onely vauntyng your selues againste menne but also beeyng puffed vp with Pride againste the Commaundementes of GOD. For this causâ— shall the Temple whiche the Lorde shall haue chosen â–ª be vndoubtedly lefte desolate in vnâ—leannesse and you your selues become captiues to all Nations and bee lothed and abhoâ—red â–ª among them and receiue endelesse shame and confusion through Godâ— rightfull iudgement and all that see you shall shunne you And were it not for our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob there should not one of my seede bee left vppon earth Furdermore I know by the booke of Enoch that you shall goe astray by the space of threescore and tenne weâ—kes and defile the Priesthoode staynâ— the sacrifices destroie the Law despise the saiynges of the Prophetes frowardlie persecute righteous folke hate the godly abhorre the saiynges of soothfaâ—e men call hym Hereticke that goeth about to reâ—ue the Lawe by the power of the Highest and in the ende ye shall kill * hym out of 〈◊〉 as you thinke not knowyng that he shall rise againe and so shall ye receaue his inâ—ocent bloud wilfullye vppon your owne heades For his sake shall your holy places be left desolate whiche you shall haâ—â— defiled euen by vtter forswearyng â–ª and your dwelling shall not be cleaâ—e â–ª but you shalbâ—e accursed among the Heathen and despaire shall vexe you till he visite you 〈◊〉 and mercifully receaue you thâ—â—â—gh faith water And forasmuche as yâ— haue â—earde of the three score and ten weekes â—eare ye also of the Priesthoode For in eâ—ery Iubiley shall be Priesthood In the first Iubiley the firste annointed intoâ—the Priesthoode shall bee greate and talke to God as to his father and his Priesthoode shall be full of the feare of the Lord and in the daye of hys gladnesse hee shall ryse vp to the saluation of the worlde In the seconde Iubiley the annointed shall be conceiued in the heauinesse of the beloued sorte and his Priesthoode shall bee honourable and he shall bee glorified among all men The thirde Priest shall bee taken vp in sorrowe and the fourth shall bee in griefe because the multitude of iniquities shall be layd vpon hym and throughout all Israell euerye man shall hate hys neighboure The fifth shall bee helde faste in darkenesse and likewise the sixth and the seauenth And in the seauenth shall bee suche abhomination before God and man as I cannot expresse howbeit that the doers thereof shall be knowne For thys cause shall they bee in captiuitie and corruption and their Lande and Substaunce shall 〈◊〉 destroyed but in the fifth weeke they shal returne into their desolate countrey and renue the Lordes house In the seauenth weeke shall come Idolatrous Priestes coueitous warriours vnrighteous Scribes and filthy abusers of men children and beastes After that the Lorde hath sent vengeaunce vppon them in the priesthoode then will God raise vp a new priest to whom all the Lordes worde shal be opened and he shall execute true iudgemente vppon earth manye daies and hys starre shall rise in heauen As a kyng shall he shead forthe the light of knowledge in the open sunshine of the daye and hee shal be magnified ouer all the worlde and bee receaued and shine as the sunne vppon the earth and driue awaye all darkenesse and there shall be peace vpon all the earth In his dayes the heauens shall reioyce the earth shall be glad the cloudes shal be merie the knowledge of the Lorde shall bee poured out vpon the earth as the waters of the Seas and the Angels of glory that are in the Lordes presence shall reioice in hym The heauens shal be opened and out of the temple of glorie shall sanctification come vpon him with the fathers voice as from Abraham the Father of Isaac and the glory of the highest shall be spread out vpon hym and the Spirite of vnderstanding and sanctification shal rest vpon him whereof hee shall geue aboundantlye and mightely to hys childreÌ„ in truth for euermore and there shall none succeede hym from generation to generation worlde without end In his Priesthoode all sinne shall come to ende and the vnrighteous shal cease from their naughtinesse but the righteous shall reste in hym and hee shall vpon the gates of Paradise and staye the threatnyng sworde againste Adam and feede the Lambes with the fruite of life and the spirite of holines shall be in them Hee shall bynde vp Beliall and geue his owne children power to tread down hurtfull spirites and the Lorde shall reioice in his children and accept them as his beloued for euermore Then shall Abraham Isaac and Iacob bee glad and then shall I and all Saintes reiâ—yce How my children ye haue heard all Therefore chuse vnto you either light or darkenes either the law of the Lord or the workes of Beliall and wee aunswered our Father saying We will walke before the Lorde accordyng to his law And our father sayde the Lorde is witnesse and his Angels are witâ—â—sses and I am a witnesse and you your selues are witnesses of the woordes of my mouth And when wee had aunswered wer will her witnesses Leuy rested with this charge geuen vnto his Children And he stretched out his feete and was put to his Fathers when hee had liued â— hundreth and seuen and thirty yeares anâ— they layd hym in a Coffin and buried hym afterwarde in Hebron besides Abraham Isaac and Iacob Finis ¶ The Testament of Iuda made to his children at his death concernyng valiauntnesse couetousnes and foâ—nication Loe here the blessed Princely state Of Iuda â–ª suffering not hys mate The Seepter Lyon Pursse and Crowne Betoken glory and renowne THe copy of al the saiynges of Iuda whiche he spake to his childreÌ„ at the tyme of his death when they were come together before hym he said vnto them I was my fathers fourth sonne and my mother called mee Iuda saiyng I thanke thee Lorde for that hee hath geuen mee a fourth soâ—nne I was swifte of foote and painfull in my youth and obeied my Father in all thinges and blessed my mother and my mothers sisters And when I came to mans estate my Father Iacob prayed ouer mee saying thou shalt be a Kyng and prosperous in all thinges Beholde God gaue mee grace in all my workes both abroad and at home Upon a tyme I sawe a â—inde and ran after her and caught her and made meate of her for my Father Also I â—utran the Roes and ouertooke all thinges that were in the fields in so much that I caught a wilde Mare and tamed her I plucked a Kid out of the mouth of a Beare and takyng hym by the paw ouerthrewe hym and rente asunder all wilde beastes that turned vpon me as if I had been a dogge I encountred with a wil be Boare and ouerrunning hym tare hym in peeces In Hebron a Bastardlyon leapte vpon a dogge and I catchyng him by
Simeon had gotten his coate and would not deliuer it vs but was mynded to haue cutte it in peeces with his sworde and he was angry that he was yet aliue and that be had not slain hym Then all my brethreÌ„ risyng vp together saied vnto hym why shouldest thou not geue it vs seeyng that thou onely art the worker of this mischief in Israell Hereupon he gaue it them and they did as Dan had counselled And now my children I warne you kepe the Lords Commaundementes be mercifull to your neighbours and haue inward compassion towardes all not onely men but also beastes For in that respect the Lorde blessed me insomuche that when all my brothers were sicke I scaped without sicknes For God knoweth euery mans intent Therefore my children haue compassion in your bowels because that as any man dealeth with his neighbor so will God deale with hym For the children of my brothers fell sicke also and dyed for Iosephes sake beecause their fathers pitied hym not but my children were preserued without sicknes as you know And while I was vpon the Sea coast of Chanaan I fell to fishing for my Father Iacob and whereas many others were drowned in the Sea I abode vnhurt I was the firste that made a fisher boate to float on the sea for God gaue me vnderstandyng and wisedome therein so that I did set vp a Mast in the boate and fastned a sayle to the middes of the wood and castyng along the shore in it I fished for my fathers houshold till we came into Egypt and for pities sake I gaue of my fishyng to euery stranger that I met with If there were any forrner borne or any sicke bodie or anie aged person I boyled my fish and dressed it well accordyng to euery mans neede and caried it to them comfortyng them and hauing compassion with them And therfore God made me to catch muche fishe in the Sea. For he that geueth his neighbour receiueth the thinges multiplied of the Lorde Fiue yeares did I fish geuing to euery man that I saw and seruing all my fathers house sufficieÌ„tly In haruest time I fished and in wintertyâ—â—e I fed sheep with my brothers Now will I tell you what I did I saw a miserable man in the depe of winter and hauyng compassion vppon hym I stale a garment priuily out of my House and gaue it the naked man You therefore my Children take pity indiffereÌ„tly of all men and shew mercy with the thinges whiche the Lorde geueth you and deale them abroad to all men with a good hart Aud if ye haue not wherewith to succour the needie out of hand yet haue compassion on him with inward mercy I know that my hand forâ—lowed not to geue to hym that wanted and to speÌ„d that time with him insomuch that I haue walked aboue seuen furloÌ„gs with such a one weeping and my hart yirned vpon hym for compassion You therfore my children haue earnest and inwarde mercy towardes all that are in misery that God hauyng pitie vppon you may be mercifull to you likewise For in the last dayes God will sende his mercy vppon the earth and wheresoeuer he findeth inward and hartie mercy there will he dwell For looke how muche mercie man sheweth to hys neighbour so much wil God shew to him again Now when wee came downe into Egipt Ioseph minded not our euill dealing with him but when he saw me it made hys hart yirne Whom looke ye vpou my children and learne to forget y harme that is done to you Loue ye one another doe not one of you thinke vppon anothers ill dealyng for that breaketh vnitie and displaceth all kinred and troubleth the mynde For hee that is mindful of harme past hath not the bowells of mercie Marke the water and see how it washeth away the Sande when the stones and timber are remoued asunder And if a brooke be drawâ—e into many streames the earth sucketh it vp and it commeth to nothyng and so shall you if you be deuided among your selues Therfore deuide not your selues into two heades for all thinges that God hath created haue but one head a peece He hath geuen