FIue & twenty bokis of the olde testamet ben bokis of feith, and fulli bokis of holy wryt. The fyrste is Genesis. the. ii. Exodi. the. iii. Lenitici, the. iiii. Numeri, y•. v. Deutronomi. And these fyue ben ye bokis of Moses: the whych ben cleped proprely, the law. The vi. Iosue, the vii. boke is Iudicum: that encloseth the stort of Ruth. The viii. boke, ix. x. xi▪ xii. & xiii: ben the. iiii. bokes of kyngs, and the tweie bokes of Paralipomenō The xiiii. boke is Esore, that cōprehendeth Neemy. And all is do bokeAnentis. is Wyth. anentis Hebreus, as Ierom seith. But anentis Grekis & Latins: these ben tweie bokis. The xv. is Hester, the xvi. is Iob, the xvii. is ye Psalter The xviii. boke. xix, and xx: ben the thre bokes of Solomō. The first is Prouerbes, either Parables, the. ii. Ecclesiastes, and the iii. is songis of sōgs The xxi. boke xxii, xxiii. & xxiiii. bē y•. iiii. great prophets. Esaiis first Ieremie is the. ii. Ezechiel is the. iii. and Daniel is y• iiii. The xxv, boke is a boke of xii. smale Prophetis. Osee, Ioel, Amos, Abdie, Ionas, Michee, Naū, Abacuke Sophonie Aggei, Zachari & Malachie: and al these xii. smal Prophets bē oo boke & in this order. And what euer boke is in ye olde testamēt wythont these xxv. forseyde: shal be set amōg Apocripha, that is withoutē autoritie of bileue. Therfore the boke of Wysdome Ecclesiastici Iudith and Tobie, ben not of bileue. The first boke of Machabeis was foūdē writtun in Hebru. And y•. ii. boke of Machabeis: was writen fyrst in Greeke. Ierome seyth al this sentence in the prolog on the first boke of Kynges. Also, y• boke of Baruk, and y• Epistil of Ieremi: bē not of the autoritie of y• bible anemis Hebrus ne y• praiere of Manasses, as Ierom witnesseth. And how mich of yt boke of He ster & Daniel is of autoriti anentis Hebreis, & in hebru lettre: it is tolde in ye same bokes by Ierom himsilfe Netheles, Ierom in suing Hebrus, cōprehendeth al these bokes in. xxii. for Hebrus, makē oo boke of ye first and y•. ii. boke of Kyngis, and clepen it Samuel. And their makē oo boke of the thride. and iiii. boke of kyngs: and clepēit Malachim. And thei cō prehenden in oo boke, y•. ii. bokes of Paralipomenon. But certis lytil charg is of this rekning, whether ye bokis of Kyngis ben nn̄ bred foure, as latinis don: either. ii. as Hebrus done. Also littil charge is, whether Paralipomenō be departed in two bokis, as latinis vsen: or be oo boke alone, as Hebrus vsen. And so of ye fyrst boke of Esdras & Neeinie, litil charge is, whether thei ben tweyne as latynis and grekis vsē: either one al one, as Hebreus vsen. Netheles, it semeth y• latinis and Greekis han more reesone in thys rekenyng than Hebreus han. But howe euer these bokes bē noūbred: al these bē of autoriti of bileue either of christē feith. Thā, if ye first boke of Esdras & the boke of Neemi ben noūbred for. ii. as Grekis and latynis vs •… n: and yf men taken Iudith for a boke of holi scrypture, as the general cōgregaciō of clergie dyd at the seine of NiceneSeine, is a councell as Ierome wytnesseth in y• prolog on Iudith: thē in the olde testament ben xxvii. bokis of bileue. Also Ecclesiastici was wryttē in Hebrue & the boke of wisdome is not anentis Hebreus: but sowneth Greeke Eloquence. And sūme olde writeris affirmē: that the Iew Ph •… o made it. Therfore, as holi chirch redith Iudith and Tobie and the bookes of Machabeis, but receyueth not tho amonge holy scripturis: so y• chirche readithe these. ii. bokes Ecclesiastic •… and Sapience to edifiyng of the puple, not to confirme the autoritie of techyng of holy chirch. Ierome seith this pleinli in y• prolog on prouerbs Also Ierom trāslated the first boke of Esoree and Neemie, and biddeth that no mā delite in the dreemis of the. iii. and. iiii. boke of Esore, y• ben Apocripha. That is, not of Autoritie of bileue. For anētis Hebrus, the wordes of Esdree and Neemy, ben driuen into oo boke. And the bokes of the old testamēt that ben not anē tis Hebrus, & ben not of the noūbre of holy writte: owen to be cast far awaye, Ierom seyth in the prolog of Esdree. And therfore I translatede not the. iii. ne. iiii. boke of Esdree that ben Apocripha: but onelye the firste and Neemi, that ben riken •… id for two bokes anētis Grekes & Latinis, and ben of autoritie of byleue Netheles, Apocrypha ben seide in two maners: as Catholicō seython this word Apocripha. A boke is seyde Apocriphū, either for y• autour is vn knowē & the truth therof is open, & holi chirch receiueth such a boke, not to preuing of feith, but to lernyng of vertues, & such bē the bokes of Iudith & other which. s. Ierōe nūbreth in the prolog on Regū: either a boke is seid apocriphū, for me doutith of the truth therof, & holy chirch receiueth not suche bokes. And such ben the boke of the younge chyldehoode of the Sauiour, & the boke of the ta kynge vp of the body of seint Mari to heuene. Catholicon seyth this on that worde Apocripha. But sothely all the bokes of the newe testament that is foure Gospellers, Mathew Mark, Luke, and Iohn, xii. epistles of Poule, seuē smale epistlis, the dedes of Apostles, and the Apocalips ben fulli of autoritie of byleue.

Therfore christē men & womē, olde and young, shoulden study fast in y• new testament, for it is of ful autoritie, and open to vnderstondyng of simple men, as to the poyntes that most ben nedfull to saluacion. And the same sētence is in ye derkest places of holi wrytte, bothe open and derke, whych sentence is in the open places. And eche place of holi writte bothe open and derke: teacheth meknes & charitie. And therfore he that kepeth meknes & charitie: hath the trew vnderstōding & perfectiō of all holi write, as Austine preueth in his sermō of ye preising of charite. Therfore, no simple man of wit be aferde vnmesurably to study in the tex •… of holy wryt. For why, tho ben words of euerlastynge lyfe, as Peter seyth to Christ in the. vi. chapter of Iohn. And the holi gost stirrid holi men to speke & to wryte the wordes of holy wryte for the confort and saluacion of meke christen mē, as Peter in the seconde Epistle in the ende, & Poul in the xv. chapiter. to the Romans witnessē. And no clerke be proud of the ve •… i vnderstōding of holi write: For whye, verey vnderstondyng of holy wryt, wythouten charity that kepith Goddes heestis: maketh a man deper damnid, as Iames and Iesu Christ wytnessen. And pride & couetise of Clerkes is cause of here blyndnes and heresie: and priueth hē fro verrei vnderstondyng of holye wryt, and maken hem to go quik into hel, as Austin seith on the Psalter on that worde, Descendant in I •… fernum viuentes.

The second Chapter

THE olde testamente is departed into thre partes, into morall cōmādementes, Iudicials and Ceremomals. Moral cōmaūdemēts techen to h •… lde and preise & cheryshe vertuis: and to fle and repreue vyces.

And these commaundementes binden euer and han strengthe, for tho ben grownded in charitie and in reason: and in lawe of kynde. Iudicials techin domis and peinis for orrible synnes. And the Iudiciales of Moses lawe werene full iuste and profitable for men, for tho weren ordeined of god, that maye not erre in his domis and lawes and werks Netheles, sith Christ was made mā and ordeyned Lawe of mercye and charitie, and wole not the death of a sinful man but repentaūnce and saluacion: chrysten men ben not boūden to kepe y• Iudicials of Moises law that weren ended in y• tyme of Christes passion. But yet christen lordes that han the swerde and ben goddis vikers in the. xiii. chapter to the Romaines: moune punish mē that trespassen openly, in cattele & bodili prisone, and sumtyme by bodily death: whē the syn mai not else be distried, nether that the cominalte mai else be stablished in peace, as the four doctours and ot •… er lattere preuen opē ly by holy writte and reeson. But loke that this be don for charytye and cōmoū profyt: wyth mercye and cō passyon of brythren, not for couetyse neither pride, neither for vengeaūce of a •… anis owne wronge. C •… ymonials techen fyguris and sacramē tes of the olde lawe, that fyguryde •… Christ & hys deth and the misteries of holye chirche in the lawe of grace And the •… e Cerimonials ceassiden vtterly, as to obligacioun, in the tyme of Christes deth, & ben noyeful and damnable to mē that kepen tho, and for that the gospell is preached and knowen generalli. For if tho cerimonies ben kepte nowe: the keperis of tho knowlechen y• Christ is not yet cōmen, neither suffred death for mā kynde. And thys knowlechynge is open heresie. For why, the truth and fredome of y• Gospell sufficith to saluatiō wythout kepyng of Ceremonyes made of god in the olde lawe, and mych more wtoute ceremonyes of synfull men and vnkunning, that ben made in the time of Antichriste, and of vnbyndynge of Sathanas in the. xx. chapyter of Apocalyps. Therfore, as it is open Heresye to seye that the gospel wyth hys truth and fredom suffysith not to chrysten mens saluacion wythouten kepyng of cerimonies of godis lawe yeouū to Moises: so it semeth open heresy to sey that the gospel with his fredō and treuth suffisith not to saluacion of chrysten men wythoute kepynge of cerimonies and statutis of sinful menne and vnkunnynge, that benne made in the tyme of Sathanas and of Antichriste.

¶ The thryd chapiter.

SImple men of wit moune be edified to heauēly lyueing, by reading and knowyng of the olde testament. For in the beginyng of Genesis thei moun knowe howe God made heauen and earth and al the creaturs of nought, & made man to hys owne Image and liknes and to haue blisse in body and soule, wythouten anye ende. Also men may know how sore God punished Adā & Gue for breakyng his cōmaundement, And how Abel pleased God by feyth, meknes and charitie: and howe Cayn displesed hym by sinnes, & specially by enuie, hatred, and manquellinge. Also howe Noe was loued of God, and al the worlde (outakē. viii. persons) was distroyed for synne. And howe for pryde and other synnes, God departyd many langagis: that noman vnderstode other in y• tour of Babel And howe feythfull and obedyente to God Abraham was that he yede out of hys londe into a straung coū tre & was redy to slea his owne son I saac, at the wil of God, & gat therfore myche rewarde of God. And howe God distried Sodome & Gomorre and other iii. Cities, for lecherie and other synnes, that tho were sunke downe, & the dead sea is now where tho greate Cites weren.

Also howe true and obediēt to God weren Isaac, Iacob & Ioseph: and howe God kepte hem in al periles. All thys processe of Genesis should styr christen men, to be feithfull, and forto drede and loue God: and in all thynges dohys wyll.

