Primus vexillator.

The xv.te pagent come kynges iij.,
With gold, myrre, and ffrankynsens,
Kyng Herowdys styward hem doth se,
And bryngyth alle to his presens.
The Kynges of Coleyn with hert ful ffre,
Tolde kyng Herownde here dylygens,
That thei south in that countré

A kyng of kynges, ffrom fere thens
A sterre led hem the way.

The chylde is 3oung and lyth in stalle.
He xal be kyng of kynges alle,
Beffore hym we thynk on kne to ffalle,
And worchep hym this day.

Secundus vexillator.

In the xvj. pagent as wroth as wynde
Is kyng Herownde, the sothe to say,
And cruel knytes and unkende

To sle male chylderyn he sendyth that day.

But Cryst Jhesu thei may not ffynde,

For Joseph hath led that childe away

Unto Egypth, as we have mende,

As angele to Joseph dyd byd and say
In hyзht.

Tho chylderyn that syt in here moderes lap,
To sowkyn ful swetly here moderes pap,
The knythtes do sle hem evyn at a swap,
This is a rewly syth.

Tertius vexillator.

In the xvij. pagent the knythtes, be-dene,
Shulle brynge dede childeryn befor the kyng;
Whan kyng Herownde that syth hath sene,
fful glad he is of here kyllyng.

Than kyng Herownde, withowtyn wene,
Is sett to mete at his lykyng,

In his most pride xal come gret tene,
As 3e xal se at oure pleyng.

His sorwe xal awake;

Whan he is sett at hese most pryde,
Sodeyn deth xal thrylle his syde,

And kylle his knyttes that with hym byde;
The devyl ther soulys xal take.

Primus vexillator.

In the xviij. pagent we must purpose,
To shewe whan Cryst was xij. 3er of age,
How in the temple he dede appose

And answerd doctoris ryth wyse and sage. The blyssyd babe withowte glose,

Overcam olde clerkes with suyche langage, That thei meveylyd, 3e xal suppose,

How that he cam to suche knowlage.
And in this whyle,

Thre days he was oute

ffro his modyr, without doute,

Wepyng she sowth hym rownde aboute

Jherusalem many a myle.

Secundus vexillator.

In the xix. pagent xal seynt Jhon
Baptyse Cryst, as I 30w say,

In the watyr of flom Jordone,

With which devys, as we best may,

The Holy Gost xal ovyr hym on,

The ffaderes voys xal be herd that day,

Out of hevyn that blisful trone,

The fadyr xal be herd, this is no nay,
And forth with pleyn.

The Holy Gost xal be hys gyde

Into desert therin to abyde,

X1." days a terme ful wyde,

And xl." nyghtes to faste serteyn.

Tertius vexillator.

In the xx." pagent alle the develys of helle,
They gadere a parlement, as 3e xal se,
They have grete doute the trewth to telle,
Of Cryst Jhesu whath he xulde be.
They sende Sathan, that ffynde so ffelle,
Cryst for to tempte in fele degré :
We xal 30w shewe, if ze wyl dwelle,
How Cryst was temptyd in synnys thre
Of the deyvl Sathane;

And how Cryst answeryd onto alle,
And made the ffende awey to falle,

As we best may this shewe we xalle,
grace of God and man.

Thorwe

Primus vexillator.

The xxj." pagent of a woman xal be,
The whiche was take in adultrye
The Pharysewys ffalsed ther 3e xal se,
Cryst to convycte how they were slye.
They conseyvyd this sotylté,

Yf Cryst this woman dede dampne trewly, Ageyn his prechyng than dede he,

Whiche was of peté and of mercy;
And yf he dede here save,

Than were he a3ens Moyses lawe,

That byddyth with stonys she xulde be slawe,

Thus they thowth undyr ther awe

Cryst Jhesu ffor to have.

Secundus vexillator.

The grettest meracle that evyr Jhesus
In erthe wrouth beforn his passyon,
In xxij." pagent we purpose us

To shewe in dede the declaracion.
That pagent xal be of Lazarus,
In whos place and habytacion

Cryst was logyd, the Gospel seyth thus,
And ofte tymes toke ther consolacion.
But 3yt

Lazarus, as I 30w say,

Was iiij. days ded and beryed in clay,

ffrom deth to lyve the iiij. day,

Cryst reysed hym ffrom that pyt.

Tertius vexillator.

In the xxiij." pagent, Palme Sunday,
In pley we purpose ffor to shewe,

How chylderyn of Ebrew with ffloures ful gay,
The
wey that Cryst went thei gun to strewe.

Primus vexillator.

In the xxiiij." pagent, as that we may,
Cryst and his apostelys alle on rewe,
The mawnde of God ther xal they play,
And sone declare it with wordys ffewe.
And than

Judas that fals traytour,

ffor xxx." platys of werdly tresour,

Xal betray oure Savyour

To the Jewys certan.

Secundus vexillator.

ffor grevous peyn, this is no les,

In the xxv." pagent, Cryst xal pray

To the fadyr of hevyn that peyn for to ses,
His shamful deth to put away.
Judas that traytour, befor gret pres,

Xal kys his mouthe and hym betray,
Alle his dyscyples than do dyscres,

And forsake Cryst, the sothe to say, ffor doute thei do hem hede.

Hese dyscyplys alle everychone

Do renne awey and leve hym alone,
They lete hym stondyn amonge his ffon,
And ronne away ffor drede.

Tertius vexillator.

Than in the xxvj." pagent,

To Cayphas Cryst xal be brouth,
Tho Jewys fful redy ther xul be bent,
Cryst to acuse with worde and thouth.
Seynt Petyr doth folwe with good intent,
To se with Cryst what xuld be wrouth;
ffor Crystes dyscyple whan he is hent,

Thryes he doth swere he knew hym nowth,-
A kok xal crowe and crye;

Than doth Petyr gret sorwe make,

ffor he his lord thus dede forsake,

But God to grace hym sone doth take,
Whan he doth aske mercye.

Primus vexillator.

In the xxvij. pagent, sere Pylat

Is sett in sete as hy justyce;

Whan he is set in his astat,

Thre thevys be brout of synful gyse,

And Cryst that lovyd nevyr stryff nor bat,

But trewthe and goodnesse on every wyse,