lye with no maner of beast to defyle thy selfe therwith neyther shal any womā stande before a beast to lye downe therto for it is abhominacyon Ye shall not defyle youre selues in any of these thynges wherin al the nacyons are defyled which I cast out before you wherthorowe the lande is defyled and I wyll visyte the wyckednesse therof vpon it yea and the lande it selfe hath cast out her inheriters Ye shall kepe therfore myne ordinaunces and my iudgementes and cōmyt noone of these abhominacyons neyther any of you nor any straūger that soiourneth among you for all these abhominacyons haue the men of the lande done whiche were there before you and the lande is defyled Shall not the lande spew you out also yf ye defyle it as it spewed out the people that were before you For who soeuer shall cōmyt any of these abhominacyons the same soules that commyt them shal peryshe from among theyr people Therfore shal ye kepe my watche that ye cōmyt not one of these abhominable customes whiche were commytted before you that ye defyle not your selues therin I am the lorde your God ¶ A repeticyon of the lawes perteynynge to the x. cōmaundementes A consyderacyon for the poore Wytchcraft is forbydden CAPI XIX ANd ✚ the Lorde spake vnto Moses saynge Speake vnto al the multitude of the chyldren of Israel and say vnto them Ye shal be holy for I the Lorde your God am holy Ye shall feare euery man his father and his mother kepe my Sabboths I am the Lorde your God Ye shal not turne vnto ydols nor make you Goddes of metall I am the lorde your god If ye offre a peaceofferynge vnto the Lorde ye shal offre it that ye maye be accepted It shall be eaten the same day ye offre it and on the morowe And yf ought remayne vntyll the thyrde daye it shall be brent in the fyre And yf it be eaten the thyrde day it is vncleane not accepted He that eateth it shall beare his synne bycause he hath defyled the halowed thynge of the Lorde and that soule shall perysshe from amonge his people When ye reape downe the rype corne of your lande ye shal not repe downe the vttermost border of your felde neyther shalt thou gather that which is lefte behynde in thy haruest Thou shalte not plucke in all thy vyneyarde cleane neyther gather in the grapes that are ouerscaped But thou shalte leaue them for the poore and straunger I am the Lorde your God ⊢ ✚ Ye shall not steale neyther lye neyther deale falsely one with an other Ye shal not swere by my name in vayne neyther shalte thou defyle the name of thy God I am the Lorde Thou shalte not do thy neyghboure wrong neyther rob hym violently neyther shall the workemans laboure abyde with the vntyll the mornynge Thou shalte not curse the deafe neyther put a stomblyng blocke before the blynde but shalte feare thy God I am the lorde ▪ Ye shall do no vnryghteousnes in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the pore nor honour the myghty but in ryghteousnesse shalte thou iudge thy neyghbour Thou shalte not go vp and downe as a preuy accuser among thy peple neyther shalt thou stande agaynst the blood of thy neyghbour I am the Lorde Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne herte but shalte in any wyse rebuke thy neyghbour that thou bere not syn for his sake Thou shalt not aueng thy selfe nor be myndfull of wronge agaynst the chyldren of thy people but shalte loue thy neyghboure euen as thy selfe I am the lorde ⊢ Ye shall kepe myne ordinaunces Thou shalte not let cattell gendre with a contrarye kynde neyther sowe thy felde with myngled seede neyther shalt thou put on any garment of lynnen and wollen Who soeuer lyeth and medleth with a woman that is a bonde mayde neuertheles appoynted to a husbande but not redemed nor fredome gyuen her she shal be scourged with a lethren whyp they shall not dye bycause she was not free And he shall brynge for his trespace vnto the lorde before the dore of the Tabernacle of wytnesse a ram for a trespace offryng And the preest shal make an attonement for hym with the ram which is for the trespace before the Lorde concernynge his synne which he hath done the synne which he hath done shall be forgyuen hym When ye come to the lande and haue planted all maner of trees conuenient to be eaten of ☞ ye shall put away the foreskyn of euery one with the fruyte therof euen thre yere shal they be vncircumcised vnto you shal not be eaten of But in the fourth yere al the fruyte of them shall be holy and cōmendable to the Lorde In the fyfth yere shall ye eate of the fruyte of them and ye may gather in the increace of them I am the Lorde your God ☞ Ye shal not eate vpon blood neyther shal ye vse wytchcraft ☞ nor obserue tymes Ye shal not rounde the lockes of your heades neyther shalte thou marre the tuftes of thy beerde Ye shall not rente your flesshe ☞ for any soules sake nor prynte any markes vpon you I am the Lorde Thou shalte not make thy doughter common that thou woldest cause her to be an hoore lest the land also fal to hooredome and be full of wyckednesse Ye shall kepe my Sabboths and feare my sanctuary I am the Lorde Ye shall not regarde them that worke with spirites neyther seke after sothe sayers to be defyled by them I am the Lorde your God Thou shalte ryse vp before the hoorehead and reuerence the face of the olde man and drede thy god I am the Lorde If a straunger saiourne with the in your lande ye shall not vexe hym But the straunger that dwelleth with you shall be as one of your selues and thou shalte loue hym as thy selfe for ye were straūgers in the lande of Egypt I am the Lorde your God Ye shall do no vnryghtousnesse in Iudgemente in meteyearde in weyght or in measure True balaunces true weyghtes ☞ A true Epha and a true Hin shal ye haue I am the Lorde your god which brought you out of the land of Egypt Therfore shall ye obserue al my ordinaunces and al my iudgementes and do them I am the Lorde ¶ They that gyue of theyr seede to Moloch shall dye therfore Other goodly lawes CAPI XX. ANd the Lorde spake vnto Moses sayenge This shalt thou say vnto the chyldren of Israell who soeuer he be of the chyldren of Israell or of the straungers that dwell in Israel that gyueth of his seed vnto Moloch let hym be slayne the peple of the lande shall stone hym And I wyl set my face agaynst that man wyll destroye hym from amonge his people bycause he hath gyuē of his seede vnto Moloch for to defyle my sanctuary and to polute my holye name And though that the people of the
the teÌ„ple What saye I then that the ymage is any thynge or that it whiche is offered to ymages is anything Nay but this I saye that the thynges whiche the gentyls offer they offer to deuyls and not to God ✚ I wolde not that ye shulde haue felly shyp w t the deuyls Ye can not drynke of the cup of the Lorde of the cup of deuyls Ye caÌ„not be the partakers of the Lordes table and of y â— table of deuelles Ether do we prouoke the Lorde Are we stronger then he I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not expedient I maye do all thynges but all thynges edifye not Let no maÌ„ seke that whiche is his owne but let euery man seke that whiche belongeth to another Whatsoeuer is solde in the flesshe market that eate and aske no questyon for conscyence sake For the earth is the Lordes and all that therin is If any of them which beleue not byd you to a feast ye be dysposed to go whatsoeuer is set before you eate askinge no questyon for coÌ„science sake But and yf any man saye vnto you this is offred vnto ymages eate not of it for his sake that shewed it and for coÌ„science sake The earth is the Lordes all that therin is CoÌ„science I saye not thyne but of the other For why is my liberte iudged of another mannes coÌ„science For yf I take my parte with thankes why am I euell spoken of for that thynge wherfore I geue thankes Whether therfore ye eate or drynke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the prayse of God ⊢ Se that ye geue none accasyon of euell nether to the Iewes nor yet to the gentyls nether to the congregacyon of God euen as I please all men in all thynges not sekynge myne owne profet but the profet of many that they myght be saued ¶ He rebuketh them for the abuse and misordre that they had aboute the Sacramente of the bodye and bloude of Chryste and bryngeth them agayne to the fyrst instruccyon CAPI XI BE ye the folowers of me as I am the folower of Christ. I coÌ„mende you brethren that ye remeÌ„ber me in al thinges and kepe the ordinaunces euen as I delyuered theÌ„ to you But I wold haue you to knowe that Chryst is the heed of euery maÌ„ And the man is the womans heed And God is Christes heed Euery man prayenge or prophesyinge hauinge any thynge on his heed shameth his heed Euery woman y â— prayth or prophesieeh bare headed dishonesteth her heade For y â— is euen all one as yf she were shauen If the womaÌ„ be not couered let her also be shorne If it be shame for a woman to be shorne or shaueÌ„ let her couer her heed A man ought not to couer his heed for as much as he is the ymage and glory of God But the woman is the glorye of the man For the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man Nether was the man created for the womans sake but the woman for the mannes sake For this cause ought the woman ☞ to haue power on her heed for the angels sakes Neuerthelesse nether is the man w t out the woman nether the womaÌ„ without the maÌ„ in the Lorde For as the woman is of the man euen so is the man by the woman but all of God Iudge in your selues whether it be coâ—ly y t a woman praye vnto God bare heeded Doth not nature it selfe teach you that it is a shame for a man yf he haue longe heete a prayse to a woman yf she haue longe heer For her heer is geuen her to couer her w t all If any maÌ„ lust to stryue we haue no suche custome nether the congregacyons of God This I warne you of and commende not that ye come not together after a better maner but after a worsse For fyrst of all when ye come together in the coÌ„gregacyon I heare that there is dissencioÌ„ amonge you and I partely beleue it For there must be sectes amonge you that they which are perfect amoÌ„ge you myght be knoweÌ„ ✚ When ye come together therfore in one place the Lordes supper can not be eaten For euery man begynneth afore to eate his owne supper And one is hongry another is dronken Haue ye not houses to eate to drynke in Despyce ye the congregacyon of God and shame them that haue not What shall I saye vnto you shal I praise you In this prayse I you not ⊢ ✚ That which I delyuered vnto you I receaued of the Lorde For the Lorde Iesus the same nyght in whiche he was betrayed toke breed and whan he had geueÌ„ thankes he brake it and sayde Take ye and eate this is my bodye whiche is broken for you This do ye in the remebraunce of me After the same maner also hâ— toke the cup when supper was done sayinge Thys cup is the newe Testament in my bloude This do as oft as ye dryncke it in remeÌ„braunce of me For as often as ye shall eate this breed and drynke this cup Ye shall shewe the Lordes deeth tyll he come Wherfore whosoeuer shall eate of this bread or drynke of the cup of the Lorde vnworthely shal be gylty of the body bloud of the Lorde But let a man examen hym selfe and so let hym eate of the breed and drynke of the cup. For he y â— eateth or drynketh vnworthely eateth drynketh his owne damnacion because he maketh no dyffereÌ„ce of the Lordes body For this cause many are weake sycke amonge you and many slepe For If we had iudged oure selues we shulde not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged of the Lorde we are chastened that we shulde not be damned with the worlde Wherfore my brethren when ye come together to eate cary one for another If any man honger let hym eate at home that ye come not together vnto coÌ„deÌ„nacyon ⊢ Other thynges wyl I set morder when I come ¶ The dyuersite of the gyftes of the holy gâ—oâ—â—e geuen to the comforth and edyfyenge of one another as the members of a mans body sâ—â—ue one another CAPI XII COncernynge spyrituall thynges brethren I wolde not haue you ignorauÌ„t ✚ â—e knowe that ye were gentils and went your wayes vnto domne ymages euen as ye were â—ed Wherfore I declare vnto you that no maÌ„ speakynge by the spirit of God defyeth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy goost There are dyuersytes of gyftes yet but one spirit And there are dyfferences of admynystracyons and yet but one Lorde And ther are dyuers maners of operacions and yet but one God ☞ whiche worcketh all in all The gyft of the spirit is geuen to euery man to edifye withall For to one is geuen thorowe the spiryt the vtteraunce of wysdome To another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the
