Missus est Gabrihel Angelas: et reliqua.
Ure se Aelmihtiga Scyppend, sedhe ealle gesceafta, buton aelcon antimbre,
thurh his wisdom gesceop, and thurh his willan gel['i]ffaeste, h['e]
gesceop mancynn to dhi thaet h['i] sceoldon mid gehyrsumnysse and
eadmodnysse dha heofenlican gedhincdhe geearnigan, the se deofol mid
ofermettum forwyrhte. Tha weardh eac se mann mid deofles lotwrencum
bepaeht, swa thaet he tobraec his Scyppendes bebod, and weardh deofle
betaeht, and eal his ofspring into helle-wite. Dha dheah-hwaedhere ofdhuhte
dham Aelmihtigum Gode ealles mancynnes yrmdha, and smeade hu he mihte his
hand-geweorc of deofles anwealde alysan; fordhi him ofhreow thaes mannes,
fordhon dhe h['e] waes bepaeht mid thaes deofles searo-craeftum. Ac him ne
ofhreow na dhaes deofles hryre; fordhan dhe h['e] naes thurh nane tihtinge
forlaered, ac h['e] sylf asmeade dha up-ahefednysse the he dhurh ahreas;
and he fordhi ['a] on ecnysse wunadh on forwyrde waelraew deofol.
Tha fram frymdhe mancynnes cydde se Aelmihtiga God, hwilon dhurh
getacnunga, hwilon dhurh witegunga, thaet he wolde mancynn ahreddan thurh
dhone the he ealle gesceafta mid geworhte, dhurh his agen Bearn. Nu waeron
dha witegunga swidhe menigfealdlice gesette on halgum gewritum, aerdham dhe
se Godes Sunu menniscnysse underfenge. Sume waeron eac be dhaere eadigan
Marian gewitegode. An dhaera witegunga is Isaiae, se awr['a]t betwux his
witegungum, thus cwedhende, "Efne sceal maeden geeacnian on hire innodhe,
and acennan Sunu, and his nama bidh gec['i]ged Emmanuhel," thaet is gereht
{194} on urum gedheode, 'God is mid us.' Eft Ezechihel se witega geseah on
his witegunge ['a]n belocen geat on Godes huse, and him cwaedh to sum
engel, "This geat ne bidh nanum menn geopenod, ac se Hlaford ana faerdh inn
thurh thaet geat, and eft ['u]t faerdh, and hit bidh belocen on ecnysse."
Thaet beclysede geat on Godes huse getacnode thone halgan maeigdhhad thaere
eadigan Marian. Se Hlaford, ealra hlaforda Hlaford, thaet is Crist, becom
on hire innodh, and dhurh h['i] on menniscnysse weardh acenned, and thaet
geat bidh belocen on ecnysse; thaet is, thaet Maria waes maeden aer dhaere
cenninge, and maeden on dhaere cenninge, and maeden aefter dhaere cenninge.
Tha witegunga be Cristes acennednysse and be dhaere eadigan Marian
maegdhhade sindon swidhe menigfealdlice on dhaere ealdan ['ae] gesette, and
se dhe h['i] asmeagan wile, thaer he h['i] afint mid micelre
genihtsumnysse. Eac se apostol Paulus cwaedh, "Thatha dhaera t['i]da
gefyllednys com, dha sende God Faeder his Sunu to mancynnes alysednysse."
Seo wurdhfulle s['a]nd weardh on dhisum daege gefylled, swa swa Cristes boc
us gewissadh, thus cwedhende, "Godes heah-engel, Gabrihel, waes asend fram
Gode to dhaere Galileiscan byrig Nazareth, to dham maedene the waes Maria
gehaten, and heo asprang of Dauides cynne, thaes maran cyninges, and heo
waes beweddod tham rihtwisan Iosepe:" et reliqua.
Ure alysednysse anginn we gehyrdon on dhisre daegtherlican raedinge, thurh
dha we awurpon tha derigendlican ealdnysse, and we sind getealde betwux
Godes bearnum, thurh Cristes flaesclicnysse. Swidhe thaeslic anginn
menniscre alysednysse waes thaet tha se engel weardh asend fram Gode to
dham maedene, to cydhenne Godes acennednysse thurh h['i]; fordhan dhe se
forma intinga mennisces forwyrdes waes, thatha se deofol asende odherne
deofol, on naeddran anlicnysse, to dham frumsceapenan w['i]fe Euan, h['i]
to beswicenne. Us becom dha deadh and forwyrd thurh w['i]f, and us becom
eft lif and hredding thurh wimman.
