Select English works of John Wyclif; edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

pursue þee to þe deþ. And as Crist was pursued boþe of preestis and knyȝttis, so þou shalt be pursued of þes twoo bi diverse resouns. Sum tyme knyȝttis ben chevetaynes, as it fel of þe eemperours, and sum tyme preestis ben maistris, as it was in Cristis tyme. And so it mai falle now, boþe of popis and bishopis. For ȝif men þenken Goddis lawe sharp [to scharp, E.] , and to lette avauntage of þis world, men of þis world, bi þe fend, wolen haten hem þat puplisshen it. And so slouþe and cowardise ben cause of þis fals pees; and so wanting of þis pees is signe to many þat God loveþ hem. Ech word of þis gospel mai be told to þis entent; but it suffisiþ to have þe roote, and go liȝtli to oþer wittis. And muse we not how þis kingdom cam from Archilaus to Heroude; for if it hadde be profitable, God wolde have tolde it in his lawe. And so many treuþis profiten more while þei ben unknowen to men þan þei shulden profite knowyn; as Goddis lawe techiþ us.

ÞIS gospel telliþ, how þre kyngis camen afer out of þe eest to do worship to Jesus Crist, as þei weren tauȝt bi Goddis lawe. And þus seiþ Mathew in þis gospel, þat whanne Jesus was born in Bedeleem of þe lond of Judee, for diversite of anoþer Bedeleem, in þe daies of Heroude þe Kyng. (And þis was þe first Heroude, more þan þe two after, and he was kyng of Judee bi þe eemperour of Rome; and he hadde it in pees, þat tyme þat Crist was bore. And þus seiþ þe testament of Ja|cob, whanne he tolde of Judas his sone: 'Þer shal not be taken aweie þe ceptre [septre, E.] fro Judas kynde, ne a duke þat shal come of him, til þat Crist come, þat is to be sent [So E; seint, A.] ; and he shal be abiding of heþene men,' þat he shal turne. And þus it bifel