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¶ The byrth and circumcisyon of Chryst. How he was receyued in to the temple / how Simeon and Anna prophecye of him / and how he was founde in the temple amonge the doctours.
CAPI. II.
[ A] A✚Nd it chaunced in those dayes, that there went out a cōmaundement from August themperour, that all the worlde sholde be taxed. And this taxing was the fyrst, and executed when Syrenius was lieutenaūt in Siria. And euery man went vnto his owne citye to be taxed. And Ioseph also wente vp frome Galile in to a citye called Nazareth, in to Iury, vnto the city of Dauid whiche is cal∣led Bethleem, bicause he was of the house and lynage of Dauid, to be taxed with Marye his spoused wyfe whiche was with chylde.
And it fortuned whyle they were there, her tyme was come that she sholde be delyuered. And she brought forth her first begoten sonne, and wrapped him in swadlynge clothes, and layde him in a manger, bicause there was no [ B] rowme for them within the Inne.
And there were in the same regyon shepe∣herdes abydynge in the felde, and watchynge theyr flocke by nyght. And lo, thaungell of the Lorde stode harde by them, and the brightnes of the Lorde shone rounde about them, & they were sore afrayde. But the aungell sayde vnto them. Be not afrayde. For beholde, I bring you tydynges of greate ioye that shall come to all the people, for vnto you is borne this daye in the city of Dauid, a sauiour whiche is Chryste the Lorde, & take this for a sygne: ye shal fynde the chylde swadled, and layde in a manger. And sodeynly there was with the aungell a multi∣tude of heuenly sowdyers, praysyng God, and sayinge: Glorye to God on hye, and peace in the erth, in men reioysynge.
[ C] And it fortuned, as soone as the aungelles were gone awaye frome them in to heauen, ✚ the shepherdes sayd one to an other: let vs go vnto Bethleem, and se this thynge that is happened, whiche the Lorde hath shewed vn∣to vs. And they came with haste, and founde Marye and Ioseph, and the babe layde in a manger. And when they had sene it they pu∣blysshed abrode the sayinge, whiche was tolde them of that chylde. And all that herd it, won∣dred at those thynges, which were tolde them of the shepherdes. But Mary kept al those say∣inges, ponderynge them in her herte. And the shepherdes returned glorifiyng and praysynge God for all that they had herde and sene, euen as it was tolde vnto them. ⊦
✚ And when the eyght day was come that the chylde sholde be circumcised, his name was called Iesus, which was named of the aungell before he was conceyued in the wombe. ⊦
✚ And when the tyme of theyr purifyca∣cion [ D] (after the lawe of Moses) was come, they broughte him to Hierusalem, to present him to the Lorde (as it is wrytten in the lawe of the Lorde: euery man chylde that firste o∣peneth the wombe, shall be called holy to the Lorde) and to offre (as it is sayde in the lawe of the Lorde) a payre of turtle doues, or two yonge pigyons. And beholde, there was a man in Hierusalē, whose name was Symeon. And the same man was iuste and feared God, and longed for the comforte of Israel, and the holy goost was in him. And an answere was gyuen him of the holy ghoste, that he sholde not se¦deth, before he had sene the Lordes Chryste. And he came in spiryte in to the temple.
And when the father and mother brought in the chylde Iesus, to do for hym after the custome of the lawe, then toke he hym vp in his armes and sayd. Lorde, nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace, accordynge to the worde. For myne eyes haue sene the saui∣our [ E] sent frome the. Whiche thou hast prepa∣red before the face of all people. A lyghte to lighten the gentyles, and the glory of thy peo∣ple Israel. ⊦
✚ And his father and mother merueyled at those thynges which were spoken of him. And Symeon blessed them, & said vnto Marye his mother / beholde, this chyld shal be the fall and rysynge of many in Israel, and a sygne whiche shall be spoken agaynste. And moreouer the swerde shall pearce thy soule, that the though∣tes of many hertes may be opened.
And there was a Prophetesse, one Anna the [ F] doughter of Phanuel, of the trybe of Aser: which was of a great age, and had lyued with an husbande seuen yeres frome her virginitie. And she had ben a wedowe aboute .iiij. score and foure yere / whiche went neuer out of the temple, but serued God with fastynge and prayer night and day. And the same came forth that same houre and praysed the Lorde, and spake of hym to all that loked for redempcion in Hierusalem.
And as sone as they had performed al thin∣ges accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde, they returned in to Galile to theyr owne city Naza¦reth. And the chylde grewe and waxed stronge in sprete, and was fylled with wysdome, and the grace of God was with him. ⊦
And his father and mother went to Hieru∣salem euery yere at the feest of Ester. ✚ And when he was .xij. yere olde, they wente vp to Hierusalem after the custome of the feest. And when they had fulfilled the dayes, as they re∣turned home, the chylde Iesus abode styll in Hierusalem vnknowing to his father and mo¦ther. For they supposed he had ben in the com∣panye, [ G] and therfore came a dayes iourney and soughte hym amonge theyr kynsfolke and ac∣quayntaunce. And when they ••ounde him not, they went backe agayne to Hierusalem, and soughte him. And it fortuned after thre dayes that they founde him in the temple, sytting in the myddes of the doctours, both hearing them and askyng them. And all that herde him mar∣ueyled at his vnderstandyng and answeres.
And when they saw him they were astonied. And his mother sayd vnto him: Sonne, why hast thou thus dealte with vs? Beholde, thy father and I haue sought the sorowynge. And he sayd vnto them, howe is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must go about my fa∣thers busines? And they vnderstode not that sayinge that he spake to them. And he wente