## The Nativity and Early Life of Mary

### Publication Statement:

This file is part of the facsimile-edition of the Auchinleck Manuscript was co-edited by Professor David Burnley and Dr Alison Wiggins. The HTML versions of the resource are freely available at http://www.nls.uk/auchinleck/

### Notes:

This manuscript file was originally supplied as nativity.html and the header file was located in heads/nativity_head.html both of which were converted to TEI XML by Dr James Cummings of the Oxford Text Archive. The notes below were taken from the header file and each HTML paragraph placed in a separate note.

Scribe 1

Also known as The Long Life of Christ. 310 long lines. Long-line couplets, written as quatrains, but marked by paraphs as eight-line stanzas in the MS. Apparently copied from a fragment or abandoned with only six lines on f.69v (a catchword indicates no material has been lost from the MS).

Unique copy but a further nine MSS of the South English Nativity of Mary and Christ (part of the South English Legendary) contain closely related texts.

Edition:
O. S. Pickering, The South English Nativity of Mary and Christ, Middle English Texts 1 (Heidelberg: Winter, 1975).

Another edition:
W. B. D. D. Turnbull, Legendae Catholicae (Edinburgh: Edinburgh Printing Company, 1840): 125-164.

Manual II, 405; 551. Index 213, 3997 and 3452.

### Source:

The Auchinleck Manuscript (NLS Adv MS 19.2.1) is one of the National Library of Scotland’s greatest treasures. Produced in London in the 1330s, it provides a unique insight into the English language and literature that Chaucer and his generation grew up with and were influenced by. It acquired its name from its first known owner, Lord Auchinleck, who discovered the manuscript in 1740 and donated it to the precursor of the National Library in 1744.

