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 maÌ perceaue euery people And I reproued them and cursed them smote certayne men of theÌ 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 coÌtracte 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. AmaÌ is greate with the kynge hateth Mardocheus that wil not worshippe him and coÌmaundeth to slaye all the Iewes Chap. IIII. Greate heuynes amonge the Iewes Chap. V. Hester coÌmeth 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 AmaÌs house vnto the quene and at hir request he causeth AmaÌs 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 yalowâ 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 coÌmaunded 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 indignacioÌ 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 haÌdled 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 PersiaÌs 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 TheÌ saide MemuchaÌ 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 coÌmaunded 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 commaundemeÌt from him and let it be wrytten acordynge to the lawe of the Persians and Medianâ 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 laÌguage 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
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 raymeÌt 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 droÌken 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 ãâã 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 mischauÌce 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 AmaÌs 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 beloÌged 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 fouÌde grace in his sight yf it be coÌuenyent 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 loÌdes For how can I se the euell that shal happeÌ vnto my people and how can I loke vpon the destrucâion 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 haÌde 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 Siâan on the thre twentieth daie And it was wrytten as Mardocheus coÌmaunded 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 coÌmaundement 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 commaundemeÌt reached there
vnto to be frely separated for soch as do sacrifice in IerusaleÌ both concernynge the paymeÌtes which the kynge toke yearly afore tyme y e frutes also of the earth trees As for other tithes tributes y t belonged vnto vs we discharge theÌ therof from this tyme forth In like maner we grauÌte vnto theÌ all the customes of salt and crowne taxes which were brought vnto vs. And this fredome shal they haue firme stedfast froÌ this tyme forth for euermore Therfore se y t ye make a copy of these o r letters and delyuer it vnto Ionathas that it maye be kepte vpon y e holy mount in a coÌuenient place After this when Demetrius the kynge sawe that his londe was in rest and that no resistaunce was made him he sent awaye all his hoost euery man to his owne place excepte an armye of straungers whom he brought from the Iles of the Heithen wherfore all his fathers hoost had euell wyll at him Now was there one Triphon that had bene of Alexanders parte afore which when he sawe that all the hoost murmured agaynst Demetrius he wente to Emalcuel the Arabian that brought vp Antiochus the sonne of Alexander and laye sore vpon him to delyuer him this yonge Antiochus that he might raigne in his fathers steade He tolde him also what greate euell Demetrius had done how his meÌ of warre loued him not so remayned there a loÌge season And Ionathas sent vnto kynge Demetrius to dryue them out which were in the castell at Ierusalem and in the other refugies for they dyd Israel greate harme So Demetrius sent worde vnto Ionathas sayenge I wil not only do these thinges for the and thy people but at tyme conuenieÌt I wil do both the thy people greate worshipe But now thou shalt do me a pleasure yf thou wilt sende me men to helpe me for all myne armye is gone fro me So Ionathas sent him iij. M. stronge men vnto Antioche and they came vnto the kynge wherfore the kynge was very glad at their commynge But they that were of the cite euen an Cxx. thousande meÌ gathered them together wolde haue slayne the kynge which fled in to his courte the citesyns kepte the stretes of the cite and beganne to fight Then the kynge called for the Iewes helpe which came vnto him all together wente abrode thorow the cite and slewe the same daye an C.M. men set fyre vpon the cite gat many spoyles in that daye and delyuered y e kynge So when the citesyns sawe that the Iewes had gotten their wyll of the cite and they them selues dispoynted of their purpose they made their supplicacion vnto the kynge sayeÌge Graunte vs peace and let the Iewes ceasse from troublinge vs and the cite and vpon this they cast awaye their weapens Thus they made peace and y e Iewes gat greate worshipe in the sight of the kynge and in the sight of all that were in his realme and were spoken of thorow out the kyngdome and so they came agayne to Ierusalem with greate goodes So the kynge Demetrius sat in the trone of his kyngdome and had peace in his loÌde Neuertheles he dyssembled in all that euer he spake with drewe himself from Ionathas nether rewarded him acordinge to the benefites which he had done for him but troubled him very sore After this came Triphon agayne with yonge Antiochus which raigned was crowned kynge Then there gathered vnto him all y e men of warre whoÌ Demetrius had put awaye these fought agaynst Demetrius which fled turned his backe So Triphon toke the Elephantes wanne Antioche And yoÌge Antiochus wrote vnto Ionathas sayenge I confirme the in thy presthode make y e ruler of iiij countrees y t thou mayest be a frende of y e kinges Vpon this he sent him golden vessel to be serued in and gaue him leue to drynke in golde to be clothed in purple and to weere a colar of golde He made his brother Symon also captayne from the coostes of Tyrus vnto the borders of Egipte Then Ionathas toke his iourney wente thorow y e cities beyoÌde the water of Iordane and all the men of warre of Syria gathered theÌ vnto him for to helpe him So he came vnto Ascalon and they of the cite receaued him honorably from thence wente he vnto Gaza but they wolde not let him in wherfore he layed sege vnto it burnynge vp and spoylinge the places that were aboute the cite And the citesyns of Gaza submytted theÌselues vnto Ionathas which made peace with them but toke of their sonnes to pledge sent theÌ to IerusaleÌ wente thorow the countre vnto Damascus Now when Ionathas herde that Demetrius princes were come in to Cades which is in Galileâ with a greate hoost purposinge to put Demetrius out from medlinge in the realme he came agaynst them and lefte Symon his brother in the londe which came to Bethsura and layed sege to it a longe season and discomfited them So they desyred to haue peace w t him which he graunted them afterwarde put them out from thence toke the cite and set meÌ to kepe it And Ionathas with his hoost came to the water of Genesar by tymes in the mornynge gat them to the playne felde of Azor. And beholde the hoostes of the Heithen met theÌ in the felde layed watch for theÌ in the mountaynes so y t when Ionathas came agaynst theÌ the other which were layed to watch rose out of their places fought they that were of Ionathas syde fled euery man there was not one of theÌ lefte excepte Matathias the sonne of Absalomus and Iudas the sonne of Calphi the captayne of the hoost TheÌ Ionathas rente his clothes layed earth vpoÌ his heade made his prayer turned againe to theÌ in y e felde where they fought together and he put them to flight Now when his owne meÌ y t were fled sawe this they turned agayne vnto him helped him to folowe vpon all their enemies vnto their tentes at Cades So there were slayne of the Heithen the same daye iij. M. men Ionathas turned agayne to Ierusalem The XII Chapter IOnathas seynge that y e tyme was mete for him chose certayne men and sent them vnto Rome for to stablish to renue the frendshipe w t theÌ He sent lettres also vnto Sparta and to other places in like maner So they weÌte vnto Rome and entred in to y e councell sayde Ionathas y e hye prest the people of y e Iewes sent vs vnto you for to renue y e olde freÌdshipe bonde of loue VpoÌ this y e Romaynes gaue theÌ fre pasportes y t meÌ shulde lede theÌ home in to y e loÌde of Iuda peaceably And this is y e copy of the lettres that Ionathas wrote vnto the Sparcians Ionathas y e hye prest w t y e elders prestes the other people of y e Iewes sende
The XII Chapter SIxe dayes before Easter came Iesus vnto Bethanye where Lazarus was which was deed whom Iesus ãâã from the deed There they made him a supper and Martha serued But Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him Then toke Mary a pounde of oyntment of pure and costly Nardus and anoynted Iesus fete dryed his fete with hir heer The house was full of the sanoure of the oynment Then sayde one of his disciples Iudas Iscarioth Symons sonne which afterwarde betrayed him Why was not this oyntment solde for thre hundreth pens and geuen to the poore This sayde he not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thefe and had the bagge and bare that which was geueÌ Then sayde Iesus Let her alone this hath she kepte agaynst the daye of my buryenge For the poore haue ye allwaye with you but me haue ye not allwaye Then moch people of the Iewes had knowlege that he was there and they came not for Iesus sake onely but also y t they might se Lazarus whom he had raysed from the deed But y e hye prestes were aduysed to put Lazarus to death also because y t for his sake many of the Iewes weÌte awaye and beleued on Iesus Vpon the nexte daye moch people which were come vnto the feast whan they herde that Iesus came towarde Ierusalem they toke braunches of palme trees and weÌte out to mete him and cryed Hosianna Blessed be he that in the name of the LORDE commeth kynge of Israel Iesus gat a yonge Asse and rode theron As it is wrytteÌ Feare not thou doughter of Sion beholde thy kynge coÌmeth rydinge vpoÌ an Asses foale Neuertheles his disciples vnderstode not these thinges at the first but whan Iesus was glorified then remeÌbred they that soch thinges were wrytteÌ of him and that they had done soch thinges vnto him The people that was with him whan he called Lazarus out of y e graue and raysed him from the deed commended the acte Therfore the people met him because they herde that he had done soch a miracle But the pharises sayde amonge them selues Ye se that we preuayle nothinge beholde all y e worlde runneth after him There were certayne Grekes amonge theÌ that were come vp to IerusaleÌ to worshipe at the feast the same came vnto Philippe which was of Bethsaida out of Galile prayed him and sayde Syr we wolde fayne se Iesus Philippe came tolde Andrew And agayne Philippe and Andrew tolde Iesus Iesus answered theÌ and sayde The houre is come that the sonne of man must be glorified Verely verely I saye vnto you Excepte the wheatcorne fall in to the grounde and dye it bydeth alone But yf it dye it beyngeth forth moch frute He that loueth his life shal lose it and he that hateth his life in this worlde shal kepe it vnto life euerlastinge He that wyl serue me let him folowe me And where I am there shal my seruaunt be also and he that serueth me him shal my father honoure Now is my soule heuy and what shal I saye Father helpe me out of this houre But therfore am I come in to this houre Father glorifye thy name Then came there a voyce from heauen I haue glorified it and wyl glorifye it agayne Then sayde the people that stode by and herde It thondereth Other sayde An angell spake vnto him Iesus answered and sayde This voyce came not because of me but for youre sakes Now goeth the iudgment ouer the worlde Now shal the prynce of this worlde be thrust out And I whan I am life vp from the earth wyl drawe all vnto me But this he sayde to signifye what death he shulde dye Then answered him the people We haue herde in the lawe that Christ endureth for euer and how sayest thou then that the sonne of man must be lift vp Who is this sonne of man Then sayde Iesus vnto them The light is yet a litle whyle with you walke whyle ye haue the light that the darknesse fall not vpoÌ you He that walketh in the darknesse woteth not whither he goeth Beleue ye on the light whyle ye haue it that ye maye be the children of light These thinges spake Iesus and departed awaye and hyd himself from them And though he had done soch tokens before theÌ yet beleued they not on him that the sayenge of Esay the prophet might be fulfylled which he spake LORDE who beleueth oure preachinge Or to whom is the arme of the LORDE opened Therfore coulde they not beleue for Esay saide agayne He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their hert that they shulde not se with the eyes ner vnderstonde with the hert shulde be conuerted and he shulde heale them This sayde Esay whan he sawe his glory and spake of him Neuertheles many of the chefe rulers beleued on him but because of the Pharises they wolde not be aknowne of it lest they shulde be excommunicate For they loued more the prayse with men then with God Iesus cryed and sayde He that beleueth on me beleueth not on me but on him that sent me And he that seyth me seyth him y t sent me I am come a light in to the worlde that whosoeuer beleueth on me shulde not byde in darknesse And he that heareth my wordes and beleueth not I iudge him not for I am not come to iudge the worlde but to saue the worlde He that refuseth me and receaueth not my wordes hath one allready that iudgeth him The worde that I haue spoken that shall iudge him at the last daye For I haue not spoken of myself but the father that sent me hath geuen me a commaundement what I shulde do and saye And I knowe that his commaundement is life euerlastinge Therfore loke what I speake that speake I eueÌ so as the father hath sayde vnto me The XIII Chapter BEfore the feast of Easter whan Iesus knewe that his tyme was come that he shulde departe out of this worlde vnto y e father as he loued his which were in the worlde euen so loued he them vnto the ende And after supper whan the deuell had allready put into y e hert of Iudas Iscarioth Symons sonne to betraye him Iesus knowinge that the father had geuen all thinges in to his handes that he was come from God and wente vnto God he rose from supper and layed asyde his vpper garmentes and toke a towell and gyrde it aboute him Afterwarde poured he water in to a basen and beganne to wash the disciples fete and dryed them with the towell y t he was gyrded withall Then came he vnto Symon Peter and y e same sayde vnto him LORDE shalt thou washe my fete Iesus answered and sayde vnto him What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt knowe it herafter TheÌ sayde Peter vnto him Thou shalt neuer
that after examinacion had I might haue somwhat to wryte For me thynke it an vnreasonable thinge to sende a presoner and not to shewe the causes which are layed agaynst him The XXVI Chapter AGrippa sayde vnto Paul Thou hast leue to speake for thy selfe TheÌ Paul stretched forth the hande and answered for himselfe I thinke my selfe happye O kynge Agrippa because I shal answere this daye before the of all the thinges wherof I am accused of the Iewes specially forsomoch as thou art experte in all customes and questions which are amonge the Iewes Wherfore I beseche the to heare me paciently My lyuynge truly from youth vp how it was led from the begynnynge amonge this people at IerusaleÌ knowe all the Iewes which knewe me afore at the first yf they wolde testifye for after the most strayte secte of oure Iewysh lawe I lyued a Pharise And now stonde I and am iudged because of the hope of the promes that was made of God vnto oure fathers vnto the which promes oure twolue trybes hope to come seruynge God instaÌtly daye and nighte For the which hopes sake O kynge Agrippa I am accused of the Iewes Wherfore is this iudged amonge you not to be beleued that God rayseth vp the deed I also verely thoughte by my selfe that I oughte to do many coÌtrary thinges cleane agaynst the name off Iesus off Nazareth which I dyd at Ierusalem whan I shut vp many sayntes in preson whervpon I receaued auctorite of y e hye prestes And whaÌ they shulde be put to death I broughte the sentence And thorow all the synagoges I punyshed them oft and compelled theÌ to blaspheme and was exceadinge mad vpon them and persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities Aboute which thinges as I wente towarde Damascon with auctorite and lycence of the hye prestes euen at myddaye O kynge I sawe in the waye that a lighte from heaueÌ clearer then the brightnesse of the Sonne shyned rounde aboute me and them that iourneyed with me But whan we were all fallen downe to the earth I herde a voyce speakynge vnto me and sayeÌge in Hebrue Saul Saul why persecutest thou me It shal be harde for the to kycke agaynst the prycke But I sayde LORDE who art thou He sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest But ryse vp and stonde vpon thy fete for therfore haue I appeared vnto the that I mighte ordeyne the to be a mynister and witnesse of it that thou hast sene and that I wyll yet cause to appeare vnto the. And I wil delyuer the from the people and from the Heythen amonge whoÌ I wil now sende the to opeÌ their eyes that they maye turne from the darknesse vnto the lighte and from the power of y e deuell vnto God that they maye receaue forgeuenesse of synnes and the enheritaunce with them that are sanctified by faith in me Wherfore O kynge Agrippa I was not faithlesse vnto y e heaueÌly vision but shewed it first vnto them at Damascon and at IerusaleÌ and in all the coastes of Iewry and to the Heythen that they shulde do pennaunce and turne vnto God and to do the righte workes of pennaunce For this cause the Iewes toke me in the temple and wente aboute to kyll me But thorow the helpe of God lent vnto me I stonde vnto this daye and testifye both vnto small and greate and saye no other thinge theÌ that y e prophetes haue sayde that it shulde come to passe and Moses that Christ shulde suffre and be the first of the resurreccion from the deed and shew light vnto the people and to the Heythen Whan he thus answered for himselfe Festus sayde with a loude voyce Paul thou art besydes thy selfe moch lernynge maketh y e madd But Paul sayde I am not madd most deare Festus but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernesse for y e kynge knoweth this well vnto whom I speake frely For I thinke that none off these thinges is hyd from him for this was not done in a corner Beleuest thou the prophetes O kynge Agrippa I knowe that thou beleuest Agrippa sayde vnto Paul Thou persuadest me in a parte to become a Christen Paul sayde I wolde to God that not onely in a parte but alltogether I mighte persuade not the onely but all them that heare me this daye to be soch I am these bondes excepte And whan he had spoken this the kynge rose vp and the Debyte and Bernice and they that sat with them and wente asyde and talked together and sayde This man hath done nothinge that is worthy of death or of bondes But Agrippa sayde vnto Festus This man mighte haue bene lowsed yf he had not appealed vnto the Emperoure The XXVII Chapter WHan it was concluded that we shulde sayle in to Italy they delyuered Paul and certayne other presoners to the vndercaptayne named Iulius of the Emperours soudyers And whan we were entred in to a shippe of Adramitium to sayle by Asia we lowsed from londe And there was with vs one Aristarchus out of Macedonia off Thessalonica and on the nexte daye we came vnto Sidon And Iulius intreated Paul curteously and gaue him liberty to go to his frendes and to refresh himselfe And from thence launched we and sayled harde by Cypers because the wyndes were agaynst vs and sayled ouer the see of Celicia and Pamphilia and came to Myra in Lycia And there the vndercaptayne founde a shippe of AlexaÌdria ready to sayle in to Italy and put vs therin And whan we had sayled slowly and in many dayes were scarcely come ouer agaynst Gnydon for the wynde with stode vs we sayled by Candy nye vnto the cite off Salmo and came scarcely beyonde it Then came we to a place which is called Goodhauen nye where vnto was the cite Lasea Now whan moch tyme was spent and saylinge was now ioperdous because that they also had fasted ouerlonge Paul exhorted them and sayde vnto them Syrs I se that this saylinge wyl be with hurte and moch dammage not onely of the ladynge and of the shippe but also of oure lyues Neuertheles y e vndercaptayne beleued the gouernoure of the shippe and y e master more then it that was spoken of Paul And for somoch as the haueÌ was not comodious to wynter in the more parte off them toke councell to departe theÌce yf by eny meanes they might come to Phenices to wynter there which is an hauen of Candy towarde the Southwest and Northwest wynde Whan the South wynde blewe they supposinge to haue had their purpose lowsed vnto Asson and sayled past all Candy But not longe after there rose agaynst their purpose a flawe of wynde which is called the Northeast And whan the shippe was caught and coulde not resist y e wynde we let her go and draue with the wedder But we came to an I le named Claudia where we coulde scarce get a bote Which they toke vp and vsed helpe and bounde it vnder harde to the shippe fearinge
there vpon the stones he wrote the seconde lawe of Moses which he wrote before the childreÌ of Israel And all Israel with their Elders and officers and iudges stode on both the sydes of the Arke right ouer agaynst the prestes y t bare the Arke of the couenaunt of the LORDE the straunger as well as one of them selues the one halfe besyde mount Grysim and the other halfe beside mount Ebal as Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE commaunded afore to blesse the people of Israel Afterwarde caused he to proclame all the wordes of the lawe of the blessynge and cursynge as it is wrytten in the boke of the lawe There was not one worde that Moses commaunded but Iosua caused it to be proclamed before all the congregacion of Israel and before the wemeÌ and children and strauÌgers which walked amonge them The IX Chapter NOw whan all the kynges that were beyonde Iordane vpon the mountaynes and in the lowe countrees in all the hauens of the greate see and besyde mount Libanus herde this namely y e Hethites Amorites Cananites Pheresites Heuites and Iebusytes they gathered theÌ selues together with one acorde to fighte agaynst Iosua and agaynst Israel But whan the inhabiters of Gibeon herde what Iosua had done with Iericho and Hai they dealte craftely weÌte on their waie and made a message and toke olde sackes vpon their asses and olde rente wyne botels and olde mended shues vpon their fete and put on olde and peced garmentes and all y e bred of their vytayles was harde and moulde and they wente vnto Iosua into y e hoost at Gilgall and sayde vnto him and to euery man in Israel We are come out of a farre countre therfore make now a couenaunt w t vs. Then sayde euery man in Israel vnto y e Heuyte Peraduenture thou dwellest amonge vs how can I then make a couenaunt with the They saide vnto Iosua We are y e seruauÌtes Iosua sayde vnto them What are ye whence come ye They sayde Thy seruauntes are come out of a very farre countre because of the name of the LORDE thy God for we haue herde the reporte of him and all that he dyd in Egipte and all that he dyd vnto the two kynges of the Amorites beyoÌde Iordane Sihon the kynge at HeszboÌ and Og the kynge of Basan which dwelt at Astaroth Therfore sayde oure Elders and all the inhabiters of oure countre Take fode with you for youre iourney and go mete them and saye vnto them We are youre seruauÌtes therfore make now a bonde with vs This oure bred that we toke out of oure houses for oure foode was new whan we toke o r iourney towarde you but now lo it is harde moulde And these bottels fylled we new and lo they are reÌte And these oure clothes and shues are waxed olde by y e reason of the sore longe iourney Then the captaynes toke their vytayles and axed not the mouth of the LORDE ⪠And Iosua made peace with them and set vp a couenaunt with them that they shulde be saued alyue and the rulers of the congregacion sware vnto them But thre dayes after that they had made a couenaunt with them they herde that they were their neghbours and dwelt amonge them For as the children of Israel wente forth on their iourney they came on the thirde daye vnto their cities which are called Gibeon Caphira Beeroth and Cirath Iearim and smote theÌ not because that the rulers of the congregacisn had sworne vnto them by the name of the LORDE the God of Israel But whan all the congregacion murmured agaynst the rulers all the rulers sayde vnto the whole congregacion We haue sworne vnto them by the LORDE the God of Israel therfore maye we not touch them But this wil we do vnto them Let them lyue that there come no wrath vpon vs because of the ooth that we haue made vnto them And the rulers sayde vnto them Let them lyue that they maye be hewers of wodd and bearers of water for the whole congregacion as the rulers haue sayde vnto them Then Iosua called them and commened with them and sayde Wherfore haue ye disceaued vs and sayde that ye were farre from vs where as ye dwell amonge vs Therfore shall ye be cursed so that of you there shall not ceasse seruauntes to hew wodd and to beare water for the house of my God They answered Iosua sayde It was tolde thy seruauntes that the LORDE thy God commaunded Moses his seruaunt that he shulde geue you the whole loÌde and that he wolde destroye all the inhabiters of the londe before you therfore were we sore afrayed of oure lyues before you and thus haue we done But now lo we are in thy handes loke what thou thinkest good and righte to do vnto vs that do And he dyd euen so vnto them and delyuered them from the children of Israels haÌde that they shulde not slaye them So vpoÌ the same daye Iosua made them hewers of wodd and water bearers for the congregacion and for the altare of the LORDE vnto this daye in the place that he shall chose The X. Chapter WHan Adonisedech the kynge of Ierusalem herde that Iosua had wonne Hai and damned it and done vnto Hai and y e kynge of it like as he dyd vnto Iericho and to the kynge therof and that they of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were come vnder them they were sore afrayed For Gibeon was a greate cite like as one of the kynges cities and greater then Hai and all the citesyns therof were men of armes Therfore sent he vnto Hoham the kynge of Hebron and to Pirea the kynge of Iarmuth and to Iaphia the kynge of Lachis and to Debir the kynge of Eglon and caused to saie vnto them Come vp vnto me and helpe me that we maie smyte Gibeon for they haue made peace with Iosua and the children of Israel Then came the fyue kynges of the Amorites together and wente vp the kynge of Ierusalem the kynge of Hebron y e kynge of Iarmuth the kynge of Lachis the kynge of Eglon with all their armies layed sege vnto Gibeon and foughte agaynst it Howbeit they of Gibeon sent vnto Iosua to Gilgall and caused to saye vnto him Withdrawe not thine hande from thy seruauntes come vp soone vnto vs delyuer and helpe vs for all the kynges of the Amorites that dwell vpon the mountaynes are gathered together agaynst vs. Iosua wente vp from Gilgall and all the warryers and all the men armes with him And the LORDE sayde vnto Iosua Feare them not for I haue geueÌ them in to thy hande There shall not one of them be able to stonde before the. So Iosua came sodenly vpon them for all that night wente he vp from Gilgall And the LORDE discomfyted theÌ before Israel and smote them with a greate slaughter at Gibeon they chaced them the waie downe to Beth Horon and smote them vnto Aseka
vncle He tolde vs y t the asses were fouÌde But of y e kyngdome he tolde him nothinge what Samuel had sayde Samuel called the people together vnto the LORDE to Mispa and spake vnto the children of Israel Thus saieth y e LORDE the God of Israel I broughte Israel out of Egipte and delyuered you from the hande of y e Egipcians and from the hande of all the kyngdomes that oppressed you But now haue ye refused yo r God which hath helped you out of all youre sorowes and troubles ye haue saide vnto him Set a kinge ouer vâ Well stonde ye now before y e LORDE acordinge to youre trybes and kynreds Now whan Samuel had brought forth all the trybes of Israel the trybe of Ben Iamin was taken And whan he had broughte forth the trybe of Ben Iamin with his kynreds the kynred of Matri was takeÌ Saul the sonne of Cis was takeÌ And they sought him but they founde him not Then axed they further at the LORDE whether he was for to come thither The LORDE answered Beholde he hath hyd him selfe amonge y e vessels Then ranne they thither and fetched him And whan he stode amonge the people he was hygher by the heade then all the people And Samuel sayde vnto all the people There se ye him whom the LORDE hath chosen for in all the people there is none like him Then gaue all the people a shoute and sayde God saue the new kynge Samuel tolde the people all the lawe of the kyngdome and wrote it in a boke and layed it before the LORDE And Samuel let all the people go euery one to his awne house And Saul wente home also vnto Gibea and there wente with him one parte of the hoost whose hertes God had touched But the childreÌ of Belial sayde What shal this felowe helpe vs and despysed him broughte him no presente But he made him as though he herde it noâ The XI Chapter NAhas y e Ammonite weÌte vp layed sege vnto Iabes in Gilead And all the men of Iabes sayde vnto Nahas Be at one with vs we wyll serue the. But Nahas y e Ammonite answered them I wil make a couenaunt with you of this condicion that I maye thrust out all youre right eyes and put you to shame amonge all Israel Then sayde all the Elders of Iabes vnto him Geue vs seuen dayes respyte that we maye sende messaungers into all y e coastes of Israel Yf there be then no sauioure we wyl go forth vnto the. So the messaungers came vnto Gibea of Saul and spake this before the eares of the people Then all y e people lifte vp their voyce and wepte And beholde Saul came after the oxen out of the felde and sayde What ayleth the people that they wepe So they tolde him the earande of the men of Iabes Then came the sprete of God vpon him whan he had herde these wordes and his wrath was sore moued and he toke a couple of oxen and hewed them in sunder and sent them in to all the coastes of Israel by the messaungers sayenge Who so euer goeth not forth after Saul and Samuel his oxen shal be thus dealte withall Then fell the feare of the LORDE vpon the people so that they wente forth like as one man and they were tolde at Basek and of the childreÌ of Israel there were thre hundreth thousande men and thirtie thousande of the children of Iuda And they spake vnto the messaungers that were come Saye thus to the men of Iabes in Gilead Tomorow shal ye haue helpe whan y e Sonne is at the whotest Whan y e messaungers came and tolde this to the men of Iabes they were glad And the men of Iabes sayde Tomorow wyll we come forth vnto you that ye maye do vnto vs what so euer it pleaseth you And on y e nexte morow Saul set the people in thre partes and came into the hoost aboute the mornynge watch and smote the Ammonites tyll the daye was at the whotest As for those y t remayned they were so scatred that two of them abode not together Then sayde the people vnto Samuel Where are they that sayde Shulde Saul raigne ouer vs Delyuer vs here the men that we maye put them to death But Saul sayde There shal noman dye this daye for to daye hath the LORDE geuen health in Israel Samuel sayde vnto the people Come let vs go vnto Gilgall and renue the kyngdome there Then wente all the people vnto Gilgall and there they made Saul kinge before the LORDE at Gilgal and offred deed offeringes before the LORDE And Saul with all the men of Israel reioysed there greatly The XII Chapter SAmuel sayde vnto all Israel Beholde I haue herkened vnto youre voyce in all that ye sayde vnto me and haue made a kynge ouer you And now lo there goeth youre kynge before you As for me I am waxen olde and graye heered and my sonnes are with you and I haue gone before you fro my youth vp vnto this daye Beholde here am I ⪠answere ye agaynst me before the RORDE and his anoynted yf I haue taken eny mans oxe or asse yf I haue done eny man violence or wronge If I haue oppressed eny maÌ yf I haue receaued a gifte of eny mans hande and kepte it secretly I wil restore it you agayne They saide ⪠Thou hast done vs nether violence ner wronge nether oppressed ner taken ought of eny mans hande He sayde The LORDE be witnesse agaynst you and so be his anoynted this daye that ye haue founde nothinge in my haÌde They saide Yee they shal be witnesses And Samuel sayde vnto the people The LORDE which made Moses and Aaron and broughte youre fathers out of the londe of Egipte is here present StoÌde forth now therfore that I maye iudge you before the LORDE ouer the righteousnes of the LORDE which he hath done for you and youre fathers Whan Iacob was come in to Egipte youre fathers cryed vnto the LORDE And he sent Moses and Aaron to brynge youre fathers out of Egipte and to cause them for to dwell in this place But whan they forgat the LORDE their God he solde them vnder the power of Sissera the captayne at Hazor and vnder the power of the Philistynes and vnder the power of the kinge of the Moabites which foughte agaynst them But they cried vnto the LORDE and sayde We haue synned in that we haue forsaken the LORDE and serued Baalim and Astaroth But now deliuer vs from the hande of oure enemies and we wyl serue the. Then the LORDE sent Ierubaal Bedan Iephthae and Samuel delyuered you from youre enemies rounde aboute and caused you to dwell safe But whan ye sawe that Nahas the kynge of the children of Ammon came agaynst you ye sayde vnto me Not thou but a kynge shal raigne ouer vs where as notwithstoÌdinge youre God was youre kynge
wyl I take the kyngdome and wyl geue ten trybes vnto the and one vnto his sonne that Dauid my seruaunt maye allwaye haue a lanterne before me in the cite of Ierusalem which I haue chosen that I maye set my name there Therfore wyl I take the now to raygne ouer all that thine hert desyreth and thou shalt be kynge ouer Israel Yf thou folowe now all that I shall commaunde the and walke in my wayes and fulfill my pleasure to kepe myne ordinaunces and commaundementes as dyd my seruauÌt Dauid then wyll I be with the and buylde the a sure house as I buylded vnto Dauid and wyl geue Israel vnto the and therwith wyll I subdue the sede of Dauid but not for euermore But Salomon soughte to kyll Ieroboam Then Ieroboam gat him vp and fled in to Egipte to Sisak the kynge of Egipte and remayned in Egipte tyll Salomon dyed What more there is to saye of Salomon and all that he dyd and his wyszdome it is wrytten in the Cronicles of Salomon The tyme that Salomon was kynge at Ierusalem ouer all Israel is fortye yeare And Salomon fell on slepe with his fathers and was buryed in the cite of Dauid his father and Roboam his sonne was kynge in his steade The XII Chapter ANd Roboam weÌte vnto Sichem for all Israel was come to Sichem to make him kynge And whan Ieroboam y e sonne of Nebat herde that while he was yet in Egipte whither he was fled for Salomon he came agayne out of Egipte And they sent for him and called him And Ieroboam with all the congregacion of Israel came and spake to Roboam and sayde Thy father made oure yock to harde therfore make thou now the harde bondage and the sore yock lighter and we wyll submytte oure selues vnto the. He sayde vnto them Go youre waye vnto the thirde daye and then come to me agayne And the people weÌte their waye And Roboam the kynge helde a councell with the Elders that stode before SalomoÌ his father whyle he lyued he sayde What is youre councell that we maye geue this people an answere They sayde vnto him Yf thou do this people a pleasure to daye and folowe their mynde and heare them and geue them good wordes then shal they be obedient vnto the as longe as thou liuest Neuertheles he forsoke the councell that y e Elders had geuen him and axed councell at the yonge men which were growne vp with him and stode before him And he sayde vnto them What is youre councell that we maye answere this people which haue sayde vnto me Make the yock lighter that thy father hath layed vpoÌ vs. And the yonge men that were growne vp with him sayde vnto him Where as the people haue sayde vnto the Thy father hath made oure yock to sore make thou it easyer for vs Thus shalt thou saye vnto them ⪠My litle fynger shall be thicker then my fathers loynes Now my father layed a sore yock vpon you but I wyl yet laye more theron My father correcte you with scourges but I wyl nourtoure you with scorpions So vpon the thyrde daye came Ieroboam with all the people vnto Roboam as y e kynge had appoynted and saide come to me agayne on the thyrde daye And the kynge gaue the people an harde rough answere and forsoke the couÌcell that the Elders had geuen him and talked with them after the councell of the yonge men and sayde My father made youre yock sore but I wyll make it yet sorer vpon you My father correcte you with scourges but I wil nourtoure you with scorpioÌs Thus the kynge folowed not the peoples mynde for he was turned so froÌ the LORDE that he mighte stablish his worde which he spake by Ahias of Silo vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat But whan all Israel sawe that the kynge wolde not heare them the people gaue y e kynge an answereâand sayde What porcion haue we then in Dauid or inheritaunce in the sonne of Isai Get the to thy tentes O Israel Loke thou now to thy house thou Dauid So Israel wente vnto their tentes As for Roboam he raigned but ouer y e children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Iuda And whan kynge Roboam sent thither Adoram the rentgatherer all Israel stoned him to death But kynge Roboam strengthed himselfe and gat him vp into a charet to fle vnto Ierusalem Thus departed Israel from the house of Dauid vnto this daye Now whan all Israel herde that Ieroboam was come againe they sent for to call him to the whole congregacion and made him kynge ouer all Israel And no man folowed the house of Dauid saue onely the tribe of Iuda And whan Roboam came to Ierusalem all the house of Iuda and the trybe of Ben Iamin euen an hundreth and foure score thousande chosen men of armes gathered themselues together to fight against y e house of Israel to brynge the kyngdome agayne vnto Roboam y e sonne of SalomoÌ But the worde of God came to Semeia the man of God and sayde Speake thou to Roboam the sonne of Salomon kynge of Iuda and to all y e house of Iuda and Ben Iamin and to the other people and saye Thus sayeth the LORDE Ye shall not go vp and fighte agaynst youre brethren the children of Israel Let euery man go home agayne for this is my dede And they herkened vnto the worde of the LORDE and turned back to go their waye as the LORDE sayde But Roboam buylded Sichem vpon mount Ephraim and dwelt therin and departed thence and buylded Penuel IeroboaÌ thoughte in his hert The kingdome shall fall agayne now vnto the house of Dauid yf this people go vp to offre in the LORDES house at Ierusalem and so shall the hert of this people turne to their lorde Roboam kynge of Iuda and theÌ shal they slaye me and fall agayne to Roboam kynge of Iuda And the kynge helde a councell and made two golden calues and sayde vnâo them It is to moch for you to go to IerusaleÌ beholde there is thy God O Israel which broughte y e out of Egipte And the one set he at Bethel the other in Dan. And this dede turned to synne for the people wente before the one vnto Dan. He made an house also in the hye places and made prestes of the smallest in the people which were not of the childreÌ of Leui And vpon the fiftene daye of the eighte moneth he made an holy daye like as the solempne feast in Iuda and offered vpon the altare Thus dyd he at Bethel in doynge sacrifice vnto the calues which he had made and at Bethel he ordeyned the prestes of the hye places that he had made and offred vpon the altar which he had made at Bethel the fiftene daye of the eight moneth which he inuented of his owne hert And he made the children of Israel an holy daye wente vp to the altare
straunge But whan Ahias herde the noyse of hir fete goynge in at the dore he saide Come in thou wyfe of IeroboaÌ Why shewest thou thy selfe so straunge I am sent vnto y e an harde messaunger Go thy waye and tell Ieroboam Thus sayeth y e LORDE God of Israel I haue exalted the from amonge the people and set the to be prynce ouer my people of Israel and haue rente the kyngdome from the house of Dauid and geuen it the. But thou hast not bene as my seruaunt Dauid which kepte my commaundemeÌtes and walked after me with all his hert so that he did onely y e thinge that was righte in my sighte and thou hast done worse then all they that haue bene before the thou hast gone thy waye and made the other goddes and molten ymages to prouoke me vnto wrath and hast cast me behynde thy backe Beholde therfore I wil brynge mysfortune vpon the house of Ieroboam and wyl rote out from Ieroboam eueÌ him that maketh water agaynst the wall the presoner and forsaken in Israel and the posterite of y e house of Ieroboam wyll I swepe out as donge is swepte out tyll he be cleane broughte to naught He that dieth of Ieroboam in the cite the dogges shal eate him vp But him y t dyeth in the felde shall the foules of the aire eat vp for the LORDE hath spoken it Get the vp therfore and go home whan thy fete enter in to y e cite the childe shal dye And all Israel shal bewayle him and burye him For he onely of Ieroboam shal come to the graue because there is some good founde in him before the LORDE God of Israel in Ieroboams house But the LORDE shall rayse him vp a kynge which shal rote out y e house of Ieroboam in that daie And what is it y t is now in hande all ready And the LORDE shal smyte Israel like as a rede is moued in the water shal rote out Israel from this good londe that he gaue vnto their fathers shal scater them beyonde the water because they haue made their groues to prouoke the LORDE vnto wrath And Israel shall be geuen ouer because of the synne of Ieroboam which hath synned him selfe made Israel to synne And Ieroboams wife gat her vp wente hir waye came vnto Thirza And whan she came vpoÌ the thresholde of the house y e childe dyed they buried him all Israel made lamentacion for him acordinge to y e worde of the LORDE which he spake by his seruaunt Ahia y e prophet What more there is to saye of Ieroboam how he foughte raigned beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel The tyme that Ieroboam raigned was two twentye yeare And he slepte with his fathers And Nadab his sonne was kynge in his steade Roboam y e sonne of Salomon was kynge in Iuda One and fortye yeare olde was Roboam whaÌ he was made kynge seuentene yeare raigned he at Ierusalem in the cite y t the LORDE had chosen out of all y e trybes of Israel to set his name there His mothers name was Naemaan Ammonitisse And Iuda dyd y t which displeased the LORDE prouoked him to indignacion more theÌ all y t their fathers had done w t their synnes which they dyd for they likewyse buylded them hye places pilers and groues vpoÌ euery hye hill and amonge all grene trees There were whoremoÌgers also they dyd all y e abhominacioÌs of y e HeytheÌ whom y e LORDE droue out before the children of Israel But in y e fifth yeare of kynge Roboam weÌte Sisack y e kynge of Egipte vp agaynst Ierusalem toke the treasure out of y e house of the LORDE out of the kynges house all that mighte be gotten toke all the shyldes of golde which Salomon caused to be made In steade wherof y e kynge Roboam caused for to make shyldes of stele commytted them vnder the handes of the chefe fotemen which kepte the dore of the kynges house And as oft as the kynge wente in to y e house of the LORDE the fote men bare them and brought them agayne in to the fote mens chamber What more there is to saye of Roboam and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda But betwene Roboam Ieroboam there was warre as longe as they lyued And Robobam slepte with his fathers was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid And his mothers name was Naema an Ammonitisse And his sonne Abia was kynge in his steade The XV. Chapter IN the eightenth yeare of kynge IeroboaÌ the sonne of Nebat was Abia kynge in Iuda and reigned thre yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Maecha the doughter of Abisalom and he walked in all the synnes of his father which he had done before him and his hert was not perfecte with the LORDE his God as was the hert of Dauid his father For because of Dauids sake dyd the LORDE his God geue him a lanterne at Ierusalem so y t he raysed his sonne after him manteyned him at Ierusalem because Dauid dyd the thinge y t was righte in y e sighte of the LORDE and departed not from all that he commaunded him as longe as he lyued sauynge in the matter with Vrias y e Hethite But there was warre betwene Roboam and Ieroboam as longe as he lyued What more there is to saye of Abia and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda There was warre also betwene Abia and Ieroboam And Abia slepte with his fathers and they buried him in the cite of Dauid And Asa his sonne was kynge in his steade In y e twentyeth yeare of kynge Ieroboam ouer Israel was Asa kynge in Iuda and reigned one fortye yeare at Ierusalem His graund mothers name was Maecha the doughter of Abisalom And Asa dyd that which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE as dyd his father Dauid And he remoued y e who remongers out of the londe and put downe all the Idols that his fathers had made He put his mother from the mynistracion that she had made vnto Miplezeth in y e groue And Asa roted out hir Miplezeth and brent it in the broke Cedron but the hye places put he not downe Yet was the hert of Asa perfecte with the LORDE as longe as he lyued And the syluer and golde and vessels that his father had halowed soch as was sanctified vnto y e house of the LORDE that broughte he in And there was warre betwene Asa Baesa the kynge of Israel as longe as they lyued Baesa the kynge of Israel wente vp agaynst Iuda and buylded Rama that no man shulde go out and in of Asas syde the kynge of Iuda Then toke Asa all the syluer
and golde that was lefte in the treasure of the house of the LORDE and in the treasure of the kynges house and delyuered it in to his seruauntes handes sent it vnto Benadab the sonne of Tabrimon the sonne of Hesion kynge of Siria which dwelt at Damascon and let saye vnto him There is a couenaunt betwene me and the and betwene my father and thy father therfore sende I the a present of syluer and golde that thou shuldest breake the couenaunt which thou hast with Baesa the kynge of Israel that he maye departe fro me Benadab agreed vnto kynge Asa and sent his captaynes agaynst the cities of Israel and smote Iion and Dan Abel Beth Maecha and all Cineroth with the whole londe of Nephtali WhaÌ Baesa herde that he left of from buyldinge Rama and wente agayne vnto Thirza Kynge Asa caused it be proclamed in all Iuda Here be no man excepte And they toke awaye the stones and tymber from Rama wherwith Baesa had buylded And kynge Asa buylded Geba Ben Iamin Mispa therwith What more there is to saye of Asa and of all his power and all that he dyd and of y e cities which he buylded beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda sauynge that in his olde age he was diseased in his fete And Asa slepte with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the cite of Dauid his father And Iosaphat his sonne was kynge in his steade But Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam was kynge ouer Israel in the secoÌde yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda raigned ouer Israel two yeare and dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE and walked in the waye of his father and in his synnes wherwith he made Israel to synne Howbeit Baesa the sonne of Ahia of the house of Isachar conspired agaynst him smote him at Gibbethon which was the Philistynes for Nadab and all Israel layed sege to Gibbethon So Baesa slewe him in the thirde yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda was kynge in his steade Now whan he was kynge he smote all the house of Ieroboam and let nothinge of Ieroboam remayne that had breth tyll he had destroyed it acordynge to y e worde of the LORDE which he spake by his seruaunt Ahia of Silo because of Ieroboams synnes which he dyd made Israel synne withall euen with y e prouokynge wherwith he displeased the LORDE God of Israel What more there is to saye of Nadab all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel and there was warre betwene Asa Baesa the kynge of Israel as longe as they lyued In the thirde yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda was Baesa y e sonne of Ahia kynge ouer all Israel at Thirza foure and twentye yeare and dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE and walked in the waye of Ieroboam and in his synnes wherwith he made Israel to synne Neuertheles the worde of the LORDE came vnto Iehu the sonne of Hanani agaynst Baesa and sayde For so moch as I lifted the out of the dust and made the prynce ouer my people of Israel and thou walkest in the waye of Ieroboam and makest my people ouer Israel for to synne to prouoke me vnto wrath thorow their synnes beholde therfore wyll I take awaye the posterite of Beasa and the posterite of his house and wyll set thine house euen as the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat He that of Baesa dyeth in the cite the dogges shal deuoure him and who so beynge of him dyeth in the felde the foules of the ayre shall eate him vp What more there is to saye of Baesa what he dyd of his power beholde it is wrytten in y e Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Baesa slepte with his fathers was buried at Thirza his sonne Ella was kynge in his steade And the worde of y e LORDE came by the prophet Iehu the sonne of Hanani ouer Baesa and ouer his house and agaynst all the euell that he dyd in the sighte of y e LORDE to prouoke him vnto wrath thorow the workes of his handes so that he became as the house of Ieroboam and because he slewe this man The XVI Chapter IN the sixe twentieth yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda was Ella the sonne of Baesa kynge ouer Israel at Thirza two yeare Neuertheles his seruaunt Simri y e principall man ouer the halfe of y e charettes coÌspyred against him As for Ella he was at Thirza dranke was dronkeÌ in y e house of Arza the ruler of Thirza And Simri came in and slewe him in the seuen twentieth yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda and was kynge in his steade And whan he was kynge and sat vpon his seate he smote all the house of Baesa lefte not so moch as one to make water agaynst y e wall his bloud auengers also his frendes Thus dyd Simri destroye all the house of Baesa acordinge to the worde of the LORDE which he spake ouer Baesa by the prophet Iehu because of all the synnes of Baesa and of Ella his sonne which they dyd and made Israel for to synne to prouoke the LORDE God of Israel vnto wrath thorow their vanities What more there is to saye of Ella and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel In the seuen and twentieth yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda was Simri kynge vij dayes at Thirza and the people laye before Gibbethon of the Philistynes But whan the people in the hoost herde saye y t Simri had conspired and slayne the kynge then all Israel the same daye made Amri the chefe captayne kynge ouer all in the hoost And Amri wente vp and all Israel with him from Gibbethon and layed sege vnto Thirza But whan Simri sawe y t the cite shulde be wonne he wente in to the palace in the kynges house brent it with y e kynges house dyed because of his synnes which he had committed in that he dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE and walked in the waye of Ieroboam and in his synnes which he dyd wherwith he made Israel to synne What more there is to saye of Simri and how he conspired beholde it is wrytten in y e Cronicles of the kynges of Israel At the same tyme were y e people deuyded in two partes the one parte helde with Thibni the sonne of Ginath that they might make him kynge the other halfe helde with Amri But the people that helde with Amri were mightier then the people which helde with Thibni y e sonne of Ginath And Thibni dyed and Amri was kynge In y e one and thirtieth yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda was Amri kynge ouer Israel twolue yeares raigned at Thirza sixe yeares He boughte the mount of Samaria of Semer for two hundreth weight of syluer buylded vpon the mount and
