☞ Of the byrth and circumcision of Iohn y• Baptist. Luc. i. Ca. v.
ANd Elizabethes tyme was come,* y• she should be delyuered, and she broughte forth a sonne. And her neyghbours and kinsfolkes heard that the Lorde had shewed greate mercye Page [unnumbered] vpon her, and they reioyced wyth her. And it fortuned vpon the eyght daye, they came to circumcise the chylde, and called hym Zachary after hys father. And hys mother aunswered, and sayd: no, but he shalbe called Iohn. And they sayde vnto her. There is none in thy kinne, that is so called. And they made sygnes vnto hys father, how he wolde haue hym called. And he asked for wri∣tyng tables, wrote, and sayd: hys name is Iohn. And they maruayled all. And immediatly was hys mouth and hys tongue opened, and he spake & praysed God. And there came a feare vpon all their neyghboures. And al these actes were noysed abrode throughout al the hyll contreye of Iewrye. And all they that heard therof, tooke it to heart and sayde: What maner of man wyll thys childe be? For the hande of the Lorde was with him. And Zachary his father was fylled with the holye ghost, and prophicied and sayde.
Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel, for he hath visited and redemed his people.
And hath set vp the horne of saluacion, in the house of his seruaunt Dauid.
Page 5 Euen as he promysed afore tyme, by the mouth of hys holy prophetes.
That he woulde delyuer vs from our enemyes, and from the hande of all such as hate vs.
And that he woulde shewe mercy vnto oure fathers, and thyncke vpon hys holy couenaunte.
Euen the othe that he sware vnto oure father Abraham, for to geue vs.
That we delyuered out of the hand of oure enemyes, myghte serue hym without feare all the dayes of oure lyfe, in suche holynes and ryghte∣ousnes as is accept before hym.
And thou chylde shalt be called a Pro∣phete of the hyghest, for thou shalte go before the Lorde to prepare hys wayes.
And to geue knowledge of saluacion vnto hys people, for the remission of their synnes.
Thorowe the tender mercye of oure God, wherby the day sprynge from on hygh hath visited vs.
That he myght geue lyght vnto them that syt in darckenesse and shadow of death, and to guyde our fete into the way of peace. Page [unnumbered] And Mary retourned home agayne.
