This boke is compyled by Dan Iohn Lydgate monke of Burye, at the excitacion [and] styrynge of the noble and victorious prynce, Kynge Henry the fyfthe, i[n] the honoure glorie [and] reuerence of the byrthe of our moste blessed Lady, mayde, wyfe, [and] mother of our lorde Iesu Christe, chapitred as foloweth by this table

¶ Howe the night of Christes byrthe: a well in Rome ranne Oyle ∵ Capitulo. li. (Book 51)

ANd euen than as bokes also tell In very soth / withouten any were The selfe tyme / in Rome was a well Of his streames passyngly entere To loke vpon as any Cristall clere From his vaynes / as it dyd boyle Of whiche the water / chaunged into Oyle.

¶ The same night / and to Tibre rann So large plente / that all myght it se Of whiche well longe beforne or thann All openly in Rome the cyte Sibille the wyse / that had seueraynte Of prophecye playnly wrote and tolde That the water of this well sholde.

¶ The same night / chaunge his lycoure In to Oyle / and so a day endure Whan of this worlde was borne the sauiour In Bethleem of a mayden pure And as I fynde also in scripture The same day / hygh in the firmamente Towarde the partye of the Oriente.

¶ Were sene thre Sonnes lustely appere Eueriche of hem / large rounde and bright That caste abrode his fayre beames clere Thorugh all the worlde / in euery mannes sight The whiche Sonnes drewe lyne right Her course holdynge in haste / and that anone Tyll they thre were ioyned in to one.

¶ To mankynde playnly to declare That he was borne / in whome were founden thre To encreace our ioye and welfare Flesshe and soule / and eke the deite Knytte all in one / by sothfast vnite Whiche as a Sonne voydynge shoure and shade Was borne this day / all the worlde to glade.