called the cite which he buylded after y e name of Semer y e owner of y e mount of Samaria And Amri dyd that which was euell in y e sighte of the LORDE and was worse then all they that were before him and walked in all y e wayes of Ieroboam y e sonne of Nebat and in his synnes wherwith he made Israel to synne so that they prouoked the LORDE God of Israel vnto wrath in their vanities What more there is to saye of Amri all that he dyd and his power that he exercysed beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Amri slepte with his fathers was buried in Samaria and Achab his sonne was kynge in his steade In the eight thirtieth yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda was Achab the sonne of Amri kynge ouer Israel raigned ouer Israel at Samaria two twentie yeare dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE more theÌ all they y t were before him And he thoughte it but a small matter to walke in the synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat and toke Iesabel the doughter of Eth Baal kynge of Sidon to wife and wente and serued Baal and worshiped him And vnto Baal he set vp an altare in Baals house which he buylded him in Samaria and made a groue so that Achab dyd more to prouoke the God of Israel vnto wrath then all the kynges y t were before him in Israel At y e same tyme dyd Hiel of Bethel buylde Iericho It cost him his first sonne Abiram y t he layed y e foundacion his yongest sonne Segub y t he set vp the portes Acordinge to the worde of the LORDE which he spake by Iosua the sonne of Nun. The XVII Chapter ANd Elias y e Theszbite one of the inhabiters of Gilead saide vnto Achab As truly as the LORDE God of Israel lyueth whose seruaunt I am there shal nether rayne ner dew come this yeare excepte I speake it And the worde of the LORDE came vnto him and sayde Get the hence and turne the towarde the east and hyde the bythe ryuer Crith which is ouer agaynst Iordane and thou shalt drynke of the ryuer and I haue commaunded the rauens that they shal fede the there He departed and dyd acordinge to the worde of the LORDE and wente his waye and sat him downe by the ryuer Crith which is ouer agaynst Iordane And the raueÌs broughte him bred and flesh in the mornynge and in the euenynge and he dranke of the ryuer And it fortuned after cerayne dayes that the riuer was dryed vp for there was no rayne in the loÌde Then came y e worde of y e LORDE vnto him and sayde Get y e vp and go vnto Sarepta which lieth by SidoÌ for there haue I commaunded a wedowe to make prouysion for the. And he gat him vp and wente vnto Sarepta And whan he came to the gate of y e cite beholde the wedowe was there and gathered stickes And he called her and sayde Fetch me a litle water in a vessell y t I maye drinke And as she was goinge to fetch it he cried vnto her sayde Brynge me a morsell of bred also in thine hande She sayde As truly as the LORDE y e God lyueth I haue no bred but an handfull of floure in a pitcher a curtesy oyle in a cruse and beholde I haue gathered vp one or two stickes wyll go and prepare it for me and my sonne that we maye eate and dye Elias sayde vnto her Feare not go thy waye do as thou hast sayde yet make me first a morsell of bred therof brynge it me forth afterwarde shalt thou make it for y e thy sonne For thus sayeth y e LORDE God of Israel The meell in the pitcher shall not be spent the oyle in y e cruse shall not fayll vnto the daye y t the LORDE shal cause it for to rayne vpoÌ earth She wente dyd as Elias sayde And he ate she also and hir house a certayne season The meel in the pitcher was not mynished and the oyle in the cruse fayled not acordinge to the worde of y e LORDE which he spake by Elias And after these actes the sonne of the wife of y e house was sicke and his sicknes was so exceadinge sore that there remayned no breth in him And she sayde vnto Elias What haue I to do with the thou man of God Art thou come in vnto me y t my synne shulde be kepte in remembraunce that my sonne shulde be slayne He sayde vnto her Geue me thy sonne And he toke him froÌ hir lappe caried him vp in to y e chamber where he himselfe dwelt and layed him vpoÌ his bed called vpon the LORDE and sayde O LORDE my God hast thou dealt so euell w t the wedow with whom I dwell y t thou woldest slaye hir sonne And he stretched out him selfe ouer the childe thre tymes called vpon the LORDE and saide O LORDE my God let the soule of this childe come agayne in to him And the LORDE herde the voyce of Elias And the soule of the childe came agayne vnto him he reuyued And Elias toke the childe and broughte him downe from the chamber in to the house and delyuered him vnto his mother and sayde Beholde thy sonne lyueth And the woman sayde vnto Elias Now knowe I that thou are a man of God that the worde of the LORDE is in thy mouth of a trueth The XVIII Chapter ANd after a longe season came y e worde of the LORDE vnto Elias in the thirde yeare sayde Go thy waye shewe y e selfe vnto Achab y t I maye cause it for to rayne vpon earth And Elias wente to shewe him selfe vnto Achab. But there was a greate derth iÌ Samaria And Achab called Abdia his chefe officer As for Abdia he feared y e LORDE greatly for whaÌ Iesabel roted out y e prophetes of y e LORDE Abdia toke an C. prophetes and hyd them in caues here fiftye there fiftye prouyded for them w t bred and water Achab now sayde vnto Abdia Go thorow the londe vnto all the welles of water ryuers yf happlye we maye finde hay to saue y e horses mules y t all the catell perishe not And they parted theÌ selues in to the londe to go thorow it Achab departed the one waye alone and Abdia y e other waye alone Now whan Abdia was on y e waye Elias met him And whan he knewe him he fell downe vpon his face sayde Art not thou my lorde Elias He sayde yee go thy waye and tell y e lorde beholde Elias is here But he sayde What haue I offended that thou wilt delyuer thy seruaunt in to the handes of Achab that he maye slaye me As truly as the LORDE thy God lyueth there is no people ner kingdome but my lorde hath sent
kynge of Israel and sayde vnto him Go thy waye and strength the and take hede and loke well what thou doest for whan the yeare is aboute the kynge of Syria shall come agaynst the of the new For the kynge of y e Syrians seruauntes sayde vnto him Their goddes are goddes of the mountaynes therfore haue they gotten the victory But let vs fyghte with them on the playne and thou shalt se that we shal ouercome them Do thus put awaye the kynges euery one from his place and set dukes in their steades and appoynte the an hoost as was that which thou hast lost horses charettes as the other were and led vs fight agaynst theÌ in the plaine and thou shalt se that we shal haue the victory He coÌsented vnto their voyce and dyd so Now whan the yeare was gone aboute Benadab appoynted the Sirians and wente vp towarde Aphek to fighte agaynst Israel and the childreÌ of Israel mustured and prouyded them selues with vytailes and weÌte to mete them and pitched their teÌtes ouer against them like two litle flockes of goates but the londe was full of the Syrians And there came a man of God and sayde vnto the kynge of Israel Thus sayeth the LORDE Because the Syrians haue sayde that the LORDE is a God of the mouÌtaynes and not a God of the valleys therfore haue I geuen all this greate heape in to thy handes that ye maye knowe how that I am y e LORDE And they pitched their tentes right ouer agaynst them seuen dayes But vpon y e seuenth daye they wente together in to the battayll and the children of Israel smote of the Sirians an hundreth thousande fote men in one daye and the remnaunt fled to Aphek in to the cite and the wall fell vpon the other seuen and twenty thousande men And Benadab fled also vnto the cite in to a litle chamber Then sayde his seruauntes vnto him Beholde we haue herde that the kynges of the house of Israel are mercifull kinges Let vs therfore put sack cloth aboute oure loynes and halters aboute oure neckes go forth to the kynge of Israel peraduenture he shal let y e soule lyue And they put sack cloth aboute their loynes and halters aboute their neckes and came to the kynge of Israel and sayde Benadab thy seruaunt sayeth vnto the O let my soule lyue He sayde yf he be yet alyue he is my brother And the men toke him shortly at his worde and expounded it for them selues and sayde Yee Benadab is thy brother He sayde Come and brynge him TheÌ wente Benadab forth vnto him and he caused him to syt vpon the charet and sayde vnto him The cities that my father toke from thy father wyl I geue the agayne And make thou stretes for thyselfe at DamascoÌ as my father did at Samaria so wyl I let the go with a bonde of peace And he made a couenaunt with him and let him go Then spake there a man amonge the children of the prophetes vnto his neghboure by the worde of the LORDE I praye the smite me But he refused to smite him Then saide he vnto him because thou hast not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE beholde therfore shall there a lyon smyte the whan thou goest fro me· And whan he wente froÌ him a lyon founde him and slewe him And he founde another man and sayde I praye the smyte me And the man smote him and wounded him Then wente the prophet and stepte vnto the kynge by the waye syde and altered his face with aszshes And whan the kynge wente by he cried vpon y e kynge and sayde Thy seruaunt wente forth in to the battayll and beholde there wente one asyde and broughte a man vnto me and sayde Kepe this maÌ yf he be myssed thy soule shall be in steade of his soule or els thou shalt weye downe an hundreth weighte of syluer And whyle thy seruaunt had here there to do he was awaye The kynge of Israel sayde vnto him It is thine owne iudgment thou hast geuen it thyselfe Then put he the aszshes from his face in all the haist And the kynge of Israel knewe him that he was one of the prophetes And he sayde vnto him Thus sayeth the LORDE Because thou hast let the damned man go therfore shall thy soule be for his soule and thy people for his people And the kynge of Israel departed vnto his house beinge troubled in his mynde and full indignacion and came to Samaria The XXI Chapter AFter these actes it fortuned that Naboth the Iesraelite had a vyniarde at Iefreel besyde the palace of Achab kynge of Samaria And Achab spake to Naboth and sayde Geue me thy vynyarde I wyll make me an herbgarden therof because it is so nye my house I wyl geue the a better vynyarde for it or yf it please the I wyll geue the syluer for it as moch as it is worth But Naboth sayde vnto Achab The LORDE let that be farre fro me that I shulde geue y e my fathers heretage Then came Achab home beinge moued and full of indignacion because of the worde that Naboth the Iesraelite had spoken vnto him sayde I wyl not geue the my fathers inheritaunce And he laied him downe vpon his bed and turned his face asyde and ate no bred Then Iesabel his wyfe came in to him and sayde vnto him What is y e matter that thy sprete is so coÌbred and that thou eatest no bred He sayde vnto her I haue spokeÌ vnto Naboth the Iesraelite and sayde Geue me thy vynyarde for money or yf it please y t I wyl geue the another for it But he sayde I wyll not geue the my vynyarde Then sayde Iesabel his wyfe vnto him What kingdome were in Israel yf thou diddest it Stonde vp and eate bred I wyl get the the vynyarde of Naboth the Iesraelite And she wrote a letter vnder Achabs name and sealed it with his signet and sent it vnto y e Elders and rulers in his cite which dwelt aboute Naboth and wrote thus in y e letter Proclame a fast and set Naboth aboue in the people and set two men of Belial before him to testifye and saye Thou hast blasphemed God and the kynge And brynge him forth and stone him to death And the Elders and rulers of his cyte which dwelt in his cite dyd as Iesabel had commaunded them acordynge as she had wrytten in the letter that she sent vnto them and they proclamed a fast and caused Naboth to syt aboue amonge the people Then came the two men of Belial and stode before him and testyfyed agaynst Naboth in y e presence of the people and sayde Naboth hath blasphemed God and the kynge Then broughte they him out of the cite and stoned him to death And they sent Iesabel worde sayenge Naboth is stoned put to death WhaÌ Iesabel herde that Naboth was stoned and deed she sayde vnto Achab Vp and take possession of the vynyarde of Naboth
thou commest agayne in peace then hath not the LORDE spoken thorow me And he sayde herken to all ye people So the kynge of Israel and Iosaphat y e kynge of Iuda wente vp vnto Ramoth in Gilead And the kynge of Israel sayde vnto Iosaphat Chaunge thy clothes and come in to y e battayll in thine araie The kinge of Israel chaunged his clothes also and weÌte in to the battayll But the kynge of Siria commaunded the rulers of his charettes of whom there were two and thirtie and saide Ye shal fight nether agaynst small ner greate but onely agaynst the kynge of Israel And whan the rulers of the charettes sawe Iosaphat they thought it had bene the kynge of Israel and fell vpon him with fightinge But Iosaphat cried So whan the rulers of the charettes sawe that it was not y e kinge of Israel they turned back froÌ him A certayne man bended his bowe harde and shott the kynge of Israel betwene the mawe and y e longes And he sayde vnto his charetman Turne thine haÌde and cary me out of the hoost for I am wounded And y e battayll was sore the same daie And the kinge stode vpoÌ his charet agaynst the SyriaÌs and dyed in the eueninge and the bloude ranne from the wounde in to the myddes of the charet And whan the Sonne wente downe there was a proclamacion made in the hoost and sayde Euery one gett him in to his cite and to his countre Thus the kynge dyed and was broughte vnto Samaria and they buryed him in Samaria And whan they waszshed the charett in the pole of Samaria y e dogges licked his bloude but the harlottes waszshed him acordinge to the worde of y e LORDE which he spake What more there is to saye of Achab all y t he dyd and of the Yuery house which he buylded beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel So Achab slepte with his fathers and his sonne Ahasia was kynge in his steade And Iosaphat the sonne of Asa was kynge ouer Iuda in the fourth yeare of Achab kynge of Israel and was fyue and thirtie yeare olde whan he was made kynge and raigned fyue and twentye yeare at IerusaleÌ His mothers name was Asuba y e doughter of Silhi and he walked in all the waye of his father Asa departed not there from And he dyd that which was right in y e sighte of the LORDE yet put he not awaye y e hie places and y e people offred and brent in ceÌse yet vpon the hye places and he had peace with the kynge of Israel What more there is to saye of Iosaphat and the mighte that he exercised and how he fought beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda He put out of the londe also the whoremongers that yet were lefte which remayned ouer in the tyme of his father Asa. And at that tyme there were no kynges in Edom. And Iosaphat had caused to make shippes vpon the See which shulde go to fetch golde in Ophir but they wente not for they were broken at Ezeon Gaber At that tyme sayde Ahasia the sonne of Achab vnto Iosaphat Let my seruauntes passe with thy seruauntes in the shippes But Iosaphat wolde not And Iosaphat slepte with his fathers and was buried in y e cite of Dauid And Ioram his sonne was kynge in his steade The ende of the thirde boke of the kynges The fourth boke of the kynges What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Of the reigne of Ochosias otherwyse called Ahasia and of Ioram his brother and how the fyre coÌsumed the two captaynes with their men Chap. II. Elias is taken vp in a fyrie charet Eliseus receaueth the sprete of Elias maketh the bytter water swete and curseth the mysnurtoured children Chap. III. Of Ioram and Iosaphat and of their warre what Eliseus saide vnto them Chap. IIII. Eliseus helpeth the womaÌ that was in dett and for another woman which had no children he optayneth one of God which childe beynge deed he rayseth vp agayne Chap. V. Naaman the chefe captayne of Siria is clensed from his leprosy and Gehasi Eliseus seruaunt is made leporous Chap. VI. The yron swymmeth in the water The kynge of Siria fighteth agaynst Israel His seruauntes which go aboute to take Eliseus are smytten with blyndnes A greate honger in Samaria Chap. VII Of the foure lepers which came in to the tentes of the Syrians and how vytayles beganne to be good chepe Chap. VIII Of the seuen yeare derth Benadab is sick and areth couÌcell at Eliseus Of Ochosias the sonne of Ioram Chap. IX Of Iehu how he was anoynted kinge ouer Israel and how he roted out the houof Achab and of Iesabel Chap. X. The heades of Achabs seuentie sonnes are broughte vnto Iehu Of Ochosias brethren Iehu slayeth Baal prestes Chap. XI Atalia destroyeth all the kynges sede saue Ioas which escapeth and is made kynge by Ioiada the prest Chap. XII Ioas ruleth well whyle Ioiada is alyue but euell after his death Chap. XIII Of the kynges Ioachias Ioas Ieroboam and how the deed that was layed in Eliseus graue reuyued Chap. XIIII Of Ioas Amasias Ieroboam and Azarias Chap. XV. Of Azarias the Leper and of his sonne Ionathas Of Zacharias the kynge of Israel Of Sellum Manahem Pacea Romelia And how Teglatphalasser coÌquererh the cities of Iuda ⪠Chap. XVI Of Achas Resin and Ezechias Chap. XVII Of Osea how Salmanasar came vpon him and conquered and caried the people awaye captyue And how God punyshed those that came in their steade Chap. XVIII Of the good kynge Ezechias how Sennacherib troubleth him Chap. XIX Ezechias sendeth vnto Esay which comforreth him God defendeth Ezechias delyuereth him Chap. XX. Ezechias is deed sick but Esay at the commaundement of the LORDE promyseth him to lyue yet fyftene yeare Chap. XXI Of the reigne of the vngodly kynge Manasses how he lyued and how he dyed Of his sonne Amon. Chap. XXII Of the reigne of that noble vertuous kynge Iosias and of his goodly actes Chap. XXIII How Iosias caused the boke of the couenauÌt to be red vnto all the people and setteth vp the true honoure of God againe Of Ioachas his sonne Chap. XXIII How Nabuchodonosor coÌmeth vpon kynge Ioachim and carieth awaye Ioachim his sonne vnto Babilon Chap. XXV Nabuchodonosor layeth sege to IerusaleÌ wynneth it setteth fyre on it and caryeth awaye the kynge and the people presoners vnto Babilon The fyrst Chapter AHasia the sonne off Achab was kynge ouer Israel at Samaria in y e seuententh yeare of Iosaphat kiÌge of Iuda reigned ouer Israel two yeares dyd y t which was euell in y e sight of the LORDE and walked in the waye of his father and of his mother in the waie of Ieroboam y e sonne of Nebat which made Israel for to synne And serued Baal and worshipped him and displeased the LORDE God of Israel eueÌ as his father dyd The
Moabites also fell awaye from Israel whan Achab was deed And Ochosias fell thorow y e grate in his chaÌber at Samaria and was deed sicke and sent messaungers and sayde vnto them Go youre waye and axe councell at Beelzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recouer from this sicknesse But the angell of y e LORDE sayde vnto Elias the Theszbite Vp go mete the messaungers of the kynge of Samaria and saie vnto them Is there no God in Israel that ye go to axe councell at y e god of Ekron Therfore thus sayeth the LORDE Thou shalt not come from the bed wheron thou lyest but shalt dye the death And Elias wente his waye And whaÌ y e messaunges came to Ochosias agayne he sayde vnto theÌ Why come ye agayne They sayde vnto him There came vp a man in oure waye and sayde vnto vs Go againe to the kinge that hath sent you and saye vnto him Thus saieth the LORDE Is there no God in Israel y t thou sendest to axe couÌcel at Beelzebub y e god of EkroÌ Therfore shalt thou not come from y e bed wheron thou lyest but shalt dye the death He sayde vnto them What maner of man was it that mett you and sayde this vnto you They sayde vnto him He had a rough heer vpon him and a letheren gyrdell aboute his loynes He sayde It is Elias the Theszbite And he sent vnto him a captaine ouer fiftye with the same fyftye And whan he came vnto him beholde he sat aboue vpon the mouÌt He sayde vnto him Thou maÌ of God the kynge sayeth Thou shalt come downe Elias answered the captayne ouer fyftye and sayde vnto him Yf I be a man of God the fyre fall downe then from heauen and coÌsume the and thy fyftie Then fell there fire from heauen and consumed him and his fyftye And agayne he sent another captayne ouer fyftye vnto him with his fyftye which answered and sayde vnto him Thou man of God thus sayeth the kynge Come downe in all the haist Elias answered and saide Yf I be a maÌ of God y e fire fall downe from heauen and consume the and thy fyftye Then fell the fyre of God from heauen consumed him and his fyftye Agayne he sent vnto him the thirde captayne ouer fyftye with his fyftie Now whan he came to him he kneled to Elias and besoughte him and sayde vnto him Thou man of God let my soule and y e soules of thy seruauntes these fyftye be somwhat worth in thy syghte Beholde the fyre fell downe from heauen and hath consumed the fyrst two captaynes ouer fyftye w t their fyftyes But now let my soule be somwhat worth in thy sighte Then saide the angel of the LORDE vnto Elias Go downe with him and feare him not And he gatt him vp and wente downe with him vnto y e kynge And he sayde vnto him Thus saieth the LORDE Because thou hast sent forth messauÌgers and caused to axe councell at Beelzebub the god of Ekron as though there were no God in Israel to axe couÌcell at his worde therfore shalt thou not come from the bed wheron thou hast layed the but shalt dye y e death So he dyed acordynge to the worde of the LORDE which Elias sayde And Ioram his brother was kynge in his steade in the seconde yeare of Ioram the sonne of Iosaphat kynge of Iuda for he had no sonne What more there is to saye of Ochosias what he dyd beholde it is wrytteÌ in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel The II. Chapter WHan the LORDE was mynded to take vp Elias in the tempest Elias and Eliseus wente from Gilgall And Elias sayde to Eliseus Tary thou here I praye the for the LORDE hath sent me vnto Bethel But Eliseus sayde As truly as the LORDE liueth and as truly as thy soule lyueth I wyll not forsake the. And whan they came downe vnto Bethel the prophetes children that were at Bethel weÌte forth to Eliseus and sayde vnto him Knowest thou not that the LORDE wyl take thy lorde awaye from thy heade this daye He saide I knowe it well holde ye youre peace And Elias sayde vnto him Eliseus tary thou here I praye the for the LORDE hath sent me vnto Iericho Neuerthelesse he sayde as truly as the LORDE lyueth and as truly as thy soule lyueth I wyl not forsake the And whan they came vnto Iericho the prophetes children which were at Iericho stepte forth to Eliseus and sayde vnto him Knowest thou not that the LORDE wyll take y e lorde awaye from thy heade this daie He sayde I knowe it well holde ye yo r peace And Elias sayde vnto him I praie the tary here for y e LORDE hath sent me vnto Iordane But he sayde As truly as the LORDE lyueth and as truly as thy soule lyueth I wil not forsake the. And they wente both together But fyftye men of y e prophetes children weÌte forth and stode ouer agaynst theÌ a farre of but they both stode by Iordane Then toke Elias his cloke and wrapped it together and smote the water which deuyded it selfe on both the sydes so that they weÌte dry shod thorow it And whan they were come ouer Elias sayde vnto Eliseus Axe what I shall do for the afore I be taken awaye from the. Eliseus saide That thy sprete maye be vpoÌ me to speake twyse as moch He sayde Thou hast desyred an harde thinge neuertheles yf thou shalt se me whaÌ I am taken awaye from the it shal be so Yf no theÌ shal it not be And as they were goinge together and he talked there came a fyrie charet with horses of fyre and parted theÌ both asunder And so wente Elias vp to heauen in the storme But Eliseus sawe it cryed My father my father the charetman of Israel and his horsmeÌ And he sawe him nomore And he toke holde of his clothes and rente them in two peces and toke vp Elias cloke that was fallen from him and turned backe and stode by the shore of Iordane and toke the same cloke of Elias which was fallen from him and smote it in the water and saide Where is now the LORDE God of Elias And he smote it in to the water and then parted it asunder on both the sydes and Eliseus wente thorow And whan the prophetes children which were at Iericho ouer agynst him sawe him they sayde The sprete of Elias resteth vpoÌ Eliseus and so they weÌte forth to mete him and worshipped him to the grouÌde and sayde vnto him Beholde there are fiftye valeaunt meÌ amonge thy seruauntes let them go and seke thy lorde peraduenture the sprete of the LORDE hath taken him and cast him vpon some mountaine or in some valley But he saide Sende them not Neuertheles they constrayned him tyll he was ashamed and sayde Let them go And they sent fiftye men which soughte him thre dayes but they founde him not and came agayne vnto him And he abode at Iericho and
tolde the kynge whaÌ he sayde Tomorow aboute this tyme shall two buszshels of barlye be solde for one Sycle and a buszshel of fyne meel for one Sycle vnder the gate at Samaria And the knyghte answered the man of God and sayde Beholde though y e LORDE made wyndowes in heauen how coulde soch a thinge come to passe Neuertheles he sayde Beholde with thine eyes shalt thou se it and shalt not ââte therof And euen so fortuned it vnto him for the people trode vpon him in the gate y t he dyed The VIII Chapter ELiseus spake vnto the womaÌ whose sonne he had restored vnto life againe and sayde Get the vp go with thine housholde and be a straunger where thou canst for the LORDE shall call for a derth which shal come in to the londe seuen yeare loÌge The woman gat her vp and dyd as the man of God sayde wente with hiâ housholde and was a straunger in the londe of the Philistynes seuen yeare But whan the seuen yeares were ended the woman came agayne out of the Philistynes loÌde and wente forth to crye vpon the kynge for hir house and londe The kynge spake vnto Gehasi the seruaunt of the man of God sayde Tell me all the greate actes that Eliseus hath done And whyle he was tellynge the kynge how he had made one that was deed to lyue agayne beholde the woman whose sonne he had caused to reuyue came euen in the meane season and cried vnto the kynge for hir house and londe Then sayde Gehasi My lorde O kynge this same is the womaÌ and this is hir sonne whom Eliseus restored vnto life agayne And the kynge axed y e woman and she tolde him Then the kynge delyuered her a chamberlayne saide Restore her agayne all that is hirs and all the increase of the londe sence the tyme that she lefte the londe vntyll now And Eliseus came to Damascon Benadab the kynge of Syria laye sicke And it was tolde him and sayde The man of God is come hither Then sayde the kynge vnto Hasael Take giftes with the go mete the man of God and axe councell at y e LORDE by him and saye Maye I recouer from this sicknesse Hasael wente for to mete him and toke rewardes with him and of all the goodes at DamascoÌ as moch as fortye Camels mighte beare And whan he came he stode before him and sayde Thy sonne Benadab the kynge of Syria hath sent me vnto the sayenge Maye I recouer from this sicknes Eliseus sayde vnto him Go y i waye and tell him Thou shalt recouer But the LORDE hath shewed me y t he shal dye y e death And the man of God loked earnestly made a troublous countenaunce wepte TheÌ sayde Hasael Wherfore wepeth my lorde He sayde I knowe what euell thou shalt do vn to the children of Israel Thou shalt burne their stronge cities with fyre and slaye their yonge men with the swerde and kyll their yonge children and ryppe vp their wemen with childe Hasael sayde How so is thy seruaunt a dogg that he shulde do soch a greate thynge Eliseus saide The LORDE hath shewed me y t thou shalt be kynge of Syria And he weÌte his waye from Eliseus came to his lorde which saide vnto him What saieth Eliseus vnto the He sayde He tolde me Thou shalt recouer But on the nexte daye he toke y e bed couerynge and dypte it in water and spred it ouer him and he dyed Hasael was kynge in his steade In the fyfth yeare of Ioram the sonne of Achab kynge of Israel was Ioram y e sonne of Iosaphat kynge of Iuda Two thirtie yeare olde was he whaÌ he was made kynge reigned eighte yeare at Ierusalem walked in the waye of the kynges of Israel as the house of Achab dyd for Achabs doughter was his wife he dyd y t which was euell in y e sighte of the LORDE Neuertheles the LORDE wolde not destroye Iuda for his seruaunt Dauids sake as he promysed him to geue him euer a lanterne amoÌge his childreÌ * At y e same tyme fell y e Edomites awaye from Iuda made a kynge ouer them selues y e cause was this Ioram had gone thorow Seira and all the charettes with him had gotten him vp by nighte and smytten the Edomites that were aboute him and y e rulers ouer the charettes so that the people fled vnto their tentes therfore fell the Edomites awaye from Iuda vnto this daye At the same tyme fell Libna awaye also What more there is to saye of Ioram all y t he dyd heholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Ioram fell on slepe with his fathers was buried w t his fathers in y e cite of Dauid Ochosias his sonne was kynge in his steade In the twolueth yeare of Ioram the sonne of Achab kynge of Israel was Ochosias y e sonne of Ioram kynge in Iuda Two and twentye yeare olde was Ochosias whan he was made kynge and reigned one yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Atalia the doughter of Amri kynge of Israel he walked in the waye of the house of Achab dyd that which was euell in the syght of y e LORDE euen as dyd the house of Achab for he was sonne in lawe in the house of Achab. And he wente with Ioram the sonne of Achab in to the battayll agaynst Hasael y e kinge of Syria vnto Ramoth in Gilead but y e Syrians smote Ioram Then Ioram the kinge turned backe to be healed at Iesreel of y e woundes wherwith the Syrians had wounded him at Ramoth whaÌ he foughte with Hasael kinge of Syria And Ochosyas y e sonne of IoraÌ kinge of Iuda came downe to viset Ioram the sonne of Achab at Iesreel for he laye sicke The IX Chapter ELiseus the prophet called one of the prophetes childreÌ sayde vnto him Girde vp y e loynes and take this cruse of oyle with the and go vnto Ramoth in Gilead and whaÌ thou coÌmest thither thou shalt se there one Iehu y e sonne of Iosaphat the sonne of Nimsi and go in and byd him stonde vp amonge his brethren and brynge him in to the ynmost chamber take thou y e cruse of oyle and poure it vpon his heade saye Thus sayeth the LORDE I haue anointed the to be kynge ouer Israel thou shalt open the dore and flye and not tary And the prophetes yonge man the childe wente his waye vnto Ramoth in Gilead And whan he came in beholde the captaynes of the hoost sat there and he sayde I haue somwhat to saye vnto the O captayne Iehu saide Vnto whom amonge vs all He sayde Euen vnto the o captayne Then stode he vp and wente in So he poured the oyle vpon his heade and sayde vnto him· Thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel I haue anoynted y t to be kynge ouer the LORDES people of
Israel and thou shalt smyte thy lorde Achabs house that I maye auenge the bloude of my seruauntes the prophetes and the bloude of all the LORDES seruauntes from the hande of Iesabel that all the house of Achab maye periszshe And I wyl rote out from Achab euen him that maketh water agaynst the wall and the closed vp and the desolate in Israel and the house of Achab wyll I make euen as the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat and as the house of Baesa the sonne of Ahia and y e dogges shall eate vp Iesabel vpon the felde at Iesrael and noman shall burye her And he opened the dore and fled And whaÌ Iehu came forth to his lordes seruauntes they saide vnto him Are all thinges well Wherfore came this madd felowe vnto the He saide vnto them Ye knowe the man well what he hath spoken They sayde ⪠That is not true but tell thou vs. He sayde Thus and thus hath he spoken vnto me and sayde Thus sayeth the LORDE I haue anoynted the to be kynge ouer Israel Then made they haist and euery one toke his garment and laied them vnder him in maner of a iudges seate and blewe the trompet and sayde Iehu is made kinge So Iehu the sonne of Iosaphat the sonne of Nimsi made a confederacion agaynst Ioram As for IoraÌ he laye before Ramoth in Gilead with all Israel agaynst Hasael the kynge of Syria But Ioram the kynge was turned backe y t he might be healed of the woundes wherwith the Syrians had wounded him whaÌ he foughte with Hasael the kynge of the Syrians And Iehu sayde Yf it be youre mynde there shall noman escape out of the cite to go and tell it at Iesreel And he rode and departed vnto Iesrael for Ioram laye there and Ochosias the kinge of Iuda was come downe to vyset Ioram But the watchman that stode vpon the tower at Iesrael sawe the company of Iehu commynge and sayde I se a company Then sayde Ioram Take a charet and sende to mete theÌ and saye Is it peace And the charetman rode to mete them and sayde Thus sayeth the kynge Is it peace Iehu sayde What hast thou to do with peace Turne the behynde me The watchman tolde it and sayde The messaunger is come vnto them and coÌmeth not agayne Then sent he another charetman which whan he came to them saide Thus sayeth the kynge Is it peace Iehu sayde What hast thou to do with peace Turne y e behynde me And the watchman tolde it and sayde He is come to them and commeth not agayne and the goynge is as it were the goynge of Iehu the sonne of Nimsi for he dryueth on as he were mad Then sayde Ioram Binde the charet fast And they bounde the charet and so they wente forth Ioram the kynge of Israel and Ochosias the kynge of Iuda euery one vpon his charet to mete Iehu And they founde him vpon the felde of Naboth the Iesraelite And whan Ioram sawe Iehu he sayde Iehu is it peace But he sayde What peace The whordome and witchcraft of thy mother Iesabel is not yet come to an ende Then turned Ioram his hande and fled and sayde vnto Ochosias There is treason Ochosias But Iehu toke his bowe shoâ Ioram betwene the armes that the arowe wente thorow his hert and he fell downe in his charet And Iehu sayde vnto Bidekar the knyghte Take and cast him in the pece of londe of Naboth the Iesraelite for I remembre sence thou rodest with me in a charet after Achab his father that the LORDE wolde laye this heuy burthen vpon him I holde sayde the LORDE I wyl recompence the y t bloude of Naboth and of his childreÌ euen in this pece of londe Take him now and cast him in to that pece of londe acordynge to the worde of the LORDE Whan Ochosias the kinge of Iuda sawe this he fled by the waie vnto y e garden house But Iehu folowed after him and commaunded to smyte him also vpon his charet in the goynge vp towarde Gur which lieth by Ieblaam and he fled vnto Megiddo and dyed there And his seruauntes caused him to be caried vnto Ierusalem and there they buryed him in his awne graue with his fathers in the cite of Dauid Ochosias reigned ouer Iuda in y e eleuenth yeare of IoraÌ y e sonne of Achab. And whan Iehu came to Iesrael and Iesabel herde therof she coloured hir face and decked hir heade and loked out at the wyndowe And whan Iehu came vnder the gate she sayde Prospered Symri well that slewe his lorde And he lifte vp his face to the wyndow and sayde Who is with me Then resorted there two or thre chamberlaynes vnto him He sayde Cast her downe headlinges And they cast her downe headlynges so that y e wall and the horses were sprenkled with hir bloude and she was troddeÌ vnder fete And whan he came in and had eaten and dronken he sayde Loke vpon yonder cursed woman burye her for she is a kynges âoughter Neuertheles whan they wente in to burye her they founde nothinge of her but the szkull and the fete and the palmes of her handes And they came agayne and broughte him worde He saide This is euen it that the LORDE spake by his seruaunt Elias the Theszbite and sayde In the felde of Iesrael shal the dogges eate Iesabels flesh So the deed carcase of Iesabel became euen as donge in the felde of Iesrael so y t a man coulde not saye This is Iesabel The X. Chapter AChab had thre score and ten sonnes at Samaria And Iehu wrote a letter and sent it to Samaria vnto the rulers of the cite Iesrael euen vnto the Elders to Achabs tuters sayenge these wordes Whan this letter commeth vnto you w t whom are youre lordes sonnes charetes horses stronge cities ordynaunce loke which is the best and most righteous amonge youre lordes sonnes set him vpon his fathers seate and fighte for youre lordes house Neuertheles they were sore afrayed and sayde Beholde two kynges were not able to stonde before him how wyl we then endure And they that were ouer the house and ouer the cite and the Elders and tuters sent vnto Iehu sayeÌge We are thy seruauntes we wyll do all that thou sayest vnto vs We wil make no man kynge do thou what pleaseth the. Then wrote he the seconde letter vnto them with these wordes Yf ye be myne and herken vnto my voyce then take the heades of the men youre lordes sonnes and brynge me them tomorow by this tyme vnto Iesrael The kynges sonnes were thre score men and ten and y e chefe men of the cite broughte theÌ vp Now whan this letter came they toke the kynges sonnes and slewe them euen thre score men and ten and layed their heades in baszkettes and sent them to him vnto Iesrael And whan the messaunger came tolde him and sayde They haue broughte the heades
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 appoyntmeÌt 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 fouÌde 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 seruauÌtes 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 amoÌge 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 weÌte 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 âhus 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 huÌdreds 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 coÌmaunded 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 coÌmeth 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 commauÌded 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
righte syde of the house vnto the corner of the lefte syde euen vnto the altare and to the house And he broughte forth the kynges sonne and set a crowne vpon his heade and toke the witnes and made him kynge and they were glad and clapped their handes together and sayde God saue the kynge And whan Athalia herde the noyse of the people that ranne rogether she came to the people in to the house of the LORDE and loked and beholde the kynge stode by the piler as the vse was and the syngers and troÌpettes by the kynge and all the people of y e loÌde were glad and blewe with trompettes But Athalia rente hir clothes sayde Vproure vproure Neuertheles Ioiada y e prest commaunded y e rulers ouer hundreds which were appointed ouer the hoost and saide vnto them Brynge her without the wall and whosoeuer foloweth hir let him dye of the swerde for the prest had sayde that she shulde not dye in the house of the LORDE And they layde handes vpoÌ her and she wente in by the waye where the horses go in to y e kynges house and there was she slayne Then made Ioiada a couenaunt betwene the LORDE and the kynge and the people y t they shulde be the people of the LORDE Likewyse also betwixte the kynge and y e people Then wente all the people of the londe in to the house of Baal and brake downe his altares and destroyed his ymages right well And Mathan the prest of Baal slewe they before the altare And the prest appoynted the officers in the house of the LORDE and toke the rulers ouer hundreds and the captaynes and the fote men and all y e people of the londe broughte the kynge downe from the house of the LORDE and came the waye from the porte of the fote men vnto the kynges house and he sat vpon the kynges seate And all the people of the loÌde were glad and the cite was at rest As for Athalia they slewe her with the swerde in y e kynges house And Ioas was seuen yeare olde whan he was made kynge The XII Chapter IN the seueÌth yeare of Iehu was Ioas made kynge and reigned fortye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Zibea of Bersaba And Ioas dyd that which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE as longe as Ioiada y e prest taught him But they put not downe y e hye places for the people offred brent incense yet vpon the hye places And Ioas sayde vnto the prestes All the money that is sanctified to be bestowed vpoÌ y e house of the LORDE namely the money y t euery man geueth vnto the treasury and y e money that euery man geueth for his soule and all the money that euery man geueth of a fre hert to be bestowed on the house of the LORDE let the prestes take it vnto them euery one his porcion with that shall they repayre the decaye in the house of the LORDE where they fynde that there is eny decaye But whan y e prestes repayred not the decaye in the house vnto the thre and tweÌtieth yeare of kynge Ioas Ioas the kynge called Ioiada the prest with the other prestes and sayde vnto them Wherfore do ye not repayre the decaye in the house Therfore shall ye not take the money vnto you now euery one his porcion but shall geue it to the decaye of the house And the prestes agreed to take no money of the people and to repayre the decaye of the house Then Ioiada the prest toke a chest and bored an hole aboue therin and set it on the righte hande besyde the altare at the entrynge in to the house of the LORDE And the prestes that kepte the thresholde put all the money therin that was broughte vnto the house of the LORDE Whan they sawe then that there was moch money in the chest y e kynges scrybe came vp with the hye prest and bounde the money together and tolde it as moch as was founde in the house of the LORDE And so the ready money was geuen vnto them that wrought and were appoynted to the house of the LORDE and they gaue it forth to the carpenters and to theÌ that buylded and wroughte in the house of the LORDE namely to the dawbers and masons and to them that boughte tymber and frestone to repayre the decaye in the house of the LORDE and all that they founde to haue nede of repayringe in the house Howbeit there were no syluer chargers flat peces basens trompettes ner eny other vessell of golde and syluer made on the house of the LORDE of the money that was brought vnto the LORDES house but it was geuen vnto the workmen to repayre the decaye in the house of the LORDE therwith The men also that the money was delyuered vnto for to geue the workmen neded not to make eny acomptes but did their busynes vpon credence But the money of trespace offerynges and synne offerynges was not broughte vnto the house of the LORDE for it was the prestes At the same tyme wente Hasael the kynof Syria vp and foughte agaynst Gath and wanne it And whan Hasael set his face to go vp to Ierusalem kynge Ioas toke all that was sanctifyed which his fathers Iosaphat Ioram and Ochosias the kynges of Iuda had halowed and what he himselfe had sanctifyed and all the golde that was founde in the treasures of the house of the LORDE and in the kynges house and sent it vnto Hasael the kynge of Syria And so he departed from Ierusalem What more there is to saye of Ioas and all that he dyd it is written in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And his seruauntes made insurreccion and conspyred and smote him in the house of Millo at the goynge downe vnto Silla For Iosebar the sonne of Simeath and Iosabad the sonne of Somer his seruauntes smote him to death and he was buried with his fathers in the cite of Dauid And Amasias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XIII Chapter IN y e XXIII yeare of Ioas the sonne of Ochosias kynge of Iuda was Ioahas the sonne of Iehu kynge ouer Israel at Samaria seuentene yeare dyd y t which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE and walked after the sinnes of Ieroboam y e sonne of Nebat which caused Israel to synne and lefte not of from them And y e wrath of the LORDE waxed whote vpon Israel he delyuered them ouer vnder the hande of Hasael kynge of Syria and vnder the hande of Benadad the sonne of Hasael as longe as they lyued And Ioahas besoughte the face of the LORDE And the LORDE herde him for he consydered the myserie of Israel how the kynge of Syria oppressed them And y e LORDE gaue Israel a sauioure which broughte them out of the power of the Syrians so y t the children of Israel dwelt in their tentes like as afore tyme. Yet lefte they not from the synnes of
the house of Ieroboam which caused Israel to synne but walked in them The groue at Samaria stode styll also For of the people of Ioahas there were no mo lefte but fyftye horsmen ten charettes and ten thousande fote men for the kynge of Syria had destroyed them and made them as the dust in the barne What more there is to saye of Ioahas and all that he dyd and his power beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Ioahas fell on slepe with his fathers and was buried in Samaria Ioas his sonne was kinge in his steade In the seuen and thirtieth yeare of Ioas kynge of Iuda was Ioas the sonne of Ioahas kynge ouer Israel at Samaria sixtene yeare And he dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE and departed not from all the synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which made Israel for to synne but walked in them What more there is to saye of Ioas and what he dyd his power how he foughte with Amasias kynge of Iuda beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Ioas fell on slepe with his fathers and Ieroboam sat vpoÌ his seate And Ioas was buried in Samaria w t the kynges of Israel As for Eliseus he fell in to a sicknes wherof he dyed And Ioas the kynge of Israel came downe vnto him and wepte for him and saide My father my father the charet man of Israel and his horsmen Eliseus sayde vnto him Take the bowe and the arowes And whan he had taken the bowe and the arowes he sayde vnto the kynge of Israel Bende the bowe with thine hande And he bent it with his haÌde And Eliseus layed his hande vpon the kynges hande and sayde Open that wyndowe towarde the Easâ And he opened it And Eliseus saide Shâââ And he shot He sayde one arowe of the saluacion of the LORDE one arowe of saluacioÌ agaynst the Syrians and thou shalt smyââ the Syrians at Aphek tyll they be brought to naughte And he sayde Take y e arowes And whââ he had taken them he sayde vnto the kynge of Israel Smyte the earth And he smote thre tymes and stode still Then was them ⪠of God wroth at him and sayde Yf thou haddest smytten fyue or sixe times thou shuldest haue smytten y e Syrians tyll thou had dest vtterly brought them to naughte But now shalt thou smyte them thre tymes Whan Eliseus was deed and buried the men of warre of the Moabites fell in to the londe the same yeare And it fortuned y t they buryed a certaine man But whaÌ they sawe the men of warre they cast the man in to Eliseus graue And whan he was therin and touched Eliseus bones he reuyued and stode vpon his fete So Hasael the kynge of Syria oppressed Israel as longe as Ioahas lyued But the LORDE was gracious vnto them and had mercy vpon them and turned him to them for his couenauntes sake with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and wolde not destroye theÌ nether dyd he cast them out from his presence vnto this houre And Hasael the kinge of Syria dyed and Benadad his sonne was kynge in his steade But Ioas turned backe and toke out of the hande of Benadad the sonne of Hasael the cyties which he had takeÌ in battaill out of the hande of his father Ioahas Thre tymes dyd Ioas smyte him and broughte the cities of Israel agayne The XIIII Chapter IN the seconde yeare of Ioas y e sonne of Ioahas kynge of Israel was Amasias the sonne of Ioas kynge of Iuda made kynge fyue and twenty yeare olde was he whan he was made kynge reigned nyne and twentye yeare at IerusaleÌ His mothers name was Ioadan of Ierusalem And he dyd that which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE yet not as his father Dauid but euen as his father Ioas did so dyd he also for y e hye places were not put downe but the people offred and brent inceÌse yet vpon the hye places Now whan he had gotten the power of the kyngdome he smote his seruauntes which had smytteÌ the kynge his father but the children of y e deed slayers slewe he not acordinge to y t which is wrytteÌ in the boke of the lawe of Moses where the LORDE hath coÌmaunded sayde The fathers shal not dye for the children the children shal not dye for the fathers but euery one shal dye for his awne synne Ten thousande of the Edomites smote he also in the Salt valley and wanne Sela in battayll and called it Iatheel vnto this daye Then sent Amasias messaungers vnto Ioas the sonne of Ioahas the sonne of Iehu kynge of Israel sayenge Come hither let vs se one another But Ioas y e kynge of Israel sent vnto Amasias the kynge of Iuda sayenge The hawthorne that is in Libanus sent to the Ceder tre in Libanus sayenge Geue thy doughter vnto my sonne to wife But a wylde beest of the felde ranne ouer y e hawthorne and trode it downe Thou hast smytteÌ the Edomites therfore is thine hert waxen proude Take the prayse and byde at home why stryuest thou for mysfortune y t thou mayest fall and Iuda with the Howbeit Amasias consented not Then weÌte Ioas the kynge of Israel vp and they sawe one another he and Amasias the kynge of Iuda at Beth Semes which lyeth in Iuda But Iuda was smytten before Israel so that euery one fled in to his tente And Ioas the kynge of Israel toke Amasias the kynge of Iuda the sonne of Ioas the sonne of Ochosias at Beth Semes and came to Ierusalem and brake downe y e wall of Ierusalem from y e porte of Ephraim vnto the corner porte euen foure hundreth cubites loÌge and toke all the golde and syluer and ornamentes that were founde in the house of the LORDE and in y e treasures of the kynges house the children also to pledge departed agayne to Samaria What more there is to saie of Ioas what he dyd and of his power how he foughte with Amasias the kynge of Iuda beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Ioas fell on slepe with his fathers and was buried at Samaria amonge y e kynges of Israel And Ieroboam his sonne was kynge in his steade But Amasias the sonne of Ioas kynge of Iuda lyued after the death of Ioas the sonne of Ioahas kynge of Israel fiftene yeare What more there is to saye of Amasias it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And they conspyred agaynst him at Ierusalem but he fled vnto Lachis And they sent after him vnto Lachis and slewe him there And they broughte him vpon horses he was buried at Ierusalem with his fathers in y e cite of Dauid And all the people of Iuda toke Asarias in his sixtenth yeare and made him kynge in steade of Amasias his father He buylded
Eloth and broughte it agayne vnto Iuda after that the kynge was fallen on slepe with his fathers In the fyftenth yeare of Amasias the sonne of Ioas kynge of Iuda was Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas kynge ouer Israel at Samaria one and fortye yeare And he dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE and departed not from all the synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which caused Israel for to synne But the borders of Israel broughte he agayne from Hemath vnto y e see that lyeth in the playne felde acordinge to the worde of the LORDE God of Israel which he spake by his seruaunt Ionas y e sonne of Amithai the prophete which was of Gath Epher For the LORDE considered the myserable affliccion of Israel how that euen they which were shut vp and desolate were awaye and that there was no helper in Israel And the LORDE sayde not that he wolde destroye the name of Israel from vnder heaueÌ And he helped theÌ by Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas. What more there is to saye of Ieroboam and all that he dyd and of his power how he foughte and how broughte Damascon and Hemath agayne vnto Iuda in Israel beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Ieroboam fell on slepe with his fathers with the kynges of Israel And Zacharias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XV. Chapter IN the seuen twentieth yeare of Ieroboam kynge of Israel reigned Asarias the sonne of Amasias kynge of Iuda and was sixtene yeare olde whan he was made kynge and reigned two and fyftye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Iechalia of IerusaleÌ And he dyd righte in the sighte of the LORDE acordinge to all as dyd Amasias his father sauynge that they put not downe the hye places For the people dyd sacryfice and brent incense yet vpon the hye places Howbeit the LORDE smote the kynge so that he was leper vnto his death and dwelt in a frye house But Iotham the kynges sonne ruled the house and iudged the people in the londe What more there is to saye of Asarias all y t he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Asarias fell on slepe with his fathers was buried with his fathers in the cite of Dauid Iotham his sonne was kynge in his steade In the eight and thirtieth yeare of Asarias kynge of Iuda was Zacharias the sonne of Ieroboam kynge ouer Israel at Samaria sixe monethes And he dyd y t which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE euen as his fathers dyd He departed not from y e synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which caused Israel for to synne And Sellum the sonne of Iabes conspyred agaynst him and smote him in the presence of y e people and slewe him was kynge in his steade What more there is to saie of Zacharias beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And this is it y t the LORDE sayde vnto Iehu Thy children shall syt vpoÌ the seate of Israel vntyll the fourth generacion And euen so came it to passe Sellum the sonne of Iabes reigned in y e nyne thirtieth yeare of Asarias kynge of Iuda reigned one moneth at Samaria For Menahem the sonne of Gadi weÌte vp from Thirza came to Samaria and smote Sellum the sonne of Iabes at Samaria slewe him and was kynge in his steade What more there is to saye of Sellum of his sedicion which he stered vp beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel At the same tyme dyd Manahem smyte Tiphsa all y t were therin the coastes therof from Thirza because they wolde not let him in and smote all their wemen w t childe and rypte them vp In the nyne thirtieth yeare of Asarias kynge of Iuda beganne Manahem the sonne of Gad to reigne ouer Israel ten yeares at Samaria and dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE As longe as he lyued departed he not from y e synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which caused Israel for to synne And Phul the kynge of Assiria came in to the loÌde And Manahem gaue vnto Phul a thousande talentes of syluer to holde with him and to coÌfirme him in the kyngdome And Manahem raysed vp a taxe in Israel vpon the richest fiftye Sycles of syluer vpon eueryman to geue vnto y e kynge of Assiria So the kynge of Assiria weÌte home agayne and taried not in the londe What more there is to saye of Manahem all y t he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel And Manahem fell on slepe w t his fathers And Pecahia his sonne was kynge in his steade In the fiftieth yeare of Asarias kynge of Iuda beganne Pecahia the sonne of Manahem to reigne ouer Israel at Samaria two yeare and dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE for he departed not froÌ the synnes of Ieroboam y e sonne of Nebat which caused Israel for to synne And Pecah the sonne of Romelia his knyghte conspyred agaynst him smote him at Samaria in y e palace of the kynges house w t Argob and Ariah and fiftye men w t him of y e childreÌ of Gilead slewe him was kynge in his steade What more there is to saye of Pecahia all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel In the two and fiftieth yeare of Asarias kynge of Iuda beganne Pecah the sonne of Romelia to reigne ouer Israel at Samaria twentye yeare dyd that which was euell in the sighte of y e LORDE for he departed not from the synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which caused Israel for to synne In the tyme of Pecah the kynge of Israel came Teglatphalasser the kynge of Assiria toke Eion Abel Beth Maecha Ianoha Kedes Hasor Gilead Galile and all the londe of Nephtali caried theÌ awaye in to Assiria And Osea the sonne of Ela conspyred agaynst Pecah the sonne of Romelia slue him and was kynge in his steade in the tweÌtieth yeare of Iotham the sonne of Osias What more there is to saye of Pecah all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel In the seconde yeare of Pecah the sonne of Romelia kynge of Israel was Iotham the sonne of Osias kynge of Iuda was fyue and twentye yeare olde whan he was made kynge and reigned sixtene yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Ierusa the doughter of Sadok And he dyd y t which was righte in y e sighte of the LORDE acordinge vnto all as dyd Osias his father ⪠sauynge that he put not downe the hye places for the people offred brent incense yet vpon the hye places He buylded the hye poete of the house of the LORDE What more there
