that the crowne royall maye be set vpon his heade And let this rayment and horse be delyuered vnder the hande of one of the kynges prynces that he maye araye the man withall whom the kynge wolde fayne honoure and cary him vpon the horse thorow the strete of the cite and cause it to be proclamed before him Thus shal it be done to euery man whom the kynge wolde fayne honoure The kynge sayde Make haist and take as thou hast sayde the raymeÌ„t and the horse and do euen so with Mardocheus y e Iewe that sitteth before the kynges gate and let nothinge fayle of all that thou hast spoken Then toke Aman the rayment and the horse and arayed him and broughte him on horszbacke thorow the strete of the cite and proclamed before him Euen thus shall it be done vnto euery man whom the kynge is disposed to honoure And Mardocheus came agayne to the kynges gate but Aman gat him home in all the haist mournynge with bare heade and tolde Seres his wyfe and all his frendes euery thynge that had happened him Then sayde his wise men and Seres his wyfe vnto him Yf it be Mardocheus of the sede of the Iewes before whoÌ„ thou hast begonne to fall thou canst do nothynge vnto him but shalt fall before him Whyle they were yet talkynge with him came the kynges chamberlaynes and caused Aman to make haist to come vnto the bancket that Hester had prepared The VII Chapter ANd whan the kynge and Aman came to the bancket that quene Hester had prepared the kynge sayde vnto Hester on the seconde daye whan he had droÌ„ken wyne What is thy peticion quene Hester that it maye be geuen the And what requyrest thou Yee axe euen halfe of the empyre and it shal 〈◊〉 done Hester y e quene answered and sayde Yf I haue founde grace in thy sighte O kynge and yf it please the kynge then graunte me my lyfe at my desyre and my people for my peticions sake for we are solde to be destroyed to be slayne and to perishe And wolde God we were solde to be bondmen and bondwemen then wolde I holde my tonge so shulde not the enemye be so hye to the kynges harme The kynge Ahasuerus spake saide vnto quene Hester What is he that Or where is he y t darre presume in his mynde to do soch a thinge after that maner Hester sayde The enemye and aduersary is this wicked Aman. As for AmaÌ„ he was exceadingly afraied before y e kynge y e quene And the kynge arose froÌ„ the bancket froÌ„ y e wyne in his displeasure and wente in to the palace garden And Aman stode vp and besoughte quene Hester for his life for he sawe y t there was a mischauÌ„ce prepared for him of the kynge allready And whan the kynge came agayne out of the palace garden in to y e parler where they had eaten Aman had layed him vpon the bed that Hester sat vpon Then saide the kinge wyl he force the quene also besyde me in the house As soone as that worde wente out of the kynges mouth they couered Amans face And Harbona one of the chamberlaynes that stode before the kynge sayde Beholde there stondeth a galowe in AmaÌ„s house fiftie cubytes hye which he had made for Mardocheus that spake good for y e kinge The kynge sayde Hange him theron So they hanged Aman on the galowe that he had made for Mardocheus Then was the kynges wrath stylled The VIII Chapter THe same daye dyd kynge Ahasuerus geue the house of Aman the Iewes enemye vnto quene Hester And Mardocheus came before y e kinge for Hester tolde how that he beloÌ„ged vnto her And the kynge put of his fynger rynge which he had taken from Aman gaue it vnto Mardocheus And Hester set Mardocheus ouer the house of Aman. And Hester spake yet more before the kynge and fell downe at his fete besought him that he wolde put awaye the wyckednes of Aman the Agagite and his deuice that he had ymagined against y e Iewes And the kynge helde out the goldeâ— cepter vnto Hester Then rose Hester and stode before the kynge and sayde Yf it please the kynge and yf I haue fouÌ„de grace in his sight yf it be coÌ„uenyent for the kinge and yf it be accepted in his sighte then let it be wrytteÌ„ y t the letters of the deuyce of AmaÌ„ the sonne of Amadathai the Agagite maie be called agayne which letters he wrote to destroie y e Iewes in all y e kynges loÌ„des For how can I se the euell that shal happeÌ„ vnto my people and how can I loke vpon the destrucâ—ion of my kynred Then sayde y e kynge Ahasuerus vnto quene Hester and to Mardocheus the Iewe Beholde I haue geuen Hester the house of Aman him haue they hanged vpon a tre because he layed haÌ„de vpon y e Iewes Wryte ye now therfore for the Iewes as it liketh you in the kynges name and seale it with y e kynges rynge for the wrytinges that were wrytten in y e kynges name and sealed with the kynges rynge durst no man dysanulle Then were the kynges scrybes called at the same tyme in the thirde moneth that is the moneth Siâ—an on the thre twentieth daie And it was wrytten as Mardocheus coÌ„maunded vnto the Iewes and to the prynces to the Debities and captaynes in the londes from India vntyll Ethiopia namely an hundreth and seuen and twentye londes vnto euery one acordinge to the wrytinge therof vnto euery people after their speche and to the Iewes acordinge to their wrytinge and language And it was written in the kynge Ahasuerus name and sealed with the kynges rynge And by postes that rode vpon swyfte yonge Mules sent he the wrytinges wher in the kynge graunted the Iewes in what cities so euer they were to gather them selues together and to stonde for their lyfe and for to rote out to slaye and to destroye all the power of the people and londe that wolde trouble them with children and wemen and to spoyle their good vpon one daye in all the londes of kynge Ahasuerus namely vpon the thirtenth daye of the twolueth moneth which is the moneth Adar The summe of the wrytinge was how there was a coÌ„maundement geuen in all londes to be publisled vnto all the people that y e Iewes shulde be ready agaynst that daye to auenge them selues on their enemies And the postes that rode vpon the Mules made haist with all spede acordinge to the kynges worde and the commaundement was deuysed in the castel of Susan As for Mardocheus he wente out from the kynge in royall apparell of yalow and whyte and wyth a greate crowne of golde beynge arayed with a garment of linnen and purple and y e cite of Susan reioysed was glad but vnto the Iewes there was come light and gladnesse ioye worshippe And in all londes and cities in to what places so euer the kynges worde and commaundemeÌ„t reached there
Sadoc sayde Let me runne now and brynge the kynge worde that the LORDE hath gotten him righte frō the hande of his enemies But Ioab sayde Thou shalt bringe no good tidinges to daie another daye shalt thou brynge him worde and not to daye for the kynges sonne is deed But vnto Chusi sayde Ioab Go thou thy waye and tell the kynge what thou hast sene And Chusi did his obeysaūce vnto Ioab and ranne Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc saide agayne vnto Ioab What and I ranne also Ioab sayde What wilt thou runne my sonne Come hither thou shalt brynge no good tydinges He answered What and I ranne yet He saide vnto him Renne on y e waye then So Ahimaas ranne the straight waye and came before Chusi As for Dauid he sat betwene the two gates And the watchman wente vp to y e toppe of the porte vpon the wall and lifte vp his eyes and sawe a man renninge alone and cryed and tolde the kinge The kynge sayde Yf he be alone then is there good tydinges in his mouth And as the same wente and came forth the watchman sawe another man rennynge and cryed in the porte and sayde Beholde there renneth a man alone The kinge sayde The same is a good messaunger also The watchman sayde I se the rennynge of the first as it were the rennynge of Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc And the kynge sayde He is a good man and bryngeth good tidinges Ahimaas cryed and sayde vnto y e kinge Peace and worshipped before the kynge vpon his face to the grounde and sayde Praised be the LORDE thy God which hath geuen ouer y e men that lifte vp their handes agaynst my LORDE the kynge The kynge sayde Goeth it well with the yonge man Absalom Ahimaas sayde I sawe a greate vproure whan Ioab the kynges seruaunt sent me thy seruaunt and I wote not what it was The kynge sayde Go aboute and stonde here And he wente aboute and stode there Beholde then came Chusi and sayde I brynge good tydinges my lorde the kynge The LORDE hath executed righte for the this daye from the hande of all them that rose vp agaynst the. But the kynge sayde vnto Chusi Goeth it well with the yonge man Absalom Chusi sayde Euen so go it w t all the enemyes of my lorde the kynge and with all them that ryse vp agaynst the to do euell as it goeth with the yonge man Then was the kynge soroufull and wente vp in to the perler vpon the gate and wepte and as he wente he sayde thus O my sonne Absalō my sonne my sonne Absalom wolde God y t I shulde dye for the. O Absalom my sonne my sonne The XIX Chapter ANd it was tolde Ioab beholde y e kinge wepeth mourneth for Absalom And so out of y e victory of y t daye there came a mourninge amonge all the people For the people had herde the same daye y t the kynge toke on heuely because of his sonne And y e people stale awaye the same daye so that they came not in to the cite as a people that is put to shame pycketh them selues awaye whan they are fled in a battayll As for the kynge he had couered his face and cryed loude and sayde Oh my sonne Absalom Absalom my sonne my sonne But Ioab came to the kynge in to the house and sayde This daye hast thou shamed all thy seruauntes which haue delyuered thy soule this daye and the soules of thy sonnes of thy doughters of thy wyues and of thy cōcubynes in that thou louest them that hate the and hatest those that loue ye. For to daye thou shewest thyselfe that thou carest not for the captaynes and seruauntes For I perceaue this daye that yf Absalom onely were alyue and we all deed this daye thou woldest thynke it were well Get the vp now therfore and go forth and speake louyngly vnto thy seruauntes For I sweare vnto the by y e LORDE yf thou go not forth there shall not be lefte the one man this nighte this shal be worse vnto y t then all the euell that happened the sence y e youth vp hither to Thē the kynge gat him vp and sat in the gate And it was sayde vnto the people beholde the kynge sytteth in the gate Then came all the people before y e kynge But Israel was fled euery one vnto his tent And all the people stroue in all the trybes of Israel and sayde The kynge ryd vs from the hande of oure enemies and delyuered vs from the hande of the Philistynes and was fayne to fle out of the lōde for Absalom So Absalom whom we had anoynted ouer vs is deed in the battayll Why are ye so styll now that ye fetch not the kynge agayne The kynge sent vnto Sadoc Abiathar the prestes caused to saye vnto thē Speake to the Elders of Iuda saye Why wyl ye be the last to fetch the kynge agayne vnto his house for y e sayenge of all Israel was come before the kynge in to his house ye are my brethren my bone and my flesh Wherfore wyl ye then be the last to brynge the kynge agayne And saye vnto Amasa Art not thou my bone and my flesh God do this that vnto me yf thou shalt not be the chefe captayne before me in Ioabs steade as longe as thou lyuest And he bowed the hert of all the men of Iud◠as of one man And they sent vnto y e kynge Come agayne thou and all thy seruauntes So the kynge came agayne And whan he came vnto Iordane y e men of Iuda were come to Gilgal for to go downe to mete the kynge that they mighte brynge y e kynge ouer Iordane And Semei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini which dwelt at Bahurim made haist and wente downe with y e men of Iuda to mete kynge Dauid and there were with him a thousande mē of Ben Iamin Siba also the seruaunt of the house of Saul with his fyftene sonnes and twenty seruauntes gat them thorow Iordane and passed ouer y e fery that they mighte brynge ouer the kynges housholde and to do him pleasure But Semei the sonne of Gera fell downe before the kynge whan he passed ouer Iordane and sayde vnto the kynge O my lorde laye not the trespace vnto my charge thynke not vpon it that thy seruaunt vexed the in the daye whan my lorde the kynge wente out of Ierusalem and let not y e kynge take it to hert for thy seruaunt knoweth that he hath synned And beholde this daye am I come the first amonge all the house of Ioseph for to go downe to mete my lorde the kynge Neuertheles Abisai the sonne of Zeru Ia answered and sayde And shulde not Semei dye therfore seynge he hath cursed y e anoynted of y e LORDE But Dauid sayde What haue I to do with you ye children of Zeru Ia that ye wyll become Sathan vnto me this daye Shulde eny man dye this daye in
postes of Olyue tre and two dores of Pyne tre so that ether dore had two syde dores one hāginge to another and made carued worke therof palme trees and floures right as it was appoynted And he buylded a courte also within w t thre rowes of fre stone and with one rowe of playne Ceder tymber In the fourth yeare in the moneth Sif was the foundacion of the LORDES house layed and in the eleuenth yeare in the moneth Bul that is the eight moneth was the house fynished as it shulde be so that they were seuen yeare a buyldinge of it The VII Chapter BVt Salomon was a buyldinge his awne house thirtene yeare fynished it namely he buylded an house of the wodd of Libanus an hundreth cubites longe fiftye cubites wyde thirtie cubites hye fouresquared with rowes of pilers and w t carued Ceders And the rofe aboue syled he also with Cederwodd vpon the fyue fortie pilers for one rowe had fyftene pilers so y t there stode euer thre pilers one right ouer agaynst another so that euery space betwixte the pilers was one ouer agaynst another fouresquared with the pilers And he made a porche with pilers which was fiftye cubites longe and thirtie cubites brode yet a porche before it with pilers w t a greate poste He made a porche also vnto y e kynges seate wherin y e iudgment was kepte and made it to be the porche of iudgment and syled it with Ceder from the pauement vnto the pauement agayne and his owne house wherin he dwelt in y e back courte made betwene y e house and the porche like the other And like vnto the porche made he a house for Pharaos doughter whom Salomon had taken to wife All these were costly stone hewen after y e measure cut with sawes on euery syde from the grounde vnto the rofe and without the greate courte also As for the foundacions they were costly and greate stones ten and eighte cubites greate and costly fre stones theron acordinge to y e measure and Ceders But the greate courte rounde aboute had thre rowes of fre stone one rowe of playne Ceders Euen so also the courte by y e houof the LORDE within and the porch by the house And kynge Salomon sent to fetch one Hiram of Tyre a wedowes sonne of the trybe of Nephtali and his father had bene a man of Tyre which was a connynge mā in metall full of wyszdome vnderstondinge and knowlege to worke all maner of metall worke Whan he came to kynge Salomon he made all his worke and made two brasen pilers ether of them eightene cubites hye and a threde of xij cubites was the measure aboute both y e pilers and he made two knoppes of brasse molten to set aboue vpon the pilers and euery knoppe was fyue cubytes hye and on euery knoppe aboue vpon y e pilers seuē wrythen ropes like cheynes And vpon euery knoppe he made two rowes of pomgranates rounde aboute on one rope wherwith y e knoppe was couered And the knoppes were like roses before y e porche foure cubites greate And the pomgranates in the rowes rounde aboute were two hūdreth aboue and beneth vpon the rope which wēte rounde aboute the thicknes of the knoppe on euery knoppe vpon both the pilers And set vp the pilers before the porche of the temple And that which he set on the right hande called he Iachin and that which he set on the lefte hande called he Boos And so stode it aboue vpon the pilers euen like roses Thus was the worke of y e pilers fynished And he made a molten lauer ten cubytes wyde from the one syde to the other rounde aboute and fyue cubites hye and a threde of thirtie cubites lōge was y e measure rounde aboute and aboute the same lauer that was then cubites wyde there wente knoppes on the edge therof rounde aboute the lauer Two rowes were there of the knoppes molten with the lauer And it stode vpon twolue bullockes wherof thre were turned towarde the north thre towarde the west thre towarde the south and thre towarde the east and the lauer aboue theron so that all their hynder partes were within vnder the lauer wherof the thicknesse was an handbreth and the edge of it was like the edge of a cuppe and as a floured rose and it conteyned two thousande Battes And he made ten brasen seates euery one foure cubites longe and brode and thre cubites hye The seate was made so that it had sydes betwene the ledges And on the sydes betwene the ledges there were lyons bullockes and Cherubins And on y e ledges which were aboue and beneth the lyons and bullockes were the sydes made so that they were set downwardes And euery stole had foure brasen wheles with brasen axeltrees And vpon the foure corners there were proppes molten euery one ouer agaynst another vnderset vnto the kettell And the soket vpon the stole was a cubyte hye and rounde a cubyte and an halfe wyde and on the soket there were knoppes in foldes which were foure squared not rounde The foure wheles stode beneth by the sydes the axeltrees of the wheles were harde on y e seate Euery whele was a cubite and a halfe hye and they were wheles like cart wheles And their axeltrees spokes nales shaftes were all molten And the foure proppes vpō the foure corners of euery seate were harde on the seate And on the soket aboue vpon the seate a cubyte and an halfe rounde aboute there were ledges and sydes harde on the seate And on the plat of the same sydes and ledges he caused to carue Cherubins lyons and palme trees one by another rounde aboute theron After this maner made heten moltē seates one maner of measure widenes was in all And he made ten copper kettels so that one kettell cōteyned fortye Battes and was foure cubites greate and vpon euery seate was a kettell And fyue seates set he on the righte syde of the house and the other fyue on the lefte syde But the lauer set he before on the righte hande towarde the south And Hiram made pottes also and shouels and basens so fynished he all the worke that kynge Salomon caused to be made in the house of the LORDE namely y e two pilers and the rounde knoppes aboue vpon the two pilers and the two wrythen ropes to couer the two rounde knoppes vpon the pilers And the foure hūdreth pomgranates on the two wrythen ropes euer two rowes of pomgranates vnto euery rope to couer the two rounde knoppes vpon the pilers And the ten seates and ten kettels theron and the lauer and twolue bullockes vnder y e lauer And the pottes shouels and basens And all the ornamentes which Hiram made vnto kynge Salomon for the house of the LORDE were of pure metall In the countre by Iordane caused the kynge them to be molten in thicke earth betwene Sucoth and Zarthan And Salomon let