Also in Exodi mē mai knowe howe God kepte hys symple Puple in Egypte, and encreased hem greatly in that londe, vnder the persequucion & tyrantry of kyng Pharao, & deliuered hem bi mani miracles, & punished Pharao & hys puple wyth tenne strong vengeaunces, and fedde hem meruilousli in desert. xl. yers, where no dwellynge of men was before, and made hē to ouercome the strōg puple of Amalech. After thys God taught hē wyse gouernaile, & bitoke to hem the ten cōmaundements and other iudiciallis to punyshe greatly open greate sinnes. And they weren ful bisi to make a costlue tabernacle to the honoure of God by hys bydding & teching: y• figured holy chirch & vertuis in mens soulis. At the last God toke greate vēgeaūce on hem for Idolatry: whā they forsokē the feyth and worshipyng of God, and honoreden yeotun caluys by styring of the deuyl. And then Moses was a trewe mediatour bytwyx God & the synfull puple: and seyde thus to God, for greate tryst of hys mercie and for ryghtfulnes and greate charitie to y• puple. Either forgiue thou thys trespas to hem: eyther do me out of y• boke in which thou hast wri tē me. And for this deuoute preier & greate charitie of Moses: God sparid the sinful puple, & distried not sodēli al the puple, but toke hē to mercie & grace. And this proces of Exodie should make mē cristi in godes helpe & to be true in hys loue, & Eschew his offēce wt al here mightes

The thyrde boke clepid leuitici: teacheth men sacrifices due to God, and for synnes of the puple in the tyme of the olde testament, and that no man vnworthy shoulde nyghe to the seruise & sacrifice of God. These sacrifices owne not to be kept now: for tho figuriden the passion and the death of Christ, and remissiō of sins by the bl •… e and merite of Christ in the lawe of grace. Also this boke te: cheth men to absteine fro wedlocke of nyghe kynne and affinitie wythin the. ii. degree, and ordeyneth peine of death for Idolatrye, and wedynge wythin the. ii. degree of cōsanguinity and affinytye. At the last, thys boke teacheth mē to kepe Goddes hestes & forto loue here neyghboures and to do equitie to hem, and werkis of mercye to nedy men, and cōmaūdeth iuste weightes & measures & domis and for byddeth strongly Idolatrie and wytchcrafte & false coniutinges and telleth prosperiti that shal come to hem that kepen Goddes hestes, and vengeaunce & peine to hem that breaken Goddes hestes. And thys proces of Leuitici, shuld make christē men aferd to breake Gods hests and ioyful to kepe tho to lyfe & deth for reward of God in euerlastynge blysse.

The fourth boke clepid Numeri, tellethe the noumbre of puple ledde out of Egypt, both of lewde men & and of priestes and of dea •… enis: and howe God kepte hem lōgein y• hor •… yble desert, and punyshed hem all by death, outake Caleph and Iosue for grutchyng and mistrust to gods word, and punished Marie Moses suster wyth lepree: for back bytynge of Moses the mild seruaūt of God. Also, whā God would haue distried the puple for grutchyng ayens hym Moses preyed wythe all hys herte for the puple that woulde stone hym to death. Also God teacheth there, that he that doth any synne by pride: shalbe dead. And that he that brake the sabat, yea by gaderyng of stiks, should be stoned of all the puple.

Also God punished sore Core, Dathan and Abiron, that weren rebell ayens Moses and Aaron, & maden discencion in the puple: so that the earth opneide & deuoured hem with here tabernacles & al here cattel, and they yeden downe quicke into hell. Yet whan the puple grutched ayens Moses and Aaron, and would slea them vniustly, & God kyll •… d manie thousandes 〈◊〉 Puple heerefore: Mo •… es bade Aaron prey & offer en •… ens for the puple, and so he ceassed the vēgeaūce. Also God techeth ther that priests shulē haue y• first fruits & first borne things & parte of sacri •… ices, au •… wes & offeryngs, & dekins shoulen haue tythis of y• puple, and yeue her tythis, that is y• tenth part of tithis (which thei tokē of the puple) to ye highhest priest, and priests and dekins shulen holde hem apayde wyth here spiritual parte of tythys and offringes, and take no possession in ye londe of here brithren. For God hym silfe shal be the parte & heritag of priests: in ye middis of the sonnes of Israel. Also for Moses and Aarō beleuidē not fully to Gods worde, but doureden of his byhestes at the water of a •… enseinge: God sufferede not hem to enter into the lond of byheste, but, both were •… deade in desert. Also in this boke ben tolde the dwelings of the childrē of Israel in desert and the batteils that the •… hadden aye •… s heathen men, and of b •… laā how he was hyred to cursse Godes puple: and howe God cōpelled hym to blesse his puple, and to seye prophe •… i of Christ. And for the puple of Israel dyd fornication & 〈◊〉 : God bade Moses hang all the pri •… ces ayens the sune, that the stronge vengeaunce of God were tur •… id awaye fro the pup •… e of Israell. And for as miche as Phinees the pr •… ste kylled a Duke of Israel yt dide fornication wyth an heathen wom •… , and dyd th •… s for feruēt loue to Godhe gate of Godeuerlastynge pri •… hode for hym & his scede, & turnid awe •… gods wrath fro ye childrē of Israel. Also there is taught, who 〈◊〉 be heire of a mā ▪ & of holi daies & •… crifices & offerings made in tho, 〈◊〉 which a •… ows shulē be holdē, W •… not, of b •… tels & how y• preis shulē •… e parted amonge the puple, and what should fall to the prieste, & howe the lond of bihest should be departed to xii. lynages, & dekenis shoulen haue cities to enhabite in tho, and the subarbis to here shepe and beastes, and cities of refuite shouldē be ordeined for hem that shedden bloude vnwylfully, not of purpose, neyther hatred before goyng. And he that is gyltie of maus death: shall be slaine wythouten any redemption.

This processe of Numeri, shold stir christē mē, forto loue here enimies & do good to hem, as Moses & Aarō diden, and to kepe Goddis hesles, and shede not mans bloude vniustli

The. v. boke clepyd deutronomie:Deuteronomi. is a rehersynge and cōfirmyng of all the law afore going, and styreth mē gretly to kepe & teach goddes hests, and adnothing to tho, neither draw awaye any thyng fro tho. And first it teacheth, that wyse men & mighty shoulden be made iudges, and deme ryght the pore and the ryche. Afterwarde, howe the Iewes ouercamē Deon the King of Esebō, and token hys londe and all the goodes therin, into here owne possession, and dyden in like maner to Og ye king of Basā, and to hys londe and goodes, Forthermore God cōmaundeth men to kepe hys heestes: and adde nothynge therto, neyther drawe nothing therfro, and y• they drede and loue God of all here hert and of all here soule, and al here strength, & eschew Idolatrie, and serue and worshipe hym alone, and that theye teache goddis heestes, to here sonnes & thyncke on tho hests in howese and wey, sleping and wakinge. Also God cōmaūdeth hys puple to eschewe weddingis of heathen men & womē to here childer lest they be drawne to Idolatri, and bihetith mani blessinges to hem and myehe encreasyng of goodes, if they kepē truli his cōmaūdemēts▪ And y• strōg vēgeaūce & dist •… ng shal come on y• Iues, if thei don idolatri, & bē vnobedient to God. Also God byddeth hem haue minde that thei weldidē the lond of biheest, not for here owne rightfulnes and strength: but for the synnes of mē that dwelliden therin, & for the ooth of God which he made to Abrahame and to other holy men. Th •… n God remembreth to h •… m many great sinnes: to make hem ware y• they trespasse no more, but that they dreade God and loue hym in al here herte and soule, kepe hys cōmaundementes, and s •… ere by hys name, and loue pilgrimis either comelingis. Efre, God bydith hem haue his wordes in here hertes and wyts & haue tho for a signe in y• h •… ndes & bitwixt her iyen, & yt they teach here sons to bythinke on the wordes of god euer and yt thei write ye wordis of god on y• postes & yates of her house & telleth & yeueth his blessyng to hem▪ if the •… kepen his heestis, and yeueth his cursse to hem if they brea kē his hestes, and worshipen alien Goddis. Also they shoulen distroye the places wherin heathen men dydden Idolatrie, & distrie here auters, Images, wodes and Idolis. And they shulen make here sacrifices and offer here tythys and the first frutes and yeftes, and auowes: in the place whych the lorde hath chosen to hys name, and thys was the temple of Ierusalem. Also a prophete either a feyner of dreames that stirreth men to do Idolatri: shalbe slayne, and so shall a frende, either citie, that doeth Idolatrie▪ eyther styrreth other men therto. Also thou shalt pay tythis of all fruites that growen in the earth, of wheete, of wyne, of oyle: and the first borne things of neete and shepe And in the thrid yere, y• shalt depart another tith of al thinges yt growen to thee, and kepe it within thy yates, to susteine the dekin, pilgrime either comlyng, fatherlesse chylde eyther motherlesse: and wyde we that bene wythin thy yeates. Also in the. vii, yere shalbe remission of dette to citisens and kynsmen, netheles, not to a pylgryme & comelynge, for he maie be cōpelled to paye. Utterly a nedye man and begar shall not be amonge Goddes puple: but pore men shoulen not faile in the londe. Therefore, rychemen shoulen helpe hem wyth loue: and helpe hem wylfully in here nede. Than God teacheth of three greate solemnities, Of paske, of the feast of wokes either Pētecoste: of the feaste of Tabernacles, and that maisters & iudges sholen be ordeyned in all yates eyther cities by eche linage, to deme y• puple bi iuste dō •… and take not yeftis neyther persons. Ferther more God teacheth, y• who euer is conuict bitweine either thre witnesses, that he hath do Idolatri: he shal be stoned, first bi y• witnesses and than by all the puple. He that is proude and wol not obeye to the cōmaundemente of the hygh prieste and to the dōe of the iudgis in that thei teachē gods lawe shal be deade.

Then God teacheth what maner kyng the puple shal make: and what shal be his office. Afterwarde God teacheth that priestis and dekynys, and all that bene of the same linage: shoulen not haue parte and herytage wyth the residue puple of Israel. For thei shoulen eate the sacrifices of the lorde, and the offrings of him and thei sholē take none other thinge of the possession of here britherne. For whye, God hym selfe is her heritage. Ferthermore God for bideth Idolatry, and to enquyre cōiureris: and to kepe dreamis and chiteryng of byrddis, and cōmaūdeth that no •… ytch neither enchaūter be, & that mē take not coūcel at hem ye han spirites in cloos: neither at •… alse diuiners, nether axe of dead mē ye truth. Also god sh •… l reise a prophete of her brethrē, ye is Christ y• sauioure: & he y• heareth not his words, shal be pu nished. A prophet that wil speke by pride, in ye name of god yt thing that god bade not him, either by ye name of other gods: shal be slaine. Also. v •… cities of refuite either of fraunchise, shullen be: that he that sleeth a man not by hatred but ayens hys wyll: be saued. And he that sleeth a man by hatered and byfore castinge: shal be slain wythoute mercie either raū som. He that is cōuicte to haue seide false wytnes ayens his brother: shal haue the same peyne to whych hys brother shuld be put, if he had be gil tie. Also priests shoulē cōfort hē that gone to iust batteil, to haue truste in god & drede not here enimies. And ye •… erdful mē, & they that han newil bil ded an house, eyther newly plante •… a vine, or new •… wedid a wyfe, & not vsed hyr go not to batteil. And first warriers shulē profer peace to a city And if ye citie yelde it self: mē therin shulē lyue vnder tribute, else al men therin shoulen be slayne. And this is vnderstōdē of tho cities yt bē not yeuun into possessiō to ye puple of Israel And ther is told the departyng of preyes & what trees shoulē be kit downe in the bysegyng. Also God teacheth what shalbe done: whanne a mā is founden slaine, and the slear is vnknowē. A child rebel to the father and mother, & that yeueth himselfe to glotonye lecheti •… and drūkenesse▪ shalbe stoned of al the citie. A man shal kepe the oxe & shepe of hys brother that is straied awei: & bring it a •… en to hys brother, & so of other beasts & of eche thyng. And if thou knowest not whose tho ben: y• shalt kepe tho stil: til thi brother seke and receiue tho. Who euer doeth auoutrie: shal be deade. And if a man defoul a virgin: he shal wedde hir, and yeue fifti sicles of siluer to hir father Thou shalt not take a seruaūt to his lorde: whych seruaūt fledde to thee, but he shall dwel with the in a place that pleaseth hym. None whore shal be of the doughters of Israell: neither a lechour of y• sonnes of Israel Thou shalt not lene to thy brother for vsurie. If a man hate his wyfe: he shal wryte and yeue to hyr a libell of forsakyng. But this is forbedun of Christ in the gospel of Mathew, in the. v. and xix chapter. Whan a mā hath take late a wife: he shal not go to bateil, neither any commune office shal be put on him, but •… o yere he shal be glad with hys wife, & take hede to his hous. He that proloineth hys brother, whych is a fremā, and seleth hyin: he shal be slayne.

