lawe it fortuned that they separated from Israell euery one that had myxte hym selfe therin And before this had the preest Eliasib the ouersyght of the treasury of the house of our god he was kynsman vnto Tobia and had made hym a greate chambre there had they before tyme layed the offerynges frankensence vessell and the tythes of corne and wyne and oyle accordynge to the coÌ„maundement gyuen to the Leuites syngers porters and the heue offeryngê of the preestes But in al this tyme was not I at Ierusalem for in the xxxii yere of Arthaxerses kyng of Babilon came I vnto the kynge after certayn dayes opteyned I licence of the kynge to come to Ierusalem And I gatte knowledge of the euyll that Eliasib dyd vnto Tobia in that he had made hym a chambre in the courte of the house of god and it greued me sore I cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobia out of the chambre and coÌ„maunded them to clense the chambers And thyther brought I agayne the vessels of the house of god with the meat offerynge the insence And I perceyued that the porcyons of the Leuites were not gyuen them that euery one â—â—ed to his land euen the Leuites and syngers that executed the worke Then reproued I the rulers and sayd why is the house of god forsaken And I gathered them togyther set them in theyr place Then brought all Iuda the tythes of corne and wyne and oyle vnto the treasure And I made treasurers ouer the treasure euen Selemiah the preest Zadoc the scrybe and of the Leuites Phadaia vnder theyr hande was Hanan the son of Zacur the son of Mathanta for they were couÌ„ted faythful and theyr offyce was to dystrybute the porcyons vnto theyr brethren Thynke vpon me O my god herein wype not out my mercy that I haue shewed on the house of my god and on the offyces therof At the same tyme sawe I some treadynge wyne presses on the Sabboth bryngyng in sheaues and asses laden with wyne grapes fygges and bryngynge al maner of burthens vnto Ierusalem vpon the Sabboth daye And I rebuked them earnestly the same daye that they solde the vyttayles There dwelt men of Tire also therin which brought fyshe all maner of ware solde on the Sabboth vnto the Chyldren of Iuda in Ierusalem Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda sayde vnto them what euyll thynge is this that ye do breake the Sabboth daye Dyd not your fathers euen thus and oure God brought all this plage vpon vs vpon this citye And ye make the wrath more yet vpon Israell in that ye breake the Sabboth And it fortuned that when the porters of Ierusalem began to be darke in the euenynge before the Sabboth I coÌ„maunded to shut the gates and charged that they shulde not be opened tyll after the Sabboth some of my seruauÌ„tes set I at the gates that there shuld no burthen be brought in on the Sabboth day Then remayned the chapmen and merchauntes once or twyce ouer nyght without Ierusalem with all maner of wares Then reproued I them sore sayd vnto them why tary ye all nyght aboute the wall Yf ye do it once agayne I wyll laye handes vpon you From that tyme forth came they no more on the Sabboth And I sayde vnto the Leuites that they shulde clense them selues and that they shulde come and kepe the gates to halowe the Sabboth daye Thynke vpon me O my god concernyng this also and spare me accordynge to thy great mercy And at the same tyme sawe I Iues that maryed wyues of Asdod of Ammon and of Moab and theyr chyldren spake halfe in the spech of Asdod and coulde not speake in the Iues language but by the tongue myght a man perceyue euery people Then I reproued them cursed them and smote certayne men of them made them bare and toke an othe of them by god Ye shall not gyue youre doughters vnto theyr sonnes neyther shall ye take theyr doughters vnto your sonnê or for your selues Dyd not Salomon the kyng of Israell syn for soch and yet among many heathen was there no kyng lyke hym which was deare vnto his god and god made hym kynge ouer all Israell yet neuertheles out landysh women caused hym to syn Shal we then obeye vnto you to do al this great euyl and to transgresse agaynst our god marry straunge wyues And one of the chyldren of Iehoiada the son of Eliasib the hygh preest had made a contracte with Sanabalat the Horonite but I chaced hym from me O my god thynke thou vpon them that defyle the preesthode the couenaunt of the preesthode and of the Leuites Thus clensed I them from al soch as were outlandysh appoynted the courses of the preestê Leuites euery one in his offyce to offer the wod at tymes appoynted the fyrst fruytes Thynke thou vpon me O my god for the best AMEN ¶ The ende of the seconde boke of Esdras otherwyse called the boke of Nehemia The boke of Esther ¶ Kynge Abasuâ—rns maketh a royall feasts whereunto the quene Uasthi wyll not come for which cause â—he 〈◊〉 deuorsed CAPI Primo IT fortuned in the dayes of Ahasuerus which reygned from Iudia vnto Ethiophia ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentie landes euen in those dayes when the kynge Ahasuerus sat on his seate royal which was in Susan the cheyfe citye in the thyrde yere of his reygne he made a feaste vnto all his prynces and seruauntes And the myghtye men of Persia Media the captaynes also and rulers of his countryes were before hym and he shewed the rychesse and glorye of his kyngdome and the gloryous worshyp of his greatnesse many dayes longe euen an hundreth and foure score dayes And when these dayes were expyred the kynge made a feast vnto all the people that were in Susan the cheyfe Citye bothe vnto great small seuen dayes longe in the court of the garden by the kynges place where there hanged whyte grene yelow clothes fastened with cordes of fyne sylke purple in spluer rynges vpon pyllers of Marble stone The benches also were of gold syluer made vpon a pauement of grene whyte yelowe and blacke Marble And they dranke in vessels of golde chaunged vessell after vessell And the kyngê wyne was moch accordynge to the power of the kynge And the drynke was so appoynted that noone shulde compell any man for so the kynge had commaunded by the offycers of his house that euery one shulde do as it lyked hym And the quene Uasthi made a feast also for the women in the palace of Ahasuerus And on the seuenth daye when the kyng was mery after the wyne he coÌ„maunded Mehuman Biztha Harbona Bigtha Abagthan Zethar Car chas the seuen chamberlaynes that dyd seruice in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus to fetch the quene Uasthi with the crowne regal into the kynges presence
that were left after them in the lande whom the chyldren of Israel also were not able to destroye Those dyd Salomon compell to brynge tribute vnto this day But of the chyldren of Israel dyd Salomon make no bonde men But they were men of war his ministers his lordes his captaynes and rulers of his charettes and of his horsemen And these were the lordes that were set ouer Salomons worke euen fyue C. were they fyftye they ruled the people that wrought the worke And Pharaos doughter came vp out of the citie of Dauid vnto the house which Salomon had buylte for her And then dyd he also buylde Millo And thryse a yere dyd Salomon offre burnt offerynges and peace offerynges vpon the aulter whiche he buylte vnto the Lorde And he burnt insence vpon the aulter that was before the lorde and so he fynysshed the house And kynge Salomon made a nauye of shyppes in Azion Gaber whiche is besyde Elath on the brynke of the red see in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent by shyp also of his seruauÌ„tes that were shypmen and had knowledge of the see with the seruauntes of Salomon And they came to Ophir and fet from thence one and twentye score hundred weyght of golde and brought it to kynge Salomon ¶ The name of Saba coÌ„meth to heare the wysdom of Salomon whose royaltye is here discryâ—ed CAPI X. ANd the quene of Saba hearynge the fame of Salomon coÌ„cernynge the name of the Lorde came to proue hym with harde questions And she came to Ierusalem with a very great trayne with Camelles that bare swete odoures golde excedyng moche and precyous stones And she came to SalomoÌ„ comuned w t hym of all that was in her herte And Salomon declared vnto her al her questions so that there was not one thyng hyd froÌ„ the kynge which he expounded not vnto her And the quene of Saba consydered all Salomons wysdome and the house that he had buylded and the meate of his table and ☞ the syttyng of his seruauntes the order of his ministers and theyr apparell his drynke and his burntsacrifices that he offred in the house of the Lorde and she was astonyed And she sayd vnto the kyng It was a true worde that I herde in myne owne lande of thy sayenges and of thy wysdome Howbeit I byleued it not tyl I came and sawe it with myne eyes And beholde the one halfe was not tolde me for thy wysdome and prosperite excedeth the same whiche I herde of the. Happy are thy men and happy are these thy seruauntes whiche stande euer before the heare