to her londys þe wich was cleped Thomas, þat prechid to þe pepil of þe childehode of godd & of his passioun and his resurreccioun and also his ascencioun, and þe werkys þat crist wrouȝt in þis worlde, and specialich þe sacrament of baptisme: anoon, noȝtwithstondyng þat þei were of gret age and feble, ȝit þey araied hem and comyn alle .iij. to seynt Thomas, with oþerr. þer lordys and gret multitude of pepil. and seynt Thomas with greet Ioye and reuerence resceyued þes worschippeful kyngis, and declared to hem aƚƚ þat crist tauȝt here in erþe to his disciplis, and his passioun þat he suffrid for alle mankynde, and how he arose fro dethe to lyfe þe thrid daye, and how he stiȝed in to heuene, and also how he sent downe þe holy goost to his apostolis, and many oþer articlis of þe feiþ seynt Thomas declared and expouned to þes .iij. kyngis; and specialich he tolde hem of þe sacrament of baptisme, withoute wich þer may noman come in to þe kyngdom of heuene. and whan þei were þus enfourmed of þe cristen feiþ, than seynt Thomas cristenyd þes .iij. kyngis and aƚƚ þe pepil þat com with hem. and anoon þes .iij. kyngis were fulfilled of þe holy goost and bygunne anoon to preche with seynt Thomas goddis worde, and also þei tolde to þe pepil how þey had souȝte crist, goddis sone, in bethleem in his Natiuite, as hit is tolde afore. ¶ So whan alle þis was do, þan þes .iij. kyngis with aƚƚ her pepil ȝede with seynt Thomas þe apostil to þe hiƚƚ of Vaws. and þer seynt Thomas halwed þe chapel þat was made on þat hiƚƚ by þes .iij. kyngis; and þer seynt Thomas and þes .iij. kyngis preched aȝene to þe peple of þe cristen byleve and of þe sterre þat apperid to þe .iij. kyngis. and swich a Ioye and gladnesse was amonge þe pepil, and also swich a loos and a name was aryse in alle þe londys aboute of seynt Thomas and of þes .iij. kyngis, þat alle maner of pepil, boþe men and wymmen, com fro diuers and fer contreys for grete deuocioun to visite þis chapeƚƚ þat was on þis hiƚƚ of Vaws. and for þe grete deuocioun of þe pepil and for þe grete concoursMS. concorus þat was made to þis chapeƚƚ, þe .iij. kyngis did makeMS. made vndir þis hiƚƚ a grete and a riche cite. and þat cite is cleped þe cite of Sewiƚƚ,Lat. Seuwa (C.C. Suwella) and þis cite is þe beste and þe richeste cite in alle þe contrey of ynde and in alle þe eest ȝit in to þis daye. and in þis cite is þe habitacioun of prester Iohn̄, þat is cleped lord of ynde and, þere dwelliþ also þe patriark̘MS. patriarkis of ynde þat is cleped Thomas. and why þe patriark̘ of ynde is cleped Thomas and whi þe lorde of ynde is cleped prester Iohn̄, ȝe schul here aftirward.

Whan seynt Thomas þe apostel has þus preched and conuerted þe pepil to þe lawe of crist, þan he sacridMS. sacrid hem and ordeyned þes .iij. kyngis in to preestys, and aftirward in to Erchebisshoppes. ¶ And whan þei were put in þis degre, þan þei ordeyned vndir hem oþir bisshoppes, preestys & clerkys, to serue god, and þan þes .iij. worschippeful kyngis halwed alle þe templys in þe contrey aboute in þe worschip of oure lady and cast oute alle þe Mawmettys þat were in þe tempils in þe contrey aboute. and to þis bisshoppes and preestys and clerkys þes .iij. kyngis and Erchebisshoppes ȝaf many grete possessiouns, to mayntene and encresse goddis seruise. ¶ Also seynt Thomas tauȝte þes .iij. kyngis and Erchebisshoppes, and oþer bisshopes and preestys, the manere and þe fourme to sey a masse and enformed hem also of þe wordys þat crist seyde to his disciplys whan he made his soper þat nyȝt þat he was betraied, þorwe wich wordys he madeMS. he made he made & ordeyned þe sacrament of þe autere; ¶ Also he tauȝte hem þe pater noster and many oþer þingis; he tolde hem also þe fourme of baptiȝyng̛, and specialich he charged hem þat þei scholde neuer forȝete þat. and whan seynt Thomas had enformed hem thus of the cristen feiþ, than aftirward he toke martirdom for þe lawe of crist, as hit is conteyned more fullich in þe boke þat is write of his passioun, wher he (!)all MSS. he; r. hit? telleþ wherr. how he was slayne and in what place. Butr. and ȝe schul vnderstonde þat in alle þe contrey aboute þer seynt Thomas was slayn, boþe men and wommen haue visages schaped after howndes, but þei be noȝt hery--and þat is ȝit in to þis daye.

