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quod in lege Mofis præfcriptum eft; fcilicet, Omnis mas adaperiens vulvam fanctus Dei vocabitur.

VI. Viditque illum Simeon fenex inftar columnæ lucis refulgentem, cum diva Maria Virgo, mater ejus, ulnis fuis eum geftaret, magnamque ex ipfo lætitiam perciperet; et circumdabant eum Angeli inftar circuli, celebrantes illum, tanquam fatellites Regi adftantes. Simeon itaque propere

ad divam Mariam accedens, et manus fuas verfus illam extendens, dicebat Domino Chrifto; Nunc, O Domine mi, fervus tuus in pace dimittitur, juxta verbum tuum; nam viderunt oculi mei mifericordiam tuam, quam parafti ad falutem omnium gentium; lucem omnibus populis, et gloriam populo tuo Ifraeli. Aderat quoque Hanna prophetiffa, et accedens, Deo gratias agebat, Dominamque Mariam felicem prædicabat.

VII. Et factum eft, cum natus effet Dominus Jefus Bethlehemi urbe Judex, tempore Herodis Regis; ecce! magi venerunt ex Oriente Hierofolymas, quemadmodum

the requirement of the law of Mofes, viz. that every male which opens the womb shall be called holy unto God.

VI. At that time old Simeon faw him fhining as a pillar of light, when St. Mary the Virgin, his mother, carried him in her arms, and was filled with the greatest pleafure at the fight. And the Angels ftood around him, adoring him, as a King's guards ftand around him. Then Simeon going near to St. Mary, and stretching forth his hands towards her, said to the Lord Christ, Now, O my Lord, thy fervant fhall depart in peace,according to thy Word; for mine eyes have feen thy mercy, which thou hast prepared for the falvation of all nations; a light to all people, and the glory of thy people Ifrael. Hanna the Prophetess was also present, and drawing near, fhe gave praises to God, and celebrated the happiness of Mary.

VII. And it came to pass, when the Lord Jefus was born at Bethlehem, a city of Judæa, in the time of Herod the King; the wife men came from the Eaft to Jerufalem, according

prædixerat Zoradafcht (Zoroafter), erantque cum ipfis munera, aurum, thus, et myrrha, et adoraverunt eum, fuaque ipfi munera obtulerunt. Tunc Domina Maria fumfit unam ex illis tæniis (quibus involutus erat infans) eamque loco benedictionis illis tradidit; quam ipfi, tanquam munus præclariffimum ab ea acceperunt. Eademque hora apparuit illis Angelus in forma ftellæ illius, quæ antea dux itineris ipfis fuerat, cujus lucis ductum fecuti abierunt, donec in patriam fuam rever

terentur.

VIII. Aderant autem reges et principes illorum rogantes, ecquidnam vidiffent aut egiffent? Quomodo iviffent ac rediviffent? Quos tandem itineris comites habuiffent? Hi vero protulerunt illis fafciam iftam, quam diva Maria ipfis tradiderat; quapropter celebrarunt feftum, ignemque pro more fuo fuccenderunt, eumque adoraverunt, et fafciam iftam in illum conjecerunt, corripuitque eam ignis, et in sese comprehendit. Extincto autem igne, fafciam extraxe

according to the prophecy of Zoradafcht (Zoroafter), and brought with them offerings, viz. gold, frankincenfe and myrrh, and worshipped him, and offered to him their gifts. Then the Lady Mary took one of his swaddling-clothes (in which the infant was wrapped), and gave it to them instead of a bleffing, which they received from her as a moft noble prefent. And at the fame time there appeared to them an Angel in the form of that ftar which had before been their guide in their journey; the light of which they followed till they returned into their own country.

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VIII. On their return their kings and princes came to them, enquiring, What they had feen and done? What fort of journey and return they had? What company they had on the road? But they produced the fwaddling-cloth which St. Mary had given to them, on account of which they kept a feast; and having, according to the custom of their country, made a fire, they worshipped it, and cafting the fwaddling-cloth into it, the fire took it, and kept it; and when the fire was put

out,

runt illæfam, ac fi ignis eam non attigiffet; itaque cœperunt illam ofculari, capitibufque fuis et oculis imponere, dicentes, Hæc fane indubitata eft veritas! utique magna res eft, quod ignis comburere il lam aut perdere nequiverit. Inde fumferunt eam, et magna cum veneratione in thefauris fuis repofuerunt.

IX. Herodes autem videns magos cunctari, nec ad sese reverti, accerfivit facerdotes et fapientes, et dixit illis; Docete me ubi nafciturus fit Chriftus: cumque illi refpondiffent, Bethlehemi urbe Judeæ, cœpit animo volvere cædem Domini Jefu Chrifti. Tunc apparuit Angelus Domini Jofepho in fomnis, dixitque, Surge, accipe puerum et matrem ejus, et abi in Ægyptum, fub galli cantum; itaque furrexit, et profectus

eft.

