Note: I am beginning to think that John Mirk was unfamiliar with the tenets of Islam. Some good stuff about why he believes Christ came to earth as a child.
Good Christian men, as you see and hear, this day all Holy Church maketh melody and mirth in mind of the blessed birth of our Lord Jesus, very God and man, that was this day born of his mother Saint Mary in great help and succor to all mankind, but especially for three causes: for to give peace to men of good will, for to enlighten them that have poor vision, and for to draw us with love to him.
Then, as to the first cause, that he was born to give peace to men of good will, I may prove thus. For when he was born, angels sang thus: "Gloria in excelsis Deo', that is to say: joy be to God that is high in heaven and peace be in earth to men of good will. At midnight Christ was born, for then all things by kind taketh rest in showing that he is prince of peace and was come to make peace between God and man, between angel and man, and between man and man.
He made peace between God and man. Wherefore to be a true mediator tween them too, he took the form of both and was very God and man, and by his mediation he knit the love of God to man so sadly that the father of heaven spared him not that was his own Son, but sent him to [geynbye] man with is holy blood and bring him by way of meekness again to the joy of paradise that man lost by greed and pride. Thus he maketh peace betwixt God and man.
He maketh peace between angel and man. For when angels saw that their Lord was wroth with man for his unbuxomness (selfishness), they were also wroth with him, for unbuxomness is a sin that angels hate highly. Wherefore they guarded the gates of paradise and let no soul in until they saw their Lord born into mankind. Then anon for love of their Lord they did worship man and speak lovingly to the poor shepherds that kept their sheep in the country nearby, and bade them go into the city of Bethlehem, for there they should find a child born and laid in a creche that they may do him worship, and so they did, that ever after angels have been friends and servants to all good men and women, and all in reverence of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus he made peace between angel and man.
He made also peace betwixt man and man. For again the time that he would be born, he made so great peace in all the world that, whereas before all kingdoms and countries that were in discord with each other, in his time of birth was so great peace that one man, that was called Octavian, was emperor of Rome and had the governance of all the world--for all the world was subject to the emperor of Rome--and had been so thirty winters, insomuch that then was sent out a mandate unto all the world, commanding that each should go to the city from which his lineage came to lay a penny upon his head and so offer it up to acknowledge that he was subject to the emperor of Rome.
Then must Joseph, our Lady's husband, need to to the city of Bethlehem for to offer up his money with other men. But because he had no money, he took an ox with him for to sell there, and for to make him money of. But because he dared not leave our Lady behind, for she was so nigh the time of birth, he set her upon an ass and took her with him. But when they came into the city, it was so full of people that they could find no harbor, but turned into a cave that was betwixt two houses, where men set their [kapulus] when they came to the market, and they found there a creche with hay and fed their ox and ass there.
Then a little before midnight our Lady bade Joseph go and get her midwives so that she may deliver. But while he was in the town after midwives, our Lady was delivered and wrapped her Son in clothes and laid him in the creche before the ox and the ass. And they anon knew their Lord and fell down on knees and worshipped him and ate no more of the hay. That same time, as men in the country labored at the plough, oxen spoke to the ploughmen and said thus: "[Sedus] shall increase and men shall decrease."
Then soon after came Joseph with two midwives, Jebel and Salome. But when Jebel found wlel that our lady was yet a clean maiden, she cried anon and said, "A maiden hath born a child!" Then the other, Salome, would not believe her but instead boisterously handled our Lady, and therewith anon her hands shriveled up. Then came there an angel and bade her touch the child and she should be whole, this she did and was whole. Then went Joseph and did his offering with other men and kept our Lady in that same cabin while she was in childbed. Thus [mowen] understand how God speaketh peace to them that are men and women of good will and calleth them his children.
In verifying of this thing, the first mass that is sung this day is said soon after midnight and beginneth thus: Dominus dixit ad me, filius meus es tu-- God said to me: thou art my son. God calleth him his son that liveth here in peace and rest, and when he parteth from this world, he will bring him to the peace that ever shall last, and those that will have no peace here, they shall go heathen to everlasting woe. Thus Christ giveth peace.
He lightest also those that have poor sight. Hereby, good men, ye shall understand that Christ healeth not only then that were blind in body but many more that were blind in soul and encumbered with the darkness of sinful living. For as Saint Augustine sayeth, when Christ should be born, the world was so full of darkness of sin, and namely the sin of lechery and of sin against nature, that he had almost laughed to have been born of mankind. Wherefore that night that Christ was born, all that did sin against nature did suddenly in all the world, in showing how horrible sin is before God [enon]. Then those with poor vision and had great need to be lightened that had ever before had heart only to sin. Wherefore Christ was born at midnight and turned the darkness of night into daylight, showing that then was born the son of righteousness and come for to lighten all that were encumbered with darkness of sin.
