vnderstonde it not And in them is fulfilled y e prophecie of Esay which sayeth Ye shal heare in dede and shal not vnderstonde and with seinge eyes shal ye se and not perceaue For y e hert of this people is waxed grosse their eares are thick of hearīge their eyes haue they closed lest they shulde once se w t y e eyes heare w t the eares vnderstōde w t the hert turne that I might heale them But blessed are youre eyes for they se youre eares for they heare Verely I saye vnto you Many prophetes righteous men haue desyred to se y e thinges that ye se and haue not sene thē and to heare the thinges that ye heare and haue not herde thē Heare ye therfore the parable of the sower Whan one heareth y e worde of the kyngdome and vnderstondeth it not the euell man cōmeth and plucketh it awaye that is sowne in his hert this is he y t is sowne by the waye syde But he y t is sowne in the stonye grounde is this whā one heareth the worde anone with ioye receaueth it neuertheles he hath no rote ī him but endureth for a season whā trouble persecucion aryseth because of the worde immediatly he his offended As for him that is sowne amonge y e thornes this is he Whā one heareth the worde the carefulnes of this worlde the disceatfulnes of riches choke the worde so he becōmeth vnfrutefull But he y t is sowne in the good grounde is this whan one heareth the worde and vnderstondeth it and bringeth forth frute and some geueth an hūdreth folde some sixtie folde and some thirtie folde Another parable put he forth vnto thē sayde The kyngdome of heauē is like vnto a man y t sowed good sede in his felde But whyle mē slepte there came an enemye and sowed tares amonge y e wheate wente his waye Now whā the blade was sprōge vp brought forth frute thē y e tares appeared also Then came the seruaūtes to y e housholder sayde vnto him Syr sowdest not thou good sede in y e felde Frō whēce thē hath it tares He sayde vnto thē that hath the enemye done Thē sayde y e seruaūtes wilt thou then y t we go wede thē out He sayde No lest whyle ye wede out y e tares ye plucke vp the wheate also w t thē Let thē both growe together tyll the haruest and in tyme of haruest I wil saye vnto the reapers Gather y e tares first bynde thē in sheeues to be brēt but gather the wheate in to my barne Another parable put he forth vnto thē and sayde The kyngdome of heauen is like vnto a grane of mustarde sede which a man toke and sowed it in his felde Which is the leest amonge all sedes But whan it is growne it is the greatest amonge herbes and is a tre so that the byrdes vnder the heauen come and dwell in the braunches of it Another parable spake he vnto thē The kyngdome of heauē is like vnto leuē which a woman toke and myxte it amonge thre peckes of meele tyll all was leuended All soch thinges spake Iesus vnto y e people by parables without parables spake he nothinge vnto thē y t the thinge might be fulfilled which was spokē by y e prophet sayenge I wil open my mouth in parables and wil speake out the secretes from the begynnynge of the worlde Then sent Iesus the people awaye and came home And his disciples came vnto hī and sayde Declare vnto us y e parable of y e tares of y e felde Iesus answered and sayde vnto them He that soweth the good sede is the sonne of man the felde is the worlde y e good sede are the childrē of the kyngdome The tares are the children of wickednes y e enemye that soweth thē is the deuell y e haruest is the ende of the worlde y e reapers are y e angels For like as y e tares are weded out and brent in the fyre euē so shal it go in y e ende of this worlde The sonne of man shal sende forth his angels they shal gather out of his kingdome all thinges y t offende thē y t do iniquyte shal cast thē in to a fornace of fyre there shal be waylinge and gnaszhinge of teth Thē shal the righteous shyne as the Sonne in the kyngdome of their father Who so hath eares to heare let him heare Agayne the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure hyd in the felde which a mā founde and hid it and for ioye therof he wēte solde all y t he had and bought y t felde Agayne the kyngdome of heauen is like vnto a marchaūt y t sought good pearles whā he had founde a precious pearle he wēte and solde all that he had bought it Agayne y e kyngdome of heauē is like vnto a nett cast in to y e see wherwith are takē all maner of fyshes whā it is ful mē drawe it out vnto y e shore sytt gather y e good ī to the vessels but cast the bad awaye So shal it be also in y e ende of y e worlde The angels shal go out seuer the bad frō the righteous shal cast thē in to a fornace of fyre there shal be waylinge gnaszhinge of teth And Iesus sayde vnto them Haue ye vnderstōde all these thinges They sayde Yee LORDE Then sayde he vnto thē Therfore euery scribe taught vnto y e kingdome of heauen is like an houszholder which bryngeth out of his treasure thinges new and olde And it came to passe whā Iesus had ended these parables he departed thence and came into his owne coūtre and taught thē in their synagoges in so moch that they were astonnyed and sayde Whēce cōmeth soch wyszdome power vnto him Is not this the carpēters sonne Is not his mother called Mary and his brethrē Iames Ioses and Symon and Iude And are not all his sisters here with us Whence hath he thē all these thinges And they were offended at him But Iesus sayde vnto thē A prophet is nowhere lesse sett by thē at home amonge his owne And he dyd not many miracles there because of their vnbeleue The XIIII Chapter AT that tyme Herode y e Tetrarcha herde of y e fame of Iesu sayde vnto his seruaūtes This is Ihō y e baptist He is rysen agayne frō the deed therfore are his dedes so mightie For Herode had takē Ihō bounde hī put him in preson for Herodias sake his brothers Philips wife For Ihon sayde vnto him It is not laufull for y t to haue her And fayne wolde he haue put him to death but he feared the people because they helde him for a Prophet But whan Herode helde his byrth
ouer the and be allwaye aboue the but thou shalt come downe alowe and lye euer beneth He shal lende vnto the but thou shalt not lende him He shal be before but thou shalt be behynde And all these curses shall come vpon the and folowe the and ouertake y t tyll thou be destroyed because thou herkenest not vnto y e voyce of the LORDE y t God to kepe his commaundemētes and ordinaunces which he hath commaunded the. Therfore shal there betokens and wonders vpon the vpon thy sede for euer because thou hast not serued y e LORDE thy God with a ioyfull and good hert whan thou haddest abundaunce of all thinges And therfore shalt thou serue thine enemye which the LORDE shal sende vpon the in hunger and thyrst in nakednesse and neade of all thinge he shal put a yocke of yron vpon thy necke vntyll he haue broughte the to naughte The LORDE shal brynge a nacion vpon the from farre euen from the ende of y e worlde as a flyenge Aegle a people whose speache thou canst not vnderstonde an harde fauoured people which regarde not the personne of the olde ner haue compassion on the yonge And they shal eate vp y e frute of thy catell the frute of thy londe tyll they haue destroyed the and shall leaue the nothinge in corne wyne oyle in the frute of y e oxen and shepe vntyll they haue broughte the to naughte and shal laye sege vnto the w t in all thy gates tyll they cast downe thy hye and stronge walles wherin thou trustest thorow out all thy londe And thou shalt be beseged within all thy portes thorow out all thy londe which the LORDE thy God hath geuen the. Thou shalt eate the frute of thine awne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy doughters which the LORDE y t God hath geuē the in that straytnesse and sege wherwith thine enemye shall besege the so that it shal greue the man y t afore hath lyued tenderly and in voluptuousnes amonge you to loke vpon his brother and vpon his wife y t lyeth in his bosome and on the sonne that is left ouer of his sonnes lest he shulde geue eny of them of the flesh of his children that he eateth in as moch as there is nothinge left him in that straytnesse and sege wherwith thine enemye shal besege y t within all thy gates And the woman that afore hath lyued so tenderly and voluptuously amonge you that she durste not set the sole of hir fote vpon the grounde for tendernes and voluptuousnes shal be greued to loke vpon hir huszbande that lieth in hir bosome and on hir sonne and on hir doughter euen because of hir doughters which she hath norished betwixte hir legges in hir lappe and because of hir sonnes that she hath borne For she shall eate them secretly for very scarcenesse of all thinges in the straytnesse and sege wherwith thine enemye shal besege y t with in thy gates Yf thou wilt not be diligent to do all the wordes of this lawe which are wrytten in this boke that thou mayest feare this glorious and fearfull name euen the LORDE thy God then shal the LORDE entreate y e wonderously with plages vpon y e and thy sede yee with greate and continuall plages with euell and contynuall sicknesses and shal brynge vpō y e all y e sicknesses of Egipte wherof thou wast afrayed and they shal cleue vnto the. Therto all maner sicknesses and all maner plages which are not wrytten in the boke of this lawe shal the LORDE thy God cause to come vpon the vntyll he haue destroyed the. And there shal be left but a fewe people of you which afore were as the starres of heauen in multitude because thou hast not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God And as y e LORDE reioysed ouer you afore to do you good and to multiplye you euē so shall he reioyse ouer you to destroye you and to brynge you to naughte and ye shal be waysted from of the londe whither thou goest now to possesse it For the LORDE shal scater the amonge all nacions from the one ende of the worlde vnto another and there shalt thou serue other goddes whom thou knowest not ner yet ▪ thy fathers euen wodd and stone And amonge those same nacions shalt thou haue no quyetnesse nether shal the sole of y e fote haue eny rest for the LORDE shal geue the there a fearfull hert and dasynge of eyes and a troubled soule so that thy life shal hāge before the Night and daye shalt thou feare and shalt haue no trust in thy life In the mornynge thou shalt saye Who shall geue me the euenynge And at euen shalt thou saye Who shal geue me the mornynge For the very greate feare of thine hert which shal make the afrayed and for the fighte of thine eyes which thou shalt se. And the LORDE shal brynge the agayne in to Egipte by shippe fulles euen thorow the waye wherof I sayde vnto the Thou shalt se it nomore and there shal ye be solde vnto youre enemies for bonde seruauntes and bondemaidens and there shal be no man to bye you The XXIX Chapter THese are y e wordes of the couenaunt which the LORDE cōmaunded Moses to make w t the children of Israel in the londe of the Moabites besyde y e couenaunt which he made with them in Horeb And Moses called all Israel and sayde vnto them Ye haue sene all that the LORDE dyd before youre eyes in the londe of Egipte vnto Pharao with all his seruaūtes and all his londe the greate tentacions which thine eyes haue sene that they were greate tokēs and wonders And yet vnto this daye hath not the LORDE geuen you an hert that vnderstondeth eyes that se eares that heare He hath caused you to walke fortye yeares in the wyldernesse You re clothes are not waxed olde vpon you nether is thy shue waxed olde on thy fote Ye haue eaten no bred and dronken no wyne ner stronge drynke that ye mighte knowe that he is y e LORDE youre God And whan ye came vnto this place Sihon the kynge of Heszbon and Og y e kynge of Basan came out agaynst vs vnto battayll and we smote them and toke their londe and gaue it to enheritaunce vnto y e Rubenites and Gaddites and to the halfe trybe of the Manassites Kepe now therfore the wordes of this couenaunt and do therafter that ye maye haue vnderstondinge in all that ye do Ye stonde this daye all before the LORDE youre God the chefe rulers of youre trybes youre Elders youre officers euery man in Israel youre children youre wyues y e straungers that are in thine hoost from the hewer of y e wodd vnto y e drawer of y t water that thou shuldest enter in to the couenaunt of the LORDE thy God and in to the ooth which the LORDE thy
e LORDE y e God in vayne for y e LORDE shal not holde him vngiltie y t taketh his name in vaine Kepe y e Sabbath daye that thou sanctifye it as the LORDE thy God hath commauÌ„ded the. Sixe daies shalt thou laboure and do all thy worke but vpon the seuenth daye it is the Sabbath of the LORDE thy God No maner worke shalt thou do in it thou and thy sonne and thy doughter and thy seruaunt and thy mayde and thine oxe and thine Asse and all thy catell and the straunger which is within thy gates that thy seruaunt and thy mayde maye rest as well as thou For thou shalt remeÌ„bre that thou thyself also wast a seruaunte in the londe of Egipte and how that the LORDE thy God brought the out from thence with a mightye hande and a stretched out arme Therfore hath the LORDE y e God commaunded y t to kepe the Sabbath daye Honoure thy father and thy mother as the LORDE thy God hath commaunded the that thou mayest lyue longe vpoÌ„ earth and that it maye go well with the in the londe which the LORDE thy God shall geue the. Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt beare no false witnes against thy neghboure Thou shalt not lust after y e neghbours wyfe Thou shalt not lust after thy neghbours house londe seruaunt mayde oxe Asse or what so euer he hath These are the wordes that the LORDE spake to all youre congregacion vpon the mount out of the fyre of the cloude and darknesse with a greate voyce and added nothinge therto And he wrote them vpon two tables of stone and delyuered theÌ„ vnto me But whan ye herde the voyce out of the darknes and sawe the mount burne w t fyre ye came vnto me all ye rulers amonge youre trybes and youre Elders and sayde Beholde the LORDE oure God hath shewed vs his glory his greatnes and we haue herde his voyce out of y e fyre This daye haue we sene that God maie talke with a man and he yet lyue And now wherfore shulde we dye that this fire â–ª shulde coÌ„sume vs. Yf we shulde heare the voyce of the LORDE oure God eny more we shulde dye For what is all fleshe that it shulde be able to heare y e voyce of the lyuynge God speakynge out of y e fyre as we haue done and yet lyue Go thou and heare all y t the LORDE oure God sayeth and tell us All y t the LORDE sayeth vnto the that will we heare and do Whan the LORDE herde the voyce of yo r wordes which ye spake vnto me he sayde vnto me I haue herde y e voyce of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto ye. It is all good that they haue spoken But who shal geue them soch an herte y t they maye feare me kepe all my coÌ„maundementes as longe as they lyue y t it maye go well with them and with their childreÌ„ for euer Go saye vnto them Get you in to yo r tentes agayne But thou shalt stonde here before me that I maye tell the all the commaundementes and ordinauÌ„ces and lawes which thou shalt teach them y t they maye do therafter in the loÌ„de which I shal geue theÌ„ to possesse Take hede now therfore that ye do as the LORDE yo r God hath commaunded you and turne not asyde nether to y e right hande ner to the lefâ—e but walke in all y e wayes which the LORDE youre God hath commaunded you that ye maie lyue and that it maie go well with you and y t ye maye lyue longe in y e londe which ye shall haue in possession The VI. Chapter THese are the commaundementes ordinaunces lawes which y e LORDE yo r God hath coÌ„maunded y t ye shulde lerne them do them in the londe whyther ye go to possesse it that thou mayest feare the LORDE y e God kepe all his ordinauÌ„ces commaundementes which I commaunde the thou and y e children and y e childers children all y e dayes of youre life that ye maye lyue loÌ„ge Thou shalt heare O Israel take hede y t thou do therafter y t it maye go well with y e that thou mayest multiplye greatly as y e LORDE God of y e fathers hath promysed the a londe y t floweth w t mylke hony Heare O Israel the LORDE oure God is one LORDE onely And thou shalt loue the LORDE thy God w t all thy hart with all y e soule with all thy mighte And these wordes which I commauÌ„de the this daie shalt thou take to hert shalt whet them vpon y e children and shalt talke of them whaÌ„ thou syttest in thyne house whan thou walkest by the waie whan thou lyest downe whaÌ„ thou rysest vp And thou shalt bynde them for a signe vpon thine hande and they shall be a token of remeÌ„braunce before thine eyes and thou shalt wryte them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates Now whan y e LORDE y e God shal bringe the in to y e londe wherof he sware vnto y e fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob and shal geue the greate goodly cities which thou hast not buylded and houses full of all goodes which thou hast not filled digged welles which thou hast not digged and vynyardes and olyue trees which thou hast not plaÌ„ted so y t thou eatest and art full then bewarre that thou forget not the LORDE which brought the out of the londe of Egipte froÌ„ the house of bondage but thou shalt feare the LORDE thy God and him onely shalt thou serue and sweare by his name And ye shal not folowe the other goddes of the nacions which are aboute you for the LORDE thy God is a gelous God in the myddest of the that the wrath of the LORDE thy God waxe not whote ouer the and destroye the from the earth Ye shal not tempte y e LORDE youre God as ye tempted him at Massa but kepe the commaundementes of the LORDE yo r God and his witnesses his ordinaunces which he hath commaunded the that thou mayest do that which is right good in y e sighte of the LORDE y t thou mayest prospere and y t thou mayest go in conquere that good londe which the LORDE sware vnto y e fathers that he maye chace out all thine enemies before the as the LORDE hath sayde Now whan thy sonne axeth the todaye or tomorow and sayeth What meane these witnesses ordinaunces and lawes that the LORDE oure God hath comaunded you Then shalt thou saye vnto thy sonne We were Pharaos bondmen in Egipte and the LORDE brought vs out of Egipte with a mightie hande and the LORDE did greate euell tokens wonders in Egipte vpoÌ„ Pharao and all his house before oure eyes and brought vs from thence to bringe vs in
y e trybe of Nepthali and of the halfe trybe of Manasse at Basan The children of Merari of their kynred had twolue cities of the trybe of Ruben of the trybe of Gad and of the trybe of Zabulon So the children of Israel gaue these cities and their suburbes vnto the Leuites by lott as the LORDE commaunded by Moses Of the trybe of the children of Iuda and of the trybe of the children of Simeon they gaue these cities which they named by name vnto the children of Aaron of the kynred of the Kahathites amonge the children of Leui for the first lot was theyrs So they gaue them Kiriatharba which was the fathers of Enak that is Hebren vpon the mount Iuda and the suburbes therof rounde aboute But the felde of the cite and the vyllages therof gaue they vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephune for his possession Thus gaue they vnto the children of Aaron the prest the fre cite of the deed sleyers Hebron and the suburbes therof Libna and the suburbes therof Iathir and the suburbes therof Esthuma and the suburbes therof Holon and the suburbes therof Debir and the suburbes therof Ain and the suburbes therof Iuta and the suburbes therof Beth Semes and the suburbes therof euen nyne cities of these two trybes But of the trybe of Ben Iamin they gaue foure cities Gibeon and y e suburbes therof Gaba and the suburbes therof Anathot and the suburbes therof Almon and the suburbes therof so that all the cities of the children of Aaron the prest were thirtene with their suburbes The kynreds of the other children of Kahath the Leuites had by their lott foure cities of the trybe of Ephraim and they gaue thē the fre cite of the deedsleiers Sechē and the suburbes therof vpon mount Ephraim Gaser and the suburbes therof Kibzaim and the suburbes therof Bethron and the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Dan foure cities Eltheke and y e suburbes therof Gibthon and the suburbes therof Aialon and the suburbes therof Gath Rimon and the suburbes therof Of the halfe trybe of Manasses two cities Thaenach and the suburbes therof Gath Rimon and the suburbes therof so that all the cities of the other children of y e kynred of Kahath were ten with their suburbes But vnto the children of Gerson amonge the kynreds of the Leuites were geuen Of the halfe trybe of Manasse two cities the fre cite for the deedslayer Gola in Basan and the suburbes therof Beasthra and the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Isachar foure cities Kision and the suburbes therof Dabrach and the suburbes therof Iarmuth and the suburbes therof Engannim and the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Asser foure cities Miseal Abdon Helkath and Rehob with the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Nephtali thre cities the fre cite Kedes for the deedsleyer in Galile Hamoth Dor and Karthan with the suburbes therof so that all the cities of the kynred of the Gersonites were thirtene w t their suburbes Vnto the kynreds of Merari the other Leuites were geuen Of the trybe of Zabulon foure cities Iakneam Kartha Dimna and Nahalal w t y e suburbes therof Of the trybe of Ruben foure cities Bezer Iahza Kedemoth and Mephaat with their suburbes Of the trybe of Gad foure cities the fre cite for the deedsleyer Ramoth in Gilead Mahanaim Heszbon and Iaeser with their suburbes so that all the cities of the children of Merari amonge their kynreds of y e other Leuites were twolue Thus all the cities of the Leuites amonge y e possession of the children of Israel were eight and fortye with their suburbes And these cities were so dealte out that euery one had their suburbes rounde aboute the one as the other Thus the LORDE gaue the children of Israel all the londe which he had sworne vnto their fathers to geue they toke possession of it and dwelt therin And the LORDE gaue thē rest before all those y t were aboute them like as he sware vnto their fathers none of their enemies stode agaynst thē but all their enmies delyuered he in to their hande And their myssed nothinge of all the good that the LORDE had promysed vnto the house of Israel it came euery whyt The XXII Chapter THen Iosua called y e Rubenites and Gaddites and y e halfe trybe of Manasse and sayde vnto them Ye haue kepte all that Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE commaunded you and haue herkened vnto my voyce in all y t I haue commaūded you Ye haue not forsaken youre brethrē a longe season vnto this daye and haue wayted vpon the commaundement of the LORDE youre God For so moch now as the LORDE youre God hath broughte youre brethrē to rest as he promysed them turne you now and go youre waye to youre tentes in to the londe of youre possession which Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE gaue you beyōde Iordane But take diligent hede now that ye do acordinge to the commaundement and lawe which Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE hath commaunded That ye loue the LORDE youre God and walke in all his wayes and kepe his commaundementes and cleue vnto him and serue him with all youre hert and with all youre soule So Iosua blessed them and let them go And they wente vnto their tentes Vnto the halfe trybe of Manasse had Moses geuen possession at Basan vnto the other halfe gaue Iosua amonge their brethren on this syde Iordane westwarde And whan he let them go to their tentes and blessed them he sayde vnto them Ye come home agayne with greate good vnto youre tētes with exceadynge moch catell syluer golde brasse yron and rayment distribute therfore the spoyle of youre enemyes amonge youre brethren So the Rubenites Gaddites and the halfe trybe of Manasse returned and wente from the children of Israel out of Silo which lyeth in the londe of Canaan to go in to the countre of Gilead to the londe of their possession that they mighte possesse it acordynge to the commaundement of the LORDE by Moses And whan they came vnto the heapes by Iordane which lye in the londe of Canaan the same Rubenites Gaddites and the halfe trybe of Manasses buylded there besyde Iordane a fayre greate altare But whan the children of Israel herde saye Beholde the children of Ruben the children of Gad and the halfe trybe of Manasse haue buylded an altare ouer agaynst the londe of Canaan vpon the heapes by Iordane on this syde the children of Israel they gathered them selues together with the whole congregacion at Silo to go vp agaynst thē with an armye And in the meane season they sent to them in to the londe of Gilead Phineas the sonne of Eleasar the prest and with him ten chefe prynces amonge the houses of their fathers out of euery tribe in Israel one And they came to the children of Ruben to the children of Gad and to the halfe trybe of Manasse in the londe of Gilead and sayde Thus sayeth the whole congregacion
