Efne ða Godes engel, æfter Herodes deaðe, æteowode Iosepe on swefnum, on Egypta lande, þus cweðende, "Arís, and nim þæt cild and his moder samod, and gewend ongean to Israhela lande; soðlice hí sind forðfarene, ðaðe ymbe þæs cildes feorh syrwdon." Hé ða arás, swa swa se engel him bebead, and ferode þæt cild mid þære meder to Israhela lande. Þa gefrán Ioseph þæt Archelaus rixode on Iudea lande, æfter his fæder Herode, and ne dorste his neawiste genealæcan. Þa wearð he eft on swefne gemynegod þæt he to Galilea gewende, forðan ðe se eard næs ealles swa gehende þam cyninge, þeah ðe hit his rice wære. Þæt cild ða eardode on þære byrig þe is gehaten Nazareth, þæt seo wítegung wære gefylled, þe cwæð, þæt he sceolde beon Nazarenisc geciged. Se engel cwæð to Iosepe, "Þa sind forðfarene, þe embe ðæs cildes feorh syrwdon." Mid þam worde he geswutelode þæt má ðæra Iudeiscra ealdra embe Cristes cwale smeadon; ac him getimode swiðe rihtlice þæt hí mid heora arleasan hlaforde ealle forwurdon. Nelle we ðas race na leng teon, þylæs ðe hit eow æðryt þince; ac biddað eow þingunge æt þysum unscæððigum martyrum. Hi sind ða ðe Criste folgiað on hwitum gyrlum, {90} swa hwider swa hé gæð; and hí standað ætforan his ðrymsetle, butan ælcere gewemmednysse, hæbbende heora palmtwigu on handa, and singað þone niwan lofsang, þam Ælmihtigan to wurðmynte, seþe leofað and rixað á butan ende. Amen. DECEMBER XXVIII. THE NATIVITY OF THE INNOCENTS. Now to-day God's church throughout all the globe celebrates the festival of the blessed children whom the cruel Herod, on account of the birth of Christ, slew in impious persecution, as the evangelical narrative manifestly makes known to us.