a man two shoulders two handes and two feete but yet do all the members obey one head I know by the writinges of my Fathers that in the last dayes ye shall depart from the Lord and be deuided in Israell folowyng two kynges workyng all abhomination and worshippyng all maner of Idols and your enemies shall take you prisoners and you shall fit among the heathen in all misery tribulation and sorowe of mynd And afterward you shall remember the Lord and repent and he shal turne you againe for he is mercifull and full of compassion and thinketh not vppon the â—ewdnes of the Children of men because they be flesh and the spirites of errour beguile them in all their doyngs After this shall GOD himself ryse vp vnto you the light of righteousnes and holsonnes and mercy are in his punishments He shall redeeme all men from the bondage of Beliall and all the spirites of error shal be troden downe and he shall turne all nations to the folowyng of hym ye shall see God in the shape of man for God hath chosen Ierusalem and God is his name Neuerthelesse by the wickednes of your words you shall prouoke hym to wrathe and ye shall be caste of till the tyme of full finishing And now my children bee not sad for my death neither be ye out of hart because I leaue you For I shall rise vp againe among you as a captaiue in the middes of his childreÌ„ And I shal reioyce in the middest of my tribe among as many as haue kept the lawe of the Lorde aud the commaundementes of their Father Zabulon But as for the wicked God shall bring euerlastyng fire vpoÌ„ them and destroy them for euer I returne to my reste as my Fathers haue don now feare you the Lorde your GOD with al your strength all the dayes of your life As he had spoken these wordes he fell a sleepe to hys singular beneâ—ite and his sonnes said hym in a coffin and cariyng hym backe againe vnto Hebron buryed hym there with his Fathers ¶ The Testament of Dan made to his Children at his death concernyng anger and liyng The Serpent With weapon And Dan declare The intent Of those men That wrathfull are THe Copy of Dan hys words which he spake to them in hys laste dayes In the hundred and fiue and twenteth yeare of his life he called hys Tribe vnto hym and sayd Ye children of Dan heare my saiynges and geue heede to the words of your Fathers mouth I lyked in my hart and shewed in my whole lyfe the thing that is good for truth iâ—yned with right dealyng pleaseth God well I haue hated hurtfull thinges as liyng and anger because they teache a
Eunuch should haue beene searched Beholde my sonnes what I haue sustained Loue one of you another with continuaunce cast out from among you deceitfull mindes for God deliteth in the concord of brethren and hath pleasure also in y loue choise of a proued harte For when my brethren came out of Egipt knew me I gaue theÌ„ again their money I neuer gaue reproch vnto them but comforted them And after y death of Iacob I loued them more aboundantly all that euer he commaunded me I did very gladly they marueâ—led because I suffered not them to bee troubled for a smale cause for all that was in my power I gaue to them Their children were reputed to me as mine own and mine owne children as their seruants Their life was my life and their sorow was my sorow all their infirmitie or disease was mine my lande was their land my counsell was y counsel of theÌ„ And I neuer exalted my selfe aboue theÌ„ in pride for mine owne worldly glory But was amongest them as one of y least Therefore my Sonnes if ye walke in the commaundementes of my Lorde the Lorde shall exalt you and blesse you in riches perpetuall And if any man will doe euill to you with meekenes looke that ye pray for hym and GOD shall deliuer you from all euill Nowe beholde and see that for my long sufferaunce the daughter of my Lord was geuen me to wife and there was geuen to mee with her an hundreth talentes of Gold. For God made them to serue me gaue mee beauty that I should be as a flower aboue them that were faire in Israell and he kept me vnto mine age both in strength and beauty because I was like to Iacob in al things And what dreames I haue seene my children nowe heare There were 12. Hartes feeding aâ—d 9. were deuided abroad in the earth Also I sawe howe that of Iuda was a virgin borne hauyng a white silkin Robe and of her came forthe an immaculate Lambe And on the left hand of the saide Lambe was as it were a Lyon and all beastes â–ª made against hym and the Lambe ouercame them and troad them vnder his feet and in hym ioyed the Angels the men and all the earth These thinges shall come to passe in their tyme that is to say in the later dayes Therfore my sonnes keepe the commaundement of the Lord and honour Iuda and Leuy For of them to you shall springe the lambe of God whiche by hys grace shall preserue all Gentiles and Israell The kingdome of hym is a kingdome eternall which shal neuer passe For my kingdome shall bee ended in yoâ— as the keepyng of an Orchard for after the haruest it shall appeare no more I knowe right well that after my death the Egiptians shall trouble you But God shall reuenge you and bryng you to the promised land whiche he sware to Abraham Isaac and Iacob But cary my bones with you for in so doing the Lord shal be in the light with you against the Egiptians Belial shall be in darknes with the Egiptians Also cary with you your mother Zilpha nigh vnto the valley nere vnto Rachell bury her When he had said these wordes he stretched forthe hys feete and slept the sleep of all y world Then they enbaumed him with spices putting hym in a chest in Egipt after he had liued 110. yeares who saw Ephraims Children vnto the 3. generatioÌ„ For vnto Machir the sonne of Manasses were children borne on Iosephes knees After this all they of Israell bewailed hym and all the Egiptians with great mournyng For he had compassion of Egypt as of hys owne proper members and assisted them bothe with his labour and counsell and did them good at all tymes and seasons ¶ The TestameÌ„t of Beniamin made to his Children at his death concernyng a clâ—â—ne mynde Lo what true faitfull loue doth meanâ— All you that louers be It is in hart and not in Lust As here you plainly see THe Copie of Bensamins wordes whiche he vttered to his children beyng of the age of a huÌ„dred and twentie yeares Hee kissed them and saied As Isaac was borne in the hundreth yeare of Abraham so was I in the hundreth yearâ— of Iacob and because Rachell died at my birth I sucked her bondwoman Billâ— For after that Rachell had borne Ioseph she was barren xii yeares And when she had praied to the Lord in those xii yeares she conceiued and bare me For my father loued Rachell excedingly and wished to see 2. sonnes by her and therefore I was called Beniamin that is to say the sonne of my daies or the sonne of my sorrow because my mother died in the birth of mee When I came first into Egypt and that my brother Ioseph knewe mee hee sayde to mee what saide they to my Father when they had solde mee I aunswered They staiâ—ed thy coate with bloud and bringyng it to hym sayde See if this bee thy sonnes coate or no. And my Brother also saide vnto mee Truely when the Ismalites tooke me one of theÌ„ stripping mee out of my coat gaue me a thinne shirt to put on and lashyng me with a Whyp bad mee runne And as hee went aside to hide my garment a Lyon met hym and slew him and so his partners being afraid sold mee to their fellowes You therefore my children loue the God of heauen and obey hys commaundementes followyng that good and hâ—lâ—e man Ioseph and let your mynde bee set vppon goodnes as ye know that mine hath beene He that hath a good mynde looketh rightly vppon all thinges Fâ—are God and loue your neighbours and then although the spirit of Belial tempt you to all naughtinesse to trouble you yet shall it not get the vpper hand of you no more then it did of my Brother Ioseph How many folke would haue killed hym and yet GOD deâ—ended hym For he that feareth God and loueth hys neighbour cannot be wounded of the ayry spirit Beliall and he that is shielded with the feare of the Lord is safe from harme both of man and beast and cannot be ouercome because hee is helped by the loue of God whiche he hath towardes hys neighbour For Ioseph be sought our father Iacob to pray for my Brethren to the Lorde that he would not lay to their charges â–ª the mischiefe that they had deuised againste hym Wherat Iacob cryed out O sonne Ioseph thou hast ouercome my hart And ther withall imbracyng him he kissed him twoo houres together and sayde In thee shall the prophesie of heauen be resembled to the full concernyng the lambe of God and Sauiour of the worlde that the vnspotted shall bee deliuered for the wicked doers and hee that is without sinne shall dye for the Sinners in the bloud of hys Testament to the saluation bothe of the Gentiles and of Israell and he shall dashe Beliall and his seruauntes My children looke vpon
the ende of that good man and follow his mercifulnes with a good mind that you also may haue a crowne of glory vpon your heades A good man hath not a darcke eye for he is mercifull to all men yea though they bee sinners and haue deuised mischiefe agaynst hym and he that doth good ouercommeth euill by the defence of goodnesse and loueth the righteous as his owne Soule If another man bee honoured hee enuieth it not if a man be enriched it greeueth hym not If a man be strong or valiaunt he praiseth hym and beleuyng him also to be chaste he defendeth hym that hath the feare of god He worketh together with hym that â—oueth God and if a man forsake the almightie hee warneth hym to returne againe Whosoeuer hath the grace of the good spirite him doth he loue as his owne life He pitieth the poore succoureth the weake and praiseth and honoureth God. My children if ye haue a good minde euill men shall stande in awe of you and vnthriftes shall for very shame be conuerted to goodnesse So that couetous men shall not only depart from their nigardlines but also geue of their aboundaunce to the needy If ye be good doers both vncleane spirites shall flee from you and shrewd beastes shall shun for feare of you For where the regard of good works is in the minde there darkenesse flyeth away For if hee doe wrong to any holye man hee is sorye for it and if a holy man receiue wronge he pittieth the doer and putteth it vp with silence And if any man betray a righteous soule and the righteous pray for his betrayer the betrayer is not a little disgraced and the righteous becommeth muche more notable afterwarde as did my Brother Ioseph The guilefull