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 Simeon receyued Christe of our Lady in the Temple. Capitulo. lxxviii. (Book 78)

OF his mother goodely gan hym take Of louynge h••rte / and greate deuocion And suche a ioye of hym gan to make Within hym selfe / of hygh affeccion That heue coude nother by worde ne soun Outwarde declare / neyther with chere ne face The passynge ioye that gan his herte enbrace.

¶ And he was rightfull / holy and vertuous This olde man / this blessed Simeon Dredefull also / and passynge famous Amonge the prestes / to reken hem euerichone That was expectant / and full longe agone

Of the comforte and consolacion Of Israel in his entencion.

¶ For he had answer of the holy ghoste In his prayere that he shulde se The byrthe of Christe / that is of power moste And eke fro deth / that he shall go fre To the tyme of his natiuite And to the daye / that with his eyen olde The byrthe of hym / that he may beholde.

¶ The whiche day / that with his eyen olde And for that he by reuelacion The tyme knowe / he hath the waye hold•• To the Temple / with hygh deuocion To se of Christe the presentacion Howe that Marie and Ioseph eke also The chylde presented / and her offerynge do.

¶ And for that Christe was the fyrste borne After the lawe / in his tender age Nat of Leu•• / as ye haue herde toforne But of Iuda / comen by lignage Therfore his mother / moste holy of vysage Her offrynge made / liste nat for to stryue For hym agayne / to paye shyllynges fyue.

¶ Lyke as the custome of the lawe was She mekely made his redempcion And Simeon beholdynge all this cas Full st••lly in his inspeccion

For loue brennynge by affeccion Of very herte / sodaynly abrayed Holdynge the chylde / euen thus he seyed.