acordinge as I promysed thy father Dauid and sayde Thou shalt not wante a man from the seate of Israel But yf ye turne back fro me ye and youre childreÌ„ and kepe not my commaundementes and ordinaunces which I haue layed before you but go and serue other goddes and worshipe them then wyll I rote Israel out of the londe that I haue geuen them And the house that I haue halowed vnto my name wyll I put awaye fro my face And Israel shall be come a byworde and fabell amoÌ„ge all nacions and so shal this hye house so that euery one y t goeth by shall be astonyed and make an hyssynge and saye Wherfore hath the LORDE done thus vnto this londe and to this house Then shal it be answered Because they forsoke y e LORDE their God which brought their fathers out of the londe of Egipte and haue receaued other goddes and worshipped them and serued them Therfore hath y e LORDE brought all this euell vpon them Now whan the twentye yeares were ended wherin Salomon buylded the two houses the LORDES house and the kynges house where vnto Hiram the kynge of Tyre brought SalomoÌ„ Ceder trees Pyne trees and golde after all his desyre then gaue kynge Salomon vnto Hiram twentye cities in the countre of Galile And Hiram departed from Tyre to vyset the cities which Salomon had geuen him they pleased him not and he sayde What maner of cities are these my brother that thou hast geueÌ„ me And he called them the londe of Cabul vnto this daye And Hiram sent vnto the kynge sixe score hundreth weight of Golde And the same is the summe of the taxe that kynge Salomon raysed to the buyldinge of the house of the LORDE and his awne house Millo and the walles of Ierusalem and Hasor and Megiddo and Gaser For Pharao y e kynge of Egipte came vp and waÌ„ne Gaser brent it with fyre slewe the Cananites y t dwelt in the cite gaue it for a gifte vnto his doughter SalomoÌ„s wife So Salomon buylded Gaser the lower Bethoron and Baelath and Thamar in y e wyldernes in the londe all the cities of the corne houses that Salomon had and all the cities of the charettes all the cities of the horsmen and what it pleased him to buylde at Ierusalem in Libanus in euery countre of his domynion And all the remnaunt of the people of the Amorytes Hethites Pheresites Henites and Ieâ—usites which were not of the children of Israel their children which they lefte behynde them in the londe whom the children of Israel coulde not vtterly destroye those dyd Salomon make tributaries vnto this daye But of the children of Israel he made no bondmen but let them be men of warre and his seruauntes and prynces and knightes and ouer his charettes and horsmeÌ„ And the officers which were ouer Salomons busynesse were fyue hundreth and fyftye which ruled the people and perfourmed the worke And Pharaos doughter wente vp from the cite of Dauid in to hir house which he had buylded for her Then buylded he Millo likewyse And thre tymes in the yeare dyd Salomon offre burnt offerynges and deed offerynges vpon the altare that he had buylded vnto the LORDE and burnt incense vpon it before the LORDE and so was the house ended and fynished And Salomon made shippes also at Ezeon Geber which lyeth by Eloth besyde the Reed See shorâ— in y e londe of the Edomites And Hiram sent his seruauntes by shippe which were shipmen and had experience of the See with Salomons seruauntes and they came vnto Ophir and fetched from thence one twenty score hundreth weight of golde and bâ—ought it vnto Salomon The X. Chapter ANd whan kynge Salomons fame of the name of the LORDE came to the eares of the Quene of riche Arabia she came to proue him with darke sentences And she came to Ierusalem with a maruelous greate trayne with camels which bare spyces and moch golde and precious stones And whan she came in to kynge Salomon she spake vnto him all that was in hir hert And Salomon tolde her euery thinge and the kynge had nothinge in secrete but he tolde it her But whan the Quene of riche Arabia sawe all the wyszdome of Salomon and the house that he had buylded and the meates of his table and the dwellinges of his seruauntes the offyces of his ministers and their garmentes and his butlers and the burnt offerynges which he offred in the house of the LORDE she wondred exceadingly and coulde no longer refrayne but sayde vnto the kynge It is true that I haue herde in my londe of thy behauoure and of thy wyszdome And I wolde not beleue it tyll I came and sawe it with myne eyes and beholde the halfe hath not bene tolde me Thou hast more wyszdome and good theÌ„ the fame is that I haue herde Happye are thy people and thy seruauntes that allwaie stonde before the and heare thy wyszdome Praysed be the LORDE thy God which had soch a pleasure vnto the that he set the vpon the seate of Israel because he hath allwaye loued Israel and hath set the to be kynge that thou shuldest mantayne iustyce and equyte And she gaue the kynge syxe score hundreth weighte of golde and very moch spyce and precious stones There came neuer so moch spyce thyther as the Quene of riche Arabia gaue vnto kynge Salomon And Hirams shippes which caried golde out of Ophir broughte maruelous moch costly tymber and precious stones from Ophir And of that costly tymber the kynge caused to make pilers in the house of the LORDE and in y e kinges house and harpes and Psalteries for the Musicians There came nomore soch costly tymber nether was it sene vnto this daye And kynge Salomon gaue the quene of riche Arabia all that she desyred and axed besydes that which he gaue her of a frye hande And she returned and departed in to hir lande with hir seruauntes The golde that came to Salomon in one yeare was nyne and thyrtie score hundreth weighte besydes that which came of chapmen marchauntes and Apotecaries and of the nexte kynges and of the mightie men in the londe And kynge Salomon caused to make two hundreth speares of beaten golde sixe hundreth peces of golde put he to euery speare and thre hundreth shyldes of y e best golde euen thre pounde of golde vpon euery shylde And the kynge put them in the house of the wod of Libanus And the kynge made a greate seate of Yuery and ouerlayed it with y e most precious golde And the seate had sixe steppes and y e heade of the seate was rouÌ„de behynde And there were two postes to leane vpoÌ„ on both the sydes of the seate and two lyons stode vpon the leanynge postes and twolue lyons stode vpon the sixe steppes on both the sydes Soch one hath not bene made in eny kyngdome All kynge
of the kynges children he sayde Laye them vpon two heapes at the dore of the porte tyll tomorow And on the morow whan he wente forth he stode and sayde vnto all the people Are ye righteous Beholde I haue made an appoyntmeÌ„t against my lorde and slayne him who hath slayne all these then Vnderstonde ye now therfore that there is not fallen vpon the earth one worde of the LORDE which he spake agaynst the house of Achab and the LORDE hath done euen as he sayde by his seruaunt Elias So Iehu smote all the remnaunt of the house of Achab at Iesrael all his greate men his kynsfolkes and his prestes tyll there was not one lefte ouer And he gat him vp wente his waye and came to Samaria By the waye there was a shepherdes house where Iehu founde the brethren of Ochosias kynge of Iuda and sayde Whence are ye They sayde We are Ochosias brethren and are goynge downe to salute the kynges children and the quenes children He sayde Take them alyue And they toke them alyue and slewe them by the welles syde at the shepherdes house euen two and fortye men and let not one of them remayne And whan he wente from thence he fouÌ„de Ionadab y e sonne of Rechab which met him saluted him And he sayde vnto him Is thyne hert righte as myne hert is with thyne hert Ionadab sayde Yee Yf it be so sayde he then geue me thy hande And he gaue him his hande And so he caused him to syt besyde him in the charet and saide Come with me and se my zele for the LORDE And they caryed him with him vpon his charet And whan he came to Samaria he smote all that remayned of Achab at Samaria tyll he had destroyed him acordynge to the worde of the LORDE which he spake vnto Elias And Iehu gathered all the people together and saide vnto them Achab did Baal but litle seruyce Iehu wyll serue him better Call vnto me now therfore all Baals prophetes all his seruauÌ„tes and all his prestes that there be none wantynge for I haue a greate sacrifyce to do vnto Baal Who so euer is myssed shal not lyue But Iehu dyd it craftely that he mighte destroye all the mynisters of Baal And Iehu sayde Sanctifie y e feast vnto Baal and proclame it And Iehu sent in to all Israel and caused all Baals ministers to come so that there was nomaÌ„ lefte behynde which came not And they came in to Baals house so that the house of Baal was full from one corner to another Then sayde he vnto him that had the rule of the vestrye Brynge forth rayment for all Baals mynisters And he broughte forth the rayment And Iehu wente in to Baals house with Ionadab the sonne of Rechab and sayde vnto Baals mynisters Search and se that there be not here amoÌ„ge you eny mynyster of the LORDE but onely Baals mynisters And whan they came in to offer sacrifyces and burnt offerynges Iehu appoynted him foure score men without sayde Yf eny of these men escape whom I delyuer vnder youre handes then shal the same mans soule be for his soule Now whaÌ„ he had made an ende of the burnt offerynge Iehu sayde vnto the fotemen and knyghtes Go in smyte euery man let noman go forth And they smote theÌ„ with the edge of the swerde And the fote men and knightes threw theÌ„ awaie and weÌ„te vnto the cite of Baals house and brought forth the piler in y e house of Baal and brent it and brake downe Baals pyler with the house of Baal and made a preuy house therof vnto this daie â—hus Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel But Iehu lefte not of from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which caused Israel to synne namely from the golden calues at Bethel and at Dan. And the LORDE sayde vnto Iehu Because thou hast bene wyllinge to do that which was righte in my sighte hast done vnto Achabs house all that was in my hert therfore shall thy children syt vpon y e seate of Israel vnto the fourth generacion Neuerthelesse Iehu was not diligent to walke in the lawe of the LORDE God of Israel with all his hert for he lefte not of froÌ„ the synnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to synne At the same time beganne the LORDE to be greued at Israel For Hasael smote them in all the borders of Israel from Iordane Eastwarde and all the londe Gilead of the Gaddites Rubenites and Manassytes from Aroer that lyeth on the ryuer by Arnon and Gilead and Basan What more there is to saye of Iehu and all that he dyd and all his power beholde it is wryten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Iehu fell on slepe with his fathers they buryed him in Samaria And Ioahas his sonne was kynge in his steade The tyme that Iehu reigned ouer Israel is eight and twentye yeares at Samaria The XI Chapter AThalia the mother of Ochosias whaÌ„ she sawe that hir sonne was deed gat her vp and destroyed all the kynges sede But Ioseba kynge Iorams doughter the syster of Ochosias toke Ioas the sonne of Ochosias and stale him awaye with his norse in the chamber from amonge the kynges children which were slayne and she hyd him from Athalia so that he was not slayne And he was hyd with her in the house of the LORDE sixe yeares But Athalia was quene in the londe Neuertheles in the seuenth yeare sent Ioiada and toke the rulers ouer huÌ„dreds with the captaynes and fote men and caused theÌ„ to come to him in to the house of the LORDE and made a couenaunt with them and toke an ooth of them in the house of the LORDE and shewed them the kynges sonne and coÌ„maunded them and sayde This is it that ye shall do One thirde parte of you which enter on the Sabbath shall kepe the watch in the kynges house and one thyrde parte shal be at the porte of Sur and one thirde parte shal be at y e porte which is behynde the fote men and ye shal kepe the watch at the house of Massa. But two partes of you all that go of on the Sabbath shal kepe the watch in the house of the LORDE aboute the kinge and ye shall get you rounde aboute y e kynge and euery one with his weapen in his hande and who so euer coÌ„meth within y e wall let him die so that ye be with the kinge whaÌ„ he goeth out and in And the rulers ouer the hundreds dyd all as Ioiada the prest had commauÌ„ded them and toke vnto them their men which entred vpon the Sabbath with those that wente of on the Sabbath and came to Ioiada y e prest And the prest gaue the captaynes speares and shyldes which had bene kynge Dauids and were in the house of the LORDE And the fote men stode aboute the kynge euery one with his weapen in his hande froÌ„ the corner on the
