We wylladh to trymminge eowres geleafan eow gereccan thaes Haelendes
acennednysse be dhaere godspellican endebyrdnysse: h['u] he on dhysum
daegdherlicum daege on sodhre menniscnysse acenned waes on godcundnysse.
Lucas se Godspellere awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c, thaet on dham {30} timan
se Romanisca casere Octauianus sette geb['a]nn, thaet waere on gewritum
asett eall ymbhwyrft. Theos towritennys weardh araered fram dham ealdormen
Cyrino, of Sirian lande, thaet aelc man ofer-heafod sceolde cennan his
gebyrde, and his ['a]re on dhaere byrig the h['e] to gehyrde. Tha ferde
Ioseph, Cristes foster-faeder, fram Galileiscum earde, of dhaere byrig
Nazaredh, to Iudeiscre byrig, seo waes Dauides, and waes geciged
Bethle['e]m, fordhan dhe h['e] waes of Dauides maegdhe, and wolde andettan
mid Mar['i]an hire gebyrde, the waes tha g['y]t bearn-eaca. Dha gel['a]mp
hit, thadha h['i] on thaere byrig Bethle['e]m w['i]codon, thaet hire tima
waes gefylled thaet heo cennan sceolde, and acende dha hyre frumcennedan
sunu, and mid cild-cladhum bew['a]nd, and al['e]de thaet cild on heora
assena binne, forthan the dhaer naes n['a]n rymet on tham gesthuse. Tha
waeron hyrdas on tham earde waciende ofer heora eowede; and efne dha Godes
engel st['o]d on emn h['i], and Godes beorhtnys h['i] bescean, and h['i]
wurdon micclum afyrhte. Dha cwaedh se Godes engel to dham hyrdum, "Ne
ondredadh eow; efne ic eow bodige micelne gefean, the becymdh eallum folce;
fordhan the nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre. Ge
geseodh this t['a]cen, ge gem['e]tadh thaet cild mid cild-cladhum bewunden,
and on binne gel['e]d." Tha faerlice, aefter thaes engles spraece, weardh
gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes God herigendra and singendra,
"Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bone uoluntatis," thaet
is on urum gereorde, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb
mannum, tham dhe beodh godes willan." And dha englas dha gewiton of heora
gesihdhe to heofonum. Hwaet dha hyrdas tha him betweonan spraecon, "Uton
faran to Bethleem, and geseon thaet word the us God aeteowde." H['i] comon
dha hraedlice, and gemetton Mar['i]an, and Ioseph, and thaet cild geled on
anre binne, swa swa him se engel cydde. Tha hyrdas sodhlice oncneowon be
tham worde the him gesaed waes be dham cilde, and ealle wundrodon the thaet
gehyrdon, and eac be dham dhe tha hyrdas him s['ae]don. Mar['i]a sodhlice
heold ealle thas w['o]rd ar['ae]fniende {32} on hire heortan. Dha gecyrdon
tha hyrdas ongean wuldrigende and herigende God on eallum dham dhingum the
h['i] gehyrdon and gesawon, swa swa him fram tham engle ges['ae]d waes.
Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ure Haelend, Godes Sunu, euen-ece and gelic
his Faeder, sedhe mid him waes aefre buton anginne, gemedemode hine sylfne
thaet he wolde on dhisum daegdherlicum daege, for middangeardes alysednysse
beon lichamlice acenned of tham maedene Mar['i]an. He is Ealdor and
Scyppend ealra g['o]dnyssa and sibbe, and he foresende his acennednysse
ungewunelice sibbe, fordhan dhe naefre naes swilc sibb aer tham fyrste on
middangearde, swilc swa waes on his gebyrde-tide, swa thaet eall
middangeard waes anes mannes rice underdheod, and eal mennisc him anum
cynelic gafol ageaf. Witodlice on swa micelre sibbe waes Crist acenned,
sedhe is ure sib, forthan dhe h['e] getheodde englas and men to ['a]num
hirede, thurh his menniscnysse. H['e] waes acenned on thaes caseres dagum
the waes Octauianus geh['a]ten, se gerymde Romana rice to dhan swidhe thaet
him eal middangeard to beah, and he waes fordhi Augustus geciged, thaet is
ge['y]cende his rice. Se nama gedafenadh tham heofonlican Cyninge Criste,
the on his timan acenned waes, sedhe his heofonlice rice geyhte, and dhone
hryre, the se feallenda deofol on engla werode gewanode, mid menniscum
gecynde eft gefylde. Na thaet ['a]n thaet he dhone lyre anfealdlice
gefylde, ac eac swylce micclum geihte. Sodhlice swa micel getel mancynnes
becymdh thurh Cristes menniscnysse to engla werodum, swa micel swa on
heofonum bel['a]f haligra engla aefter dhaes deofles hryre. Thaes caseres
gebann, the het ealne middangeard awritan, getacnode swutellice thaes
heofonlican Cyninges daede, the to dhi com on middangeard thaet he of
eallum dheodum his gecorenan gegaderode, and heora naman on ecere
eadignysse awrite. Theos towritennys asprang fram dham ealdormen Cyrino:
Cyrinus is gereht Yrfenuma, and he getacnode Crist, sedhe is sodh yrfenuma
thaes ecan Faeder; and he us forgifdh thaet we mid him {34} beon yrfenuman
and efenhlyttan his wuldres. Ealle dheoda tha ferdon thaet aelc synderlice
be him sylfum cennan sceolde, on dhaere byrig the he to hyrde. Swa swa on
dham timan be dhaes caseres gebanne gehwilce aenlipige on heora burgum be
him sylfum cendon, swa eac nu us cydhadh l['a]reowas Cristes gebann, thaet
we ['u]s gegadrian to his halgan geladhunge, and on dhaere ures geleafan
gafol mid estfullum mode him agifan, thaet ure naman beon awritene on lifes
bec mid his gecorenum.
