king Dauids messenger when hee sent to demaund her consent vnto him in marriage shee sayde vnto this Prince Embassadour Behold the handmaid of my Lord bee it done to me according to thy word Her consent obtained the Embassadour gaue her a farewell mixed with such ioy and reuerence as if hee had beene loth to detract time to be gone with so great good newes and yet could not but stay a while to doe his dutie but being of that agility that hee could passe so much space in a moment as is betwixt heauen and earth dispatched himselfe wirh that speede that in a trice hee both encreased a ioy in the place where hee was began another in the place from whence hee came Whereupon Loue who is impatient of delaye caused him from whom as well as from his father proceed infinit loue with all his might to pursue this matter the wole Trinitie working miraculously in the wombe of the Virgin gathering of her most pure bloud together framed therof in one instant a perfect body no sooner could that body enioy the soule which was created for it then the emperor his son vnited the whole vnto him a work as worthy praise as wonder so wonderful as reason hauing tyeâ—d it selfe in discourse of this worke leaueth off beginneth to do nothing but wonder for which cause one among the rest being wearied with ouer much musing began to refresh himselfe a little with his Muses In this maner Whom earth the sea the heauens doe worship praise adore King of this threefolde frame the wombe of Marie bore To whom Moone sunne and all do seruice in their turnes Chast bowels be are with fall of grace which from heauen comes Blessed such a mother within whose wombe is closde Her heauenly maker holding from being losde With ease the world and blest for that she had receiude By angels mouth addrest a message she belieude That she conceiuing by the helpe of holy Ghost He should within her lie Whom Gentils wished most But although others lost themselues in the consideration of this diuine mysterie the Virgin no doubt was so perfectly instructed in it that shee sound as much knowledge as she had felt comfort and her comfort was the more because her knowledge was so great and remembring that the higher shee was in calling the more lowly best beseemed her to bee in her carriage shee did alwayes with most humble thoughts attend vpon high conceits neither thinking at any time too well of herselfe for that shee should mother so worthy a prince nor yet so vnwary as to giue any cause why from thence forth hee should disdaine her to bee his mother Among other her comforts she remembred what the Embassador had said vnto her of her cosen Elizabeth whome before shee loued but now she longed to see and if the wayes presented themselues in her imagination very long her desire looked to bee preferred which was in heart also very great and the time of the yeare being both fit and pleasant to trauel in enuited her ernestly to the iorney to a citie called Hebron in the mountaines of Iuda liing southward from Ierusalem 22. miles one of the most famous cities in Palestina for antiquitie and of greatest renown because it was sometime the kings seat The inhabitants of this place were sometime such men or rather monsters as neither eye coulde without horrour beholde nor eare without feare heare speake here was Dauid who slew Goliah the Giant in a single combat with his sling annointed king and ruled all Israell by the space of seauen yeares a place also for this cause had in reuerence by all the worlde for that Adam the first parent of all mankind here is said to haue forsooke the world here also was Iacob the great Patriarke buried his father Isaack who was miraculously in this place coÌ„ceiued by Sara when shee was by natures course past childbearing from hence Abraham issued with 318. of his men and ioyned with him the 3. brethreÌ„ maÌ„bre who gaue name to the valley ioyning vnto it Aner and Escoll pursuing 4. kings conquerors ouerthrew them neare vnto mount Libanus and broght back all the spoile which they had taken out of the richest part of the country and was here also afterward buried A place notoriously 〈◊〉 froÌ„ the beginning of the world with an oak which continued there 400. years after the incarnation of the young prince we spake of it was one of the 46. cities which were allotted vnto the priests to dwel in Hether hastened the virgin if not so well accompayned as noble welthie parents could send their only daughter aswel for her gard as theit own credite yet neither was it likely she wold caresly of her selfe haue strayed so far alone nor her parents suffer her to go without some company being so far froÌ„ the basest blood in Palestina as they were of the best none of the poorest who coulde spare vnto the temple one third part of what they had an other to relieue the poore but her chiefest gard was inuisible and therefore it was inuincible for if euer any princes with child trauelling was choisely attended on least any hurt should befal vnto her or vnto that