Thou shalt yelde at nyght to a pore man his wedde: and in the same dai thou shalt paye to a •… edy traueilour hys hyre. Fathers shoulen not be slaine for the sonnes, neither sonnes for the fathers. Whan thou reapest corne iu y• feeld, & foryetist an hādful thou shalt not turne ayene to take it: but thou shalt suffer that a comling, fatherles chylde, and wydowe take it awaye. Aud so of gatheryng of olyues, and of gatheryng of grapes. Whan tweyemen ben at debating, and the wife of one wole deliuer hyr housband fro y• hond of the strōger and take him by the pryuimembres: she shalleese hir hond withouten ani mercie. And there God for bydith false weightes and measurs, a more and a lesse. Also dekinnis sholen prouoūce and seye wyth hygh voice to all the men of Israell. He is curssed that dothe Idolatrye, or breaketh any cōmaūdement of God, or doeth ayens any part of the lawe of God: and al the puple shal sei •… A men. Also God bi •… teth greate prosperitie to his puple if thei kepe his he itis, and thei shulē be blessed in citi & blessed in fielde & ye fruit of here wombe, & the fruit of, here lono shal be blessed, & al thynges that pertein to hem shulē ve blessed '& they shulē haue victorie of here enemies, and mani prosperities of soule & body, shulē bifale to hem. And if they kepe •… not goddis hestis: thei shulen be eurssed in citie & felde. The frute of here wombe, & al thinges that perteyne to hem, shulen be curssed. God shal sēde h •… m hunger thryst, pestilence, feuer, & colde and brenning, and he ate & corupte ayer, tyll they perishen. Enemyes shulen haue victorie, & conquere hem, and take of hem prisoners. And yet God shal punishe hem wyth huge vengeaunce that al that hearē be astonied. Nethelesse, if whā al these vengeaū ces ben fallē on hem, thei repēten, ve ryli in y• here & •… utnen aythe to God & obeien to his hestis in al he •… e herie & al here soule: y• lord shal haue mercy on hem, & brynge hem ayene to here lōde fro al folkes amōg which they werē scatered. And god shal bles hē & make •… em to be of m •… re nūbre, thā hete fathers werē: and shall turne al y• •… uisses on here enimies. And God shal yeue to hē abūdāce in al wer kis of here hands & in al thi •… os that per teyne to hem. Moses spake all these words to al the puple of Israel and bade hem dread not here enimies for God shal go befor his puple, & euer come here enimies. A •… d Moses ordeined •… osue to be leader of the puple before all the multitude of the sons of Israel. Moses wrot this law and af •… it to priests y• •… ons of Leui, & to the eldermē of Israel & badehē rede y• words of this law bifore al Israel in y• heating of al men & womē little childrē and comlings ether cōuersis to the feith of Iewes: that thei hear and learne and dread our lord God, and kepe & fyl al the wordes of thys lawe. Moses by goddis cōmaundement wrote a greate songe & taught it the childrē of Israel, that it should be into wytnessynge ayens hem.

And Moses clepyd togithere all the elder mē & teacheris: and clepid heauē and earth into witnessyng ayens hem. And whan Moses had filled al the wordes of thys greate •… oung: he styed in to an hyl, and was deade there, & God buried hym, and manne knew not his sepulchre tyl into thys daye. Chrystē men sholdē mych read and heare & •… un this boke of Deutronomi, that comprehendeth all the law of Moses: & disposeth men for to beleue in Christe and heare and kepe hys wordes.

¶ The. iiii. chapiter

THe. vi. boke whyche is clepid Iosue: telith in general yt Iosue brought the puple into yt lōd of behest, & depar ted it by lot to hem. And firste howe God bihight to Iosue y• none shulde moū a •… enstōd him & his puple in all y• daies of his lyfe. And God bihight y• Iosue shuld departe by lot to hys puple y• lond of bihest. And God cō māded him to kepe al ye law & how not fro it: but thincke therin by days and nyghtes, that he kepe & do tho things that ben writen therin. After this, Iosue sent aspies: to behold the londe & the Citie of Ierico, and they entriden in the house of a cōmon woman Raab: and weren sauyd there, by counsel and helpe of the woman. Thā Iosue bade the priests take the Arke of the bond of peace of the lord and go bifore the puple, & thei diden so. And whanne the priestis camen and broughten the arke to the brink of Iordan: y• great water of Iordā wente aweie to the dead sea, and the hygher waters stoden styl as a wal, so that the puple passed by the drie bottome, and the priestis stoden on the drie earth in the myds of Iordā. Also Iosue bade. xii. men of the. xii. linages of Israel, take. xii. grete stones fro the bottome of Iordan: and set tho in Galgalis, where the puple settid tētis in the next night after the passyng of Iordan: & take. xii. stonis of the lond and put in the middis of Iordan, where the Arke had stond, and bade that fathers shulden teach here children howe they passeden by the drie bottome of Iordan, for god dried the waters thereof, as he had do before in the red sea. And the priestis & prynces and al the puple obeiden to Iosue. Than Iosue circumcidid the puple that was vncircumci dyd. xl. yeres in deserte: & the Puple made pask in the. xiiii. day of the moneth at euentide. And Iosue seeth an Angel of the lord, which angel was prince of goddis oost. Also the strōg wallis of Iericho feldene downe at goddis ordenaunce, whane priestis braiden wyth seuen trumpis, and al the puple cried anhigh in the. vii. dai of cumpasyng of the citie. And the puple of Israel dystroyed and brent the cittie and al things therein: outaken Raab and tho that werene in hir house, and outaken golde and syluer and vessel of brasse and Irun: whych they haloweden in to the tresorye of the lorde. Also, for Achior did ayens goddis bydding and toke to him silf a thynge reserued to goddis vse: he was stonid & brent & al hys goods weren brent wyth hym. And al this punysheyng was done on hyme: for afor this the puple of Israel might not stonde but was ouercūe of here enimyes. After thys punyshynge of Achior, Iosue toke the citie of Haie, and kylled the kynge and all the puple and distryed and brent the citie, and honged the kyng thereof in a iebat. Than Iosue bilded an auter to God in the hyll of He ball: & offered theron brent sacrifices, and peacible sacrifices, & wrot the Deutronomie of Moses lawe on stonis. And fyrst he blessid the puple of Israel. And after thes things: he reade the wordes of blissynge and curssing and all thyngs y• weren written in the boke of the lawe. He lefte nothinge vn touched of these thyngs whych Moses had cōmaunded: but he declarede all thynges before all the multytude of Israel, to women and to lyttle chyldren and to com •… ings that dwelliden amonge hem. Also men of Eabaon feynid •… n hem to be offer cuntre: and by thys fraude they gaten of Iosue peace and lyfe, of Iosue & other prin cis. And for this fraude: thei and al here successours weren made bond to bryng wodde & water to the seruice of the auter & of al the multitud of Israel for euer.

Also Iosue by gods helpe, ouercam v. greate Kingis in oo daye, & made hys Princis treade on the neckis of these Kingis. And thā he hōgid these Kingis on v. Iebatis. And he ouercame al tho Kyngis & here puples▪ y• dwellydē in the londe of bihest, that weren. xxxi. Kyngis, & departed the londe of biheste to xii. linagis of Israell by lot, and cities of refuite and cities to Priestes & dekenis to dwell in as God commaunded.

Thys processe of Iosue shulde styr christen men to haue greate triste in God: & dread no man neither puple, as loung as they seruiden tre •… ly almyghty God.

The vii. boke cleped Iudicum: tel lith that y• puple of Israell was rulid wyth Iudgis either domesemen aftir the death of Iosue, & somtyme by a womanne Delbora. Whan the puple fell to great synnes, & specialli to Idolatrie: God sente aduersaries on hem, that turmētiden the Iewes ful sore, and kyllidē mani thousandis of hem, & helden other vnder tribute and great thraldam. And whan the puple repentid verely & cried to God with al here hert: he sent helpe to hē, and reisid a iudg that ouercame here enemies, & reulyd hem well in peace and in goddis lawe.

This processe of Iudicum shuld stryre christen menne for to flee sinne and loue God, that doethe so greate mercie to hem that repenten verely.Ruth

This boke cōprehendith y• storie of Ruthe, that was an heathen woman: and lefte hirnacion & Idolatri, and beleuid in God & kept hys law. Therefore she was wedid to a noble man of the Iewes, and is set in the Genalogie eyther kynrid of oure sauioure. Thys stori shulde styr al mē to forsake here synne and serue God truly in all here lyfe, for rewarde of heuenlye blysse.