LORDE shal be iudge betwene me and the and auenge me on the but my hāde shal not be vpon the acordinge as it is sayde after the olde prouerbe Vngodlynes commeth of the vngodly but my hande shal not be vpon the. Whom persecutest thou O kynge of Israel whom persecutest thou a deed dogg a flee The LORDE be iudge and geue sentence betwene me and the and cōsidre it and defende my cause and delyuer me from thy hande Now whan Dauid had spoken out these wordes vnto Saul Saul saide Is not this thy voyce my sonne Dauid And Saul lifte vp his voyce and wepte and saide vnto Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast recompēsed me good but I haue rewarded the euell And this daye hast thou shewed me how thou hast done me good for so moch as y e LORDE hath delyuered me in to thy hande and thou neuertheles hast not slaine me What is he which yf he fynde his enemye wyllet him go in a good waye The LORDE rewarde the good for y t thou hast done vnto me this daye Beholde now I knowe that thou shalt be kynge the kyngdome of Israel stondeth in thy hande sweare now therfore vnto me by the LORDE y t thou shalt not rote out my sede after me nether destroie my name out of my fathers house And Dauid sware vnto Saul Then wente Saul home but Dauid gat him vp with his men vnto the castell The XXV Chapter ANd Samuel dyed and all Israel gathered them selues together mourned for him buried him in his house at Ramath As for Dauid he rose and wente downe in to the wyldernesse of Paran And there was a man at Maon and his possession at Carmel and the man was of greate power and had thre thousande shepe and a thousande goates And it fortuned that he clypped his shepe at Carmel and his name was Nabal but his wyues name was Abigail and she was a woman of good vnderstondinge bewtyfull of face But the man was harde and wicked in his doynges and was one of Caleb Now whan Dauid herde in the wyldernes y t Nabal clypped his shepe he sent out ten yonge men saide vnto them Go vp vnto Carmel whan ye come to Nabal salute him frendly on my behalfe saye Good lucke peace be w t the thine house with all y t thou hast I haue herde saye that thou hast shepe clyppers Now y e shepherdes whom thou hast haue bene with vs we haue done them no dishonoure and they wāted nothinge of their nombre as longe as they were at Carmel Axe thy yonge men they shal tell the and let thy yonge men fynde fauoure in y e sighte for we are come in a good daye geue thy seruauntes thy sonne Dauid what thy hande fyndeth And whā Dauids yonge men came and spake all these wordes on Dauids behalfe vnto Nabal they lefte of But Nabal answered Dauids seruauntes sayde What is he y t Dauid who is the sonne of Isai There are many seruauntes now y t runne awaye from their masters Shulde I take my bred water and flesh that I haue slayne for my clyppers geue it vnto mē whom I knowe not whence they are Thē Dauids yonge mē turned their waye agayne And whan they came agayne vnto him they tolde him all these wordes Thē sayde Dauid vnto his men Euery man gyrde his swerde aboute him And euery one gyrde his swerde aboute him And Dauid gyrde his swerde aboute him also and there wēte vp after him vpon a foure hundreth men but two hundreth remayned w t the stuffe Neuertheles Abigail Nabals wife tolde one of hir yonge men and sayde Beholde Dauid sent messaungers out of the wyldernes to blesse oure lorde Notwithstondinge he was fearce vpō them and yet haue they bene very profitable men vnto vs and haue done vs no dishonoure and we wanted none of the nombre as lōge as we walked with them whan we were in the felde but they haue bene oure wall daye and nighte as longe as we kepte the shepe by them Take hede now therfore and loke well what thou doest for there is surely a mysfortune at hande agaynst oure lorde agaynst all his house And he is a man of Belial to whom no man darre saye eny thinge Then Abigail made haist and toke two hundred loaues of bred and two botels of wyne and fyue shepe ready dighte and fyue measures of firmentye and an hundreth frayles of rasens and two hundreth frayles of fygges layed them vpō asses and sayde to hir yonge men Go ye youre waye before me beholde I wyl come after And she tolde Nabal hir housbāde nothinge therof And as she rode vpō the asse and wente downe in the shadowe of y e hill beholde Dauid his mē met hir downe so that she came vpon them But Dauid sayde Wel all that this man had in y e wyldernes haue I kepte for naughte so that there wanted nothinge of all that he had and he rewardeth me euell for good God do this and yet more vnto the enemies of Dauid yf vntyll tomorow in the mornynge I leaue this man of all that he hath so moch as one that maketh water agaynst y e wall Now whan Abigail sawe Dauid she lighte downe from the asse in all the haist and fell vpō hir face before Dauid and worshiped him to the grounde and fell at his fete and sayde Oh my lorde let this trespace be myne and let thy handmayde speake before thine eares and heare the wordes of thy handmayden Let not my lorde set his hert agaynst this Nabal the man of Belial for he is a foole acordinge as his name is called his name is foole and foolishnes is with him As for me thy handmayde I sawe not my lordes yonge men whom thou dyddest sende But now my lorde as truly as the LORDE lyueth and as truly as thy soule lyueth the LORDE hath kepte the backe y t thou shuldest not come agaynst bloude and he hath delyuered thine hande Thine enemyes be now as Nabal and so be they that wolde my lorde euell Here is y e blessynge y t thy handmayde hath brought my lorde take it and geue it vnto the yonge men that walke vnder my lorde For a sure house shal y e LORDE make my lorde which fighteth the fighte of the LORDE and no euell shall be founde in the all thy life longe And yf eny man ryse vp to persecute y t and to laye wayte for thy soule then shal the soule of my lorde be bounde in the bundell of y e lyuynge euen with the LORDE thy God But y e soule of thine enemies shal be turned backe w t the slynge Whan the LORDE therfore doth all this good for my lorde which he hath promysed the and commaundeth y t to be his Duke ouer Israel then shal it be no stomblinge blocke ner occasiion of fallynge vnto my lordes hert that thou hast not shed
Sadoc sayde Let me runne now and brynge the kynge worde that the LORDE hath gotten him righte frō the hande of his enemies But Ioab sayde Thou shalt bringe no good tidinges to daie another daye shalt thou brynge him worde and not to daye for the kynges sonne is deed But vnto Chusi sayde Ioab Go thou thy waye and tell the kynge what thou hast sene And Chusi did his obeysaūce vnto Ioab and ranne Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc saide agayne vnto Ioab What and I ranne also Ioab sayde What wilt thou runne my sonne Come hither thou shalt brynge no good tydinges He answered What and I ranne yet He saide vnto him Renne on y e waye then So Ahimaas ranne the straight waye and came before Chusi As for Dauid he sat betwene the two gates And the watchman wente vp to y e toppe of the porte vpon the wall and lifte vp his eyes and sawe a man renninge alone and cryed and tolde the kinge The kynge sayde Yf he be alone then is there good tydinges in his mouth And as the same wente and came forth the watchman sawe another man rennynge and cryed in the porte and sayde Beholde there renneth a man alone The kinge sayde The same is a good messaunger also The watchman sayde I se the rennynge of the first as it were the rennynge of Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc And the kynge sayde He is a good man and bryngeth good tidinges Ahimaas cryed and sayde vnto y e kinge Peace and worshipped before the kynge vpon his face to the grounde and sayde Praised be the LORDE thy God which hath geuen ouer y e men that lifte vp their handes agaynst my LORDE the kynge The kynge sayde Goeth it well with the yonge man Absalom Ahimaas sayde I sawe a greate vproure whan Ioab the kynges seruaunt sent me thy seruaunt and I wote not what it was The kynge sayde Go aboute and stonde here And he wente aboute and stode there Beholde then came Chusi and sayde I brynge good tydinges my lorde the kynge The LORDE hath executed righte for the this daye from the hande of all them that rose vp agaynst the. But the kynge sayde vnto Chusi Goeth it well with the yonge man Absalom Chusi sayde Euen so go it w t all the enemyes of my lorde the kynge and with all them that ryse vp agaynst the to do euell as it goeth with the yonge man Then was the kynge soroufull and wente vp in to the perler vpon the gate and wepte and as he wente he sayde thus O my sonne Absalō my sonne my sonne Absalom wolde God y t I shulde dye for the. O Absalom my sonne my sonne The XIX Chapter ANd it was tolde Ioab beholde y e kinge wepeth mourneth for Absalom And so out of y e victory of y t daye there came a mourninge amonge all the people For the people had herde the same daye y t the kynge toke on heuely because of his sonne And y e people stale awaye the same daye so that they came not in to the cite as a people that is put to shame pycketh them selues awaye whan they are fled in a battayll As for the kynge he had couered his face and cryed loude and sayde Oh my sonne Absalom Absalom my sonne my sonne But Ioab came to the kynge in to the house and sayde This daye hast thou shamed all thy seruauntes which haue delyuered thy soule this daye and the soules of thy sonnes of thy doughters of thy wyues and of thy cōcubynes in that thou louest them that hate the and hatest those that loue ye. For to daye thou shewest thyselfe that thou carest not for the captaynes and seruauntes For I perceaue this daye that yf Absalom onely were alyue and we all deed this daye thou woldest thynke it were well Get the vp now therfore and go forth and speake louyngly vnto thy seruauntes For I sweare vnto the by y e LORDE yf thou go not forth there shall not be lefte the one man this nighte this shal be worse vnto y t then all the euell that happened the sence y e youth vp hither to Thē the kynge gat him vp and sat in the gate And it was sayde vnto the people beholde the kynge sytteth in the gate Then came all the people before y e kynge But Israel was fled euery one vnto his tent And all the people stroue in all the trybes of Israel and sayde The kynge ryd vs from the hande of oure enemies and delyuered vs from the hande of the Philistynes and was fayne to fle out of the lōde for Absalom So Absalom whom we had anoynted ouer vs is deed in the battayll Why are ye so styll now that ye fetch not the kynge agayne The kynge sent vnto Sadoc Abiathar the prestes caused to saye vnto thē Speake to the Elders of Iuda saye Why wyl ye be the last to fetch the kynge agayne vnto his house for y e sayenge of all Israel was come before the kynge in to his house ye are my brethren my bone and my flesh Wherfore wyl ye then be the last to brynge the kynge agayne And saye vnto Amasa Art not thou my bone and my flesh God do this that vnto me yf thou shalt not be the chefe captayne before me in Ioabs steade as longe as thou lyuest And he bowed the hert of all the men of Iud◠as of one man And they sent vnto y e kynge Come agayne thou and all thy seruauntes So the kynge came agayne And whan he came vnto Iordane y e men of Iuda were come to Gilgal for to go downe to mete the kynge that they mighte brynge y e kynge ouer Iordane And Semei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini which dwelt at Bahurim made haist and wente downe with y e men of Iuda to mete kynge Dauid and there were with him a thousande mē of Ben Iamin Siba also the seruaunt of the house of Saul with his fyftene sonnes and twenty seruauntes gat them thorow Iordane and passed ouer y e fery that they mighte brynge ouer the kynges housholde and to do him pleasure But Semei the sonne of Gera fell downe before the kynge whan he passed ouer Iordane and sayde vnto the kynge O my lorde laye not the trespace vnto my charge thynke not vpon it that thy seruaunt vexed the in the daye whan my lorde the kynge wente out of Ierusalem and let not y e kynge take it to hert for thy seruaunt knoweth that he hath synned And beholde this daye am I come the first amonge all the house of Ioseph for to go downe to mete my lorde the kynge Neuertheles Abisai the sonne of Zeru Ia answered and sayde And shulde not Semei dye therfore seynge he hath cursed y e anoynted of y e LORDE But Dauid sayde What haue I to do with you ye children of Zeru Ia that ye wyll become Sathan vnto me this daye Shulde eny man dye this daye in
answered kynge Salomon and saide vnto his mother Why desyrest thou Abisag of Sunem for Adonias Axe the kyngdome or him also for he is my greater brother and hath Abiathar the prest and Ioab the sonne of Zeru Ia. And the kynge sware by the LORDE and sayde God do this and that vnto me Adonias shall haue spoken this agaynst his lyfe And now as truly as the LORDE lyueth which hath ordeyned me and made me to syt vpon the seate of my father Dauid and hath made me a house acordynge as he sayde this daye shal Adonias dye And kynge Salomon sent thither by Benaia the sonne of Ioiada which smote him that he dyed And to the prest Abiathar sayde y e kynge Go thy waye vnto Anathoe to thy londe for thou art a man of deeth Neuerthelesse I wyl not slaye the this daye for thou hast borne the Arke of the LORDE God before my father Dauid and hast suffred also where my father suffred Thus Salomō put forth Abiathar that he must nomore be the prest of the LORDE that the worde of the LORDE mighte be fulfilled which he spake ouer the house of Eli at Silo. And this rumoure came before Ioab for Ioab cleued vnto Adonias and not vnto Salomon Then fled Ioab in to the Tabernacle of the LORDE and toke holde of the hornes of the altare And it was tolde kynge Salomon that Ioab was fled in to the Tabernacle of the LORDE and beholde he stondeth at the altare Then sent Salomon Benaia the sonne of Ioiada and sayde Go slaye him And whan Benaia came to the Tabernacle of the LORDE he sayde vnto him Thus sayeth the kynge Come forth He sayde No I wyl dye here And Benaia tolde this vnto the kynge agayne and sayde Thus hath Ioab spoken and thus hath he answered me The kinge saide vnto him Do as he hath spoken and slaye him and bury him that thou mayest put fro me and my fathers house the bloude which Ioab hath shed with out a cause and that the LORDE maye recompence him his bloude vpon his heade because he smote two men which were more righteous and better then he and slewe them with y e swerde that my father Dauid knewe not of namely Abner y e sonne of Ner the chefe captaine ouer Israel Amasa the sonne of Iether y e chefe captaine ouer Iuda y t their bloude maye be recompensed vpō y e heade of Ioab and of his sede for euer but Dauid and his sede his house and his seate haue peace for euermore of the LORDE And Benaia the sonne of Ioiada wente vp and smote him and slewe him he was buried in his house in the wyldernes And y e kynge set Benaia y e sonne of Ioiada in his steade ouer the hoost And Sadoc y e prest dyd the kynge set in the steade of Abiathar And the kynge sent and caused for to call Semei and sayde vnto him Buylde the an house at Ierusalem and dwell there and departe not from thence nether hither ner thither In what daye so euer thou departest forth and goest ouer y e broke Cedron be thou sure that thou shalt dye the deeth thy bloude be vpon thy heade Semei sayde vnto the kynge This is a good meanynge as my lorde the kynge hath sayde so shal thy seruaunt do So Semei dwelt at Ierusalem a longe season But after thre yeare it fortuned that two seruauntes ranne awaye from Semei vnto Achis the sonne of Maecha kynge of Gath. And it was tolde Semei beholde thy seruauntes are at Gath. Then Semei gat him vp and sadled his asse and wēte vnto Gath to Achis for to seke his seruaūtes And whā he came thither he broughte his seruauntes from Gath. And it was tolde Salomon that Semei wente from Ierusalem vnto Gath and was come agayne Then sent the kynge and caused for to call Semei and sayde vnto him Sware not I to the by the LORDE and assured the and sayde Loke what daye so euer thou departest out and goest hither or thither be sure that thou shalt dye the death And thou saydest vnto me I haue herde a good meanynge Why hast thou not kepte the then acordinge to the ooth of the LORDE and commaundement that I commaunded the And the kynge sayde vnto Semei Thou remembrest all y e wickednes which thy hert knoweth that thou dyddest vnto my father Dauid The LORDE hath recompenced y e thy wickednes vpon thy heade And kynge Salomon is blessed and the seate of Dauid shal be stablished before y e LORDE for euer And the kynge commaunded Benaia y e sonne of Ioiada which wente forth and smote him that he dyed And the kyngdome was stablished by Salomons hande The III. Chapter ANd Salomon made mariage w t Pharao the kynge of Egipte toke Pharaos doughter and broughte her in to the cite of Dauid tyll he had buylded his house and the LORDES house and the walles rounde aboute Ierusalem But the people offred yet vpon the hye places for as yet there was no house buylded vnto the name of the LORDE vnto that tyme. But Salomon loued the LORDE and walked after the ordinaunces of Dauid his father excepte onely that he offred and brent incense vpon the hye places And the kynge wente vnto Gibeon to do sacrifice there for that was a goodly hye place And Salomon offred a thousande burnt offerynges vpon the same altare And the LORDE appeared vnto Salomon at Gibeon in a dreame of the nighte and God sayde Axe what I shal geue ye. Salomō saide Thou hast done greate mercy vnto my father Dauid thy seruaunt Like as he walked before the in faithfulnes and righteousnes and in a true hert with the this greate mercy hast thou layed vp for him and geuen him a sonne to syt vpon his seate as it is now come to passe Now LORDE my God thou hast made thy seruaunt kynge in my father Dauids steade As for me I am but a small yonge man knowynge nether my outgoynge ner ingoynge And thy seruaunt is amonge the people whom thou hast chosen which is so greate that no man can nombre them ner descrybe them for multitude Geue thy seruaunt therfore an obedient hert that he maye iudge thy people vnderstonde what is good bad for who is able to iudge this thy mightie people This pleased the LORDE well that Salomon axed soch a peticion And God sayde vnto him For so moch as thou axest this and desyrest not longe lyfe nether riches nether y e soules of thine enemies but vnderstōdinge to heare iudgment beholde therfore haue I done acordynge to thy wordes Beholde I haue geuen the an hert of wyszdome and vnderstondynge so that soch one as thou hath not bene before the nether shall ryse vp after the. Yee and that thou hast not prayed for haue I geuen the also namely ryches and honoure so that amonge the kynges in y e tyme there is not soch one as
yf they make their prayer in this place and knowlege thy name and turne from their synnes whaÌ„ thou troublest them heare thou them then in heauen and be mercifull vnto the synnes of thy seruauntes and of thy people of Israel that thou mayest shewe them the good waye wherin they shulde walke and let it rayne vpon the londe that thou hast geuen thy people to inheritaunce Whan a derth or pestilence or drouth or burnynge or greshopper or catirpiller is in their londe or whan his enemye layeth lege to his portes in the londe or whan eny other plage or disease happeneth who so euer then maketh his prayer and peticion whether it be eny other men or thy people of Israel which theÌ„ are aware of their plage euery one in his hert and spredeth out his handes vnto this house Heare thou then in heauen in the seate where thou dwellest and be mercifull se that thou geue euery one acordinge as he hath walked like as thou knowest his hert for thou onely knowest the hert of all the children of men that they maye allwaye feare the as longe as they lyue in the lande which thou hast geuen vnto oure fathers And whan eny straunger that is not of thy people of Israel commeth out of a farre countre for thy names sake for they shall heare of thy greate name and of thy mightie haÌ„de and of thy outstretched arme and commeth to make his prayer in this house heare thou him then in heauen euen in the seate of thy dwellynge and do all for the which that straunger calleth vpon the that all the nacions vpon earth maye knowe thy name and that they maye feare the as thy people of Israel do and that they maye knowe how that this house which I haue buylded is named after thy name Whan thy people go forth to the battayll agaynst their enemyes the waye that thou shalt sende them and shall praye vnto the LORDE towarde the waye of the cite which thou hast chosen and towarde the house that I haue buylded vnto thy name heare thou then their prayer and peticion in heauen and execute iudgment for them Whan they synne agaynst the for there is no maÌ„ that synneth not thou be wroth and delyuer theÌ„ vnto their enemyes so that they cary them awaye captyue in to the enemyes londe farre or nye and yf they remembre them selues in the londe where they are captyue and turne and make their intercession vnto the in the londe of their captyuite and saye We haue synned done amysse and haue bene vngodly and so turne vnto y e with all their hert and with all their soule in the loÌ„de of their enemies which led them awaye captyue and make their prayer vnto the towarde the waye of their londe that thou hast geuen vnto their fathers euen towarde the cite which thou hast chosen and towarde the house that I haue buylded vnto thy name then heare thou their prayer and supplicacion in heauen from the seate of thy dwellynge and execute iudgment for them and be mercifull vnto thy people that haue synned agaynst the and vnto all their trespaces wherwith they haue transgressed agaynst the and graunte theÌ„ mercy in the sighte of them which led them awaye presonners that their enemyes maye be mercyfull vnto them for they are thy people and thyne enheritaunce whom thou broughtest out of Egipte from the yron fornace that thine eyes maye be open vnto the peticion of thy seruaunt and of thy people of Israel that thou maiest heare them in all thinges for the which they shall call vpon the for thou O LORDE LORDE hast sundered them out to be an inheritaunce vnto thy selfe from amoÌ„ge all the nacions vpon earth acordinge as thou saydest by Moses thy seruaunt whan thou broughtest oure fathers out of Egipte And whaÌ„ Salomon had ended all this prayer and peticion before the LORDE he rose vp from the altare of the LORDE and lefte of from knelynge and holdynge out of handes towarde heauen and stode and blessed all the congregacion of Israel with loude voyce and sayde Praysed be the LORDE which hath geuen rest vnto his people acordinge as he sayde There hath not one fayled of all his good wordes which he spake by his seruaunt Moses The LORDE oure God be with vs as he hath bene with oure fathers and forsake vs not nether withdrawe his hande from vs but bowe oure hertes vnto him that we maye walke in all his wayes and kepe his commaundementes ordinaunces and lawes which he commaunded oure fathers And these wordes wherwith I haue made my peticion before the LORDE come nye vnto the LORDE oure God daye and nighte that he maye execute iudgment for his seruaunt and for his people of Israel euery one at his tyme that all nacions vpon earth maye knowe that the LORDE is God that there is none other And let youre hert be perfecte with the LORDE oure God to walke in his statutes and to kepe his commaundementes as it is this daye And the kynge with all Israel his people offred sacrifice before the LORDE And Salomon offred deed offerynges which he offred vnto the LORDE two and twenty thousande oxen and an hundreth twenty thousande shepe So the kynge and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORDE The same daye dyd the kynge dedicate the myddelmost courte which was before the house of the LORDE that he mighte there perfourme the burnt offerynges meat-offerynges and the fat of the deed offerynges for the brasen altare that stode before y e LORDE was to litle for the burnt offerynges meat offerynges and for the fat of the deed offerynges And at the same tyme made Salomon a solempne feast and all Israel a greate congregacion with him from the border of Hemath vnto the ryuer of Egipte before the LORDE oure God seuendayes and yet seuen dayes that were fourtene daies And on the eight daye he let the people go And they blessed the kynge and wente vnto their tentes reioysinge and with a mery hert because of all the good that the LORDE had done vnto Dauid his seruaunt to his people of Israel The IX Chapter ANd whan Salomon had fynished y e buyldinge of the house of the LORDE and the kynges house and all that his desyre and pleasure was to make y e LORDE appeared vnto him the seconde tyme euen as he appeared vnto him at Gibeon And the LORDE sayde vnto him I haue herde thy prayer and peticion that thou hast made before me and haue sanctified this house which thou hast buylded that I maye set my name there for euer and myne eyes and my hert shal be there allwaye And yf thou walke before me as thy father Dauid walked with a perfecte and a true hert so that thou do all that I haue commaunded the and kepe myne ordinaunces and lawes then wyll I stablish the â—eate of thy kyngdome ouer Israel for euer
