The Nativity and Early Life of Mary

Al þat þe prophetes schewed whilom {f.66ra}

in her prophecie

Al it was off our lord

& of his moder Marie:

Boþe Moyses and Abraham

Jonas & Helye

Dauid & Daniel

& þe holy Geromie.

ioie þai han & blis;

Wiþ swiche a man may wite best

what him leuest is.

ȝif our lord me wil grace sende

to telle ich haue in ouȝt

Of þe most ioie þat euer was

among mankin wrouȝt,

¶ Hou we were al to liue brouȝt

after we were forlore

on erþe was ybore.

A gode man þat hiȝt Ysakar

what while bi old dawe

In Beddelem hadde to douhtern

in þe old lawe.

¶ Þat on was yhoten Anne

þat bar þe maiden Marie,

Þat oþer was Elizabe[t]h moder,

her name was Ismerie.

seyn Jon þe Baptist

& Marie, Anne douhter,

bar swete Ihesu Crist.

¶ A gode man was in Galile

þat hiȝt Joachim.

Schepperd he was & holy man,

Godes grace was wi him.

Þo he was of tventi Šere

seynt Anne he nam to wiue.

of so clene liue;

¶ Þai deden boþe our lordes Crist

& her gode delen a þre,

Al þat þai hadde fro ȝer to ȝer,

ich man miȝt it se.

Þat o del þai ȝaue to þe temple {f.66rb}

& to hem þat were þerinne -

Of al þat we teiȝen now to holy chirche

of þat we mow winne -

& to way-fereing also;

Bi þe þridde del þai liueden hemself

Godes seruise to do.

Þer ne were men of Ysrael

þat so miche gode hadden

As Joachim & Anne his wiif

for treuþe þat þai ladden,

¶ For it ferd as it doþ ȝete,

þe men at wilen bring

her gode schal sprede & spring.

Tventi ȝer in spousehod

togider her liif þai ladden,

Ioachim & Anne his wiif

& no child togider hadden.

¶ Aschamed þai were þerof sore

for hem þouȝt þat þai were

Forȝeten of God forbi al oþer

for þai no child no bere.

ani child hem sende

Þat þai it wold to Godes seruise

oblisen atte nende.

¶ Ich ȝere as Ioachim

to þe temple he wende

Þre siþes to stable his hest

ȝif God him wald sende

& dede his offrende largeliche

of al þing at he hadde

Þat no child þai togider nadde.

¶ Þo þai hade tventi ȝer her liif

togider yladde so

Ioachim offred to þe temple

as he was wont to do.

Þe prest þat þe temple wist

put him abac anon

& seyd he nas nouȝt worþi

among gode men to gon

when he no þoled nouȝt

Þat ani child as oþer men

were forþ ybrouȝt.

Ioachim was sore aschamed

& went him out onon,

For schame among oþer men

into þe temple no miȝt he gon.

¶ Into ferre cuntre he went

wiþ his schepe, wepeand ful sore;

no to Anne his wiif no more.

In gret sorwe þer he was

& in care moneþes fiue

Þat he no herd of his frende no word

no of Anne his wiue.

¶ An angel com fram heuen

& badde him be glad & bliþe

& seyd our lord wald him sende

þat he willed after swiþe

a douhter of him biȝete

To ioie & blis of al þe world

as þe prophetes hadde ywrite.

¶ & in signe þerof he bad him hom gon

& ȝif he it leue nolde

At þe gilden ȝate Anne his wiif

homward ymete he schold.

Ne miȝt Joachim þis yleue

for þai so long childles were

he no durst elles for fere.

¶ Gret diol made Anne for him

no miȝt no wiman more;

In on erbere sche sat aday

& wepe swiþe sore

& wrong hir honden & cride on Gode

vnder a lorer tre.

As sche loked vpward to Ihesu Crist

þer sche gan yse

'Lord, þi nore' sche sede

'Ich þing þou sendest ioie bot ous

& echeing of her blede.

Ous þou makest joiles {f.66vb}

þat y no se non oþer so

& wonder me þink, ȝif y durst sigge,

þat þou wilt so do,

¶ When þou binimest me min children

& eke þou hast me binome

Y not where he is bicome.'

Þo com an angel to hir

'Doute þe noþing' he sede,

'For þat child þou schalt on erþe bere

is al bi Godes rede.

¶ Al þe warld schal wonder þerof

& þerof ysaued be.

Bitime þou schalt þe child bere.

Sone þou schalt yse

& don swiþe wele þi bone;

At þe gilden gate þou schalt him mete,

no com þou neuer so sone.'

¶ Þis wiif leued it nouȝt wel

ac naþeles forþ sche went

Oȝain hir husbond to meten him

as þe angel hir hadde kent.

Þis gode man & his gode wiif

togider þai hem mett

as þe angel hem hadde sett.

