dwell at Gaza The XIIII Chapter IN the Clxxij yeare gathered kynge Demetrius his hoost and departed vnto Media to gett him helpe for to fight agaynst Triphon Now when Arsaces the kynge of Persia and Media herde that Demetrius was entred within his borders he sente one of his prynces to take him alyue and to brynge him vnto him So he wente and slewe Demetrius hoost toke himselfe brought him to Arsaces which kepte him in warde And all the londe of Iuda was in rest so longe as Symon lyued for he sought the wealth of his people therfore were they glad to haue him for their ruler and to do him worshipe allwaye Symon wanne the cite of Ioppa also for an hauen towne and made it an intraunce in to the Iles of the see He enlarged the borders of his people and cōquered them more londe He gathered vp many of their people that were presoners he had the dominiō of Gaza Bethsura and the castell which he clensed from fylthines and there was no mā that resisted him So that euery man tylled his grounde in peace the londe of Iuda and the trees gaue their frute and encreace The elders sat all in iudgment and toke their deuyce for the wealth of the londe the yonge men put on worshipe and harnesse vpon them He prouyded vytayles for the cities and made goodly stronge holdes of them so that the fame of his worshipe was spoken of vnto the ende of y e worlde For he made peace thorow out the londe and Israel was full of myrth and ioye Euery mā sat vnder his vyne fyge trees and there was no man to fraye them awaye There was none in y e londe to fight agaynst them for then the kinges were ouercome He helped those that were in aduersite amonge his people he was diligent to se y e lawe kepte as for soch as were vngodly and wicked he toke thē awaye He set vp y e Sanctuary encreased the holy vessels of the temple When y e Romaynes and Sparcians had gotten worde y t Ionathas was deed they were right sory But when they herde y t Symon his brother was made hye prest in his steade and how he had wonne the londe agayne w t the cities in it they wrote vnto him in tables of laton to renue the frendshipe bonde of loue which they had made afore with Iudas Ionathas his brethrē Which writinges were red before the congregacion at Ierusalem And this is the copy of the lettres that the Sparcians sent The Senatours and citesyns of Sparta sende gretinge vnto Simō y e greate prest w t the elders prestes y e other people of the Iewes their brethrē Whē yo embassitours that were sente vnto o people certified vs of youre worshipe honoure and prosperous wealth we were glad of their cōminge and haue written the earande which they spake before the councell of the people namely that Numenius the sonne of Antiochus and Antipater the sonne of Iason the Iewes embassitours are come vnto vs for to renue the olde frendshipe with vs. Vpon this the people consented that the men shulde be honorably intreated and that the copy of their earande shulde be written in the speciall bokes of the people for a perpetuall memory vnto the Sparcians yee and that we shulde sende a copy of the same vnto Symon the greate prest After this dyd Symon sende Numenius vnto Rome with a golden shylde of a thousande pounde weight to confirme the frendshipe with them which when the Romaynes vnderstode they saide what thākes shal we recompence agayne vnto Symon his children For he hath stablished his brethrē and ouercome the enemies of Israel Wherfore they graūted him to be fre And all this wrote the Iewes in tables of laton and naled it vnto the pilers vpon the mount Sion The copy of the writinge is this The xviij daye of y e moneth Elul in the Clxxij yeare in the thirde yeare of Symon the hye prest in the greate congregacion of y e prestes rulers of the people and elders of the countre at Asaramel were these wordes openly declared For so moch as there was moch warre in oure londe therfore Symon y e sonne of Matathias come of the children of Iareb and his brethren put them selues in parell and resisted the enemies of their people that their Sanctuary and lawe might be manteyned and dyd their people greate worshipe Ionathas in like maner after that he had gouerned his people and bene their hye prest dyed and lyeth buried besyde his elders After that wolde their enemies haue trodden their holy thinges vnder fote destroyed their londe and vtterly waisted their Sanctuary Then Symon withstode them and fought for his people spent moch of his owne money weapened the valeaunt men of his people gaue them wages made stronge y e cities of Iuda with Bethsura that lieth vpon the borders of Iewry where the ordinaunce of their enemies laye somtyme set Iewes there for to kepe it He made fast Ioppa also which lieth vpon the see and Gaza that bordreth vpon Azotus where the enemies dwelt afore and there he set Iewes to kepe it and what so euer was mete for the subduynge of the aduersaries that layed he therin Now whē the people sawe the noble actes of Symon and what worshipe he purposed to do for them his godly behauoure and faithfulnesse which he kepte vnto them how he sought by all waies y e wealth of his people because he dyd all this therfore they chose him to be their prynce hye prest And in his tyme they prospered wel by him so y t the Heithē were takē out of their londe they also which were in the cite of Dauid at Ierusalē in the castell where they wente out and defiled all thinges that were aboute the Sanctuary and did greate harme vnto clenlynes and Symon put men of the Iewes in it for the defence of the londe and the cite and set vp the walles of Ierusalem And kynge Demetrius confirmed him in his hye presthode made him his frende and dyd him greate worshipe For he herde that the Romayns called y e Iewes their frendes louers and brethren how honorably they receaued Symons embassitours how y e Iewes and prestes consented that he shulde be their prynce and hye prest perpetually till God raysed vp the true prophet and that he shulde be their captayne to care for the Sanctuary and to set officers vpon the workes therof ouer the londe ouer the weapens ouer the houses of defence to make prouysion for the holy thynges and to be obeyed of euery man and all the writynges of y e londe to be made in his name that he shulde be clothed in purple and golde and that it shulde be laufull for none of the people nor prestes to breake eny of these thynges to withstonde his wordes ner to call eny congregacion in the londe without him that he shulde be clothed in purple and
bloude of my sacrifice with sowre dowe and the fat of my feast shal not remayne till the mornynge The first of the first frutes of thy felde shalt thou brynge in to the house of the LORDE thy God And shalt not seeth a kydd whyle it is in his mothers mylke Beholde I sende an angell before the to kepe the in the waye and to brynge the vnto the place that I haue prepared Therfore be warre of his face and herken vnto his voyce and anger him not for he shall not spare youre myszdedes my name is in him But yf thou shalt herken vnto his voyce and do all that I shal tell the then wyl I be enemie vnto thy enemyes and aduersary vnto thy aduersaries Now whā myne angell goeth before the bryngeth the vnto y e Amorites Hethites Pheresites Cananites Heuites Iebusites I shall haue destroyed them then shalt thou not worshipe their goddes ner serue them nether shalt thou do as they do but shalt ouerthrowe their goddes breake thē downe But y e LORDE yo r God shal ye serue so shal he blesse thy bred thy water and I wyl remoue all sicknesse from the. There shal be nothinge baren ner vnfrutefull in thy londe and I wil fulfill the nombre of thy dayes I wil sende my feare before the and sley all the people where thou cōmest will make all thine enemies to turne their backes vpō the. I wyll sende hornettes before y e and dryue out the Heuytes Cananites and Hethytes before the ▪ In one yeare wyl I not cast thē out before the y t the londe become not waist wylde beastes multiply agaynst y t By litle litle wyll I dryue them out before the tyll thou growe haue the londe in possession And I wil set the borders of thy londe euen from the reed see vnto y e see of the Philistynes from the wyldernes vnto the water For I wil delyuer the indwellers of the londe in to thine hande y t thou shalt dryue them out before the. Thou shalt make no couenaunt w t them ner with their goddes but let thē not dwell in thy lande that they make the not synne ageynst me For yf thou serue their goddes it wil surely be thy decaye The XXIIII Chapter ANd he sayde vnto Moses Come vp vnto the LORDE thou Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seuētie elders of Israel worshipe afarre of But let Moses onely come nye vnto the LORDE and let not them come nye and let not the people also come vp with him Moses came and tolde the people all the wordes of the LORDE all the lawes Then answered all the people with one voyce and sayde All y e wordes that the LORDE hath sayde wyl we do Then wrote Moses all the wordes of y e LORDE gat him vp bytymes in the mornynge * buylded an altare vnder y e mount with twolue pilers acordinge to the twolue trybes of Israel sent twolue yonge mē of the children of Israel to offre burnt offerynges and peace offerynges theron of bullockes vnto the LORDE And Moses toke the half parte of the bloude and put it in a basen the other half sprenkled he vpon the altare toke the boke of y e couenaunt cried in the eares of the people And whan they had sayde All y t the LORDE hath sayde wil we do herken vnto him Moses toke