In chastyté that blysful mayde Avowyd there here lyff to lede. Than is the busshop sore dysmayde, And wonderyth sore al of this dede; He knelyd to God, as it is sayde, And prayth than for help and rede. Than seyth an angel, “be not afrayde, Of this dowte take thou no drede, But for the kynrede of Davyd thou sende; Lete hem come with here offryng, And in here handys white ȝerdys brynge, Loke whose ȝerde doth ffloure and sprynge, And he xal wedde that mayden hende.” _Primus vexillator._ In the x.ᵗᵉ pagent, sothe to say, A masangere fforthe is sent; Davydis kynrede without delay They come fful sone with good entent. Whan Joseph offeryd his ȝerde that day, Anon ryth fforth in present The ded styk do floure fful gay, And than Joseph to wedlok went, Ryth as the angel bad. Than he plyth to his wyff, In chastyté to ledyn here lyff, The busshop toke here iij. maydenys ryff, Som comforte there she had. _Secundus vexillator._ In the xj.ᵈᵉ pagent goth Gabryelle, And doth salute oure lady ffre, Than grett with chylde, as I ȝow telle, That blyssyd mayde, forsothe is she. Tho iij. maydenys that with here dwelle, Here gret speche, but noon thei se, Than they suppose that sum angelle, Goddys masangere that it xuld be. And thus The Holy Gost in here is lyth, And Goddys sone in here is pygth, The aungelle doth telle what he xal hyght, And namyth the chylde Jhesus. _Tertius vexillator._ In the xij. pagent, as I ȝow telle, Joseph comyth hom fro fer countré, Oure ladyes wombe with chylde doth swelle, And than Joseph ful hevy is he; He doth forsake here with hert ful felle, Out of countré he gynnyth to fle, He nevyr more thenkyth with here to dwelle, And than oure lady ryth sore wepyth she. An angelle seyd hym ryf, “God is with thi wyff sertayn, Therfore, Joseph, turne hom agayn.” Than is Joseph in herte ful fayn, And goth ageyn onto his wyff. _Primus vexillator._ The xiiij.ᵗᵉ pagent, I sey ȝow be-dene, Xal be of Joseph and mylde Mary, How they were sclawndryd with trey and tene, And to here purgacion thei must hem hy. _Secundus vexillator._ In the xv. pagent shewe we xal, How Joseph went withoute varyauns, ffor mydwyvys to helpe oure lady at alle, Of childe that she had delyverauns. _Tertius vexillator._ In the xvj. pagent Cryst xal be born, Of that joy aungelys xul synge, And telle the shepherdys in that morn The blysseful byrth of that kyng. The shepherdys xal come hym befforn, With reverens and with worchepyng, ffor he xal savyn that was forlorn, And graunt us lyff evyr more lestyng, I-wys. This gle in grythe Is mater of myrthe, Now Crystys byrthe, Bryng us to his blys! _Primus vexillator._