spirite of Beliall hath no power ouer a good mans minde For the Angell of peace guideth his soule He looketh not affectionatly vppon corruptible thinges ne raketh together riches in the desire of voluptuousnesse Hee is not delighted with pleasures Hee greeueth not hys neighbour hee stuffeth not hymselfe with meate neither wandreth he in the pryde of hys eyes for the Lorde is his portion He taketh no glory for geuyng good couÌ„sell hee passeth not how men dishonoure hym neither can he skill of anye guile vntrueth strife or slaunderousnes For the Lorde dwelleth in hym and inlighteneth hys mynde and hee reioyceth before all men in a good tyme A good mynde hath not twoo tongues one to blesse with and another to curse with one to slaunder with and another to honour with one of soâ—row and an other of â—oy one of quietnes an other of trouble one of diâ—â—â—mulation an other of truth one of pouerty an other of riches but it hath one onely disposition pure vncorrupt towards all It hath no doble sight nor doble hearyng For in all thinges that he doth speaketh or seeth he knoweth that the Lorde beholdeth his hart and therfore he clenseth hys mynde that hee may not bee â—ound faultie before God and man But all the workes of Beliall are double and vtterly voyde of simplicitie Wherefore my children shun the naughtinesse of Beliall for at the first he delighteth those that obey hym but in the ende he is a sworde and the Father of seuen mischiefes For when the mynde hath once coÌ„ceiued by Beliall it bringeth forthe firste enuy secondly desperatnesse thirdly sorrowe fourthly bondage fiftly needinesse sixty troublesomnesse and seuenthly desolation and for that cause was Cain tormented with seuen punishments by God for in seuen yeare together God brought euery yeare a new plague vppon Caâ—â— Twoo hundred yeares hee suffered and in the nine hundreth yeare the earth was made desolate with the floud for hys righteous brother Abels sake In seuen hundred yeares is Cain iudged and Lamech in seuentie tymes seuen for they that are like Cain in spitefulnes and hatred towardes their brethren shal be punished with the same punishment for euer as he was You therfore my ChildreÌ„ eschew malice enuy hatred towardes your brethreÌ„ cleue to goodness louingnes He y hath a minde cleane in loue looketh not vpoÌ„ a womaÌ„ in way of lechery For he hath no desyling in his hart because y spirit of y Lord resteth in him For as the Sunne is not defiled by shyning vpon a puddle or dunghill but doth rather dry vp and driue away the stinch euen so a pure mind stryueth agaynst y vncleanesse of the earth and ouercoÌ„meth it but is not defiled it selfe And I perceiue by the sayings of the righteous Enoch that there shal be euill deedes amoÌ„g you For ye shal defile your selues with the fornication of Sodonie and perishe all saue a few and multiply mordâ—nate lustes in women and the reigne of the Lord shall not be among you for he shal take it away sodenly Neuerthelesse the Lordes temples shal be made in our portion it shal be glorious among you For the Lord himselfe shal take the kingdome vpon him and the twelue tribes shal be gathered together there and all nations shall â–ª resort thether vntill the 〈◊〉 highest send his saluation in the visitation of his onely 〈◊〉 And he shal 〈◊〉 into the first temple and there the Lord shall suffer wrong and he despised and be 〈…〉 vp vpon a peece of timber And the veyle of the temple shall be rent 〈◊〉 and the spirit of the Lord shall come downe vpon the Gentiles poured out as fire And rising vp froÌ„ the grane he shall ascend from earth to 〈◊〉 He shall remeÌ„ber how 〈…〉 hath bin vpon earth and â—ow glorious he is in heauen When Ioseph was in Egipt I longed to see his person and the formâ— of his couÌ„tenaunce And through the prayers of my Father Iacob I sawe him awake in the daye of his full and perfecte shape Nowe therefore my Children knowe ye that I shall dye Wherefore deale euery of you truely and rightfully with his neighbour worke ye iustly faithfully and kéepe ye the lawe and commaundementes of the Lord for that do I teach you in stead of al inheritauÌ„ce And gâ—ue you the same to your ChildreÌ„ for an euerlasting possession For so dyd Abraham Isaac and Iacob they gaue vs all these thinges for an inheritaunce saying kéepe the Lordes commaundementes til he reueale his sauing health to all nations Then shall ye see Enoch Noe Sem Abraham Isaac and Iacob rising at his right hande with ioyfulnesse Then shal we rise also euery of vs to his owne scepter worshipping the king of heauen which appeared on earth in the base shape of maÌ„ As many as beleue in him shall reioice with him at that time And all these shall rise agayne to glorye and the residue 〈…〉 And the Lord shall first of all iudge Israel for the vnrighteousnes 〈◊〉 agaynst him because they beleued
the land in Charets horsemen buryed him in y place which Iacob had appointed ¶ The Testament of Ruben made to his Children at his death concerning the thinges that he had in his minde by the suggestion of the spirite of foreknowledg â–ª Behold the pot the heare the bed doe note the strength the lust Of Ruben and vnconstant head who therefore was accurst THys is the copye of Rubens Testament concerninge all the thynges whiche hee gaue in charge to hys children before hee dyed in the hundred fiue and twenty yeare of his life Two yeares after the decease of Ioseph his children childrens children came to visite him in his sicknes and he sayd vnto them My children I dye and goe the way of my fathers And saying there his brethren Iuda Gad and Aser he sayd vnto them Lift me vp my brethren that I may tell you and my children the thinges that I haue hidden in my hart for I am henceforth drawing to my long home TheÌ„ staÌ„ding vp he kissed theÌ„ and weeping sayde Harken my brethren and you my childreÌ„ geue care to the word of your father Ruben mark what I giue in charge to you Behold I coÌ„maund you this day before y God of heaueÌ„ that ye walke not in the ignoraunce of youthfulnesse and fornicatioÌ„ whereintâ— I ouershot my selfe and deâ—â—â—ed the bed of my father Iacob For I assure you that the Lord did therfore 〈◊〉 me with a sore plague in my flankes by the space of seuen monthes and ‡ I had perished if my father Iacob had not prayed to the Lorde for mâ—e because he was minded to haue slayne mee I was thirtye yeares old when I did this euill in the sight of the Lorde seuen monethes was I sick to y death and ‡ with a free hart did I seuen yeare penance before the Lord I dranke no wine nor stronge drinke no fleshe came within my mouth I tasted not any fine bred but I mourned for my sinne for it was great there shall none such be done in Israell And nowe my sonnes heare me that I may shewe you what I sawe concerninge the seuen spyrites of error in my repentaunce Belyall geueth seuen spirites agaynst a man whiche are the welspringes of youthfull workes and seuen spirites are géuen man in his creation whereby all hys works are done The first is the spirit of life wherewith is created hys béeing The second is the spirite of séeing wherwith cometh lusting The y spirite of hearing wherew t cometh learning The is y spirit of smelling wherw t cometh delight by drawing in of y ayre by breathing of it out agayn The is the spirit of speech wherwith knowledge is made The is y spirit of tascing wherof commeth y feedyng vpon thinges y are to be eaten drunke through them is ingendred strength because the substaunce of strength is in meate The seuenth is the spirit of séede and generation wherwith entreth sinne through y lust of pleasure For this cause it is the last of creation the first of youth because it is full of ignoraunce and ignoraunce leadeth the yonger sort as a blynd body into the ditch and as an Oxe to the stal AmoÌ„g all these is the eight spirit which is of sléep with whoÌ„ is created the wasting away of nature and the image of death With these spirites are mingled the spirites of error Wherof the first is the spirite of Lechery who lyeth within in the nature and senses of man. The second spirit vnsatiablenesse lyeth in the belly The third spirite of strife lyeth in the lyuer and in choler The fourth spirite is of brauery and galantnesse that the partie may seeme coâ—ly by excesse The fistbe is the spirte of pride which moueth a man to minde ouer great thinges or to thinke well of himselfe The â—rth is the spirit of Lying or vayne gloriousnes in boasting a mans selfe and in desire to â—ile his talke concerning his owne kinâ—ed and acquaintauÌ„ce The seuenth is the spirit oâ— vnrighteousnes whiche stirreth vp the affections that a man should performe the lustfull pleasures of his harte For vnrighteousnes worketh with all the other spirits by taking guile vnto him Unto all these spirites is matched the viiâ— spirit which is the spirite of sléepe or sluggishnes in error and imagination and so the soules of young folkes perishe because their mindes are darâ—kned from the truth and vnderstand not the law of the Lord neither obey the doctrine of their fathers as beâ—el to me in my youth But now my childreÌ„ loue the truth and that shall preserue you Harken to your father Ruben and let not your eyes runne gazing after women neither be ye alone with a woman that is maried neither seeke you about what women are a doing For if I had not sene Billa bathing of her selfe in a secret place I hadde not fallen into that great wickednes But my mind ran so vpon the naked woman that it suffered me not to sleepe till I had committed abhomination For while my father Iacob was away at his Father Isaackes I in Gader hard by Ephrata a house of Bethleem Billa fell drunken as shee lay a sleepe vncouered in her chamber I went in and seeyng her nakednes wrought wickednesse with her and leauing her a sléepe went my way By and by an Angell of God besâ—rayed my wickednes to my Father Iacob who comming home mourned for me touched not â–ª Billa any more Therefore looke not vppon the beâ—uâ—tye of women neyther muse you vpon theyr deâ—nges but walke ye with a single harte in the feare of the Lorde busiâ—nge your selues about some worke and keeping your selues occupyed either in 〈◊〉 â–ª or aboute your flockes till God geue you such wiues as he lifteth leaste 〈◊〉 suffer as I haue bone I durst not looke my father in the face to hys dying day nor speake to any of my brethren for shaine My conscience byteth meâ— eueÌ„ yet still for my sinne But my father comforted me and prayed for me to the Lorde that his wrath myght passe away from me as the Lorde himselfe shewed vnto me Therefore from that time forth I was kept from sinning any more And you my children likewise keepe ye all that I shall tell you and you shal not sinne For fornication is y destruction of the soule separating it from God 4 making iâ— to draw vnto Idols because it leadeth the minde and vnderstanding into error and bringth men to their graâ—e before their time For whorâ—â—om hath vndone many men And although a man be auncient or noble yet doth it shaâ—e him make hym a laughingstock both before Belial the sonnes of meÌ„ But Ioseph because he kept himselfe from all