The fyrst boke of kynges, telleth •… . Reg. howe the preste Elie and his sonnes weren repreuyd and slayne: for they gouerniden euile, goddis puple. And for here synne & necligence, the puple dyd myche synne: and was ouircomen of heathen men, & the Arke of God was taken of heathen men, and they kylliden many thowsandes of y• Iews. And how the treue child Samuel was a feithful prophet of the lorde: and gouernid wel the puple in goddis seruise & ryghtfulnes, and did none extorciō, nether toke yeftes of anie mā: neyther couetid any mās good, but did al things in his office iustli bifore God & man. And whan Samuel was elde he settid hys sonnes Iudgis on Israel. And for they bowden after auarice and token yeftes & peruertedē dome: the puple axeden And Dauid reigned. vii. yeres in Ebron, & gate. vi. sonnes. Also Dauid made •… ych sorowe for the death of Abner: whan Ioab had kylled hym bitreason. Also Dauid killid Banaa and Rechab, that kylliden by treasō Isboseth his enemie. Than al Israell came in to Ebrou, and anoyntyd Dauid into kynge on Israell. And Dauid reygned on Iuda in Ebron bii. yers and an halfe. And he reigned in Ierusalē. xxxiii. yere on al Israell and Iuda, and was xxx. yere elde, when he biganne to reygne, and reined xl yere. After this the noble king Dauid had tweye victoryes of philisteis. Than Dauid toke xxx thousaunde mē chosen of Israel: to bring to his place the arke of God. For reuerence and deuocion: Dauid made greate minstrelsie, & mekid hymsilfe bifore y• Arke, & suffred rebuking of Michole y• daughter of Saul therfor. Dauid thought to build ā house to y• arke of god. Thā God telde to Dauid y• his son shuld bild his hous & the trōe of Dauid. shalbe stable wt outē ende, and this is filed in Christ. Than Dauid had victorie of many lōdes & made tho tributari to Israel And god kept Dauid in al things to which he yedeforth. And Dauid did dome & rightfulnes to al his puple. And he did merci & curteci to Miphi boseth son of Ionathas. After these things Dauid dwelid at home whā Ioab & the ost wēt to batteil, & dyd aduoutri wt Bersabe ye wife of Uri: & procured y• deth of Urie by treasō. Thā God sent Nathā the Prophet to repreue Dauid of his sin & he toke mekeli his repreuing: & knowlechid y• he sined ayens God, & god foryafe y• sin but swerde & persequutiō went neuer a waie fro his house. For God killed ye sōne of Bersabe, & do sōne of Dauid killed an other. And Absalō his sonne roos ayens him and draue hym out of Ierusalem, and sought wyth stronge oost to s •… ea him. Than dauid yede out of Ierusalem on his feete: and stied wyth bare feete into the hyghnes of y• hyl of Dliuete and wepte. And al hys puple wepte bitterly: and dauid mekyd him to God and seide. If God seye to me, thou pleasest not me: I am redie, do he y• is good bifore hym silfe. Than Semei that was of the kyn of Sa •… : dispisid Dauid, and clepid hym a manquelar, & a mā of Belial, and a rauenoure of the rewme. And he cursside Dauid, and castid stones and earth ayens Dauid & ayens al y• seruaūts of kyng Dauid. And whan Abissay wuld slea this curssar: Dauid bade hym suffer Semei to curs hym, and seyde. God cōmaundid hym to curs Dauid. The kynge sayde to Abissay and to al his seruāts. Lo, misonne y• yede oute of my wom be, sechith my lyfe: that is to slea me: Howe mych more now this son of Gemini? Suffer ye him to cursse by cōmaūdemēt of the lord: if in case the lorde behold mitormēt & yeld good to mefor this curssing to daye. Afterward Absalō defoulid openli, hys fathers wyfes, before al Israel. Than Achitofell yafe a fel councel to pursue Dauid in that nyght with. xii. thousāds of mē, and slea hym before y• he were ware. But this coūsel was distried bi goddis wyl and by a wyse coūsel of Cusy, the frend of Dauid. Then Absalō gadride y• powre of Israel, to make opē warayens his father. Nethelese Dauid for pitie & charitie cōmaūdid thre princis of his ooste to kepe Absalon alyue: y• he myght repente and be sauid. And whan Dauid knewe that Absalon was slaine: he made so greate sorowe, that almoste he was dead. And al the puple was in point to forsake Dauid. Thā for this peril Dauid left hys mourning, & sat opē lie in the yate to comfort al hys oost. Afterthis, the councell of al Israell came to Dauid: yt thei shouldē bring hym into hys rewme worshypfully. And Dauid foryafe the opē treason to hem, that they hadden do afore: and steride swetly mē of Iuda that weren specialli his traitors, to come and brynge hyme into hys rewme, and foryafe here treason. And he foryafe the souereyne treason to Amasa that was of his owne kyn: and was prince of the ooste of Absalon to slea Dauid. And Dauid swore to make thys Amasa prince next Ioab. And foryafe the sin and cursyng and treason to Semei & swore that he shuld not dye. Yet before Dauid came to Ierusalem: a newe debate roos bytwixe the mē of Israel, and the men of Iuda, for this bringing ayen of ye kyng, was not telde fyrste to men of Israel. And bi stiring of Siba a mā of Belial yt was of ye kyn of Saul: all Israel was d •… partid fro Dauid & suid this Siba. And in thys tyme Ioab killed bi treson y• noble knight Amasa Thā this Siba passed bi al the Images of Israel til into Habela & Bethmaka & al chosē mē werē gatherid to him. And Ioab & hys oost bise gidē thes cities, & wolden distrie the greate citie Habela, and a wyse woman of y• cite sauid it by her coū sell, & made Siba to be slayne and al yt puple to be sauid on boeth sides Also. vii. men of the kyn of Saule, weren slaine of Gabonits, by sufferyng of Dauid & by coūcell of God. For Saul kyllid wyckidly the mē of Gabaō. And for this sin of Saul, hū ger was made thre yere in the daies of Dauid. And after this vēgeaunce don on the house of Saul: God dyd merci to the lond. Thā is set a great •… onge of Dauid whyche he spake to God: whā he had deliuered him frō y• hond of al his enimies. Thā sueth the noūbre of strong men of Dauid. At the last Dauid for pride, & ayene the law: noūbred ye puple of Israel. Therfore. lxx. tho •… sand of mē weren deade by pestylence. Than Dauid repented hym sore & meked hym to God and seide thus. I it am that fynned and did wickedli, •… hat han these men do that ben sheepe? that is simple and innocent, in cōparison of me. I bisech the that thyne hande be turned ayens me, & ayens the house of my father. Than God sent ye prophete Gad to him & bade him make an auter & offer brent sacrifices, and peaeible sacrifices. And god did me •… cie to the lond: & the vēgeaūce ceassid of Israel. Th •… s processe of thys. ii. boke: oughte to •… yre kyngs & lords to mercie and ryghtfulnes, and euer to be ware of idelnes that broughte Dauid to auoutri & other mischeuis and euer to be meke to God and hys prestis and sore repent here misdeds and make amendes to God & men & wilfulli foryeue wrōges don to hem, and euer be ware of pride & extorcions: lest God take vēgeaūce on all ye puple, as he did on Dauid & his puple. And euer to be patiēt & merciful as Dauid was: to get remissiō of sin bifore don, to get peace & prosperiti, and heuenli blysse wythouten ende.

The. v. Chapiter

THe. iii. boke of kyngs tellith fyrst howe Adonias sōne of Dauid wolde haue reignid and Dauid in his life ordeined Solomō to be king, & he reygned bifore ye death of Dauid. Than Adonias fled for dred to ye tabirnacle of god, & held ye corner of ye auter tyl Solomō sayd y• if he wer a good mā: he shuld not die. Else, if iuil were foūdē in him: he shuld die. Thā Dauid in ye time of hys dyinge charged Solomō to kepe well Gods law: & to quite to the sonnes of Bersellaye the truth and kyndnes of her father and to punishe Ioab for his trecherous manquellyng of Abner, and of Amasa in the tyme of peace. And to punish wisely Semei, for his worst curssing which he did to Dauid, After these things Solomō made Adonias to be slayne: for he purposed gilefuly to be Kyng. And Solomon casted: awai Abiathar, that he was not the preist of the Lorde and exiled him also. For he assentid to Adonias and was traytor to the Kynge. And Solomon commaūded Ioab to be flayne in the tabernacle at the auter: for he had slayne gylefully two princis in peace, wythouten wittynge of Dauid. And the King ordeinid Sadoch priest: for Abiathar. Than the Kinge commaunded Semei that he should not go out of Ierusalē. And if he passed the strond of Cedron: he should be deade. And Semei acceptid this. And for he passid these boū dis: the Kinge commaundyd him to be slaine. And so he was slaine by cō maūdement of the Kyng. After thes thyngis: the reume was confirmed in to the hondis of Solomon, & he weddyde the daughter of Pharao King of Egipt. Thā God bad Solomon axe of him what him liked.

And he axid that God shuld yeue to him wise herte, yt he might deme hys puple and make discrecion either departynge bytwix good & euyl. And thys axynge pleased God ful mych Therefore God yafe to hym a wyse herte and vnderstondyng, in so mych that none before him was like hym, neyther shall ryse after hyme. Also God yafe to him richesse and Glorie that none amonge kyngis was lyke hym in all dayes byfore. Than, for Solomon yafe a wyse sentence of dome bitwix tweie cōmon womē, y• passide the wit of cōmon men: theye dredden the Kyng and seiden, Gods wisdā was in him to make dome. Than is tolde the worshipful household and meinie of Solomon.

After these thynges Solomon byldyde a noble house to himsilfe: and a famous temple to God in Ierusalē And after that the temple was fully made: al the elder mē and pryncis of linagis and Dukis, and of meinies of the chyldren of Israell, weren gatherid to Kynge▪ Solomon in Ierusalem: to brynge the arke of God fro Siō in to hys owne place in ye temple. Than the Kyng axed of God many prayeris, and profetis for hē that preiden deuoutly in the temple, and God graunted tho. After these thyngis, God halowed the temple and certified to Solomon: that if he kepte all hys cōmaundementes: he shoulde set the trone of Solomons rewme on Israel wythouten ende. And if the puple of Israel and here chyldren kepte not Goddis heestes, but worshipen alien goddis: he shall do away Israel fro the fat of y• lond whych he yafe to hem, and God shal caste awaye fro hys syght ye temple which he halowed to his name, and Israel shal be into a prouerb, either fable either tale to al puples, & this house shall be into ensample. After this, the Quene of Saba came to Solomon: and had greate araye of mē and iewelse, and yafe many iewelse to Solomon, & he ayene to hir. Also Solomō taught hyr al things that she had in hir herte, & she blessed God & Solomon and his seruaūtis and yed in to her lond. Than Solomon made manye sheldis & bucleris of golde, and made a greate trone of Iueriand clothed it with fine golde. Than kynge Solomō was mangnified ouer all kyngis of the earth: in ryches and wisdome. And al ye earth desyred to see hys face and to heare his wisdom, which his God had yeuen in his hert. After al these things Solomon whan he was elde louid gretli mani hethē womē & had a. M wiues principales & secōdaris. And thā his herte was be shrewed & peruertid bi tho women, y• he suid alien Gods and worshipid hē. Therfore, God reised ā aduersari to Solomō in his lyfe, & departed his rewme in y• time of Roboā his son, & yafe. x. linagis to Ieroboā his seruāt, & kept oo linage to his son for the merite of Dauid his father. And thys departing bifelmich for y• Roboā forsoke y• coūcel of olde & wise mē, & surd the coūcel of yong mē, & spake hard wor des to y• puple. Thā Roboā gathered proudli al y• house of Iuda & the linage of Beniamin, an hūdrid thousand & foure score thousand of chosē men & warioures: that thei shulden fight ayens the house of Israel, and bringe ayene the rewme to Roboā, sonne of Solomō. But God for bad this war to Roboam & al his puple for whey, thys worde of departyng of y rewme was don of God. Thā Ieroboam made two goldē calues and bade Israel worshyp tho, & stie no more to Ierusalem and seide. Israel, •… o thes ben thy Gods, yt ledden the out of Egipte, And he made vnworthi prestis of the laste (or visest) men of the puple, that werē not of y• sonnes of Leui. And he made temples in hygh places. Also whā Ieroboā stode on y• auter & casted incēs a mā of God came frō Iuda by the word of God, & seide. A son (Iosias by name) shal be borne to y• house of Dauid, and he shall •… lea on thys auter the priestis of hygh places, that brenen nowe incens in thys auter. And he shall brene bonis of men on thys auter. And ye prophet yafe this token. That the auter should be clef •… and the ashis therin shal be shed out.

