nd the master of the house giveth his beast
meat, and, when he may, he sendeth it home to the same place that it
came from.

And such a house was, before the birth of Christ, in the place where
Christ was born; but, about the time of the Nativity, that house was all
destroyed, insomuch that there was nothing left but broken walls on
every side, and a little cave under earth, and a little unthrifty house
before the cave: and there men sold bread on the same ground; for it is
the usage in all that country that all the bread that is sold shall be
brought unto a certain place.

Now when Octavianus had sent out a commandment as it is aforesaid, then
went Joseph and Mary riding on an ass, late in the eventide, toward the
city of Bethlehem, and because they came so late, and all places were
occupied with pilgrims and other men, and also because they came in poor
array and went about the city, none would receive them, and specially,
men say, because that Mary, a young woman, sitting upon an ass, heavy
and sorry, and full weary of the way, was near to the time of bearing of
her child. Then Joseph led his wife into this shed that none took keep
of, down into the little dark house, and there our Lord, Jesus Christ,
the same night was born of the Virgin, without any disease or sorrow of
her body, for salvation of all mankind.

And in that house, before the cave of old time, was left a manger of the
length of a fathom, made in the wall; and to that same manger was an ox
of a poor man tied, that none might harbor. And beside that ox Joseph
tied his ass, and in that same manger Mary wrapped her blessed Son in
cloths and laid Him on high before the ass and the ox,--for there was
none other place.

And shepherds were fast by in the same country keeping their sheep in
the night, and an angel of Heaven came and stood beside them with a
great light, wherefore they were in much dread. And the angel said to
them, "Be not afraid, for I tell you a great joy that shall be to all
people, for this day is born to us our Lord, Christ, in the city of
David, and this shall be to you a token: Ye shall find a young child
wrapped in cloths and put in a manger." And then suddenly there came a
great multitude of angels of Heaven praising God, who said: "Joy be to
God on high and peace in earth to men of good will."

Now the place where the angel appeared to the shepherds that night when
Christ was born is but half a mile from Bethlehem, and in that s