X. Cumque reputaret fecum, quale futurum effet iter fuum, fupervenit ipfi aurora, ruperatque defatigatio itineris fellæ cingulum. Jamque appropinquabat urbi magnæ in

out, they took forth the swaddling-cloth unhurt, as much as if the fire had not touched it. Then they began to kifs it, and put it upon their heads, and their eyes, faying, This is certainly an undoubted truth, and it is really furprifing that the fire could not burn it, and confume it. Then they took it, and with the greatest refpect laid it up among their treasures.

IX. But Herod perceiving that the wife men did delay, and not return to him, called together the priests and wife men, and faid, Tell me in what place the Christ should be born? And when they replied, In Bethlehem, a city of Judæa; he began to contrive in his own mind the death of the Lord Jefus Christ. But an Angel of the Lord appeared to Jofeph in his fleep, and faid, Arife, take the child and his mother, and go into Egypt as foon as the cock crows. So he arose, and went.

X. And as he was confidering with himself about his journey, the morning came upon him. In the length of the journey the girts of the faddle broke. And now he drew near to a great city, in

qua idolum erat, cui reliqua Egypti idola et numina munera et vota offerebant: aderatque huic idolo facerdos miniftrans ipfi, qui, quotiefcunque Satanas ex idolo ifto loqueretur, incolis Ægypti et plagarum ejus illa referebat. Erat huic facerdoti filius triennis a magna Dæmonum multitudine obseffus, qui plurima loquebatur et proferebat; et cum corriperent illum Dæmones, laceratis veftibus fuis nudus obambulabat, et homines lapidibus petebat. In vicinia autem iftius idoli erat nofocomium illius urbis, quam cum ingreffi effent Jofephus et diva Maria, et nofocomium iftud divertiffent, valde confternati funt cives ejus, conveneruntque omnes principes et facerdotes idolorum ad idolum illud, rogantes, Ecquænam eft ifta confternatio et trepidatio, quæ regionem noftram invafit? Refpondit eis idolum, Appulit huc Deus ignotus, qui revera eft Deus, neque quif quam præter illum divino cultu dignus eft, quoniam revera eft filius Dei; ejus ad famam hæc regio contremuit, ejufque adventu commota eft

And

which there was an idol, to which the other idols and gods of Egypt brought their offerings and vows. there was by this idol a priest miniftering to it, who, as often as Satan fpake out of that idol, related the things he faid to the inhabitants of Egypt, and thofe countries. This priest had a fon three years old, who was poffeffed with a great multitude of Devils, who uttered many (ftrange) things; and when the Devils feized him, walked about naked, with his clothes torn, throwing ftones at those whom he faw. Near to that idol was the inn of the city, into which when Jofeph and St. Mary were come, and had turned into that inn, all the inhabitants of the city were astonished, and all the magiftrates and priefts of the idols aflembled before that idol, and made enquiry there, faying, What means all this confternation and dread, which has fallen upon all our country? The idol anfwered them, The unknown God is come hither, who is truly God; nor is there any one befides him, who is worthy of divine worship; for he is truly the Son of God.

At the fame of him this country trembled, and at his coming it

et concuffa, et nos a magnitudine imperii ejus valde timemus. Eademque hora idolum hoc corruit, et ad ruinam ejus, præter cæteros, omnes Ægypti incolæ con

currerunt".

XI. Filius autem facerdotis, cum folitus illum morbus invaderet, nofocomium ingreffus, Jofephum ibi et divam Mariam offendit; quos cæteri omnes fuga deferuerant; et quoniam diva Domina Maria laverat fafcias Domini Chrifti, eafque in tigillo fufpenderat, puer ifte Dæmoniacus unam harum fasciarum detraxit, eamque capiti fuo impofuit, ftatimque Dæmones ex ore ipfius egredi, et corvorum et ferpentum figura fugere cœperunt. Extempore igitur imperio Domini Chrifti fanatus eft puer, et Domino, qui ipfum fanaverat, laudes canere et gratias agere cœpit. Quem cum fanitati priftinæ reftitutum pater cerneret, Mi fili, inquit, quid tibi accidit? et qua ratione fanatus es? refpondit filius, Cum agitarent

is under the prefent commotion and confternation, and we ourfelves are affrighted by the greatness of his power. And at the fame inftant this idol fell down, and at his fall all the inhabitants of Egypt, befides others, ran together.

XI. But the fon of the priest, when his usual disorder came upon him, going into the inn, found there Jofeph and St. Mary, whom all the reft had left behind and forfook; and when the lady St. Mary had washed the swaddling-clothes of the Lord Chrift, and hanged them out to dry upon a poft, the boy poffeffed with the Devil took down one of them, and put it upon his head, and presently the Devils began to come out of his mouth, and fly away in the fhapes of crows and ferpents. From that time the boy was healed by the power of the Lord Chrift, and he began to fing praises, and give thanks to the Lord who had healed him. When his father faw him restored to his former state of health, he faid, My fon, what has happened to thee, and by what

means wert thou cured? The fon anfwered, When the Devils

a See above, Ch. XXII. of this Part.

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