What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Of the kyngdome of Salomon to whom the LORDE appeareth and Salomon maketh his prayer vnto him Chap. II. How Salomon deuyseth to buylde the temple of the LORDE Chap. III. How he begynneth to buylde and after what faszshion Chap. IIII. Of the ornamentes of the temple Chap. V. The Arke is broughte in to the temple c. Chap. VI. Salomon speaketh vnto the people prayseth God and beseketh him to heare soch as make their prayer in the temple Chap. VII The fyre commeth from heauen consumeth the sacrifice The kynge the people offre The LORDE appeareth vnto Salomon and promyseth to heare him Chap. VIII Salomon buyldeth cities and subdueth the Heythen Of his captaynes and of his wife Chap. IX The Quene of Saba bringeth presentes vnto Salomon receaueth giftes of him Salomon dyeth Chap. X. Roboam oppressynge the people maketh them to fall awaye from him Chap. XI The LORDE wil not suffre Roboam kynge of Iuda BeÌ„ Iamin to fighte agaynst Israel He buyldeth cities Chap. XII Roboam forsaketh the lawe of the LORDE The kynge of Egipte commeth vpon him The LORDE delyuereth him Chap. XIII Of Abia Ieroboam their warres Chap. XIIII XV. Of kynge Asa. Chap. XVI Baesa coÌ„meth vp against Asa which agreeth with him therfore is he rebuked Chap. XVII Of the reigne of Iosaphat Chap. XVIII Iosaphat maketh frendshippe with Achab and helpeth him to fight Chap. XIX Iehu rebuketh Iosaphat for helpynge the vngodly Iosaphat amendeth and lyueth well Chap. XX. The Moabites Ammonites with the Syrians and Edomites go forth agaynst Iosaphat which prayeth vnto God and he helpeth him Chap. XXI Iosaphat dyeth Ioram his sonne is made kynge slayeth his brethren and forsaketh the LORDE Edom falleth awaye from Iuda God punysheth Ioram Chap. XXII Ochosias is made kinge and taketh parte with Achabs sonne Chap. XXIII Ioiada maketh Ioas kynge commaundeth to slaye Athalia Chap. XXIIII Whyle Ioiada lyueth kynge Ioas doth well but after his death he forsaketh the LORDE And because Zacharias reproueth him he coÌ„maundeth to stone him to death His awne seruauntes kyll him vpon his bed Chap. XXV Of kynge Amasias which smyteth the Edomites He worshippeth their Idols therfore the prophet reproueth him He wyll nedes fight with the kynge of Israel which ouercommeth him and taketh him Chap. XXVI Of kynge Osias other wyse called Vsia or Azarias of his buyldinges how he became leper for his presumpcion Chap. XXVII Of Iothams reigne of his buyldinges and of his warres Chap. XXVIII Of the wicked kynge Achas Chap. XXIX XXX.XXXI Of the verteous kynge Ezechias and of his noble actes Chap. XXXII Sennacherib layeth sege to Ierusalem Ezechias comforteth the people Sennacherib threateneth but the LORDE delyuereth Iuda Ezechias is sicke and recouereth Chap. XXXIII Of the reigne of Manasses and of his amendment from his wickednes Of kynge Ammon his sonne Chap. XXXIIII XXXV Of the reigne and most vertuous actes of kynge Iosias and of his death Chap. XXXVI Thre monethes reigneth Ioachas after whom reigneth Eliachim other wyse called Ioachim whom Nabuchodonosor carieth vnto Babilon and in his steade reigneth Ioachim his sonne which also is led awaye captayne vnto Babilon Sedechias is made kynge and at the last caried awaye presoner with all the people and Ierusalem destroyed The first Chapter ANd Salomon the sonne of Dauid was stablyshed in his kyngdome and the LORDE his God was with him made him exceadinge greate And Salomon spake vnto all Israel to the captaynes ouer thousandes and ouer hundreds to the Iudges and to all y e prynces in Israel and to the chefest fathers so that they wente Salomon and the whole congregacion with him vnto the hye place which was at Gibea for there was y e Tabernacle of y e witnesse of God which Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE had made in y e wyldernesse For Dauid had brought vp the Arke of God from Kiriath Iarim whan he had prepared for it for he had pitched a tent for it at Ierusalem As for y e brasen altare which Bezaleel the sonne of Vâ—â— the sonne of Hur had made it was there before the habitacion of the LORDE and Salomon and the congregacion soughte God And Salomon offred a thousande burntofferynges vpoÌ„ the brasen altare that stode before the Tabernacle of witnesse In the same nighte appeared God vnto Salomon and sayde vnto him Axe what shal I geue the And Salomon sayde vnto God Thou hast done greate mercy vnto my father Dauid â—nd hast made me kynge in his steade Now LORDE God let y e worde that thou hast pâ—omysed vnto my father Dauid be verified for thou hast made me kynge ouer a people which is as many in noÌ„bre as the dust vpon the earth Graunte me wyszdome therfore and knowlege y t I maye go out and in before this people for who is able to iudge this greate people of thine Then sayde God vnto Salomon For so moch as thou art so mynded and hast not desyred riches ner good ner hono r ner the soules of thine enemies ner longe life but hast requyred wyszdome and knowlege to iudge my people ouer whom I haue made the kynge wyszdome therfore and knowlege be geuen the. Morouer riches good and honoure wyll I geue the so that soch one as thou hath not bene before the amoÌ„ge the kynges nether shal be after the. So came Salomon from the hye place which was at Gibeon vnto IerusaleÌ„ from y e Tabernacle of witnesse and reigned ouer Israel And Salomon gathered him charettes and horsmen so that he had a thousande and foure hundreth charettes twolue thousande horsmen and those appoynted he to be in the charet cities and with the kynge at Ierusalem And the kynge broughte it so to passe that there was as moch syluer golde at IerusaleÌ„ as stones and as many Ceders as the Molberyes trees that are in the valleys And there were horses broughte vnto Salomon out of Egipte the kynges marchauntes fetched them from Kena for moneye And they came vp and broughte out of Egipte a charet for sixe huÌ„dreth syluer peÌ„s and an horse for an hundreth and fiftye Thus broughte they also vnto all the kynges of the Hethites and to the kynges of y e Syrians The II. Chapter ANd Salomon thoughte to buylde an house vnto the name of the LORDE an house for his kyngdome and tolde out thre score and ten thousande men to beare burthens and foure score thousande that hewed tymber vpoÌ„ the mount and thre thousande and sixe hundreth officers ouer them And Salomon sent vnto Hiram the kynge of Tyre sayenge As thou dyddest with my father sendedst him Ceder trees to builde an house for to dwell in euen so do thou w t me also Beholde I wyl buylde an house vnto the name of the LORDE my God to sanctifie it for to burne good incense before him and allwaye to prepare y e
him sayde Thou shalt not want a man before me to syt vpon the seate of Israel yf thy children kepe their waye so y t they walke in my lawe like as thou hast walked before me Now LORDE God of Israel let y i worde be verified which thou hast promysed vnto Dauid thy seruaunt For thinkest thou that God in very dede dwelleth amonge men vpon earth Beholholde the heauen and y e heauens of all heauens maye not coÌ„teyne the how shulde then this house do it which I haue buylded But turne the vnto the prayer of thy seruaunt and to his supplicacioÌ„ O LORDE my God that thou mayest heare the thankesgeuynge and prayer which thy seruaunt maketh before the so that thine eyes be open ouer this house daye and night euen ouer this place wherin thou saydest thou woldest set thy name that thou mayest heare the prayer which thy seruaunt shall make in this place Heare now therfore the intercession of thy seruaunt and of thy people of Israel what so euer they shall desyre in this place heare thou it from the place of thy habitacion eueÌ„ from heauen and whan thou hearest it be mercifull Whan eny maÌ„ synneth agaynst his neghboure and an ooth be put vpon him which he ought to sweare and the ooth commeth before thine altare in this house then heare thou from heauen and se y t thy seruaunt haue righte so that thou rewarde the vngodâ—y and recoÌ„pence him his waye vpon his awne heade and to iustifye the righteous and to geue him acordinge to his righteousnes Whan thy people of Israel is smytteÌ„ before their enemies whyle they haue synned agaynst the and yf they turne vnto the and knowlege thy name and make their prayer and intercession before the in this house theâ— heare thou them from heauen and be mercifull vnto the synne of thy people of Israel brynge them agayne in to the londe y t thou hast geuen them and their fathers Whan the heauen is shut vp so that it rayne not for so moch as they haue synned agaynst the and yf they make their prayer in this place and knowlege thy name and turne from their synnes whan thou hast brought them lowe heare thou them then in heauen and be mercifull vnto the synne of thy seruauntes and of thy people of Israel that thou mayest teach them the good waye wherin they shulde walke and let it rayne vpon thy londe which thou hast geuen thy people to possesse Whan a derth or pestilence or drouth â—â—â—blastinge or greshopper or catirpiller is in the londe Or whan their enemye layeth sege to their portes in the loÌ„de or whan eny other plage or disease happeneth who so euer theÌ„ maketh his prayer or peticion amonge eny maner of men or amonge all thy people of Israel yf eny man fele his plage and disease and spredeth out his handes vnto this house heare thou then from heauen euen from y e seate of thy habitacion and be mercifull and geue euery man acordinge to all his wayes in so moch as thou knowest his hert for thou onely knowest the hert of the children of men that they maye feare the and all waye walke in thy wayes as longe as they lyue in the londe which thou hast geuen vnto oure fathers And whan eny straunger which is not of thy people of Israel commeth out of a farre countre because of thy greate name and mightie hande and out stretched arme and commeth to make his prayer in this house heare thou him then from heaueÌ„ euen from the seate of thy habitacion and do all for y e which that straunger calleth vpoÌ„ the that all the nacions vpon earth maye knowe thy name and feare the as thy people of Israel do and that they maye knowe how y t this house which I haue buylded is named after thy name Whan thy people go forth to y e battayll agaynst their enemies the waye that thou shalt sende them and shall praye vnto the towarde the waye of this cite which thou hast chosen and towarde the house that I haue buylded vnto thy name heare thou theÌ„ their prayer and peticion from heauen and helpe them to their righte Whan they synne agaynst the for there is no man that synneth not and thou be wroth at them and geue them ouer before their enemyes so that they cary them awaye captyue in to a countre farre or nye and yf they turne within their hertes in the londe where they are presoners and so conuerte and make their intercession vnto the in the londe of their captiuyte and saye We haue synned and done amysse and haue bene vngodly and so turne them selues vnto y e with all their hert and with all their soule in the londe of their captiuyte wherin they are presoners and make their prayer towarde the waye of their owne londe which thou gauest vnto their fathers and towarde the ciâ—e which thou hast chosen and towarde the house that I haue buylded vnto thy name then heare thou their prayer and supplicacion from heauen euen from the seate of thy dwellynge and helpe them to their righte and be mercifull vnto thy people that haue synned agaynst the. My God let thine eyes now be opeÌ„ and let thine eares geue hede vnto prayer in this place Aryse now O LORDE God vnto thy restinge place thou and the Arke of thy strength Let thy prestes O LORDE God be clothed with health and let thy sayentes reioyse ouer this good LORDE God turne not awaye the face of thine anoynted thinke vpon the mercies of thy seruaunt Dauid The VII Chapter ANd whaÌ„ SalomoÌ„ had ended his praier there fell a fyre from heauen and coÌ„sumed the burnt offerynge and the other offeringes And the glory of the LORDE fylled the house so that y e prestes coulde not go in to the house of the LORDE while y e glory of the LORDE filled y e LORDES house And all the children of Israel sawe the fyre fall downe and the glory of the LORDE ouer the house and they fell on their knees w t their faces to the grounde vpon the pauement and worshipped and gaue thankes vnto the LORDE because he is gracious and because his mercy endureth for euer As for the kynge and all the people they offred before the LORDE For kynge Salomon offred two and tweÌ„tye thousande bullockes and an hundreth thousande and twentye thousande shepe so both the kynge and all the people dedicated the house of God But the prestes stode in their watches the Leuites with the musicall instrumentes of the LORDE which kynge Dauid had caused to make for to geue thankes vnto the LORDE because his mercy endureth for euer w t psalmes of Dauid thorow their hande And the prestes blewe trompettes ouer agaynst them and all Israel stode And Salomon halowed the myddelmost courte which was before the house of the LORDE for there prepared he the burnt offerynges and the fat of the slayne offeringes for the
soch wordes it displeased me sore and I aduysed so in my mynde y t I rebuked the councelers and the rulers and sayde vnto them Wyl ye requyre vsury one of another And I broughte a greate congregacion agaynst them and sayde vnto them We after oure abilyte haue boughte oure brethren the Iewes which were solde vnto the Heythen And wyl ye sell youre brethren whom we haue boughte vnto vs Then helde they their peace coulde fynde nothinge to answere And I sayde It is not good that ye do Oughte ye not to walke in the feare of God because of the rebuke of the Heythen oure enemies I and my brethrē and my seruauntes haue lent them money and corne but as for vsury let vs leaue it Therfore this same daye se that ye restore thē their londes agayne their vynyardes oyle gardens and houses and the hundreth parte of the money of the corne wyne and oyle that ye haue wonne of them Then sayde they We wyl restore them agayne and wyl requyre nothinge of them and wyl do as thou hast spoken And I called the prestes and toke an ooth of thē that they shulde do so And I shoke my lappe and sayde God shake out euery man after the same maner frō his house and laboure that maynteyneth not this worde euen thus be he shaken out and voyde And all y e congregacion sayde Amen and praysed the LORDE And the people dyd so And from the tyme forth that it was commytted vnto me to be a Debyte in the londe of Iuda namely from the twentieth yeare vnto the two and thirtieth yeare off kynge Artaxerses that is twolue yeare I and my brethrē lyued not of soch sustenaunbe as was geuen to a Debyte For the olde Debytes that were before me had bene chargeable vnto the people and had takē of thē bred and wyne and fortye Sycles of syluer Yee and their seruauntes had oppressed the people But so dyd not I and that because of the feare of God I laboured also in the worke vpon the wall and boughte no lōde And all my seruaūtes came thither together vnto y e worke Morouer there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes and rulers which came vnto me from amonge the Heythen that are aboute vs. And there was prepared me daylie an oxe and sixe chosen shepe and byrdes and euer once in ten dayes a greate summe of wyne Yet requyred not I the lyuynge of a Debyte for y e bondage was greuous vnto y e people Thynke vpō me my God vnto y e best acordīge to all that I haue done for this people The VI. Chapter ANd whan Saneballat Tobias and Gosem the Arabian and the other of oure enemyes herde that I had buylded the wall and that there were no mo gappes ther in howbeit at the same tyme had I not hanged the dores vpon the gates Saneballat and Gosem sent vnto me sayenge Come and let us mete together in the vyllages vpon the playne of the cite On◠Neuertheles they thoughte to do me euell Notwithstondynge I sent messaungers vnto them sayenge I haue a greate busynes to do I can not come downe The worke shulde stonde still yf I were necligent and came downe to you Howbeit they sent vnto me as good as foure tymes after the same maner And I gaue the same answere Then sent Saneballat his seruaunt vnto me the fifth tyme with an open letter in his hande wherin was wrytten It is tolde the Heythen Gosem hath sayde it that thou and the Iewes thynke to rebell for y e which cause thou buyldest the wall and wylt be their kynge in these matters and hast ordeyned the prophetes to preach of the at Ierusalem and to saye He is kynge of Iuda Now shal this come to the kynges eares come now therfore and let us take oure councell together Neuertheles I sent vnto him sayenge There is no soch thinge done as thou sayest thou hast fayned it out of thine owne hert For they were all mynded to make us afrayed and thoughte They shal withdrawe their handes from the worke y t they shal not laboure Howbeit I strēgthed my hande the more And I came vnto y e house of Semaia y e sonne of Delaia the sonne of Mechetabeel he had shut him selfe within sayde Let us come together in to y e house of God euē vnto y e myddes of y e tēple sparre y e dores of y e tēple for they wyl come to slaye y e yee euē in the night wyl they come to put the to death But I sayde Shulde soch a mā flye Shulde soch a mā as I am go in to y e tēple to saue his life I wyl not go in For I perceaued that God had not sent him Yet spake he prophecye vpon me neuerthelesse Tobias and Saneballat had hired him for money Therfore toke he the money that I shulde be afrayed and so to do and synne that they might haue an euell reporte of me to blaspheme me My God thynke thou vpon Tobias and Saneballat acordynge vnto these their workes and of y e prophet Noadia and of the other prophetes y t wolde haue put me in feare And the wall was fynished on the fyue twentyeth daye of the moneth Elul in two and fyftye dayes And whan all o r enemies herde therof all the Heithen y t were aboute vs were afraied and their corage failed thē for they perceaued that this worke came of God And at y e same tyme were there many of y e chefe of Iuda whose letters wēte vnto Tobias from Tobias vnto them for there were many in Iuda that were sworne vnto him for he was the sonne in lawe of Sachania the sonne of Arah and his sonne Iohanan had the doughter of Mesullam the sonne of Barachia and they spake good of him before me and tolde him my wordes And Tobias sent letters to put me in feare The VII Chapter NOw whan we had buylded the wall I hanged on the dores and the porters syngers and Leuites were appoynted And I cōmaunded my brother Hanani and Hanania the ruler of the palace at Ierusalem for he was a faithfull man and feared God more then dyd many other and I sayde vnto them Let not the gates of Ierusalē be opened vntyll the Sonne be whote And whyle they are yet stondinge in the watch the dores shall be shut and barred And there were certayne citesyns of Ierusalem appoynted to be watchmen euery one in his watch and aboute his house As for y e cite it was large of rowme and greate but y e people were fewe therin and the houses were not buylded And my God gaue me in my hert that I gatherd together the pryncipall men and y e people to nombre them and I founde a register of their nombre which came vp afore out of the captiuyte whom Nabuchodonosor y e kynge of Babilō had caryed awaie and dwelt at Ierusalem and in Iuda
