Three Kings of Cologne : an early English translation of the "Historia Trium Regum" / by John of Hildesheim ; edited from the MSS., together with the Latin text, by C. Horstmann

Capitulum .xxviij.

Now ȝe schul take hede: whan seint Thomas þe apostle had prechid þe worde of god in þe kyngdoms of Ynde and had do many myracles þorowe þe signe of þe Cros and of þe worde of god, as in helyng of syke men of aƚƚ maner infirmitees, boþe men þat had lost her heeryng and her siȝt and also men þat were trauayled wiþ wickyd spirites, and also in reisyng of men þat were dede to lyfe--and aƚƚ þes infirmitees he heelid with þe worde of god: þan, as he ȝede aboute in þe templis, he fonde a sterre in euery temple, peyntyd and fourmed aftir þe sterre þat apperid to þe .iij. kyngis whan Cryst was bore; In þe which sterre was a signe of þe Cros and a childe aboue. And whan seynt Thomas saiȝe þis sterre, he askyd of þe Bisschoppes of þe Temples what it was. And þan þes Bisschoppes tolde to seynt Thomas how þat suche a sterre of olde tyme apperid on þe hille of Vaws in token of a childe þat was bore and schulde be kyng of Iewes, as it was herde oute of þe same sterre, and for þis cause þe .iij. kyngis ȝede oute of her londys in to Bethleem wondirfullich þorowe ledyng of þat sterre and come in to Bethleem in .xiij. dayes and þer offrid to þis Childe þat was bore, but wiþ greet trauayle aftirward þei com home aȝene in to her londes & kyngdoms in .ij. ȝere; and aƚƚ þat þes .iij. kynges had do, herd and seiȝe, þes bysschoppes of þe templis tolde to seint Thomas þe apostil. And whan seint Thomas had herd aƚƚ þis, he þankyd god, and with gret ioye prechyd to þe Bisschopes and to aƚƚ þe pepil þe childhode of god, hys passyoun, hys Resurreccioun, and hys Ascencioun, and aƚƚ þe werkys of

Cryst while he was in erþe. Wherfore þe Bisschopes of þe templis and aƚƚ oþer pepil were conuertyd to Cryst and were cristenyd of seynt Thomas. He cast oute also of her Templis aƚƚ Mawmettis and halewed þe Templis in þe name of þe Childe þat was bore, as it is aforeseyd. And a greet name bygan to aryse in aƚƚ þe contrey aboute of seynt Thomas þe apostle for þe grete myraclis þat he wrouȝt þorow þe worde of god and signe of þe cros. For þe same men þat þus were conuertyde to Cryst, dide many myraclys þorow signe of þe cros in diuers plasys aboute in þe contrey þere as seynt Thomas had not be.