Drihten waes acenned on thaere byrig dhe is gehaten Bethleem; fordhan dhe
hit waes swa ['ae]r gewitegod thisum wordum, "Thu Bethleem, Iudeisc land,
ne eart dhu wacost burga on Iudeiscum ealdrum: sodhlice of dhe cymdh se
latteow the gewylt Israhela dheoda." Crist wolde on ytinge beon acenned, to
dhi thaet he wurde his ehterum bedigelod. Bethleem is gereht 'Hlaf-h['u]s,'
and on hire waes Crist, se sodha hlaf, acenned, the be him sylfum cwaedh,
"Ic eom se liflica hl['a]f, the of heofenum ast['a]h, and sedhe of dham
hlafe geett ne swylt h['e] on ecnysse." Thaes hlafes we onbyriadh thonne we
mid geleafan to husle gadh; fordhan the thaet halige husel is gastlice
Cristes lichama; and thurh dhone we beodh alysede fram dham ecan deadhe.
Mar['i]a acende dha hire frumcennedan sunu on dhisum andweardan daege, and
hine mid cild-cladhum bew['a]nd, and for rymetleaste on anre binne
gel['e]de. Naes thaet cild fordhi gecweden hire frumcennede cild swilce heo
odher sidhdhan acende, ac fordhi the Crist is frumcenned of manegum
gastlicum gebrodhrum. Ealle cristene men sind his gastlican gebrodhra, and
h['e] is se frumcenneda, on gife and on godcundnysse ancenned of dham
Aelmihtigan Faeder. H['e] waes mid wacum cild-cladhum bewaefed, thaet he
['u]s forgeafe dha undeadlican tunecan, the we forluron on dhaes
frumsceapenan mannes forgaegednysse. Se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu, dhe heofenas
befon ne mihton, waes geled on nearuwre binne, to dhi thaet he ['u]s fram
hellicum nyrwette alysde. Mar['i]a waes dha cuma dhaer, swa swa thaet
godspel ['u]s segdh; and for dhaes folces gedhryle waes thaet gesthus
dhearle genyrwed.
{36} Se Godes Sunu waes on his gesthuse genyrwed, thaet he us rume wununge
on heofonan rice forgife, gif we his willan gehyrsumiadh. Ne bitt h['e] us
n['a]nes dhinges to edleane his geswinces, buton ure sawle haelo, thaet we
['u]s sylfe claene and ungewemmede him gegearcian, to blisse and to ecere
myrhdhe. Tha hyrdas dhe wacodon ofer heora eowode on Cristes acennednysse,
getacnodon dha halgan lareowas on Godes geladhunge, the sind gastlice
hyrdas geleaffulra sawla: and se engel cydde Cristes acennednysse
hyrdemannum, fordham dhe dhan gastlicum hyrdum, thaet sind lareowas, is
swidhost geopenod embe Cristes menniscnysse, thurh boclice lare; and h['i]
sceolon gecneordlice heora undertheoddum bodian, thaet thaet him geswutelod
is, swa swa dha hyrdas tha heofenlican gesihdhe gew['i]dmaersodan. Tham
lareowe gedafenadh thaet h['e] symle wacol sy ofer Godes eowode, thaet se
ungesewenlica wulf Godes scep ne tostence.
Gel['o]me wurdon englas mannum aeteowode on dhaere ealdan ['ae], ac hit nis
awriten thaet h['i] mid leohte comon, ac se wurdhmynt waes thises daeges
maerdhe gehealden, thaet h['i] mid heofenlicum leohte h['i] geswutelodon,
dhadha thaet sodhe leoht aspr['a]ng on dheostrum riht gethancodum, se
mildheorta and se rihtwisa Drihten. Se engel cwaedh to tham hyrdum, "Ne beo
ge afyrhte; efne ic bodige eow micelne gefean, dhe eallum folce becymdh,
fordhan the nu to-daeg is acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre."
