treasury was opened, but what came first to their hands, for Melchior
took a round apple of gold, as much as a man might hold in his hand, and
thirty gilt pennies, and these he offered to our Lord. Balthazar took
out of his treasury incense; and Jaspar took out myrrh, as it came
first, and that he offered, with weeping and tears.

And the Kings were so aghast and so devout and fervent in their
oblations, that to all the words that Mary said they gave but little
consideration, save only that to every King as he offered his gifts she
bowed down her head meekly, and said, "_Deo gracias_:" that is to say,
"I thank God."

When these three Kings had thus performed their way and will, and done
all things that they came for, then, as mankind asketh and would, they
and all their men and beasts began to eat, and drink, and sleep, and
betook them to rest and sport all that day in Bethlehem. For, as is said
before, they had neither eaten nor drunk during thirteen days. And then
they meekly told to all men in that city how wonderfully the Star had
brought them thither from the furthest part of the world.

Now, as the Evangelist saith: A command came to these Kings in their
sleep that they should not return again to Herod, and so, by another
way, they went home to their kingdoms. But the Star that went before
them, appeared no more. And so these three Kings, that suddenly met
together at the Mount of Calvary, rode home together with great joy and
honor, and rested by the way as men should do.

And they rode through the provinces that Holofernes of old time had
traversed with all his hosts, and the people supposed that Holofernes
had come again, for as they journeyed into any town they were meekly and