courte and dores in the courte and ouerlayed y e dores with brasse And the lauer set he on the righte syde towarde the south east And Hiram made cauldrous shouels and basens So Hiram fynished the worke which he made for kynge Salomon in the house of God namely the two pilers with the roundels and knoppes aboue vpon both the pilers and both the wrythen ropes to couer both the roundels of y e knoppes aboue vpō the pilers and the foure hundreth pomgranates on both the wrythē ropes two rowes of pomgranates on euery rope to couer the roundels of the knoppes that were aboue vpon the pilers He made the stoles also and y e kettels vpon the stoles and a lauer and twolue bullockes there vnder And pottes shouels fleshokes and all their vessels made Hiram Abif of pure metall for kynge Salomon vnto the house of the LORDE In the coaste of Iordane dyd the kynge cause them to be molten in thicke earth betwene Suchoth and Zaredatha And Salomon made all these vessels which were so many that the weight of y e metall was not to be soughte out And Salomen made all the ornamentes for the house of God namely the golden altare the tables and the shewbreds theron the candelstickes with their lampes of pure golde to burne before the Quere acordinge to the maner and the floures and the lampes and the snoffers were of golde all these were of pure golde And the knyues basens spones and pottes were of pure golde And the intraunce and his dores within vnto the Most holy and the dores of the house of the temple were of golde Thus was all y e worke fynished which Salomon made in the house of the LORDE The V. Chapter ANd Salomon broughte in all y t his father Dauid had sanctified namely syluer and golde and all maner of ornamentes and layed them in the treasures of the house of God Thē gathered Salomon all the Elders in Israel together all y e heades of the trybes prynces of the fathers amōge the childrē of Israel vnto Ierusalē to brynge vp the Arke of the couenaunt of the LORDE out of the cite of Dauid that is Sion And there resorted vnto the kynge all the men in Israel at the feast that is in the seuenth moneth and all y e Elders in Israel came And y e Leuites toke the Arke broughte it vp with the Tabernacle of witnesse and all the holy vessels that were in the Tabernacle and y e prestes and Leuites broughte them vp As for kynge Salomon and all the cōgregacion of Israel that was gathered vnto him before the Arke they offred shepe and oxen so many that no man coulde nombre ner reken them Thus the prestes broughte the Arke of y e couenaunt of the LORDE vnto hir place in to the quere of the house euen in to y e Most holy vnder the wynges of the Cherubins so that the Cherubins spred out their wynges ouer the place of the Arke and the Cherubins couered the Arke and the staues therof from aboue And the staues were so longe y t the knoppes of them were sene from the Arke before the quere but on the outsyde were they not sene And it was there vnto this daye And there was nothinge in the Arke saue the two tables which Moses put therin at Horeb whan the LORDE made a couenaunt with the childrē of Israel what tyme as they were departed out of Egipte And whan the prestes wente out of the Sanctuary for all y e prestes that were founde sanctified them selues because the courses were not kepte the Leuites with all those that were vnder Asaph Heman Iedithun and their children and brethren beynge clothed in lynnen songe with Cymbales psalteries and harpes and stode towarde the east parte of the altare and an hundreth twentye prestes with them which blewe w t trompettes And it was as yf one dyd trompet and synge as though a voyce had bene herde of praysinge and geuynge thankes vnto the LORDE And whan the voyce arose from y e trompettes cymbales and other instrumentes of musick and from praysinge the LORDE because he is gracious and because his mercy endureth for euer the house of the LORDE was fylled on the ynsyde with a cloude so y t the prestes coulde not stonde to mynister for the cloude for the glory of the LORDE fylled the house of God The VI. Chapter THen sayde Salomon The LORDE sayde that he wolde dwell in a darck cloude I haue buylded an house to be an habitacion vnto the a seate y t thou mayest dwell there for euer And the kynge turned his face and blessed all the congregacion of Israel for the whole cōgregacion of Israel stode he sayde Praysed be the LORDE God of Israel which promysed by his mouth vnto my father Dauid and with his hande hath fulfylled it whā he sayde Sēce the tyme that I broughte my people out of the londe of Egipte I haue chosen no cite in all y e trybes of Israel to buylde an house for my name to be there nether haue I chosen eny man to be prynce ouer my people of Israel But Ierusalem haue I chosen for my name to be there Dauid haue I electe to be prynce ouer my people of Israel And whan my father Dauid was mynded to buylde an house vnto the name of the LORDE God of Israel the LORDE sayde vnto Dauid my father Where as thou wast mynded to buylde an house vnto my name thou hast done well howbeit thou shalt not buylde the house but thy sonne which shall come out of thy loynes shal buylde the house vnto my name Thus hath y e LORDE now perfourmed his worde that he spake for I am come vp in my father Dauids steade and syt vpon the seate of Israel euen as the LORDE sayde haue buylded an house vnto the name of y e LORDE God of Israel in it haue I put y e Arke wherin is the couenaunt of y e LORDE which he made with the childrē of Israel And he stode before the altare of the LORDE in the presence of the whole congregacion of Israel and spred out his handes for Salomon had made a brasen pulpit and set it in the myddes of the courte fyue cubites longe and fyue cubites brode and thre cubites hye vpon the same stode he and fell downe vpon his knees in the presence of the whole cōgregacion of Israel and helde out his handes towarde heauē and sayde O LORDE God of Israel there is no god like the nether in heauen ner vpon earth thou that kepest couenaunt and mercy for thy seruauntes that walke before the with all their hert Thou hast kepte promes w t my father Dauid thy seruaunt With thy mouth thou saydest it and with thy hande hast thou fulfylled it as it is come to passe this daye Now LORDE God of Israel make good vnto my father Dauid y i seruaunt that which thou hast promysed
y t allwaye stonde before the and heare thy wyszdome Praysed be the LORDE thy God which had soch pleasure vnto the that he hath set the vpon his seate to be kynge vnto the LORDE thy God Because thy God loueth Israel to set them vp for euer therfore hath he ordeyned y t to be kynge ouer them that thou shuldest mayntayne iustice and equyte And she gaue y e kynge an hundreth and twentye talentes of golde very moch spyce precious stones There were no mo soch spyces as these that the Quene of riche Arabia gaue vnto kynge Salomō And Hirams seruauntes and the seruauntes of Salomon which broughte golde from Ophir broughte costly tymber also precious stones And of the same costly tymber dyd Salomon cause to make stares in the house of the LORDE and the kynges house and harpes and psalteries for the Musicians There was no soch tymber sene before in the londe of Iuda But kynge Salomon gaue the Quene of riche Arabia all that she desyred and axed moch more then she had broughte vnto the kynge And she returned and departed in to hir londe with hir seruauntes The golde that was broughte vnto Salomon in one yeare was sixe hundreth and sixe and thre score talentes besydes that y e chap men and marchauntes broughte And all the kynges of the Arabians and the lordes in y e londe broughte golde and syluer vnto Salomon Of the which kynge Salomon made two hundreth speares of beaten golde so y t sixe hundreth peces of beaten golde came vpō one speare thre hundreth shildes of beaten golde so that thre hundreth peces of beaten golde came to one shylde and the kynge put thē in the house of the wod of Libanus And the kynge made a greate seate of Yuery and ouerlaied it with pure golde and the seate had sixe steppes and a fotestole of golde festened vnto the seate and it had two leanynge postes vpon both the sydes of the seate and two lyons stode beside the leanynge postes and there stode twolue Lions vpō the syxe steppes on both the sides In all realmes hath not soch one bene made And all kynge Salomons drynkynge vessels were of golde and all the vessels of the house of the wod of Libanus were of pure golde for syluer was rekened nothinge in Salomons tyme. For the kynges shippes wente vpon the See with the seruauntes of Hirā came once in thre yeare and brought golde syluer Yuery Apes and Pecockes Thus was kynge Salomon greater then all the kynges vpon earth in riches and wisdome And all the kynges of y e earth desired to se Salomons face and to heare his wysdome which God had geuen him in his hert And they brought him yearly euery mā his present Iewels of siluer and golde raymēt harnesse spyces horses and Mules And Salomon had foure thousande charethorses and twolue thousande horsmen and put them in the charetcities and with the kynge at Ierusalem And he was lorde ouer all the kynges from the water vnto the londe of the Philistynes and to the coaste of Egipte And the kynge brought it so to passe that there was as moch syluer at Ierusalem as stones and as many Ceders as there were Molbery trees in the valleys And there were horses broughte vnto him out of Egipte and out of all countres What more there is to saye of Salomon both of his first and of his last beholde it is writtē in the Cronicles of the prophet Nathan and in the prophecies of Ahia of Silo in y e actes of Ieddithe Seer against Ioroboā y e sonne of Nebat And Salomō reigned at Ierusalē ouer all Israel fortie yeares And Salomon fell on slepe w t his fathers was buried in the cyte of Dauid his father And Roboā his sonne was kīge ī his steade The X. Chapter EOboam wente vnto Sichem for all Israel was come vnto Sichem to make him kinge And whan Ieroboā the sonne of Nebat herde that which was in Egipte whither he was fled for kynge Salomon he came agayne out of Egipte And they sent for him and called him And Ieroboam came with all Israel and spake to Roboam and sayde Thy father made o r yocke greuous make thou lighter now y e harde bondage of thy father and y e heuy yocke that he layed vpon vs and we wyll submytte oure selues vnto the. He sayde vnto them Come to me agayne ouer thre dayes And y e people wente their waye And Roboam the kynge axed coūcell at the Elders which had stonde before Salomon his father whyle he lyued and he sayde What is youre councell that I maye geue this people an answere They spake vnto him and sayde Yf thou be louynge vnto this people and deale gently with them and geue them good wordes then shal they allwaye be obedient vnto the. Neuerthelesse he forsoke the councell of the Elders that they had geuen him and toke councell at y t yonge men which were growne vp w t him and stode before him And he sayde vnto thē What is youre councell that we maye answere this people which haue spoken vnto me and saide Make oure yock lighter y t thy father layed vpon vs The yongemen y t were growne vp with him spake vnto him and sayde Thus shalt thou saye vnto the people that haue talked with the spoken Thy father made oure yock to heuy make thou o r yock lighter Thus shalt thou saye vnto them My litle finger shal be thicker then my fathers loynes Yf my father hath layed an heuy yock vpon you I wyl make youre yock the more My father chastened you w t scourges but I wyl beate you with scorpions Now whan Ieroboam and all the people came to Roboam on the thirde daye acordynge as y e kinge sayde Come to me againe on the thirde daie the kynge gaue thē an harde answere And Roboā the kynge forsoke y e councell of the Elders spake vnto thē after y e yonge mens councell sayde Yf my father haue made yo r yock to heuy I wil make it yet heuyer My father chastened you w t scourges but I wyl beate you w t scorpiōs Thus the kynge folowed not y e peoples minde for so was it determyned of God y t y e LORDE might stablishe his worde which he spake by Ahia of Silo vnto Ieroboā y e sonne of Nebat But whan all Israel sawe that the kynge wolde not consente vnto them ▪ y e people answered the kynge and sayde What porcion haue we then in Dauid or inheritaūce in the sonne of Isai Let euery man of Israel get him to his tent Loke thou now to thy house Dauid And all Israel wente vnto their tentes so that Roboam reigned but ouer the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Iuda And Roboam sent forth Adoram the rent gatherer but the children of Israel stoned him to death And kynge Roboā strengthed himselfe vpon his charet to flye vnto Ierusalem Thus
that maried wyues of Asdod Ammon and of Moab and their children spake halfe in the speache of Asdod and coulde not speake in y e Iewish language but by y e tonge mighte a mā perceaue euery people And I reproued them and cursed them smote certayne men of thē and plucte them vp and toke an ooth of them by God Ye shal not geue youre daughters vnto their sonnes nether shal ye take their daughters vnto youre sonnes or for youre selues Dyd not Salomon y e kynge of Israel synne ther in yet amonge many Heythen was there no kynge like him he was deare vnto his God and God made him kynge ouer all Israel and the outlandish wemen And one of the children of Ioiada the sonne of Eliasib y e hye prest had made a cōtracte wyth Saneballath the Horonite but I chaced him fro me O my God thynke thou vpon them that are quyte of the presthode and haue desyled the couenaunt of the presthode and of the Leuites Thus clensed I them from all soch as were outlandish and appoynted the courses of the prestes and Leuites euery one to his office and to offre the wod at tymes appoynted and the first frutes Thynke thou vpon me O my God for the best The ende of the seconde boke of Eszdras otherwyse called the boke of Nehemias The boke of Hester What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Ahasuerus maketh a greate feast to his lordes and prynces calleth for Vasthi the quene she commeth not therfore is she deposed from the kyngdome Chap. II. Amonge the daughters Hester pleaseth the kynge Mardocheus geueth the kynge warnynge of his harme Chap. III. Amā is greate with the kynge hateth Mardocheus that wil not worshippe him and cōmaundeth to slaye all the Iewes Chap. IIII. Greate heuynes amonge the Iewes Chap. V. Hester cōmeth before the kynge and byddeth him and Aman to a feast Aman maketh a galowe for Mardocheus Chap. VI. Mardocheus is recompensed for his frendshippe shewed vnto the kynge Chap. VII Hester prayeth for hir people Aman is hanged on the galowe that he had prepared for Mardocheus Chap. VIII The kynge geueth Amās house vnto the quene and at hir request he causeth Amās wrytinges to be called agayne Chap. IX Amans sonnes are hanged also and many enemyes slayne The Iewes kepe a ioyfull feast Chap. X. Of the auctorite of Mardocheus vnder the kynge The first Chapter IN the tyme of Ahasuerus which reigned from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentye londes what tyme as he sat on his seate roiall in the castell of Susan in the thirde yeare of his reigne he made a feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes namely vnto the mihgtie men of Persia and Media to the Debities and rulers of his countrees that he mighte shewe the noble riches of his kingdome and the glorious worshippe of his greatnesse many dayes longe euen an hundreth and foure score dayes And whan these dayes were expyred the kynge made a feast vnto all the people that were in the castell of Susan both vnto greate and small seuen dayes longe in the courte of the garden by the kynges palace where there hanged whyte reed yalow clothes fastened with coardes of lynnen and scarlet in siluer rynges vpon pylers of Marble stone The benches were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of grene white yalow◠and black Marble And y e drinke was caried in vessels of golde and there was euer chaunge of vessell And the kinges wine was moch acordynge to the power of the kynge And no man was appoynted what he shulde drinke for the kynge had commaunded all the officers of his house that euery one shulde do as it lyked him And the quene Vasthi made a feast also for the wemen in the palace of Ahasuerus And on the seuenth daye whan the kynge was mery of the wine he cōmaunded Mehuman Bistha Harbona Bigtha Abagtha Sethar and Charcas the seuen chamberlaynes that dyd seruyce in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus to fetch the quene Vasthi with the crowne regall that he might shewe y e people and prynces hir fairnesse for she was bewtifull But the quene Vasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes Then was the kynge very wroth and his indignaciō kyndled in him And the kynge spake to y e wyse men that had vnderstondinge in the ordinaunces of the londe for the kinges matters must be hādled before all soch as haue knowlege of the lawe and iudgment And the nexte vnto him were Charsena Sethar Admatha Tharsis Meres Marsena and Memuchan the seuen prynces of the Persiās and Meedes which sawe the kynges face and satt aboue in the kyngdome What lawe shulde be execute vpon the quene Vasthi because she dyd not acordynge to the worde of the kynge by his chamberlaines Thē saide Memuchā before the kynge the prynces The quene Vasthi hath not onely done euell agaynst the kinge but also agaynst all the prynces and all the people in all the londes of kynge Ahasuerus for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all wemen so that they shall despyse their huszbandes before their eyes and shall saye The kynge Ahasuers cōmaunded Vasthi y e quene to come before him but she wolde not And so shall the pryncesses in Persia and Media saye lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces whan they heare of this dede of the quene thus shall there aryse despytefulnes and wrath ynough Yf it please the kynge let there go a kyngly commaundemēt from him and let it be wrytten acordynge to the lawe of the Persians and Median◠and not to be transgressed that Vasthi come nomore before kynge Ahasuerus and let the kynge geue the kyngdome vnto another that is better then she And y t this wrytinge of the kynge which shal be made be published thorow out all his empyre which is greate that all wyues maye holde their huszbandes in honoure both amonge greate and smal This pleased the kynge and the prynces and the kynge dyd acordynge to the worde of Memuchan Then were there letters sent forth in to all the kynges londes in to euery londe acordinge to the wrytinge ther of and to euery people after their lāguage y t euery man shulde be lorde in his awne house And this caused he be spoken after the language of his people The II Chapter AFter these actes whan the displeasure of kynge Ahasuerus was layed he thoughte vpon Vasthi what she had done and what was concluded concernynge her Then sayde the kynges seruauntes Let there be fayre yonge virgins soughte for the kynge and let the kynge appoynte ouerseers in all y e londes of his empyre that they maye brynge together all fayre yonge virgins vnto the castel of Susan to the Wemens buyldinge vnder the hande of Hegai the kynges clamberlayne that kepeth the wemen and let him geue them their apparell And loke which damsell pleaseth the kynge let her be quene in Vasthis steade This
