Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/23

  And wynnyn us welthe withoutyn wene,
            In hevyn to abyde.
They xal prophecye of a mayde,
Alle ffendys of here xal be affrayde,
Here sone xal save us, be not dismayde,
  With hese woundys wyde.

Tertius vexillator.

Of the grete bushop Abyacar,
  The tende pagent xal be without lesyng,
The whiche comaundyth men to be war,
  And brynge here douteres to dew weddyng;
Alle that ben xiiij. ȝere and more,
  To maryage he byddyth hem bryng,
Wherevyr thei be, he chargyth sore,
  That thei not ffayle for no lettyng,
      The lawe byddyth so serteyn than.
Than Joachym and Anne so mylde,
Thei brynge forthe Mary that blyssyd chylde,
But she wold not be defylyde,
      With spot nor wem of man.

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."