sayeth the Lorde Wherfore ☞ tonges are for a sygne not to them that beleue but to them that beleue not Contrary wyse prophesyinge serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which beleue If therfore when all the congregacion is come togyther and all speake with tonges there come in they that are vnlerned or they which beleue not wyll they not saye that ye are out of your wyttes But and yf all prophesye and there come in one that beleueth not or one vnlerned he is rebuked oâ— al men is iudged of euery man so are the secretes of his hert opened so falleth he downe on his face and worshyppeth God sayth that God is in you of a trueth Howe is it then brethren 〈◊〉 softe as ye come togyther euery one of you hath a soÌ„g hath a doctrine hath a tonge hath a reuelacion â–ª hath an interpretacion Let al thinges be done vnto edityinge If any man speake wyth tonge let it be by two or at the moste by thre and that by course and let another interprete it But if there be no interpreter lcâ—him kepe sylence in the coÌ„gregacion and let him speake to him selfe and to God Let the Prophetes speake two or thre let the other iudge If any reuelacyon be made to another that sytteth by let the fyrst holde his peace For ☞ ye maye all prophesy one by one that all may learne and that all maye haue comforte And the spirites of the Prophetes are in the power of the Prophetes For God is not causer of strife but of peace as âšœ I teache in al congregacioÌ„s of the Sayntes Let your wemen kepe sylente in the congregacions For it is not permitted vnto theÌ„ to speake but to be vnder obedyeÌ„ce as sayth the lawe If they wyll learne any thynge let theÌ„ aske their husbandes at home For it is a shame for wemen to speake in the congregacion Spronge the worde of God from you Either came it vnto you onely If any man thinke him selfe to be a prophete ether spiritual let him knowe what thynges I wryte vnto you For they are the coÌ„maundementes of the Lorde But and if any man be ignorant let him be ignoraunt Wherfore brethreÌ„ couet to prophecy forbyd not to speke with tonges let al thinges be done honestly and in order âšœ amonge you ¶ The resurreccyon of the deade CAPI XV. BRethren as pertaynynge to the Gospel whiche I preached vnto you which ye haue also accepted and in the whiche ye coÌ„tynue by the whiche also ye are sauyd I do you to wytte after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it excepte ye haue beleued in vayne For fyrst of al I deliuered vnto you that whiche I receyued howe that Christ dyed for our sinnes agreinge to the scriptures And that he was buryed and that he arose agayne the thyrd day accordyng to the scriptures that he was sene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was sene of moo then fyue hundreth brethren atonce of whiche many remaine vnto this day and many are falleÌ„ a slepe After that appered he to Iames then to all the Apostles And last of al he was sene of me as of one that was borne out of due tyme. For I am the least of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregacyon of God But by the grace of god I am that I am And his grace which is in me was not i vayne ⊢ but I labored more aboundauntly then they all yet not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Therfore whether it were I or they so we preache and so haue ye beleued ✚ If Christ be preached how that he rose from the dead howe say some amonge you that there is no resurreccyon of the dead If there be no rysynge agayne of the dead then is Christe not rysen agayne If Christe be not rysen agayne then is our preachyng in vayne and your fayth is also in vayne Ye we are founde false wytnesses of God For we haue testyfied of God howe that he raysed vp Christe whom he raysed not vp yf it be so that the deade ryse not agayne For yf the deade ryse not agayne then is Chryste not risen agayne If it be so that Christ rose not agayne then is our fayth in vayne and ye are yet in your synnes Therfore they whiche are fallen a slepe in Christ are peryshed If in this lyfe onely we belue on Christ then are we of all men most miserable But now is Christ rysen from the dead become the fyrst frutes of them that â—â—epte For by a man came death by a man came the resurreccyon of the deade For as by Adam all dye euen so by Christe shall all be made alyue but euery man in his owne order ⊢ The fyrst is Christe then they that are Christes at his coÌ„mynge Then coÌ„meth the ende ☞ when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all â—ule all auctoryte power For he must raygne tyl he haue put all his enemies vnder his fete The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death For he hath put al thingê vnder his fete But when he sayth al thynges are put vnder him it is manifest that he is excepted which dyd put all thynges vnder him When all thynges are subdued vnto hym then shall the Sonne also him selfe be subiecte vnto hym that put all thynges vnder hym that God may be all in all Els what do they whiche are ☞ baptysed ouer the deade if the dead ryse not at al Why are they then baptysed ouer theme Ye and why stande we alway then in icoperâ—y By our reâ—oysyng whiche I haue in Christ Iesu our Lord I dye dayly That I haue foughte with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men what auauntageth it me â–ª yf the dead ryse not agayne Let vs eate and dryncke for to morowe we shall dye Be not ye deceaued euyl wordes corrupte good maners Awake truely out of stepe sinne not For some haue not the knowledge of god I speake this to your shame But some man wyll saye howe aryse the dead with what body shal they come Thou fole that whiche thou sowest is not quickened except it die And what sowest thou Thou sowest not that body that shal be but bare corne as of wheet or of some other but God giueth it a body at his plesure to euery seed his owne body ✚ All flesshe is not one maner of flesshe but there is one maner of fleshe of men another maner of flesshe of beastes another of fysshes another of byrdes There are also celestiall bodyes there are bodies terrestriall But the glory of the celestiall is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another There is one maner glory of the soÌ„ne and another glory of the mone and another glory
warnynge to reproue the ydole and yf they wyll not laboure with theyr handes that they shall not eate CAPI III. FVR thermore brethren praye ye for vs that the worde of God maye haue passage and be glorifyed as it is also with you and that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and frowarde men For all men haue not fayth but the Lorde is faythfull whiche shal stably she you and preserue you from euell We haue confydence thorowe the Lorde to you warde that ye both do and wyll do the thynges whiche we commaunde you And the Lorde gyde your hertes to the lofte of God and pacyence of Chryst. ⊢ ✚ We requyre you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ that ye wtdrawe your selues from euery brother y â— behaueth hym selfe inordinatly and not after the instytucyon whiche he receaued of vs. For ye your selues knowe howe ye ought to folow vs. For we behaued not oure selues mordinatly amonge you Nether toke we breed of any man for naught but wrought with laboure and sweate nyght and daye because we wolde not be chargeable to any of you not but that we had auctoryte but to make our selues an ensample vnto you to folowe vs. For when we were with you this we warned you of that yf any wolde not worke the same shulde not eate For we haue hearde saye that there are some which walke amonge you inordinatly workynge not at all but beynge busy bodyes Them that are suche we commaunde and exhorte by our Lorde Iesu Christ that they worke with quietnes and eate theyr owne breade Brethren be notye weery in well doynge ⊢ If any man obey not oure sayinge sende vs worde of him by a letter and haue no companye with hym that he may be a shamed And count him not as an enemy but warne hym as a brother The very Lorde of peace geue you peace alwayes by all meanes The Lorde be with you al. The salutacyoÌ„ of me Paul w t myne owne haÌ„de This is the tokeÌ„ in all Epystles So I wryte The grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Sent from Athens ⧠The fyrst Epistle of Saynt Paul vn to Timothe ¶ He exhorteth Timothe to wayte vpon his office namely to se that nothynge be taught but Gods worde He sheweth also wherfore the lawe is good and relleth that Christ Iesus came in to the worlde to saue synners CAPI I. PAul an Apostle of Iesus Chryste by the coÌ„myssyon of God oure sauyoure Lorde Iesus Christe whiche is oure hope Unto Tymothehys naturall sonne in the fayth Grace mercy and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Chryste our Lorde As I besought the to abyde styll at Ephesus when I departed into Macedonia euen so do that thou commaunde some that they folowe no strauÌ„ge doctrine nether geue hede to fables and endles genealogies whiche brede doutes more then Godlye edifyinge which is by fayth for the ende of y â— coÌ„maundemeÌ„t is louâ— out of a pure herte of a good conscience of fayth vnfayned from the which thynges because some haue erred they are turned vnto vaine iangelynge because they wold be doctours of the lawe and yet vnderstande not what they speake nether wherof they affyrme ✚ We knowe that the lawe is good yf a maÌ„ vse it lawfully knowyng thys howe that the lawe is not geueÌ„ vnto aryghteous man but vnto the vnryghteous and disobe dyent to the vngodly and to synners to vnholy and vncleane to murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers to manslears to whormongers to them that defyle theÌ„ selues with mankynde to mensteâ—lers to lyares to pertured and yf there be any other thynge that is coÌ„trary to the holsome doctrine accorynge to the Gospell of the glory of the blessed God whiche Gospel is commytted vnto me And I thanke Christ Iesus oure Lorde which hath made me stronge for he counted me true put me in offyce where as before I was a blasphemar a persecuter and a Tyraunt But I obtayned mercy because I dyd it ignorauntly thorowe vnbelefe Neuerthelesse the grace of our Lorde was exceadinge aboundaunt with fayth and loue whiche is by Chryste Iesu. ⊢ ✚ This is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receaued of vs y â— Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue synners of whom I am chefe Not withstandynge for this cause optained I mercy that Iesus Christ shuld fyrst shewe on me all longe pacience to declare an ensample vnto them whiche shulde beleue on hym vnto eternall lyfe So then vnto God kyng euerlastyng immortall inuisyble wyse only be honour and prayse for euer and euer Amen Thys coÌ„maundement commyt I vnto the sonne Timotheus ☞ accordynge to the prophesyes whiche in tyme paste were prophesyed of the that y â— in them shuldest fyght a good fyght hauynge fayth and good conscyence whiche some haue put awaye from them and as consernynge fayth haue made shypwracke Of whose nombre is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue delyuered vnto Sathan that they maye lerne not to blaspheme CAPI II. ¶ He exhorteth to praye for all men He wyll not haue we men to be ouer costly apparelled nor to teache in the coÌ„gregacyon but to be in sylence and is obeye theyr husbandes I ✚ Exhorte therfore that aboue all thynges prayers supplicacions intercessyoÌ„s and geuenge of thankes be had for all men for kynges for all that are in auctoryte that we maye lyue a quiet a peasable lyfe with all Godlynes and honestye For that is good accepted in the syght of God oure sauyour whiche ☞ wyll haue all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the trueth For ther is one God and one mediator betwene God and man euen the man Christ Iesus whiche gaue him selfe a raunsome for all men that it shulde be testifyed at his tyme where vnto I am ordayned a preacher an Apostle I tel the trueth in Christ and lye not beyenge the teacher of the gentyles with fayth and verytie ⊢ I wyl therfore that the men praye euery where â—yttynge vp pure handes without wrath or dowâ—ynge Lykewyse also the wemen that they aâ—aye them selues in comly apparell with shamfastnes and discrete behaueour not w t broyded heare ether golde or pearles or costly araye but as becoÌ„meth wemen that protesse godiynesse thorowe good workes Let the woman learne in in sylence with all subieceyon I suffre not a woman to teach neyther to vsurpe auctoryte ouer the man but to be in sylence For Adam was fyrst fourmed and then Eue. Adam also was not deceaued but the woman was deceaued and was subdued to the transgressyon Notwithstandynge thorowe bearynge of chyldren she shal be saued yf they contynue in fayth and loue and holynes with discrecyon ¶ What maner of man a bysshoppe or prest ought to be The
And the Lorde sayd vnto Moses thus thou shalte say vnto the chyldren of Israel Ye haue sene that I haue talked with you from out of heuē Ye shal not make therfore with me goddes of syluer neyther shall ye make you goddes of golde An aulter of earth thou shalte make vnto me and theron offer thy burnt offrynges and thy peace offerynges thy shepe and thyne oxen In all places where I shall put the remembraunce of my name ⊢ thyther I wyll come vnto the blesse the. And yf thou wylt make me an aulter of stone se y u make it not of hewen stone Els yf thou lyfte vp thy toule vpon it thou hast poluted it Neyther shalte thou go vp by steppes vnto myne aulter that thy fylthynesse be not shewed theron ¶ Temporall and Ciuile ordinaunces CAPI XXI These are the lawes which thou shalt set before them If thou bye a seruaunte that is an Hebrue vi yeres he shal serue in the seuenth he shal go out fre payeng no thyng Yf he came alone he shal go out alone And yf he came maryed his wyfe shall go out with hym And yf his mayster haue gyuen hym a wyfe and she haue borne hym sonnes or doughters then the wyfe and her chyldren shal be her maysters and he shal go out alone And yf the seruaunt saye I loue my mayster my wyfe and my children I wyl not go out free His mayster shall bryng hym vnto the iudges and set hym to the dore or the dore post and his mayster shall bore his eare thorowe with a nawle and he shall be his seruaunt for euer And yf a man sell his doughter to be a seruaunt she shall not go out as the men seruauntes do If she also please not her mayster and he gyueth her to no man to wyfe thē shal he let her go fre to sel her vnto a straūge nacyon shall he haue no power seynge he despysed her If he haue promysed her vnto his sonne to wyfe he shall deale with her as men do with theyr doughters And yf he take hym an other wyfe yet her fode her rayment and dutye of maryage shall he not mynysshe And yf he do not these thre vnto her then shall she go out free and pay no money He that smyteth a man that he dye shal be slayne for it If a man lay not awayte but God delyuer hym in to his hande then I wyll poynt the a place whyther he shall flee If a man come presumptuously vpon his neyghboure to flee hym with gyle thou shalte take hym fro myne aulter that he dye He that smyteth his father or his mother let hym be slayne for it He that stealeth a man and selleth hym yf it be proued vpon hym shall be slayne for it And he that curseth his father or mother shall be put to death for it If men stryue togyther and the one smyteth his neyghbour with a stone or with his fyst he dye not but lyeth in bed yf he ryse agayne walke without vpon his staffe then shall he that smote hym go quyte saue onely he shall beate his charges for lesynge his tyme and shall pay for his healynge And yf a man smyte his seruaunte or his mayde with a rod they dye vnder his hand it shal be auenged in dede And yf they continue a day or two it shall not be auenged for they are his money If men stryue and hurte a woman with chylde so that her fruyte depart from her yet no mysfortune foloweth then shall he be mersed accordyng as the womans husbande wyll lay to his charge and he shal pay as the dayes men appoynte hym And yf any mysfortune folowe then shal he pay lyfe for lyfe eye for eye toth for toth hande for hande fote for fote burnynge for burnyng wounde for woūde stripe for stripe