two ieprous persons, and I. INFANCY. 18 The people therefore said Without doubt Joseph and Mary, and that boy are Gods, for they do not look like mortals. 19 And when they were making ready to go away, the girl, who had been troubled with the leprosy, came and desired they would permit her to go along with them; so they consented, and the girl went with them till they came to a city, in which was the palace of a great king, and whose house was not far from the inn. 20 Here they staid, and when the girl went one day to the prince's wife, and found her in a Borrowful and mournful condition, she asked her the reason of her tears. 21 She replied, Wonder not at my groans, for I am under a great misfortune, of which I dare not tell any one. 22 But, says the girl, if yon will entrust me with your private grievance, perhaps I may find you a remedy for it. 23 Thou, therefore, says the prince's wife, shalt keep the secret, and not discover it to any one alive! 24 I have been married to this prince, who rules as king over large dominions, and lived long with him, before he had any child by me. 25 At length I conceived by him, but alas! I brought forth a leprous son; which, when he saw, he would not own to be his, but said to me, 26 Either do thou kill him, or send him to some nurse in such a place, that he may be never heard of; and now take care of yourself; I will never see you more. 27 So here I pine, lamenting my wretched and miserable circumstances. Alas, my son! alas, a newly married man my husband! Have I disclosed it to you? 28 The girl replied, I have found a remedy for your disease, which I promise you, for 1 also was leprous, but God hath cleansed me, even he who is called Jesus, the son of the Ladv Mary. 29 The woman inquiring where that God was, whom she spake of, the girl answered, He lodges with you here in the same house. 30 But how can this be? says she; where is he? Behold, replied the girl, Joseph and Mary; and the infant who is with them is called Jesus and it is he who delivered me from my disease and torment. 31 But by what means, says she, were you cleansed from your leprosy? Will you not tell me that? 32 Why not? says the girl; I took the water with which his body had been washed, and poured it upon me, and my leprosy vanished. 33 The prince's wife then arose and entertained them, providing a great feast for Joseph among a large company of men. 34 And the next day took perfumed water to wash the Lord Jesus, afterwards poured the on her son, brought with was instantly leprosy. and same water up whom she had her, and her sou cleansed from his 35 Then she sang thanks and praises unto God, and said, Blessed is the mother that bare thee, O Jesus! 36 Dost thou thus cure men of the same nature with thyself with the water with which thy body is washed? 37 She then offered very large A bewitched young man I. INFANCY. gifts to the Lady Mary, and sent her away with all imaginable respect. THEY HEY came afterwards to another city, and had a mind to lodge there. 2 Accordingly they went to a man's house, who was newly married, but by the influence of sorcerers could not enjoy his wife : 3 But they lodging at his house that night, the man was freed of his disorder: 4 And when they were preparing early in the morning to go, forward on their journey, the new married person hindered them, and provided a noble entertainment for them? 5 But going forward on the morrow, they came to another city, and saw three women going from a certain grave with great weeping. S When St. Mary saw them, she spake to the girl who was their companion, saying, Go and inquire of them, what is the matter with them, and what misfortune has befallen them? 7 When the girl asked them, they made her no answer, but asked her again, Who are ye, and where are ye going? For the day is far spent, and night is at hand. 8 We are travellers, saith the girl, and are seeking for an inn to lodge at. 9 They replied, Go along with us, and lodge with us 10 They then followed them, and were introduced into a new house, well furnished with all sorts of furniture. restored to his shape. 11 It was now winter-time, and the girl went into the parlour where these women were, and found them weeping and lamenting, as before. 12 By them stood a mule, covered over with silk, and an ebony collar hanging down from his neck, whom they kissed, and were feeding. 13 But when the girl said, How handsome, ladies, that mule is! they replied with tears, and said, This mule, which you see, was our brother, born of this same mother as we: 14 For when our father died, and left us a very large estate, and we had only this brother, and we endeavoured to procure him a suitable match, and thought he should be married as other men, some giddy and jealous woman bewitched him without our knowledge. 