that the crowne royall maye be set vpon his heade And let this rayment and horse be delyuered vnder the hande of one of the kynges prynces that he maye araye the man withall whom the kynge wolde fayne honoure and cary him vpon the horse thorow the strete of the cite and cause it to be proclamed before him Thus shal it be done to euery man whom the kynge wolde fayne honoure The kynge sayde Make haist and take as thou hast sayde the raymeÌ„t and the horse and do euen so with Mardocheus y e Iewe that sitteth before the kynges gate and let nothinge fayle of all that thou hast spoken Then toke Aman the rayment and the horse and arayed him and broughte him on horszbacke thorow the strete of the cite and proclamed before him Euen thus shall it be done vnto euery man whom the kynge is disposed to honoure And Mardocheus came agayne to the kynges gate but Aman gat him home in all the haist mournynge with bare heade and tolde Seres his wyfe and all his frendes euery thynge that had happened him Then sayde his wise men and Seres his wyfe vnto him Yf it be Mardocheus of the sede of the Iewes before whoÌ„ thou hast begonne to fall thou canst do nothynge vnto him but shalt fall before him Whyle they were yet talkynge with him came the kynges chamberlaynes and caused Aman to make haist to come vnto the bancket that Hester had prepared The VII Chapter ANd whan the kynge and Aman came to the bancket that quene Hester had prepared the kynge sayde vnto Hester on the seconde daye whan he had droÌ„ken wyne What is thy peticion quene Hester that it maye be geuen the And what requyrest thou Yee axe euen halfe of the empyre and it shal 〈◊〉 done Hester y e quene answered and sayde Yf I haue founde grace in thy sighte O kynge and yf it please the kynge then graunte me my lyfe at my desyre and my people for my peticions sake for we are solde to be destroyed to be slayne and to perishe And wolde God we were solde to be bondmen and bondwemen then wolde I holde my tonge so shulde not the enemye be so hye to the kynges harme The kynge Ahasuerus spake saide vnto quene Hester What is he that Or where is he y t darre presume in his mynde to do soch a thinge after that maner Hester sayde The enemye and aduersary is this wicked Aman. As for AmaÌ„ he was exceadingly afraied before y e kynge y e quene And the kynge arose froÌ„ the bancket froÌ„ y e wyne in his displeasure and wente in to the palace garden And Aman stode vp and besoughte quene Hester for his life for he sawe y t there was a mischauÌ„ce prepared for him of the kynge allready And whan the kynge came agayne out of the palace garden in to y e parler where they had eaten Aman had layed him vpon the bed that Hester sat vpon Then saide the kinge wyl he force the quene also besyde me in the house As soone as that worde wente out of the kynges mouth they couered Amans face And Harbona one of the chamberlaynes that stode before the kynge sayde Beholde there stondeth a galowe in AmaÌ„s house fiftie cubytes hye which he had made for Mardocheus that spake good for y e kinge The kynge sayde Hange him theron So they hanged Aman on the galowe that he had made for Mardocheus Then was the kynges wrath stylled The VIII Chapter THe same daye dyd kynge Ahasuerus geue the house of Aman the Iewes enemye vnto quene Hester And Mardocheus came before y e kinge for Hester tolde how that he beloÌ„ged vnto her And the kynge put of his fynger rynge which he had taken from Aman gaue it vnto Mardocheus And Hester set Mardocheus ouer the house of Aman. And Hester spake yet more before the kynge and fell downe at his fete besought him that he wolde put awaye the wyckednes of Aman the Agagite and his deuice that he had ymagined against y e Iewes And the kynge helde out the goldeâ— cepter vnto Hester Then rose Hester and stode before the kynge and sayde Yf it please the kynge and yf I haue fouÌ„de grace in his sight yf it be coÌ„uenyent for the kinge and yf it be accepted in his sighte then let it be wrytteÌ„ y t the letters of the deuyce of AmaÌ„ the sonne of Amadathai the Agagite maie be called agayne which letters he wrote to destroie y e Iewes in all y e kynges loÌ„des For how can I se the euell that shal happeÌ„ vnto my people and how can I loke vpon the destrucâ—ion of my kynred Then sayde y e kynge Ahasuerus vnto quene Hester and to Mardocheus the Iewe Beholde I haue geuen Hester the house of Aman him haue they hanged vpon a tre because he layed haÌ„de vpon y e Iewes Wryte ye now therfore for the Iewes as it liketh you in the kynges name and seale it with y e kynges rynge for the wrytinges that were wrytten in y e kynges name and sealed with the kynges rynge durst no man dysanulle Then were the kynges scrybes called at the same tyme in the thirde moneth that is the moneth Siâ—an on the thre twentieth daie And it was wrytten as Mardocheus coÌ„maunded vnto the Iewes and to the prynces to the Debities and captaynes in the londes from India vntyll Ethiopia namely an hundreth and seuen and twentye londes vnto euery one acordinge to the wrytinge therof vnto euery people after their speche and to the Iewes acordinge to their wrytinge and language And it was written in the kynge Ahasuerus name and sealed with the kynges rynge And by postes that rode vpon swyfte yonge Mules sent he the wrytinges wher in the kynge graunted the Iewes in what cities so euer they were to gather them selues together and to stonde for their lyfe and for to rote out to slaye and to destroye all the power of the people and londe that wolde trouble them with children and wemen and to spoyle their good vpon one daye in all the londes of kynge Ahasuerus namely vpon the thirtenth daye of the twolueth moneth which is the moneth Adar The summe of the wrytinge was how there was a coÌ„maundement geuen in all londes to be publisled vnto all the people that y e Iewes shulde be ready agaynst that daye to auenge them selues on their enemies And the postes that rode vpon the Mules made haist with all spede acordinge to the kynges worde and the commaundement was deuysed in the castel of Susan As for Mardocheus he wente out from the kynge in royall apparell of yalow and whyte and wyth a greate crowne of golde beynge arayed with a garment of linnen and purple and y e cite of Susan reioysed was glad but vnto the Iewes there was come light and gladnesse ioye worshippe And in all londes and cities in to what places so euer the kynges worde and commaundemeÌ„t reached there
my soule why art thou so disquieted withâ—â— me O put thy trust in God for I wil yet gâ—â—ue him thaÌ„kes for y e helpe of his countenaâ—â—ce and because he is my God The XLIII A psalme of y e childreÌ„ of Corah WE haue herde with o r eare 〈◊〉 God o r fathers haue tolde vs what thou hast done in their tyme of olde How thou hast dryueÌ„ out the Heithen w t thy honde plaÌ„ted theÌ„ in how thou hast destroyed the nacions cast theÌ„ out For they gat not the londe in possession thorow their owne swerde nether was it their owne arme that helped them But thy right haÌ„de thyne arme the light of thy countenaunce because thou haddest a fauoure vnto them Thou art y e kinge my God thou sendest helpe vnto Iacob Thorow y e wil we ouer throwe oure enemies in thy name will we treade them vnder that ryse vp agaynst vs. For I will not trust in my bowe it is not my swerde y t shal helpe me But it is thou that sauest vs froÌ„ oure enemies and puttest them to confucion that hate vs. We will allwaye make oure boast of God and prayse thy name for euer Sela. But now thou forsakest vs puttest vs to confucion and goest not forth with oure hoostes Thou makest vs to turne oure backes vpon oure enemies so that they which hate vs spoile oure goodes Thou lettest vs be eaten vp like shepe scatrest vs amonge the Heithen Thou sellest thy people for naught takest no moneye for them Thou makest vs to be rebuked of o r neghbours to be laughed to scorne aud had in derision of them that are rounde aboute vs. Thou hast made vs a very by worde amonge the Heithen that the people shake their heades at vs. My coÌ„fucion is daylie before me the shame of my face couereth me For the voyce of the slaunderer blasphemer for the enemie and auenger All this is come vpon vs yet haue we not forgotten the ner behaued oure selues vnfaithfully in thy couenaunt Oure hert is not turned backe nether oure steppes gone out of thy waye That thou smytesâ— vs so in the place of the serpeÌ„t couerest vs with y e shadowe of death Yf we had forgotten the name of oure God holdeÌ„ vp oure hondes to eny straunge God Shulde â—ot God fynde it out for he knoweth the very secretes of the hert But for thy sake we are kylled all the daie longe and are counted as shepe apoynted to be slayne Vp LORDE why slepest thou â–ª Awake and cast vs not of for euer Wherfore hydest thou thy face wilt thou clene forget oure misery and oppressioÌ„ For oure soule is brought lowe euen vnto the dust and oure bely cleueth vnto the grounde Arise o LORDE helpe vs and delyuer vs for thy mercie sake The XLIIII A psalme of the children of Corah MY hert is dytinge of a good matter I speake of that which I haue made of the kynge My tonge is y e penne of a ready wryter Thou art the fayrest amonge the children of meÌ„ full of grace are thy lippes therfore God blesseth the for euer Gyrde the with thy swerde vpon thy thee o thou mightie with worshipe and renowne Good lucke haue thou with thine honoure ryde on with the treuth mekenesse rightuousnes thy right hoÌ„de shal teach y e woÌ„derfull thinges Thy arowes are sharpe the people shal be subdued vnto the euen in the myddest amonge the kynges enemies Thy seate o God endureth for euer the cepter of thy kyngdome is a right cepter Thou hast loued rightuousnesse hated iniquite wherfore God which is thy God hath anoynted the with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fâ—lowes All thy garmentes are like myrre Aloes Cassia when thou coÌ„mest out of thine yuerie palaces in thy beutifull glory Kynges doughters go in thy goodly araye vpon thy right honde stondeth the quene in a vesture of the most fyne golde Herken o doughter considre enclyne thine eare forget thine owne people thy fathers house So shal the kynge haue pleasure in thy beutie for he is thy LORDE thou shalt worshipe him The doughters of Tyre shal be there with giftes the riche amonge the people shal make their supplicacion before the. The kynges doughter is all glorious within hir clothinge is of wrought golde â–ª She shal be brought vnto the kynge in rayment of nedle worke and maydens after her soch as be next her shal be brought vnto the. With ioye and gladnesse shal they be brought and go into the kynges palace In steade of thy fathere thou hast gotten children whom thou shalt make prynces in all londes I wil remembre thy name from one generacioÌ„ to another therfore shal the people geue thankes vnto the worlde without ende The XLV A psalme of the children of Corah IN oure troubles and aduersite we haue founde that God is oure refuge oure strength and helpe Therfore wil we not feare though the earth fell and though the hilles were caried in to the myddest of the see Though the waters of the see raged were neuer so troublous though the mountaynes shoke at the teÌ„pest of the same Sela. For there is a floude which w t his ryuers reioyseth y e cite of God the holy dwellynge of the most hyest God is in y e myddest of her therfore shall she not be remoued for God helpeth her y e right early The Heithen are madd the kyngdomes make moch a doo but wheÌ„ he sheweth his voyce y e earth melteth awaye The LORDE of hoostes is w t vs the God of Iacob is oure defence Sela. O come hither beholde y e workes of the LORDE what destruccioÌ„s he hath brought vpoÌ„ y e earth He hath made warres to ceasse in all the worlde he hath broken the bowe he hath knapped the speare in sonder breÌ„t the charettes in the fyre Be still theÌ„ confesse y t I am God I wil be exalted amonge the HeitheÌ„ I wil be exalted vpon earth The LORDE of hoostes is w t vs the God of Iacob is oure defence Sela. The XLVI A psalme of the children of Corah O Clappe youre hoÌ„des together all ye people O synge vnto God with the voyce of thaÌ„kesgeuynge For the LORDE the most hyest is to be feared he is the greate kynge vpoÌ„ all y e earth He shal subdue the people vnder vs the HeitheÌ„ vnder oure fete He choseth vs for an heretage the beutie of Iacob whom he loued Sela God is gone vp w t a mery noyse the LORDE w t the sownde of the troÌ„pet O synge prayses synge prayses vnto God O synge prayses synge prayses vnto oure kynge For God is kynge of all the earth O synge prayses vnto him with vnderstondinge God is kinge ouer the HeitheÌ„ God sitteth in his holy seate The prynces of the people are gathered together vnto the
his waies to be clene but it is y e LORDE y t fashioneth y e myndes Commytte thy workes vnto y e LORDE and loke what thou deuysest it shal prospere The LORDE doth all thinges for his owne sake yee when he kepeth y e vngodly for y e daye of wrath The LORDE abhorreth all presumptuous proude hertes there maye nether strength ner power escape With louynge mercy faithfulnesse synnes be forgeuen and who so feareth y e LORDE eschueth euell When a mans wayes please y e LORDE he maketh his very enemies to be his frendes Better is it to haue a litle thinge w t rightuousnes theÌ„ greate rentes wrongeously gotten A maÌ„ deuyseth a waye in his herte but it is y e LORDE y t ordreth his goinges When y e prophecy is in y e lippes of y e kynge his mouth shal not go wroÌ„ge in iudgment A true measure a true balauÌ„ce are y e LORDES he maketh all weightes It is a greate abhominacioÌ„ when kynges are wycked for a kynges seate shulde be holden vp w t righteousnesse Righteous lippes are pleasauÌ„t vnto kynges and they loue him y t speaketh y e trueth The kynges displeasure is a messaunger of death but a wyse man wyl pacifie him The cherefull countenauÌ„ce of y e kynge is life and his louynge fauo r is as the euenynge dewe To haue wyszdome in possession is better then golde and to get vnderstondynge is more worth then syluer The path of y e righteous eschueth euell who so loketh well to his wayes kepeth his owne soule Presumptuousnes goeth before destruccion and after a proude stomake there foloweth a fall Better it is to be of humble mynde w t the lowly then to deuyde y e spoyles w t y e proude He y t handleth a matter wysely opteyneth good blessed is he y t putteth his trust in y e LORDE Who so hath a wyse vnderstondinge is called to councell but he y t can speake fayre getteth more riches Vnderstondinge is a well of life vnto him y t hath it as for y e chastenynge of fooles it is but foolishnesse The herte of the wyse enfourmeth his mouth and amendeth y e doctryne in his lyppes Fayre wordes are an hony combe a refreshinge of y e mynde health of y e bones There is a waye y t men thinke to be right but the ende therof leadeth vnto death A troublous soule disquyeteth hir selfe for hir owne mouth hath brought her therto An vngodly personne stereth vp euell and in his lippes he is as an whote burnynge fyre A frowarde body causeth strife and he y t is a blabbe of his tonge maketh deuysion amonge prynces A wicked maÌ„ begyleth his neghbo r ledeth him y e waye y t is not good He that wyncketh w t his eyes ymagineth myschefe and he y t byteth his lippes wyl do some harme Age is a crowne of worshipe yf it be founde in the waye of righteousnes A pacient man is better then one that is stroÌ„ge and he that can rule him selfe is more worth then he y t wynneth a cite The lottes are cast in to the lappe but their fall stoÌ„deth in the LORDE The XVII Chapter BEtter is a drye morsell w t quyetnesse theÌ„ a full house and many fatt catell w t stryfe A discrete seruauÌ„t shal haue more rule then the sonnes y t haue no wysdome and shal haue like heretage w t the brethren Like as syluer is tried in the fyre and golde in the fornace euen so doth the LORDE proue the hertes A wicked body holdeth moch of false lippes a dyssemblynge persone geueth eare to a disceatfull toÌ„ge Who so laugheth y e poore to scorne blasphemeth his maker and he y t is glad of another mans hurte shal not be vnpunyshed Childers children are a worshipe vnto the elders and the fathers are the hono r of the children An eloquent speach becoÌ„meth not a foole a dyssemblinge mouth also besemeth not a prynce Liberalite is a precious stone vnto him that hath it for where so euer he becoÌ„meth he prospereth Who so couereth another mans offence seketh loue but he y t discloseth the faute setteth frendes at variaunce One reprofe only doth more good to him y t hath vnderstoÌ„dinge then an C. stripes vnto a foole A sedicious personne seketh myschefe â—ut a cruell messaunger shal be sent agaynst him It were better to come agaynst a she Bere robbed of hir whelpes then agaynst a foole in his foolishnes Who so rewardeth euell for good the plage shal not departe froÌ„ his house He y t soweth discorde strife is like one y t dyggeth vp a water broke but an open enemie is like the water y t breaketh out reÌ„â—eth abrode The LORDE hateth as well him y t iustifieth y e vngodly as him y t condempneth the innoceÌ„t What helpeth it to geue a foole money in his hoÌ„de where as he hath no mynde to bye wyszdome He is a frende that all waye loueth and in aduersite a man shal knowe who is his brother Who so promiseth by the hande is suertie for another he is a foole He y t loueth strife delyteth in synne who so setteth his dore to hye seketh after a fall Who so hath a frowarde herte opteyneth no good and he y t hath an oueÌ„rthâ—â—â—â— tonge shal fall in to myschefe An 〈◊〉 body bryngeth himselfe in to sorowe and y e father of a foole can haue no ioye A mâ—â—y herte maketh a lusty age but a sorowfull â—â—â—de dryeth vp y e bones The vngodly taketh giftes out of the bosome to wraist the wayeâ—â— of iudgment Wyszdome shyneth in y e face of him y t hath vnderstondinge but y e eyes â—â— fooles wandre thorow out all loÌ„des An 〈◊〉 discrete sonne is a grefe vnto his father 〈◊〉 heuynesse vnto his mother y t bare him 〈◊〉 punysh y e innocent and to smyte y e prynces â— geue true iudgmeÌ„t are both euell He is 〈◊〉 and discrete y t tempereth his wordes 〈◊〉 he is a maÌ„ of vnderstoÌ„dinge y t maketh moâ—â— of his sprete Yee a very foole when he holâ—deth his tonge is counted wyse and to 〈◊〉 vnderstoÌ„dinge when he shutteth his lippes The XVIII Chapter WHo so hath pleasure to sowe disâ—â—de piketh a quarell in euery thingâ— â–ª A foole hath no delyte in vnderâ—â—â—â—dinge but only in those thinges wherin 〈◊〉 herte reioyseth Where vngodlynes is theâ—re is also diszdayne so there foloweth shaâ—me dishonor. The wordes of a maÌ„s 〈◊〉 are like depe waters and the well of wyszdoâ—me is like a full streame It is not good 〈◊〉 regarde y e personne of the vngodly or to 〈◊〉 backe y e righteous in iudgmeÌ„t A fooles lipâ—pes are euer brawlinge and his mouth proâ—uoketh vnto batayll A fooles mouth is 〈◊〉 owne destruccion and his lippes are y e 〈◊〉 for his owne soule The wordes of a slaunâ—derer are very wouÌ„des and go thorow
saye Tush there shal nether batel ner honger be in this londe With swearde aÌ„d with honger shal those prophetes perish and the people to whom they haue preached shal be cast out of Ierusalem dye of honger aÌ„d be slayne with the swearde and there shal be no man to burie them both they aÌ„d their wyues their sonnes and their doughters For thus wil I 〈◊〉 their wickednes vpon theÌ„ This shalt thoâ— saye also vnto them Myne eyes shal wepe without ceassâ—nge daye night For my people shal be dtstroyed with greate harme and shall perish with a greate plage For yff I go in to the felde lo it lieth all full off slayne men Yff I come in to the cite lo they be all fameshed of honger Yee their prophetes also and prestes shal be led in to an vnknowne londe Hast thou then vtterly forsaken Iuda sayde I Dost thou so abhorre SioÌ„ Or hast thou so plaged vs that we can be healed no more We loked for peace and there coÌ„meth no good for the tyme of health lo here is nothinge but trouble We knowlege o LORDE all oure myszdedes and the synnes of oure fathers that we haue offended ye. Be not displeased o LORDE for thy names sake forget not thy louynge kyndnes Remembre y e trone of thyne honoure breake not the couenauÌ„t that thou hast made with vs. Are there eny amonge the goddes of the Gentiles that sende rayne or geue the showers of heauen Dost not thou it o LORDE oure God in whoÌ„ we trust Yee LORDE thou dost all these thinges The XV. Chapter THen spake the LORDE vnto me aÌ„d sayde Though Moses and Samuel stode before me yet haue I no herte to this people Dryue them awaye that they maye go out of my sight And yf they saye vnto the Whyther shal we go TheÌ„ tell theÌ„ The LORDE geueth you this answere Some vnto death some to the swearde some to honger some in to captiuyte For I will bringe foure plages vpon them saieth the LORDE The swearde shal straÌ„gle them the dogges shal deuoure them the foules of the ayre aÌ„d beestes of the earth shal eate them vp and destroye them I will scatre them aboute also in all kingdomes and londes to be plaged because of Manasses the sonne of Ezechias kinge of Iuda for the thinges that he dyd in Ierusalem Who shal then haue pite vpon the o Ierusalem Who shal be sory for the Or who shal make intercession to opteyne peace for the seinge thou goest fro me aÌ„d turnest bacwarde saieth the LORDE Therfore I will stretch out myne honde agaynst the to destroye the and I will not be intreated I will scatre the abrode with the fanne on euery side of the londe I will waist my people and destroye them for they haue had no lust to turne from their owne wayes I will make their wyddowes mo in nombre then the sondes of the see Vpon y e mothers of their children I shal bringe a destroyer in the noone daye Sodenly and vnawarres shal I sende a feare vpon their cities She that hath borne vij children shal haue none hir herte shal be ful of sorowe The Sonne shall fayle her in the cleare daye when she shal be confounded and faynte for very heuynesse As for those y t remayne I wil delyuer them vnto the swearde off their enemies saieth the LORDE O mother alas that euer thou dydest beare me an enemie and hated of the whole londe Though I neuer lente ner receaued vpon vsury yet euery man speake euell vpon me And y e LORDE answered me Lede not I the then vnto good Come not I to the when thou art in trouble and helpe y e when thine enemie oppresseth the Doth one yron hurte another or one metall that coÌ„meth from the north another As for youre riches and treasure I wil geue them out in to a pray not for eny money but because of all youre synnes that ye haue done iÌ„ all youre coastes And I wil briÌ„ge you with youre enemies in to a londe y t ye knowe not for the fyre that is kyndled in my indignacion shal burne you vp O LORDE sayde I then thou knowest all thinges therfore remembre me aÌ„d viset me delyuer me fro my persecuters Receaue not my cause in y i loÌ„ge wrath yet thou knowest that for thy sake I suffre rebuke When I had founde thy wordes I at them vp gredely they haue made my hert ioyfull glad For I call vpon thy name o LORDE God off hoostes I dwell not amonge the scorners nether is my delyte therin but I dwell only in the feare of thy honde for thou hast fylled me with bytternes Shall my heuynes endure for euer Are my plages then so greate y t they maye neuer be healed Wilt thou be as a water that falleth and can not contynue Vpon these wordes thus sayde the LORDE vnto me Yf thou wilt turne agayne I shal set the in my seruyce and yf thou wilt take out the thinge that is precious from the vyle thou shalt be euen as myne owne mouth They shal conuerte vnto the but turne not thou vnto theÌ„ and so shal I make the a stroÌ„ge wall of stele agaynst this people They shal fight agaynst the but they shal not preuayle For I my self will be with the to helpe the and delyuer the saieth the LORDE And I will ryd the out of the hondes of the wicked and delyuer the out of the honde of Tirauntes The XVI Chapter MOrouer thus sayde the LORDE vnto me Thou shalt take y e no wife ner beget children in this place For of the children that are borne in this place of their mothers that haue borne them and of their fathers that haue begotten them in this londe thus saieth the LORDE They shal dye an horrible deeth no maÌ„ shal mourne for them ner burie them but they shal lye as doÌ„ge vpon the earth They shal perish thorow the swearde and honger and their bodies shal be meate for the foules of the ayre and beestes of the earth Agayne thus saieth the LORDE Go not vnto them that come together for to mourne and wepe for I haue taken my peace froÌ„ this people saieth the LORDE yee my fauoure and my mercy And in this londe shal they dye olde and yonge and shall not be buried no man shall be wepe them no man shall clippe or shaue himselff for them There shal not one viset another to mourne with them for their deed or to comforte them One shall not offre another the cuppe off consolacion to forget their heuynes for father and mother Thou shalt not go in to their feast house to syt downe moch lesse to eate or drynke with them For thus saieth the LORDE off hoostes the God off Israel Beholde I shall take awaye out of this place the voyce off myrth aÌ„d gladnesse the voyce off the