is to saye of Iotham and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytteÌ in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda At y e same tyme beganne y e LORDE to sende Rezin y e kynge of Syria Pecah y e sonne of Romelia in to Iuda And Iotham fell on slepe with his fathers and was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid his father And Achas his sonne was kynge in his steade The XVI Chapter IN the seuententh yeare of Pecah y e sonne of Romelia was Achas the sonne of Iotham kynge of Iuda TweÌtye yeare olde was Achas whaÌ he was made kynge reigned sixtene yeare at Ierusalem dyd not y t which was righte in the sighte of y e LORDE his God as dyd Dauid his father for he walked in the waye of the kynges of Israel Yee and caused his sonne to go thorow the fyre after the maner of the abhominacions of the Heythen whom the LORDE droue awaye before the childreÌ of Israel And he dyd sacrifice and brent incense vpon the hye places vpon all hilles and amonge all grene trees Then wente Rezin the kynge of Syria and Pecah the sonne of Romelia kynge of Israel vp to Ierusalem to fighte agaynst it and layed sege to Achas but they coulde not wynne it At the same tyme dyd Rezin the kynge of Syria brynge Eloth agayne vnto Syria and thrust y e Iewes out of Eloth But the Syrians came dwelt therin vnto this daye Neuertheles Achas sent messaungers vnto Teglatphaâasser y e kynge of Assiria sayeÌge I am thy seruaunt thy sonne come vp helpe me out of y e hande of the kynge of Syria of the kynge of Israel which are rysen vp agaynst me And Achas toke the syluer golde y t was founde in y e house of y e LORDE in the treasures of y e kynges house sent a present to y e kynge of Assiria And y e kinge of Assiria coÌsented vnto him wente vp to Damascon wanne it caried them awaye vnto Cira slewe Rezin And kynge Achas weÌte to Damascon for to mete Teglatphalasser y e kynge of Assiria And whaÌ he sawe an altare y t was at Damascon kynge Achas sent a patrone symilitude of y e same altare vnto the prest Vrias euen as it was made And Vrias the prest buylded an altare and made it acordinge as kynge Achas had sent vnto him from Damascon tyll Achas y e kynge came from Damascon And whan y e kynge came from Damascon and sawe the altare he offred theron kyndled his burnt offerynges and meat offerynges vpon it and poured his drynk offeringes theron caused the bloude of y e deedofferynges which he offred to be sprenkled vpon the altare But the brasen altare that stode before the LORDE put he awaye so that it stode not betwene the altare and the house of the LORDE but set it in the corner on the north syde of the altare And Achas the kynge coÌmaunded Vrias y e prest sayde VpoÌ the greate altare shalt thou kyndle y e burnt offrynge in the mornynge the meat offrynge in the euenynge the kynges burnt offrynge his meat offrynge the burnt offrynge of all the people in the londe w t their meat offrynge drynk offrynge And all the bloude of the burnt offerynges all the bloude of the other offrynges shalt thou sprenkle theron but with the brasen altare wyll I deuyse what I can Vrias the prest dyd all acordinge as Achas the kynge commaunded him And kynge Achas brake downe the seates and put awaye the ketell from aboue and toke the lauer from the brasen bullockes that were there vnder and set it vpon y e pauement of stone And the pulpit for the Sabbath which they had buylded in the house and y e entrye of the kynges house turned he vnto the house of the LORDE for the kynge of Assirias sake What more there is to saye of Achas what he dyd beholde it is wrytten in y e Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Achas fell on slepe with his fathers was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid And Ezechias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XVII Chapter IN the twolueth yeare of Achas the kynge of Iuda begaÌne Oseas y e sonne of Ela to reigne ouer Israel at Samaria nyne yeare and dyd y t which was euell in y e sighte of the LORDE but not as y e kynges of Israel y t were before him Agaynst him dyd Salmanasar y e kynge of Assiria come vp And Oseas was subiecte vnto him gaue him trybutes But whaÌ the y e kynge of Assâria perceaued y t Oseas had conspyred sent messaungers to Sua y e kynge of Egipte payed not trybute yearly to y e kynge of y e Assirians he beseged him put him in preson And the kynge of Assiria wente vp in to all the londe and to Samaria and layed sege vnto it thre yeare And in the nyenth yeare of Oseas dyd y e kynge of Assiria wynne Samaria and caried Israel awaye in to Assiria and set them at Halah and at Habor by the water Gosan and in the cities of the Meedes For whan the childreÌ of Israel synned agaynst y e LORDE their God y t broughte theÌ out of y e londe of Egipte from the haÌde of Pharao kynge of Egipte and serued other goddes and walked after the customes of the HeytheÌ whom the LORDE had dryuen out before the children of Israel and dyd as the kynges of Israel and prouoked y e LORDE their God and dyd secretly the thinges that were not righte in the sighte of y e LORDE their God namely in that they buylded them hye places in all cities both in castels and stronge cities and set vp pilers and groues vpon all hye hilles and amonge all grene trees and brent incense there in all y e hye places euen as dyd the Heythen whom the LORDE had cast out before them wroughte wicked thinges wherwith they prouoked the LORDE vnto wrath serued the Idols wherof the LORDE sayde vnto them Ye shal not do soch a thynge And whan the LORDE testified in Israel and Iuda by all the prophetes and Seers sayenge O turne agayne from youre euell wayes and kepe my commaundemeÌtes and ordynaunces acordinge to all y e lawe which I gaue vnto youre fathers and that I sent vnto you by my seruauntes the prophetes they wolde not herken but herdened their neckes acordinge to the hardneck of their fathers which beleued not on the LORDE their God Yee they despysed his ordinaunces and his couenaunt which he made with their fathers and his testimonies which he witnessed amonge them and walked in their awne vanities and became vayne folowinge the Heythen which dwelt rounde aboute them concernynge whom the LORDE had commaunded them that they shulde not do as they dyd Neuertheles they forsoke all
of Ezechias and all his power and what he dyd and of the pole and water condyte wher by he conueyed water in to the cite beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Ezechias fell on slepe with his fathers and Manasses his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXI Chapter MAnasses was twolue yeare olde whan he was made kinge and reigned fyue and fyftye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Hephziba And he dyd that which was euell in y e sight of the LORDE euen after the abhominacioÌs of the Heithen whom the LORDE expelled before the children of Israel and waxed fro warde and builded vp the hye places which his father Ezechias had destroyed and sett vp Baals altares and made groues as Achab the kynge of Israel dyd and worshipped all the hoost of heauen and serued them And buylded altares in the LORDES house wherof the LORDE sayde I wyll set my name at Ierusalem And in both the courtes of the house of the LORDE buylded he altares vnto all the hoost of heaueÌ And caused his sonne to go thorow the fyre and regarded byrdes cryenge and tokens and maynteyned soythsayers and expounders of tokens and so moch dyd he of this which was euell in the sight of the LORDE that he prouoked him vnto wrath A groue Idol also which he had made set he in the house wherof the LORDE sayde vnto Dauid and to Salomon his sonne In this house and at Ierusalem which I haue chosen out of all the trybes of Israel wil I set my name foreuer and wyl not cause y e fote of Israel to be remoued eny more from the londe which I gaue vnto their fathers yee so that they obserue and do acordynge vnto all that I haue charged them and after all the lawe that my seruaunt Moses coÌmaunded them Neuertheles they wolde not herken but Manasses disceaued them so y t they dyd worse then the Heithen whom the LORDE expelled before y e children of Israel Then spake the LORDE by his seruauntes the prophetes and saide Because that Manasse the kynge of Iuda hath gone these abhominacions which are worse then all y e abhominacions that the Amorites haue done which were before them and hath caused Iuda also to synne agaynst their God therfore thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel Beholde I wyll brynge soch a plage vpon Ierusalem and Iuda that who so euer heareth it both his eares shal glowe and ouer Ierusalem wyll I stretch forth the lyne of Samaria and the weighte of the house of Achab and wyll wype out Ierusalem euen as one wypeth a platter and I wyl ouerthrowe it And y e remnaunt of myne inheritaunce wil I cast out seater them abrode wil delyuer them in to the haÌdes of their enemies to be spoyled and rent of all their enemies because they haue done y t which is euell in my sighte haue prouoked me vnto wrath sence the daye that I broughte their fathers out of Egipte vnto this daye Manasses also shed exceadinge moch innoceÌt bloude so longe tyll IerusaleÌ was full on euery syde with out the synnes wherwith he caused Iuda for to synne so y t they dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE What more there is to saie of Manasses and all that he dyd and his synnes which he commytted beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Manasses fell on slepe with his fathers and was buried in the garden besyde his house namely in the garden of Vsa and Amon his sonne was kynge in his steade Two and twentye yeare olde was Amon whan he was made kynge he reigned two yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Mesumeleth y e doughter of Harus of Iatba and he dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE as Manasses his father had done and walked in all the waye which his father walked and serued the Idols which his father had serued and worshipped them and forsoke the LORDE the God of his father and walked not in the waye of the LORDE And his seruauntes conspyred agaynst Amon slewe the kynge in his house But the people of the londe slewe all them y t had coÌspyred agaynst kynge Amon. And the people of the londe made Iosias his sonne kynge in his steade As for other thinges that Amon dyd beholde they are wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And he was buried in his graue in Vsas gardeÌ And Iosias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXII Chapter IOsias was eight yeare olde whaÌ he was made kynge reigned one and thirtie yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Iedida the doughter of Adaia of Bascath and he dyd that which was righte in y e sighte of the LORDE and walked in all y e waye of Dauid his father turned not asyde nether to the righte hande ner to the lefte And in the eightenth yeare of kynge Iosias the kynge sent Saphan y e sonne of Asalia the sonne of Mesulam the scrybe in to y e house of the LORDE and sayde Go vp to Helchias the hye prest that the money that is brought vnto y e house of y e LORDE which the tresholde kepers haue gathered of y e people maye be delyuered vnto them that they maye geue it to the workmen which are appoynted in the house of the LORDE to geue it vnto the labourers in the house y t they maye repayre the decaye of the house namely vnto the carpenters and buylders masons and to them y t bie timber fre stone for the repairinge of the house but so y t there be no accomptes taken of them concernynge the money that is vnder their hande but y t they deale withall vpon credence And Helchias y e prest sayde vnto SaphaÌ the scrybe I haue founde the boke of the lawe in the house of the LORDE And Helchias gaue the boke vnto Saphan that he might reade it And Saphan the scrybe bare it vnto the kynge and brought him worde agayne sayde Thy seruauntes haue gathered together y e money y t was founde in the house haue delyuered it vnto the workmeÌ which are appoynted in y e house of the LORDE And Saphan the scrybe tolde the kynge and sayde Helchias the prest hath delyuered me a boke and Saphan red it before the kynge But whan the kinge herde the wordes of the boke of lawe he rente his clothes And the kynge coÌmaunded Helchias the prest Ahicam the sonne of Saphan Achbor the sonne of Michaia and Saphan the scribe Asaia y e kynges seruaunt and sayde Go yo r waye and axe councell at the LORDE for me for the people and for all Iuda concernynge the wordes of this boke that is founde for greate is the wrath of the LORDE that is kyndled ouer vs because o r fathers haue not herkened vnto the wordes of this boke to do
all that is wrytten vnto vs therin Then wente Helchias the prest and Ahicam Achbor Saphan Asaia vnto Hulda the prophetisse y e wife of SelluÌ the sonne of Thecua the sonne of Harham the keper of y e clothes and she dwelt at Ierusalem in the seconde porte and they spake vnto her And she sayde vnto them Thus sayeth y e LORDE God of Israel Tell the man that sent you vnto me Thus sayeth the LORDE Beholde I wil brynge euell vpon this place and the inhabiters therof euen all the wordes of y e lawe which the kynge hath caused to be red because they haue forsaken me and brent incense vnto other goddes to prouoke me vnto wrath with all the workes of their handes Therfore is my wrath kindled agaynst this cite and shall not be quenched But tell this vnto the kynge of Iuda which hath sent you to axe councell at the LORDE Thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel Because thine hert is not departed froÌ the wordes which thou hast herde and hast humbled thyselfe before the LORDE to heare what I haue spoken agaynst this place and the inhabiters therof how that they shall become a very desolacion and curse hast rente thy clothes and wepte before me I haue herde it sayeth the LORDE therfore wyll I gather the vnto thy fathers so y t thou shalt be put in to thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not se all the euell that I wyll brynge vpon this place And they brought the kynge worde agayne The XXIII Chapter ANd the kynge sent fotth and all the Elders in Iuda and Ierusalem resorted vnto him and the kynge wente vp in to the house of the LORDE and all the men of Iuda and all the inhabiters of Ierusalem with him the prestes and prophetes and all the people both small and greate and all the wordes of the boke of the couenaunt that was founde in the house of the LORDE were red in their eares And the kinge stode vpon a piler and made a couenauÌt before the LORDE that they shulde walke after the LORDE and to kepe his commaundementes witnesses and ordinaunces with all their hert and with all their soule y t they shulde set vp the wordes of this couenaunt which are wrytten in this boke And all the people entred in to the couenaunt And the ãâã coÌmaunded Helchias the hye prest and âhe prestes of the secoÌde course and the kepers of the thresholde y t they shulde put out of the temple all the vessels which were made for Baal and for the groue and for all the hoost of heauen he brent them without Ierusalem in the valley of Cedron and the dust of them was caryed vnto Bethel And he put downe the Kemurims whoÌ the kynges of Iuda had founded to burne incense vpon the hye places in the cities of Iuda and aboute Ierusalem He put downe also them that brent incense vnto Baal to the Sonne and the Mone and the twolue tokens and to all y e hoost of heauen And the groue caused he to be caryed from the house of the LORDE out of Ierusalem in to y e valley of Cedron and brent it in the valley of Cedron and made it to dust and cast the dust vpon the graues of y e comen people And he brake downe the whorekepers houses which were by the house of the LORDE wherin the wemen made mansions for the groue And he caused all the prestes for to come out of the cities of Iuda and suspended y e hye places where the prestes brent incense from Geba vnto Berseba And brake downe the hye places in the portes that were at y e dore of the gate of Iosua y e shreue of the cite at the lefte hande as one goeth to the cite porte Yet had not the prestes of the hye places offred vpon the altare of the LORDE at Ierusalem but ate vnleuended bred amonge their brethren He suspended Tophet also in the valley of the children of Ennon that noman shulde cause his sonne or his doughter to go thorow y e fyre vnto Moloch And he put downe the horses which y e kynges of Iuda had set vnto the Sonne at the intringe in to the house of the LORDE besyde the chest of Netham Melech the chamberlayne which was at Paruarim and the charettes of the Sonne brent he with fyre and the altares vpon the rofe of Achabs perler which the kynges of Iuda had made And the altares which Manasses had made in the two courtes of the house of the LORDE dyd the kynge breake downe And rannefrom thence and cast the dust of them in to the broke Cedron And the hye places that were before Ierusalem on the righte hande of Mount Mashith which Salomon the kynge of Israel had buylded vnto Astaroth the abhomynacion of Sidon and to Camos the abhominacion of Moab and to Malcom the abhominacion of the children of Ammon those did the kynge suspende and brake the pilers and roted out the groues and fylled their places with mens bones And the altare at Bethel and the hye place that Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat made which caused Israel to synne the same altare brake he downe and the hye place brent the hye place and made it to dust and brent vp the groue And Iosias turned him aboute and sawe the graues that were vpoÌ the mount and caused the bones to the fetched out of the graues and brent them vpoÌ the altare and suspended it acordinge to the worde of the LORDE which the man of God cryed out that tolde this before And he sayde What titell is this that I se here And the men of the cite sayde vnto him It is the graue of the man of God which came from Iuda and cried out this that thou hast done agaynst y e altare of Bethel And he sayde Let him lye no man touche his bones Thus were his bones delyuered with the bones of the prophet that came from Samaria He put awaye also all the houses of the hye places in the cities of Samaria which the kynges of Israel had made to prouoke y e LORDE vnto wrath and dyd with them acordinge to all as he had done at Bethel And all y e prestes of the hye places that were there offred he vp vpon the altares and so brent he mens bones theron and came agayne to Ierusalem And the kynge commauÌded the people and sayde Kepe Easter vnto the LORDE youre God as it is wrytten in the boke of this couenaunt For there was no Easter so kepte as this sence the tyme of the Iudges which iudged Israel and in all the tymes of the kynges of Israel and of the kynges of Iuda but in the eightenth yeare of kynge Iosias was this Easter kepte vnto the LORDE at Ierusalem And Iosias expelled all soythsayers expounders of tokeÌs ymages and Idols and all the abhominacions which were sene in the londe of Iuda
and at Ierusalem that he mighte set vp the wordes of the lawe which were wrytten in the boke that Helchias y e prest fouÌde in the house of y e LORDE His like was no kynge before him which so coÌuerted vnto y e LORDE w t all his hert w t all his soule with all his strength acordinge to all the lawe of Moses And after him came there not vp soch another Yet turned not the LORDE from the indignacion of his greate wrath wherwith he was displeased ouer Iuda because of all the prouocacion wherwith Manasses had prouoked him And y e LORDE sayde I wil put Iuda out of my presence also euen as I haue put awaye Israel and this cite which I haue chosen wyl I cast out namely Ierusalem the house wherof I sayde My name shal be there What more there is to saye of Iosias and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda In his tyme weÌte Pharao Necho y e kynge of Egipte vp agaynst the kynge of Assyria by the water Euphrates But kynge Iosias wente agaynst him and dyed at Megiddo whaÌ he had sene him And his seruauntes caried him deed froÌ Megiddo brought him to IerusaleÌ buryed him in his graue And the people of the londe toke Ioahas the sonne of Iosias and anoynted him and made him kynge in his fathers steade Thre twentye yeare olde was Ioahas whaÌ he was made kynge reigned thre monethes at IerusaleÌ His mothers name was Hamutal y e doughter of Ieremia of Libna And he dyd y t which was euell in y e sight of y e LORDE euen as his fathers had done But Pharao Necho toke him presoner of Reblatha in the londe of Hemath y t he shulde not reigne at Ierusalem raysed a taxe vpoÌ the londe an hundreth taleÌtes of siluer one talente of golde And Pharao Necho made Eliachim y e sonne of Iosias kynge in his father Iosias steade turned his name Ioachim But Ioahas toke he brought him in to Egipte where he dyed And Ioachim gaue the siluer golde vnto Pharao yet taxed he the londe y t he might geue y e syluer acordynge to Pharaos coÌmaundement Euery one amonge the people in y e londe taxed he after his abilite in siluer golde to geue it vnto Pharao Fyue twentye yeare olde was Ioachim whan he was made kynge reigned eleuen yeares at Ierusalem His mothers name was Sebida y e doughter of Pedaia of Ruma he dyd euell in the sight of the LORDE euen as his fathers had done The XXIIII Chapter IN his tyme came vp Nabuchodonosor y e kynge of Babilon Ioachim was in subieccion vn to him iij. yeare And he turned back rebelled agaynst him And y e LORDE sent men of warre vpon him out of Chaldea out of Syria out of Moab froÌ amonge the childreÌ of Ammon caused theÌ for to come in to Iuda to destroie it acordinge to the worde of the LORDE which he spake by his seruauntes the prophetes It fortuned eueÌ so vnto Iuda acordynge to y e worde of the LORDE that he wolde put them awaye from his presence because of y e sinnes of Manasses which he dyd because of the innocent bloude that he shed And he fylled Ierusalem with innocent bloude therfore wolde not the LORDE be reconcyled What more there is to saye of Ioachim and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Ioachim fell on slepe with his fathers And Ioachim his sonne was kynge in his steade And the kynge of Egipte came nomore out of his londe for the kynge of Babilon had conquered all that was the kynge of Egiptes from the ryuer of Egipte vnto y e water Euphrates Eightene yeare olde was Ioachim whan he was made kynge and reigned thre monethes at IerusaleÌ His mothers name was Nebustha the doughter of Elnathan of Ierusalem And he dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE euen as his father had done At the same tyme wente the seruauntes of Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babilon vp to Ierusalem and came vpon the cyte with ordinaunce of warre And whan Nabuchodonosor and his seruauntes came to the cite they layed sege vnto it But Ioachim y e kynge of Iuda wente forth to the kynge of Babilon with his mother with his seruauntes with his rulers and chamberlaynes And the kynge of Babilon receaued him in the eight yeare of his reigne And he toke forth froÌ thence all the treasure in the house of the LORDE and in y e kynges house and brake all the golden vessell y t Salomon the kynge of Israel had made in the house of the LORDE acordynge as the LORDE had sayde and caryed awaye all Ierusalem all the rulers all the mightie men euen ten thousande presoners and all the carpenters and all the smithes and lefte none behynde but the poore people of the londe And he caryed Ioachim awaye vnto Babilon and the kynges mother the kinges wyues and his chamberlaynes and y e mightie men of the londe led he awaye presoners also from Ierusalem vnto Babilon and seuen thousande of the best men and a thousande carpenters and smythes and all the stronge men of warre And the kynge of Babilon made Matania his vncle kynge in his steade and turned his name Sedechias One and twentye yeare olde was Sedechias whan he was made kynge and reigned eleuen yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Amithal the doughter of Ieremia of Libna And he dyd euell in the sight of the LORDE eueÌ as Ioachim dyd for thus fortuned it vnto IerusaleÌ thorow the wrath of the LORDE tyll he had cast them out froÌ his presence And Sedechias fell awaye froÌ the kynge of Babilon The XXV Chapter ANd it fortuned that in y e nyenth yeare of his reigne vpon the tenth daye of the tenth moneth Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon came with all his power agaynst Ierusalem And they laied sege vnto it and buylded stronge holdes rounde aboute it Thus was the cite beseged vnto the eleuenth yeare of kynge Sedechias But on y e nyenth daye of the fourth moneth was the honger so stronge in the cite that the people of the londe had nothinge to eate And the cite was broken vp all the men of warre fled in the night by the waye of the porte betwene the two walles which goeth to the kynges gardeÌ But the Caldees laye aboute the cite And he fled by the waye to the playne felde Neuertheles the power of the Caldees folowed after the kynge and toke him in the plaine felde of Iericho and all the men of warre that were with him were scatered abrode from him And they toke the kynge and led him vp to the kynge of Babilon vnto Reblatha And he gaue iudgmeÌt vpon him And they slewe Ezechias children before his eyes and put out
sonne was Thahan whose sonne was Laedan whose sonne was Ammihud whose sonne was Elisama whose sonne was Nun whose sonne was Iosua And their substaunce dwellynge was Bethel and the vyllages therof and towarde the East syde of Naeran and towarde the westparte of Geser and y e vyllages therof Sechem and hir vyllages vnto Aia and hir vyllages And by the children of Manasses Bethsean and y e vyllages therof That nach and the vyllages therof Dor and the vyllages therof In these dwelt the children of Ioseph the sonne of Israel The children of Asser were these Iemna Iesua Iesui Bria and Serah their sister The children of Bria were Heber and Malchiel this is y e father of Birsauith Heber begat Iaphet Somor Hothan and Sua their sister The childreÌ of Iaphlet were Passach Bimehal and Asuath these were the childreÌ of Iaphlet The childreÌ of Somer were Ahi Rahag Iehuba and Aram. And the children of his brother HeleÌ were Zophah Iemna Seles and Amal. The children of Zophah were Suah Harnepher Sual Beri Iemra Bezer Hod Sama Silsa Iethran and Beera The children of Iether were Iephune Phispa and Ara. The children of Vlla were Arah Haniel and Rizia. All these were the children of Asser heades in the house of their fathers chosen out valeaunt men and heades amonge the prynces and were mustered to the warre for to fight in their nombre sixe and twentye thousande men The IX Chapter BEn Iamin begat Bela his fyrst sonne Aszbal the secoÌde Ahrah y e thirde Noah the fourth Rapha the fyfth And Bela had children Gera Abihud Abisua Neman Ahoah Gera Sphuphan and Huram These are Ehuds children which were heades of the fathers amonge the citesyns at Geba and weÌte awaye vnto Manahath namely Naeman Ahia and Gera the same caryed them awaye and begat Vsa and Ahihud And Seharaim whan he had sent theÌ awaye begat children in the londe of Moab of Husim and Baera his wyues And of Hodes his wyfe begat he Iobab Zibea Mesa Malcham Ieus Sachia and Mirma these are his children heades of the fathers Of Husim begat he Ahitob and Elpaal The childreÌ of Elpaal were Eber Miseam and Samed The same buylded Ono Lod and the vyllages therof And Bria and Sama were heades of the fathers amonge the citesyns at Aialon These chaced awaye theÌ of Gath. His brethreÌ Sasak Ieremoth Sebadia Arad Ader Michael Iespa and Ioha these are the children of Bria Sebadia Mesullam Ezechi Heber Iesmerai Ieslia Ioab these are y e childreÌ of Elpaal Iakim Sichri Sabdi Eloenai Zilthai Eliel Adaia Braia and Simrath these are the childreÌ of Semei Iespan Eber Eliel Abdon Sichri Hanan Hanania Elan Enthothia Iephdeia and Penuel these are the children of Sasak Samserai Seharia Athalia Iaeresia Elia and Sichri these are the children of Ieroham These are the heades of the fathers of their kynreds which dwelt at Ierusalem But at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon his wyues name was Maecha and his first sonne was Abdon Zur Cis Baal Nadab Gedor Ahio and Secher Mikloth begat Simea And they dwelt ouer agaynst their brethreÌ at Ierusalem with theirs Ner begat Cis. Cis begat Saul Saul begat Ionathas Melchisua Abinadab and Esbaal The sonne of Ionathas was Meribaal Meribaal begat Micha The children of Micha were Pithon Melech Thaerea and Ahas Ahas begat Ioadda Ioadda begat Alemeth Asmaneth and Simri Simri begat Moza Moza begat Binea whose sonne was Rapha whose sonne was Eleasa whose sonne was Azel Azel had sixe sonnes whose names were Esricam Bochru Iesmael Searia Abadia Hanan all these were the sonnes of Azel The children of Esek his brother were Vlam his first sonne Ieus the seconde Elipelet the thirde The children of Vlam were valeaunt men and coulde handell bowes and had many sonnes and sonnes sonnes an hundreth and fiftye All these are of the children of Ben Iamin The X. Chapter ANd all Israel were nombred and beholde they are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israel and Iuda and now are they caried awaie vnto BabiloÌ for their synne euen they y t afore dwelt in their possessions and cities namely Israel y e prestes Leuites and Nethinim But at Ierusalem dwelt certayne of the children of Iuda some of the children of Ben Iamin some of the children of Ephraim and of Manasses Namely of the children of Phares of the sonne of Iuda was Vthai the sonne of Ammihud the sonne of Amri the sonne of Imri the sonne of Bani Of Soloni Asaia y e first sonne and his other sonnes Of the children of Serah Ieguel and his brethren sixe hundreth foure score and ten Of the children of Ben Iamin Sallu y e sonne of Mesullam the sonne of Hodauia y e sonne of Hasnua And Iebneia the sonne of Ieroham And Ela the sonne of Vsi the sonne of Michri And Mesullam the sonne of Sephatia the sonne of Reguel the sonne of Iebneia And their brethren in their kinreds nyne hundreth and syxe and fyftye All these were heades of the fathers in the house of their fathers Of the prestes Iedaia Ioiarib Iachim And Asaria the sonne of Helchia the sonne of Mesullam the sonne of Sadoc the sonne of Meraioth the sonne of Achitob prynce in the house of God And Adaia the sonne of Ieroham the sonne of Pashur the sonne of Malchia And Maesai the sonne of Adiel the sonne of Iachsera the sonne of Mesullam the sonne of Messylemeth the sonne of Immer And their brethren heades in the house of their fathers a thousande seuen hundreth and thre score valeaunt men in executynge the offyce in the house of God Of the Leuites of the children of Merari Semaia the sonne of Hasub the sonne of Asrikam the sonne of Hasabia And Bakbakar the carpenter and Galal And Mathania y e sonne of Micha y e sonne of Sichri the sonne of Assaph And Obadia the sonne of Semaia the sonne of Galal y e sonne of Elkana which dwelt in the vyllages of the Netophatites The porters were Sallum Acub Talmon Ahiman with their brethren and Sallum the chefest for hither to had the children of Leui kepte the watch at the eastsyde of the kinges gate by armies And Sallum the sonne of Core the sonne of Abiassaph the sonne of Corah and his brethren of his fathers house The Corahytes were in the worke of the seruyce to kepe the thresholdes of the Tabernacle and their fathers in the hoost of the LORDE to kepe the intraunce Phineas the sonne of Eleasar was the prynce ouer them because the LORDE had bene with him before Sacharia the sonne of Meselemia was keper at the dore of the Tabernacle of witnesse All these were chosen out to be kepers of the thresholdes euen two hundreth and twolue These were nombred in their vyllages And Dauid and Samuel the Seer fouÌded them thorow their faith that they and their children shulde kepe the house of the LORDE namely to kepe the watch of y e house of the Tabernacle These
first Iehiel Sethan and Ioel these thre The children of Simei were Salomith Hasiel and Haran these thre These were the chefe amonge the fathers of Laedan These also were the children of Simei Iahath Sina Ieus and Bria these foure were Simeis children also Iahath was the first Sina the seconde As for Ieus and Bria they had not many childreÌ therfore were they couÌted but for one fathers house The childreÌ of Kahath were Amram Iezehar Hebron and Vsiel these foure The childreÌ of Amram were Aaron and Moses As for Aaron he was separated to be sanctified for the Most holy he his sonnes for euer to burne incense before the LORDE to mynister and blesse in y e name of the LORDE for euermore And the children of Moses the man of God were named amonge y e trybe of the Leuites The childreÌ of Moses were Gerson and Elieser The children of Gerson the fyrst was Sebuel The children of Elieser the fyrst was Rehabia Elieser had none other children But y e childreÌ of Rehabia were many ther ouer The children of Iezehar were Salomith the fyrst The children of Hebron were Ieria the fyrst Amaria the seconde Iahasiel the thirde and Iakmeam y e fourth The children of Vsiel were Micha the fyrst and Iesia the seconde The children of Merari were Maheli Musi. The children of Maheli were Eleasar and Cis. And Eleasar dyed and had no sonnes but doughters And the children of Cis their brethren toke them The children of Musi were Maheli Eder and Ieremoth these thre These are the children of Leui amonge their fathers houses and the chefest of the fathers which were counted after the nombre of y e names heade by heade which executed the worke of the offices in the house of the LORDE from thirtie yeare olde aboue For Dauid sayde The LORDE God of Israel hath geuen his people rest shall dwell at Ierusalem for euer Amonge y e Leuites also were the childreÌ of Leui nombred from thirtie yeare olde and aboue that they neded not to beare y e Habitacion with all the vessels of their office but acordinge to y e last wordes of Dauid y t they shulde stonde vnder the hande of the children of Aaron to mynister in the house of the LORDE in the courte and to the chestes and for purifyenge and to all maner of sanctifyenge and to euery worke of the office in the house of God And for y e shewbred for the fyne floure for the meat offrynge for the vnleuended wafers for the pannes for y e fryenge and for all maner of weight and measure And in the mornynge to stonde for to geue thankes and to prayse the LORDE and in the euenynge likewyse And vpon all Sabbathes Newmones and feastes to offre all the burnt offerynges vnto the LOROE acordinge to the nombre and ordre allwaye before the LORDE to wayte vpon the Tabernacle of witnesse and of the SaÌctuary and vpon their brethreÌ the children of Aaron to mynister in the house of the LORDE The XXV Chapter THis was y e ordinaunce of the childreÌ of Aaron The children of Aaron were Nadab Abihu Eleasar and Ithamar But Nadab and Abihu dyed before their fathers and had no children And Eleasar and Ithamar were prestes And Dauid ordred them after his maner Sadoc out of the children of Eleasar and Ahimelech out of the children of Ithamar acordinge to their nombre and office And there were mo chefe stronge men founde amonge the children of Eleasar then the children of Ithamar And he ordeyned them after this maner namely sixtene out of y e childreÌ of Eleasar to be rulers thorow out their fathers house eight of the children of Ithamar thorow out their fathers house Neuertheles he ordeyned them by lot because that both the pryncipall of the children of Eleasar and of Ithamar were in y e Sanctuary and chefe before God And the Scrybe Semeia the sonne of Nethaneel one of the Leuites wrote them vp before y e kynge and before the rulers and before Sadoc the prest before Ahimelech âhe sonne of Abiathar before the chefe of the fathers amonge the prestes Leuites namely one fathers house for Eleasar and the other for Ithamar And the first lot fell vpon Ioiarib the seconde vpon Iedana the thirde vpoÌ Harim the fourth vpon Seorim the fifth vpoÌ Malchia the sixte vpon Meiamin the seuenth vpon Hakoz the eight vpon Abia the nyenth vpon Iesua the tenth vpon Sechania the eleuenth vpon Eliasib the twolueth vpon Iakim the thirtenth vpon Hupa the fourtenth vpon Iesebeab the fiftenth vpon Bilga the sixtenth vpon Immer the seuententh vpon Hesir the eightenth vpon Hapizez the nyententh vpon Pethahia the twentieth vpon Ieheszkel the one and twentieth vpon Iachin the two twentieth vpon Samul the thre twentieth vpoÌ Dalaia y e foure and twentieth vpoÌ Maasia This is their course after their office to go in to the house of the LORDE acordinge to their maner vnder their father Aaron as the LORDE God of Israel commaunded him Of the children of Leui amonge the children of Amram was Subael Amonge the children of Subael was Iohdea Amonge the children of Rehabia was y e first Iesia Amonge the Iezeharites was Selomoth Amonge the children of Selomoth was Iahath The children of Hebron were Ieria y e first Amaria the seconde Iehasiel the thirde Iakneam the fourth The children of Vsiel were Micha AmoÌge the children of Micha was Samir The brother of Micha was Iesia Amonge the children of Iesia was Zacharias The children of Merari were Maheli Musi whose sonne was Iaesia The childreÌ of Merari of his sonne Iaesia were Soham Sacur Ibri Maheli had Eleasar for he had no sonnes Of Cis the children of Cis were Ierahmeel and Musi. The children of Musi were Maheli Eder and Ieremoth These are the childreÌ of y e Leuites thorow out y e house of their fathers And the lot was cast for them also besyde their brethren the children of Aaron in the presence of kynge Dauid and Sadoc and Ahimelech and before the chefe fathers amonge the prestes Leuites as well for the leest brother as for the chefest amonge the fathers The XXVI Chapter ANd Dauid with the chefe captaynes sundered to the offices amonge y e childreÌ of Assaph Heman Iedithun y e prophetes with harpes psalteries Cymbales and they were nombred vnto the worke acordynge to their offyce Amonge the childreÌ of Assaph was Sakur Ioseph Nethania Asarela childreÌ of Assaph vnder Assaph which prophecyed besyde y e kynge Of Iedithun The children of Iedithun were Gedalia Zori Iesaia Hasabia Mathithia Simei these sixe vnder their father Iedithun w t harpes whose prophecienge was to geue thankes and to praise the LORDE Of Heman The children of Heman were Bukia Mathania Vsiel Sebuel Ierimoth Hanania Hanani Eliatha Gilthi Remamthieser Iaszbaksa Mallothi Hothir and Mehesioth All these were the children of HemaÌ the kynges Seer in the wordes of God
they had sworne with all their hert and they soughte him with a whole wyll and he was founde of them and the LORDE gaue them rest on euery syde And Asa y e kynge put downe his mother from the mynistracion that she had founded in the groue vnto Miplezeth And Asa roted out hir Miplezeth and beate it in sunder and brent it by the broke Cedron But the hye places were not put downe out of Israel Yet was the hert of Asa perfecte as longe as he lyued And loke what his father had halowed and that he him selfe had halowed he broughte it into y e house of God syluer golde and ornameÌtes And there was no warre vnto the fyue and thirtieth yeare of the reigne of Asa. The XVI Chapter IN the sixe and thirtieth yeare of y e reigne of Asa wente Baesa the kynge of Israel vp agaynst Iuda and buylded Rama to let Asa the kynge of Iuda y t he shulde not go out and in But Asa toke forth the treasure in the house of the LORDE and the syluer and golde in the kynges house and sent it vnto Benadad y e kynge of Syria which dwelt at Damascon and caused to saye vnto him There is a couenaunt betwene me and the betwene my father and thy father therfore haue I sent y e syluer and golde that thou mayest breake y e couenaunt with Baesa the kynge of Israel that he maye departe fro me Benadad herkened vnto kynge Asa and sent his hoost agaynst the cities of Israel which smote Eioâ Dan and Abel Maim and all the corne cities of Nephtali Whan Baesa herde that he lefte of from buyldinge Rama and ceassed from his worke But kynge Asa toke all Iuda vnto him and caried awaye y e stones and tymber wherwith Baesa buylded and he buylded Geba Mizpa withall At the same tyme came Hanani the Seer vnto Asa the kynge of Iuda and sayde vnto him Because thou hast trusted vnto the kynge of Syria and not put thy trust in the LORDE thy God therfore is the power of the kynge of Syria escaped thy haÌde Were not the Moryans and Lybians a greate multitude with exceadinge many charettes and horsmen Yet gaue the LORDE them in to thy hande whan thou dyddest put thy trust in him for the eyes of the LORDE loke rounde aboute all londes to strength them y t are in him with all their hert Thou hast done vnwysely therfore shalt thou haue warre from heÌce forth But Asa was wroth at y e Seer and put him in preson for he murmured with him ouer this thinge And Asa oppressed certayne of the people at y e same tyme. These actes of Asa both first and last be holde they are wrytten in the boke of y e kynges of Iuda Israel And Asa was diseased in his fete in the nyne and thirtieth yeare of his reigne and endured ther ouer Nether soughte he the LORDE in his sicknesse but trusted vnto Phisicians Thus fell Asa on slepe with his fathers dyed in the one and fortieth yeare of his reigne was buried in his awne sepulcre which he had caused to be grauen for him selfe in the cite of Dauid And they layed him vpon his bed which was fylled with swete odoures all maner of spyces made after y e Apotecaries craft and made a very greate burnynge The XVII Capter ANd Iosaphat his sonne was kynge in his steade waxed mightie against Israel And he put men of warre in all the stronge cities of Iuda and set officers in the londe of Iuda and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had wonne And the LORDE was w t Iosaphat for he walked in the olde wayes of his father Dauid soughte not Baalim but the God of his father walked in his commaundementes â not after the workes of Israel therfore dyd the LORDE stablyshe the kyngdome in his haÌde And all Iuda gaue presentes vnto Iosaphat he had greate riches worshippe And whan his hert was coraged in the wayes of the LORDE he put downe styll the hye places and groues out of Iuda In the thirde yeare of his reigne sent he his prynces Benhail Obadia Zacharias Nethaneel Michaia to teach in the cities of Iuda with them the Leuites Semaia Nethania Sebadia Asahel Semiramoth Ionathan Adonia Tobia Tob Adonia with them y e prestes Elisama Ioram And they taughte in Iuda had the boke of the lawe of y e LORDE w t them wente aboute in all y e cities of Iuda taughte the people And the feare of the LORDE came vpon all y e kyngdomes in the countrees that laye aboute Iuda so y t they foughte not agaynst Iosaphat And the Philistynes broughte presentes and trybute of syluer vnto Iosaphat And the Arabians broughte him seuen thousande and seuen hundreth rammes and seuen thousande and seuen hundreth he goates Thus increased Iosaphat grewe euer greater And he buylded castels and corne cities in Iuda And dyd moch in the cities of Iuda and had valeaunt and mightie men at Ierusalem And this was y e ordinaunce thorow out the house of their fathers which were rulers ouer the thousandes in Iuda ãâ¦ã captayne w t him were thre huÌdreth thâââsande mightie men Nexte vnto him was âââhanan y e chefe and with him were two hâââdreth and foure score thousande Nexte ãâã was Amasia the sonne of Sichri the fre âââlinge of y e LORDE and with him were two hundreth thousande valeaunt men Of the children of Ben Iamin was Eliada a mightie man and with him were two hundreth thousande ready with bowes and shyldes Nexte vnto him was Iosabad and with him were an hundreth and foure score thousande harnessed men of warre All these âââted vpon the kynge besydes those that the kynge had layed in the stroÌge cities thorââ out all Iuda The XVIII Chapter ANd Iosaphat had greate riches and worshippe and made frendshippe ãâã Achab. And after two yeares wente he downe to Achab vnto Samaria And Achab caused many shepe and oxeÌ to be slayne for him and for y e people that were with him And he counceled him to go vp vnto Ramoth in Gilead And Achab the kynge of Israel sayde vnto Iosaphat the kynge of Iuda Go with me vnto Ramoth in Gilead He sayde vnto him I am as thou and my people as thy people we wyll go with the vnto the battayll But Iosaphat sayde vnto the kynge of Israel Axe councell I praye the this daye at the worde of the LORDE And the kynge of Israel gathered the prophetes together euen foure hundreth men saide vnto them ⪠Shal we go to the battayll vnto Ramoth in Gilead or shal I let it alone They sayde Go vp God shal delyuer it into the kynges haÌde But Iosaphat sayde Is there not yeâ one prophet of the LORDE here y t we maye axe at him The kynge of Israel sayde vnto Iosaphat There is yet one man at whom we maye axe of
from beyonde the See of Syria beholde they are at Hazezon Thamar that is Engaddi And Iosaphat was afrayed set his face to seke y e LORDE caused a fast to be proclamed in all Iuda And Iuda came together to seke the LORDE And out of all y e cities of Iuda came they to seke the LORDE And Iosaphat stode amoÌge y e coÌgregacion of Iuda Ierusalem in the house of y e LORDE before the new courte and sayde O LORDE God of oure fathers art not thou God in heauen and hast domynion in all the kyngdomes of the Heythen And in thy hande is strength and power and there is no man that can withstoÌde the. Hast not thou o r God expelled the inhabiters of this londe before thy people of Israel and hast geueÌ it vnto the sede of Abraham thy louer for euer so that they haue dwelt in it haue buylded the a Sanctuary vnto y e name therin and sayde Yf there come eny plage swerde iudgmeÌt pestilence or derth vpon vs we wyll stonde before this house euen before the for thy name is in this house and wyll crye vnto the in oure trouble and thou shalt heâre and shalt saue vs. Beholde now the children of Ammon of Moab they of mount Seir vpon whom thou woldest not suffre the children of Israel to go whan they wente out of the londe of Egipte but they were fayne to departe from theÌ and not to destroye them and beholde they deale contrarely with vs and come to thrust vs out of the inheritaunce that thou hast geuen vs in possession O oure God wylt thou not iudge them For in vs is no strength to withstonde this greate multitude that commeth agaynst vs. We knowe not what we shulde do but oure eyes loke vnto the. And all Iuda stode before the LORDE with their children wyues and sonnes But vpon Iehasiel the sonne of Zacharias the sonne of Benaia the sonne of Iehiel the sonne of Mathania the Leuite of y e children of Assaph came the sprete of the LORDE in the myddes of the congregacion and sayde Geue hede all thou Iuda and ye inhabiters of Ierusalem and thou kynge Iosaphat Thus sayeth the LORDE vnto you Be not ye afrayed nether feare ye this greate multitude for it is not ye that fighte but God Tomorow shal ye go downe vnto theÌ And beholde they go vp by Sis and ye shal fynde them at the reed see by the broke before the wyldernes of Ieruel for ye shall not fighte in this cause Do ye but steppe forth and stonde and se the health of the LORDE that is with you Feare not O Iuda and Ierusalem and be not afrayed tomorow go ye forth agaynst them and the LORDE shal be with you TheÌ Iosaphat bowed him selfe w t his face to the earth all Iuda the inhabiters of Ierusalem fell before the LORDE worshipped the LORDE And the Leuites of y e childreÌ of the Kahathites of the children of the Corahites arose to prayse the LORDE God of Israel w t loude voyce on hye And they gat them vp early in y e mornynge and weÌte forth by the wyldernesse of Thekoa And whan they were goynge out Iosaphat stode sayde HerkeÌ vnto me O Iuda ye indwellers of IerusaleÌ Put youre trust in the LORDE yo r God ye shal be safe and geue credence vnto his prophetes ye shall prospere And he gaue councell vnto y e people and appoynted the syngers vnto y e LORDE and them that gaue prayse in the bewtye of holynes to go before the harnessed meÌ to saye O geue thankes vnto the LORDE for his mercy endureth for euer And whan they beganne to geue thankes and prayse the LORDE caused the hynder watch that was come agaynst Iuda to come vpon the childreÌ of Ammon Moab them of mount Seir and they smote them Then stode the children of Ammon Moab agaynst them of mount Seir to damne them and to destroye them And whan they had destroyed them of mount Seir one helped another to destroye them selues also And whan Iuda came to Mispa vnto the wyldernes they turned them towarde the multitude and beholde the deed bodies laye vpoÌ the earth so that none was escaped And Iosaphat came with his people to deuyde the spoyles of them And they founde amonge them so moch goodes and rayment and precious Iewels which they toke from them that they coulde not beare them And thre dayes were they deuydinge the spoyle for it was so moch On the fourth daye came they together in to the valley of blessynge for there blessed they the LORDE Therfore is the place called the valley of blessinge vnto this daye So euery man of Iuda Ierusalem turned back agayne Iosaphat before them to go to IerusaleÌ with ioye for y e LORDE had geuen them gladnesse on their enemies And they entred in to Ierusalem with psalteries harpes trompettes vnto the house of the LORDE And there came a feare of God ouer all the kyngdomes in the londes whan they herde that the LORDE had foughte agaynst y e enemies of Israel Thus was y e kyngdome of Iosaphat in quyetnes God gaue him rest on euery syde And Iosaphat reigned ouer Iuda was fyue thirtie yeare olde whan he was made kynge reigned fyue twentye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Asuba the doughter of Silhi And he walked in the waye of his father Asa departed not asyde from doynge y t which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE sauynge that y e hye places were not put downe for the people had not yet prepared their hert to the God of their fathers What more there is to saye of Iosaphat both the first the last beholde it is wrytten in the actes of Iehu y e sonne of Hanani which he noted vp in the boke of the kynges of Israel Afterwarde dyd Iosaphat the kynge of Iuda agree w t Ahasia the kynge of Israel which was vngodly in his doynges And he agreed with him to make shippes for to go vpon the see And they made the shippes at Ezeon Gaber But Elieser the sonne of Dodana of Maresa prophecied agaynst Iosaphat and sayde Because thou hast agreed with Ahasia therfore hath the LORDE broken thy workes And so y e shippes were broken mighte not go vpon the See The XXI Chapter ANd Iosaphat fell on slepe w t his fathers was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid Ioram his sonne was kynge in his steade And he had brethreÌ the sonnes of Iosaphat Asaria Iehiel Zacharias Asaria Michael Sephatia All these were the children of Iosaphat kynge of Iuda And their father gaue them many giftes of syluer golde Iewels w t stronge cities in Iuda But the kyngdome gaue he vnto Ioram for he was the first borne But whan Ioram came vp ouer his fathers kyngdome had gotten the power of it he