Than Ieroboam helde forth hys hond, & bade take that prophet: and hys hond was drie, & he myght not drawe it ayen. And by prayer of the prophet the honde was healed: and the token befelle on the auter as the prophet seid. And for yt the prophet eat bread in that place ayens godis byddynge, yea bi dysceyte of a false prophet: y• tru prophet of God was flayne of a lyon by the weye homeward. After these wordis Ieroboā turned not ayene fro his worst wei: but ayeneward, of the last (or vilest) puple he made priestis of hygh placis. Who euer wolde fyl hys hond, was made pryeste of hyghe placis. And for this cause ye house of Ieroboam synned and was distried and done awaye •… ro the fare of the earth. After thys, the prophete Ahia that was bluide for elde: knewe the wife of Ieroboam, that feined hir to be an other wōman. And he bifore seide to hir y• hir sike sōne shuld die, in hir entring into hyr house, & that ye house of Ieroboā shuld be destried vtterlie, for hys syns. And Israel shall be dreuē out of his lond for the syns of Ieroboam, y• sinned & made Israell to do sinne. Also the puple of Iuda did Idolatri. Therfore the Kyng of Egipt toke awai ye treasurs of gods house and of the •… ingis house, and the goldē shieldis of Solomon, for which Roboā made sheldis of bras & batayle was bytwyx Roboā and Ieroboam in all daies. Than Abia reigned. iii. yere in Iuda, & yede in al the synnes of hys father. After hym roose Kyng Asa in Iuda, and he did ryghtfulnes bifore God, and dyd aweye Idolatrie, & Sodomitis fro the londe. And his hert was perfect wt god in al dais. And shortli, amōg all the kinges of Israell, was none feythful to God. Some werē good amōg the kinges of Iuda. And this fygurith that a monge men of holye churche ben some good: out amōge heretikis, is none good vtterlye, as Ierōe seith. After many euel kingis of Israel, rose Achab the worst of al bifore him. And he weddid Iesa bell an heathen woman, the doughter of Mechaal, king of Sidonies, and Achab did manifold Idolatri. Than rose Helye the prophet, and seyde to Achab, that in. iii. yere and an halfe: neither rayne neither dewe shal be. After thys the prophete Helie hyde hymsilfe, in the stronde of Carith ayens Iordan: and dranke water and was fedde of rauens there, whyche broughten to hym breade & flech, in the euētyde & morowtide. And after that the stronde was dryed vp: God bade Helie go in to Sarepta of Sidonies, & there he was fed of a wydew, & ye pot of mele & ye pot of oyle failed not to y• wide we, til God yafe rain on ye erth. Thā Heli reised to life the dead childe of a wōmā: at whōe he was myche susteyned. And after many dais God bade Heli shew him to Acab y• God shuld yeue rayne on the lond. And Helie dyd so, & greate hunger was in Samari. Than Helie appearid fyrst to Abdie that drede God: and fede an hūdred Prophets of God, whan Iesa bell kyllyd the Prophets of God. And Heli swore to Abdie by the lorde of oostes: that he wold appeare in yt daie to Achab Than Achab axid Heli. where thou arte he that dyftur blist Israel? And Helie seide. Not I disturble Israell: but thou and the house of thi father that han forsaken goddis heestis, & han sued Baalā: han disturblede Israell. After thys, the prophet Helie conuictyd by an open miracle eyght hundred and fyftie prophets of Bal of open Idolatrie: and killid hem al wyth helpe of the puple that bileuid to God, for the greate miracle. And after this God sēt great taine, & Helie ran befor Achab to ye citti of Israel. After thes things Helie fled for drede of Iesabell: y• manacide to •… lee him. And whā he had fled into de serte by y• iurney of a daie: he axed of God to die. And whā he slept: an An gel bade him rise & eate bread, bakē vnder ashis & drink water, & he yede in ye strēgth of y• meat. xl. daies &. xl. nightis: tilto Oreb the hyll of God. And whā he was hid ther in a dē, & seid yt he was left alone a prophet of the lord, & thei soughten to slee hym: God bad hym go to Damaske & anoynt Asael kyng on Sirie, & anoint Hieu king on Israel, & anointe Elise prophet for him. And these thre shuldē do vēgeāce on trespassours: & flee hem. And god left to himsilfe. vii. M of men of Israel: whose knees werē not bowed bifor Baal. Thā it suith how Elise suid Heli. After thes thin gis, king Achab had. ii. greate meruelous victoris ayēs Benadab king of Sirie: for he blasphemed God of Israel. And for king Achab did false merci & kilid not this blasphemer Be nadab whōe God bitoke into his hō dis: god sent a prophete to Achab & te •… d thus. For yu suffridst a mā worthi ye death to go fro thine honde: thi lyfe shall be for hys lyfe, & thy puple shal be for his puple. Aftirward Iesabel ye Quene made Naboth to be stonid to deth bi false witnes & assēt of Achab: for he nolde chaūg neither sel his viner to y• Kyng. And whā Achab yede downe to take possessiō of this viner, god bad Heli mete him, & seie thus. Thou hast slaine & hast ta kēpossessiō. The lord seith thes thingis. In this place wherin dogs likidē y• blud of Naboth: thei shulē ly •… also thi blud. And Achab seid to Helie. Where hast y• foūdē me thine enimy? And Heli seid. I haue foūde: for •… arte solde to do iuil in gods syght. Therfore God shal distry & slee eche man of ye house of Achab, and yeue hys house as the house of Iero boā and as y• house of Basa. For Achab terred God to wrath: & made Israel to do syn. Also doggis shulē eate Iesabel in the field of Israel. If Achab dye in the Citie: doggis shulen eate hym. If he die in the fielde byrdis of the eyre shulē eate him. None other was suche, as was Achab y• was seld to do euil bifore God. For whi, Iesabell hys wyfe excitid hym and he dyd abomynable Idolatrye Than Achab dyd ful great penaūce and was mekyd byfore God. Therfore God brought not in this euyle in hys dayes: but in the daies of his sonne. In the thyrde yere after these thynges: about iiii. C. Prophetes of Baal, coūceleden Achab, to make warre ayens the Kyng of Sirie: for a Citie clepyd Ramoth of Galaade and •… ihighten victorie & prosperitie to Achab. But Michee oo prophet of God telde to Achabe in goddis name: that the spirit of leasings disceyued hym bi hys false prophets, & that Achab shuld be slayne in y• batteile, & so it befeld in dede. But Miche was dispisid & beatē of the false prophets, & was prisoned purposed to be slaine of y• King, whan he came ayene in peace. And Kyng Iosaphat a good mā: was in this battile with curssid Achab. But Achab was slain and doggis lycked his blude: & Iosaphat was sauyd by goddis helpe. Than roos Ocosias King of Israel for Achab hys father: and Ocosias worshipid Baal, and terrid God to Ire by al thyngis whych his father had do. This proces of y•. iii. bo •… e of kingis, stulde styr lords and kyngs to be mercyful and pytuouse on here sugets, that trespassen a yens hem, & in al things eschew Idelnes, lecheri treason, Idolatrie, and fals councelouris and vnwyst, and euer dystrye synne, & take counsel at holi scriptur and trwe prophetis, and trist not to false prophets, be they neuer so manie, and crie faste ayens one, eyther fewe tru men,

