HEROD 5 10 15 20 [fol. 47r] 26 30 35 40 45 50 MESSENGER HEROD 55 60 MESSENGER 66 HEROD 70 MESSENGER [fol. 47v] 76 80 KING 1 86 90 95 100 KING 2 105 110 KING 1 116 KING 2 120 KING 1 125 [fol. 48r] KING 2 130 KING 3 135 140 145 150 KING 1 KING 2 KING 3 156 KING 1 KING 3 160 KING 2 KING 3 165 KING 1 170 175 [fol. 48v] 180 KING 2 185 190 KING 3 195 200 KING 1 206 210 215 KING 2 220 KING 3 [fol. 49r] 226 KING 1 230 KING 2 236 240 KING 3 245 KING 2 KING 3 256 MESSENGER 260 HEROD MESSENGER HEROD 266 MESSENGER HEROD MESSENGER HEROD 271 [fol. 49v] MESSENGER 275 HEROD MESSENGER 280 HEROD 285 MESSENGER HEROD 291 295 300 305 310 315 [fol. 50r] 320 325 330 MESSENGER HEROD 336 MESSENGER 340 KING 1 MESSENGER 346 KING 2 351 MESSENGER HEROD MESSENGER 360 HEROD 366 KING 3 370 HEROD [fol. 50v] 375 KING 1 380 KING 2 386 HEROD 390 395 400 COUNSELOR 1 406 COUNSELOR 2 410 HEROD COUNSELOR 1 COUNSELOR 2 416 420 COUNSELOR 1 [fol. 51r] 425 COUNSELOR 2 HEROD 430 435 COUNSELOR 1 HEROD 441 COUNSELOR 2 446 450 COUNSELOR 1 HEROD 456 COUNSELOR 2 460 HEROD COUNSELOR 1 HEROD 466 470 [fol. 51v] 476 480 485 490 KING 1 KING 2 495 KING 3 500 KING 1 506 510 KING 2 515 KING 3 520 KING 1 525 KING 2 530 KING 3 536 540 KING 1 545 KING 2 550 KING 3 555 MARY 560 565 570 [fol. 52v] 575 KING 1 580 KING 2 585 590 KING 3 ANGEL 596 600 605 KING 1 610 KING 2 [fol. 53r] 616 KING 3 620 KING 1 626 630 KING 2 635 KING 3 640

Herod Messenger King 1 (Jaspar) King 2 (Melchior) King 3 (Balthesar) Counselor 1 Counselor 2 Mary Angel Incipit oblacio magorum. 1 Peasse, I byd both far and nere. I warne you, leyf youre sawes sere; Who that makys noyse whyls I am here, I say, shall dy. Of all this warld sooth 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; All 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 all shall bow Both old and ying; On hym wyll I ich man trow For any thyng. For any thyng it shall be so, Lord over all where I go. Whoso says agane I shall hym slo Whereso he dwell; The feynd if he were my fo I shuld hym fell. To fell those fatures I am bowne And dystroy those dogys in feyld and towne That will not trow on Sant Mahowne, Oure God so swete; Those fals faturs I shall fell downe Under my feete. Under my feete I shall thaym fare, Those ladys that will not lere my lare, For I am myghty man aywhare, Of ilka pak, Clenly shapen, hyde and hare, Withoutten lak. The myght of me may no man mene, For all that dos me any teyn I shall dyng thaym downe bydeyn, And wyrk thaym wo, And on assay it shall be seyn Or I go. And therfor will I send and se In all this land full hastely, To looke if any dwelland be In towre or towne That wyll not hold holly on me And on Mahowne. If ther be fonden any of tho, With bytter payn I shall theym slo. My messynger —                          Lord?                                    Swyth looke thou go Thrugh ilk countré In all this land, both to and fro, I commaunde thee. 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 shall fownd thaym for to flay, Those laddys that will not lede oure lay. Therfor, boy, now I thee pray That thou go tytt. It shal be done, lord, if I may, Withoutten let. And certys, if I may any fynde, I shall not leyfe oone of them behynde. No, bot boldly thou thaym bynde And with thee leyde. Mahowne that weldys water and wynde Thee wish and spede. All peasse, lordyngys, and hold you styll To I have sayde what I will. Take goode hede unto my skyll, Both old and ying, In message what is commen you tyll From Herode the kyng. He commaundys you everilkon To hold no kyng bot hym alon, And othere God ye worship none Bot Mahowne so fre, And if ye do ye mon be slone; Thus told he me. Tunc venit primus rex equitans et respiciens stellam dicit, 2 Lord of whom this light is lent And unto me this sight has sent, I pray to thee with good intent From shame me shelde, So that I no