ject of the _next_ plate is recorded first in this
MS., under the curious heading, "_Disse Sancto Theofilo_ como l'angelo
de Dio aperse a Joachim lo qual li anuntia la nativita della vergene
Maria;" while the record of this vision and sacrifice is headed, "Como
l'angelo de Dio aparse _anchora_ a Joachim." It then proceeds thus:
"At this very moment of the day" (when the angel appeared to Anna),
"there appeared a most beautiful youth (_unno belitissimo zovene_)
among the mountains there, where Joachim was, and said to Joachim,
'Wherefore dost thou not return to thy wife?' And Joachim answered,
'These twenty years God has given me no fruit of her, wherefore I was
chased from the temple with infinite shame.... And, as long as I live,
I will give alms of my flocks to widows and pilgrims.'... And these
words being finished, the youth answered, 'I am the angel of God who
appeared to thee the other time for a sign; and appeared to thy wife
Anna, who always abides in prayer, weeping day and night; and I have
consoled her; wherefore I command thee to observe the commandments of
God, and his will, which I tell you truly, that of thee shall be born
a daughter, and that thou shalt offer her to the temple of God, and
the Holy Spirit shall rest upon her, and her blessedness shall be
above the blessedness of all virgins, and her holiness so great that
human nature will not be able to comprehend it.'...[14]

[Footnote 14: This passage in the old Italian of the MS. may interest
some readers: "E complice queste parole lo zovene respoxe, dignando,
Io son l'angelo de Dio, lo quale si te aparse l'altra fiada, in segno,
e aparse a toa mulier Anna che sempre sta in oration plauzando di e
note, e si lo consolada; unde io te comando che tu debie observare li
comandimenti de Dio, ela soua volunta che io te dico veramente, che de
la toa somenza insera una fiola, e questa offrila al templo de Dio, e
lo Spirito santo reposera in ley, ela soa beatitudine sera sovera tute
le altre verzene, ela soua santita sera si grande che natura humana
non la pora comprendere."]

"Then Joachim fell upon the earth, saying, 'My lord, I pray thee to
pray God for me, and to enter into this my tabernacle, and bless me,
thy servant.' The angel answered, 'We are all the servants of God: and
know that my eating would be invisible, and my drinking could not be
seen by all the men in the world; but of all that thou wouldest give
to me, do thou make sacrifice to God.' Then