Affter þe dethe of seynt Thomas, þan þes .iij. kyngis and Erchebisshoppes ȝede aboute citees, townes and oþir diuers placys and ordeyned many chirches and put in hem bisshoppes, preestis and clerkys and oþir mynistris of holy chirche, to do diuine seruice; and þei ȝaf to hem many grete possessiouns and grete Richesses. and þan þes .iij. kyngis and Erchebisshoppes forsokyn þe vanite of þe worlde and ordeyned hem to abyde in þe cite þat is cleped Sewiƚƚ, þe wich þei had do make. ¶ And þei assigned certeyn lordys to gouerne and to rewle her kyngdoms and her londys, bothe in spirituel degre and temporel; and alle þe pepil of grete love and charite were obeysaunt to hem as þe sone to þe fader. Than þe secounde ȝere tofore her dethe, þes .iij. kynges and Erchebisshoppes made a conuocacioun of alle þe pepiƚƚ, boþe of temporel men and spirituel, and had hem alle in to o certeyn place. and þan þei warned and counseiled þe pepil þat þei scholde be perseueraunt̘ in þe cristen feiþ þat seynt Thomas had tauȝte hem. ¶ fferther more þei counseiled þe pepil þat þei scholde alle of on acorde and of o wiƚƚ chese a man among̛ hem þat were abil and discret and þat had love and hertlich desire to mayntene þe cristen feiþ, þe wich man scholde be chefe tofor alle oþer men as in spiritualite in seynt Thomas stede, and to hym alle maner of men scholde obeyee as to her goostly fader; þe wiche man also in þe worschip of seynt Thomas þe apostil scholde be cleped þe patriark̘ Thomas for a euerlestyng̛ memorial; ¶ And whan þe patriark̘ were dede, þan þei scholde come togedir alle in o place and in his stede þei scholde chese an oþir, to whom, as hit is aforseyde, þey scholde obeiȝe as to her goostly fader. Than whan þis matiere was þus spoke amonge þe pepil, þei assentyd þer-to, and of one acorde and of on wiƚƚ alle þe bisshoppes, preestis and clerkis and oþir pepil anoon þei chesen a man þat was cleped Iacob, þe wich was com owte of antioche and had allewey folwed seynt Thomas þe appostil in to ynde. and þis Iacob þe pepil chese and toke for her patriark̘, and chaunged his name and cleped hym Thomas--and þis man was þe first patriark̘ þat was in þat contrey. and so alle-wey þei of Ynde be obeysaunt to þe patriark̘ Thomas, as we be to þe pope, in to þis daye.¶ And to þis patriark̘ þe .iij. kyngis ȝaf to hymMS. hem; Harl. yaff and assigned to hym for euermore with assent of þe pepil þe tithes of alle her londys and kyngdoms. than whan alle þis was do and þe patriark̘ Thomas was chose as hit is aforseyde, to be lorde aboue þe pepil in spiritualite: þan þes .iij. worschippeful kyngis and Erchebisshopes of comune assent of alle þe pepil chosen and ordeyned a worschippeful manHarl. adds: & a myghty þat scholde be lorde and chefe gouernour among̛ þe pepil in temporalte--and for þis cause: ȝif any man wolde aryse or attempt aȝens þe patriark̘ Thomas orH. or bisshoppes or prestes aȝens þe lawe of god and hit so were þat þe patriark̘ Thomas myȝt noȝt rewle hem by þe spiritual lawe, þan scholde þis lorde chastyse hymr. hem by temporal lawe; and þis lorde scholde noȝt be cleped a kyng̛ or a Emperour, but þey ordeyned þat he scholde be cleped Prester Iohn̄. and þe cause is þis: ffor þer is no degre in þe worlde aboue þe degre of preesthode--ffor alle þe worlde oweþ to obeye to holy chirche and to preesthode in spiritualite. ¶ Also he isHarl. Also anoþer cause is this þat the lorde of ynde is cleped Preester Iohn̄ in þe worschippe of seynt Ion þe Euangelist, þat was a preest and moost special chose and loved of god allemyȝty.Harl. adds: Of whome anoþer cause is for seint Iohn̄ de Baptist þat baptised Crist Ihesu, as it is Redde þat among aƚƚ the Children̛ þat were of women born̛ was þer none gretter þan s. I. de Baptist. whan alle þis was do, þes .iij. kyngis assigned þe patriark̘ Thomas and Preester Iohn̄, þat oon to be chefe gouernour in spiritualite, and þat oþir to be chefe lorde in temporalte, for euermore:Harl. adds: to whome aƚƚ peple did obbedience with dewe Reuerence and gret gladnesse to þeire power and had (!) submitted þāme to the gouernaunce off þese lordes aforesaide. þan euery man yede home ayen̛ in to his owne Contrey. and so þes lordis and gouernours of ynde be cleped þe same namysHarl.: that is to saye patriarch Thomas and ...; the next fol. is missing in H. ȝit in to þis daye.

