Nu to-daeg Godes geladhung geond ealne ymbhwyrft maersadh thaera eadigra
cildra freols-tide, the se waelhreowa Herodes for Cristes acennednysse mid
arleasre ehtnysse acwealde, swa swa us seo godspellice racu swutellice
cydh.
{78} Matheus awrat, on thaere forman Cristes bec, dhysum wordum be dhaes
Haelendes gebyrd-tide, and cwaedh, "Thadha se Haelend acenned waes on
thaere Iudeiscan Bethleem, on Herodes dagum cyninges, efne dha comon fram
east-daele middangeardes thry tungel-witegan to dhaere byrig Hierusalem,
thus befrinende, Hwaer is Iudeiscra leoda Cyning, sedhe acenned is? We
gesawon sodhlice his steorran on east-d['ae]le, and we comon to dhi thaet
we ['u]s to him gebiddon. Hwaet dha Herodes cyning this gehyrende weardh
micclum astyred, and eal seo burhwaru samod mid him. He dha gesamnode ealle
tha ealdor-biscopas, and dhaes folces boceras, and befran hwaer Cristes
cenningst['o]w waere. H['i] saedon, on dhaere Iudeiscan Bethleem. Thus
sodhlice is awriten thurh dhone witegan Micheam, Eala thu Bethleem, Iudeisc
land, ne eart dhu nateshw['o]n wacost burga on Iudeiscum ealdrum: of dhe
cymdh se Heretoga sedhe gewylt and gewissadh Israhela folc. Dha clypode
Herodes tha dhry tungel-witegan on sunder-spraece, and geornlice h['i]
befr['a]n to hwilces timan se steorra him aerst aeteowode, and asende h['i]
to Bethleem, dhus cwedhende, Faradh ardlice, and befr['i]nadh be dham
cilde, and thonne ge hit gemetadh, cydhadh me, thaet ic m['a]ge me to him
gebiddan. Tha tungel-witegan ferdon aefter thaes cyninges spraece, and efne
dha se steorra, the h['i] on east-d['ae]le gesawon, glad him beforan, odh
thaet he gest['o]d bufon dham gesth['u]se, thaer thaet cild on wunode. Hi
ges['a]won dhone steorran, and thearle blissodon. Eodon dha inn, and thaet
cild gemetton mid Marian his meder, and nidherfeallende h['i] to him
geb['ae]don. Hi geopenodon heora h['o]rdfatu, and him l['a]c geoffrodon,
gold, and recels, and myrram. Hwaet dha God on swefne h['i] gewarnode and
bebead thaet hi eft ne cyrdon to dhan redhan cyninge Herode, ac thurh
odherne weg hine forcyrdon, and swa to heora edhele becomon. Efne dha Godes
engel aeteowode Iosepe, dhaes c['i]ldes foster-faeder, on swefnum,
cwedhende, 'Ar['i]s, and nim this cild mid thaere meder, and fleoh to
Egypta l['a]nde, and beo thaer odh thaet ic the eft secge: sodhlice toweard
is thaet Herodes smeadh h['u] h['e] thaet cild ford['o].' Ioseph {80} dha
ar['a]s nihtes, and thaet cild mid thaere meder samod to Egypta l['a]nde
ferede, and thaer wunode odh thaet Herodes gew['a]t; thaet seo witegung
waere gefylled, the be dhaere fare aer dhus cwaedh, Of Egypta l['a]nde ic
geclypode minne sunu."
Nu secgadh wyrd-writeras thaet Herodes betwux dhisum weardh gewr['e]ged to
tham Romaniscan casere, the ealne middangeard on tham timan geweold. Tha
gewende he to Rome, be dhaes caseres haese, thaet he hine betealde, gif he
mihte. Tha betealde he hine swidhe geaplice, swa swa he waes snotorwyrde to
dhan swidhe, thaet se casere hine mid maran wurdhmynte ongean to Iudeiscum
rice asende. Thatha he ham com, tha gemunde he hwaet he aer be dhan cilde
gemynte, and geseah thaet he waes bepaeht fram dham tungel-witegum, and
weardh tha dhearle gegremod. Sende dha his cwelleras, and ofsloh ealle dha
hyse-cild, the w['ae]ron on thaere byrig Bethleem, and on eallum hyre
gemaerum, fram twywintrum cilde to anre nihte, be dhaere tide the h['e]
geaxode aet dham tungel-witegum. Tha waes gefylled Hieremias w['i]tegung,
the dhus witegode, "Stemn is gehyred on heannysse, micel w['o]p and
dhoterung: Rachel beweop hire cildru, and nolde beon gefrefrod, fordhan dhe
hi ne sind."
