Secundus Pastor. We fynde by the prophecylet be youre dyn

Of David and Isay, and mo then I myn;
Thay prophecyed by clergy, that in a vyrgyn
Shuld be lyght and ly, to slokyn oure syn
And slake it,

Oure kynde from wo;

For Isay sayd so,

Citè virgo

Concipiet a chyld that is nakyd. Tercius Pastor. Fulle glad may we be, and abyde that day

That lufly to se, that alle myghtes may.

Lord welle were me, for ones and for ay, Myght I knele on my kne som word for to say To that chylde.

Bot the angelle sayd

In a cryb was he layde;

He was poorly arayd

Both mener and mylde.

Primus Pastor. Patryarkes that has bene, and prophetes beforne,

Thay desyrd to have sene this chylde that is

borne.

Thay ar gone fulle clene, that have thay lorne. We shalle se hym, I weyn, or it be morne

To tokyn.

When I se hym and fele,

Then wote I fulle weylle

It is true as steylle

That prophetes have spokyn.

To so poore as we ar, that he wold appere,
Fyrst fynd, and declare by his messyngere.
Secundus Pastor. So we now lett us fare: the
place is us nere.

Tercius Pastor. I am redy and yare: go we in

fere

To that bright. Lord, if thi wylles be,

We ar lewd alle thre,

Thou grauntt us somkyns gle

To comforth thi wight.

Primus Pastor. Haylle comly and clene; haylle

yong child!

Haylle maker, as I meyne, of a madyn so mylde.
Thou has waryd, I weyne, the warle so wylde,
The fals gyler of teyn, now goys he begylde.
Lo, he merys;

Lo, he laghys, my swetyng,

A welfare metyng,

I have holden my hetyng,

Have a bob of cherys.

Secundus Pastor. Haylle, sufferan savyoure, for thou has us soght:

Haylle frely foyde and floure, that alle thyng has wroght.

Haylle fulle of favoure, that made alle of noght! Haylle! I kneylle and I cowre.

broght

To my barne.

Haylle lytylle tyne mop,

Of oure crede thou art crop :

I wold drynk on thy cop,

I

Lytylle day starne.

A byrd have I

Tercius Pastor. Haylle, derlyng dere, fulle of godhede,

pray the be nere when that I have nede. Haylle! swete is thy chere: my hart wold blede To se the sytt here in so poore wede

With no pennys..

Haylle! put furthe thy dalle,
I bryng the bot a balle:
Have and play the with alle,

And go to the tenys.

Maria. The fader of heven, God omnypotent, That sett alle on seven, his son has he sent. My name couthe he neven and lyght or he went. I conceyvyd hym fulle even, thrugh myght as he

ment;

And new is he borne.

He kepe you fro wo :

I shalle pray him so;

Telle furth as ye go,

And myn on this morne.

Primus Pastor. Farewelle, lady, so fare to beholde,

With thy chylde on thi kne.

Secundus Pastor. Bot he lyges fulle cold.

Lord, welle is me: now we go, thou behold. Tercius Pastor. For sothe alle redy, it semys to be told

Fulle oft.

Primus Pastor. What grace we have fun. Secundus Pastor. Com furthe, now ar we won. Tertius Pastor. To syng ar we bun:

Let take on loft.

EXPLICIT PAGINA PASTORUM.

INCIPIT OBLACIO MAGORUM.

Herodes. Peasse, I byd, bothe far and nere,
I warne you leyfe youre sawes sere,
Who that makes noyse whyls I am here,
I say, shalle dy;

Of alle this warld soothe far and nere
The lord am I.

Lord am I of every land,

Of towre and towne, of se and sand,
Agans me dar no man stand
That berys lyfe;

Alle erthly thyng bowes to my hand,
Both man and wyfe.

Man and wyfe that warne I you
That in this warld is lyfand now,
To Mahowne and me alle shalle bow,
Both old and ying;

On hym wylle I ich man trow,
For any thyng.

For any thyng it shalle be so,
Lord over alle where I go,

Who so says agane I shalle hym slo,
Where so he dwelle;

The feynd, if he were my fo,
I shuld hym felle.

To felle those fatures I am bowne,

And dystroy those doges in feyld and towne That wille not trow on Sant Mahowne,

Oure God so swete;

Those fals faturs I shalle felle downe
Under my feete.

Under my feete I shalle thaym fare,
Those ladys that wille [not] lere my lare,
For I am myghty man ay whare,
Of ilk a pak ;

Clenly shapen, hyde and hare,
Withoutten lak.

The myght of me may no man mene,

For alledos me any teyn,

I shalle dyng thaym downe bydeyn,
And wyrk thaym wo;

And on assay it shalle be seyn

Or I go.

And therfor wille I send and se
In alle this land, fulle hastely,
To looke if any dwelland be
In towre or towne

That wylle not hold holly on me,
And on Mahowne.

If ther be fonden any of tho,
With bytter payn I shalle theym slo;
My messynger, swyth looke thou go
Thrugh ilk countre,

In alle this land, both to and fro,
I commaunde the,

And truly looke thou spyr and spy
In every stede ther thou commys by
Who trowes not on Mahowne most myghty,
Oure God so fre,

And looke thou bryng theym hastely
Heder unto me.

And I shalle fownd thaym for to flay,
Those laddes that wille not lede oure lay;
Therfor, boy, now I the pray

That thou go tytt.

Nuncius. It shalle be done, Lord, if I may,
Withoutten lett;

And, certes, if I may any fynde,

I shalle not leyfe oone of them behynde.
Herodes. No, bot boldly thou thaym bynde
And with the leyde;

Mahowne that weldys water and wynde

The wishe and spede.

Nuncius. Alle peasse, lordynges, and hold you stylle,

To I have sayde what I wille,

Take goode hede unto my skylle,

Bothe old and ying;

In message that is commen you tyll
From Herode, the kyng.

He commaundes you everilkon,
To hold no kyng bot hym alon,
And othere God ye worship none