Se heah-engel, the cydde thaes Haelendes acennednysse, waes {196} gehaten
Gabrihel, thaet is gereht, 'Godes strengdh,' thone he bodode toweardne, the
se sealm-sceop mid thisum wordum herede, "Drihten is strang and mihtig on
gefeohte." On dham gefeohte, butan tweon, the se Haelend deofol oferwann,
and middangeard him aetbraed.
"Maria waes beweddod Iosepe dham rihtwisan." Hw['i] wolde God beon acenned
of beweddodan maedene? For micclum gesceade, and eac for neode. Thaet
Iudeisce folc heold Godes ['ae] on tham timan: seo ['ae] taehte, thaet man
sceolde aelcne wimman the cild haefde butan rihtre aewe staenan. Nu dhonne,
gif Maria unbeweddod waere, and cild haefde, thonne wolde thaet Iudeisce
folc, aefter Godes ['ae], mid stanum h['i] oftorfian. Dha waes heo, dhurh
Godes foresceawunge, tham rihtwisan were beweddod, and gehw['a] wende thaet
he dhaes cildes faeder waere, ac he naes. Ac dhadha Ioseph undergeat thaet
Maria mid cilde waes, tha weardh he dreorig, and nolde hire genealaecan, ac
dhohte thaet he wolde h['i] diglice forlaetan. Thadha Ioseph this smeade,
tha com him to Godes engel, and bebead him, thaet sceolde habban gymene
aegdher ge dhaere meder ge thaes cildes, and cwaedh, thaet thaet cild naere
of nanum men gestryned, ac waere of tham Halgan Gaste. Nis na hwaedhere se
Halga Gast Cristes Faeder, ac h['e] is genemned to dhaere fremminge Cristes
menniscnysse; fordhan dhe he is Willa and Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna.
Nu weardh seo menniscnys thurh thone micclan Willan gefremmed, and is
dheah-hwaedhere heora Dhreora weorc untodaeledlic. Hi sind thry on
h['a]dum, Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast, and an God untodaeledlic on
anre godcundnysse. Ioseph dha, swa swa him se engel bebead, haefde gymene
aegdher ge Marian ge dhaes cildes, and waes hyre gewita thaet heo maeden
waes, and waes Cristes fostor-faeder, and mid his fultume and frofre on
gehwilcum dhingum him dhenode on dhaere menniscnysse.
Se engel grette Marian, and cwaedh, thaet heo waere mid Godes gife afylled,
and thaet hyre waes God mid, and heo waes gebletsod betwux wifum. Sodhlice
heo waes mid Godes gife {198} afylled, fordhon dhe hire waes getidhod thaet
heo dhone ab['ae]r the astealde ealle gifa and ealle sodhfaestnyssa. God
waes mid hire, fordhan dhe he waes on hire innodhe belocen, sedhe belicdh
ealne middangeard on his anre handa. And heo waes gebletsod betwux wifum,
fordhan dhe heo, butan wiflicre bysnunge, mid wlite hyre maegdhh['a]des,
waes modor thaes Aelmihtigan Godes.
Se engel gehyrte h['i] mid his wordum, and cwaedh hire to, "Efne dhu scealt
geeacnian on dhinum innodhe, and thu acenst sunu." Oncnawadh nu, thurh thas
word, sodhne mannan acennedne of maedenlicum lichaman. His nama waes
Hiesus, thaet is Haelend, fordhan dhe h['e] gehaeldh ealle dha the on hine
rihtlice gelyfadh. "Thes bidh m['ae]re, and he bidh gec['i]ged Sunu thaes
Hexstan." Gelyfadh nu, thurh dhas w['o]rd, thaet he is sodh God of sodhum
Gode, and efen-ece his Faeder, of dham he waes aefre acenned butan anginne.
