"When the Child was born, so passing fair was He and so passing gentle
and of so sweet semblant that the looks of Him pleased me well; and
meseemed that at His deliverance there was a company of folk the
fairest that were seen ever, and they were like as it had been birds
and made full great joy. And methought that an ancient man that was
with Her, told me that My Lady had lost no whit of her maidenhood for
the Child. Well pleased was I the while this thing lasted me. It
seemed me that I saw it like as I do you. Thereafter, methought I saw
a Man bound to a stake, in whom was great sweetness and humility, and
an evil folk beat Him with scourges and rods right cruelly, so that the
blood ran down thereof. They would have no mercy on Him. Of this
might I not hold myself but that I wept for pity of Him. Therewithal I
awoke and marvelled much whence it should come and what it might be.
But in anyway it pleased me much that I had seen it. It seemed me
after this, that I saw the same Man that had been bound to the stake
set upon a cross, and nailed thereon right grievously and smitten in
the side with a spear, whereof had I such great pity that needs must I
weep of the sore pain that I saw Him suffer. I saw the Lady at the
feet of the cross, and knew her again that I had seen delivered of the
Child, but none might set in writing the great dole that she made. On
the other side of the cross was a man that seemed not joyful, but he
recomforted the Lady the fairest he might. And another folk were there
that collected His blood in a most holy Vessel that one of them held
for it."