And yf a man smyte his seruaunte or his mayde in the eye that it perysshe he shall let them goo free for the eyes sake Also yf he smyte out his seruaūtes or his maydes toth he shal let them go out fre for the tothe sake If an Oxe goore a man or a woman that they dye then the Oxe shall be stoned and his flesshe shall not be eaten but the owner of the Oxe shall go quyte If the Oxe were wont to pusshe in tyme past and it hath bene tolde his mayster and he hath not kepte hym but that he hath kylled a man or a woman then the Oxe shall be stoned and his owner shall dye also ☞ If there be set to hym a summe of money then he shal gyue for the delyueraunce of his lyfe what soeuer is put vnto hym And whyther he hath gored a son or hurt a doughter he shall be serued after the same maner But yf it be a seruaunte or a mayde that the oxe hath gored then he shall gyue vnto theyr mayster xxx ☞ sycles of syluer and the oxe shall be stoned If a man open a well or dyg a pyt couer it not an oxe or an asse fal therin the owner of the pyt shal make it good and gyue money vnto theyr mayster the dead beast shall be his If one mans oxe hurte an other that he dye then they shall sell the lyue oxe deuyde the money and the dead oxe also they shall deuyde Or yf it be knowen that the oxe hath vsed to pusshe in tymes past and his mayster hath not kepte hym he shall paye oxe for oxe and the deed shal be his owne ¶ Suche lyke lawes as are in the Chapiter aboue CAPI XXII IF a man steale an oxe or shepe and kyl it or sell it he shall restore v. oxen for an axe and .iiii. shepe for a shepe If a these be founde breakynge vp and be smytten that he dye there shall no bloode be shed for hym but yf the son be vp when he is founde then there shall be bloode shed for hym A thefe shall make restitucion If he haue not wherwith he shall be solde for his thefte If the theft be foūde in his hand alyue why ther it be oxe asse or shepe he shal restore double If a man do hurte felde or vyneyarde put in his beast to fede in another man 's feld of the best of his owne felde of the best of his owne vyneyarde shal he make restituciō If fyre breake out and catche in the thornes and the stackes of corne or in standyng corne or felde be consumed therwith he that kyndled the fyre shall make restitucion If a man delyuer his neyghboure money or stuffe to kepe and it be stolne oute of his house If the thefe be founde let hym pay double And yf the thefe be not founde then the good man of the house shall be brought vnto the iudges †And shall svvere Whyther he haue put his hande vnto his neyghboures good And in all maner of trespace whyther it be for oxe asse shepe
of a place that was toward the south and fell on his face to the grounde and worshypped thre tymes And they kyssed eyther other wepte togyther so longe tyll Dauid exceded in wepynge And Ionathas sayd to Dauid go in peace And the thyngê which we haue sworne both of vs in the name of the lorde sayenge the Lorde be bytwene the me and bytwene thy seed myne let them stand for euer And he rose and departed And Ionathas went into the towne ¶ Dauid fleeth into Nob. to Ahimelech the Preest getteth of hym the shew breade to satisfye his hunger Afterwarde he fleeth to kynge Achis there feyneth hym selfe to be mad CAPI XXI THen came Dauid to Nob to Ahimelech the preest And Ahimelech was a stonied at the sodayne coÌ„mynge of Dauid and sayde vnto hym Why arte thou alone no man with the And Dauid sayde to Ahimelech the preest the kynge hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded me to do a certayne thyng hath sayd vnto me let no man knowe where aboute I sende the and what I haue coÌ„maunded the to do And I haue appoynted my seruauÌ„tes to soch and soche places Nowe therfore yf y u has â—aught vnder thyne hande gyue me fyue loues of breade or what commeth to hande And the preest answered Dauid sayde there is no comen breade vnder my hande but here is halowed breade yf the yonge men haue kept them selues from vncleane women Dauid answered the Preest sayde vnto hym of a trueth women hath ben locked vp from vs aboute a thre dayes when I came out the ☞ vessels of the yonge men were holy Howe be it ☞ this waye is vnpure and howe muche more shall there be holynesse in the vyssell And so the preest gaue hym halowed bread for there was none other breade there saue the shew breades that were taken froÌ„ before the lorde to put freshe bread there the daye that it was taken awaye And there was there the same daye a certayne man of the seruauÌ„tes of Saull abydynge before the lorde named Doeg an Edomite the cheyfest of Sauls heerde men And Dauid sayd vnto Ahimelech is not here vnder thyne hande eyther speare or swerde For I haue neyther brought my swerde nor my harnesse with me bycause the kyngê busynes required hast And the Preest sayde the swerde of Goliath the Philistine whome thou sluest in the Oke valeye beholde it is here wrapt in a cloth behynde the Ephod Yf thou wylte take that take it for there is none other saue that here And Dauid sayd there is none to that gyue it me And Dauid arose fled the same daye from the presence of Saull went to Achis the kynge of Geth And the seruauntes of Achis sayd of him is not this Dauid the kyng of the lande dyd they not synge vnto him in daunces saynge Saul hath sleyne his thou sande Dauid his x. M And Dauid put those wordê into his herte was sore afrayd of Achis the kynge of Geth And he chauÌ„ged his speche before them and feyned hym selfe mad in theyr handes scrabled on the dores of the gate let his spattell fall downe vpon his bearde Then sayde Achis vnto his seruauntes Lo ye se that this man is besyde him selfe wherfore then haue ye brought him to me Haue I nede of mad men that ye haue brought this felowe to play the mad man in my presence Shall he come into my house ¶ Doeg betrayeth Dauid Ahimelech is accused of treson and sleyne and lxxxiiii preestes moo with hym bycause they receyued Dauid Nob is destroyed of Saull Abiathar fleeth to Dauid CAPI XXII DAuid therfore departed thence escaped and came vnto the caue Odollam When his brethren also al his fathers house herde it they went downe thyther to hym And there gathered vnto hym all men that were in coÌ„braunce in det troubled in theyr myndes he became a captayne ouer them And there were with him vpon a. iiii â— men And Dauid went thence to Mizpa in the lande of Moab sayd vnto the kynge of Moab let my father my mother I pray the ☞ come forth vnto you tyll I knowe what god wyl do for me And he brought them before the kynge of Moab they dwelte with hym all the whyle that Dauid kept hym selfe in holde And the prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid Abyde not in holde but departe go into the lande of Iuda Then Dauid departed came in to the forest Hareth And Saul herde that Dauid was come abrode also the men that were with hym And Saull sat in Gibea vnder a tree in Rama hauynge his speare in his hande al his men stode about him And Saull sayd vnto his seruauÌ„tes that stoode about hym Heare I praye you ☞ ye sonnes of Iemini wyll the son of Isai gyue euery one of you feldes and vineyerdes and make you all captaynes ouer thousandes ouer hundreds that ye haue also conspyred agaynst me there is none that telleth it me in myne eare And where as my son hath made a bonde w t the son of Isai there is none of you that mourneth for me or sheweth it in myne eate beholde my son hath styrred vp my seruaunt to laye awayte agaynst me this same daye Then answered Doeg the Edomite whiche also stode by the seruauntes of Saull sayde I sawe the son of Isai when he came to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitob whiche asked counsayle of the Lorde for hym gaue hym vyttayles the swerde of Goliath the Philistine also Then the kynge sent called for Ahimelech the preest the son of Ahitob all his fathers house that is to saye the preestes that were in Nob. And they came all to the kyng And Saull sayd heare nowe thou son of Ahitob He answered here I am my Lorde And Saull sayde vnto hym why haue ye coÌ„spyred agaynst me thou and the son of Isai in that thou hast gyuen hym vyttayle a swerde hast asked consayle of god for him that he shuld aryse agaynst me and laye awayte for me this day Ahimelech answered the kynge sayd who is so faythfull amonge all thy seruauÌ„tes as Dauid and therto the kynges son in lawe goeth at thy byddynge and is had in honoure in thyne house haue I this daye begon fyrst to aske counsayle of god for hym That be far from me let not the kynge put soch a thynge vnto his seruauÌ„t in all the house of my father For thy seruaunte knewe nothynge of all this eyther lesse or more The kynge sayde thou shalte surelye dye Ahimalech thou all thy fathers house And the kynge sayde vnto the fate men that stode aboute hym turne and sley the preestes of the Lorde bothe bycause theyr hande is with Dauid and bycause they knew when Dauid fled and shewed it not to me But the seruauntes of the kynge wolde not moue theyr handê to fal vpon the preestê of
me thorowe therwith that these vncircumcysed come not and do me shame But his weapon berer wolde not for he feared excedingly So Saul caught a swerde and fell vpon it And when his haâ—nes berer sawe that Saul was deade he fell on a swerde also and dyed And thus Saul and his thre sonnes and all they of his house dyed togyther And wheÌ„ all the men of Israel that were in the valley â–ª sawe howe they fled and that Saull and his sonnes were deade they forsoke theyr cityes and ran away and the Philistines came and dwelte in them And it fortuned that on the morow when the Philistines came to strype the deade bodies they founde Saull his sonnes ouerthrowen in mount Gilboe And wheÌ„ they had strypte hym they toke his heade and his harnesse and sent them in to the lande of the Philistines rounde aboute to shewe them vnto theyr ydols and to the people And they put his harnesse in the house of theyr God and set vp his heade in the temple of Dagon And when al they of Iabes in Gilead herde all that the Philistines had done to Saull they arose all the strongest of them and fet away the body of Saull and the bodyes of his sonnes and brought them to Iabes and buryed the bodyes of them vnder an ooke in Iabes fasted seuen dayes So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed agaynst the lorde in that he kepte not the worde of the lorde and in that he sought and asked counsayle of a womaÌ„ that wrought with a spirite and asked not of the Lorde And therfore he slue hym and turned the kyngdom vnto Dauid the sonne of Isai. ¶ After the death of Saull is Dauid anoynted in Hebron The Iâ—busites rebell agaynst Dauid from whiche he taketh the â—oure of Sion His men are nombred CAPI XI THen all Israell gathered them selues to Dauid vnto Hebron saynge Behold we be thy bones thy flesshe And more ouer in tyme past euen wheÌ„ Saul was kyng thou leddest Israel out and in And the lorde thy God sayde vnto the thou shalte fede my people Israell and thou shalte be captayne ouer my people Israel Therfore came al the elders of Israel to the kyng to Hebron and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebron before the Lorde And they anoynted Dauid kyng ouer Israel accordyng to the worde of the Lorde ☞ by the hande of Samuel And Dauid and all Israel went to Ierusalem whiche is Iebus where as were the Iebusites the enhabitours of the lande And the enhabitours of Iebus sayde to Dauid thou comest not here Neuerthelesse Dauid wan the castell of Sion whiche is called the citye of Dauid And Dauid sayde who so euer smyteth the Iebusites fyrst shall be the principall captayne and a Lorde So Ioab the sonne of Zâ—ruia wente fyrst vp and was made the cheyfe captayne And Dauid dwelt in the castell therfore they called it the citye of Dauid And he buylte the Citye on euery syde euen from Millo rounde about Ioab repayred the rest of the Citye And Dauid prospered and waxed great and the Lorde of hoostes was with hym These are the principall men of power whom Dauid had and that claue to hym in his kyngdom with all Israell to make hym kyng according to the word of the lorde vnto Israel And this is the nombre of the mighty men whom Dauid had Iasobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the cheyfe amonge thyrtye he lyfte vp his spere agaynst thre hundred and wounded them at one tyme. After hym was Eleazar his vncles son an Ahothyte whiche was one of thre myghtyest He was with Dauid at Pasdammin and there the Philistines were gathered togyther to battayle And ther was there a parcell of grounde full of barley and the people fled before the Philistines And ☞ they stepte forth in to the myddes of the felde and saued it and slue the Philistines And the lorde gaue a great victorye And the thre of the thyrtye cheyfe captaynes went to a rocke to Dauid in to the caue Adullam And the hoost of the Philistines abode in the valley of Rephaim And when Dauid was in the holde the Philistines watche was at BethleeÌ„ that same tyme. And Dauid longed and sayd Oh that one wolde gyue me drynke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethleem And the thre brake thorowe the hoost of the Philistines and drewe water out of the well that was by the gaâ—e at Bethleem and toke it brought it to Dauid Neuerthelesse Dauid wolde not drynke of it but rather offered it to the Lorde and sayde My God forbyd it me that I shulde do this thynge Shall I drynke the bloode of these men that haue put theyr lyues in ieoperdye for with the Ieoperdye of theyr lyues they brought it therfore he wolde not drynke it And this dyd these thre myghtyest And Abâ—sai the brother of Ioab he also was captayne among thre for he lyftâ— vp his speare agaynst thre hundred and wounded them and had a name amonge the thre Yea amonge thre he was more honourable then the two for he was theyr captayne Howbeit he attaynted not vnto the †fyrst thre Banaia the sonne of Iehoiaba the sonne of a verye stronge man dyd greater actes then Cabzeell for he slue two stronge lyons of Moab and went downe and slue a Lyon in a pyt in tyme of snowe And he slue an Egyptian whose stature was euen fyue cubytes longe and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame And the other went downe to hym with a waster plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hande and slue hym with his owne speare Soch thynges dyd Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada and had the name among the thre myghtest and was honourable amonge thyrtye but attayned not vnto the fyrst thre And Dauid made hym of his counsayle The other men of armes were these Asahell the brother of Ioab Elhanan his vncles sonne of Bethleem Sammoth the Harodite Helez the Pelonite Ira the sonne of Iâ—kes the Thekoite Abieser the Anatothite Sibaâ—ai the Husathite Ilai the Ahohite Maharai the Nethophathite Heled the son of Baâ—na the Nethophatite Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gibea that perteyneth to the chyldren of Beniamin Benaia the Phirathonite Huâ—ai of the ryuers of Gaas Abiell the Arbathite Azmaneth the Baharumite Elihaba the Saalbonite The sonnes of Assem the Gezonite Iona than the sonne of Sage an Haraite Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Haâ—aite Eliphal the sonne of Ur. Hepher the Mecherathite Ahia the Pelonite Hezro the Carmelite Naari the sonne of Ezbai Ioell the brother of Nathan Miâ—har the sonne of Hari Zelegam the Ammonite Naharai a Berothite the bearet of the harnesse of Ioab the son of Zeruia Ira the Iithrite and Gareb a Iethrite Uria the Hethite and Zahad the sonne of Ahlai Adina the sonne of Siza a Rubenite a captayne of the Rubenites and thyrtye with hym Hanan the Sonne of