it And whan the yeare was gone aboute y e power of the Syrians wente vp came to Iuda Ierusalem and destroyed the rulers in the people and sent all the spoiles of them vnto Damascon For the power of the Syrians came but with a fewe men yet gaue y e LORDE a very greate power in to their hande because they had forsaken y e LORDE God of their fathers They executed iudgment also vpon Ioas. And whan they departed froÌ him they lefte him in greate sicknesses Neuertheles his seruauntes conspyred against him because of the bloude of the childreÌ of Ioiada the prest slewe him vpoÌ his bed he dyed and they buryed him in the cite of Dauid but not amonge the sepulcres of the kynges They that conspyred against him were these Sabad y e sonne of Simeath the Ammonitisse and Iosabad the sonne of Simrith the Moabitisse As for his sonnes and the summe that was gathered vnder him and the buyldinge of the house of God beholde they are wrytten in the storye in the boke of the kynges And Amasias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXV Chapter FYue and twentye yeare olde was Amasias whan he was made kynge and reigned nyne and twentye yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Ioadan of Ierusalem And he dyd y t which was right in the sighte of the LORDE but not w t a whole her Now whan his kingdome was in streÌgth he slewe his seruauÌtes which had slayne the kinge his father But their childreÌ slewe he not for so is it wrytten in the boke of the lawe of Moses where the LORDE coÌmaundeth and sayeth The fathers shal not dye for the children nether shal the children dye for the fathers but euery one shal die for his awne synne And Amasias broughte Iuda together and set them after the fathers houses after the rulers ouer thousandes ouer hundreds amonge all Iuda and Ben Iamin and nombred them from twentye yeare olde aboue and founde of theÌ thre hundreth thousande chosen men which were able to go forth to the warre and caryed speares and shyldes And out of Israel appoynted he an hundreth thousande stronge men of warre for an hundreth talentes of siluer But there came a man of God vnto him and sayde O kynge Let not the hoost of Israel come w t the for the LORDE is not with Israel nether with all the childreÌ of Ephraim For yf thou commest to shewe y e boldnes in the battaill God shal make the fall before thine enemies For God hath power to helpe and to cause for to fall Amasias sayde vnto the man of God What shal be done then with y e hundreth talentes y t I haue geueÌ y e soudyers of Israel The maÌ of God sayde The LORDE hath yet more theÌ this to geue the. So Amasias separated out the men of warre which were come to him out of Ephraim y t they shulde departed vnto their place Then waxed their wrath very whote agaynst Iuda and they wente agayne vnto their place in wrothfull displeasure And Amasias streÌgthed himselfe and caried out his people and wente forth in to the Salt valley and smote ten thousande of the children of Seir. And the childreÌ of Iuda toke ten thousande of theÌ alyue whom they broughte vp to the toppe of a mountayne and cast theÌ downe headlinges from the toppe of the mount so that they all to barst in sunder But y e childreÌ of the men of warre whom Amasias had sent awaye agayne that they shulde not go to the battayll with his people fell in to the cities of Iuda from Samaria vnto Beth Horon and smote thre thousande of meÌ and toke moch spoyle And whan Amasias came agayne from the slaughter of the Edomites he broughte the goddes of the children of Seir and made them his goddes and worshipped before them brent incense vnto them Then was the LORDE very wroth at Amasias sent vnto him a prophet which sayde vnto him Why sekest thou the goddes of the people which coulde not delyuer their folke from y e hande And whan he talked with him the kynge sayde vnto him Haue they made y e of the kynges councell Ceasse why wilt thou be smytten Then the prophet ceassed sayde I perceaue that the LORDE is mynded to destroye y e because thou hast done this and herkenest not vnto my councell And Amasias y e kynge of Iuda toke couÌcell sent vnto Ioas the sonne of Ioahas y e sonne of Iehu kynge of Israel sayeÌge Come let vs se one another But Ioas the kynge of Israel sent vnto Amasias y e kynge of Iuda sayenge The hawthorne in Libanus sent vnto y e Cedre tre in Libanus sayeÌge Geue thy doughter vnto my sonne to wife But a wylde beest in Libanus ranne ouer y e haw thorne trode it downe Thou thinkest Beholde I haue smytten the Edomites therfore is thine hert proude to boaste Now byde at home why stryuest thou after mysfortune that thou mayest fall Iuda w t the Neuertheles Amasias consented not for so was it broughte to passe of God y t they mighte be geuen in to the handes of the enemies because they soughte the goddes of y e Edomites Then wente Ioas the kynge of Israel vp they sawe one another he and Amasias the kynge of Iuda at Beth Semes which lyeth in Iuda But Iuda was smytteÌ before Israel and they fled euery one vnto his tent And Ioas the kynge of Israel toke Amasias y e kynge of Iuda the sonne of Ioas y e sonne of Ioahas at Beth Semes broughte him to Ierusalem brake downe the wall of IerusaleÌ from y e porte of Ephraim vnto the corner porte eueÌ foure hundreth cubites longe and toke with him all the golde and siluer and all the ornamentes that were fouÌde in y e house of God with Obed Edom and in the treasures in the kynges house and the childreÌ to pledge vnto Samaria And Amasias the sonne of Ioas kynge of Iuda liued after the death of Ioas the sonne of Ioahas kynge of Israel fiftene yeare What more there is to saye of Amasias both the first and last beholde it is written in y e boke of the kynges of Iuda Israel And froÌ the tyme forth that Amasias departed from the LORDE they conspyred against him at Ierusalem But he fled vnto Lachis TheÌ sent they after him vnto Lachis slewe him there And they brought him vpoÌ horses buried him beside his fathers in the cite of Iuda The XXVI Chapter THen all the people of Iuda toke Osias which was syxtene yeare olde and made him kynge in steade of his father Amasias He builded Eloth broughte it agayne vnto Iuda after that the kynge was fallen on slepe with his fathers Sixtene yeare olde was Osias whan he was made kinge and reigned two and fiftie yeare at IerusaleÌ His mothers name was Iechalia of Ierusalem And he did right in the syght of
the LORDE as his father Amasias had done and soughte God as longe as Zacharias lyued which taughte in the visyons of God and as longe as he sought the LORDE God made him to prospere For he wente forth and foughte agaynst the Philistynes and brake downe y e walles of Gath and the walles of Iabne and the walles of Aszdod and buylded cities aboute Aszdod amonge the Philistynes For God helped him agaynst the Philistines against the Arabians agaynst them of Gur Baal agaynst the Meunites And y e Ammonites gaue Osias presentes his name came in to Egipte for he was exceadinge stronge And Osias buylded towres at Ierusalem vpon the cornerporte and on the valley gate and on other corners and made them stronge He buylded castels also in the wyldernesse and dygged many welles for he had many catell both in the medewes and in the playnes huszbandmen also and wynegardeners on the mountaynes and on Carmel for he delyted in huszbandaye And Osias had an hoost of men of warre goynge forth to the battaill which were noÌbred vnder the hande of Ieiel the scrybe of Maesa the offycer vnder the haÌde of Hanania of the kynges rulers And the nombre of the chefe fathers amonge the stronge meÌ of warre was two thousande and syxe hundreth And vnder the hande of the hoost thre hundreth thousande and seuen thousande and fyue hundreth mete for the battayll in the strength of an armye to helpe the kinge agaynst the enemies And Osias prepared for all the hoost shyldes speares helmettes brestplates bowes and slyngstones And at IerusaleÌ he made ordinaunce coÌningly to be vpon the towres and in the pynnacles to shute arowes and greate stones And the fame of him came farre abrode because he was specially helped tyll he became mightie And whan his power was greate his hert arose to his awne destruccion for he trespaced agaynst the LORDE his God and wente in to the temple of the LORDE to burne incense vpon the altare of incense But Asarias the prest wente after him and foure score prestes with him valeaunt men and withstode kynge Osias and saide vnto him It belongeth not vnto thy offyce Osias to burne incense vnto the LORDE but vnto the prestes belongeth it euen vnto the children of Aaron which are halowed to burne incense Go forth out of the Sanctuary for thou offendest and it shall be no worshippe vnto the before God the LORDE And Osias was wroth and had a censoure in his hande And whyle he murmured with the prestes the leprosy spronge out of his foreheade in the presence of the prestes in the house of the LORDE before the altare of incense And Asarias the chefe prest turned his heade towarde him and so dyd all the prestes and beholde he was leper in his foreheade And they put him out from thence Yee he made haist himselfe to go forth for his plage came of the LORDE Thus became Osias y e kynge a leper vnto his death and dwelt full of leprosye in a fre house for he was put out of the house of the LORDE But Ioram his sonne had the ouersight of the kynges house and iudged the people in the lânde What more there is to saie of Osias both first and last Esay the sonne of Amos hath wrytten it And Osias fell on slepe w t his fathers and they buryed him with his fathers in the pece of grounde beside y e kynges sepulcres for they sayde He is leporous And Iotham his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXVII Chapter IOtham was fyue and twentye yeare olde whan he was made kynge and reigned sixtene yeare at Ierusalem His mothers name was Ierusa the daughter of Sadoc he dyd righte in the sighte of the LORDE as did Osias his father sauynge y t he wente not in to the temple of the LORDE and the people yet marred them selues He buylded the hye porte of the house of y e LORDE and on the wall of Ophel buylded he moch and buylded the cities vpon the mountaynes of Iuda and in the woddes buylded he castels and towres And he fought with the kinge of the children of Ammon and ouer came them so that the childreÌ of Ammon gaue him y e same yeare an hundreth talentes of siluer ten thousande quarters of wheate and ten thousande of barlye So moch dyd the children of Ammon geue him also in y e seconde thirde yeare Thus became Iotham mightye for he gyded his wayes before the LORDE his God What more there is to saye of Iotham all his warres vnd his waies beholde it is wrytten in y e boke of the kinges of Israel Iuda Fyue and twentye yeare olde was he whan he was made kynge reigned sixtene yeare at IerusaleÌ And IothaÌ fell on slepe w t his fathers they buryed him in the cite of Dauid and Achas his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXVIII Chapter AChas was twentye yeare olde whan he was made kynge and reigned sixtene yeare at Ierusalem and dyd not that which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE as did Dauid his father but walked in the wayes of the kinges of Israel and made molten ymages vnto Baalim and brent incense in the valley of the children of Hennon and breÌt his awne sonnes in y e fire after the abhominacions of the Heithen whoÌ the LORDE expelled before the childreÌ of Israel And he dyd sacrifice and brent incense vpon the hye places and vpon the hilles and amoÌge all grene trees Therfore dyd the LORDE his God delyuer him in to the hande of the kynge of Syria so that they smote him and caryed awaye a greate multitude of his men presoners and broughte them to Damascon He was geuen also vnder the hande of the kynge of Israel so y t he dyd a greate slaughter vpon him For Pecah the sonne of Romelia smote in Iuda an hundreth twentye thousande in one daye which all were valeaunt men eueÌ because they had forsaken y e LORDE God of their fathers And Sichri a mightie maÌ of Ephraim slewe Maeseia y e kinges sonne Asriâam the prynce of the house Elâana the nexte vnto the kynge And the children of Israel caried of their brethren presoners two hundreth thousande wemen sonnes and doughters and toke a greate spoyle from them and broughte the spoyle vnto Samaria But eueÌ there was there a prophet of y e LORDE whose name was Obed which weÌte out to mete y e hoost that came to Samaria and sayde vnto them Beholde because the LORDE God of youre fathers is wroth at Iuda therfore hath he geuen them ouer in to youre handes but ye haue slayne them so abhominably that it is come vnto heaueÌ Now thinke ye to subdue the children of Iuda and Ierusalem to be bondmen and bond maydens vnto you Is not this a trespace then w t you agaynst the LORDE yo r God Herken now vnto me and sende y e presoners hence agayne whom
ye haue caried awaye from youre brethren for the wrath of y e LORDE is fearce ouer you Then gat vp certayne of the chefe of the children of Ephraim Asarias the sonne of Iohanan Barachias the sonne of Mesillemoth Ezechias the sonne of Sallum Amasa y e sonne of Hadlai agaynst them y t came from y e battayll sayde vnto them Ye shal not brynge the presoners in hither for youre mynde is but to make vs trespace before the LORDE to make oure synnes and offences the greater for the trespace is to moch allready the wrath is fearce ouer Israel So the hoost lefte the presoners the spoyle before y e rulers and before the whole coÌgregacion Then stode vp the men which now were rehearced by name and toke the presoners and as many as were naked amonge them clothed they with y e spoyles deckte them and put shues vpon their fete and gaue theÌ to eate and drynke and anoynted them and caried them vpon asses as many as were feble and broughte them to Iericho to y e Palme cite vnto their brethren and came agayne to Samaria At the same tyme sent kynge Achas vnto the kynges of Assur y t they shulde helpe him And the Edomites came agayne and smote Iuda and caried some awaye captyue The Philistynes also fell in to the cities in the playne towarde y e south parte of Iuda wanne Beth Semes Aâalon Gederoth and Socho with the vyllages therof Timna w t the vyllages therof Gimso with the vyllages therof and dwelt therin For y e LORDE subdued Iuda for Achas sake y e kynge of Iuda because he made Iuda naked and rebelled agaynst the LORDE And Teglatpilnesser the kynge of Assur came agaynst him and beseged him he was not mightie ynough for him For Achas spoyled the house of the LORDE and the kynges house and of the rulers to geue vnto y e kynge of Assur but it helped him not Morouer kinge Achas trespaced yet more against the LORDE euen in his trouble and dyd sacrifyce vnto the goddes of them of Damascon which had smitten him sayde The goddes of the kynges of Syria helpe them therfore wil I offre vnto them that they maye helpe me also where as the same yet were a fall vnto him and to all Israel And Achas gathered the vessels of y e house of God together and brake the vessels in y e house of God shut the dores of the house of y e LORDE and made him altares in all corners at Ierusalem and euery where in the cyties of Iuda made he hye places to burne incense vnto other goddes and prouoked y e LORDE God of his fathers vnto wrath What more there is to saye of him and of all his wayes both first and last beholde it is wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Iuda and Israel And Achas fell on slepe with his fathers and they buried him in y e cite of Ierusalem for they brought him not amonge the sepulcres of the kynges of Israel And Ezechias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXIX Chapter EZechias was fyue twentye yeare olde whan he was made kynge reigned nyne twentye yeares at Ierusalem His mothers name was Abia y e doughter of Zachary And he dyd that which was right in the sight of the LORDE as did his father Dauid He opened the dores of y e house of the LORDE in the first moneth of y e first yeare of his raigne made them stronge brought in the prestes and Leuites and gathered them together vnto the East streate and sayde vnto them Herken vnto me ye Leuites sanctifye youre selues now y t ye maye halowe the house of the LORDE God of yo r fathers and put fylthines out of the Sanctuary for oure fathers haue trespaced and done y t which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE oure God and haue forsaken him For they turned their faces from the habitacioÌ of y e LORDE oure God turned their backes on it and shut the dores of the Porche and put out the lampes and brent no incense offred no burntsacrifyces in the Sanctuary vnto the God of Israel Therfore is the wrath of the LORDE come ouer Iuda and Ierusalem and he hath geuen them ouer to be scatred abrode desolate and to be hyssed at as ye se with yo r eies· For beholde euen for the same cause fell oure fathers thorow the swerde oure sonnes doughters and wyues were caryed awaye captyue Now am I mynded to make a couenaunt with the LORDE God of Israel y t he maye turne awaie from vs his wrath indignacion Now my sonnes be not ye negligent for the LORDE hath chosen you to stoÌde before him and to be his mynisters and to burne incense vnto him Then rose the Leuites Mahath the sonne of Amasai and Ioel the sonne of Asaria of the children of the Rahathites Of the children of Merari Cis the sonne of Abdi Asaria the sonne of Iehaleleel Of the children of the Gersonites Ioah the sonne of Simma and Eden the sonne of Ioah And of the childreÌ of Elizaphan Simri Ieiel And of the childreÌ of Assaph Sachary and Mathania And of the chidren of Heman Iehiel and Simei And of the children of Iedithun Semaia and Vsiel And they gathered their brethren together and were sanctified and wente in acordinge to the kynges commaundement at the worde of the LORDE to clense the house of y e LORDE And the prestes entred within in the house of the LORDE to purifye and put out all the vnclennes that was founde in the teÌple of the LORDE in the courte of the LORDES house and the prestes toke it vp and caryed it out in to the broke Cedron The fyrst daye of the fyrst moneth beganne they to sanctifye them selues and on the eight daye of the moneth wente they in to the porche of the LORDE and halowed the house of y e LORDE eight dayes and fynished it on the sixtenth daye of the fyrst moneth And they weÌte in to the kynge Ezechias and sayde We haue clensed all the house of the LORDE the altare of burnt offerynges and all his vessels the table of the shewbred and all the apparell therof and all the ornamentes that kynge Achas cast awaye whaÌ he was kynge what tyme as he transgressed those haue we prepared and halowed Beholde they are before the altare of the LORDE TheÌ the kynge Ezechias gat him vp early and gathered together the Elders of the cite and weÌte vp vnto the house of the LORDE and they broughte seuen bullockes seuen rammes seuen lambes and seuen he goates to be the syn offerynge for the Sanctuary for Iuda And he spake vnto the prestes the children of Aaron that they shulde offre vpon the altare of the LORDE So they slewe the bullockes and the prestes toke the bloude and sprenkled it vpon y e altare and slewe the rammes and sprenkled the bloude vpon
the altare and slewe the laÌbes and sprenkled the bloude vpon the altare And y e goates to y e syn offerynge brought they before the kynge and the congregacioÌ and layed their handes vpon them and the prestes slewe them and sprenkled their bloude vpon the altare to make attonemeÌt for all Israel for the kynge commaunded to offre burntsacrifyces and sin offeringes for all Israel And he set the Leuites in the house of the LORDE with Cymbales Psalteries and harpes as Dauid had commaunded and Gad the kynges Seer and the prophet Nathan for it was the commaundement of the LORDE by his prophetes And the Leuites stode with the musicall instrumentes of Dauid the prestes with the trompettes And Ezechias commaunded them to offre burntsacrifyces vpon the altare And aboute the tyme that the burntsacrifyce begaÌne to be offred the songe of the LORDE beganne also and y e trompettes and dyuerse instrumentes of Dauid the kynge of Israel and all the congregacion gaue praise thankes and the songe of the Musicians and y e blowynge of the trompetters endured all tyll the burnt offerynge was fynished Now whan the burnt offerynge was perfourmed the kynge and all they that were with him bowed them selues and gaue praise and thankes And Ezechias the kynge w t the rulers commaunded the Leuites to prayse the LORDE with the songes of Dauid and Assaph the Seer And they gaue prayse tyll they were ioyfull and they bowed them selues and worshipped And Ezechias answered and saide Now haue ye fylled youre haÌdes vnto the LORDE steppe forth and brynge hither y e sacrifyces and thank offerynges vnto the house of the LORDE And the congregacion broughte sacrifyces and thank offerynges and euery maÌ of a fre wyllinge hert brought burnt offerynges And the nombre of the burnt offerynges that the congregacion broughte was thre score bullockes and ten an hundreth raÌmes and two hundreth lambes and all these for the burnt offerynge vnto the LORDE and they sanctifyed sixe hundreth bullockes and thre thousande shepe But the prestes were to fewe and coulde not pluck of the skynnes of all the burnt offerynges therfore toke they their brethren the Leuites tyll the worke was fyniszhed and tyll the prestes were halowed for the Leuites are easier to be halowed then the prestes and many of the burnt offerynges were with the fat of the thank offerynges and drynk offerynges to the burntsacrifices Thus was the ministracion of the house of the LORDE prepared And Ezechias reioysed with all the people that they were prepared with God for it was done righte haistely The XXX Chapter ANd Ezechias sent in to all Israel and Iuda and wrote letters vnto Ephraim and Manasses that they shulde come to the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem to kepe easter vnto the LORDE God of Israel And the kynge helde a councell with his rulers and all the coÌgregacion at Ierusalem to kepe Passeouer in the seconde moneth for at that tyme they coulde not kepe it because the prestes were not sanctified ynough and the people were not yet come together vnto Ierusalem And it pleased the kynge well and all the coÌgregacion And they appointed it to be proclamed thorow out all Israel from Berseba vnto Dan that they shulde come to kepe Passeouer vnto the LORDE God of Israel for they were not many to kepe it as it is wrytten And the postes wente with the letters from the hande of the kynge and of his rulers thorow out all Israell and Iuda at y e kynges commaundement and sayde Ye children of Israel turne you vnto the LORDE God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and he shal turne to y e escaped which are lefte ouer amonge you from the hande of the kynge of Assur and be not ye as youre fathers and brethren which rebelled agaynst the LORDE God of their fathers and he gaue theÌ ouer in to desolacion as ye se youre selues Be not ye hardnecked now as were youre fathers but offre youre haÌde vnto the LORDE and come to his sanctuary which he hath sanctified for euer and serue the LORDE youre God so shal the indignacion of his wrath turne awaye from you For yf ye turne vnto the LORDE then shal youre brethren and children haue mercy in the sighte of them which holde them in captiuyte that they maye come agayne in to this londe for the LORDE youre God is gracious and mercifull and shal not turne awaye his face from you yf ye conuerte vnto him And the postes wente from one cite to another in the londe of Ephraim and Manasses and vnto Zabulon But they mocked them and laughed them to scorne Yet were there some of Asser and Manasses and of Zabulon that submytted them selues and came to Ierusalem And the hande of God came in to Iuda so that he gaue theÌ one hert to do after the commaundement of the kynge and the rulers at the worde of the LORDE And there came together vnto IerusaleÌ a greate people to kepe the feast of vnleuended bred in the seconde moneth a very greate congregacion And they gat them vp and put downe y e altares that were at Ierusalem and all the incense put they awaye and cast it in to the broke Cedron and slewe the Passeouer on the fourtenth daye of the secoÌde moneth And y e prestes and Leuites were ashamed and halowed them selues and broughte the burnt offerynges to the house of the LORDE and stode in their ordinaunce as it was acordinge after the lawe off Moses the man of God And the prestes sprenkled the bloude from the hande of the Leuites for there were many in the coÌgregacion which were not sanctified therfore dyd the Leuites kyll Passeouer for them which were not clensed that they mighte be sanctified vnto the LORDE There were many people also of Ephraim Manasses Isachar and Zabulon which were not cleane but ate the Easter lambe not as it is wrytten for Ezechias prayed for them and sayde The LORDE which is gracious shal be mercifull vnto all them that prepare their hertes vnto God to seke the LORDE God of their fathers though they be not clensed after the holy purificacion And the LORDE herde Ezechias and healed the people Thus the children of Israel that were founde at IerusaleÌ helde y e feast of vnleuended bred seuen dayes with greate ioye And the Leuites and prestes praysed the LORDE euery daye with the loude instrumentes of the LORDE And Ezechias spake hertely vnto all y e Leuites which had good vnderstondinge in the LORDE and they ate the feast seuen dayes and offred thaÌk offerynges and gaue thankes vnto y e LORDE God of their fathers And all the congregacion deuysed to kepe the feast yet other seueÌ dayes and so they helde it those seuen dayes also with ioye for Ezechias the kinge of Iuda gaue an Heue-offerynge for the coÌgregacion euen a thousande bullockes and seuen thousande shepe But the rulers gaue an Heue offeringe for y e congregacion euen a thousande
goddes of the Heythen in the londes bene able to delyuer their countrees fro my hande What is he amonge all the goddes of these Heythen whom my father damned that was able to delyuer his people fro my hande y t youre God shulde be able to delyuer fro my hande Therfore let not Ezechias now disceaue you and let him not persuade you eny soch thinge and beleue him not For yf no god of all the HeytheÌ and kyngdomes might delyuer his people fro my hande and from the hande of my progenitours then shal not youre goddes be able to delyuer you fro my hande His seruauÌtes also spake yet more against the LORDE God and agaynst his seruaunt Ezechias And he wrote a letter to blaspheme the LORDE God of Israel and spake of him and sayde Like as the goddes of the Heythen in their londes haue not bene able to delyuer their people from my hande euen so shal not the God of Ezechias delyuer his people fro my hande And the cryed with loude voyce in the Iewish langage vnto the people of Ierusalem that were vpon the wall to make them fearfull and to be fayntharted that they might wynne the cite And they spake agaynst the God off Ierusalem euen as agaynst the goddes off the nacions vpon earth which were but the workes of mens hondes But contrary wyse the kynge Ezechias and the prophet Esay the sonne of Amos prayed and cryed vnto heaueÌ And the LORDE sent an angell which destroyed all the mightie men of the hoost and the prynces and rulers in y e tentes of the kynge of Assur so that he departed agayne with shame in to his owne londe And whan he wente in to his gods house they y t came of his owne body slewe him there with the swerde Thus the LORDE helped Ezechias and them at Ierusalem out of the haÌde of Sennacherib y e kynge of Assur and of all other and mayntayned theÌ froÌ all on euery syde so y t many broughte presentes vnto the LORDE to Ierusalem and Iewels vnto Ezechias the kynge of Iuda And afterwarde was he exalted in the sighte of all Heythen At y e same tyme was Ezechias deedsicke and he prayed vnto the LORDE which made him promes and gaue him a wondertoken But Ezechias recoÌpensed not acordinde as was geuen vnto him for his hert was lifted vp therfore came the wrath vpon him and vpon Iuda and Ierusalem Neuertheles Ezechias humbled him selfe because his hert had bene exalted with them at Ierusalem therfore came not the wrath of the LORDE vpon them whyle Ezechias lyued And Ezechias had very greate riches and worshippe and made him treasures of syluer golde precious stones spyces shyldes and all maner costly vessell and corne houses for the increace of corne wyne and oyle and stalles for all maner catell and foldes for the shepe and buylded him cities and had many catell of shepe and oxen for God gaue him very moch good It is the same Ezechias that couered the hye water condyte in Gihon and conveyed it vnder on the west syde of y e cite of Dauid for Ezechias prospered in all his workes But whan the interpreters the chefe of Babilon were sent vnto him to axe question at him concernynge the wondertokeÌ that had happened in the londe God lefte him to be tempted that it mighte be knowne what soeuer was in his hert What more there is to saye of Ezechias and of his mercifulnes beholde it is wrytteÌ in the vision of the prophet Esay the sonne of Amos and in the boke of the kynges of Iuda and Israel And Ezechias fell on slepe with his fathers and they buried him ouer the sepulcres of the children of Dauid and all Iuda and they of IerusaleÌ dyd him worshippe in his death and Manasses his sonne was kynge in his steade The XXXIII Chapter MAnasses was twolue yeare olde whaÌ he was made kynge and reigned fyue and fiftye yeare at Ierusalem and dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE euen after the abominacions of the Heythen whom the LORDE expelled before the children of Israel and turned backe and buylded the hye places which his father Ezechies had broken downe and set vp altares vnto Baalim and made groues and worshipped all the hoost of heauen and serued them He buylded altares also in y e LORDES house wherof the LORDE had sayde At Ierusalem shal my name be for euer And vnto all the hoost of heauen buylded he altares in both the courtes of y e house of the LORDE And in the valley of the sonne of Hennon caused he his awne sonnes to go thorow the fyre and chosed dayes regarded byrdescryenge and witches and founded soythsayers and expounders of tokens and dyd moch that was euell in the sighte of the LORDE to prouoke him vnto wrath Carued ymages also and Idols which he caused to make set he vp in Gods house wherof the LORDE saide vnto Dauid and to Salomon his sonne In this house at Ierusalem which I haue chosen out of all the trybes of Israel wyl I set my name for euer and wyl nomore let the fote of Israel remoue froÌ the londe that I appoynted for their fathers so farre as they obserue to do all y t I haue commaunded them in all the lawe statutes and ordinaunces by Moses But Manasses disceaued Iuda and them of IerusaleÌ so that they dyd worse then the Heythen whom the LORDE destroyed before the children of Israel And the LORDE spake vnto Manasses and his people and they regarded it not Therfore dyd the LORDE cause the rulers of the hoost of the kynge of Assur to come vpoÌ theÌ which toke Manasses presoner with boÌdes and bounde him with cheynes broughte him vnto Babilon And whan he was in trouble he made intercession before the LORDE his God and humbled him selfe greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed and besoughte him Then herde he his prayer and broughte him agayne to Ierusalem to his kyngdome And Manasses knewe that the LORDE is God Afterwarde buylded he y e vttemost wall of the cite of Dauid on the west syde of Gihon by the broke and at the intraunce of the Fyshgate and rounde aboute Ophel and made it very hye And layed captaynes in y e stroÌge cities of Iuda put awaye y e straunge goddes Idols out of y e house of y e LORDE and all the altares which he had buylded vpoÌ the mount of the house of the LORDE and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the cite and buylded the altare of the LORDE and offred slayn offerynges and thank-offerynges theron and commaunded Iuda that they shulde serue the LORDE God of Israel Neuertheles though the people offred vnto the LORDE their God yet offred they vpon the hye places What more there is to saye of Manasses and of his prayer to his God and the wordes of the Seers that spake vnto him in the name of the
LORDE God of Israel beholde they are amonge the actes of the kynges of Israel And his prayer and intercession and all his synne and offence the rowmes wherin he buylded the hye places groues and founded ydols afore he huÌbled himselfe beholde they are wrytten amonge the actes of the Seers And Manasses fell on slepe with his fathers and they buried him in his house and Amon his sonne was kynge in his steade Two and tweÌtye yeare olde was Amon whaÌ he was made kynge and reigned two yeare at IerusaleÌ and dyd euell in the sighte of the LORDE as Manasses his father had done And Amon offred vnto all the Idols that his father Manasses had made and serued theÌ Yet dyd not he humble himselfe before the LORDE as Manasse his father had submitted himselfe but Amon trespaced euer more and more And his seruauntes coÌspyred agaynst him and slewe him in his house Then smote the people in the londe all them that had conspyred agaynst kynge Amon. And the people in the londe made Iosias his sonne kynge in his steade The XXXIIII Chapter IOsias was eight yeare olde whan he was made kynge and reigned one and thirtye yeare at Ierusalem and dyd that which was righte in the sighte of the LORDE and walked in the wayes of Dauid his father and turned not asyde nether to the righte hande ner to the lefte For in the eight yeare of his reigne whaÌ he was yet but a childe he beganne to seke the God of his father Dauid and in the twolueth yeare begaÌne he to clense Iuda and IerusaleÌ from the hye places and groues and carued Idols and molten ymages and caused the altares of Baalim to be broken downe before him and the ymages that were theron hewed he downe And y e groues and carued Idols and molteÌ ymages brake he in peces and made them to dust and scatred it vpon the graues of them that had offred vnto them And the bones of the prestes brent he vpoÌ the altares and so cleÌsed he Iuda IerusaleÌ in y e cities of Manasses Ephraim Simeon and vnto Nephtali in their wyldernesses on euerysyde And whaÌ he had broken downe the altares and groues and smytten the Idols in peces and hewed downe all the ymages in all the londe of Israel he came agayne to Ierusalem In the eighteÌth yeare of his reigne whaÌ he had clensed the londe and the house he sent Saphan the sonne of Asalia and Maeseia the Shreue of the cite and Ioath the sonne of Ioahas the Chaunceler to repayre the house of the LORDE his God And they came to Hechias y e hye prest and there was delyuered vnto them the money that was broughte vnto the house of God which the Leuites that kepte the threshouldes had gathered of Manasses Epraim and of all the residue in Israel and of all Iuda Ben Iamin and of them that dwelt at IerusaleÌ and they delyuered it vnto the haÌdes of the worke men in the house of the LORDE and gaue it vnto those that wrought in the house of the LORDE where it was in decaye y t they shulde repayre it And the same gaue it forth vnto the carpenters and buylders to bye fre stone and hewen tymber for the balkes in the houses which the kynges had destroyed And the men laboured faithfully in the worke And ouer them were ordeyned Iahath and Obadia the Leuites of the children of Merari Zachary and Mesullam of the children of the Kahathites to further the worke and they were all Leuites that coulde playe vpon instrumentes But ouer them that bare burthens and furthured all maner of worke in all the offices there were scrybes officers and dore kepers of the Leuites And whaÌ they toke out the money that was broughte vnto y e house of the LORDE Helchias the prest founde the boke of the lawe of the LORDE geuen by Moses And Helchias answered and saide vnto Saphan the Scrybe I haue founde the boke of the lawe in y e house of y e LORDE And Helchias delyuered the boke vnto Saphan And Saphan bare it vnto the kynge and broughte y e kynge worde agayne and sayde All that was geuen vnder the handes of thy seruauntes that make they and y e money that was founde in y e house of the LORDE haue they gathered together and delyuered it vnto y e officers and to the workmen And Saphan the Scrybe tolde the kynge and sayde Helchias the prest hath delyuered me a boke And Saphan red therin before the kynge And whan the kynge herde the wordes of the lawe he rente his clothes And the kynge commaunded Helchias and Ahicam the sonne of Saphan and Abdon the sonne of Micha and Saphan the Scrybe and Asaia the kynges seruaunt and sayde Go youre waye axe councell at the LORDE for me and for the remnaunt in Israel and for Iuda concernynge these wordes of the boke that is founde For greate is the indignacion of the LORDE that is gone forth ouer vs because oure fathers haue noâ kepte the worde of the LORDE to do acordinge as it is wrytten in this boke Then weÌte Helchias with the other that were sent from the kynge vnto the prophetisse Hulda the wife of Sallum the Sonne of Thecoath the sonne of Hafra the keper of the clothes which dwelt at Ierusalem in the secoÌde parte and they spake this vnto her And she sayde vnto them Thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel Tell the man y t sent you vnto me Thus sayeth y e LORDE Beholde I wil brynge plages vpoÌ this place and the inhabiters therof eueÌ all the curses which are wrytten in the boke that was red before the kynge of Iuda because they haue forsakeÌ me and breÌt inceÌse vnto other goddes to prouoke me with all the workes of their handes And my indignacion shal go forth vpon this cite and shal not be quenched And after this maner shal ye saye vnto the kynge of Iuda that sent you to axe councell at the LORDE Thus sayeth y e LORDE God of Israel concernynge the wordes that thou hast herde Because thine hert is moued and because thou hast humbled thy selfe in the sighte of God whan thou herdest his wordes agaynst this place and the inhabiters therof and hast submytted thy selfe before me and rent thy clothes and wepte before me therfore haue I herde the sayeth y e LORDE Beholde I wil gather the vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be layed in thy graue with peace so y t thine eyes shal not se all the euell that I wyl brynge ouer this place and the indwellers therof And they broughte the kynge worde agayne Then sent y e kynge and caused all the Elders in Iuda and Ierusalem to come together And the kynge wente vp in to the house of the LORDE and all the men of Iuda and inhabiters of IerusaleÌ the prestes the Leuites and all the people both small and greate and all the wordes in the boke of the couenaunt that
was founde in the house of the LORDE were red in their eares And y e kynge stode in his place and made a couenaunt before the LORDE that they shulde walke after the LORDE to kepe his coÌmaundementes his testimonies and his statutes with all their hert and with all their soule to do acordinge vnto all the wordes of the couenaunt that are wrytten in this boke And there stode all they that were founde at Ierusalem and in Ben Iamin And y e inhabiters of Ierusalem dyd acordinge to the couenaunt of God the God of their fathers And Iosias put awaye all abhominacions out of all the londes that were the children of Israels and caused all them that were founde in Israel to serue the LORDE their God As longe as Iosias lyued departed they not from the LORDE the God of their fathers The XXXV Chapter ANd Iosias kepte Passeouer vnto the LORDE at Ierusalem and slewe the Passeouer on the fourtenth daye off the first moneth and set the prestes in their offices and strengthed them to their mynistracion in the house of the LORDE and sayde vnto the Leuites that taughte in all Israel and were sanctified vnto y e LORDE Put the holy Arke in the house that Salomon y e sonne of Dauid kynge of Israel dyd buylde Ye shal beare it nomore vpon youre shulders Se that ye serue now the LORDE youre God and his people of Israel and prepare the house of youre fathers in youre courses as it was appoynted by Dauid the kynge of Israel and by SalomoÌ his sonne and stonde in the Sanctuary after y e course of the fathers houses amonge youre brethren the children of the people And after the course of the fathers houses amonge the Leuites and kyll Passeouer sanctifye and prepare youre brethren that they maye do acordinge to the worde of the LORDE by Moses And Iosias gaue lambes and yonge kyddes which were males to the Heue offerynge for the comontye all to the Passeouer for euery one that was founde in the nombre thirtye thousande and thre thousande oxen all of the kynges good And his prynces of their awne good wyll gaue to the Heue offerynge for the people for the prestes and Leuites namely Helchias Zachary and Iehiel the prynces in y e house of God amoÌge the prestes for the Passeouer two thousande and sixe hundreth And thre huÌdreth oxen But Chanania Semaia Nathaneel and his brethren Gasabia Ieiel and Iosabad the chefe of the Leuites gaue the Leuites to the Heue offerynge for the Passeouer fyue thousande shepe fyue hundreth oxen Thus was the Gods seruyce prepared and the prestes stode in their place and the Leuites in their courses acordinge to the kynges commaundement And they kylled the Passeouer and the prestes toke it off their handes and sprenkled it and the Leuites toke the skynnes off them and remoued the burnt offerynge there from to geue it amonge the porcions of the fathers houses in the multitudes of their congregacion to offre vnto the LORDE as it is wrytten in y e boke of Moses Euen so dyd they with the oxen also And they dighte the Passeouer at the fyre acordinge to the lawe And that which was halowed dighte they in pottes kettels and pannes and made haist for the comon people Afterwarde prepared they for them selues also and for y e prestes for the prestes the children of Aaron were occupied in the burnt offerynges and fat vntyll the nighte Therfore must the Leuites prepare for them selues and for the prestes the children of Aaron And the syngers the children of Asaph stode in their place acordinge to Dauids commaundement and Asaph and Heman and Iedithim the kynges Seer and the porters at all the gates And they departed not from their office For the Leuites their brethren prepared for them Thus was all the Gods seruyce prepared the same daye that the Passeouer mighte be kepte and the burntsacrifices offred vpon the altare off the LORDE acordinge to the commaundement of kynge Iosias So the children of Israel that were at hande helde Passeouer at that tyme and the feast of vnleuended bred seuen dayes Sencâ y e tyme of Samuel the prophet was no Passeouer kepte in Israel like this and no kynge of Israel had holdeÌ soch a Passeouer as Iosias dyd and the prestes Leuites all Iuda and soch as were founde of Israel and the inhabiters of Ierusalem In the eighteÌth yeare of the reigne of Iosias was this Passeouer kepte After this whan Iosias had prepared the house Necho the kynge of Egipte wente vp to fighte agaynst Carcamis besyde Euphrates And Iosias weÌte forth agaynst him But he sent messaungers vnto him sayenge What haue I to do with the O kynge off Iuda I am not come now agaynst the but I fighte agaynst another house and God hath sayde that I shal make haist Ceasse from God which is with me that he destroye the not Neuertheles Iosias turned not his face from him but prepared himselfe to fighte with him and herkened not vnto the wordes of Necho out of the mouth of God came to fighte w t him vpon the playne besyde Mageddo But the Archers shot at kynge Iosias And the kynge sayde vnto his seruauntes Cary me awaye for I am sore wounded And his seruauÌtes toke him from the charet and caried him vpon his seconde charet and broughte him to Ierusalem And he dyed and was buried amonge the sepulcres off his fathers And All Iuda ⪠and Ierusalem mourned for Iosias and Ieremy bewayled Iosias and all the synginge men and wemen spake their lameÌtacions ouer Iosias vnto this daye and made a custome therof vnto this daye Beholde it is wrytten also amonge the Lamentacions What more there is to saye of Iosias and his mercy acordinge to the scripture in the lawe of the LORDE and of his actes both first and last beholde it is wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israel and Iuda The XXXVI Chapter ANd the people of the londe toke Ioahas the sonne of Iosias and made him kynge in his fathers steade at Ierusalem Thre and twentye yeare olde was Ioahas whan he was made kynge and reigned thre monethes at Ierusalem For the kynge of Egipte deposed him at Ierusalem and condemned the londe in an hundreth talentes of syluer and one talent off golde And the kynge of Egipte made Eliachim his brother kynge ouer Iuda and IerusaleÌ and turned his name Ioachim But Necho toke his brother Ioahas and caried him in to Egipte Fyue and twentye yeare olde was Ioachim whaÌ he was made kynge and reigned eleueÌ yeare at IerusaleÌ and dyd that which was euell in the siighte of the LORDE his God And Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon wente vp agaynst him and bounde him with cheynes to cary him vnto Babilon And Nabuchodonosor broughte certayne vessels of y e house of the LORDE vnto Babilon and put them in his temple at Babilon What more there is to saye of Ioachim
and off his abhominacions which he dyd and that were founde in him beholde they are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israel and Iuda And Ioachim his sonne was kynge in his steade Eight yeare olde was Ioachim whan he was made kynge and reigned thre monethes and ten dayes at IerusaleÌ and dyd y t which was euell in the sighte of y e LORDE But whaÌ the yeare came aboute Nabuchodonosor sent thither and caused him be fetched vnto Babilon with the costly vessels and Iewels of the house of the LORDE and made Sedechias his brother kynge ouer Iuda and Ierusalem One and twentye yeare olde was Sedechias whan he was made kynge reigned eleuen yeare at Ierusalem and dyd that which was euell in the sighte of the LORDE his God and submytted not himselfe before the face of the prophet Ieremy which spake out of the mouth of the LORDE He fell awaye also from Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon which had taken an ooth of him by God and was styfnecked and hardened his hert that he shulde not conuerte vnto the LORDE God of Israel And all y e chefe amonge the prestes and the people multiplyed their synnes acordinge to all the abhominacions of the Heythen and dyfyled the house of the LORDE which he had sanctified at Ierusalem And the LORDE God of their fathers sent vnto them early by his messaungers for he spared his people and his habitacion but they laughed the messaungers of God to scorne and despysed his wordes and had his prophetes in derision so loÌge tyll the indignacion of the LORDE increased ouer his people and there was no remedye of healinge For he broughte the kynge of the Caldees vpon them and caused for to slaye all their yonge men with the swerde in the house of their Sanctuary and spared nether yonge maÌner virgin nether aged ner grauÌd father but gaue them all in to his hande And all the vessels in the house of God greate and small the treasures in the house of y e LORDE and the treasures of the kynge and of his prynces all this caused he to be caried vnto Babilon And they brent the house of God and brake downe the wall of IerusaleÌ and all the palaces therof brent they with fyre so that all the costly ornamentes of it were destroyed And loke who escaped y e swerde hiÌ caried he awaye vnto Babilon they became his seruauÌtes the seruauntes of his sonnes tyll the Persians had the empyre that y e worde of the LORDE by the mouth of Ieremy mighte be perfourmed euen vntyll the londe had ynough of hir Sabbathes for all the tyme of the desolacion was it Sabbath vntyll the seuentye yeares were fulfylled But in the first yeare of Cyrus the kynge of Persia that the worde of the LORDE spoken by the mouth of Ieremy mighte be fulfylled the LODDE raysed vp the sprete of Cyrus the kynge of Persia that he caused it be proclamed thorow out all his empyre yee and by wrytinge also sayenge Thus sayeth Cyrus the kynge of Persia The LORDE God of heauen hath geuen me all the kyngdomes in the londe and hath commaunded me to buylde him an house at Ierusalem in Iuda Who soeuer now amonge you is of his people the LORDE his God be with him and let him go vp The ende of the seconde boke of the Cronicles The first boke of Esdras What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Cyrus otherwyse called Cores the kynge of Persia geueth the Iewes lycoÌce to go agayne to Ierusalem and to buylde it Chap. II. The nombre of them that wente vp from Babilon vnto Ierusalem Chap. III. The people resorte to Ierusalem the prestes buylde the altare kepe the feastes and sacrifices and prepare to buylde the temple Chap. IIII. The Heythen wolde buylde with them and because they are not suffred therfore laboure they with their councell and letters to hynder the buyldinge of the temple Chap. V. In this tyme prophecied Aggeus and Zachary The officers of the Heythen forbyd the buyldinge and hynder it Chap. VI. Darius renueth the commaundement of Cyrus and geueth the Iewes lyceÌce to buylde the temple Chap. VII Artaxerses sendeth Eszdras vnto Ierusalem with a charge vnto the officers beyonde the water Chap. VIII The nombre of them that wente vp with Eszdras vnto Ierusalem Chap IX Eszdras is sory that the people haue myxte them selues with the Heythenish wemen Chap. X. They make a couenaunt to put awaye their Heythenish wyues The first Chapter IN the first yeare of Cyrus kynge off Persia that the worde of the LORDE spoken by the mouth of Ieremy might be fulfilled the LORDE stered vp the sprete of Cyrus kynge of Persia y t he caused it be proclamed thorow out all his empyre yee and by wrytinge also sayenge Thus sayeth Cyrus the kynge of Persia The LORDE God of heaueÌ hath geuen me all the kyngdomes in the londe and hath commaunded me to buylde him an house at Ierusalem in Iuda Who soeuer now amonge you is of his people the LORDE his God be with him and let him go vp to Ierusalem in Iuda and buylde the house of the LORDE God of Israel He is y e God that is at IerusaleÌ And who so euer remayneth yet in eny maner of place where he is a straunger let the meÌ of his place helpe him with syluer and golde with good and catell of a good frewill for the house of God at Ierusalem Then gat vp the pryncipall fathers of Iuda and Ben Iamin and the prestes and Leuites and all they whose sprete God had raysed to go vp and to buylde the house of the LORDE at IerusaleÌ And all they that were aboute them strengthed their hande with vessels of syluer and golde with good and catell and Iewels besydes that which they gaue of their awne frewill And kynge Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the LORDES house which Nabuchodonosor had takeÌ out of Ierusalem and put in his gods house But Cyrus y e kynge of Persia brought theÌ forth by Mithredath the treasurer and nombred theÌ vnto Seszbazar the prynce of Iuda And this is the nombre of them thirtye basens of golde and a thousande basens of syluer and nyne and twentye knyues thirtye cuppes of golde and of other syluer cuppes foure hundreth and ten and of other vessels a thousande So that all the vessels both of golde and syluer were fyue thousande and foure hundreth Seszbazar broughte them all vp with them that came vp out of the captiuyte off Babilon vnto Ierusalem The II. Chapter THese are the childreÌ of the londe that wente vp out of the captiuyte whoÌ Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon had caried awaye vnto Babilon and came agayne to Ierusalem and in to Iuda euery one vnto his cite and came with Zorobabel Iesua Nehemias Seraia Reeleia Mardachai Bilsan Mispar Begeuai Rehum and Baena This is now the nombre of the men of the people of Israel The children
of God at Ierusalem in the seconde moneth beganne Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec and the remnaunt of their brethren the prestes and Leuites and all they that were come out of the captiuyte vnto Ierusalem and appoynted the Leuites froÌ twentye yeare olde and aboue to se that the worke of the house of the LORDE weÌte forwarde And Iesua stode with his sonnes and brethren and Cadmiel with his sonnes and the children of Iuda to furthur the workmen of the house of God namely the childreÌ of Henadad with their children and their brethren the Leuites And whan the buylders layed the foundacion of the temple of the LORDE the prestes stode in their araye with trompettes And the Leuites the children of Asaph with Cimbales to prayse y e LORDE with the Dytie of Dauid kynge of Israel And they sunge together geuynge prayse thankes vnto y e LORDE because he is gracious and because his mercy endureth for euer vpon Israell And all the people shouted londe in praysinge the LORDE because the foundacion of y e house of the LORDE was layed Neuertheles many of the olde prestes and Leuites and awncient fathers which had sene the house afore in his foundacion and this was now before their eyes wepte loude But many shouted with ioye so that the noyse gaue a greate sounde in so moch that the people coulde not knowe y e ioyfull sounde for the noyse of the wepinge in the people for the people shouted loude so that the noyse was herde farre of The IIII. Chapter BVt whan the aduersaries of Iuda and Ben Iamin herde that the children of the captiuyte buylded the teÌple vnto the LORDE God of Israel they came to Zorobabel to the pryncipall fathers and sayde vnto them We wyl buylde with you for we seke the LORDE youre God like as ye do And we haue done sacrifice vnto him sence the tyme that Assar Hadon the kynge of Assur broughte vs vp hither But Zorobabel and Iesua and the other awncieÌt fathers of Israel answered them It is not mete for vs and you to buylde the house of oure God but we wyl buylde alone vnto the LORDE God of Israel as Cyrus the kynge of Persia hath commaunded vs. Then the folke of the londe hyndered the people of Iuda and made them afrayed to buylde and hyred councelers aganst them and hyndered their deuyce as longe as Cyrus the kynge of Persia lyued vntyll the reigne off Darius kynge off Persia. But whan Ahasuerus was kynge in the begynnynge off his reigne wrote they vnto him a complaynte agaynst them of Iuda and Ierusalem And in the tyme of Artaxerses wrote Bisellam Mithridath Tabeel and the other of their councell vnto Artaxerses the kynge of Persia. But the scripture of y e letter was wrytten in the Syrians speach and was interpretated in the langage of the Syrians Rehum y e chaunceler and Simsai the scrybe wrote this letter agaynst Ierusalem to Artaxerses the kynge We Rehum the chaunceler and Simsai the scribe and other of the councell of Dina off Arphasath off Tarplat off Persia off Arach of Babilon of Susan of Deha and of Elam and other of the people whom the greate and noble Asnaphar broughte ouer and set in the cities of Samaria and other on this syde the water and in Canaan And this is y e summe of the letter that they sent vnto kynge Artaxerses Thy seruauntes the men on this syde the water and in Canaan Be it knowne vnto y e kynge that the Iewes which are come vp from the to vs vnto IerusaleÌ in to that sedicious wicked cite buylde the same and make vp y e walles of it brynge it out of y e foundacion Be it knowne now therfore vnto y e kynge y t yf this cite be buylded the walies made vp agayne theÌ shal not they geue tribute toll and yearly custome and their deuyce shal do y e kynge harme But now that we all are therby which destroyed the temple we wolde no longer se the kynges dishonoure Therfore sent we out and caused the kynge to be certified therof That it maye be soughte in y e Cronicles of thy progenitours and so shalt thou fynde in the same Cronicles and perceaue that this cite is sedicious and noysome vnto kynges and londes and that they cause other also to rebell of olde and for the same cause was this cite destroyed Therfore do we certifie the kynge that yf this cite be buylded and the walles therof made vp thou shalt kepe nothinge on this syde the water by the reason of it Then sent y e kynge an answere vnto Rehum the chaunceler and Simsai the Scrybe and to the other of their councell that dwelt in Samaria and vnto the other beyonde y e water Peace and salutacion The letter which ye sent vnto vs hath bene opeÌly red before me and I haue commaunded to make search and it is founde that this cite of olde hath made insurreccion agaynst kynges how y t vpro r and rebellion hath bene commytted therin There haue bene mightie kynges also at IerusaleÌ which haue reigned ouer all that is beyonde the water and toll tribute and yearly custome was geuen vnto them Do ye now after this commaundemeÌt forbyd the same men that the cite be not builded tyll I haue geueÌ coÌmaundemeÌt Take hede now that ye be not necligent here in lest the kynge haue harme there thorow Now whaÌ kynge Artaxerses letter was red before Rehum the chaunceler and Simsai the Scrybe and their councell they wente vp in all the haist to Ierusalem vnto the Iewes and forbad them with the arme and auctorite Then ceassed the worke of the house of God at Ierusalem and continued so vnto the seconde yeare of Darius kynge of Persia. The V. Chapter THe prophetes Aggeus and Zachary y e sonne of Iddo prophecied vnto y e Iewes that were in Iuda and IerusaleÌ in the name of the God of Israel Then gat vp Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec and beganne to buylde the house of God at Ierusalem and with them the prophetes of God which strengthed theÌ At the same tyme came to theÌ Thathnai the debite on this syde the water and Sethar of Bosen and their councelers and sayde thus vnto them Who hath commaunded you to buylde this house and to make vp the walles therof Then tolde we them the names of the men that made this buyldinge But the eye of their God came vpon the Elders of the Iewes that they were not inhibyte tyll the matter was brought before Darius and tyll there came a wrytinge therof agayne This is the summe of the letter y t Thathnaithe Debyte on this syde the water and Sethar of Bosen and their councellers of Apharsach which were on this syde the water sent vnto kynge Darius And these are the wordes that they sent vnto him Vnto Darius the kynge all peace