Crist heold Dauides cynesetl, na lichamlice ac gastlice; fordhan dhe he is
ealra cyninga Cyning, and rixadh ofer his gecorenan menn, aegdher ge ofer
Israhela folc ge ofer ealle odhre leodscipas, dha dhe on rihtum geleafan
wuniadh; and Crist h['i] ealle gebrincdh to his ecan rice. Israhel is
gecweden, 'God geseonde,' and Iacob is gecweden, 'Forscrencend.' Nu dha men
dhe God geseodh mid heora mode thurh geleafan, and tha dhe leahtras
forscrencadh, h['i] belimpadh to Godes r['i]ce, the naefre ne ateoradh.
Tha cwaedh Maria to dham engle, "H['u] maeg thaet beon thaet ic cild
haebbe, fordhan dhe ic nanes weres ne bruce? Ic geteohode min lif on
maegdhhade to geendigenne: hu maeg hit dhonne gewurdhan thaet ic, butan
weres gemanan, cennan scyle?" Tha andwyrde se engel dham maedene, "Se Halga
Gast cymdh ufen on dhe, and miht dhaes Hyhstan ofersceadewadh dhe." Thurh
dhaes Halgan Gastes fremminge, swa swa we aer cwaedon, weardh Crist acenned
on dhaere menniscnysse; and Maria his modor waes ofersceadewed dhurh mihte
thaes Halgan Gastes. Hu waes heo ofersceadewod? Heo waes swa ofersceadewod
thaet heo waes geclaensod and gescyld widh ealle leahtras, thurh {200}
mihte dhaes Halgan Gastes, and mid heofenlicum gifum gefylled and gehalgod.
Se engel cwaedh, "Thaet Halige, the of dhe bidh acenned, bidh geciged Godes
Sunu." Witodlice ealle menn beodh, swa swa se witega cwaedh, mid
unrihtwisnysse geeacnode, and mid synnum acennede, ac ure Haelend ana waes
geeacnod butan unrihtwisnysse, and butan synnum acenned; and he waes halig
thaerrihte swa hradhe swa h['e] mann waes, and fulfremed God, thaes
Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu, on anum hade mann and God. Dha cwaedh Maria to dham
engle, "Ic eom Godes dhinen; getimige me aefter dhinum worde." Micel
eadmodnys wunode on hyre mode, thatha heo dhus cleopode. Ne cwaedh heo na,
Ic eom Godes modor, odhdhe, Ic eom cwen ealles middangeardes, ac cwaedh,
"Ic eom Godes thinen;" swa swa us mynegadh thaet halige gewrit, thus
cwedhende, "Thonne dhu maere sy, geeadmed the sylfne on eallum dhingum, and
dhu gemetst gife and lean mid Gode." Heo cwaedh to dham engle, "Getimige me
aefter dhinum worde:" thaet is, Gewurdhe hit swa dhu segst, thaet dhaes
Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu becume on minne innodh, and mennisce edwiste of me
genime, and to alysednysse middangeardes fordhstaeppe of m['e], swa swa
brydguma of his brydbedde.
Thus becom ure Haelend on Marian innodh on thissum daege, dhe is gehaten
ANNUNTIATIO SANCTAE MARIAE, thaet is, Marian bodung-daeg gecweden; on tham
daege bodode se heah-engel Gabrihel dham claenum maedene Godes to-cyme to
mannum dhurh h['i], and heo gelyfde thaes engles bodunge, and swa mid
geleafan onfeng God on hyre innodh, and hine baer odh middewintres
maesse-daeg, and hine dha acende mid sodhre menniscnysse, sedhe aefre waes
wunigende on godcundnysse mid his Faeder, and mid tham Halgan Gaste, hi
dhry an God untodaeledlic.
Nu seigdh se godspellere, thaet Maria ferde, aefter thaes engles bodunge,
to hire magan Elisabeth, seo waes Zacharian wif. H['i] butu waeron
rihtwise, and heoldon Godes beboda untaellice. {202} Dha waeron h['i] butan
cilde, odhthaet h['i] waeron forwerede menn. Dha com se ylca engel Gabrihel
to Zacharian syx mondhum aerdhan dhe h['e] come to Marian, and cydde thaet
he sceolde be his ealdan wife sunu habban, Iohannem dhone Fulluhtere. Tha
weardh he ungeleafful thaes engles bodungum. Se engel dha him cwaedh to,
"Nu dhu nylt gelyfan minum wordum, beo dhu dumb odhthaet thaet cild beo
acenned." And he dha adumbode on eallum dham fyrste, for his
ungeleaffulnysse. "Nu com dha seo eadige Maria to his huse, and grette his
w['i]f, hyre magan, Elisabeth. Dha mid tham the thaet w['i]f gehyrde thaes
maedenes gretinge, dha blissode thaet cild Iohannes on his modor innodhe,
and seo moder weardh afylled mid tham Halgan Gaste, and heo clypode to
Marian mid micelre stemne, and cwaedh, Thu eart gebletsod betwux wifum, and
gebletsod is se waestm thines innodhes. Hu getimode me thaet mines Drihtnes
moder wolde cuman to me? Efne mid tham the seo stefn dhinre gretinge swegde
on m['i]num earum, dha blissode min cild on minum innodhe, and hoppode
ongean his Drihten, the thu berst on dhinum innodhe."