the bloude sprenkled it vpon the people sayde Beholde this is y e bloude of the couenaunt that the LORDE maketh w t you vpon all these wordes Then wente Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu the seuentye elders of Israel vp sawe y e God of Israel Vnder his fete it was like a stone worke of Saphyre as the fashion of heauē whā it is cleare he put not his hāde vpō the pryncipall of Israel And whan they had sene God they ate dronke And the LORDE sayde vnto Moses Come vp vnto me vpon the mount remayne there y t I maye geue the tables of stone y e lawe commaundemētes y t I haue wrytten which thou shalt teach thē Then Moses gat him vp his mynister Iosua wente vp in to the mount of God sayde vnto the elders Tary ye here tyll we come to you agayne beholde Aaron and Hur are with you yf eny mā haue a matter to do let him brynge it vnto them Now whā Moses came vp in to y e moūt a cloude couered y e mount the glory of y e LORDE abode vpon mount Sinai couered it w t the cloude sixe dayes vpon the seuēth daye he called Moses out of y e cloude And y e fashion of y e glory of y e LORDE was like a cōsumynge fyre vpon the toppe of y e mount in the sight of the children of Israel And Moses wente in to the myddest of the cloude and ascēded vp in to the mount and abode vpon the mount fourtye dayes fourtye nightes The XXV Chapter ANd y e LORDE talked w t Moses ayde Speake vnto y e childrē of Israel y t they geue me an Heue offerynge take the some of euery man that hath a frewyllynge hert therto And this is the Heue-offerynge that ye shal take of them Golde syluer brasse yalowe sylke scarlet purple whyte twyned sylke goates hayre reed skynnes of rammes doo skynnes Fyrre tre oyle for lampes spyces for the anoyntynge oyle and for swete incense Onix stones and set stones for the ouerbody cote and for the brestlappe And they shall make me a Sanctuary that I maie dwell amonge them Like as I shal shewe y e a patrone of the Habitacion and of all the ornamentes therof so shall ye make it Make an Arke of Fyrre tre two cubytes a half longe a cubyte a half brode and a cubyte an half hye this shalt thou ouerleye with pure golde within and without make an hye vpō it a crowne of golde rounde aboute and cast foure rynges of golde put them in the foure corners of it so that two rynges be vpon the one syde and two vpon the other syde And make staues of Fyrre tre and ouerlaye them with golde and put them in the rynges alonge by the sydes of the Arke to beare it withall and they shal abyde styll in the rynges not be takē out And in y e Arke thou shalt laye the wytnesse that I wyl geue the. Thou shalt make a Mercyseate also of pure golde two cubytes and a half longe and a cubyte a half brode And thou shalt make two Cherubyns of beaten golde vpō both y e endes of the Mercyseate y t the one Cherub maye be vpon the one ende the other vpon the other ende so to be two Cherubyns vpon the endes of the Mercyseate And the Cherubyns shall sprede out
ner speare amonge fortye thousande in Israel My hert loueth y e teachers of Israel ye y t are frewyllinge amonge the people prayse the LORDE Ye that ryde vpoÌ„ fayre Asses ye that syt in iudgment and geue sentence ye that go by the waye prayse the LORDE WhaÌ„ y e archers cried betwene y e drawers of water then was it spokeÌ„ of y e righteousnes of the LORDE of the righteousnes of his huszbande men in Israel then ruled the people of the LORDE vnder the gates Vp Debbora vp get the vp get the vp rehearse a songe Arise Barak catch him y t catched the thou sonne of Abinoam Then had the desolate the rule with the mightie of the people The LORDE had y e dominion thorow the giauntes Out of Ephraim was their rote against Amalek and after him Ben Iamin in thy people Out of Machir haue teachers ruled and out of ZabuloÌ„ are there become gouernours thorow the wrytinge penne And out of Isachar there were prynces with Debbora and Isachar was as Barak in y e valley sent with his people on fote Aâ— for Ruben he stode hye in his awne consayte and separated him selfe from vs. Why abodest thou betwixte the borders whan thou herdest the noyse of the flockes because Ruben stode hye in his awne coÌ„sayte and separated him selfe from vs. Gilead abode beyonde Iordane and why dwelt Dan amonge the shippes Asser sat in the hauen of the see and taried in his porcions But Zabulons people ioperde their life vnto death Nephtali also in the toppe of y e felde of Merom The kynges came foughte then foughte y e kynges of the Cananites at Thaanah by the water of Megiddo but spoyle of money broughte they not there from From heaueÌ„ were they foughteÌ„ agaynst the starres in their courses foughte with Sissera The broke Cyson ouerwhelmed them the broke Kedumim yee the broke Cyson My soule treade thou vpon the mightie Then made the horse fete a ruszshinge together for the greate violence of their mightie horse men Curse the cite of Meros sayde y e angell of the LORDE curse the citesyns therof be cause they come not to helpe y e LORDE to helpe the LORDE to the giauntes Blessynge amonge wemen haue Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite blessinge haue she in the tente amonge the wemen Whan he axed water she gaue him mylke broughte forth butter in a lordlydâ—szshe She toke holde of the nale w t hir hande the smyth hammer with hir righte hande and smote Sissera cut of his heade pearsed and bored thorow his temples He bowed him selfe downe at hir fete he fell downe and laye there He sanke downe and fell at hir fete whan he had soncke downe he laye there destroyed His mother loked out at the wyndowe cried piteously thorow the trâ—llace Why tarieth his charet out so loÌ„ge that he coÌ„meth not Wherfore do the wheles of his charet make so longe tarienge The wysest amoÌ„ge his ladies answered sayde vnto her Shulde they not finde deuide the spoyle vnto euery man a fayre mayde or two for a pray partye coloured garmeÌ„tes of nedle worke to Sissera for a spoyle partye coloured garmentes of nedle worke aboute the necke for a pray Thus all thine enemies must perishe O LORDE but they that loue the shal be euen as the Sonne rysinge vp in his mighte And the londe had peace fortye yeares The VI. Chapter ANd whan the children of Israel dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE the LORDE delyuered them vnder the hande of the Madianites vij yeares And whaÌ„ the hande of the Madianites was to mightie ouer the children of Israel the children of Israel made them clyffes in y e mountaynes and caues and holdes to defende them selues from y e Madianites And whan Israel sowed eny thinge y e Madianites and Amalechites and the children towarde the south came vp vpon them and pitched their teÌ„tes agaynst them and destroyed the increase of the londe downe vnto Gasa let nothinge remayne ouer of the beestes in Israel nether shepe ner oxen ner asses For they came vp with their catell and tentes as it had bene a greate multitude of greshoppers so that nether they ner their camels mighte be nombred and fell in to the londe that they mighte destroye it Thus was Israel exceadinge small before the Madianites Then cried the children of Israel vnto the LORDE But whan they cried vnto the LORDE be cause of y e Madianites y e LORDE sent theÌ„ a prophet which sayde vnto theÌ„ Thus saieth the LORDE the God of Israel I caried you out of Egipte broughte you out of y e house of bondage delyuered you from the hande of the Egipcians from the haÌ„de of all them that oppressed you and I haue thrust them out before you geuen you their loÌ„de and sayde vnto you I am the LORDE youre God Feare not ye the goddes of the Amorites in whose londe ye dwell neuertheles ye haue not herkened vnto my voyce And there came an angell of the LORDE sat him downe vnder an Oke at Aphra which belonged vnto Ioas the father of y e Esrites and his sonne Gedeon was throsshinge wheate in the barne that he mighte flye awaye before the Madianites Then appeared vnto him the angell of y e LORDE and sayde vnto him The LORDE with y e thou mightie giaunte But Gedeon sayde vnto him Syr yf the LORDE be w t vs wherfore is all this then happened vnto vs And where are all the wonders which oure fathers tolde vs sayde The LORDE brought vs out of Egipte But now hath the LORDE forsaken vs and delyuered vs in to the hande of the Madianites The LORDE turned him vnto him sayde Go thy waye in this thy strength thou shalt delyuer Israel out of the hande of y e Madianites I haue sent the. But he sayde My LORDE wherwithall shal I delyuer Israel Beholde my kynred is the smallest in Manasse I am the leest in my fathers house The LORDE sayde vnto him I will be w t the so y t thou shalt smyte the Madianites euen as though they were but one man He sayde vnto him Yf I haue fouÌ„de grace in thy sighte then make me a token that it is thou which speakest with me go not awaye tyll I come to y e and brynge a meat-offerynge to set before the. He sayde I wyll tary tyll thou coÌ„mest agayne And Gedeon weÌ„te and made ready a kydd and an Epha of vnleuended floure and layed the flesh in a maunde and put the broth in a pot and broughte it forth vnto him vnder the Oke and came nye But the angell of God sayde vnto him Take the flesh and the vnleuended bred set it vpon the stonye rocke that is here and poure the broth theron And he dyd so Then the angell of the LORDE stretched out the staffe that he had in his