pleased the kynge and he dyd so In the castell of Susan there was a Iewe whose name was Mardocheus the sonne of Iair the sonne of Simei the sonne of Cis the sonne of Iemini which was caried awaye from Ierusalem whan Iechonias the kynge of Iuda was led awaye whom Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon caried awaye and he norished Hadassa that is Hester his vncles daughter for she had nether father ner mother and she was a fayre and beutyfull damsell And whan hir father and mother dyed Mardocheus receaued her as his awne daughter Now whan y e kynges coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and coÌ„myssion was published many daÌ„sels were broughte together vnto the castell of Susan vnder y e hande of Hegai Hester was takeÌ„ also vnto y e kynges house vnder y e hande of Hegai y e keper of y e wemeÌ„ the damsell pleased him she founde grace in his sighte And he put her w t hir maydeÌ„s in y e best place of y e WomeÌ„s buildiÌ„ge And Hester shewed it not vnto hir people hir kynred for Mardocheus had charged her y t she shulde not tell it And Mardocheus walked euery daye before y e courte of y e WomeÌ„s buyldinge y t he might knowe how Hester dyd and what shulde be come of her And whan the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde come to y e kynge Ahasuerus after that she had bene twolue monethes in the deckynge of the wemen for their deckynge must haue so moch tyme namely sixe monethes with Balme Myrre sixe monethes w t good spyces so were the wemeÌ„ beutifyed then wente there one damsell vnto y e kynge and what so euer she requyred y t must be geueÌ„ her to go w t her out of the Womens buyldinge vnto y e kynges palace And whan one came in the euenynge y e same weÌ„te froÌ„ him on y e morow in to y e seconde house of wemen vnder the hande of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne which kepte y e concubines And she must come vnto the kynge nomore excepte it pleased the kynge and that he caused her to be called by name Now whan the tyme came of Hester the daughter of Abihail Mardocheus vncle whom he had receaued as his awne daughter y t she shulde come to the kynge she desyred nothinge but what Hegai the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the wemen sayde And Hester founde fauoure in the sighte of all them that loked vpon her And Hester was taken vnto kynge Ahasuerus in to the house royall in the tenth moneth which is called Tebeth in the seuenthe yeare of his reigne And the kynge loued Hester aboue all the wemen and she founde grace and mercy in his sighte before all the virgins and he set the quenes croune vpon hir heade and made her quene in steade of Vasthi And the kynke made a 〈◊〉 feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes â—hâ—ch feast was because of Hester and let the londes be in quyetnes gaue royall giftes And whan the virgins were gathered together the seconde tyme Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate And as yet had not Hester shewed hir kynred and hir people acordinge as Mardocheus had bydden her for Hester dyd after the worde of Mardocheus like as whan he was hir tutoure At the same tyme whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate two of the kinges chamberlaynes â–ª Bigthan and There 's which kepte the dore were wroth and sought to laye their handes on the kynge Ahasuerus Wherof Mardocheus gat knowlege and tolde it vnto quene Hester and Hester certified the kynge therof in Mardocheus name And whan inquisicion was made it was founde so And they were both hanged on tre and it was wrytteÌ„ in the Cronicles before the kynge The III. Chapter AFter these actes dyd the kynge promote Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite vnd set him hye set his seate aboue all y e prynces that were with him And all the kynges seruauntes that were in the gate bowed their knees and dyd reuerence vnto Aman for the kinge had so coÌ„maunded But Mardocheus bowed not the knee and worshipped him not Then the kynges seruauntes which were in the kynges gate sayde vnto Mardocheus Why transgressest thou the kynges commaundement And whan they spake this daylie vnto him and he folowed them not they tolde Aman that they mighte se whether Mardocheus matters wolde endure for he had tolde them y t he was a Iewe. And whaÌ„ Aman sawe that Mardocheus bowed not the knee vnto him ner worshipped him he was full of indignacion despyte that he shulde laye hondes onely on Mardocheus for they had shewed him y e people of Mardocheus but he sought to destroye the people of Mardocheus and all the people that were in the whole empyre of Ahasuerus In the first moneth that is the moneth Nissan in y e twolueth yeare of kinge Ahasuerus was there occasion and oportunyte sought by Aman from one daye to another and from the same moneth vnto the twolueth moneth that is the moneth Adar And AmaÌ„ sayde vnto kinge Ahasuerus There is a people scatered abrode and dispersed amonge all people in all the londes of thine empire and their lawe is coÌ„trary vnto all people and they do not after the kynges lawes nether is it the kinges profit to suffre theÌ„ after this maner Yf it please the kynge let him wryte that they maye be destroyed so wil I weye downe ten thousande talentes of siluer vnder the handes of the workmen to be brought in to the kynges chamber Then toke the kynge his rynge from his hande and gaue it vnto Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite the Iewes enemie And the kinge sayde vnto Aman Let the siluer be geuen the and that people also to do withall what pleaseth the. Then were the kynges scrybes called on y e thirtenth daye of the first moneth there was wrytten acordynge as Aman commauÌ„ded vnto the kynges prynces and to the Debites euery where in the londes and to the captaynes of euery people in the countrees on euery syde acordynge to the wrytinge of euery nacion and after their language in the name of kynge Ahasuerus and sealed with the kynges rynge And the wrytynges were sent by postes in to all the kynges loÌ„des to rote out to kyll and to destroye all Iewes both yonge and olde childreÌ„ and wemen in one daye namely vpon the thirtenth daye of the twolueth moneth which is the moneth Adar and to spoyle their goodes This was the summe of the wrytinge y t there shulde be a commaundement geuen in all londes to be published vnto all people y t they shulde be ready agaynst the same daye And the postes wente in all the haist acordynge to the kynges commaundement And in the castell of Susan was the coÌ„maundement deuysed And the kynge Aman sat dranke But y e cite of Susan was disquieted The IIII. Chapter WHan Mardocheus perceaued all that was done he reÌ„te his clothes and
put on a sack cloth aszshes wente out in to the myddes of the cite and cried loude and lamentably and came before the kynges gate for there might no man entre within the kynges gate that had a sack cloth on And in all lōdes places as farre as the kynges worde and commaundement extended there was greate lamentacion amonge the Iewes and many fasted wepte mourned laye in sack clothes in aszshes So Hesters dāsels and hir chamberlaines came and tolde it her Then was the quene exceadingly astonnyed And she sent rayment that Mardocheus shulde put them on and laye the sacklothe from him But Mardocheus wolde not take them Thē called Hester Hathac one of the kinges chamberlaines which stode before her and gaue him a cōmaundement vnto Mardocheus that he might knowe what it were and wherfore he dyd so So Hathac wente forth to Mardocheus vnto the strete of the cite which was before the kynges gate And Mardocheus tolde him of all y t had happened vnto him and of the summe of siluer that Amā had promysed to weie downe in the kynges chamber because of y e Iewes for to destroye them and he gaue him the copye of the commaundement that was deuysed at Susan to destroye them that he mighte shewe it vnto Hester and to speake to her and charge her y t she shulde go in to the kynge and make her prayer and supplicacion vnto him for hir people And whā Hathat came in and tolde Hester the wordes of Mardocheus Hester spake vnto Hathat and cōmaunded him to saye vnto Mardocheus All the kynges seruauntes and the people in the londes of the kynge knowe that who so euer commeth within the courte vnto y e kynge whether it be man or woman which is not called the cōmaundement is that the same shal dye immediatly excepte the kynge holde out the goldē cepter vnto him that he maye lyue As for me I haue not bene called to come in to the kynge now this thirtie dayes And whā Mardocheus was certified of Hesters wordes Mardocheus bad saie againe vnto Hester Thynke not to saue thine awne life whyle thou art in y e kynges house before all Iewes for yf thou holdest thy peace at this tyme then shal the Iewes haue helpe and delyueraunce out of another place thou thy fathers house shal be destroyed And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kyngdome for this tymes sake Hester had geue Mardocheus this answere Go thou y t waye then gather together all y e Iewes y t are founde at Susan fast ye for me y t ye eate not drynke not in thre dayes nether daye ner nighte I my damsels wil fast likewyse so wyl I go in to the kynge cōtrary to the cōmaundement yf I perishe I perishe So Mardocheus wente his waye dyd all y t Hester had cōmaunded him The V. Chapter ANd on the thirde daye put Hester on hir royall apparell and stode in the courte of y e kinges palace within ouer agaynst the kynges house And y e kynge sat vpō his royall seate in y e kynges palace ouer agaynst y e dore of the house And whan the kynge sawe Hester the quene stōdinge in the courte she founde grace in his sighte And y e kynge helde out the goldē cepter in his hāde towarde Hester So Hester stepte forth and touched the toppe of y e cepter Then sayde y e kynge vnto her What wilt thou quene Hester ▪ what requyrest thou axe euē the halfe of y e empyre it shal be geuē the. Hester sayde Yf it please y e kynge let y e kynge Aman come this daye vnto y e banket y t I haue prepared The kynge sayde Cause Aman to make haist y t he maye do as Hester hath saide Now whā the kynge Aman came to y e banket y t Hester had prepared the kynge sayde vnto Hester whan he had dronken wyne Hester what is thy peticion it shal be geuē the. And what requyrest thou euen the halfe of the empyre it shal be done Then answered Hester and sayde My peticion and desire is yf I haue founde grace in y e sight of the kynge yf it please the kinge to geue me my peticion and to fulfill my request then let the kynge Aman come to the bancket y t I shal prepare for thē and so wil I do tomorow as the kynge hath sayde Then wente Aman forth the same daye ioyfull and mery in his mynde And whan he sawe Mardocheus in the kynges gate y t he stode not vp and kneled before him he was full of indignacion at Mardocheus Neuertheles he refrained himselfe and whā he came home he sent and called for his frēdes and Seres his wyfe and tolde them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children all together how the kynge had promoted him so greatly and how that he was taken aboue the prynces and seruauntes of the kynge Aman sayde morouer Ye◠and Hester the quene let no man come with the kynge vnto the bancket that she had prepared excepte me and tomorow am I bidden vnto her also with the kynge But in all this am I not satisfied as longe as I se Mardocheus the Iewe syttinge in y e kynges gate Then sayde Seres his wife and all his frendes vnto him Let thē make a galowe of fiftye cubites hie tomorow speake thou vnto the kynge that Mardocheus maye be hanged theron yf thou cōmest merely with the kynge vnto the bancket Aman was well content withall and caused a galowe to be prepared The VI. Chapter THe same night coulde not the kynge slepe and he commaunded to brynge y e Cronicles and storyes which whā they were red before y e kinge they happened on the place where it was wryttē how Mardocheus had tolde that the kynges two chāberlaynes which kepte y e tresholdes sought to laie hondes on kinge Ahasuerus And the kynge saide What worshippe and good haue we done to Mardocheus therfore Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that mynistred vnto him There is nothinge done for him And the kynge sayde Who is in y e courte for Aman was gone in to y e courte without before y e kinges house y t he might speake vnto y e kinge to hange Mardocheus on y e tre y t he had prepared for him And the kinges seruauntes saide vnto him Beholde Amā stōdeth in the courte The kynge saide Let him come in And whā Amā came in y e kinge saide vnto him What shal be done vnto y e mā whom the kynge wolde fayne brynge vnto worshippe But Hamā thought in his hert Whom shulde the kynge els be glad to brynge vnto worshippe but me And Aman sayde vnto the kynge Let the man vnto whom the kynge wolde be glad to do worshippe be broughte hither that he maye be araied with the royall garmentes which the kynge vseth to weere and the horse that the kynge rydeth vpon and
are true and his wayes right As for those that go on proudly he is able to brī bringe them downe The V. Chapter BAlthasar the kynge made a greate bancket to his thousande lordes withall these thousande he made greate cheare and when he was dronken w t wyne he commaunded to brynge him y e golden and syluer vessel which his father Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple at Ierusalem that the kynge and his lordes with his quene and concubynes might drīke therout So they brought the golden vessel that was takē out of the temple of the LORDES house at Ierusalem Then the kynge and his lordes with his quene and concubines dronke out of them They dronke wyne and praysed their Idols of golde syluer copper yron wodde and stone In the very same houre there appeared fyngers as it had bene of a mans honde writynge right ouer agaynst the candelsticke vpon the playne wall in the kynges palace and the kynge sawe the palme of y e honde y t wrote Then chaunged the kynge his countenaunce and his thoughtes troubled him so that the ioyntes off his body shoke and his knees smote one agaynst the other Wherfore the kynge cryed mightely that thy shulde brynge him the charmers Caldees and coniurers of deuels The kynge spake also to the wysemen of Babilon and sayde Who so can rede this wrytynge and shewe me the playne meanynge theroff shall be clothed with purple haue a cheyne off golde aboute his necke and rule the thirde parte off my kyngdome Vpon this came all the kynges wyse men but they coude nether rede the wrytinge 〈◊〉 shewe the kynge what it signified Thē was the kynge sore afrayed in so moch that his coloure chaunged and his lordes were so sorevexed So by reason off this matter y t had happened to the kynge his lordes the quene went vp herself in to the bancket house and spake vnto the kynge sayenge O kynge God saue thy life for euer Let not y t thoughtes trouble the and let not thy countenaunce be chaunged For why there is a man in y e kyngdome that hath the sprete off the holy goddes within him as it was sene in thy fathers dayes He hath vnderstondinge ād wysdome like the goddes Yee the kynge Nabuchodonosor thy father made this man chest of the soythsayers charmers Caldees and deuel coniurers because that soch an abundaunt sprete knowlege wisdome to expoūde dreames to open secretes and to declare harde dowtes was founde in him yee euen in Daniel whom the kynge named Balthasar Let this same Daniel be sente for and he shall tell what it meaneth Then was Daniel brought before the kinge So the kynge spake vnto Daniel and sayde Art thou that Daniel one off