Lydgatiana / [ed. H. N. MacCracken].

For wynde or rayne, ffor wate or colde or hete, [fol. 111] Þay neuer ne cessede, whils þay leueande were If any dies, thane one the same manere To this office solde othir newe be take, Bot theire expense did alle þe contree make. [ 5]

Appon the hegheste mowntayne in the Este Þat any man myghte accesse hafe vn-too For to aspye þat sterne, theym semyd beste. The mownte highte Vaus, 1 whilke þay ȝode to and fro, Kynge and Prynce þaire porcyoune payed þertoo, [ 10] In full bylefe the noble tyme to byde The birthe of hym þat alle the werlde scholde gide.

When plesante was this 2 lorde for to be borne And that plente of tyme [y-] comyn was, The sterne that Balaam prophecyede be-forne [ 15] To þam apperide, habowndante in clerenesse, More gloryouse with stremys of lightnesse Þan othire sternys, þat alle the firmament Semyd one a lowe, als alle one fire hade brent.

Ryghte as þe sone schynes his godely bemes [ 20] When it 3 moste clere aryses in degre, Schewed than this sterne to þam his flawmynge lemys, 4 Bot noghte in place where othire sternys bee, Nor othir lyke, bot more in quantitee, And in the sterne a childe of tendre age [ 25] Berynge a Crosse þay sawe, to þaire knawelage.

There-in þay herde a voyce one this manere, "The kynge of Iewes þis ilke nyghte es ybore, Wiche þat is abiden ȝere by ȝere, Whose regne lastes endlesse & euermore. [ 30] Goo to hym, and worschippe hym ther-fore." What of this voyce, what of the sighte in fere, Noo mervelle was þofe þay astonyede were.

O worthy Lorde, thi werke es mervellouse, This nyghte, this houre, and in this ilke moment [ 35] One dyuerse wyse thi grace es plentevous Thou makes knawen, for whare þou arte present In pore aray, thou schewes verrament That thou arte God and Lorde of Lordes alle, And verray man, reghte in thyn Oxes staulle. [ 40]

To gentile kynges thou schewes the with a sterne Of newe made at thyne Natiuytee, With creatures celestialle, superne; To scheperdes schewis thou thyne humanytee In grete pouerte, moste symple in degree, [ 45] Where alle the londe assemblede were be-forne [fol. 111vo] Þat were of age, and [in] þat Cite borne.

For at þat tyme was made discripcyoun Thurgh alle þe worlde be Cesar the Emperour, For he wolde wote in euery nacyoune [ 50] What lordschippe longede vn-to his honour, What remes, citese, castells, townnes and towre, What multytude of men hym aughte seruyce. And euery man solde do appon this wyse,—

His trebute brynge vn-to his hede cite, [ 55] Where he was borne to make obeysance; And for Ioseph was borne of that contre, Of Dauid lyne, and of [his] alyaunce, In Dauid townne, þat tyme so felle the chaunce, He and his wyfe were herberde in the staulle, [ 60] Where, longe by-fore, somtyme was Dauid haulle,

The cite was so fulle that othire place Was none to gete, bot þe olde dyuersorye, There Ioseph logede his wyfe, his oxe, his asse, And in that stede was borne the kynge of glorye. [ 65] The scheperdis sawe the aungells, sayse the storye, And herde þam synge as neuer man dide by-fore,— Þere-fore the case and meruelle was the more.

The grettere fame was of his birthe, for why? The aungells songe the scheperdes herde on highte, [ 70] And sawe þam als 1 with gracyous melodie, Wiche to Bedlem with alle þaire hert & myghte Come for to see the noble gracyous sighte In his manhode, and dide hym reuerence, Estraungers firste þat come to his presence. [ 75]

Als I suppose, full many man þat day Þere were his fadir and his modir sybbe, Of hym hade sighte, ylappede in his hay, In clothes wappede in þat narowe cribbe, His modir kerchefe couerde syde and ribbe, [ 80] The boystous asse, the oxe in his manere Did hym worchipe be contenaunce and chere.

Righte so in Ynde thiese clerkes grete and wyse Enformede hase thre kynges there, expresse, The matir alle as þay kan beste devyse, [ 85] And þam hase made to knawe, in sothefastnesse, "The kynge es borne, we are in sekirnesse, Loo here his sterne, this es the takyn trewe, This is the lorde that alle the worlde sall sewe."

O lorde, the ioye and 1 blysse þat þay gane make, [ 90] [fol. 112] Ofte thankynge god for to habyde that daye To see the sterne wiche þaire fadirs dide wake. Þaire purveaunce þay make in fresche arraye, Horse and harnayse, in alle the haste þay maye, Grete multitude of peple and of riches, [ 95] Bothe men and women, and childre more & lesse.

In Ynde that tyme were noble kynges three, That crownnes bere 2 in dyuerse regyouns, And were lordes grete, ilkone in sere contree, Of cites faire, and longe possessyouns; [ 100] For Melchior, þe kynge of heghe renownnes, Hade thane a londe þat callede was 3 Nuby, And his 4 was alle the lande of Araby.

Syr Balthasar was kyng of Godolye, And als 5 he regnede appon olde Saba; [ 105] And Iasper also the realme of Tars hade fre To his regne, and othere Iles maa, Bot the moste famous es Egrisoula, 6 Where nowe es schrynede Saynt Thomas corse of Ynde, Who so will hym seke, ther he schall hym fynde. [ 110]

Thies noble kynges duellede in soundre ful ferre, And neuer wiste one bot of his awenn entent, To euerilkone ylike neghe es the sterre, And euerilkone aryses to present This worthy kynge with giftes full reuerent [ 115] Of golde, of mirre, of ensence in plente, 7 In þaire conceyttis, as felle to his degree.