shee wente with much more was shee and euery thing so well ordered as she neither felt any inconuenience in long vneasie wayes being a yong maiden nor found any 〈◊〉 in her iorney by her burden being lately become a mother for it is not to be thoght that he which came to bring ease for his enemies would breede any paine in his best friendes But no sooner had shee set fooâ—e into her cosens house and saluted her but the child within her cosens wombe be wrayed who shee was and Elizabeth by diuine instinct cried out with a loud voice beginning where the Prince Embassador had ended his salutation and saide vnto her Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe whence is this to mee that the mother of my Lord doth come vnto mee for beholde as the voice of thy salutation sounded in myne eares the infant in my wombe did leape for ioy blessed art thou which didst belieue because those things shall be accomplished which were spoken vnto thee by our Lord. The sunne although it appeare vnto vs to bee in a cloude because there is a cloude betwixt it and vs is not altogether depriued of his power but giueth some light and by his light life where it lighteth and the sonne of iustice hauing builte his glorious throne in the wombe of a virgin where hee did as it were ascend vppon a thinne cloude shall he lease his vertue and not rather worke not of any necessitie as a natural cause of such like qualited effects but voluntarilie as a liberal and free agent of supernaturall graces How may wee thinke woulde hee draw vnto him if hee were once exalted who drewe so mightilie being imprisoned for
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
comprehended in any place the depth saide it is not in mee and the sea disclaimed it and other places of treasure were altogether vnknown whence then commeth it or what where hath it had it hath beene hidden from mens eyes and the Angels could neuer attaine vnto it Death and destruction said they had heard of it and now that same wisedom which hath been concealed froÌ„ so many is reuealed vnto you yee heard of it in Ephrata imbraced it in Bethleem althogh in so poore an estate as of all his state lines he seemeth to haue nothing remaining but what might moue both him and his to mourning How happie did these princes iudge all those which might dayly attend vpon this young prince whose wisedome might verie well be wondred at although hee had no wordes as also his conquests which afterward hee obtained without any weapons all his lookes and gestures did these princes maâ—ke euery thing they saw and heard impâ—â—ting some maruelous great mysterie and now nothing seemed grieuous vnto them after this long iorney but that they must part from this so much desired companie not because they would but because it was necessarie they should least their too long abode in such a place might cause to soâ—e to open a speech abroade of the prince but determining to take their leaues hauing now done their fealtie vnto a new king of whome they acknowledged they held their kingdomes they were warned in a vision not to goe backe againe to Herod but to returne by some other waye into their countrie not because that Herod should not know of their going but because that Herod knowing the manner of their going which was through such obscure places as manie times they were constrained to lie in the hollowes of mountaines shoulde thinke that these princes had committed some greate follie in comming so farre with such iolitie and triumph to seek a prince which was not to be found and were therefore so ashamed of themselues that they would not be seen again of him nor of any other which see them wheÌ„ they came for it is not credible that three kinges knowne to be in Palestina and whether they went could passe through it with their traine although it were not very great and with their dromedaries Herode not heare of it Herode therefore being thus perswaded of these kings their voyage rested resolued vpon this matter that since they had lost their labour in seeking out the prince to honour him he would not also be laughed at in the like enterprise to murder him Wherefore this iourney of the three kinges was quickly past and Herode well pacified but the kings their guide their offerings the place where and to whom the offeringes were made are briefly recorded for all posteritie to know them by a deuout of the young prince in this Himne O onely Cittie of great worth Bethleem greater then the rest Whose chance it was for to bring forth A heauenly guide of health inflesht Whom shining starre more theÌ„ the sun And of more comely portraicture Doth shew that to the earth is come God in an earthly creature Whom when as that the Magi see Their Easterne presents they vnfold And prostrate offer him on knee Frankencense mirrh princely gold By gold th' acknowledgde him a king A God by their sweet frankencense By mirrh they shewd a mortall thing Vnited was to Gods essence The maiden mother who slept not when shee