15 And we, one night, a little before day, while the doors of the house were all fast shut, saw this our brother was changed into a mule, such as you now see him to be: 16 And we, in the melancholy condition in which you see us, having no father to comfort us, have applied to all the wise men, magicians, and diviners in the world, but they have been of no service to us. 17 As often therefore as we find ourselves oppressed with grief, we rise and go with this our mother to our father's tomb, where, when we have cried sufficiently we return home. 18 When the girl had heard this, she said, Take courage, and cease your fears, for you have a remedy for your afflictions near at hand, even among you and in the midst of your house, 19 For I was also leprous; but A bewitched young man I. INFANCY. when I saw this woman, and this little infant with her, whose name is Jesus, I sprinkled my body with the water with which his mother had washed him, and I was presently made well. 20 And I am certain that he is also capable of relieving you under your distress. Wherefore, arise, go to my mistress, Mary, and when you have brought her into your own parlour, disclose to her the secret, at the same time, earnestly beseeching her to compassionate your case. 21 As soon as the women had heard the girl's discourse, they hastened away to the Lady St. Mary, introduced themselves to her, and sitting down before her, they wept. 22 And said, O our Lady St. Mary, pity your handmaids, fcr we have no head of our family, no one older than us; no father, or brother to go in and out before us. 23 But this mule, which you see, was our brother, which some woman by witchcraft have brought into this condition which you see: we therefore entreat you to compassionate us. 24 Hereupon St. Mary was grieved at their case, and taking the Lord Jesus, put him upon the back of the mule. 25 And said to her son, O Jesus Christ, restore (or heal) according to thy extraordinary power this mule, and grant him to have again the shape of a man and a rational creature, as he had formerly. 26 This was scarce said by the Lady St. Mary, but the mule immediately passed into a human form, and became a young man without any deformity. 27 Then he and his mother and the sisters worshipped the Lady St Mary, and lifting the child upon their heads, they restored and married kissed him, and said, Blessed in thy mother, O Jesus, O Saviour of the world! Blessed are the eyes which are so happy as to see thee. 28 Then both the sisters told their mother, saying, Of a truth our brother is restored to his former shape by the help of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the kindness of that girl, who told us of Mary and her son. 29 And inasmuch as our brother is unmarried, it is fit that we marry him to this girl their servant. 30 When they had consulted Mary in this matter, and she had given her consent, they made a splendid wedding for this girl. 31 And so their sorrow being turned into gladness, and their mourning into mirth, they began to rejoice, and to make merry, and sing, being dressed in their richest attire, with bracelets. 32 Afterwards they glorified and praised God, saying, O Jesus son of David who changest sorrow into gladness, and mourning into mirth ! 33 After this Joseph and Mary tarried there ten days, then went away, having received great respect from those people; 34 Who, when they took their leave of them, and returned home, cried, 35 But especially the giri. CHAP. VIII. 1 Joseph and Mary pass through a coun try infested by robbers. 3 Titus, a humane thief, offers Dumachus, his comrade, forty groats to let Joseph and Mary pass unmolested. 6 Jerus prophecies that the thieves, Dumachus and Titus, shall be crucified with hir, and that Titus shall go before him into Paradise. 10 Christ causes a well to spring from a sycamore wee, and Mary washes his coat in it. 11 A bal sum grows there from his sweat. They go to Memphis, where Christ wwks more miracles. Return to Judas. 15 being warned, depart for Nazareth. IN coun N their journey from hence they came into a desert try, and were told it was infested with robbers; so Joseph and St. Mary prepared to pass through it in the night. 2 And as they were going along, behold they saw two robbers asleep in the road, and with them a great number of robbers, who were their confederates, also asleep. 3 The names of these two were Titus and Dumachus; and Titus said to Dumachus, I beseech thee let those persons go along quietly, that our company may not perceive anything of them : 3 But Dumachus refusing, Titus again said, I will give thee forty groats, and as a pledge take my girdle, which he gave him before he had done speaking, that he might not open his mouth, or make a noise. 