Part 4

Then there was rapidly a great increase of people, and very many were turned to evil, and exasperated God with various crimes, and above all with fornication. Then was God so exasperated through the wicked deeds of men that he said, that he repented that he had ever created mankind. Nevertheless, there was one man righteous before God, who was called Noah. Then said God to him, "I will destroy all mankind with water, for their sins, but I will preserve thee alone, and thy wife, and thy three sons, Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, and their three wives; because thou art righteous and acceptable unto me. Make thee now an ark, three hundred fathoms long, and fifty fathoms wide, and thirty fathoms high: roof it all, and smear all the seams with tar, and then go in with thy family. I will gather in to thee of beast-kind and of bird-kind mates of each, that they may hereafter be for foster. I will send a flood over all the earth." {23} He did as God bade him, and God shut them within the ark, and sent rain from heaven forty days together, and opened, to meet it, all the well-springs and water-torrents of the great deep. The flood then waxed and bare up the ark, and it rose above all the hills. Then was everything living drowned, save those who were within the ark, by whom was again established all the earth. Then God promised that he would never again destroy all mankind with water, and said to Noah and to his sons: "I will set my covenant betwixt me and you for this promise: that is, when I overspread the heavens with clouds, then shall be shown my rainbow betwixt the clouds, then will I be mindful of my covenant, that I will not henceforth drown mankind with water." Noah lived in all his life, before the flood and after the flood, nine hundred and fifty years, and then he departed.

Then for some time after the flood there was fear of God among mankind, and there was one language among them all. Then said they among themselves that they would make a city, and a tower within that city, so high that its roof should mount up to heaven: and they begun to work. Then came God thereto, when they were most busily working, and gave to every man who was there a separate speech. Then were there as many languages as there were men, and none of them knew what other said. And they then ceased from the building, and went divers ways over all the earth.

Then afterwards mankind was deceived by the devil, and turned from God's belief, so that they wrought them images, some of gold, some of silver, some also of stones, some of wood, and devised names for them; the names of those men who were giants, and evil-doing. Afterwards when they were dead then said the living that they were gods, and worshipped them, and offered sacrifices to them; and the devils then came to their images, and dwelt therein, and spake to men as though they were gods; and the deceived human race fell on their knees to {25} those images, and said, "Ye are our gods, and we place our belief and our hope in you." Then sprang up this error through all the earth, and the true Creator, who alone is God, was despised and dishonoured. There was, nevertheless, one family which had never bent to any idol, but had ever worshipped the true God. That family sprang from Noah's eldest son, who was called Shem: he lived six hundred years, and his son was called Arphaxad, who lived three hundred and thirty-three years, and his son was called Salah, who lived four hundred and thirty-three years, when he begat a son who was called Eber, from whom sprang the Hebrew people, whom God loved: and from that race came all the patriarchs and prophets, those who announced Christ's advent to this life; that he would be man before the end of this world, for our redemption, he who ever was God with the supreme Father. And for this race God gave and established a law, and he led them over the sea with dry feet, and he fed them forty years with heavenly bread, and wrought many miracles among the people; because he would choose him a mother from this race.

Then at last, when the time came that God had foreseen, he sent his angel Gabriel to a maiden of that race, who was called Mary. Then came the angel to her, and greeted her with God's words, and announced to her, that God's Son should be born of her, without communion of man. And she believed his words, and became with child. When her time was come she brought forth, and continued a maiden. That child is twice born: he is born of the Father in heaven, without any mother, and again, when he became man, he was born of the pure virgin Mary, without any earthly father. God the Father made mankind and all creatures through the Son; and again, when we were fordone, he sent that same Son for our redemption. The holy mother Mary then nourished that child with great veneration, and it waxed, as other children do, without any sin.

{27} He was born without sins, and his life was all without sins. But he wrought no miracles openly ere that he had been thirty years in a state of man: then afterwards he chose to him disciples; first twelve, whom we call apostles, that is messengers: after that he chose seventy-two, who are denominated disciples, that is learners. Then he wrought many miracles, that men might believe that he was God's Child. He turned water to wine, and went over the sea with dry feet, and he stilled the winds by his behest, and he gave to blind men sight, and to the halt and lame a right gait, and to lepers smoothness and health to their bodies; to the dumb he gave power of speech, and hearing to the deaf; to the possessed of devils and the mad he gave sense, and drove away the devils, and every disease he healed; dead men he raised from their sepulchres to life; and taught the people to which he came with great wisdom; and said, that no man might be saved, except he rightly believe in God, and be baptized, and adorn his faith with good works; he eschewed all injustice and all leasings, and taught righteousness and truth.