heard the poore shepheards discourse no doubt was wrathfull at those princes deeds and both marked well the maner of her sonne his disclosing himselfe vnto the world and mused that he would so soone diuulge so secret a word but vnderstanding that the nearest of these princes which came vnto him was a farre dweller she hoped her sonne might be talked of in their countries without any danger therefore she staid the more secâ—rely in her caue vntill her time came to go vnto the temple when both she was expected to be purified and her yong infant to bee presented for the Iewes accounted all women vncleane which according to natures course were deliuered of children either male or female with this difference that of a manchild she remaine vncleane fortie dayes and of a woman-child double so much And God challenged the first begotten among the Iewes to bee his whether it were man or beast which dutie vnto God in diuers times was diuersly performed for at the first euerie manchild did offer sacrifice as appeareth by the historie of Cain and Abell Afterward the first begotten onely as the chiefest was priest and offered for the whole familie but in the family of Iacob who by a supernaturall dispensation got the eldership and the priesthood from his brother Esau the tribe of Leui as the most faithfull to God sufficiently proued in reuenging the wrong done vnto him by those who adored the golden calfe in the desert being accepted and assumpted vnto this dignitie and to serue at the altar without any redemption the rest of the people might according as they were appointed by their law after a presentation made of their first begotten sonne 10. dayes after his birth redeeme him of God for fiue sicles The first breed of beastes such as were not admitted for the sacrifice were to be redeemed by being chaunged for other beastes which were lawfully sacrificed as the first breed of an Asse was redeemed for a sheep and other beastes for a sicle and a halfe and if they were not redeemed they were to bee killed which was freely granted by the consent of all the Iewes in remembrance that God slew the first begotten of the Egiptians both man beast wheÌ„ after many other plagues they wold not suffer the Iewes to depart According vnto this law as also to fulfill the law of purifying women after their deliuerie the maiden mother although she knew both her selfe to be a virgin therfore without need of any such ceremony her son to be the son of God therfore in that respect aswell as for that he opened not his mothers womb not to be subiect vnto that law yet she thought it most fit to present her selfe and her sonne at the temple carrying with her 5. sicles to redeeme her son a paire of yong pigeons or turtles for her own offering for such was the law that who were able should offer a lambe and a turtle or another pigeon and who were not able to buy a lambe should bring a paire of turtles or yong pigeons for old pigeons would not be accepted of nor young turtles because they are not so good as the other and the best were thought bad enough to offer vnto God And in this sort was this offering made The whole lambe if a lambe were offered or one of the turtles or doues if the partie were not able to buy a lambe was consumed with fire in the sacrifice a turtle doue was offered as a sacrifice for sinne for
although his imprisonmente was rather for his owne pleasure then vppon any others compulsion and his keeper such as ioied she had him rather for that perfect loue she did beare vnto him thē for any priuate gain she ment to make of him more then that she might by this meane get him to seale her a patent by which she might be assured she shold loue him and be beloued againe with an enles loue yet was he a prisoner a close prisoner to that end at this time a close prisoner that after once he had gotten liherty he would bring it to passe that no man but by his own falt should die a perpetuall prisoner He drew not as the Adamant stone draweth iron there holdeth it neuer again to banish it neither euer to beter it but he drew as a most pretious stone hewed on t of a rock of infinite vertue without the hands of men bettering euery thing which cōmeth neare vnto it if it be capable of goodnes although it batter that all to pieces where it lighteth if it fal vpon any thing which is brittle It turneth iron into gold and gold into inestimable iewels being able to adde perfection to whatsoeuer is made perfect and by the infusion of a gracious quality to alter the most ramish and hardliest reclamed nature The maiden mother blushed at her cosens words began to muse how she shold come to the knowledge of this secret worke but presently she perceiued that he had told the tales who best might without rebuke iudging it therefore no boot for her to conceale it whē the riddle was so rightly read with a modest downcast of her eyes she acknowledged it therwithal in thanksgiuing vnto him 〈◊〉 whō she had receiued such an especiall grace according vnto