the presoners of Iuda whom my father the kynge brought out of Iewry I haue herde speake of the that thou hast the sprete of the holy goddes experience and vnderstōdinge and that there hath bene greate wisdome founde in the. Now haue there bene brought me wise and connynge charmers to rede this wrytynge and to shewe me the meanynge theroff But they coude not tell me what this matter signified Then herde I saye y t thou canst expounde darcke thinges and declare harde doutes Well than yf thou canst rode this writinge and shewe me the meaninge therof thou shalt be clothed w t purple haue a cheyne of golde aboute thy necke rule the thirde parte of my kyngdome Daniel answered and sayde before y e kynge As for thy rewardes kepe them to thy self or geue y e rych giftes to another yet not thelesse I wil rede the wrytynge vnto y e kinge and shewe him the interpretacion therof O kinge God the hyest gaue vnto Nabuchodonosor thy father y e dignite of a kynge w t worshipe hono r so y t all people kynreddes tunges stode in awe feare of him by reason off the hye estate that he had lent him For why he slewe whom he wolde he smoke whom it pleased him Agayne whom he wolde he set vp and whom he list he put downe But because his herte was so proude and his stomack set fast vnto wylfulnesse he was deposed from his kyngly trone and his magesty was taken from him He was shot out from amonge men his herte was like a beestes herte and his dwellynge was with the wylde Asses he was fayne to eate grasse like an oxe and his body was wet with the dew off the heauen till he knewe that the hyest had power vpon the kyngdomes of men and setteth ouer them whom he list And thou his sonne o Balthasar for all this hast not submitted thine hert though thou knewest all these thinges but hast magnified thy selff aboue the LORDE off heauen so that the vessels off his house were brought before the that thou and thy lordes with thy quene and concubynes might drynke wyne therout And hast praysed the Idols of syluer and golde copper and yron off wodde stone As for the God in whose honde consisteth thy breth ād all thy wayes thou hast not loaued him Therfore is the palme off this honde sent hither from him to token vp this wrytinge And this is the scripture that is written vp Mane Thetel Phares Now the interpretacion off the thynge is this Mane God hath nombred thy kyngdome and brought it to an ende Thetel Thou art weyed in the balaunce and art founde to light Phares Thy kyngdome is delt in partes and geuen to the Medes and Perses Then commaunded Balthasar to cloth Daniel with purple to hange a cheyne off golde aboute his necke and to make a proclamacion concernynge him that he shulde be the ruler off the thirde parte off his kyngdome The very same night was Balthasar the kynge off the Caldees slayne and Darius out of Media toke in the kyngdome beynge lxij yeare off age The VI. Chapter IT pleased Darius to set ouer his kīgdome an C and xx lordes which shulde be in all his kingdome aboute Aboue these he set thre prynces off whom Daniel was one that the lordes might geue accomptes vnto them and the kynge to be vndiseased But Daniel exceaded all these princes ād lordes for the sprete off God was plenteous in him so that the kynge was mynded to set him ouer the whole realme Wherfore the prynces and lordes sought to pyke out in Daniel some quarel agaynst the kyngdome yet coude they fynde none occasion ner fawte vpon him For why he was so faythful y t there was no blame ner dishonesty founde in him Then sayde these men we will get no quarell agaynst this Daniel excepte it be in the lawe off his God Vpon this wente the princes and lordes together vnto the kynge and sayde thus vnto him kynge Darius God saue thy life for euer All the great estates off the realme as y e prynces dukes senatours and iudges are determed to put out a commaundement off y e kynge and to make a sure
go Then sayde y e LORDE vnto Moses Aaron Take youre handes full of aszshes out of the fornace let Moses sprenkle it towarde heauen before Pharao that it maye be dust in all the lande of Egipte that there maye be sores blaynes vpon men vpon catell in all the lande of Egipte And they toke aszshes out of y e fornace stode before Pharao Moses sprenkled it towarde heaueÌ„ Then were there sores and blaynes vpon men vpon catell so that the Sorcerers might not stoÌ„de before Moses by reason of the sores For there were sores vpoÌ„ the Sorcerers as well as vpon all the Egipcians But the LORDE hardened Pharaos hert so that he herkened not vnto them eueÌ„ as the LORDE had sayde vnto Moses Then sayde the LORDE vnto Moses Get the vp tomorow by tymes stonde before Pharao speake vnto him Thus sayeth y e LORDE God of the Hebrues let my people go y t they maye serue me els wyll I at this tyme sende all my plages in to thine hert vpon thy seruauÌ„tes vpon thy people that thou mayest knowe y t there is none like me in all londes For I will now stretch out my hande smyte the thy people w t pestilence so y t thou shalt be roted out from the earth Yet haue I stered y e vp for this cause euen to shew my power vpon y e and that my name might be declared in all londes Thou holdest my people yet wilt not let them go beholde tomorow aboute this tyme wyll I cause a mightie greate hayle to rayne soch as hath not bene in the londe of Egipte sence the tyme that it was grouÌ„ded hither to And now sende thou saue thy catell all y t thou hast in the felde for all men catell that shal be founde in the felde not brought in to the houses yf the hayle fall vpon them they shall dye Now who so feared the worde of the LORDE amonge Pharaos seruauntes caused his seruauntes catell to flye in to the houses but loke whose hertes regarded not the worde of y e LORDE left their seruauntes and catell in the felde Then sayde the LORDE vnto Moses Strech out thy hande towarde heaueÌ„ that it maye hayle vpon all the lande of Egipte vpon men vpon catell vpon all herbes of the felde in the lande of Egipte So Moses stretched out his staff towarde heauen and the LORDE caused it to thonder hayle so y t the fyre ranne alonge vpon the earth Thus the LORDE hayled rayned vpon the londe of Egipte so that the hayle fyre wente so horrybly together as neuer was in all the laÌ„de of Egipte sens the tyme that there were people therin And the hayle smote the whole lande of Egipte all that was vpon y e felde both men catell smote all the herbes vpon the felde brake all the trees vpon y e felde saue onely in the lande of Gosen where the childreÌ„ of Israel were there it hayled not Then sent Pharao called for Moses Aaron sayde vnto them Now haue I synned y e LORDE is righteous but I my people are vngodly Yet praye ye vnto the LORDE that the thonder hayle of God maye ceasse then wyl I let you go that ye shal tary here no longer Moses sayde vnto him Whan I am come out of the cite I wyll stretch out myne handes vnto the LORDE so shal the thonder ceasse there shal be nomore hayle that thou mayest knowe that the earth is the LORDES But I knowe y t both thou thy seruauntes feare not yet the LORDE God Thus the flax and the barlye were smytten for the barlye was shot vp y e flax was boulled but the wheate and y e râ—e were not smytten for they were late sowen So Moses wente from Pharao out of y e cite stretched out his haÌ„des vnto y e LORDE And y e thoÌ„der the hayle ceassed the rayne dropped not vpoÌ„ the earth But whaÌ„ Pharao sawe y t the rayne thonder hayle ceassed he synned agayne and herdened his hert he his seruauntes So Pharaos hert was hardened y t he let not the childreÌ„ of Israel go eueÌ„ as the LORDE had sayde by Moses The X. Chapter ANd the LORDE saide vnto Moses Go in vnto Pharao for I haue hardened his hert the hertes of his seruauÌ„tes y t I might do these my tokeÌ„s amonge theÌ„ that thou mightest shewe it in the eares of thy children of thy childers children what I haue done in Egipte and how I haue shewed my tokens amoÌ„ge theÌ„ that ye maye knowe how that I am the LORDE So Moses Aaron wente in vnto Pharao spake vnto him Thus sayeth y e LORDE God of the Hebrues How longe refusest thou to submyt thy self vnto me to let my people go y t they maye serue me Yf thou wilt not let my people go beholde tomorow wil I cause greshoppers to come vpon all places y t they maye couer the lande so y t the lande can not be sene they shal eate vp y t is left you was delyuered froÌ„ the hayle shal eate vp all yo r grene trees vpon the felde shal fyll thy house all y e seruauÌ„tes houses all the Egipcians houses soch as y e fathers y e fathers fathers haue not sene sens the tyme y t they were vpon earth vnto this daye And he turned him wente out from Pharao Then saide Pharaos seruauntes vnto him How longe shall we be snared after this maner Let the men go that they may serue y e LORDE their God Knowest thou not yet y t Egipte is destroyed Moses Aaron were brought agayne to Pharao which saide vnto them Go yo r waye serue y e LORDE yo r God But who are they y t shall go Moses sayde We wil go w t yonge olde w t sonnes and doughters with shepe and oxeÌ„ â–ª for we haue a feast of the LORDE He sayde vnto theÌ„ Let it be so the LORDE be with you Shulde I let you go yo r childreÌ„ also loke that ye haue not some myschefe in haÌ„de Not so but go ye that are men and serue the LORDE for that was youre desyre And they thrust them out from Pharao TheÌ„ saide y e LORDE vnto Moses Stretch out thine hande ouer y e londe of Egipte for the greshoppers y t they maye come vpoÌ„ y e londe of Egipte eate vp all the herbes in the londe w t all y t escaped the hayle Moses stretched out his staff ouer y e lande of Egipte the LORDE brought an east wynde in to the londe all y t daye all y t night in the mornynge the east wynde brought the greshoppers And they came ouer the whole lande of Egipte and lighted in all places of Egipte so exceadinge many that before tyme there were neuer soch nether
I ▪ Adonias seketh his fathers kyngdome Salomon is ordeyned kynge Chap. II. Dauid before his death exhorteth Salomō to godlynes Adonias Ioab and Semei are put to death Abiathar is deposed from the presthode Chap. III. Salomō optayneth wyszdome of God The wise sentence of Salomon betwene the two wemen that stroue for the childe Chap. IIII. The descripcion of Salomons kyngdome and of his wyszdome Chap. V. Hiram the kinge of Tyre sendeth Salomon connynge craftesmen to buylde the Temple Chap. VI. The descripcion of the time whā Salomon beganne to buylde the Temple and how it was buylded Chap. VII Salomon buyldeth himselfe an house of the tymber of mount Libanus Chap. VIII The Arke of the LORDE is brought in to Salomons temple The thankesgeuynge and prayer of Salomon Chap. IX The LORDE appeareth vnto Salomon which geueth Hiram twenty cities c. Chap. X. Quene Saba hearynge of Salomons wyszdome commeth to Ierusalem Chap. XI Salomon displeaseth God with the loue of Heythenysh wemen God deuydeth his kyngdome he dyeth Chap. XII Roboam foloweth yonge councell and maketh the people to cleue to Ieroboam which setteth vp Idolatry with the two golden calues Chap. XIII Ieroboam despiseth the prophet of the LORDE is punyshed receaued to grace agayne A Lyon slayeth the dishobedient prophet Chap. XIIII Ieroboam dyeth his sonne Nadab is kynge Of Roboams dominion Chap. XV. Abia reigneth in Iuda after hī reigneth Asa which hath warre with Baasa the kynge of Israel After him reigneth Iosaphath and Baesa dyeth Chap. XVI Ella reigneth in steade of his father Baesa Simri slayeth him and taketh the kyngdome The people are deuided Achab is kynge Chap. XVII A greate drouth derth in Elias tyme. The LORDE fedeth him thorow the Rauens and by the wedowe at Sarepta Chap. XVIII Elias commeth agayne vnto Achab. All Baals prestes are slayne Chap. XIX Iesebel threateneth Elias he flieth and is fed and strengthed by the angell The LORDE talketh with him vpon mount Horeb ▪ Eliseus is called Chap. XX. Benadab the kynge of Siria fighteth agaynst Samaria and Israel is ouercome and discomfited Chap. XXI Achab oppresseth Naboth for his vynyarde Elias rebuketh him Chap. XXII Iosaphat ande Achab helpe one another to fighte The prophet Micheas warueth them The first Chapter ANd whā kinge Dauid was olde well stryckē in age he coulde not be warme though he was couered with clothes Then sayde his seruauntes vnto him Let vs seke a yonge damsell a virgin for oure lorde the kynge to stonde before the kynge and to norish him to slepe in his armes and to warme oure lorde the kynge And they sought a fayre dāsell in all the coastes of Israel and founde Abisag of Sunem and brought her vnto y e kynge And she was a very fayre damsell and noryshed y e kynge and serued him Howbeit the kynge knewe her not Adonias y e sonne of Hagith lifte vp him selfe and sayde I wyl be kynge And he prepared him charettes and horsmen and fyftie men to be renners on fote before him And his father reproued hī not therfore so moch as to saye Wherfore doest thou so And he was a man of a very fayre bewtye and he had begotten him nexte after Absalō And his matter stode by Ioab y e sonne of Zeru Ia and by Abiathar the prest which helped Adonias But Sadoc the prest and Benaia the sonne of Ioiada and Nathan the prest and Semei and Rei and Dauids Worthies were not with Adonias And whā Adonias offred shepe and oxē and fat catell besyde the stone of Soheleth which lyeth by the well of Rogel he called all his brethrē the kynges sonnes and all the men of Iuda the kynges seruaūtes But the prophet Nathan and Benaia and the Worthies and his brother Salomon called he not Then sayde Nathan vnto Bethseba Salomons mother Hast thou not herde y t Adonias is kynge and oure lorde Dauid knoweth not therof Come now therfore I wyll geue the councell that thou mayest delyuer thy soule and the soule of thy sonne Salomon Come now and go in to kinge Dauid and saye vnto him Hast not thou my lorde the kynge sworne and sayde vnto thy handmayden Salomon thy sonne shall be kynge after me and he shall sytt vpon my seate Why is then Adonias made kynge Beholde while thou art yet there and talkest with the kynge I wyll come in after the and tell forth thy tayle And Bethseba wente in to the kynge to y e chamber And the kynge was very olde And Abisag of Sunem serued the kynge And Bethseba bowed hirselfe and worshipped the kynge The kynge sayde What wilt thou She sayde vnto him My lorde Thou hast sworne vnto thy handmayde by the LORDE thy God Thy sonne Salomon shall be kynge after me and syt vpon my seate But now lo Adonias is kynge and my lorde the kynge knoweth it not He hath offred oxen and fat catell and many shepe and hath called all the kynges sonnes and Abiathar the prest and Ioab the chefe captayne But thy seruaunt Salomon hath he not bydden Neuertheles thou my lorde art kynge the eyes of all Israel loke vnto the. that thou shuldest shewe them who shall syt vpon the seate of my lorde the kynge after the. And whā my lorde the kynge slepeth with his fathers then shal I and my sonne Salomon be fayne to be synners But whyle she yet spake to the kynge the prophet Nathan came and she tolde y e kinge beholde there is the prophet Nathan And whan he came in before the kynge he worshipped the kynge vpon his face to the grounde and sayde My lorde O kynge hast thou saide Adonias shal be kinge after me syt vpō my seate For he is gone downe this daye and hath offred oxen and fat catell hath called all the kynges sonnes and the captaynes and the prest Abiathar And beholde they eate and drynke before him and saye God saue the kynge Adonias But me thy seruaunt and Sadoc the prest and Benaia the sonne of Ioiada and thy seruaunt Salomon hath he not called Hath my lorde the kynge commaunded this and not certifyed his seruauntes who shall sytt vpon the seate of my lorde the kynge after him The kinge answered and saide Call Bethseba vnto me And she came in before the kinge And whan she stode before the kynge the kynge sware and sayde As truly as the LORDE lyueth which hath delyuered my soule out of trouble I wyl do vnto the this daye euen as I sware vnto the by the LORDE the God of Israel so that Salomon thy sonne shal be kynge after me and he shal sit pon my seate in my steade Then Bethseba bowed hir selfe with hir face to the grounde and thanked the kynge and sayde God saue my lorde kynge Dauid for euermore And the kynge sayde Call me the prest Sadoc the prophet Nathan and Benaia the sonne of Ioiada And whan they came in before the kynge the kynge sayde vnto them Take youre lordes seruauntes