women and cleansed hys thoughtes from all fornication found fauour both before the Lord and men The Egiptian woman did much to him by vsing the helpe of witches and by offering him slaversawees but the purpose of his minde admitted no noysome desire For this cause the God of my fatherâ— deliuered him from al death bâ—tâ— séene and vnséene for if fornicatioÌ„ ouerrule not your minde neyther shall Belial preuayle against you women are hurtfull thinges my sonnes because that when they waÌ„t power and strength against a man they worke guilfully to draw him to them by traines whom they cannot ouermatch in streÌ„gth hym they ouercome by deceit For the Angel of the Lord which taught me folde meâ—e of them that they be ouermaistred by the spirit of fornicatioÌ„ more then men be and that they be euer practising in their harts agaynst meÌ„ first making their mindes to erre by decking of them selues theÌ„ sheadyng their poison in to them by sight finally catching them prisoners by their doynges for a woman is not able to inforce a man. Therfore my sonnes flee fornication charge your wiues and daughters that they trim not their heades will them to chasten their lookes for euery woman that dealeth deceitfullye in these things is reserued to y punishmeÌ„t of the world to come For by such meanes were y Watchers deceiued before the floud as soone as they saw theÌ„ they fell in loue one with another conceiued a workâ—ng in their mindes and turned them selues into the shape of meÌ„ and appeared to them in their companying with their husbandes and the womeÌ„ by conceiuing the desire of them in the imagination of their mynd brought forth Giants For the â— Watâ—here appeared to them of heigth vnto heauen Therefore keepe your selues from fornication if ye intend to haue a cleane mynde keepe your senses from all women and forbid them likewise the company of men that they may haue also cleane mindes For although coÌ„tinuall companyings do not alwâ—res worke wickednesse yet breede they incurâ—ble stinges to them and to vs euerlasting shame before Belial because that fornication hath neither vnderstandyng nor godlynes in it and all enuiousnes dwelleth in the desire therof and for that cause shall ye enuy the childreÌ„ of Leâ—y and seeke to be exalted aboue theÌ„ but ye shall not be able to compasse it for god will â—duenge them and you shall dye a daungerfull death for vnto I cuy Iâ—da hatl the Lord geuen the souereinty and vnto me and Dan and Ioseph hath he graunted to be princes with theÌ„ Wherfore I charge you heare Leuy for he shal know the law of the lord and deal forth â—udgement and offer sacrifices for all Israel til the full time of Christ the chief priest because the Lorde hath spoken it I charge you by the GOD of heauen that euery of you deale faithefully with his neighbour and sticke vnto Leuy in humblenesse of hart that ye maie receiue blessyng at his mouthe for he shall blesse Israell and Iuda God hath chosen Iuda to be the kyng of all people wherefore worship you his seede for he shall dye for you in battailes bothe visible and inuisible and shall raigne ouer you worlde without ende Ruben hauyng geuen his children the foresaied charge and blessed them died Then thei put him in a coffin and caried him out of Egipte buried hym at Hebron in the double caue where his fathers slepte Finis ¶ The Testament of Simeon made to his Children at his death concernyng 〈◊〉 The harte in womâ—ns mouthe the face the sworde the Wolfe the cap All these paint out the cauious race that runne to their mishap THe copie of Simeons wordes whiche he spake to his Sonnes at his death in the hundred and twenteth yere of his life in the whiche Ioseph died For they came to visite hym vpon his death bed and he sittyng vp kissed them saiyng Harken my children heare me your father Simeon whatsoeuer I haue in my hart I am my father Iacobs second soÌ„ne and my Mother Lea named me Simeon because the Lorde heard her praier I became very mightie I went through with my doynges and was not afraied of any thyng For my harte was stout my minde vnmoueable and my stomack discourageable for hardinesse is giuen of the highest inâ—o mennes soules and bodies In those daies I enuied Ioseph because my father loued hym I hardened my harte againste hym to kill hym because the Prince of errour sendyng forthe the spirite of enuie blynded my mynde that I could not take heede to spare my Father Iacob But his God the God of his fathers seÌ„dyng his Angel did rid hym out of my handes For while I weÌ„t into Sychem to crary tarre for our flockes and Ruben into Dotaiâ—â— where all our necessaries were laied vp in store our brother Iuda solde hym to the Ismalits and therefore when my brother was come againe he was sorie for he intended to haue conueyed hym safe againe to our father But I was angrie with Iuda for lettyng hym go aliue and bare him grudge fiue monthes after howbeit God â—etted me and restrained the woorkyng of my handes for my right hande was halfe withered vp for vii daies together Then did I perceiue my Sonnes that that befell me for Iosephes sake whereupon I repented sone after and besought the lord to restore my hande and I would abstaine from all rancour enuie and follye For I knewe I had conceiued a wicked thought against the Lorde and against my Father Iacob for my brother Iosephes sake whoÌ„ I enuied Now therefore my children kepe your selues froÌ„ the spirites of error and enuie For enuie ouerruleth the. mynde of euery manâ—â—e sufferyng hâ—m not to eate or drinke in rest â–ª or to doe any good thyng is alwaies eggyng him to slaie the partie whom he enuieth and â—inyng away at his prosperitie Twoo yeres together I punished my soule with fastyng in the feare of the Lorde For I knewe that the waie to deliuer me from enuie was the feare of the lorde If a maÌ„ flee to the lorde the wicked spirit fleeth froÌ„ hym so as his mynde becommeth meke and of spitefull he becoÌ„meth pitifull bearyng no grudge towardes suche as loue hym so his enuie ceaseth And because my father sawe me sadde he asked me the cause of it To whom I lied saiyng I haue a paine in my stomacke for I was foriest of all my brothers for that I had been the cause of Iosephes sellyng into Egipte And when I came into Egipt and was put in ward by hym as a spie Then perceiued I that I was iustly punished and I was not sorie for it But Ioseph beyng a good man and hauyng Gods spirite in hym beyng ful of pitie and mercie mynded not to doe me any harme but loued me
the third are the powers of hostes ordeined against the day of iudgement to take vengeance vppon the spirites of error and of Belial In the fourth aboue these are the Saints for in the higher places dwelleth great glory in the holy of all holyes aboue all holinesse In the nexte vnto this are the Angels that doe seruice in Gods pâ—esence and seeke his fauour in all the igâ—oraunces of the righteous They offer vnto the Lord the swete fauour of reasoâ—able seruice a Sacrifice without bloud In the other that is vnder this are the Angells that bring aunsweres from the Angels in Gods presence In that which is aboue it are the Thrones and Potestates wherein is coÌ„tinuall offeryng vp of Hymnes vnto god Therefore whensoeuer the Lord loketh vpon vs all of vs are mouth â–ª yâ—a and â—uch heauen earth the bottomles deepe are moued at the sight of his greatnesse â–ª but the Children of men beyng witlesse shall synne and prouoke the highest vnto wrath Now therfore vnderstand that the Lorde will execute iudgement vppon the children of men Because that men will coÌ„tinue in vnbelefe and vnrighteousnesse euen when the stones shal cleaue a sunder the Sunne be darkened the waters dried vp the fire quake and al creatures bâ—â—roâ—bled at the faintyng of the inuisible Spirites and at the spoiling of hell in the passion of the Highest therefore shall they be condemned to punishement The highest then hath hearde thy prayer to separate thâ—e from vnrighteousnesse and to make thee his sonne and seruaunt and a Minister in his presence a Lanterne of knowledge to lighten Iacob throughly and to be as a day Sunne among the children of Israell and vnto thee and thy seede shall â—he power of blessyng bee geuen till God visite al nations in the bowels of the mercye of his sonne for euer Neuerthelesse thy Sonnes shall lay their handes vppon hym to crucifie hym and for this cause is wisedome and vnderstandyng geuen thee to giue thy children knowledge of hym because that if they blesse hym they shal be blessed and they that cursse hym shall perishe in his sight And the Angell opened me the gates of heauen and I saw the holie temple and the highest sittyng on the throne of glory and he saied to mee Leuy I haue geuen thee the blessynges of the priesthoode till I come my selfe to dwell in the middes of Israell Then the Angel brought me downe to the earth and gaue mee a shield and a sworde saiyng execute vengeaunce in Sichem for Dina I wil be with thee for God hath sent me And at that tyme I slewe the Sonnes of Hemor as it is written in the tables of Heauen And I said vnto hym lord I pray thee tell me thy name that I may call vpon thee in the tyme of my trouble And he answered I am an * Angell which excuseth Israell that he might not bee striken for euer because all wicked spirites lye in waite for hym Afterward beyng waked as it were out of sleepe I blessed the most highest and the Angell that excuseth the ofspring of Israell and all righteous men And when I came to my Father I â—ounde an Asp of brasse whereupon the hill tooke the name of Asps whiche is harde by Gebat on the right side of Abyla And I layd vp these saiynges in my hart I counselled my father and my Brother Ruben to perswade the sonns of Hemor to be circumcised because I was zelously greued for the abhomination whiche they had wrought in Israell For first of al I killed Sichem and then Simeon killed Hemor and after vs came our brethren who smote the Citie the edge of the sworde When my Father heard of it â–ª he was