### The Nativity and Early Life of Mary

Al þat þe prophetes schewed whilom [f.66ra] [Image]
in her prophecie
Al it was off our lord
& of his moder Marie:
Boþe Moyses and Abraham
Jonas & Helye
Dauid & Daniel
& þe holy Geromie.
¶ When men here telle of þing þat þai louen[5]
ioie þai han & blis;
Wiþ swiche a man may wite best
what him leuest is.
ȝif our lord me wil grace sende
to telle ich haue in ouȝt
Of þe most ioie þat euer was
among mankin wrouȝt,
¶ Hou we were al to liue brouȝt
after we were forlore
& hou þat swete Ihesu[10]
on erþe was ybore.
A gode man þat hiȝt Ysakar
what while bi old dawe [ what: t altered from s.]
In Beddelem hadde to douhtern
in þe old lawe.
¶ Þat on was yhoten Anne
þat bar þe maiden Marie,
Þat oþer was Elizabe[t]h moder,
her name was Ismerie.
Elizabeth bar of hir bodi[15]
seyn Jon þe Baptist
& Marie, Anne douhter,
bar swete Ihesu Crist.
¶ A gode man was in Galile
þat hiȝt Joachim.
Schepperd he was & holy man,
Godes grace was wi him.
Þo he was of tventi &#352ere
seynt Anne he nam to wiue.
Þer ner wimen no men in Ier[us]alem[20]
of so clene liue;
¶ Þai deden boþe our lordes Crist
& her gode delen a þre,
Al þat þai hadde fro ȝer to ȝer,
ich man miȝt it se.
Þat o del þai ȝaue to þe temple [f.66rb] [Image]
& to hem þat were þerinne -
Of al þat we teiȝen now to holy chirche
of þat we mow winne -
¶ Þat oþer dele þai ȝaue to pouer men[25]
& to way-fereing also;
Bi þe þridde del þai liueden hemself
Godes seruise to do.
Þer ne were men of Ysrael
þat so miche gode hadden [ne is written supserscript by Scribe 1; so has been added superscript with a caret mark by a later hand]
As Joachim & Anne his wiif
for treuþe þat þai ladden,
¶ For it ferd as it doþ ȝete,
þe men at wilen bring
Holy chirche her riȝtes[30]
her gode schal sprede & spring.
Tventi ȝer in spousehod
togider her liif þai ladden, [ ȝer is written at the end of the line, and its position marked by two parallel strokes.]
Ioachim & Anne his wiif
& no child togider hadden.
¶ Aschamed þai were þerof sore
for hem þouȝt þat þai were
Forȝeten of God forbi al oþer
for þai no child no bere.
Þai bihiȝten God ȝif þat he wold[35]
ani child hem sende
Þat þai it wold to Godes seruise
oblisen atte nende.
¶ Ich ȝere as Ioachim
to þe temple he wende
Þre siþes to stable his hest
ȝif God him wald sende
& dede his offrende largeliche
of al þing at he hadde
For schame & for sorwe[40]
Þat no child þai togider nadde.
¶ Þo þai hade tventi ȝer her liif
togider yladde so
Ioachim offred to þe temple
as he was wont to do.
Þe prest þat þe temple wist
put him abac anon
& seyd he nas nouȝt worþi
among gode men to gon
¶ & þat our lord schewed him wel [f.66va] [Image] [45]
when he no þoled nouȝt
Þat ani child as oþer men
were forþ ybrouȝt.
Ioachim was sore aschamed
& went him out onon,
For schame among oþer men
into þe temple no miȝt he gon.
¶ Into ferre cuntre he went
wiþ his schepe, wepeand ful sore;
He no þouȝt nouȝt to þe temple come[50]
no to Anne his wiif no more.
In gret sorwe þer he was
& in care moneþes fiue
Þat he no herd of his frende no word
no of Anne his wiue.
¶ An angel com fram heuen
& badde him be glad & bliþe
& seyd our lord wald him sende [ wald: MS reads ?wild.]
þat he willed after swiþe
& said þat Anne schuld haue[55]
a douhter of him biȝete
To ioie & blis of al þe world
as þe prophetes hadde ywrite.
¶ & in signe þerof he bad him hom gon
& ȝif he it leue nolde
At þe gilden ȝate Anne his wiif
homward ymete he schold.
Ne miȝt Joachim þis yleue
for þai so long childles were
Ac homward he went noþeles,[60]
he no durst elles for fere.
¶ Gret diol made Anne for him
no miȝt no wiman more;
In on erbere sche sat aday
