Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/24

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 coinforte 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;