angry because they had receiued circumcision and were killed afterward and therefore he delt otherwise with vs in blessing For we â—â—nned in doyng it against his wil and he fell sicke the same day But I knewe that the Lorde intended euil vnto the Sychemites because thei had heretofore purposed to haue done the like vnto Sara as they did to our sister Dina. But GOD letted them And they persecuted our father Abraham as then a straunger and caried away his cattell and furdermore did beat Ieblae verie sore who was borne in his house After the same maner delte they with all other strangers taking away their wiues froÌ„ them by force and driuyng the men themselues out of their countrye For whiche cause the wrath of the lord came vpoÌ„ them in the end And I said to my Father Syâ— be not offended for GOD will bring the Chananites to nothyng before thee and geue their land vnto thee vnto thy holy one after thee For froÌ„ heÌ„ceforth Sichem shall be called the Citie of fooles because that as men doe scorne fooles so haue we scorned them for their workyng of foly in Israelâ— in takyng awaie our sister to defile her Then came we into Bethell and there when I had Sacrificed three score and ten daies together I sawe â—he thyng again as I had seen it before Aâ—d I sawe â—euen menne in white raiment saiyng vnto me Up putte on the Stole of Priestehoode the Crowne of righteousnesse the Reasonall of vnderstandyng the Robe of truth the Breastplate of faithe the Mitre of holinesse and the Ephod of Prophesie And so euery of theÌ„ bryngyng somethyng with hym did put them vpon me saiyng Be thou henceforthe the Lordes Prieste thou and thy seede for euermore The â—irste annointed me with holie Oyle and gaue me the Scepter of iudgement The seconde washed me with cleane water and â—edde me with breade and wine that is to wit with the holye of holies and clothed me with a holie and glorious Robe doune to the grounde The third did put vpoÌ„ me a Silken garmente like an Ephod The fourth girded me with a girdâ—e like to purple The fifth gaue me an oliue bough full of fatnesse The sixth did set the Mitre of Priesthode vpon my head The seuenth filled my handes with Incense to the entent I should execute the office of Prieste vnto the Lorde And he saied vnto me Leuy vnto three principall thynges is thy seede appointed of GOD namely to be a signe of the glorious lord that is to come â–ª and he that beleueth shal be the firste The greate lot shall not fall vpon hym The seconde shal be in priesthoode And the third shal haue a newe name because a king shal rise vp in Iuda and renâ—e my Priesthood accordyng to the figure of the Gentiles among all nations But the commyng of hym is vnvtterable as who shall bee the Pâ—ophet of the highest borne of the seede of our Father Abraham All the pleasant thynges of Israell shall be geuen to thee and to thy seede and ye shall eate all that is faâ—re to see to and thy seede shall distribute the Lordes Table and of them
shall be high Priestes Iudges and Scribes for in their mouthe shall the holie thinges be kept WheÌ„ I awooke I perceiued that this vision was like the other and I laied it vp in my harte and shewed it not to any man liuyng vpon yearth The firste twoo daies I and Iuda wente to our Grandfather Isaac and he blessed me according to all the saiynges of the visions that I had seen but he would not goe with vs vnto Bethel But when we came to Bethel my father Iacob sawe in a vision concerning me that I should bee their Prieste before the Lorde And he rose in the Mornyng and tithed all thynges to the lorde by me Then came we to Hebron to dwell there and by and by Isaac called me to expound the lawe of the lorde accordyng as Gods Aungell had shewed it me and he taught me the Lawe of Priesthoode Sacrifices Burnt offerynges Firstlynges Freewill offerynges and offerynges for health Euery daie he taught me vnderstaÌ„dyng and called vpoÌ„ me continually before the lord saiyng my sonne geue no eare to the spirite of fornication for he will folowe thee and defile the holie thynges by thy seede Therefore take thee a wife in thy youth suche a one as hath not any blemishe nor vncleannesse nor is of the kindred of the Allophites or of the Gentiles And before thou enter into the holies wash did likewise ere thou sacrificest and also wheÌ„ thou hast doen Offer vnto the lorde the fruites of the twelue trees that are euer grene as my father Abraham taught me to do and the fruite of all cleane beastes of cleane foules offer thou in Sacrifice Likewise offer vp the first borne of all thynges and the firste fruites of the vine and sprinckle all thy Sacrifices with salte Now therefore my sonnes keepe ye all the thynges that I commaunde you for â–ª whatsoeuer I haue heard of my fathers that haue I told vnto you I am cleare from al the wickednesse and synne whiche you shall commit to the ende of the worlde Ye shall woorke wickednesse againste the Sauiour of the worlde and ye shall seduce Israel stirring vp muche euill against him from the lorde and dealyng wickedly with hym so that Hierusalem shall not continue by reason of your naughtinesse The Ueile of the Temple shal be rente asunder to discouer â–ª your foulenesse and ye shall bee scattered as prisoners among the Heathen and bee scorned curssed and troden vnder foote Neuerthelesse the house whiche the lorde shall chuse shall bee called Hierusalem as the booke of Enoch the righteous conteineth Therefore when I was .xxviii. yeres olde I tooke a wife whose name was Melcha and she conceiued and bare me a Sonne and called his name Gershon because we were but strauÌ„gers in our lande For Gershon signified banishement Now I knewe of hym that he should not bee of the chief degree The seconde was Caath who was borne the xxxv yeare I sawe a vision Eastwarde how all the Congregation stoode vp a lofte and therefore I called his name Caath whiche signifieth the beginnyng of greatnesse and learnyng The third was Merari who was borne in the fiue and fifteth yeare of my life And because his mother was hardely deliuered of hym she called hym Merari whiche is as muche to say as my bitternesse And in the three score and fourth yeare of my life was my daughter Iochebed borne in Aegipt and so was I honorable among my brethren Also my soonne Gershon tooke a wife whiche bare him Libny and Schimi The sonnes of Caath were Amram Yshâ—ar Hebron and Vziel and the Soonnes of Merari were Mahaly and Mushi In the fower score and fowerteenth yeare of my life Amram tooke to wife my daughter Iochebed because that he and she were borne bothe on one day I was eight yere old when I entered into the land of Chanaan and eighteene yere olde when I entered the office of Priesthoode At eight and twentie yeres I tooke a wife and at fourtie yeres olde I entered into Egipt And beholde ye bee nowe my Childrens children in the thirde generation Ioseph died in the hundred and tenth yeare And now my Children I warne you feare the Lorde your GOD with all your harte and walke plainely in all thynges accordyng to his Lawe Moreouer bryng vp your children in learnyng that they maye haue vnderstandyng by readyng the lawe of God without ceasyng all their life loÌ„g For whosoeuer knoweth Gods lawe shal be honoured and goe wheresoeuer he wil he shall be no straunger Also he shall haue moe freindes then his forefathers hadde and many shall bee glad to serue hym and to heare the lawe at his mouthe My sonnes deale rightfully vpon yearth that ye maie finde heauen and sowe good thinges in your myndes that ye maye finde them in your life For if ye sowe euill thynges ye shall finde and reape all maner of combraunce and trouble Get ye wisedome in the feare of God For if captiuitie come and Cities and Countreis bee destroyed golde and siluer and al possessions perish but none can take awaie the wise mannes wisedome saue onely the blindnesse of vngodlinesse and synne For his wisedome shall become a shield to hym among his enemies and make a straunge countrey to bee as his owne home and cause hym to finde frendship in the middest of his foes If he teach and doe suche thynges he shal sitte with kynges as did our brother Ioseph And truely my children I knowe by the writynges of Enoch that in the ende ye shall doe wickedly laiyng your handes moste spitefully vpon the lorde through you your brethren shal be confounded and made a scornyng stocke to all Nations Howbeeit our Father Israell is cleare froÌ„ the wickednesse of the high Priestes whiche shall saye hande vpon the Sauior of the worlde The heaueÌ„ aboue the yearth is cleane you be the lightes of the Heathen as the SuÌ„ne and the Moone What shall al the HeatheÌ„ do if you be ouerdarckned with wickednesse and bryng cursednesse vpon your countrey folke for whose sakes the lighte of the worlde is put into you to inlighten al men withal this light of the worlde shall you wilfully steâ— and teache commaundementes coÌ„trary to the righteousnesse of god He shall purloine ynâ— Lordes offerynges and suche awaie peeces of it Before ye doe your Sacriâ—ices to the Lorde ye shall steale awaie the choiceste thynges and eate them disdainfullie with Harlottes teachyng Commaundementes of coueteousnesse Ye shall defile Maried women and enforce Maidens in Hierusalem Ye shall matche your selues with Whores and Harlottes ye shal take the Daughters of the Heathen to wife â–ª purifiyng them with vnrighteous purifiyng and youre minglyng shall bee as Sodome and Gomorrha and ye shall be swolne with wickednesse in the Priesthoode in so muche that ye shall disdainefully laughe the hâ—lie thynges to scorne not