to be an abhominacion curse and synne like as it hath happened vnto oure fathers also because of all their wickednesse and departynge from the. O Israel heare the commaundementes of life pondre them well with thine eares that thou mayest lerne wysdome But how happeneth it Israel that thou art in thyne enemies lōde thou art waxen olde in a straūge countre and defyled with the deed Why art thou become like them that go downe to their graues Euē because thou hast forsaken the well of wysdome For yf thou haddest walked in the waye of God truly thou shuldest haue remayned still safe ī thine owne londe O lerne then where discrecion is where vertu is where vnderstōdinge is that thou mayest knowe also frō whence cōmeth longe life a necessary lyuynge the light of the eyes quyetnes Who euer foūde out hir place or who came euer in to hir treasures Where are y e prynces of the Heithen become and soch as ruled the beestes vpon the earth They that had their pastyme with the foules of the ayre they that hoorded vp syluer and golde wherin men trust so moch and made no ende of their gatheringe What is worth of them that coyned siluer and were so carefull and coude not bringe their workes to passe They be roted out and gone downe to hell and other men are come vp in their steade Yonge men haue sene light and dwelt vpon earth but the waye of reformacion haue they not knowne ner vnderstonde the pathes therof nether haue their children receaued it yee right farre is it frō thē It hath not bene herde of in the lōde of Canaan nether hath it bene sene at Theman The Agarenes sought after wisdome but that which is earthly like as the marchauntes of the lōde do They of Theman are connynge also they laboure for wisdome vnderstondinge but y e waye of true wisdome they knowe not nether do they thynke vpon the pathes therof O Israel how greate is the house of God and how large is the place of his possession Greate is he and hath none ende hye and vnmeasurable What is become of those famouse giauntes that were so greate of bodyes and so worthy men of warre Those had not the LORDE chosen nether haue they founde the waye of reformacion therfore were they destroyed and for so moch as they had no wisdome they perished because of their foolishnesse Who hath gone vp in to heauen to take wisdome there brought her downe frō the cloudes Who hath gone ouer the see to fynde her hath chosen her aboue golde and so brought her hither No man knoweth the wayes of wisdome nether is there eny y t can seke out hir pathes But he that woteth all thynges knoweth her he hath founde her out with his foreknowlege This same is he which prepared the earth at the begynnynge fylled it with all maner of foules beestes When he sendeth out the light it goeth whē he calleth it agayne it obeyeth hī w t feare The starres kepe their watch geue their light yee and y t gladly When he calleth them they saye here we be And so with chearfulnes they shewe light vnto him y t made thē This is oure God ād there shall none other be cōpared vnto him It is he y t hath founde out all wisdome and hath geuen her vnto Iacob his seruaunt to Israel his beloued Afterwarde dyd he shewe himself vpon earth and dwelt amonge men The IIII. Chapter THis is the boke off the commaundemētes of God and the lawe y e endureth for euer All they y t kepe it shall come to life but soch as forsake it shall come to death Turne the o Iacob and take holde of it walke by this waye thorow his brightnesse and shyne Geue not thyne honoure to another and thy worshipe to a straunge people O Israel how happie are we seīge that God hath shewed vs soch thynges as are pleasaūt vnto him Be of good cheare thou people of God o thou awnciēt Israel Now are ye solde amonge the Heithen howbeit not for youre vtter destruccion but because ye prouoked God the LORDE to wrath and displeasure therfore were ye delyuered vnto vnto youre enemies For ye displeased the euerlastinge God that made you offerynge vnto deuels and not God Ye haue forgottē him that brought you vp ād youre nurse haue ye greued o. Ierusalem When she sawe that the wrath off God was commynge vpon you she sayde Herkē o ye that dwell aboute Sion for God hath brought me into greate heuynesse ād why I se the captyuyte of my people of my sonnes and doughters which the euerlastynge God will brynge vpon them With ioye dyd I norish them but now must I leaue them with wepynge and sorow Let no man reioyce ouer me wyddowe ād forsaken which for the synnes off my children am desolate of euery man For why they departed from the lawe of God they wolde not knowe his rightuousnes ner walke in the waye off his cōmaundementes and as for the pathes off the treuth and godlynesse they had no lust to go in them O ye dwellers aboute Sion come and let vs call to remembraunce the captiuyte that the euerlastinge God hath brought vpon my sonnes and my doughters He hath brought a people vpon them from farre an vncurteous people and of a straunge lāguage which nether regarde the olde ner pyte the yonge These haue caried awaye the deare beloued of my wyddowes leauynge me alone both desolate and childlesse But alas what can I helpe you Now he y t hath brought these plages vpon you delyuer you also frō the hondes of youre enemies Go youre waye O my children go youre waye for I am desolate and forsaken I haue put of the clothinge of peace and put vpon me the sack cloth off prayer and for my tyme I will call vpon the most hyest Be off good cheare o my children crie vnto the LORDE and he shal delyuer you from the power of the prynces youre enemies For verely I haue euer a good hope off youre prosperous health yee a very gladnesse is come vpon me from the holy one because of the mercy that ye shall haue off oure euerlastinge Sauioure With mournynge and wepinge dyd I let you go fro me but with ioye and perpetuall gladnesse shall the LORDE brynge you agayne vnto me Like as the neghbours of Sion sawe youre captyuite from God Euē so shal they also se shortly youre health in God which shal come on you with greate honoure and euerlastinge worshipe O my children suffre paciētly the wrath that shal come vpon you For the enemie hath persecuted the but shortly thou shalt se his destruccion and shalt treade vpon his necke My derlinges haue gone rough harde wayes for they are led awaye as a flocke that is scatred abrode with the enemies But be of good cōforte o my children crie vnto the LORDE For he that
Chapter WHen I vndertake to make Israel whole then the vngraciousnesse of Ephraim and the wickednes of Samaria commeth to light then go they aboute with lyes At home they be theues and without they fall to robbynge They coÌ„sidre not in their hertes that I remeÌ„bre all their wickednes They go aboute w t their owne ynuencioÌ„s but I se them wel ynough They make the kinge and the princes to haue pleasure in their wickednes lyes All these burne in aduoutry as it were an ouen y t the baker heateth wheÌ„ he hath lefte kneadinge till the dowe be leuended Euen so goeth it this daye with oure kinges and prynces for they begynne to be woode droncken thorow wyne they vse familiarite with soch as disceaue theÌ„ They with the ymaginacion of their herte are like an oueÌ„ their slepe is all y e night like the slepe of a baker in the mornynge is he as hote as the flame of fyre they are altogether as hote as an ouen They haue deuoured their owne iudges all their kinges are falleÌ„ yet is there none of theÌ„ y t calleth vpon me Therfore must Ephraim be mixte amonge y e Heithen Ephraim is become like a cake y t no man turneth straungers haue deuoured his strength yet he regardeth it not he waxeth ful of gray haires yet wil he not knowe it y e pride of Israel is cast downe before their face yet wil they not turne to the LORDE their God ner seke him for all this Ephraim is like a doue that is begyled and hath no herte Now call they vpon the Egipcians now go they to the Assirians but whyle they be goinge here and there I shal sprede my net ouer them drawe them downe as y e foules of the ayre and acordinge as they haue bene warned so will I punysh them Wo be vnto them for they haue forsakeÌ„ me They must be destroyed for they haue set me at naught I am he that haue redemed them and yet they dyssemble w t me They call not vpon me with their hartes but lye youlinge vpon their beddes Where as they come together it is but for meate drincke and me will they not obeye I haue taught them and defended their arme yet do they ymagin myschefe agaynst me They turne them selues but not a right are become as a broken bowe Their prynces shal be slayne w t the swearde for the malice of their tunges soch blasphemies haue they lerned in the londe of Egipte The VIII Chapter SEt the horne to thy mouth and blowe get the swiftly as an Aegle vnto the house of the LORDE for they haue broken my couenaunt and transgressed my lawe Israel can saye vnto me thou art my God we knowe the but he hath refused the thinge that is good therfore shall the enemye folowe vpon him They haue ordened kinges but not thorow me they haue made prynces and I must not knowe of it Of their syluer and golde haue they made them ymages to bringe them selues to destruccion Thy calfe O Samaria shal be taken awaye for my wrothfull indignacion is gone forth agaynst the. How longe wil it be or they can be clensed For the calfe came from Israel the worke man made it therfore can it be no God but euen to a spyders webbe shal y e calfe of Samaria be turned They haue sowne wynde therfore shal they reepe a storme Their sede shal beare no corne there shal no meel be made of their increase though y e re be yet shall straungers deuoure it vp Israel shall perish the Gentiles shall entreate him as a foule vessel Sens they went vp to the Assirians they are become like a wylde asse in the deserte Ephraim geueth rewardes to get louers therfore are they scatred amoÌ„ge the HeitheÌ„ there wil I gather them vp They shal soone be weery of the burthen of kinges prynces Ephraim hath made many aulters to do wickednes therfore shal the aulters turne to his synne Though I shewe theÌ„ my lawe neuer so moch they counte it but straunge doctrine Where as they do sacrifice offeringe the flesh and eatinge it the LORDE will haue no pleasure therin but will remembre their wickednes and punysh their synnes Israel turneth agayne into Egipte they haue forgotten him that made them they buylde churches and Iuda maketh many stronge cities therfore wil I sende a fyre into their cities and it shal consume their places The IX Chapter DO not thou triumphe O Israel make no boostinge more then the Heithen for thou hast coÌ„mitted aduoâ—try agaynst y e God straunge rewardes hast thou loued more theÌ„ all corne floores Therfore shall they nomore enioye the cornefloores and wyne presses and their swete wyne shal fayle theÌ„ They wil not dwel in the LORDES londe but Ephraim turneth agayne in to Egipte eateth vncleane thinges amonge the Assirians They poure out no wyne for a drinkofferinge vnto the LORDE nether geue they him their slayne offeringes but they be vnto them as mourners meates wherin all they that eate them are defyled For the bred that they haue soch lust vnto shal not come in the house of the LORDE What wil ye do then in the solempne dayes and in the feast of the LORDE lo they shall get them awaye for the destruccion Egypte shal receaue them Noph shal bury them The nettles shall ouergrowe their pleasaunt goodes and burres shal be in their tabernacles Be ye sure O Israel the tyme of visitacion is come the dayes of recompencinge are at honde As for the prophet ye holde him for a foole and him that is rich in the sprete for a mad man so greate is youre wickednes and malice Ephraim hath made himself a watchman of my God a prophet y t is become a snare to do hurte in euery strete and abhominacion in the house of his God They be gone to farre haue destroied theÌ„ selues like as they dyd afore tyme at Gabaa Therfore their wickednes shal be remeÌ„bred and their synnes punyshed I fande Israel like grapes in the wildernes sawe their fathers as the first fyges in y e toppe of y e fyge tre But they are gone to Baal Peor runne awaie fro me to y i shame full Idoll are become as abhominable as their louers Ephraim flieth like a byrde so shal their glory also In so moch y t they shal nether begette coÌ„ceaue ner beare children And though they bringe vp eny yet will I make them childlesse amonge men Yee wo shall come to them when I departe from them Ephraim as me thinke is planted in welthinesse like as Tyrus but now must she bringe hir owne children forth to the man slayer O LORDE thou shalt geue them what shalt thou geue them geue them an vnfrutefull wombe and drye brestes All their wickednesse is done at Galgal there do I abhorre them For the vngraciousnes of their owne
and with him ij C. and l. men Of the sonnes of Zachnes Iechonias Zecholi and with him ij C. and l. men Of the sonnes of Salamaasias Gotholie and lxx with him Of the sonnes of Zaphacia Zarias Miheli and with him lxxx Of the sonnes of Iob Abdias Ieheli and with him ij C. and xij men Of the sonnes of Bania Salimoth the sonne of Iosaphia and with him an C. and lx men Of the sonnes of Beer Zachary Bebei and with him ij C. and viij men Of the sonnes of Esead Iohannes Ezechan and with him Cx. men Of the sonnes of Adonicā those that were the last and these are their names Eliphalam y e sonne of Gebel and Semeias with him lxx men All these called I together by the water Thia where we pitched oure tentes thre dayes and there I mustered them As for the sonnes of the prestes and Leuites I founde none there Then sent I vnto Eleazar Eccelom and Masman Malobam and Enaathan and Samea and Ioribimathan Eunagan Zachary Mosollamū these were the leders and men of experiēce I sent them worde that they shulde come vnto Loddeus which was by the place of the treasury commaunded them that they shulde speake vnto Loddeus and to his brethren to those that were in the treasury to sende vs soch mē as might execute the prestes office in the house of the LORDE oure God And w t the mightie hāde of oure LORDE God they brought vnto vs mē of good experience from amōge the sonnes of Moolius the sonne of Leui y e sonne of Israel Sebebeiam the sonnes his brethrē Aszbin Anim of whom there were xviij From amōge the children of the sonnes of Cananeus their sonnes were xx men And of them y t serued in the temple whom Dauid had ordeyned and the pryncipall men that ministred for the worke vnto the Leuites in the temple ij C. and xx men whose names are all tokened vp in wrytinge Then commaunded I a fastynge vnto y e yonge men before the LORDE y t I might desyre of him a prosperous iourney a good waye for vs yee for vs for oure children and for the catell because of the layenges awayte I durst not require of the kynge men of horse of fote to conveye vs safely agaynst oure enemies for we had sayde vnto the kynge that y e power of the LORDE oure God shulde be with them that seke him w t their whole hert And therfore we besought God oure LORDE earnestly because of these thinges and he was mercifull vnto vs and herde oure prayer And I separated from amonge y e rulers of the people from y e prestes of y e temple xij men Sebeia Asania ten men of their brethren with them And I weied thē the golde the syluer all y e prestly ornamētes of the house of o r God which the kynge his coūcell his prynces whole Israel had geuē And whan I had weyed it I gaue thē an Cl. talētes in syluer an C. talentes of syluer vessell an C. talentes of golde of goldē vessell seuē tymes twentie and vessels of other metall yee of good metall xij glisteringe as the golde saide vnto thē ye also are holy vnto the LORDE the vessels are holy the golde the syluer is promised vnto the LORDE the God of o r fathers Be diligent now kepe it vntill the tyme y t ye delyuer it to the rulers of the people to y t prestes to the Leuites to y e pryncipall mē of the cities of Israel in Ierusalem in the chambre of the house of oure God So y e prestes the Leuites which receaued of me the golde the syluer the vessell brought it to Ierusalē in to the tēple of the LORDE And from Thia we brake vp the xij daye of the first moneth tyll we came to Ierusalē And whan the thirde daye was past the weyed golde syluer was delyuered in y e house of the LORDE the fourth daye vnto Marimoth the sonne of Ior the prest w t him was Eleazar y e sonne of Phineas and with thē were Iosabdus y e sonne of Iesnet Medias the sonne of Banus certayne of the Leuites to the nombre to the waighte the waight of them was writtē vp the same tyme. As for those that were come out of captiuyte they offred sacrifice vnto the LORDE the God of Israel euē xij oxen for all Israel lxxxvj rammes lxxij shepe xij goates for synne xij kyne for a thankofferinge all to the sacrifice of the LORDE And y e kinges cōmission delyuered they vnto y e stewardes and debytes of the kynge and to the vndershreues in Celosyria and Phenices Now whan these thinges were done the rulers came vnto me and sayde The generacion of Israel the prynces y e prestes and Leuites the straunge people and indwellers of the londe haue not put awaye their vnclennesse from the Cananites Hethites Pheresites from the Moabites Egipcians Edomites For both they and their sonnes haue mengled them selues with the daughters of them the holy sede is mixte with the outlandish Heithen sens the begynnynge of their raigne haue the rulers and heades bene partakers of their wickednesse As soone as I had herde these thinges immediatly I rent my holy garmentes and pulled out y e hayre of my heade my beerd sat me downe soroufull heuy So all they that were moued thorow the worde of the God of Israel came vnto me and I sat still full of heuines vntill the euenynge sacrifice Then stode I vp frō fastinge hauynge rente clothes the holy garmēt kneled downe vpon my knees helde out my hādes vnto y e LORDE sayde O LORDE I am confounded ashamed before thy face for oure synnes are become many vpon oure heades o r wickednesses are exalted vnto the heauē for sens y e tyme of o r fathers we are in greate sinne vnto this daye And for the synnes of vs o r fathers we w t oure brethren w t oure prestes haue bene deliuered vnto the kinges of the earth in to the swerde in to captiuite became a spoyle with confucion shame vnto this daie And now O LORDE God how greate is the mercy y t we haue gottē of the in y t thou hast left vs a rote a name in the place of thy Sanctuary to discouer oure light in the house of y e LORDE o r God geuē vs meate at all tymes of o r ministracion And whan we were in captiuyte we were not forsaken of the LORDE oure God but he made the kynges of Persia gracious fauourable vnto vs so y t they gaue vs vytayles meate yee leue to buylde vp the tēple of oure LORDE God agayne to repayre the waisted places of Sion and to dwell in Iewry Ierusalem And now O LORDE what
in to Raguel which receaued them ioyfully And whan Raguel loked vpon Tobias he sayde vnto Anna his wife How like is this yonge man vnto my sisters sonne And whan he had spoken this he saide whence be ye good brethren They saide Of the trybe of Nephtali out of the captiuyte of Niniue Then sayde Raguel vnto them knowe ye my brother Tobias They saide yee we knowe him well And whan he had spoken moch good of him the angell sayde vnto Raguel Tobias of whom thou axest is this yonge mās father Then Raguel bowed him self downe and wepte toke him aboute the neck and kyssed him and sayde Gods blessynge haue thou my sonne for thou art the sonne of a good vertuous man And Anna his wyfe and Sara his daughter wepte also Now whā they had talked together Raguel bad kyll a wether and to make a feast And whā he prayed thē to sytt downe to dyner Tobias sayde I wil nether eate ner drinke here this daye excepte thou first graunte me my peticion promyse me to geue me thy daughter Sara Whan Raguel herde this he was astonnyed for he knew what had happened vnto the other seuen men that wēte in vnto her and he begannne to feare that it shulde chaunce vnto him also in like maner And whyle he stode so in doute and gaue the yonge man no answere the angell sayde vnto him Feare not to geue him thy daughter for vnto this man that feareth God belōgeth thy daughter to wife therfore might none other haue her Thē sayde Raguel I doute not but God hath accepted my prayers and teares in his sight and I trust he caused you to come vnto me for the same intent that this daughter of myne might be maried in hir owne kynred acordinge to the lawe of Moses And now dowte thou not but I wil geue her vnto the So he toke the righthande of his daughter and gaue her in to the right hāde of Tobias and sayde The God of Abrahā the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob be with you ioyne you together and fulfill his blessynge in you And they toke a letter and made a wrytinge of the mariage And then made they mery and praysed God And Raguel called Anna his wife vnto him and bad her prepare another chamber and thither he brought Sara his daughter and she wepte Then sayde he vnto her Be of good cheare my daughter the LORDE of heauen geue the ioye for the heuynesse that thou hast suffred The VIII Chapter NOw after y t they had supped they brought the yōge man in to her Thē thought Tobias vpon the wordes of the angell and toke out of his bagg a pece of the leuer of the fish and layed it vpon the hote coales So the angell Raphael toke holde of the deuell and sent him awaye and bounde him in the wyldernes of the hyer Egipte Thē spake Tobias vnto the virgin and sayde Vp Sara let vs make oure prayer vnto God to daye tomorow and ouermorow for these thre nightes wil we reconcyle oure selues with God and whan the thirde holy night is past we shall ioyne together in y e deutye of mariage For we are the children of holy men and we maye not come together as the Heithen y t knowe not God Then stode they vp both together and be sought God earnestly y t he wolde preserue them And Tobias sayde O LORDE God of o fathers praysed be thou of heauē earth of the see welles floudes of all the crea tures that be therin Thou maydest Adam of the moulde of the earth gauest him Eua for an helper And now LORDE thou knowest that it is not because of voluptuousnes that I take this sister of myne to wyfe but onely for the loue of childen in whom thy name be blessed for euer And Sara sayde haue mercy vpon vs O LORDE haue mercy vpon vs and let vs both come whole and sounde to a good age And aboute the cocke crowe it happened that Raguel called his seruauntes and they wēte with him to make a graue For he sayde it is chaunced vnto him peraduēture as it dyd vnto the other seuen men that wente in vnto her Now whā they had made the graue Raguel came agayne to his wyfe and sayde vnto her sende one of thy maydēs to loke yf he be deed that I maye burye him afore it be light daye So she sent a mayden to se which whan she came in to the chamber she founde them whole and sounde slepynge together And so she came agayne brought good tydinges Then Raguel and Anna his wife praysed y e LORDE and sayde Praysed be thou o LORDE God of Israel For it is not happened vnto vs as we thought For thou hast dealte mercifully with vs and put awaye from vs the enemye that persecuted vs and hast shewed mercy vnto yonder two beloued O LORDE cause thē to magnifie the more perfectly and to offre the the sacrifice of thy prayse and of their health that all people maye knowe y t thou onely art God in all the earth And immediatly Raguel commaunded his seruauntes to fyll the graue that they had made with earth afore it was light and bade his wife prepare a feast to make ready all thinges that were necessary for meate to soch as wente by y e waye He caused two fatt kyne also and foure wethers to be slayne meates to be prepared for all his neghbours and frendes And Raguel charged Tobias to remayne with him two wekes As for all the good y t he had he gaue Tobias y e one half of it and made this wrytinge that the half which remayned shulde fall vnto Tobias after their death The IX Chapter THen Tobias called vnto him the angell whom he thought to haue bene a man and sayde vnto him Brother Azarias I praye the herkē vnto my wordes Yf I shulde geue myself to be y e seruaunt I shal not deserue y e prouydence Neuertheles I beseke the that thou wylt take the beastes and the seruauntes and go vnto Gabelus in Rages the cite of the Meedes and delyuer him his handwrytinge and receaue the money of him and praye him to come to my mariage For thou knowest thy self that my father telleth y e dayes and yf I tary one daye to longe he wyl be sory in his mynde Now seist thou how earnestly Raguel hath requyred me so that I can not saye him nay Then toke Raphael foure of Raguels seruauntes and two Camels wente vnto Rages the cite of the Medes and whan he had founde Gabelus he gaue him his handwrytynge receaued all y e money He tolde him also of Tobias y e sonne of Toby how all thīges had happened caused him to come w t him to y e mariage Now whan he came in to the house of Raguel he foūde Tobias syttinge at y e table he leape vp they kyssed one another and Gabelus wepte and praysed
