Cheer after followeth a treatise taken out of a book which sometime Theodosius the Emperor found in Iherusalem in the pretorye of pilate of joseph of Armathy.  

Jesus' nazarenus rex judeorum.   

Jesus' nazarenus rex judeorum.   
FOr asmuch as oftentimes great doubts & doubtful things deceiveth the readers/ therefore all doubts set a part ye shall see divers things extract of the very true & probate assertions of hystoryal men touching and concerning thantiquities of thonourable monastery of our lady in Glastonbury. After the time that our saviour Ihesu christ was put unto death by passion of the cross & all things were fully complete which were written and spoken of him by holy prophecy. That holy man joseph of Armathy came unto pilate and asked of him the body of our saviour Ihesu christ/ when the body was granted to him he wrapped it in a fair white cloth and intered it in a tomb newly made where never man was buried in/ what time the jews had perfit knowledge that this joseph had so worshipfully brought the body of christ in earth/ they thought utterly in their minds and kest so also the means how they might set hands upon him/ & one named Nychodemus and many divers other the which were the very true lovers and just advocates of our saviour fled and kept them secret/ except only the said joseph & Nychodemus which full boldly presented themself & made rehearsal unto the Iewes under these words/ what should move you to be disposed with us for asmuch as we have buried the body of Ihesu christ/ know ye full well said joseph & Nychodemus to the Iewes that ye have misdone against the rightful man/ ye cast ne think not in your minds the great benefits he hath done and showed to you ye have for his great goodness crucified him & with a sharp spear wounded him. The jews hearing those words set hand on joseph and closed him in an house where was no window/ & annas & caiphass sealed the door upon the lock and assigned and deputed cretayne men to keep him and watch him and his fellow Nychodemus was let go at liberty. They entreated joseph so ungodly for as much that he was the man that desired the body of Ihesu christ/ and was the principal mover and beginner that the body was so worshipfully intered & buryed-after this was done upon their sabbat day they gathered them in a company the chief rulers of the temple and cast their minds together how & by what manner of death they might destroy joseph & when they were all in fere Annas and Cayphas were commanded by them to present joseph for as much as they had sealed the door where he was enclosed in & when their seals were broken & the door opened joseph was gone. Than they sent out spies to seek him & finally he was found in his own city called Aramathya/ & when they had ready tidings & perfit knowledge of it/ both chief rulers & all the commonalty of the jews enjoyed greatly & thanked the very god of Israel that it was known where joseph was become which was thus enclosed under keeping ward and custody. Then they gathered in a multitude and they the which were principals and heeds preposing this question and said what means might we find that we might craftily have joseph unto us and so for to speak with him. Then they concluded generally that an epistle should be written unto him/ and this was the effect of the letter. joseph peace be with the and with all thy company. Now we know full well that we have full grievously offended god and thee/ therefore we pray the vouch save too come unto us that we may comen with the for we marvel greatly how thou was taken out of the place in the which thou was put/ we knowledge ourself unto the that we have maligned sore again thee/ wherefore almighty god hath delivered the that our wicked counsel and unhappy mind might not hurt thee/ therefore worshipful joseph which art well beloved among all people/ peace be with the. Then this epistle made and written they chose seven persons among them all which were the best and most singular friends that joseph had & said unto them/ when ye go forth take your way in to Aramathia unto joseph & great him well in our behalf and take unto him this our epistle/ when the seven persons elect & chosen had their full answer with their letter delivered anon they came to the city of Aramathya where joseph was and full lovingly salved him showing their coming & the cause giving unto him the epistle which received them full courteously/ and when he had overloked the letter and knew the effect then he said these words. blessed be my lord god of Israel which hath delivered and saved me that my blood hath not be shed nor I destroyed blessed be my lord god the which hath kept me under his wings. then joseph in token of love & peace kissed the vii persons which were sent in message unto him and full kindly had them into his house. And upon the next day after he took his ass and walking kept them company unto Iherusalem. And when the jews heard of his coming they went against him and in their meeting said with one voice peace be in thy coming father joseph/ and he resaluted them under this manner and said. Peace be with you and among you all and there they kissed him all/ then Nychodemus received him into his house and made him a great dyner/ upon a day when the jews were gathered together Annas and Cayphas said unto joseph/ show thou now before the god of Israel & openly declare unto us such things as we shall examine the of for as much as it is not unknown that we were sore grieved for by cause thou lettest bury the body of Ihesu christ and thereupon we enclosed the in a privy house and the morrow we sent to have spoken with the and might not find thee/ wherefore we marveled greatly and were sore afraid of it how this might be unto this time that we see the now/ therefore whiles thou art present certify us verily how this matter was brought that thou was thus secretly conveyed away. joseph disdained not to give them answer but said unto them boldly. What time ye closed me in that house on godefrydaye the morrow upon which is the sabbate day in the midnight when I was busy in my prayers to desire god to be my