¶ Þai cleppe & kist wiþ ioie ynouŠ,

þe better þai leued anon

To han a child as þe angel seyd,

homward þai gun gon.

Sone þerafter as it bifel

bi woman riȝt kinde

Seynt Anne bar þat swete bern

þat euer worþ in meninge,

þat þer were forlore.

Þe eiȝteþe day of September

þis bern was ybore.

Cristen men þat com seþþen

of her birþþe-time nisten nouȝt

Ar now late þurth miracle

þai were þerin ybrouȝt.

An holy man þer was þat ich ȝer {f.67ra}

gret joie in heuen saye

in September - our leuedi day.

Our lord he bad, ȝif it were his wille,

he sende him tokeninge þere

Whi more ioie þat ich day

þan in oþer þat in heuen were.

¶ An angel seyd þat our leuedi

yborn was on þat day

& þerfore was alle þe ioie in heuen

when he þat time ysay.

þat men on erþe also

Schuld maken fest in þilke day

as he seiȝe in heuen do.

¶ Holi chirche vnderstode

hir burþe-time first in þis maner.

Telle we now of þe holy liif

þat sche liued here.

Anon as sche was þre ȝer old

as it fel in þe lawe

as men dede bi old dawe.

Þo sche bileued hir moder brest

þat sche ne seke no more,

& þan sche was to þe temple come

man miȝt yse Godes ore;

¶ For þer wer fiftene greces ymade

bifor þe heiȝe auter

In honour of þe fiftene salmes

þat ben writen in þe sauter.

fort hye com vp an heiȝe

As a wiman of gret eld were,

no man no com hir neiȝe.

¶ After fader no moder no biheld sche nouȝt

þo sche vpward steiȝe.

Gret wonder hadde of þat ȝong þing

ich man þat it seiȝe.

Chastete sche bihete al hir liif,

ȝif it Godes wille were,

sche was ysett to lere.

¶ So reynable & queint sche was {f.67rb}

of witt & of dede

Þat ich man hadde of so ȝong a þing

wonder & eke drede.

Sche nas neuer sen ones wroþ

no leiȝeand ones gon

No missigge to no man

bot euer more in on.

boþe wollen & linne;

Oþer erþelich gode hadde sche non

her liiflade for to winne.

Ich werke-days bi riȝt tides

euen sche deled on þre:

Ich morwe fort vnder were

in her bedes sche wald be,

¶ & fram vnder to mid-ouer-none

to hir werk sche wald sitt,

gode sche was of witt;

Fort euen sche was in hir beden

wiþ word & wiþ þouȝt.

An angel come to hir eueri day

& fram heuen hir mete brouȝt.

¶ Litel oþer mete men seiȝe hir ete;

ac þat sche wrouȝt wiþ hir hond

Among pouer sche delt it ich del

& liued bi Godes sond.

anon to hem sche went

& comfort hem & made hem hole

þurth þe (þe) grace þat God hir sent.

¶ In her childhed al þis was

þat ichaue of ytold

For ich godenisse was wiþ hir

boþe ȝong & old.

Þo sche was fourtene ȝer eld

þe bischop of þe lawe

homward schuld drawe

¶ To taken husbond as it was lawe.

þe maidens euerichone

Were wele of þe hest ypaid

bot Mari hirself alone.

¶ Þo sche was yhote forþ wiþ oþer {f.67va}

husbond for to take,

'Sir', sche seyd 'what þat lawe wille

y nil it nouȝt forsake

þer þat ich were biȝete

Þat y schuld in chastete

al mi liif me wite,

& me self while y was child

bihete mi lord al one

To liue mi liif in chastete

wiouten mannes mone.

¶ Þerfore ich ȝou sigge for soþe

as forþ as is mi wille

mi maidenhed to spille.'

Þe bischop & þis oþer maisters

þat of þe temple were

Of hir word nomen strong conseil

& were in gret fere

¶ For þe boke wil oȝin swiche hest

no man schuld be

& þe lawe wille þat fram spousehod

no maiden no schuld fle.

& fram day to day were

In bedes to bid our lord þerof

sum tokening sende hem þere.

¶ A voice com fram heuen

& hete men schuld take

Al þe men of Dauid kin

þat were wiþouten make

Þat were of eld to take wiif

& ich of hem þan bere

as þe bischop hem schuld lere.

¶ & swiche ȝerd so wald blowe

& a coluer þeron brouȝt

Þat þai bitoken him Mari to spouse

þat þai no lete it nouȝt.

Glad was þe bischop of þe tokening,

anon he lete crie þere

Þat al þat were of Dauid kin

a ȝerd to þe auter bere.

& ich hadde ȝerd in hond

An old þer was þat hiȝt Josep,

bihinden he gan stonde.