On dham twelftan daege Cristes acennednysse comon dha dhry tungel-witegan
to Herode, and hine axodon be dham acennedan cilde; and thatha h['i] his
cenning-stowe geaxodon, tha gewendon h['i] widh thaes cildes, and noldon
dhone redhan cwellere eft gecyrran, swa swa he het. Tha ne mihte he
forbugan thaes caseres haese, and waes dha, thurh his langsume faer, thaera
cildra slege geuferod swidhor thonne he gemynt haefde; and h['i] wurdon dha
on dhysum daegtherlicum daege wuldorfullice gemartyrode; na swa-theah thaes
geares the Crist acenned waes, ac aefter twegra geara ymbryne aefter dhaes
waelhreowan hamcyme.
Naes h['e] aedhelboren, ne him naht to tham cynecynne ne gebyrode; ac mid
syrewungum and swicdome he becom to {82} dhaere cynelican gedhincdhe; swa
swa Moyses be dham awr['a]t, Thaet ne sceolde ateorian thaet Iudeisce
cynecynn, oththaet Crist sylf come. Dha com Crist on dham timan the seo
cynelice maeigdh ateorode, and se aelfremeda Herodes thaes rices geweold.
Tha weardh he micclum afyrht and andhracode thaet his rice feallan sceolde,
thurh to-cyme thaes sodhan cyninges. Tha clypode h['e] dha tungel-witegan
on sunder-spraece, and geornlice h['i] befr['a]n, on hwilcne timan h['i]
aerest thone steorran gesawon; fordhan dhe he ondred, swa swa hit gelamp,
thaet h['i] eft hine ne gecyrdon. Tha het he fordhy acwellan ealle dha
hyse-cild thaere burhscire, fram twywintrum cilde odh anre nihte: dhohte
gif he h['i] ealle ofsloge, thaet se ['a]n ne aetburste the he sohte. Ac he
waes ungemyndig thaes halgan gewrites, dhe cwydh, "Nis n['a]n wisdom, ne
n['a]n raed naht ongean God."
Se swicola Herodes cwaedh to dham tungel-witegum, "Faradh, and geornlice
befrinadh be dham cilde, and cydhadh me, thaet ic eac mage me to him
gebiddan." Ac he cydde sydhdhan his facenfullan syrewunge, hu he ymbe
wolde, gif he hine gemette, dhadha he ealle his efenealdan adylegode for
his anes ehtnysse. Thearflaes he syrwde ymbe Crist: ne com he fordhy thaet
he wolde his eordhlice rice, oththe aeniges odhres cyninges mid riccetere
him to geteon; ac to dhi h['e] com thaet he wolde his heofenlice rice
geleaffullum mannum forgyfan. Ne com he to dhy thaet he waere on maerlicum
cynesetle ahafen, ac thaet he waere mid hospe on rode hengene genaeglod. He
wolde dheah thaes waelhreowan syrewunge mid fleame forbugan, na fordhi
thaet he deadh forfluge, sedhe sylfwilles to dhrowienne middangearde
genealaehte; ac hit waere to hraedlic, gif he dha on cild-cradole acweald
wurde, swilce dhonne his to-cyme mancynne bed['i]glod waere; thi forhradode
Godes engel thaes arleasan getheaht, and bebead thaet se foster-faeder
thone heofenlican aetheling of dham earde ardlice ferede.