harmes hent By ways wylde. Also, I pray thee specyally Thou graunt me grace of company, That I may have som beyldyng by In my travayll, And certys for to lyf or dy I shall not fayll To that I in som land have bene, To wyt what this starne may mene That has me led with bemys shene Fro my cuntré. Now weynd I will withoutten weyn The sothe to se. A, Lord, that is withoutten ende, Whensever this selcouth light dyscende That thus kyndly has me kende Oute of my land, And shewyd to me ther I can leynd, Thus bright shynand? Certys, I sagh never none so bright. I shall never ryst by day nor nyght To I wyt whens may com this lyght, And from what place, He that it send unto my sight Leyne me that grace. A, syr, wheder ar ye away? Tell me, good syr, I you pray. Certys, I trow the sothe to say, None wote bot I; I have folowed yond starne veray From Araby, For I am kyng of that cuntré, And Melchor ther call men me. And kyng, syr, was I wont to be In Tars at hame, Both of towne and cyté; Jaspar is my name. The light of yond starne sagh I thedyr. That Lord be lovyd that send me hedyr, For it will grathly ken us whedyr That we shall weynd. We owe to love hym both togedyr That it to us wold send. A, Lord in land, what may this mene? So selcouth sight was never sene: Sich a starne shynand so shene Sagh I never none; It gyffys lyght over all bedene By hym alone. What it may mene, that know I noght, Bot yonder ar two, me thynk in thoght. I thank hym that thaym heder has broght Thus unto me; I shall assay if thay wote oght What it may be. Lordyngys that ar leyf and dere, I pray you tell me, with good chere, Wheder ye weynd on this manere, And where that ye have bene, And of this starne that shynys thus clere What it may mene. Syr, I say you certanly, From Tars for yond starne soght have I. To seke yond light from Araby, Syr, have I went. Now hertely I thank hym forthy That it has sent. Good syr, what cuntré cam ye fra? This light has led me fro Saba, And Balthesar my name to say, The sothe to tell. And kyngys, syr, ar we twa Ther as we dwell. Now, syrs, syn we ar semled here, I rede we ryde togeder in fere Unto we wytt on all manere, For good or yll, What it may mene this sterne so clere Shynand us tyll. A, lordyngys, behold the lyght Of yond starne with bemys bright. Forsothe I sagh never sich a sight In no kyns land, A starne thus aboute mydnyght So bright shynand. It gyfys more light itself alone Then any son that ever shone, Or mone when he of son has ton His light so cleyn. Sich selcouth sight have I sene none, Whatsoever it meyn. Behold, lordyngys, unto his pase, And se how nygh the erth hit gase: It is a tokyn that it mase Of novelry; A mervell it is, good tent who tase Now here in hy. For sich a starne was never ere seyn, As wyde in warld as we have beyn, For blasyng bemys shynand full sheyn From hit ar sent. Mervell I have what it may meyn In myn intent. Certys, syrs, the sothe to say, I shall dyscry now if I may, What it may meyn, yond starne veray Shynand tyll us; It has bene sayde syn many a day It shuld be thus. Yond starne betokyns, well wote I, The byrth of a prynce, syrs, securely; That shewys well the prophecy That it so be, Or els the rewlys of astronomy Dyssavys me. Certan, Balaam spekys of this thyng, That of Jacob a starne shall spryng That shall overcom kasar and kyng Withoutten stryfe; All folk shal be to hym obeyng That berys the lyfe. Now wote I well, this is the same: In every place he shall have hame; All shall hym bowe that berys name In ilk cuntré. Who trowys it not thay ar to blame, Whatso thay be. Certys, lordyngys, full well wote I, Fulfyllyd is now the prophecy That prynce that shall overcom in hy Kasar and kyng; This starne berith witnes wytterly Of his beryng. Now is fulfyllyd here in this land That Balaam sayd, I understand; Now is he borne that se and sand