¶ His vnþonkes he was þider brouȝt,

he no durst elles for fere.

His ȝerde he hidde þo his felawes

her ȝerde to þe auter bere.

Þo was þer non þat was yblowe

Josep þai vnderȝete

& gun him anon to þrete.

¶ Þai made him bere his ȝerde forþ

ouerhouen no miȝt he ben;

Ac þo he to þe auter come

miracle men miȝt ysen:

Wel fair bigan his ȝerd to blowe

þat ere was old & bare

& þeron sat a coluer white -

fair miracle was þare.

& seþþen þe folk it seyȝe

Þat it fleiȝe about in þe temple

& seþþen into heuen on heiȝe.

Þer nas non þat þis seiȝe

þat sore adrad þo nas

& Josep þe old man

ful sori in his hert was.

¶ Þat him was loked þat maiden to haue

aschamed he was sore

& haþ of me milce & ore.

Nam ich an old man & wiþ children?

mi miȝt is me binome

& sche is a ȝong þing; þerfore it is sinne

make ous togider come.'

¶ 'Josep, nim ȝeme' þe bischop seyd

'þat þou þe self no spille

As Datan dede & Abyron

for þai were oȝain Godes wille.'

& durst nouȝt sigge nay,

For drede of our lordes wreche

he gan to sike sore

¶ 'Oȝaines Godes wille nil y be nouȝt {f.68ra}

ac seþþen it mot so nede;

Wedden ich hir wille, ac hye schal neuer for me

hir madenhed schede.

Ichil hir wardain ben;

oþer þing no may y do nouȝt

þat our kinde beþ forþ brouȝt.'

For þe lawe was swiche þan

ȝif a man no miȝt haue child bi his wiue

Þat his next kinseman hir wedde schold

anon after his liue,

¶ & so on after oþer of þe blod

þat childer were for ybrouȝt;

Who so non wonne vnworþi he was,

ac now no farþ it so nouȝt.

is clene maiden þere.

For non oþer þing our lord nould

þat hye vnwedded nere

¶ Bot for his moder no schuld asclaunderd be

þat hye wiþ childe vnwedded were.

Þat þe deuel no vnderȝete

þat a maden on erþe ani childe bere,

For ȝif he it hadde ywite or vnderȝete

þat hit hadde ben Godes sone

of his swete passione.

& our lord wold þat his moder were

in þe best stat ynempned, & sede

Of wimen þat þre statiis han,

& þe heiȝt is maidenhed,

¶ Þat oþer heiȝt is spousehod

& þe þridde widowehod is.

Al þre hadde þat swete maiden

þat bar our lord, ywis;

& whoso is non of þe [þre],

Bot sche com to amendement,

no may sche nouȝt his be.

¶ Þo Josep had þe maiden wedde

as it fel in þe lawe

Toward his cuntre Bedelem

sone he gan him drawe

For to bise him of a fair bridale {f.68rb}

when he hadde wonne wharewiþ

for he was a wriȝt.

¶ Into þe lond of Galile to her frende

our leuedi þo went

As þe bischop of Nazaret,

þer sche was born, hir sent.

For þe miracle þat our lord sent þo

þat was for hir spousehod

& fif maidens sche tok of hir eld

wiþ hir to saue hir maidenhod:

Saele was þe fift yhot

þat schuld hir schilde fra manne.

Þo Marie & þe maidens fiue

togider were ybrouȝt

Þe bischop hem tok werk to wirche

þat þai ner idel nouȝt.

Of .v. þinges he bitauȝt hem werk

as to hem wald bifalle:

Of flex, of silk, of cheisel,

¶ Þo þai were wiþ þis werk

to Nazareth ygon

Þai casten lot what maner werk

ich of hem schuld fon.

Þo þe lot bifel to Marie

þe porpre to han on hond

To maken þe veile of þe temple;

þe oþer hadde þerto ond

¶ & seyd 'þou art so litel,

Richore werk to werche

& nobler þan we alle?'

So it bifel in her mouþe

in hem þai it gun leden,

'Quen of maidens' þai cleped hir;

þai nust hou þai it seden.

Oft þay song þat ich song

as it bi cas fel in her þouȝt;

An angel com & told hem fore

& seyd her song was prophecie {f.68va}

þat sche was maidens quen

& þat eue & euer (þe) þe soþnisse

schuld þerof ben ysen.

Þo were þe oþer maiden adredde

lest þai hadde missede,

Þer our leuedi forȝiuenisse

ich after oþer bede.

¶ As Mari is clene þing

& stode at on welle

þe angel to hir cam

& seyd 'yblisced be þou Marie,

for God þe haþ yseiȝe

His owen woning for to be.

No haue þerof non eiȝe.'

¶ Wiþ þis word he went him forþ

& Mari was in þouȝt

What tiding miȝt be þat

Into hir chaumber sche went oȝen

in joie & ek in drede

& held hir þerin priueliche

& hir orisouns sede.