Als to theire kynge and to theire souereyne lorde Þay purveyed golde to paye for his expense, And to his state 8 þam thoghte it solde accorde [ 120] For to be large, and for his indigence Solde be releued in parte be þaire presence, þay toke the golde, þaire seruyce to knawelage, Als to theire kynge, to profere þaire homage.

For his manhode—þay wiste wele by nature—. [ 125] He was mortale, þay toke the mirre with-alle, The moste accordynge to his sepulture; And for þay wiste he was celestialle, Als vn-to God the offerand pryncypalle, The swete encense, to his honour þay broghte, [ 130] Als he þat heuen and erthe hade made of noghte.

Tresoure ynoghe and othere purvyaunce For þaire expense as theym by-hofely thoghte, Prynces, lordes, and for the moste substaunce [fol. 112vo] Of alle þaire londes, alle þat euer was oughte, [ 135] Thies kynges that with ostes three were broghte, Folowynge the sterne, ilkane in his contree Sekys theire lorde, yfawnde where-euer he bee.

Ilkone of þam hade lighte elike to [see] One horse, one fote, or ells one dromedarye; [ 140] In wodde, in waste, in lande where-euer þay bee Euer-ilkane hade 1 siche as was necessarye, Of mete ne drynke there was no 2 dysawayrre, Alle nyghte to wake to thaym was no distresse, Theire trauelle þaym causede noo werynesse. [ 145]

Where-euer þay stode the sterne stode with-also, Noghte heghe one highte, bot righte afore þaire face; If þay remouede, the sterne by-gane to goo, Thiese ostes wiste neuer one where othir was; Pese and riste was thane in euery place, [ 150] For noo man steke his dorene his ȝate Ne neuer man þaym lettede in þaire gate.

Bot merveylle huge 3 it was to euery man In citees grete there as þay passide 4 by, For no man wiste to what contree þay wane 5 [ 155] Ne whens þay come, ne knewe the cause why, The grete arraye, the sodeyne come and hy, 6 The spede, the nowmbre, þaire wounderfull passage, For no man wiste where-euer þay made costage. 7

Of herberegage, of mete, of drynke, of reste [ 160] Toke þay no kepe, so hertly were þay fayne; Ne þay wiste noghte what waye to þaym was beste, In dales depe, or elles one heghe mountayne, Als wele one roche, in marras, as in playne; In vncouthe londe made þay no 8 questione, [ 165] Ne spirrede neuer no tythandes in noo townne, 9

Unto 10 þay come vn-to Ierusalem, The thirtenede 11 day, the ostes alle to-gedire, The sterne with-drewe his lightnesse and his gleme, As fro þaire sighte þat þay wiste neuer whithere, [ 170] So derke a clowde, als sone als þay come thedire Felle þaym abowte, and couerede alle the lande, That no man wiste what waye to take one hande.

—Primus Passus—

II.

Kyng Melchior the Mownnte of Caluery Habade appon, vn-to the clowde was gone, [ 175] Knawynge none bot of his awenn meny, Of othire felawes wiste he nott of one, Bot Balthasar one Elyuote allone, [fol. 113] In a village þat called es Galile A littill while habade his menye and he. 1 [ 180]

With-in a while the mirknesse wente a-waye And somwhates cleris the clowde, bot of the sterre No sighte, no witt, in alle the worlde hade þay; And when þay sawe the cite was nott ferre, The ostes three to-gedre drawenn nerre, [ 185] Be-side the mownte þaire metynge was alle thre, Where Melchior habade with his 2 menye.

Soo righte forthe with Kyng Iasper one his side, The thirde waye come, vnwetynge or þay mette, When eueriche othire of thies kynges aspyede [ 190] Full reuerently ilkane hase othere grett, For ioye and blysse ilkane hise chekes wett, With kyssynge swete, as þay hade brethire bene, Bot or that tyme hade neuer one othere sene.

Euer-ilkone knewe of othere straunge langage [ 195] As wele as they 3 were of the contre borne, And when þay tolde the cause of thaire passage And of the sterne þat passede þaym be-forne, Of one entent þay were withoutten werne, More glade and blythe þay were to make present, [ 200] And in-to the townn þay gone, by one assent.

The thester clowde es voyded clene away When it was day, bot sterne apperide none, The sone arises faire with 4 bemys gay, And Ierusalem þay entren euer-ilkone, 5 [ 205] "Where es the kynge of Iewes?" þay spirren ichone, "Þat nowe is borne, in the Este we sawe his sterre, To worchippe hym we hafe comyn full ferre,"

"As to oure lorde with giftes hym to honoure.—" For when þay knewe the Cite and the name, [ 210] Þay hade in mynde how þat with grete laboure Theire auncestres to stroye that cite came,— "This is the place, this is the kynges hame, In oure conceyttes vs thynke it solde accorde Here to be borne that es oure Souereyne Lorde." [ 215]

The multitude of alle thies ostes three In alle the cite myghte nott hafe rowme ne place. When Herode herde, atroubblede sore was hee, And alle the cite gretly astonayed was, The kynges straunge, the noyse, the sodeyn case,— [ 220] Bot moste of alle, the vncouthe questione Made Herode sore agast of þaire sermon.