that he might shew the people and prynces her fayrnesse for she was beautyfull But the quene Uasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes Then was the kynge very wroth and his indygnacyon kyndled in hym And the kynge spake to the wyse men that had vnderstandynge in the ordynaunces of the lande for the kynges matters must be handled before all soch as haue knowledge of the lawe and iudgement and the †cheyfe and nexte vnto hym were Carsena Sethar Admata That sis Mares Marsena Mamucan the. vit prynces of Persia and Media whiche sawe the kynges face sat aboue in the kyngdom What lawe sayeth the kyng shulde be executed vpoÌ„ the quene Uasthi bycause she dyd not accordyng to the worde of the kyng Ahasuerus which he coÌ„maunded by his chamber laynes And Memucan answered before the kynge the prynces the quene Uasthi hath not only done euyll agaynst the kynge but also agaynst all the prynces agaynst all the peple that are in all the landes of kyng Ahasuerus for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all women so that they shall despyse theyr husbandes before theyr eyes shall saye the kynge Ahasuerus coÌ„maunded Uasthi the quene to be brought in before him but she wolde not come And so shall the princesses in Persia Media say lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces when they heare of this dede of the quene thus shall there aryse to moch despytefulnesse wrath Yf it please the kynge therfore let there go a coÌ„maundement from hym let it be wrytten accordyng to the lawes of the Persians Medians not to be transgressed that Uasthi come no more before kyng Ahasuerus let the kyng gyue her kyngdom vnto another that is better then she And when this coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the kynge which shall be made is publysshed thorowout all his empyre whiche is great all women shall holde theyr husbandê in honour both amonge great and small This pleased the kynge the prynces and the kyng dyd accordyng to the worde of Memucan For he sent letters forth in to all the kynges landes into euery lande accordynge to the wrytynge therof and to euery people after theyr language that euery man shulde be lorde in his owne house And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people ¶ After the Quene is put away certayne goodly ponâ—â— dauâ— â–ª selâ— are searched out Edissa otherwyse called sâ—â—â—er pleaseth the kynge and is made quene Metdocheus openeth vnto the kynge those that wolde betray hym CAPI II. AFter these actes when the dyspleasure of kynge Ahasuerus was nowe layde he thought vpon Uasthi and what she had done and what was concluded agaynst her Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym Let there be fayre yong virgyns sought for the kynge and the kyng appoynted certayne men in all the landes of his Empyre whome he charged that they shulde brynge togyther all the fayre yonge virgyns vnto Susan the heade Citye to the womens buyldyng vnder the hand of Hagei the kynges chamberlayne that kepte the women to gyue them theyr apparel †and other thynges necessarye to be had And that the damsell whiche pleased the kynge shulde be quene in Uasthis steade And this pleased the kynge and he dyd so In the citye of Susan there was a Iue whose name was Mardocheus the sonne of Iaer the son of Semei the son Cis a man of Iemini which was caryed away from IerusaleÌ„ when Iekonia the kyng of Iuda was led away whom Nabuchodonozer the kyng of Babilon caryed thence and he norysshed Hadassa that is Esther his vncles doughter for she had neyther father nor mother she was a fayre and beutyful damsel whom Matdocheus when her father and mother was deade receyued for his owne doughter So it fortuned that when the kynges coÌ„mauÌ„dement and coÌ„myssyon was publyshed and many damsels were brought togyther in the citye of Susan vnder the hand of Hagei Esther was brought also vnto the kyngê house vnder the hande of Hagei the keper of the women and the damsel pleased hym and she founde fauour in his syght And he caused ornameÌ„tes to be gyuen her soch thyngê as belonged to her and appoynted her seuen comly damsels out of the kynges house and fauoured bothe her and her gentyll women syngularly in the house of the women But Esther shewed not her peple and her kynted for Mardocheus had charged her that she shulde not tell it And Mardocheus walked euery daye before the courte of the womens house that he myght know how Esther dyd and what shulde become of her And when the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde go in to the kyng Ahasuerus after that she had ben twelue monethes in the deckynge of the women for theyr deckynge must haue so moch tyme namely syxe monethes with Balme and Myrre and syxe monethes with good spyces so were the women beautifyed then went there one damsell vnto the kyng and whatsoeuer she requyred †so that it vvere comely that must be gyuen her to go with her out of the womens buyldynge vnto the kynges palace In the euenyng she went and on the morowe agayne in to the seconde house of the women abydyng vnder the hand of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne whiche kepte the concubynes And she came in vnto the kyng no more excepte it pleased the kynge to haue her and that he called her by name Nowe when the tyme came of Esther the doughter of Abihan the vncle of Mardocheus whiche had receyued her as his owne doughter that she shuld come into the kyng she desyred nothynge but what Hagei the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the women sayde And Esther founde fauoure in the syght of all them that loked vpon her And Esther was taken vnto kynge Ahasuerus into his house royall in the tenth moneth whiche is the moneth Tebeth in the seuenth yere of his reygne And the kyng loued Esther aboue all the women she found grace and fauour in his syght before all the virgins so that he set the crowne of the kyngdome vpon her heade and made her quene in steade of Uasthi And the kynge made a greate feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes which feast was bycause of Esther and caused the landê to be in quyetnesse and gaue gyftes as became the ryoaltye of a kynge And when the virgyns were gathered togyther the seconde tyme Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate And as yet had not Esther shewed her kynred and her people accordynge as Mardocheus had bydden her for Esther dyd after the word of Mardocheus lyke as yf she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce At the same tyme whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate two of the kyngê chamberlaynes Bygthan and There 's which kepte the dore were wroth and sought to laye theyr handes on the kynge Ahasuerus wherof also Mardocheus gat knowledge tolde it vnto quene Esther and Esther certifyed the
wordes and the yeares of thy lyfe shall be many I haue shewed the the waye of wysdome and led the into the ryght pathes So that yf thou goest therin there shal no straytenesse hynder the and when thou rūneste thou shalte nat fall Take faste holde of doctryne and let her nat go kepe her for she is thy lyfe Come nat in the path of the vngodly and walke nat in the way of the wicked Eschue it and go nat therin departe asyde passe ouer by it For they can nat slepe except they haue fyrst done some myschefe nether take they any reste excepte they haue fyrste done some harme For they eate the bred of wyckednesse and drynke the wyne of robberye The pathe of the ryghteous shyneth as the lyghte that is euer bryghter and bryghter vnto the perfecte daye But the waye of the vngodly is as the darcknes wherin men fall or they be aware My sonne marcke my wordes and encline thine eare vnto my sayinges Let them nat departe from thyne eyes but kepe them euen in the mydeste of thyne herte For they are lyfe vnto all those that fynde them and healthe vnto all theyr bodyes Kepe thyne herte with all dyligēce for there vpon hangeth lyfe Put away frō the a frowarde mouthe and let the lyppes of sclaunder be farre from the. Let thyne eyes beholde the thynge that is ryght and let thyne eye liddes loke straight before the. Pondre the path of thy fete and let all thy wayes be ordred a ryght Turne not asyde neyther to the ryght hande nor to the lefte but witholde thy fote from euyll ⚜ For the Lord knoweth the wayes that are on the right hande As for the wayes that be on the lefte hande they be froward For he shal direct thy goynges and thy wayes shal he gyde in peace ¶ He warneth to eschue whordome He forbyddeth wastfull spendynge He wylleth vs to lyue of our owne laboures Men muste loue theyr wyues CAPI V. My sonne gyue hede vnto my wysdome and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence that thou mayst regarde good councell and that thy lyppes may kepe knowledge ⚜ Applye not thou thy selfe to the disceytful nesse of a woman For the lyppes of an harlot are a droppynge honye combe and her throte is softer then oyle But at the last she is as bytter as wormewode ⚜ her tonge as sharpe as a two edged swerde Her fete go downe vnto deathe and her steppes pearse thorowe vnto hell She regardeth nat the path of lyfe so vnstedfast are her wayes that thou canste nat knowe them Here me nowe therfore O my sonne and depart not from the wordes of my mouthe Kepe the waye farre from her and come nat nye the dores of her house That thou gyue nat thy strength vnto other and thy yeares to the cruell That other men be nat fylled with thy goodes and that thy laboures come nat in a straunge house Ye that thou mourne nat at the last when thou hast spente thy body and goodes and then saye Alas why hated I nourture why dyd my herte despyse correccyon Wherefore was not I obedyente vnto the voyce df my teachers and herkened not vnto them that infourmed me I am come almoste into all mysfortune in the myddest of the multitude and congregacion ☞ Drynke of the water of thyne owne well and of the ryuers that runne out of thyne owne sprynges ☞ Let thy welles flowe out abrode that there may be ryuers of water in the stretes but let them be onely thyne owne and not straungers with the. Let thy well be blessed and be glad with the wyfe of thy youth Louynge is the hynde and frendely is the Roo let her brestes alwaye satisfye the and holde the euer contente with her loue My sonne why wylte thou haue pleasure in an harlot and embrace the bosome of another woman For euery mans wayes are open in the syght of the Lorde and he pondreth all theyr goynges The wyckednesse of the vngodly shal catche him selfe and w t y e snares of his owne synnes shal he be trap ped He shall dye without amendemente for his great folyshnesse he shall go astray ¶ The slouthefull and slougyshe is prycked and styrred to worke The scysmatyke is reproued Aduoutry ought to be earnestly auoyded CAPI VI. My sonne yf y ◠be suertie for thy neyghbour and hast fastened thyne hand for another man thou arte bounde with thyne owne wordes and taken with thyne owne speache Therefore my sonne do this and y u shalt be discharged whē y u art come into thy neyghbours daunger Go thy wayes then sone intreate thy neyghbour let not thine eyes slepe nor thyne eye lydde slombre Saue thy selfe as a doo from the hande as a byrde from the hande of the fouler Go to the Emmet thou stougard consydre her wayes and lerne to be wyse She hathe no gyde no teacher no leder yet in the Sōmer she prouydeth her meate and gathereth her fode together in the haruest Howe longe wylt thou slepe thou slogysh man Whē wylt thou aryse out of thy slepe Yee slepe on styll a lytle slomber a lytle folde thyne handes to gether yet a lytle that y ◠mayeste slepe so shall pouerte come vnto the as one that trauayleth by the waye and necessyte like an armed man So ⚜ But yf thou be nat slouthful thy haruest shal come as a sprynging well and pouerty shal flye farre from the An vngodly person a wycked man goth with a frowarde mouthe he wyncketh with hys eyes he tokeneth w t his fete he poīteth with his fingers he is euer ymagenige myschefe frowardnesse ī his hert causeth discorde Therfore shal his destruccion come hastely vpon hym sodenly shal he be al to broken nat be healed These sixe thinges doth the Lord hate the seuēth he vtterly abhorreth A proude loke a dyssēblynge tōge handes y e shed innocēt bloude an herte y ◠goeth about wycked ymagynacyon fete y ◠be swyfte in rennynge to do myschefe a false wytnesse that bringeth vp lyes such one as soweth dyscorde amonge brethren My sonne kepe thy fathers commaundemente and forsake nat the lawe of thy mother Put them vp together in thyne herte and bynde them aboute thy necke That they maye leade the where thou goeste preserue the when thou arte a slepe and that when thou awakest thou mayest talke of them For the commaundement is a lanterne and and the lawe a lyght ye chastenynge and nurtoure is the waye of lyfe that they may kepe the from the euyll woman and from the slateringe tonge of the harlot that thou lust nat after her bewty in thyne herte and leste thou be taken with her fayre lokes An harlot wyll make a man to begge hys bred but a maryed woman wyl hunte for the precyous lyfe Maye a man take fyre in hys bo some and his clothes nat be brente Or can one go vpon hote coales