this shall Abraham Isaac and Iacob rise vp againe to life and I and the Princes my brethren shall be your Sâ—â—pter in Israell Leuy firste I next Ioseph the third Beniamin the fourth Symeon the fifth Isachar the sixth and so all the reste And the Lorde hath blessed vs Leuy shall bee the Messenger of my presence Symeon the Power of my glorie Ruben Heauen Isachar the Hearth ZabuloÌ„ the Sea Ioseph the Mountaines Beniamin the Tabernacle Dan the lightes Heptalim the 〈◊〉 God the Daysunne and After an Oliue tree And there shall be one people of the lorde and one tongue and there shall bee no more the false Spiritie of Beâ—â—â—â— â–ª because he shall bee cast into endlesse fire They that are buried in sorrowe shal 〈…〉 and they that were poore for the Lordes sake shall be made riche Thei that suffered penurie shall haue plentie and they that were weake shall bee made strong They that died for the lordes sake shall wake vp vnto life and runne in Iacob yea they shall runne skipping and leapyng and they shal flie as Eagles for iov But the vngodlie shall be sorrowfull and the synners shall mourne and all the people shall glorifie the Lorde for euer Therefore my children keepe all the lawe of the Lorde for there is hope for all suche as walke aright A hundreth and nineteene yeares olde doe I dye in your fight Lette none of you burie me costly clothes nor rippe my beallie for so will Rulers doe But cary me backe into Hebron with you With these woordes Iuda died and his children doyng in all thynges as he commaunded them buried hym with his fathers in Hebron Finis ¶ The Testament of Isachar made to his Children at his death conceâ—nyng a single harte Lâ—â—râ—e here a simple life Not voide of paine but strife The Sythe the Spade the Asse Sâ—â— forthe what man he was THe copie of Isachars woordes He callyng his children about hym saied vnto them Ye childreÌ„ of Isachar heare your Father and harken to the woordes of the beloued of the Lorde I am Iacobs fifth sonne in the reward of Mandrake For Iacob broughte Mandrakes out of the fielde and Rachell meetyng hym tooke them of hym Thereat Ruben wept and at his noise my mother Lea came out Now the Mandrakes were sweete sented apples whiche the lande of Aran bryngeth forthe in high countreis by the waterualleis And Rachell saied I will not geue thee these Apples because they shal helpe me to children Now there were twoo of these Apples And Lea said doth it not suffice thee that thou hast gotten awaie the housbande of virginitie but that thou wilte haue this also She aunswered let Iacob lye with thee to night for thy sonnes Mandragoras Lea saied vnto her do not boste nor brag for Iacob is myne and I am the wife of his youth And Rachell aunswered howe so was he not first handfasted vnto me and serued he not our Father fowerteene yeres for me What shall I doe to thee For many are the wiles and policies of menne and gile goes forward vpon yearth If it had been otherwise thou shouldest not haue sen Iacob in the face at this daie For thou arte not his wife but werte guilfully putte to hym in my steade My father deceiued me and conueiyng me awaie that nighte suffered me not to see hym For had I been there this had not come to passe Wherefore take thee one Mandrake and in lewe of the other I graunte thee hym for one nighte And Iacob knewe Lea who conceiuyng bare me and called my name Isachar because of the hire Then an Angell of the lorde appeared vnto Iacob and said that Rachel should beare but two sonnes because she had forsaken the companie of her housebande and chosen continencie And if my mother Lea had not geuen thee twoo Apples for his companie she should haue borne eighte children whereas by reason of that she bare but sixe and Rachell twoo because GOD visited her in the Mandrakes For he knewe that she desired to company with Iacob for issues sake and not for luste of pleasure For she â—â—ned vp the Mandrake and deliuered it to Iacob the next daie and therefore God heard Rachell in the Mandrakes because that although she had a mynde to them yet she eate them not but offered them to the Prieste of the moste highest whiche was in those daies and laied them vp in the Lordes house Therefore my children when I came to mannes state I walked with an vprighe harte and became Bayliffâ— of Housebandrie to my Fathers and broughte them the fruites of their Landes in their due seasons and my Father blessed me when he sawe howâ— I walked plainly and â—mplie I was no busie bodie in my dooynges I was not hurtfull nor spitefull to my neighbour I raiâ—ed not vpon any manne neither dispraised I the life of any that walked in singlenesse of mynde By reason hereof when I was thirtie yeres olde â–ª I tooke a wife beâ—ause labour had coÌ„sumed my strength I neuer knewe the pleasure of a woman through wantonnesse but my laboure made me to sleepe soundlie and my Father did alwaies reioice of my simplicity For whatsoeuer paines I tooke first of al I offered al the first fruites and the first ingendered cattle to the Lorde by the Priest and then gaue my Father the reste and the Lorde doubled his benefites in my handes Yea and Iacob hym self perceiued well that GOD wrought with my plain dealyng For vnto euery poore man and to euery man in aduersitie gaue I of the frutes of the yearth with a single harte And nowe my children harken and walke in singlenesse of mynde for I knowe that the lorde is verie well pleased with it The single-harted manne coueteth not golde vndermineth not his neighbour lusteth not after diuersitie of meates destreth not shifte of apparell nor behighteth hym self long tyme but onely hath an eye to Gods will and the spirites of error can doe nothyng against hym For he can no skill to entertaine a faire woman least he should destie his owne mynde wrathe ouermaistereth not his witte enuie melteth not his soule neither doeth his mynde run coueteously vpon gain For he leadeth an vpright life and beholdeth all thynges with a single eye excludyng all hurtfulnesse of worldly errour leaste he should ouersee any of the Commaundementes of God Therefore my children keepe Gods Lawe and holde faste plainnesse walke on in â—â—nocencie and bee not to inquisitiue in Gods secretes or of your neighbours doynges but loue God and your neighboure pitie the poore and weake bowe doune your backs to Housbandrie and labour in tillyng of the yearth in all maner of Housbandrie offering presentes to the lorde with thankesgeuyng who blesseth the yearth with encrease and newe spryng of fruites as he blessed all holy men from Abell to this daie for there is none other portion geueÌ„ thee then of the fatnesse of the yearth â–ª
whose fruites come by painestakyng for our Father Iacob blessed me with the benefites of the yearth and the firstelynges of fruites Leuy and Iuda are glorified of the lorde among the children of Iacob For God hath planted hym self in them geuyng to the one the Priesthoode and to the other the kyngdome Therefore obey ye them and walke plainly as our Father Iacob did For vnto Gâ—d it is geuen to destroye the temptations of Israell My Children I knowe that in the laste daies your children shall forsake plainnesse and cleaue to coueteousnesse let goe innocencie and followe lewdnesse Leaue Gods commaundementes and sticke vnto Beliall geue ouer Housbandrie and gadde after wicked deuices and therefore shall they be scattered among the Heathen and become bondeslaues to their enemies Wherefore warne your children of it that if they synne they maie retourne quickly to the Lorde for he is mercifull and will deliuer them and bryng theÌ„ home againe into their owne lande I am now an hundreth and twoo and twentie yeares olde and I knowe not any deadly lynne vppon me I haue not knowen any woman but my wife neither haue I committed whordome in the luste of mâ—neeyes I haue not drâ—nke Wine vnto droukeunelie neither haue I coueted any pleasant thyng of my neighbours There hath been no guile in my hart nâ—ither hath there any liyng gon out of my lippes I haue been foriâ— with euery man that was in heauâ—nesse and giuen my bread to the poore I haue not â—aten my ineate alone nor remoued the bouÌ„des and buttels of landes I haue been pitifull all the daies of my life and deaâ—te truely in all cases I haue loued the lorde with all my strength and all men as myne owne children My sonnes if you also doe â— the like all the spirites of Belial will flie from you and nothyng that mischieuous menne can doe against you shall haue power ouer you You shall bryng all wilde beastes in subiection to you because yâ— haue the Lorde of heauen with you if yâ— walke with menne in singlenesse of harte And he willed them to carie his bodie into Hebron and to burie hym there in the Caue with his Fathers Thus he stretched out his feete and died in a good age hauyng all his limmes strong and founde and sâ—epte the sleep of all the worlde ¶ The Testament of ZabuloÌ„ made to his Children at his death concerning compassion and mercie The poore man at home Zabulon fed The straungers vnknowen also clothed When Ship did saile God did not faile But gaue his wit To gouerne it THe charge that Zabulon gaue to his children in the hundreth and fourteenth yere of his life twoo and thirtie yeares after the decease of Ioseph And he saied vnto them heare ye me ye Sonnes of Zabulon a good gifte to my Father and Mother For when I was begotten my Father was greatly encreased in Shepe and cattell by reason of the good lucke that he had through the straked roddes I wiste not my Children I wiste not that I synned in those daies For I considered not that I dealt wickedly through ignorance in Iosephes case and moreouer concealed it with my Brothers from our Father howbeeit that I wepte muche for it in secret for I was afraied of my Brothers because they had all conspired together to kill hym with the Sworde that should beâ—â—aie that secrete Neuerthelesse when they would haue killed hym I besought them moste earnestly with teares that they would not dooe suche wickednesse For Symeon and God came vpoÌ„ Ioseph to haue killed hym and Ioseph fallyng vpon his knees saied vnto them haue pitie vppon me my Brethren haue pitie vppon the bowelles of our Father Iacob Laye not your handes vppon me to shead innocente bloude for I haue not synned againste you If I haue doen amisse nurture me with chastisemente but laye not your handes vpon me for our Father Iacobs sake Upon his saiyng of these wordes I beyng moued with compassioÌ„ came and wepte and my harte melted within me and all the substaunce of my bowels were loosened vppon my soule Also Ioseph wepte and I with hym and my harte trembled and the ioyntes of my bodye quaked and I was not able to stande And when he sawe me weepyng with hym and them commyng towardes hym to kille hym he fledde behinde me and besoughte them to pitie hym Then Ruben stepping in saied My brethren lette vs not kille hym â—nt lette vs caste hym into the drye pitte that our fathers digged and founde no water in it For GOD suffred no water to spryng vp in it because it should bee a sauegarde for Ioseph And so God did til they sold him to the I smaelites Thus gaue I no consente to the synne againste Ioseph but Symeon Gâ—d and the other of my Brothers takyng money for Ioseph bought Shoes with it for them selues their Wiues and their Children â–ª saiyng Lette vs not eate it because it is the price of our Brothers bloud but lette vs treade it vnder our feete because he saied he should raigne ouer vâ— and wee shall see what his dâ—eames will come vnto Therefore in the Sâ—â—pter