Whan þe glorious Emperour Constantyn þorwe þe grace of god and diuers miraclys was conuerted to crist by seynt Siluestre and was made clene of his lepre andH. = Cbr.was chaunged boþe in his lyfe and in his maners in to a newe man, þat is to seye in to lawe of crist: in þe same tyme seynt Elene þe quene, þat was modir to Constantyn þe Emperour aforseyde, was dwellynge among þe Iewes, and sche was alle enfectMS. enfeit and defowled with þe Iwys lawe and with her byleve; but wonderlich sche was conuerted to þe lawe of crist, as hit is write in þe storye of þe fyndyng of þe holy cros. // And as þis holy quene tofore her conuersioun to crist was a grete and a stronge enemy to þe lawe of crist and to þe feiþ, riȝt so aftir her conuersioun sche was þe grettest precheour of goddis lawe in aƚƚ þat contrey þer as sche was dwellyng̛. // ffor alle þe holy placys þat oure lord ihesu crist in his manhede had halwed with his blessed body þorwe his walkyng here in erþe, þe wich placys þis holy quene sumtyme þorwe enformacioun of þe fals Iwys helde for cursed and odyous placys:Harl. adds: aƚƚ þese places þis worshipfuƚƚ quene to þe worship of god and his blessid moder marie with gret deuocion visited & worshipped; after aƚƚ þese holy places, þat is to say the hiƚƚ &c.; as þe hiƚƚ of Caluarie þer crist was do on þe cros, and þe place þer crist was leyde in þe sepulcre,H. has the add. of MS. Roy. and þe place þer crist committed his moder in to þe kepyng of seynt Iohn̄ Euangelist whan he henge on þe cros, and þe place þer crist aperid to Marie Magdaleyne in liknesse of a gardinere: alle þes places, and many oþir holy placys, þis worschippeful quene comprehendid within o chirche and made a riaƚƚ and a worschippeful chirche aboue alle þes placys.Harl. adds: Also in oþer diuerse places she made mony Chirches & ordeined archbisshoppes bisshopes prestis and Clerkes and oþer ministres of holy Chirch to serue god, and she yaff mony gret possessions to meynteyne & encrese goddis seruice. // fferthermoreH. = Cbr. þis quene ȝede to þe place þer þe aungeƚƚ aperid to þe scheperdys þat nyȝt þat criste was bore, & in þat same place did make a worschippeful and a rialle chirche, to þe wich sche ȝaf a name Gloria in excelsis--andH. = Cbr. so hit is clepid ȝit in to þis daye. and in þis chirche was sumtyme a grete college of chanouns, þe wich of special priuelege bygunne alle her houres of þe day with Gloria in excelsis, as we do here in þis contrey with Deus in adiutorium—and so men vse þe same in þat chirche ȝit in to þis daye. whan seynt Elene had made þis chirche, þan sche ȝede to bethleem in to þe same place þer crist was bore of his moder seynt Marie, and, as hit ȝs aforseide, þe Iwys of envye wolde noȝt suffre man, childe ne beest to go in to þat place, for þey helde hit a cursed place; and so fro þe tyme þat oure lady seynt Marye was go oute of þis place þer her sone was bore, til seynt Elene was come in to þat place, þer com neuer man, childe ne beest in þat place. // And whan seynt Elene was come in to þis derk place, sche founde þe same heiȝe þat crist was leyde in yn þe manger, and þe cloþes þat oure lord ihesu crist was wounde yn, and oure lady smok--and alle þes thyngys oure lady had forȝete byhynde her whan sche ȝede oute of þat place in to Egipt: H. = Cbr.þe wich seynt Elene fonde alle feyre and hole, wounde togeder in þe manger, and þes holy relikes seynt Elene toke awey with her, save þe manger, and bare hem in to constantynopil, and þere with alle reuerence and solempnite put hem in a worschepeful chirche þat is cleped þe chirche of seynt Sophie. // And þere þes relikes were kept vnto þe tyme þat a kyng of ffraunce, þe wich was cleped Karolus, cam in to IerusalemH. adds: and into oþer Cristen Citees aboute with gret oost and þer did many gret batailes aȝeyns þe Saraȝeyns and delyuered oute of prisoun alle cristen men þat longe tyme had leye þere: and whan he had þus do, he ȝede home by constantynopil: and þere he siȝe aƚƚ þes Reliques aforseyde: and þorwe grete preiour he had alle þes Relikes & bare hem home with hym vnto þe kyngdom of ffraunce and put hem in a worscheppeful chirche þat is in worschippe of oure lady, þe wich is cleped akon: and þer oure lady smok and oþir Relikes be worschepped of þe cristen pepil ȝit in to þis daye. // fferthermore,In H. follows here the add. of MS. Roy. whanH.=Cbr. seynt Elene had made þese chirches, þan sche ȝede to þe cite of Naȝareth, þe wich is a feire cite: and þer sche made also a feire chirche and ordeyned þer-in bisshoppes, preestys & clerkys,H. adds: and mony other ministers of holy chircℏ þerin and yaff hem mony gret possessions to mayntene diuine seruice. and in þis cite of Naȝareth oure lady was gret of þe aungeƚƚ. // Also þis cite of NaȝarethMS. galile is in þe londe and þe lordschippe of galile, and by-syde þis galile is þe hiƚƚ þe wich is cleped Thabor: and on þis hiƚƚ oure lorde ihesu crist was transfigured tofore .iij. of his disciplys, Petir, Iohn̄ and Iamys, as þe godspeƚƚ makeþ mynde. and þis hiƚƚ is but litel of brede, but is wondirlich hiȝe; and hit is from Ierusalem .iij. dayes Iourney and a half̘. and bitwix Ierusalem and þis hiƚƚ Thabor was alle þe weye þat crist ȝede with his disciplys here in erþe and preched and tauȝte and dide myraclis--and ferþer ȝede he noȝt, as in his manhede, þan bitwix þes .ij. places and oþir placys þat were bitwix hem.