and hys fete nat be hurt Euen so whosoeuer goeth into his neighbours wyfe and toucheth her cannat be vngyity Men do nat vtterly despyse a thefe that stealeth to satysfye hys soule when he is hongry but yf he may be gotten he restoreth agayne seuen tymes as muche or els he maketh recompeÌ„se with all y â— good of his house But who so coÌ„mitteth aduoutry with a woman he is a foole hryngeth hys lyfe to destruccion He getteth hym selfe also shame dishonour such as shall neuer be put out For the gelousy and wrath of y â— man wyll nat be intreated no though thou woldest offre hym greate gyftes to make amendes he wyll nat receaue them ¶ God ought to be feared and honoured His commaunde inentes ouâ—â—h 〈◊〉 to be hepte wanton apperytes and desyres ought to be shonned CAPI VII My sonne kepe my wordes and laye vp my comaundementes by the. Kepe my commaundementes and my lawe eueÌ„ as the apple of thine eye and thou shalt lyue Bynde them vpon thy fingers and wryte them in the table of thyne herte Saye vnto wysdome thou art my syster call vnderstandyng thy kynswoman that she maye kepe the from the strauÌ„ge woman and froÌ„ the harlot which geueth swete wordes For out of the wyndowe of my house I loked thorowe the latysse and behelde y â— simple people and among other yong folkes I spyed one yong foole going ouer y â— stretes by the corner in the way toward the harlottes house in the twylight of the euenynge when it beganne nowe to be nyght darke And beholde there met him a womaÌ„ in an harlottes apparell a dysceytfull wanton and an vnstedfast womaÌ„ whose fete coulde not abyde in the house nowe is she without nowe in the stretes and lurketh in euery corner she caught the yong man kyssed hym was nat ashamed faynge I had a vowe of peace offerynges to paye ☞ and thys day I perfourme it Therfore came I forth to mete the y â— I myght seke thy face so I haue founde the. I haue deckte my bed with couerynges clothes of Egypte My bed haue I made to smell of Myrre Alos and Cynamon Come let vs lye together and take oure pleasure tyll it be daye lyght For the good maÌ„ is nat at home he is gone farre of He hathe taken the bagge of money with hym who can tell when he commeth home Thus with many swete wordes she ouercame hym and with her flattering lyppes she entysed him to folowe her as it were an oxe led to the slaughter and lyke as it were a fole to the stockes to be punyshed so longe tyll she had wounded hys lyuer w t her darte lyke as yf a byrde hasted to the snare nat knowyng that the parell of his lyfe lyeth ther vpon Heare me nowe therfore O my chyldren marke the wordes of my mouth Let nat thyne herte wandre in her wayes and be nat thou disceaued in her pathes For many one hathe she wouÌ„ded and cast downe ye many a stronge man hath bene slayne by the meanes of her Her houses are the waye vnto hell and bring meÌ„ downe into the chambers of deth ¶ The prayse of the wysdome of God CAPI VIII DOth nat wysdome crye dothe nat vn derstan â—ynge put forth her voyce Standeth she nat in the hye places in the stretes and wayes dothe she nat crye before the whole cytie and in the gates where meÌ„ go out and in It is you O ye men sayeth she whom I call Unto the chyldren of meÌ„ do I lyfte vp my voyce Take hede vnto knowledge O ye ignoraunte be wyse in herte O ye foles Geue eate for I wyll speake of greate matters and open my lyppes to tell thynges that be ryght For my throte shal be talkynge of the truth and my lyppes abhorre vngodlynesse All the wordes of my mouth are ryghteous there is no frowardenesse nor falshede therin They are all playne to suche as wyll vnderstande and ryght to them that fynde knowledge Receaue my doctryne and nat syluer and my knowledge more then fyne golde For wysdome is more worth then precyous stones yee all thynges that thou canst desyre maye nat be compared vnto it I wysdome haue my dwellynge with knowledge and prudente councell is myne owne The feare of the Lorde abhorreth wyckednesse pryde disdayne and the euyll waye and a mouth that speakethe wycked thynges I vtterly abhorre I can geue councell and be a gyde I haue vnder standynge I haue strengthe Thorowe me kynges reygne thorowe me prynces make iust lawes Thorowe me do prynces beare rule and all iudges of the earthe execute iudgement I am louynge vnto those that loue me and they that seke me early shall fynde me Ryches and honour are with me Yee excellent goodes and ryghteousnesse My frute is better then golde and precyous stone and myne encrease more worthe then fyne syluer I wyll gyde the in the waye of ryghteousnesse and in the strete of iudgemente That I may sende prosperyte to those that loue me and to encrease theyr treasure ☞ The Lorde him selfe had me in possessyou ☞ in the begynnynge of his wayes or euer he beganne hys worckes aforetyme I haue bene ordeued from euerlastyng and froÌ„ the begynnynge or euer the earth was made When I was borne there were nether depthes nor springes of water Before the foundacions of the mountaynes were layed ye before al hylles was I borne The earth and all that is vpon the earth was nat yet made no nat the grounde it selfe For when he made the heauens I was present when he set vp the depthes in ordre when he hangd the cloudes aboue when he fastened the springes of the depe when he shut the see with in certayne boundes that the waters shulde nat go ouer theyr marckes When he layed the foundacions of the erath I was with him ordrynge all thynges delyâ—ynge dayly and reioysynge alwaye before hym As for the rounde compase of thys worlde I make it ioyfull for my delyte is to be amonge the chyldren of men Therfore herken vnto me â–ª O ye chyldren blessed are they that kepe my wayes geue eare vnto nurtour be wyse and refuse it nat Blessed is the man that heareth me watchynge dayly at my gates and geuynge attendaunce at the postes of my dores For who so fyndeth me fyndethe lyfe and shal obtayue fauour of the Lorde but who so offendeth agaynst me hurtethe his owne soule And all they that hate me are the louers of deathe ¶ Wysdome monethe all men to embrace her The property of a whore CAPI IX WYsdome hathe buylded herselfe ☞ an house hewen out seuen pyllers he hath kylled her vitayles powred out her wyne and prepared her table She hathe sente forthe her maydens to crye vpon the hyest place of the cyty who so is ignoraunte let hym come hyther And to the vnwyse she sayde O come on yours waye eate my breade and drynke
better then ryches yee muche more worthe then the eye syghte For wysdome defendeth as well as money and the excellent knowledge and wysdome geueth lyfe vnto hym that hathe it in possessyon Consydre the worcke of God howe that no man can make the thing strayght which the maketh croked Use well the tyme of prosperyte and remeÌ„bre the tyme of mysfortune for God maketh the one by the other so that a man can fynde nothynge els All thynges haue I considred in the tyme of my vanite that the iust man perysheth for hys ryghteousnes sake and the vngodly lyueth in hys wyckednesse Therfore be thou nether to ryghteous nor ouer wyse that thou peryshe nat be nether to vnrighteous also nor to folyshe leste y â— dye before thy tyme. It is good for the to take holde of thys and nat to let y â— go out of thy hande For he that feareth God shall escape them all Wysdome geueth more corage vnto the wyse then ten myghtye men of the cytye for there is nat one iuste vpon earth that dothe good and synneth nat Take nat hede vnto euery worde that is spoken lest thou heare thy seruaunt curse the for thyne owne here knoweth that thou thy selfe also hast ofte tymes spoken euyl by other men All these thinges haue I proued in wysdome I sayde I wyl be wyse but she went farther fro me then she was before yee so depe y â— I myght nat reach vnto her I applyed my mynde also vnto knowledge to seke out scyeÌ„ce wisdome and vnderstandyng to know the foolyshenes of the vngodly and the errour of dotynge fooles And I fouÌ„de that a woman is bytterer theÌ„ deth for she is a very angle her herte is a net her handes are cheynes Who so pleaseth God shal escape from her but the synner wyll be taken with her Beholde sayeth the preacher this haue I dyligently searched out and proued that I myght come by knowledge which as yet I seke and fynde it not Among a thousaÌ„de men I haue founde one but nat one womaÌ„ amonge all Lo thys onely haue I fouÌ„de y â— God made man iust and ryghte but they sought many inuencyons ¶ The kynges commaundement ought to be obeyed â–ª Gladnes is one of the chefe thynges vnder the sonne CAPI VIII WHo is wyse Who hath knowledge to make answere A maÌ„s wysdome maketh hys face to shyne but malyce putteth it out of fauoure I muste kepe the kynges commaundemente and the othe that I haue made vnto God Be nat hastye to go out of hys syght and se thou contynue in no euyll thinge for whatsoeuer it pleaseth hym that doeth he Lyke as when a kynge geueth a charge hys commaundement is myghtye Euen so who maye saye vnto hym what do est y â— Who so kepeth the commaundement shall fele no harme but a wise mans herte discerneth the tyme and maner For euery thyng wyl haue oportunyte and iugement and thys is the thynge that maketh men full of carefulnes and forowe And why a man knoweth nat what is for to come for who wyl tell hym Nether is there eny man y â— hath power ouer the spryte to kepe styl the spryte nor to haue any power in the tyme of deathâ— it is nat he also that can make an ende of the battayle nether may vngodlynes delyuer them that medle with all Al these thynges haue I considered and applyed my mynd vnto euery worcke y â— is done vnder the SoÌ„ne howe one man hathe lordshype when the strong men shal bowe them selues when the myllerâ— stande styll because they be so fewe and when the syght of the wyndowes shall waxe dymme when the dores in the sâ—râ—â—â— shal be shut and when the voice of the myller shal be layde downe when meÌ„ shall ryse vp at the voyce of the byrde and when all the daughters of musike shall be brought lowe when men shall feare in hye places and be afrayed in the stretes when the Almonde tree shall floryshe and be laden with the greshoper and when all luste shall passe because when man goeth to his long home and the mourners go aboute the stretes Or euer the syluer lace be taken awaye and or the golden bande be broken Or the pot be broken at the well the whele vpon the ceâ—â—â—rne Then shall the duste be turned agayne vnto the earth from whence it came and the Spiryte shall retourne vnto God whiche gaue it All is but vanyte say the the Preacher all is but playne vanyte The Preacher was yet more wyse and taught y â— people knowledge he gaue good hede sought out the grounde and set forthe many parables Hys diligence was to finde out acceâ— â–ª â—able wordes right scrypture and the wordes of trueth For the wordes of the wyse are lyke pryckes and nayles that go thorowe wher with men are kepte togyther for they are geuen of one shepherde onely Therfore beware my soÌ„ne that aboue these thou make the nat many and innumeble bokes nor take dyuerse doctrynes in hande to wery thy body withall Let vs heare the conclusion of all thynges Feare God and kepe his commaundementes For that toucheth all men For God shall iudge all worckes and secrete thynges whether they be good or euyll ⧠The ende of the Boke of the Preacher otherwyse called Ecclesiastes The Ballet of Ballettes of Salomon called in Latyn CanticuÌ„ Canticorum ¶ A mysticall songe of the spyrytuall and godly loue betwene Chryste the spouse and the Churche or Congregacyon hys spousesse CAPITVLO I. O That he wolde kysse me with the kysses of his mouth for thy loue is more pleasaunt then wyne and y â— because of the good and pleasauÌ„te sauour Thy name is a swete smellynge oyntment therefore do the maydens loue y â— draw thou me vnto the we wyl runne after the. The kynge hath brought me in to hys preuy chambres We wyll be glad and reioyce in the we thynke more of thy loue then of wyne They that be ryghtuous loue the. I am blacke O ye doughters of IerusalcÌ„ lyke as the tentes of the Cedarenes and as the hangynges of Salomon but yet am I fayre and welfauoured withall Maruayle not at me that I am so blacke for why the sunue hath shyned vpon me My mothers chyldren had euyll wyll at me they made me the keper of the vyneyard's but myne owne vineyard haue I not kepte Tel me of hi whom my soule loueth where y â— fedest where y u makest them reaâ—â— at the noone daye for why shall I belyke hym that goeth wronge about the flockes of thy companyons Yf thou knowe not thy selfe O thou fayrest among wemeÌ„ theÌ„ go thy waye for the after the fotesteppes of the shepe and fede thy goates besyde the shepehardes tentes Unto the host of Pharaos charettes haue I compared the O my loue Thy chekes and thy neck is beautiful as the turtils and hanged with spanges goodly