For wele he wiste the Iewes ne loued hym noghte, Bot alle for awe, for he was neuer of kynde Of Iewes borne, bot he the Romaynes broghte; [ 225] [fol. 113vo] Ther-fore als sone as euer it come in mynde, He toke purpose some remedy to fynde,— Where he was borne, [as] to be certifyede,— Full sotelly he has enqueride and spyede.

Assemblede was the prynces of the lawe [ 230] At his requeste, þaym askynge 1 ȝif þay wiste Or in theire bokes hade euydence to schewe Or prophecye als of [the] birthe of Criste, And þay saide, "ȝis, 2 in Bedlem, es oure triste, Sall he be borne that Israel sall gy, [ 235] And be oure lorde, als be oure prophecye."

Prevely thane thies kynges callede hee, And spirrede of þaym with grete deligence, "Telles me the tyme, firste when ȝe did see The royalle sterne, þat made his apparence." [ 240] When þay hym tolde, als swythe with reuerence He sende þaym forthe to Bedleëm 3 in fere; "Gose forthe and spirre, and ȝife ȝe of hym here,

Make me aknawe, als ȝe come or ȝe go, Þat I and myn, where[-so] þat ȝe hym fynde, [ 245] My come to hym, and worchipe hym also." Bot othire purpose hade he tane in mynde, For his entent was of anoþer strynde, Als aftir felle, bot noghte in his poyssaunce Was at þat tyme one God to take vengeaunce. [ 250]

O false Herode, O cursede treytoure, why Art thou besy to schede the royalle blode? Thyn hert nere bristis for bolnande pure envy; Thi false tresone sall neuer do the gude, Suppose it noghte, þofe þou were wollande wode [ 255] To stryfe agayne thi lorde and thi souerayne, Lete be thi gile, thi laboure es in vayne.

O Iewes blynde, O whoo sall ȝowe excuse? Thynke ȝow not this a royall audience? Ȝoure ownne ansuere one firste sall ȝow accuse, [ 260] And kynges foure sall witnesse the sentence, Ȝoure awenn iugges, þat be experience Hase sene and herde, it passes mannes witte Þat God will do, owthire to stirre or flitte.

O cursede kynge, and cursede peple bothe, [ 265] Wiche, will ȝee, nyll ȝee, sall neuer hafe gouernaunce, The tyme es come, whethir thou be lefe or lothe, That alle the worlde schall knawe of ȝoure myschaunce Sall neuer kyng with coron ȝow avaunce, Ȝoure cruelle will, ȝoure false collusioune [ 270] To ȝow and ȝoures sall be confusioune.

Theire ansuere hase thire kynges, and are gone [fol. 114] Owte of the townne anoonne, withouten more, Was neuer sone brighttere when it schane Then was the sterne righte euenn þaire face by-fore. [ 275] The scheperdes sawe the gloryouse sterne was þore, And in grete haste hase tolde thies kynges three, "Noghte longe agoo one this manere sawe wee

"This gloryouse lighte, and angells herde we synge"; One þaire beste wiese þay maken þaire reporte; [ 280] The more þay here, the more es þaire likynge; The nerre þay come, the more es þaire comforthe, The brightere is þe sterne, to þaire disporte, Vn-to þay come vn-to þat blisfull place Where Criste was borne, and with his modre was. [ 285]

The sterne abode abowne in his clerenesse As still as stone, and thane thies kynges three Þat was the place þay were in sekirnesse, With alle the ioye þat myghte imagynede be, Knelynge adownn als sone als þay hym see, [ 290] Enterynge the howse, with dredefull reuerence, They offerde golde, and mirre, and franke-encense.

They noghte rewardede the symplenesse of the place For wele þay wate this is bothe God and man;— "We thanke the, Lorde, this specialtee of grace, [ 295] That euer this purpose in oure myndes rane The for to seke, þat euer we by-gane. To the be ioye and grace and honoure sene With-owten endynge euer-more, Amen."

The dredefull ioye, the devoute humblenesse, [ 300] The graces fele, the contenaunce demure, The tendre lufe, the frendfull besynesse, The honoure with the hertly will and vre Done to the childe, and to this virgine pure I kan nott devyse, þofe þat I wolde, [ 305] Noghte as it was, by many ane hundrethe-folde.

In prayers and in gostely obseruaunce In his presence they ocupie this day, Als þay suppose was moste to his plesaunce, And alle þaire peple, that abowte þaym lay, [ 310] Made ioye and blys als þay beste kan or may. Thefecte 1 es spedde as of þaire pilgremage, And nowe at firste þaym nedis herbergage,

And purveyes þaym of mete and drynke also, As nedefull was, bothe to man and beste, [ 315] For mete ne drynke hade þay noo luste vn-too Ne chargede neythire of quyete ne of riste [fol. 114vo] Sen the sterne apperide in the Est Vn-to this tyme, and thus with grete solace Alle nyghte þay byde, and soiournede in that place, [ 320]

And there-abowte, in village vp one lande, 1 Some in the felde, that houssynge myghte not gete; The folkes that were in those parties duellande 2 Afferlied were of those ostes grete, Bot they deuysed the manere and the fete [ 325] To euery man that liste of þaym enquere. How from so ferre, so sone þay 3 comen there.

O blisfull lorde, of werkes mervellouse, Es none þat may agayns thi will resiste, Thi dome is righte, thi grace es plentevouse, [ 330] In heuen and erthe thou ordeyns as the list, Powere and wytte is closide in thi fiste, To the besemys honowre and reuerence, That kynges thus brynges to thy presence.