of Cnoches Lawe it is written of hym that would not raise vp â—eede to his brother I haue loosed Iosephes Shoâ—e For when wee came into Egipte the younge menne vnbuckeled Iosephes Shooes at the gate and so wee worshipped Ioseph as it had been Pharao and not onely worshipped hâ—m but also kneeled downe before hym with blushyng and so were putte to shame before the Egiptians fâ—r afterwarde the Egiptians heard of all the ill that wee had doen vnto Ioseph After the laiyng of him in the pit my Brothers sette meate vppon the Table to eate But I mournyng for Ioseph did 〈◊〉 no meate by the space of two daies and two nightes together neither would Iuâ—â— ente with them but had an eye to the Pitte because he feared leaste Symâ—on and Gad should step there and kille hym When they sawe that I eate nothyng they set me to keepe hym till he was sold. He was in the pitte three daies and three nightes without repast ere he was solde Ruben hearyng that he was solde in his absence rente his garmentes and wepte saiyng how shall I looke my Father Iacob in the face And therewith all takyng money he ran after the Marchauntmen but he could not finde them For they had left the kynges high waie and were gone awai eapace by bye Lanes and Ruben eate no meate that daie Dan therefore commyng vnto hym saied weepe not neither bee sad for the boye for I wote what wee maie saie to our Father Iacob Wee will kill a Kid and staine Iosephes coate with the bloud of it and saie to hym See if this be thy sonnes coate or no. For wheÌ„ they entended to sell Ioseph they stripped hym out of our fathers coate and put vppon hym an old coate of a bondseruaunte
man all maner of naughtinesse I confesse vnto you my children thys day that I was glad in my hart at the death of Ioseph that true and good man and reioyced at the sellyng of hym because our Father loued hym more than vs. For the spirite of spitefulnes and pryde said vnto me Thou art his Soune too as well as he And one of the spirites of Belial wrought with me saiyng Take this sworde and slea Ioseph with it and when he is dead thy father shall loue thee This was the spirit of spitefulnes which counseled nice to deuour Ioseph as the Leopard deuoureth a Ryd But the God of our Father Iacob did not put hym into my handes nor suffer me to find him alone that I might dispatch twoo Scepters in Israell by committyng that wickednesse And now my childreÌ„ I tell you of a truth that vnlesse ye keepe your selues froÌ„ this spirite of lying and wrath and loue truth and long sufferance ye shal perish Wrath is blynde my Children and no wrathfull man looketh truth in the face because that although they were his Father and Mother yet doth he beholde them as his enemies Though he be hys brother â–ª yet he knoweth hym not though he be the Lords Prophet yet obeieth he him not though he bee a. righteous man yet he regardeth hym not and though hee bee his frcinde yet he considereth it not For the spirite of wrathe besetteth hym with the Snares of errour blindyng hys naturall eyes and dimmyng the eyes of his mynde by falsehoode and geuyng to hym a sight of hys owne makyng And wherein bleareth he his eyes In hatred of hart For he geueth hym a self willed hart against hys Brother to spite hym and enuy hym My Sounes wrath is mischevous for it becommeth a soule to the soule and subdueth the body to it selfe by ouer masteryng the soule and geueth power to the bodye to worke all wickednes And when the soule hath wrought it iustifieth the thyng done because it seeth not Therefore he that is wrathfull if he be a man of might hath treble power in hys anger One through the healpe and furtheraunce of his seruauntes Another of hys riches wherethrough he perswadeth and ouercommeth in vnrighteousnes and third of the nature of his own body which of it self worketh euil And though he that is angry bee a poore man yet hath he his naturall power doubled For the said spirite doth alwayes further his wickednes by causing his deedes to be matched with liyng Wherefore consider the power of wrath how vaine it is Fo hee is bitter in speeche and walketh at Sathans right hand that his deedes may be wrought in vntrustinesse and liyng for Sathan doth first of all styng hym by speeche and when he hath once pricked hym forewarde hee strengthneth hym by dedes and troubleth his vnderstanding with bitter nippes and losses and so prouoketh his mynde to excessiue wrath Therefore when any man speaketh against you be not moued to anger and if he praise ye as good men bee not puffed vp nor chaunged into voluptuousues and sternnesse of countenaunce For when a man heareth a thing that misliketh hym first it ticleth him and stingeth his minde so that he thinkes he hath iuste cause to be angry Now therfore my children if ye fall into any losse hinderance be not out of patience for the spirit of impatience maketh men to lust for the thyng that is forgone to be angry for the want of it Beare you losses willingly and bee not out of quiet for it for vnquietnes ingendreth anger and vntrueth and it is euill to haue a double face Anger and vntruth talke one to another to trouble the vnderstandyng And when the mynde is combred with disdeine the Lorde departeth from it and Belial getteth the dominion of it Therefore my Children keepe the Lords commaundementes and lawes eschew vntruth and hate it that the Lord may dwel in you and Belial flee from you Speake euerie of you the trueth to hys neighbour that ye fall not willingly into incomberaunce and so shall ye be in quiet and ye shal haue the God of peace warxe shall not preuaile against you Loue the Lord all your life long and loue ye one another with a sothfast hart For I am sure that in the latter daies ye shall depart froÌ„ the Lord walke in all naughtines working the abhominations of the Gentiles and huntyng wicked women in all leudnes through the workyng of deceitfull spirits in you For I haue read in Enoch that Sathan is your prince and that all y spirites of fornication and pride shall plie themselues in laiyng snares for the Children of Dan to make them sinne before the lord But my children sticke ye vnto Leuy and looke vpon hym in all thinges The children of Iuda shall snatch away other mens goods like Lyons through couetousnesse For this cause shall ye be led away with them into captiuitie and there receiue all the plagues of Egipt and all the malice of the Heathen whereupon ye shall returne to the Lord obteine mercy and he shall bring you into his holy place and proclaime peace to you The Lordes sauing health shall spring vp vnto you out of the Tribes of Iuda and Leuy He shall make warre against Belial and geue our young men the victorye in reuengement Hee shall deliuer the imprisoned soules of the saincâ—es from Beliall and turne your vnbeleuyng hartes to the Lorde and geue euerlastyng peace to suche as call vppon hym The Sainctes shall rest in hym and the righteous shall reioyce in the newe Hierusalem whiche shall glorifie God for euer Hiernsalem shall no more be wasted nor Israell led into captiuitie because the Lord shal be conuersant among men in the middest of it and the holy one of Israell shall reigne ouer them in lowlinesse and pouertie and he that beleueth in him shall certainly reigne in heauen Now my children feare the Lord and beware of Satan and hys spirites And drawe neare vnto God and to the angell that excuseth you for he is the mediator betweene God and man to set peace in Israell He shall stand against the kingdome of the enemie and therefore will the enemie labour to ouerthrow all that call vpon the Lords for he knoweth that whensoeuer Israell decayeth â–ª then shall his enemies kingdome come to an end But the said angell shall strengthen Israell that hee come not to an euill end At that tyme shall Israel depart from iniquitie and the Lorde shall visite suche as do his will. In all places of Israel and among the heathen his name shall bee the sauiour Therfore my children keepe your selues from all noâ—â—ome dealings and put from you wrathe and all vntruthe Loue truth and mildnes and looke what you haue heard of your Father deliuer it ouer to your Children
that the Father of nations may receaue you For he was soothfast long suffering meeke lowly and aâ—â—â—â—her of Gods lawe by his owne woorkes Therefore depart from all vnrightâ—ousnes that ye may sticke to the righteousnâ—s of the Lordes law and bury ye mee by my Father In saiyng these thinges be kissed them and slept the sleepe of the world â–ª And his sonnes buried hym laiyng his bones by Abraham Issac and Iacob And like as Dan had prophesied to them that theâ— should one day neglect Gods lawâ— and estrange them selues from the offpryns and natiue countrey of Israell so came it to passe ¶ The Testament of Neptalim made to his Children at his death concernyng goodnes Runne Neptalims race but runne apace Embrace his goodnes and trustinesse If your state you see seruauntes to bee Then God will you blesse and geue successe THe Copie of Heptalims Testament concernyng the thynges which he discoursed at the ende of his tyme in the hundred and two and thirtie yeare of hys life At the commyng of hys children together in the seuenth moneth the forth daie of the moneth hee beyng yet in good health commaunded a sumptuous feaste and greate cheere to be prepared When we wooke in the mornyng from sleepe because hee was euen at deathes doore he praised the Lorde that had strengthned hym and began to speake to his children in this wife My Children geue eare to Neptalim barken to your Fathers wordes I was borne of Bilha and because Rachell dealt craftely in puttyng Bilha to Iacob in her owne steade and Bilha was deliuered of mee in Rachels lappe therefore was I called Neptalim And Rachell loued me because I was borne on her lappe and she kissed mee when I was a little one saiyng God let mee see a brother of thyne out of myne owne wombe after thee By reason whereof Ioseph was like mee in all things accordyng to Rachels request Now my Mother Billa was the daughter of Rotheus the Brother of Debora Rebeccas nurse and was borne the selfe-same day that Rachell was borne for Rotheus was a Caâ—dean of Abrahames kindred a worshipper of GOD free borne and a noble man Now bee it for asmuche as he was taken Prisoner Laban bought hym and maried hym to a bondwoman of hys called Eue who brought hym forth a Sonne whom he named Zeliphas after the name of the Castle wherein he was taken Afterwarde she bare Billa callyng her her newe hasty daughter because she was fond of the Dug as soone as she was borne And because I was as