Then the Jewish people showed great envy of his doctrine, and meditated how they might put him to death. Now was one of the twelve of Christ's companions, who was called Judas, seduced by the instigation of the devil, and he went to the Jewish people, and consulted with them how he might betray Christ unto them. Though all people were gathered together they all might not destroy him, if he himself willed it not; therefore he came to us because he would suffer death for us, and so, by his own death, redeem all mankind who believe from hell's torment. He would not take us forcibly from the devil's power, unless he had forfeited it; but he forfeited it entirely when he whetted and instigated the hearts of the Jewish men to the slaying of Christ. Then Christ consented that the bloodthirsty ones should take him, and bind, and, hung on a cross, slay him. Verily then two believing men honourably buried him; and Christ, in that time, {29} went to hell, and overcame the devil, and took from him Adam and Eve, and their offspring, that portion which had previously been most acceptable to him, and led them to their bodies, and arose from death with that great host on the third day of his passion: then came to his apostles, and comforted them, and for a space of forty days sojourned with them, and repeated the same doctrine which he had before taught them, and bade them go over all the earth, preaching baptism and true faith. Then, on the fortieth day of his resurrection, the Lord ascended to heaven in sight of them all, with the same body in which he had suffered, and sitteth on the right hand of his Father, and governeth all creatures. He hath opened to righteous men the entrance to his kingdom, and those who wholly despise his commandments shall be cast down into hell. Verily he shall come at the end of this world with great majesty, in clouds, and all those who have ever received a soul shall arise from death towards him; and he will then deliver the wicked to the devil, into the eternal fire of hell-torment; the righteous he will lead with him into the kingdom of heaven, in which they shall rule to all eternity.

Men most beloved, consider this discourse, and with great care eschew unrighteousness, and merit with good works the eternal life with God, who alone ruleth to eternity. Amen.

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VIII. K[=L]. JAN.

SERMO DE NATALE DOMINI.

We wylladh to trymminge eowres geleafan eow gereccan thaes Haelendes acennednysse be dhaere godspellican endebyrdnysse: h['u] he on dhysum daegdherlicum daege on sodhre menniscnysse acenned waes on godcundnysse.

Lucas se Godspellere awr['a]t on Cristes b['e]c, thaet on dham {30} timan se Romanisca casere Octauianus sette geb['a]nn, thaet waere on gewritum asett eall ymbhwyrft. Theos towritennys weardh araered fram dham ealdormen Cyrino, of Sirian lande, thaet aelc man ofer-heafod sceolde cennan his gebyrde, and his ['a]re on dhaere byrig the h['e] to gehyrde. Tha ferde Ioseph, Cristes foster-faeder, fram Galileiscum earde, of dhaere byrig Nazaredh, to Iudeiscre byrig, seo waes Dauides, and waes geciged Bethle['e]m, fordhan dhe h['e] waes of Dauides maegdhe, and wolde andettan mid Mar['i]an hire gebyrde, the waes tha g['y]t bearn-eaca. Dha gel['a]mp hit, thadha h['i] on thaere byrig Bethle['e]m w['i]codon, thaet hire tima waes gefylled thaet heo cennan sceolde, and acende dha hyre frumcennedan sunu, and mid cild-cladhum bew['a]nd, and al['e]de thaet cild on heora assena binne, forthan the dhaer naes n['a]n rymet on tham gesthuse. Tha waeron hyrdas on tham earde waciende ofer heora eowede; and efne dha Godes engel st['o]d on emn h['i], and Godes beorhtnys h['i] bescean, and h['i] wurdon micclum afyrhte. Dha cwaedh se Godes engel to dham hyrdum, "Ne ondredadh eow; efne ic eow bodige micelne gefean, the becymdh eallum folce; fordhan the nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre. Ge geseodh this t['a]cen, ge gem['e]tadh thaet cild mid cild-cladhum bewunden, and on binne gel['e]d." Tha faerlice, aefter thaes engles spraece, weardh gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes God herigendra and singendra, "Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bone uoluntatis," thaet is on urum gereorde, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb mannum, tham dhe beodh godes willan." And dha englas dha gewiton of heora gesihdhe to heofonum. Hwaet dha hyrdas tha him betweonan spraecon, "Uton faran to Bethleem, and geseon thaet word the us God aeteowde." H['i] comon dha hraedlice, and gemetton Mar['i]an, and Ioseph, and thaet cild geled on anre binne, swa swa him se engel cydde. Tha hyrdas sodhlice oncneowon be tham worde the him gesaed waes be dham cilde, and ealle wundrodon the thaet gehyrdon, and eac be dham dhe tha hyrdas him s['ae]don. Mar['i]a sodhlice heold ealle thas w['o]rd ar['ae]fniende {32} on hire heortan. Dha gecyrdon tha hyrdas ongean wuldrigende and herigende God on eallum dham dhingum the h['i] gehyrdon and gesawon, swa swa him fram tham engle ges['ae]d waes.

Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ure Haelend, Godes Sunu, euen-ece and gelic his Faeder, sedhe mid him waes aefre buton anginne, gemedemode hine sylfne thaet he wolde on dhisum daegdherlicum daege, for middangeardes alysednysse beon lichamlice acenned of tham maedene Mar['i]an. He is Ealdor and Scyppend ealra g['o]dnyssa and sibbe, and he foresende his acennednysse ungewunelice sibbe, fordhan dhe naefre naes swilc sibb aer tham fyrste on middangearde, swilc swa waes on his gebyrde-tide, swa thaet eall middangeard waes anes mannes rice underdheod, and eal mennisc him anum cynelic gafol ageaf. Witodlice on swa micelre sibbe waes Crist acenned, sedhe is ure sib, forthan dhe h['e] getheodde englas and men to ['a]num hirede, thurh his menniscnysse. H['e] waes acenned on thaes caseres dagum the waes Octauianus geh['a]ten, se gerymde Romana rice to dhan swidhe thaet him eal middangeard to beah, and he waes fordhi Augustus geciged, thaet is ge['y]cende his rice. Se nama gedafenadh tham heofonlican Cyninge Criste, the on his timan acenned waes, sedhe his heofonlice rice geyhte, and dhone hryre, the se feallenda deofol on engla werode gewanode, mid menniscum gecynde eft gefylde. Na thaet ['a]n thaet he dhone lyre anfealdlice gefylde, ac eac swylce micclum geihte. Sodhlice swa micel getel mancynnes becymdh thurh Cristes menniscnysse to engla werodum, swa micel swa on heofonum bel['a]f haligra engla aefter dhaes deofles hryre. Thaes caseres gebann, the het ealne middangeard awritan, getacnode swutellice thaes heofonlican Cyninges daede, the to dhi com on middangeard thaet he of eallum dheodum his gecorenan gegaderode, and heora naman on ecere eadignysse awrite. Theos towritennys asprang fram dham ealdormen Cyrino: Cyrinus is gereht Yrfenuma, and he getacnode Crist, sedhe is sodh yrfenuma thaes ecan Faeder; and he us forgifdh thaet we mid him {34} beon yrfenuman and efenhlyttan his wuldres. Ealle dheoda tha ferdon thaet aelc synderlice be him sylfum cennan sceolde, on dhaere byrig the he to hyrde. Swa swa on dham timan be dhaes caseres gebanne gehwilce aenlipige on heora burgum be him sylfum cendon, swa eac nu us cydhadh l['a]reowas Cristes gebann, thaet we ['u]s gegadrian to his halgan geladhunge, and on dhaere ures geleafan gafol mid estfullum mode him agifan, thaet ure naman beon awritene on lifes bec mid his gecorenum.