Thaet cild ne mihte na dha-gyt mid wordum his Haelend gegretan, ac he
gegrette hine mid blissigendum mode. Heo cwaedh, "Eadig eart dhu, Maria,
fordhon dhe thu gelyfdest tham wordum dhe the fram Gode gebodode waeron,
and hit bidh gefremmed swa swa hit dhe gecydd waes." Dha sang Maria
thaerrihte dhone lofsang the we singadh on Godes cyrcan, aet aelcum
aefensange, "Magnificat anima mea Dominum," and fordh odh ende. Thaet is,
"Min sawul maersadh Drihten:" et reliqua. Langsum hit bidh thaet we ealne
thisne lofsang ofertrahtnian; ac we wylladh scortlice oferyrnan dha
digelystan word. "God awearp dha rican of setle:" thaet sind dha modigan
dhe h['i] onhebbadh ofer heora maedhe. "And he ahof dha eadmodan;" swa swa
Crist sylf cwaedh on his godspelle, "Aelc dhaera the hine onhefdh, he sceal
beon geeadmet; and se dhe hine geeadmet, he sceal beon ahafen."
"God gefyldh tha hingrigendan mid his godum;" swa swa {204} he sylf cwaedh,
"Eadige beodh tha the sind ofhingrode and oflyste rihtwisnysse, fordhan dhe
h['i] sceolon beon gefyllede mid rihtwisnysse." "He forlet dha r['i]can
idele." Thaet sind dha r['i]can, tha dhe mid modignysse tha eordhlican
welan lufiadh swidhor thonne dha heofonlican. Fela riccra manna gedheodh
Gode, thaera dhe swa dodh swa swa hit awriten is, "Thaes r['i]can mannes
welan sind his sawle alysednyss." His welan beodh his sawle alysednyss, gif
h['e] mid tham gewitendlicum gestreonum beceapadh him thaet ece l['i]f, and
dha heofonlican welan mid Gode. Gif he dhis forgymeleasadh, and besett his
hiht on dham eordhlicum welan, thonne forlaet God hine idelne and aemtigne,
fram dham ecum godnyssum.
"God underfeng his cnapan Israhel." Mid tham naman syndon getacnode ealle
dha the Gode gehyrsumiadh mid sodhre eadmodnysse, tha he underfehdh to his
werode. "Swa swa h['e] spraec to urum faederum, Abrahame and his ofspringe
on worulda." God behet dham heahfaedere Abrahame, thaet on his cynne
sceolde beon gebletsod eal mancynn. Of Abrahames cynne aspr['a]ng seo
gesaelige Maria, and of Mar['i]an com Crist, aefter dhaere menniscnysse,
and thurh Crist beodh ealle dha geleaffullan gebletsode. Ne synd we na
Abrahames cynnes flaesclice, ac gastlice, swa swa se apostol Paulus cwaedh,
"Witodlice, gif ge cristene synd, thonne beo ge Abrahames ofspring, and
yrfenuman aefter beh['a]te." Thaet aeftemyste word is dhises lofsanges, "On
worulda;" fordhan dhe ure beh['a]t, the us God behet, dhurhwunadh ['a] on
worulda woruld butan ende.
Uton biddan nu thaet eadige and thaet gesaelige maeden Mar['i]an, thaet heo
us gedhingige to hyre agenum Suna and to hire Scyppende, Haelende Criste,
sedhe gewylt ealra dhinga mid Faeder and mid tham Halgum Gaste, ['a] on
ecnysse. Amen.