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

¶ To gyue hym clerely informacion Other exploire / and of the chylde also Surely affermynge / by false collucion That he hymselfe wolde sone after go Unto the chylde / and his deuoyrdo To worshippe hym / & all vnder coloures As the Worme / or Serpent vnder floures.

¶ Darith full ofte / & kepeth hym couertly Of kynde malice / tyll they a tyme se To shede her venym / & than sodaynly All atones / whan they vnwarest be They styngen and she wyn her cruelte And her venym / vnder floures fayre Full ofte is hyd / tyll they maye appayre.

¶ Right so thou Serpent full iniquite False tygre / full of doublenes Under fayre coloure of humilite Thy venym dareth / & also thy falsenes O thou tyraunt / o rote of cursidnes Thou Herode of malice / moste mortall What wenest thou / hym that knoweth all.

¶ To discepue with thy slyly wyle What can suger vnder gall fayne What wenyste thou / the kynges to begyle And of malice / brynge hem in a trayne Of whose comynge / though that thou disdayne It maye nat helpe / playnly ne vayle For of thy purpose / playnly thou shalte fayle.

¶ For by grace / they shullen in quyete Maugre thy might all the daunger pas For though that thou / with wordes hony swete Maliciously / vpon her deth compas They shullen scape / despyte of thy face For all the coniecte / of thy prynces wyse As the story shall anone deuyse.

¶ And so with venym / in his herte yloke He gaue hem leue / passe through his reme In her repayre / hym castynge to be wroke If they retorne agayne by Iherusalem And so the sterre / hem brought to Bethleem And lyne tight / the chyldes hede aboue Where as he laye still / gan to houe.