hath shewed his mercy vnto vs. It is good to hyde the Kynges secrete but to shew and to prayse y e workes of God it is an honorable thinge Prayer is good with fastinge and to geue allmes is better then to hoorde vp treasures of golde For allmes delyuereth from death clenseth synne and causeth to fynde euerlastinge life But they that do synne and vnrighteousnes are y e enemies of their owne soules Wherfore I tell you the trueth and wyll hyde nothinge from you Whan thou praydest with teares and burydest the deed and leftest thy dyner and hyddest the deed in thy house vpon the daye tyme that thou mightest burye them in the night I offred thy prayer before the LORDE And because thou wast accepte and beloued of God it was necessary that tentacion shulde trye the. And now hath the LORDE sent me to heale the and to delyuer Sara y e sonnes wife from the euell sprete For I am Raphael an angell one of the seuen that stonde before God Whā they herde this they were sore afrayed and trembled and fell downe vpon their faces vnto the grounde Then sayde the angell Peace be with you feare not Where as I haue bene w t you it is the will of God geue prayse and thankes vnto him You thought that I dyd eate and drinke with you but I vse meate that is invisible and drynke that can not be sene of men Now therfore is y e tyme that I must turne agayne vnto him that sent me but be ye thankfull vnto God and tell out all his wonderous workes And whan he had spoken these wordes he was taken awaye out of their sight so y t they sawe him nomore Then fell they downe flat vpon their faces by the space of thre houres and praysed God and whan they rose vp they tolde all his wōderous workes Then XIII Chapter THen olde Tobias opened his mouth and praysed the LORDE and sayde Greate art thou o LORDE for euermore and thy kyngdome worlde without ende for thou scourgest and healest thou ledest vnto hell and bryngest out agayne and there is none y t maye escape thy hande O geue thankes vnto y e LORDE ye children of Israel and prayse him in the sight of the Heithē For amonge the Heithen which knowe him not hath he scatred you to the intēt that ye shulde shew forth his maruelous workes cause them for to knowe that there is none other God allmightie but he He hath chastened vs for oure myszdedes and for his owne mercy sake shal he saue vs. Considre then how he hath dealt w t you prayse him with feare and drede and magnifie the euerlastinge kynge in yo r workes I wil prayse him euen in the londe of my captiuyte for he hath shewed his maiesty vnto a synfull people Turne you therfore O ye synners and do righteousnes before God and be ye sure that he wyl shew his mercy vpon you As for me my soule we wil reioyse in God O prayse the LORDE all ye his chosen holde the dayes of gladnesse and be thankfull vnto him O Ierusalem thou cite of God the LORDE hath punyshed the for the workes of thine owne handes O prayse the LORDE in thy good thinges geue thankes to the euerlastinge God that he maye builde vp his tabernacle agayne in y e that he maye call agayne vnto the all soch as be in captiuyte and that thou mayest haue ioye for euermore With a fayre light shalt thou shyne all y e endes of y e worlde shal honoure the. The people shal come vnto the from farre they shal bringe giftes and worshipe y e LORDE in the and thy londe shal they haue for a Sanctuary for they shal call vpon the greate name in the. Cursed shal they be that despyse the all they that blaspheme the shal be condēpned but blessed shal they be y t buylde the vp As for the thou shalt reioyse in y i childrē for they all shal be blessed and gathered together vnto the LORDE Blessed are they all y t loue y e and be glad of thy peace Prayse thou the LORDE o my soule for the LORDE oure God hath delyuered his cite Ierusalem from all hir troubles I wil counte my self happie yf my sede remayne to se y e clearnes of Ierusalē The gates of Ierusalem shal be buylded with Saphyre and Smaragde and all the cōpase of hir walles with precious stones All hir stretes shal be paued w t whyte Marblestone and in all hir stretes shal Alleluya be sunge Praysed be y e LORDE which hath exalted her y t his kyngdome maye be vpon her for euermore Amen And so Tobias made an ende of his talkynge The XIIII Chapter ANd after that Tobias had gottē his sight agayne he lyued two and xl yeares sawe his childers children Now whan he was an hundreth and two yeare olde he dyed was buried honorably in Niniue For whan he was sixe and fiftie yeares of age he lost the sight of his eyes and whā he was thre score yeare olde he gat his sight agayne The residue of his life led he in ioye and increased well in the feare of God departed in peace But in y e houre of his death he called vnto him his sonne Tobias seuen yonge springaldes his sonnes children and sayde vnto them The destruccion of Niniue is at hande for the worde of the LORDE can not fayle and oure brethren that are scatred out of the londe of Israel shal come thither agayne And the whole londe of it that hath bene waist shal be fylled and the house of God that was brent in it shal be buylded againe all soch as feare God shall returne thither the Heithen also shal forsake their Idols come to Ierusalem and dwell there and all the kynges of the earth shal be glad of her and worshipe the LORDE God of Israel And therfore my children heare youre father Serue the LORDE in faithfulnes seke after his will and do the thinge that pleaseth him Commaunde youre children y t they do right geue allmes be myndefull of God and euer to be thankfull vnto him in trueth and with all their power Heare me therfore my childrē and abyde not here but in what daye so euer ye haue buried youre mother besyde me gett you from hence For I se that the wickednes of it shal brynge it to destruccion and ende After y e death of his mother Tobias departed awaye from Niniue with his wife and children and with his childers children came agayne to his father and mother in lawe and founde them whole and in a good age and toke the care of thē And he closed their eyes and was heyre vnto all Raguels goodes and sawe the fifth generacion and childers childrē And whan he was xcix yeare of age he dyed in the feare of the LORDE and his kynsfolkes buried him And all his posterite
wonderous thinge so euer is vnder the heauen thou art LORDE of all thinges and there is no man y t can resist the O LORDE Thou knowest all thinges thou wotest LORDE that it was nether of malyce ner presumpcion ner for eny desyre of glory that I wolde not bowe downe myself ner worshipe yonder proude presumptuous Aman for I wolde haue bene coÌ„tent and y t with good wyll yf it might haue done Israel eny good to haue kyst eueÌ„ his fotesteppes but that I dyd it because I wolde not sett the honoure of a maÌ„ in the steade of the glorye of God and because I wolde worshipe none but onely y e my LORDE And this haue I done in no pryde ner presumpcion And therfore O LORDE thou God and kinge haue mercy vpon thy people for they ymagyn how they maye bringe vs to naught yee their mynde and desyre is to destroye and to ouerthrowe the people that hath euer bene thine enheritaunce of olde O despyse not thy porcioÌ„ which thou hast delyuered brought out of Egipte for thine owne self Heare my prayer and be mercifull vnto y e people whoÌ„ thou hast chosen for an heretage vnto thyself Turne oure complaynte and sorow in to ioye that we maye lyue O LORDE and prayse thy name O LORDE suffre not y e mouthes of them that praise the to be destroyed All y e people of Israel in like maner cried as earnestly as they coude vnto the LORDE for their death and destruccion stode before their eyes The XIIII Chapter Of the sorowe complaynte and prayer of quene Hester QVene Hester also beynge in the battayll of death resorted vnto the LORDE layed awaye hir glorious apparell and put on the garmeÌ„tes that serued for sighinge and mournynge In the steade of precious oyntment she scatred ashes and doÌ„ge vpon hir heade and as for hir body she humbled it and brought it very lowe All the places where she was woÌ„te to haue ioye afore those fylled she with y e hayre y t she plucâ—â— out hirself She prayed also vnto the LORDE God of Israel with these wordes O my LORDE thou onely art oure kynge helpe me desolate womaÌ„ which haue no helper but y e for my misery and destruccion is harde at my hande Fro my youth vp I haue herde out of the kynred of my father that thou tokest Israel from amoÌ„ge all people and so haue oure fathers of their fore elders that they shulde be thy perpetuall inheritaunce and loke what thou didest promise theÌ„ thou hast made it good vnto theÌ„ Now well LORDE we haue synned before the therfore hast thou geuen vs in to the haÌ„des of oure enemies because we worshipped their goddes LORDE thou art righteous Neuertheles it satisfieth theÌ„ not that we are in bytter and heuy captiuyte and oppressed amonge them but thou hast layed their hondes vpon the hondes of their goddes so that they begynne to take awaye the thinge that thou with thy mouth hast ordened and appoynted to destroye thyne inheritaunce to shut and to stoppe y e mouthes of them that prayse the to queÌ„ch the glory and worshipe of thy house and thine aulter and to open the mouthes of the Heithen y t they maye prayse the power vertue of the goddes and to magnifie the fleshly kynge for euer O LORDE geue not thy cepter vnto theÌ„ that be nothinge lest they laugh vs to scorne in oure misery and fall but turne their deuyce vpoÌ„ them selues and punysh him that hath begonne the same ouer vs and set him to an exampls Thinke vpon vs O LORDE and shew thy self in y e tyme of oure distres and of oure trouble Strength me O thou kynge of goddes thou LORDE of all power geue me an eloqueÌ„t and pleasaunt speach in my mouth before the Lyon Turne his hert in to y e hate of oure enemie to destroye him and all soch as consent vnto him But delyuer vs with thy hande and helpe me desolate woman which haue no defence ner helper but onely ye. LORDE thou knowest all thinges thou wotest that I loue not the glory and worshipe of the vnrighteous and that I hate and abhorre the bed of the vncircuÌ„cyded and of all Heithen Thou knowest and wotest my necessite y t I hate the token of my preemynence worshipe which I beare vpon my heade what tyme as I must shew my self and be sene that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth and that I weere it not whaÌ„ I am quyete and alone by my self Thou knowest also that I thy honde mayden haue not eaten at AmaÌ„s table and that I haue had no pleasure ner delyte in the kynges feast that I haue not dronke the drynk offeringes and that I thy honde mayden haue had not ioye sens y e daie that I was brought hither vnto this daye but onely in the O LORDE O thou God of Abraham O thou mightie God aboue all heare the voyce of them that haue none other hope and delyuer vs out of the hande of y e wicked delyuer me out of my feare The XV. Chapter Quene Hester appeareth before the kynge with an heuy hert for the trouble of hir people and God turneth the kynges hert ANd vpon y e thirde daye it happened that Hester layed awaye y e mournynge garmeÌ„tes and put on hir glorious apparell and decte hirself goodly after that she had called vpon God which is the beholder Sauioure of all thinges toke two maydes w t her vpon the one she leaned hir self as one y t was tender the other folowed her and bare the trayne of hir vesture The shyne of hir bewtye made hir face rose coloured The similitude of hir face was chearfull and amyable but hir hert was soroufull for greate feare She wente in thorow all the dores and stode before the kynge The kynge sat vpon the trone of his kingdome and was clothed in his goodly araye all of golde and sett w t precious stones and he was very terryble He lift vp his face that shone in the clearnes and loked grymly vpon her Then fell the Quene downe was pale and faynt leaned hir self vpon the heade of the mayde that wente with her Neuertheles God turned y e kynges mynde that he was gentle that he leape out of his seate for feare and gat her in his armes helde hir vp tyll she came to herself agayne He gaue her louynge wordes also sayde vnto her Hester what is the matter I am y e brother be of good cheare thou shalt not dye for oure commaundement toucheth the comons not the. Come nye And with that he helde vp his golden wande and layed it vpon hir neck and enbraced her frendly and sayde talke with me TheÌ„ sayde she I sawe the O lorde as an angell of God my hert was troubled for feare of thy maiesty and clearnesse For excellent and wonderfull art thou O lorde and thy face is full of amyte But as she was thus
euell will How might eny thinge endure yf it wer not y e will Or how coude eny thinge be preserued excepte it were called of y e But thou sparest all for all are thine o LORDE thou louer of soules The XII Chapter O LORDE how gracious swete is thy sprete in all thinges Therfore chastenest thou thē measurably that go wrōge and warnest them concernynge the thinges wherin they offende thou speakest vnto them o LORDE and exortest thē to leaue their wickednes and to put their trust in the. As for those olde inhabiters of thy holy londe thou mightest not awaye with them for they commytted abhominable workes agaynst the as wytch craft sorcery and Idolatry they slew their owne children without mercy they ate vp mens bowels and deuoured the bloude Yee because of soch abhominaciōs myszbeleues offeringes thou slewest the fathers of the desolate soules by the handes of oure fathers that y e londe which thou louest aboue all other might be a dwellinge for the childrē of God Neuertheles thou sparedest thē also as mē sendedst y e forerūners of thyne hoost euē hornettes to destroye thē out by lytle litle Not y t thou wast vnable to subdue y e vngodly vnto y e righteous in battayll or with cruell beestes or w t one rough worde to destroye thē together But y e mynde was to dryue thē out by lytle litle geuinge thē time place to amende knowinge well y t it was an vnrighteous nacion wicked of nature y t their thought might neuer be altered For it was a cursed sede from y e begynnynge feared no mā Yet hast thou pardoned their synnes For who wyl saye vnto the why hast thou done y t Or who wyl stōde agaynst thy iudgmēt Or who wil come before y e face an auēger of vnrighteous mē Or who wil blame y e yf y e people perish whō thou hast made For there is none other God but thou y t carest for all thinges y t thou mayest declare how y t y e iudgmēt is not vnright There darre nether kīge ner tyraūt in y e sight requyre accōptes of them whō thou hast destroyed For so moch thē as thou art righteous y e self thou ordrest all thīges righteously punishest euē hī y t hath not deserued to be punyshed takest him for a straūger an aleaunt in y e lōde of y e power For y e power is y e beginnynge of righteousnes and because thou art LORDE of all thinges therfore art thou gracious vnto all Whan men thinke y e not to be of a full strength thou declarest y e power boldly delyuerest thou them ouer y t knowe y e not But thou LORDE of power iudgest quyetly and ordrest us with greate worshipe for thou mayest do as thou wilt By soch workes now hast thou taught thy people that a mā also shulde be iust and louynge and hast made thy childrē to be of a good hope for euen when thou iudgest thou geuest rowme to amende from synnes For in so moch as thou hast punyshed and w t soch diligence delyuered y e enemies of thy seruaūtes which were worthy to dye where thorow thou gauest thē tyme place of amēdement y t they might turne frō their wickednes w t how greate diligence then punyshest thou thine awne childrē vnto whose fathers thou hast sworne made couenaūtes of good promises So where as thou doest but chasten vs thou punyshest o r enemies dyuerse wayes to y e intēt y t whā we punysh we shulde remēbre y e goodnesse whan we o r selues are punyshed to put oure trust in thy mercy Wherfore where as men haue lyued ignoraūtly vnrighteously thou hast punyshed thē sore euē thorow y e same thinges that they worshipped For they wente astraye very lōge in y e waye of erro r helde y e beestes which euē their enemies despysed for goddes lyuynge as children of no vnderstandinge Therfore hast thou sent a scornefull punyshment amonge them as amonge the chidrē of ignoraunce As for soch as wolde not be refourmed by those scornes rebukes they felt the worthy punishmēt of God For y e thinges y t they suffred they bare thē vnpaciētly beinge not contēt in them but vnwyllinge And whan they peryshed by y e same thinges that they toke for goddes they knowleged then that there was but one true God whom afore they wolde not knowe therfore came y e ende of their dampnacion vpon them The XIII Chapter VAyne are all men which haue not y e knowlege of God as were they that out of the good thinges which are sene knewe not him that of himself is euerlastinge Nether toke they so moch regarde of the workes that are made as to knowe who was the craftesman of them but some toke the fyre some the wynde or ayre some y e course of y e starres some y e water some toke Sonne and Moone or the lightes of heauen which rule y e earth for goddes But though they had soch pleasure in their beuty that they thought them to haue bene goddes yet shulde they haue knowne how moch more fayrer he is that made them For the maker of beuty hath ordened all these thinges Or yf they marueled at the power and workes of thē they shulde haue perceaued therby y t he which made these thinges is mightier then they For by the greatnesse beutye of the creature y e maker therof maye playnely be knowne Notwithstondinge they are the lesse to be blamed that sought God wolde haue founde him and yet myssed And why for so moch as they wēte aboute in his workes and sought after them it is a tokē that they regarded and helde moch of his workes y t are sene howbeit they are not wholy to be excused For yf their vnderstondinge and knowlege was so greate y t they coude discerne the worlde and y e creatures why dyd they not rather fynde out y e LORDE therof But vnhappie are they and amonge the deed is their hope that call thē God which are but the workes of mens handes golde syluer and the thinge that is founde out by connynge the similitude of beastes or eny vayne stone that hath bene made by hande of olde Or as whan a carpenter cutteth downe a tre out of the wodd and pareth of the barck of it connyngly and so with the one parte maketh a vessell to be vsed and dighteth meate with the residue As for the other parte that is left which is profitable for nothinge for it is a croked pece of wodd and full of knobbes he carueth it diligently thorow his vanite and acordinge to the knowlege of his connynge he geueth it some proporcion fashioneth it after the similitude of a man or maketh it like some beest straketh it ouer with reed and paynteth it and loke what foule spot is in it he casteth some coloure vpon it Then
in y e very myddest of the darck coueringe of forgetfulnes put to horrible feare wonderously vexed For the corner where they were might not kepe them from feare because y e sounde came downe and vexed them yee many terryble and straunge visions made them afrayed No power of the fyre might geue them light nether might the cleare flāmes of the starres lightē y t horrible night For there appeared vnto thē a sodane fyre very dredeful At y e which whan they sawe nothinge they were so afrayed that they thought y e thinge which they sawe to be the more fearfull As for the sorcery enchauntemēt y t they vsed it came to derisiō and the proude wyszdome was brought to shame For they y t promysed to dryue awaie the fearfulnes drede frō y e weake soules were sick for feare thē selues and that w t scorne And though none of y e wōders feared thē yet were they afrayed at the beestes which came vpon thē at y e Hissynge of the serpētes In so moch that with trēblinge they swowned sayde they sawe not y e ayre which no mā yet maye escape For it is an heuy thinge whā a man 's owne consciēce beareth recorde of his wickednes condēpneth him And why a vexed wounded consciēce taketh euer cruell thinges in hāde Fearfulnes is nothinge els but a declaringe y t a mā seketh helpe defence to answere for him self And loke how moch lesse the hope is within the more is y e vn certaynte of the matter for the which he is punished But they y t came in y e mightie night slepte y e slepe y t fell vpō thē frō vnder frō aboue somtyme were they afrayed thorow y e feare of y e wonders somtyme they were so weake y t they swowned withall for an hastie sodane fearfulnes came vpon thē Afterwarde yf eny of thē had fallē he was kepte shutt in preson but without chaynes But yf eny dwelt in a vyllage yf he had bene an hyrd or huszbandman he suffred intollerable necessite for they were all bounde with one chayne of darcknesse Whether it were a blasynge wynde or a swete songe of y e byrdes amonge the thicke braunches of the trees or the vehemence of haistie rūnynge water or greate noyse of y e fallynge downe of stones or the playenge rūnynge of beastes whō they sawe not or y e mightie noyse of roaringe beestes or y e sownde y t answereth agayne in the hye mountaynes it made thē swowne for very feare For all the earth shyned w t cleare light no mā was hyndered in his labor. Onely vpon thē there fell a heuy night an ymage of darcknesse that was to come vpon them Yee they were vnto them selues the most heuy horrible darcknesse The XVIII Chapter NEuertheles thy sayntes had a very greate light and the enemies herde their voyce but they sawe not the figure of them And because they suffred not y e same thinges they magnified the and they y t were vexed afore because they were not hurte now thanked the and besought y e o God y t there might be a difference Therfore had they a burnynge piler of fyre to lede them in the vnknowne waye thou gauest them the Sonne for a fre gift without eny hurte Reason it was that they shulde want light to be put in the preson of darcknes which kepte thy childrē in captiuyte by whom the vncorrupte light of the lawe of y e worlde was for to be geuen Whan they thought to slaye the babes of the righteous one beinge laied out and yet preserued to be leder vnto the other thou broughtest out the whole multitude of the children and destroydest these in the mightie water Of that night were oure fathers certified afore that they knowinge vnto what oothes they had geuen credēce might be of good cheare Thus thy people receaued y e health of the righteous but the vngodly were destroied For like as thou hast hurte oure enemies so hast thou promoted vs whom thou calledest afore For the righteous children of the good men offred secretly ordred the lawe of righteousnes vnto vnite y t the iust shulde receaue good and euell in like maner singinge prayses vnto y e father of all men Agayne there was herde an vnconuenient voyce of the enemies a piteous crie for childrē that were bewayled The master and the seruaūt were punyshed alike the meane man and the kynge suffred in like maner For they all together had innumerable that dyed one death Nether were y e lyuinge sufficient to bury y e deed for in y e twincklinge of an eye the noblest nacion of thē was destroyed As oft as God helped thē afore yet wolde it not make thē beleue but in y e destruccion of y e first borne they knowleged that it was y e people of God For whyle all thinges were still whā y e night was in y e myddest of hir course thy Allmightie worde o LORDE leapte downe frō heauē out of y e royall trone as a rough mā of warre in y e myddest of y e londe y t was destroyed y e sharpe swerde perfourmed y i straite cōmaundemēt stādinge fyllinge all thinges w t death yee it stode vpō y e earth reached vnto the heauen Then the sight of the euell dreames vexed them sodenly and fearfulnesse came vpon them vnawarres Then laye there one here another there half deed half quyck and shewed the cause of his death For the visions that vexed thē shewed thē these thinges afore so that they were not ignoraunt wherfore they perished The tentacion of death touched the righteous also and amonge the multitude in the wyldernesse there was insurreccion but thy wrath endured not longe For the fautlesse man wente in all the haist and toke the battayll vpon him brought forth the weap◠of his ministracion euen prayer and y e cēsours of recōcilinge set himself agaynst y e wrath and so brought the misery to an ende declaringe therby that he was thy seruaunt For he ouercame not the multitude with bodely power ner with weapēs of might but with the worde he subdued him that vexed him puttinge the in remembraunce of the ooth couenaūt made vnto the fathers For whan the deed were fallen downe by heapes one vpon another he stode in the myddest pacified the wrath and parted y e waye vnto the lyuynge And why◠in his longe garmēt was all the beuty and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauē and thy maiesty was written in the crowne of his heade Vnto these the destroyer gaue place and was afrayed of them for it was only a tentacion worthy of wrath The XIX Chapter AS for the vngodly the wrath came vpō them without mercy vnto the ende For he knew before what shulde happē vnto them how that whan they had