Be it knowne vnto the kynge that we came in to Iewry to the house of y e greate God which is buylded with all maner of stone and balckes are layed in the walles and y e worke goeth fast forth and prospereth in their handes Neuertheles we axed the Elders and sayde vnto them Who hath coÌmaunded you to buylde this house and to make vp the walles therof We axed their names also that we might certifye the and haue wrytten the names of the men that were their rulers But they answered vs w t these wordes and sayde We are the seruauÌtes of the God of heauen and earth and buylde the house y t was buylded many yeares agoo which a greate kynge of Israel buylded and set vp Howbeit whan oure fathers prouoked the God of heauen vnto wrath he gaue them ouer in the hande of Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon the Caldee which brake downe this house caried y e people awaye vnto Babilon Neuertheles in the first yeare of Cyrus the kynge of Babilon y e same kynge Cyrus commaunded to buylde this house of God for the vessels of golde and siluer in the house of God which Nabuchodonosor toke out of the temple at IerusaleÌ and broughte theÌ in to y e temple at Babilon those dyd Cyrus the kynge take out of y e temple at Babilon and delyuered them vnto Seszbazer by name whom he made Debyte and sayde vnto him Take these vessels go thy waye and brynge them vnto the temple at Ierusalem and let the house of God be buylded in his place Then came the same Seszbazar and layed y e foundacion of the house of God at Ierusalem Sence that tyme hath it bene in buyldinge and yet is it not fynished Yf it please y e kynge now let there be search made in y e kynges treasure house which is at Babilon whether it haue bene kynge Cyrus commaundement that the house of God at Ierusalem shulde be buylded sende vs y e kynges mynde concernynge the same The VI. Chapter THen coÌmaunded kinge Darius that search shulde be made in y e library of y e kynges treasure house which laye at Babilon So at Egbathanis in a castell that lyeth in the londe of the Meedes there was founde a boke in it was there an acte wrytten after this maner In the first yeare of kynge Cyrus coÌmaunded the same kynge Cyrus to buylde y e house of God at Ierusalem in the place where the sacrifice is made to laye the foundacion to beare thre score cubites heyght thre score cubites bredth thre walles of all maner of stones and one wall of tymber the expences shal be geuen of the kynges house And the goldeÌ and syluer vessell of y e house of God which Nabuchodonosor toke out of the temple at Ierusalem and broughte vnto Babilon shal be restored agayne y t they maye be broughte vnto the temple at IerusaleÌ to their place in to the house of God Get you farre from them therfore thou Thathnai Debyte beyonde the water and Sethar of Bosen youre councelers which are beyonde the water Let them worke in y e house of God that the Debyte of y e Iewes and their Elders maye buylde the house of God in his place I haue commaunded also what shal be done to y e Elders of Iuda for the buyldinge of the house of God that there shal diligently be takeÌ of the kynges goodes euen of the rentes beyonde the water geuen vnto the men and that they be not hyndered And yf they haue nede of calues lambes or goates for the burnt offrynge vnto y e God of heauen wheate salt wyne and oyle after the custome of the prestes at Ierusalem there shal be geuen them daylie as is acordinge and se that this be not done necligeÌtly that they maye offre swete sauoures vnto y e God of heauen and praye for the kynges lyfe and for his children This commaundement haue I geueÌ And what man so euer he be that altereth these wordes there shal a balke be taken from his house and set vp and he shal be hanged theron and his house shal be prysed for the dede But the God that dwelleth in heauen destroye all kynges and people that put to their haÌde to alter and to breake downe the house of God at Ierusalem I Darius haue commaunded that this be diligently done Then Thathnai y e Debyte beyonde y e water and Sethar of Bosen with their councelers to whom kynge Darius had sent dyd their diligence And y e Elders of the Iewes buylded and they prospered thorow the prophecienge of Aggeus the prophet and Zachary the sonne of Iddo and they buylded and set vp the worke acordinge to the commaundement of the God of Israel and after the commaundement of Cyrus Darius and Artaxerses kynges of Persia. And they perfourmed the house vnto the thirde daye of the moneth Adar that was the sixte yeare of the reigne of kynge Darius And the children of Israel the prestes the Leuites and the other children of y e captyuite helde the dedicacion of the house of God with ioye and offred at the dedicacion of the house of God an hundreth calues two hundreth lambes foure hundreth goates and for the syn offerynge for all Israel twolue he goates acordinge to the nombre of the trybes of Israel and set the prestes in their courses and y e Leuites in their offices to mynister vnto God which is at IerusaleÌ as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses And the children of the captyuite helde Passeouer vpon the fourtenth daye of the first moneth for y e prestes and Leuites had purified them selues so y t they were all cleane as one man and kylled Passeouer for all the children of the captyuite and for their brethreÌ the prestes and for them selues And the childreÌ of Israel which were come agayne out of captiuyte and all soch as had separated them selues vnto them from the fylthinesse of the Heythen in the londe to seke the LORDE God of Israel ate helde the feast of vnleueÌded bred seuen dayes with ioye for the LORDE had made them glad and turned the hert of the kynge of Assur vnto theÌ so that their handes were strengthed in the worke of the house of God which is y e God of Israel The VII Chapter AFter these actes in the reigne of Artaxerses kynge of Persia there wente vp from Babilon Eszdras the sonne of Seraia the sonne of Asaria the sonne of Helchias the sonne of Sallum the sonne of Sadoc the sonne of Achitob the sonne of Amaria the sonne of Asaria the sonne Meraioth the sonne of Serahia y e sonne of Vsi the sonne of Buki the sonne of Abisua the sonne of Phineas the sonne of Eleasar the sonne of Aaron the chefe prest which was a quycke scrybe in the lawe of Moses which the LORDE God of Israel dyd geue And y e kynge gaue him all that he
soch wordes it displeased me sore and I aduysed so in my mynde y t I rebuked the councelers and the rulers and sayde vnto them Wyl ye requyre vsury one of another And I broughte a greate congregacion agaynst them and sayde vnto them We after oure abilyte haue boughte oure brethren the Iewes which were solde vnto the Heythen And wyl ye sell youre brethren whom we haue boughte vnto vs Then helde they their peace coulde fynde nothinge to answere And I sayde It is not good that ye do Oughte ye not to walke in the feare of God because of the rebuke of the Heythen oure enemies I and my brethreÌ and my seruauntes haue lent them money and corne but as for vsury let vs leaue it Therfore this same daye se that ye restore theÌ their londes agayne their vynyardes oyle gardens and houses and the hundreth parte of the money of the corne wyne and oyle that ye haue wonne of them Then sayde they We wyl restore them agayne and wyl requyre nothinge of them and wyl do as thou hast spoken And I called the prestes and toke an ooth of theÌ that they shulde do so And I shoke my lappe and sayde God shake out euery man after the same maner froÌ his house and laboure that maynteyneth not this worde euen thus be he shaken out and voyde And all y e congregacion sayde Amen and praysed the LORDE And the people dyd so And from the tyme forth that it was commytted vnto me to be a Debyte in the londe of Iuda namely from the twentieth yeare vnto the two and thirtieth yeare off kynge Artaxerses that is twolue yeare I and my brethreÌ lyued not of soch sustenaunbe as was geuen to a Debyte For the olde Debytes that were before me had bene chargeable vnto the people and had takeÌ of theÌ bred and wyne and fortye Sycles of syluer Yee and their seruauntes had oppressed the people But so dyd not I and that because of the feare of God I laboured also in the worke vpon the wall and boughte no loÌde And all my seruauÌtes came thither together vnto y e worke Morouer there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes and rulers which came vnto me from amonge the Heythen that are aboute vs. And there was prepared me daylie an oxe and sixe chosen shepe and byrdes and euer once in ten dayes a greate summe of wyne Yet requyred not I the lyuynge of a Debyte for y e bondage was greuous vnto y e people Thynke vpoÌ me my God vnto y e best acordiÌge to all that I haue done for this people The VI. Chapter ANd whan Saneballat Tobias and Gosem the Arabian and the other of oure enemyes herde that I had buylded the wall and that there were no mo gappes ther in howbeit at the same tyme had I not hanged the dores vpon the gates Saneballat and Gosem sent vnto me sayenge Come and let us mete together in the vyllages vpon the playne of the cite Onâ Neuertheles they thoughte to do me euell Notwithstondynge I sent messaungers vnto them sayenge I haue a greate busynes to do I can not come downe The worke shulde stonde still yf I were necligent and came downe to you Howbeit they sent vnto me as good as foure tymes after the same maner And I gaue the same answere Then sent Saneballat his seruaunt vnto me the fifth tyme with an open letter in his hande wherin was wrytten It is tolde the Heythen Gosem hath sayde it that thou and the Iewes thynke to rebell for y e which cause thou buyldest the wall and wylt be their kynge in these matters and hast ordeyned the prophetes to preach of the at Ierusalem and to saye He is kynge of Iuda Now shal this come to the kynges eares come now therfore and let us take oure councell together Neuertheles I sent vnto him sayenge There is no soch thinge done as thou sayest thou hast fayned it out of thine owne hert For they were all mynded to make us afrayed and thoughte They shal withdrawe their handes from the worke y t they shal not laboure Howbeit I streÌgthed my hande the more And I came vnto y e house of Semaia y e sonne of Delaia the sonne of Mechetabeel he had shut him selfe within sayde Let us come together in to y e house of God eueÌ vnto y e myddes of y e teÌple sparre y e dores of y e teÌple for they wyl come to slaye y e yee eueÌ in the night wyl they come to put the to death But I sayde Shulde soch a maÌ flye Shulde soch a maÌ as I am go in to y e teÌple to saue his life I wyl not go in For I perceaued that God had not sent him Yet spake he prophecye vpon me neuerthelesse Tobias and Saneballat had hired him for money Therfore toke he the money that I shulde be afrayed and so to do and synne that they might haue an euell reporte of me to blaspheme me My God thynke thou vpon Tobias and Saneballat acordynge vnto these their workes and of y e prophet Noadia and of the other prophetes y t wolde haue put me in feare And the wall was fynished on the fyue twentyeth daye of the moneth Elul in two and fyftye dayes And whan all o r enemies herde therof all the Heithen y t were aboute vs were afraied and their corage failed theÌ for they perceaued that this worke came of God And at y e same tyme were there many of y e chefe of Iuda whose letters weÌte vnto Tobias from Tobias vnto them for there were many in Iuda that were sworne vnto him for he was the sonne in lawe of Sachania the sonne of Arah and his sonne Iohanan had the doughter of Mesullam the sonne of Barachia and they spake good of him before me and tolde him my wordes And Tobias sent letters to put me in feare The VII Chapter NOw whan we had buylded the wall I hanged on the dores and the porters syngers and Leuites were appoynted And I coÌmaunded my brother Hanani and Hanania the ruler of the palace at Ierusalem for he was a faithfull man and feared God more then dyd many other and I sayde vnto them Let not the gates of IerusaleÌ be opened vntyll the Sonne be whote And whyle they are yet stondinge in the watch the dores shall be shut and barred And there were certayne citesyns of Ierusalem appoynted to be watchmen euery one in his watch and aboute his house As for y e cite it was large of rowme and greate but y e people were fewe therin and the houses were not buylded And my God gaue me in my hert that I gatherd together the pryncipall men and y e people to nombre them and I founde a register of their nombre which came vp afore out of the captiuyte whom Nabuchodonosor y e kynge of BabiloÌ had caryed awaie and dwelt at Ierusalem and in Iuda
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 coÌmaundemeÌt and coÌmyssion was published many daÌsels 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 maydeÌs in y e best place of y e WomeÌs buildiÌge 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 WomeÌs 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 weÌte 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 ãâã feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes âhâch 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 ⪠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 coÌmaunded 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 coÌtrary 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 commauÌded 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 loÌdes 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 coÌmaundement 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 reÌte 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 loÌdes 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 daÌsels 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 TheÌ called Hester Hathac one of the kinges chamberlaines which stode before her and gaue him a coÌmaundement 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 AmaÌ 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 whaÌ Hathat came in and tolde Hester the wordes of Mardocheus Hester spake vnto Hathat and coÌmaunded 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 coÌmaundement is that the same shal dye immediatly excepte the kynge holde out the goldeÌ 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 whaÌ 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 coÌtrary to the coÌmaundement yf I perishe I perishe So Mardocheus wente his waye dyd all y t Hester had coÌmaunded 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 vpoÌ his royall seate in y e kynges palace ouer agaynst y e dore of the house And whan the kynge sawe Hester the quene stoÌdinge in the courte she founde grace in his sighte And y e kynge helde out the goldeÌ cepter in his haÌde 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 eueÌ the halfe of y e empyre it shal be geueÌ 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 whaÌ 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 geueÌ 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 theÌ 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 whaÌ he came home he sent and called for his freÌdes 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 Yeâ 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 theÌ make a galowe of fiftye cubites hie tomorow speake thou vnto the kynge that Mardocheus maye be hanged theron yf thou coÌmest 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 whaÌ they were red before y e kinge they happened on the place where it was wrytteÌ how Mardocheus had tolde that the kynges two chaÌberlaynes 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 AmaÌ stoÌdeth in the courte The kynge saide Let him come in And whaÌ AmaÌ came in y e kinge saide vnto him What shal be done vnto y e maÌ whom the kynge wolde fayne brynge vnto worshippe But HamaÌ 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
was ioye myrth prosperite and good dayes amonge the Iewes in so moch that many of the people in the londe became of the Iewes beleue for the feare of the Iewes came vpon them The IX Chapter IN the twolueth moneth that is the moneth Adar vpon the thyrtenth daye which the kinges worde and coÌmaundement had appoynted that it shulde be done eueÌ vpon y e same daie y t the enemies shulde haue destroyed the Iewes to haue oppressed them it turned contrary wise euen y t the Iewes shulde subdue their enemies Then gathered the Iewes together in their cities within all y e londes of kynge Ahasuerus to laye honde on soch as wolde do theÌ euell no man coulde withstonde them for y e feare of theÌ was come ouer all people And all the rulers in the londes and prynces and Debities and officers of the kinge promoted the Iewes for the feare of Mardocheus came vpoÌ theÌ For Mardocheus was greate in the kynges house the reporte of him was noised in all loÌdes how he increased grewe Thus the Iewes smote all their enemies with a sore slaughter and slewe and destroyed dyd after their wyll vnto soch as were their aduersaries And at y e castell of Susan slewe the Iewes and destroied fyue huÌdreth men slewe Parsandatha Dalphon Aspatha Poratha Adalia Aridatha Parmastha Arissai Aridai Vaiesatha the ten sonnes of Aman y e sonne of Amadathi y e enemie of the Iewes but on his goodes they layed no handes At the same tyme was the kynge certified of the nombre of those that were slaine at the castell of Susan And the kynge sayde vnto quene Hester The Iewes haue slayne and destroyed fyue huÌdreth men at y e castell of Susan and the ten sonnes of AmaÌ What shal they do in the other londes of y e kynge What is thy peticion that it maye be geuen the what requirest thou more to be done Hester sayde Yf it please the kynge let him suffre the Iewes tomorow also to do acordinge vnto this dayes commaundement that they maye hange Amans ten sonnes vpoÌ y e tre And the kynge charged to do so and the commaundement was deuysed at Susan Amans ten sonnes were hanged And the Iewes gathered theÌ selues together at Susan vpon the fourtenth daye of the moneth Adar and slewe thre hundreth men at Susan but on their goodes they laied no haÌdes As for the other Iewes in the kynges loÌdes they came together stode for their lyues gatt rest froÌ their enemies and slewe of their enemies fyue and seuentye thousande howbeit they layed no hondes on their goodes This was done on the thirteÌth daie of the moneth Adar and on the fourtenth daye of the same moneth rested they which daye they ordeyned to be a daye of feastinge and gladnesse But the Iewes at Susan were come together both on the thyrtenth daye and on the fourtenth and on the fyftenth daye they rested and the same daye ordeyned they to be a daye of feastinge gladnes Therfore the Iewes that dwelt in the vyllages and vnwalled townes ordeyned y e fourtenth daye of the moneth Adar to be a daye of feastinge and gladnes and one sent giftes vnto another And Mardocheus wrote these actes and sent the writinges vnto all the Iewes y t were in all y e londes of kynge Ahasuerus both nye and farre that they shulde yearly receaue and holde the fourtenth and fiftenth daie of the moneth Adar as the daies wherin y e Iewes came to rest from their enemies as a moneth wherin their payne was turned to ioye and their sorowe in to prosperite that they shulde obserue the same as dayes of wealth and gladnes and one to sende giftes vnto another to distribute vnto the poore And the Iewes receaued it that they had begonne to do and that Mardocheus wrote vnto them how that Aman the sonne of Amadathai all y e Iewes enemye had deuysed to destroye all the Iewes and caused the lot to be cast for to put them in feare and to brynge them to naughte and how Hester wente and spake to the kynge that thorow letters his wicked deuyce which he ymagyned agaynst the Iewes might be turned vpon his awne heade and how he and his sonnes were hanged on the tre For the which cause they called this daye Purim after the name of the lot acordynge to all y e wordes of this wrytinge and what they theÌ selues had sene and what haâ happened vnto them And the Iewes set it vp and toke it vpon them and their sede and vpon all soch as ioyned themselues vnto them that they wolde not mysse to obserue these two dayes yearly acordynge as they were wrytteÌ and appoynted how y t these dayes are not to be forgotten but to be kepte of childers children amoÌge all kynreds in all londes and cities They are the dayes of Purim which are not to be ouerslipte amonge the Iewes and the memoriall of them oughte not to perishe from their sede And quene Hester the daughter of Abihail and Mardocheus the Iewe wrote with all auctorite to confirme this seconde wrytinge of Purim and sent the letters vnto all the Iewes in the hundreth and seuen and twentye londes of y e empyre of Ahasuerus with frendly and faithfull wordes to confirme these dayes of Purim in their tyme appoynted acordynges as Mardocheus the Iewe and Hester the quene had ordeined coÌcernynge them lyke as they vpon their soule and vpon their sede had coÌfirmed the actes of the fastinges and of hir coÌplainte And Hester coÌmaunded to stablish these actes of this Purim and to wryte them in a boke The X. Chapter ANd the kynge Ahasuerus layed tribute vpon the londe and vpon the Iles of the See As for all y e worke of his power and auctoryte and y e greate worshippe of Mardocheus which the kynge gaue him beholde it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Media Persia For Mardocheus the Iewe was the seconde nexte vnto kynge Ahasuerus and greate amonge y e Iewes and accepted amonge the multitude of his brethren as one y t seketh the welth of his people and speaketh the best for all his sede The ende of the seconde parte of the Olde Testament The boke of Iob. What this boke conteyneth Chap. I.II. The prosperite of Iob and how God geueth Satan power ouer his body aÌd goodes which he is content withall Chap. III. The flesh can not suffre and here is described the vnpacient man that grudgeth agaynst the iudgment of God Chap. IIII. Iobs frendes comforte him and geue his synnes the blame of his punyshmeÌt Chap. V. That no man is without synne A prayse off the allmightynesse and louynge kyndnesse of God Chap. VI. Iob excuseth his owne vnpacience layeth ypocrysie to his freÌdes charge aÌd sayeth they are but dyssemblers Chap. VII A frendly contencion that Iob maketh with God shewinge the myserable life and trauayle of man Chap. VIII Baldad
thus sayeth the LORDE beholde I wil let peace iÌ to her like a water floude y t might of the HeitheÌ like a flowinge streame Then shal ye sucke ye shal be borne vpon hir sydes and be ioyful vpoÌ hir knees For like as a childe is comforted of his mother so shal I conforte you and ye shal be comforted in Ierusalem And when ye se this youre herte shal reioyse and youre bones shal florish like an herbe Thus shal the honde of the LORDE be knowne amonge his seruauntes and his indignacion amonge his enemies For beholde the LORDE shal come w t fyre and his charet shal be like a whyrlwynde that he maye recompence his vengeaunce in his wrath and his indignacion with the flame of fyre For y e LORDE shal iudge all flesh with the fyre and with his swerde and there shal be a greate nombre slayne of the LORDE Soch as haue made themselues holy and cleane in the gardens and those that haue eaten swyne flesh myce and other abhominacioÌs shal betaken awaye together saieth the LORDE For I wil come to gather all people and tonges with their workes and ymaginacions these shal come and se my glory Vnto them shal I geue a tokeÌ and sende certayne of theÌ that be delyuered amonge the Gentiles in to Celicia Africa and Lidia where men can handle bowes in to Italie also and Greke londe The Iles farre of that haue not herde speake of me haue not sene my glory shal preach my prayse amonge the Gentiles and shal bringe all youre brethreÌ for an offringe vnto the LORDE out of al people vpoÌ horses charettes and horse lytters vpoÌ Mooles and cartes to Ierusalem my holy hill saieth the LORDE like as the children of Israel bringe the offringe in cleane vessels to the house of the LORDE And I shal take out certayne of them for to be preastes and leuites saieth y e LORDE For like as the new heaueÌ and the new earth which I wil make shal be fast stablished by me saieth the LORDE So shal youre sede and youre name contynue and there shal be a new Moone for the other and a new Sabbath for the other all flesh shal come to worshipe before me saieth y e LORDE And they shal go forth and loke vpoÌ the caryons of them that haue transgressed agaynst me For their wormes shal not dye nether shal their fyre be quenched all flesh shal abhorre them The ende of the prophet Esay The Prophet Ieremy What Ieremy conteyneth Chap. I. He declareth first his callinge and in a vision he seith the destruccion of Ierusalem Chap. II. The faithfulnesse and louynge mercy of God Agayne the vnthanckfulnes of the people Chap. III He crieth vpon the people to amende and sheweth them the wrath of God Chap. IIII. He layeth the wrothfull displeasure of God before them and exorteth theÌ to amendment Chap. V. VI.VII.VIII The wrath of God and the cause therof Plages and misery for to come Chap. IX The prophet mourneth and coÌplayneth vpon the synnes of the people Chap. X. He geueth theÌ warnynge that they folowe not the vses and customes of the HeitheÌ and sheweth them how vayne a thinge it is to worshipe ymages and to forget the true lyuynge God Chap. XI He puteth them in remembrauÌce of the couenaunt sheweth their misery complayneth of his owne persecucion Chap. XII The prosperite of the wicked trouble of theÌ that are godly The forsakynge of the Iewes and callynge of the HeitheÌ Chap. XIII Sore plages vpoÌ the people shewed vnto the prophet by the lynninge breche Chap. XIIII· The derth of frutes So wroth is God at the people that he forbiddeth the prophet to praye for them Chap. XV. God wil not be intreated where his lawe is troden vnder fote He answereth the prophet to his complaynte Chap. XVI The LORDE forbiddeth the prophet to kepe company with the people or to-take a wife in that place for he is mynded to punish them Chap. XVII Punyshment of them that forsake the LORDE and put their trust in men A coÌmaundement concernynge the Sabbath Chap. XVIII By the potters worke the prophet is taught so that he warneth the people and telleth them of the punyshment Chap. XIX The plage vpoÌ Ierusalem and Tophet Chap. XX. Pashur the chefe prest smyteth Ieremy the prophet and putteth him in preson which sheweth him his plage for to come Chap. XXI The prophet sheweth the kynge what shal become of the cite Chap. XXII He exorteth the kynge and all the people vnto godlynesse and telleth what shal become of SelluÌ other wyse called Ioas the sonne of Iosias and what shal happeÌ to Iechonias the sonne of Ioachim Chap. XXIII He reproueth the wicked rulers and false prophetes Chap. XXIIII The vision of the fyge mauÌdes Chap. XXV He reproueth the kynge and all the people and sheweth the punyshment for to come vpon the heithen Chap. XXVI Because the prophet rebuketh the people the prestes and the prophetes put him to trouble but at the last Ahicam delyuereth him Chap. XXVII God commaundeth the prophet for to make bondes and cheynes to signifie the captiuyte of the Heithen kynges Chap. XXVIII Hananias the false prophet with stondeth Ieremy Chap. XXIX A lettre of Ieremy sent vnto the presoners at Babilon Chap. XXX Ieremy at the coÌmaundement of God wryteth his sermons in a boke Swete and coÌfortable promises vnto the godly Agayne the wrath of God agaynst the wicked Chap. XXXI He putteth the people in mynde of the louynge mercy and benefites of God and coÌforteth them with his promises Chap. XXXII The prophet beynge in preson sheweth the delyueraunce of the people out of captiuyte Chap. XXXIII A playne and manifest prophecy of the kyngdome of Christ. Chap. XXXIIII He sheweth the kynge Sedechias and the people their punyshmeÌt for breakynge the couenaunt Chap. XXXV He reproueth the disobedieÌce of the people thorow the good example of the Rechabites Chap. XXXVI The kynge burneth the propheres boke but a greater is wrytteÌ agayne for it and the kynge punyshed Chap. XXXVII Pharao commeth out of Egipte to helpe the kynge but in vayne Ieremy is put in preson Chap. XXXVIII The prynces laboure to haue the prophet deed they put him iÌ a sorer preson but Abdemelech getteth him out and the kynge coÌmoneth with him Chap. XXXIX The cite of Ierusalem is wonne the kynge taken his sonnes and prynces slayne before his face his owne eyes put out and he led vnto Babilon But Ieremy and Abdemelech escape Chap. XL. How the chefe captayne intreateth Ieremy Godolias is made gouernoure of the londe the people resorte vnto him Chap XLI Ismael slayeth Godolias and taketh the people presoners but Iohanna defendeth them Chap. XLII The captaynes axe councell at Ieremy but folowe him not Chap. XLIII XLIIII They wil nedes go into Egipte agaynst the commaundement of God The prophet exorteth theÌ to the coÌtrary and to leaue their ydolatry Neuertheles they regarde it
Iosias kinge of Iuda that was in the first yeare of Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon Which sermone Ieremy the prophet made vnto all the people of Iuda to all y e Inhabitours of IerusaleÌ on this maner From the xiij yeare of Iosias the sonne of Amon kinge of Iuda vnto this present daye that is euen xxiij yeare the worde of the LORDE hath bene committed vnto me And so I haue spokeÌ to you I haue rysen vp early I haue geueÌ you warnynge in season but ye wolde not heare me Though the LORDE hath sent his seruauntes all the prophetes vnto you in season Yet wolde ye not obeye ye wolde not encline yo r eares to heare He sayde turne agayne euery man from his euell waye from youre wicked ymaginacions so shal ye dwell for euer in the londe that the LORDE promised you youre fore fathers And go not after straunge goddes serue them not worshipe them not angre me not with the workes of youre hoÌdes then will not I punysh you Neuertheles ye wolde not heare me saieth the LORDE but haue defied me with the workes of youre hoÌdes to youre owne greate harme Wherfore thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes Because ye haue not herkened vnto my worde lo I will sende out call for all the people y t dwell in the north saieth the LORDE wil prepayre Nabuchodonosor the kinge of Babilon my seruaunt and wil bringe them vpon this londe and vpon all y t dwell therein vpon all the people that are aboute them and will vterly rote them out I will make of them a wildernesse a mockage and a continuall deserte Morouer I will take from them the voyce of gladnesse and solace the voyce of the brydegrome the bryde the voyce of the anoynted with the creszshettes this whole londe shal become a wildernes they shall serue the sayde people and the kinge of Babilon thre score yeares and ten When the lxx yeares are expyred I wil viset also the wickednesse of the kinge of Babylon his people saieth the LORDE yee the londe of the Caldees wil make it a perpetuall wildernes wil fulfil all my wordes vpon that londe which I haue deuysed agaynst it yee all that is written in this boke which Ieremy hath prophecied of all people so that they also shal be subdued vnto dyuerse nacions greate kynges for I wil recompense them acordinge to their dedes workes of their owne hondes For thus hath the LORDE God of Israel spoken vnto me Take this wyne cuppe of indignacion fro my honde that thou mayest cause all the people to whom I sende the for to drinke of it that when they haue dronkeÌ thereof they maye be madd out of their wyttes when the swearde commeth that I wil sende amoÌge them Then toke I the cuppe from the LORDES honde made all the people drynke there of vnto whom the LORDE had sent me But first the cite of Ierusalem all the cities of Iuda their kinges prynces to make theÌ desolate waist despysed cursed acordinge as it is come to passe this daye Yee Pharao y e kinge of Egipte his seruauntes his prynces his people altogether one w t another and all kinges of the londe of Hus all kinges of the Philistynes londe Ascalon Gaza Accaron the remnaunt of Aszdod ⪠the Edomites the Moabites the Ammonites all the kinges of Tirus Sidon the kinges of the Iles that are beyonde the see Dedan Thema Buz the shauen Ismaelites all the kinges of Araby generally all the kinges that dwell in the deserte all the kinges of Simri all the kinges of Elam all y e kinges of the Meedes all kinges towarde the north whether they be farre or nye euery one with his neghbours Yee and all the kingdomes that are vpon the whole earth The kinge of Sesach sayde he shal drinke with them also And saye thou vnto them this is the commaundement of the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel drinke and be droncken spewe and fall that ye neuer ryse and that thorow the swearde which I wil sende amonge you But yf they will not receaue the cuppe of thy honde and drinke it then tell them Thus doth the LORDE of hoostes threaten you drynke it ye shal and that shortly For lo I begynne to plage the cite that my name is geuen vnto thynke ye then that I will leaue you vnpunyshed Ye shall not go quyte For why I call for a swearde vpoÌ all the inhabitours of the earth saieth the LORDE of hoostes Therfore tell them all these wordes and saye vnto them The LORDE shal crie from aboue and let his voyce be herde from his holy habitacion With a greate noyse shall he crie from his courte regall He shal geue a greate voyce like the grape gatherers and the sounde thereof shal be herde vnto the endes of the worlde For the LORDE hath a iudgment to geue vpon all people and will holde his courte of iustice with all flesh and punyshe the vngodly saieth the LORDE For thus sayeth y e LORDE of hoostes Beholde a miserable plage shall go from one people to another and a greate stormy water shal arise from all the endes of the earth And the same daye shall the LORDE himself slaye them from one ende of the earth to another There shall no mone be made for eny of them none gathered vp none buried but shall lie as dunge vpon the grounde Mourne o ye shepherdes crie sprinckle youre selues with aszshes o ye rammes of the flocke for the tyme of youre slaughter is fulfilled and ye shal fall like vessels connyngly made for pleasure The shepherdes shall haue no waye to fle and the rammes of the flocke shall not escape Then shal the shepherdes crie horribly and the rammes of the flocke shal mourne for the LORDE shal consume their pasture and their best feldes shal lie deed because of the horrible wrath of the LORDE They shall forsake their foldes like as a lyon For their londes shal be waist because of the wrath of the destroyer and because of his fearfull indignacion The XXVI Chapter IN the begynnynge of the reigne of Ioachim the sonne of Iosias kynge of Iuda came this worde from the LORDE sayenge Thus saieth the LORDE Stonde in the courte of the LORDE house and speake vnto all them which out of the cities of Iuda come to do worshippe in the LORDES house all the wordes y t I commaundethe to saye Loke that thou kepe not one worde backe yf perauenture they will herkeÌ and turne euery man from his wicked waye that I maye also repente of the plage which I haue determed to brynge vpon them because of their wicked invencions And after this maner shalt thou speake vnto them Thus saieth the LORDE yf ye will not obeye me to walke in my lawes which I
therfore thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes y e God of Israel Beholde I wil bringe vpoÌ Iuda vpoÌ euery one y t dwelleth in IerusaleÌ all the trouble y t I haue deuysed agaynst theÌ For I haue spokeÌ vnto theÌ but they wolde not folowe I haue called vnto them neuertheles they wolde geue me no answere Ieremy also spake vnto the housholde off the Rechabites Thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel For so moch as ye haue obeyed y e coÌmaundemeÌt of Ionadab yo r father kepte all his preceptes done acordinge vnto all y t he hath bydden you Therfore thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shal not fayle but haue one out of his stocke to stoÌde allwaye before me The XXXVI Chap. IN the fourth yeare of Ioachim the sonne of Iosias kynge of Iuda came y e worde of the LORDE vnto Ieremy sayege Take a boke write therin all y e wordes y t I haue spokeÌ to the to Israel to Iuda to all the people froÌ the tyme y t I begaÌne for to speake vnto the in y e reigne of Iosias vnto this daye That when the house of Iuda heareth of the plage which I haue deuysed for theÌ they maye peradueÌture turne euery man froÌ his wicked waye that I maye forgeue their offences and synnes Then dyd Ieremy call Baruch the sonne of Nerias Baruch wrote in the boke at y e mouth of Ieremy all the wordes of the LORDE which he had spoken vnto him And Ieremy commaunded Baruch sayenge I am in preson so that I maye not come in to the house of y e LORDE therfore go thou thither rede the boke that thou hast writteÌ at my mouth Namely the wordes off the LORDE rede theÌ in the LORDES house vpon the fastinge daye that the people whole Iuda all they that come out of the cities maye heare Peraduenture they will praye mekely before the face of the LORDE and turne euery one from his wicked waye For greate is the wrath and displeasure that the LORDE hath taken agaynst this people So Baruch the sonne of Nerias dyd acordinge vnto all that Ieremy the prophet coÌmauÌded him readinge the wordes off the LORDE out off the boke in the LORDES house And this was done in the fyfth yeare off Ioachim y e sonne of Iosias kinge of Iuda in the ix moneth when it was commaunded that all the people of Ierusalem shulde fast before the LORDE and they also that were come from the cities of Iuda vnto Ierusalem Then red Baruch the wordes of Ieremy out of the boke within the house of the LORDE out of y e treasury of Gamarias the sonne off Saphan the scrybe which is besyde the hyer loffte off the new dore of the LORDES house that all y e people might heare Now wheÌ Micheas the sonne off Gamarias the sonne of Saphan had herde all the wordes of the LORDE out of y e boke he weÌte downe to the kinges palace in to y e scrybes chaÌbre for there all y e prynces were set Elisama the scrybe Dalias the sonne of Semei ElnathaÌ the sonne off Achbor Gamaria the sonne of Saphan Sedechias the sonne of Hananias with all the princes And Micheas tolde them all the wordes y t he herde Baruch rede out of the boke before the people Then all the prynces sent Iehudi y e sonne of Nathanias the sonne of Salamia the sonne of Chusi vnto Baruch sayenge Take in thine honde the boke wherout thou hast red before all the people and come So Baruch the sonne of Nerias toke y e boke in his honde and came vnto them And they sayde vnto him Syt downe and rede the boke y t we maye heare also So Baruch red y t they might heare Now when they had herde all the wordes they were abaszhed one vpon another and sayde vnto Baruch We wil certifie the kinge of all these wordes And they examined Baruch sayenge Tell vs how didest thou wryte all these wordes out off his mouth Then Baruch answered them He spake all these wordes vnto me with his mouth and I alone was with him and wrote them in the boke Then sayde the prynces vnto Baruch Go thy waye and hyde the with Ieremy so that no man knowe where ye be And they went in to the kinge to the courte But they kepte the boke in the chambre off Elisama the scrybe aÌd tolde the kynge all the wordes that he might heare So the kynge sent Iehudi to fetch him y e boke which he brought out of Elisama y e scrybes chambre And Iehudi red it that the kynge and all the prynces which were aboute him might heare Now the kynge sat in the wynter house for it was in their Moneth and there was a good fyre before him And wheÌ Iehudi had red thre or foure leaues therof he cut the boke in peces with a penne knyfe and cast it in to the fyre vpoÌ the herth vntil the boke was all brente in the fyre vpon the herth Yet no man was abashed therof or rente his clothes nether the kynge himselffe ner his seruauntes though they herde all these wordes Neuertheles Elnathan Dalias aÌd Gamarias besoughte the kings that he wolde not burne the boke notwithstondinge y e kynge wolde not heare them but commaunded Ieramyhel the sonne off Amalech Sarias the sonne of Esriel and Selamia y e sonne of Abdiel to laye hondes vpon Baruch the scrybe and vpon Ieremy the prophet but the LORDE kepte them out of sight After now that the kynge had brente the boke aÌd y e sermoÌs which Baruch wrote at y e mouth off Ieremy The worde of the LORDE came vnto Ieremy sayenge Take another boke and write in it all the forsayde sermons that were written in the first boke which Ioachim the kynge off Iuda hath brente And tell Ioachim the kynge off Iuda Thus saieth the LORDE thou hast brente y e boke and thoughtest within thy selff Why hast thou written therin that the kynge off Babilon shal come make this loÌde waist so that he shall make both people and catel to be out of it Therfore thus the LORDE saieth of Ioachim the kynge of Iuda There shal none of his generacion syt vpon the trone of Dauid His deed corse shal be cast out that the heat off the daye and the frost of the night maye come vpon him And I will vyset the wickednes of him of his sede and of his seruauntes Morouer all the euell that I haue promised theÌ though they herde me not will I bringe vpon them vpon y e inhabitours of Ierusalem and vpon all Iuda Then toke Ieremy another boke and gaue it Baruch the scrybe the sonne of Nerias which wrote therin out of the mouth off Ieremy all the sermons that were in the first boke which Ioachim the kynge off Iuda dyd burne And there were added vnto them many mo
the God off Israel I am stedfastly advysed and determed to punysh you and to rote out all Iuda As for the remnaunt off Iuda that purposly wente in to Egipte there to ease them off their mysery I will take them and they shall all be destroyed In y e londe of Egipte shall they perishe beynge consumed with the swearde and with honger For from y e leest vnto y e most they shal perishe with the swearde and with honger Morouer they shal be reuyled abhorred shamed and confounded For I will viset them that dwell in Egipte as I haue visited Ierusalem with the swearde with honger and with pestilence So that none off the remnaunt off Iuda which are gone to dwell in Egipte shall be left to come agayne in to y e londe off Iuda all though they thynke to come thither agayne and to dwell there For none shal come agayne but soch as are fled awaye Then all the men which knewe that their wyues had offred vnto straunge goddes a greate sorte off wyues that stode there yee and all the people that dwelt there in Egipte in the cite of Patures answerde Ieremy sayde As for the wordes that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the LORDE we will in no wyse heare them but what so euer goeth out of oure owne mouth that wil we do We will do sacrifice and offre oblacions vnto the Quene off heauen like as we and o r forefathers oure kynges and oure heades haue done in the cities off Iuda and in the stretes and feldes of Ierusalem For then had we plenteousnesse off vytales then were we in prosperite and no myszfortune came vpon vs. But sens we left of to offre and to do sacrifice vnto the Quene of heauen we haue had scarcenes of all thinges and perish w t the swearde and honger Last of all when we womeÌ did sacrifice and offred vnto the Quene of heaueÌ did we make her cakes aÌd poure vnto her drink offeringes to do her seruyce without oure huszbondes wylles Then sayde Ieremy vnto all the people to the men to the women and to all the folââ which had geuen him that answere Dyd not the LORDE remembre the sacrifices that ye yo r forefathers youre kiÌges rulers w t all the people haue offred in the cities of Iuda in the stretes and londe off Ierusalem and hath he not considered this in his mynde In so moch that the LORDE might no longer suffre the wickednes off youre inuencions and the abhominable thynges which ye dyd Is not youre londe desolate voyde yee and abhorred so that no maÌ dwelleth therin eny more as it is come to passe this daye Dyd not all this happen vnto you because ye made soch sacrifice and synned agaynst the LORDE Ye haue not folowed his voyce to walke in his lawe in his ordinaunces and statutes Yee this is the cause that all mysfortune happened vnto you as it is come to passe this daye Morouer Ieremy spake vnto all the people and to all the women Heare the worde off the LORDE all Iuda ye that be in the londe off Egipte Thus saieth the LORDE off hoostes the God of Israel Ye and youre wyues haue spoken with youre owne mouth the thinge that ye haue fulfilled in dede Yee thus haue ye sayde We will not fayle but do the thynge that pleaseth vs we wil do sacrifice and poure out drynk offringes to the Quene of heauen Purposly haue ye set vp youre owne good meanynges hastely haue ye fulfilled youre owne intente And therfore heare the worde of the LORDE all Iuda ye that dwell in the londe off Egipte Beholde I haue sworne by my greate name saieth the LORDE that my name shal not be rehearsed thorow eny mans mouth of Iuda in all the londe of Egipte to saye The LORDE God lyueth for I wil watch to plage them and not for their wealth And all the men of Iuda that be in the loÌde of Egipte shal perish with the swearde and with hoÌger vntill they be vtterly destroyed Neuertheles those that fled awaye for y e swearde shal come agayne in to the loÌde of Iuda but there shal be very fewe of them And all the remnaunt off Iuda that are gone in to Egipte there to dwell shall knowe whose wordes shal be founde true theirs or myne Take this for a token that I wil viset you in this place saieth the LORDE and that ye maye knowe how that I without doute wil perfourne my purpose vpon you to punysh you Beholde saieth the LORDE I wil delyuer Pharao Ophram kynge of Egipte in to the hondes of his enemies y t seke after his life euen as I gaue Sedechias the kynge of Iuda in to the hondes of Nabuchodonosor kiÌge of BabiloÌ which sought after his life The XLV Chapter THese are the wordes y t Ieremy the prophet spake vnto Baruch the sonne of Nerias after that he had written these SermoÌs in to a boke at the mouth of Ieremy In the fourth yeare of Ioachim the sonne of Iosias kynge of Iuda Thus saieth the LORDE God of Israel vnto the O Baruch In so moch as thou thoughtest thus when thou wa st writinge Wo is me the LORDE hath geuen me payne for my trauayle I haue weeried my self w t sighinge and shall I fynde no rest Therfore tell him O Ieremy y t the LORDE saieth thus Beholde The thiÌge that I haue buylded wil I breake downe agayne and rote out the thinge that I haue planted yee this whole londe And sekest thou yet promocioÌ Loke not for it and desyre it not For I will bringe a miserable plage vpoÌ all flesh saieth the LORDE But thy life will I geue the for a pray where so euer thou goest The XLVI Chapter HEre folowe the wordes off the LORDE to the prophet Ieremy which he spake vnto the Gentiles These wordes folowinge preached he to the EgipciaÌs concernynge the hoost off Pharao Necho kynge off Egipte when he was in Charcamis besyde the water off Euphrates what tyme as Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon slewe him In the fourth yeare off Ioachim the sonne off Iosias kynge off Iuda Ye make redy buckler and shylde ye go forth to fight Yee harnesse youre horses set youre selues vpon them Ye set youre salettes fast on ye bringe forth speares ye scoure youre sweardes put on youre brest plates But alas how happeneth it that I se you so afrayed why shreÌcke ye backe where fore are youre worthies slayne Yee they runne so fast awaye that none off them loketh behynde him Fearfulnesse is fallen vpon euerychone off them saieth the LORDE The lightest off fote shall not fle awaye and the worthies shall not escape Towarde the north by the water of Euphrates they shall stomble and fall But what is he this that swelleth vp as it were a floude roaringe raginge like the streames
e wildernesse The very breth of oure mouth euen the anoynted LORDE himself shal be takeÌ in oure synnes of whom we saye Vnder his shadowe we shal be preserued amonge the Heithen And thou O doughter Edom that dwellest in the londe of Hus be glad and reioyce for the cuppe shal come vnto the also which wheÌ thou suppest of thou shalt be dronckeÌ Thy synne is wel punished O thou doughter Sion he shall not suffre the to be caried awaye eny more But thy wickednesse O doughter Edom shall he vyset and for thy synnes sake he shal lede the in to captiuyte The V. Chapter CAll to remeÌbraunce O LORDE what we haue suffred coÌsidre and se oure coÌfucion Oure enheritaunce is turned to the straungers oure houses to the aleauntes We are become carefull and fatherlesse and oure mothers are as the wydowes We are fayne to drynke oure owne water for moneye and oure owne wod must we bye with moneye Oure neckes are vnder persecucion we are weery and haue no rest Afore tyme we yelded oure selues to the Egipcians and now to the Assirians only that we might haue bred ynough Oure fathers which now are gone haue synned we must beare their wickednesse Seruauntes haue the rule of vs and no man delyuereth vs out of their hoÌdes We must get o r lyuynge with the parell of oure lyues because of the drouth of the wildernesse Oure skynne is as it had bene brent in an ouen for very sore honger The wyues are raueshed in Sion the maydens in the cities of Iuda The prynces are hanged vp with the honde of the enemies they haue not spared the olde sage men they haue taken yonge mens lyues from them and the boyes are hanged vp vpon trees The elders syt no more vnder the gates and the yonge men vse no more playenge of Musick The ioye of oure herte is gone oure mery quere is turned in to mourninge The garlande of oure heade is fallen alas that euer we synned so sore Therfore oure hert is full of heuynesse oure eyes dymme because of y e hill of Sion that is destroyed In so moch that the foxes runne vpon it But thou O LORDE that remaynest for euermore and thy feate worlde with out ende Wherfore wilt thou still forget vs and forsake vs so longe O LORDE Turne thou vs vnto the so shal we be turned Renue o r daies as in olde tyme for thou hast now banished vs longe ynough and bene sore displeased at vs. The ende of the Lamentacions of Ieremy The Prophet Baruch What Baruch conteyneth Chap. I. Baruch readeth the boke before the kynge and all the people which sende money to Ierusalem Chap. II. They knowlege that they haue deserued punyshment God promyseth them forgeuenesse Chap. III. They praye hartely beinge in preson and he exorteth them to amende Chap. IIII. A sermon to the people with an exortacion to pacience Chap. V. He conforteth them and sheweth the vocacion of the Heithen Chap. VI. A copie of the epistole that Ieremy sent to the Iewes which were led awaye presoners vnto Babilon These are the wordes of the boke that Baruch the sonne of Nerias the sonne of Maasia the sonne of Sedechias the sonne of Sedei the sonne of Helchia wrote at Babilon in the fifth yeare the seueÌth daye of the moneth what tyme as the Caldees wanne Ierusalem and brent it The first Chapter ANd Baruch dyd rede the wordes of this boke that Iechonias the sonne of Ioachim kynge of Iuda might heare and in the presence of all the people that were come to heare the boke yee and before all the noble kinges sonnes before y e lordes of the councell and elders and before the whole people from y e lowest vnto the hyest before all them that dwelt at Babilon by y e water of Sodi Which when they herde it wepte fasted and prayed before the LORDE They made a colleccion also of money acordinge to euery mans power and sent it to Ierusalem vnto Ioachim the sonne of Helchia the sonne of Salon prest with y e other prestes and to all the people which were w t him at IerusaleÌ what tyme as they had gotten the ornamentes of the temple of y e LORDE that were taken awaye out of the temple that they might brynge them agayne in to the londe of Iuda the x. daye of the moneth Siban namely syluer vessel which Sedechias the sonne of Iosias kinge of Iuda had made After that Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon had takeÌ Iechonias with all his prynces lordes and all the people and led them captyue from Ierusalem vnto Babilon And they sayde Beholde we haue sent you money to bye you burnt offerynges and incense withall make you vnleuended bred offre for synne vpon the aulter of the LORDE oure God And praye for the prosperite of Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and of Balthasar his sonne y t their dayes maye be vpon earth as the dayes of heauen that God also maye geue vs strength and lighten oure eyes that we maye lyue vnder the defence of Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and vnder the proteccion of Balthasar his sonne that we maye longe do them seruyce and fynde fauoure in their sight Praye for vs also vnto the LORDE oure God for we haue synned agaynst the LORDE oure God and vnto this daye is not his wrath turned yet awaye from vs. And se that ye rede this boke which we haue sent vnto you to be rehearced in the temple of the LORDE vpon the hye dayes and at tyme conuenient Thus shal ye saye The LORDE o r God is rightuous but we are worthy of coÌfucion shame like as it is come to passe this daye vnto all Iuda to euery one y t dwelleth at Ierusalem to o r kinges prynces prestes prophetes to oure fathers We haue synned before the LORDE oure God we haue not put oure trust in him ner geuen him credence we haue not obeyed him we haue not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE oure God to walke in the commaundementes that he gaue vs. Sens the daye that he brought oure forefathers out of the londe of Egipte vnto this present daye we haue bene euer a mysbeleuynge and an vnfaithful people vnto y e LORDE oure God destroyenge oure selues vtterly and shrenckinge backe that we shulde not heare his voyce Wherfore there are come vpon vs greate plages dyuerse curses like as the LORDE deuysed by Moses his seruauÌt which brought oure forefathers out of the loÌde of Egipte to geue vs a loÌde that floweth with mylcke and hony like as it is to se this daye Neuertheles we haue not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE oure God acordinge to all the wordes of the prophetes whom he sent vnto vs and to oure rulers but euery man folowed his owne mynde and wicked ymaginacion to offre vnto strauÌge goddes and to do euel in the sight of the LORDE oure God The II.