¶ The. vi. chapiter

THe. iiii. boke of kingis tellyth in generall, howe the rewme of Israell and the rewm of Iuda, werē conquerid of hethen men: for mani sins whichthei diddē a yens God & men, and werē obstinat & diddē not frutful penaūce in due tyme. First it telith inspecial, howe the wicked Kyng Ocosias, sent to take counsel at Belzebub: where he myght liue and •… kyuer of hys syknes. Therfore God sent Helie the prophete to tel to hym: that he shuld dye & not go downe of his bed. Thā this King sēte to Helie a prince on. l. men, and fiftie▪ mē with hym: to clepe Heli to the Kyng. And fiere came doune fro heauen and deuoured this prince and fifti mē that weren wyth hym: for in scorne they clepidden Helie the mā of God. And in lyke maner fyre deuoured an other prince and fiftie men with him. The thyrdde prince and hys fyftie y• mekid hem to God & to the prophet: weren sauyd on lyue. And God bade Heli go downe wt hem to the Kyng and repreue hyme of hys synne: & tel to the kynge hym sylfe, that he shall die, and go not downe of his bedde. After this the prophet Helie should be rauishid awey fro erth, and Elise knew this, & sued him in eche place, tilto the rauishing. And Helie smote wyth his mātell the waters of Iordan: and tho werē departed therby: and Helie and Elise yeden ouir bi y• drye bottome therof. Than Helie was rauished in a chair of fiere fro Elise: and stied bi a whirlwynd into heauen. And ye double sprite of Helie rested on Elise. And wyth the •… ntyl▪ of Helie he smot •… wise the waters of Iordan, and in the seconde tyme tho werē departed & Elise passed ouer: Afterwarde Elise dweled in Ierico: & healed y• waters frō bitternes & barēnes bi putting of salt in ye watir. Thā Elise stighid into Bethell & as he stighid bi ye weie: little childrē yedē out of ye citie, & seiden to hym in scorne. Thou ballard stigh vp. And he curssed hem in ye name of God: & tweie beeres yedē out of ye foreste: & torenten of hem. xlii. children. After these thyngis, Ioram the Kynge of Israel, and Iosaphat the Kynge of Iuda, & also the thredde Kynge that was Kynge of Edome: weren in deserte & hadden no water, and weren in poynte of peryshinge. These three Kyngis camen to Elise for help: and by spiryte of prophecie he bade hem make dichis, and they sighen neither wynde neyther rayne, and the boune of dyches was filled of waters. And he before seyde, that God should betake Moab into the hondis of these Kyngis: & they shulden distrie cities and fyeldes and trees, and thus it was done in dede. Also Elise multiplyed a lyttle oyle: and made a pore wydowe to fyl many vessels therof, and bade hyr paye hyr dettes wyth some therof, and yt she and hir sonns shuldē liue by ye residue therof. After ward Elise beforseid to a good woman, y• her berwed him frely & largly: that she shoulde conceiue a sonne And whan Elise knewe y• this sonne was deade: he sent his seruaunt Gihezi wyth hys stafe to reise hym and neyther voyce nor sense was in the childe. Than Elise entred into a closet where the chyld laie deade: & preied to God and laye on the chyld, and leyde hys mouthe to the mouthe of the child & his hondis on the chylds hondes. And the chyld yoxyd seue •… siethis, and opened his ien: and 〈◊〉 bit oke y• chyld quicke to his mothir. And Elise, whā hūge •… was in Galgal a: healed the pot of noyful meate by sendinge in of mele, that no more byt ternes was in the meate: Than Elise made a little breade to suffyce to an hundride men: and theye leften reliefes •… han the Kynge of Sirie sente let •… ers to the Kynge of Israell that he shoulde cure Naaman of his lepre, & the Kynge of Israell torent his clothes for sorow: Elise bade yt Naaman should be waisshen. vii. sithis in the water of Iordan, and so he shulde be cured. And thus it was don in dede. Than Naaman knowlechyd, that none other God is in all earth: no but onli the God of Israel And Elise toke no yeft, yea freli pro ferrid and preased of Naamā. Thā Gihezie ran after Naaman, vnwitting, either not cōsēting his master, and made a leesinge, that Elise sent •… o hym: that he shoulde yeue a talent of siluer, & double chaūgyng clothes to tweie young men of the sonnes of prophetis. And Naaman cōstraynid hyme to take the duble that he axed and ordeinid twey chyldren to beare it before hym. But hereof Elise seyd, that the Lepre of Naaman shoulde cleue to Gihezi and to his sede withouten ende. And Gihezi yede out fro Elise: and was a mesel as snowe. Whan the sonnes of prophets yedē to the wode to hew downe wode to bylde places for hem to dwell in: y• Irun of an axe fel doūe into ye watir And Elise castid downe ye tre, either helue: and the Irū houide, and was taken vp therbi. Whan the Kyng of Sirie, set bushme▪ •… ts priuily ayens the Kyng of Israell: Elise warned the King of Israel therof. And whā it was certified to ye King of Sirie, that Elise tolde his priuyties to the Kyng of Israel: the Kynge of Sirie sent a grete multitud of his ooste to take Elise. And whan the oste compassid ye Citie Doatim, wherin Elise was: God made thys oost blynde at the praier of Elise. And so he ledde hem into the myddys of Samarie. And whē the Kyng of Israel would siea hem: Elise seide naye. But make redie a feaste to hem, and let hem go in peace to hir Lorde. And whan ful stronge hunger was in Samarie, yt women eaten her owne children: oo womā axid dome of the king ayens an other womman, that would not by couenaunt bringe forth hir childe to be eaten, whan they hadden eaten the chyld of the fyrst wōman. Than the kynge that weride the heyre next hys bodye: to rente hys clothys for sorowe, and swore stronglie, that in that daye he would gird of the head of Elise. E •… ise bifore knew the coming of this messenger todo this dede & bade men close y• dore, & suffer not him to enter, for his lord cōeth anōe after hyme, to reuoke hys oothe and sentence. Than Elise seide in goddis name that tomorow in thys tyme, a bushel of wheat floure shalbe for oo statere, that is a lyttle quantetie of money, as it were a peny: and two bushels of barlie for oo statere in the yate of Samarie. And Elise seide to a greate duike, that bileuid not this word: thou shalt se it wyth thine ien and shalte not eate therof. And thus it was in dede. For whan the oost of Sirie fled by nyght for dreade that God made amonge hem: they leften al here goodis and fledden nakyd, & couetidē onli to saue here liues. And whan a bushell of whete flour was solde on the morowe for oo statere: the kyng made that noble Duike kepar at the yate, and t •… e cōpani trade hym to death, as Elise before seide. Also Elise spake to ye woman▪ whos sonne he made to lyue: and bade hyr and hir house go a pylgrimag either strange lond, where euer she founde couenable. For God shal bring strōg hunger on the londe seuen yere. And at the. vii. yeres ende: the kyng restorid to hir al hir things, & al the rētes of hir fields in the time of hir absēce. Benadab kynge of Sirie, sent Asael to Elise: to enquire where this king myght recouer of hys sycknes. And God shewed to Elise: yt Benadab should die. And Elise wepte ful sore whā he sigh Asael: for God shewed to him that Asael shulde be kynge of Sirie, & do mani euilles to the chyldren of Israell. Br •… n of her stronge cites: and slea by swerde the younge men of hem, and hurle the little children on hem, and kerue womē with chylde. Ioram y• sonne of Iosaphat dyd euel in goddis syght: as ye house of Achab did, for the daughter of Achab was hys wife. But God nolde distrie Iuda for Dauid his seruant: as he bihyght to hym, to yeue a lanterne to hym and to hys sonnes in al daies. After these thingis Elise bad one of y• sonnes of prophets anoynt Hieu into Kyng of Israell: and seye to hym. Thou shalt distrie the house of Achab, and God shall make it as the house of Ieroboā. And doggis shulen e •… te Iesabell in the fyelde of Israel: and none shal birye hir. And Hieu kylled Ioram Kyng of Israel & Ocosias king of Iuda, & Iesabell the curssed quen. And dogs eatē the flesh of Iesabel: hir flesh was a tord on the face of the earthe. Than Hieu made. lxx. sones of Achab to be slain of her Kepers and noryshers: and he kylled. xlii. men brithern of Ocosias And after this doynge Hieu feyned him to worship Baall, more then Achab did. And bi this feining he gadrid togider al prophetis & priestis & seruāts of Baal, in y• tēple of Bal & killed hē al: And casted out of ye tē ple of Baal: his Image, & brent it & drofe yt into duste. And dystryed the house of Baal: & made gongis for it. And so Hieu dyd aweye Baal fro Israell. Nethelesse Hieu yede not a weye fro the synnys of Ieroboam: neyther forsoke gold •… n calues that werē in Bethel and Dā ▪ But for Hieu dyde thys vengeaunce ayens the house of Achab: God saide, that hys sonnes to the. iiii. generacyon shulen syt on y• tron of Israel. Than Athalia the mother of Ocosias: whan hir sonne was deade, kylede al the blude of the kyng, & reygned. vi. yere. But Ioas the sun of Ocosias kynge was kept preuili. vi. yere in y• tēple of god & in y• vii. yere he was made king by help of Ioiada ye greate priest, & Athalia was slaine. Therfore Ioiada made a bōde of peace betwix God & the kynge & the puple: that it shulde be the puple of God. And the puple distried the auters of Baal, and altobrake his Imagis: & kylliden Mathan the prieste of Baall bifore the auter. This Ioas began to reygne whan he was vii. yere olde: and he reignyd. xl. yere in Ierusalem, and dyd rightfulnes bifore God in al the dayes, in whych Ioiada the prieste taught hym. And Ioas bade priestis take all the money that was offered for price of soulis and by free wyll: to make reparatiō of the temple. And for priestis weren necligent in thys reparation: Ioas the Kyng bade priestis yelde this money to reparation, & take it no more. And the chaūceller of the Kyng & the Bishop Ioiada, heeldidē out of y• arcke monei: & yauē it into ye hōd of mastirs & workmē & thei spēdidē it wel in this office & necessari reparatiō: & maden no rekēing to souereins, but tretidē this monei in feith either good cōsci ēce. For as myche as Asaell Kynge of Sirie came wyth hys ooste, to warre ayens Ierusalē: Ioas kynge of Iuda toke all thyngis whych fathers haddē hale wed and which he had offred: & al the siluer that might be foundē in the treasouris of the tē ple of God, and in the paleise of the Kyng, & sent al to Asael kyng of Sirie, and he yede a wei fro Ierusalem. The seruaūtes of Ioas sworen togidir, & kylliden hym: and Amasias hys sonne reignid for hym. Ioachas the sonne of Hieu reignid on Israel: and dyd iuill, as Ieroboam dyd. Therfore god bitoke Israel into the hōdis of Asael kyng of Sirie, and of Benadab his son al daies, that there were not lefte to Ioachas of all the puple of Israell, no but fiue hundrid horsmē, and te •… charis, and. x. M. of fotemen. Than Ioachas bisought God: and he yafe a sanioure to Isra ell, and Israel was deliuerid fro the honde of the kyng of Sirie. Thā Elise felde into great siknes: by which he was deade. And whā Ioas kyng of Israell came to hym and wepte: Elise bade hym bryng a bowe and arrowis, and bade him set his hond on the bowe. And Elise set his hondis on the kyngis hōdis: & bade him shote oute at the easte window openid. And Elise seyd. Thys is the arrow of Gods helpe ayens Sirie in Apheth, til thou waste it. Efte Elise bade Ioas smyte the earth wyth a dart. And whā he had sinyttē thries and styntid: Elise was wroth ayens hym, and seyd. If thou haddist smitten. v. sythis, or. vi. sythis or. vii. sithis: yu shuldist haue smittē Siri tilto the endynge. But no we thou shalt sinyte it thryes. Elise dyed and was biried. And whan a dead body was byryed in the sepulchre of Elise: the man liued ayen and stod on hys fete. Amasias kyng of Iuda reignid. ix. yere: and dyd ryghtfulnes in partie, but not as Dauid. He killyd ten. M. men of Edom: and for pryde therof, he terrid the kyng of Israel to war. And Amasias was ouercommen in this batteile, and the kyng of Israel toke him prisoner, & brake the walle of Ierusalem by. iiii. C. cubitis. And the kyng of Israel toke aweye al the gold & siluer, & all the vesseles that weren founden in gods house: and in the tresouris of the king, and toke pledgis and turnyd ayene into Samarie. At the laste the men of Amasias conspiriden ayens hym: and he fled into Lachis, and they senten thydur and kylliden hym there, and biriden him in Ierusalem with his fathers. And Asarie his son reignyd for hym in Ierusalem. L. yere. He dyd ryghtfulnes in partie: as Amasias hys fathir dyd, and God smote hym wyth lepre, tyll into the daye of hys death. And Ioathas hys sonne gouernid the paleis: and demid the Puple of the Londe. And euer the Kyngis of Israell dyden iuyll: and yeden in the synnis of Ieroboam. And in the dayes of Manaheu kyng of Israell: Phull the Kyng of Assiriens, toke greate try bute of hym, to make Manaheu strōg in the rewm. And in the dayes of Phace Kyng of Israell, that dyd iuill in Gods sight: came Teglathfalasar Kynge of Assur, & toke many placis in the londe of Israell. And he toke Galaad, and Galile and al the lond of Neptalim: and translatid hem into Assiriens. Aftir that Achaz reignyd on Iuda xvi. yere, in Ierusalem, and yede in the weyes of Kyngis of Israel: and dyd foule Idolatrie. And after these thyngis Osee the Kynge of Israell reygned. ix. yere and did iuill: but not as the kingis of Israell that weren bifore hym.

And thys Osee was made tributarye to Salmanasar Kynge of Assyryens. And whanne thys Osee woulde be Rebell and paye not tribute to Salmanasar: he bisegi •… Osee and prisoned hym, and bysegid Samarie thre yere and toke it in the nynth yere of Osee, & translatyd Israell into Assiriens. Than the scripture rehersyth many great synnis of the puple of Israel: for whych they weren conquerid and driuen oute of here londe. Than the kyng of Assiriens brought puple fro Babilō, and fro many other heathen cōtreis, and settid hem in the cities of Samarie: for the chyldren of Israell. And for thys puple dred not God: he sent into hem Lions that kylliden hem. Therfore the kyng of Assiriens sent thydir oo prieste of Israell: to teach hem the lawe of God of Israell: and so they worshypyden Godde of Israel, and here heathē Gods (▪togidyr▪)

¶ The. vii. chapiter.