from the hye mountaynes ascrybynge glorye vnto the Lorde and magnyfyinge him amonge the Gentyles The Lorde shall come forth as a gyaunt and take a stomacke to him lyke as a freshe man of warre He shall roare crye and ouercome his enemyes I haue longe holden my peace sayeth the Lorde shulde I therefore be styll and kepe sylence for euer I wyll crye lyke a trauaylynge woman and once wyll I destroy and deuoure I wyll make waste bothe mountayne and hyll and drye vp euerye grene thynge that groweth theron I wyl drye vp the floudes of water and dryncke vp the ryuers I wyll brynge the blynde into a strete that they knowe not and lede theÌ„ into a fote pathe that they are ignoraunt in I shall make darkenesse lyght before them and the thynge that is croked to be streyght These thynges haue I done vnto theym and not forsaken them And therfore let them conuerte be ashamed earnestly that hope in Idoles and say to fashyoned ymages ye are our goddes Heare O ye deafe men and sharpen your â—yghtes to se O ye blynde Who is blynde but my seruauÌ„te Or so deafe as my messauÌ„gers whom I sent vnto them For who is so blynde as my people and they that haue the rule of them Thou vnderstandest much and kepest nothyng the eares are open and no man heareth The Lorde is mercyfull vnto them for his ryghtuousnesse sake that his worde myght be magnified and praysed But it is a mischeuous and wycked people Theyr yonge men belonge all to the snare and be shut into prison houses They be caryed awaye captyue and no man dothe lowse them They be troden vnder fote and no man doth labour to bryng them againe But who is he amonge you that pondreth this that consydreth it and taketh it for a warnynge in tyme to come Who suffred Iacob to be troaden vnder fote and Israel to be spoyled Dyd not the Lorde Because we haue synned agaynst hym and haue had no delyte to walke in his wayes neyther bene obedyente vnto his lawe Therfore hathe he poured vpon vs his wrathfull displeasure and stronge bataile whiche maketh vs haue to do on euery syde yet wyl we not vnderstaÌ„de He burneth vs vp yet syncketh it not into our hertes ¶ God promyseth to sende his Christ which shal delyuct his people He forgeueth synnes for his owne sake CAPI XLIII BVT nowe the Lorde that made the O Iacob and he that fasshyoned the O Israel sayeth thus Feare not for I haue redemed the. I haue called the by name thou art myne owne Yf thou goest thorow the water I wylbe with the that the strong floudes shulde not pluck the away And if thou walkest thorowe the fyre it shall not burne the and the flame shal not kindle vpoÌ„ the. For I am the Lorde thy God y â— holy one of Israel thy Sauyour I gaue Egypt for thy delyueraunce the Morians and the Sabees for the because thou waste deare in my syght and because I set by the loued the. I wyl geue ouer al men for the and deliuer vp al people for thy sake feare not for I am w t the. I wyl bryng thy sede froÌ„ the East â— and gather the together from y â— West I wil say to the North let go And to the South kepe not backe but bring me my soÌ„nes froÌ„ far and my daughters from the endes of y â— worlde Namely all those that be called after my name For them haue I created fasshyoned and made for myne honoure Bryng forth that people whether they haue eyes or be blynde deafe or haue eares If all nacyons come in one and be gathered together whiche amonge them shall declare suche thynges and tell vs what is to come Let them brynge theyr wytnesse so shall they be fre els let them heare and saye it is trueth You are my wytnesses sayeth the Lorde and my seruaunt whom I haue chosen therfore be certyfyed geue me faythfull credence and consydre that I am he before whom there was neuer any God and that there shal be none after me I am onely the Lorde and without me is there no Sauyoure I geue warnynge I make whole I teache you that there shulde be no straunge God amonge you And this recorde must ye beare me your selues sayeth the Lorde that I am God And euen he am I from the begynnynge and there is none that can take any thynge out of my hande And what I do can no maÌ„ chaunge Thus sayeth the Lorde the holy one of Israel youre redemer for youre sake I haue sente to Babylon and brought downe the strongest of them All they are fugitiue with the Chaldees that boost them of theyr shyppes Euen I the Lorde youre holy one whiche haue made Israel and am youre kynge Thus sayeth the Lorde euen he ☞ that maketh a waye in the see and a footepath in the myghty waters whiche bryngeth forth the charettes and horses the hoste and y â— power of warre that they may fall and neuer ryse and be extincte lyke as towe is quenched Ye remembre nat thynges of olde and regarde nothynge that is paste Therfore beholde I shall make a newe thynge and shortely shall it appere ye shall well knowe it I tolde it you afore but I wyll cell it you agayne I wyll make stretes in the deserte and ryuers of water in the wyldernes The wylde beastes shall worshyppe me the dragons and the yonge Estriches For I shall geue water in the wyldernes and streames in the desert that may geue drynke to my people whoÌ„ I chose Thys people haue I made for my selfe and they shall she we forth my prayse For thou Iacob woldest nat call vpon me but thou haddest an vnlust towarde me O Israel Thou gauest me nat thy yonge beastes for burnte offrynges neyther dydest honoure me with thy sacrifyces Thou boughtest mâ— no deare spyce with thy money nether pouredest the fat of thy sacryfyces vpon me Howe be it I haue nat beâ—e chargeable vnto y â— in offringes nether greuous in inceÌ„se But thou hast laden me with thy synnes and weeried me with thyne vngodlynes Where as I yet am euen he onely that for myne owne selfes sake do awaye thyne offences and forgette thy synnes so that I wyll neuer thynke vpon them Put me nowe in remembraunce for we wyll reason together and shewe what thou hast for the to make the ryghteous Thy fyrst father offended sore and thy rulers haue synned agaynste me Therfore I ether suspended or slue the chefest prynces I dyd curse Iacob and gaue Israel into reprofe ¶ Chryste promyseth to delyuer hys churche whiche he hathe redemed Idolatry and knelynge before ymages 〈◊〉 are confuted CAPI XLIIII SO heare nowe O Iacob my seruaunte and Israel whom I haue chosen For thus sayth the Lorde that made the fashyoned the and helped the euen from thy mothers
lyke greshoppers in nombre which with a corage shall crye Alarum Alarum agaynste the. Yee euen the Lorde of hoostes that with is power made the earth with hys wysdome prepared the roūde worlde and with his discrecion spred out the heauens As soone as he letteth hys voyce be herde the waters in the ayre waxe fearce He draweth vp the cloudes from the endes of the earth He turneth the lightenynges to rayne he bryngeth the wyndes out of theyr secrete places By the reason of wysdome all men are become fooles Cōfounded be all the casters of ymages for the thynge that they make is but dysceate and hathe no breath Uayne is it and worthy to be laughed at and in the tyme of vysitacion it shall perishe Neuertheles the porcyon of Iacob is none suche but he that made all thynges whose name is the Lorde of hoostes he is the rodde of his enheritaunce Thou breakest my weapens of warre and yet thorowe the I haue scatred the nacions and kingdomes Thorowe the haue I scatred horse and horse man yee the charrectes and suche as sat vpō them Thorowe the I haue scatred man woman olde and yonge bacheler mayden Thorowe the I haue scatred the shepherde and his flocke the husbande mā his catell the prynces the rulers Therfore wyll I rewarde the cytie of Babylon all her cytesins the Caldees with al the euel which they haue done vnto Syon yee that ye youre selues shall se it sayeth the Lorde Beholde I come vpon the ☞ thou noysome hyl sayeth y e Lorde thou that destroyest all landes I wyl stretch out my hande ouer the and cast the downe from the stony rockes and wyll make the a brente hyll so that neyther corner stones nor pynnacles nor foundacyon stones shal be taken any more out of the but wast and desolate shalt thou lye for euer more sayeth the Lorde Set vp a tokē in y e lande blowe the trōpettes amonge the Heithen prouoke the nacions agaynst her cal y e kyngdomes of Ararat Meum and Ascanes agaynst her Set the prynce agaynst her brynge as greate a sorte of horses agaynste her as yf they were greshoppers Prepare agaynste them the people of the Meedes with theyr kynges prynces and all theyr chefe rulers yee and the whele lande that is vnder them The lande also shall shake be afrayed when the deuice of the Lorde shal come forth agaynste Babylon to make the lande of Babylon so waste that no man shall dwell any more therin The worthyes of Babilon shall leaue the batayl and kepe them selues in stronge holdes theyr strength hathe fayled them they shal be lyke wemen Theyr dwellynge places shal be brente vp theyr barres shal be broken One purseuaunt shal meate another yee one poste shall come by another to brynge the kynge of Babylon tydynges that his cytie is takē in on euery syde the foordes occupyed the fennes brent vp and the soudyers sore afrayed For thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes the God of Israell the daughter of Babylon hathe bene in her tyme lyke as a thresshyng floore but shortly shall her haruest come Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babylon hathe deuoured and destroyed me he hathe made mean emptye vessell He swalowed me vp lyke a dragon and fylled hys bely with my delycates he hathe caste me out he hathe taken my substaunce awaye and the thyng that was lefte me hath he caryed vnto Babylon sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Syon yee and my bloude also vnto the Caldees sayeth Ierusalem Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde Beholde I wyll defende thy cause auenge the I wyl drinke vp her see and drye vp her water sprynges Babylon shall become an heape of stones a dwellynge place for dragons a fearfulnes and wondrynge because no man dwelleth there They shall roare together lyke lyons and as the yonge lyons when they be angrye so shall they bende them selues In theyr heate I shal set dryncke before the and they shal be droncken for ioye Then shall they slepe an euerlastynge slepe and neuer wake sayeth the Lorde I shall carye them downe to be slayne lyke shepe lyke wethers and goates O howe was ☞ Sesach wonne O howe was the glorye of the whole lande taken howe happeneth it that Babylon is so wondred at amonge the Heathen The see is rysen ouer Babylon and hathe couered her with hys greate waues Her cyties are layde waste the lande lyeth vnbuylded and voyde it is a lande where no man dwelleth and where no man trauaylleth thorowe Moreouer I wyll vyset Bell at Babylon and the thyng that he hath swalowed vp ▪ that same shall I plucke out of hys mouth The Gentyls also shall runne nomore vnto hym yee and the walles of Babylon shall fall O my people come out of Babylon that euery man maye saue hys lyfe frō the fearfull wrath of the Lorde Be nat faynte herted and ☞ feate nat at euery rumoure that shal be herde in the lāde for euery yeare bryngeth newe tydynges yee straung wickednes and lordeshyppe And lo the tyme commeth that I wyll vyset the ymages of Babylon and the whole lande shal be cōfounded yee and her slayne shall lye in the myddest of her Heauen and earth vith all that is therin shall reioyce ouer Babylon when the destroyers shal come vpon her frō the North sayeth the Lorde Lyke as Babylon hathe beaten downe and slayne many out of Israel so shal there fall many be slayne in all her kyngdome Ye that haue escaped the swearde hast you stande nat styll remembre the Lorde a farre of and thynke vpon Ierusalem for we were ashamed to heare the blasphemyes our faces were couered with shame because the straūge aleauntes came into the Sanctuary of the Lorde Wherfore beholde sayeth the Lorde the tyme commeth that I wyll vyset the ymages of Babylon and thorowe the whole lande they shall mourne fall Though Babylō clymed vp into heauen and kept her power an hye yet shall I sende her destroyers sayeth the Lorde A piteous crye shal be hearde from Babylon and agreat mysery from the lande or the Caldees when the Lorde destroyeth thē and when he dryueth out the hye stomacke and proude bostynge wherwith they haue bene as furious as the waues of great water floudes and made greate crakes with theyr wordes For the destroyers shall come vpon her euen vopon Babylon whiche shall take theyr worthyes and breake theyr bowes for God is dysposed to auenge hym selfe vpon them and suffycyently to recompence them Yee sayeth the Lorde I wyll make theyr prynces theyr wyse men theyr chefe rulers and all theyr worthyes droncken so that they shall slepe an euerlastynge slepe and neuer wake Thus sayeth the Kynge whose name is the Lorde of Hostes. Moreouer thus sayeth the Lorde of Hostes The thycke wall of Babylō shal be broken and her hye gates shal be brent vp And the thynge that the Gentyles and the people haue wrought with great
I said O Lord Lord now are we al ful of sine for our sake peraduenture it is not y t the barne of the ryghtuous shal not be fylled because of the sines of theÌ„ that dwel vpon the earth So he answered me sayd Go thy waye to a womaÌ„ with chylde and aske of her wheÌ„ she hath fulfylled her nyne monethes yf her chyldebed may kepe y â— birth any longer with in her Then sayd I No Lorde that can she not And he sayde vnto me In hell the secret places of soules are lyke the preuy chambre of a woman For lyke as a woman that trauayleth maketh haste when the tyme and necessyte of the byrthe is at hande Euen so doth she haste to delyuer it that is commytted vnto her Loke what thou desyrest to se it shall be shewed the from the begynnynge Then answered I sayde If I haue fouÌ„de fauoure in thy syght and yf it be possyble and yf it be mete therefore shewe me then whether there be more to come then is past or more paste then is for to come What is paste I knowe but what is for to come I knowe not And he sayde vnto me Stande vp vpon the ryght syde and I shall expounde the symylitude vnto the. So I stode and behold an whote burnynge ouen wente ouer before me and it happened that when the flamme was gone by the smoke had the vpper haÌ„dâ— After this there went ouer before me a watery cloude and sent downe much rayne with a storme when the stormy rayne was past the droppes remayned styll Then sayde he vnto me lyke as the rayne is more then the droppes and as the fyre exceadeth the smoke euen so the measure of the thynges that are past hath the vpperhande Then wente the droppes and the smoke aboue and I prayed and sayde May I lyue thynkest thou vntyll that tyme Or what shall happen in those dayes He answered me and sayde As for the tokeÌ„s wherof thou askest me I may tell the of them in a parte but as touchynge thy lyfe I may not shewe the for I am not sent therfore ¶ Esdras and the Angell comen together CAPI V. NEuerthelesse as concernynge the tokens marke this Beholde the dayes shall come that they whiche dwell vppon earth shal be taken in a greate nombre and the waye of the trueth shal be hyd the land shal be baren from fayth but iniquite shal haue the vpperhande lyke as thou hast sene nowe as thou hast herde longe ago And y â— lande that thou seyst now to haue rule shalt thou shortly se waste But yf God graunte the to lyue thou shalt se after the thyrde troÌ„pet that the suÌ„ne shal sodenly shyne againe in the night the mone thre times iÌ„ the day bloude shall droppe out of wodde and the stone shall geue his voyce the people shal be vnquyete and euen he shall rule whom they hope not that dwell vpon earthe the foules shall flyt the Sodomytshe see shall cast out his fysh make a noyse in the night which many shall not knowe but they shall all heare the voyce therof There shal be a coÌ„fusion also in many places and the fyre shal be oft sent agayne and the wylde beastes shall go theyr