Shall weyld at wyll, That shewys this starne so bright shynand Us thre untyll. Lordyngys, I rede we weynd all thre For to wyrship that chyld so fre, In tokyn that he kyng shal be Of alkyn thyng. This gold now wyll I bere with me To myn offeryng. Go we fast, syrs, I you pray To worship hym if that we may. I bryng rekyls, the sothe to say, Here in myn hende, In tokyn that he is God veray Withoutten ende. Syrs, as ye say right so I red: Hast we tytt unto that sted To wirship hym as for oure hed With oure offeryng In tokyn that he shal be ded This myrr I bryng. We shall not rest even nor morne Unto we com ther he is borne. Folowe this light, els be we lorne, Forsothe I trowe, That frely to we com beforne. 3 Syrs, go we now. Mahowne that is of greatt pausty, My lord, Syr Herode, thee save and se. Where has thou bene so long fro me, Vyle stynkand lad? Lord, gone youre herand in this cuntré As ye me bad. Thou lyys, lurdan, the dewill thee hang! Why has thou dwelt away so lang? Lord, ye wyte me all with wrang. What tythyngys, say? Som good, som yll mengyd emang. How, I thee pray? Do tell me fast how thou has farne; Thy waryson shall thou not tharne. As I cam walkand, I you warne, Lord, by the way, I met thre kyngys sekeand a barne, Thus can thay say. To seke a barne for what thyng? Told thay any new tythyng? Yey, lord, thay sayd he shuld be kyng Of towne and towre; Forthy thay went with thare offeryng Hym to honoure. Kyng? the dewill! Bot of what empyre, Of what land shuld that lad be syre? Nay, I shall with that trature tyre; Sore shall he rewe. Lord, by a starne as bright as fyre This kyng thay knew. It led thaym outt of thare cuntré. Wé, fy, fy! dewyls on thame all thre! He shall never have myght to me, That new borne lad. When thare wytt in a starne shuld be, I hold thaym mad. Those lurdans wote not what thay say; Thay ryfe my hede, that dar I lay. Ther dyd no tythyngys many a day Sich harme me to. For wo my wytt is all away; What shall I do? Why, what the dewyll is in thare harnes? Is thare wytt all in the starnes? These tythyngys mar my mode in ernes, And of this thyng To wytt the sothe, full sore me yarnes, Of this new kyng. Kyng, what the dewyll! Other then I? Wé, fy on dewyls! Fy, fy! Certys, that boy shall dere aby; His ded is dight. Shall he be kyng thus hastely? Who the dewill made hym knyght? Alas, for shame, this is a skorne. Thay fynde no reson thaym beforne. Shuld that brodell that late is borne Be most of mayn? Nay, if the dewyll of hell had sworne, He shall agane. Alas, alas, for doyll and care! So mekyll sorow had I never are. If it be sothe, forevermare I am undoyn. At good clerkys and wyse of lare I wyll wyt soyn. Bot fyrst yit will I send and se The answere of those lurdans thre. Messyngere, tytt hy thou thee And make thee yare. Go, byd those kyngys com speke with me That told thou of are. Say I have greatt herand thaym tyll. It shal be done, lord, at youre wyll; Youre byddyng shall I soyn fulfyll In ilk cuntré. Mahowne thee shelde from allkyns yll For his pausté. Mahowne you save, syr kyngys thre. I have message to you, prevé From Herode, kyng of this cuntré, That is oure chefe. And lo, syrs, if ye trow not me, Ye rede this brefe. Welcom be thou, belamy. What is his wyll? Tell us in hy. Certys, syr, that wote not I, Bot thus he sayde to me: That ye shuld com full hastely To hym, all thre, For nede herand, he sayd me so. Messynger, before thou go And tell thi lord we ar all thro His wyll to do; Both I and my felose two Shall com hym to. Mahowne you looke, my lord so dere. Welcom be thou, messyngere. How has thou farne syn thou was here? Thou tell me tytt. Lord, I have traveld far and nere Withoutten lett, And done youre herand, syr, sothely. Thre kyngys with me broght have I Fro Saba, Tars, and Araby, Then have thay soght. Thi waryson shall thou have forthy, By