thy wysdome Blessed be the Lorde thy God whiche loued the to set the on the seate of Israel bycause the lorde loued Israell for euer and made the kynge to do equite and rygteousnesse And she gaue the kynge syxe score hundred weyght of golde and of swete odoures excedyng moche and precyous stones There came no more such haboundauÌ„ce of swete odoures as the quene of Saba gaue to kynge Salomon The nauye also of the shyppes of Hiram that caryed golde from Ophir brought lykewyse great plentye of ☞ Almuge tre and precyous stones And the kynge made of the Almuge trees pyllers for the house of the Lorde and for the kynges palace and made harpes and psaltryes for syngers There came no more suche Almuge trees nor were any more sene vnto this day And kyng Salomon gaue vnto the quene of Saba accordynge to all her desyre what soeuer she asked Besydes that he gaue her of a free wyll with his owne hande And so she returned vnto her owne countrey both she and her seruauntes The weyght of golde that came to Salomon in one yere was syxe huÌ„dred thre score syxe talentes of golde besydes that he had of chapmen and of merchauntes and of Poticaries and of all the kynges of Arabie and of the lordes of the countrey And kyng Salomon made two hundred buckelers of beaten golde syxe hundred sycles of golde went to a buckeler And he made .iii. hundred sheldes of beten golde thre pouÌ„de of golde went to one shelde and the kynge put them in the house of the wood of Libanon And the kynge made a great seate of yuerye and couered it with the best golde And the seate had syxe steppes And the toppe of the seate was rouÌ„de behynde and there were pomels on eyther syde on the place of the seat and two lyons stode besyde the pomels And there stode xii Lyons on the steppes vi on a syde There was none like worke sene in any kyngdome And al kyng Salomons drynkyng vessels were of golde lykewyse al the vessels of the house of the wood of Libanon were of pure golde And as for syluer it was nothynge worth in the dayes of Salomon For the kynges nauye of shyppes went on the see ☞ vnto Tharsis with the nauye of Hirams shyppes euen once in thre yere went the nauye to Tharsis and brought Golde syluer ☞ Elephantes tethe apes pecockes And so kynge Salomon exceded all the kynges of the earth bothe in rychesse wysdome And al the worlde resorted to Salomon to here his wysdome whiche God had put in his herte And brought hym euery man his present vessels of syluer and vessels of golde rayment harnesse and swete odours horses and Mules yere by yere And Salomon gathered togyther charettes and horsemen he had a thousande iiii hundred charettes and twelue thousande horse men whome he bestowed in the charet cities with the kyng at Ierusalem And the kynge made syluer in Ierusalem as plenteous as stones Cedar as plenteous as the wylde fyg trees that growe aboundauntly in the feldes ☞ The bryngynge of horses also out of Egypte and the collectyon of the wares dyd the kynges marchauntes take agayne and solde the stuffe for a pryce A charet came vp out of Egypt for vi hundred sycles of syluer that is ☞ one horse for an hundred fyftye And euen so for all the kynges of the Hethites and for the kynges of Siria dyd they bryng them out thorowe theyr handes ¶ Salomon hath seuen hundred quenes and thre hundred concubynes whiche brynge hym to Idolatrye His aduersaryes reâ—â—ll agaynst hym He dyeth CAPI XI BUt kyng Salomon loued many outlandyshe women and the doughter of Pharao and women of the Moabites Ammonites Edomites Zidonites Hethites Where as yet concernyng these nacions the Lorde sayd vnto the chyldren of Israel ☞ Come not ye at them nor let them come at you Els wyll they turne your hertes after theyr goddes Neuertheles Salomon claue vnto them in loue And he had seuen huÌ„dred Quenes and. CCC coÌ„cubines his wyues turned away his herte For it came to passe when Salomon was olde his wyues turned his herte after other Gods his herte was not perfyte with the Lorde his God as was the herte of Dauid his father For Salomon folowed Astaroth
seate ☞ and fyght for youre Lordes house But they were excedynly afrayde and sayde se two kynges were not able to stande before hym howe shall we then be able to stande And he that was gouerner of Ahabs house he that ruled the citie the elders also and the tutours sent to Iehu saynge we are thy seruauntes wyll do all that thou shalt byd vs we wyll make no man kynge therfore do thou what semeth good in thyne eyes Then he wrote an other letter to them say enge Yf ye be myne and wyll herken vnto my voyce then take the heades of the men that are your maysters sonnes and come to me to Iezrahell by to morow this tyme. And the kynges sonnes were lxx personnes and they were with the greate men of the citye whiche brought them vp And when the letter came to them they toke the kynges chyldren and slue them euen lxx persons layd theyr heades in baskettes and sent them to hym to Iezrahell â–ª And there came a messenger tolde hym sayenge they haue brought the heades of the kyngê sonnes And he sayd let them laye them on two heapes in the enterynge in of the gate vntyll the mornynge And when it was day he went out stode sayde to all the folke ye be ryghteous Beholde I coÌ„spyred agaynst my mayster slue hym But who slue al these Lerne here that there shall fal vnto the earth nothyng of the worde of the lorde which he spake coÌ„cernyng the house of Ahab for the lorde hath brought to passe the thynges that he spake ☞ by the hande of his seruaunte Elia. And so Iehu slue all that remayned of the house of Ahab in Iezrahell all that were great with hym and his kynsfolkes and his preestes so that he let nothynge of hym remayne And he arose and departed came to Samaria And whe Iehu was in the way to the house where the shepherdes dyd shere theyr shepe he met with the brethren of Ahaziahu kynge of Iuda and sayde what are ye They answerered the brethren of Ahaziahu are we go downe to salute the chyldren of the kyng and of the quene And he sayd take them alyue Whom when they had taken them alyue they flue them at the well which was besyde the house where the shepe are shorne euen xlii men neyther lefte he any of them And when he was departed thence he met with Iehonadab the son of Rechab coÌ„mynge agaynst hym And ☞ he blessed hym sayde to hym is thyne herte ryght as myne herte is true w t thyne And Iehonadab answered yea that it is †yf it be sayeth he then gyue me thyne hande And when he had gyueÌ„ him his hand he toke hym vp to hym in to the charet and sayde come with me and se the zeele that I haue for the Lorde so they made hym ryde in his charet And when he came to Samaria he slue all that remayned vnto Ahab in Samaria tyll he had wypte hym out accordynge to the sayenge of the Lorde whiche he spake to Elia. And Iehu gathered al the people togyther sayde vnto them Ahab serued Baall a lytle But Iehu shall serue hym more Nowe therfore call vnto me all the prophettes of Baal all soche as serue hym all his preestes and let none be lackynge For I haue a great sacrifyce to do to Baall therfore whosoeuer is myssed he shall not lyue But Iehu dyd it for a subteltye to the in tent that he myght destroye the seruauntes of Baall And Iehu sayd Proclayme an holy conuocaeyoÌ„ for Baall and Iehu sent vnto all Israell And all the seruauÌ„tes of Baal came that there was not a man lefte behynd that came not And they came into the house of Baall the house of Baall was ful from one ende to an other And he sayde vnto hym that was the keper of the vestrey brynge forth garmentes for all the seruauÌ„tes of Baall And he brought them out garmentê And when Iehu went with Iehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baall he sayde vnto the seruauntes of Baall searche and loke that there be here with you none of the seruauntes of the Lorde but the seruauntes of Baall only And when they went in to offre sacrifyce burntofferyngê Iehu appoynted lxxx men without sayde Yf any of the men whome I haue brought vnder your handes escape he that letteth hym go shall dye for hym And it fortuned that as soone as he had made an ende of offeryng the burntsacrifyce Iehu sayde to the men of war to the captaynes go in sley them let none come out And they smote them with the edge of the swerde And the men of war the captaynes cast them out went vnto the â—â—â—e of the temple of Baall fet the ymages out of the temple of Baall burnt them And they brake the ymage of Baall brake the house of Baall made a draft house of it vnto this â—aye And so Iehu destroyed Baall out of Israel But from the synnê of Ieroboam the son of Nebat which made Israell to syn Iehu departed not neyther froÌ„ folowynge of them †neyther forsoke he †the golden calues that were in Bethell in Dan. And the lorde sayde vnto Iehu bycause y â— hast done ryght well in bryngyng to passe the thynge that is ryght in myne eyes and hast done vnto the house of Ahab accordynge to all thyngê that are in myne herte therfore shall thy Chyldren vnto the fourth generacyon syt on the seat of Israell But Iehu cared not for this to walke in the law of the lorde god of Israell with all his herte for he departed not froÌ„ the synnê of IeroboaÌ„ whiche made Israel to syn †In those dayes the lorde began to cuâ— Israel shorte Hazael smote them in al the coostes of Israell from Iordan Eastwarde euen all the lande of Gilead the Gadâ—tes the Rubenites them that were of Manasses from Aroer vnto the ryuer of Arnon euen Gilead Basan The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehu all that he dyd and all his powre are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kyngê of Israell And Iehu slepte with his fathers and they buryed him in Samaria Iehoahaz his son reygned in his steade And the tyme that Iehu reygned vpon Israel in Samaria is xxviii yeres ¶ â—thalia putteth to death all the kynges Sonneâ— â–ª excepte Iehokaz the son of Oâ—oziah whith is hyd after her death is made kynge CAPI XI ANd Athalia the mother of Ahaziahu when she sawe that her son was deade she arose destroyed al the kyngê seed But Iehosaba the doughter of kynge Ioram syster of Ahaziahu toke Ioas the son of Ahaziahu stale hym from amonge the kynges sonnes that were sleyne his nurce with hym out of a slepynge chambre hyd hym from Athalia that he was not sleyne And he was