Chapter FOr the which cause the LORDE oure God hath perfourmed his deuyce wherof he certified vs and oure heades that ruled in IerusaleÌ yee and oure kynges oure princes with all Israel and Iuda And soch plages hath y e lorde brought vpoÌ vs as neuer came to passe vnder the heaueÌ like as it is fulfilled in Hierusalem acordinge as it is written in the lawe of Moses that a man shulde eate y e flesh of his owne sonne the flesh of his owne doughter Morouer he hath delyuered them in to the hondes of all the kinges y t are rounde aboute vs to be confounded and desolate scatred theÌ abrode in all londes nacioÌs Thus are we brought beneth not aboue for we haue synned against the LORDE o r God not bene obedient vnto his voyce Therfore y e LORDE o r God is rightuous we with o r fathers as reason is are brought to opeÌ shame as it is to se this daye And as for these plages y t are come vpon vs allready y e LORDE had deuyced theÌ for vs yet wolde we not praye vnto y e LORDE oure God y t we might euery maÌ turne froÌ his vngodly wayes So y e LORDE hath caused soch plages to come vpon vs for he is rightuous in all his workes which he hath coÌmaunded vs which we also haue not done ner harkened vnto his voyce for to walke in y e coÌmaundemeÌtes of y e LORDE y t he had geueÌ vnto vs. And now o LORDE God of Israel thou that hast brought thy people out of the londe of Egipte with a mightie honde with tokens and woÌdres with thy greate power aÌd outstretched arme and hast gotten thy selff a name as it is come to passe this daye O LORDE oure God we haue synned we haue done wickedly we haue behaued oure selues vngodly in all thy rightuousnesses Turne thy wrath froÌ vs we beseke the for we are but a few left amonge the Heithen where thou hast scatred vs. Heare o r prayers o LORDE oure peticioÌs bringe vs out of captiuyte for thine owne sake get vs fauoure in the sight of theÌ which haue led vs awaye y t all loÌdes maye knowe that thou art the LORDE oure God and that Israel and his generacion calleth vpon thy name O LORDE loke downe froÌ thy holy house vpon vs enclyne thine eare heare vs. For the deed y t be gone downe to their graues whose soules are out of their bodies ascribe vnto the LORDE nether prayse ner rigtuous-makynge but the soule that is vexed for the multitude of hir synnes which goeth on heuely and weakely whose eyes begynne to fayle yee soch a soule ascrybeth prayse and rightuousnesse vnto the LORDE O LORDE we poure out oure prayers before the and requyre mercy in thy sight O LORDE oure God not for eny godlynesse off oure forefathers but because thou hast sent out thy wrath indignacion vpon vs acordinge as thou dydest threaten vs by thy seruauÌtes the prophetes sayenge Thus sayeth the LORDE Bowe downe youre shulders and neckes and serue the kynge of Babilon so shal ye remayne still in the londe that I gaue vnto youre fathers Yff ye will not do this ner heare the voyce of y e LORDE youre God to serue the kynge of Babilon I shall destroye you in the cities of Iuda within Ierusalem and without I will also take from you the voyce off myrth and the voyce of ioye the voyce of the brydegrome and the voyce of the bryde aÌd there shal no man dwell more in the londe But they wolde not herken vnto thy voyce to do the kynge of Babilon seruyce and therfore hast thou perfourmed the wordes that thou spakest by thy seruauntes the prophetes namely that the bones of oure kynges and the bones of oure fathers shulde be traÌslated out of their place And lo now are they layde out in the heate of y e Sonne in the colde of y e night aÌd deed in greate mysery w t hunger w t swearde w t pestilence are clene cast forth As for the teÌple wherin thy name was called vpon thou hast layde it waist as it is to se this daye y t for the wickednes of the house of Israel the house of Iuda ⪠O LORDE o r God thou hast intreated vs after all thy goodnes acordinge to all y e greate louinge mercy of thyne like as thou spakest by thy seruaunte Moses in the daye when thou didest coÌmauÌde him to wryte thy lawe before the children of Israel sayenge Yf ye will not herkeÌ vnto my voyce theÌ shal this greate multitude be turned in to a very smal people for I wil scatre theÌ abrode Not withstoÌdinge I am sure that this folke will not heare me for it is an hardnecked people But in y e loÌde of their captiuyte they shall remembre them selues lerne to knowe y t I am the LORDE their God when I geue theÌ an herte to vnderstoÌde eares to heare Then shal they prayse me in the loÌde of their captiuyte thynke vpon my name Then shall they turne them froÌ their harde backes from their vngodlynes Then shal they remembre the thynges y t happened vnto their forefathers which synned agaynst me So will I bringe them agayne in to the londe which I promised w t an ooth vnto their fathers AbrahaÌ Isaac Iacob they shal be lordes of it yee I wil increace theÌ and not minysh theÌ And I wil make another couenauÌt with them soch one as shal endure for euer namely y t I will be their God and they shal be my people and I wil nomore dryue my people the children off Israel out of the londe y t I haue geueÌ theÌ The III. Chapter ANd now o LORDE allmightie thou God of Israel o r soule y t is in trouble o r sprete y t is vexed crieth vnto the heare vs o LORDE haue pite vpon vs for thou art a mercifull God be gracious vnto vs for we haue synned before ye. Thou endurest for euer shulde we theÌ vtterly perishe ⪠O LORDE almightie thou God of Israel Heare now y e prayer of y e deed Israelites of their childreÌ which haue synned before y e not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE their God for the which cause these plages hange now vpoÌ vs. O LORDE remeÌbre not y e wickednes of o r forefathers but thinke vpoÌ thy power name now at this tyme for thou art y e LORDE o r God y e o LORDE wil we prayse For thou hast put y e feare iÌ o r hartes to y e inteÌt y t we shulde call vpon y e name prayse y e in oure captiuyte and y t we might turne from the wickednesse of oure forefathers y t synned before the. Beholde we are yet this daye in oure captiuyte where as thou hast scatred vs
Pecod Schoa and Coa with all the Assirians all yonge and fayre louers prynces and lordes knyghtes and gentlemen which be all good horsmen These shall come vpon the with horses charettes a greate multitude of people which shal be harnessed aboute the on euery syde w t brestplates sheldes and helmettes I will punysh y t before them yee they theÌ selues shal punysh the acordinge to their owne iudgmeÌt I will put my gelousy vpon the so that they shall deale cruelly with the. They shal cut of thy nose and thine eares and the remnaunt shall fall thorow the swearde They shall cary awaye thy sonnes and doughters the resydue shal be brent in the fyre Thy shal strype the out of thy clothes cary thy costly Iewels awaye with them Thus will I make an ende off thy fylthynesse whordome which thou hast brought out of the loÌde of Egipte so that thou shalt turne thine eyes nomore after them cast thy mynde nomore vpon Egipte For thus saieth the LORDE Beholde I will delyuer y e in to the hoÌdes of them whom thou hatest yee euen in to the hondes of them with whoÌ thou hast fulfylled thy lust which shall deale cruelly with y e All thy laboure shal they take with them and leaue the naked and bare and thus the shame of thy filthy whordome shal come to light All these thinges shal happen vnto the because of thy whordome which thou hast vsed amonge the Gentiles with whose Idols thou hast defyled y t self Thou hast walked in the waye of thy sister therfore will I geue the hir cuppe in thy honde Thus saieth the LORDE God Thou shalt drynke off thy sisters cuppe how depe farre so euer it be to the botome Thou shalt be laughed to scorne and had as greatly in derision as is possible Thou shalt be full off dronckennes and sorowe for the cuppe of y e sister Samaria is a cuppe of destruccion waistinge the same shalt thou drynke and suppe it out eueÌ to y e dregges yee thou shalt eate vp the broken peces off it and so teare thine owne brestes For euen I haue spoken it saieth the LORDE God Therfore thus saieth y e LORDE God For so moch as thou hast forgotteÌ me cast me asyde so beare now thine owne fylthinesse whordome The LORDE sayde morouer vnto me Thou sonne of maÌ wilt thou not reproue Oola Ooliba ShewetheÌ their abhominacioÌs namely y t they haue brokeÌ their wedlocke stayned their hoÌdes w t bloude yee euen w t their Idols haue they committed aduoâtry offred them their owne children to be deuoured whoÌ they had borne vnto me Yee this haue they done vnto me also they haue defyled my SaÌctuary in that same daye haue vnhalowed my Sabbath For when they had slayne their childreÌ for their Idols they came the same daye in to my Sanctuary to defyle it Lo this haue they done in my house Besyde all this thou hast sent y t messeungers for men out of farre couÌtrees and wheÌ they came thou hast bathed trymmed and set forth thy selff off the best fashion thou sattest vpoÌ a goodly bed a table spred before the whervpon thou hast set myne incense and myne oyle Then was there greate cheare w t her the men y t were sent froÌ farre couÌtrees ouer the deserte vnto these they gaue bracelettes vpon their hondes set glorious crownes vpon their heades Then thought Imodonte these wil vse their harlotry also w t yoÌder olde whore And they wente in to her as vnto a comon harlot Euen so wente they also to Oola Ooliba those filthy women O ye all that loue vertue and rightuousnes iudge theÌ punysh them as aduoutrers and murtherers ought to be iudged and punyshed For they are breakers off wedlocke and the bloude is in their hondes Wherfore thus saieth the LORDE God bringe a greate multitude off people vpon them and make them be scatred and spoyled these shal stone them and gorre them with their sweardes They shal slaye their sonnes and doughters and burne vp their houses with fyre Thus will I destroye all soch fylthynes out off the londe that all women may lerne not to do after youre vncleÌnesse And so they shall laye youre fylthinesse vpon youre owne selues and ye shal be punyshed for the synnes that ye haue committed with youre Idols ye shall knowe that I am the LORDE The XXIIII Chapter IN the ix yeare in the x. Moneth the x. daye off the Moneth came the worde off the LORDE vnto me sayenge O thou sonne off man wryte vp the name off this daye yee eueÌ y e houre of this present daye when the kynge of Babilon set himself agaynst IerusaleÌ Shewe y t obstinate housholde a parable speake vnto theÌ Thus sayet the LORDE God Get the a pot set it on poure water in to it put all the peces together in it all the good peces the loyne and the shulder fyll it with the best bones Take one off the best shepe an heape off bones withall let it boyle well let the bones seyth well therin With that sayde the LORDE God on this maner Wo be vnto the bloudy cite of y e pot whervpon the rustynesse haÌgeth and is not yet scoured awaye Take out the peces that are in it one after another there nede no lottes be case therfore for the bloude is yet in it Vpon a playne drye stone hath she poured it and not vpon the grounde that it might be couered with dust And therfore haue I letten her poure hir bloude vpon a playne drye stony rocke because it shulde not be hid and that I might bringe my wrothfull indignacion and vengeaunce vpon her Wherfore thus saieth y e LORDE God O wo be vnto that bloudthurstie cite for whoÌ I wil prepare a heape off wodde beare thou y e bones together kyndle thou the fyre seeth the flesh let all be well soddeÌ that the bones maye be suckte out Morouer set the potemptye vpon the coales that it maye be warme and the metall hote that the fylth and rustynesse maye be consumed But it will not go off there is so moch off it the rustinesse must be brent out Thy filthinesse is abhominable for I wolde haue clensed the but thou woldest not be clensed Thou canst not be pourged from thine vnclennesse till I haue poured my wrothfull indignacion vpon the. Euen I the LORDE haue so deuysed Yee it is come therto allredy that I will do it I will not go backe I will not spare I wil not be intreated but acordinge to thy wayes aÌd ymaginacions thou shalt be punyshed saieth the LORDE God And the worde off the LORDE came vnto me sayenge Thou sonne off man beholde I will take awaye the pleasure off thine eyes w t a plage yet shalt thou nether mourne ner wepe ner water thy chekes therfore thou mayest mourne by thy selff alone
are true and his wayes right As for those that go on proudly he is able to briÌ 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 driÌke therout So they brought the golden vessel that was takeÌ 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 ãâã shewe the kynge what it signified TheÌ 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 aÌd 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 expouÌde 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 vnderstoÌdinge 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 aÌd 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 kiÌgdome 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 aÌd 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
statute namely that who so desyreth eny peticion ether of eny god or man with in this xxx dayes excepte it be only off the O kynge the same person maye be cast into the Lyons denne Wherfore o kynge confirme thou this stature and make a writynge that the thynge which the Medes and Perses haue ordened be not altered ner broken So Darius made the wrytynge and confirmed it Now when Daniel vnderstode that the wrytynge was made he wente in to his house and the wyndowes of his hall towarde Ierusalem stode open There kneled he downe vpon his knees thre tymes a daye there he made his peticion and praysed his God like as his maner was to do afore tyme. Then these men made searche and founde Daniel makynge his peticion and prayenge vnto his God So they came to the kynge and spake before him concernynge his commaundement sayenge O kynge hast thou not subscribed the statute that within xxx dayes who so requyreth his peticion off eny god or man but only of thy self o kynge he shal be cast in to the denne of the Lyons The kynge answered aÌd sayde yee it is true It must be as a lawe of y e Medes and Perses that maye not be broken Then answered they and sayde vnto the kynge Daniel one of the presoners of Iuda O kynge regardeth nether the ner thy statute that thou hast made but maketh his peticion thre tymes a daye When the kynge herde these wordes he was sore greued and wolde haue excused Daniel to delyuer him and put off the matter vnto the Sonne weÌte downe to the intent that he might saue him These men perceauynge the kynges mynde sayde vnto him knowe this o kynge that the lawe off the Medes and Perses is that the commaundement and statute which the kynge maketh maye not be altered Then the kynge bad them brynge Daniel and they cast him into the Lyons denne The kynge also spake vnto Daniel aÌd sayde Thy God whom thou allwaye seruest euen he shall defende the. And there was brought a stone and layed vpon the hole of the denne this the kynge sealed with his owne rynge and with y e signet of his prynces that the kynges commaundement concernynge Daniel shulde not be broken So the kynge wente in to his palace and kepte him sober all night so that there was no table spred before him nether coude he take eny slepe But be tymes in the mornynge at the breake off the daye the kynge arose and wente in all haist vnto the denne off the Lyons Now as he came nyâ vnto y e deÌne he cried w t a piteous voyce vnto Daniel Yee y e kiÌge spake and sayde vnto Daniel O Daniel thou seruaunt off the lyuynge God Is not thy God whom thou allwaye seruest able to delyuer the from the lyons Daniel sayde vnto the kynge O kynge God saue thy life for euer My God hath sent his angel which hath shut the lyons mouthes so that they might not hurte me For why myne vngiltynesse is founde out before him And as for the o kynge I neuer offended the. Then was the kynge exceadinge glad aÌd commaunded to take Daniel out off the denne So Daniel was brought out of the deÌne and no maner of hurte was founde vpoÌ him For he put his trust in his God And as for those men which had accused Daniel the kiÌge commaunded to bringe them and to cast them in the lyons denne them their children and their wyues So the lyons had the mastry of them and brake all their bones a sonder or euer they came at the grounde After this wrote kynge Darius vnto all people kynreddes and tunges that dwelt in all londes peace be multiplied with you My commaundement is in all my dominioÌ and kyngdome that men feare and stonde in awe off Daniels God For he is the lyuinge God which abydeth euer his kyngdome shall not fayle and his power is euerlastynge It is he that delyuereth and saueth he doth wonders and maruelous workes in heauen and in earth he hath preserued Daniel from the power of the lyons This Daniel prospered in the raigne off Darius and Cirus of Persia. The VII Chapter IN the first yeare off Balthasar kynge off Babilon sawe Daniel a dreame and a vision was in his heade vpon his bedde Which dreame he wrote and the summe of the matter is this Daniel spake and sayde I sawe in my vision by nyght and beholde the foure wyndes of y e heauen stroue vpon the see and foure greate beestes came vp from the see one vnlike another The first was as a lyon and yet had he Aegles wynges I sawe that his wynges were plucte from him and he taken awaye from the earth that he stode vpon his fete as a man and that there was geuen him a mans herte Beholde the seconde beest was like a Beer and stode vpon the one syde Amonge his teth in his mouth he had iij greate loÌge teth and it was sayde vnto him Arise eate vp moch flesh Then I loked beholde there was another like vnto a Leoparde this had wynges as a foule euen foure vpon the backe This beest had foure heades aÌd there was power geuen him After this I sawe in a vision by night beholde the fourth beest was grymme and horrible and maruelous stronge It had greate yron teth it deuoured and destroyed and stamped the residue vnder fete It was farre vnlike the other beestes that weââ before it for it had ten hornes wheroff I toke good hede And beholde there came vp amonge theÌ another like horne before whom there were thre of the first hornes pluckte awaye Beholde this horne had eyes like a maÌ a mouth speakynge presumptuous thinges I loked till the seates were prepared aÌd till the olde aged sat him downe His clothinge was as white as snowe and the hayres of his heade like the pure woll His trone was like the firie flame and his wheles as the burnynge fyre There drew forth a firie streame wente out from him A thousand tymes a thousande serued him x. M. tymes ten thousande stode before him The iudgmeÌt was set and the bokes opened Then toke I hede there vnto because of the voyce of the proude wordes which that horne spake I behelde till the beest was slayne and his body destroyed geuen ouer to be brent in the fyre As for the power of the other beestes also it was taken awaye but their lyues were prolonged for a tyme and season I sawe in a vision by night and beholde there came one in the cloudes of heauen like the sonne of a man which wente vnto the olde aged before whom they brought him Then gaue he him power aÌd dignite regall that all people trybes and tunges shulde serue him His power is an euerlastinge power which shal neuer be put downe his kyngdome endureth vncorrupte My herte was vexed I Daniel had a troubled
wryte thou vp this sight for it wylbe longe or it come to passe Vpon this was I Daniel very faynte so that I laye sicke certayne dayes but whan I rose vp I wente aboute the kynges busynesse and marueled at the vision neuerthelesse no man knewe of it The IX Chapter IN the first yeare off Darius the sonne off Ahasuerus which was of the sede off the Medes was made kynge ouer the realme of the Caldees Yee euen in the first yeare off his raigne I Daniel desyred to knowe the yearly nombre out of the bokes wherof the LORDE spake vnto Ieremy the prophet that Ierusalem shulde lie waist lxx yeares aÌd I turned me vnto God the LORDE for to praye and make myne intercessioÌ with fastinge sack cloth aÌd ashes I prayed before the LORDE my God and knowleged sayenge O LORDE thou greate fearfull God thou that kepest couenaunt and mercy with them which loue the and do thy commaundementes We haue synned we haue offended we haue bene disobedient and gone backe yee we haue departed from all thy preceptes and iudgmentes We wolde neuer folowe thy seruauntes the prophetes that spake in thy name to oure kynges and prynces to oure forefathers and to all the people off the londe O LORDE rightuousnesse belongeth vnto the vnto vs pertayneth nothynge but open shame as it is come to passe this daye vnto euery man of Iuda and to them that dwell at Ierusalem Yee vnto all Israel whether they be farre or nye thorow out all londes wherin thou hast strowed them because of the offences that they had done agaynst the. Yee o LORDE vnto vs to oure kinges prynces to oure forefathers euen to vs all that haue offended the belongeth open shame But vnto the o LORDE oure God pertayneth mercy and forgeuenesse As for vs we are gone backe from him and haue not obeyed the voyce of the LORDE oure God to walke in his lawes which he layed before vs by his seruauntes the prophetes yee all Israel haue transgressed and gone backe from thy lawe so that they haue not herkened vnto thy voyce Wherfore the curse and ooth that is written in the law of Moses the seruauÌt of God against whom we haue offended is poured vpon vs. And he hath perfourmed his wordes which he spake agaynst vs agaynst oure iudges that iudged vs to bringe vpon vs soch a greate plage as neuer was vnder heauen like as it is now come to passe in Ierusalem Yee all this plage as it is written in the lawe of Moses is come vpon vs. Yet made we not oure prayer before the LORDE oure God that we might turne agayne from oure wickednesse and to be lerned in thy verite Therfore hath y e LORDE made haist to bringe this plage vpon vs for the LORDE oure God is rightuous in all his workes which he doth for why we wolde not harken vnto his voyce And now o LORDE oure God thou that with a mightie honde hast brought thy people out of Egipte to get thy self a name which remayneth this daye we haue synned o LORDE done wickedly agaynst all thy rightuousnes yet let thy wrothfull displeasure be turned awaye I beseke the from thy cite Ierusalem thy holy hill And why for oure synnes sake and for the wickednesse of oure forefathers is Ierusalem and thy people abhorred of all them that are aboute vs. Now therfore O oure God heare the prayer of thy seruaunt and his intercession O let thy face shyne ouer thy sanctuary that lieth waist O my God enclyne thine eare and herken at the leest for thine owne sake open thine eyes beholde how we be desolated yee and the cite also which is called after thy name For we do not cast oure prayers before the in oure owne rightuousnesse no but only in thy greate mercies O LORDE heare O forgeue LORDE O LORDE considre tary not ouerlonge but for thine owne sake do it O my God for thy cite and thy people is called after thy name As I was yet speakinge at my prayers knowleginge myne owne synnes and y e synnes of my people makinge so myne intercession before the LORDE my God for the holy hils sake of my God yee whyle I was yet speakinge in my prayer beholde the maÌ Gabriel whom I had sene afore in the vision came flyenge to me and touched me aboute y e offeringe tyme in the euenynge He infourmed me and spake vnto me O Daniel sayde he I am now come to make the vnderstonde it For as soone as thou begannest to make thy prayer it was so diuysed and therfore am I come to shewe the. And why for thou art a man greatly beloued Wherfore pondre the matter wel that thou mayest lerne to vnderstonde the vision Lxx. wekes are determed ouer thy people ouer thy holy cite that the wickednesse maye be consumed that the synne maye haue an ende that the offence maye be reconciled and to bringe in euerlastinge rightuousnesse to fulfill y e visions and the prophetes and to anoynte the most holy one VnderstoÌde this then and marcke it well that from the tyme it shal be concluded to go and repayre Ierusalem agayne vnto Christ or the anoynted prynce there shal be seuen wekes Then shall the stretes walles be buylded agayne lxij wekes but with harde troublous tyme. Afther these lxij wekes shal Christ be slayne they shal haue no pleasure in him Then shal there come a people with the prynce and destroye the cite and the sanctuary and his ende shal come as the water floude But the desolacion shall continue till the ende of the batell He shall make a stronge bonde with many for the space of a weke and when the weke is half gone he shal put downe the slayne and meat offringe And in the temple there shal be an abhominable desolacioÌ till it haue destroyed all And it is concluded y t this waistinge shal continue vnto the ende The X. Chapter IN the thirde yeare of kinge Cirus of Persia there was shewed vnto Daniel otherwise called Balthasar a matter yee a true matter but it is yet a longe tyme vnto it He vnderstode the matter well and perceaued what the vision was At the same tyme I Daniel mourned for the space of thre wekes so that I had no lust to eate bred as for flesh and wyne there came none within my mouth No I dyd not ones anoynte my self till the whole thre wekes were out Vpon the xxiiij daye of the first moneth I was by the greate floude called Tigris I lift vp myne eyes and loked and beholde a man clothed in lynnynge whose loynes were gyrded vp with fyne golde of Araby his body was like the Chrisolite stone his face to loke vpon was like lightenynge his eyes as the flame of fyre his armes and fete were like fayre glisteringe metall but the voyce of his wordes was like y e voyce of a multitude
LORDE in the sight of the people acordinge as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses so they rosted the Easter-lambe as acordinge was As for the thaÌkofferinges the other they dight theÌ in kettels pottes sett them before the people w t good will and afterwarde before them selues and the prestes For the prestes offred the fatt vntyll the tyme was expyred but the Leuites prepared for them selues for their brethren the childreÌ of Aaron The syngers also y e children of Asaph stode in their ordre acordinge as Dauid had deuysed So dyd Asaph Zachary IedithuÌ which were appoynted by the kynge Morouer the porters dorekepers stode by the dores y t diligently so y t none wente out of his stondinge seruyce for their brethren the Leuites prepared for them Thus were all thinges perfourmed that belonged to the offringe of the LORDE In that daye they helde the Passeouer offred thankofferinges besyde y e sacrifice of y e LORRDE acordinge to y e coÌmaundement of kynge Iosias So the children of Israel which were theÌ present helde an honorable Passeouer the feast of swete bred vij dayes loÌge Yee soch a Passeouer was not kepte in Israel from y e tyme of the prophet Samuel And all the kynges of Israel helde not soch an Easter as this which kynge Iosias helde y e prestes y e leuites y e Iewes all Israel of all theÌ y t were at IerusaleÌ In y e xviij yeare of y e raigne of Iosias was this Passeouer kepte And w t a parfecte hert dyd kynge Iosias ordre all his workes before y e LORDE y e thinges y t were wrytteÌ of hiÌ in tymes past coÌcernynge those y t synned were vngodly agaynst y e LORDE before all people y t sought not the worde of y e LORDE vpon Israel After all these actes of kynge Iosias Pharao y e kynge of Egipte weÌte vp came towarde Carcamis by Euphrates Iosias weÌte to mete hiÌ Then sent the kynge of Egipte vnto Iosias sayenge what haue I to do w t y e o kynge of Iuda I am not sent of y e LORDE to fight agaynst y e for my warre is vpoÌ Euphrates go thou y e waye home agayne in all y e haist And Iosias wolde not turne agayne vpon his charet but vndertoke to fight agaynst him herkened not vnto y e worde of y e prophet which he tolde him out of the mouth of God but pitched a battaill agaynst him in y e felde of Mageddo And the prynces preassed to kynge Iosias Then sayde the kynge vnto his seruauntes Cary me awaye out of the battayll for I am sore wounded And immediatly his seruauntes toke him awaye out of the front of the battayll Then satt he vp vpon the secoÌde charett came to IerusaleÌ dyed was buried in his fathers sepulcre And in all Iewry they mourned for Iosias yee the rulers also w t their wyues made lameÌtacion for him vnto this daye And this was done euer still in Israel These thinges are written in the boke of of the stories of y e kynges of Iuda namely all the actes workes of kynge Iosias his kyngly power maiesty his vnderstandinge in the lawe of God what he dyd yee thinges which are not wrytteÌ in the boke of the kynges of Israel Iuda And y e people toke Iechonias the sonne of Iosias made him kynge in y e steade of Iosias his father whan he was xxxiij yeare olde And he raigned ouer Israel thre monethes And the kinge of Egipte put him downe y t he shulde not raigne in IerusaleÌ raysed vp a taxinge of the people namely an C. talentes of syluer one taleÌt of golde The kinge of Egipte also made Ioachim his brother kynge of Iuda IerusaleÌ As for theÌ of the kinges councell w t the kynge himself and Zaraceles his brother he toke theÌ caried theÌ awaye presoners in to Egipte Fyue twentie yeare olde was Ioachim whan he was made kynge in the londe of Iuda and Ierusalem and he dyd euell before the LORDE After this Nabuchodonosor y e kynge of BabyloÌ came vp bounde him w t bandes of yron caried him vnto BabiloÌ Nabuchodonosor also toke all y e vessell y t were halowed in the teÌple of the LORDE all y e Iewels caried theÌ vnto Babilon brought theÌ in to his owne teÌple at Babilon Of his vnclennes vngodlynes it is writteÌ in y e boke of the actes of y e kynges And Ioachim his sonne raigned in his steade He was made kynge beinge xviij yeare olde raigned but thre monethes x. dayes in IerusaleÌ dyd euell before the LORDE So after a yeare Nabuchodonosor sent caused him be brought vnto Babilon w t y e holy vessels of y e LORDE made Sedechias his brother kynge of Iuda and IerusaleÌ whan he was xxj yeare olde and he raigned xj yeare And he dyd euell also in y e sight of y e LORDE cared not for y e wordes y t were spokeÌ vnto hiÌ by y e prophet Ieremy at y e mouth of the LORDE And where as he had made on âoth vnto kynge Nabuchodonosor he mansworâ himself fell froÌ him hauynge a stiff neck hert traÌsgressed all y e statutes ordinaunces of the LORDE God of Israel The rulers also heades of y e people of the LORDE dyd moch euell became vngodly more theÌ the Heithen beynge defyled in all maner of abhominacioÌs Yee defyled y e holy teÌple of the LORDE at IerusaleÌ And the God of their fathers sent his messaungers vnto theÌ to turne them backe to call theÌ agayne froÌ their synnes for he wolde fayne haue spared theÌ for his holy tabernacles sake Neuertheles they had his messaungers in derision loke what God spake vnto theÌ by his prophetes they made but a sporte of it This drew on so longe tyll the LORDE was wroth w t his people for their vngodlynes tyll he caused the kinges of y e Caldees to come vp which slew their yonge men w t the swerde yee euen in the compasse of their holy teÌple spared no body nether yonge ner olde nether mayden ner yonge man but they were all delyuered in to the power of the kynges of y e Caldees all the holy vessels of the LORDE and the kynges treasures toke they caried them vnto Babilon As for the house of the LORDE they breÌt it brake downe the walles of IerusaleÌ set fyre vpon hir towres destroyed all hir noble buyldinges and brought them to naught and the people that were not slayne with the swerde they caried vnto Babilon Thus became they y e presoners boÌdemeÌ of y e kynge of Babilon tyll they were delyuered raygned for them selues when the wordes of the LORDE were fulfilled which he promysed them by the mouth
of the prophet Ieremy and tyll the londe had hir rest namely all the tyme y t it laye wayest had it rest quyetnes lxxvij yeares The II. Chapter NOw whaÌ kynge Cyrus raigned ouer the Persians whaÌ the LORDE wolde perfourme the worde y t he had promysed by the mouth of the prophet Ieremy the LORDE raysed vp the sprete of Cyrus the kynge of the PersiaÌs so y t he caused this wrytinge to be proclamed thorow out his whole realme sayenge Thus sayeth the kynge of y e Persians The LORDE of Israel that hye LORDE hath made me kynge of the loÌde and commaunded me to buylde him an house at Ierusalem in Iewry Yf there be eny now of youre people y e LORDE be with him and go vp with him to Ierusalem And all they that dwell rounde aboute y t place shal helpe theÌ whether it be with golde with syluer with giftes with horses and necessary catell and all other thinges that are brought w t a fre wyll to the house of the LORDE at IerusaleÌ Then the pryncipall meÌ out of the trybes and vyllages of Iuda and Ben Iamin stode vp so dyd the prestes also the leuites whoÌ the LORDE had moued to go vp and to buylde the house of the LORDE at IerusaleÌ And they that were aboute them helped them w t all maner of golde and syluer and catell also and with many liberall giftes and this dyd many one whose mynde was stered vp therto Kynge Cyrus also brought forth the vessels and ornamentes that were halowed vnto the LORDE which Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon had caried awaye from Ierusalem and consecrated them to his Idoll and ymage and delyuered them to Mithridatus his treasurer and by him they were delyuered to Salmanasar y e debyte in Iewry And this was the noÌbre of them Two thousande and iiij C. syluer boules xxx syluer basens xxx basens of golde ij M. and iiij C. vessels of syluer and a thousande besyde All the vessels of golde and syluer were v. M.viij C. and lx These were nombred vnto Salmanasar and them that were come agayne with him to IerusaleÌ out of the captiuyte of Babilon Now in the tyme of kynge Artaxerses the kynge of Persia these men Balemus and Mithridatus Sabellius Rathimus Balthemus Semelius y e scrybe and other that dwelt in Samaria in other places vnder y e dominion therof Wrote a letter vnto kynge Artaxerses wherin they complayned vnto the kynge of them in Iewry and Ierusalem The letter was made after this maner Syr thy seruauntes Rathimus the story wryter Sabellius the Scrybe other iudges of thy courte in Celosyria and Phenices Be it knowne and manifest to o r lorde the kyn that the Iewes which are come vp froÌ you vnto vs into the rebellious and wicked cite begynne to buylde it agayne and the walles aboute it and to set vp the teÌple of the new Now yf this cite and the walles therof be sett vp agayne they shal not only refuse to geue trybutes and taxinges but also rebell vtterly agaynst the kynge And for so moch as they take this in hande now aboute the temple we thought it reason to thinke no scorne of it but to shewe it vnto o r lorde the kynge to certifie him therof to the intent y t yf it please the kinge he maye cause it be sought in the bokes of olde and thou shalt fynde soch warnynge wrytten and shalt vnderstonde that this cite hath allwaye bene rebellious and disobedient that it hath subdued kynges and cities and that the Iewes which dwell therin haue euer bene a rebellious obstinate vnfaithfull and fightinge people for the which cause this cite is waysted Wherfore now we certifie oure lorde the kynge that yf this cite be buylded and occupied agayne the walles therof set vp a new thou canst haue no passage in to Celosyria and Phenices Then wrote the kynge to Rathimus the story wryter to Balthemus to Sabellius y e scrybe and to the other officers and dwellers in Syria and Phenices after this maner I haue red the epistle which thou sentest vnto me and haue commaunded to make diligent search and haue founde that the cite hath euer resisted kynges that the same people are dishobedient and haue caused moch warre that mightie kynges haue raigned in Ierusalem which also haue raysed vp taxinges of Syria and Phenices Wherfore I haue commauÌded those people that they shal not buylde the cite that they make no more in it and that they procede no further with the buyldinge for so moch as it might be the cause of warre and displeasure vnto kynges Now whan Rathymus and Sabellius the scrybe and the rulers in the londe had red the wrytinge of kynge Artaxerses they gatt them together and came in all the haist to Ierusalem with an hoost of horsemen and with moch people of fote and forbad them to buylde And so they left of from buyldinge of the temple vnto the seconde yeare of kynge Darius The III. Chapter KYnge Darius made a greate feast vnto his seruauÌtes vnto all his courte to all the officers of Media and Persia yee and to all the debytes rulers that were vnder him from India vnto Ethiopia an hundreth xxvij countrees So whan they had eaten and dronken beinge satisfied and were gone home agayne Darius the kynge wente in to his chambre layed him downe to slepe and so awaked Then the thre yonge men that kepte the kynges personne and watched his body commoned amonge them selues and spake one to another Let euery one of vs saye some thinge and loke whose sentence is wyser and more excellent then the other vnto him shal kinge Darius geue greate giftes and clothe him with purple He shal geue him vessels of golde to drynke in clothes of golde and coueringes he shall make him a costly charett a brydle of golde he shall geue him a bonet of whyte sylke and a chayne of golde aboute his neck yee he shal be the seconde pryncipall nexte vnto kynge Darius that because of his wyszdome and shal be called y e kynges kynsman So euery one wrote his meaninge sealed it and layed it vnder the kinges pelowe and sayde whan the kynge aryseth we will geue him oure wrytinges and loke whose worde the kynge and his chefe lordes iudge to be the most wysely spoken the same shall haue the victory One wrote wyne is a stronge thinge The secoÌde wrote The kynge is stroÌger The thirde wrote wemen haue yet more strength but aboue all thinges y e trueth beareth awaye the victory Now whan the kynge was rysen vp they toke their wrytinges and delyuered them vnto him and so hered them Then sent he forth to call all his chefe lordes all the debytes rulers of the countrees of Media and Persia. And whan they were sett downe in the councell the wrytinges were red before them And he commaunded to call for y e
yonge meÌ y t they might declare their meanynges theÌselues by mouth So when they were sent for and came in y e kynge sayde vnto them shew vs and make vs to vnderstoÌde what the thinges are that ye haue wrytten Then beganne the first which had spokeÌ of the strength of wyne sayde O ye men wyne is maruelous stroÌge and ouercoÌmeth them y e drynke it it disceaueth the mynde bryngeth both the poore man y e kynge to dotage and vanite Thus doth it also w t the bondman and with the fre with the poore rych it taketh awaye their vnderstondinge and maketh them careles and mery so that none of them remembreth eny heuynes dett or dewtie It causeth a man to thinke also that y e thinge which he doth is honest and good and remembreth not that he is a kynge nor y t he is in auctorite y t he ought not to do soch thinges Morouer whan men are drynckinge they forgett all frendshipe all brotherly faithfulnes loue but as soone as they are dronckeÌ they drawe out the swerde wil fight whaÌ they are layed downe froÌ the wyne so rysen vp agayne they can not tell what they dyd Iudge ye now Is not wyne the strongest For who wolde els take in hande to do soch thinges And whan he had spoken this he helde his tonge The IIII. Chapter THen the seconde which had sayde y t the kynge was stronger beganne to speake sayeÌge O ye men are not they the strongest most excellent y t coÌquere the loÌde the see all y t is in y e see in the earth Now is the kynge lorde of all these thinges hath dominion of theÌ all loke what he coÌmauÌdeth it is done Yf he sende his meÌ forth a warfare they go and breake downe hilles walles towres They are slayne slaye oher men them selues ouer passe not y e kynges worde Yf they get the victory they brynge the kynge all the spoyle Likewyse the other y t medle not w t warres fightinge but tyll the grounde whan they reape they brynge trybute vnto y e kynge And yf y e kynge alone do but coÌmaunde to kyll they kyll yf he coÌmaunde to forgeue they forgeue yf he coÌmaunde to smyte they smyte yf he byd dryue awaye they dryue awaye yf he commaunde to buylde they buylde yf he coÌmauÌde to breake downe they breake downe yf he coÌmaunde to plante they plaÌte The comon people y e rulers are obedient vnto him And y e kynge in the meane season sytteth hiÌ downe eateth and drynketh taketh his rest theÌ kepe they watch rouÌde aboute y e kinge not one of theÌ darre gett him out of y e waye to do his owne busynes but must be obedieÌt vnto y e kinge at a worde Iudge ye now o ye men how shulde not he go farre aboue vnto whom men are thus obedieÌt And whan he had spokeÌ this he helde his tonge The thirde whose name was Zorobabel which had spokeÌ of wemen of y e trueth begaÌne to saye after this maner O ye meÌ it is not y e greate kynge it is not the multitude of meÌ nether is it wine y t excelleth Who is it theÌ y t hath y e lordshipe ouer theÌ Haue not wemen borne the kynge all y e people y t rule these thinges Haue not wemeÌ borne theÌ brought theÌ vp y t plante the vynes wher out y e wyne coÌmeth They make garmeÌtes for all meÌ they geue hono r vnto all men w t out wemen can not men lyue Yf they gather golde syluer all precious thinges se a fayre wel fauoured womaÌ they leaue all together and turne their eyes onely vnto the woman gape vpon her haue more desyre vnto her then vnto the syluer golde or eny maner of precious thinge A maÌ leaueth his father y t brought him vp he leaueth his owne naturall couÌtre and cleueth vnto the woman yee he ioperdeth his life with the woman and remembreth nether father ner mother ner countre By this then ye must nedes knowe y t wemen haue y e domynion ouer you Doth it greue you A maÌ taketh his swerde goeth his waye to steale to kyll to murther to sayle vpon the see seyth a lyon and goeth in the darcknes and when he hath stollen disceaued robbed he bringeth it vnto his loue Agayne a man loueth his wyfe better then father and mother yee many one there be that renne out of their wyttes become bondmen for their wyues sakes many one also haue perished haue bene slayne haue synned because of wemen And now beleue me I knowe a kynge which is greate in his power all loÌdes stoÌde in awe of him no man darre laye hande vpon him yet dyd I se y t Apame y e daughter of the greate kynge Bartacus the kynges coÌcubine satt besyde the kynge vpoÌ the right haÌde and toke of his crowne from his heade and set it vpon hir owne heade and smote the kynge with hir left hande Morouer the kynge loked vpoÌ her w t open mouth yf she laughed vpon him he laughed also but yf she toke eny displeasure with him the kynge was fayne to flater her to geue her good wordes till he had gotten hir fauoure agayne O ye men are not wemen then stronger Greate is the earth and hie is the heauen that do these thinges Then the kynge the prynces loked one vpon another So he beganne to speake of the trueth O ye men are not wemeÌ stronger Greate is the earth hye is the heauen swyft is the course of the Sonne he compaseth the heauen rounde aboute and fetcheth his course againe to his owne place in one daye Is he not excellent that doth this yee greate is the trueth and stronger then all thinges All the earth calleth vpon the trueth the heauen prayseth it all workes shake and tremble at it and with it is no vnrighteous thinge Wine is vnrighteous the kynge is vnrighteous wemen are vnrighteous all the children of men are vnrighteous yee all their workes are vnrighteous and there is no trueth in them in their vnrighteousnes also shall they be destroyed and perish As for y e trueth it endureth and is allwaye stronge it lyueth and coÌquereth for euermore worlde without ende The trueth accepteth no personnes it putteth no difference betwixte rych or poore betwixte y e mightie or symple but doth right vnto euery maÌ whether they be euel or good all men are louyngly dealt withall in the workes of it In the iudgment of it there is no vnrighteous thinge but strength kingdome power and maiesty for euermore Blessed be the God of trueth And with that he helde his toÌge and all y e people cried sayde Greate is the trueth and aboue all Then sayde the kynge vnto him Axe what thou wilt more then is
of Assiria which brought vs hither Then Zorobabel and Iesua and the rulers of the villages of Israel sayde vnto them It is not mete that ye shulde buylde the temple of oure God w t vs we oure selues alone wil buylde vnto the LORDE like as Cyrus the kynge of the Persians hath commauÌded vs But the Heithen in the londe layed them selues against those that were in Iewry helde vp the buyldinge from them layed wayte vpoÌ them preuely stopped soch as brought eny thinge to them forbad them to buylde hyndered those that made theÌ passage that the buyldinge shulde not be fynished this contynued so longe as kynge Cyrus lyued so they put of the buyldinge for the space of two yeare vntill y e raigne of kynge Darius The VI. Chapter NOt w t stondinge in the seconde yeare of the raigne of Darius Aggeus Zachary the sonne of Addo prophecied vpon them in Iewry and Ierusalem in the name of the God of Israel Then Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec stode vp and beganne to buylde the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem when the prophetes of the LORDE helped them At the same tyme came Sysennes the vnder shreue in Syria and Phenices with the landlordes and his companyons and sayde vnto them Who hath bydden commaunded you to buylde the house to make the rofe and all other thinges agayne And who are the worke men that buylde them Neuertheles the elders of the Iewes had soch grace of the LORDE that they wolde not be lett though they were prouoked therto but buylded on still vntill the tyme that kynge Darius were certified therof and an answere receaued from him The letter that these men sent vnto kynge Darius was after this maner Sysennes the vnder shreue in Syria and Phenices and the landlordes with their coÌpanioÌs which are head rulers in Syria and Phenices sende their salutacion vnto Darius the kynge We certifie oure lorde the kynge that we came in to the londe of Iewry wente to Ierusalem where we founde them buyldinge the greate house of God and the teÌple with greate costly frestone and with goodly tymbre for the walles yee they make greate haist with the worke helpe one another and it goeth forth prosperously in their handes and with greate diligence worshipe is it made Then axed we the elders who had coÌmaunded them to make vp the house and the buyldinge and this we dyd to y e inteÌt that we might certifie the perfectly and wryte vnto the the names of those y t were y e rulers of the worke So they gaue vs this answere we are the seruauntes of the LORDE which made heauen and earth as for this house it hath bene buylded and set vp afore tyme by the greate and mightie kynge of Israel But whan oure fathers prouoked God vnto wrath synned agaynst the God of Israel he gaue theÌ ouer in to the power of Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babilon the kynge of the Caldees which brake downe y e house and breÌt it and caried awaye the people presoners vnto Babilon Neuertheles in the first yeare that kynge Cyrus reigned at Babilon Cyrus the kynge wrote and commaunded to buylde vp this house agayne and all the ornamentes that Nabuchodonosor caried awaye from Ierusalem vnto Babilon and appropriated vnto his owne temple those brought Cyrus forth agayne and delyuered them to Zorobabel to Salmanasar the vndershreue commaundynge them y t they shulde brynge those same ornamentes agayne to IerusaleÌ in to y e teÌple to begynne from y t tyme forth to buylde the teÌple agayne in his owne place TheÌ Salmanasar layed the foundacion of y e LORDES house at Ierusalem and euer sence haue they buylded yet is it not ended And therfore O kynge yf thou thynkest it good let it be sought in the Lybraries rolles of kynge Cyrus yf it be founde theÌ that it is done w t the councell and coÌsent of kynge Cyrus and yf oure lorde y e kynge be so mynded let him wryte vnto vs therof Then coÌmaunded kinge Darius to seke in the Lybraries and so at Egbathanis in a litle cite in Media there was founde soch a wrytinge In the first yeare of the raigne of Cyrus the same kynge Cyrus coÌmaunded y t the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem shulde be buylded agayne odoures to be made there contynually vnto the LORDE whose heyth shal be ten cubites y e bredth lx cubites iiij square w t thre hewen stones w t a lofte of tymbre of the same countre yee w t a new loft the expenses therof to be geuen of y e house of kynge Cyrus And the ornameÌtes of golde syluer y t Nabuchodonosor toke out of the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem shal be set agayne in the temple at IerusaleÌ where they were afore Sysennes also the vndershreue in Syria and Phenices y e prynces and their companyons and the other y t be head rulers in Syria and Phenices shall not medle ner haue eny thinge to do with that place I Cyrus haue coÌmaunded also that they shal buylde the house of the LORDE whole vp haue ordeyned them to helpe those y t be come out of captiuyte tyll the house of the LORDE be fynished out of the trybute and taxinge that is yearly raysed vp in Syria and Phenices diligently to geue them a certayne summe to the offerynge of the LORDE and the same to be delyuered vnto Zorobabel the officer that he therwithall maye ordeyne oxen rammes lambes corne salt wyne and oyle and that contynually euery yeare after the expences which the prestes that be at Ierusalem shew to be made daylie this shal be geuen vnto them without delaye that they maye offer sacrifices daylie to the hyest God for the kynge and for his seruauntes and to praye for their lyues Let it be proclamed also on euery syde that who o euer breaketh or despyseth this coÌmaundement of y e kynge shal be hanged vpon a galow made of his owne good all his goodes shal be seasoned vnto y e kynge The LORDE therfore whose name is there called vpon rote out and destroye all y e kynges and people that vndertake by violence to hynder the same or to deale vncurteously w t the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem I Darius the kinge haue ordeyned that these thinges shal be done with all diligence The VII Chapter THen Sysennes y e vndershreue in Celosyria and Phenices and the other landlordes with their companyons obeyed the thinges that kynge Darius had ordened were diligent in the holy workes were felow helpers with the olde rulers of the Iewes And so the worke of the Sanctuary wente forth and prospered whan Aggeus and Zachary prophecied And they perfourmed all thinges thorow the commaundement of the LORDE God of Israel and after the deuyce of Cyrus Darius and Artaxerses kynges of Persia. And thus
promysed offerynges And Iudith offred all Holofernes weapâns and all the Iewels that y e people had geueÌ her and the canapy that she toke from his bed and hanged them vp vnto the LORDE The people was ioyfull as the vse is this ioye by reason of the victory with Iudith endured thre monethes So after these dayes euery man wente home agayne and Iudith was in greate reputacion at Bethulia and right honorably taken in all the londe of Israel Vnto hir vertue also was chastite ioyned so y t after hir huszbonde Manasses dyed she neuer knew man all the dayes of hir life Vpon the hye solempne dayes she wente out with greate worshipe She dwelt in hir huszbandes house an hundreth and fyue yeare left hir hondâ mayden fre and dyed and was buried besyde hir huszbande in Bethulia And all the people mourned for her seuen dayes So longe as she lyued there was none that troubled Israel and many yeares also after hir death The daye wherin this victory was gotten was solemply holden and rekened of the Iewes in the nombre of the holy dayes and is yet greatly holden of the Iewes euer sence vnto this daye The ende of the boke of Iudith The chapters in the boke of Hester which are not founde in the text of the Hebrue but in the Greke and Latyn The XI Chapter after the Latyn In this chapter is descrybed the dreame of Mardocheus MArdocheus the sonne of Iair the sonne of Semei y e sonne of Cisei of y e trybe of Ben Iamin a Iew which had his dwelllynge in Susis a man of greate reputacioÌ excellent amonge all them that were in the kynges courte Neuerthelesse he was one of the presoners whom Nabuchodonosor the kynge of BabiloÌ had caried awaye from Ierusalem vnto Babilon w t Iechonias the kynge of Iuda In the seconde yeare of the raigne of greate Artaxerses in the first daye of y e moneth Nisan had this Mardocheus soch a dreame He thought he herde a greate teÌpest horrible thonder clappes erthquakes greate vpro r in y e londe y t he sawe two greate dragoÌs ready to fight one agaiÌst another Their crye was greate At the which roaringe and crye all Heithen were vp to fight agaynst y e righteous people And y e same daye was full of darcknes very vncleare full of trouble anguysh yee a greate fearfulnes was there in all the londe The righteous were amased for they feared y e plage euell y t was deuysed ouer theÌ were at a poynte w t them selues to dye So they cried vnto God and while they were cryenge the litle well grew in to a greate ryuer in to many waters And with y t it was daye the sonne rose vp agayne And y e lowly were exalted and deuoured the glorious and proude Now whan Mardocheus had sene this dreame he awoke and mused stedfastly in his hert what God wolde do and so he desyred to knowe all the matter and his mynde was there vpon vntyll the night The XII Chapter In this chapter is declared how Mardocheus vttereth the treason of the two seruauntes agaynst the kynge and therfore doth the kynge rewarde him AT the same tyme dwelt Mardocheus with Bagatha and Thares the kynges chamberlaynes and porters of the palace But whan he herde their deuyce and had diligently considered their ymaginacions he perceaued that they wente aboute to laye their cruell handes vpon the kynge Artaxerses and so he certified the kinge therof Then caused the kynge to examen y e two gelded with tormentes And whan they had graunted it they were put to death This the kynge caused to be put in y e Cronicles for an euerlastinge remembrauÌce and Mardocheus wrote vp the same matter So the kynge commaunded that Mardocheus shulde do seruyce in the courte and for this faithfulnesse of his he gaue him a rewarde But Aman the sonne of Amadathu the Agagite which was holden in greate honoure and reputacion in the kynges courte vndertoke to hurte Mardocheus his people because of the two chamberlaynes that were put to death The XIII Chapter The copie of the commaundement which kiÌge Artaxerses by the entisinge of AmaÌ sent out in to all countres for the destruccion of the Iewes The prayer of Mardocheus THe greate kynge Artaxerses which raigneth from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and seuen and tweÌtye londes sendeth his frendly salutacion vnto all the prynces and debytes of the countrees which be subiecte vnto his dominion Whan I was made lorde ouer many people and had subdued the whole earth vnto my dominion my mynde was not with crueltye and wronge to exalte myself by the reason of my power but purposed w t equyte allwaye and gentylnes to gouerne those that be vnder my iuriszdiccion and wholy to set them in a peaceable life and therby to brynge my kingdome vnto tranquylite that men might safely go thorow on euery syde and to renue peace agayne which all men desyre Now whan I axed my councelers how these thines might be brought to a good ende there was one by vs excelleÌt in wyszdome whose good wyll trueth faithfulnes hath oft bene shewed proued which was also y e pryncipall next vnto y e kiÌge AmaÌ by name which certified vs how y t in all loÌdes there was crepte in a rebellious folke y t made statutes lawes agaynst all other people haue allwaye despysed the proclamed commaundementes of kynges and how that for this cause it were not to be suffred that soch rule shulde contynue by you not to be put downe Seinge now we perceaue the same that this people alone are contrary vnto euery man vsynge straunge and other maner of lawes withstonde oure statutes and doinges and go aboute to stablish shrewd matters that oure kyngdome shulde neuer come to good estate and stedfastnes Therfore haue we commauÌded that all they that are appoynted in wrytinge and shewed vnto you by Aman which is ordened and set ouer all oure busynes and the most pryncipall next vnto the kynge and in maner as a father shal with their wiues children be destroyed and roted out with the swerde of their enemies and aduersaries y t there shal be no mercy shewed no man spared And this shal be done y e xiiij daye of the moneth called Adar of this yeare that they which of olde and now also haue euer bene rebellious maye in one daye with violence be thrust downe in to the hell to the inteÌt that after this maner oure empyre maye haue peace and tranquylite But Mardocheus thought vpon all the workes and noble actes of y e LORDE made his prayer vnto him sayenge O LORDE LORDE thou valeaunt and allmightie kynge for all thinges are in thy power and yf thou wilt helpe and delyuer Israel there is no maÌ that can withstoÌde ner lett the for thou hast made heauen earth and what