& wepe swiþe sore
& wrong hir honden & cride on Gode
vnder a lorer tre.
As sche loked vpward to Ihesu Crist
þer sche gan yse
¶ A sparuwe nest wiþ ȝong briddes[65]
'Lord, þi nore' sche sede[']
'Ich þing þou sendest ioie bot ous[']
& echeing of her blede.
Ous þou makest joiles [f.66vb] [Image]
þat y no se non oþer so
& wonder me þink, ȝif y durst sigge,
þat þou wilt so do,
¶ When þou binimest me min children
& eke þou hast me binome
Mine hosbond þat mi joie was in.[70]
Y not where he is bicome.'
Þo com an angel to hir
'Doute þe noþing' he sede,[']
'For þat child þou schalt on erþe bere[']
is al bi Godes rede.
¶ Al þe warld schal wonder þerof
& þerof ysaued be.
Bitime þou schalt þe child bere.
Sone þou schalt yse
Oȝain þine husbond, þou schalt wende[75]
& don swiþe wele þi bone;
At þe gilden gate þou schalt him mete,
no com þou neuer so sone.'
¶ Þis wiif leued it nouȝt wel
ac naþeles forþ sche went
Oȝain hir husbond to meten him
as þe angel hir hadde kent.
Þis gode man & his gode wiif
togider þai hem mett
At þe gilden gate wiþ ioie[80]
as þe angel hem hadde sett.
¶ Þai cleppe & kist wiþ ioie ynou&#352,
þe better þai leued anon
To han a child as þe angel seyd,
homward þai gun gon.
Sone þerafter as it bifel
bi woman riȝt kinde
Seynt Anne bar þat swete bern
þat euer worþ in meninge,
¶ Marie þurth whom we ysaued beþ[85]
þat þer were forlore. [ forlore: MS reads fol lore.]
Þe eiȝteþe day of September
þis bern was ybore.
Cristen men þat com seþ þen
of her birþ þe-time nisten nouȝt
Ar now late þurth miracle
þai were þerin ybrouȝt.
An holy man þer was þat ich ȝer [f.67ra] [Image]
gret joie in heuen saye
Fram ȝer to ȝer as it falleþ[90]
in September - our leuedi day.
Our lord he bad, ȝif it were his wille,
he sende him tokeninge þere
Whi more ioie þat ich day
þan in oþer þat in heuen were. [ioie has been added superscript with a caret mark by a later hand]
¶ An angel seyd þat our leuedi
yborn was on þat day
& þerfore was alle þe ioie in heuen
when he þat time ysay.
He badde him sigge in holi chirche[95]
þat men on erþe also
Schuld maken fest in þilke day
as he seiȝe in heuen do.
¶ Holi chirche vnderstode
hir burþe-time first in þis maner.
Telle we now of þe holy liif
þat sche liued here.
Anon as sche was þre ȝer old
as it fel in þe lawe
To þe temple sche was offred[100]
as men dede bi old dawe.
Þo sche bileued hir moder brest
þat sche ne seke no more,
& þan sche was to þe temple come
man miȝt yse Godes ore;
¶ For þer wer fiftene greces ymade
bifor þe heiȝe auter
In honour of þe fiftene salmes
þat ben writen in þe sauter.
Þis ȝong þing com ich grece after oþer[105]
fort hye com vp an heiȝe [ fort: t is superscript.]
As a wiman of gret eld were,
no man no com hir neiȝe.
¶ After fader no moder no biheld sche nouȝt
þo sche vpward steiȝe. [ biheld: held added superscript in later hand.]
Gret wonder hadde of þat ȝong þing
ich man þat it seiȝe.
Chastete sche bihete al hir liif,
ȝif it Godes wille were,
Wiþ oþer maidens in þe temple[110]
sche was ysett to lere.
¶ So reynable & queint sche was [f.67rb] [Image]
of witt & of dede
Þat ich man hadde of so ȝong a þing
wonder & eke drede.
Sche nas neuer sen ones wroþ
no leiȝeand ones gon
No missigge to no man
bot euer more in on.
¶ Sche suewed & span & kembede also[115]
boþe wollen & linne;
Oþer erþelich gode hadde sche non
her liiflade for to winne.
Ich werke-days bi riȝt tides
euen sche deled on þre:
Ich morwe fort vnder were
in her bedes sche wald be,
¶ & fram vnder to mid-ouer-none
to hir werk sche wald sitt,
Weuen or spinne or sewe[120]
gode sche was of witt;
Fort euen sche was in hir beden
wiþ word & wiþ þouȝt.
An angel come to hir eueri day