couenaunt with Dauid thy father sayenge thou shalt not be without a man to be ruler in Israell But and yf ye turne awaye and forsake my statutes and my coÌ„maundementes whiche I haue set before you and shal go and serue other gods and worshyp them then wyll I plucke them vp by the routes out of my land whiche I haue gyuen them and this house whiche I haue sanctifyed for my name wyl I cast oute of my syght and wyll make it to be a prouerbe and a iest among all nacions And euery one that passeth by shall be astonyed at this house whiche belonged to the moost hygh God and shall saye why hath the lorde delte on this fassion with this land and with this house And they shal answere bycause they forsoke the Lorde God of theyr fathers which brought them out of the land of Egypt caught holde on other gods and worshipped them and serued them euen ther fore hath he brought al this euyl vpon them ¶ The cityes that Salomon buylded after that the house of God was finyshed CAPI VIII ANd it fortuned that after xx yeare when Salomon had buylte the house of the Lorde his owne house he buylt the cityes that Hiram gaue hym and put of the chyldren of Israell in them And Salomon went to Hamath Zoba and strengthed it And he buylt Thadmor in the wyldernes and repayred all the store cityes whiche were in Hamath And he buylt Bethhoron the vpper and Bethhoron the neyther stronge cytyes hauyng walles gates and barres And Baalath and all the store cytyes that Salomon had and all the charet cityes and the cityes of the horsemen euery pleasant place that Salomon had lust to buylde in Ierusalem and LibanoÌ„ and thorowout all the land of his dominyon And all the people that were lefte of the Hethites Amorytes Pheresytes Heuytes and Iebusytes whiche were not of the chyldren of Israell but were the chyldreÌ„ of them which were lefte after them in the lande and were not consumed of the chyldren of Israel them dyd Salomon make to paye trybute vnto this day But of the chyldren of Israel dyd Salomon make no bonde men for his worke but they were men of war and rulers and great Lordes with hym and captaynes ouer his charettes and horsemen And kyng Salomons offycers that ouersawe and ruled the people were two hundred and fyftye And Salomon brought the doughter of Pharao out of the cytye of Dauid in to the house that he had buylded for her For he sayde my wyfe shall not dwell in the house of Dauid kyng of Israel for it is holy bycause that the Arke of the Lorde is come vnto it Then Salomon offered burntofferyngê vnto the lorde on the aulter of the Lorde which he had buylte before the porche doyng euery thynge in his due tyme and offerynge accordynge to the commaundement of Moses in the sabbothes newmoones and solempne feastes thre tymes in the yeare that is to saye in the feast of swete breade in the feast of wekes and in the feast of tabernacles And Salomon set the sortes of Preestes to theyr offyces as Dauid his father had ordered them and the Leuites in theyr watches for to prayse and mynystre before the Preestes daye by day the porters by course at euery gate For so had Dauid the man of god commaunded And they omytted not the commaundement of the kynge vnto the preestes and the Leuytes concernynge any maner of thynge and concernynge the treasures For Salomon made prouisyon for the charges from the fyrst daye that the foundacyon of the house of the Lorde was layde tyll it was finyshed that the house of the lorde was perfyte Then went kynge Salomon to Ezion Gaber and to Eloth at the †redde sees syde in the lande of Edom. And Hiram sent hym by the hande of his seruauntes shyppes and seruauntes that had knowledge of the see they came with the seruauntes of Salomon to Ophir and caryed thence foure hundred and fyftye talentes of golde and brought it to kynge Salomon ¶ The coÌ„municacyon of Salomon with the quene of Saba and the gyftes that the one gaue to the other The death of Salomon after whome succedeth Rehoboham CAPI IX ANd when the quene of Saba herde of the fame of Salomon she came to proue hym in harde questions at Ierusalem with a very greate companye with camels that bare spyces and plentye of golde and precyous stones And when she was come to Salomon she coÌ„muned with hym of al that she had in her herte And Salomon assoyled her all her questions and there was not one worde hyd from Salomon whiche he tolde her not And when the quene of Saba had sene the wysdome of Salomon and the house that he had buylte and the meate of his table the syttynge of his seruauntes and the standynge of his wayters theyr apparell his butlers theyr apparell his goynge vp by the whiche he went in to the house of the Lorde there was no more spiryte in her And she sayde to the kynge the sayenge whiche I herde in myne owne lande of thyne actes and of thy wysdome is true I beleued not the wordes of them vntyll I came and myne eyes had sene it And beholde the one halfe of thy wysdome was not tolde me for thou excedest the fame that I herde Happye are thy men happye are these thy seruauntes whiche stande before the alwaye heare thy wysdome Blessed be the lorde thy God which had lust to the to set the kynge on his â—â—â—te that thou myghtest be kyng ordeyned by the Lorde thy God Bycause thy God loueth Israell and hath delyte to make them contynue euer therfore made he the kynge ouer them to do ryght and equite And she gaue the kynge an hundred xx talentes of golde and of spyces excedynge great haboundaunce and precyous stones neyther was there any more soche spyce as the quene of Saba gaue kynge Salomon And the seruauntes of Hiram the seruauntes of Salomon whiche brought golde from Ophir brought also ☞ Algume wood and precyous stones And the kynge made of the Algumwood stayres in the house of the lorde and in the Kynges palace and harpes and Psaltryes for Syngers And there was no soche wood sene before in the lande of Iuda And kynge Salomon gaue to the quene of Saba euery pleasaunt thyng that she asked but not so moche as she brought vnto the kynge And so she turned and went away to her owne lande with her seruauntes The weyght of golde that came to Salomon in one yeare was syxe hundred lxvi talentes of golde besydes that which chapmen and marchauntes brought and al the kyngê of Arabia rules of that countrey brought golde and syluer to Salomon And kynge Salomon made CC. bucklers of beaten golde and syx hundred sycles of beaten gold were spente vpon one buckler and thre hundred scheldes made he of beaten golde and one schelde cost thre hundred peces of