wonderous thinge so euer is vnder the heauen thou art LORDE of all thinges and there is no man y t can resist the O LORDE Thou knowest all thinges thou wotest LORDE that it was nether of malyce ner presumpcion ner for eny desyre of glory that I wolde not bowe downe myself ner worshipe yonder proude presumptuous Aman for I wolde haue bene coÌtent and y t with good wyll yf it might haue done Israel eny good to haue kyst eueÌ his fotesteppes but that I dyd it because I wolde not sett the honoure of a maÌ in the steade of the glorye of God and because I wolde worshipe none but onely y e my LORDE And this haue I done in no pryde ner presumpcion And therfore O LORDE thou God and kinge haue mercy vpon thy people for they ymagyn how they maye bringe vs to naught yee their mynde and desyre is to destroye and to ouerthrowe the people that hath euer bene thine enheritaunce of olde O despyse not thy porcioÌ which thou hast delyuered brought out of Egipte for thine owne self Heare my prayer and be mercifull vnto y e people whoÌ thou hast chosen for an heretage vnto thyself Turne oure complaynte and sorow in to ioye that we maye lyue O LORDE and prayse thy name O LORDE suffre not y e mouthes of them that praise the to be destroyed All y e people of Israel in like maner cried as earnestly as they coude vnto the LORDE for their death and destruccion stode before their eyes The XIIII Chapter Of the sorowe complaynte and prayer of quene Hester QVene Hester also beynge in the battayll of death resorted vnto the LORDE layed awaye hir glorious apparell and put on the garmeÌtes that serued for sighinge and mournynge In the steade of precious oyntment she scatred ashes and doÌge vpon hir heade and as for hir body she humbled it and brought it very lowe All the places where she was woÌte to haue ioye afore those fylled she with y e hayre y t she plucââ out hirself She prayed also vnto the LORDE God of Israel with these wordes O my LORDE thou onely art oure kynge helpe me desolate womaÌ which haue no helper but y e for my misery and destruccion is harde at my hande Fro my youth vp I haue herde out of the kynred of my father that thou tokest Israel from amoÌge all people and so haue oure fathers of their fore elders that they shulde be thy perpetuall inheritaunce and loke what thou didest promise theÌ thou hast made it good vnto theÌ Now well LORDE we haue synned before the therfore hast thou geuen vs in to the haÌdes of oure enemies because we worshipped their goddes LORDE thou art righteous Neuertheles it satisfieth theÌ not that we are in bytter and heuy captiuyte and oppressed amonge them but thou hast layed their hondes vpon the hondes of their goddes so that they begynne to take awaye the thinge that thou with thy mouth hast ordened and appoynted to destroye thyne inheritaunce to shut and to stoppe y e mouthes of them that prayse the to queÌch the glory and worshipe of thy house and thine aulter and to open the mouthes of the Heithen y t they maye prayse the power vertue of the goddes and to magnifie the fleshly kynge for euer O LORDE geue not thy cepter vnto theÌ that be nothinge lest they laugh vs to scorne in oure misery and fall but turne their deuyce vpoÌ them selues and punysh him that hath begonne the same ouer vs and set him to an exampls Thinke vpon vs O LORDE and shew thy self in y e tyme of oure distres and of oure trouble Strength me O thou kynge of goddes thou LORDE of all power geue me an eloqueÌt and pleasaunt speach in my mouth before the Lyon Turne his hert in to y e hate of oure enemie to destroye him and all soch as consent vnto him But delyuer vs with thy hande and helpe me desolate woman which haue no defence ner helper but onely ye. LORDE thou knowest all thinges thou wotest that I loue not the glory and worshipe of the vnrighteous and that I hate and abhorre the bed of the vncircuÌcyded and of all Heithen Thou knowest and wotest my necessite y t I hate the token of my preemynence worshipe which I beare vpon my heade what tyme as I must shew my self and be sene that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth and that I weere it not whaÌ I am quyete and alone by my self Thou knowest also that I thy honde mayden haue not eaten at AmaÌs table and that I haue had no pleasure ner delyte in the kynges feast that I haue not dronke the drynk offeringes and that I thy honde mayden haue had not ioye sens y e daie that I was brought hither vnto this daye but onely in the O LORDE O thou God of Abraham O thou mightie God aboue all heare the voyce of them that haue none other hope and delyuer vs out of the hande of y e wicked delyuer me out of my feare The XV. Chapter Quene Hester appeareth before the kynge with an heuy hert for the trouble of hir people and God turneth the kynges hert ANd vpon y e thirde daye it happened that Hester layed awaye y e mournynge garmeÌtes and put on hir glorious apparell and decte hirself goodly after that she had called vpon God which is the beholder Sauioure of all thinges toke two maydes w t her vpon the one she leaned hir self as one y t was tender the other folowed her and bare the trayne of hir vesture The shyne of hir bewtye made hir face rose coloured The similitude of hir face was chearfull and amyable but hir hert was soroufull for greate feare She wente in thorow all the dores and stode before the kynge The kynge sat vpon the trone of his kingdome and was clothed in his goodly araye all of golde and sett w t precious stones and he was very terryble He lift vp his face that shone in the clearnes and loked grymly vpon her Then fell the Quene downe was pale and faynt leaned hir self vpon the heade of the mayde that wente with her Neuertheles God turned y e kynges mynde that he was gentle that he leape out of his seate for feare and gat her in his armes helde hir vp tyll she came to herself agayne He gaue her louynge wordes also sayde vnto her Hester what is the matter I am y e brother be of good cheare thou shalt not dye for oure commaundement toucheth the comons not the. Come nye And with that he helde vp his golden wande and layed it vpon hir neck and enbraced her frendly and sayde talke with me TheÌ sayde she I sawe the O lorde as an angell of God my hert was troubled for feare of thy maiesty and clearnesse For excellent and wonderfull art thou O lorde and thy face is full of amyte But as she was thus
I shal destroye this dragon without swearde or staff The kynge sayde I geue y e leaue Then Daniel toke pitch fatte and hairie woll and did seyth them together and made lompes therof this he put in y e DragoÌs mouth and so y e dragon barst in sonder and Daniel sayde lo there is he whom ye worshipped When they of Babylon herde that they toke greate indignacion and gathered them together agaynst the kynge sayenge The kynge is become a Iewe also he hath destroyed Bel he hath slayne y e Dragon and put the prestes to death So they came to y e kynge sayde let us haue Daniel or els we wâl destroye the and thine house Now whan y e kynge sawe that they russhed in so sore vpon him that necessite constrained him he deliuered Daniel vnto them which cast him in to the lyons denne where he was sixe dayes In the denne there were seuen lyons and they had geuen them euery daye two bodies and two shepe which then were not geueÌ them that they might deuoure Daniel There was in Iewry a prophet called Abacuc which had made potage and broker bred in a depe platter and was goinge in to the felde for to brynge it to y e mowers But the angell of the LORDE sayde vnto Abacuc go cary the meate that thou hast in to Babilon vnto Daniel which is in y e lyoÌs denne And Abacuc sayde LORDE I neuer sawe Babilon and as for the denne I knowe it not Then the angel of the LORDE toke him by the toppe and bare him by the hayre of the heade and thorow a mightie wynde set him in Babilon vpon the denne And Abacuc cried sayenge O Daniel thou seruaunt of God haue take the breakfast y t God hath sent ye. And Daniel saide O God hast thou thought vpon me wel thou neuer faylest them that loue the. So Daniel arose ate and the angel of the LORDE set Abacuc in his owne place agayne immediatly Vpon the seuenth daye the kynge wente to bewepe Daniel and whan he came to the denne he loked in and beholde Daniel sat in the myddest of the lyons Then cried y e kynge with a loude voyce sayenge Greate art thou o LORDE God of Daniel he drewe him out of the denne As for those that were y e cause of his destruccioÌ he dyd cast theÌ in to the denne and they were deuoured in a moment before his face After this wrote the kynge vnto all people kynreddes and tunges that dwelt in all countrees sayenge peace be multiplied with you My commaundement is in all the dominyon of my realme that men feare and stonde in awe of Daniels God for he is the lyuynge God which endureth euer his kyngdome abydeth vncorrupte and his power is euerlastinge It is he that can delyuer and saue he doth wonders and maruelous workes in heauen and in earth for he hath saued Daniel from the power of the Lyons The ende of the Storye of Bel. The first boke of the Machabees What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Of the power of Alexander kynge of Macedonia Of certayne vnfaithfull Israelites Of the greate tyranny of Antiochus how miserably he destroyeth IerusaleÌ which God suffreth to be plaged because they haue forsaken him Chap. II. How feruently Matathias and his sonnes stryue for the honoure of God and welfare of the people How swetely he exorteth his sonnes eueÌ in the houre of his death to be sted fast in the lawe of God Chap. III. Of Iudas Machabeus that worthy captayne and of his noble actes agaynst Antiochus Chap. IIII. V Of the glorious victory that God gaue Iudas against Gorgias and Lisias how they wynne the cite and clense the temple agayne how they fyght afterwarde against the Heithen Chap. VI. Antiochus besegeth Elymas in Persia Iudas layeth sege to the castelar Ierusalem the kynge goeth aboute to helpe theÌ that are therin Chap. VII The tyranny of Demetrius They take truce with the people of God kepe it not Chap. VIII Iudas hearinge how reasonable the Romaynes are seketh for to make peace with them Chap. IX How Iudas was slaine in the bataill and how there came vp derth after his death Ionathas was captayne after him and gatt the victory of Bachides Chap. X. Of AlexaÌder the sonne of Antiochus Demetrius maketh peace with Ionathas so doth Alexander afterwarde Ptolomy geueth his doughter Cleopatra vnto AlexaÌder Demetrius defyeth Ionathas Chap. XI Ptolomy ryseth agaynst Alexander and Ionathas and promyseth to geue Demetrius his daughter whom he had geuen allredy vnto Alexander The death of Alexander and Ptolomy ⪠the raigne of Demetrius Demetrius and Ionathas are frendes Alexanders sonne taketh the kyngdome vpon him Chap. XII The Iewes wryte vnto the Romaynes and Sparcians to renue the olde frendshipe Triphon receaueth Ionathas with fayre wordes and then causeth him and his to be slayne Chap. XIII After the death of Ionathas is Symon his brother made Captaine of the people which goeth forth agaynst Triphon and burieth his brother Triphon slayeth Antiochus haynously Symon maketh peace with Demetrius and layeth sege to Gaza Chap. XIIII Demetrius seketh helpe against TriphoÌ Demetrius is takeÌ Peace in Iewry SimoÌ ruleth well The Romaines and they of Sparta renue the peace with Symon Chap. XV. Antiochus wryteth louyngly vnto the Iewes and persecuteth Triphon He breaketh the bonde with the Iewes Chap. XVI The faithfulnes of SymoÌ his sonnes Ptolomy szlayeth them disceatfully and betrayeth the londe The first Chapter AFter that Alexander the sonne of Philippe kynge of Macedonia wente forth of the londe of Cethim and slewe Darius kynge of the PersiaÌs and Meedes It happened that he toke greate warres in honde wanne very many stronge cities and slew many kinges of y e earth goinge thorow to y e endes of the worlde and gettinge many spoyles of the people In so moch y t the worlde stode in greate awe of him therfore was he proude in his herte Now wheÌ he had gathered a mightie stroÌge hoost subdued y e loÌdes and people with their prynces so that they became tributaries vnto hiÌ he fell sick And wheÌ he perceaued that he must nedes die he called for his noble estates which had bene brought vp with him of children parted his kyngdome amonge them whyle he was yet alyue So AlexaÌder raygned xij yeare and then dyed After his death fell the kyngdome vnto his prynces and they optayned it euery one in his rowme and caused them selues to be crowned as kynges and so dyd their childreÌ after them many yeares moch wickednesse increaced in the worlde Out of these came y t vngracious rote noble Antiochus y e sonne of Antiochus the kynge which had bene a pledge at Rome he raigned in y e Cxxxvij yeare of the raigne of the Grekes In those dayes weÌte there out of Israel wicked men which moued moch people w t their couÌcel sayeÌge Let
hoost turned againe to Ierusalem buylte vp y e castels stronge holdes that were in Iewry Iericho Emaus Bethoron Bethel ThaÌnata Phara Thopo w t hye walles w t portes with lockes set men to kepe them y t they might vse their malice vpon Israel He walled vp Bethsura Gazara the castell at IerusaleÌ also prouyded them w t men vytales He toke also the chefest mens sonnes in the countre for pledges and put them in the castel at Ierusalem to be kepte Afterwarde in the C.liij. yeare in the seconde moneth Alcimus coÌmaunded that y e walles of the ynmost Sanctuary shulde be destroyed the buyldinges of y e prophetes also And when he beganne to destroye theÌ y e thinges y t he weÌte aboute were hyndered for he was smytten w t a palsey his mouth shutt so y t he coude nomore speake ner commaunde eny of his house coÌcerninge his busynesse Thus dyed Alcimus in greate misery at the same tyme. And wheÌ Bachides sawe y t Alcimus was deed he turned agayne to y e kynge so the londe was in rest ij yeares Then all the vngodly men helde a councell sayenge Beholde Ionathas and his coÌpany are at ease dwell without care Wherfore let vs brynge Bachides hither he shall take them all in one night So they weÌte gaue Bachides this councell which arose to come w t a greate hoost sent letters priuely to his adherentes which were in Iewry to take Ionathas those y t were with him but they might not for the other had gotten knowlege of their deuyce And Ionathas toke L. men of the countre which were the ryngleders of them slewe them Then Ionathas and Symon w t their coÌpany departed vnto the cite Bethbessen which lieth in the wyldernesse and repayred the decaye therof made it stronge When Bachides knewe this he gathered all his hoost and sent worde to them that were of Iewry TheÌ came he and layed sege to Bethbessen and fought against it a longe season and made instrumentes of warre Now Ionathas lefte his brother Symon in the cite and wente forth himself in to the countre and came with a certayne nombre and slewe Odares and his brethren and the children of Phaseron in their tentes so y t he beganne to be stronge to increase in power As for Symon and his company they wente out of the cite and breÌt vp the instrumeÌtes of warre and fought agaynst Bachides and discoÌfited him And Bachides was sore vexed because his councell and trauayle was in vayne Wherfore he was wroth at y e wicked men that gaue him councell to come in to their londe and slew many of them Then purposed he with his company to go awaye in to his owne countre wherof wheÌ Ionathas had knowlege he sent embassitours vnto him for to make peace with him y t he shulde deliuer him his presoners againe To the which Bachides coÌsented gladly and dyd acordinge to his desyre yee and made an ooth that he shulde neuer do him harme all the dayes of his life So he restored vnto him all the presoners that he had taken out of the londe of Iuda and theÌ turned and wente his waye in to his owne londe nether proceded he eny further to come vnto y e borders of Iuda Thus Israel had no more warre And Ionathas dwelt at Machmas and beganne there to gouerne the people and destroyed the vngodly men out of Israel The X. Chapter IN the C.lx. yeare came Alexander y e sonne of noble Antiochus and toke Ptolomais whose citisens receaued him and there he raigned When Demetrius herde therof he gathered an exceadinge greate hoost and weÌte forth agaynst him to fight Wherfore Demetrius sent letters vnto Ionathas with louynge wordes and praysed him greatly For he sayde we wyll first make peace with him before he bynde him selfe with Alexander agaynst vs els he shall remembre the euell that we haue done against him his brother his people And so he gaue Ionathas leue to gather an hoost to make weapens and to be confederate w t him and commaunded the pledges that were in the castell to be delyuered vnto him Then came Ionathas to Ierusalem and red the letters in the audience of all the people and of them that were in y e castell And therfore were they sore afrayed because they herde that the kynge had geueÌ him licence to gather an hoost Thus were the pledges delyuered vnto Ionathas which restored them to their elders Ionathas also dwelt at Ierusalem and begaÌne to buylde vp and to repayre the cite commaundinge the worke men to wall it and the mount Sion rounde aboute with fre stone to be a stronge holde and so they dyd As for the Heithen that were in y e castels which Bachides had made vp they fled so that euery man left the place and weÌte in to his owne countre Onely at Bethsura remayned certayne of the Iewes which had forsaken the lawe and coÌmaundementes of God for Bethsura was their refuge Now when kynge Alexander herde of y e promises y t Demetrius had made vnto Ionathas and when it was tolde him of y e batels and noble actes which he and his brethren had done and of the greate trauayles that they had taken he saide where shal we fynde soch a man wel we will make him oure frende be confederate with him Vpon this he wrote a lettre vnto him w t these wordes kinge AlexaÌder saluteth his brother Ionathas We haue herde of the y t thou art a valeaunt man mete to be o r frende wherfore this daye we ordene the to be the hye prest of thy people and to be called the kynges frende Vpon this he sente him a purple clothinge a crowne of golde y t thou mayest considre what is for oure profit kepe frendshipe towarde vs. So in the vij moneth of the C.lx. yeare vpon the solempne feast daye of the tabernacles Ionathas put the holy rayment vpon him Then gathered he an hoost made many weapeÌs Which when Demetrius herde he was maruelous sory sayde Alas what haue we done y t Alexander hath preuented vs in gettinge the frendshipe of the Iewes for his owne defence Yet wil I wryte louingly vnto them also yee promise them dignities rewardes y t they maye be of my syde Whervpon he wrote vnto theÌ these wordes Kinge Demetrius sendeth gretinge vnto y e people of the Iewes Where as ye haue kepte yo r couenaunt towarde vs coÌtinued in o r frendshipe not enclyninge to oure enemies we were glad when we herde therof Wherfore remayne still be faithfull to vs we shal wel recoÌpense you for the thinges y t ye haue done on o r partie we shall release you of many charges and geue you rewardes And now I discharge you all y e Iewes from tributes I forgeue you the customes of salt and release you of the
crowne taxes of the thirde parte of sede and half of the frute of trees which is myne owne dewty These I leaue for you from this daye forth so that they shall not be taken of the londe of Iuda ner of the thre cities which are added thervnto out of Samaria and Galilee from this daye forth for euermore IerusaleÌ also with all thinges beloÌginge therto shal be holy and fre yee y t tithes tributes shal pertayne vnto it As for the power of y e castell which is at Ierusalem I remytte geue it vnto the hye prest that he maye set in it soch men as he shall chose to kepe it I frely delyuer all the Iewes that are presoners thorow out all my realme so that euery one of them shal be fre from payenge eny tribute yee euen of their catell All the soleÌpne feastes Sabbathes New mones the dayes appoynted the thre daies before and after the feast shall be fre for all the Iewes in my realme so that in them no man shal haue power to do eny thinge or to moue eny busynesse agaynst eny of them in eny maner of cause There shal xxx M. also of the Iewes be written vp in the kynges hoost and haue their wages payed as all other men of warre of the kynges shulde haue and of them shal be ordened certayne to kepe the kynges stronge holdes yee and some of them shal be set ouer the kynges busynesse that they maye faithfully deale with the same The Iewes also shal haue prynces of their owne walke in their owne lawes as the kynge hath commaunded in the londe of Iuda And the thre cities that are fallen vnto Iewry from the countre of Samaria and Galilee shal be taken as Iewry and be vnder one nether be subiecte to eny straunge lorde but to the hye prest As for Ptolomais and the londe pertayninge therto I geue it vnto the Sanctuary at Ierusalem for the necessary expeÌces of the holy thinges Morouer I will geue euery yeare xv M. Sycles of syluer out of y e kynges checker which pertayneth vnto me to the worke of the temple yee loke what remayneth which they y t had oure matters in honde in tymes past haue not payed that same shal they geue vnto them also And besydes all this the v. M. sycles which they toke yearly of the reÌtes of the Sanctuary shal belonge vnto the prestes that do seruyce Item who so euer they be that fle vnto the temple at Ierusalem or within the liberties therof where as they are fallen in to the kynges daunger for eny maner of busynes they shall be pardoned and all the goodes that they haue in my realme shal be fre For the buyldinge also repayringe of the worke of the Sanctuary expenses shal be geuen out of the kynges Checker Yee and for the makinge of the walles rounde aboute Ierusalem for the breakinge downe of the olde and for the settinge vp of the stronge holdes in Iewry shal y e costes and charges be geuen out of the kynges Checker But when Ionathas and the people herde these wordes they gaue no credence vnto them nether receaued them for they remembred the greate wickednesse that he had done vnto Israel and how sore he had vexed them Wherfore they agreed vnto Alexander for he was a prynce that had dealte frendly with them and so they stode by him allwaye TheÌ gathered kynge AlexaÌder a greate hoost and brought his armye agaynst Demetrius So y e two kynges stroke battayll together but Demetrius hoost fled and Alexander folowed after and fell vpon them A mightie sore felde was it continuynge till the Sonne wente downe and Demetrius was slayne the same daye And Alexander sente embassâtours vnto Ptolomy the kynge of Egipte with these wordes sayenge For so moch as I am come agayne to my realme and am set in the trone of my progenitours and haue gotten the dominion ouer come Demetrius conquered the londe and striken a felde with him so that we haue discomfited both him and his hoost and syt in the trone of his kyngdome Let vs now make frendshipe together geue me thy daughter to wife so shall I be thy sonne in lawe and both geue the rewardes and hir greate dignite Ptolomy the kynge gaue answere sayenge Happy be the daye wherin thou art come agayne to the londe of thy progenitours and set in the trone of their kyngdome And now will I fulfill thy writynge but mete me at Ptolomais y t we maye se one another and that I maye mary my doughter vnto the acordinge to thy desyre So Ptolomy weÌte out of Egipte with his doughter Cleopatra came vnto Ptolomais in y e Clxij yeare where kynge AlexaÌder met him he gaue Alexander his doughter Cleopatra and maried them at Ptolomais with greate worshipe like as the maner of kynges is to be Then wrote kynge Alexander vnto Ionathas that he shulde come and mete him So he wente honorably vnto Ptolomais there he met the two kinges and gaue them greate presentes of golde and syluer founde fauoure in their sight And there came together agaynst Ionathas certayne wicked men and vngracious personnes of Israel makynge complayntes of him but the kynge regarded them not As for Ionathas the kynge commaunded to take of his garmentes and to clothe him in purple and so they dyd Then the kynge appoynted him to syt by him and sayde vnto his prynces Go with him in to the myddest of the cite and make a proclamacion that no man complayne agaynst him of eny matter and that no man trouble him for eny maner of cause So it happened that when his accusers sawe the worshipe which was proclamed of him y t he was clothed in purple they fled euerychone And the kynge made moch of him wrote him amonge his chefe frendes made him a duke and partaker of his dominion Thus Ionathas wente agayne to Ierusalem with peace and gladnesse In the Clxv. yeare came Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius from Creta in to his fathers londe wherof when Alexander herde tell he was right sory and returned vnto Antioche And Demetrius chose Appollonius which had the gouernaunce of Celosyria to be his captayne So he gathered a greate hoost and came vnto Iamnia and sende worde vnto Ionathas the hye prest sayenge Darrest thou w t stonde vs thy self alone As for me I am but laughed to scorne and shamed because thou prouest thy strength agaynst vs in the mountaynes Now therfore yf thou trustest in thyne owne strength come downe to vs in to the playne felde and there let vs proue oure strength together thou shalt fynde that I haue valeaunt men of warre with me and shalt knowe who I am the other that stonde by me Which saye that youre fote is not able to stonde before oure face for thy fathers haue bene twyse chaced in to their owne londe And now how wylt thou be able to abyde so greate
an hoost of horsmen and fotemen in the felde where as is nether rocke stone ner place to fle vnto When Ionathas herde the wordes of Appollonius he was moued in his mynde wherfore he chose x. thousande men and wente out of Ierusalem and Symon his brother met him for to helpe him And they pitched their tentes at Ioppa but the cite kepte him forth for Ioppa was an holde of Appollonius Then Ionathas layed sege to it and they that were in the cite for very feare let him in and so Ionathas wanne Ioppa Appollonius hearinge of this toke thre thousande horsmen with a greate hoost of fote and wente as though he wolde go to Azotus came Immediatly in to the playne felde because he had so many horsmeÌ and put his trust in theÌ So Ionathas folowed vpon him to Azotus there they stroke the battayll Now had Appollonius lefte a M. horsmen behynde them pryuely in the teÌtes And when Ionathas knewe that soch waite was layed behynde them they weÌte rounde aboute the enemies hoost and shot dartes at the people from the mornynge to the euenynge As for Ionathas people they kepte their ordre as he had commaunded them the enemies horses were euer labouringe Then brought Symon forth his hoost and set them agaynst the fote men For the horsmeÌ were weery allready So he discomfited them and they fled And they that were scatred in the felde gat them to Azotus and came in to the temple of Dagon their Idol y t they might there saue their lyues But Ionathas set fyre vpon Azotus and all the cities rounde aboute it toke their goodes and breÌt vp the temple of Dagon with all them that were fled in to it Thus were slayne and breÌt well nye viij thousande men So Ionathas remoued the hoost from thence and brought them to Ascalon where y e men of the cite came forth and met him with greate worshipe After this wente Ionathas and his hoost agayne to Ierusalem with greate substaunce of good And when kynge Alexander herde the se thinges he thought to do Ionathas more worshipe sent him a colar of golde as the vse is to be geuen vnto soch as are of the kynges nexte bloude He gaue him also y e cite of Accaron with the londes belongynge therto in possession The XI Chapter ANd y e kynge of Egipte gathered an hoost like the sonde y t lieth vpon the see shore and many shippes and wente aboute thorow disceate to optayne y e kingdome of AlexaÌder to ioyne it vnto his owne realme Vpon this he toke his iourneye in to Syria was letten in to the cities and meÌ came forth to mete him for kinge AlexaÌder had coÌmaunded them so to do because he was his father in lawe Now when Ptolomy entred in to eny cite he lefte meÌ of warre to kepe it and this he dyd thorow out all y e cities And when he came to Azotus they shewed him the temple of Dagon and Azotus that was brent vp with the other thinges which were destroyed the deed bodies cast abrode and y e graues that they had made by the waye syde for soch as were slayne in the felde And tolde the kynge that Ionathas had done all these thinges to the inteÌt they might get him euell will But the kynge sayde not a worde therto And Ionathas met the kynge with greate hono r at Ioppa where they saluted one another and toke their rest So when Ionathas had gone with y e kynge vnto the water that was called Eleutherus he turned agayne to Ierusalem Now Ptolomy had gotten the dominion of the cities vnto Selencia vpon the see coost ymaginynge wicked councels agaynst Alexander sent embassitours vnto Demetrius sayenge Come let vs make a bonde betwixte vs so shall I geue the my doughter that Alexander hath and thou shalt raigne in thy fathers kyngdome I repente that I gaue Alexander my doughter for he goeth aboute to slaye me And thus he slaundred Alexander because he wolde haue had his realme Thus he toke his doughter from him gaue her vnto Demetrius and forsoke Alexander so that his malice was openly knowne And Ptolomy came to Antioche where he set two crownes vpon his owne heade the crowne of Egipte and of Asia In the meane season was kynge Alexander in Cilicia for they that dwelt in those places had rebelled agaynst him But when AlexaÌder herde of this he came to warre agaynst him So kinge Ptolomy brought forth his hoost and met him with a mightie power and chaced him awaye Then fled Alexander in to Araby there to be defended and kynge Ptolomys honoure increased And Zabdiel the Arabian smote of Alexanders heade and sent it vnto Ptolomy But the thirde daye after died kynge Ptolomy himself and they whom he had set in the stronge holdes were slayne of those that were within y e cities And Demetrius raigned in y e hundreth and seuen and sixtie yeare At the same tyme gathered Ionathas them that were in Iewry to laye sege vnto the castell which was at Ierusalem and so they made many instrumentes of warre agaynst it Then wente there certaine vngodly personnes which hated their owne people vnto kynge Demetrius and tolde him that Ionathas beseged y e castell So when he herde it he was angrie and Immediatly came to Ptolomais and wrote vnto Ionathas that he shulde not laye sege to the castell but come and speake with him in all the haist Neuerthelesse when Ionathas herde this he commaunded to besege it He chose also certayne of the elders and prestes of Israel and put him self in the parell and toke with him golde syluer clothinge and diuerse presentes ⪠and wente to Ptolomais vnto the kynge and founde him gracious And though certayne vngodly men of his owne people made complayntes vpon him yet the kynge intreated him like as his predecessours had done before and promoted him in the sight of all his frendes confirmed him in the hye presthode with all the worshipe y t he had afore and made him his chefe frende Ionathas also desyred the kynge that he wolde make Iewry fre with the thre head cities of Samaria and the londes pertayninge therto vpon this dyd Ionathas promyse him thre C. talentes Where vnto the kynge consented and gaue Ionathas wrytinge of the same conteyninge these wordes kynge Demetrius sendeth gretinge vnto his brother Ionathas and to the people of y e Iewes We sende you here a copy of the lettre which we dyd wryte vnto oure elder Lasthenus concernynge you that ye shulde knowe it Kynge Demetrius sendeth gretinge vnto Lasthenus his elder For the faithfulnes that oure frendes the people of the Iewes kepe vnto vs and for the louynge kyndnesse which they beare towarde vs we are determed to do them good Wherfore we ordene all y e coostes of Iewry with the thre cities Lyda and Ramatha which are added vnto Iewry from Samaria all y e loÌdes pertayninge there
and what maner of troubles we haue sene thorow occasion wherof all my brethren are slayne for Israels sake and I am left alone And now let not me spare myne owne life in eny maner of trouble for I am no better then my brethren but wil avenge my people and the Sanctuary oure children and oure wyues for all the Heithen are gathered together to destroye vs of very malice At these wordes the hartes of the people were kyndled together so that they cried with a loude voyce sayenge Thou shalt be o captayne in steade of Iudas Ionathas thy brethren ordre thou oure batell what so euer thou commaundest vs we shall do it So he gathered all the men of warre makinge haist to fynish all the walles of Ierusalem which he made stronge rounde aboute Then sent he Ionathas the sonne of Absalomus w t a fresh hoost vnto Ioppa which droue them out y t were in the castell and remayned there himself Triphon also remoued from Ptolomais with a greate armye to come in to the londe of Iuda and Ionathas with him in warde And Simon pitched his tentes at Addus before the playne felde But when Triphon knewe that Symon stode vp in steade of his brother Ionathas and that he wolde warre agaynst him he sent messaungers vnto him sayenge Where as we haue kepte Ionathas thy brother it is for money that he is owynge in the kynges accompte concernynge the busynesse y t he had in honde Wherfore sende now an C. taleÌtes of syluer and his two sonnes for suertie that when he is letteÌ forth he shal not forsake vs and we shal sende him agayne Neuerthelesse Symon knewe that he dyssembled in his wordes yet commaunded he the money children to be delyuered vnto him lest he shulde be the greater enemye agaynst y e people of Israel and saye because he sent him not the money and the children therfore is Ionathas deed So Symon sent him the children and an hundreth talentes but he dyssembled wolde not let Ionathas go Afterwarde came Triphon in to the londe to destroye it and wente rounde aboute by the waye y t ledeth vnto Ador. But where so euer they wente thither wente Symon and his hoost also Now they that were in the castell sent messaungers vnto Triphon that he shulde make haist to come by the wyldernesse and to sende them vytales And Triphon made ready all his horsmen to come that same night Neuerthelesse it was a very greate snowe so that he came not in Galaadithim And wheÌ he drewe nye Baschama he slewe Ionathas and his sonnes there and then turned for to go home in to his owne londe TheÌ sente Symon for to fet his brothers deed coarse and buried it in Modin his fathers cite So all Israel bewayled him with greate lamentacion and mourned for him very longe And Symon made vpon the sepulcre of his father and his brethreÌ a buyldynge hye to loke vnto of fre stone behynde and before and set vp seuen pylers one agaynst another for his father his mother and foure brethren and set greate pilers rouÌde aboute with armes vpon them for a perpetuall memory and carued shippes besyde the armes y t they might be sene of meÌ saylinge in the see This sepulcre which he made at Modin stondeth yet vnto this daye Now as TriphoÌ wente forth to walke w t y e yoÌge kynge Antiochus he slewe him trayterously and raigned in his steade crowned himself kynge of Asia and dyd moch euell in the londe Symon also buylte vp the castels in Iewry makynge them stronge with hye towres greate walles portes and lockes and layed vp vytales in the stronge holdes And Symon chose certayne men and sente them to kynge Demetrius to desyre him y t he wolde discharge the londe from all bondage for Triphon had spoyled it very sore Where vpon Demetrius the kynge answered him wrote vnto him after this maner Demetrius y e kiÌge sendeth gretinge vnto Symon the hye prest his frende with the elders and people of the Iewes The golden crowne and precious stone y t ye sente vnto vs haue we receaued and are ready to make a stedfast peace with you yee and to wryte vnto oure officers for to release you concernynge the thinges wherin we made you fre and the appoyntment y t we make with you shal be firme and stable The stronge holdes which ye haue buylded shal be youre owne As for eny ouer sight or fawte committed vnto this daye we forgeue it and the crowne taxe that ye ought vs also And where as was eny other tribute in Ierusalem it shal now be no tribute and loke who are mete amonge you to be in oure courte let them be written vp that there maye be peace betwixte vs. Thus the yock of the Heithen was taken from Israel in the hundreth and seuentie yeare And the peple of the Iewes beganne to write in their lettres and actes on this maner In y e first yeare of Symon the hye prest and prynce of the Iewes In those dayes wente Symon vnto Gaza and beseged it rounde aboute where he set vp ordinaunce of warre And wanne a towre which he toke So they that gat in to the towre leapte into the cite which was in a greate feare In so moch that the people of the cite rente their clothes and clymmed vp vpon the walles with their wyues and children besekynge Symon to be at one with them sayenge O rewarde vs not after o wickednes but be gracious vnto vs and we shal do y e seruyce Then Symon for very pite wolde fight nomore agaynst them but put them out of the cite and caused the houses wherin the ymages were to be clensed and so entred the cite with Psalmes of prayse geuinge thankes vnto the LORDE So when he had cast all abhominacioÌs out of the cite he set soch men in it as kepte the lawe of God and made the cite stronge and builded a dwellinge place for himself Now when they in the castell at Ierusalem were kepte so strately that they coude not come forth ner in to countre and might nether bye ner sell they were very hungrie and many of them famished to death In so moch that they besought Symon to be at one with them which he graunted them So he put them out from thence and clensed the castell from fylthynesse And vpon the xxiij daye of the seconde moneth in the Clxxj. yeare they entred in to it with thankesgeuynge and braunches of palme trees with harpes crowdes cymbals and lutes synginge psalmes and songes of prayse vnto God for that the greate enemy of Israel was ouer come And Symon ordened that the same daye shulde be kepte euery yeare in gladnesse and made stronge the hyll of the temple that was besyde the castell where he dwelt him self with his company Symon also perceauynge that Ihon his sonne was a mightie man of armes made him captayne of all the hoostes and caused him to
weere a colar of golde And yf there were eny which disobeyed or brake this ordinaunce that he shulde be punyshed So all the people consented to alowe Symon and to do acordynge to these wordes Symon also himself toke it vpon him and was contente to be the hye prest the captayne and prynce of the Iewes and prestes and to gouerne them all And they commaunded to make this writinge in tables of laton and to fasten it vnto the compasse of the Sanctuary in an open place and to laye vp a copy of the same in the treasury that Symon and his posterite might haue it The XV. Chapter MOrouer kynge Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius sente lettres from the Iles of the see vnto Symon the hye prest and prynce of the Iewes and to all the people conteyninge these wordes Antiochus the kynge sendeth gretinge vnto Symon the hye prest and to the people of the Iewes For so moch as certayne wicked men haue gotten the kyngdome of oure progenitours I am purposed to chalenge the realme agayne and to restore it to the olde estate Wherfore I haue gathered a greate hoost and made shyppes of warre that I maye go thorow the countre and be auenged of them which haue destroyed oure londe and waysted many cities in my realme And therfore now I make the fre also from all the tributes wherof all kynges my progenitours haue discharged the and from other customes wher from they haue released the what so euer they be Yee I geue the leaue to smyte money of thine owne within thy londe As for Ierusalem I wil that it be holy and fre and all the weapens and houses of defence which thou hast buylded and kepest in thine hondes shal be thine Where as eny thinge is or shal be owynge vnto the kynge I forgeue it the from this tyme forth for euermore And when we haue optayned oure kyngdome we shal do the thy people and the temple greate worshipe so that youre honoure shal be knowne thorow out y e whole worlde In the Clxxiiij yeare wente Antiochus in to his fathers londe and all the men of warre came together vnto him so that fewe were left with Triphon So the kynge Antiochus folowed vpon him but he fled vnto Dora which lieth by the see syde for he sawe y t there was myschefe comminge vnto him and that his hoost had forsaken him Then came Antiochus vnto Dora w t an huÌdreth twentye thousande men of armes vpon fote and eight thousande horsmen So he compased the cite rounde aboute and y e shippes came by the see Thus they vexed the cite by londe and by water in so moch that they suffred no man to go in nor out In the meane season came Numenius they that had bene with him from the cite of Rome hauynge lettres written vnto the kynges and prouyncies wherin were conteyned these wordes Lucius the Mayre of Rome sendeth gretinge vnto Ptolomy the kynge The embassitours of the Iewes oure freÌdes beinge sent from Symon the hye prest and from the people of the Iewes came vnto vs for to renue the olde frendshipe and bonde of loue and brought a shylde of golde weyenge a thousande pounde which we were contente to receaue of them Wherfore we thought it good to wryte vnto the kynges prouincies to do them no harme nor to take parte agaynst theÌ their cities ner countrees nether to mayntene their enemies agaynst them Yf there be eny wicked personnes therfore fled from their countre vnto you dely-them vnto Symon the hye prest y t he maye punysh them acordinge to their owne lawe The same wordes wrote the Romaynes also vnto Demetrius the kynge to Attaâus Araba Arsaces and to all regions as Samsanes to them of Sparta Delo Mioâ Sydon Caria Samos Pamphilia Lycia Alicarnassum and to y e Rhodes to Faselis Coo Sida Arado Gortyna Gnydum to Cypres and to Cyren And of euery lettre they sent a copy to Symon the hye prest and to the people of the Iewes So Antiochus the kynge brought his host vnto Dora the seconde tyme to take it where he made diuerse ordinauÌce of warre and kepte Triphon in y t he shulde not come forth Then Symon sent Antiochus two thousande chosen meÌ to helpe him with golde syluer and other plenteous geââ Neuerthelesse he wolde not receaue them but brake all y e couenaunt which he made w t Symon afore withdrewe himself froÌ him He sent Athenobius also a frende of his vnto Symon for to reason with him sayenge Ye witholde fro me Ioppa and Gaza w t the castell that is at IerusaleÌ which are cities of my realme whose borders ye haue destroyed and done greate euell in the londe hauynge the dominacioÌ in many other places of my kyngdome Wherfore delyuer now y e cities which ye haue takeÌ w t y e tributes of y e places y t ye haue rule vpon without the borders of Iewry Or els geue me fyue huÌdreth talentes of syluer yee and for the harme that ye haue done in the cities and for the tributes of the same other fyue hundreth taleÌtes Yf no we shal come and fight agaynst you So Athenobius the kynges frende came to IerusaleÌ and when he sawe y e greate worshipe and honoure of SymoÌ in golde syluer and so greate plenty of ornamentes he marveled and tolde Symon as the kynge commaunded him Then answered Symon and saide vnto him As for vs we haue nether taken other meÌs londe ner witholdeÌ them but only oure fathers heretage which oure enemies had vnrighteously in possession a certayne tyme. This heretage of oure fathers haue we chalenged in processe of tyme. And where as thou coÌplaynest concernynge Ioppa and Gaza they dyd greate harme to o r people and in o londe yet wyll we geue an C. talentes for them Neuertheles Athenobius answered him not one worde but turned agayne wrothfully vnto y e kynge and tolde him all these wordes and the greate dignite of Symon with all that he had sene and the kinge was very angrie In the meane tyme fled Triphon by shippe vnto Orthosaida Then the kynge made Cendebeus captayne of the see coost gaue him an hoost of fote men and horsmen coÌmaundinge him to remoue y e hoost towarde Iewry to buylde vp the cite of Cedron to make vp y e portes to warre agaynst y e people of the Iewes As for the kynge himself he folowed vpon Triphon So Cendebe us came vnto Iamnia beganne to vexe y e people to treade downe Iewry to take the people presoners to slaye theÌ to buylde vp Cedron where he set horsmeÌ other men of warre that they might come forth and go thorow the stretes of Iewry like as the kynge had commaunded him The XVI Chapter THen came Ihon vp from Gaza and tolde Symon his father what Cendebeus had done amonge their people Vpon this called Symon two of his eldest sonnes Iudas Ihon and sayde vnto
them I and my brethren my fathers house haue euer from oure youth vp vnto this daye foughten agaynst the enemies of Israel God gaue vs good fortune to delyuer Israel oft tymes And now for so moch as I am olde be ye in steade of me my brother to go forth fight for oure people the helpe of God be w t you So he chose xx M. fightingemen of the countre with horsmen also which wente forth agaynst Cendebeus and rested at Modin In the mornynge they arose weÌte in to y e playne felde and beholde a mightie greate hoost came agaynst theÌ both of fotemen horsmen Now was there a water broke betwixte them Ihon remoued the hoost towarde them And when he sawe that the people was afrayed to go ouer y e water broke he wente ouer first him self and the men seynge this folowed him Then Ihon set his horsmen fote men in ordre the one by the other for their enemies horsmen were very many But when they blewe vp the prestes trompettes Cendebeus fled w t his hoost wherof many were slayne and the remnaunt gat them to their stronge holde Iudas also IhoÌs brother whas wouÌded at y e same tyme. And Ihon folowed still vpon y e enemies till he came to CedroÌ which he buylded The enemies fled also vnto the towres y t were in y e feldes of Azotus those dyd Ihon burne vp Thus there were slayne ij M. men of them Ihon turned agayne peaceably in to Iewry And in the felde of Iericho was Ptolomy the sonne of Abobus made captayne which because he had abundaunce of syluer golde for he had maried the doughter of Symon the hye prest waxed proude in his mynde thought to conquere the loÌde ymageninge falsed agaynst SymoÌ his sonnes to destroye theÌ Now as Symon was goynge aboute thorow the cities y t were in y t couÌtre of Iewry and carynge for them he came downe to Iericho with Matathias Iudas his sonnes in the Clxxvij yeare in y e xj moneth called Sabat Then Ptolomy y e sonne of Abobus receaued them but w t disceate into a stronge house of his called Doch which he had buylded where he made them a bancket So when Symon his sonnes were mery had dronken well Ptolomy stode vp w t his men whoÌ he had hyd there toke their weapens entred in to the banckethouse slewe Symon w t his two sonnes certayne of his seruauÌtes Soch greate vnfaithfulnesse dyd Ptolomy in Israel and recoÌpensed euell for good Then wrote this Ptolomy y e same vnto kynge Antiochus requyringe him that he shulde sende him an hoost to helpe him so shulde he delyuer him the londe w t the cities tributes of the same He sent other men also vnto Gaza for to take Ihon wrote vnto the captaynes to come to him he shulde geue them syluer golde and rewardes And to Ierusalem he sent other to take it and the Sanctuary TheÌ ranne there one before tolde Ihon in Gaza that his father his brethren were slayne and how that Ptolomy had sent to slaie him also WheÌ Ihon herde this he was sore abaszshed and layed hoÌdes of them that were come to destroye him and slewe them for he knowe that they wente aboute to kyll him As for other thinges concernynge Ihon of his warres of his noble actes wherin he behaued him self manfully of the buyldinge of walles which he made and other of his dedes They are written in the cronicles of his presthode from the tyme forth y t he was made hye prest after his father The ende of the first boke of the Machabees The seconde boke Of the Machabees What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. The Iewes wryte vnto Aristobolus of the clensynge of the temple and of the feast of tabernacles Of the fyre that was hyd in the pyt Chap. II. What Ieremy requyred of the Iewes that were in preson and of their stories Chap. III. The HeitheÌ kynges helde the temple at Ierusalem in honoure The variaunce betwixte Simon and Onias What Appollonius Heliodorus dyd at Ierusalem The punyshment of Heliodorus Chap. IIII. The wickednes of Symon The faithfulnesse of Onias Iason laboureth to be hye prest Of his wickednesse and how he was dryuen awaye The alteracion of the presthode Andronicus destroyeth Onias and God striketh him therfore Chap. V. Wonderous thinges done at Ierusalem Iason falleth vpon the cite handleth abhominably and yet is fayne to fleat the last The kynge of Egipte taketh the cite agayne with greate bloudsheddynge Chap. VI. The kynge procedeth forth in his tyranny as well in other cities where the lawe of God is kepte as at Ierusalem All this sendeth God for the wickednes of the people The stedfastnesse of Eleazar Chap. VII The death of the vij brethreÌ their mother How constante they are to suffre rather then to obeye the wicked kynge Chap. VIII The manlynesse of Iudas Machabeus and how Philippe medleth against him Iudas conforteth his people and ouercommeth Nicanor Chap. IX Of Antiochus and his pryde how God punyshed him Chap. X. Machabeus wynneth the holy cite agayne and clenseth it Eupator foloweth his father Antiochus Iudas Machabeus ordreth him self well Chap. XI What Lysias purposeth Iudas with stondeth him God taketh his parte Lysias Iudas are at one Chap. XII Timotheus Appolonius and other ymagin treason Iudas Machabeus punysheth them wynneth Caspin other cities Chap. XIII Antiochus Lysias make theÌ forth agaynst the Iewes Iudas gathereth the people byddeth them call vpon God goeth on and besyde Modin striketh a greate batell Chap. XIIII Of Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus The trayterous dealinge of Alcimus Nicanor breaketh falsely the bonde made with Iudas Machabeus Of the maÌlynes of Razis Chap. XV. Nicanors wicked purpose Iudas geueth his people godly consolacion Of his dreames and visions and how Nicanor perished The first Chapter THe brethreÌ of y e Iewes which be at Ierusalem in the londe of Iewry wish vnto those brethreÌ of y e Iewes that are thorow out Egipte good fortune health and peace God the LORDE be gracious vnto you thynke vpon his couenaunt y t he made w t Abraham Isaac Iacob his faithfull seruauntes and geue you all soch an herte that ye maye loue and serue him yee and perfourme his wyll with an whole herte and of a wyllinge mynde He opeÌ youre hertes in his lawe and in his commaundementes sende you peace heare youre prayers be at one with you and neuer forsake you in tyme of trouble This is heare oure prayer for you What tyme as Demetrius raigned in the Clxix yeare we Iewes wrote vnto you in y e trouble and violence that came vpon vs. In those yeares after that Iason departed out of the holy londe and kyngdome they brent vp the portes and shed innocent bloude Then made we oure prayer vnto y e LORDE and were herde we offred
