Such a day we shall have the conception of our Lady, the which day Holy Church maketh mention of the conception of her for three special points: for her father's holiness, for her mother's goodness, and for her own chosen meekness.
She had a father that was called Joachim, that was of such holiness that, when he was fifteen years old, he gave away all his goods in three parts: one to widows and fatherless children and others that were poor and needy, the other part to them that serve God both day and night in the temple, and the third part he kept to his own household. And when he was twenty years old, because of the great goodness that he heard and knew by Saint Anne, he wedded her. And they were together twenty years, during which time Anne never displeased him by night or day because of the great gentleness that was with her But although they were both good and holy, God gave them no fruit of her body, but instead were both barren. Wherefore they made a vow to God: that if he would give them a child, they would offer it in the temple to serve God both day and night.
Then one day, as Joachim, along with his neighbors, went to the temple to do his offering, the bishop, that is Issacar, rebuked him openly and said, "Joachim," quoth he, "it is not for you, that art barren, to offer in company with others that God hath given fruit in Israel." Then was Joachim so ashamed with this rebuke that he went home weeping, and privately took his shepherds with his sheep and went forth far into the country among the hills, and planned to live there all the days of his life and never again to see Anne, his wife.
Then was Anne sorry and prayed to God and said thus: "Lord, I am woeful because I am barren and may have no fruit, and now, more mine husband is gone from me, though I am not a widow. Lord, have mercy of me!" Then, as she prayed thus, an angel came to her and comforted her and said, "Anne, be of good comfort--thou shall have a child, one that there was never the like of, nor ever shall be." Then was Anne frightened of this angel's words and of the sight of him, and lay all day in her prayers as though she were dead.
Then went this same angel to Joachim and said the same words, and bade him take a lamb and offer it to God in sacrifice, which he did. And when he had so done, from midday until evensong he lay upon the earth in his prayers, thanking God with all his might. Then on the morrow, as the angel bade him, he went homeward softly with his sheep. And when he was almost home, the angel came to Anne and bade her go to the gate that was called the golden gate and meet her husband there. Then was she glad, and took her maidens with her went thither, and met there with Joachim her husband and said, "Lord, I thank thee highly, for I was a widow and now I am a wife; I was barren and now I shall have a child; I was in woe and weeping and now I shall be in joy and liking." and so conceived our Lady. And when she was born, she was called Marya, as the angel bade before.
Then after she was weaned, they brought her to the temple and left her among other maidens to serve God day and night, then was she so meek among all other virgins in all her doing that other virgins called her Queen of Maidens, so that yet she is the meekest saint in heaven and most ready always to help all that call to her in need.
I read that there was a lord that had a penny-reeve (tax collector?), the which had gathered his lord's rent and went to take it to him. Then were thieves waiting for him in a wood that he must needs go through. But when he came into the wood, he remembered that he had not said Our Lady's psalm, that he was wont to say each day. Then anon he kneeled down and began to say it. Then anon came our Lady, like a fairy maiden, to set a garland on his head, and at each "Ave" she put a rose in the garland, that shone as bright as a star. So by that by the time he was finished, the garland was so bright that all the wood shone thereof. Thus, when he had finished, he kissed the earth and continued on his way. Then were the thieves ready and brought him to their master, that had seen all that had happened. Then said the thief to him: "I know that thou art that lord's servant and have his money with thee, but tell me what woman that was that set this garland on thy head?" "Forsooth," he said, "I saw no woman nor have no garland that I know of. But I had forgotten to say Our Lady's psalm and was in dread, so I kneeled down and said it, praying to her to help me at my need." Then said the thief, "For her love, now go thy way and pray for us." and so he went his way safe and sound because of the succor of our Lady.
But now shalt thou all hear how this feast was first founded. There was in England a king called William Conqueror. He sent the abbot of Ramesey to the king of Denmark with a message. But when he was in the sea, there came a darkness upon him and such a tempest with it, that he and all that were with him would have been spilled into the sea. Then each man prayed piously to diverse saints of heaven to help and succor them in their great need. Then as the abbot prayed devoutly to God, there came to him a fair man and said to him thus: "If thou wilt hallow the conception of our Lady, that is the second day after Saint Nycholas day, she will succor thee and all that are with thee in this need." "Sire," he said, "With full good will, if thou wouldst tell me what shall be the service of this feast." Then said he: "The same as thou doest for her nativity, save turn 'nativity' into 'conception.'" "Full gladly," said he, "it shall thus be done." And then anon the tempest ceased and the weather cleared. He went forth and delivered his message, and came again to speed well in all his doing. And when he had told the king of this vision, the king had it preached in all the realm, and so was it hallowed in the Holy Church.
Also there was a secular canon that went over a water so that he may do adultery. As he was in a boat, he began to say matins of our Lady. While he said the inuitatorium, Ave Maria, the devil cast him down and drowned him and had him to pain. Then our Lady came and said, "Why have you taken this man?" they said, he was in our service. Our lady said, "Nay, he was in the hour of my office," and anon restored him to life, and bade him that he should nevermore do adultery, and also hallow her conception, and so he did and was a full good man after.
Also I read that there was a cleric that every day would say matins and service of our Layd. It fell that by counsel of his friends, he took a wife. And when he should be wedded he had a mind that he had not said the service of our Lady that day, and he made all that were there to go out of the church. And when they were gone, he kneeled and said his service until he came to the song: "Quam pulcra es et quam decora. Then our Lady appeared to him and said, "While thou sayest that I am fair and honest, why will thou leave me and take another?" Then anon he said, "Lady, what will you that I should do?" "She said, "That thou wilt leave thy fleshly wife and serve my Son and me, I will be thy purpose and thou shall have with my son a crown in the kingdom of heaven. And also that thou will celebrate the feast of my conception."
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