Ne forseah Crist his geongan cempan, dheah dhe he lichamlice on heora slege
andwerd naere; ac h['e] asende h['i] fram thisum {84} wraecfullum life to
his ecan rice. Gesaelige h['i] wurdon geborene thaet hi moston for his
intingan deadh throwian. Eadig is heora yld, seodhe tha gyt ne mihte Crist
andettan, and moste for Criste throwian. H['i] waeron thaes Haelendes
gewitan, dheah dhe h['i] hine dha gyt ne cudhon. Naeron h['i] ger['i]pode
to slege, ac hi gesaeliglice theah swulton to life. Gesaelig waes heora
acennednys, fordhan dhe h['i] gemetton thaet ece lif on instaepe thaes
andweardan lifes. H['i] wurdon gegripene fram moderlicum breostum, ac hi
wurdon betaehte thaerrihte engellicum bosmum. Ne mihte se m['a]nfulla
ehtere mid nanre dhenunge tham lytlingum swa micclum fremian, swa micclum
swa h['e] him fremode mid dhaere redhan ehtnysse hatunge. H['i] sind
geh['a]tene martyra blostman, fordhan dhe h['i] waeron sw['a] sw['a]
up-aspringende blostman on middeweardan cyle ungeleaffulnysse, swilce mid
sumere ehtnysse forste forsodene. Eadige sind tha innodhas the h['i]
gebaeron, and dha breost the swylce gesihton. Witodlice dha moddru on heora
cildra martyrdome throwodon; thaet swurd dhe thaera cildra lima
thurh-['a]rn bec['o]m to dhaera moddra heortan; and neod is thaet h['i]
beon efenhlyttan thaes ecan edleanes, thonne h['i] waeron geferan dhaere
dhrowunge. H['i] waeron gehwaede and ungewittige acwealde, ac h['i] arisadh
on tham gemaenelicum dome mid fullum waestme, and heofenlicere snoternysse.
Ealle we cumadh to anre ylde on tham gemaenelicum aeriste, theah dhe we nu
on myslicere ylde of thyssere worulde gewiton.
Thaet godspel cwedh thaet Rachel bewe['o]p hire cildra, and nolde beon
gefrefrod, fordhan the h['i] ne sind. Rachel hatte Iacobes wif, dhaes
heahfaederes, and heo getacnode Godes geladhunge, the bewypdh hire
gastlican cild; ac heo nele swa beon gefrefrod, thaet h['i] eft to
woruldlicum gecampe gehwyrfon, tha the aene mid sygefaestum deadhe
middangeard oferswidhdon, and his yrmdha aetwundon to wuldorbeagienne mid
Criste.
Eornostlice ne breac se arleasa Herodes his cynerices mid langsumere
gesundfulnysse, ac buton yldinge him becom seo {86} godcundlice wracu, the
hine mid menigfealdre yrmdhe fordyde, and eac geswutelode on hwilcum suslum
he moste aefter fordhsidhe ecelice cwylmian. Hine gelaehte unasecgendlic
adl; his lichama barn widhutan mid langsumere haetan, and he eal innan
samod forswaeled waes, and toborsten. Him waes metes micel lust, ac dheah
mid nanum aetum his gyfernysse gefyllan ne mihte. He hridhode, and egeslice
hweos, and angsumlice siccetunga teah, swa thaet h['e] earfodhlice ordhian
mihte. Waeter-seocnyss hine ofereode, beneodhan tham gyrdle, to dhan
swidhe, thaet his gesceapu madhan weollon, and stincende attor singallice
of dham toswollenum fotum fleow. Unaberendlic gyhdha ofereode ealne dhone
lichaman, and ungelyfendlic toblawennys his innodh geswencte. Him st['o]d
st['i]ncende steam of dham mudhe, swa thaet earfodhlice aenig laece him
mihte genealaecan. Fela dhaera laeca h['e] acwealde; cwaedh thaet h['i]
hine gehaelan mihton and noldon. Hine gedrehte singal slaepleast, swa thaet
he thurhwacole niht buton slaepe adreah; and gif h['e] hwon hn['a]ppode,
dhaerrihte hine drehton nihtlice gedw['i]mor, swa thaet him dhaes slaepes
ofthuhte. Thadha h['e] mid swidhlicum luste his lifes gewilnode, tha h['e]t
h['e] hine ferigan ofer dha e['a] Iordanen, dhaerthaer waeron gehaefde
h['a]te badhu, the w['ae]ron halwende gecwedene adligendum lichaman. Weardh
tha eac his laecum gedhuht thaet h['i] on wlacum ele hine gebedhedon. Ac
dhadha h['e] waes on dhissere bedhunge gel['e]d, tha weardh se lichama eal
toslopen, swa thaet his eagan wendon on gelicnysse sweltendra manna, and
h['e] laeg cwydeleas butan andgite. Eft dhadha he com, tha het he hine
ferigan to dhaere byrig Hiericho.
