Commentary on the Eastern Wise-Men Travelling to Bethlehem Guided by a Star to See the Little Jesus in a Manger

Commentary on the Eastern wise-men travelling to Bethlehem guided by a star to see the little Jesus in a manger

Mat Chap 2
1 Three pedlars Trav’ling to a fair,
2 To see the fun of what was there,
3 and sell their merchandise —
4 They stopt upon the road to chat,
5 Refresh and ask of this or that,
6 that they might be more wise —
7 And pray the Landlord said to them,
8 where go ye sirs? To Bethlehem,
9 the Citizens replied
10 ye are merchants sirs to them said he,
11 we are replied the pedlars three:
12 and Eastern men beside,
13 And pray what have ye in your sacks,
14 If worth the while, I will go snacks?
15 To them Quoth Major Domo,
16 we’ve buttons, buckles, spectacles,
17 and every thing a merchant sells
18 replied the travelling trio.
19 These things are very well said he,
20 For beaux, and those who cannot see,
21 Much further than their knuckles,
22 But Bethlehem fairs’ for boys & girls,
23 who never think of spectacles,
24 and cannot buy your buckles.
25 I have a pack of Toys Quoth he,
26 A Travelling merchant left with me,
27 who could not pay his score.
28 And you shall have them on condition,
29 You sell them at a cheap commission,
30 and make the money sure.
31 There’s one of us will stay in pawn,
32 Until the other two return,
33 If you suspect our faith said they,
34 The Landlord thot this was a plan,
35 to leave upon his hands the man,
36 and therefore he said nay.
37 They truck’d however for the pack
38 which one of them took on his back;
39 and off the merchants travell’d
40 and here the tale, the apostles told,
41 of wise men and, their gifts of gold,
42 will fully be unravell’d.
43 The star in the East, that shin’d so bright,
44 as might be see both day and night,
45 If you will credit them;
46 It was no other than a sign,
47 To a public House, where pedlars dine;
48 In East street Bethlehem.
49 The wise men were those pedlars three,
50 As you, and all the world may see,
51 By reading to the end;
52 For commentators have mistook,
53 In paraphrasing of a Book,
54 They did not understand.
55 Our Travellers coming to the House,
56 Scarce fit to entertain a mouse,
57 Inquir’d to have a room.
58 The Landlord said he was not able,
59 to give them any but the stable,
60 so many folks were come.
61 And pray who have you there said they,
62 and how much money must we pay,
63 for we have none to spare.
64 Why there one Joseph and a wench
65 Who are to go before the bench,
66 about a love affair.
67 Somehow or other in a manger,
68 A child exposed to every danger,
69 was found as it was sleeping.
70 The girl she swears that she’s a maid,
71 so swears the man and I’m afraid,
72 on me will fall the keeping.
73 Now If you’d set yourselves about,
74 To find this knotty story out,
75 I’d pay whate’er it may be.
76 So in the travelling pedlars went,
77 To pay their birth day compliment,
78 and talk about the Baby.
79 They first unpack’d their pack of Toys,
80 some for show and some for noise,
81 But mostly for the latter,
82 one gave a rattle, one a whistle,
83 and one a Trumpet made of gristle,
84 To Introduce the matter.
85 One squak’d away, the other blew,
86 The third play’d on the rattle too.
87 To keep the bantling easy.
88 And thus the story comes to us,
89 of which the people make such fuss,
90 about the Eastern Magi.

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About this text

Title (in Source Edition): Commentary on the Eastern Wise-Men Travelling to Bethlehem Guided by a Star to See the Little Jesus in a Manger
Author: Thomas Paine
Themes:
Genres: satire
Headnote: The manuscript is housed in the Thomas Paine Collection of New York Historical

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Source edition

Cleary, Scott M., ed. Claeys, Gregory, gen. ed. Thomas Paine Collected Writings. Vol. II. Part 2: Poetry. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2026. 5 Volumes.

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