Also that same time that he was born, as many doctors say, Christ appeared in a bright star to three kings in the east and bad them go to Bethlehem and worship there a child that should be king of Jews that was born, and they so did, following the star until they came thither. Thus he lighted them that before looked full ill, for before they were pagans and lived on Mohametry (Islam) and false gods, but after they lived on Christ and were holy livers and now live at Coleyne.
Thus the birth of Christ maketh to see full well that before those with poor vision. For he with poor vision that hath always thought only on his good and on the world's worship, for these maketh a man blind, so that he forgetteth his God and hath no lust to desire the richness of heaven nor to see the light that is there, but such maketh his own good his God, and his merriment also. When, when Christ was born to destroy such Mohametry, when that Herod pursued him and would have slain him, his mother bore him into the land of Egypt. ANd when he came thither, anon all the Mohametans that were in the land, they fell down to the ground, because they understood that he was come into this world that should cast down Mohametry from men's hearts, and covetousness of good and of the world's worship and pomp and pride. He himself was Lord of all Lords, he was born full poorly, and of a poor maiden, and in a poor place, and full poorly clothed, giving example to all men to set naught by worldly richness nor by the pride of this world. For have a man never so much good nor never so much worship, here he findeth it and here he believeth it. Thus Christ, by miracles that he showed in his birth, he lighteth many within henceforth, that were fully blind before.
In token of this, the second mass of this day is said at the dawn when night and day parteth, the which mass beginneth thus: Lux fulgebit hodie super nos-- light shall shine thus day upon us. For the Father of heaven sendeth grace of spiritual light upon all men that believeth that Christ that was this day born, very God and man, of his mother Mary, very mother and maiden, and setteth naught by the vanity of this world, but setteth all his hope in Christ and in his mother Mary. Thus Christ's birth lighteth many full well that before had poor sight.
Also with love he draws him to us. Children inspire love from folk that see them, and they make folk wish to hear them speak and to play with them. Thus Christ was born a child, the first that ever was born of woman, for to draw mankind's love to him. For while a child is young and without sin, it is more amiable than it is after it comes to a man's age. Thus not only for his beauty, but also for his bounty, each man had better draw near to him and do him worship, as did Octavian the emperor, the which emperor pleased so much the people of his empire of Rome that they would have worshiped him as for God. But then this emperor was wise and knew well that he was but a man, just as other men, and dared not take upon him that name, but sent after Sybil the sage and asked her whether there should be after him any born that should be greater than he. Then Sybil looked in the sun and saw at midday a circle of gold about the sun and in the middle of the circle a wonderfully fair maiden with a child in her arms. And when Sybil had told this to the emperor, she said to him, "This child shall be greater than thou art, or ever were, or ever shall be--therefore do him worship and reverence!" Then the emperor took incense and did sacrifice to him, and charged all men that they should do the same and call that child God and not him. By this example each Christian man and woman should learn to do service and honor this day to this child.
Wherefore the third mass of the day is said at midday, in showing that each man and woman is bound to come and offer in the worship of this child and his mother, and show them servant and subject to him, and acknowledge this child for his God and his Lord. And because each man should do this for love and not for eye, the mass beginneth thus: Puer natus est nobis--A child is born to us. A child, he sayeth, and not a man, so that all men and women for love should have boldness to come to him in such grace. And because he is full of grace and ready to give mercy to them that asketh it meekly with due reverence, he is always ready to give grace and mercy. In token of this thing, that same day that Christ was born in Bethlehem, a well of water in Rome turned to oil and ran so all that day, showing that the well of grace and mercy was born that day that should give grace and mercy to all that would come to him.
Therefore, I read of a woman that was befouled with the sin of lechery and almost fell into despair. For when she thought upon Christ's doom, she knew her guilt and that she would be doomed. When she thought upon the pains of hell, she knew well what [þylk] pains were ordained for such as she was; when she thought on the joys of paradise, she knew that she might not go there, for she was unworthy; when she thought on the passion of Christ, she knew well that she was unkind to him that suffered so much for her. At the last, she thought about how that children do no vengeance but lightly seek peace, though they be worthy. Wherefore she cried to Christ, praying him for his childhood that he would have mercy on her and forgive her her trespass. Then anon she heard a voice on high and said, "Thy trespass is forgiven."
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