Of Goddes myghte it es to make a sterre [ 335] Bot mones nature in symples to be bore; In so schorte tyme to trauelle men so ferre In alle scripture hase note bene sene by-fore; With litill stuffe þofe alle þay fynde the thore, Thou reyngnes God, and schall with-owtten ende. [ 340] Whiche heghe and lawe kane thus to-gedir blende.

O litill childe, thou werkes wondirs grete, The sternys thou kan to the subiectes make, Thou fedis ostes with-owtten drynke or mete, Abowte thi loge thou gerres thyne angells wake, [ 345] For dredefull lufe thou gerres thre kynges qwake In thi presence, righte in a symple stable, Wiche alle the worlde to conquere hade bene able.

O mighty Lorde, where es the purveaunce Þou makes the, agaynes thi gestis came? [ 350] Where are thi men sall hafe the gouernaunce Of thy housholde, safe Ioseph and thi dame? Come who-so will, þay fynde no man at hame; Where es thi castelle, where es thy stately haulle? Will þou be founden in thyn oxes staulle? [ 355]

O littill house, O blissyde dyuersorye, With-in thy walles thou hase now present Thy souereygne lorde, the myghty kynge of glorye, Wiche maker es of euery element, The mightyeste kynges of alle the Oryent [ 360] Knelys by-fore a childe of tendre age, In swedilbandys takynge theire homage.

O noble kynges, wele awghte ȝowe glade to be, In his manhede to see the kynge of blys, For evydence ynoghe to knowe hafe ȝe [ 365] [fol. 115] Ȝoure fadris tolde 4 full mony a day or this The sterne hase led ȝowe vn-to wonnyng his, Ȝee ne are not wery for ȝoure grete trauayle, Amonges ȝow alle ȝe ne loste neuer a nayle.

Gose now to bedde to slepe, and takes ȝoure rest [ 370] For ȝe schall wele knawe the difference Be-twixe the wirkynge of God and man, exprest And purveye ȝow from now forthe of expense, Goo spirre the waye howe ferre ȝee duelle fro hens, And wele I hope or ȝe come where ȝe duelle, [ 375] If men ȝow spirre, ȝe schalle con̄ nouells telle.

This nyghte in riste thies kynges thre dispendide, Slepynge þay take of þaire retorne ansuere; The angelle þaym one this wyese defendide In no weye come in place where Herode were. [ 380] Anothir waye come at morne þay tornede are To-wardes the contres there as þay come fro, One monnes gyse by-gane þay þan to goo.

To-gedre gone thies kynges alle in fere, The sterne by-fore þat schewede to þaym so lighte [ 385] Es torned agayne in-to his firste matere, And þay hafe knawlege bothe of daye and nyghte, Þaire officers hase besynesse to dighte Þaire mete and drynke, and slepe þaym moste algate, In alle manere, as felle to mannes state. [ 390]

One godely wyes þay telle the gloryouse case Of þaire iournaye, and 1 how they came so sone, The lange passage, and in how littill space With-owtten trauayle so ioyfully was done, And how be nyghte with-owtten sone or none [ 395] As wele þay went by marras, dale, and downn, In wode, in waste, in foreste, als in townn.

Full many a man of þaym was sore agaste The multitude, and knewe noghte the cause why. The same contres and regyouns þay paste [ 400] That Olyferne to Ynde passide 2 by In mony place, þay supposide for-thy That Olyferne es comyn nowe agayne, Bot when þay wiste the caus, þen were þay fayne.

In euery place þay were rescheyvede faire [ 405] In alle þaire traueyle, no man dide þam grefe, Of ansuere meke, of berynge debonayre, Was no man borne one thaym myghte sett reprefe, Neythir when þay come, ne when þay toke þaire lefe, [fol. 115vo] The fame of thaym sall laste for euermore, [ 410] Thorughe alle Ynde where that euer þay wore.

In hele and qwerte thies kynges comen hame Bot noghte so sone as þay went thedirwarde, In dayes twelue þay passede alle in game That nowe two ȝere es goynge agaynwarde [ 415] Als othir done, with payne and trauelle harde. When þay passede forthe, þay went by wayes sere, Bot homwarde [now] þay comen alle in fere.

These ȝeris two es comen thus, and gane, On Mountayne Vaus 1 at þaire comynge agayne [ 420] A chapelle hafe þay belde of lyme and stane In worchipe of þaire lorde and þaire souereygne, The Iewes kyng, with hertis glade and fayne, In gude arraye, and in the fresheste gyse That alle þaire wittes couthe ordeyne or devise. [ 425]

Beside the mownte, these noble kynges three Habidynge were in solance þaym to riste Of þaire viage, as glade as þay myghte bee, And eueriche othir made noble chere and feste, Euerilke ȝere þay maked 2 full byheste [ 430] Þat place to see and vesett alle þaire life, With pese and riste, with-owte debate or stryfe.

That place they chese als for þaire sepulture, Thannkynge oure lorde, ilkone es gone to his, With wordes swete þay parte, I ȝow assure, [ 435] And euery ȝere þay meten 3 there ywisse. Þaire life es siche that euery man hase blisse For to beholde and knawe þaire benyngnesse, Mervelle to see þaire parfite humblenesse.

Thretty ȝere and more one this manere [ 440] In parfite lufe and trewe devocyoune This place so þay resorte fro ȝere to ȝere, Till aftire the tyme of Cristis passiownn Þat Seynt Thomas come to þat 4 regyownn, And cristened þaym with many othir moo, [ 445] And þaire chapelle he consecrate also.

Be-side this mownnte þay beldede 5 a gay cete, Seuva the name es callede vn-to this daye, There als þay chese þaire sepulture to bee, With walkes heghe, and towres fresche and gay. [ 450] In that cite hase Prester Iohn alwaye Vn-to this day his pryncipalle duellynge Thurghe alle the lande wiche es bothe lorde & kynge.

And Patriarke Thomas especially, Wiche þat is the spiritualle curate, [ 455] As ȝe schall aftire here more plenerly;— Bot when Seynt Thomas hade yconsecrate The chapelle newe, and bischoppes ordynate Thurgh alle the lande, thies noble kynges three Assignede he bischoppes for to bee. [ 460]

The temples alle ordeynde for Mawmetry, Where ydols false were longe in excellens, Ware thurgh his lare devoydede fynally, [fol. 116] And in the honoure and the reuerence Of Iesu Criste translate, at þaire expense, [ 465] Of his modir and of his saynttes alle Endowede wele, as semyde beste to falle.

In lordschippes grete, and longe possessyouns To goddes seruantes for þaire sustynaunce, And prestes made by gude discressyoune [ 470] Wiche were enformede in the obseruaunce Of messis saynge, and of the gouernaunce Of sacramentes, techynge þaym to say The Pater-Noster, and how þat þay scholde pray.

To baptise and to kepe the comandementes [ 475] Of haly kirke; and when thies thynges were done, The vppere parties of the Oryent To preche the gospell es Saynt Thomas gone, Where myche peple was conuertide sone Be Goddes grace, miracles, and clennes, [ 480] Als in his legende schewede es more expresse.

Where he was martirede, ȝete is mervelle grete, And alle the contree anexede to the place, Men and wymmen þat there were borne and gete, (Whethir it be vengeaunce or of especyalle grace,) [ 485] Bene lyke to houndes schapen in the face, In alle-kyn fetoure, sauynge als of hare, For houndes be roughe, and þay be smothe and bare.

Eftir þe tyme þat Saynt Thomas was dede, Thies kynges three, archebischoppes ordynate, [ 490] In euery cite and in euery stede Kirkes 1 belde, endowede and consecrate, Bischoppes, prestes, mynstres of euery state, Be gude avyse bene ordeyned by and by, To kepe the cure of sawles devoutly. [ 495]

The peple thus enformede be thies three Kynges, stedfaste were in trew belefe Of Cristes lawe, obeynge in alle degree Vn-to þaire lare as þay ensample giffe, With-owtten strife [or] gruchynge or reprefe [ 500] Noghte alle for drede, bot lufe and tendirnesse Als to þaire fadirs in alle buxomnesse.

In reuerence in wirchip and in honoure In parfite life, in 2 clennes meritable Fro ȝere to ȝere thies kynges thre laboure [ 505] To God and man plesante and acceptable, The moste devoute, benyngne and seruysable To euery man, that mervelle was to here, Noghte lordes like, ne als þay kynges were.

Explicit Secundus Passus.

III.

So bene they symple, humble, and reuerent [ 510] In alle þaire life to euery creature, In chastite þay life be one assent, With-owtten wyfes, as they [were] virgines pure, [fol. 116vo] With-owtten childre als of engendrure Of þaire bodies be waye of acte carnele,— [ 515] One gostely wiese þay gedirde sonnes fele.

Soo that they be supposede als þay were The firste begynners of þaire nacyoun, Of haly kirke righte one the same manere, Þat they were firste of þat perfeccyoun [ 520] In chastite þay hade deuocyoun, I mene the clennes of virgynyte Be þaire fre will to life in chastite.

Noghte longe be-fore, þaire resolucione Als of þaire life the laste ȝere safe one, [ 525] Prynces, Bischoppes, of alle the regione Þay gerte semble to-gedre euyirichone, In Saynt Thomas stede by eleccione, To chese þam one, the whilke in dignyte Spiritualle þaire gouernoure solde be. [ 530]

Efter the doctryne the whilke were moste parfite Of Saynt Thomas, and of meritable To siche estate for to be newe elite By comon will þay ordayne and estable, The person þat were fonden acceptable [ 535] Þay scholde obey, and subiectes to hym be Als semande were in spirytualite.

And in honowre and in memoryalle Of Saynt Thomas þay hafe establede soo Perpetually þay schall hym Thomas calle, [ 540] þaire patriarke and so ȝitt hedir-too Hase bene his name, and euer sall also, And righte as we vn-to oure pape obey Subiectes vn-to there Patriarke bene þay. 1

Mor-ouer, as it were þaire ordenaunce [ 545] Eftir his dethe þat so ychosen were To iche ane-othere to take the gouernaunce Be hale assent, and thus from ȝere to ȝere Kyng and prynce, bischoppes and alle yfere Thaire ffadire Thomas the Patrisarke scholde calle [ 550] And hym obey, as goostely fadir alle.

A noble clerke, wiche with Saynt Thomas come When he come firste to prechen 2 in that place, Antiochiene was Iames callede by name, Sith Patriarke, þat called was Thomas, [ 555] On firste of alle his name ychaunged 3 was Vn-to the wiche thies noble kynges three Þe tendis gaffe of alle theire temperaltee.