the commaundementes of the LORDE their God and made them two molten calues and groues and worshipped all the hoost of heauen serued Baal and caused their sonnes and doughters to go thorow the fyre and medled w t soythsayers and witches and gaue them selues ouer to do that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE to prouoke him vnto wrath Then was the LORDE very wroth at Israel and put them awaye froÌ„ his presence so y t there remayned nomo but onely y e trybe of Iuda Nether dyd Iuda kepe the commaundemeÌ„tes of the LORDE their God but walked after the customes of Israel which they dyd Therfore dyd y e LORDE cast awaye all y e sede of Israel and troubled them and delyuered them in to the handes of the spoylers tyll he had cast them out of his presence for Israel was deuyded from the house of Dauid And they made theÌ„ a kynge one Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which turned Israel back from y e LORDE caused theÌ„ to synne so sore Thus walked the childreÌ„ of Israel in all y e synnes of Ieroboam which he had done departed not froÌ„ them vntyll y e LORDE put Israel out of his presence acordinge as he had spokeÌ„ by all his seruauntes y e prophetes So Israel was caried awaye out of their awne londe to Assiria vnto this daye The kynge of Assiria caused men to come froÌ„ Babilon from Cutha froÌ„ Aua from Hemath Sepharuaim caused theÌ„ to inhabite y e cities in Samaria in steade of the children of Israel And they toke possession of Samaria dwelt in y e same cities But whaÌ„ they begaÌ„ne to dwell there feared not y e LORDE the LORDE sent lyons amoÌ„ge theÌ„ which slewe them And they caused it be sayde vnto y e kynge of Assiria The HeytheÌ„ whom thou hast broughte hither caused them to inhabite the cities of Samaria knowe not the lawe of y e God of the londe Therfore hath he sent lyons amoÌ„ge them beholde they slaye theÌ„ because they knowe not the ordinaunce of the God of the londe The kinge of Assiria coÌ„maunded saide Bringe thither one of y e prestes y t were caried awaye froÌ„ thence let him go thither dwell there teach theÌ„ the ordinauÌ„â—e of the God of y e londe Then came one of â— prestes which were caried awaye from Samaria dwelt at Bethel taughte them how they shulde feare y e LORDE But euery people made theÌ„ goddes put theÌ„ in the houses vpon y e hye places which the Samaritanes had made euery people iÌ„ their cities wherin they dwelt They of BabiloÌ„ made Sochoth Benoth They of Chut made Nergel They of Hemath made Asima They of Aua made Nibehas Tharthak They of Sepharuaim burnt their sonnes vnto Adramelech and Anamelech y e goddes of theÌ„ of Sepharuaim And whyle they feared y e LORDE they made prestes in y e hye places of y e lowest amonge them put them in y e houses of y e hye places thus they feared y e LORDE serued y e goddes also acordinge to y e custome of euery nacion from whence they were broughte And vnto this daye do they after y e olde fashion so y t they nether feare y e LORDE ner yet kepe their awne ordinaunces and lawes after the lawe and commaundement that the LORDE coÌ„maunded the childreÌ„ of Iacob vnto whom he gaue y e name of Israel and made a couenaunt with them and commaunded them and sayde Feare none other goddes and worshipe them not and serue them not and offer not vnto them â–ª but the LORDE which broughte you out of the loÌ„de of Egipte with greate power and outstretched arme Him feare him worshippe vnto him do sacrifice and the statutes ordinaunces lawe coÌ„maundement which he hath caused to be wrytten vnto you those se that ye kepe that ye allwaye do therafter and feare none other goddes And forget not the couenaunt which he hath made with you lest ye feare other goddes But feare y e LORDE youre God he shall delyuer you from all youre enemies Neuertheles they wolde not herken but dyd after their olde custome Thus these Heythen feared the LORDE and serued their Idols also and so dyd their children and childers childreÌ„ likewyse EueÌ„ as their fathers haue done before them so do they vnto this daye The XVIII Chapter IN the thirde yeare of Oseas y e sonne of Ela kynge of Israel reigned Ezechias y e sonne of Achas kynge of Iuda And he was fyue and twentie yeare olde whan he was made kynge reigned nyne twentye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Abi the doughter of Zachary And he dyd that which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE acordinge vnto all as dyd Dauid his father He put awaye the hye places and brake downe the pilers roted out the groues and brake the brasen serpente which Moses had made For vnto that tyme had the children of Israel brent inceÌ„se vnto it And it was called Nehusthan He put his trust in the LORDE God of Israel so that after him there was not his like amoÌ„ge all the kynges of Iuda nether had bene before him He cleued vnto the LORDE and departed not backe from him and kepte his commaundementes which the LORDE had coÌ„maunded Moses And the LORDE was w t him And whither so euer he weÌ„te forth he behaued him selfe wysely He resisted the kyn of Assiria and was not subdued vnto him He smote the Philistynes also vnto Gasa and their borders from the castels vnto the stronge cities In the fourth yeare of Ezechias kynge of Iuda y t was the seuenth yeare of Oseas the sonne of Ela kynge of Israel came Salmanasar the kynge of Assiria vp agaynst Samaria and layed sege vnto it and wanne it after thre yeares in the sixte yeare of Ezechias that is in the nyenth yeare of Oseas kynge of Israel theÌ„ was Samaria wonne And the kynge of Assiria caried Israel awaye vnto Assiria and set them at Halah and Habor by the water Gosan and in the cities of the Meedes And all because they herkened not vnto the voyce of the LORDE their God and had transgressed his couenaunt And as for all that Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE had commaunded theÌ„ they had nether herkened vnto eny of those ner done them In the fourteÌ„th yeare of kynge Ezechias dyd Sennacherib y e kynge of Assiria come vp agaynst all the stronge cities of Iuda coÌ„quered theÌ„ Then sent Ezechias the kynge of Iuda to y e kynge of Assiria vnto Lachis sayenge I haue offended turne back fro me loke what thou layest vnto me I wil beare it TheÌ„ the kynge of Assiria layed vnto Ezechias the kynge of Iuda thre hundreth talentes of syluer thirtie talentes of golde So Ezechias gaue all y e syluer y t was fouÌ„de in y e house of the LORDE in
from beyonde the See of Syria beholde they are at Hazezon Thamar that is Engaddi And Iosaphat was afrayed set his face to seke y e LORDE caused a fast to be proclamed in all Iuda And Iuda came together to seke the LORDE And out of all y e cities of Iuda came they to seke the LORDE And Iosaphat stode amoÌ„ge y e coÌ„gregacion of Iuda Ierusalem in the house of y e LORDE before the new courte and sayde O LORDE God of oure fathers art not thou God in heauen and hast domynion in all the kyngdomes of the Heythen And in thy hande is strength and power and there is no man that can withstoÌ„de the. Hast not thou o r God expelled the inhabiters of this londe before thy people of Israel and hast geueÌ„ it vnto the sede of Abraham thy louer for euer so that they haue dwelt in it haue buylded the a Sanctuary vnto y e name therin and sayde Yf there come eny plage swerde iudgmeÌ„t pestilence or derth vpon vs we wyll stonde before this house euen before the for thy name is in this house and wyll crye vnto the in oure trouble and thou shalt heâ—re and shalt saue vs. Beholde now the children of Ammon of Moab they of mount Seir vpon whom thou woldest not suffre the children of Israel to go whan they wente out of the londe of Egipte but they were fayne to departe from theÌ„ and not to destroye them and beholde they deale contrarely with vs and come to thrust vs out of the inheritaunce that thou hast geuen vs in possession O oure God wylt thou not iudge them For in vs is no strength to withstonde this greate multitude that commeth agaynst vs. We knowe not what we shulde do but oure eyes loke vnto the. And all Iuda stode before the LORDE with their children wyues and sonnes But vpon Iehasiel the sonne of Zacharias the sonne of Benaia the sonne of Iehiel the sonne of Mathania the Leuite of y e children of Assaph came the sprete of the LORDE in the myddes of the congregacion and sayde Geue hede all thou Iuda and ye inhabiters of Ierusalem and thou kynge Iosaphat Thus sayeth the LORDE vnto you Be not ye afrayed nether feare ye this greate multitude for it is not ye that fighte but God Tomorow shal ye go downe vnto theÌ„ And beholde they go vp by Sis and ye shal fynde them at the reed see by the broke before the wyldernes of Ieruel for ye shall not fighte in this cause Do ye but steppe forth and stonde and se the health of the LORDE that is with you Feare not O Iuda and Ierusalem and be not afrayed tomorow go ye forth agaynst them and the LORDE shal be with you TheÌ„ Iosaphat bowed him selfe w t his face to the earth all Iuda the inhabiters of Ierusalem fell before the LORDE worshipped the LORDE And the Leuites of y e childreÌ„ of the Kahathites of the children of the Corahites arose to prayse the LORDE God of Israel w t loude voyce on hye And they gat them vp early in y e mornynge and weÌ„te forth by the wyldernesse of Thekoa And whan they were goynge out Iosaphat stode sayde HerkeÌ„ vnto me O Iuda ye indwellers of IerusaleÌ„ Put youre trust in the LORDE yo r God ye shal be safe and geue credence vnto his prophetes ye shall prospere And he gaue councell vnto y e people and appoynted the syngers vnto y e LORDE and them that gaue prayse in the bewtye of holynes to go before the harnessed meÌ„ to saye O geue thankes vnto the LORDE for his mercy endureth for euer And whan they beganne to geue thankes and prayse the LORDE caused the hynder watch that was come agaynst Iuda to come vpon the childreÌ„ of Ammon Moab them of mount Seir and they smote them Then stode the children of Ammon Moab agaynst them of mount Seir to damne them and to destroye them And whan they had destroyed them of mount Seir one helped another to destroye them selues also And whan Iuda came to Mispa vnto the wyldernes they turned them towarde the multitude and beholde the deed bodies laye vpoÌ„ the earth so that none was escaped And Iosaphat came with his people to deuyde the spoyles of them And they founde amonge them so moch goodes and rayment and precious Iewels which they toke from them that they coulde not beare them And thre dayes were they deuydinge the spoyle for it was so moch On the fourth daye came they together in to the valley of blessynge for there blessed they the LORDE Therfore is the place called the valley of blessinge vnto this daye So euery man of Iuda Ierusalem turned back agayne Iosaphat before them to go to IerusaleÌ„ with ioye for y e LORDE had geuen them gladnesse on their enemies And they entred in to Ierusalem with psalteries harpes trompettes vnto the house of the LORDE And there came a feare of God ouer all the kyngdomes in the londes whan they herde that the LORDE had foughte agaynst y e enemies of Israel Thus was y e kyngdome of Iosaphat in quyetnes God gaue him rest on euery syde And Iosaphat reigned ouer Iuda was fyue thirtie yeare olde whan he was made kynge reigned fyue twentye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Asuba the doughter of Silhi And he walked in the waye of his father Asa departed not asyde from doynge y t which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE sauynge that y e hye places were not put downe for the people had not yet prepared their hert to the God of their fathers What more there is to saye of Iosaphat both the first the last beholde it is wrytten in the actes of Iehu y e sonne of Hanani which he noted vp in the boke of the kynges of Israel Afterwarde dyd Iosaphat the kynge of Iuda agree w t Ahasia the kynge of Israel which was vngodly in his doynges And he agreed with him to make shippes for to go vpon the see And they made the shippes at Ezeon Gaber But Elieser the sonne of Dodana of Maresa prophecied agaynst Iosaphat and sayde Because thou hast agreed with Ahasia therfore hath the LORDE broken thy workes And so y e shippes were broken mighte not go vpon the See The XXI Chapter ANd Iosaphat fell on slepe w t his fathers was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid Ioram his sonne was kynge in his steade And he had brethreÌ„ the sonnes of Iosaphat Asaria Iehiel Zacharias Asaria Michael Sephatia All these were the children of Iosaphat kynge of Iuda And their father gaue them many giftes of syluer golde Iewels w t stronge cities in Iuda But the kyngdome gaue he vnto Ioram for he was the first borne But whan Ioram came vp ouer his fathers kyngdome had gotten the power of it he
was ioye myrth prosperite and good dayes amonge the Iewes in so moch that many of the people in the londe became of the Iewes beleue for the feare of the Iewes came vpon them The IX Chapter IN the twolueth moneth that is the moneth Adar vpon the thyrtenth daye which the kinges worde and cōmaundement had appoynted that it shulde be done euē vpon y e same daie y t the enemies shulde haue destroyed the Iewes to haue oppressed them it turned contrary wise euen y t the Iewes shulde subdue their enemies Then gathered the Iewes together in their cities within all y e londes of kynge Ahasuerus to laye honde on soch as wolde do thē euell no man coulde withstonde them for y e feare of thē was come ouer all people And all the rulers in the londes and prynces and Debities and officers of the kinge promoted the Iewes for the feare of Mardocheus came vpō thē For Mardocheus was greate in the kynges house the reporte of him was noised in all lōdes how he increased grewe Thus the Iewes smote all their enemies with a sore slaughter and slewe and destroyed dyd after their wyll vnto soch as were their aduersaries And at y e castell of Susan slewe the Iewes and destroied fyue hūdreth men slewe Parsandatha Dalphon Aspatha Poratha Adalia Aridatha Parmastha Arissai Aridai Vaiesatha the ten sonnes of Aman y e sonne of Amadathi y e enemie of the Iewes but on his goodes they layed no handes At the same tyme was the kynge certified of the nombre of those that were slaine at the castell of Susan And the kynge sayde vnto quene Hester The Iewes haue slayne and destroyed fyue hūdreth men at y e castell of Susan and the ten sonnes of Amā What shal they do in the other londes of y e kynge What is thy peticion that it maye be geuen the what requirest thou more to be done Hester sayde Yf it please the kynge let him suffre the Iewes tomorow also to do acordinge vnto this dayes commaundement that they maye hange Amans ten sonnes vpō y e tre And the kynge charged to do so and the commaundement was deuysed at Susan Amans ten sonnes were hanged And the Iewes gathered thē selues together at Susan vpon the fourtenth daye of the moneth Adar and slewe thre hundreth men at Susan but on their goodes they laied no hādes As for the other Iewes in the kynges lōdes they came together stode for their lyues gatt rest frō their enemies and slewe of their enemies fyue and seuentye thousande howbeit they layed no hondes on their goodes This was done on the thirtēth daie of the moneth Adar and on the fourtenth daye of the same moneth rested they which daye they ordeyned to be a daye of feastinge and gladnesse But the Iewes at Susan were come together both on the thyrtenth daye and on the fourtenth and on the fyftenth daye they rested and the same daye ordeyned they to be a daye of feastinge gladnes Therfore the Iewes that dwelt in the vyllages and vnwalled townes ordeyned y e fourtenth daye of the moneth Adar to be a daye of feastinge and gladnes and one sent giftes vnto another And Mardocheus wrote these actes and sent the writinges vnto all the Iewes y t were in all y e londes of kynge Ahasuerus both nye and farre that they shulde yearly receaue and holde the fourtenth and fiftenth daie of the moneth Adar as the daies wherin y e Iewes came to rest from their enemies as a moneth wherin their payne was turned to ioye and their sorowe in to prosperite that they shulde obserue the same as dayes of wealth and gladnes and one to sende giftes vnto another to distribute vnto the poore And the Iewes receaued it that they had begonne to do and that Mardocheus wrote vnto them how that Aman the sonne of Amadathai all y e Iewes enemye had deuysed to destroye all the Iewes and caused the lot to be cast for to put them in feare and to brynge them to naughte and how Hester wente and spake to the kynge that thorow letters his wicked deuyce which he ymagyned agaynst the Iewes might be turned vpon his awne heade and how he and his sonnes were hanged on the tre For the which cause they called this daye Purim after the name of the lot acordynge to all y e wordes of this wrytinge and what they thē selues had sene and what ha◠happened vnto them And the Iewes set it vp and toke it vpon them and their sede and vpon all soch as ioyned themselues vnto them that they wolde not mysse to obserue these two dayes yearly acordynge as they were wryttē and appoynted how y t these dayes are not to be forgotten but to be kepte of childers children amōge all kynreds in all londes and cities They are the dayes of Purim which are not to be ouerslipte amonge the Iewes and the memoriall of them oughte not to perishe from their sede And quene Hester the daughter of Abihail and Mardocheus the Iewe wrote with all auctorite to confirme this seconde wrytinge of Purim and sent the letters vnto all the Iewes in the hundreth and seuen and twentye londes of y e empyre of Ahasuerus with frendly and faithfull wordes to confirme these dayes of Purim in their tyme appoynted acordynges as Mardocheus the Iewe and Hester the quene had ordeined cōcernynge them lyke as they vpon their soule and vpon their sede had cōfirmed the actes of the fastinges and of hir cōplainte And Hester cōmaunded to stablish these actes of this Purim and to wryte them in a boke The X. Chapter ANd the kynge Ahasuerus layed tribute vpon the londe and vpon the Iles of the See As for all y e worke of his power and auctoryte and y e greate worshippe of Mardocheus which the kynge gaue him beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Media Persia For Mardocheus the Iewe was the seconde nexte vnto kynge Ahasuerus and greate amonge y e Iewes and accepted amonge the multitude of his brethren as one y t seketh the welth of his people and speaketh the best for all his sede The ende of the seconde parte of the Olde Testament The boke of Iob. What this boke conteyneth Chap. I.II. The prosperite of Iob and how God geueth Satan power ouer his body ād goodes which he is content withall Chap. III. The flesh can not suffre and here is described the vnpacient man that grudgeth agaynst the iudgment of God Chap. IIII. Iobs frendes comforte him and geue his synnes the blame of his punyshmēt Chap. V. That no man is without synne A prayse off the allmightynesse and louynge kyndnesse of God Chap. VI. Iob excuseth his owne vnpacience layeth ypocrysie to his frēdes charge ād sayeth they are but dyssemblers Chap. VII A frendly contencion that Iob maketh with God shewinge the myserable life and trauayle of man Chap. VIII Baldad