swift of foot as a Stagge my father Iacob appointed me to runne of all mesuages and errands and blessed me by the name of a Stagge For as the Potter knoweth what his bessell shall conteine and tempereth hys quanâ—itie of clay thereafter so the Lorde maketh a mans bodye proportionable to the spirite that he will put into it and â—â—â—teth the spirite to the abilitie of the bodie â—o as there is no inequalitie or oddes betwixt them for all the Lordes creatures are made in Weight Measure and Rule And as the Potter knoweth the vse of euery of them to what thynges thei be metest so the Lorde knoweth the bodie how farre for the it is fit for goodnesse and wheÌ„ it beginneth in euill for there is not any Creature reasonable nor vnreasonable whiche the lorde knoweth not for he hath created all menne after his owne Image And as mans strength is so is his workeas is his will so is his woorke as is his forecast â–ª so is his doyng as is his harte so is his mouth as is his eye so is his slepeand as is his minde so is his talke either of the lawe of the Lorde or of the lawe of Beliall And loâ—ke what diuersitie is betwene lighte and darckenesse or betwene sight and hearyng the same diuersitie is there in man and woman Neither is it to be saied that there is any betternesse in any thing either of the face or of other like thynges For God hath made all thynges good in their order or degree he hath sett the fiue wittes in the heade and knitte the head to the necke couered it with heare for his glorie Moreouer he hath assigned the harte to wisedome the bealie to the auoidaunce of the stomacke the breaste to healthe the liuer to anger the gall to bitternesse the spleene to laughter the kidneis to craftinesse the loynes to strength the ribbes to comelinesse the seede to lustinesse and so forthe So my children doe all thynges in order and in the feare of God neither doe ye any thyng disorderly in scorne or out of due season For thou caust not commaâ—ide the eye to heare neither caust thou doe the workes of light in darknesse Therefore hast ye not to marre your doynges through coueteousnesse or 〈◊〉 beguile your owne soules with fonde talke For by holdyng your peace with a cleane harte ye shal be able to kepe the wil of God and to caste awaie the wiâ—â— of the deuell The SuÌ„ne Moone and Starres breake not their order neither break you Gods lawe in the order of your doyâ—ges The GeÌ„tiles by goyng astray and by forsakyng the lorde haue chaunged their order and followed stockes and stones and spirites of errour But doe you not so my children knowe ye that your onely one God is lorde in the skies on the yearth in the Sea and of all creatures for he is the maker of them And be not like Sodome whiche altered y order of her nature likewise wise * the Watchers altered the order of their Nature and they whom God cursed in the floud makyng the yearth desolate and fruitlesse for their sakes My children I saie these thynges because I haue read in the holy writynges of Enoch that you also shall depart froÌ„ the Lorde and walke in all the wickednesse of Sodome and the lorde shall bring thraldome vpoÌ„ you so as ye shal serue your enemies and be pinched with all maner of tribulation and pain til God consume you euerichone And when ye bee made fewe and small ye shall turne again and knowe the lorde your God and he shall bryng you againe into your owne lande accordyng to his manifold mercie And it shall come to passe that when they shal be come into the countrey of their fathers they shall forget the Lorde againe and deale wickedly so as the Lorde shall scatter them all ouer the face of the whole earth til the mercy of the lorde come a maÌ„ that poureth out mercy and righteousnes vpon all men bothe farre and nere For in the xl yere of my life vpon mount Oliuet towardes the East side of IerusaleÌ„ I saw the Sunne moone stand stil behold Isaac my fathers father said vnto vs come hether apace and euery one of you take holde accordyng to his strengthe for the Sunne and Moone maie be caught And we came runnyng all together
firise Euen to thy graue MN sonnes and dry 〈◊〉 thren beardye Ioseph the welbeloued of Israell My Children heare your 〈…〉 haue knowen in my life Enuie and death with the whiche my brethren would haue bestoyed me For they hated me and God loued me they would haue killed me and the GOD of my Fathers kepte me they put me into a pitte and the moste highest brought me out againe I was folde as a 〈◊〉 maner and the Lorde made me free and his stronge hande helped me I was kepte in hunger and the Lorde hym self nourished me I was lefte alone and the Lorde comforted me I was sickr and the Lorde visited me I was in prison and the Sauiour made me glad I was fassned in cheynes and the Lorde vabaunde me He pleaded my cause in the accusations of the Egiptians and not onely deliuered me from eunie and dereipte but also exalded me in so muche that Putipher Chiefe Stewarde of Pharaes house did lende me lodgyng where I was in ieapardie of my life by reason of a shamelesse woman whiche entised me to do naughtines with her through the slame of volupteousnesse burnyug about her breaste I was caste in prison for her I was beaten and mocked for her yet the Lorde caused the keeper of the prison to bee moued with mercie towardes me He forsaketh not them that feare him neither in darcknesse neither in bondes neither in tribulations or necessities God is not ashamed as manne neither dreadeth he as men neither shaketh or shrinketh he for feare as yearthly men He is presente in all places and in their moste greuous sorrowes he comforteth his He goeth awaie for a reason to try the thoughtes of their mynde He founde me trustie in tenne temptations And in euery one I was constant and preserued For sufferaunce is a greate medicen and causeth muche goodnesse Howe often did the Egiptian threaten my death Howe often was I punished and yet the woman called me againe how often did she threaten me to dye because I would not haue to dooe with her She saied vnto me thou shalte haue gouernaunce of me and all that bee myne if thou wilte geue thy self vnto me and obeye my desire and thou shalte bee lorde ouer vs. But I remembred the wordes of my Father Iacob and enteryng in to my Chamber made my praier to the Lorde and * fasted seuen yeares yet I appeared vnto the Egiptian in that state of bodie as I had liued in pleasures or delightes For they that faste for GOD receiue â–ª â—autie of face When I had wine geuen vnto me I dronke none and Fastyng three daies I tooke my meate daiely and gaue it to the sicke and needie and earely I waked vnto the lorde and wepte for Memphetica the EgiptiaÌ„ because she was euermore troublyng of me She cam vnto me in the night as though she would haue visited me And firste truely because she had neuer a soonne she fained to take me as her sonne And I praied vnto God to sende her a sonne vntill whiche tyme she embraced me as thoughe I had been her sonne And I perceiued not the cause And for a conclusion she drew me to haue doen fornication with her I rememberyng my self was sorowfull vnto y death And when she was gone out I came to my self and sorrowed many daies For I perceiued her deceipte and errour And I spake vnto her the woordes of the moste highest GOD if by chaunce she mighte bee tourned awaie from her pernitious concupiscence Many tymes as to a holie man she spake flatteryng woordes to me not without deceipte laudyng my chastitie before her housebande whiche would vtterly haue destroied me Bothe manifestly and secretely she saied vnto me feare not my housbande for he is perswaded of thy chastitie For if so bee that any manne shewed hym of thee and me he would not beleue it For because of this thyng I couered me with Sackclothe and laied me flatte vpon the yearth and praied vnto almightie GOD that he would deliuer me from this woman of Egipte When she could doe nothyng this waie she came again armed with other reasons that is to saie that she would faine learne the worde of God of me and began to speake after this maner If thou wilte haue me to forsake myne Idolles followe my desire â–ª and I will perswade my housbande the Egiptian to goe froÌ„ his Idolatâ—â—â—â— and we shall walke in the lawe of thy god I made answere to these thynges GOD will haue â—oâ—e to worship hym with vncleannesse neither hath he any pleasure in Adultereâ—s And she helde her peace desiryng to fulfill her concupiscence And I fasted and praied that God mighte deliuer me from her Againe at an other tyme she saied vnto me If thou wilt not doe adulterie with me I will kille my Prince and so by the Lawe I shall take thee to my housbande When I heard that I rent my garmente and saied Woman â–ª I praie thee bee ashamed of these thynges before GOD and feare GOD and dooe thou not suche an abhominable thyng Neither dispaire vtterly that thou droune not thy self in thine owne euill for if thou goe aboue it I shall vtter and declare the thoughtes of thyne iniquitie She fearyng these thynges praied me that I should not bewraie her naughtinesse and so departed Yet againe she went about to begile me with giftes senoyng vnto me all thynges that menne haue neede of and she sent me meate strewed about with inchantment And as the Cunuke brought it in I beheld and saw a terrible fellowe geuyng me a sword with the dishe and I perceiued that she went about to deceiue me And wheÌ„ he was gon I wept and touched not that meate nor any other of her sendyng for a good while after A daie after that she came to me and saied what is the matter that thou haste not eaten of the meate And I saied vnto her because thou haste poysoned it Therefore thou shalte knowe that I will not come vnto Idolles but onely vnto GOD. Now vnderstande therefore that the GOD of my Father by his Aungell hath shewed thy mischiefe vnto me and I haue kepte the meate to thy shame if perchaunce thou mightest repente or learne that the malice of wicked dooers preuaileth not againste them that worshippe the Lorde in Chastitie And I tooke and did cate before her saiyng the GOD of my Fathers and the Angell of Abraham shal bee with me and then she fell doune at my feete and wepte Then liftyng her vp I exhorted her many waies and she promised me that she would neuer doe suche iâ—â—quitie after that daie Yet because her harte was mournyng and did burne towarde me in adulterie with sighes commyng from the depth of her stomacke she cast boune her countenaunce The Egiptian her housbande perceiuyng her faied wherefore holdest thou doune thy face she aunswered I am euen sorrowfull at the harte