his father and preuayled and slue al his brethren with the swerde and dyuers of the Lordes of Israell Iehoram was two and thyrtye yere olde when he began to reygne he reygned eyght yere in Ierusalem And he walked in the way of the kynges of Israell lyke as dyd the house of Ahab for he had the doughter of Ahab to wyfe and he wroughte euyll in the eyes of the Lorde Howbeit the Lorde wolde not destroye the house of Dauid bycause of the couenaunt that he had made with Dauid as he promysed to gyue a lyght to hym and to his sonnes for euer In his dayes the Edomites rebelled when they were vnder the dominion of Iuda and made them selues a kyng And Iehoram went forth with his lordes and all his charettes were with hym and arose vp by nyght and smote the Edomites whiche compassed hym in and the captaynes of the charettes But Edom rebelled styll so that they wolde not be vnder the hande of Iuda vnto this daye That same tyme also dyd Libna departe from beyng vnder his hande Bycause Iehoram had forsaken the Lorde God of his fathers Moreouer he made hyll aulters in the cityes of Iuda caused the enhabitours of Ierusalem to commyt fornicacyon and prouoked Iuda to Idolatrie And there came a wrytyng to hym from Elia the prophet sayenge Thus sayth the Lorde God of Dauid thy father bycause thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iehosaphat thy father and in the wayes of Asa kynge of Iuda but walkedst in the wayes of the kynges of Israel hast made Iuda the dwelleis of Ierusalem to go a hooryng lyke to the hooredome of the house of Ahab hast sleyne thy brethren eueÌ„ thy fathers house whiche were better then y u Beholde with a great plage wyll the Lorde smyte thy folke thy chyldren thy wyues and thy goodes And y u shalte suffre great payne euch a disease of thy bowels vntyl thy guttê falout by reason of thy sycknes day by day And so the Lorde styrred vp agaynst Iehoram the spirite of the Philistines the Arabians that were besyde the blacke Moores And they came vp into Iuda wasted it caried away al the substauÌ„ce that was found in the kynges house and his sonnes and his wyues so that there was neuer a sonne lefte hym saue Iehoahaz whiche was the yongest among his sonnes And after all these thynges the lorde smote hym in his bowels with an vncurable disease And it came to passe that in processe of tyme euen after the ende of .ii. yere his guttes fell out in his sycknes so he dyed of very euyll dyseases And they made no ☞ burnynge for hym lyke the burnynge of his fathers When he began to reygne he was .xxxii. yere olde and reygned in Ierusalem .viii. yere and lyued wretchedly Howbeit they buryed hym in the citye of Dauid but not amonge the Sepulchres of the kynges ¶ Ahaziahu reygneth in the roume of Iehorain Iehâ—â— kynge of Israell kylleth Ahaziahu Athalia putteth to death all the the â—ynges lyuâ—ge onely Ioas â—â—capcth CAPI XXII ANd the enhabitoures of Ierusalem made Ahaziahu his yonge son kyng in his steade For the men of warre that came w t the hoost of the Arabians had sleyne al his eldest sonnes And so Ahaziahu the son of IehoraÌ„ kyng of Iuda was made kynge ☞ Xlii. yere olde was he when he began to reygne he reygned one yere in Ierusalem His mothers name was Athalia the doughter of Amri And he walked also in the wayes of the house of Ahab for his mother by her couÌ„sayle entysed hym to do wyckedly Wher fore he dyd that which was euyl in the syght of the lorde as did they that were of the house of Ahab for they were his couÌ„saylours after the death of his father to his destruccion And he walked after theyr counsayle and went with IehoraÌ„ son of Ahab kynge of Israel to fyght agaynst Hazael kyng of Siria at Ramoth in Gilead the Sirians smote IoraÌ„ And he returned to be healed in Iezreel of the woundes whiche were gyuen hym at Rama when he fought with Hazael kyng of Siria And Ahaziahu the son of IehoraÌ„ king of Iuda went downe to se Iehoram the son of Ahab at Iezreel bycause he was diseased And it came of God that Ahaziahu shulde be despysed for his comyng to IehoraÌ„ for when be was come he went out w t IehoraÌ„ agaynst Iehu the sonne of Nimsi whom the Lorde had anoynted to destroy the house of Ahab And so it came to passe that wheÌ„ Iehu was executyng iustice vpon the house of Ahab had founde the lordes of Iuda the sonnes of the brethren of Ahaziahu that waytch on Ahaziahu he slue them And he sought Ahaziahu they caught hym where he was hyd in Samaria and brought hym to Iehu And when they had sleyne hym the buryed hym Bycause sayd they he is the son of Iehosaphat which sought the lorde with al his hert And the house of Ahaziahu had no power to kepe styll the kyngdome But when Athalia the mother of Ahaziahu sawe that her son was dead she arose destroye all the kynges â—eed in the kynred of the house of Iuda And Iehosabeath the doughter of the kyng toke Ioas the son of Ahaziahu stale hym from among the kynges sonnes that were â—leyâ—â— put hym and his nurce in a preuy â—hambre And so Iehosabeath the doughter of kynge Iehoram the wyfe of Iehoida the preest the syster of Ahaziahu hyd hym fro Athalia that he was nor sleyne And so he was with them hyd in the house of God syxe yere And Athalia reygned ouer the lande ¶ Ioas the sonne of Ahaziahu is made kynge Athalia is put to death CAPI XXIII ANd in the seuenth yere Iehoiada beynge bolde toke the captaynes of hundredes Azariahu the son of Ieroham Ismael the sonne of Iehohanam Azariahu the sonne of Obed Maasiahu the son of Ada iahu and Elisaphat the sonne of Zichri and made a bonde with them And they wente aboute in Iuda and gathered the Leuites out of all the cityes of Iuda and the auncient fathers of Israel and they came to Ierusalem And al the congregacion made a bonde with the kynge in the house of God And he sayde vnto them beholde the kynges sonne muste reygne as the lorde hath sayde of the chyldren of Dauid This is it therfore that ye shall do The thyrde parte of you shall on the Sabboth come to the preestes Leuites and kepers of the porches And an other thyrde parte shall be by the kynges house and an other thyrde parte shall be at the gate of the foundacion all the people shall be in the courtes of the house of the Lorde But there shal none come into the house of the lorde saue the preestes they that ministre vnto the Leuitê They shal go in for they are holy but al the people
that he might shew the people and prynces her fayrnesse for she was beautyfull But the quene Uasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes Then was the kynge very wroth and his indygnacyon kyndled in hym And the kynge spake to the wyse men that had vnderstandynge in the ordynaunces of the lande for the kynges matters must be handled before all soch as haue knowledge of the lawe and iudgement and the †cheyfe and nexte vnto hym were Carsena Sethar Admata That sis Mares Marsena Mamucan the. vit prynces of Persia and Media whiche sawe the kynges face sat aboue in the kyngdom What lawe sayeth the kyng shulde be executed vpoÌ„ the quene Uasthi bycause she dyd not accordyng to the worde of the kyng Ahasuerus which he coÌ„maunded by his chamber laynes And Memucan answered before the kynge the prynces the quene Uasthi hath not only done euyll agaynst the kynge but also agaynst all the prynces agaynst all the peple that are in all the landes of kyng Ahasuerus for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all women so that they shall despyse theyr husbandes before theyr eyes shall saye the kynge Ahasuerus coÌ„maunded Uasthi the quene to be brought in before him but she wolde not come And so shall the princesses in Persia Media say lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces when they heare of this dede of the quene thus shall there aryse to moch despytefulnesse wrath Yf it please the kynge therfore let there go a coÌ„maundement from hym let it be wrytten accordyng to the lawes of the Persians Medians not to be transgressed that Uasthi come no more before kyng Ahasuerus let the kyng gyue her kyngdom vnto another that is better then she And when this coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the kynge which shall be made is publysshed thorowout all his empyre whiche is great all women shall holde theyr husbandê in honour both amonge great and small This pleased the kynge the prynces and the kyng dyd accordyng to the worde of Memucan For he sent letters forth in to all the kynges landes into euery lande accordynge to the wrytynge therof and to euery people after theyr language that euery man shulde be lorde in his owne house And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people ¶ After the Quene is put away certayne goodly ponâ—â— dauâ— â–ª selâ— are searched out Edissa otherwyse called sâ—â—â—er pleaseth the kynge and is made quene Metdocheus openeth vnto the kynge those that wolde betray hym CAPI II. AFter these actes when the dyspleasure of kynge Ahasuerus was nowe layde he thought vpon Uasthi and what she had done and what was concluded agaynst her Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym Let there be fayre yong virgyns sought for the kynge and the kyng appoynted certayne men in all the landes of his Empyre whome he charged that they shulde brynge togyther all the fayre yonge virgyns vnto Susan the heade Citye to the womens buyldyng vnder the hand of Hagei the kynges chamberlayne that kepte the women to gyue them theyr apparel †and other thynges necessarye to be had And that the damsell whiche pleased the kynge shulde be quene in Uasthis steade And this pleased the kynge and he dyd so In the citye of Susan there was a Iue whose name was Mardocheus the sonne of Iaer the son of Semei the son Cis a man of Iemini which was caryed away from IerusaleÌ„ when Iekonia the kyng of Iuda was led away whom Nabuchodonozer the kyng of Babilon caryed thence and he norysshed Hadassa that is Esther his vncles doughter for she had neyther father nor mother she was a fayre and beutyful damsel whom Matdocheus when her father and mother was deade receyued for his owne doughter So it fortuned that when