thou LORDE of thy goodnesse haddest made my hill so stronge But as soone as thou turnedest thy face fro me I was brought in feare TheÌ„ cried I vnto y e O LORDE yee vnto y e LORDE made I my prayer What profit is there in my bloude yf I go downe to corrupcion Maye the dust geue thankes vnto ye Or shal it declare thy faithfulnesse Heare O LORDE and haue mercy vpon me LORDE be thou my helper And so thou hast turned my heuynesse in to ioye thou hast put of my sack cloth gyrded me w t gladnesse That my hono r might synge prayses vnto the w t out ceassynge O LORDE my God I wil geue thankes vnto the for euer The XXX A psalme of Dauid IN the O LORDE is my trust let me neuer be put to coÌ„fucion but delyuer me in thy rightuousnesse Bowe downe thine eare to me make haist to delyuer me be thou my stronge rocke and a house of defence that thou mayest saue me For thou art my stronge holde my castell O be thou my gyde lede me for thy names sake Drawe me out of the nett y t they haue layed priuely for me for thou art my streÌ„gth Into thy hondes I commende my sprete thou hast â—â—lyuered me O LORDE thou God of treuth I hate them that holde of vanities and my trust is in the LORDE I will be glad and reioyse in thy mercy for thou hast considred my trouble thou hast knowne my soule in aduersite Thou hast not delyuered me ouer in to the hoÌ„des of the enemie but hast set my fete in a large rowme Haue mercy vpon me O LORDE for I am in trouble myne eye is consumed for very heuynesse yee my soule and my body My life is waxen olde with heuynesse and my yeares w t mournynge My streÌ„gth fayleth me because of my aduersite and my bones are corrupte I am become a very reprofe amonge all myne enemies my neghbours they of myne owne acquauntaunce are afrayed of me they y t seme in the strete coÌ„veye them selues fro me I am clene forgotten and out of mynde as a deed man I am become like a broken vessell For I haue herde the blasphemy of the multitude euery man abhorreth me they haue gathered a councel together agaynst me and are purposed to take awaye my life But my hope is in y e O LORDE I saye thou art my God My tyme is in thy honde delyuer me from the honde of myne enemies from them y t persecute me Shewe thy seruaunt the light of thy countenaunce helpe me for thy mercies sake Let me not be confounded o LORDE for I call vpon the let the vngodly rather be put to confucion and brought vnto the hell Let the lyenge lippes be put to sylence which cruelly diszdanedly despitefully speake agaynst the rightuous O how greate and manifolde is thy good which thou haist hyd for them that feare y e O what thinges bringest thou to passe for them that put their trust in the euen before the sonnes of men Thou hydest them priuely by thine owne presence from the proude men thou kepest them secretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of tonges Thankes be to the LORDE for he hath shewed me maruelous greate kyndnesse in a stronge cite For when the sodane feare came vpon me I sayde I am cast out of thy sight Neuertheles thou herdest myne humble prayer when I cried vnto the. O loue the LORDE all ye his sayntes for the LORDE preserueth the faith full and plenteously rewardeth he the proude doer Be stroÌ„ge therfore take a good herte vnto you all ye that put youre trust in the LORDE The XXXI A psalme of Dauid BLessed are they whose vnrightuousnesse is forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the LORDE imputeth no synne in whose sprete there is no gyle For whyle I helde my tonge my bones consumed awaye thorow my daylie complaynynges And because thy hande was so heuy vpon me both daye and night my moysture was like the drouth in Sommer Sela. Therfore I confessed my synne vnto the and hyd not myne vnrightuousnesse I saide I will knowlege myne offence and accuse my self vnto the LORDE and so thou forgauest me the wickednesse of my synne Sela. For this shal euery saynte make his prayer vnto the in due season therfore shall not the greate water floudes come nye him Thou art my defence in the trouble that is come aboute me O coÌ„passe thou me aboute also with the ioye of delyueraunce Sela. I wil enforme the and shewe the the waye wherin thou shalt go I wil fasten myne eyes vpon the. Be not ye now like horses mooles which haue no vnderstondinge Whose mouthes thou must holde with bytt brydle yf they wil not obeie the. Greate plages shall y e vngodly haue but who so putteth his trust in the LORDE mercy shall compasse him on euery syde Be glad o ye rightuous and reioyse in the LORDE be ioyfull all ye that are true of herte The XXXII A psalme of Dauid EEioyse in y e LORDE o ye rightuous for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull Prayse the LORDE with harpe synge psalmes vnto him with the lute and instrument of ten strynges Singe him a new songe yee synge lustely vnto him with a good corage For the worde of y e LORDE is true and all his workes are faithfull He loueth mercy iudgment y e earth is full of the goodnesse of the LORDE By the worde of the LORDE were the heauens made all the hoostes of them by y e breth of his mouth He gathereth y e waters together as it were in a bottell laieth vp the depe in secrete Let all the earth feare the LORDE and let all them that dwell in the worlde stoÌ„de in awe of him For loke what he sayeth it is done and loke what he coÌ„mauÌ„deth it stondeth fast The LORDE bryngeth the councell of the Heithen to naught and turneth the deuyces of the people But the couÌ„cell of the LORDE endureth and the thoughtes of his hert from generacion to generacion Blessed are the people that holde the LORDE for their God blessed are the folke whom he hath chosen to be his heretage The LORDE loketh downe from heauen beholdeth all the children of men from his stronge seate he considreth all them y t dwell in the worlde He only hath fashioned all the hertes of them knoweth all their workes A kynge is not helped by his owne greate hoost nether is a giaunte saued thorow the might of his owne streÌ„gth A horse is but a vayne thynge to saue a man it is not the power of his streÌ„gth that can delyuer him Beholde the eye of the LORDE loketh vnto them that feare him 〈◊〉 put their trust in his mercy That he maye delyuer their soules from death and to fede them
prayse For thou hast delyuered my soule froÌ„ death my fete froÌ„ fallinge y t I maye walke before God in y e light of y e lyuynge The LVI A psalme of Dauid BE mercifull vnto me o God be mercifull vnto me for my soule trusteth in y e â–ª vnder the shadowe of thy wynges shal be my refuge vntill wickednesse be euer past I call vnto God y e most hyest eueÌ„ y e God y t shal helpe me vp agayne â—e shal sende froÌ„ heauen saue me froÌ„ the reprofe of him that wolde swalowe me vp Sela. This shal God sende for his mercy and faithfulnesse sake I lye with my soule amonge the cruell lyons euen amonge the children of men whose tethe are speares and arowes and their tonge a sharpe swerde Set vp thy self o God aboue the heaueÌ„s and thy glory aboue all the earth They haue layed a nett for my fete pressed downe my soule they haue dygged a pyt before me and are fallen in to it them selues Sela. My hert is ready o God my hert is ready to synge and geue prayse Awake o my glory awake lute and harpe I my self wil awake right early I wil geue thaÌ„kes vnto the o LORDE amonge the people I wil synge prayses vnto the amonge the HeitheÌ„ For y e greatnes of thy mercy reacheth â—â—to the heauens and thy faithfulnesse vnto 〈◊〉 cloudes Set vp thy self o God 〈…〉 heaueÌ„s thy glory aboue all y e earth The LVII A psalme of Dauid â—F youre myndes be vpon rightuousâ—esse in dede then iudge the thinge that is right o ye sonnes of men But ye ymagin myschefe in youre hertes and youre hondes deale with wickednesse The vngodly are frowarde eueÌ„ from their mothers wombe as soone as they be borne they go astraie speake lyes They are as furious as the serpent euen like the deaf Adder that stoppeth hir eares That she shulde not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so wysely Breake their teth o God in their mouthes smyte the chaft bones of the lyons whelpes in sonder o LORDE That they maye fall awaye like water y e runneth a pace and that when they shote their arowes they maye be brokeÌ„ Let theÌ„ coÌ„sume awaye like a snale like the vntymely frute of a woman and let them not se the Sonne Or euer youre thornes be sharpe the wrath shal take them awaye quycke like a stormy wynde The rightuous shal reioyse when he seyth the vengeaunce and shal wash his fete in the bloude of the vngodly So that meâ— shal saye verely there is a rewarde for y e rightuous doutles there is a God that iudgeth the earth The LVIII A psalme of Dauid DElyuer me fro myne enemies o my God defende me froÌ„ theÌ„ y t ryse vp agaynst me O delyuer me froÌ„ the wicked doers saue me froÌ„ the bloudthurstie meÌ„ For lo they lye waytinge for my soule y e mightie meÌ„ are gathered together against me w t out eny offence or faute of me o LORDE They ruÌ„ne prepare theÌ„ selues w t out my faute Arise come thou helpe me beholde StoÌ„de vp o LORDE God of hoostes thou God of Israel to vyset all Heithen be not mercifull vnto theÌ„ y t offende of malicious wickednesse Sela. Let theÌ„ go to fro runne aboute the cite youlinge like dogges Beholde they speake agaynst me w t their mouth swerdes are vnder their lippes for who reproueth theÌ„ But thou o LORDE shalt haue them in derision