from thine owne wayes The XII Chapter WHan thou wylt do good knowe to whom thou doest it so shalt thou be greatly thanked for thy benefites Do good vnto the righteous and thou shalt fynde greate rewarde though not of him yet no doute the LORDE him self shal rewarde the. He stoÌ„deth not in a good case that is allwaye occupied in euell geueth no allmes for the Hyest hateth the synners and hath mercy vpon them that shew the workes of repeÌ„taunce Geue thou vnto soch as feare God and receaue not a synner As for the vngodly and synners he shall recompense vengeauÌ„ce vnto them and kepe them to the daye of wrath Geue thou vnto the good and receaue not the synner do well vnto him that is lowly but geue not to the vngodly Let not the bred be geuen him that he be not mightier then thy self therin For so shalt thou receaue twyse as moch euell in all the good that thou doest vnto him And why the Hyest hateth synners and shal rewarde vengeaunce to the vngodly In prosperite a frende shal not be knowne in aduersite an enemye shal not be hyd For whan a maÌ„ is in wealth it greueth his enemies but in heuynes and trouble a man shal knowe his frende Trust neuer thine enemy for like as an yron rusteth so doth his wikednes And though he make moch croutchinge and knelinge yet kepe well thy mynde and bewarre of him Sett him not by y t nether let him sytt at thy right haÌ„de lest he turne him gett in to thy place take thy rowme and seke thy seate and so thou at the last remembre my wordes and be pricked at my sayenges Bynde not two synnes together for there shal not one be vnpunyshed Who wil haue pite of the charmer that is stynged of y e serpeÌ„t or of all soch as come nye y e beastes EueÌ„ so is it w t him y t kepeth coÌ„pany with a wicked maÌ„ lappeth him self in his synnes For a season wil he byde w t the but yf thou stomble he tarieth not An enemy is swete in his lippes he can make many wordes speake many good thinges Yee he can wepe w t his eies but in his herte he ymagineth how to throwe the in to the pytte yf he maye fynde oportunyte he wil not be satisfied w t bloude Yf aduersite come vpon the thou shalt fynde him there first though he preteÌ„de to do y e helpe yet shal he vndermyne ye. He shal shake his heade clape his handes ouer y t for very gladnes whyle he maketh many wordes he shall dysguyse his countenaunce The XIII Chapter WHo so toucheth pitch shal be fyled withall and he that is famyliar w t y e proude shal clothe himself with pryde He taketh a burthen vpon him that accompanyeth a more honorable man then him self Therfore kepe no familiarite with one that is richer then thy self How agree the ketell the pott together for yf y e one be smytten agaynst the other it shal be brokeÌ„ The rich dealeth vnrighteously threateneth withall but y e poore beinge oppressed and wroÌ„geously dealt withall suffreth scarcenesse geueth fayre wordes Yf thou be for his profit he vseth the but yf thou haue nothinge he shal forsake the. As longe as thou hast eny thinge of thine owne he shal be a good felowe with the Yee he shal make the a bare man and not be sory for the. Yf he haue nede of the he shall defraude the with a preuy mock shal he put the in an hope and geue the all good wordes and saye what wantest thou Thus shal he shame y t in his meate vntill he haue supte the cleane vp twyse or thryse and at the last shal he laugh the to scorne Afterwarde whan he seyth that thou hast nothinge he shal forsake the and shake his heade at the. Bewarre that thou be not disceaued and brought downe in thy symplenesse Be not to humble in thy wyszdome lest whan thou art brought lowe thou be disceaued thorow foolishnes Yf thou be called of a mightie man absent thy self so shal he call the to him the more oft Preasse not thou vnto him that thou be not shott out but go not thou farre of lest he forgett the. Withdrawe not y i self froÌ„ his speach but beleue not his many wordes For w t moch coÌ„municacion shall he tempte the and w t a preuy mock shall he question y e of thy secretes The vnmercifull mynde of his shal marck y e wordes he shal not spare to do y e hurte to put y t in preson Bewarre take good hede to y i self for thou walkest in parell of y t ouerthrowinge Now whaÌ„ thou hearest his wordes make the as though thou werest in a dreame wake vp Loue God all thy life longe call vpon him in thy nede Euery beast loueth his like euen so let euery man loue his neghboure All flesh wil resorte to their like and euery man will kepe company with soch as he is himself But as y e wolfe agreeth with the lambe so doth the vngodly with y e righteous What felishippe shulde an holy man haue with a dogg How can the ryche and the poore agree together The wilde asse is the lyons pray in the wildernesse euen so are poore men the meate of the ryche Like as the proude maye not awaye with lowlynes euen so doth the riche abhorre the poore Yf a rich man fall his frendes sett him vp agayne but whan the poore falleth his frendes forsake him Yf a rich maÌ„ fall in to an erroure he hath many helpers he speaketh proude wordes and yet men iustifie him But yf a poore man go wronge he is punyshed yee though he speake wisely yet can it haue no place Whan the riche man speaketh euery body holdeth his toÌ„ge and loke what he sayeth they prayse it vnto the cloudes But yf the poore man speake they saye What felowe is this and yf he do amysse they shal destroye him Riches are good vnto him that hath no synne in his conscience and pouerte is a wicked thinge in the mouth of the vngodly The hâ—rt of man chaungeth his countenaunce whether it be in good or euell A chearfull countenaunce is a tokeÌ„ of a good hert for els is it an harde thinge to knowe the thought The XIIII Chapter BLissed is the man that hath not fallen with y e worde of his mouth and is not pricked with the conscience of synne Happie is he that hath had no heuynes in his mynde and is not fallen from his hope It becommeth not a cuvetous man and a nygarde to be ryche and what shulde a nygarde do with golde He that with all his carefulnes heapeth together vnrighteously gathereth for other folkes and another maÌ„ shal make good chere with his goodes He y t is wicked vnto him self how shulde he be good vnto other meÌ„ How can soch one haue eny
of thy seruauntes acordinge to y e blessinge of Aaron ouer thy people that all they which dwell vpon earth maye knowe that thou art the LORDE the eternall God which is from euerlastinge The bely deuoureth all meates yet is one meate better then another Like as the tonge taisteth venyson so doth an hert of vnderstondinge marck false wordes A frowarde hert geueth heuynes but a man of experience lifteth him vp agayne The woman receaueth euery man yet is one daughter better then another A fayre wife reioyseth hir huszbande and a man loueth nothinge better Yf she be louynge vertuous withall then is not hir huszbande like other men He that hath gotten a vertuous woman hath a goodly possession she is vnto him an helpe and piler wher vpon he resteth Where no hedge is there the goodes are spoyled and where no houszwife is there y e frēdles mourneth Like as there is no credence geuen to a robber y t goeth from one cite to another So is not y e man beleued that hath no nest and must turne in where he maye abyde in the night The XXXVII Chapter EVery frende sayeth I wil be frendly vnto him also But there is some frende which is onely a frende in name Remayneth there not heuynes vnto death whan a companyon and frende is turned to an enemye O most wicked presumpcion Frō whence art thou spronge vp to couer the earth with falsede disceate There is some companyon which in prosperite reioyseth with his frēde but in the tyme of trouble he taketh parte agaynst him There is some cōpanyon that mourneth with his frende for the bely sake but whan trouble commeth he taketh holde of the shylde Forget not thy frende in thy mynde thynke vpon him in y i riches Euery counceler bryngeth forth his councell Neuertheles there is some y t counceleth but for his owne profit Bewarre of y e counceler be aduysed afore wherto thou wilt vse him for he wil geue coūcell for him self Lest he cast the lott vpon the saye vnto the Thy waye and purpose is good and afterwarde he stande agaynst the and loke what shal become of the. Axe no coūcell at him y t suspecketh y e for an enemie hyde y e councell from soch as hate ye. Axe no councell at a woman cōcernynge y e thinges y t she lōgeth for ner at a fearful fayntharted body in matters of warre or at a marchaunt how deare he wil cheape thy wares towarde his or at a byer of sellynge Or at an envyous man of thankesgeuynge Or at the vnmercifull of louynge kindnes Or at y e slouthfull of workinge Or at an hyrelynge which hath no house of profit or wealth An ydle body wolde not gladly heare speake of moch labo Take no soch folkes to coūcell but be diligēt to seke coūcel at a vertuous man y t feareth God soch one as thou knowest to be a keper of y e cōmaundemētes which hath a minde after thine owne minde is sory for y e whā thou stōblest And holde thy councell fast in thine hert for there is no man more faithful to kepe it then thou thy self For a mās mynde is somtyme more disposed to tell out then seuen watchmen that sytt aboue in an hye place lokynge aboute them And aboue all this praye the Hyest that he wil lede thy waye in faithfulnes trueth Before all thy workes axe councell first and or euer thou doest eny thinge be well aduysed There be foure thinges that declare a chaunged hert wherout there springeth euell good death life a masterfull tonge that bableth moch Some man is apte and well instructe in many thinges and yet very vnprofitable vnto himself Some man there is that can geue wyse and prudent councell and yet is he hated contynueth a begger for that grace is not geuē him of God to be accepted Another is robbed of all wiszdome yet is he wise vnto him self and the frute of vnderstōdinge is faithfull in his mouth A wyse man maketh his people wyse y e frutes of his wiszdome fayle not A wyse mā shal be plēteously blessed of God all they that se him shal speake good of him The life of man stondeth in y e nōbre of the dayes but the dayes of Israel are innumerable A wyse man shal opteyne faithfulnes credence amonge his people his name shal be perpetuall My sonne proue thy soule in thy life yf thou se eny euell thinge geue it not vnto her For all thinges are not profitable for all men nether hath euery soule pleasure in euery thinge Be not gredy in euery eatynge and be not to haistye vpō all meates For excesse of meates bryngeth siknes and glotony commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate Thorow glotony haue many one perished but he that dyeteth him self temperatly prolongeth his life The XXXVIII Chapter HOnoure the Phisician honoure him because of necessite God hath created him for of the Hyest commeth medecyne and he shal receaue giftes of the kynge The wiszdome of the phisician bryngeth him to greate worshipe in the sight of the greate men of this worlde he shal be honorably taken The LORDE hath created medecyne of the earth and he that is wyse wyl not abhorre it Was not y e bytter water made swete with a tre that men might lerne to knowe the vertue therof The LORDE hath geuen men wyszdome vnderstondinge y t he might be honoured in his wōderous workes With soch doth he heale men taketh awaye their paynes Of soch doth the Apotecary make a confeccion yet can no man perfourme all his workes For of y e LORDE commeth prosperous wealth ouer all y e earth My sonne despyse not this in thy sicknes but praye vnto the LORDE he shal make the whole Leaue of from synne ordre thy handes a right clēse thine hert from all wickednes Geue a swete sauoured offrynge y e fyne floure for a token of remembraunce make the offrynge fatt as one that geueth the first frutes geue rowme to the Phisician ▪ For y e LORDE hath created him let him not go from the for thou hast nede of him The houre maye come y t the seke maye be helped thorow them whan they praye vnto y e LORDE y t he maie recouer get health to lyue lōger He that synneth before his maker shall fall in to the handes of the Phisician My sonne brynge forth thy teares ouer the deed and begynne to mourne as yf thou haddest suffred greate harme thy self thē couer his body after a conuenyent maner despyse not his buryall Enforce thy self to wepe prouoke thy self to mourne make lamentacion expediently and y t a daye or two lest thou be euell spoken of then cōforte thy self because of the heuynes For of heuynes cōmeth death the heuynes of y e hert breaketh strength Heuynes
his porcion and enheritaunce The thirde noble and excellent mā is Phineas the sonne of Eleazer which pleased the God of Israel because he had y e zele feare of the LORDE For whan the people were turned back he put him self forth right soone that with a good wyll to pacifie the wrath of the LORDE towarde Israel Therfore was there a couenaūt of peace made with him y t he shulde be the principall amonge the righteous and the people that he and his posterite shulde haue the office of the presthode for euer Like as there was made a couenaūt with Dauid of the trybe of Iuda that frō amonge his sonnes onely there shulde be a kynge And that Aaron also his sede shulde be the heretage to geue vs wyszdome in o hert to iudge his people in righteousnes that his goodes shulde not come in to forgetfulnes and that their honoure might endure for euer The XLVI Chapter MAnly stronge in battaill was Iesus y e sonne of Naue which in steade of Moses y e prophet was geuen to be captayne of the people which acordinge vnto his name was a greate sauioure vnto the electe of God to punysh the enemies that rose vp agaynst Israel y t Israel might optayne their inheritaunce O how greate noble and excellent was he whan he lift vp his hande and drew out his swerde agaynst the cities Who stode so manly before him For the LORDE himself brought in the enemies Stode not the Sonne styll at his commaundemēt and one daye was as longe as two He called vpon the Hyest most mightie whā y e enemies preassed vpon him on euery syde and the LORDE herde him with the hayle stones They smote y e Heithenish people mightely in fallinge downe they slew all y e aduersaries so that the Heithē knewe his hoost and all his defence that the LOR himself fought against them for he folowed vpon the mightie men of them In the tyme of Moses also he and Caleb the sonne of Iephune dyd a good worke which stode agaynst the enemies withelde the people from synne and stylled y e wicked murmurynge And of sixe hundreth thousande people of fote they two were preserued whan they were brought in to the heretage namely a londe that floweth with mylke hony The LORDE gaue strength also vnto Caleb which remayned with him vnto his age so that he wente vp in to the hye places of the londe and his sede conquered the same for an heretage that all the childrē of Israel might se how good a thinge it is to be obedient vnto the LORDE And the iudges or rulers euery one after his name whose hert wente not a whoringe ner departed from y e LORDE and that forsake not the LORDE vnfaithfully whose remembraūce hath a good reporte Yee their bones florish out of their place and their name shal neuer be chaūged Samuel the prophet beloued of the LORDE ordeyned a kinge and anoynted the prynces ouer the people In the lawe of the LORDE ruled he and iudged the congregacion the LORDE had respecte vnto Iacob The prophet was founde diligent in his faithfulnes yee in his faithfulnes was the faithfulnes of the vision knowne He called vpon y e LORDE the mightie whā the enemies preassed vpon him on euery syde what tyme as he offred the suckynge lambes And the LORDE thondred from heauen and mayde his voyce to be herde w t a greate noyse He discomfited the prynces of Tyre all the rulers of the Philistynes Before his last ende he made protestacion in the sight of the LORDE his anoynted that he toke nether substaunce ner good of eny man no not so moch as a shue no man might accuse him After this he tolde that his ende was at honde and shewed the kynge also his ende and death from y e earth lift he vp his voyce in the prophecie y t the vngodly people shulde perishe The XLVII Chapter AFterwarde in the tyme of kynge Dauid there rose vp a prophet called Nathan For like as the fat is taken awaye from the offrynge so was Dauid chosen out of the childrē of Israel He toke his pastyme w t the lyons as w t kyddes and with beares like as with lambes Slew he not a giaunte whan he was yet but yonge toke awaye the rebuke from his people what tyme as he toke the stone in his hande smote downe proude Goliath w t the slynge For he called vpon the hyest LORDE which gaue him strength in his right hande so that he ouerthrew the mightie giaunte in the battayll that he might set vp the horne of his people agayne Thus brought he him to worshipe aboue all prynces and made him to haue a good reporte in the prayse of the LORDE y t he shulde weere a crowne of glory For he destroied the enemies on euery syde roted out the Philistynes his aduersaries brake their horne in sunder like as it is brokē yet this daye In all his workes he praysed y e Hyest Holiest ascrybed the honoure vnto him With his whole hert dyd he prayse and loue him that made him He set syngers also before the aulter and in their tune he made swete songes He ordeyned to kepe the holy daies worship fully and that the solempne feastes thorow the whole yeare shulde be honorably holdē with praysinge the name of the LORDE with synginge by tymes in the mornynge in the Sanctuary The LORDE toke awaye his synnes and exalted his horne for euer He gaue him y e couenaunt of the kyngdome and the trone of worshipe in Israel After him there rose vp the wyse sonne called Salomon and for his sake he droue y e enemies awaie farre of This Salomon reigned with peace in his tyme for God gaue him rest from his enemies on euery syde that he might buylde him an house in his name prepare the Sanctuary for euer like as he was well īstructe in his youth fylled with wyszdome and vnderstōdinge as it were with a water floude He couered and fylled the whole londe with similitudes and wyse prudent sentences His name wente abrode in the Iles because of his peace he was beloued All londes marueled at his songes prouerbes symilitudes and at his peace and at the name of y e LORDE God which is called the God of Israel He gathered golde as tynne he had as moch syluer as leade He was moued in vnordinate loue towarde wemen and was ouercome in affeccion He stayned his hono and worshipe yee his posterite defyled he also in bringinge the wrath of the LORDE vpon his children and sorowe after his ioye so y t his kyngdome was deuyded Ephraim became an vnfaithfull an vnconstant kingdome Neuertheles God forsoke not his mercy nether was he vtterly destroyed because of his workes y t he shulde leaue him no