EZethie Kyng of Iuda reignid. xxix. yere, and did good byfore God, by all thyngis whyche hys father Dauid had do. He dystroyede hygh placis and alto brake I magis, and hewed down wodis, and brake the serpent of bras. For the chyldren of Israell brenten incence to it. And he hopid in God. Therefore of all the kyngis of Iuda was none like hym after hym but neither among thes kingis that weren byfore hym. And in the. xiiii. yere of Ezechie: Senacherib kynge of Assiriens, stied to al wallyd cities of Iuda, and toke tho. Thā Ezechie yaf to him al the siluer that was foū den in goddis house and in the treasouris of the k •… ng: for he should go awey, & distrinot Ierusalē, neither Iudee. And for y• Senacherib kept not couenāt: Ezechie rebelled ayens him, in trist of gods helpe. Thā Senacherib sent Rapsaces with strong ofte to Ierusalē to blaspheme God, & make yt puple yeld hem to him for dred. Thā Ezechie torēt his tlothes for sorow & was hilid with a sacke & entrid into gods house, & sent y• high priest & other elde inē clothyd wyth sackes, to ye prophet Esai yt he shuld prey to God ayens the blaspemie of Assiriēs, & Esaie seid in Gods name yt thei shuldē not dred of thes words of Assiriēs. For God shal sēde a sprit to Senacherib & he shal hear a mesenger, & he shal turne ayene into his londe: and God shal cast him downe by sworde in hys londe. And whan Senacherib wente home to defende his lond ayens the king of Ethiope: he sent blasphemous letters to Ezechie, and seide. That his God might not deliuer him fro his hond. Therfore God cōfortid Ezechie by y• prophet Esaie y• he shuld not dread Senacherib. For Senacherib shall not enter into Ierusalē, neither finde arrowe into it, neyther occupie it, neither bisege it. But God shal deiende and saue Ierusalem, for hyme selfe and for Dauid his seruaunt. And in that nyght the angell of God kylled in the tentes of Assirie •… s: an hūdred thousand, &. lxxxv. thousande, And in the morowtide Senacherib yede into his londe and hys owne sonnys kyllyden hym in ye tēple of hys God Nestarath, while he worshipyd hys God Nestarath. After thys whan Ezechie was sicke to the death: Esai seide to hym in Gods name, dispose thine hous, for thou shalt dye & not liue. And for Ezechie wepte greatli: God curid him and made him go into the temple on the yde daie and encreasyd. xv. yere to his life. And in signe herof: God made the sunne go bakward vi. x. degrees. After thys doing, ye kyng of Babilō sent letters by messengeris & yeftes to Ezechie And by pride he she wed al his treasours and Ieuels to the messengers. Therfore God seid bi Esaie to him That daies shulē come & al thingys in thyne house shulen be take away into Babilon. And Ezechie seid.

The worde of God is good: onely peace and trueth be in my daies. Aftir Ezechie, Manasses his sōne reigned. lv. yere in Ierusaiē, & did greate euil in goddis syght, and mich Idolatrie. And the puple of Iuda was disceiued in Manasses, y• thei diden more euill then heathen men, whych God destried fro the face of sonis of Israel. And for Manasses dyd thes worst abominacions ouer al things which the men of Amorreys didden and he shedde ful miche innocēt blud tyll Ierusalem was fyllyd tylto the mouthe: God seyde that he woulde brynge in euilys vpon Ierusalem & Iuda, that who euer heareth, boeth his eares tingle. And he shal do awai Ierusalem: as tablys on borde ben wonte to be done awaye. But God shal leaue remnaūts of his heritage and bitake hem in the honde of here enimies. Manasses dyede and was biried in the orchard of his house, & Amon his sonne reigned for him. ii. yere, and dyd euil as his father dide and forsoke God and seruyd vncleanes and Idolis as his father dyd, & worshipid tho. And his seruauntes settiden treason to hym: and killiden hym in his house. And the puple of y• londe kylliden al men yt hadden conspirede ayens the kynge Amon: and for hym they ordeynyden Iosie hys sonne kynge to hem. Iosie bygan to reigne whan he was. viii. yere elde: & reignid. xxxi. yere in Ierusalem. And he dyd that, that was plesant bifore God, & yede by all the weys of Dauid his fathir. In y•. xviii. yere of Io sie, he hadde visines, that the temple of God were repareilid. And whan the boke of the lawe was reade bifore the kyng: he torente his clothis, and sent solemne messangers to take councel at God for hymsilfe and his rewine. For he seide, that great vengeaunce of God is kinled ayens vs: for our fathers herdē not the words of this boke, to do al that is written to vs. And God seid by the prophetesse Olda, ye wife of Selum. I shall bryng euiles on thys place and on ye dwellers therof al y• wordis of the lawe whych Iosie readde: for theye forsoken me and maden sacrifice to alien gods. And for thou Iosie heardist the words of the boke, and thine herte was aferde, & thou were mekid afore me & torenteste thy clothes and weptest before me, therfor thou shalt dye in peace, that thyne eyen se not all these euylys, whyche I shall bring in on this place. Thā Iosi gadrid to him al ye olde men of Iuda & Ierusalē, & ye Kyng stied into y• tēple of God, & all men of Iuda, & al men that dwellidē in Ierusalē prophets & prists & al ye puple flied with him. And he red to al men herynge, al the wordis of the boke of couenaūte of the lord: yt was foūdun in the house of the lorde. And the kyng stoode on the grees & smote couenaunt bifore the lorde, that they shulden go after the lorde and kepe al hys hestys and wytnessingis and ceremonies in all the herte, and in al the soule: and the puple assentyd to the couenant. And the Kynge bad ye bishop and priests and porteris caste out of Goddis tē ple: all vessellis that weren made to Baall and to other Idolis. And he brente tho oute of Ierusalem in the valei of Cedrō: and bare the dust of tho into Bethell. Aud he distried Idolatours & the houses of lechours that weren in the house of God And he destryed auteris and hygh places of Idoles and Imagis: & toke oute bonis of sepulchris, and brēt tho on the auter in Bethell, that seruiden to Idolatrie. Also Iosie dyde awey all temples of hie placis that weren in the cite of Samarie, which ye kingis of Israel hadden made to terrie the Lorde to wrath: & he dyd •… o tho as he had do in Bethel. And he killyd y• priestis of high placis: which prests weren ther ouer the auteris. And he brente mens bonis of tho on the auters. And Iosie made the puple to make a solempne paske. And suche paske was not made fro ye dayes of iudgys and al kyngis of Israell and Iuda: as was this pask made in the xviii. yere of Iosie. And he did away spirites spekinge in menis wombis: and false diuinou •… is and figuris of Idolis, and vncleanessis & abominaciouns that weren in the londe, of Iuda and of Ierusalem. No Kynge bifore hym neyther after hym was lyke hym: that turned ayene to God in al his hert & in al his soule and in al hys vertue, by al the law of Moses. Nethelesse, for the orrible sinnis of Iuda: God turned not aweye fro his strong vengeaūce▪ but seide that he would take aweye Iuda fro hys face, as he dyde aweye Israel, & that he would caste aweye ye citie of Ierusalem whych he chees. Therfore Pharao Necao king of Egipt, kilid Iosia in Magedo, & Ioathas hys sonne was made King for his father and he reygned thre monthis in Ierusalem and dyd euyll byfore God, by al thingis the whych his fathers hadē do. And this Pharao prisonid him in Reblatha: and toke tribut of the londe, an hundrede Talentys of syluer, and oo talente of golde. And this Pharao made kyng, Eliachym y• sonne of Iosie, & turnede hys name Ioachim. And this Pharao led Ioachas into Egipt: And Ioachim did euil bifore God, by al things which his fadirs hadden do. And this Ioachym was made seruāt. iii. yere to Nabugodouosor Kyng of Babilō. And eft he rebellid ayens▪ Nabugodonosor. And God sēt theuis of Cal des, & theuis of Sirie, and theuis of Moab, & theuis of ye sōnes of Amō, into Iuda: yt he shulo distrie it, as he spake by his Prophetis, & speciallie for y• sinis of Manasses. This Ioachim dyed & his sōne Ioakim reigned. iii. monthis in Ierusalē: & dyd euil bifore God, as his fathers haddē do. In ye time, y• seruātis of Nabugodonosor, stidē to Ierusalē: and bisegidē it & Ioachim & his mother. Thā Nabugodonosor came to Ierusalē to ouircume it, & Ioachym & his mother & hys seruātis & princis & chaūberlaines yedē out to Nabugodonosor▪ & he trāslatid Ioachim & hys oste ten▪ M. & manie craftie men into Babilon: & toke al the treasuris of gods house & of the kingis house, and beat to gydir al the goldē vesels whych Kyng Solomō had made in the temple. And king Nabugodonosor ordeynid Mathanie ye brother of Iosie to be king: & clepid him Sedechie. And he reignid. xi. yere in Ierusalē: & did iuil bifore God bi al thingis that Ioachym had do, for God was wroth ayens Ierusalem & Iu da, tyl he casted hē awei fro his face. And Sedechi yed awei fro the king of Babilō. And in the. ix. yere of Sedechie: Nabugodonosor came wyth al his oste, & bisegid Ierusalem, tillto the. xi. yere of Sedechie: & thā the citie was broken, & Sedechie & hys warriours fleddē by night, & the ost of Caldeis pursuid & token him, and brought him to Nabugodonosor in Reblatha, & Nabugodonosor spake dome with Sedechi & kilio his sōis bifore him, and puttid out his iyen, and bounde hym wyth chaynis and broughte hym into Babilon. Than Nabusardan (the prynce of the oste) brent gods house & the kingis house and y• houses of Ierusalē, & distryed y• wallis of Ierusalē in cōpas. And he translatid into Babylon: the residue puple of Iuda (outaken a fewe pore men, vynetillars & earthtilars) and he brake all the brasē vessellis & of metal in the temple, and bare the metall into Babilon. Than Nabugodonosor made Godolie to be soueraine of the puple, lefte in the lond of Iuda. And than all the Dukis of Knyghtis camē to Godolie in Maspha: & he made an oth to hem, that it shulde be wel to hem, if they wolden serue the Kynge of Babylon. And Ismael, that was of the kings bloude: kyllyd Godolie and Iewis and Caldeis that weren wyth hym, and all the puple of Iuda & the princis of Knightis: & fledē into Egypt for dred of Caldeis. At y• last, Euilmeradach Kynge of Babilon, reised Ioachim fro prison, and settid hys trone abou •… the trone of other kings that were wyth hym in Babylon. And Ioachim eate euer bread in the Kyngis syghte of Babylon in all the dayes of his lyfe.

Thys processe of Godolie, & that suith: is tolde largelier in the •… nde of Ieremi: thā here in ye ende of kings. Thys processe of the fourhe boke of kyngis: shuld stir al men, and namely kyngis and lordis, forto hate syn, as Idolatrie & couetise, & breakyng of goddis heestis: for which the puple of Israell and the puple of Iuda was thus punishid and cōquerid of heathē men. And forto loue vertues and kepyng of Gods heestis, and distriyng of open synis, for which many good kyngis (as Ezechie, Iosie, and many other haddē great thāke and succour of God in many greate perylis, & blysse of heauē wythout •… ende. God for his merci graūte this blisse to vs Amen.