the kynges coÌ„mauÌ„dement and coÌ„myssyon was publyshed and many damsels were brought togyther in the citye of Susan vnder the hand of Hagei Esther was brought also vnto the kyngê house vnder the hande of Hagei the keper of the women and the damsel pleased hym and she founde fauour in his syght And he caused ornameÌ„tes to be gyuen her soch thyngê as belonged to her and appoynted her seuen comly damsels out of the kynges house and fauoured bothe her and her gentyll women syngularly in the house of the women But Esther shewed not her peple and her kynted for Mardocheus had charged her that she shulde not tell it And Mardocheus walked euery daye before the courte of the womens house that he myght know how Esther dyd and what shulde become of her And when the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde go in to the kyng Ahasuerus after that she had ben twelue monethes in the deckynge of the women for theyr deckynge must haue so moch tyme namely syxe monethes with Balme and Myrre and syxe monethes with good spyces so were the women beautifyed then went there one damsell vnto the kyng and whatsoeuer she requyred †so that it vvere comely that must be gyuen her to go with her out of the womens buyldynge vnto the kynges palace In the euenyng she went and on the morowe agayne in to the seconde house of the women abydyng vnder the hand of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne whiche kepte the concubynes And she came in vnto the kyng no more excepte it pleased the kynge to haue her and that he called her by name Nowe when the tyme came of Esther the doughter of Abihan the vncle of Mardocheus whiche had receyued her as his owne doughter that she shuld come into the kyng she desyred nothynge but what Hagei the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the women sayde And Esther founde fauoure in the syght of all them that loked vpon her And Esther was taken vnto kynge Ahasuerus into his house royall in the tenth moneth whiche is the moneth Tebeth in the seuenth yere of his reygne And the kyng loued Esther aboue all the women she found grace and fauour in his syght before all the virgins so that he set the crowne of the kyngdome vpon her heade and made her quene in steade of Uasthi And the kynge made a greate feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes which feast was bycause of Esther and caused the landê to be in quyetnesse and gaue gyftes as became the ryoaltye of a kynge And when the virgyns were gathered togyther the seconde tyme Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate And as yet had not Esther shewed her kynred and her people accordynge as Mardocheus had bydden her for Esther dyd after the word of Mardocheus lyke as yf she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce At the same tyme whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate two of the kyngê chamberlaynes Bygthan and There 's which kepte the dore were wroth and sought to laye theyr handes on the kynge Ahasuerus wherof also Mardocheus gat knowledge tolde it vnto quene Esther and Esther certifyed the
the kynê palace ouer agaynst the gate of the house And when the kynge sawe Esther the quene standynge in the courte she founde grace in his syght And the kyng helde out the golden scepter that was in his hand toward Esther So Esther stepte forth and touched the top of the scepter Then sayde the kynge vnto her What wylte thou quene Esther and what requirest thou aske euen the halfe of the empyre and it shall be gyuen the. And Esther answered Yf it please the kynge let the kynge and Haman come this daye vnto the banket that I haue prepared for hym And the kyng sayd cause Haman to make hast that he maye do as Esther hath sayd So the kynge HamaÌ„ came to the banket that Esther had prepared and the kynge sayde vnto Esther at the banket of wyne what is thy peticyon that it may be gyuen the. And what requirest thou Yf it be euen the halfe of the empyre it shall be done Then answered Esther and sayde my peticyon and desyre is yf I haue founde grace in the syght of the kynge and yf it please the kynge to gyue me my peticyon and to fulfyl my request then let the kynge and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for them so wyll I do tomorowe as the kyng hath sayde Then went Haman forth the same daye ioyfull and merye in his mynde And when the same Haman sawe Mardocheus in the kynges gate that he stode not vp and kneled before hym he was full of in dygnacyon at Mardocheus Neuerthelesse Haman refrayned hym selfe and when he came home he sent called for his frendes and Zares his wyfe and Haman tolde them of the glory of his ryches and the multytude of his Chyldren and all togyther howe the kynge had promoted hym so greatly howe that he had set hym aboue the Prynces and seruauntes of the kynge Haman sayde moreouer Yea and Esther the quene dyd let no man come in with the kynge vnto the banket that she had prepared excepte me and tomorowe am I bydden vnto her also with the kynge But in all this am I not satysfyed as longe as I se Mardocheus the Iue syttyng at the kynges gate Then sayde Zares his wyfe and all his frendes vnto hym Let them make a galous of fyftye cubytes hygh and tomorowe speake thou vnto the kyng that Mardocheus may be hanged theron go thou in meryly with the kyng vnto the banket And Haman was well content withall and caused the galous to be made ¶ The kynge turneth ouer the Cronicles and fyndeth the fidelite of Mardocheus and then to the confusion of Haman coÌ„maundeth Mardocheus to be had in honoure CAPI VI. THe same nyght coulde not the Kynge slepe and he coÌ„maunded to brynge the cronicles and storyes which when they were red before the kynge they happened on the place where it was wrytten howe Mardocheus had tolde that Bigthana There 's the kynges two chamberlaynes which kept the thressholdes sought to laye handes on kynge Ahasuerus And the kyng sayd what worshyppe and good haue we done to Mardocheus therfore Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym There is nothyng at all done for him And the kyng sayde Who is in the courte For Haman was gone in to the courte without before the kynges house that he myght speake vnto the kynge to hange Mardocheus on the tre that he had prepared for hym And the kynges seruauntes sayde vnto hym behold Haman standeth without in the courte And the kynge sayd let hym come in And when Haman came in the kynge sayde vnto hym what shall be done vnto the man whome the kynge wolde fayne brynge vnto worshyp Haman thought in his hert whom desyreth the kynge to brynge vnto worshyp more then me And Haman answered the kynge Let the man whome the kynge pleaseth to brynge vnto worshyppe be brought hyther that he may be arayed with the royal garmentes which the kynge vseth to weare and the horse that the kyng rydeth vpon and 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 gyngê prynces that they maye aray the man withal whome the kynge is disposed to brynge to honoure and cary hym vpon the horse thorowe the strete of the citye and proclame before hym thus shall it be done to the man whome the kynge pleaseth to brynge to honoure And the kynge sayde make hast and take as thou hast sayde the rayment and the horse and do euen so vnto Mardocheus the Iue that sytteth before the kynges gate and let nothynge fayle of all that thou haste spoken Then toke Haman the rayment and the horse and arayed Mordocheus and brought hym on horsebacke thorowe the strete of the citye and proclamed before hym Euen thus shal it be done vnto the man whom the kyng is dysposed to honour And Mardocheus came agayne to the kynges gate but Haman gat him home in al the hast mournynge bare headed and tolde Zares his wyfe and al his frendes euery thyng that had happened hym Then sayd his wyse men and Zares his wyfe vnto hym Yf it be Mardocheus of the sede of the Iues before whom thou hast begon to fall thou shalt not preuayle agaynst hym but shalte surely fall before him And whyle they were yet talkyng with hym came the kynges chamberlaynes and caused Haman to make hast to come vn to the banket that Esther had prepared ¶ The quene byddeâ—â— the kynge and Haman agayne and prayeth for her selfe and for her people She accuseth Haman and he is hanged on the galous whiche he had prepared for Mardocheus CAPI VII ANd the kynge and Haman came in to the banket that quene Esther had prepared and the kynge sayd vnto Esther on the seconde daye at the banket of wyne what is thy peticyon quene Esther that it may be gyuen the And what requirest thou yea aske euen halfe of the empyre and it shal be done And Esther the quene answered and sayde If I haue founde grace in thy syght O kynge and yf it please the kynge then graunt me my lyfe at my desyre and my people for my peticyons sake for we are solde I and my people to be destroyed to be sleyne and to peryshe And wolde God we were solde to be bondmen and bondwomen then wolde I holde my tongue For the enemye pondreth not the kynges harme The kynge Ahasuerus answered and sayde vnto quene Esther who is he And where is he that dare presume in his mynde to do after that maner And Esther sayde the enemye and aduersary is this wycked HamaÌ„ Haman was excedyngly afrayed before the kynge and the quene And the kynge arose from the banket and from the wyne in his displeasure and wente in to the palace garden And HamaÌ„ stode vp and besought quene Esther for his lyfe for he saw that there was a myscheyfe prepared for hym of the kynge alredy And