thou shalt laugh all HeitheÌ„ to scorne My streÌ„gth do I ascrybe vnto the for thou o God art my defender God sheweth me his goodnesse plenteously God letteth me se my desyre vpoÌ„ myne enemies SlayetheÌ„ not lest my people forget it but scatre theÌ„ abrode with thy power put theÌ„ downe o LORDE oure defence For y e synne of their mouth for the wordes of their lippes because of their pryde let theÌ„ be taken why their preachinge is of cursynge lyes CoÌ„sume them in y i wrath coÌ„sume theÌ„ y t they maye perish knowe y t it is God which ruleth in Iacob and in all the worlde Sela. Let theÌ„ go to fro ruÌ„ne aboute the cite youlinge like dogges Let theÌ„ runne here there for meate and grudge when they haue not ynough As for me I wil synge of thy power aÌ„d prayse thy mercy betymes in the mornynge for thou art my defence and refuge in the tyme of my trouble Vnto the o my strength wil I synge for thou o God art my defence and my merciful God The LIX A psalme of Dauid O God thou y t hast cast vs out and scatred vs abrode thou y t hast bene so sore displeased at vs coÌ„forte vs agayne Thou y t hast remoued the loÌ„de deuyded it heale the sores therof for it shaketh Thou hast shewed thy people heuy thinges thou hast geuen vs a drynke off wyne y t we sloÌ„bre withall Yet hast thou geueÌ„ a tokeÌ„ for soch as feare the y t they maye cast it vp in y e treuth Sela. That thy beloued might be delyuered helpe them with thy right hande and heare me God hath spokeÌ„ in his SaÌ„ctuary which thinge reioyseth me I wil deuyde SicheÌ„ mete out the valley 〈◊〉 Suchoth Galaad is myne Manasses is myne Ephraim is the strength of my heade Iuda is my captayne Moab is my washpotte ouer Edom wil I stretch out my shue Philistea shal be glad of me Who will lede me in to the stronge cite Who will bringe me in to Edom Shalt not thou do it o God thou y t hast cast vs out thou God y t wentest not out w t o r hoostes O be thou oure helpe in trouble for vayne is the helpe of man Thorow God we shal do greate actes for it is he that shal treade downe oure enemies The LX. A psalme of Dauid HEare my crienge o God geue hede vnto my prayer From the endes of y e earth wil I call vnto the wheÌ„ my herte is in trouble Oh set me vp vpoÌ„ an hye rocke For thou art my hope a stronge tower for me agaynst the enemie I will dwell in thy tabernacle for euer that I maye be safe vnder the couerynge of thy wynges Sela. For thou o LORDE hast herde my desyres thou hast geuen an heretage vnto those that feare thy name Thou shalt graunte the kynge a loÌ„ge life that his yeares maye endure thorow out all generacions That he maye dwell before God for euer Oh let thy louynge mercy faithfulnes preserue him So wil I allwaye synge prayses vnto thy name y t I maye daylie perfourme my vowes The LXI A psalme of Dauid MY soule wayteth only vpon God for of him commeth my helpe He only is my streÌ„gth my saluacion my defence so y t I shal not greatly fall How longe wil ye ymagin myschefe agaynst euery man ye shal be slayne all y e sorte of you
for Ierusalēs sake I will not ceasse vntill their rightuousnes breake forth as y e shyninge light their health as a burnynge lampe Then shal the Gētiles se thy rightuousnesse all kinges thy glory Thou shalt be named with a new name which the mouth of y e LORDE shal shewe Thou shalt be a crowne in the honde of the LORDE and a glorious garlāde in the hōde of thy God From this tyme forth thou shalt neuer be called the forsakē thy lōde shal nomore be called the wildernesse But thou shalt be called Hephziba that is my beloued y e londe Beula that is a maried womā for y e LORDE loueth y e thy lōde shal be inhabited And like as yonge mā taketh a doughter to mariage so shal God mary himself vnto y e sonnes And as a brydegrome is glad of his bryde so shal God reioyse ouer the. I wil set watchmē vpō thy walles o Ierusalem which shall nether ceasse daye nor night to preach y e LORDE And ye also shall not kepe him close nor leaue to speake of hī vntill Ierusalē be set vp made the prayse of the worlde The LORDE hath sworne by his right honde by his stronge arme that frō hence forth he wil not geue thy corne to be meate for thine enemies ner y e wyne wherī thou hast laboured to be drynke for y e straungers But they that haue gathered in the corne shal eate it geue thankes to the LORDE they that haue borne in the wyne shall drynke it in the court of my Sanctuary Stōde back departe a sunder ye y t stonde vnder y e gate make rowme ye people repayre the strete take awaye y e stones set out a tokē for the people Beholde y e LORDE proclameth in the endes of the worlde tel y e doughter Siō se thy Saluaciō cometh beholde he bringeth his treasure w t him his workes go before him For they whō y e LORDE delyuereth shal be called the holy people as for the thou shalt be named the greatly occupied and not the forsaken The lxiij Chapter WHat is he this that cometh from Edom with stayned reade clothes of Bosra which is so costly cloth cometh in so neēbly with all his strēgth I am he y t teacheth rightuousnes am of power to helpe Wherfore thē is thy clothinge reade thy raymēt like his y t treadeth in y e wyne presse I haue troddē the presse my self alone of all people there was not one with me Thus haue I trodē downe myne enemies in my wrath and set my fete vpō them in my indignacion And their bloude sprange vpō my cloothes so haue I stayned all my rayment For the daye of vengeaūce that I haue takē in honde the yeare of my delyueraunce is come I loked aboute me and there was no mā to shewe me eny helpe I fel downe and no man helde me vp Thē I helde me by myne owne arme my feruētnesse susteyned me And thus haue I troden downe the people in my wrath and bathed them in my displeasure In so moch that I haue shed their bloude vpon the earth I will declare the goodnesse of the LORDE yee and the prayse of the LORDE for all that he hath gyuen vs for the greate good y t he hath done for Israel which he hath gyuen them of his owne fauoure acordinge to the multitude of his louynge kindnesses For he sayde These no doute wil be my people and no shrēkinge children and so he was their Sauioure In their troubles he forsoke thē not but the angel that went forth from his presence delyuered them Of very loue kindnesse that he had vnto them redemed he them He hath borne them and caried them vp euer sence the worlde begāne But after they prouoked him to wrath and vexed his holy minde he was their enemie and fought agaynst them him self Yet remēbred he the olde tyme of Moses his people How he brought them from the water of the see as a shepherde doth with his shepe how he had geuen his holy sprete amonge them how he had led Moses by the right honde with his glorious arme how he had deuyded the water before them wherby he gat him self an euerlastinge name how he led them in the depe as an horse is led in the playne that they shulde not stomble The sprete of the LORDE led them as a tame beast goeth in the felde Thus o God hast thou led thy people to make thy self a glorious name with all Loke downe then from heauē and beholde the dwellinge place of thy sanctuary thy glory How is it y t thy gelousy thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and thy louynge kyndnesse wyl not be entreated of vs Yet art thou o r father For Abraham knoweth vs not nether is Israel acquanted with vs. But thou LORDE art oure father and redemer and thy name is euer lastinge O LORDE wherfore hast thou led vs out of thy waye wherfore hast thou hardened oure hertes that we feare the not Be at one with vs agayne for thy seruauntes sake y t are of the generaciō of thy heretage Thy people hath had but litle of thy Sanctuary in possessiō for oure enemies haue takē it in And we are become euen as we were from the beginnynge but thou art not their LORDE for they haue not called vpon thy name The lxiiij Chapter O That thou woldest cleue the heauen in sonder come downe that the mountaynes might melt awaye at thy presence like as at an hore fyre and that the malicious might boyle as the water doth vpon the fyre Wherby thy name might be knowne amōge thine enemies y t the Gētiles might trēble before ye. That thou mightest come downe with thy wonderous straunge workes then shulde the hilles melt at thy presence For sence the begynnynge of the worlde there was none excepte thou o God that herde or perceaued nether hath eny eye sene what thou dost for thē that put their trust in the. Thou helpest him that doth right with cherefulnesse and them that thynke vpon thy wayes But lo thou art angrie for we offende and haue bene euer in synne and there is not one whole We are all as an vnclene thinge all oure rightuousnesses are as the clothes stayned with the floures of a woman we fall euerychone as the leaf for oure synnes carie vs awaye like the wynde There is no man that calleth vpon thy name that stondeth vp to take holde by the. Therfore hydest thou thy face from vs and consumest vs because of oure synnes But now o LORDE thou father of ours we are the claye and thou art oure potter and we all are the worke of thy hondes Be not to sore displeased o LORDE and kepe not oure offences to lōge in thy remembraunce but considre that we all are thy people