Sodhlice h['e] bodade micelne gefean, sedhe naefre ne geendadh; fordhan the
Cristes acennednys gegladode heofenwara, and eordhwara, and helwara. Se
engel cwaedh, "Nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre:"
Rihtlice h['e] cwaedh on daege, and n['a] on nihte, fordhan dhe Crist is se
sodha daeg, sedhe todraefde mid his to-cyme ealle nytennysse thaere ealdan
nihte, and ealne middangeard mid his gife onlihte. Thaet t['a]cen the se
engel dham hyrdum saede we sceolon symle on urum gemynde healdan, and
thancian dham Haelende thaet he gemedemode hine sylfne to dhan thaet h['e]
daelnimend waere ure deadlicnysse, mid menniscum flaesce befangen, and mid
w['a]clicum cild-cladhum bewunden. Tha f['ae]rlice, aefter thaes engles
spraece, weardh gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes {38} God
herigendra and singendra, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan
sibb tham mannum the beodh godes willan." An engel bodade tham hyrdum thaes
heofonlican Cyninges acennednysse, and dha faerlice wurdon aeteowode fela
dhusend engla, thy laes dhe w['ae]re gethuht anes engles ealdordom to
hwonlic to swa micelre bodunge: and h['i] ealle samod mid gedremum sange
Godes wuldor hleodhrodon, and godum mannum sibbe bodedon, swutellice
aeteowiende thaet thurh his acennednysse men beodh gebigede to anes
geleafan sibbe, and to wuldre godcundlicere herunge. H['i] sungon, "Sy
wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb mannum, dham dhe beodh godes
willan." Dhas word geswuteliadh thaet dhaer wunadh Godes sibb thaer se goda
willa bidh. Eornostlice mancynn haefde ungethwaernysse to englum aer
Drihtnes acennednysse; fordhan dhe we waeron thurh synna aelfremede fram
Gode; tha wurde we eac aelfremede fram his englum getealde: ac sidhdhan se
heofenlica Cyning urne eordhlican lichaman underfeng, sidhdhan gecyrdon his
englas to ure sibbe; and dha dhe h['i] aerdhan untrume forsawon, tha hi
wurdhiadh nu him to geferum. Witodlice on dhaere ealdan ['ae], Lodh, and
Iosue, and gehwilce odhre the englas gesawon, h['i] luton widh heora, and
to him gebaedon, and dha englas thaet gedhafodon: ac Iohannes se
Godspellere, on dhaere Niwan Gecydhnysse, wolde hine gebiddan to tham engle
the him to spraec, tha forwyrnde se engel him dhaes, and cwaedh, "Beheald
thaet dhu dhas daede ne d['o]; ic eom dhin efen-dheowa, and dhinra
gebrodhra; gebide dhe to Gode anum." Englas gethafodon aer Drihtnes to-cyme
thaet mennisce men him to feollon, and aefter his to-cyme thaes forwyrndon;
fordhan the h['i] ges['a]won thaet heora Scyppend thaet gecynd underfeng
the h['i] aer dhan w['a]clic tealdon, and ne dorston hit forseon on ['u]s,
thonne h['i] hit wurdhiadh bufon him sylfum on dham heofonlican Cyninge. Ne
h['i] manna geferraedene ne forh['o]giadh, thonne h['i] feallende h['i] to
tham menniscum Gode gebiddadh. Nu we sind getealde Godes ceaster-gewaran,
and englum gel['i]ce; uton fordhi h['o]gian thaet leahtras us ne totwaemon
fram {40} dhisum micclum wurdhmynte. Sodhlice men syndon godas gecigede;
heald fordhi, dhu mann, thinne godes wurdhscipe widh leahtras; fordhan the
God is geworden mann for dhe.
Tha hyrdas dha spraecon him betweonan, aefter dhaera engla fram-faerelde,
"Uton gefaran to Bethle['e]m, and geseon thaet word the geworden is, and
God us geswutelode." Eala h['u] rihtlice h['i] andetton thone halgan
geleafan mid thisum wordum, "On frymdhe waes w['o]rd, and thaet word waes
mid Gode, and thaet w['o]rd waes God"! Word bidh wisdomes geswutelung, and
thaet Word, thaet is se Wisdom, is acenned of dham Aelmihtigum Faeder,
butan anginne; fordhan dhe h['e] waes aefre God of Gode, Wisdom of dham
wisan Faeder. Nis h['e] na geworht, fordhan dhe he is God, and na gesceaft;
ac se Aelmihtiga Faeder gesceop thurh dhone Wisdom ealle gesceafta, and hi
ealle dhurh thone Halgan Gast gel['i]ffaeste. Ne mihte ure mennisce gecynd
Crist on dhaere godcundlican acennednysse geseon; ac thaet ylce Word waes
geworden flaesc, and wunode on ['u]s, thaet we hine geseon mihton. Naes
thaet Word to flaesce awend, ac hit waes mid menniscum flaesce befangen.