hym me boght, And certanly that is good skyll. And syrs, ye ar welcom me tyll. Lord, thi bydyng to fulfyll Ar we full thro. A, mekyll thank of youre good wyll That ye wyll so, For certys, I have covett greattly To speke with you and here now why: Tell me, I pray you specyally, For any thyng, What tokynyng saw ye on the sky Of this new kyng? We sagh his starne ryse in the eest, That shall be kyng of man and best; Forthy, lord, we have not cest Syn that we wyst, With oure gyftys riche and honest To bere that blyst. Lord, when that starne rose us beforne, Therby we knew that chyld was borne. Out, alas! I am forlorne Forevermare! I wold be rent and al to-torne For doyll and care. Alas, alas, I am full wo. Syr kyngys, syt downe and rest you so. By scrypture, syrs, what say ye two? Withoutten lytt, What ye can say therto Let se now tytt. These kyngys do me to understand That borne is newly in this land A kyng that shall weld se and sand. Thay tell me so, And therfor, syrs, I you commaunde Youre bookys go to, And looke grathly for any thyng, If ye fynd oght of sich a kyng. It shall be done at youre bydyng. By hym me boght, And soyn we shall you tythyngys bryng, If we fynd oght. Soyn shall we wyt, lord, if I may, If oght be wretyn in oure lay. Now, masters, therof I you pray On all manere. Com furth, let us assay Oure bookys, both in fere. Certys, syr, lo here fynd I, Well wretyn in a prophecy, How that profett Isay That never begyld Tellys that a madyn of hir body Shall bere a chyld. And also, syr, to you I tell The mervellest thyng that ever fell: Hyr madynhede with hir shall dwell As dyd beforne; That child shall hight Emanuell When he is borne. Lord, this is sothe, securely: Wytnes the profett Isay. Outt, alas! for doyll I dy Long or my day. Shall he have more pausté then I? A, waloway! Alas, alas, I am forlorne. I wold be rent and all to-torne. Bot looke yit as ye dyd beforne, For luf of me, And tell me where that boy is borne. Onone, lett se. All redy, lord, with mayn and mode. Have done, belyf, or I go wode. And certys, that gadlyng wer as good Have grevyd me noght; I shall se that brodell bloode, By hym that me has boght. Micheas the prophett, withoutten nay, How that he tellys I shall you say: In Bedlem, land of Juda, As I say you, Out of it a duke shall spra, Thus fynd we now. Syr, thus we fynd in prophecy, Therfor we say you securely, In Bedlem we say you truly Borne is that kyng. The dewill hang you high to dry For this tythyng! And certys, ye ly; it may not be. Lord, we wytnes it truly. Here, the sothe youreself may se If ye can rede. A, waloway! full wo is me, The dewill you spede. Lord, it is sothe all that we say; We fynde it wretyn in oure lay. Go hens, harlottys, in twenty dewill way, Fast and belyfe! Mighty Mahowne, as he well may, Lett you never thryfe. Alas, wherto were I a crowne Or is cald of greatt renowne? I am the fowlest borne downe That ever was man, And namely with a fowll swalchon That no good can. Alas, that ever I shuld be knyght, Or holdyn man of mekyll myght, If a lad shuld reyfe me my right All thus me fro. Myn dede ere shuld I dyght Or it were so. 4 Ye nobyll kyngys, harkyns as heynd: Ye shall have save condyth to weynd, Bot com agane with me to leynd, Syrs, I you pray. Ye shall me fynd a faythfull freynd If ye do swa. If it be sothe, this new tythyng, Som worship wold I do that kyng; Therfor I pray you that ye bryng Me tythyngys soyn. Allredy, lord, at youre bydyng It shal be doyn. Alas, in warld how have we sped? Where is the lyght that us has led? Som clowde forsothe that starne has cled From us away. In strong stowre now ar we sted; What may we say? Wo worth Herode, that cursyd wyght! Wo worth that tyrant day and nyght, For thrugh hym have we lost that sight, And for his gyle, That shoyn to us with bemys bright Within a whyle. Here lyghtys