waye and menstruous wemen shall beare monstres salt waters shall be founde in the swâ—teâ—one frende shal fyght agaynst another then shal all wyt and vnderstandyng be hyd and put aside iÌ„to their secrete places shal be sought of many and yet not be fouÌ„deâ— then shal vnryghtuousnes and voluptuousnes haue the vpperhande vpon earth One laÌ„de also shal aske another and say Is ryghtuousnes gone thorowe the And it shall saye No. At the same tyme shall men hope but nothynge optayne they shall laboure but theyr wayes shall not prospere To shewe the suche tokens I haue leue and yf thou wylte praye agayne wepe as nowe and fast seuen dayes thou shalt heare yet greater thinges Then I awaked and a fearefulnes went thorowe all my body and my mynde was feble and carefull so that I almost sowned withall So the angell that was come to talke with me helde me coÌ„forted me and set me vpon my fete And in the seconde nyght it happened y e Salathiel the captayne of the people came vnto me saying Where hast thou bene and why is thy countenaunce so heuy Knowest thou not that Israel is coÌ„mitted vnto the in the lande of theyr captiuite Up then eate forsake vs not as y â— shepherde that leaueth his flocke in the handes of wycked wolues Then sayd I vnto hym Go thy way fro me come not nye me he herde it as I said so went he his way fro me And so I fasted seueÌ„ dayes mournyng wepyng lyke as Uriell the angel coÌ„maunded me And after seueÌ„ daies it happened y â— the thoughtes of my herte were very greuous vnto me agayne my soule receyued the sprete of vnderstandyng and I beganne to talke with the moste hyest agayne and sayde O Lorde Lord of euery wood of the earth and all the trees therof â— thou hast chosen the one onely vyneyarde and of all landes of the whole worlde thou hast chosen one pyt and of al floures of the grounde thou hast chosen the one lylye and of all the depthes of the see thou hast fylled the one ryuer and of all buylded cyties thou hast halowed Syon vnto thy selfe and of al the foules that are created thou hast named the one doue of all the catell that are made thou hast prouyded the one shepe and amoÌ„g all the multytudes of folckes thou hast gotten the one people vnto this people whom thou louedst thou gauest a law that is proued of all And nowe O Lorde why haste thou geuen this one people ouer vnto many and vpon the one rote thou hast prepared other why hast thou seatâ—ed thy one onely people among many whiche treade them downe yee whiche haue euer withstande thy promyses and neuer beleued thy couenauntes And thoughe thou werest enemye vnto thy people yet shuldest thou punysh them with thyne owne haÌ„des Nowe wheÌ„ I had spokeÌ„ these wordes y â— angell y â— came to me y â— nyght afore was sente vnto me snyde vnto me Heare me and herken to the thynge that I say I shal tel the more And I said Speke on my Lorde Then sayd he vnto me Thou arte sore vexed troubled for Israels sake Louest thou that people better theÌ„ hym that made them And I sayd to hym No Lorde but of very grefe coÌ„passion haue I spoken For my reines payne me euery hour because I wolde haue experieÌ„ce of the way of y e most hiest to seke out parte of his iudgmeÌ„t And he sayde vnto me y â— thou mayest not And I sayde Wherfore Lorde where vnto was I borne then Or why was not my mothers childbed then my graue So had I not sene
hys hande wryttynge haue I by me And therfore seke some meanes how y â— mayest come by hym receyue of him the sayde weyght of syluer geue him his handwrytyng agayne My sonne be not afraied trueth it is we leade here a poore lyfe but greate good shal we haue yt we feare God and departe from all synne and do well ¶ The obedyence of yonge Tobias to his father whiche is sent into Rages An Aungell accompanyeth with hym in his iourney CAPI V. THEN answered Tobias his father and sayde father all that thou hast coÌ„maunded me wyl I do and that diligently But howe I shall require this money I cannot tell Neyther bothe he knowe me nor I him What token shall I geue him And as for the way thyther I neuer knewe it Then his father answerd hym and sayde I haue his hande wrytyng by me which when thou shewest hym immediately he shall paye the But go thy way now and get the some faithful man to go with the for an hyre that thou mayest receyue the money whyle I am yet lyuynge Then went Tobias out and vpon the strete he founde a fayre yonge man standyng gyrded vp and as it were one readye to take his iourney And he knewe not that it was an Angell of God but saluted hym and sayde From wheÌ„ce art thou thou good yonge man He aunswered Of the chyldren of Israel And Tobias sayde vnto hym knowest y â— the waye that ledeth vnto the countre of the Medes He answered I knowe it well and all those stretes haue I gone oft tymes and haue lodged with our brother Gabelê° that dwelleth in Rages a citye of the Medes whiche lyeth vpon the mounte Egabthanis Tobias sayd vnto him I praye the tary for me tyl I haue tolde my father these thinges Then went Tobias in â–ª tolde his father al â–ª At the which his father maruelled prayed that he wolde come in vnto him Nowe wheÌ„ the Angel came in he saluted him and sayd Ioye be with y â— foreuer more And olde Tobias sayd what ioy can I haue that sit here in darkenes se not the light of heaueÌ„ The yonge man sayde vnto him Be of good cheare God shall helpe the shortly And Tobias sayd vnto him Canst y u bryng my sonne to Gabelus vnto the cytie of Rages in Medea And when y â— coÌ„mest agayne I shall paye the thy hyre And the Aungell sayde vnto him I shall leade thy sonne and brynge him to the agayne TheÌ„ Tobias answered him tell me I praye y â— of what house or of what trybe arte thou The Angell Raphael sayde vnto him Askest thou after the kynred of an hyrelyng or sekest thou a gyde for thy sonne to go with hym But that I make the not carefull I am Azarias y â— soÌ„ne of great Hananias And Tobias answered thou art come of a great kynred but I praye the be not displesed that I desyred to know thy kynred The Angel sayde vnto him thy sonne shall I leade forth safely bryng him whole to the agayne Then answered Tobias and sayde wel go on your way God be in your iourney his angel beare you company So wheÌ„ they had prepared all thynges y â— they wolde take w t them in theyr iourney Tobias bad his father his mother farewel and they weÌ„te on theyr way both together Nowe when they were gone his mother beganne to wepe sayde The staffe of our age hast thou taken away sent hym from vs. Wolde God that money had neuer bene for the whiche thou hast sent hym awaye If we had bene content with our pouerte thys had bene great ryches vnto vs that we saw our soÌ„ne here Then saide Tobias vnto her wepe not oure soÌ„ne shall come to vs agayne safe sounde thine eyes shal se him For I trust that the good Angel of God shal beare him coÌ„pany ordre wel all the thynges that he dothe so y t he shall come to vs agayne w t ioye At these wordes his mother left of from wepyng and helde her tonge ¶ Yonge Tobias is delyuered from the fyshe by the angell The Angell exhorteth Tobias to take â—arâ— to his wyfe CAPI VI. SO Tobias went on hys way a dogge folowed hym and the fyrste nyght they abode by the water of Tygris Then wente he out to wash his fete behold there came forth an horrible fyshe to deuoure hym Of whom Tobias was afrayed cryed with a loude voyce sayenge Lorde he commeth vpon me And the Angell sayde vnto him Take hym by the gyll and drawe hym to the. And he dyd so and drewe hym vpon the lande And the fyshe begane to leape at hys fete Then sayde the Aungell vnto hym take out the bowels of thys fyshe and as for the herte the gall the leuer kepe them by the. For these thiÌ„ges are necessary and good for medecyne Tobias dyd so and rosted the fysh and they toke hym with them in theyr iourney the resydue they salted as much as was suffycyent for them tyll they came to Rages a cytye of the Medes Then Tobias asked the aungell sayde vnto hym I praye the brother Azaria tell me wherto are these thinges good of the fysh that thou hast bydden me kepe The Aungell answered him and sayde If thou layeste a pece of the herte vpon the coales the smoke therof dryueth awaye all maner of euyll sprytes whether it be from man or from woman so that from thence forth the same shall come nomore vnto theÌ„ The gall is good to anointe or to stryke the eyes withall where as there is any blemith in then so that they shal be whole And Tobias sayde vnto hym where wylt thou that we remaine The Aungel answered sayde Here is a nye kynsman of thyne one Raguell by name which hath a daughter called Sara and hath nether sonne nor daughter but her All hys good belongeth vnto the and thou must mary her and therfore desyre her of her father he shall geue her the to wyfe Then answered Tobias and saide As I vnderstande she hath bene maryed vnto seuen husbandes and they al are deed and I haue herde saye that the deuell slewe them I am afrayed therfore leste suche thynges happen vnto me also whiche yf it came to paâ—se seynge I am the onely sonne of my father and my mother I shulde bryng them in theyr age with sorowe to theyr graues Then saide y e Aungel Raphael vnto him Heare me I wyll tell the what they be or whom the deuell hath power Namely they that receaue mariage of such a fashion that they shut God out from theÌ„ froÌ„ theyr hert geue theÌ„ selues to theyr owne lust euen as it were an horse Mule which haue no vnderstaÌ„ding vpoÌ„ such hath the deuel power But when thou takeste her and arte come into the chamber wytholde thy selfe from her thre dayes and geue thy diligence vnto nothyng but vnto prayer
mountaynes in the naro we place and kepte the waye day and nyght But whyle Holofernes was goynge aboute he founde the water sprynge whiche from the South syde was conueyed into y e cytie by a coÌ„dite this coÌ„maunded he to be directe another waye to cut their coÌ„dite in sunder There were welles also not farre from the walles whiche they vsed secretely more for pleasure then for necessyte Then wente the Ammonites y â— Moabytes vnto Holofernes sayd The chyldreÌ„ of Israell trust neyther in speare nor arowe but kepe and defende the mountaynes and hylles That thou mayest ouercome theÌ„ therfore without y â— strykynge of any batayle set men to kepe the welles that they drawe no water out of them so shalt thou destroy them without swearde or at the least they shall be so feble that they must be fayne to geue ouer the cytye Whiche they thynke not able to be wonne for so muche as it lyeth in the mountaynes These wordes pleased Holofernes well all his meÌ„ of warre and he set an hundreth at euery well rounde aboute And when this watch had endured twentye dayes the Cisternes all that had water fayled them that dwelt in the cyte of Bethulia so that in the whole cyte they had not dryncke ynough for one daye for the people had water geuen them daylye in a measure Then came the men and wemen yonge personnes and chyldren all vnto Osias sayde all with one voyce God beâ—udge betwyxte vs and the for thou hast dealt euyl with vs thou woldest not speake peaceably with the Kynge of the Assyrians therfore hathe God solde vs in theyr handes and there is no maÌ„ to helpe vs where as we are brought downe before theyr eyes in thirst and great destruccyon Therfore gather nowe together al the people that be in the cytie that we maye all yelde our selues wyllyngely vnto the people of Holofernes for better it is that we be captyue and prayse the Lorde with oure lyues then to be slayne and peryshe and to be laughed to scorne shamed of euery man when we se our wyues and children dye before our eyes We take heauen and earth this daye to recorde and the God of oure fathers whiche punysshed vs accordynge to the deseruyng of our synnes and gaue you warning that ye geue vp the cyte nowe into the power of Holofernes hoste that our ende maye be shorte with the swearde whiche els shall endure long for want of water and for thyrste When they had spoken out these wordes there was a great wepyng howlyng in the whole coÌ„gregacion and y t of euery man and they cried an whole hour long vnto God w t one voyce saying we haue synned w t our fathers we haue done amyse we haue dealte wyckedly Thou y â— art gracious haue mercy vpon vs punysh our vnryghtuousnes with thyne owne scourge geue not those ouer y â— knowledge the vnto a people which knowe the not least they say amonge the Heythen where is their God And when they were so wery with thys cryenge and wepynge that they helde theyr tonges Osias stode vp with watrye eyes and sayde O take good hertes vnto you deare brethren and be of good cheare and let vs wayte yet these fyue dayes for mercye of the Lorde peraduenture he shal cut away his indignacyon and geue glorye vnto hys name But yf he helpe vs not when these fyue dayes are paste we shall do as ye haue sayde ¶ Of the vertuous woman Iudith whiche reproueth the aunciâ—â—tâ—s because they tempted the Lorde She also moueth them to encorage and herteÌ„ the people and sheweth her councel agaynst the enemyes of the Iewes CAPI VIII AND it happened when these wordes came to the eares of Iudith a wyddow whiche was the daughter of Merari the sonne of Idox the sonne of Ioseph the soÌ„ne of Osia the sonne of Elai the sonne of Iammor the sonne of Iedeon the sonne of Raphoim the sonne of Achitob the soÌ„ne of Melchia the sonne of Euam the sonne of Nathania the sonne of Salathiel the sonne of Simeon the sonne of Ruben And her husband was called Manasses whyche dyed in the dayes of the barlye harueste For whyle he was byndynge the sheues together in the felde the heate came vpon his heade and he dyed at Bethulia his cytye and there was he buryed besyde his fathers Nowe was Iudyth hys desolate wyddowe thre yeares and syxe monethes And in the hygher partes of her house she made her selfe a preuye chambre where she dwelt beyinge closed in with her maydens She ware a smocke of hearre and fasted al the dayes of her lyfe excepte the Sabbathes and newe mones and the solempne daies that the people of Israel kepte She was a very fayre and beautifull persone Her husband also had left her great ryches a plentuous housholde great vnmouable possessioÌ„s and many catell This Iudith was a woman of a very good reporte with euery one for she feared y â— Lorde greatly and there was no body that spake an euel worde of her WheÌ„ this Iudith herde how Osias had promysed the people y t after the fyfte day he wolde giue vp the cyte vnto the AssiriaÌ„s she sent for the elders ChaÌ„bri Charmy when they came to her she sayde what thynge is this wherin Osias hath coÌ„sented that if god helpe not wtin fyue dayes he wyll geue ouer the cytie to the Assirians What are ye y â— ye tempte the Lord This deuice optayneth no mercy of God but prouoketh hi vnto wrath and displeasure Wyll ye set the mercy of the Lorde a tyme and appoyute hym a day after your wyll Neuerthelesse for so muche as the Lord is pacyente let vs rather repent pouryng out teares and beseching him of grace For God threateneth not as a man neyther wyll he be prouoked vnto wrath as the chyldren of men And therfore let vs hertely fall downe before him and serue him with a meke sprete and with wepynge eyes say vnto the Lorde that he deale with vs accordyng to his owne wyll and mercy that lyke as our hert is now vexed and brought lowe thorowe the pryde of them it maye so be conforted thorowe hys grace in so muche as we folowe not the synnes of our fathers which forsoke theyr God and worshypped other Goddes for the whiche synne they peryshed with the swearde were spoyled brought to shame of all theyr ennemyes As for vs we knowe none other God but onely hym for whose comforte let vs tary with mekenesse He shal requyre and make inquysicion for our bloude frome the vexacions of our enemyes he shall brynge downe all the Heythen that ryse vp against vs and put them to dyshonoure euen the Lorde our God Therfore deare brethren seynge ye are the honorable elders in the people of God vnto whom all the people haue respecte and vpon whom the lyfe of the people standeth lyft vp theyr hertes with your exhortacyon that they maye call
