FIRST PROPHET. Neither in halls nor yet in bowers Born would He not be, Neither in castles nor yet in towers That seemly were to see; But at His Father's will, The prophecy to fulfil, Betwixt an ox and an ass Jesu, this King, born he was. Heaven He bring us till! SECOND PROPHET. Sir, ah! but when these shepherds had seen him there, Into what place did they repair? FIRST PROPHET. Forth they went and glad they were, Going they did sing; With mirth and solace they made good cheer For joy of that new tiding; And after, as I heard them tell, He rewarded them full well: He grant them heaven therein to dwell; In are they gone with joy and mirth, And their song it is "Noel." _There the prophets goeth forth and_ HEROD _cometh in, and the messenger._ NUNTIUS. Faites paix, dominies, barons de grande renom! Paix, seigneurs, chevaliers de noble puissance! Paix, gentils hommes, compagnons petits et grands! Je vous command de garder, trestous, silence! Paix, tant que votre noble Roi seit ici present! Que nulle personne ici non fasse point de difference, N' ici harde de frapper; mais gardez toute patience,-- Mais gardez [a] votre seigneur toute reverence; Car il est votre Roi tout puissant. Au nom de lui, paix tous! je vous command, Et le roi Herod le grand-diable vous emporte! HEROD. Qui statis in Jude et Rex Israel, And the mightiest conqueror that ever walked on ground; For I am even he that made both heaven and hell, And of my mighty power holdeth up this world round. Magog and Madroke, both them did I confound, And with this bright brand their bones I brake asunder, That all the wide world on those raps did wonder. I am the cause of this great light and thunder; It is through my fury that they such noise doth make. My fearful countenance the clouds so doth encumber That off-times for dread thereof the very earth doth quake. Look, when I with malice this bright brand doth shake, All the whole world from the north to the south I may them destroy with one word of my mouth! To recount unto you mine innumerable substance, That were too much for any tongue to tell; For all the whole Orient is under mine obedience, And prince am I of Purgatory and chief captain of hell; And those tyrannous traitors by force may I compel, Mine enemies to vanquish and even to dust them drive, And with a twinkle of mine eye not one to be left alive. Behold my countenance and my colour, Brighter than the sun in the midst of the day. Where can you have a more greater succour Than to behold my person that is so gay? My falcon and my fashion, with my gorgeous array-- He that had the grace alway thereon to think, Live he might alway without either meat or drink.