THE FIRST GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST.

FORBIDDEN BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER XII.

A leprous woman healed by Christ's washing water.
7 A princess healed by it and restored to her husband.


AGAIN, there was a leprous
woman who went to the Lady
St. Mary, the mother of Jesus,
and said, O my Lady, help me.

2 St. Mary replied, What help
does thou desire? Is it gold or
silver, or that thy body be cured
of its leprosy?

3 Who, says the woman, can
grant me this?

4 St. Mary replied to her, Wait
a little till I have washed my son
Jesus, and put him to bed.

5 The woman waited, as she
was commanded; and Mary when
she had put Jesus in bed, giving
her the water with which she had
washed his body, said, Take some
of the water, and pour it upon thy
body;

6 Which when she had done,
she instantly became clean, and
praised God, and gave thanks to
him.

7 Then she went away, after
she had abode with her three
days;

8 And going into the city, she
saw a certain prince, who had
married another princes daughter;

9 But when he came to see her,
he perceived between her eyes the
signs of leprosy like a star, and
thereupon declared the marriage
dissolved and void.

10 When the woman saw these
persons in this condition, exceeding
sorrowful, and shedding abundance
of tears, she inquired of them
the reason of their crying;

11 They replied, inquire not
into our circumstances; for we
are not able to declare our
misfortunes to any, person,
whatsoever.

12 But she still pressed and
desired them to communicate their
case to her; intimating, that she
might be able to direct them
to a remedy.

13 So when they showed the young
woman to her, and the signs
of the leprosy, which appeared
between her eyes;

14 She said, I also whom ye
see in this place, was afflicted
with the same distemper, and going
on some business to Bethlehem, I
went into a certain cave, and saw
a woman named Mary, who had a
son called Jesus.

15 She seeing me to be leprous,
was concerned for me, and gave
me some water with which she
had washed her son's body, with
that I sprinkled my body, and
became clean.

16 Then said these women, Will
you Mistress, go along with us,
and show the Lady St. Mary to
us?

17 To which she consenting,
they arose and went to the Lady
St. Mary, taking with them very
noble presents.

18 And when they came in and
offered their presents to her,
they showed the leprous young woman
whom they brought with them to
her.

19 Then said St. Mary, The
mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ
rest upon you;

20 And giving them a little of
that water, with which she had
washed the body of Jesus Christ,
she bade them wash the diseased
person with it, which when they
had done, she was presently
cured;

21 So they, and all who were
present, praised God; and being
filled with joy, they went back to
their own city, and gave praises to
God on that account.

22 Then the prince hearing that
his wife was cured, took her home
and made a second marriage, giving
thanks unto God for the recovery
of his wife's health.

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