And ouer this, they ordeynede by assent Of alle astates, ȝif any were so wode [ 560] To disobey, or to be necligent Or thoghte this doctryne noghte perfite and gude, Or fro the faythe, or fro the lawe ȝode To chesen one of myghte and of powere To chasty theym by iugement seculere. [ 565]

[ A temperall iuge, in righte to make defence [fol. 117] To alle the lande, wiche be successioun Als souereygne lorde hauynge the reuerence Enheritable, and hale possessyownn Men schulde obey in alle the regyonn, [ 570] And his leyge men bene euer 1 in alle manere Als souereygne lorde, to gouerne ferre and nere.

Bot for als mekill als in dignytee In þaire conceytes es more in worthynesse The estate of prestehode þan of regalee 2 [ 575] Þay will þaire lorde schall hafe the name, y gesse, And nothire Emperour ne kynge expresse With-owtten ende, bot euer-more Preste Iohn, And other name ne schalle he neuyre none. 3

By-cause þat prestes hafe the chefe powere [ 580] To lawse and bynde comytte by God of heuenn, Kyng or prynce, or what that euer he were In dignyte to presthode is 4 noghte euynn, For state in erthe þat may be to hym geuyn, For-thi a preste schalle be þaire gouernoure, [ 585] Bot noghte by the name of kynge ne Emperour.

The cause also that euer his name es Iohn Es growndede of Saynt Iohn the Euangliste For syngulere lufe schewede to hym allone, Lenynge his hede vn-to the breste of Criste, [ 590] In whose honowre þaire souereyne lorde and preste Schall Iohn be callede. Anothir cause es this, Þat Iohn Baptiste, of woman borne, y wysse,

Was neuer none bettir þat tyme in his degre Where-fore þay deme that name to be the beste [ 595] Accordynge to theire lordes dignytee In alle the worlde of lordchipp worthieste, In temperall estate strangest and myghtyeste, For thies causes es Prester Iohn his name, And alle his ayers bene called ay sythen the same. [ 600]

Thus hase thies gloryous noble kynges three By gude avise of Patriarke Thomas And hale assente of alle the comunaltee Of ayther astate assembled in that place, Ychesen one as þaym besemyde was, [ 605] The worthyeste to take the gouernaunce, Nexte aftir God, in temperall ordenaunce.

Nobelely thies kynges makes hym homage, With prynces and knyghtes on þaire moste humble wyse, Whilke euery man of heghe and lawe parage [ 610] Of alle the landes in that þat in hym lyse Possessede hase of fewte and seruyce, And thereftir 5 hym calles by his name; With lufe and lefe es euery man gone hame.

Unto Seuva thies noble kynges three [ 615] [fol. 117vo] There to habide in qwyete and in reste, Wery of age and besyness also, For euer-more theire duellynge there they keste In prayere feruent and of levynge honeste, In charite þay duellen 1 alle in fere [ 620] Till ȝeres two nere aftire passede were.

Un-to the tyme, or littill while be-fore The noble feste, Cristes natyuytee, A-bofe the cite whore thies kynges wore A sterne apperide, that alle the londe myghte see, [ 625] Of othir schappe than other sternys bee, By the wiche þay triste and vndirstonde Þaire naturelle passage salle newely com one honde.

Be gude avise þay purvay þaym be-lyfe Of siche as longede vn-to þaire sepulture, [ 630] Seynge the case, that euery man one lyfe Muste make ane ende accordyng to nature, With alle þaire hertis, with alle þaire besy cure For þaire passage þay make 2 purveaunce Preynge to God, it be to his plesaunce. [ 635]

Theyre toumbis þay made, as langed vn-to kynges, With-in the kirke wiche þay garte consecrate, The feste es comyn, the wiche to þaire conynges Convenyently accordynge to þaire states; Of prynces, bischoppes, of clerkes and prelates, [ 640] They purvay þaym to make the laste passage, As alle men wate es nature olde vsage.

The eghte day als aftir Cristynmesse Kyng Melchior, archbischoppe solemply, When he hade seyde and execute his messe [ 645] Be-fore the peple enclynynge devoutly, With-owte diseses or payne, to God in hy Hase gyffen his goste, when he hade leffede here Ane hundrethe full, and more by fyfty ȝere.

Thies othire two hase his body ytake, [ 650] With noble prynces beynge than present, And in the toumbe, wiche that they garte make One ryalle wyese and servyse reuerent, To his estate accordynge verrament, One kynges wyese and archbischoppes also, [ 655] With-in his toumbe þay hase yclosede tho.

Kyng Baltasar the fyfte day aftir this In haly kirke es callede the Epiphanye, When he hade done his messe, vn-to his blysse The kynge of heuen his goste vp toke swiftely, [ 660] [fol. 118] The wiche Iasper with othir full worthily Besyde thies othere hade yclosede sone, Als he assignede be-fore, so was it done.

When he hade levede ane hundrethe ȝere and twelue The same daye when the seruyce was alle sayde [ 665] This kynge Iasper gaffe vppe the goste his-selfe, And of the Clergye es with thies othere layde; The place that they hade in this life purveyde Nowe es yclosede ther-in thies bodies three, Noghte dedely lyke, bot slepynge semys to bee. [ 670]

And als þay were in þaire dayes frendis dere Eftir þaire dethe God will þam noghte disseuer, Als þay of levynge vnto his plesynge were. He schewes wele þaire saules bene hym levere To duelle with hym in Ioye and blys for euere, [ 675] To whom be Ioye and blys and maiestee, One God þat levis and regnes in persones three

O worthy kynges, wele aughte ȝow thanke þat lorde Þat ȝow be miracle broghte to his presence! Alle haly kirke ȝoure wirchipe dose recorde [ 680] With sangis lovyng ȝoure rialle excellence. The solempne feste es callede 'his apparence Made vnto ȝow', in his full tendir age, Alle cristyndome hase Ioye of ȝoure homage!