5 When the Laly St. Mary saw the kindness which this robber did shew them, she said to him, The Lord God will receive thee to his right hand, and grant thee pardon of thy sins. 6 Then the Lord Jesus answered, and said to his mother, When thirty years are expired, O mother, the Jews will crucify me at Jerusalem; 7 And these two thieves shall be with me at the same time upon the cross, Titus ou my right hand, and Dumachus on my left, and from that time Titus shall go before me into paradise: 8 And when she had said,God forbid this should be thy lot, O my son, they went on to a city in which were several idols; which, as soon as they came The sick healed. near to it, was turned into his of sand. 9 Hence they went to that sycamore tree, which is now called Matarea; 10 And in Matarea the Lord Jesus caused a well to spring forth, in which St. Mary washed his coat; 11 And a balsam is produced, or grows, in that country, from the sweat which ran down there from the Lord Jesus. 12 Thence they proceeded to Memphis, and saw Pharoah, and abode three years in Egypt. 13 And the Lord Jesus did very many miracles in Egypt, which are neither to be found in the Gospel of the Infancy nor in the Gospel of Perfection. 14 ¶ At the end of three years he returned out of Egypt, and when he came near to Judæa, Joseph was afraid to enter; 15 For hearing that Herod was dead, and that Archelaus his son reigned in his stead, he was afraid; 16 And when he went to Judan, an angel of God appeared to him, and said, O Joseph, go into the city Nazareth, and abide there.. 17 It is strange indeed that he, who is the Lord of all countries, should be thus carried backward and forward through so many countries. Christ's water cures I. INFANCY. Caleb's miraculous cure. brought, when he was at the point | to give thanks to God for the reof death, to the Lady St. Mary, covery of her son's health, and tell who saw her when she was wash no one what had happened. ing Jesus Christ. 3 Then said the woman, 0 my Lady Mary, look down upon this my son, who is afflicted with most dreadful pains. 4 St. Mary hearing her, said, take a little of that water with which I have washed my son, and sprinkle it upon him. 5 Then she took a little of that water, as St. Mary had commanded, and sprinkled it upon sou, who being wearied with his violent pains, had fallen asleep; and after he had slept a little, awaked perfectly well and re covered. 1 CHAP. X. Two wives of one man, each have a son sick. 2 One of them, named Mary, and whose son's name was Caleb, presents the Virgin with a handsome carpet, and Caleb is cured; but the son of the other wife dies, 4 which occasions difference between the women. 5 The other wife puts Caleb into a hot oven, and he is miraculously preserved; 9 she afterwards throws him into a well, and he is again preserved; 11 his mother appeals to the Virgin against the other wife, 12 whose downfall the Virgin prophecies, 13 and who accordingly falls into the well, 14 therein fulfilling a saying of old. 6 The mother being abundantly glad of this success, went again to St. Mary, and St. Mary said to her, Give praise to God, who | had hath cured this thy son. 7 There was in the same place another woman, a neighbour of her, whose son was now cured. 8 This woman's son was afflicted with the same disease, and his eyes were now almost quite shut, and she was lamenting for him day and night. two wives of one man, who HERE were in the same city each a son sick. One of them was called Mary and her son's name was Caleb. 2 She arose, and taking her son, went to the Lady St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and offered her a very handsome carpet, saying, O iny Lady Mary accept this carpet of me, and instead of it give me a small swaddling cloth. 3 To this Mary agreed, and when the mother of Caleh was gone, she made a coat for her son of the swaddling cloth, put it on him, and his disease was cured; but the son of the other wife 9 The mother of the child which was cured, said to her, Why do you not bring your son to St. Mary, as I brought my son to her, when he was in the agonies of death; and he was cured by that water, with which the body | died. of her son Jesus was washed? 10 When the woman heard her say this, she also went. and having procured the same water, washed her son with it, whereupon his body and his eyes were instantly restored to their former state. 11 And when she brought her son to St. Mary, and opened his case to her, she commanded her 4 Hereupon there arose between them, a difference in doing the business of the family by turns, each her week. 5 And when the turn of Mary the mother of Caleb came, and she was heating the oven to bake bread, and went away to fetch the meal, she left her son Caleb by the oven; 6 Whom, the other wife, her |