but durst go in to the most holy temple Menelaus that traytoure to y e lawes to his owne naturall countre beynge his gyde with his wicked hondes toke y e holy vessell which other kynges cities had geuen thither for y e garnishinge hono of y e place theÌ toke he in his hoÌdes vnworthely defyled them So madd was Antiochus that he considered not how that God was a litle wroth for the synnes of them that dwelt in the cite for the which soch confucion came vpon that place And why yf it had not happened them to haue bene lapped in many synnes this Antiochus as soone as he had come had sodenly bene punished and shot out for his presumpcioÌ like as Heliodorus was whom Seleucus the kynge sente to robbe y e treasury Neuertheles God hath not chosen the people for the places sake but the place for the peoples sake and therfore is the place become partaker of the peoples trouble but afterwarde shall it enioye the wealth of them And like as it is now forsaken in the wrath of allmighty God so when the greate God is reconcyled it shal be set vp in hye worshipe agayne So when Antiochus had taken a M. and viij C. talentes out of the temple he gat him to Antioche in all the haist thinkinge in his pryde that he might make meÌ sale vpon the drye londe and to go vpon y e see soch an hye mynde had he He lefte debites there to vexe the people At Ierusalem left he Philippe a Phrigian in maners more cruell theÌ himself y t set him there At Garisim he left Andronicus Menelaus which were more greuous to the citisyns then other Now as he was thus set in malyce agaynst y e Iewes he sent Appollonius an hated prynce w t xxij M. coÌmaundinge him to slaye all those y t were of perfecte age and to sell the womeÌ maydes children When he came now to Ierusalem he fained peace kepte him still vntill y e Sabbath daye And then he coÌmaunded his men to take them to their weapens for y e Iewes kepte holy daye and so he slewe all them y t were gone forth to the open playe runninge here and there thorow the cite with his men wapened and murthured a greate nombre But Iudas Machabeus which was the tenth fled into the wyldernesse led his life there with his company amonge the wylde beestes and vpon the mountaynes dwellinge there and eatinge grasse lest they shulde be partakers of the fylthynesse The VI. Chapter NOt longe after this sent the kynge a messaunger of Antioche for to compell y e Iewes to altre y e ordinaunces of y e fathers the lawe of God to defyle the temple y t was at Ierusalem to call it the teÌple of Iupiter Olimpius y t they shulde be in Gazarim as those which dwell at y e place of Iupiter the harberous This wicked sedicioÌ of y e vngodly was heuy vpon all y e people For y e temple was full of voluptuousnes bebbinge bollinge of y e HeitheÌ of ribaudes harlottes together The womeÌ wente in to y e holy place bare in that was not laufull The aulter also was full of vnlaufull thinges which y e lawe forbyddeth to laye vpoÌ it The Sabbathes were not kepte the other solempne feastes of y e londe were not regarded To be plaine there durst no maÌ be a knowne that he was a Iewe. In the daye of the kynges byeth they were compelled perforce to offre when y e feast of Bachus was kepte they were coÌstrayned to weere garlandes of yven and so to go aboute for the honoure of Bachus Morouer thorow the councell of Ptolomy there wente out a commaundement in y e nexte cities of the Heithen y t they shulde intreate the Iewes in like maner namely to coÌpell theÌ for to do sacrifice after y e lawes of y e Gentiles and who so wolde not to put them to death A piteous thinge was it to se. There were ij women accused to haue circumcided their sonnes whom when they had led rounde aboute the cite the babes hanginge at their brestes they cast them downe headlinges ouer the walles Some y t were crepte in to dennes and had kepte the Sabbath were accused vnto Philippe and brent in the fyre because that for the feare of God they kepte the commauÌdement so stiffly and wolde not defende them selues Now I beseke all those which reade this boke that they refuse it not for these falles of aduersite iudge the thinges y t are happened for no destruccion but for a chastenynge of o people And why WheÌ God suffreth not synners longe to folowe their owne mynde but shortly punysheth them it is a tokeÌ of his greate louynge kyndnes For this grace haue we of God more then other people y t he suffreth not vs longe to synne vnpunyshed like other nacions that when the daye of iudgment commeth he maye punysh theÌ in the fulnes of their synnes Yf we synne he correcketh vs but he neuer withdraweth his mercy froÌ vs though he punysh w t aduersite yeth doth he neuer forsake his people But let this that we haue spokeÌ now w t few wordes be for a warninge exortacioÌ of y e HeitheÌ Now wil we come to the declaringe of the matter Eleazar one of y e principall scribes an aged maÌ of a welfauored couÌtenauÌce was coÌstrained to gape w t opeÌ mouth to eate swynes flesh But he desyringe rather to dye gloriously theÌ to liue w t shame offred himself williÌgly to y e martirdome Now wheÌ he sawe y t he must nedes go to it he toke it pacieÌtly for he was at a poynte w t himself y t he wolde consente to no vnlaufull thynge for eny pleasure of life They y t stode by beynge moued w t pyte but not a right for y e olde frendshipe of the man toke him asyde priuely and prayed him y t he wolde let soch flesh be brought him as were laufull to eate theÌ to make a couÌtenauÌce as though he had eaten of y e flesh of y e sacrifice like as the kynge commaunded for so he might be delyuered from death so for the olde frendshipe of y e man they shewed him this kindnes But he beganne to considre his discrete and honorable age his noble and worshipfull stocke and how y t froÌ his youth vp he had bene of an honest and good conuersacion yee how constantly he had kepte y e ordinaunces and lawes commauÌded by God wherfore he gaue them this answere and sayde Yet had I rather first be layed in my graue For it becommeth not myne age sayde he in eny wyse to dyssemble wherby many yonge personnes might thinke that Eleazar beinge lxxx yeare olde and ten were now gone to a straunge life and so thorow myne ypocrisy for a litle tyme of a transitory life they
God be angrie with vs a litle whyle for o r chasteninge reformacion yet shal he be at one agayne w t his seruauntes But thou O shamefull most abhominable personne Pryde not thy self thorow vayne hope in beynge so malicious vpon y e seruauntes of God for thou hast not yet escaped the iudgmeÌt of the God which is all mighty seyth all thinges My brethren y t haue suffred a litle payne are now vnder the couenaunt of euerlastinge life but thorow the iudgment of God thou shalt be punyshed righteously for thy pryde As for me like as my brethreÌ haue done I offre my soule my body for y e lawes of o fathers callinge vpon God y t he will soone be mercifull vnto o people yee w t payne punyshment to make the graunte y t he only is God In me now in my brethreÌ y e wrath of allmighty God is at an ende which righteously is falleÌ vpon all o people Then y e kynge beynge kyndled in anger was more cruell vpon him then vpon all y e other toke indignacioÌ y t he was so lighty regarded So this yonge maÌ dyed vndefiled put his trust stil in y e LORDE Last of all after y e sonnes was y e mother put to death also Let this now be ynough spoken concernynge y e offringes extreme cruelnesse The VIII Chapter THen Iudas Machabeus and they y t were w t him weÌte pryuely in to y e townes called their kinsfolkes frendes together toke vnto them all soch as contynued yet in the faith lawe of y e Iewes and brought forth vj. M. men So they called vpon the LORDE y t he wolde haue an eye vnto his people which was troddeÌ downe of euery maÌ to be gracious vnto y e teÌple y t was defyled of the vngodly to haue coÌpassion vpon y e destruccion of the cite which was shortly like to be laied waist to heare y e voyce of y e bloude y t cried vnto him to remeÌbre y e most vnrighteous deathes of yonge innocent children the blasphemies also done vnto his name to punysh theÌ Now wheÌ Machabeus had gathered this multitude together he was to mightie for the Heithen for y e wrath of y e LORDE was turned in to mercy he fell vpon the townes cities vnawarres brent them toke the most coÌmodious places slewe many of the enemies But specially he made soch chases by night in so moch that his manlynesse was spoken of euery were So when Philippe sawe that the man increased by litle and litle and that the matter prospered with him for the most parte he wrote vnto Ptolomy which was a captayne in Celosiria Phenices helpe him in y e kinges busynes TheÌ sent he Nicanor Patrocli a speciall frende of his in all y e haist gaue him of y e comon sorte of the Heithen no lesse then xx M. harnessed men to rote out y e whole generacion of the Iewes hauinge to helpe him one Gorgias a man of warre which in matters concernynge battayls had greate experience Nicanor ordened also the tribute which the Romaynes shulde haue had to be geuen vnto the kynge out of the captiuyte of the Iewes namely ij M. talentes And immediatly he sent to y e cities of y e see coost requyringe theÌ for to bye Iewes to be their seruauntes bonde men promisynge to sell them lxxx and ten for one talente but he considered not the wrath of allmighty God y t was to come vpon him When Iudas knewe of this he tolde the Iewes y t were w t him of Nicanors coÌmynge Now were there some of them fearfull not trustinge vnto the rightuousnes of God and fled their waye But the other y t remayned came together besought the LORDE to delyuer theÌ froÌ y t wicked Nicanor which had solde theÌ or euer he came nye them and though he wolde not do it for their sakes yet for the couenaunt that he made w t their fathers because they called vpon his holy glorious name And so Machabeus called his men together namely aboute vi M. exortinge them not to agree vnto their enemies nether to be afrayed for y e multitude of their aduersaries coÌmynge agaynst them vnrighteously but to fight manly consideringe y e reprofe that they had done to the holy place without cause how they had despysed and oppressed the cite yee and destroyed y e lawes of the fathers For they sayde he trust in their weapens and boldnesse but oure confidence is in the allmighty LORDE which in the twincklinge of an eye maye both destroye them that come agaynst vs and all the worlde He exorted them also to call to remeÌbrauÌce the helpe that God shewed vnto their fathers as wheÌ there perished an C. lxxxvM of Sennacheribs people And of y e battaill y t they had in BabiloÌ agaynst y e Galacians how y t all the MacedoniaÌs y t came to helpe theÌ stode in feare how they beynge but only vj. M. slewe an C. xx M. thorow y e helpe y t was geuen them from heauen wherby they also had receaued many benefites Thorow these wordes y e meÌ toke good hertes vnto theÌ ready to dye for the lawe the couÌtre So he set vpon euery coÌpany a captayne one of his owne brethren Simon Ioseph and Ionathas geuynge ech one xv C. men He caused Eszdras also to reade the holy boke vnto them and to geue them a token of the helpe of God Then he himself beinge captaine in y e fore front of the battayll buckled with Nicanor And God was there helpe in so moch that they slewe aboue ix M. meÌ compelled y e more parte of Nicanors hoost to fle they were so wounded and feable Thus they toke the money from those that came to bye theÌ and folowed vpon them on euery syde But wheÌ the tyme came vpon them they returned for it was the Sabbath and therfore they folowed nomore vpon them So they toke their weapens and spoyles kepte the Sabbath geuynge thankes vnto the LORDE which had delyuered them that daye and shewed them his mercy After the Sabbath they distributed the spoyles to the sicke to y e fatherlesse and to wyddowes and the residue had they them selues with theirs WheÌ this was done and they all had made a generall prayer they besought the mercifull LORDE to be at one with his seruauntes Of those also that were with Timotheus and Bachides which fought agaynst them they slewe xx M. wanne hye and stronge holdes and deuided moo spoyles euer geuynge an equall porcion vnto y e sicke to y e fatherles to wyddowes to aged persons And when they had diligently gathered their weapeÌs together they layed them all in convenient places the remnaunt of y e spoyles brought they to Ierusalem They slewe Philarches that wicked personne which was with Timotheus and had vexed many
Iewes And when they helde the thankesgeuyng ⪠at Ierusalem for the victory they brent those that had set fyre on the portes of the temple namely Calisthenes which was fled in to an house and so they gat a worthy rewarde for their wickednesse As for that most vngracious Nicanor which had brought a thousande marchauÌtes to bye the Iewes he was thorow y e helpe of the LORDE brought downe euen of them whom he regarded not in so moch that he put of his glorious raymeÌt fled by see and came alone to Antioche w t greate shame dishono r which he gat thorow the destruccion of his hoost Thus he y t promysed the Romaynes to paye theÌ their tribute when he toke Ierusalem beganne now to saye planely that God was y e defender of the Iewes therfore not possible to wounde them because they folowed y e lawes which God had made The IX Chapter AT the same tyme came Antiochus agayne with dishonoure out of Persis For when he came to Persepolis and vndertoke to robbe the temple and to subdue the cite the people ranne together and defended them selues in so moch y t he and his were fayne to fle with shame And so after that flight it happened that Antiochus came agayne with dishonoure But when he came to Egbathana he gat knowlege what was happened vnto Nicanor Timotheus Now as he was auauncinge himself in his wrath he thought he was able to avenge the iniury that was done to them vpon the Iewes and therfore commaunded to make ready his charet haistinge on his iourney without ceassinge the iudgmeÌt of God prouokynge him because he had spokeÌ so proudly that he wolde come to Ierusalem and make it a graue of the Iewes But the LORDE God of Israel that seith all thinges smote him with an invisible plage which no man coude heale For as soone as he had spoken these wordes there came vpon him an horrible payne of his bowels a sore grefe of the tharmes And y t was but right for he had martired other mens bowels with dyuerse and strauÌge tormentes how be it he wolde in no wyse ceasse from his malice Yee he was yet the prouder and more malicious agaynst the Iewes But whyle he was commaundinge to make haist in the matter it happened y t he fell downe violently from the charet so y t it brussed his body dyd him greate payne And so he that thought he might commaunde y e floudes of the see so proude was he beyonde the condicioÌ of man and to weye the hye mountaynes in a payre of scoales was now brought downe to the grounde caried vpon an horszlytter knowlegynge y e manyfest power of God vpon him so that y t wicked body of his was full of wormes which in his payne fell quyck out of his flesh In so moch y t his hoost was greued with the smell and styncke of him Thus he that a litle afore thought he might reach to the starres of heauen him might no man now abyde ner beare for the vehemence of styncke Therfore he beynge brought from his greate pryde begaÌne for to come to y e knowlege of him self for the punyshment of God warned him his payne increased euer more more And when he him self might not abyde his owne styncke he sayde these wordes It is reason to be obedient vnto God that a man desyre not to be like vnto him This wicked personne prayed also vnto the LORDE of whom he shulde haue optained no mercy And as for the cite that he came vnto so haistely to brynge it downe to the grounde to make it a graue for deed men now he desyreth to delyuer it fre And as touchinge y e Iewes whom he had iudged not worthy to be buried but wolde haue cast theÌ out for to be deuoured of the foules and wylde beastes sayenge that he wolde haue destroyed both olde and yonge Now he promiseth to make theÌ like y e citesyns of Athens And where as he had spoyled the holy temple afore now he maketh promyse to garnish it with greate giftes to increase the holy ornameÌtes and of his owne rentes to beare the costes and charges belonginge to the offerynges yee and that he wolde also become a Iewe him self to go thorow euery place of the worlde and to preach the power of God But when his paynes wolde not ceasse for the righteous iudgmet of God was come vpon him out of a very despayre he wrote vnto the Iewes a lettre of intercession coÌteyninge these wordes The kynge and prynce Antiochus wysheth vnto the vertuous citesyns of the Iewes moch health and good prosperite Yf ye and youre children fare well and yf all thinges go after youre mynde we geue greate thankes In my sicknesse also do I remembre you louyngly for as I came out of Persia and was taken with sore disease I thought it necessary to care for the comon wealth Nether despare I in my self but haue a good hope to escape this sicknes But considerynge that my father led an hoost some tyme in y e hyer places shewed who shulde raigne after him that yf there happened eny coÌtrouersy or eny harde thinge were declared they in the londe might knowe their chefe lorde y t there shulde be no insurreccion Agayne when I pondre by my self how that all y e mightie men and neghbours rounde aboute are layeÌge waite and loke but for oportunyte to do harme I haue ordened that my sonne Antiochus shall raigne after me whom I oft commended to many of you when I was in the hyer kyngdomes and haue wrytten vnto him as it foloweth herafter Therfore I praye you and requyre you to remembre the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and in especiall For I hope that he shall be of sober louynge behauoure and yf he folowe my deuyce he shal be indifferent vnto you Thus that murthurer and blasphemer of God was sore smytteÌ and like as he had intreated other men so he dyed a myserable death in a straunge countre vpon a mountayne And his body dyd Philippe that weÌte with him cary awaye which fearynge the sonne of Antiochus wente in to Egipte to Ptolomy Philometor The X. Chapter MAchabeus now his company thorow the helpe of the LORDE wanne the temple and the cite agayne destroyed the aulters and chapels that the HeitheÌ had buylded thorow the stretes clensed the temple made another aulter of bricke stone and after ij yeares they offered sacrifices set forth the incense the lightes and shewe bred When that was done they fell downe flat vpon the grounde and besought the LORDE that they might come nomore in to soch trouble but yf they synned eny more agaynst him he him self to chasten them with mercy and not to come in the hondes of those aleauntes and blasphemous men Now vpon the same daye that y e straungers poluted the temple it happened that
kynge their freÌde To the which prayer of Lysias Machabeus agreed sekynge in all thinges the comon wealth and what so euer Machabeus wrote vnto Lysias coÌcernynge the Iewes the kynge graunted it For there were lettres writteÌ vnto y e Iewes from Lysias conteynynge these wordes Lysias sendeth gretinge to the people of the Iewes Ihon and Absalon which were sent from you delyuered me wrytinges and requyred me to fulfill the thinges concernynge their earande Therfore loke what might be graunted I certified y e kynge therof and what so euer was conuenient I agreed therto Yf ye now wyll be faithfull in the matters I shal endeuer my self herafter also to do you good As concernynge other thinges by euery article therof I haue committed them to youre messaungers and to those whom I sent vnto you to comon with you of the same fare ye well In the huÌdreth and xlviij yeare the xxiiij daye of the moneth Dioscorinthius Now the kynges lettre conteyned these wordes Kynge Antiochus sendeth gretinge vnto his brother Lysias For so moch as oure father is now deed oure wyll is that they which are in oure realme lyue without eny insurreccion and euery man to be diligent in his owne matters We vnderstonde also that the Iewes wolde not consent to oure father for to be brought vnto the custome of the Gentiles but stiffly to kepe their owne statutes for the which cause they requyre of vs also to let them remayne still by their owne lawes Wherfore oure minde is that this people shal be in rest we haue concluded and determed also to restore them their temple agayne that they maye lyue acordinge to the vse custome of their forefathers Thou shalt do vs a pleasure therfore yf thou sende vnto them agre with them that when they are certified of oure mynde they maye be of good chere and loke to their owne wealth And this was the lettre that the kynge wrote vnto the Iewes Kynge Antiochus sendeth gretinge vnto the councell and the other people of the Iewes Yf ye fare well we haue oure desyre as for vs we are in good health Menelaus came and tolde vs how y t youre desyre was to come downe to youre people which are with vs. Wherfore those that wyll come we geue them fre lyberte vnto the xxx daye of the moneth of Aprill that they maye vse y e meates of the Iewes and their owne lawes like as afore and none of them by eny maner of wayes to haue harme for thinges done in ignoraunce Menelaus whom we haue sent vnto you shal comon with you at large fare ye well In the Cxlviij yeare the xv daye of the moneth of Aprill The Romaynes also sent a lettre conteynynge these wordes Quintus Mennius Titus Mamlius embassatours of the Romaynes sende gretinge vnto the people of the Iewes Loke what Lysias the kynges kynsman hath graunted you we graunte you the same also But as concernynge the thinges which he referred vnto the kynge sende hither some with spede and poÌdre the matâer diligeÌtly amonge youre selues that we maye cast y e best to youre profite for we must departe now vnto Antioche And therfore wryte shortly agayne that we maye knowe youre mynde Fare well In the hundreth xlviij yeare y e xv daye of the moneth of Aprill The XII Chapter WHen these couenauntes were made Lysias wente vnto the kynge and y e Iewes tylled their grounde But Timotheus Appollonius the sonne of Gemei Ierome and Demophon y e proude Nicanor y e captayne of Cypers and they that laye in those places wolde not let them lyue in rest and peace They of Ioppa also dyd euen soch a shamefull dede They prayed y e Iewes that dwelt amoÌge them to go with their wyues and children in to the shippes which they had prepared dyd with them as though they had ought them no euell wyll For so moch then as there was gone forth a generall proclamacioÌ thorow y e cite because of peace they consented therto and suspecte nothinge but when they were gone forth in to the depe they drowned no lesse then ij C. of them WheÌ Iudas knew of this cruelte shewed vnto his people he commaunded those that were with him to make them ready exortinge them to call vpon God the righteous iudge weÌte forth agaynst those murthurers of his brethreÌ set fyre in y e hauen by night brent vp y e shippes and those that escaped from the fyre he slewe with the swearde And when he had done this he departed as though he wolde come agayne and rote out all them of Ioppa But when he had gotteÌ worde that the Iamnites were mynded to do in like maner vnto y e Iewes which dwelt amonge them he came vpon the Iamnites by night and set fyre in the hauen with the shippes so that the light of the fyre was sene at Ierusalem vpon a ii C. xl furlonges They that were within it put soch trust in the strength of the walles in their stoare of vytales that they were the slacker in their doynges cursinge and reuylinge Iudas with blasphemies and speakynge soch wordes as it becommeth not But Machabeus callynge vpon the greate prynce of y e worlde which without eny battayll rammes or ordinaunce of warre dyd cast downe the walles of Iericho in the tyme of Iosue fell manfully vpon the walles toke the cite and thorow the helpe of the LORDE made an exceadinge greate slaughter In so moch that a lake of ij furloÌges brode which laye therby semed to flowe with the bloude of the slayne Then departed they from thence vij C. and L. furlonges and came to Taraca vnto y e Iewes that are called Tubianei But as for Timotheus they coude not get him there for not one matter dispatched he was departed from thence and had lefte certayne men in a very stronge holde But Dositheus and Sosipater which were captaynes with Machabeus slewe those y t Timotheus had lefte in the house of defence euen x. M. men And Machabeus prepared him with y e vj. M. men y t were aboute him set them in ordre by companies and wente forth agaynst Timotheus which had with him an C. and xx M. men of fote ij M. and v. C. horsmeÌ When Timotheus had knowlege of Iudas commynge he sent the women children and the other baggage vnto a castell called Carnion For it coude not be wonne was harde to come vnto the wayes of the same places were so narow and when Iudas coÌpany came first in sight the enemies were smytten with feare thorow the presence of God which seyth all thinges In so moch y t they fleynge one here another there were rather discomfited of their owne people wouÌded w t the strokes of their owne sweardes Iudas also was very earnest in folowinge vpon them and punyshinge those vngodly and slewe xxx M. men of them Timotheus also himself fell in to the hondes of Dositheus Sosipater whom he besought
vnto them and founde theÌ slepynge and sayde vnto Peter Symon slepest thou Couldest thou not watch with me one houre Watch and praye that ye fal not in to temptacion The sprete is wyllinge but y e flesh is weake And he weÌte forth agayne and prayde and spake the same wordes and returned and founde them slepynge agayne for their eyes were heuy they knewe not what they shulde answere him And he came the thirde tyme and sayde vnto them Slepe on now and take youre rest It is ynough the houre is come beholde y e sonne of man shal be delyuered into the handes of synners aryse let vs be goynge Beholde he is at hande that betrayeth me And immediatly whyle he yet spake came Iudas one of the twolue and with him a greate multitude with swerdes and staues from the hye prestes and scrybes and elders And the traytoure had geuen them a tokeÌ and sayde Whom so euer I kysse that same is he laye handes vpon him and lede him awaye warely And whaÌ he was come he wente straight waye vnto him and sayde vnto him O master master and kyssed him Then layed they their handes vpon him toke him But one of theÌ that stode by drew out his swerde and smote the hye prestes seruaunt and cut of his eare And Iesus answered and sayde vnto theÌ Ye are come forth as it were to a murthurer with swerdes and with staues to take me I was daylie with you in the temple and taught and ye toke me not But this is done hat the scrypture maye be fulfilled And all the disciples forsoke him and fled And there folowed him a yonge maÌ which was clothed in lynnen vpon the bare skynne and the yonge meÌ toke holde of him But he let the lynnen go and fled naked from them And they led Iesus vnto the hye prest where all y e hye prestes and elders and scrybes were come together As for Peter he folowed him afarre of into the hye prestes palace And he was there and sat with the seruauntes and warmed him But the hye prestes and the whole councell sought wytnesse agaynst Iesus y t they might brynge him to death and they founde none Many gaue false wytnesse agaynst him but their wytnesses agreed not together And some stode vp and gaue false wytnes agaynst him and sayde We herde him saye I wil breake downe this temple that is made with hoÌdes and in thre dayes buylde another not made w t handes But their wytnesse agreed not together And the hye prest stode vp amonge them and axed Iesus and sayde Answerest thou nothinge vnto it that these testifie agaynst the But he helde his tunge and answered nothinge TheÌ the hye prest axed him agayne and sayde vnto him Art thou Christ the sonne of the blessed Iesus sayde I am And ye shal se the sonne of man syt at the right hande of power and come in the cloudes of heaueÌ Then the hye prest rent his clothes sayde What nede we eny mo wytnesses Ye haue herde the blasphemy What thynke ye They all coÌdemned him that he was giltie of death Then beganne there some to spyt vpoÌ him and to couer his face and to smyte him with fistes and to saye vnto him Prophecie vnto vs. And the seruauntes smote him on the face And Peter was beneth in y e palace TheÌ came one of the wenches of the hye prest And whaÌ she sawe Peter warmynge him she loked vpoÌ hiÌ and sayde And thou wast with Iesus of Nazareth also But he denyed sayde I knowe him not nether can I tell what thou sayest And he wente out in to the fore courte and the cock crew And a damsell sawe him and beganne agayne to saye vnto them that stode by This is one of them And he denyed it agayne And after a litle whyle they y t stode by sayde agayne vnto him Of a trueth thou art one of them for thou art a Galilean and thy speach soundeth euen alike But he begaÌne to curse and sweare I knowe not the man that ye speabe of And the cock crew agayne Then thought Peter vpon the worde that Iesus sayde vnto him Before y e cock crow two tymes thou shalt denye me thryse And he beganne to wepe The XV. Chapter ANd soone in the mornynge the hye prestes helde a councell w t the elders and scrybes and the whole councell bounde Iesus and led him awaye and delyuered him vnto Pylate And Pylate axed him Art thou the kynge of the Iewes He answered and sayde vnto him Thou sayest it And the hye prestes accused him sore But Pylate axed him agayne and sayde Answerest thou nothinge Beholde how sore they laye to y e charge Neuertheles Iesus answered nomore in so moch y t Pylate marueyled At that feast of Easter he was wonte to delyuer vnto them a presoner whom so euer they wolde desyre There was iÌ preson with the sedicious one called Barrabas which in the vproure had committed murthur And the people wente vp and prayed him that he wolde do as he was wonte Pylate answered them wyl ye that I geue lowse vnto you the kynge of the Iewes For he knew that y e hye prestes had delyuered him of envye But the hye prestes moued y e people that he shulde rather geue Barrabas lowse vnto them Pylate answered agayne and sayde vnto them What wil ye theÌ that I do vnto him whom ye accuse to be kynge of the Iewes They cried agayne Crucifie hiÌ Pylate sayde vnto theÌ What euell hath he done But they cried yet moch more Crucifie him So Pylate thought to satisfie the people and gaue Barrabas lowse vnto them and delyuered theÌ Iesus to be scourgd crucified And the soudyers led him in to the comoÌ hall and called the whole multitude together and clothed him with purple and plated a crowne of thorne and crowned him withall and beganne to salute him Hayle kynge of the Iewes And smote him vpon the heade with a rede and spytted vpoÌ him and fell vpoÌ the kne worshipped him And whaÌ they had mocked him they toke y e purple of him and put his clothes vpon him led him out that they might crucifye him And they compelled one that passed by called Symon of Cyren which came from the felde and was the father of Alexander and Ruffus to beare his crosse And they brought him to the place Golgatha which is by interpretacion a place of deed mens skulles And they gaue him wyne myxted w t myrre to drynke he toke it not And whan they had crucified him they parted his garmeÌtes cast lottes therfore what euery one shulde take And it was aboute y e thirde houre they crucified him And the tytle of his cause was wrytteÌ ouer aboue him namely The kynge of the Iewes And they crucified him w t two murthurers one at y e right hande and one
the raginge of the see delyuereth the possessed and dryueth the deuels in to the heerde of swyne helpeth the sick woman and Iairus daughter Chap. IX He sendeth out the twolue Apostles to preach Herode heareth tell of hiÌ He fedeth fyue thousande men with fyue loaues and two fishes the disciples confesse him to be the sonne of God he transfigureth himself vpon the mount delyuereth the possessed and teacheth his disciples to be lowly They desyre veÌgeaunce but he reproueth them Chap. X. He sendeth the seuentye before him for to preach and geueth theÌ a charge how to behaue them selues prayseth his heauenly father answereth the scrybe that tempted him ⪠and by the example of the Samaritane sheweth who is a maÌs neghbour Martha receaueth the LORDE into hir house Mary Magdalene is feruent in hearinge his worde Chap. XI He teacheth his disciples to praye dryueth out a deuel and rebuketh the blasphemous pharises They requyre sygnes and tokens He eateth with the pharisee and reproueth the ypocrisy of the pharises scrybes and ypocrites Chap. XII The leuen of the pharises Christ conforteth his disciples agaynst persecucion warneth them to bewarre of cuvetousnesse by the symilitude of a certayne rich man he wyll not haue them to hange vpoÌ earthly thinges but to watch and to be ready agaynst his commynge Chap. XIII Of the Galileans whom Pilate slew and of those that dyed in Syloe The symilitude of the fyge tre Christ healeth the sicke woman The parable of the mustarde sede and leuen Few entre in to the kyngdome Christ reproueth Herode and Ierusalem Chap. XIIII Iesus eateth with the pharisee healeth the dropsye vpon the Sabbath teacheth to be lowly telleth of the greate supper and warneth them that wyll folowe him to laye their accomptes before what it wyll cost theÌ The salt of the earth Chap. XV. The louynge mercy of God openly set forth in the parable of the hundreth shepe and of the sonne that was lost Chap. XVI The parable of the wicked Mammon Not one title of Gods worde shal perish Of the rich man and of poore Lazarus Chap. XVII Christ teacheth his disciples to avoyde occasions of euell one to forgeue another stedfastly to trust in God and no man to presume in his owne workes He healeth the ten lepers speaketh of the latter dayes and of the ende of the worlde Chap. XVIII He teacheth to be ferueÌt in prayer coÌtinually Of the pharisee and the publican The kyngdome of God belongeth vnto childreÌ Christ answereth the ruler and promiseth rewarde vnto all soch as suffre losse for his sake and folowe him The blynde maÌ is restored to his sight Chap. XIX Of Zacheus and the ten seruauntes to whoÌ the ten taleÌtes were delyuered Christ rydeth to Ierusalem and wepeth ouer it Chap. XX. They axe Christ one questyon and he axeth them another The parable of the vynyarde Of tribute te be geueÌ vnto the Emperoure how Christ stoppeth the mouthes of the Saduceâs Chap. XXI Christ commendeth the poore wyddow telleth of the destruccion of Ierusalem of false teachers of the tokeÌs and troubles for to come of the ende of the worlde and of his owne commynge Chap. XXII Christ is betrayed they eate the easter lambe The institucion of the sacrameÌt They stryue who shal be greatest he reproueth them He prayeth thre tymes vpon the mount They take him and bringe him to the hye prestes house Peter denyeth him thryse and they bringe him before the councell Chap. XXIII Iesus is brought before Pilate and Herode The wemeÌ make lameÌtacion for him He prayeth for his enemies forgeueth the synner vpon his right hande dyeth on the crosse and is buried Chap. XXIIII The wemen come to the graue Christ apeareth vnto the two disciples that go towarde Emaus stondeth in the myddest of all his disciples openeth their vnderstondinge in the scriptures geueth them a charge and ascendeth vp into heauen The gospell of S. Luke The prologe of S. Luke FOR so moch as many haue taken in hande to set forth y e wordes of the actes that are come to passe amonge vs like as they delyuered theÌ vnto vs which from the begynnynge sawe them their selues and were mynisters of the worde I thought it good after that I had diligently searched out all from the begynnynge to wryte the same orderly vnto the good Theophilus that thou mightest knowe the certeÌte of y e wordes wherof thou art infourmed The first Chapter IN the tyme of Herode kynge of Iewry there was a prest named Zachary of the course of Abia and his wife of the doughters of Aaron hir name Elizabeth They were both righteous before God and walked in all the commaundementes and statutes of the LORDE vnreproueably And they had no childe for Elizabeth was baren and they were both well stricken in age And it came to passe as he executed the prestes office before God whan his course came acordinge to the custome of the presthode it fell to his lott to burne incense And he wente into the temple of the LORDE and the whole multitude of the people was without in prayer whyle the incense was aburnynge And the angell of the LORDE appeared vnto him and stode on the right syde of the altare of inceÌse And whan Zachary sawe him he was abaszhed there came a feare vpon him But the angell sayde vnto him Feare not Zachary for thy prayer is herde And y e wife Elizabeth shal beare the a sonne whose name thou shalt call Ihon thou shalt haue ioye and gladnesse and many shal reioyce at his byrth for he shal be greate before the LORDE Wyne and stronge drynke shal he not drynke And he shal be fylled w t the holy goost euen in his mothers wombe And many of the children of Israel shal he turne vnto the LORDE their God And he shal go before him in the sprete and power of Elias to turne the hertes of y e fathers vnto the children and the vnfaithfull vnto the wyszdome of the righteous to make the people ready for the LORDE And Zachary sayde vnto the Angel Wherby shal I knowe this For I am olde and my wife well stricken in age The angell answered and sayde vnto him I am Gabriell that stonde before God and am sent to speake vnto the and to shewe the these glad tydinges And beholde thou shalt be domme and not able to speake vntyll the daye that this come to passe because thou hast not beleued my wordes which shal be fulfylled in their season And the people wayted for Zachary and marueyled that he taried so longe in the teÌple And whaÌ he weÌte out he coude not speake vnto them And they perceaued that he had sene a vision in the teÌple And he beckened vnto them and remayned speachlesse And it fortuned whaÌ the tyme of his office was out he wente home in to his house And after those dayes Elizabeth his wife conceaued and hyd hir self fyue monethes
hoped to se a miracle of hiÌ And he axed him many thinges Neuertheles he answered him nothinge The hye prestes and scrybes stode and accused him sore But Herode w t his men of warre despysed him and mocked him put a whyte garmeÌt vpoÌ him and sent him agayne vnto Pilate VpoÌ y e same daye were Pilate and Herode made frendes together for afore they had bene at variaunce Pilate called the hye prestes and the rulers and the people together and sayde vnto theÌ Ye haue brought this man vnto me as one that peruerteth the people and beholde I haue examyned him before you fynde in the maÌ none of the causes wherof ye accuse him Nor yet Herode for I sent you to him and beholde there is brought vpon hiÌ nothinge that is worthy of death Therfore wil I chasten him and let him lowse For he must haue let one lowse vnto them after the custome of the feast Then cried the whole multitude and sayde Awaye with him and delyuer vnto vs Barrabas which for insurreccion made in the cite and because of a murthur was cast in to preson Then called Pilate vnto them agayne wolde haue let Iesus lowse But they cried and sayde Crucifye him Crucifye him Yet sayde he vnto them the thirde tyme What euell theÌ hath he done I fynde no cause of death in hiÌ therfore wil I chasten him and let him go But they laye styll vpon him with greate crye and requyred y t he might be crucified And the voyce of theÌ and of the hye preastes preuayled And Pilate gaue sentence that it shulde be as they requyred and let lowse vnto theÌ him that for insurreccioÌ and murthur was cast in to preson whom they desyred but gaue Iesus ouer vnto their wyll And as they led him awaye they toke one Simon of Cyren which came from the felde and layed y e crosse vpon him to beare it after Iesus And there folowed him a greate multitude of people and of wemen which bewayled and lamented him But Iesus turned him aboute vnto theÌ and sayde Ye doughters of IerusaleÌ wepe not ouer me but wepe ouer youre selues and ouer youre childreÌ For beholde the tyme wil come wherin it shal be sayde Blessed are the baren and the wombes that haue not borne and the pappes that haue not geuen sucke Then shal they begynne to saye vnto the mountaynes Fall vpon vs. And to the hylles Couer vs. For yf this be done to a grene tre what shal be done then to the drye And two other which were myszdoers were led out also to be put to death with him And whaÌ they came to y e place which is called Caluery they crucifyed him euen there and the two myszdoers with him the one on the righte hande the other on y e left But Iesus sayde Father forgeue them for they wote not what they do And they parted his garmentes and cast lottes therfore And the people stode and behelde And the rulers mocked him with them and sayde He hath helped other let him helpe him self now yf he be Christ y e chosen of God The soudyers also mocked him weÌte vnto him brought him vyneger and sayde Yf thou be the kynge of the Iewes then helpe thyself And aboue ouer him was this superscripcion wrytten with letters of Greke Latyn and Hebrue This is the kynge of the Iewes And one of the myszdoers that hanged there blasphemed him and sayde Yf thou be Christ then helpe thy self and vs. Then answered the other rebuked him and sayde And thou fearest not God also which art yet in like daÌnacion And truly we are therin be right for we receaue acordinge to oure dedes As for this man he hath done nothinge amysse And he sayde vnto Iesus LORDE remembre me whan thou commest in to thy kyngdome And Iesus sayde vnto him Verely I saye vnto the To daye shalt thou be with me in Paradyse And it was aboute the sixte houre and there was darknesse ouer y e whole londe vntyll the nyenth houre And the Sonne was darkened and the vayle of the temple rente in two euen thorow the myddes And Iesus cryed loude sayde Father in to thy handes I commende my sprete And whan he had so sayde he gaue vp the goost But whan the Captayne sawe what had happened he praysed God and sayde Verely this was a iust maÌ And all the people that stode by behelde whan they sawe what was done smote vpon their brestes turned backe agayne But all his acquantaunce and the wemen that had folowed him out of Galile stode afarre of and behelde all these thinges And beholde a maÌ named Ioseph a Senatour which was a good iust man the same had not consented vnto their councell and dede which was of Arimathia a cite of the Iewes which same also wayted for the kyngdome of God he weÌte vnto Pilate and axed the body of Iesus And the toke him downe wrapped him in a lynnen cloth and layed him in a hewen sepulcre wherin neuer man was layed And it was the daye of preparinge and the Sabbath drue on The wemen that were come with him out of Galile folowed him and behelde the Sepulcre how his body was layed But they returned and made ready the spyces anontmeÌtes And vpon the Sabbath they rested acordinge to the lawe The XXIIII Chapter BVt vpon one of the Sabbathes very early in the mornynge they came vnto the Sepulcre and brought y e spyces which they had prepared and certayne wemen with theÌ Neuertheles they founde the stone rolled awaye from the sepulcre and wente in and founde not the body of y e LORDE Iesu. And it happened as they were amased therat beholde there stode by them two men in shyninge garmentes And they were afrayed and cast downe their faces to the earth Then sayde they vnto theÌ What seke ye the lyuynge amoÌge the deed He is not here He is rysen vp Remembre how y t he tolde you whaÌ he was yet in Galile and sayde The sonne of man must be delyuered in to the haÌdes of synners and be crucified and the thirde daye ryse agayne And they remeÌbred his wordes and wente from the sepulcre and tolde all this vnto the eleuen and to all the other It was Mary Magdalene and Iohanna and Mary Iames and the other with them that tolde this vnto the Apostles And theyr wordes semed vnto them as though they had bene but fables and they beleued them not But Peter arose and ranne to the sepulcre and stouped in and sawe the lynnen clothes layed by them selues and departed And he wondred within himself at that which had happened And beholde two of them wente that same daye to a towne which was thre score furloÌges from Ierusalem whose name was called Emaus And they talked together of all these thinges y t had happened And it chaunced as they were
that one man shulde dye for the people As for Symon Peter he and another disciple folowed Iesus The same disciple was knowne vnto the hye prest and weÌte in with Iesus in to the hye prestes palace But Peter stode without at the dore Then y t other disciple which was knowne vnto the hye prest wente out and spake to the damsell y t kepte the dore and brought in Peter Then the damsell that kepte the dore sayde vnto Peter Art not thou also one of this mans disciples He sayde I am not The seruauntes officers stode and had made a fyre of coles for it was colde warmed theÌ selues Peter also stode with them and warmed him self The hye prest axed Iesus of his disciples and of his doctryne Iesus answered him I haue spoken openly before the worlde I haue euer taught in the synagoge and in the teÌple whither all the Iewes resorted in secrete haue I spokeÌ nothinge Why axest thou me Axe theÌ y t haue herde what I haue spoken vnto theÌ beholde they can tell what I haue sayde But whan he had thus spokeÌ one of the officers that stode by smote Iesus on the face and sayde Answerest thou the hye prest so Iesus answered him Yf I haue euell spokeÌ theÌ beare wytnesse of euell but yf I haue well spoken why smytest thou me And Annas sent him bounde vnto Caiphas y e hye prest SymoÌ Peter stode and warmed him self TheÌ sayde they vnto him Art not thou one of his disciples He denyed and sayde I am not A seruauÌt of the hye prestes a kynszmaÌ of his whose eare Peter had smytten of sayde vnto him Dyd not I se the in the gardeÌ with him Then Peter denyed agayne And immediatly the cock crew Then led they Iesus from Caiphas in to the comon hall And it was early in the mornynge And they them selues weÌte not in to the comoÌ hall lest they shulde be defyled but y t they might eate y e Pascall lambe Then wente Pilate out vnto theÌ and sayde What accusacion brynge ye agaynst this man They answered and sayde vnto him Yf he were not an euell doer we had not delyuered him vnto the. Then sayde Pilate vnto theÌ Take ye him and iudge him after yo lawe Then sayde y e Iewes vnto him It is not laufull for vs to put eny maÌ to death That y e worde of Iesus might be fulfilled which he spake whan he signified what death he shulde dye Then entred Pilate in to the comon hall agayne and called Iesus sayde vnto him Art thou the kynge of the Iewes Iesus answered Sayest thou that of thy self or haue other tolde it the of me Pilate answered Am I a Iewe Thy people and the hye prestes haue delyuered the vnto me What hast thou done Iesus answered My kyngdome is not of this worlde Yf my kyngdome were of this worlde my mynisters wolde fight therfore y t I shulde not be delyuered vnto the Iewes But now is my kyngdome not from hence TheÌ sayde Pilate vnto hiÌ Art thou a kynge theÌ Iesus answered Thou sayest it for I am a kynge For this cause was I borne and came in to the worlde that I shulde testifye the trueth Who so euer is of the trueth heareth my voyce Pilate sayde vnto hiÌ What is the trueth And whan he had sayde that he weÌte out agayne to the Iewes and sayde vnto them I fynde no gyltinesse in him But ye haue a custome that I shulde geue one vnto you lowse at Easter Wyl ye now y t I lowse vnto you the kynge of y e Iewes TheÌ cryed they agayne alltogether and sayde Not him but Barrabas Yet was Barrabas a murthurer The XIX Chapter THen Pilate toke Iesus and scourged him And the soudyers platted a crowne of thornes and set it vpon his heade and put a purple garment vpon him and sayde Hayle kynge of the Iewes And they smote him on the face Then wente Pilate forth agayne and sayde vnto theÌ Beholde I brynge him forth vnto you y t ye maye knowe y t I fynde no faute in hiÌ So Iesus wente out ware a crowne of thorne and a purple robe And he sayde vnto them Beholde the man Whan the hye prestes the mynisters sawe him they cryed sayde Crucifye crucifye Pilate saide vnto theÌ Take ye him and crucifye him for I fynde no giltynesse in him The Iewes answered him We haue a lawe after oure lawe he ought to dye because he made him self the sonne of God Whan Pilate herde that worde he was the more afrayed and wente agayne in to the comon hall and sayde vnto Iesus Whence art thou But Iesus gaue him no answere TheÌ sayde Pilate vnto him Speakest thou not vnto me Knowest thou not y t I haue power to crucifye y e haue power to lowse y e Iesus answered Thou shuldest haue no power vpoÌ me yf it were not geueÌ the from aboue Therfore he that delyuered me vnto y e hath the more synne From that tyme forth Pilate sought meanes to lowse him But the Iewes cryed sayde Yf thou let him go thou art not the Emperours freÌde For whosoeuer maketh himself kynge is agaynst the Emperoure Whan Pilate herde y t worde he brought Iesus forth sat hiÌ downe vpoÌ y e iugdmeÌt seate in the place which is called the Pauement but in the Hebrue Gabbatha It was the daye of preparinge of the Easter aboute the sixte houre And he sayde vnto the Iewes Beholde yo kynge But they cryed Awaye w t him awaye w t him crucifie him Pilate saide vnto theÌ Shal I crucifye yo kynge The hye prestes answered We haue no kynge but y e Empero TheÌ delyuered he him vnto them to be crucifyed They toke Iesus and led him awaye And he bare his crosse and wente out to the place called y e place of deed men skulles which in Hebrue is named Golgatha where they crucified him and two other with him on either syde one but Iesus in the myddes Pilate wrote a superscripcion and set vpon the crosse And there was wrytten Iesus of Nazareth kynge of the Iewes This superscripcion red many of the Iewes For y e place where Iesus was crucifyed was nye vnto the cite And it was wrytten in Hebrue Greke Latyn Then sayde the hye prestes of the Iewes vnto Pilate Wryte not kynge of the Iewes but y t he sayde I am kynge of the Iewes Pilate answered What I haue wrytten that haue I wrytten The sondyers whan they had crucifyed Iesus toke his garmentes and made foure partes to euery soudyer one patte and the cote also As for the cote it was vnsowed froÌ aboue wrought thorow and thorow Then sayde they one to another Let vs not deuyde it but cast lottes for it who shal haue it that the scripture might be fulfilled which sayeth They haue parted my garmentes amonge them and on
and wrath of allmightye God And hath on his vesture and on his thyghe a name wrytten Kynge of all kinges and LORDE of all lordes ãâã I sawe an angell stonde in the Sonne and he cryed with a lowde voyce sayenge to all the fowles that flye by them yddes vnder the heauen Come and gaddre youre selues togedder vnto the supper of the gret God that ye maye eate the fleszhe of kynges and of hye captaynes and the fleszhe of mighty men and the fleszhe of horsses and of theÌ that syt on them and the fleszhe of all free men and bondmen both of small and greate And I sawe the beeste and the kynges of y e earth and their warriers gaddred togedder to make battayle agaynste him that sat vpon the horsse and agaynst his sowdiers And the beeste was taken and with him that false prophet that wrought myracles before him with which he disceaued then that receaued the beestes marke and them that worszhipped his ymage The ãâã were cast in to a ponde of fyre burnynge w t brymstone and the remnaunte were slayne with the swearde of him that sat vpon the horsse which swearde proceded out of his mouth and all the foules were filled with their fleszhe The XX. Chapter ANd I sawe an angell come downe from heauen hauinge the keye of the bottomlesse pyt and a gret chayne in his honde And he toke the dragon that olde serpent which is the deuell and Satanas and he bounde him a thousand yeares and cast him in to the bottomlesse pyt and he bounde him and set a seale on him that he shuld disceaue the people nomoare tyll the thousand yeares were fulfilled And afââr that must he be lowsed for a littell ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã seates and they sat vpon ãâ¦ã was geuen vnto ãâ¦ã the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnes of Iesus ãâã for the worde of God which had not woââshipped the beest nether his ymage nether had raken his marke vpon their forheaâdes or on their hondes and they lyued and raygned with Christ a thousand yeare brethe other of the deed men lyued not agayne vntill the thousand yeare were fyniszhed This is that fyrst resurreccion Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the fyrst resurreccion On soch hath the seconde deeth no power but they shal be the prestes of God and of Christ and shall raygne with him a thousand yeare And when the thousand yeares are expyred Sathan shal be lowsed out of his preson and shal go out to deceaue the people which are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gadder them togedder to batayle whose nombre is as the sonde off the see and they went vp on the playne of the earth and compased the tentes of the sayntes aboute and the beloued cite And fyre cam doune from God out of heauen and deuoured them and the deuell that disceaued them was cast into a lake of fyre and brymstone where the beest and the false prophet were and shal be tormented daye and night for euermore And I sawe a gret whyte seate and him that sat on it from whole face fled awaye both the earth and heauen and their place was nomore founde And I sawe the deed both gret and small stonde before God And the bokes were opened and another boke was opened which is the boke of life and the deed were iudged of tho thinges which were wrytten in the bokes accordinge to their dedes and the see gaue vp her deed which were in her and deeth and hell delyuered vp the deed which were in them and they were iudged euery man accordynge to his dedes And deth and hell were cast in to the lake of fyre This is that second deeth And whosoeuer was not founde wrytten in the boke off life was cast in to the lake of fyre The XXI Chapter ANd I sawe a newe heauen and a newe earth For the fyrst heauen and the fyrst earth were vaniszhed awaye and there was nomore See And I Ihon sawe that holy cite newe Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared ãâ¦ã garniszhed for hyr huszband And ãâ¦ã a greate voyce from the seate sayen ãâ¦ã the tabernacle of God is with ãâ¦ã and he wil dwell with them And they ãâã his people and God himselfe shal be with theÌ and shal be their God And God shal wipe awaye all teares from their eyes And there shal be nomore deeth nether sorowe nether shal there be eny more payne for y e olde thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seate sayde Beholde I make all thinges newe And he sayde vnto me wryte for these wordes are faithfull and true ãâã sayde vntâ ãâã it is done I am ãâ¦ã begynnynge and ãâ¦ã that is a thyrst ãâ¦ã He that ãâ¦ã I wil ãâ¦ã But ãâ¦ã and murthurers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolaters all lyars shal haue their parte in the lake that burneth with fyre and brymstone which is the seconde death And there came vnto me one of the seuen angels which had the seuen vials full of the seuen last plages and talked with me sayenge come hydder I wil shewethe the bryde y e laÌbes wyfe And he caryed me awaye in y e sprete to a greate and an hye mouÌtayne and he shewed me the greate cite holy IerusaleÌ descendinge out of heauen from God hauynge the brightnes of God And her shynynge was lyke vnto a stone most precious euen a Iaspar cleare as cristall had greate and hye walles and had twolue gates and at y e gates twolue angels and names wrytten which are the twolue trybes of Israel on the est parte thre gates and on the north syde thre gates and towarde the south thre gates and from the west thre gates ⪠and the wall of the cite had twolue foundacioÌs and in them the names of the lambes twolue Apostles And he that talked with me had a golden rede to measure the cite with all and the gates therof and the wall therof And the cite was bylt foure square and the length was as large as the bredth of it and he ââasured the cite with the rede twolue M. furlonges and the length and the bredth and y e heyth of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an cxliiij cubittee after y e measure of a man which the angel had And the buyldinge of the wall of it was of Iaspar And the cite was of pure golde like vnto cleare glasse and y e foundacioÌs of the walles and of y e cite were garnyszhed with all maner of precious stones The fyrst foundacion was a Iasper the seconde a Saphyre y e thyrde a Calcedony the fourth a Smaragde the fyft a Sardonix the sixt a Sardâos the seuenth a Crysolite the eyght berall the nynth a Topas the tenth a Crysoprasos the eleueÌth a Iacyncte the twelfte an Amatist And the twolue gates were twolue pearles and euery gate was of