Þer after þe þridde day

our lord to hir sent

His archangel Gabriel,

to þis maiden he went

As hye alon in chaumber was

He seyd 'hayl be þou, Marie,

ful of grace.

Our lord wiþ þe is.'

Þer riȝt þe holi gost,

þurth þe angels greteing,

In þat holy maiden aliȝt

for ous of pine to bring.

¶ Þis was þe first dede of ioie

þat in erþe first to ous cam

þat our lord flesche & blod nam.

Wele auȝt men honour þat day

for ilke day, ywis,

Adam our form-fader sinne dede {f.68vb}

& brouȝt ous out of blis,

In þilke day þe liþer Kaim

Abel his broþer slouȝ,

& on þat day Abraham to Ysac his sone

his swerd drouȝ.

our lord Ihesu Crist;

In þilke day so was biheueded

seyn Jon þe Baptist;

In þilke day was our lord Crist

don opon þe rode.

Wele ouȝt man honour þat ich day

who so him wele vnderstode.

¶ Of on prophete y wil ȝou telle

þat hiȝt Zakarie.

for Godes moder Marie

Was hir cosyn ful neiȝe sib,

for so wiþouten liȝe;

& so we han told biforn

in þis boke tvie.

Zakarie & his wiif

togider þai were long;

Eld þai were & barain,

miȝt þai no child afong.

of Herodes kingdom

Þe archangel Gabriel

to Zakarie com

& seyd his wiif Elisabeth

wiþ child was ybrouȝt.

& Zakarie seyd oȝain to him

'þis no leue y nouȝt.'

Wiþ þis word he was doumbe,

his speche was forlorn

er þat þe child was born.

Þo went Marie to Elizabeth

& was wiþ hir mones þre

In þe lond of Jude til sche had child

as þe boke telleþ me.

¶ Þo þis wimen togider com

gret ioie þai made & blis

& ȝete made þe children more {f.69ra}

in þe moder wombe, ywis.

in on missomeris day,

Zakarie nam a penne

as he specheles lay

& wrot it schuld hot Jon,

& þo he hadde ydo

He bigan to heri Ihesus Crist

& his speche com him to.

Sex mones þerbifore it was

þat Gabriel to Mari went

as God hir grace sent

Þe angel seyd in his prophecie

þat his sone Jon

Dye schuld ar our lord

& into helle gon

Wiþouten pine & make our lordes way

& prechi his cominge

& al þe wise old men

out of helle bring.

þe eiȝten day

Þai lete it circumsisen

as it fel in þe lay.

Sone he couþe mannes witt

into wildernisse he gan wende;

Þer he woned forgrowe wiþ mosse

nei to his liues ende.

Anon so Elisabet of childbed aros

Marie þat maiden milde

sche ȝede gret wiþ childe.

Þo our leuedi þurth þe holy gost

gret wiþ child was,

Josep was euer in Bedlem

he nist nouȝt of þat cas.

Aboute his mister & his nedes

niȝe mones he was þere,

In winter he went to his wiif

as it bifel in þe ȝere.

lord, wat him was wo!

'Miscas' he seyd 'ichaue ynouȝ{f.69rb}

þei y no hadde no mo.

Lete me anon, ȝif þi wille,

þe deþ vnderfong,

For better were bitime dye

þan in wo to liue long.'

Þe diol þat þe godeman made

no tong no tel may;

þo sche his diol ysay.

¶ Ac þe maidens þat hir felawes were

'sir,' þai seyd 'þin ore.

Wiþouten gilt it is & for nouȝt

þat þou carest so sore,

For þi wiif is chaste & gode ynouȝ;

non oþer of hir we nist,

For sche ne spac neuer in priuete

wiþ no man þat we wist.'

'It may nouȝt so ben.

Nis sche now wiþ child gret?

Þe soþe ȝe may sen.'

¶ 'Certes, sir,' þe maidens seyden

'when þou it wilt ywiten,

In priuete spac neuer man wiþ hir

þat we miȝt vnderȝeten,

Bot þe angel on & þat was oft

ȝif we it durst sigge, ywis.

bi þe angel it is.

'A, waleway!' Josep seyd,

'whi wil ȝe me so bitray?

Me, sely wreche, for ich am feble

in min old day.

Parauentour in sum angel like

a ȝong man to hir cam

& haþ ybrouȝt hir wiþ childe

& hir maidenhod hir binam.

to þe temple go?

Þe bischopes & þe prestes hou schal y se?

No wonder þei me be wo.'

Gret diol he made & sore wepe

as we finden in writt.

He þouȝt he wald oway flen {f.69va}

þat no man schuld it wite.

A niȝt as he awayward was

an angel to him cam

þat he to him nam.