rophesied of the Star that should betoken
the coming of Christ, all the great lords and all the other people of
Ind and in the East desired greatly to see the Star of which he spake,
and gave gifts to the keepers of the hill of Vaws, and moreover hired
them with great rewards, that, if it so were, they saw by day or by
night, far or near, any light or any star in the air other than was seen
beforetime, anon they should show and send them word. And thus was it
that for so long a time the fame of this Star was borne through all the
lands of the East; until, of the name of the hill of Vaws, arose up a
worshipful and a great kindred in Ind, which is called the progeny of
Vaws even unto this day; and there is not a more mighty kindred in all
the kingdoms of the East; for this worshipful kindred came first from
the King's blood that was named Melchior, that offered gold to our Lord,
as ye shall hereafter learn.

In the year of our Lord 1200, when the city of Acon, that in this
country is called Akers, flourished and stood in virtue, joy, and
prosperity, and was inhabited richly with worshipful princes, and
lords, and divers orders of men of religion, and all manner of men of
all nations and tongues, so that there was no city like unto it in
nobility and might; then, because of its great name and of the marvels
that were there, the greatest of birth that were of the progeny of Vaws
came out of Ind unto Acon; and when they saw there all things more
wonderful than in Ind; then, because of delight, they abode there and
made a fair and strong castle for any king or lord. And they brought
with them out of the East many rich and wonderful ornaments and jewels.
And among all other jewels, they brought a diadem of gold arrayed with
precious stones and pearls, and about its edge stood letters of
Chaldaic, and a star made like after the Star that appeared to the Three
Kings of the East when they sought God, with a sign of the cross,
beside. And that diadem was Melchior's, the king of Nubia and of Araby,
that offered gold to the Babe in the manger. And afterward the master of
the Order of Templars received this same diadem of gold and many other
precious jewels; but when that Order was destroyed the diadem and
precious ornaments were lost, and have never been found unto this day.
Wherefore there was great sorrow made in all the country for a long time
after.

But these same princes of Vaws brought with them out of Ind books
written in