aduysed to buylde an house vnto the name of the LORDE my God acordinge as the LORDE spake vnto Dauid my father and sayde Thy sonne whom I shal set vpon thy seate in thy steade shal buylde an house vnto my name Commaunde therfore that they hewe me downe Ceders out of Libanus and that thy seruauntes be with my seruauntes the rewarde of thy seruauntes wyll I geue the what so euer thou shalt axe for thou knowest y t with vs there is no maÌ„ which can hewe tymber as the Sidonians Whan Hiram herde the wordes of Salomon he was very glad and sayde Praysed be the LORDE this daye which hath geuen Dauid a wyse sonne ouer this greate people And Hiram sent vnto Salomon sayenge I haue herde what thou hast sent vnto me I wyl do acordinge vnto all thy desyre with Ceders and Pyne trees My seruauÌ„tes shall brynge them downe from Libanus vnto y e See and I wyl make them to flote vpoÌ„ the See vnto the place which thou shalt shewe me and there wyl I cause them to aryue thou shalt make theÌ„ to be fetched But thou shalt fulfyll my desyre also and geue fode vnto my housholde folkes So HiraÌ„ gaue Salomon Ceders and Pyne trees acordinge to all his desyre But Salomon gaue Hiram twentye thousande quarters of wheate to eate for his housholde and tweÌ„tye quarters of beaten oyle This gaue Salomon yearly vnto Hiram And the LORDE gaue Salomon wyszdome acordynge as he had sayde vnto him there was peace betwene Hiram and Salomon and they made a couenaunt both together And Salomon made an outchosynge of workmen thorow out all Israel And y e outchosynge was thirtie thousande meÌ„ and he sent theÌ„ to mount Libanus euery two monethes ten thousande so that they were one moneth vpon Libanus and two monethes at home And Adoniram was ouer the outchosynge And Salomon had thre score thousande ten that bare burthens foure score thousande that hewed tymber vpon the mount besyde Salomons chefe officers which were ordeyned ouer the worke namely thre thousande and thre hundreth which ruled y e people that laboured there in the worke And y e kynge commaunded that they shulde breake out greate and costly stones namely frestone for the foundacion of the house And Salomons masons and Hirams and they that were in those coastes hewed out prepared tymbre and stones to the buyldinge of the house The VI. Chapter IN the foure hundreth and foure score yeare after the departinge of the children of Israel out of the londe of Egipte in the fourth yeare of the raigne of Salomon ouer Israel in the moneth Sif y t is the seconde moneth was the house buylded vnto the LORDE This house that kynge Salomon buylded vnto y e LORDE was thre score cubytes loÌ„ge twenty cubytes brode thirtie cubites hye And he buylded a Porche before the temple of twentye cubytes longe after the bredth of the house ten cubites brode before the house And in y e house he made wyndowes which might be opened and shut with lyddes And rounde aboute by the wall of y e house he buylded a compase so y t it wente both aboute the temple and the quere and made his outwarde wall rouÌ„de aboute The nether most stacion was fyue cubytes wyde and y e myddest sixe cubites wyde and the thirde seuen cubites wyde For he layed balkes rounde aboute the house that they touched not y e wall of the house And whan y e house was buylded it was buylded of whole and outbroken stones so y t there was herde nether hammer ner axe ner eny other instrument of yron whan the house was a buyldinge But on the righte syde of the myddes of the house there was a dore so y t they might go vp to the myddest stacion by a turne grese from the myddest stacion vnto y e thirde Thus buylded he the house fynished it syled y e house both aboue by the walles w t Ceder wodd He buylded a galery also aboue vpon the whole house fyue cubytes hye and couered the house with Ceder tymber And the worde of the LORDE came vnto Salomon sayde Let this be the house y t thou buyldest Yf thou shalt walke in myne ordinaunces do acordinge to my lawes kepe all my coÌ„maundementes to walke therin then wyl I stablyszshe my worde with y e as I sayde vnto Dauid thy father wyll dwell amonge the childreÌ„ of Israel and wil not forsake my people of Israel Thus Salomon buylded the house fynished it buylded the walles on the insyde with Ceder tymber from the grounde of y e house vnto the rofe and syled it with tymbre on the ynsyde and ouerlayed the floore of y e house with bordes of Pyne tre And behynde in the house he buylded a wall of Ceder tymber twentye cubytes longe from the floore vnto the rofe And there on the ynsyde buylded he the quere for the most holy But the house of the temple before the quere was fortye cubites longe on the ynsyde was the whole house of Ceder with throwne knoppes and floures so that there was no stone sene As for the quere he prepared it on the ynsyde of the house that the Arke of the couenaunt of the LORDE might be set therin And before the quere which was twentye cubites longe twentye cubytes brode and twentye cubytes hye and ouerlayed with pure golde he syled the altare with Ceder And Salomon ouerlayed the house on y e ynsyde w t pure golde shot barres of golde before the quere which he had ouerlayed w t golde so that y e whole house was layed ouer with golde And all the altare also before y e quere ouerlayed he with golde He made also in the quere two Cherubins ten cubites hye of Olyue tre One wynge of ether of the Cherubs had fyue cubytes so that from the edge of his one wynge to the edge of his other wynge there were ten cubytes Euen so had the other Cherub ten cubites also and both the Cherubs were of one measure and of one quantitie so y t ether Cherub was ten cubites hye And he put the Cherubins within in the house And the Cherubins spred forth their wynges so that the wynge of the one touched the one wall and the other Cherubs wynge touched the other wall But in the myddes of y e house the one wynge â—â—uched another And he ouerlayed the Cherubins with golde And on all the walles of the house rounde aboute he caused to make carued worke with carued Cherubins palme trees and floures And the pauement of the house ouerlayed he also with goldeÌ„ plates And at the intraunce of the quere he made two dores of olyue thre with fyue squared postes and caused carued worke to be made therof with Cherubins palme trees and floures ouerlayed them with plates of golde So made he also at the intraunce of the temple foure squared
SalomoÌ„s drynkynge vessels were of golde and all the vessels in the house of y e wod of Libanus were of pure golde also for syluer was not regarded in Salomons tyme. For the kynges Seeshippe y t sayled vpon the See with y e shippe of Hiram came once in thre yeare and broughte golde syluer Yuery Apes and Pecockes Thus was kynge Salomon greater in riches and wyszdome then all the kynges vpoÌ„ earth And all the worlde desyred to se Salomon that they mighte heare the wyszdome which God gaue him in his hert And they broughte him yearly euery man his present vessels of syluer and golde rayment and harnesse spyces horses and Mules And Salomon broughte charettes and horsmen together so that he had a thousande and foure hundreth charettes and twolue thousande horsmen and those he put in y e charet cities and with the kynge at Ierusalem And the kynge broughte it to passe that there was as moch syluer at IerusaleÌ„ as stones and as many Ceders as there were wylde figge trees in the valleys And SalomoÌ„s horses were broughte out of Egipte and froÌ„ Kena for the kynges marchauntes fetched them from Kena for money And a charet came vp out of Egipte for sixe huÌ„dreth Sycles of Syluer and an horse for an huÌ„dreth and fyftye Thus were they brought also vnto all the kynges of the Hethites and to the kynges of Siria by their handes The XI Chapter BVt kynge Salomon loued many out landish wemen Pharaos doughter and wemen of Moab of AmmoÌ„ of Edom of Sidon and of Heth euen of those nacions that the LORDE spake of vnto the children of Israel Go not ye vnto them and let not them come vnto you they shal surely bowe youre hertes after their goddes Vnto these dyd Salomon enclyne with affeccion And he had seuen hundreth wemen to wyues and thre hundreth concubynes and his wyues turned his hert asyde And whan he was now olde his wyues bowed his hert after straunge goddes so that his hert was not whole with the LORDE his God as was the hert of Dauid his father So Salomon walked after Astaâ—oth the god of the Sidonians and after Malcom the abhominacion of the Ammonites And Salomon dyd y t which displeased the LORDE and folowed not y e LORDE to y e vttemost as dyd his father Dauid TheÌ„ buylded SalomoÌ„ an hie place vnto Chamos the abhominacioÌ„ of y e Moabites vpon the mount that lyeth before IerusaleÌ„ and vnto Moloch the abhominacion of the Ammunites Thus dyd Salomon for all his outlaÌ„dish wyues which brent incense and offred vnto their goddes But the LORDE was wroth at Salomon because his hert was turned asyde from y e LORDE God of Israel which had two tymes appeared vnto him and coÌ„maunded him that he shulde not walke after other goddes and yet kepte he not that the LORDE commaunded him Therfore sayde the LORDE vnto Salomon For so moch as this is done with the and hast not kepte my couenaunt and myne ordinaunces which I commaunded the therfore wyll I also plucke thy kyngdome from the and geue it vnto thy seruaunt Neruertheles in y e tyme will I not do it for thy father Dauids sake but from the hande of thy sonne wyl I plucke it Howbeit I wyl not plucke y e kyngdome cleane awaye One trybe wyll I geue vnto thy sonne for Dauid my seruauntes sake and for Ierusalems sake which I haue chosen And the LORDE raysed vp an aduersary vnto Salomon euen Hadad the Edomite of the kynges sede which was in Edom. For whan Dauid was in Edom and Ioab the chefe captayne wente vp to bury the slayne he smote all the males in Edom. For Ioab remayned there sixe monethes and all Israel tyl he had roted out all y e males that were in Edom. Then fled Hadad and certayne men of y e Moabites with him of his fathers seruauntes As for Hadad he was a yonge man And they gat them vp fro Madian and came vnto Paran and toke men with them out of Paran and came in to Egipte vnto Pharao the kynge of Egipte which gaue him an house and certayne vytales appoynted gaue him a countre And Adad founde greate fauoure in the sighte of Pharao so that he gaue him to wife euen the sister of his owne wife Thaphenes the Quene And Thaphenes sister bare him Genubath his sonne and Thaphenes norished him vp in Pharaos house in so moch that Genubath was in Pharaos house amonge Pharaos children Now whaÌ„ Hadad herde in Egipte that Dauid was falleÌ„ on slepte with his fathers and y t Ioab the chefe captayne was deed he sayde vnto Pharao Let me go in to my countre Pharao sayde vnto him What lackest thou with me that thou wilt go in to thy countre He sayde Nothynge but yet let me go God raysed him vp another aduersary also one Reson the sonne of El Iada which fled from his lorde Hadad Eser kynge of Zeba and gathered men agaynst him and was a captayne of the men of warre whan Dauid slewe them and they wente vnto Damascus and dwelt there and reigned at Damascus and he was Israels aduersary as loÌ„ge as Salomon lyued This is the harme y t Hadad suffred therfore had he euell will at Israel and was kynge ouer Israel Morouer Ieroboam the sonne of Nebatan Ephraite Salomons seruaunt and his mothers name was Zeruga a wedowe lifte vp his hande also agaynst the kynge And this is the cause wherfore he lifte vp his hande agaynst the kynge Whan Salomon buylded Millo he shut vp a gappe in the cite of Dauid his father And Ieroboam was a maÌ„ of armes And whan Salomon sawe that it was a mete yonge man he set him ouer all the burthens of the house of Ioseph But at the same tyme it fortuned that Ieroboam wente out from Ierusalem and the prophet Ahias of Silo founde hâ—m by the waye and he had a new cloke vpon him and they two were alone in the felde And Ahia toke holde of the new cloke y t he had on and rente the same in to twolue peces and sayde vnto Ieroboam Take thou ten peces vnto the. For thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel Beholde euen thus wyll I rente the kyngdome from the hande of SalomoÌ„ and wyll geue the ten trybes One trybe shall he haue for my seruaunt Dauids sake and because of the cyte of Ierusalem which I haue chosen out of all the trybes of Israel for they haue forsaken me and worshipped Astaroth the god of the Sidonians Chamos the god of the Moabites and MalcoÌ„ the god of the children of Ammon and haue not walked in my wayes to fulfill my pleasure myne ordinaunces and lawes as dyd Dauid his father Notwithstondynge I wyll not take the whole kyngdome from out of his hande but wil make him a prynce as longe as helyueth for my seruaunt Dauids sake whom I dyd chose which kepte my commaundementes ordinaunces From out of the hande of his sonne
slewe all his brethrē with the swerde certayne rulers also in Israel Two thirtie yeare olde was Ioram whan he was made kynge reigned eight yeare at Ierusalē walked in the waye of y e kynges of Israel euen as the house of Achab dyd for Achabs doughter was his wife he dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE Neuertheles y e LORDE wolde not destroie the house of Dauid for the couenauntes sake which he made w t Dauid and acordinge as he had sayde y t he wolde geue him and his children a lanterne for euermore At y e same tyme fell y e Edomites awaye from Iuda and made a kynge ouer them selues for Ioram had gone ouer with his captaynes and all the charettes with him had gotten him vp in the night season and slayne the Edomites on euery syde and the rulers of the charettes therfore fell y e Edomites awaye from Iuda vnto this daye At y e same tyme fell Lybna awaye from him also because he forsoke the LORDE God of his fathers He made hye places also on the mountaynes in Iuda caused them of Ierusalē to go awhorynge and disceaued Iuda But there came a wrytinge vnto him frō the prophet Elias sayenge Thus sayeth the LORDE God of thy father Dauid Because thou hast not walked in the wayes of thy father Iosaphat nether in y e wayes of Asa the kynge of Iuda but walkest in the waye of the kynges of Israel and makest Iuda and them of Ierusalem to go awhorynge after the whordome of the house of Achab and hast slayne thy brethren also of thy fathers house which were better thē thou Beholde the LORDE shal smyte the w t a greate plage on thy people on thy children thy wyues and on all thy substaunce But thou thy selfe shalt haue moch sicknesse in thy bowels tyll thy bowels go forth from daye to daye for very disease So y e LORDE raysed vp agaynst Ioram the sprete of the Philistynes Arabians which lye besyde the Morians and they wente vp in to Iuda and waysted it and caried awaye all the substaunce that was founde in the kynges house his sonnes and his wyues so y t there was not one sonne lefte him saue Ioahas his yōgest sonne And after all this dyd y e LORDE smyte him in his bowels with soch a sicknesse as coulde not be healed And whyle that endured from daye to daye whan the tyme of two yeares was expyred his bowels wente from him w t his sicknesse and he dyed in euell diseases And they made not a burninge ouer him as they dyd vnto his fathers Two and thirtie yeare olde was he whā he was made kynge and reigned eight yeare at Ierusalē and walked not well And they buried him in the cite of Dauid but not amōge the sepulcres of the kynges The XXII Chapter ANd they of Ierusalem made Ochosias his yōgest sonne kynge in his steade for the men of warre that came w t the hoost of the Arabians had slayne all y e first therfore reigned Ochosias the sonne of Ioram kynge of Iuda Two and fortye yeare olde was Ochosias whan he was made kynge and reigned one yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Athalia the doughter of Amri And he walked also in y e wayes of the house of Achab for his mother entysed him so y t he was vngodly Therfore dyd he euell in y e sighte of the LORDE euen as y e house of Achab for they were his councell geuers after his fathers death to destroye him and he walked after their councell And he wente with Ioram the sonne of Achab kynge of Israel to the battayll vnto Ramoth in Gilead agaynst Hasael the kynge of Syria But the Syriās smote Ioram so y t he turned back to be healed at Iesreel for he had woundes that were geuen him at Rama whan he foughte with Hasael the kynge of Syria And Asarias the sonne of Ioram kynge of Iuda wēte downe to vyset Ioram y e sonne of Achab at Iesreel which laye sicke For it was ordeyned of God vnto Ochosias that he shulde come to Ioram so to go forth with Ioram agaynst Iehu y e sonne of Nimsi whom the LORDE had anoynted to rote out the house of Achab. Now whan Iehu wolde be auēged of y e house of Achab he founde certayne rulers of Iuda and y e childrē of Ochosias brethren which serued Ochosias and he slewe them And he soughte Ochosias and they ouertoke him whā he had hyd him at Samaria he was broughte vnto Iehu which slewe him and they buried him for they sayde He his the sonne of Iosaphat which soughte y e LORDE with all his hert And there was no man more of the house of Ochosias that mighte be kynge Whan Athalia the mother of Ochosias sawe y t hir sonne was deed she gat hir vp destroyed all the kynges sede in the house of Iuda But Iosabeath y e kynges sister toke Ioas y e sonne of Ochosias and stale him awaye frō amonge the kynges childrē y t were slayne put him with his norse in a chamber Thus Iosabeath kynge Iorams douhgter the wyfe of Ioiada the prest hyd him from Athalia so y t he was not slayne for she was Ochosias sister And he was hyd with them in the house of God sixe yeares for so moch as Athalia was quene in the londe The XXIII Chapter BVt in the seuenth yeare was Ioiada bolde and toke the rulers ouer hundreds namely Asaria y e sonne of Ieraham Ismael y e sonne of Iohanan Asaria y e sonne of Obed Maeseia y e sonne of Adaia and Elisaphat y e sonne of Sichri with him in to the couenaunt and they wente aboute in Iuda and broughte y e Leuites together out of all the cities of Iuda and the chefe fathers of Israel to come vnto Ierusalem And all the cōgregacion made a couenaunt with the kynge in the house of God and he sayde vnto them Beholde the kynges sonne shal be kynge euē as the LORDE spake cōcernynge the children of Dauid This is it therfore y t ye shal do The thirde parte of you that entre on the Sabbath shal be amonge the prestes Leuites which are dorekepers at the thresholdes one thirde parte in the kynges house and one thirde parte at the grounde porte But all the people shal be in the courtes of the house of the LORDE and that no man go in to the house of the LORDE excepte the prestes and Leuites that mynister there they shal go in for they are halowed And let all y e people wayte vpon the LORDE And the Leuites shal get them rounde aboute y e kynge euery one with his weapen in his hande And who so els goeth in to y e house let him dye And they shall be w t the kynge whā he goeth out in And the Leuites all Iuda dyd as Ioiada y