promysed offerynges And Iudith offred all Holofernes weapâ—ns and all the Iewels that y e people had geueÌ„ her and the canapy that she toke from his bed and hanged them vp vnto the LORDE The people was ioyfull as the vse is this ioye by reason of the victory with Iudith endured thre monethes So after these dayes euery man wente home agayne and Iudith was in greate reputacion at Bethulia and right honorably taken in all the londe of Israel Vnto hir vertue also was chastite ioyned so y t after hir huszbonde Manasses dyed she neuer knew man all the dayes of hir life Vpon the hye solempne dayes she wente out with greate worshipe She dwelt in hir huszbandes house an hundreth and fyue yeare left hir hondâ— mayden fre and dyed and was buried besyde hir huszbande in Bethulia And all the people mourned for her seuen dayes So longe as she lyued there was none that troubled Israel and many yeares also after hir death The daye wherin this victory was gotten was solemply holden and rekened of the Iewes in the nombre of the holy dayes and is yet greatly holden of the Iewes euer sence vnto this daye The ende of the boke of Iudith The chapters in the boke of Hester which are not founde in the text of the Hebrue but in the Greke and Latyn The XI Chapter after the Latyn In this chapter is descrybed the dreame of Mardocheus MArdocheus the sonne of Iair the sonne of Semei y e sonne of Cisei of y e trybe of Ben Iamin a Iew which had his dwelllynge in Susis a man of greate reputacioÌ„ excellent amonge all them that were in the kynges courte Neuerthelesse he was one of the presoners whom Nabuchodonosor the kynge of BabiloÌ„ had caried awaye from Ierusalem vnto Babilon w t Iechonias the kynge of Iuda In the seconde yeare of the raigne of greate Artaxerses in the first daye of y e moneth Nisan had this Mardocheus soch a dreame He thought he herde a greate teÌ„pest horrible thonder clappes erthquakes greate vpro r in y e londe y t he sawe two greate dragoÌ„s ready to fight one agaiÌ„st another Their crye was greate At the which roaringe and crye all Heithen were vp to fight agaynst y e righteous people And y e same daye was full of darcknes very vncleare full of trouble anguysh yee a greate fearfulnes was there in all the londe The righteous were amased for they feared y e plage euell y t was deuysed ouer theÌ„ were at a poynte w t them selues to dye So they cried vnto God and while they were cryenge the litle well grew in to a greate ryuer in to many waters And with y t it was daye the sonne rose vp agayne And y e lowly were exalted and deuoured the glorious and proude Now whan Mardocheus had sene this dreame he awoke and mused stedfastly in his hert what God wolde do and so he desyred to knowe all the matter and his mynde was there vpon vntyll the night The XII Chapter In this chapter is declared how Mardocheus vttereth the treason of the two seruauntes agaynst the kynge and therfore doth the kynge rewarde him AT the same tyme dwelt Mardocheus with Bagatha and Thares the kynges chamberlaynes and porters of the palace But whan he herde their deuyce and had diligently considered their ymaginacions he perceaued that they wente aboute to laye their cruell handes vpon the kynge Artaxerses and so he certified the kinge therof Then caused the kynge to examen y e two gelded with tormentes And whan they had graunted it they were put to death This the kynge caused to be put in y e Cronicles for an euerlastinge remembrauÌ„ce and Mardocheus wrote vp the same matter So the kynge commaunded that Mardocheus shulde do seruyce in the courte and for this faithfulnesse of his he gaue him a rewarde But Aman the sonne of Amadathu the Agagite which was holden in greate honoure and reputacion in the kynges courte vndertoke to hurte Mardocheus his people because of the two chamberlaynes that were put to death The XIII Chapter The copie of the commaundement which kiÌ„ge Artaxerses by the entisinge of AmaÌ„ sent out in to all countres for the destruccion of the Iewes The prayer of Mardocheus THe greate kynge Artaxerses which raigneth from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and seuen and tweÌ„tye londes sendeth his frendly salutacion vnto all the prynces and debytes of the countrees which be subiecte vnto his dominion Whan I was made lorde ouer many people and had subdued the whole earth vnto my dominion my mynde was not with crueltye and wronge to exalte myself by the reason of my power but purposed w t equyte allwaye and gentylnes to gouerne those that be vnder my iuriszdiccion and wholy to set them in a peaceable life and therby to brynge my kingdome vnto tranquylite that men might safely go thorow on euery syde and to renue peace agayne which all men desyre Now whan I axed my councelers how these thines might be brought to a good ende there was one by vs excelleÌ„t in wyszdome whose good wyll trueth faithfulnes hath oft bene shewed proued which was also y e pryncipall next vnto y e kiÌ„ge AmaÌ„ by name which certified vs how y t in all loÌ„des there was crepte in a rebellious folke y t made statutes lawes agaynst all other people haue allwaye despysed the proclamed commaundementes of kynges and how that for this cause it were not to be suffred that soch rule shulde contynue by you not to be put downe Seinge now we perceaue the same that this people alone are contrary vnto euery man vsynge straunge and other maner of lawes withstonde oure statutes and doinges and go aboute to stablish shrewd matters that oure kyngdome shulde neuer come to good estate and stedfastnes Therfore haue we commauÌ„ded that all they that are appoynted in wrytinge and shewed vnto you by Aman which is ordened and set ouer all oure busynes and the most pryncipall next vnto the kynge and in maner as a father shal with their wiues children be destroyed and roted out with the swerde of their enemies and aduersaries y t there shal be no mercy shewed no man spared And this shal be done y e xiiij daye of the moneth called Adar of this yeare that they which of olde and now also haue euer bene rebellious maye in one daye with violence be thrust downe in to the hell to the inteÌ„t that after this maner oure empyre maye haue peace and tranquylite But Mardocheus thought vpon all the workes and noble actes of y e LORDE made his prayer vnto him sayenge O LORDE LORDE thou valeaunt and allmightie kynge for all thinges are in thy power and yf thou wilt helpe and delyuer Israel there is no maÌ„ that can withstoÌ„de ner lett the for thou hast made heauen earth and what
brought to shame amoÌ„ge his neghbours whaÌ„ he heareth it it maketh him to sighe All wickednes is but litle to the wickkednes of a woman y e porcion of the vngodly shal fall vpon her Like as to clymme vp a sondy waye is to y e fete of the aged eueÌ„ so is a wife full of wordes to a still quyete man Loke not to narowly vpon the bewtye of a woman lest thou be prouoked in desyre towarde her The wrath of a woman is dishonoure and greate confucioÌ„ Yf a woman gett the mastrie then is she contrary to hir huszbande A wicked wife maketh a sory hert an heuy countenaunce and a deed wounde Of the woman came y e begynnynge of synne and thorow her we all are deed Geue thy water no passage no not a litle nether geue a wicked woman hir will Yf she walke not after thy hande she shall confounde the in the sight of thy enemies Cut her of then from thy flesh that she do not allwaye abuse the. The XXVI Chapter HAppie is the man that hath a vertuous wyfe for the noÌ„bre of his yeares shal be dubble An honest woman maketh hir huszbande a ioyfull man she shall fyll y e yeares of his life in peace A vertuous woman is a noble gift which shal be geuen for a good porcion vnto soch as feare God Whether a man be rich or poore he maye haue euer a mery hert a chearful countenauÌ„ce There be thre thinges y t my hert feareth and my face is afrayed of the fourth Treason in a cite a sedicious people and noysome tonges all these are heuyer then the death But whan one is gelous ouer his wife it bryngeth payne and sorowe vnto the hert and a woman that telleth out all thinges is a scourge of the tonge Whan one hath an euell wife it is euen as whan an vnlike parâ— of oxen must drawe together he that getteth her getteth a scorpion A dronken woman is a greate plage for she can not couer hir owne shame The whordome of a woman maye be knowne in the pryde of hir eyes and eyelydlyddes Yf thy daughter be not shamefast holde her straitly lest she abuse hirself thorow ouermoch liberte Bewarre of all the dishonesty of hir eyes and maruell not yf she do agaynst the. Lik as one that goeth by the waye and is thyrstie so shall she open hir mouth and drynke of euery nexte water that she maye gett By euery hedge shal she syt her downe opeÌ„ hir quyuer against euery arowe A louynge wyfe reioyseth hir huszbande and fedeth his bones with hir wyszdome A woman of few wordes is a gift of God and to a well nurtured mynde maye nothinge be compared An honest and manerly woman is a gyft aboue other giftes and there is no waight to be compared vnto a mynde that can rule it self Like as the Sonne whan it aryseth is an ornament in the hye heauen of y e LORDE so is a vertuous wife y e bewtye of all hir house Like as the cleare light is vpon y e holy caÌ„delstick so is the bewtye of the face vpoÌ„ an honest body Like as the goldeÌ„ pilers are vpon the sockettes of syluer so are the fayre legges vpon a woman that hath a coÌ„stant mynde Perpetuall are the fouÌ„dacions that be laied vpon a whole stonye rocke so are y e commaundementes of God vpon an holy woman There be two thinges y t greue my hert and in the thirde is a displeasure come vpon me When an experte man of warre suffreth scarsenes and pouerte Whan men of vnderstondinge and wyszdome are not set by And whan one departeth from righteousnes vnto synne Who