[There the Shepherds sing again:]
Down from heaven, from heaven so high,
Of angels there came a great company,
With mirth, and joy, and great solemnity
They sang, Terli, terlow;
So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.
[The two prophets come in.
1st Prophet. Novellis, novellis,[232] of wonderful marvellys,[233]
Were high and sweet unto the hearing,
As Scripture tellis, these strange novellis
To you I bring.
2nd Prophet. Now, heartily, sir, I desire to know,
If it would please you for to show,
Of what manner a thing?
1st Prophet. Were it mystical unto your hearing,--
Of the nativity of a king?
2nd Prophet. Of a king?
Whence should he come?
1st Prophet. From that region royal and mighty mansion,
The seed celestial and heavenly wisdom,
The Second Person, and God's one Son,
For our sake is man become.
This godly sphere, descended here,
Into a virgin clear,
She undefiled,
By whose work, obscure our frail nature
Is now beguiled.
2nd Prophet. Why, hath she a child?
1st Prophet. Ah, trust it well,
And never the less,
Yet is she a maid even as she was,
And her son the king of Israel.