in to my mynde Wherfore do I beare my flesh in myteth and my soule in myne hondes Lo there is nether cōforte ner hope for me yf he wil slaye me But yf I shewe and reproue myne owne wayes in his sight he is euen the same that maketh me whole and why there maye no Ypocrite come before him Heare my wordes and pondre my sayenges with youre eares Beholde though sentence were geuen vpon me I am sure to be knowne for vngilty What is he that will go to lawe with me For yf I holde my tonge I shal dye Neuerthelesse graunte me ij thinges and then will I not hyde my self from the. Withdrawe thine honde fro me let not the fearfull drede of the make me afrayed And then sende for me to the lawe y t I maye answere for my self or els let me speake and geue thou the answere How greate are my myszdedes synnes Let me knowe my trāsgressions offences Wherfore hydest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemye Wilt thou be so cruell extreme vnto a flyenge leaf and folowe vpon drye stubble that thou layest so sharply to my charge and wilt vtterly vndoo me for y e synnes of my yougth Thou hast put my fote in the stockes thou lokest narowly vnto all my pathes marckest the steppes of my fete where as I notwithstondinge must consume like as a foule carion and as a cloth that is moth eaten The XIIII Chapter MAn that is borne of a woman hath but a shorte tyme to lyue and is full of dyuerse miseries He cōmeth vp and falleth awaye like a floure He flyeth as it were a shadowe and neuer continueth in one state Thinkest thou it now well done to open thine eyes vpon soch one and to brynge me before the in iudgment Who can make it cleane that commeth of an vncleane thinge No body The dayes of man are shorte y e nombre of his monethes are knowne only vnto the. Thou hast apoynted him his boundes he can not go beyonde them Go from him that he maye rest a litle vntill his daye come which he loketh for like as an hyrelinge doth Yf a tre be cutt downe there is some hope yet that it will sproute and shute forth the braunches againe For though a rote be waxen olde and deed in the grounde yet whē the stocke getteth the sent of water it will budde and brynge forth bowes like as when it was first planted But as for man when he is deed perished and consumed awaye what becommeth of him The floudes when they be dryed vp the ryuers when they be emptie are fylled agayne thorow the flowinge waters of the see but when man slepeth he ryseth not agayne vntill the heauen perish he shal not wake vp ner ryse out of his slepe O that thou woldest kepe me and hyde me in the hell vntill thy wrath were stilled to appoynte me a tyme wherin thou mightest remembre me Maye a deed man lyue agayne All the dayes of this my pilgremage am I lokynge when my chaunginge shal come Yf thou woldest but call me I shulde obeie the only despyse not the worke of thine owne hondes For thou hast nombred all my goynges yet be not thou to extreme vpon my synnes Thou hast sealed vp myne offences as it were in a bagg but be mercifull vnto my wickednesse The mountaynes fall awaye at the last the rockes are remoued out of their place the waters pearse thorow the very stones by litle and litle the floudes waszshe awaye the grauell earth Euen so destroyest thou the hope of man in like maner Thou preuaylest agaynst him so that he passeth awaye thou chaungest his estate and puttest him from the. Whether his children come to worshipe or no he can not tell And yf they be men of lowe degre he knoweth not Whyle he lyueth his flesh must haue trauayle and whyle the soule is in him he must be in sorowe The XV. Chapter THen answered Eliphas the Themanite and sayde Shulde a wyse man geue soch an answere as it were one that spake in the wynde and fyll his stomacke with anger Thou reprouest w t wordes that are nothinge wroth and speakest the thinges which can do no good As for shame thou hast set it asyde els woldest thou not make so many wordes before God but thy wickednesse teacheth thy mouth and so thou hast chosen the a craftie tonge Thine owne mouth condemneth the and not I yee thine owne lippes shappe the an answere Art thou the first man that euer was borne Or wast thou made before the hylles hast thou herde the secrete councell of God that all wyszdome is to litle for y e What knowest thou y t we knowe not What vnderstondest thou but we can the same With vs are olde and aged men yee soch as haue lyued longer then thy forefathers Dost thou nomore regarde the comforte of God but thy wicked wordes wil not suffre the. Why doth thine herte make the so proude Why stondest thou so greatly in thine owne conceate Where vnto loke thine eyes y t thy mynde is so puft vp agaynst God lettest soch wordes go out of thy mouth What is man that he shulde be vncleane what hath he which is borne of a woman wherby he might be knowne to be rightuous Beholde he hath founde vnfaithfulnesse amōge his owne sanctes yee the very heauens are vnclene in his sight How moch more then an abhominable and vyle mā which dryncketh wickednesse like water I will tell the heare me I wil shewethe a thinge that I knowe which wyse men haue tolde hath not bene hyd from their fathers vnto whom only the londe was geuen ▪ that no straunger shulde come amonge them The vngodly despayreth all the dayes of his life the nombre of a tyrauntes yeares is vnknowne A fearfull sounde is euer in his eares when it is peace yet feareth he destruccion He beleueth neuer to be delyuered out of darcknesse the swearde is allwaye before his eyes When he goeth forth to get his lyuinge he thinketh planely that the daye of darcknesse is at honde Sorow and carefulnesse make him afrayed cōpasse him rounde aboute like as it were a kinge with his hoost redy to the battayll For he hath stretched out his honde agaynst God armed himself agaynst y e Allmightie He runneth proudly vpon him with a stiff necke fighteth he agaynst him where as he couereth his face with fatnesse and maketh his body well lykynge Therfore shall his dwellynge be in desolate cities in houses which nomā inhabiteth but are become heapes of stones He shall not be rich nether shall his substaunce continue ner encrease vpon earth He shal neuer come out of darcknesse the flame shal drye vp his braunches with y e blast of the mouth of God shal he be takē awaie He wil nether applye himself to faithfulnes ner treuth so sore is he disceaued w t
glad that thou iudgest the folke rightuously and gouernest the nacions vpoÌ„ earth Let the people prayse the o God let all people prayse the. God euen oure owne God geue vs his blessinge that the earth maye bringe forth hir increase God blesse vs and let all the endes of y e worlde feare him The LXVII A psalme of Dauid LEt God aryse so shal his enemies be scatered and they that hate him shal fle before him Like as the smoke vanisheth so shalt thou dryue them awaye and like as waxe melteth at the fyre so shall the vngodly perish at the presence off God But the rightuous shal be glad reioyse before God they shal be mery ioyful Oh synge vnto God synge prayses vnto his name magnifie him y e rydeth aboue the heaueÌ„s whose name is y e LORDE reioyse before hiÌ„ He is a father of y e fatherlesse he is a defender of widdowes eueÌ„ God in his holy habitacioÌ„ He is the God y t maketh meÌ„ to be of one mynde in a house bryngeth y e presoners out of captiuite in due season but letteth y e rennagates coÌ„tinue in scarcenesse O God when thou weÌ„test forth before y e people wheÌ„ thou weÌ„test thorow y e wildernes Sela. The earth shoke y e heauens dropped at the presence of God in Sinai at y e presence of God which is y e God of Israel Thou o God sendest a gracious rayne vpon thyne enheritauÌ„ce refreshest it when it is drye That thy beastes maye dwell therin which thou of thy goodnes hast prepared for the poore The LORDE shal geue the worde w t greate hoostes of EuaÌ„gelistes Ringes w t their armies shal fle they of y e housholde shal deuyde y e spoyle Yf so be y t ye lye amoÌ„ge the pales the doues fethers shal be couered with syluer hir winges of the colo r of golde When the All mightie setteth kynges vpoÌ„ the earth it shal be cleare euen in the darcknesse The hill of Basan is Gods hill the hill of Basan is a pleÌ„teous hill Why hoppe ye so ye greate hilles It pleaseth God to dwell vpoÌ„ this hill yeâ— the LORDE wil abyde in it for euer The charettes of God are many M. tymes a thousande the LORDE is amoÌ„ge them in the holy Sinai Thou art gone vp an hye thou hast led captyuite captyue receaued giftes for meÌ„ Yee euen for thy enemies that they might dwell with the LORDE God Praysed be the LORDE daylie eueÌ„ y e God which helpeth vs poureth his benefites vpoÌ„ vs. Sela. The God y t is o r Sauio r eueÌ„ God the LORDE by whoÌ„ we escape death The God that smyteth his enemies vpoÌ„ the heades vpon the hayrie scalpes soch as go on still in their wikednes The LORDE hath sayde some wil I bringe agayne from Basan some wil I bringe agayne froÌ„ the depe of the see That thy fote maye be dipped in the bloude of thine enemies that thy dogges maye licke it vp It is well seâ—e o God how thou goest how thou my God and kynge goest in the Sanctuary The syngers go before and then the mynstrells amonge the maydens with the tymbrels O geue thankes vnto God the LORDE in the congregacion for the welles of Israel There litle Beniamin the prynces of Iuda the prynces of ZabuloÌ„ and the prynces of Nephthali beare rule amoÌ„ge them Thy God hath coÌ„mitted streÌ„gth vn to the stablish the thinge o God that thou hast wrought in vs. For thy teÌ„ples sake at Ierusalem shal kynges brynge presentes vnto the. Reproue the beestes amonge the redes the heape of bulles with the calues those that dryue for money Oh scaâ—re the people that delyte in batayle The prynces shal come out of Egipte the Morians loÌ„de shal stretch out hir hondes vnto God Synge vnto God o ye kyngdomes of the earth o synge prayses vnto the LORDE Sela. Which sytteth in the heauens ouer all froÌ„ the begynnge Lo he shal sende out his voyce yee and that a mightie voyce Ascrybe ye the power vnto God his glory is in Israel and his might in the cloudes God is wonderfull in his Sanctuary he is the God of Israel he will geue strength and power vnto his people Blessed be God The LXVIII A psalme of Dauid HElpe me o God for the waters are come in eueÌ„ vnto my soule I sticke fast in the depe myre where no grounde is I am come in to depe waters and the floudes wil drowne me I am weery of crienge my throte is drye my sight fayleth me for waytinge so longe vpon my God They y t hate me without a cause are mo then the hayres of my heade â–ª they that are myne enemies wolde destroye me giltlesse are mightie I am fayne to paye the thinges y t I neuer toke God thou knowest my symplenesse and my fautes are not hyd from the. Let not them that trust in the o LORDE God of hoostes be ashamed for my cause let not those y t seke the be confounded thorow me o God oâ— Israel And why for thy sake do I suffre reprofe shame couereth my face I am become a straunger vnto my brethren and an aleaunt vnto my mothers children For the zele of thine house hath euen eaten me and the rebukes of them that rebuked the is fallen vpon me I wepte and chastened my self w t fastinge and that was turned to my reprofe I put on a sacke cloth and therfore they iested vpon me They that satt in the gate spake agaynst me and the dronckardes made songes vpon me But LORDE I made my prayer vnto the in an acceptable tyme Heare me o God with thy greate mercy sure helpe Take me out of the myre y t I syncke not Oh let me be delyuered froÌ„ theÌ„ y t hate me out of y e depe waters 〈…〉 floude drowne me that the 〈…〉 not vp y t the pitte shut not hir mouth vpon me Heare me o LORDE for thy louynge kyndnesse is confortable turne the vnto me acordinge vnto y e greate mercy Hyde not thy face from thy seruauÌ„t for I am in trouble O haist y e to helpe me Drawe nye vnto my soâ—le and saue it Oh delyuer me because of 〈◊〉 enemies Thou knowest my reprofe my shame my dishono r my aduersaries are all in thy sight The rebuke breaketh my hert maketh me heuy I loke for some to haue pitie vpon me but there is no man for some to coÌ„forte me but I fynde none They gaue me gall to eate wheÌ„ I was thurstie they gaue me vyneger to drynke Let their table be made a snare to take them selues withall an occasion to fall a rewarde vnto them Let their eyes be blynded that they se not euer bowe downe their backes Poure out thy indignacion vpon them let thy wrothfull displeasure take holde of them Let their habitacion be voyde no man to dwell in their tentes