Whan þis worschippeful Quene seynt Elene had þus visited alle þese holy places and had ordeyned chirches and goddys mynystres to serue god and to dodiuine seruice, as hit is aforseyde, and alle þing̛ was performed aftir hir wiƚƚ to þe worschip of god: þan sche gan to thynk gretlich of þe bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis þat had souȝtMS. souȝten god and worscheppe hym in his childehode. and þan þis lady araied her with a certeyn ofTit. & H. of pepil and ȝede in to þe londys of ynde. and whan sche was come in to þes londys, sche destruyed aƚƚ þe synagoges and fals Mawmetys and did make chirches and Monasteries & ordeyned in hem preestis and clerkys of þe cristen feiþ. // And also sche preched þe cristen feiþ among þe pepil in so mochel þat þe feiþ þat was preched by seynt Thomas þe appostel and þe .iij. kyngis, þe wich þorwe heresies was destruyed, was renewed aȝene þorwe her prechyng. ffor alle þe pepil, whan þei herde what myraclys oure lord ihesu crist wrouȝt by þisworscheppeful Quene, of þe fyndyng of þe cros and of þe nayles and of oure lady smok and þe heiȝe and þe clothis þat crist was woundyn yn in his childehode: þei com to her and worschepped her, and forsoke her fals lawe and toke hem to þe lawe of god, as seynt Elene tauȝte hem. þan whan þis was do, sche bygan gretlich to enquere ofTit. aftir, H. for þe Relikes of þes. iij. kyngis, and with grete trauayle ȝede aboute to gete hem. so oure lord ihesu crist, þat euermore is redy to alle men þat cry to hym in trewþe and in riȝtwisnesse: as he schewed to þis holy Quene þe cros and þe nayles þat were hid depe in þe erþe, riȝt so he schewed þe bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis to her. so þis lady had swich a loos among alle þe pepil þat þe patriark Thomas and preester Iohn̄, with counseyl of oþir lordys and pryncys, ȝaf to þis lady seynt Elene þe .ij. bodyes of þe .ij. kynges Melchior and baltaȝar, to þe worschep of god and of [þe] holy kyngis. // The body of þe þridde kyng, Iaspar, þe Nestorynes had bore hit in to þe yle of Egriswiƚƚ. and bycause þat seynt Elene wolde noȝt þat þes .iij. kynges scholde be departed, sche made grete menys and grete preiours, and also ȝaf grete ȝiftes to þe chefe lordys of þat yle of Egriswiƚƚ: and so sche gate þe thrid body, þat is to seye Iaspar, and for þis body seynt Elene ȝaf to hem þe body of seynt Thomas þe apostil, þe wich sche had þat tyme in her kepyng̛. and þis body of seynt Thomas hath twyes be bore awey from þat yle and allewey restored aȝeyne, for certeyn causes. // And ȝe schul vnderstonde þat in alle þe eest þer is no cristen man seiȝeTit. sithe, H. sith þat tyme þat haþ be in þat yle of Egriswiƚƚ þer as seynt Thomas þe appostil lieþ, þat haþ seiȝe his body. ffor hit is a commune prophecie in aƚƚ þat contrey þat þe body of seynt Thomas þe appostel schal be translate in to þe cite of Coleyne and put to þe .iij. kyngis. and in what manere þis schal be do, þei teƚƚ & seye þat in tyme comyng, whan god wiƚƚ, þer schal be a Erchebisshoppe of Coleyne, and he schal be so wise and so myȝty þat he schal make a contract,MS. contrait a Matrimonye bitwix þe Emperouris sone of Rome and þe Emperouris doughter of Tartaryn, and with þis contract and ffrenschip þe holy londe schal be ȝolde in to cristen mannys hondys: and in þis tyme schal þe body of seynt Thomas be translated and bore in to Coleyne and leyde by þe .iij. kyngis. and þerfore þe heretikes of þis yle, þe wich be cleped Nestorynes, take but litil kepe of his body ne þei do but litil reuerence þerto, bycause of þis prophecie. // Harl. adds: þan whan s. E. had brought þe iijde body, þat is to saie Iaspers, to his ij felaus, þan̛ was sucℏ a swete sauoure of þes iij kynges þat aƚƚ the peple of the Contrey aboute were replete þerwiþ. & þan &c.;And þan seynt Elene put þes .iij. kyngis togedir in one chest, and araied hit with grete richesse, and brouȝt hem in to constantynopil with alle Ioye and reuerence, and leyde hem in a chirche þat is cleped seynt sophie. and þis chirche kyng Constantyn did make, and he alone withH. with help of god and of a litil childe set vp alle þe pylers of Marbiƚƚ in þe same chirche. // And in þis chirche was thatTit. som tyme þe coroune of thorne þat crist was corouned with. and whan þe turkes and þe sarȝeyns com doune in to Constantynnopil and destruyed a grete partye þerof, þan þe Emperoure sentMS. seynt to seynt lowys þat þan was kyng of ffraunce, for socour and help, and þan þis kyng lowys com with a strong honde to þe Emperour and recouered aȝene þe moost partieMS. parties of þe londesþat þe Emperour had lost: // And for his trauaile þe Emperour ȝaf hym þe coroune of thorne--wherfore þe grekes madyn mochel sorwe. and so þe grekys with grete lamentacioun,H. adds: foryede it and þe ffrenshe men with gret Ioye bare þis coroune of thorne oute of Constantynnopil in to parys.on the margin: Crown of thornes in ffrance--and ȝe schulde vnderstonde þat Constantynnopil is þe chefe cite of þe londe of grece. and whan þes .iij. kyngis were brouȝt in to þe citeH. Citee and Chirch aforseyde, þan alle þe pepil of alle þe contrey aboute com and visited hem & with gret deuocioun worschepped hem; and þer þei were kept a longe tyme.H. adds: and oure lord Ihesu Crist of his gret mercy wrought þer mony miracles þrougℏ þe merites of þese iij kyngis

After þe dethe of þisMS. þes III worscheppeful kyngMS. kyngis Constantyn and his holy Moder, seynt Elene aforseyde, þer began aȝene a newe persecucioun of heresye aȝens þe cristen feiþ, and also a persecucioun of dethe aȝens hem þat wolde mayntene þe cristen feiþ and þe lawe of crist. and in þis persecucioun þe grekys, þowe hit so were þat þei had many worschippeful doctours and bisshoppes of þe same contrey of greke borne, ȝit þei forsoke þe lawe of holy chirche and þe feiþ and chose hem a patriark by hem-self, to whom þei obeye ȝit in to þis day, as we do to þe Pope. and in þis persecucioun þe bodyes and þe Reliqes of þe .iij. holy kyngis were put at no reuerence but vttirlich set at nouȝt. and so þeMS. þessarȝyns and turkys in þis tyme wonne with strong bataiƚƚ þe londys of grece and of armenye and destruyed a gret partie of þes londis. // And þan come a Emperour of Rome þe wich was cleped Mauricius, and þis Mauricius þorwe helpe of hem of Melane recouered alle þes londys aȝene: and as hit is seyde among men þere in þat contrey, þorwe counseiƚƚ of þe same Emperour þes iij. kynges bodyes were translat in to Melane. // fferthermore hit is redde in diuers bokys in þat contrey þat þere was a Emperour of grece wich was cleped Emanuel, and þis Emperour sent a Religious man þe wich was cleped Eustorgius in to Melane on a certeyn message: and þan þis religious man asked of þe Emperour to haue þes .iij. bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis. and bicause þat þe Emperour louyd weƚƚ þis man, and also he was a religious and a wyse man, þe Emperour graunted to hym þes bodys of þes .iij. kyngis. and so þis Eustorgius sent þes .iij. bodyes in to Melane, and leyde hem þerin r. þere yn a feyre chirche þe wich is cleped þe frere precheours, with alle solempnite and worschippe. and þere oure lord ihesu crist þorwe þe merytes of þes .iij. kyngis wrouȝt many myracles.

ThanMS. Whan aftirward by processe of tyme hit happed þat þe cite of Melane bygan to beom. be rebeƚƚ aȝens þe Emperour þe wich was cleped ffredericus: & þis Emperour sent to þe Erchebisshoppe of coloyne þe wich was cleped Reynald̛, for help. Thanne this Erchebisshop of Coleigne þoruȝ helpeadded from Tit. and H. of diuers lordys of þe londe of Melane toke þis cite of Melane and destruyed a gret partye þerof. // And in þis tyme þe gret men of þe Cite toke þe bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis and hidde hem priuelich in þe erþe. and among alle oþer þer was in þis cite a lord þat was cleped asso, and þe Emperour hated þis asso more than alle þe pepil of þe cite. and so hit happed þat in þis destruccioun of þe cite þe Erchebisshoppe wan þis lordys paleys þorwe stronge honde and lay þeryn a gret while, and þis asso was take and put in prisoun. Than þis asso sent priuelich by his kyperes to þe Erchebisshoppe of Coleyne and preyde hym þat he myȝt come and speke with hym; and þis Erchebisshoppe graunted þat he scholde come to hym. so whan he was come to þe Erchebisshoppe, he byhette hym þat, ȝif he myȝtmyȝt and om. in H.and wolde gete hym grace of þe Emperour and his love and his lordschippe, he wolde ȝeue hym þe .iij. bodyes of þis .iij. kyngis. // And whan þis Erchebisshoppe herde þis, anoon he ȝede to þe Emperour and preyde for hym, and gat hym grace and loveH. good lordship of þe Emperour. and whan þis was do, þan þis lorde Asso brouȝt̘ priuelich þes .iij. bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis to þe Erchebisshoppe of Coleyne. and þan þe Erchebisshoppe sent þes bodyes forþ priuelich by his pryue meyne a gret weye oute of þe cite of Melane; and þan he ȝede to þe Emperour and preyde hym þat he wolde graunte hym þes .iij. bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis; and þe Emperour graunted hym with goode wiƚƚ. ffor þe Erchebisshoppe wolde noȝt speke to þe Emperour tofore, for he was in douute whereTit. and H. wheþer þat þe Emperour wolde graunte hym his askyng̛ or noone. and þan the Erchebisshope openlich with grete solempnite and grete processyon brouȝte þes holy seyntes þe .iij. kyngisMS. kyng; H. seintes bodies in to Coleyne; and þere he put hem in a faire chirche of seynt Petir worschippefullich. and alle þe pepil of þe contrey with alle þe reuerence þat þei myȝt resceyued þes holy relikes. and þer þei be kept and worschipped of alle maner of naciouns in to þis daye.H. and mony myracles oure lord I. C. þrougℏ þe prayers & merites of thes iij worshipfuƚƚ kyngis euery day shewith þer to aƚƚ Cristen peple. and þus endeþ þe translacioun of þes .iij. worschippeful kyngis, Melchior, balthaȝar and Iaspar.

Prester Iohn̄, þat is lordeMS. a lorde of ynde, and alle þe kyngis þat be vnder hym, on þe .xij. day, þat we clepe þe feest of þe Epiphanye, þey araye hem as kyngis scholde be araied, with her corounes on her hedys and with oþer riche ornamentys, and so þei go to her tempil and here masse: and thries þei offre in þe tyme of þis masse: the first offrynge is at þe first bygynnnyng̛ of þe masse, þe secunde offryng̛ is after þe godspeƚƚ, and þe thrydde is at þe post commune of þe masse; and þei offre gold, encense, and mirre, and þis oblacioun þei do with grete deuocioun and grete mekenesse. and aƚƚom. aƚƚoþir lordys of lasse degre offre also þries in þe masse, after þat her poer is. // fferthermore aƚƚ maner of cristen men, þat be dyuyded in diuers parties & sectys and holden diuers opiniouns of heresyes, as Nubiani, Soldini, Nestorini, Indi, Greci, Syriani,MS. Symani Maronici, Ysmini, Nicholaite,Tit. and H. add Maromini Mandopoli &c; ȝit euery party hath a certeyn deuocioun to þes iij. kyngis and to þe feest of þe Epiphanye, as ȝe schul here aftirwarde. ffor alle þes cristen heretykes and scismatikes, boþe seculers and religious, alle þes fastyn on cristemassedayer. eve?tyl aȝens þe nyȝt, and þanþan om. in the MSS. euery man setteþ forþ a borde, and on þat borde he wiƚƚ sette as mochel mete and drynk̘ as may suffise for her lyuyng from cristemasse-day vnto þe .xij. daye. // And so of þis mete and of þis drynke þat is set vppon þis borde þey etyn and drynken, with her wyfes and her childryn, with alle merþe and Ioye in þis tyme. also þei liȝt a candel or a lampe, and þat schal brenne nyȝt and daye fro cristemasse nyȝt in to þe xij. nyȝt byside þe same borde. fferthermore in þe vigilie of þe Epiphanye at nyȝt, than euery frende goþ to oþirs hows with a candel liȝt in his hande, and whan he comeþ, at þe dore he seiþ bona dies, þat is to saye gode day--ffor ȝif he seyde bona nox,H. vel bonum vesperum sit vobis þat is to seye goode nyȝt, anoon he wolde accuse hym tofore þe Iustice of þe lawe as þow he hadde do hym a gret trespas. and so þei wake alle þis nyȝt and go from hows to hows, and ete and drynk and dawnce, and bere candelys liȝt in her handys, in tokeneTit. differs here somewhat, following closely the Lat. t. þat þe sterre þat aperid whan crist was bore, ledde þes .iij. kyngis and alle her oost in þes dayes in to bethleem and þere was no nyȝt in þis tyme but hit was alle on daye to hem. // AlsoThe following passage, till ffurthermore whanne Tartarins grewen and waxen stronge (p. 148), is wanting in MS. Tit. on þe xij. daye aƚƚ maner of cristen men, of what secte þat þei be, þei come fro ſerre contreys, with her bisshopes, abbotes and preestys and oþir Religious, with crossys of siluer and sensers, and so go to þe water of Iordan̄, þe wich is fro Ierusalem .v. myle. and whan aƚƚ þe pepil is come to þe water, þan euery party, þat is to seye euery secte, stondeth togeder in a certeyn place by hem-self,Harl. adds: & noman shaƚƚ speke a wordeand þan euery secte takeþ his crosse & leiþ hit downe on þe grounde, and rede þis godspeƚƚ, euery secte in his owne tonge(!), þat is to seyH.: & þan euery sect, of what tong that he be, shaƚƚ Rede þe gospeƚƚ in lateyn̛ Cum natus esset Ihesus etc; and whan þe godspeƚƚ is redde, þan euery partye with grete deuocioun and reuerence worschippeþ his cros and offreþ þerto as euery man is of powere--and þis is do in mynde and in tokene of þe .iij. kyngis þat offrid ȝiftes to god almyȝty. aftir þis þei go alle in a processyoun to þe place þer crist was baptiȝed of seynt Iohn̄ þe baptist: and þer þei rede in latyn þis godspeƚƚ In illo tempore venit Ihesus a Galilea ad Johanem vt baptiȝaretur ab illo in hoc Iordane in isto loco, This is to seye: on a tyme oure lord ihesu com fro galilee to seynt Iohn̄ to be baptiȝed of hym in þis Iordan̄ in þis place. and whan þis godspeƚƚ is redde, þei blesse þe water and wasshe þe crossys in þe same water.MS. adds: and wasshe hem and be alle hole þan sike men and blynde go naked in to þis water and wasshe hem, and buȝt alle hole. // And whan þis is do, þan euery man and party goþ home aȝene in to his owne contrey þat þei com fro. and bitwix þis Iordan and Ierusalem is a litil wildernesse þe wich is cleped Montost: and in þis wildernesse seynt Iohn̄ baptist dwellid and prechid and þere oure lorde ihesus come to seynt Iohn̄ to be baptiȝed of hym; and in þat same desert god allemyȝty fasted .xl. dayes and .xl. nyȝtes.Harl. adds: Also aƚƚ þes Cristen heretikes & diuerse sectes þat dweƚƚ so fer þat þey mow not come to this water of Iordan̛, þey goo on the xiith day to þe next water, bisshoppes, prestes and Clerkys & oþer peple; and whan þey be come to þe water, þan þey stond aƚƚ in a certeyn̛ place & offer iij yftes to the Crosse in token of the iij kyngis, & þan þey Reded þis gospeƚƚ Cum natus esset Ihesus, & whan þis gosspeƚƚ is redde, þan þis bisshoppis & prestis blesse the water & wassℏ þe Crosse in þe same water, & þan̛ mony seke men, as it is aforesaid, be hole by the grace of god. þan euery man̛ with gret Ioye goth home in to his Contrey, and þey pley with apples in the way which be cleped aranȝa--& þes apples in this tyme of the yere be Ripe.Also bisshopes, abbotes and alle oþer preestys, of what tonge or of what secte þei be, euery day after her masse þei seye þis godspeƚƚ Cum natus esset Ihesus, as we in þis contrey seiþ aftir masse In principio;but euery secte seiþ hit in his owne tonge, and noȝt in latyn, safe on þe .xij. day onlich.H. as it is aforsaide but hit is redde diuerslich, riȝt as hit was do: ffor in Ierusalem hit is redde þus: Cum natus esset Ihesus in Bethleem Iude in diebus Herodis hic Regis, Ecce magi venerunt ab oriente huc dicentes. also yn Bethleem and in alle þe diocese aboute hit is redde þus: Cum natus esset Ihesus in diebus Herodis hic & Iudee Regis, ecce & cetera. also oþer cristen men by whos londis and placys þis .iij. kyngis in her goyngoute and in her commyng-aȝene passed by, forH. in Reuerence & in worship & for a special deuocioun þat þei haue to þe .iij. kyngis, þei rede þis godspeƚƚ in þis wyse: Cum natus esset Ihesus in Bethleem Iude in diebus Herodis Regis, ecce magi Reges gloriosi cum magna ambicione ab oriente venerunt & per nos transierunt. and þus alle þes diuers sectys rede þis godspeƚƚ as hit was do þere among hem. also þeMS. þes sarȝins þat be of Makometys lawe, and oþer turkys haue þes .iij. kyngis in a special reuerence: ffor in alle þe templys in her contrey þat were sumtyme cristen þe wich þei haue destruyd, alle þe ymages þat were in þe tempils þei defowled and with knyfes ket of her nosys and put oute her yen for despite, but þe ymages of þes .iij. kyngis þey suffre allewey stonde stiƚƚ withoute any defowlyng̛.

Ferthermore, as towchyng þes sectys of heretikes aforseyde: þe first secte is cleped Nubiani: and þes be of þe kyngdom of Arabie and of Nubye þer as Melchior was kyng̛. and þes be trewe cristen men; and þei haue a special prerogatife tofor alle oþer cristen men for worschippe of her kyng. & þe preestis of her contrey, whan þei go to þe autere, þan þei haue crounes of gold or ellis ouer-gilt on her hedys: and þat þei do in tokene þat þe .iij. worschippeful kyngis with crounes on her hedes offrid ȝiftes to god allemyȝti in Bethleem.

There is also an oþer secte þe wiche is cleped Soldini: and þes be of þe kyngdom of godolye and of saba þer as Baltaȝar was kyng̛. but þei were in party corrupt in þe feiþ, and þei toke her name of a heretike þat was cleped Soldinus. but þes men be noȝt holde in so grete reuerence as þe Nubyans, for þei kepe noȝt þe feiþ so trewlich as þei do. and her preestys, whan þei schul syng her masse, þei bere golde in her hande to þe autere, and þe decone bereþ encense, and þe southdecone bereþ mirre: and þis þei do in tokene þat þe .iij. kyngis offrid to god allemyȝty golde, encense, and Mirre.

Also þer is an oþer secte þe wich be of þe kyngdom of Thaars and of þe yle of Egriswiƚƚ þer as Iaspar was kyng, and þei be cleped Nestorini.Harl. adds: for þey toke þis name of an heritike þat was cleped Nestorinus. (Then follows:) And þese heretikis be oute of aƚƚ Reason̛ apostatas fro the faith of holy Chircℏ, for þey forsoke aƚƚ þe faith and the lawe of holy Chircℏ, as ye shaƚƚ here afterward. & þes Nest. do no Reuerence ne worship to the iij kyngis; & whan her bishopes ordeyne prestes, þan they make hem swere þat þey shaƚƚ in her masse curse hem that were of Conseƚƚ or of assent or helping to do awey þe boody of her kyng Iasper. But þes nestorinus be odious & in gret dispite to aƚƚ other sectes. & for the most party þey be blacke Ethiopes; and þey peynt god and oure lady & þe iij kyngis & seint Thomas in her Chirches aƚƚ in blacke, and þe deveƚƚ al white--and þis þey do in dispite of aƚƚ oþer Cristen men̛. Ferthermore ye shaƚƚ vnderstonde þat þes nestorinus aforesaide were þe worst heretikis of the world, for þrough her heresie þer were xl kyngdomes in the Est enfecte & corrupt. & þes nestorinus forsoke preter Iohn̄ & Thomas her patriarcℏ & were Rebeƚƚ ayenst hem & her lawes & ayenst þe lawes of holy chyrcℏ a long̛ tyme, In so mocℏ þat þey wold not be Reuoked fro her wickednesse for no prechyng nor teching of doctours of holy chircℏ. So afterward, &c.; (The words in brackets are cut away in the MS.) and