the kyngys of thare horses. Lordyngys, I red we pray all thre To that Lord whose natyvyté The starne betokyned that we can se, All with his wyll; Pray we specyally that he Wold show it us untyll. Here knele all thre kyngys downe. Thou chyld, whose myght no tong may tell, As thou art Lord of heven and hell, Thy nobyll starne, Emanuell, Thou send us yare, That we may wytt by fyrth and fell How we shall fare. A, to that chyld be ever honoure, That in this tyd has stynt oure stoure And lent us lyght to oure socoure On this manere. We love thee, Lord of towne and towre, Holly in fere. Here ryse thay all up. We owe to love hym over all thyng That thus has send us oure askyng. Behold, yond starne has made shynyng. 5 Syrs, securly Of this chyld shall we have knowyng, I hope in hy. Lordyngys dere, drede thar us noght, Oure greatt travell tyll end is broght. Yond is the place that we have soght From far cuntré; Yond is the chyld that all has wroght. Behold and se. I red we make offeryng all thre Unto this chyld of greatt pausté, And worship hym with gyftys fre That we have broght. Oure boytt of bayll ay wyll he be; Well have we soght. Hayll be thou, maker of allkyn thyng That boytt of all oure bayll may bryng. In tokyn that thou art oure kyng And shal be ay, Resayf this gold to myn offeryng, Prynce, I thee pray. Hayll, overcomer of kyng and of knyght, That fourmed fysh and fowyll in flyght, For thou art Godys Son, most of myght, And all-weldand. I bryng thee rekyls, as is right, To myn offerand. Hayll, kyng in kyth, cowrand on kne. Hayll, oonefold God in persons thre. In tokyn that thou dede shal be By kyndly skyll, To thy gravyng this myr of me Resave thee tyll. Syr kyngys, make comforth you betweyn, And mervell not what it may mene: This chyld that on me borne has bene All bayll may blyn; I am his moder and madyn clene, Withoutten syn. Therfor, lordyngys, whereso ye fare, Boldly looke ye tell aywhare How I this blyst of bosom bare That best shal be, And madyn cleyn as I was are Thrugh his pausté. And truly, syrs, looke that ye trow That othere lord is none at lowe; Both man and beest to hym shall bowe In towne and feyld. My blyssyng, syrs, be now with you Whereso ye beyld. A, lordyngys dere, the sothe to say We have made a good jornay. We love this Lord that shall last ay Withoutten ende; He is oure beyld both nyght and day, Whereso we weynd. Lordyngys, we have traveld lang, And restyd have we lytyll emang. Forthi I red now or we gang With all oure mayn, Let us fownde a slepe to fang; Then were I fayn, For in greatt stowres we have ben sted. Lo, here a lytter redy cled. I love my Lord! We have well sped To rest with wyn; Lordyngys, syn we shall go to bed, Ye shall begyn. Syr curtes kyngys, to me take tent, And turne bytyme or ye be tenyd. From God hisself thus am I sent To warne you as youre faythfull freynd How Herode kyng has malyce ment, And shapys with shame you for to sheynd, And so that ye no harmes hent By othere ways God wyll ye weynd Into youre awne cuntré. And if ye ask hym boyn For this dede that ye have done, Youre beyld ay wyll he be. Wakyns, wakyns, lordyngys dere! Oure dwellyng is no longer here. An angell spake tyll us in fere, Bad us as heynd That we ne shuld on no manere Home by Herode weynd. Allmyghty God in Trynyté, With hart enterely thank I thee That thyn angell send tyll us thre And kend us so, Oure fals foman for to fle That wold us slo. We aght to love hym, more and myn, That comly kyng of all mankyn. I rew full sore that we shall twyn On this manere, For commen we have with mekyll wyn By wayes sere. Twyn must us nedys, syrs, permafay, And ilkon weynd by dyvers way. This wyll me lede, the sothe to say, To my cuntré; Forthy, lordyngys, now have good day. God with you be. Certys, I must pas by se and sand; This is the gate I understand That wyll me lede unto my land The right way. To God of heven I you commaunde, And have good day. This is the way that I must weynd. Now God till us his socoure send, And he that is withoutten end, And ay shal be, Save us from fowndyng of the feynd, For his pausté. Explicit oblacio trium Magorum. 6

