Now in the time when Balaam prophesied of
the Star that should betoken the birth of Christ,
all the great lords and the people of Ind and in the
East desired greatly to see this Star of which he
spake; and they gave gifts to the keepers of the
Hill of Vaws, and bade them, if they saw by
night or by day any star in the air, that had not
been seen aforetime, that they, the keepers, should
send anon word to the people of Ind.
And thus was it that for so long a time the fame
of this Star was borne throughout the lands of the
East. And the more the Star was sought for, and
the more its fame increased, so much the more all
the people of the Land of Ind desired to see it.
So they ordained twelve of the wisest and greatest
of the clerks of astronomy, that were in all that
country about, and gave them great hire to keep
watch upon the Hill of Vaws for the Star that was
prophesied of Balaam.
Now, when Christ was born in Bethlehem of
Judea, His Star began to rise in the manner of a
sun, bright shining. It ascended above the Hill of
Vaws, and all that day in the highest air it abode
without moving, insomuch that when the sun
was hot and most high there was no difference in
shining betwixt them.
But when the day of the nativity was passed
the Star ascended up into the firmament, and it
had right many long streaks and beams, more
burning and brighter than a brand of fire; and,
as an eagle flying and beating the air with his
wings, right so the streaks and beams of the Star
stirred about.
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