Drihten waes acenned on thaere byrig dhe is gehaten Bethleem; fordhan dhe hit waes swa ['ae]r gewitegod thisum wordum, "Thu Bethleem, Iudeisc land, ne eart dhu wacost burga on Iudeiscum ealdrum: sodhlice of dhe cymdh se latteow the gewylt Israhela dheoda." Crist wolde on ytinge beon acenned, to dhi thaet he wurde his ehterum bedigelod. Bethleem is gereht 'Hlaf-h['u]s,' and on hire waes Crist, se sodha hlaf, acenned, the be him sylfum cwaedh, "Ic eom se liflica hl['a]f, the of heofenum ast['a]h, and sedhe of dham hlafe geett ne swylt h['e] on ecnysse." Thaes hlafes we onbyriadh thonne we mid geleafan to husle gadh; fordhan the thaet halige husel is gastlice Cristes lichama; and thurh dhone we beodh alysede fram dham ecan deadhe. Mar['i]a acende dha hire frumcennedan sunu on dhisum andweardan daege, and hine mid cild-cladhum bew['a]nd, and for rymetleaste on anre binne gel['e]de. Naes thaet cild fordhi gecweden hire frumcennede cild swilce heo odher sidhdhan acende, ac fordhi the Crist is frumcenned of manegum gastlicum gebrodhrum. Ealle cristene men sind his gastlican gebrodhra, and h['e] is se frumcenneda, on gife and on godcundnysse ancenned of dham Aelmihtigan Faeder. H['e] waes mid wacum cild-cladhum bewaefed, thaet he ['u]s forgeafe dha undeadlican tunecan, the we forluron on dhaes frumsceapenan mannes forgaegednysse. Se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu, dhe heofenas befon ne mihton, waes geled on nearuwre binne, to dhi thaet he ['u]s fram hellicum nyrwette alysde. Mar['i]a waes dha cuma dhaer, swa swa thaet godspel ['u]s segdh; and for dhaes folces gedhryle waes thaet gesthus dhearle genyrwed.

{36} Se Godes Sunu waes on his gesthuse genyrwed, thaet he us rume wununge on heofonan rice forgife, gif we his willan gehyrsumiadh. Ne bitt h['e] us n['a]nes dhinges to edleane his geswinces, buton ure sawle haelo, thaet we ['u]s sylfe claene and ungewemmede him gegearcian, to blisse and to ecere myrhdhe. Tha hyrdas dhe wacodon ofer heora eowode on Cristes acennednysse, getacnodon dha halgan lareowas on Godes geladhunge, the sind gastlice hyrdas geleaffulra sawla: and se engel cydde Cristes acennednysse hyrdemannum, fordham dhe dhan gastlicum hyrdum, thaet sind lareowas, is swidhost geopenod embe Cristes menniscnysse, thurh boclice lare; and h['i] sceolon gecneordlice heora undertheoddum bodian, thaet thaet him geswutelod is, swa swa dha hyrdas tha heofenlican gesihdhe gew['i]dmaersodan. Tham lareowe gedafenadh thaet h['e] symle wacol sy ofer Godes eowode, thaet se ungesewenlica wulf Godes scep ne tostence.