so doth soch the LORDE hath prepared him vnto the swerde There be two maner of thinges which me thyncke to be herde and perylous A marchaunt can not lightly kepe him from wronge nether a tauerner himself from synne The XXVII Chapter BEcause of pouerte haue many one offended and he that seketh to be riche turneth his eyes asyde Like as a nale in the wall sticketh fast betwixte two stones euen so doth synne sticke betwixte y e byer and the seller Yf he holde him not diligently in y e feare of the LORDE his house shall soone be ouerthrowne Like as whan one sifteth the fylthynes remayneth in the syue So remayneth there some vncleane thinge in the thought of man The ouen proueth the potters vessell so doth tentacion of trouble trye righteous men The tre of the felde is knowne by his frute so is the thought of maÌ„s hert knowne by his wordes Prayse no maÌ„ excepte thou haue harde him for a man is knowne by his wordes Yf thou folowest righteousnes thou shalt get her and put her vpon y t as a fayre garment And thou shalt dwell with her and she shal defende the for euer and in y e daye of knowlege thou shalt fynde stedfastnesse The byrdes resorte vnto their like so doth the trueth turne vnto them that be occupied withall The lyon wayteth for y e praye so do the synnes lurke vpon the workes of wickednes The talkinge of him that feareth God is nothinge but wyszdome as for a foole he chaungeth as y e Moone Yf thou be amonge the vndiscrete kepe thy worde to a conuenient tyme but amonge soch as be wyse speake on hardely The talkinge of fooles is abhominacioÌ„ and their spoâ—te is volupteousnesse and mysnurtoure Moch swearynge maketh the hayre to stonde vp and to stryue with soch stoppeth the eares The stryfe of the proude is bloudsheddynge their blasphemynge is heuy to heare Who so discouereth secretes leseth his credence and fyndeth no frende after his will Loue thy frende and bynde thyself in faithfulnes with him but yf thou bewrayest his secretes thou shalt not get him agayne For like as the maÌ„ is that destroyeth his enemye so is he also that dealeth falsly in the frendshipe of his neghboure Like as one that letteth a byrde go out of his honde can not take her agayne Euen so thou yf thou geue ouer thy frende thou canst not get him agayne Yee thou caÌ„st not come by him for he is to farre of He is vnto the as a Roo escaped out of the snare for his soule is wounded As for woundes they maye be bounde vp agayne and an euell worde maye be reconcyled but who so bewrayeth the secretes of a frende there is no more hope to be had vnto him He that wyncketh with the eyes ymagineth some euell and no man shal take him from it Whan thou art present he shal hylie commende and prayse thy wordes but at the last he shall turne his tayle and slauÌ„der thy sayenge Many thinges haue I hated but nothinge so euell for the LORDE himself also abhorreth soch one Who so casteth a stone an hye it shal fall vpon his owne heade and he that smyteth with gyle woundeth himself Who so diggeth a pytt shal fall therin and he that layeth
and what maner of troubles we haue sene thorow occasion wherof all my brethren are slayne for Israels sake and I am left alone And now let not me spare myne owne life in eny maner of trouble for I am no better then my brethren but wil avenge my people and the Sanctuary oure children and oure wyues for all the Heithen are gathered together to destroye vs of very malice At these wordes the hartes of the people were kyndled together so that they cried with a loude voyce sayenge Thou shalt be o captayne in steade of Iudas Ionathas thy brethren ordre thou oure batell what so euer thou commaundest vs we shall do it So he gathered all the men of warre makinge haist to fynish all the walles of Ierusalem which he made stronge rounde aboute Then sent he Ionathas the sonne of Absalomus w t a fresh hoost vnto Ioppa which droue them out y t were in the castell and remayned there himself Triphon also remoued from Ptolomais with a greate armye to come in to the londe of Iuda and Ionathas with him in warde And Simon pitched his tentes at Addus before the playne felde But when Triphon knewe that Symon stode vp in steade of his brother Ionathas and that he wolde warre agaynst him he sent messaungers vnto him sayenge Where as we haue kepte Ionathas thy brother it is for money that he is owynge in the kynges accompte concernynge the busynesse y t he had in honde Wherfore sende now an C. talētes of syluer and his two sonnes for suertie that when he is lettē forth he shal not forsake vs and we shal sende him agayne Neuerthelesse Symon knewe that he dyssembled in his wordes yet commaunded he the money children to be delyuered vnto him lest he shulde be the greater enemye agaynst y e people of Israel and saye because he sent him not the money and the children therfore is Ionathas deed So Symon sent him the children and an hundreth talentes but he dyssembled wolde not let Ionathas go Afterwarde came Triphon in to the londe to destroye it and wente rounde aboute by the waye y t ledeth vnto Ador. But where so euer they wente thither wente Symon and his hoost also Now they that were in the castell sent messaungers vnto Triphon that he shulde make haist to come by the wyldernesse and to sende them vytales And Triphon made ready all his horsmen to come that same night Neuerthelesse it was a very greate snowe so that he came not in Galaadithim And whē he drewe nye Baschama he slewe Ionathas and his sonnes there and then turned for to go home in to his owne londe Thē sente Symon for to fet his brothers deed coarse and buried it in Modin his fathers cite So all Israel bewayled him with greate lamentacion and mourned for him very longe And Symon made vpon the sepulcre of his father and his brethrē a buyldynge hye to loke vnto of fre stone behynde and before and set vp seuen pylers one agaynst another for his father his mother and foure brethren and set greate pilers roūde aboute with armes vpon them for a perpetuall memory and carued shippes besyde the armes y t they might be sene of mē saylinge in the see This sepulcre which he made at Modin stondeth yet vnto this daye Now as Triphō wente forth to walke w t y e yōge kynge Antiochus he slewe him trayterously and raigned in his steade crowned himself kynge of Asia and dyd moch euell in the londe Symon also buylte vp the castels in Iewry makynge them stronge with hye towres greate walles portes and lockes and layed vp vytales in the stronge holdes And Symon chose certayne men and sente them to kynge Demetrius to desyre him y t he wolde discharge the londe from all bondage for Triphon had spoyled it very sore Where vpon Demetrius the kynge answered him wrote vnto him after this maner Demetrius y e kīge sendeth gretinge vnto Symon the hye prest his frende with the elders and people of the Iewes The golden crowne and precious stone y t ye sente vnto vs haue we receaued and are ready to make a stedfast peace with you yee and to wryte vnto oure officers for to release you concernynge the thinges wherin we made you fre and the appoyntment y t we make with you shal be firme and stable The stronge holdes which ye haue buylded shal be youre owne As for eny ouer sight or fawte committed vnto this daye we forgeue it and the crowne taxe that ye ought vs also And where as was eny other tribute in Ierusalem it shal now be no tribute and loke who are mete amonge you to be in oure courte let them be written vp that there maye be peace betwixte vs. Thus the yock of the Heithen was taken from Israel in the hundreth and seuentie yeare And the peple of the Iewes beganne to write in their lettres and actes on this maner In y e first yeare of Symon the hye prest and prynce of the Iewes In those dayes wente Symon vnto Gaza and beseged it rounde aboute where he set vp ordinaunce of warre And wanne a towre which he toke So they that gat in to the towre leapte into the cite which was in a greate feare In so moch that the people of the cite rente their clothes and clymmed vp vpon the walles with their wyues and children besekynge Symon to be at one with them sayenge O rewarde vs not after o wickednes but be gracious vnto vs and we shal do y e seruyce Then Symon for very pite wolde fight nomore agaynst them but put them out of the cite and caused the houses wherin the ymages were to be clensed and so entred the cite with Psalmes of prayse geuinge thankes vnto the LORDE So when he had cast all abhominaciōs out of the cite he set soch men in it as kepte the lawe of God and made the cite stronge and builded a dwellinge place for himself Now when they in the castell at Ierusalem were kepte so strately that they coude not come forth ner in to countre and might nether bye ner sell they were very hungrie and many of them famished to death In so moch that they besought Symon to be at one with them which he graunted them So he put them out from thence and clensed the castell from fylthynesse And vpon the xxiij daye of the seconde moneth in the Clxxj. yeare they entred in to it with thankesgeuynge and braunches of palme trees with harpes crowdes cymbals and lutes synginge psalmes and songes of prayse vnto God for that the greate enemy of Israel was ouer come And Symon ordened that the same daye shulde be kepte euery yeare in gladnesse and made stronge the hyll of the temple that was besyde the castell where he dwelt him self with his company Symon also perceauynge that Ihon his sonne was a mightie man of armes made him captayne of all the hoostes and caused him to