THE same God who in the Old Testament had commanded the first-fruits to be offered to himself, being born as Man, himself consecrated to his own worship the first fruits of the nations. The Shepherds were the first fruits of the Jews, as were the Wise Men of the Gentiles. The first came from near at hand, the second from afar. Where is he, say they, that is born King of the Jews? To Herod, King of the Jews, sons had already been born, Archelaus was born in a palace, Christ at an inn; Archelaus was laid in a silver cradle, Christ in a manger. And yet the Wise Men sought not Archelaus, but Christ; they did not even name him that was born in a palace, but when they found him that lay in a manger, they fell down and worshiped him.
~ Anglican Breviary, II Nocturn, Lesson iv, by St. Fulgentius the Bishop.
The Anglican Breviary 