Peace leave; various speeches truly (see note) dare bears living Mohammed young each; believe against; slay; (t-note) fiend traitors; ready believe in lads; learn my commands; (t-note) everywhere; (see note) hide; hair convey harm; (t-note) strike; together when put to the test Before wholly those (t-note) Quickly each inquire place where Here hasten; torture law; (see note) quickly delay leave governs direct; assist (see note) Until reasoning that each one (see note) must; slain (see note) receive comfort journey Until know; star bright beams without a doubt truth; seek From where [does]; wonderful; (see note) guided where; arrive shining Certainly; saw rest Until; know Give whither believe; truly verily Arabia; (see note) Melchior accustomed Tarsus there here; (t-note) readily show ought wonderful brightly together ask; know anything this heartily; therefore from Saba [in Arabia] Truly since; assembled say; company Until we know in all ways Truly (t-note) sun; (t-note) moon; taken wonderful its pace near; it goes it makes; (see note) novelty attention; take before blazing; brightly declare on signifies surely (t-note) (t-note) rules Deceive (see note) emperor is alive home believes Whoever in haste bears; certainly birth That which say; go all kinds of (see note); (t-note) incense hands; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) quickly; place as our ruler dead myrrh where lost power protect Vile stinking errand [to run] lie; lout judge; wrong mixed among quickly; fared reward; lack walking seeking a child; (t-note) news Therefore traitor fight Sorely; regret devils over me (see note) louts know; (t-note) hurt; (see note) (t-note) brains mood; earnest yearns pay dearly death; ordained insult scoundrel might disappear (be gone) much; before undone But; teachin soon three louts quickly hurry ready before message for them; (see note) each every kind of ill power privately summons fair friend haste an urgent message eager watch over you fared quickly delay delivered your message reward; therefore (see note) reasoning eager wanted hear beast ceased Since we knew that blessed [one] destroyed sorrow (see note) delay quickly (t-note) govern sea and sand (t-note) carefully written; law together prophet Isaiah; (see note) misled be named truly before power (see note) love Immediately ready; fervently at once, before; mad fellow scoundrel’s blood Micah; doubt; (see note) (t-note) Judea spring truly assist you written; law forth; scoundrels; (t-note) at once why wear most foully overthrown (see note) held to be deprive me of Before listen graciously; (t-note) safe conduct stay thus true (see note) covered conflict; situated May woe come to because of his deceit shone to us (t-note) tongue (see note) quickly forest and hill time; ceased; conflict aid In All of us together ought; [fol. 52r] (t-note) surely journey (t-note) say relief from misery everything receive conqueror almighty incense crouching; (see note) onefold dead natural reason For your burial; myrrh Receive misery; relieve go everywhere blessed [one] ever power below (on earth) Wherever you dwell shelter in between Therefore; advise; before strength try to get some sleep glad conflict; placed bed ready made delight (see note) pay attention; (see note) without delay; harmed plans; destroy suffer (t-note) favor (t-note) shelter always together graciously by [way of] commanded enemy more or less; (see note) humankind part In much joy various Part; by my faith each one; diverse paths (t-note) Therefore way aid temptation by By his power