& fram heuen hir mete brouȝt.
¶ Litel oþer mete men seiȝe hir ete;
ac þat sche wrouȝt wiþ hir hond
Among pouer sche delt it ich del
& liued bi Godes sond.
When sche of ani sike herd telle[125]
anon to hem sche went
& comfort hem & made hem hole
þurth þe (þe) grace þat God hir sent.
¶ In her childhed al þis was
þat ichaue of ytold
For ich godenisse was wiþ hir
boþe ȝong & old.
Þo sche was fourtene ȝer eld
þe bischop of þe lawe
Hete þat ich maiden of hir eld[130]
homward schuld drawe
¶ To taken husbond as it was lawe.
þe maidens euerichone
Were wele of þe hest ypaid
bot Mari hirself alone.
¶ Þo sche was yhote forþ wiþ oþer [f.67va] [Image]
husbond for to take,
'Sir', sche seyd 'what þat lawe wille[']
y nil it nouȝt forsake
¶ Ac mi fader & mi moder bihiȝt for me[135]
þer þat ich were biȝete
Þat y schuld in chastete
al mi liif me wite,
& me self while y was child
bihete mi lord al one
To liue mi liif in chastete
wiouten mannes mone.
¶ Þerfore ich ȝou sigge for soþe
as forþ as is mi wille
Nei man schal y neuer come[140]
mi maidenhed to spille.'
Þe bischop & þis oþer maisters
þat of þe temple were
Of hir word nomen strong conseil
& were in gret fere
¶ For þe boke wil oȝin swiche hest
no man schuld be
& þe lawe wille þat fram spousehod
no maiden no schuld fle.
Her comoun conseil þerof þai nome[145]
& fram day to day were [ comoun: corrected from comaun.]
In bedes to bid our lord þerof
sum tokening sende hem þere.
¶ A voice com fram heuen
& hete men schuld take
Al þe men of Dauid kin
þat were wiþouten make
Þat were of eld to take wiif
& ich of hem þan bere
A bare ȝerd to þe auter[150]
as þe bischop hem schuld lere.
¶ & swiche ȝerd so wald blowe
& a coluer þeron brouȝt
Þat þai bitoken him Mari to spouse
þat þai no lete it nouȝt.
Glad was þe bischop of þe tokening,
anon he lete crie þere
Þat al þat were of Dauid kin
a ȝerd to þe auter bere.
Þo þai were togider ycome [f.67vb] [Image] [155]
& ich hadde ȝerd in hond
An old þer was þat hiȝt Josep,
bihinden he gan stonde.
¶ His vnþonkes he was þider brouȝt,
he no durst elles for fere.
His ȝerde he hidde þo his felawes
her ȝerde to þe auter bere.
Þo was þer non þat was yblowe
Josep þai vnderȝete
Þat he hadde his ȝerde yhidde[160]
& gun him anon to þrete.
¶ Þai made him bere his ȝerde forþ
ouerhouen no miȝt he ben;
Ac þo he to þe auter come
miracle men miȝt ysen:
Wel fair bigan his ȝerd to blowe
þat ere was old & bare
& þeron sat a coluer white -
fair miracle was þare.
¶ Vp þe ȝerde he sat long while[165]
& seþ þen þe folk it seyȝe
Þat it fleiȝe about in þe temple
& seþ þen into heuen on heiȝe.
Þer nas non þat þis seiȝe
þat sore adrad þo nas
& Josep þe old man
ful sori in his hert was.
¶ Þat him was loked þat maiden to haue
aschamed he was sore
'Lokeþ' he seyd 'mi feblelesse[170]
& haþ of me milce & ore.
Nam ich an old man & wiþ children?
mi miȝt is me binome
& sche is a ȝong þing; þerfore it is sinne
make ous togider come.'
¶ 'Josep, nim ȝeme' þe bischop seyd[']
'þat þou þe self no spille [ e: altered from i.] [']
As Datan dede & Abyron
for þai were oȝain Godes wille.'
Þo was Josep sore aferd[175]
& durst nouȝt sigge nay,
For drede of our lordes wreche
he gan to sike sore [ & say written at line end in a later hand.]
¶ 'Oȝaines Godes wille nil y be nouȝt [f.68ra] [Image] [']
ac seþ þen it mot so nede;
Wedden ich hir wille, ac hye schal neuer for me
hir madenhed schede.
Ichil hir wardain ben;
oþer þing no may y do nouȝt
Þat mi sone hir may wedde after me[180]
þat our kinde beþ forþ brouȝt.'
For þe lawe was swiche þan
ȝif a man no miȝt haue child bi his wiue [ his: s is superscript.]
Þat his next kinseman hir wedde schold
anon after his liue,
¶ & so on after oþer of þe blod
þat childer were for ybrouȝt;
Who so non wonne vnworþi he was,
ac now no farþ it so nouȝt.
In swiche atent Josep wedded[185]
is clene maiden þere.
For non oþer þing our lord nould
þat hye vnwedded nere [ were struck through after vnwedded.]
¶ Bot for his moder no schuld asclaunderd be
þat hye wiþ childe vnwedded were.
Þat þe deuel no vnderȝete
þat a maden on erþe ani childe bere,
For ȝif he it hadde ywite or vnderȝete
þat hit hadde ben Godes sone
He wald haue disturbed al þe dede[190]
of his swete passione.
& our lord wold þat his moder were
in þe best stat ynempned, & sede
Of wimen þat þre statiis han,
& þe heiȝt is maidenhed,
¶ Þat oþer heiȝt is spousehod
& þe þridde widowehod is.
Al þre hadde þat swete maiden
þat bar our lord, ywis;
Sche was maiden, wiif, & widowe,[195]
& whoso is non of þe [þre],
Bot sche com to amendement,
no may sche nouȝt his be.
¶ Þo Josep had þe maiden wedde
as it fel in þe lawe
Toward his cuntre Bedelem
sone he gan him drawe
For to bise him of a fair bridale [f.68rb] [Image]
when he hadde wonne wharewiþ
Wiþ his werk & wiþ his craft,[200]
for he was a wriȝt.
¶ Into þe lond of Galile to her frende
our leuedi þo went
As þe bischop of Nazaret,
þer sche was born, hir sent.
For þe miracle þat our lord sent þo [ o: MS reads e.]
þat was for hir spousehod
& fif maidens sche tok of hir eld
wiþ hir to saue hir maidenhod:
¶ Rebecca, & Abigera, Sefor, & Sussanne,[205]
Saele was þe fift yhot
þat schuld hir schilde fra manne.
Þo Marie & þe maidens fiue
togider were ybrouȝt
Þe bischop hem tok werk to wirche
þat þai ner idel nouȝt.
Of .v. þinges he bitauȝt hem werk
as to hem wald bifalle:
Of flex, of silk, of cheisel,
of porpre, & of palle.[210]
¶ Þo þai were wiþ þis werk
to Nazareth ygon
Þai casten lot what maner werk
ich of hem schuld fon.
Þo þe lot bifel to Marie
þe porpre to han on hond
To maken þe veile of þe temple;
þe oþer hadde þerto ond
¶ & seyd 'þou art so litel,
hou is it þe bifalle[215]
Richore werk to werche
& nobler þan we alle?'
So it bifel in her mouþe
in hem þai it gun leden,
'Quen of maidens' þai cleped hir;[']
þai nust hou þai it seden.
Oft þay song þat ich song
as it bi cas fel in her þouȝt;
An angel com & told hem fore
þat soþe it schuld be brouȝt[220]
& seyd her song was prophecie [f.68va] [Image]
þat sche was maidens quen
& þat eue & euer (þe) þe soþnisse
schuld þerof ben ysen.
Þo were þe oþer maiden adredde
lest þai hadde missede,
Þer our leuedi forȝiuenisse
ich after oþer bede.
¶ As Mari is clene þing
an a day a lauor nam [225] [First a is superscript.]
& stode at on welle
þe angel to hir cam
& seyd 'yblisced be þou Marie,
for God þe haþ yseiȝe
His owen woning for to be.
No haue þerof non eiȝe.'
¶ Wiþ þis word he went him forþ
& Mari was in þouȝt
What tiding miȝt be þat
þe angel hadde hir brouȝt.[230]
Into hir chaumber sche went oȝen
in joie & ek in drede
& held hir þerin priueliche
& hir orisouns sede.
Þer after þe þridde day
our lord to hir sent
His archangel Gabriel,
to þis maiden he went
As hye alon in chaumber was
in hir bedes, ywis.[235]
He seyd 'hayl be þou, Marie,
ful of grace.
Our lord wiþ þe is.'
Þer riȝt þe holi gost,
þurth þe angels greteing,
In þat holy maiden aliȝt
for ous of pine to bring.
¶ Þis was þe first dede of ioie
þat in erþe first to ous cam
On seynt Mari day þat falle in Luyde[240]
þat our lord flesche & blod nam.
Wele auȝt men honour þat day
for ilke day, ywis,
Adam our form-fader sinne dede [f.68vb] [Image]
& brouȝt ous out of blis,
In þilke day þe liþer Kaim
Abel his broþer slouȝ,
& on þat day Abraham to Ysac his sone [ þat is written superscript, with a caret marking the insertion point.]
his swerd drouȝ.
In þilke day he liȝt in his swete moder[245]
our lord Ihesu Crist;
In þilke day so was biheueded
seyn Jon þe Baptist;
In þilke day was our lord Crist
don opon þe rode.
Wele ouȝt man honour þat ich day
who so him wele vnderstode.
¶ Of on prophete y wil ȝou telle
þat hiȝt Zakarie.
His wiif hiȝt Elisabeth,[250]
for Godes moder Marie
Was hir cosyn ful neiȝe sib,
for so wiþouten liȝe;
& so we han told biforn
in þis boke tvie.
Zakarie & his wiif
togider þai were long;
Eld þai were & barain,
miȝt þai no child afong.
Ac in þe þrettend ȝer[255]
of Herodes kingdom
Þe archangel Gabriel
to Zakarie com
& seyd his wiif Elisabeth
wiþ child was ybrouȝt.
& Zakarie seyd oȝain to him
'þis no leue y nouȝt.'[']
Wiþ þis word he was doumbe,
his speche was forlorn
Þat he no miȝt niȝene mones speke[260]
er þat þe child was born.
Þo went Marie to Elizabeth
& was wiþ hir mones þre
In þe lond of Jude til sche had child
as þe boke telleþ me.
¶ Þo þis wimen togider com
gret ioie þai made & blis
& ȝete made þe children more [f.69ra] [Image]
in þe moder wombe, ywis.
Þo Elizabeth had child[265]
in on missomeris day,
Zakarie nam a penne
as he specheles lay
& wrot it schuld hot Jon,
& þo he hadde ydo
He bigan to heri Ihesus Crist
& his speche com him to.
Sex mones þerbifore it was
þat Gabriel to Mari went
Þo sche conceiued þat swete bern[270]
as God hir grace sent
Þe angel seyd in his prophecie
þat his sone Jon
Dye schuld ar our lord
& into helle gon
Wiþouten pine & make our lordes way [ lordes: s is written superscript.]
& prechi his cominge
& al þe wise old men
out of helle bring.
¶ Þo þat child was ybore[275]
þe eiȝten day
Þai lete it circumsisen
as it fel in þe lay.
Sone he couþe mannes witt
into wildernisse he gan wende;
Þer he woned forgrowe wiþ mosse
nei to his liues ende.
Anon so Elisabet of childbed aros
Marie þat maiden milde
Went hir hom wel stilleliche,[280]
sche ȝede gret wiþ childe.
Þo our leuedi þurth þe holy gost
gret wiþ child was,
Josep was euer in Bedlem
he nist nouȝt of þat cas.
Aboute his mister & his nedes
niȝe mones he was þere,
In winter he went to his wiif
as it bifel in þe ȝere.
Þo fond he Mari gret wiþ child,[285]
lord, wat him was wo!
'Miscas' he seyd 'ichaue ynouȝ[f.69rb] [Image] [']
þei y no hadde no mo.
Lete me anon, ȝif þi wille,
þe deþ vnderfong,
For better were bitime dye
þan in wo to liue long.'
Þe diol þat þe godeman made
no tong no tel may;
Our leuedi held hir euer stille[290]
þo sche his diol ysay.
¶ Ac þe maidens þat hir felawes were
'sir,' þai seyd 'þin ore.[']
Wiþouten gilt it is & for nouȝt
þat þou carest so sore,
For þi wiif is chaste & gode ynouȝ;
non oþer of hir we nist,
For sche ne spac neuer in priuete
wiþ no man þat we wist.'
'Whi say ȝe so?' seyd Josep[295]
'It may nouȝt so ben.[']
Nis sche now wiþ child gret?
Þe soþe ȝe may sen.'
¶ 'Certes, sir,' þe maidens seyden[']
'when þou it wilt ywiten,[']
In priuete spac neuer man wiþ hir
þat we miȝt vnderȝeten,
Bot þe angel on & þat was oft
ȝif we it durst sigge, ywis.
ȝif sche wiþ child is brouȝt[300]
bi þe angel it is.
'A, waleway!' Josep seyd,[']
'whi wil ȝe me so bitray?[']
Me, sely wreche, for ich am feble
in min old day.
Parauentour in sum angel like
a ȝong man to hir cam
& haþ ybrouȝt hir wiþ childe
& hir maidenhod hir binam.
Allas, allas! Hou schal ich nouþe[305]
to þe temple go?
Þe bischopes & þe prestes hou schal y se?
No wonder þei me be wo.'
Gret diol he made & sore wepe
as we finden in writt.
He þouȝt he wald oway flen [f.69va] [Image]
þat no man schuld it wite.
A niȝt as he awayward was
an angel to him cam
& bad him bileuen al þat diol[310]
þat he to him nam.