when the kyng came agayne out of the palace garden in to the place where they dranke wyne HamaÌ„ had layde hym vpoÌ„ the bed that Esther sat vpon Then sayde the kynge wyll he force the quene also before me in the house As soone as that worde went out of the kynges mouth ☞ they couered Hamans face And Harbona one of the chamberlaynes that stode before the kynge sayd Beholde there standeth a galous in Hamans house fyftye cubytes hygh whiche he had made for Mardocheus that spake good for the kynge The kynge sayde hange hym theron So they hanged Haman on the galous that he had made for Mardocheus Then was the kynges wrath pacifyed ¶ After the death of Haman is Mardocheus exalted and then is there comfortable wordes sent vnto the Iues. CAPI VIII THe same daye dyd Kynge Ahasuerus gyue the house of Haman the Iues enemye vnto quene Esther And Mardocheus came before the kynge For Esther tolde howe that he belonged vnto her And the kynge put of his fynger rynge which he had taken from Haman and gaue it vnto Mardocheus And Esther set Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman And Esther spake yet more before the kynge and fell downe at his fete wepynge and besought hym that he wolde put awaye the wyckednesse of Haman the Agagite and his deuyce that he had ymagyned agaynst the Iues. And the kyng †accordyng to the maner helde out the golden scepter towarde Esther †vvherby vvas declared a token of graciousnesse Then rose Esther and stode before the kynge and sayde yf it please the kynge and yf I haue founde grace in his syght and yf it be acceptable before the kynge then let it be wrytten that the letters of the deuyce of Haman the Sonne of Hamadatha the Agagite may be called agayne whiche letters he wrote to destroye the Iues whiche are in all the kynges landes For howe can I suffer and se the euyll that shall happen vnto my people Or how can I loke vpon the destruccyon of my kynred And the kyng Ahasuerus sayd vnto quene Esther to Mardocheus the Iue Behold I haue gyuen Esther the house of Haman whome they haue hanged vpon a tree bycause he layde hande vpon the Iues. Wryte ye also for the Iues as it lyketh you in the kynges name and seale it with the kynges rynge for the wrytynges that were wrytten in the kyngê name and sealed with the kynges rynge durst no man dysanull Then were the kynges Scrybes called at the same tyme euen in the thyrde moneth that is the moneth Siuan on the thre and twentyeth daye And it was wrytten accordynge to all as Mardocheus coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto the Iues and to the prynces to the Debityes and captaynes in the landes whiche are from India vntyll Ethiopia namely an hundred and seuen and twentye landes vnto euery one accordynge to the wrytynge therof and vnto euery people after theyr speche to the Iues accordynge to theyr wrytyng and language And he wrote in the kynge Ahasuerus name and sealed it with the kynges rynge And by postes that roode vpon horses and swyfte yonge Mules sent he the wrytynges wherin the kynge graunted the Iues in what cityes soeuer they were to gather them selues togyther and to stande for theyr lyfe and for to rote out to sley to destroye all the power of the people and lande that wolde trouble them with chyldren and women to spoyle theyr good vpon one daye in all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus namely vpon the thyrtenth daye of the twelueth moneth whiche is the moneth Adar The suÌ„me of the wrytyng was how there shulde be a coÌ„maundement gyuen in all landes and publysshed amonge all people and that the Iues shulde be redye agaynst that day and to auenge themselues on theyr enemyes And so the postes that rode vpon the swyfte horses and Mules made hast with all spede to execute the kynges worde and the coÌ„maundement was deuysed in Susan the cheyfe Citye And Mardocheus went out †from the palace and from the kyng in royal apparell of yelowe and whyte and with a great crowne of golde beynge arayed with a garment of sylke and purple and the citye of Susan reioysed and was gladde and vnto the Iues there was come †a nevv lyght and gladnesse ioye and worshyp In all landes and cityes in to what places soeuer the kynges worde and coÌ„maundement reached there was ioye and myrth prosperyte good dayes amonge the Iues in so moche that many of the people in the land became of the Iues bylefe and the feare of the Iues came vpon them ¶ At the coÌ„maundement of the kynge the Iues put theyr aduersaryes to death The sonnes of Haman are hanged The Iues kepe a feast daye in the remembraunce of theyr delyueraunce CAPI IX IN the twelueth moneth that is the moneth Adar vpon the thyrtenth daye of the same when the kynges worde and coÌ„mauÌ„demente shulde be done euen vpon the same daye that the enemyes shuld haue destroyed the Iues to haue oppressed them it turned contrary wyse euen that the Iues shuld sub due theyr enemyes For then gathered the Iues togyther in theyr cityes within all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus to laye hande on soche as wolde do them euyll and no man coulde withstande them for the feare of them was come ouer all people And all the rulers in the landes and prynces Debityes and offycers of the Kynge promoted the Iues for the feare of Mardocheus came vpoÌ„ them For Mardocheus was greate in the kynges house and the reporte of hym was noysed in all landes howe he increased and grewe Thus the Iues smote all theyr enemyes with a sore slaughter and slue destroyed and dyd after theyr wyll vnto soche as were theyr aduersaryes And at Susan the cheyfe citye slue the Iues and destroyed fyue hundreth men and slue Pharsandatha DalphoÌ„ Asphatha Poratha Adalia Aridatha Pharmastha Arisai Aridai and Uaizatha the ten sonnes of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the enemye of the Iues but on his goodes they layde no handes At the same tyme was the kynge certyfyed of the nombre of those that were sleyne in the citye of Susan And the kynge sayde vnto quene Esther The Iues haue sleyne destroyed fyue hundreth men in the citye of Susan the ten sonnes of Haman What haue they done thynkest thou in the other landes of the kynge And what is thy peticion that it maye be gyuen the or what requyrest thou more to be done Esther answered If it please the kyng let hym suffer the Iues to morowe also to do accordyng vnto this dayes coÌ„maundement that they maye hange Hamans ten sonnes vpon the tre And the kyng charged to do so and the coÌ„maundement was deuysed at Susan and they hanged Hamans ten sonnes For the Iues that were in Susan gathered them selues togither vpon the fourtenth day of the moneth Adar slue thre hundred men at Susan but on theyr goodes they layde no handes As for the
my kyngdome agayne so that I had yet greater worshyppe Then dyd I Nabuchodonosor loue magnifye and prayse the kyng of heaueÌ„ for all his worckes are true and his wayes ryght As for those that go on proudly he is able to bryng them downe ¶ Balthazar Kynge of Babylon abusynge the vesselles of the Temple seyth an hande wrytynge in the wall The Sothe sayers called of the Kynge can not expounde the wrytynge Daniell is called whiche readeth it and interpreteth it also Balthasar beyng slayne Darius succedeth in his rowme CAPI V. KYNGE Balthazar made a greate Bancket to hys thousande Lordes wyth all these thousande he made greate chere and when he was droncken wyth wyne he commaunded to brynge hym the golden syluer vessels whiche his father Nabuchodonosor had takeÌ„ out of the teÌ„ple at Ierusalem that the kyng and his Lordes with his quene concubynes myght drinke therout So they brought the golden vessell that was taken out of the temple of the Lordes house at IerusaleÌ„ Then the Kynge and his Lordes with his quene concubines dronâ—k out of them They droncke wyne and praysed their Idoles of golde syluer copper yroÌ„ wodde and stone In the very same houre there appeared fyngers as it had bene of a mans haÌ„de writynge ryght ouer agaynste the candelstycke vpon the playne wall in the kynges palace the kyng sawe the palme of the hande thâ—â— wrote Then chauÌ„ged the kyng his countenauÌ„ce and his thoughtes troubled him so that the ioyntes of his body shoke and hys knees smote one agaynste the other Wherfore the Kyng cryed myghtelye that they shulde brynge hym the Charmers Caldees and Coniurers of Deuylles The Kynge spake also to the wyse men of Babylon and sayde Who so can rede