help and succour/ suddenly in the mean time the house that I was in was taken up by the four angles. And I saw Jesus' brighter then any light that ever I saw afore and for great fere I fell down to the earth/ then he took me by the hand from the ground and wiped my face with a rose and kissed me and said unto me be not afeard joseph look upon me and know thou full well that I am he. Then looked I up and called him master Helyas supposing that he had been Hely the prophet/ then he spoke unto me and said I am not Hely but I am Jesus' whose boody thou letest be buried/ then for by cause I was somedeal doubtful of it I said unto him if thou be he show me the tomb wherein I laid the. Then he took me by the hand and brought me unto the place where I intered him. Furthermore he showed me the cloth in the which I wrapped his body and also the sudarye that I bound his heed withal. then these things seen I knew well that it was Jesus' and I honoured him as my duty was reciting these words. blessed be he that is come in the name of god. Then he took me by the hand and so led me in mine house in the city of Aramathya & said unto me rest thou here peacybly these forty days go not forth from thy house. And I shall go unto my disciples that hath great lust for to seem. And this said and done. Jesus' vanished away. then after these forty days were hole and fully complete joseph of Aramathya above rehearsed steadfastly fixed his mind in the fervent love of the faith/ gave himself to the discipline and doctrine of saint philip the apostle of our blessed lord Ihesu christ. And when that he was sufficiently instruct in his lore and teaching / both he and his son josephes' received of saint philip the holy sacrament of baptism/ and after that joseph was sent upon a message from saint johan the apostle & evangelist from ephesye unto the glorious mother of Ihesu christ our lady and also after that was present with saint philip and other disciples what time that/ that glorious virgin was assumpt in to heaven. And as many things as ever he heard and saw of our lord Ihesu christ and of his blessed mother our lady saint Mary/ he showed them and preached them in diverse regions and places and converted moche people unto the christian faith and baptized them. And at the last. xv. year after the glorious assumption of our blessed lady he took his son josephes' with him and went to saint philip in to France and consequently as it is written in a book called Graall joseph of Aramathia which buried the body of our lord Ihesu christ after that he was baptized of the holy man saint philip the apostle came in to great britain which was promised to him and his issue & he brought with him his wife and his son josephes' whom our saviour before that time had made a bishop and consecrate him in a city called Sara/ & there came with him two houdred persons of men and women and more/ & the men made a solemn vow for to live chastely from their wives unto the time they had entered in to great britain and all the number broke this vow except. xxxvii. which were commanded by our saviour to pass over the se sailing upon the shirt of josephes' and so came to land upon Ester even in the mornynnge/ the residue of them for as much as they were penitent and sorry for the transgression of their vow at thynstaunceinstance & prayer also of joseph were brought over in a vessel which king Solomon crafrely had made to continue and dure unto Christ's time/ and the same day that their company came unto land upon joseph's shirt they applied unto land in the same vessel which god had provided for them which were guided by a duke of Medor named Natianiis whom joseph baptized before in the city of Sara/ and with them came also the king of the same city called Mordrams to whom almighty god after that appeared & showed to him his side hands & feet perished with the spear and nails/ and when the king Mordrams saw that he was moved with compassion and said. O my lord god what man was so bold and so presumptuous thus to deal with thee/ our saviour answered to him again and said. The false king of North-wales hath this wise done with me which hath put my servant joseph of Aramathya with his company in prison and full unkyndly denieth them their living for by cause they showed & preached my name in his realm/ therefore said almighty god unto mordrams/ gird the with thy sword about thy middle and go with all hast possible unto that parties and take vengeance upon the tyrant & deliver my servants out of prison & danger/ when the king a work of his sleep he was full glade of that vision showed unto him and so set his realm & his household in good way & took a great company with him & took his journey and as god was his guide he came unto the place where the king of North-wales the tyrant was and commanded him he should promit and suffer the servants of almighty god to pass out of prison and to be at liberty/ the tyrant would not in no wise condescend unto king Mordrams' commandment/ but with great indignation charged him shortly without delay to void out of his land when king Mordrams heard this language he came fiercely upon him with his company and with and duke Naciamis above said & with condygne and just vengeance slew him/ then this done king Mordrams went unto the prison where that unhappy king had joseph and his company in hold/ & with great joy brought them forth and showed unto them the vision made unto him of god and their delivering then all they in great mirth thanked god heartily. then king Mordradms gave the realm & king doom of North-wales with the appertenence unto one called Celydomus son unto duke Nacyanus and gave him also to be his wife Label the kings daughter of Persye which Label the said Celydomus with help and succour of his father had before with great difficulty converted unto Crystes saith whose doubt and marvelous acts be written in the books named Grall above rehearsed.  
¶ Thus endeth the life of joseph of Armathy Enpryted at London in Flete street at the sign of the son by me Wynkyn de word.  
  


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