Gel['o]me wurdon englas mannum aeteowode on dhaere ealdan ['ae], ac hit nis awriten thaet h['i] mid leohte comon, ac se wurdhmynt waes thises daeges maerdhe gehealden, thaet h['i] mid heofenlicum leohte h['i] geswutelodon, dhadha thaet sodhe leoht aspr['a]ng on dheostrum riht gethancodum, se mildheorta and se rihtwisa Drihten. Se engel cwaedh to tham hyrdum, "Ne beo ge afyrhte; efne ic bodige eow micelne gefean, dhe eallum folce becymdh, fordhan the nu to-daeg is acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre." Sodhlice h['e] bodade micelne gefean, sedhe naefre ne geendadh; fordhan the Cristes acennednys gegladode heofenwara, and eordhwara, and helwara. Se engel cwaedh, "Nu to-daeg is eow acenned Haelend Crist on Dauides ceastre:" Rihtlice h['e] cwaedh on daege, and n['a] on nihte, fordhan dhe Crist is se sodha daeg, sedhe todraefde mid his to-cyme ealle nytennysse thaere ealdan nihte, and ealne middangeard mid his gife onlihte. Thaet t['a]cen the se engel dham hyrdum saede we sceolon symle on urum gemynde healdan, and thancian dham Haelende thaet he gemedemode hine sylfne to dhan thaet h['e] daelnimend waere ure deadlicnysse, mid menniscum flaesce befangen, and mid w['a]clicum cild-cladhum bewunden. Tha f['ae]rlice, aefter thaes engles spraece, weardh gesewen micel menigu heofenlices werodes {38} God herigendra and singendra, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb tham mannum the beodh godes willan." An engel bodade tham hyrdum thaes heofonlican Cyninges acennednysse, and dha faerlice wurdon aeteowode fela dhusend engla, thy laes dhe w['ae]re gethuht anes engles ealdordom to hwonlic to swa micelre bodunge: and h['i] ealle samod mid gedremum sange Godes wuldor hleodhrodon, and godum mannum sibbe bodedon, swutellice aeteowiende thaet thurh his acennednysse men beodh gebigede to anes geleafan sibbe, and to wuldre godcundlicere herunge. H['i] sungon, "Sy wuldor Gode on heannyssum, and on eordhan sibb mannum, dham dhe beodh godes willan." Dhas word geswuteliadh thaet dhaer wunadh Godes sibb thaer se goda willa bidh. Eornostlice mancynn haefde ungethwaernysse to englum aer Drihtnes acennednysse; fordhan dhe we waeron thurh synna aelfremede fram Gode; tha wurde we eac aelfremede fram his englum getealde: ac sidhdhan se heofenlica Cyning urne eordhlican lichaman underfeng, sidhdhan gecyrdon his englas to ure sibbe; and dha dhe h['i] aerdhan untrume forsawon, tha hi wurdhiadh nu him to geferum. Witodlice on dhaere ealdan ['ae], Lodh, and Iosue, and gehwilce odhre the englas gesawon, h['i] luton widh heora, and to him gebaedon, and dha englas thaet gedhafodon: ac Iohannes se Godspellere, on dhaere Niwan Gecydhnysse, wolde hine gebiddan to tham engle the him to spraec, tha forwyrnde se engel him dhaes, and cwaedh, "Beheald thaet dhu dhas daede ne d['o]; ic eom dhin efen-dheowa, and dhinra gebrodhra; gebide dhe to Gode anum." Englas gethafodon aer Drihtnes to-cyme thaet mennisce men him to feollon, and aefter his to-cyme thaes forwyrndon; fordhan the h['i] ges['a]won thaet heora Scyppend thaet gecynd underfeng the h['i] aer dhan w['a]clic tealdon, and ne dorston hit forseon on ['u]s, thonne h['i] hit wurdhiadh bufon him sylfum on dham heofonlican Cyninge. Ne h['i] manna geferraedene ne forh['o]giadh, thonne h['i] feallende h['i] to tham menniscum Gode gebiddadh. Nu we sind getealde Godes ceaster-gewaran, and englum gel['i]ce; uton fordhi h['o]gian thaet leahtras us ne totwaemon fram {40} dhisum micclum wurdhmynte. Sodhlice men syndon godas gecigede; heald fordhi, dhu mann, thinne godes wurdhscipe widh leahtras; fordhan the God is geworden mann for dhe.

Tha hyrdas dha spraecon him betweonan, aefter dhaera engla fram-faerelde, "Uton gefaran to Bethle['e]m, and geseon thaet word the geworden is, and God us geswutelode." Eala h['u] rihtlice h['i] andetton thone halgan geleafan mid thisum wordum, "On frymdhe waes w['o]rd, and thaet word waes mid Gode, and thaet w['o]rd waes God"! Word bidh wisdomes geswutelung, and thaet Word, thaet is se Wisdom, is acenned of dham Aelmihtigum Faeder, butan anginne; fordhan dhe h['e] waes aefre God of Gode, Wisdom of dham wisan Faeder. Nis h['e] na geworht, fordhan dhe he is God, and na gesceaft; ac se Aelmihtiga Faeder gesceop thurh dhone Wisdom ealle gesceafta, and hi ealle dhurh thone Halgan Gast gel['i]ffaeste. Ne mihte ure mennisce gecynd Crist on dhaere godcundlican acennednysse geseon; ac thaet ylce Word waes geworden flaesc, and wunode on ['u]s, thaet we hine geseon mihton. Naes thaet Word to flaesce awend, ac hit waes mid menniscum flaesce befangen. Swa swa anra gehwilc manna wunadh on sawle and on lichaman ['a]n mann, swa eac Crist wunadh on godcundnysse and menniscnysse, on ['a]num hade ['a]n Crist. H['i] cwaedon, "Uton geseon thaet word the geworden is," fordhan dhe h['i] ne mihton hit geseon aer dhan dhe hit geflaeschamod waes, and to menn geworden. Nis theahhwaedhre seo godcundnys gemenged to dhaere menniscnysse, ne dhaer nan twaeming nys. We mihton eow secgan ane lytle bysne, gif hit to w['a]clic naere; Sceawa n['u] on anum aege, h['u] thaet hwite ne bidh gemenged to dham geolcan, and bidh hwaedhere ['a]n aeg. Nis eac Cristes godcundnys gerunnen to dhaere menniscnysse, ac he thurhwunadh theah ['a] on ecnysse on anum hade untotwaemed.