SioÌ„ aÌ„d pourge the bloude out from IerusaleÌ„ w t y e wynde of his smoke and fyre Morouer vpon all the dwellinges of the hill of Sion and vpon their whole congregacion shal the LORDE prouyde a cloude and smoke by daye and the shyninghe of a flammynge fyre by night for all their glory shal be preserued And Ierusalem shall be a tabernacle for a shadowe because of hete in the daye tyme a place and refuge where a man maye kepe him for wether and rayne The V. Chapter NOw well than I will synge my beloued frende a songe of his vynyearde My beloued frende hath a vyneyearde in a very frutefull plenteous grounde This he hedged this he walled rounde aboute and planted it with goodly grapes In the myddest of it buylded he a towre and made a wyne presse therin And afterwarde when he loked y t it shulde bringe him grapes it brought forth thornes I shewe you now my cause o ye Citysens of Ierusalem and whole Iuda Iudge I praye you betwixte me and my wynegardinge What more coude haue bene done for it that I haue not done Wherfore then hath it geuen thornes where I loked to haue had grapes of it Well I shall tell you how I will do w t my vynyarde I will take the hedge from it that it maye perish and breake downe y e wall that it maye be troden vnder fote I will laye it waist that it shall nether be twysted nor â—ut but beare thornes and breares I wil also forbyd y e cloudes that they shal not rayne vpon it As for the vynyarde of the LORDE of hoostes it is the house of Israel and whole Iuda his fayre plantinge Of these he loked for equyte but se there is wronge for rightuousnesse lo It is but misery Wo to you that ioyne one house to another and bringe one londe so nigh vnto another till ye can get no more grounde Wil ye dwell vpon the earth alone The LORDE of hoostes rowneth me thus iÌ„ myne eare shal not many greater and more gorgious houses be so waist that no man shall dwell in theÌ„ And ten akers of vynes shal geue but a Quarte and xxx bushels of sede shal geue but thre Wo be vnto them that ryse vp early to vse them selues in dronkynnes and yet at night are more superfluous with wyne In whose companies are harpes and lutes tabrettes and pâ—pes and wyne But they regarde not the worke of the LORDE and coÌ„sidre not the operacioÌ„ of his hondes Therfore cometh my folck also in captiuyte because they haue no vnderstondynge Their glory shal be myxte with huÌ„ger and their pryde shal be marred for thurste Therfore gapeth hel and openeth hyr mouth marvelous wyde that pryde boostinge and wisdome with soch as reioyse therin maye descende in to it Thus shal man haue a fall he shal be brought lowe and the high lokes of the proude layde downe But the LORDE of hoostes y e holy God shal be exalted and vntouched when he shal declare his equyte and rightuousnesse after this maner Then shal y e lambes eate their apoynted foder and shal fede plenteously in the mountaynes Wo vnto vayne persones that drawe wickednes vnto theÌ„ as it were with a coorde and synne as it were with a cart rope Which vse to speake on this maner let hâ—m make haist now and go forth w t his worke that we maye se it Let the councel of y e holy one of Israel come and drawe me y t we maye knowe it Wo vnto them that call euel good and good euel which make darcknesselight light darcknesse y t make sower swete and swete sower Wo vnto them that are wyse in their owne sight and thinke them selues to haue vnderstoÌ„dinge Wo vnto them y t are connynge men to suppe out wyne and experte to set vp droÌ„keÌ„nesse These gyue sentence with the vngodly for rewardes but condemne the iust cause of the rightuous Therfore like as fyre licketh vp the strawe and as the flame coÌ„sumeth the stubble Euen so when their root is ful their blossome shal vanish awaye like dust or smoke for they despyse the lawe of the LORDE of hoostes and blaspheme the worde of the holy maker of Israel Therfore is the wrath of the LORDE kyndled also agaynst his people and he shaketh his honde at them yee he shal smyte so that the hilles shal tremble And their carcases shal lye in the opeÌ„ stretes like myre After all this the wrath of God shall not câ—asse but he shal stretch his hoÌ„de wyder â–ª And he shal gyue a tokeÌ„ vnto a straunge people and call vnto them in a farre countre and beholde they shal come hastely with spede There is not one faynt nor feble amonge them no not a slogish nor slepery parsone There shal not one of them put of the gyrdle from his loynes ner lowse the lachet of his shue Their arowes are sharpe and their bowes bent Their horse hoofes are like flynt and their cartwheles like a stormy wynde Their crie is as it were of a lyon and the roaringe of them like lyons whelpes They shal roare and haÌ„tch vp the praye and no man shal recouer it or get it from theÌ„ In that daye they shal be so fearce vpon them as the see And yf we loke vnto the londe beholde it shal be all darcknesse and sorowe Yf we loke to heauen beholde it shal be darck with careful desperacion The vj Chapter IN the same yeare y y kynge Osias dyed I â—aâ—e the LORDE sittinge vpon an high and glorious seate and his trayne fylled y e palace From aboue flakred the Seraphins wherof euery one had sex wynges With twayne ech couered his face w t twayne his fete and with twayne dyd he flye They cried also ech one to other on this maner holy holy holy is the LORDE of hoostes The whole worlde is ful of his glory Yee the geastes and dorechekes moued at their crienge and the house was ful of smoke Then I sayde O wo is me For I was astonished that I which am a man of vnclene lippes and dwell amonge people y t hath vnclene lippes also Shulde se y e Kynge and LORDE of hoostes with myne eyes Then flewe one of the Seraphins vnto me hauinge a hote cole in his honde which he had taken from the aulter with the tonges and touched my mouth and sayde lo this hath touched thy mouth thy vnrightuousnes is taken awaye and thy synne forgeuen After this I herde the voyce of the LORDE takinge advysement on this maner Whom shall I sende and who wil be oure messaunger TheÌ„ I sayde here am I sende me And so he sayde go and tel this people ye shall heare in dede but ye shal not vnderstonde ye shal plane lyse and not perceaue Harden the harte of this people stoppe their eares and shut their eyes that they se not w t their
a snare shal be taken in it himself Who so geueth a wicked noysome councell it shall come vpon himself and he shall not knowe from wheÌ„ce The proude blaspheme and are scornefull but vengeaunce lurketh for them as a lyon They that reioyse at the fall of y e righteous shal be taken in y e snare anguysh of hert shall consume them before they dye Anger and rigorousnes are two abhominable thinges and y e vngodly hath them both vpon him The XXVIII Chapter HE that seketh vengeaunce shal fynde vengeaunce of the LORDE which shal surely kepe him his synnes Forgeue thy neghboure the hurte that he hath done the and so shal thy synnes be forgeuen the also whan thou prayest A man that beareth hatred agaynst another how darre he desyre forgeuenesse of God He that sheweth no mercy to a maÌ„ which is like himself how darre he axe forgeuenesse of his synnes Yf he that is but flesh beareth hatred and kepeth it who wyl intreate for his synnes Remembre the ende let enmyte passe which seketh death and destruccion and abyde thou in y e commaundementes Remembre y e commaundement so shalt thou not be rigorous ouer y e neghboure Thynke vpoÌ„ the couenaunt of y e Hyest and forgeue thy neghbours ignorauÌ„ce Bewarre of strife and thou shalt make y e synnes fewer For an angrie man kyndleth variaunce and the vngodly disquyeteth freÌ„des and putteth discorde amonge them that be at peace The more wodd there is the more vehement is the fyre and the mightier y t men be the greater is the wrath and the longer the strife endureth the more it burneth An haistie brawlinge kyndleth a fyre and an haistie strife sheddeth bloude Yf thou blowe the sparke it shal burne Yf thou spytt vpoÌ„ it it shal go forth and both these go out of thy mouth The slaunderer and dubble toÌ„gued is cursed for many one that be frendes setteth he at variaunce The thirde tonge hath disquieted many one and dryuen them from one londe to another Stronge cities hath it broken downe and ouerthrowne the houses of greate men The thirde toÌ„ge hath cast out many an honest woman and robbed them of their labours Who so harkeneth vnto soch shal neuer fynde rest and neuer dwell safely The stroke of y e rod maketh yedders but the stroke of the tonge smyteth the bones in sunder There be many that haue perished with the swerde but many mo thorow the tonge Wel is him that is kepte froÌ„ an euell tonge commeth not in y e anger therof which draweth not the yock of soch and is not bouÌ„de in the bondes of it For the yock therof is of yron and y e bonde of it of stele The death therof is a very euell death hell were better for one then soch a tonge But the fyre of it maye not oppresse them that feare God and y e flamme therof maye not burne theÌ„ Soch as forsake the LORDE shal fall therin and it shal burne them and no man shal be able to quench it It shal fall vpon theÌ„ as a LyoÌ„ and deuoure them as a leparde Thou heâ—gest y e goodes w t thornes why doest thou not rather make dores and barres for y e mouth Thou weiest thy golde and syluer why doest thou not weye thy wordes also vpon the balaunce Bewarre that thou slyde not in thy tonge and so fall before thine enemies that laye wayte for the. The XXIX Chapter WHo so wil shewe mercy let him lende vnto his neghboure and he that is able let him kepe the commaundement Lende vnto thy neghboure in tyme of his nede and paye thou thy neghboure agayne in due season Kepe thy worde deale faithfully with him thou shalt allwaye fynde the thinge y t is necessary for the. There haue bene many that whan a thinge was lent them rekened it to be founde and made them trauayle and laboure that had helped them Whyle they receaue eny thinge they kysse the handes of soch as geue them and for their neghbours good they huÌ„ble their voyce But whan they shulde paye agayne they kepe it back and geue euell wordes and make many excuses by reason of the tyme though he be able yet geueth he scarse the half agayne and rekeneth y e other to be founde And yf he with olde not his moneye yet hath he an enemye of him and that vndeserued He payeth him with cursinge and rebuke and geueth him euel wordes for his good dede There be many one which are not glad for to lende not because of euell but they feare to lese the thinge that they lende Yet haue thou pacience with the symple and w t holde not mercy from him Helpe the poore for the commaundementes sake and let him not go emptye from the because of his necessite Lese thy money for y i brother and neghbours sake and burye it not vnder a stone wher it rusteth and corruppeth Gather thy treasure after the commaundement of y e Hyest and so shal it bringe the more profit theÌ„ golde Laye vp the allmes in the hand of the poore and it shal kepe the from all 〈◊〉 A mans allmes is as a purse with him 〈◊〉 shall kepe a mans fauoure as the apple of an eye and afterwarde shall it aryse paye euery man his rewarde vpon his heade It shal fight for the agaynst thine enemies better then the shylde of a giaunte or speare of the mightie A good honest maÌ„ is suertye for his neghboure but a wicked personne letteth him come to shame Forget not the frendshipe of thy suertye for he hath geueÌ„ his soule for ye. The vngodly despyseth y e good dede of his suertye the vnthankfull and ignoraunt leaueth his suertie in daunger Some man promyseth for his neghboure whan he hath lost his honesty he shal forsake him Suertishipe hath destroyed many a ryche man remoued them as the wawes in y e see Mightie people hath it dryuen awaye and caused theÌ„ to wandre in straunge countrees An vngodly man transgressynge the commaundement of the LORDE shal fall in to an euell suertishipe and though he force himself to get out yet shal he fall in to iudgment Helpe thy neghboure out after thy power and bewarre y t thou thy self fall not in soch dett The chefe thinge that kepeth in the life is water and bred clothinge and lodginge to couer the shame Better is it to haue a poore lyuynge in a mans owne house theÌ„ delicate fayre amoÌ„ge the straunge Be it litle or moch y t thou hast holde the conteÌ„t withall thou shalt not be blamed as a vagabounde for a myserable life is it to go from house to house and where a maÌ„ is fremde he darre not opeÌ„ his mouth Though one be lodged and haue meate and drynke yet shall he be taken as vnworthy heare many bytter rough wordes namely thus Go thy waye thou straunger and prepare a table for thy self
posterite As for y e sede y t came vpon him which he loued he brought it not vtterly to naught but gaue yet a remnaunt vnto Iacob and a rote vnto Dauid out of him Thus rested Salomon with his fathers and out of his sede he left behynde him a very foolishnes of the people and soch one as had no vnderstoÌ„dinge namely RoboaÌ„ which turned awaye the people thorow his councell and Ieroboam y e sonne of Nabat which caused Israel to synne and shewed Ephraim the waye of vngodlynes In so moch that their synnes myszdedes had the vpper hande so sore that at the last they were dryuen out of the londe for the same Yee he sought out brought vp all wickednes tyll the vengeaunce came vpon them The XLVIII Chapter THen stode vp Elias the prophet as a fyre and his worde brâ—â—t like a creshett He brought an hoÌ„ger vpon theÌ„ and in his zele he made them few in nombre For they might not awaye w t the commauÌ„dementes of the LORDE Thorow the worde of the LORDE he shut the heauen and thre tymes brought he the fyre downe Thus became Elias honorable in his wonderous dedes Who maye make his boost to be like him One that was deed raysed he vp from death in the worde of y e Hyest he brought him out of the graue agayne He cast downe kynges and destroyed them and the honorable from their seate Vpon the mount Syna he herde the punyshment vpon Horeb the iudgmeÌ„t of the vengeaunce He prophecied recompensynge vnto kynges and ordeyned prophetes after him He was taken vp in the storme of fyre in a charett of horses of the LORDE He was ordeyned in the reprouynges in tyme to pacifie the wrath to turne y e hertes of the fathers vnto the children to set vp the trybes of Iacob agayne Blessed were they that saw the and were garnished in loue for we lyue in life Elias was couered in the storme but Heliseus was fylled with his mouth Whyle he lyued he was afrayed of no prynce and no man might ouercome him There coude no worde disceaue him after his death his body prophecied He dyd wonders in his life in death were his workes maruelous For all this the people amended not nether departed they from their synnes tyll they were caried awaye presoners out of the londe and were scatred abrode in all countrees so that of them there remayned but a very litle people and a prynce vnto y e house of Dauid Howbeit some of them dyd right some heaped vp vngodlynes Ezechias made his cite stronge conveyed water in to it dygged thorow the stony rock with yron made vp a well by the water syde In his tyme came Sennacherib vp and sent Rabsaches lift vp his hande agaynst Sion defyed them with greate pryde TheÌ„ trymbled their hertes and handes so y t they sorowed like a woman trauaylinge with childe So they called vpoÌ„ the LORDE which is mercyfull lift vp their haÌ„des before him Immediatly the LORDE herde theÌ„ out of heauen and delyuered them by the hande of Esay He smote the hoost of the Assirians his angell destroyed theÌ„ For Ezechias had done the thinge that pleased the LORDE remayned stedfastly in the waye of Dauid his father Which Esay was greate faithfull in his visions In his tyme y e Sonne weÌ„te backwarde he lengthened the kynges life With a right sprete prophecied he what shulde come to passe at the last to soch as were soroufull in Sion he gaue consolacion wherwhith they might coÌ„forte them selues for euermore He shewed thinges y t were for to come secrete or euer they came to passe The XLIX Chapter THe remembrauÌ„ce of Iosias is like as whan the Apotecary maketh many precious swete smellynge thinges together His remembraunce shal be swete as hony in all mouthes and as the playenge of Musick by the wyne He was appoynted to turne the people agayne to take awaye all abhominacions of y e vngodly He directed his hert vnto the LORDE in the tyme of the vngodly he set vp the worshipe of God agayne All kynges excepte Dauid Ezechias Iosias coÌ„mitted wickednes for euen y e kynges of Iuda also forsoke y e lawe of God For they gaue their horne vnto other their hono worshipe also to a straunge people Therfore was the electe cite of the SaÌ„ctuary brent with fyre and the stretes therof laye desolate waist for they intreated Ieremy euell which neuertheles was a prophet ordeyned from his mothers wombe that he might rote out breake of destroye that he might buylde vp plante agayne Ezechiel sawe the glory of the LORDE in a vision which was shewed him vpon the charet of the Cherubins For he thought vpon the enemies in y e rayne to do good vnto soch as had ordred their wayes a right And the bones of the twolue prophetes florish from out of their place for they gaue comforte consolacion vnto Iacob and delyuered theÌ„ faithfully How shall we prayse Zorobabel which was as a ringe in the right hande So was Iesus also the sonne of Iosedec these men in their tymes buylded the house set vp the Sanctuary of y e LORDE agayne which was prepared for an euerlastinge worshipe And Nehemias is allwaye to be coÌ„mended which set vp for vs the walles y t were broken downe made the portes barres agayne and buylded oure houses of the new But vpon earth is there no man created like Enoch for he was taken vp from y e earth And Ioseph which was lorde of his brethren the vpholder of his people His bones were couered kepte Seth Sem were in greate honoure amonge y e people and so was Adam aboue all the beastes whaÌ„ he was created The L. Chapter SYmon the sonne of Onias the hye prest which in his life set vp the house agayne in his dayes made fast the teÌ„ple The heyth of y e temple also was founded of him the dubble buyldinge the hye walles of the temple In his dayes the welles of water flowed out and were exceadinge full as the see He toke care for his people delyuered them from destruccion He kepte his cite made it stronge that it shulde not be beseged He dwelt in honoure and worshipe amonge his people and enlarged the intraunce of the house and the courte He geueth light as the mornynge starre in the myddest of the cloudes and as y e Moone whan it is full He shyneth as the Sonne in the temple of God He is as bright as y e rayne bowe in y e fayre cloudes florisheth as the floures and roses in the sprynge of y e yeare as the lilies by the ryuers of water Like as the braunches vpon the mount Libanus in tyme of Sommer as a fyre inceÌ„se that is