this wrytyng and shewe me the playne meaning therof shal be clothed with purple haue a cheyne of golde about his necke and rule the thyrde parte of my kyngdome Upon this came al the kynges wyse meÌ„ but they coulde neyther rede y â— wrytyng nor shewe the kyng what it signifyed TheÌ„ was the kyng sore afrayed in so muche y â— hys coloure chauÌ„ged his Lordes were sore vexed So by reason of thys matter that had happened to the kyng and his Lordes y â— Quene went vp her self into the bancket house and spake vnto y â— kyng sayinge O Kyng God saue thy lyfe for euer Let not thy thoughtes trouble the and let not thy countenaunce be chaunged For why there is a man in thy kyngdome that hath the sprete of the holy goddes within hym as it was sene in thy fathers dayes He hath vnderstaÌ„ding wisdome lyke the goddê Ye the kyng Nabuchodonosor thy father made this man chefe of y â— sothsayers charmers Caldees and deuyl coÌ„iurers because that suche an aboundaunte sprete knowledge wysdome to expounde dreames to open secretes to declare harde dowtes was founde in him yee euen in Daniel whom the kyng named Balthazar Let this same Daniel be sente for and he shal tel what it meaneth Then was Daniell brought before the kyng So the kyng spake vnto Daniel and sayde Art thou that Daniel one of the prysoners of Iuda whom my father the Kyng brought out of Iewry I haue herde speake of the that thou hast the sprete of the holy goddes experience and vnderstandyng and that there hath bene great wysdome founde in y â— Now haue there bene brought me wyse connyng charmers to reade thys writyng and to shewe me the meanyng therof But they coulde not tel me what this matter signifyed Then hearde I say that thou canst expounde darcke thinges and declare harde doutes Well than yf thou canst reade thys wrytynge and shewe me the meaninge ther of thou shalt be clothed wyth purple haue a cheyne of golde about thy necke and rule the thyrd part of my kyngdome Daniell answered sayde before y e kyng As for thy rewardes kepe theÌ„ to thyself or gyue thy rych gyftes to another yet not thelesse I wyll rede y â— wrytyng vnto the kyng and shewe him y â— interpretacyon therof O kyng God the hyghest gaue vnto Nabuchodonosor thy father the dygnyte of a Kyng with worshyppe honour so that all people kynreddes tunges stode in awe feare of hym by reason of the hye estate that he had lent him For why he slew whom he wolde he smote whom it pleased him Againe whoÌ„ he wolde he set vp and whom he lyst he put downe But because his hert was so proude and his stomake set so fast vnto wylfulnes he was deposed froÌ„ his kyngely trone and his magesty was taken from him He was shut out from among meÌ„ his hert was lyke a beastes hert and his dwellyng was wyth the wylde Asses he was fayne to eate grasse lyke an oxe and his body was wet with the dewe of the heueÌ„ tyl he knewe that the hyest God had power vpon the kingdomes of meÌ„ and setteth ouer them whom he lyst And thou his soÌ„ne O Balthazar for all this hast not submytted thyne herte though thou knewest al these thinges but hast magnyfied thyselfe aboue the Lorde of heauen so that the vessels of his house were brought before the that thou thy Lordes with thy quene and concubynes myght drincke wine therout And hast praysed the Idoles of syluer and golde copper and yron of wod and stone which neyther se heare nor vnderstaÌ„d As for the God in whose hande consysteth the bredth and all thy wayes thou haste not loued hym Therfore is the palme of this hande sente hyther from him to token vp this wrytyng And this is the scrypture that is writen vp Mane Thetel Phares Now the interpretacyon of the thynge is this Mane God hath nombred the kyngdome and brought it to an ende Thetell thou art weyed in the balaunce and art founde to lyght Phares thy kyngdome is delt in partes and geuen to the Medes and Perses Then coÌ„mauÌ„ded Balthazar to cloth Daniell wyth purple to hange a cheyne of gold aboute his necke and to make a proclamacion concernyng hym that he shulde be the ruler of the thyrde parte of his kyngedome The very same nyght was Balthazar the kynge of the Caldees stayne and Darius out of Media toke in the kyngdome beyng lxij yeare of age ¶ Daniel is made ruler ouer the Lordes The ymaginacion of an arte agaynste Daniell The proclamacion of the arte wherof Daniel is accused vnto the kyng as a transgressour He is put into a denne of Lions by the coÌ„maundement of the kyng He is delyuered by fayth in god Daniels accusars are put vnto the Lyons to be corne in sonder Darius by the proclamacyon of a decree magnyfyeth the God of Daniel CAPI VI. IT pleased Darius so set ouer his kyngdome an C. xx Lordes which shulde be in al his kyngdome about Aboue these he set thre Prynces of whom Daniell was one y e the Lordes myght geue accomptes vnto theÌ„ the kyng
the God of the Zidons MilcoÌ„ the obhominacion of the Ammonitê And Salomon wrought wyckednesse in the syght of the lorde folowed not the lorde perfytely as dyd Dauid his father For then dyd Salomon buylde ☞ an hygh place for Chamos the abhominacion of Moab in the hyll that is before Ierusalem and vnto Moloch the abhominacion of the chyldreÌ„ of Ammon And lykewyse dyd he for all his outlandyshe wyues which burnt sence offered vn to theyr Gods And the Lorde was angrye w t Salomon bycause his herte was turned froÌ„ the Lorde god of Israel whiche had appeared vnto hym twyse and gaue hym a charge concernyng this thynge that he shulde not folowe other Gods But he kepte not that whiche the Lorde coÌ„maunded hym wherfore the Lorde sayd vnto Salomon for as moche as this is done of the thou hast not kepte myne appoyntment and my statutes which I coÌ„maunded the I wyll rent the kyngdom from the and wyll gyue it to thy seruaunt Notwithstandynge in thy dayes I wyll not do it bycause of Dauid thy father but wyll take it from the hande of thy sonne Howbeit I wyll not take away all the kyngdome but wyll gyue ☞ one tribe to thy son bycause of Dauid my seruaunt and bycause of Ierusalem whiche I haue chosen And the Lorde styrred vp an aduersarye vnto Salomon euen one Hadad an Edomite of the kynges seede whiche was in Edom. For wheÌ„ Dauid was in Edom Ioab the captayne of the hoost was gone vp to burye them that were sleyne he smote all the men chyldren in Edom. For. vi monethes dyd Ioab remayne there and all Israel tyll he had destroyed all the men chyldren in Edom. And this Hadad fled and certayne other Edomytes of his fathers seruauntes with hym to come into Egypte Hadad beyng yet a lytell chylde And they arose out of Madian and came to Paran and toke meÌ„ with them out of Paran and came to Egypte vnto Pharao kyng of Egypte whiche gaue hym an house and appoynted hym vittayles gaue hym land And Hadad gat great fauour in the syght of Pharaâ—â—o that he gaue hym to wyfe the syster of his owne wyfe euen the syster of Thahpenes the Quene And the syster of Thahpenes bare hym Genubath his sonne whoÌ„ Thahpenes norished in Pharaos house And Genubath was of Pharaos housholde amonge the sonnes of Pharao And wheÌ„ Hadad herde in Egypte that Dauid was layde to slepe with his fathers and that Ioab the captayne of the hoost was deade also he sayd to Pharao let me departe that I may go to myne owne couÌ„trey Pharao sayd vnto him What haste thou lacked here with me that thou woldest thus go to thyne owne couÌ„trey He answered nothyng howbeit let me go And God styrred hym vp an other aduersary one Rezom the sonne of Eliada whiche fled from his lorde Hodadezer kynge of Zoba And he gathered men vnto hym and became captayne ouer the company wheÌ„ Dauid slue them And they wente to Damasco dwelte there reygned in Damasco Therfore was he an aduersarye to Israell all the dayes of Salomon And this was the myscheyfe in that Hadad dyd abhorre Israel and reygned ouer Syria And Ieroboam the sonne of Hebat an Ephrathite of Zareda whose mother was called Zetuah which was a wydowe and he Salomons seruaunt ☞ lyfte vp his hande agaynst the kynge But this was the cause that he lyfte vp his hande agaynst the kyng Salomon buylte Mello mended the broken places of the citye of Dauid his father And this felow Ieroboam was a maÌ„ of war And Salomon sawe the yonge man that he was able to do the worke he made hym ruler ouer all the charges of the house of Ioseph And it chaunced at that ceason that IeroboaÌ„ wente out of Ierusalem the prophet Ahia the Silonite met hym by the way hauyng a newe mantell on hym they two were alone in the felde And Ahia caught the newe mantel that was on hym rent it in twelue peces and sayd to Ieroboam take the ten peces For this sayth the Lorde God of Israel Beholde I wyll sent the kyngdome out of the handes of Salomon and wyll gyue ten tribes to the and he shal haue one for my seruaunt Dauids sake and for Ierusalem the citye whiche I haue chosen out of all the tribes of Israel bycause they haue forsaken me and haue worshypped Astharoth the God of the Zedons Chamos the god of the Moabites and Milcom the god of the chyldren of Ammon and haue not walked in my wayes to fulfyll my pleasure my statutes and my lawes as dyd Dauid his father I wyll not take the hole kyngdome out of his hande but wyll make hym cheyfe all his lyfe longe for Dauid my seruauntes sake whom I chose bycause he kepte my coÌ„maundementes and my statutes But I wyl take the kyngdome out of his sonnes hande and wyll gyue vnto the euen ten tribes of it and to his sonne wyll I gyue one trybe that Dauid my seruaunt may haue a light alway before me in Ierusalem the citye which I haue chosen me to put my name there And I wyll take the and thou shalte reygne accordynge to all that thy soule desyreth shalte be kyng ouer Israel And yf thou herken vnto all that I commaunde the and wylte walke in my wayes do that is ryght in my syght that thou kepe my statutes and my coÌ„mundementes as Dauid my seruaunt dyd then wyl I be with the buylde the a sure house that shal contynue as I buylte for my seruaunt Dauid and wyl gyue Israell vnto the. And therwith wyll I vexe the seede of Dauid but not for euer Salomon sought therfore to kyll Ieroboam and Ieroboam arose and fled in to Egypte vnto Sisak kyng of Egypte contynued there in Egypte vntyl the death of Salomon The rest of the wordes that concerne Salomon and al that he dyd his wysdom are they not wrytten in the boke of the wordes of Salomon The tyme that Salomon reygned in Ierusalem vpon all Israell was fourtye yere And Salomon slepte he layd hym with his fathers and was buryed in the citye of Dauid his father and Rehoboam his sonne reygued in his steade ¶ The kyngdom is deuyded Rehoboam reygneth ouer 〈◊〉 Trybes and Ieroboam ouer ten Aduâ—am is stoned Ieroboam maketh golden Calues CAPI XII ANd Rehoboam went to Sichem for al Israel were come to Sichem to make hym kyng And Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat whiche was yet in Egypte herde of it for he fled to Egypte from the presence of kyng Salomon dwelte in Egypte So they sent called hym and Ieroboam and all the congregacyon of Israel came spake vnto Rehoboam sayenge Thy father made oure ☞ yoke greuous nowe therfore make thou the greuous seruyce of thy father his sore yoke which he put vpon vs lyghter we wyl serue the. And he sayd vnto them departe yet
kynge therof in Mardocheus name And when inquisicion was made it was founde so And they were bothe hanged on tree and it was wrytten in the Cronicles before the kynge ¶ Haman the Maridonian after he was eralted obteyned of the kynge that all the Iues shulde be put to death bycause Mardocheus had not done hym worshyp as other had CAPI III. AFter these actes dyd the kynge Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Amadatha the Agagite and set hym hygh and set his seate aboue all the Prynces that he had with hym And all the kynges seruauÌ„tes that were in the kyngê gate bowed theyr knees and worshypped Haman for the kyng had so commaunded concernynge hym But Mardocheus bowed not the knee and worshypped hym not Then the kyngê seruauÌ„tes whiche were in the kynges gate sayde vnto Mardocheus why transgressest thou the kynges commaundement And when they spake thus dayly vnto hym he folowed them not and they tolde Haman that they myght se howe Mardocheus matters wold endure for he had tolde them that he was a Iue And when Haman sawe that Mardocheus bowed not the knee vnto hym nor worshypped hym he was full of indygnacyon and thought it to lyttell to laye handes onelye on Mardocyeus for they had shewed him the nacyon of Mardocheus wherfore he sought to destroy all the Iues that were thorowout the hole empyre of Ahasuerus and that were of the nacyon of Mardocheus In the fyrst moneth that is the moneth Nisan in the twelfe yere of kyng Ahasuerus they cast Phur that is a lot before Haman from daye to day and from moneth to moneth to the twelueth moneth that is the moneth Adar And Haman sayd vnto kyng Ahasuerus There is here a people scattered abrode and dyspersed amonge all peple in all the landes of thyne empyre and they haue theyr lawes contrary from all peple and do not after the kynges lawes neyther is it the kyngê profet to suffre them after this maner If it please the kynge let it be wrytten that they may be destroyed and so wyl I weye downe ten thousand talentes of syluer by the handes of the workemen to be brought in to the kynges treasure And the kynge toke his rynge from his hande and gaue it vnto Haman the son of Amidatha the Agagite the Iues enemye And the kynge sayde vnto Haman Let the syluer be gyuen the and do with that people as it pleaseth the. Then were the kynges scrybes called on the. xiii daye of the fyrst moneth †Nisan and there was wrytten accordynge as Haman coÌ„maunded vnto all the kynges offycers and to the captaynes that were in al the landes and to the rulers of euery people in the countryes on euery syde accordynge to the wrytyng of euery nacyon and after theyr language in the name of kynge Ahasuerus was it wrytten and sealed with the kynges rynge And the wrytyngê were sent by nostes in to al the kynges landes to rote out â—â—kyl and to destroye all Iues bothe yonge 〈◊〉 chyldren and women in one day namely â—â—oÌ„ the thyrtenth daye of the twelueth moneth whiche is the moneth Adar and to spoyle theyr goodes This was the summe of the wrytynge that there shulde be a coÌ„maundement gyuen in all landes publyshed vnto all people that they shulde be redy agaynst the same daye And the postes went in all the hast accordynge to the kynges commaundement And in Susan the cheyfe citye was the coÌ„maundement deuysed And the kyng and Haman sat and dranke when in the meane tyme the citye of Susan was disquieted ¶ Mardocheus gyueth the quene knowledge of the cruell decreâ— of the kynge agaynst the Iues. CAPI IIII. WHen Mardocheus perceyued all that was done he rent his clothes and put on sackecloth with asshes and went out in to the myddes of the Citye and cryed loude and lamentably and came before the kynges gate but he myght not enter wtin the kyngê gate bycause he had sacke cloth on And in al landes countryes and places as farre as the kynges worde and coÌ„mauÌ„dement extended there was greate lamentacyon amonge the Iues fastynge wepynge and mournynge and many laye in sack clothes and in asshes So Esthers damsels and her chamberlaynes came and tolde it her Then was the quene excedynly astonyed And she sent rayment that Mardocheus shuld put on and laye the sack cloth from hym But Mardocheus wolde not take them Then called Esther Hathath one of the kynges chamberlaynes whiche stode before her and gaue him a coÌ„maundement vnto Mardocheus that he myght know what it were wherfore he dyd so So Hathath went forth to Mardocheus vnto the strete of the Citye whiche was before the kynges gate And Mardocheus tolde hym of all that had happened vnto hym and of the summe of syluer that Haman had promised to they downâ— in to the kyngê treasury bycause of the Iues yf he wolde destroye them and he gaue hym the copye of the kynges coÌ„maundement that was deuysed at Susan to destroye them that he myght shewe it vnto Esther and to speake to her and charge her that she shulde go in to the kynge and make her prayer and supplycacyon vnto hym for her people And when Hathath came in he tolde Esther the wordes of Mardocheus And agayne Esther spake vnto Hathath and coÌ„maunded hym to saye to Mardocheus all the kynges seruauntes and the people in the landes of the kyng know that whosoeuer coÌ„meth with in the courte vnto the kynge whyther it be man or woman whiche is not called the commaundement is that the same shall dye excepte the kynge holde out the golden scepter vnto hym †in token of graciousnes for then he shall lyue As for me I haue not ben called to come into the kynge nowe this thyrtye dayes And they certifyed Mardocheus of Esthers wordes and Mardocheus bad saye agayn vnto Esther thynke not to saue thyne owne lyfe whyle thou art in the kyngê house before all Iues for yf thou holdest thy peace at this tyme then shall the Iues haue helpe and delyueraunce out of another place and thou and thy fathers house shal be destroyed And who knoweth whyther thou art come to the kyngdom for this causes sake Esther bad them gyue Mardocheus this answere Go thou thy waye and gyther togyther all the Iues that are founde at Susan and fast ye for me that ye eate not and drynke not in thre dayes neyther day nor nyght I and my damsels wyll fast lykewyse and so wyll I go in to the kynge which thynge yet is contrarye to the coÌ„maundement and yf I peryshe I peryshe So Mardocheus went his way and dyd all that Esther had coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym ¶ Esther entreth in to the kynge and byddeth hym and Haman to the feast Haman prepareth a galous for Mardocheus CAPI V. ANd on the thyrde daye it fortuned that Esther put on her royall apparell and stode in the courte of the kynges palace within ouer agaynst the kynges house And the kynge sat vpon his royal seat in