Hraedlice dha comon tha hyrdas and gemetton Marian and Ioseph, and thaet cild gel['e]d on dhaere binne. Maria waes be Godes dihte tham rihtwisan Iosepe beweddod, for micclum gebeorge; fordhan dhe hit waes swa gewunelic on Iudeiscre dheode, aefter Moyses ['ae], thaet gif aenig wimman cild haefde {42} butan be rihtre aewe, thaet h['i] man sceolde mid stanum oftorfian. Ac God asende his engel to Iosepe, dha Mar['i]a eacnigende waes, and bead thaet he hire gymene haefde, and thaes cildes foster-faeder waere. Tha waes gedhuht dham Iudeiscum swilce Ioseph thaes cildes faeder waere, ac h['e] naes; fordhan the hit naes nan neod tham Aelmihtigum Scyppende thaet h['e] of w['i]fe acenned waere; ac h['e] genam dha menniscnysse of Mar['i]an innodhe, and forlet h['i] maeden na gewemmed, ac gehalgod thurh his acennednysse. Ne oncneow heo weres gemanan, and heo acende butan sare, and thurhwunadh on maegdhhade. Tha hyrdas gesawon, and oncneowon be dham cilde, swa swa him ges['ae]d waes. Nis nan eadignys butan Godes oncnawennesse, swa swa Crist sylf cwaedh dhadha he us his Faeder betaehte, "Thaet is ece l['i]f, thaet hi dhe oncnawon sodhne God, and dhone dhe thu asendest Haelend Crist." Hwaet dha ealle dha dhe thaet gehyrdon micclum dhaes wundrodon, and be dham dhe dha hyrdas saedon. Mar['i]a sodhlice heold ealle dhas w['o]rd araefniende on hire heortan. Heo nolde widmaersian Cristes digelnesse, ac anbidode odh thaet he sylf thadha he wolde h['i] geopenode. Heo cudhe Godes ['ae], and on dhaera witegena gesetnysse raedde, thaet maeden sceolde God acennan. Tha blissode heo micclum thaet heo hit beon moste. Hit waes gewitegod thaet h['e] on dhaere byrig Bethleem acenned wurde, and heo dhearle wundrode thaet heo aefter dhaere witegunge dhaer acende. Heo gemunde hwaet sum witega cwaedh, "Se oxa oncneow his hlaford, and se assa his hlafordes binne." Tha geseah heo thaet cild licgan on binne, dhaer se oxa and se assa gewunelice fodan secadh. Godes heah-engel Gabrihel bodode Mar['i]an dhaes Haelendes to-cyme on hire innodhe, and heo geseah dha thaet his bodung unleaslice gefylled waes. Dhyllice word Mar['i]a heold araefnigende on hire heortan. And tha hyrdas gecyrdon ongean wuldrigende and herigende God, on eallum dham dhingum dhe h['i] gehyrdon and ges['a]won, swa swa him gesaed waes.

Thyssera dhreora hyrda gemynd is gehaefd be eastan Bethleem ['a]ne mile, on Godes cyrcan geswutelod, tham dhe dha stowe {44} geneosiadh. We sceolon geefenlaecan thysum hyrdum, and wuldrian and h['e]rian urne Drihten on eallum dham dhingum the he for ure lufe gefremode, ['u]s to alysednysse and to ecere blisse, dham sy wuldor and lof mid dham Aelmihtigum Faeder, on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.

DECEMBER XXV.

SERMON ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD.