University of Virginia Library

III. Cvm natus esset Iesus in Bedelem.

When þat Iesus was born yhing
In daies of Erode þe kyng,
Lo, kynges of oþer lande,
þai come to Iherusalem saiand:
“Whore is þat t[i]l vs born is he,
King of Iues sal be?
In þe est his stern we se,
And to bidde him come we.”
Herand Herod droued is þo,
Al Iherusalem with him als so.
And princes of prestes kalland al
And maistre writers of s[c]ole men kal,
Of þam yhornlie spired he,
Whore þat Crist born miht be.
“In Bethelem Iude”, saide þo,
“þurght prophete is it writen so:
And þou Bethelem, land of Iude nou,
Noht litel in princes of Iude ert þou,
ffor fro þe Duk come sal þai wel,
Stere sal mi folk of Irael.
þen Herode kalland þe kynges stilli,
Of þam spired he bisili
þe time of þe sterne so briht
þat to þam shewes dai and niht.
And in to Bethelem þam sendand,
He saide with mikel niht and and:
“Goos and spires hardeli
Of þe child ful witerli!
And when þat ye haue funden hit,
Again to me þen do ye wit,
þat I mi selfe mai come with al,
And to him biseke I sal.”
When þat þai þe kyng had herde,
fforth opon þar wai þai ferde.
And lo, þe sterre while þai seghe,
Bifore þam wited apon heghe,
Whil þat comand stille it stode,
þar was the childe in flesshe and blode.
And þai, seand þe sterne so,
With mikel gladschip glade are þo,
And þe heli hous incomand
With Mari, his Moder, þe child þo fand.
And þai be-soght him dounfalland
And þar bordes openand.
[G]iftes to him bede þai þore,
Golde, Recles, Mirre wel more.
And awnsuerd in drem takand þo
þat bi Herode noght sulde þai go,
Hamward bi a noþer wai
In to þaire rike went are þai.