Modin and had v. sonnes IhoÌ„ called Gaddis Symon called Thasi Iudas other wyse called Machabeus Eleazer other wyse called Abaron and Ionathas whose surname was Apphus These sawe the euell y t was done amonge the people of Iuda and Ierusalem And Matathias sayde Wo is me alas that euer I was borne to se this misery of my people and y e piteous destruccioÌ„ of the holy cite thus to syt so styll it beynge delyuered in to the hondes the enemies Hir Sanctuary is come in to the power of straungers hir temple is as it were a man y t hath lost his good name Hir precious ornamentes are caried awaye captyue hir olde men are slayne in the stretes and hir yonge men are fallen thorow the swearde of the enemies What people is it that hath not some possession in hir kyngdome Or who hath not gotten some of hir spoyles All hir glory is taken awaye She was a Quene and now she is become an handmayde Beholde oure Sanctuary oure bewtye and honoure is waisted awaye and defyled by the Gentiles What helpeth it vs then to lyue And Matathias rente his clothes he and his sonnes and put sack cloth vpon them mourned very sore Then came the men thither which were sent of kynge Antiochus to compell soch as were fled in to the cite of Modin for to do sacrifice and to burne incense vnto Idols and to forsake the lawe of God So many of the people of Israel consented and enclyned vnto them but Matathias and his sonnes remayned stedfast Then spake the commissioners of kynge Antiochus sayde vnto Matathias Thou art a noble man of hye reputacion and greate in this cite hauinge fayre children and brethren Come thou therfore first and fulfill the kynges commaundemeÌ„t like as all the Heithen haue done yee and y e men of Iuda and soch as remayne at Ierusalem so shalt thou and thy children be in y e kynges fauoure and enriched with golde syluer and greate rewardes Matathias answered and spake with a loude voyce Though all nacions obeye the kynge Antiochus and fall awaie euery man froÌ„ kepynge y e lawe of their fathers though they consente to his commaundementes yet wil I my sonnes and my brethren not fall from the lawe oure fathers God forbyd we shulde that were not good for vs that we shulde forsake the lawe and ordinaunces of God and to agre vnto the commaundement of kynge Antiochus Therfore we will do no soch sacrifice nether breake the statutes of o r lawe to go another waye And wheÌ„ he had spoken these wordes there came one of the Iewes which openly in the sight of all dyd sacrifice vnto the Idols vpon the aulter in the cite of Modin acordinge to the kynges commaundement When Matathias sawe this it greued him at the herte so that his raynes shoâ—e withall and his wrath kindled for very zele of the lawe With that he gaue a szkippe forth and kylled the Iew besyde the aulter Yee and slewe y e kynges commissioner that coÌ„pelled him to do sacrifice destroyed the aulter at the same time soch a zele had he vnto the lawe of God like as Phinees dyd vnto Zambri the sonne of Salomi And Matathias cried with a loude voyce thorow y e cite sayenge Who so is feruent in the lawe wil kepe y e couenaunt let him folowe me So he and his sonnes fled in to the mountaynes and left all that euer they had in y e cite Many other godly men also departed in to the wyldernesse with their children their wyues and their catell and remayned there for the tyranny increaced so sore vpon them Now when the kynges seruauntes and the hoost which was at Ierusalem in the cite of Dauid herde that certayne meÌ„ had broken the kynges commaundement and were gone their waye to the wyldernesse in to secrete places and that there were many departed after them they folowed vpon them to fight agaynst them in the Sabbath daye and sayde Wyll ye yet rebell Get you hence do the commaundement of kynge Antiochus and ye shall lyue They answered We wil not go forth nether wil we do the kinges coÌ„maundement to defyle y e Sabbath daye Then beganne they to fight agaynst them neuerthelesse they gaue them none other answere nether cast they one stone at them ner made fast their preuy places but sayde We wil dye all in oure innocency heauen earth shal testifie with vs that ye put vs to death wrongeously Thus they fought agaynst them vpon the Sabbath slewe both men and catell their wyues and their children to the nombre of a thousande people When Matathias and his frendes herde this they mourned for them right sore and sayde one to another Yf so be that we all do as oure brethreÌ„ haue done and fight not for oure lyues for oure lawes agaynst the Heithen then shall they the sooner rote vs out of the earth So they coÌ„cluded amonge theÌ„ selues at the same tyme sayenge What so euer he be that coÌ„meth to make battayll w t vs vpon the Sabbath daye we wyll fight agaynst him not dye all as o r brethren y t were murthured so haynously VpoÌ„ this came the Synagoge of the Iewes vnto theÌ„ stronge men of Israel all soch as were feruent in the lawe And all they that were fled for persecucion came to helpe them and to stonde by them In so moch that they gathered an hoost of men and slewe the wicked doers in their gelousy and the vngodly men in their wrath Some of the wicked fled vnto the Heithen and escaped Thus Matathias and his frendes wente aboute and destroyed the aulters and circumcided the children that had not yet receaued circumcision as many as they founde within y e coostes of Israel and folowed mightely vpon the children of pryde and this acte prospered in their hondes In so moch that they kepte the lawe agaynst the power of the Gentiles and the kynges and gaue not ouer their dominion vnto wicked doers After this when the tyme drew on fast that Matathias shulde dye he sayde vnto his sonnes Now is pryde and persecucion increased now is the tyme of destruccion and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore o my sonnes be ye feruent in the lawe and ioperde youre lyues for the Testament of the fathers call to remembraunce what actes oure fathers dyd in their tyme so shall ye receaue greate honoure and an euerlastinge name Remembre Abraham was not he founde faithfull in tentacion and it was reckened vnto him for righteousnesse Ioseph in tyme of his trouble kepte the commaundement and was made a lorde of Egipte Phinees oure father was so feruent for the honoure of God that he optayned the couenauÌ„t of an euerlastinge presthode Iosue for fulfillinge the worde of God was made the captayne of Israel Caleb bare recorde before the coÌ„gregacion and receaued an heretage Dauid also in his mercifull kyndnesse optayned the trone of an
in his wroth sayenge Yf Iudas and his hoost be not delyuered now in to my hondes as soone as euer I come agayne and fayre well I shal burne vp this house With that wente he out in a greate anger Then the prestes came in and stode before the aulter of the tēple wepinge sayenge For so moch as thou o LORDE hast chosen this house that thy name might be called vpon therin and y t it shulde be an house of praier and peticion vnto thy people Be avenged of this mā his hoost and let them be slayne with y e swearde remembre the blasphemies of them suffre them not to continue eny longer When Nicanor was gone from Ierusasalem he pitched his tente at Bethoron and there an hoost met hī out of Siria And Iudas came to Adarsa with iij. M. mē made his prayer vnto God sayenge O LORDE because the messaungers of kynge Senacherib blasphemed the the angel wente forth and slewe an Clxxxv. thousande of them Euen so destroye thou this hoost before vs to daie that other people maye knowe how that he hath blasphemed thy Sanctuary and punysh him acordinge to his maliciousnesse And so the hoostes stroke the felde the thirtente daye of the moneth Adar and Nicanors hoost was discomfited and he himself was first slayne in the battayll When Nicanors men of warre sawe that he was kylled they cast awaye their weapens and fled but the Iewes folowed vpon them an whole dayes iourney from Adazer vnto Gazara blowinge with the trompettes and makinge tokens after them So the Iewes came forth of all the townes there aboute and blewe out their hornes vpon them and turned agaynst them Thus were they all slayne and not one of them lefte Then they toke their substaunce for a pray and smote of Nicanors heade his right honde which he helde vp so proudly and brought it with them and hāged it vp afore Ierusalem Wherfore the people were exceadingly reioysed and passed ouer that daye in greate gladnesse And Iudas ordened that y e same daye namely the xiij daye of y e moneth Adar shulde be kepte in myrth euery yeare Thus the londe of Iuda was in rest a litle whyle The VIII Chapter IVdas herde also the fame of the Romaynes that they were mightie and valeaunt men agreable to all thinges that are requyred of them make peace with all men which come vnto them and how they were doughty men of strength Besydes that it was tolde him of their battayls noble actes which they dyd in Galacia how they had conquered them and brought them vnder tribute and what greate thinges they had done in Spayne how that with their wyszdome and sober behauoure they had wonne the Mynes of syluer and golde that are there and optayned all the londe with other places farre from thē how they had discomfited and slayne downe the kynges that came vpon them from the vttemost parte of the earth and how other people geue them tribute euery yeare How they had slayne and ouercome Philippe and Perses kynge of Cethim and other mo in battayll which had brought their ordinaunce agaynst them how they discomfited greate Antiochus kynge of Asia that wolde nedes fight w t them hauynge an hundreth and xx Elephantes with horsmen charettes and a very greate hoost how they toke him self alyue and ordened him with soch as shulde raigne after him to paye thē a greate trybute yee and to fynde thē good suerties and plege Besydes all this how they had takē from him India Media and Lydia his best londes and geuen them to kynge Eumenus Agayne how they perceauynge y t the Grekes were cōmynge to vexe them sent against thē a captaine of an hoost which gaue thē battayll slewe many of thē led awaye ther wyues and children captyue spoyled thē toke possession of their londe destroyed their stronge holdes and subdued thē to be their bonde men vnto this daye Morouer how y t as for other kyngdomes Iles which somtyme withstode thē they destroyed them and brought them vnder their dominion But helped euer their owne frendes and those y t were confederate with them conquered kyngdomes both farre nye y t who so euer herde of their renowne was afrayed of them for whom they wolde helpe to their kyngdomes those raigned whō it lyked not them to raigne they put him downe And how they were come to greate preeminence hauynge no kynge amonge thē nether eny man clothed in purple to be magnified there thorow but had ordened thē selues a perlament where in there sat iij. C. and xx Senatours daylie vpon the councell to dispatch euer the busynesse of the people and to kepe good ordre And how y t euery yeare they chose a Mayre to haue the gouernaun-of all their londe to whom euery man was obedient and y t there was nether euell will ner discencion amonge them Then Iudas chose Eupolemus the sonne of Ihon the sonne of Iacob Iason the sonne of Eleazar sent thē vnto Rome for to make frenshipe a bonde of loue w t them y t they might take frō them the bondage of y e Grekes for y e Iewes sawe y t the Grekes wolde subdue the kyngdome of Israel So they wēte vnto Rome a very greate iourney came in to y e Perlamēt saide Iudas Machabeus w t his brethrē the people of y e Iewes hath sent vs vnto you to make a bonde of frendshipe peace w t you ye to note vs as yo r louers frendes And y e matter pleased y e Romaines right well wherfore it was writtē vp of y e which y e Romaynes made a wrytinge in tables of Latō sent it to Ierusalē y t they might haue by thē a memoriall of y e same peace bōde of frēdshipe after this maner God saue y e Romaines y e people of the Iewes both by see by lōde kepe y e swearde enemy frō thē for euermore Yf there come first eny warre vpō y e Romaynes or eny of their frēdes thorow out all their dominyō y e people of y e Iewes shal helpe thē as y e tyme requireth y t w t all their hertes Also they shal nether geue nor sēde vnto their enemies vitales weapēs money ner shippes but fulfil this charge at the Romaynes pleasure take nothinge from them therfore Againe yf the people of the Iewes happē first to haue warre the Romaynes shal stonde by thē with a good wil acordinge as the tyme wil suffre Nether shal they geue vnto the Iewes enemies vytales weapens money ner shippes Thus are the Romaynes content to do shal fulfill their charge without eny disceate Acordinge to these articles the Romaynes made the bonde with the Iewes Now after these articles sayde they yf eny of the parties wyll put to them or take eny thinge from them they shal do it
weere a colar of golde And yf there were eny which disobeyed or brake this ordinaunce that he shulde be punyshed So all the people consented to alowe Symon and to do acordynge to these wordes Symon also himself toke it vpon him and was contente to be the hye prest the captayne and prynce of the Iewes and prestes and to gouerne them all And they commaunded to make this writinge in tables of laton and to fasten it vnto the compasse of the Sanctuary in an open place and to laye vp a copy of the same in the treasury that Symon and his posterite might haue it The XV. Chapter MOrouer kynge Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius sente lettres from the Iles of the see vnto Symon the hye prest and prynce of the Iewes and to all the people conteyninge these wordes Antiochus the kynge sendeth gretinge vnto Symon the hye prest and to the people of the Iewes For so moch as certayne wicked men haue gotten the kyngdome of oure progenitours I am purposed to chalenge the realme agayne and to restore it to the olde estate Wherfore I haue gathered a greate hoost and made shyppes of warre that I maye go thorow the countre and be auenged of them which haue destroyed oure londe and waysted many cities in my realme And therfore now I make the fre also from all the tributes wherof all kynges my progenitours haue discharged the and from other customes wher from they haue released the what so euer they be Yee I geue the leaue to smyte money of thine owne within thy londe As for Ierusalem I wil that it be holy and fre and all the weapens and houses of defence which thou hast buylded and kepest in thine hondes shal be thine Where as eny thinge is or shal be owynge vnto the kynge I forgeue it the from this tyme forth for euermore And when we haue optayned oure kyngdome we shal do the thy people and the temple greate worshipe so that youre honoure shal be knowne thorow out y e whole worlde In the Clxxiiij yeare wente Antiochus in to his fathers londe and all the men of warre came together vnto him so that fewe were left with Triphon So the kynge Antiochus folowed vpon him but he fled vnto Dora which lieth by the see syde for he sawe y t there was myschefe comminge vnto him and that his hoost had forsaken him Then came Antiochus vnto Dora w t an huÌ„dreth twentye thousande men of armes vpon fote and eight thousande horsmen So he compased the cite rounde aboute and y e shippes came by the see Thus they vexed the cite by londe and by water in so moch that they suffred no man to go in nor out In the meane season came Numenius they that had bene with him from the cite of Rome hauynge lettres written vnto the kynges and prouyncies wherin were conteyned these wordes Lucius the Mayre of Rome sendeth gretinge vnto Ptolomy the kynge The embassitours of the Iewes oure freÌ„des beinge sent from Symon the hye prest and from the people of the Iewes came vnto vs for to renue the olde frendshipe and bonde of loue and brought a shylde of golde weyenge a thousande pounde which we were contente to receaue of them Wherfore we thought it good to wryte vnto the kynges prouincies to do them no harme nor to take parte agaynst theÌ„ their cities ner countrees nether to mayntene their enemies agaynst them Yf there be eny wicked personnes therfore fled from their countre vnto you dely-them vnto Symon the hye prest y t he maye punysh them acordinge to their owne lawe The same wordes wrote the Romaynes also vnto Demetrius the kynge to Attaâ—us Araba Arsaces and to all regions as Samsanes to them of Sparta Delo Mioâ— Sydon Caria Samos Pamphilia Lycia Alicarnassum and to y e Rhodes to Faselis Coo Sida Arado Gortyna Gnydum to Cypres and to Cyren And of euery lettre they sent a copy to Symon the hye prest and to the people of the Iewes So Antiochus the kynge brought his host vnto Dora the seconde tyme to take it where he made diuerse ordinauÌ„ce of warre and kepte Triphon in y t he shulde not come forth Then Symon sent Antiochus two thousande chosen meÌ„ to helpe him with golde syluer and other plenteous geâ—â— Neuerthelesse he wolde not receaue them but brake all y e couenaunt which he made w t Symon afore withdrewe himself froÌ„ him He sent Athenobius also a frende of his vnto Symon for to reason with him sayenge Ye witholde fro me Ioppa and Gaza w t the castell that is at IerusaleÌ„ which are cities of my realme whose borders ye haue destroyed and done greate euell in the londe hauynge the dominacioÌ„ in many other places of my kyngdome Wherfore delyuer now y e cities which ye haue takeÌ„ w t y e tributes of y e places y t ye haue rule vpon without the borders of Iewry Or els geue me fyue huÌ„dreth talentes of syluer yee and for the harme that ye haue done in the cities and for the tributes of the same other fyue hundreth taleÌ„tes Yf no we shal come and fight agaynst you So Athenobius the kynges frende came to IerusaleÌ„ and when he sawe y e greate worshipe and honoure of SymoÌ„ in golde syluer and so greate plenty of ornamentes he marveled and tolde Symon as the kynge commaunded him Then answered Symon and saide vnto him As for vs we haue nether taken other meÌ„s londe ner witholdeÌ„ them but only oure fathers heretage which oure enemies had vnrighteously in possession a certayne tyme. This heretage of oure fathers haue we chalenged in processe of tyme. And where as thou coÌ„playnest concernynge Ioppa and Gaza they dyd greate harme to o r people and in o londe yet wyll we geue an C. talentes for them Neuertheles Athenobius answered him not one worde but turned agayne wrothfully vnto y e kynge and tolde him all these wordes and the greate dignite of Symon with all that he had sene and the kinge was very angrie In the meane tyme fled Triphon by shippe vnto Orthosaida Then the kynge made Cendebeus captayne of the see coost gaue him an hoost of fote men and horsmen coÌ„maundinge him to remoue y e hoost towarde Iewry to buylde vp the cite of Cedron to make vp y e portes to warre agaynst y e people of the Iewes As for the kynge himself he folowed vpon Triphon So Cendebe us came vnto Iamnia beganne to vexe y e people to treade downe Iewry to take the people presoners to slaye theÌ„ to buylde vp Cedron where he set horsmeÌ„ other men of warre that they might come forth and go thorow the stretes of Iewry like as the kynge had commaunded him The XVI Chapter THen came Ihon vp from Gaza and tolde Symon his father what Cendebeus had done amonge their people Vpon this called Symon two of his eldest sonnes Iudas Ihon and sayde vnto
answered sayde vnto thē The whole nede not y e phisician but they y t are sicke I am not come to call y e righteous but sinners to repentaūce But they sayde vnto him Wherfore fast y e disciples of Ihō so of praye so moch the disciples of the Pharises likewyse but y e disciples eate and drynke And he sayde vnto them Can ye make the weddynge childrē fast so lōge as the brydegrome is with thē But the tyme wil come that the brydegrome shal be takē frō thē then shal they fast And he sayde vnto them a symilitude No man putteth a pece of new cloth in to an olde garment for els he renteth the new and the pece of the new agreeth not with the olde And no man putteth new wyne in to olde vessels for els y e new wyne barsteth the vessels and runneth out it self and the vessels perishe But new wyne must be put in to new vessels and so are they both preserued And there is no man that drynketh the olde and wolde straight waye haue the new for he sayeth the olde is pleasaunter The VI. Chapter ANd it fortuned vpon an after pryncipall Sabbath that he wente thorow the corne felde his disciples plucked the eares of corne and ate and rubbed thē with their hādes But certayne of the Pharises sayde vnto them Wherfore do ye that which is not laufull to do vpon the Sabbath And Iesus answered and sayde vnto thē Haue ye not red what Dauid dyd whā he was hongrie and they that were with him how he wente in to the house of God and toke the shewbred and ate and gaue also vnto them that were with him which was laufull for no man to eate but for the prestes onely And he sayde vnto them The sonne of man is LORDE euen ouer the Sabbath It came to passe vpō another Sabbath that he wēte in to the synagoge and taught and there was a man whose right hande was wythred But y e scrybes and Pharises marked him whether he wolde heale vpon the Sabbath that they might fynde an occasion agaynst him Neuertheles he perceaued their thoughtes and sayde vnto the mā with the wythred hande Aryse and steppe forth here And he arose and stepped forth Then sayde Iesus vnto thē I wil axe you a question What is it laufull to do vpō the Sabbath good or euell to saue life or to destroye it And he behelde thē all rounde aboute and sayde vnto the mā Stretch out thine hande And he dyd so Then was his hande restored him to right euen as whole as the other But they were fylled full of madnes and commoned together what they wolde do to him And it fortuned at the same tyme that he wente out in to a mountayne to praye and continued all night in prayer to God And whā it was daye he called his disciples and chose twolue of them whom he called also apostles Symon whom he named Peter and Andrew his brother Iames and Ihon Phylippe and Bartylmew Mathew and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alpheus Symon called Zelotes Iudas the sonne of Iames and Iudas Iscarioth which was the traytoure And he wente downe with them and stode vpon a playne in the felde and the company of his disciples and a greate multitude of people from all Iewry and Ierusalē and from Tyre and Sydon by the see coast which were come to heare him and to be healed of their diseases and they that were vexed with foule spretes were healed And all the people sought to touch him for there wente vertue frō him and healed thē all And he lift vp his eyes vpō his disciples and sayde Blessed are ye poore for yours is the kyngdome of God Blessed are ye that honger here for ye shal be satisfied Blessed are ye y t wepe here for ye shal laugh Blessed are ye whan men hate you and put you out of their cōpanyes and reuyle you and cast out youre name as an euell thinge for the sonne of mans sake Reioyse ye then and be glad for beholde youre rewarde is greate in heauen Euen thus dyd their fathers vnto the prophetes also But wo vnto you riche for ye haue youre cōsolacion allready Wo vnto you that are full for ye shal honger Wo vnto you that laugh here for ye shal wepe and wayle Wo vnto you whan euery man prayseth you Euen so dyd their fathers vnto the false prophetes also But I saye vnto you that heare Loue youre enemies do good vnto them that hate you blesse them that curse you praye for them that wrongfully trouble you And who so smyteth the on the one cheke offre him y e other also And who so taketh awaye thy cloake forbyd him not y t cote also Who so euer axeth of the geue him and who so taketh awaye thyne axe it not agayne And as ye wolde that men shulde do vnto you euen so do ye vnto them likewyse And yf ye loue them that loue you what thāke haue ye therfore For synners also loue their louers And yf ye do good for youre good doers what thanke haue ye therfore For synners also do euen the same And yf ye lende vnto them of whō ye hope to receaue what thāke haue ye ther fore For synners also lende vnto synners that they maye receaue as moch agayne But rather loue ye yo r enemies do good and lende lokynge for nothinge therof agayne so shal yo r rewarde be greate and ye shal be the children of the Hyest for he is kynde euen to the vnthankfull and to the euell Be ye therfore mercifull as youre father also is mercifull Iudge not and ye shal not be iudged Condēpne not and ye shal not be condempned Forgeue and ye shal be forgeuen Geue and to you shal be geuē A good measure pressed downe shaken together rūnynge ouer shal mē geue into youre bosome For with what measure ye meete with the same shal it be measured to you agayne And he sayde a symilitude vnto thē Can the blynde shewe the waye to y e blynde Do they not both thē fall in to the dyche The disciple is not aboue his master But whosoeuer is perfecte y e same shal be as his master But why seist thou a moote ī thy brothers eye and considrest not the beame that is in thine awne eye Or how canst thou saye vnto thy brother holde styll brother I wil plucke y e moate out of thyne eye and thou thy self seist not y e beame in thine awne eye Thou ypocryte Fyrst cast the beame out of thine awne eye and thē shalt thou se clearly to pull the moote out of thy brothers eye For it is no good tre y t bryngeth forth euell frute and no euell tre y t bringeth forth good frute Euery tre is knowne by his frute For mē gather not fygges of thornes ner grapes of buszhes A good mā out