daughter of the Hebrues am fled from them for I knowe y t they shal be geueÌ„ vnto you to be spoyled because they thought scorne to yelde theÌ„ selues vnto you that they myght fynde mercy in your syght Therfore haue I deuysed by my selfe after this maner I wyl go before the prince Holofernes tell him al their secretes wyl shewe him how he may come by them wynne them so that not one man of his hoste shal perysh And whan these men had hearde her wordes and considered her fayre face they were astonnyed for they wondred at her excellent bewty said vnto her Thou hast saued thy life by fyndynge out this deuyce that y u woldest come downe to oure Lorde and be thou sure that whan thou commest vnto hym he shall intreate the well and thou shalt please hym at the herte So they brought her into Holofernes pauylyon and tolde him of her Nowe when she came in before him immediately he was ouercome and taken with her bewty Then said his seruauÌ„tes to him who wolde despyse the people of the Iewes that haue so fayre wemeÌ„ Shuld we not by reasoÌ„ fyght agaynst theÌ„ for these So wheÌ„ Iudith sawe Holofernes syttynge in a canapy â–ª that was wrought of purple sylke golde Smaradge precyous stones she loked fast vpoÌ„ hym and fell downe vpon the earth And Holofernes seruauÌ„tes toke her vp agayne at theyr Lordes coÌ„maundement ¶ Holofrenes requyreth of Iudith the cause of her coÌ„ming whiche geueth him a â—uttell answere CAPI X. THen sayde Holofernes vnto her Be of good chere and feare not in thyne hert for I neuer hurte man that wolde serue Nabuchodonosor the Kynge As for thy people yf they had not despysed me I shulde not haue lyft vp my speare agaynst theÌ„ But tell me nowe what is the cause that thou art departed from them and wherfore arte thou come vnto vs And Iudith sayde vnto hym Syr vnderstande y â— wordes of thy hand mayden for yf y u wylt do after the wordes of thy haÌ„d mayden the Lord shal bryng thy matter to a prosperous effecte As truly as Nabuchodonosor a Lord of the lande lyueth as truely as his power lyueth which is in the to the punishement of al men that go wrong al meÌ„ shal not onely be subdued vnto him thorow the but all the beastes also of the felde obey him For all people speake of thy prudent actyuite it hath euer bene reported howe thou onely art good myghty in al his kingdome thy discrecion is coÌ„mended in all landes The thyng is manyfest also that Achior spake and it is well knowen what thou coÌ„maundest to do vnto him For this is playne and of a surety that our God is so wroth w t vs by reason of our sinnes y t he hath shewed by his Prophetes vnto the people how that for theyr synnes he wyll delyuer them ouer vnto the enemy And for so much as the chyldren of Israel know that they haue so displesed theyr God they are sore afrayed of the. They suffre greate hongre also and for want of water they are deade nowe in a maner Moreouer they are appoynted to slaye all theyr catell that they maye dryucke the bloude of them and are purposed to spende al the holy ornamentes of their God which he hathe forbyddeÌ„ them to touche for corne wyne and oyle Seynge nowe that they do these thynges it is a playne case that they must nedes be destroyed Which when I thy handmaydeâ— perceyued I fled from them and the Lord hath sent me vnto the to shew the these thynges For I thy handmayden worshyppe God euen here nowe besyde the and thy handemayden shall go for the and I wyll make my prayer vnto God and he shal tell me when he wyll rewarde them theyr synne then shall I come and shewe the and brynge the thorowe the myddest of IerusaleÌ„ so that thou shalte haue all the people of Israel as the shepe wythout a shepherde there shal not so much as one dog barcke agaynst the for these thynges are shewed me by the prouydence of God for so much as God is displeased with them he hath sent me to tell the the same These wordes pleased Holofernes all his seruauntes which marueled at the wysdome of her and sayde one to another there is not suche a woman vpon earth in bewtye and discrecyon of wordes And Holofernes sayde vnto her God hath done well that he hath sent the hyther before thy people that y â— mayest geue them into our handâ—â— And for so muche as thy promyse is good y 〈…〉 God perfourme it vnto me he shal be my go 〈…〉 and thou shalt be excellente and great 〈…〉 court of Nabuchodonosor thy name shal be spoken of in all the lande Holofernes coÌ„maundeth that Iudith be well intreat â— Shâ— desyreth lycenâ—e to go out in the nyght câ—â—â—oÌ„ to 〈…〉 neth it â—â—gaâ— is set vnto hâ—â— to 〈◊〉 her to â–ª come into Holofernes to a Banckes the cometh Holoâ—â—â—â—es is 〈◊〉 CAPI XI THen coÌ„maunded he her to go in where his treasure laye and charged that she shulde haue her dwellynge there and appoynted what shulde be gyuen her frome hys table Iudith answered hym and sayd As for the meate that thou haste commaunded to geue me I may not eate of it as now least I dysplease my God but wyll eate of suche as I haue brought with me Then sayde Holoferues vnto her If these thynges that thou haste brought wyth the fayle what shal we do vnto the And Iudith said As truely as thou lyuest my Lorde thy haÌ„dmayden shall not spende all thys tyll God haue brought to passe in my hande the thinges that I haue deuysed So hys seruauntes brought her into the tent where as he had appointed And as she was goyng in she desyred y â— she myght haue leue to go forth by nyght before day to her prayer to make intercessyon vnto the Lord Then coÌ„mauÌ„ded Holofernes his ChaÌ„berlaâ—nes y â— she shulde go out in at her pleasure to pray vnto God those thre dayes And so in the nyght season she went forth into the valley of Bethulia and wasshed her selfe in the well water Then wente she vp and besought the Lorde God of Israell that he wolde prospere her waye for the delyueraunce of hys people And so she wente in remayned clene in her tente tyll she toke her meate in the euenyng Upon the fourth daye it happened that Holofernes made a supper vnto hys seruauÌ„tes and sayd vnto Uagao his chaÌ„berâ—ayne Go thy waye and councell thys Hebruesse that she may be wyllynge to consent to kepe company with me For it were a shame vnto all the Assyryans that a woman shulde so laugh a man to scorne that she were come froÌ„ hym vnmedled withall Then went Uagao vnto Iudith sayd Let not y â— good daughter be afraied to come into my Lorde that she may be honoured before him that
floudes I am as a great waterbroke oute of y â— riuer I am as the ryuer Dorix and as a water condyte am I come out of the garden of pleasure I sayde I wyll water the garden of my yong plantes and fyll the frute of wy byrth So my waterbroke became exceadynge greate and my riuer approached vnto the see For I make doctryne to be vnto all men as syght as the fayre morning and I shal make it to be euer the clearer I wyll pearse thorow al the lower partes of the earthe I wyll loke vpoÌ„ all such as be a slepe and lighten al theÌ„ that put theyr trust in the Lorde I shall yet youre out doctryne lyke as prophecye and leaue it vnto such as seke after wysdome their generacions shall I neuer fayle vnto the holy euerlasting world Behold howe that I haue not laboured for my self onely but for all them that seke after the trueth ¶ Of thre thinges which please god and of thre which he hateth Of nyne thynges that be not to be suspecte and of the tenth the fely of the malyce of a woman CAPI XXV THre thynges there are that my spryte fauoureth whiche be also alowed be-before God and men The vnyte of brethren the loue of neighbours and man and wyfe that agre well together Thre thynges there be whiche my soule hateth and I vtterly abhorre the lyfe of them A poore man that is proude A ryche man that is a lyar and an olde body that dotethe and is vnchaste If thou haste gathered nothynge in thy youth what wylte thou fynde then in thyne age O howe pleasaunt a thynge is it when gray headed meÌ„ are dyscrete ‡ wheÌ„ y â— elders caÌ„ geue good couÌ„cel O how comely a thig is wysdome vnto aged men yee vnderstandyng and councel is a glorious thing The crowne of olde men is to hane much experience the feare of god is theyr worshyppe There be nyne thynges whiche I haue iudged in my hert to be happy and y â— tenth wyll I tell forth vnto men with my tonge A man that whyle he lyueth hathe ioye of his chyldren seyeth y â— fal of his enemyes Well is hym that dwelleth with an houswyfe of vnderstanding and that hath not falleÌ„ with his tong and that hath not bene fayne to serue such as are vnmete for hym Wel is him that fyndeth a faythful frende and well is him which talketh of wysdome to an eare that heareth hi. O how great is he that fyndeth wysdome and knowledge Yet is he not aboue him y â— feareth the Lord. The feare of God hath set it selfe aboue all thynges Blessed is the man vnto whom it is graunted to haue the feare of God Unto whoÌ„ shal he be lyckened that kepeth it fast The feare of God is the beginnynge of his loue and the begynning of fayth is to cleue faste vnto it The heuynes of the hert is all the punyshemeÌ„t the wyckednes of a woman goeth aboue al. All punishmeÌ„t plage is nothynge in comparyson of the plage of the hert euen so all wyckednes is nothyng to the wyckednes of a woman Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto a maÌ„ is nothynge in coÌ„parison of it that his euyl wyllers do vnto him and al vengeaunce is nothynge to the vengeaunce of the enemye There is not a more wycked heade then the head of the serpent there is no wrath aboue y â— wrath of a womaÌ„ I wyll rather dwell with a lyon and dragon then to kepe house with a wycked wyfe The wyckednesse of a womaÌ„ chauÌ„geth her face she shall moffel her countenauÌ„ce as it were a Beare as a sack shal she shew it amoÌ„ge the neghbours Her husbande is brought to shame among his neghbours and wheÌ„ he heareth it it maketh him to syghe All wyckednes is but lytle to the wyckednes of a woman the porcion of the vngodly shall fall vpon her Lyke as to clymme vp a sandy waye is to the fete of the aged euen so is a wyfe full of wordes to a styll quyete man Loke not to narowly vpoÌ„ the bewtye of a womaÌ„ leste thou be prouoked iÌ„ desire towarde her â–ª The wrath of a woman is dishonoure and great confusioÌ„ If a woman get the mastrey then is she contrary to her husbande A wycked wyfe maketh a sory herte an heuy countenaunce and a deed wouÌ„de Weake haÌ„des and feble knees is a womaÌ„ that her husbaÌ„d is not the better for Of the woman came the begynnynge of synne thorowe her we all are deed Geue thy water no passage no not a lytle nether geue a wycked womaÌ„ her wyll If she walcke not after thy hande she shall confounde the in the syehgt of thy enemies Cut her of then from thy flesh that she do not alwaye abuse the. ¶ The pâ—ap se of good a womaÌ„ Of the feare of thre thynges and of the fourth Of the Ielouze and droncken womaÌ„ Of two thynges that cause sorow and of the thyrde which moueth wrath CAPI XXVI Happye is the man that hathe a verteous wyfe for the nombre of his yeares shal be dubble An honest woman maketh her husbande a ioyfull man and she shall fyll y â— yeares of his lyfe in peace A verteous womaÌ„ is a noble gyft whiche shal be geuen for a good porcion vnto such as feare God Whether a man be rych or poore he may haue euer a mery hert and a chearful countenaunce There be thre thinges that my hert feareth and my face is afrayed of y â— fourth Treason in a cytie a sedicious people and noisome tonges all these are heuyer theÌ„ the death But when one is gelous ouer hys wyfe it bryngeth payne and sorowe vnto the herte and a woman that telleth out all thynges is a scourge of the tonge When one hathe an euell wyfe it is euen as when an vnylke payre of oxen muste drawe together he that getteth her he getteth a scorpyon A droncken woman is a great plage for she cannot couer her owne shame The whordome of a woman maye be knowen in the pryde of her eyes and eye leddes If thy daughter be not shamefast holde her straytly lest she abuse herselfe thorowe ouermoche lyberte Beware of all the dishonestye of her eyes and maruell not yf she do agaynste the. Lyke as one y t goeth by the waye and is thirstie so shall she open her mouth and dryncke of euery next water that she maye get By euery hedge shal she set her downe and open her quyuer against euery arowe A louynge wyre reioyseth her husbande and fedeth his bones with her wisdome A woman of fewe wordes is a gyfte of God and to all well nurtured myndes maye nothynge be compared An honest and manerly woman is a gyft aboue other gyftes and there is no weyght to be compared vnto a mynde that can rule itselfe Lyke as the Sunne when it aryseth is an ornament in the hye heuen