Thatha he weardh his lifes orwene, tha geladhode he him to ealle dha
Iudeiscan ealdras of gehwilcum burgum, and het h['i] on cwearterne
beclysan, and gelangode him to his swustur Salome and hire wer Alexandrum,
and cwaedh, "Ic w['a]t thaet dhis Iudeisce folc micclum blissigan wile
mines deadhes; ac ic maeg habban arwurdhfulle l['i]c-dhenunge of
heofigendre menigu, gif ge willadh minum bebodum gehyrsumian. Swa ricene
swa ic gew['i]te, ofsleadh ealle dhas Iudeiscan ealdras, dhe ic on {88}
cwearterne beclysde, thonne beodh heora siblingas to heofunge geneadode,
tha dhe wylladh mines fordhsidhes fagnian." He dha his cempan to dham slege
genamode, and het heora aelcum fiftig scyllinga to sceatte syllan, thaet hi
heora handa fram dham blodes gyte ne widhbrudon. Thadha h['e] mid ormaetre
angsumnysse waes gecwylmed, tha het he his agenne sunu Ant['i]patrem
arleaslice acwellan, to-eacan tham twam the h['e] aer acwealde. Aet nextan,
dhadha h['e] gefredde his deadhes nealaecunge, tha het he him his seax
araecan to screadigenne aenne aeppel, and hine sylfne hetelice dhyde, thaet
him on acwehte. Thyllic waes Herodes fordhsidh, the m['a]nfullice ymbe
thaes heofenlican aethelinges to-cyme syrwde, and his efen-ealdan lytlingas
unscaedhdhige arleaslice acwealde.
Efne dha Godes engel, aefter Herodes deadhe, aeteowode Iosepe on swefnum,
on Egypta lande, thus cwedhende, "Ar['i]s, and nim thaet cild and his moder
samod, and gewend ongean to Israhela lande; sodhlice h['i] sind
fordhfarene, dhadhe ymbe thaes cildes feorh syrwdon." H['e] dha ar['a]s,
swa swa se engel him bebead, and ferode thaet cild mid thaere meder to
Israhela lande. Tha gefr['a]n Ioseph thaet Archelaus rixode on Iudea lande,
aefter his faeder Herode, and ne dorste his neawiste genealaecan. Tha
weardh he eft on swefne gemynegod thaet he to Galilea gewende, fordhan dhe
se eard naes ealles swa gehende tham cyninge, theah dhe hit his rice waere.
Thaet cild dha eardode on thaere byrig the is gehaten Nazareth, thaet seo
w['i]tegung waere gefylled, the cwaedh, thaet he sceolde beon Nazarenisc
geciged. Se engel cwaedh to Iosepe, "Tha sind fordhfarene, the embe dhaes
cildes feorh syrwdon." Mid tham worde he geswutelode thaet m['a] dhaera
Iudeiscra ealdra embe Cristes cwale smeadon; ac him getimode swidhe
rihtlice thaet h['i] mid heora arleasan hlaforde ealle forwurdon.
Nelle we dhas race na leng teon, thylaes dhe hit eow aedhryt thince; ac
biddadh eow thingunge aet thysum unscaedhdhigum martyrum. Hi sind dha dhe
Criste folgiadh on hwitum gyrlum, {90} swa hwider swa h['e] gaedh; and
h['i] standadh aetforan his dhrymsetle, butan aelcere gewemmednysse,
haebbende heora palmtwigu on handa, and singadh thone niwan lofsang, tham
Aelmihtigan to wurdhmynte, sethe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen.