exceeding fine They were tyed fast vnder his nauell and reached to his knees then he put on a garment of the same stuffe which was open in the breast and back but to be made fast with hookes of gold the sleeues were straite vnto his armes it reached to his feete without pleite or fold it was girt vnto him next vnto his bodie a little beneath his armepittes with a girdle foure fingers broad but hollow like vnto the skinnes which Snakes doe cast in it were manie flowers and percious stones wrought in red purple skie-coloured and white so liuely as if they had beene set not wrought the ground was white and it hung downe to his feete from the knot where it was tied Vpon his head he wore a Mytre wrought with white silke which was tied behind with a silke ribband that it should not fall off from his heade when he stirred about the sacrifice It was made like vnto a halfe Moone and not so high but that some part of his head was seene toward the crowne and round about it were little ribbandes sowed one part of the one ouer some part of the other but so cunningly as no man could perceyue where the needle was vsed Thus attired did hee goe into that part of the temple which was called the holy of holies with the bloud of a calfe which hee sprinkled vpon the couer of the arch and also the bloud of a Goat Then comming foorth he laid his handes vpon the head of another Goat confessing before God all the sins of the people and praying that the punishment due vnto them might light vpon that Goat he caused it to be caried away into some desart and there to bee left After this ceremonie he put of those vestments and washed himselfe Then was he attyred againe adding to his former ornaments an other coat of sky colour which was made open in the breast in the backe and where the priest was to put foorth his armes without any sleeues and a welt of the same stuffe was sowed round vnto the edges where it was open it reached downe vnto his ancles and was wrought neare vnto the lower part with pomegranates in white red sky-colour and purple silke in such order as betwixt euery pomegranate did hang a little bell of gold to the number as some say of 72. Ouer this coat he wore a garment which came no farther then vnto his middle it hung halfe before and halfe behind it was open in the shoulders but the sleeues were close to his arme and where it was open vnder the arme it was to be fastned by being sowed together or with buttons This kind of garment did not onely Priests and Leuites weare but whosoeuer applied themselues in any peculiar worship of God but with this difference that their garment was onely wrought with silke without any other ornament And that which the high Priest did weare was wrought also with golde and had vpon each shoulder where it was open a precious stone called an Onix which is transparent and of a mixed colour betweene white and redde In these stones were engrauen the names of the twelue sons of Iacob sauing that in place of Leui and Ioseph were two of Iosephs sonnes Ephraim and Manasses for Leui hauing the Priesthoode and offering sacrifice was a sufficient representation of that familie before God for which cause principally were the others engrauen in the stones and to bee worne at that time These stones were set in golde and in place of buttons to close this habit on the shoulders but the stone which was on the right shoulder as often as the high Priest offered sacrifice did aboue his woont and aboue his nature shine so bright that it might bee seene a great way off of which perchaunce the reason may bee because on that shoulder were the names of the sixe eldest among the which was Iudas from whome he should spring who should bee a light to the whole worlde This habite was girt vnto him with a girdle of white silke wrought with diuerse colours and intermingled with golde the edges whereof were conueied into pipes of gold and this also hung down before This habit they called an Ephod and it had a farre more costly ornament fastened vnto it It had a place in the middle of the breast without any worke about a spanne square to supplie which was a peece of the same stuffe double wrought because it shoulde bee of good strength for in it were set twelue precious stones in euery one of which were the twelue names aboue mentioned engrauen they were set three in a ranke so that they made foure rankes in the peece In the first order was setâ—e a Sardius a Topaze and an Emerauld in the second a Carbuncle a Saphire and a Iasper in the thirde an Anthracite an Achate and an Amathist in the fourth a Chrysolite an Onix and a Berill This peece thus beset with precious stones double wrought as is saide for strength because no doubt these stones were very great containing in euerie one of them twelue names was fastened in the breast of the Ephod with foure ringes of golde which were in the foure corners on that side which was next vnto the Ephod in which were also foure other rings of gold to which it was tyed with a skycolour silke lace but in the outside of the peece in the vpper part thereof were two greater ringes of gold one in one corner and another in the other corner through each of which rings went a chaine of gold to the shoulder through hollow pipes of gold and was fastened by both the endes thereof to the vpper part of the Ephod in the backe which for the purpose had twoo hookes of gold sette in it and this little square rich peece they called Rationall wherein they sayd was also put knowledge and truth which was no more then that the Priest putting it on him when he put on the Ephod and demaunding of God the euent of things to come or the truth of things which were doubtfull he was so assisted by Gods goodnesse as he obtained that for which hee prayed and could giue a right iudgement thereof by this also when they went to warres they alwaies knewe what successe they should haue for if they should haue the victorie the precious stones would giue an extraordinary glimse and brightnesse to the great encouragement of the people and although others putting on their Ephod did often demaunde of God the euent of things to come and had aunswere yet none was so particularly ordained for this purpose by God as this neither was there so manifest a certaiuty as was by this for by the glistering of this all the people might also diuine without any doubt of their good or euill successe for which cause the Grecians vsed to call it an Oracle Vpon his head hee wore a mitar like vnto the other but it was couered al ouer with a skie-colour needle-worke
perfection should not only become an obiect to euery mans sense but accounted also as an abiect in euery mans sentence Lament O heauens your losse and earth ioy in your gaine if it bee to be iudged your gaine that he who was begotten a prince in heauen and in al points comparable to the mightiest Emperour should be borne in so poore an estate in earth at hee seemed a companion onely for the meanest begger Princes hauing choise of Pallaces remoue sometime from one vnto an other where they neither brooke the diminishing of their port nor abate the least portion of their pleasure but this Prince hath remooued himselfe from a large stately and a glorious pallace where hee had much companie most noble pure beautifull and sure vnto him vnto a narrow homely and base place where heâ— findeth small companie of such condition but for the most part poore impure deformed and false vnto him He remoued from a pallace at the building whereof was neither any noyse heard of any toole nor any noysomenesse complayned of for any toyle it was with one onely word made and made so firme that vnlesse that word be again vnsayde it is an eternall frame From hence hee remooued not to anie other Pallace any house no not to a poore mans cottage but to a caue not in Babilon not in Rome not in Hierusalem citties famous either for soueraintie or sanctitie no nor in Bethlehem which was the least of a thousande in Iudah but in a rocke without the towne walles â—either as if hee had meant to haue made an escape from the world or else if the world had made a scorne of him The Caruer was iudged passionate who wished his woorke transformed into his owne nature keeping the shape which hee had giuen it Runne Iewes and Gentiles beholde your creature who had power not onelie to wish but also for the loue of you to worke himselfe into your natures which argued a passion of more intention and also of more perfection in that the Caruer wished it more for his owne pleasure then for his workes preferment and what your Creator hath wrought was to his owne paine and onelie for his workes profite for the compassing of which he thought thâ—t this present condition place and companie so fit as hee woulde not haue accepted any other had it beene offered for a more wealthie condition woulde perchaunce haue obtained a more conuenient place and hauing a more conuenient place the virgin must haue had more companie or if she had refused them she would haue incurred a suspition either to haue offended by some shamefull fact or else in tended some crueltie against her selfe and her infant And companie being admitted vnto her labour the midwife at the least if not all the rest woulde haue beene priuie vnto this misterie which was as yet to be kept most secrete For the virgins labour was not such as other womens labourâ— are nor the childe in that maner borne that other childen are for neither did she feele anie pain in her deliuerie nor he leaue lesse integritie in her bodie then hee founde that kinde of paine beeing the rewarde onelie of sinne of which hee acquitte her and corruption of bodie not without concupiscence which neuer was acquainted with her so that in all poynts shee was as pure and perfect a virgin after this natiuitie as shee was the firste day after her owne Such a mother onelie became Gods sonne to haue and such a sonne was none but a uirgin worthie to conceiue So was the Oracle fulfilled which spake of a gate in the East which should euer bee shut through which no man shoulde passe because the Lorde God of Israel had entered by it and it shoulde remaine shut for the Prince who was therein to make his seate and to passe in and our thorow it So was the figure verified which being a bush flaming with fire and not consuming foreshewed a virgin should conceiue a childe in her wombe without any corruption So was the expectation both of heauen and earth in part satisfied because he now beganne to runne his race like a giant although hee seemed but a weake infant who tooke vpon him to right the earths wrongs and to repayre the heauens ruines But the higher powers the heauenly spirits not able to containe themselues from communicating the cause vnto the earth of her ioy which was not more sodaine then secret for no doubt al the world at this time reioyced although they knewe not whereat left theyr Princely pallace for a time and descended into a plaine neere vnto a tower whereabout Iacob once â—ed his sheepe a mile distant from Bethleem where they founde three poore shepheards verie prouidently watching ouer theyr flocke in a field where neither the cattell could lacke meate to fill them nor their keepers foode to refresh them beeing as fertile of Oliues to the ease of the one as it was of grasse to the vse of the other where one of the Princes saluted these shepheards but with a kinde of reuerence vnto that shape for their maister his sake who lately had vouchsafed it and was as perfect in a peasant as in a Prince beside that by their office and abilitie they made the representation of him the more liuely whom they entirely loued but the shepheards perceiuing a light beyond all their night obseruations to shine so bright and in the middest thereof a stately prince such as neither day nor night they had euer seâ—ne the like were so much affrighted therewith that the prince thought it high time to harten them againe and spake vnto in this manner Feare yee not for beholde I bring you newes of great ioy which shal be vnto all people for this day is borne vnto you in the cittie of Dauid a sauiour who is Christ our Lord this is your signe yee shall find the infant wrapped in clothes and laide in a maunger which said he ioyned himselfe vnto the rest of his company and for exceeding great ioy began to sing with them this or the like Canticle Chorus 1. All glorie and praise be to God on high 2. And peace on earth to men of a good will 1. Such glorie as endures eternally 2 Such peace as none but ill wild men can spill 1. Glorie to God the which shall neuer cease And vnto good wild men eternall peace 2. The heauens are full of glorie which is Gods The earth brings peace twixt those which were at ods 1. Glory peace the ornaments of heaueÌ„ The Lord of both to men in earth hath giuen 2. God will this glory shall continue still And peace twixt heauen earth if so meÌ„ wil Chor. 1-2 Glory be to him therfore who made this peace And blessed earth which gaue so good encrease The shepheardes when they had consulted vppon what they had hearde and leene they concluded to goe vnto Bethleem to trie the truth of those their gladde tidinges whether wheÌ„ they were come they
long after it was blowne abroad that such a prince was borne and princes hastened to do their homage An old prophesie was in Arabia that a starre should rise in Iacob and a rod spring in Israel which should both strike the princes of Moab and destroy the sonnes of Seth with many other so great prerogatiues that the prophet sighed to thinke hee should not liue to see it and the king of Moab was frighted fearing that hee had liued to feele it for the Israelites comming out of the desart of Pharan towarde Palestina encamped themselues neere vnto the riuer Iordan so strongly in middle of the Moabites that Balaac the king of Moab had better courage to fight against them with shrewde wordes then with sharpe weapons and therefore vnderstanding that in Mesopotamia was one who did so forspeake people as they neuer after prospered sent speedily vnto him to come and curse the Israelites but Balaam so was the southâ—ayer called being taught before by diuine inspirations when he came to the top of the mountaine from whence Balaac shewed him the Israelites performed what God and the angell had enformed him and to the great preiudise of Balaac king of the Moabites hee pronounced many blessinges ouer the Israelites and prophesied of this yong prince as is before shewed Hereupon Makida the Queene of Sâ—ba Ethiopia Egâ—pt vnderstanding of Salomon his wisdome wealth worthines large dominions came with exceeding great pompe vnto Ierusalem to see him and presented him with 120. talents of gold many iewels and infinite store of frankencense being perswaded that he was the man who was meant by the prophesie in Arabia for Saba was a prouince in the south side of Arabia and tooke the name of Saba grand-child vnto Abraham by Iecsan whom Abraham had by Caethura as also Madian father vnto Epha and others whom he sent away out of Chanaan afterward called Palestina into the East countries as also he sent Ismael whom hee had by Agar southward not suffering any of them to haue part with Isaac in the lande promised vnto him yet did he not send them away emptie handed but bestowed vpon them great riches apparell and iewels which he had taken from the foure kings whom hee conquered in the rescue of his nephew Lot among which giftes some write that Abraham gaue vnto them mirrhe and frankencense not without some misterie then knowne vnto him and now openly shewed by three princes which came out of the East parts at this time vnto Bethleem of Iuda which iourney they did the more willingly take because probablie their ancestors were also Iewes for the Queene of Saba among other great fauours which she receiued of king Salomon was accepted for his wife and returned into her countrey with childe and carried with her twelue thousand Iewes of euerie tribe one thousand and did them that honor that after a while the chiefest in the countrey vaunted that their fathers were Iewes and â—he sonne which she had by Salomon she crowned king surrendering all her dominions vnto him and of that stocke vnto this day as some say remayneth the great monarch of those coastes commonly called Priest Iohn But the principall motiue of these three kinges their voyage was the sight of a starre which did penetrate so farre into their vnderstanding that by that extraordinarie light and what they had by the prophesie they resolued that the prince was now at the last borne of which had beene so great expectation for although they were men of great learning yet could not their skill attaine to the perfect meaning of the star which appeared vnto them without farther helpe then they could haue by Astronomie wonder they might to see so neere vnto them so bright a shining starre because it was much lower then where exhalations fiered doe appeare blasing like starres and comparable with the Sunne for brightnesse as it receyued no light from the Sunne as other starres doe so neyther did the brightnesse of the sunne drowne the clearnesse thereof as it doeth of other starres where it selfe doth shine and the greater might their wonder bee because that all such tokens as were commonly in all other extraordinarie starres or commets to signifie eyther diseases or death were so farre from this starre that it betokened nothing but health and life and that the authour of life had taken vpon him a new kind of life although perchance in some secondarie sort it might also pretend the death of the prince whose life it shewed as may appeare by some of the presentes which the kinges brought who were both warned by this starre to seeke him and warranted to finde him out yet was it no Angell as many haue thought but a starre as much superior to other starres in brightnesse as inferior in bignesse made of some former matter or created of nothing by him to whome all thinges are possible and afterward eyther resolued into that of which it was made or if created for this purpose the cause thereof ceasing the effect came againe to nothing but it kept such a course as the kinges following it were no more subiect to bee deceiued of their purpose then were the Israelites when trauelling from Egipt vnto the lande of promisse they were guided by a cloude which alway went before them in the daye time and a fierie pillar in the night for the starre neuer ceased to shine but to their greater light nor to conduct them but to their greater comfort wherefore not without the prouidence of the stars guide they entred Ierusalem where they were both confirmed in the truth of their former prophesie and comforted with the shortnes of their following iorney but not without the amasing both of Herod and all the cittie because the last thing which the Iewes had done was an oath sworne to accept Herod for their king which althougb hee had laboured both with curtesie and with crueltie for the space of thirty years little more or lesse hee neuer obtained it of the whole countrie vntill this time The three princes as soon as they came into the cittie demaunded boldely what they doubted not euery man knew a kinges seate fitting best a princes birth and such a birth being commonly celebrated with a publike triumph they demaunded for him by his title not knowing as yet his name where is hee who is borne king of the Iewes wee see his starre in the East and are come with presentes to adore him was it then any wonder that Herod was troubled who wrongfully entered into the soueraigntie and the Iewes touched deepelie who had rashly sworne themselues his subiectes the one hauing iust cause to feare that he should be put down as a tyrant and the others no hope but to bee punished as traytors and although Herod coulde haue beene very well contented neuer to haue heard any thing more concerning this matter yet feare in the ende first encreased a desire to know the rest then to deuise some mischiefe fot a
and in the fore-part thereof hung plate of gold somewhat ouer his fordhead tyed with a skie-coloure silke ribband behind his head in which plate of gold were engrauen words of this signification The holy of the Lord but the word which signified the Lord was expressed with these foure caracters by which no man euer knew howe to spell it rightly or at the least were afrayde to speake it yet some presumed to call it Iehouah from this plate backward went rounde about on both sides of his head a triple crowne of golde wrought and embossed much like vnto the Henbane leafe In these ornaments the high Priests offred sacrifice that same day at the altar which stood in the Court which was called the Priestes court and at all other times when they offered sacrifice and the reason why hee did not in this glorious attire enter into the most holy place was because hee entred at that time to sacrifice for the sinnes of the people for which hee went in in a more humble sort and all the people that daye did fast but afterwarde in token of ioy that all were cleansed from their sinnes hee attired himselfe as is declared and proceeded to a second sacrifice in the place where the inferiour Priestes did offer euerie day according to the order taken for the purpose but their ornaments were no other then such as the high Priest did weare when hee entred into the holyest place of all holyes This dayly sacrifice which they offred in the Court was a lambe a yeere olde or vnder which was without spot that is without any deformitie or disease either in skin or limbe with somewhat more then a pecke of flower a pottle of wine and as much of the best oyle and this was offered morning and euening beside all other sacrifices whatsoeuer or whensoeuer they were offered and this was the second office of the Priests in the Temple the third was to change the bread of proposition which stood in the Temple next vnto the Court Westward which was but once in a weeke the fourth was to trimme the lampes in the golden candlesticke in the same place and this was also doone morning and euening The fift was to offer vp incense at the Altar called the Altar of Incense or the golden Altar which stood in the same Temple right before the doore by whâ—ch the high Priest entred into the inmost Temple which office was performed euerie day morning and euening wheâ— Zacharias because he would not beleeue what was sayd vnto him by the Angell was bereaued of the vse of his owne tongue so that the B. virgin might gesse at her welcome onely by the entertainement onely which hee gaue her and was not to looke for any lip-ceremonies of him who could not in that maner bid himselfe welcome but had it not beene that truth could not haue beene contrary to it selfe he who had sette a locke vpon his lips vntil his child should be named would haue giuen Zacharias his tongue as free passage to haue ioyed in his libertie as his heart had often felt paine for his incredulitie and not haue let the father make so many dumbe shewes of his inward griefe who caused both the mother and the son in her wombe to make so many open signes of their vnspeakable mirth but his word being past standeth still for a law yet so farre forth as his lips could doe heartie loues message he omitted not what kinred inuited him vnto and the custome of the countrey allowed him to doe acknowledging that in his mind which he could not vtter as hee would with his mouth and because she was one whose company could not bee too much desired it was no small corasiue vnto him that he could not giue her that entertainement which shee deserued but both hee and his wife did their endeuour to let their guest vnderstand that although neither the place nor the companie were able to giue her condigne entertainement yet that both the place and the companye were at her commaundement and shee as one who had her minde well fraught with hâ—militie thinking too much homage could not bee exhibited vnto her childe nor too little honour vnto her selfe required their forwardnesse with as friendly but humble thankes minding in no one poynt to be wanting vnto her coosens if at any time they should stand in need of her seruice The dayes of her abode with them seemed to them both too short their discourses euery day waxing sweeter then other and the nightes were iudged too long although they promised still they would bee shorter which both cut off their talke too soone and kept them too long asunder hauing very ample and pleasing themes to delate vpon in the day time and nothing but dreames of their day talke in the night time Elizabeth would discourse vnto her coosen how the Angell appeared to Zacharias in the Temple what hee promised and how farre forth his promise was performed with hope that he which punished an others false heart in his tongue would not haue his owne tongue blemished with any falshoode for no doubt Zacharias did seeke by all meanes possible to animate his amated wife when hee sawe her in her dumpes for his dumbnesse and for such cause woulde not sticke to write that at the least in Tables which hee coulde not vtter with his tongue which shee laboured as a most gratefull lesson vntill shee had perfectly learned his fortunate misfortunes and perceyuing howe greatlie his incredulitie had displeased the Angell shee often intimated to her Coosen as at her first meeting howe blessed shee was who had beleeued the Oracle And the virgin when her warrant was sufficiently signed with her coosens silence required her with as straunge a storie in respect of the maner but of a farre more noble pleasaunt and profitable a matter For although her Coosen had supernaturally some notice thereof yet was shee very farre from the knowledge of many circumstances belonging therevnto Entring therefore into the discourse of her annunciation she vsed few wordes as became a Maiden but such as might fitly proceed from the grâ—â—â—est Mation leauing off when shee sawe her time with a full period of her 〈◊〉 speach and giuing a greater appetite of knowing how in the end she sped beside infinite other matters which continually came into her minde both of her sonnes greatnesse in himselfe and his goodnesse toward others for being his mother therefore not without iust cause iudging herselfe to haue the second right in him she thought it fit she should giue place to no more then one in the commendations of him one thing onely seemed to afflict those poore women in the highest of their happinesse that they might talke of perchance and feele but could neither see nor here those sacred babes which made them both so blessed mothers yet did they often embrace and kisse them in their mindes whome they were sure they had inclosed within their sanctified wombs But