þei be þe worst heretikes in þe worlde; and for þe moost party þei be blak Ethiops; and alle men of oþer sectys hate hem gretelich. & her preestis, whan þei go to masse, þei curse alle men þat were of counseyƚƚ or helpyng̛ to do awey þe body of her kyng̛ Iaspar. // fferthermore ȝe schul vnderstonde þat þes Nestorynes forsoke preester Iohn̄ and Thomas her patriark̘ and were rebel aȝens hem and aȝens þe lawes of holy chirche. so aftirwarde, as þe wiƚƚ of god was, on a tyme þer rysen in þe same londe of þes Nestorynes a gret multitude of pepil, as of scheperdys and oþer laborers and bonde men, aȝens her owne nacion,MS. nacions þe wich pepil cleped hem-self Tartaryns, and þes Tartarynsom. in the MS.; H. andmade a smyth her capteyn and her chefe lorde, and so þorwe stronge power þei destruyed alle þe kyngdoms and þe londys of þe Nestorynes and destruyed aƚƚ þe pepilH. killed all the peple both old & yong withoute any mercye, as þe wiƚƚ of god was, andHarl.: and þen þes Tartarines toke aƚƚ her Castellis & gret Citees and dwellid in hem, and yet done in to þis daye. and so þey toke among her gret Citees iij Citees þe which be cheff in aƚƚ the Contrey: one Citee is clepid Cambalech, þat oþer is clepid Thaures, and þe iijde is clepid Baldach, þe which Baldach is the Citee þe which of old tyme was clepid Babiloyne.toke her castelles and citees and many grete townes. andFrom here to p. 150, 2 (: and whan þes ij peplis mettyn) MS. Tit. (and Douce) differ in the text, and verbally follow the Lat. text. whan þes Tartarynes had þus conquered þe londys and þe kyngdoms of þes Nestorynes, þan þe Nestorynes ȝede to Preester Iohn̄ and bihette hym þat þey wolde turne aȝene to her ferst lawe and be tributary to hym, so þat he wolde helpe hem. and Preester Iohn̄ anoonriȝt was in goode wiƚƚ to helpe hem. þan on a nyȝt, as Preester Iohn̄ laye in his bedde and slept, þe .iij. kynges apperid to hymHere ends MS. Harl. (: appered to hym ferefully…). and charched hym þat he scholde in no manere do no helpe ne socour to þe Nestorynes: "ffor hit is goddys wiƚƚ þat þei schul vttirlich be destruyed for her malice and for her wikkednesse." ¶ And whan þes Nestorynes herde telle þat Preester Iohn̄ had swych a visyoun of þes .iij. kyngis, þei ȝede aboute to þe grettest lordys þat were aboute preester Iohn̄, and ȝaf hem grete ȝiftes to speke to her lorde þat þei myȝt haue summe helpe of hem. ¶ And þan diuers lordys ȝeden and counseiled preester Iohn̄ þat he scholde take no kepe of dremys neþer of swich visions, but he scholde holde his first purpos and helpe þes Nestorynes. and þan Preester Iohn̄ assentid to her counseiƚƚ and sent his oldest sone, þat was cleped dauid, with a strong̛ oost and a gret multitude of pepil in helpynge of þes Nestorynes. Here Tit. again = Cbr.and whan þes .ij. peplis mettyn togedir, þe Tartarynes had þe victorie and kylde þis dauid and alle his oost, in so mochel þat þer skaped neuer one, and also þey destruyed many londys, citees and castels þat were longyng̛ to preester Iohn̄. and whan preester Iohn̄ herde tel hereof, þan he was sory þat he had do aȝens þe commandement of þe .iij. kyngis þat apperid to hym: and þan in grete sorwe of hert he asked god mercy and þe .iij. kyngis and prayed hem of helpe and grace. þan þe .iij. kyngis aperid on a tyme to þe Emperour of Tartaryn, as he laye on a tymeom. on a tyme in his bedde, and charged hym þat he scholde do nomore harme to Preester Iohn̄, but he scholde sende to hym &3 MS. a make a final pees with hym for euermore; // But þe londys and þe castels þat þe Emperour had wonne of Preester Iohn̄, he scholde kepe hem stille to hym-self̘, "ffor he was inobedient to oure commandement." þan þe Emperour anoon, þow he were a Paynym, ȝit he was sore agast of þis visioun: and anoon he sent to preester Iohn̄ Messangers and made a fynal pees bitwix hem for euermore, In so mochel þat þe Eldest sone of þat o lorde scholde wedde þe doughter of þat oþer lorde euermore aftir in to þe worldys ende--and so hit is contynued ȝit in to þis day. so afterwarde þis Emperour enquered of þes .iij. kyngis, of her lyfe and of her dedys: and whan he was enformed of hem and of her lyfe, þan in mynde and in worschep of þes .iij. kyngis þe Emperour ordeyned þat his first sone and alle þe childryn of his successours scholde bere þe name of þes .iij. kyngis for euermore after. ¶ And þus þesNestorynes were destruyed and put oute of her londys and kyngdoms, and were dwellyng̛ aboute in diuers contreys vnder tribute, as Iwes in oþir contreys dweƚƚ vnder tribute;om. dwell--trib. but ȝit summe of hem dweƚƚ in þis yle of Egriswiƚƚ & paye þerfore a gret tribute euery ȝere.