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

Ther be also many oþir sectis þe which do special reuerence to þes .iij. kynges: Of þe which I schal telle ȝou somme. þer be Nubiani: and þes be of þe kyngdom of Arabye and of Nubye þere as Melchior was kyng; and þei be trewe cristen men. And her preestis, whan þei go to þe autere, þei haue Crounes of gold or of syluer & gilt on her hedys: and þat þei do in tokene þat þe þre kyngis with crownes on her hedys offryd ȝiftes to god almyȝty in Bethleem.

Soldini: þes be of þe kyngdom of Godolye and of Saba, þere as Baltiȝar was kyng; and þes be sumdel corrupt̘ in her feiþ. And her preestes, whan þei schul synge her masse, þei bere gold in her handys to þe autere, and þe dekene bereþ ensense, and þe southdeken beriþ mirre: and þis þei do in tokene þat þe .iij. kyngis offrid to god almyȝty gold, ensense, & mirre.

Indi: þes be of Preester Iohn̄ londe; and þei be gode cristen men. And her preestes be markid in þe forhede and so doune along on þe nose with a hote yren: and þat is þe mark wherby preestes of Ynde be knowe. And whan þei seye her masse, þei hange a Croune of gold ouer þe autere; an þe preest and þe dekene and þe southdekene metyn to-gydir on þre partyes & so go forþe to þe autere: and þat þei do in tokene þat þes .iij. kyngis sodeinlich mette to-gedir in a .iij.-weye schedyl and so ȝede into Bethleem and offryd to god.

Greci: þe preestis of þe Gregis haue wyfes; and þei bileue in þe fadir and in þe sone, but not in þe holy goste; and þei seye þat þer is no purgatory. And whan þei wil seye masse, þan þei kitte a schevere of breede, and þat is made fowre-sware, and þis breede þei put in a dysshe of gold or siluer, and aboue þat þei leye a sterre, & þat is hilyd with a faire white cloþe.

And after þe offertorye of þe masse, þan þei take þis dysshe with þe breed & þe sterre and sett it on hiȝe vppon her heede, and so wiþ sense & kandelys þei go aƚƚ-aboute þe chirche, with grete reuerence, and aȝen to þe autere. And þan aƚƚ þe pepil falleþ doune anoon in to þe grounde and doiþ worschippe to þe sacrifice. And þis þei do in token þat þes .iij. kyngis wiþ grete ȝiftes souȝt god almythy in Bethleem and þorowȝ ledyng of þe sterre com to þe manger þere he lay, and þere þei fille adowne and worschiped hym.

Suriani: þes men whan þei schul swere to-fore a Iustice for any cause, þan þei swere by þe godspeƚƚ and by þe .iij. kyngis: and þat þei do in tokene þat þe .iij. kyngis souȝt god almyȝty in þe lond of Iewes.

¶ Maronici: her preestys and dekenys and southdekenys haue wyfes; and þei seiȝe no masse in aƚƚ þe ȝere but in Estyr and in Cristemasse, and þan þei seiȝe masse of seint Thomas þe apostil and of þe .iij. kyngis.

¶ Ysmyni: her preestis, whan þei haue seyde masse, þan þei blesse þe pepil, þat god rewle hem and lede hem as he ledde þe .iij. kyngis by a sterre in to Betheleem.

¶ Maromini: þes men whan þei bigynne any þing, þei seye: in þe name of god and of þe .iij. kyngis.

¶ Nicholaite: þese men vse to ȝeue euery day þre maner of almes in þe worschipe of god and of þe .iij. kyngis to poure men aboute.

¶ Mandopolos: þei haue no preestis among hem, but þei go onys in þe ȝere aƚƚ to-gedir a-processioun, boþe men and wymmen and children, to chirche fastynge, and þat schal be on a sonneday, and þere in her manere þei wil worschippe god deuoutelich, and þei wil haue a masse in worschippe of þe .iij. kyngis, þat god þorow her preyere kepe hem and saue hem in aƚƚ her weye from aƚƚ peryles of wormys and of oþir wylde beestys.--And so þes diuers sectys of þat contreyes of þe eest, and many oþer, þe which were long to telle, aƚƚ-þouȝ þat þei holde diuers opiniouns of eresyes aȝens þe lawe of holichirche and þe byleue, ȝit euery partye doiþ a special reuerence and a deuocioun to þes .iij. worschippefuƚƚ kyngis. And oure lord Ihesu Cryst scheweþ many myracles aboute in diuers contreys of þe eest̘ þorouȝ þe merytis and þe preyeres of þes .iij. worþi kyngis. þe which kyngis now be in þe hiȝe blysse of heuene: To þe which blysse he brynge vs þat in heuene aboue aƚƚ kyngis sittiþ & regneþ with-oute eende, Crist Ihesus.

AMEN.

Notes

• cf. p. 144
• MS. Sunani