the custome of the countrey when any extraordinary cause of ioy was ministred vnto them she brake out into this song My soule doth magnifie my Lord My spirit doth also accord To ioy in God my Sauiour For that he hath regardfully Beheld his maides humilitie Her meek and low behauiour Therefore all generations From this time forth of nations Shall euermore me blessed call For he hath done great things to me Who able is in each degree And holy his name oboue all Whose mercy also doth extend From one to other without end The which of him do stand in feare With power and might of his strong arme He hath disperst them to their harme Who proud loftie minds did beare He hath deposed from their seat Who in their owne conceit were great Exalting humble minds for aye The hungrie he hath fild with good Vnto the rich he gaue no food But sent them all emptie away He hath receiued Israel His child who euer pleasd him well His mercies forgotten neuer As he before had promised Vnto our fathers which are dead Abraham and his seed for euer There was so sweete a consorte in her countenaunce and so exquisite a concorde in her cariage that there was no need of other musicke to grace her song the eare had so full an obiect of her voyce and the eye had wherewith to delight it selfe so sufficiently with her lookes that those which heard her and see her as they had done impiously to haue taken her for a Goddesse so had they done iniuriously if they had taken her for lesse then the mother of God But while she and her cosen entertained inexplicable ioyes by these their mutuall and most kinde greetinges Zacharias came with as hartie although a speechlesse congratulation vnto the blessed virgine and gaue her as friendly a welcome as his dumbnesse would permit him A sharpe pennance did Zacharias endure but it was deserued because hee knewe not how to doe any wrong who enioyned it This Zachartas was a priest and husbande to Elizabeth honoured among the Iewes for his worthinesse and highly esteemed by God for his vertues punished with a momentarie losse because hee was thought worthie of an eternall gaine for while hee ministred in the Temple and made his prayers for a childe vnto him who coulde open the wombe of a barren and aged woman an Angell appeared vnto him at the right hande of the Altar of incense first frighting him with his presence then encouraging him with a friendly message and tolde him that his wife Elizabeth should beare him a sonne whome he should call Iohn in whose natiuitie hee and many other shoulde reioyce with so many circumstances of so great importance that Zacharias thought it a thing impossible Whereuppon the Angell meaning to assure him of his message shewed vnto him that he was Gabriel and sent vnto him from God to tell him these good tidinges but because of his incredulitie hee shoulde remaine dumbe vntill the day came wherein all these things should bee done and therewithall departed from him But Zacharias presently founde by experience the signe was too true which was giuen him of the childbirth for comming abroade among the people who had expected him aboue the vsuall time allotted for that kind of worship hee saluted them with signes not being able to speake vnto them they all vnderstoode that hee had seene some vision This notwithstanding hee continued still in the Temple vntill the dayes of his office were expired for all the Priestes did minister in their turnes which being performed they rested three and twentie weekes before they returned to doe their function This order did king Dauid institute to auoyde a confusion likely to growe among them by reason of the multitude of them for sending for all the priestes which were in his time and finding foure and twentie principall families he appointed that euerie familie should serue in the temple in their seuerall weeke the order to be euer after kept according to the lots then presently to be cast which course also the Leuites obserued which serued the priests and because Zacharias was the chiefe priest of his family many call him absolutely the high priest wheras among them were 23. more of equall dignitie no one of them greater then an other as appeareth by that no one of them was preferred before the other but euerie familie serued in the temple according as their lot fell vnto them and Zacharias was of the familie of Abias to whom fell the eight lot but aboue all these was one chiefe priest to whome onely belonged the chiefest office in the temple which was to enter into the holyest part thereof and this was but once in the yeare that is to say the tenth day of their seuenth moneth they accounted the first for the most part part of our March and part of Aprill the length of their moneth to the first appearing of the new moone The high Priest when he entred that place put on a paire of breeches made with twisted silke for when the law ws first giuen men did weare no breeches and they were so made for strength but they were of most pure white silke