The ȝongeste kynge ane hundrethe ȝere and two [ 685] Hade levede here are he was layde in graue; Thies othire two his cors was layde betwene. If any man of socoure mystir hafe, In þaire name þat will devoutely crafe, Of God abofe es granttede for þaire sake, [ 690] Be lande or see whoo will þam worchippe make.

Uncorupte, hale, thies thre corses laye In kynges habete and Archbischoppes in fere, In flesche and felle as fresche as rose in maye, Noghte like als dede, bot als þay slepynge were [ 695] Till aftir this were passede 1 many a ȝere, Till in that lande was skateride heresy Devisyone, debate, and false envy.

That tyme to powdyre felle þaire flesche [&] alle So longe before þat were so fresche of hewe; [ 700] Dyuerse sectes that were as bittire as 2 galle Thurghe alle the londe were raysede vppe of newe. The Nestoryens kyng Iasper with theym drewe, Be-cause that they were of his kyngdome borne; Whatt for wirchippe, what for envy and skorne, [ 705]

The wiche false cursede Nestorians [fol. 118vo] Hase vnto þaym that duellede in Seuva, Owte of the towmbe þay toke kynge Iasper banes Into grettere Ynde, into Egrisoula, 3 Whilke es the Ile þat kynge Iasper come fra; [ 710] With thaym thay bare, and hade into siche place Where many a daye in prevate it was.

Til aftir this, that Seynt Eleyne the qwene, With Constantyne hir sone, the Emperoure, Come vnto Grece, and wane the lande by-dene, [ 715] Two hundrethe ȝere and thretty fulle and foure Aftir the birthe of Criste oure Saueoure; Of Prester Iohn and Patriarke Thomas And othere Prynces that present were in place

Scho hade getyn the kynges bodies two, [ 720] Of Melchior, to saye, and Balthaȝare; To grettere Ynde scho garte hir message goo To purches the bones of kynge Iasper, Als I saide are, wiche Nestorians with þaym bare With grete Instance and reghte notable expense, [ 725] One this condicyone þay hym broghte fro thense,

That scho schalle sende the corse of Seynt Thomas The Appostle, wiche thynges was done als swythe, Bot when Iasper bones to hir delyuerde was, It es no dowte that ne was glade and blythe, [ 730] In alle hir hert scho thankkede God fele sythe, With reuerence, als semyde wele to bee; To-gedre agayne thus come thies kynges three.

The swete rescheite, the gracious odoure Was hele to many when þay to-gedre come, [ 735] To euery man; bot theym with grete honoure To Constantyne Saynt Elyne with hir name, The wiche Cite hir sone Efter hir name Of newe hade of Grece the chefe Cite In gudely wiese scho lefte þaym reuerently [ 740]

With-in the kirke, the whilke that Constantyne Of Saynte Sophia hade beldide and dedicate, With many othire relikes full riche and fyne The wiche þat scho in dyuerse countrese gatte: Parte of þe pelare wiche Criste was skowrgide atte, [ 745] The crownn, the Nales, his Cote with-owtten seme, Wiche Saynt Eleyne broghte fro Ierusalem.

Owre Ladyes serke, the clothes, and the hay The wiche that Criste was firste ylapped In, In Bedleme scho fande þaym whare þay laye; [ 750] For euery place that any man couthe myn [fol. 119] Where as oure lorde hade vesette for oure syn In passione, miracles, or bodily presence, Saynt Eleyn soughte with full devoute reuerence.

With-In the staulle in Bedleëm 1 scho fande [ 755] The crache, the haye, the clothes as þay were; Oure lady serke, the Cribbe where Ioseph bande His Oxe, his asse; wiche thynges alle in fere That Mary, Goddes modir dere, Hade lefte by-hynde hir, for-getyn in the staulle; [ 760] The case was siche, scho hade no thoghte of alle.

The Iewes for Ire and Envy haden skorne Vnto that place, and closede it with stone, Be-cause that Criste, with-in that howse was borne; Eftir that tyme þat scho was thethyn gone [ 765] Ther-in to come þay suffrede neuer none, Bot called it curste, vnhappy and prophane, Till Constantyne and his modir it wane.

Als I seyd are, the serke, clothis, and hay Saynt Elyn lefte in Grece at Constantyne; [ 770] Till Charles, kynge of Fraunce, fette þaym away, And theym with hym broghte vnto Akyn syne, Als worthily as he couthe beste devyne; There bene þay kepte in wirchipe to this day, With many othir relikkes fresche and gay. [ 775]

Aftir the dethe of noble Constantyne And Saynt Elyn, Iulyan Appostata Was Emperoure, and falsely turnede syne Agayne the kirke, and Cristyn faythe alswa, Full many sayntes garte he birne and slaa [ 780] With-in his tyme in dyuerse contres sere, Als in theire legende men may see and here.

Sone aftir this, þe moste party of Cristyndome Was envenommede and blyndide in heresy; The Grekes rebellede agaynes the kirke of Rome [ 785] In mony poyntes, and lefte the Pape hally; Vnto this day þay hafe yhade forthy A Patriarke made by eleccyone Whilke þaire lawe hase in his subieccyone.