Swa swa anra gehwilc manna wunadh on sawle and on lichaman ['a]n mann, swa
eac Crist wunadh on godcundnysse and menniscnysse, on ['a]num hade ['a]n
Crist. H['i] cwaedon, "Uton geseon thaet word the geworden is," fordhan dhe
h['i] ne mihton hit geseon aer dhan dhe hit geflaeschamod waes, and to menn
geworden. Nis theahhwaedhre seo godcundnys gemenged to dhaere menniscnysse,
ne dhaer nan twaeming nys. We mihton eow secgan ane lytle bysne, gif hit to
w['a]clic naere; Sceawa n['u] on anum aege, h['u] thaet hwite ne bidh
gemenged to dham geolcan, and bidh hwaedhere ['a]n aeg. Nis eac Cristes
godcundnys gerunnen to dhaere menniscnysse, ac he thurhwunadh theah ['a] on
ecnysse on anum hade untotwaemed.
Hraedlice dha comon tha hyrdas and gemetton Marian and Ioseph, and thaet
cild gel['e]d on dhaere binne. Maria waes be Godes dihte tham rihtwisan
Iosepe beweddod, for micclum gebeorge; fordhan dhe hit waes swa gewunelic
on Iudeiscre dheode, aefter Moyses ['ae], thaet gif aenig wimman cild
haefde {42} butan be rihtre aewe, thaet h['i] man sceolde mid stanum
oftorfian. Ac God asende his engel to Iosepe, dha Mar['i]a eacnigende waes,
and bead thaet he hire gymene haefde, and thaes cildes foster-faeder waere.
Tha waes gedhuht dham Iudeiscum swilce Ioseph thaes cildes faeder waere, ac
h['e] naes; fordhan the hit naes nan neod tham Aelmihtigum Scyppende thaet
h['e] of w['i]fe acenned waere; ac h['e] genam dha menniscnysse of
Mar['i]an innodhe, and forlet h['i] maeden na gewemmed, ac gehalgod thurh
his acennednysse. Ne oncneow heo weres gemanan, and heo acende butan sare,
and thurhwunadh on maegdhhade. Tha hyrdas gesawon, and oncneowon be dham
cilde, swa swa him ges['ae]d waes. Nis nan eadignys butan Godes
oncnawennesse, swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh dhadha he us his Faeder betaehte,
"Thaet is ece l['i]f, thaet hi dhe oncnawon sodhne God, and dhone dhe thu
asendest Haelend Crist." Hwaet dha ealle dha dhe thaet gehyrdon micclum
dhaes wundrodon, and be dham dhe dha hyrdas saedon. Mar['i]a sodhlice heold
ealle dhas w['o]rd araefniende on hire heortan. Heo nolde widmaersian
Cristes digelnesse, ac anbidode odh thaet he sylf thadha he wolde h['i]
geopenode. Heo cudhe Godes ['ae], and on dhaera witegena gesetnysse raedde,
thaet maeden sceolde God acennan. Tha blissode heo micclum thaet heo hit
beon moste. Hit waes gewitegod thaet h['e] on dhaere byrig Bethleem acenned
wurde, and heo dhearle wundrode thaet heo aefter dhaere witegunge dhaer
acende. Heo gemunde hwaet sum witega cwaedh, "Se oxa oncneow his hlaford,
and se assa his hlafordes binne." Tha geseah heo thaet cild licgan on
binne, dhaer se oxa and se assa gewunelice fodan secadh. Godes heah-engel
Gabrihel bodode Mar['i]an dhaes Haelendes to-cyme on hire innodhe, and heo
geseah dha thaet his bodung unleaslice gefylled waes. Dhyllice word
Mar['i]a heold araefnigende on hire heortan. And tha hyrdas gecyrdon ongean
wuldrigende and herigende God, on eallum dham dhingum dhe h['i] gehyrdon
and ges['a]won, swa swa him gesaed waes.
Thyssera dhreora hyrda gemynd is gehaefd be eastan Bethleem ['a]ne mile, on
Godes cyrcan geswutelod, tham dhe dha stowe {44} geneosiadh. We sceolon
geefenlaecan thysum hyrdum, and wuldrian and h['e]rian urne Drihten on
eallum dham dhingum the he for ure lufe gefremode, ['u]s to alysednysse and
to ecere blisse, dham sy wuldor and lof mid dham Aelmihtigum Faeder, on
annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.