So that this while thies noble kynges cors [ 790] In Constantyne with-owtten reuerence Emanges the Grekes were hade of littill forse, Wiche so corupte were in theire conscyence, Alle Ermonye distroyede the Persyenes And Grece also the Saraȝenes ouer-threwe [ 795] Till that the Romayns conqueride theym one newe,

And the Mawris; the Romayne Emperoure, With helpe of thaym that duellid in Melayne, Als es wretyn, with wirchipe and honoure, [fol. 119vo] Vn-to the Grekes the lande recouerde agayne; [ 800] Be his concelle the kynges three, men sayne, Were newe translate with othire relikes moo. Thane Eftirwarde with-in a while felle soo

That Manwelle, the Emperoure of Grece, To Melayne sende a worthy clerke of his, [ 805] Eustorgious callede, for dyverse specialtes, Of Grekes borne, discrete, solempne, and wyse; For his wisdome and grace that in hym lyse Þay hafe hym chosen Archbischoppe for to bee, Praynge hym Essentuelly that hee [ 810]

Too brynge with hym scholde doo his deligence Thies kynges three, and so at his prayere,

The Emperoure hym levede to take þaym thens, And thaym this clerke to Melayne with hym bere; With full grete honowre þay were rescheyuede there [ 815] And in the chirche ther, as now bene prechoure freris, Full solempnely were ykepte full many ȝeris.

Where God for þaym miracles hase done sere, Vn-to the tyme that Frederike of Rome Was Emperoure, and they of Melayne were [ 820] To hym rebelle, and disobeyed his dome Wiche rebellyone causede that he come Vn-to Melayne and besegede it abowte And made siche were þat þe Cite was in dowte;

Where-fore the nobleste and the moste worthy [ 825] Of alle the Cite, wetynge bot a fewe, Thies kynges three hase taken preualy And his thaym soo þat welneghe no man knewe; With-in a while the Emperoure ouer-threwe A stately place, where-in duelled one Asson, [ 830] With the helpe of Reynalde, Bischoppe of Colayne.

This Asson was one of the Potestates, The whilke of all Sir Frederike þe Emperoure Of alle þe towne hase maste in wrethe and hatis; Neuere-the-lesse, this Asson de la Tour [ 835] In prevate, by menys & by laboure Of Sir Raynalde the Archebischoppe gat his grace, One this condicyone, that he schall schewe þe place

Where thire corses in prevate were done; Þe place es yschewede where þay þe kynges layde, [ 840] The Emperoure es gud lorde vn-to Asson, And aythir party was of þaire bargane payed; In godely haste the Archebischoppe þaym graythede And ouer the Mownte to Colayne-warde þaym sent For dowte Sir Frederike scholde nott therto assent [ 845]

Bot aftirwarde the Archbischoppe hade lefe The kynges relikes with hym for to take His full assent þe Emperoure hym gafe [fol. 119vo] [col. B] And gud lorde vnto Asson for his sake With alle þe Ioye þe Colayners couthe make [ 850] They hafe rescheyved thies noble kynges (three 1) With sanges swete & grete solempnyte.

The Archbischoppe þe kynges new translate To þaire wirchipe als he couth best devise, Right as þay leved togedir with-owt debat [ 855] In Colayne kirke togedir þaire corses lyes With-in a towmbe alle thre one Royalle wise; For whose merites es grace dayly wroghte To his honour whom þay in Bedlem soghte.

Amen.

Notes

• 1

  So spelled in Latin, Vaws in English versions, MS. here uncertain, possibly Vamo (?).
• 2

  this noble (deleted) MS.
• 3

  it es MS.
• 4

  bemys MS.
• 1

  and the MS.
• 1

  and the MS.
• 2

  Read bare.
• 3

  was callede MS.
• 4

  his also MS.
• 5

  also MS.
• 6

  So in other versions, Egriscoula MS.
• 7

  grete plente MS.
• 8

  estate MS.
• 1

  hade alle MS.
• 2

  no maner MS.
• 3

  houge MS.
• 4

  paste MS.
• 5

  thaire gate MS. (from third line above).
• 6

  & þis grete hy MS.
• 7

  Nota: Erunt parua in∣directa & aspera in vias planas.
• 8

  ne MS.
• 9

  Nota: Tenebre aperient terram & caligo populos.
• 10

  Read Until (?).
• 11

  MS. adds xiij.
• 1

  Nota: Surge, illuminare Jerusalem.
• 2

  alle his royalle MS.
• 3

  they þat MS.
• 4

  with his MS.
• 5

  Nota: Ubi est qui natus est rex Judiorum.
• 1

  askide MS.
• 2

  ȝit MS.
• 3

  Bedlem MS.
• 1

  The fecte MS.
• 1

  londe MS.
• 2

  duellynge MS.
• 3

  þat þay MS.
• 4

  tolde ȝow MS.
• 1

  the came and how MS.
• 2

  paste MS.
• 1

  Vaur MS.
• 2

  made MS.
• 3

  mete MS.
• 4

  þay MS.
• 5

  Read bilt.
• 1

  kirke MS.
• 2

  and in MS.
• 1

  Theire Patriarke subiectes þay bene vn-too MS.
• 2

  preche MS.
• 3

  chaunged MS.
• 1

  for euer MS.
• 2

  þan estate MS.
• 3

  hafe none MS.
• 4

  ne is.
• 5

  there∣fore MS.
• 1

  duelle MS.
• 2

  make MS.
• 1

  were passede repeats MS.
• 2

  as any MS.
• 3

  Egriscula MS.
• 1

  Bedlem MS.
• 1

  iij MS.