The. viii. chapiter

THe bokis of Paralipe menon ben ful necessary: to vnderstōd the storis of the old Testament: in so myche as Ierome seith, yt if a mā wtoutē these bokis wold presume to haue y• kuning of holi scripturs: he scornith him silfe, that is disceiuith & makith him silfe worthy to be scornid. For why, the storis left out in ye bokis of Ryngis, ben touchid in these bokis: & vnnoūbrable questiōs of the gospel bē declarid bi these bokis. The. i. boke of Paralipomenō, telith in the bigin yng, the generations from Adā tilto Iacob: & so forth tilto Dauid, & t •… chith shortly many storis of Saul & of Dauid & of Solomō, in the ende therof. And howe Dauid ordeynyd priestis & dekins in her office: & how & by what seruice they shulen serue God. The biginyng of the. ii. boke of Paralipomenō, tellith how Solomō axid of God wisdome to deme his puple: & god yafe to him wisdōe and kūyng & riches & glorie, so yt nōe amōg kyngis either bifore either after him: was like to him. Thā is told how Solomō byldid the temple of Ierusalē: & an house to him silfe. After this the quene of Saba came to Solomō, & brought mani preciouse •… e welis to him: & preuid his kūing & wisdome in many thyngis. And all the Kyngis of the earth desyriden to se the face of Solomon: forto heare ye wisdōe of god which he had yo •… ū in his herte. After that it suith howe Roboā departid the ten linagis fro the house of Dauid. And by hys pryde and hard wordes, and by the •… uyng of the councell of yonge men, and whan the rewme of Iuda was cōfirmid to him: he forsoke the lawe of Godde, and all Israell dydde the same wych hym. Therfor God sēt the king of Egipt wt vnnoūbrable puple on hē, & toke awaye ye treasours of goddis house and of the kyngis house. And theye seruiden the king of Egipt, to know the diuersytie of goddis setuice, and of the seruise of the rewme of londis And after him reigned Abia his son and he treatyd wysly wyth y• puple of Israell: that they shulden forsake here synne, & warre not ayens goddis puple and the rewme of Iuda. And for they wolden proudli warre ayens the rewme of Iuda & ayens this coūsel of Abia▪ he killed of hem by goddis helpe. v. hūdrid thousand of stronge men. Afer thys coūcel Abia died: & Asa hys son reignyd for hym. And in the daies of As •… , the lōd was in rest. x. yere. And Asa did that that was good and plesaunte in the sight of God. And he distried auters of Idolatri and hygh placys and he Brake Imagys and hewed downe wodis and cōmaundyd the puple of Iuda, to seke the lord God of her fathers and do his lawe, & kepe al hys heestis. He reigned in peace and bildid stronge cities wyth walles and toures and yates and locks. And he had in hys ooste three hūdred thousand of Iuda, men bearing shee •… dis and speeris. And of Beniamin two hūdryd thousande and lxx thousande of men of Armes & of archars. And he ouercame the Kynge of Ethiope that came wyth. x. hūdred thousand mē &. iii. hūdred charis. And Asa had the victorie, for in trist of gods help he came ayens this grete multitude. Than ye prophet of God seid to Asa and al hys puple. The lorde is wyth you, for you weren with hym. If ye seken him, you shoulē fynd him. And if you forsaken hym: he shall forsake you. Mani dayes shulen passe in Israel wythouten veri God •… nd without priest and teacher and lawe: and Asa hys father hadde take. And the Lord was wt Iosaphat: & he yede in y• fyrst weyes of Dauid his father. And he hopyd not in Baalim, but in God almighti: and yede in hys commaūdemētis, and not by the synnes of Israell. And God confirmide the rewme in the hond of Iosaphat: and he had ful mani richessis, and myche glorye. And whan hys hert had take trif •… e for y• weis of the lorde: he dyd aweye also hygh placis and wodis fro Iuda, where y• puple made offringe ayens the law. And Iosaphat in the thyrd yere of hys rewme: sente fyue of his princis, that they shulden teache in the cytes of Iuda, And he sent. ix. dekenis wt hem, and. ii. prists wyth hem: and they haddē the boke of goddis law, and taughtē the puple in Iuda. And they cōpassiden all the cities of Iuda: and taughtē al ye puple. And therfore the drede of the lord was made on al the rewmis of londis that weren by the compas of Iuda, and dursten not ware ayens Iosaphat. And he had redye at hys honde. xi. C. thousande, and. ix. thousand of knyghtis and men of Armis and archars outake other, which he leftin walled cities, and in al Iuda, And Philisteis & Arabies broughtē to Iosaphat yefts and tributis, and many thousaūds of shepe & buckis of geet. And after thys doinge Iosaphat was alyed to Achab and yede wyth hym to bateyle into Ramothe of Galaad, &. iiii. hundrid prophetes that weren dysceyued by a spyrite of leasynge: excytyden Achab to thys warre & byhyghten, prosperyte and victori to him. But Micheas, a trew prophete of God: teld to Achab that he shoulde dye in this bateyll, and so it was in dede. And Iosaphat that was in most perile of thys bateyle: was sauyd by goddys helpe. After thys bateil Iosaphat turned ayene in peace to Ierusalem, & a prophete of God mette wyte hym, and seyde. Thou helpest the wycked man, and arte ioyned in frendship wyth hem yt haten God, and therfore thou deseruist the wrath of God. But good werkes ben foūdun in the: for thou dyddist aweye wodes fro the londe of Iuda, and madest redi thyne hert to sech the lorde God of thy fathers. Therefore Iosaphat dwellid in Ierusalem. And efte he yede oute to the puble, •… ro Bersebee, tylto the hyll of Effraim: and cleppid hem ayen to y• lord God of her fathers. And he ordeined iudgys of y• londe in al strōge cities of Iuda bi eche place. And he cōmaundyd thus to ye Iudgis. Se ye what ye owen to do. For ye vsen the dome, not of mā but of y• Lord. And what euer thynge that ye shall deme: shal turne into you. The drede of the lorde be with you and do you al thyngis with diligence. For why, neither wyckednes, neither takynge of parsons neither couetise of yiftis is anentis your Lorde God. And in Ierusalem Iosaphat ordeinid Dekenis and priestys, and pryncys of meinees of Israel: that they shulden deme to ye dwellars therof y• doome and cause of God. And he cōmaūdid to hem and seyd. Thus ye shulen do in the dreade of the Lorde faithfully and in a perfect hert. Ech cause that cometh to you of your brithern that dwellen in here cities bitwix kinrede and kynrede, where euer is questian either doubte of the lawe of cōmaū demēt, of ceremonies, of iustifiyngs shewe ye to hem, yt they do not sinne ayens the lorde, and wrath either vē geaunce come not on you, & on youre brethern. Therefore do ye thus: and ye shulen not do sinne. And Amarie your pryeste eyther byshop: shall be soueraine in these thingis y• perteyne to God. After thes thingis y• sonnis of Amō & the sonnis of Moab with menne of Idumee: weren gadryde togither to warre ayens Iosaphat. Than Iosaphat yafe hym all to beseche God: and preachyd faistnge to al Iuda: and al Iuda was gatherid to bisech the Lorde. And Iasaphat knoleched that he had not power to ayenstonde so greate a multitude of enimies. Than God cōfortid hym & hys puple by a prophere: that theye shulen not dreade this greate multitude of enimies. For God hym selfe should fyght & ouer •… ōe her enimyes wythoute stroke of hys puple, and so it was in dede. At the laste Iosaphat made frenshyppe wyth Ocosie Kyng of Israel (whos werkis weren ful euil) & they weren felows to make shypps that shuldē go into Tharsis. Therfore God bi his prophete seyde to Iosaphat. For thou haddist bonde of peace wyth Ocosie God hathe smitten thy werkis, and the shipps bene altobroke, & migten not go into Tharsis. Thā died Iosaphat, and Ioram hys son reignyd for hym. Thys Ioram weddyd the doughtyr of Achab, and kylled hys o •… •… retherne: and yede in the weis of the 〈◊〉 of Israell, as ye house of Achab had do. He dyd Idolatrye and made the dwellaris of Ierusalē and also of Iuda: to breake goddys lawe. Therfore, Edom and Lobna yeden a waie fro his Lordship: for he had forsake the Lord God of his fathers. And therfore god reised ayēs hym philisties & Arabies, that costen wyth Ethiopiens. And theidistri eden the londe of Iuda, and token awaye the cattell that was foundune in the house of the Kyng, and token awaye hys wife and sonnes: outakē Ioachim the youngeste. And God smote Iorā wyth vncurable sorowe of wombe two yere: so that he rottide on erth, and castyde out hys entrailles & died in worst sicknes, and hys sonne Ocosias ceygnyd for hym and did euyl as the house of A •… hab. For why his mother excitid hym to do wyckyd •… ie. And thei of the house of Achab, weren his coūcellours into hys death: and he yede in the coū sell of hem. And therfore Hieu, whā he distried the house of Achab: killid Ocosie and the prince of Iuda, and the sonnis of the brithern of Ocosie. After thes thingis Ioas was made Kyng bi y• help of Ioiada the priest: and the curssed womā Athalia was slayne. The priestis and greate men of the puple broughten out of godis ho •… se the sonne of the Kynge: & settiden a crowne on his head, and yauen in his hand the lawe to be kepte and maden hym kyng And Ioiada made couenaunt bitwix hym and al the puple and the Kynge, that theye shullen be the puple of God, that is forsake Idolatri & kepe trulye goddis law. Therfore al the puple yede into the house of Baal, and distriedē it: and braken the auteris and simulacris eyther Imagys of him. And they kylliden byfore the auter: Mathan the priest of Baal. This Ioas dyd wel in the tyme of Ioiada, and reparelyd the temple of Ierusalem: that was dystryede by Athalia the quene and hyr sonnys. But after the death of Ioiada, he was flatteryde by the princis of Iuda: and thei felden to Idolatrie, and forsoken the tēple of God. And y• wrath of God was made ayens Iuda & Ierusalē: for his synne. And he sent prophetys to hem that they shulden turne ayene to God and they nolden heare those prophetis. And Zacharie the prieste and sōne of Ioiada: repriuid hem for thys synne, & they stonyden hem to deathe in the purseynte of goddys house: by cōmaūdemēt of the •… yng. And whan the yere was endyd: the •… oste of Sirie stied ayens hym, and came into Iuda and Ierusalē, and kylliden al the princis of the puple & senten al the preye into Damaske to the Kinge. And certes whan full little nūbre of mē of Sirie▪ was cōmē: God bitoke in here hōdis a multitud wythouten end. For thei hadden forsake the Lorde God of her fathers. And they vsiden shamfull domys in Ioas: & yeden forth and leften hym in greate sorows. And his seruaūts risen ayens hym for vengeaūce of ye blude of ye sonne of Ioiada the prist and kylliden hym in hys bedde. And Ioas was deade, and Amasie hys sonne reigned for hym.

The. ix. chapiter

AMasie did good in partie: but not in a perfecte herte. And he killid hem that had den slayne the kynge his father but he killid not there sonnes, as God bade in t •… e lawe. This Amasie found in al Iuda & Beniamin fro. xx. yere & aboue: xxx. M. of yong men that yeden oute to batteyl, and helden speare and sheeld. And he hi •… ide of Israel an hundryd thousand of full stronge men, for an hundride talentis of syluer: to fight ayens the sonnes of Edom. And a mā of God seyde to Amase. A thou Kynge, the ooste of Israel go not out wyth the. For the lorde is not wyth Issraell: and with al the sonnes of Effraim. That if thou gessest y• bateylis stonden in the strēgh of oost: the lord shal make the to be ouercomen of thyne enimies. For it is propre to God for to helpe, and for to turne into •… ygh. Therfore Amasie departyd awaye the ooste of Israel: and trystyly ledde forth his puple to batteil, and he had the victorie: and kylled. xl. thousande of hys enimies in this bateyl. And after this victori Amasie worshipid ye gods of Edō: & brent inces to hē. Wherfore God was wroth ayens Amasie: and sente to hym a prophet that shoulde seye to hym. Whye hast thou worshipid goddis y• deliueridē not here puple fro thine hond? Whā the prophet spake these thyngys to hym: he answeryd to the prophet▪ Where yu art a coūsellour of ye king? Ceasse thou: lest peraduēture I slea the. Therfore ye prophet yede awaye and seyde. I wot yt the lord thought to slea the, for thou hast do this euil: and ferthermore, thou assentist not to my councell. And so it byfelde in dede. For by prid he terrid the kyng of Israel to warre: and nolde ceasse for helthfull counsel of the Kynge of Israel. Therfore the King of Israel ouercame the puple of Iuda, & toke Amasie and distryed the wal of Ierusalem by. iiii. hundrid cubites, and toke away al the treasoure & vesselis whych he founde in goddis house & in the kyngis house. After thys doynge Amasie fled oute of Ierusalem into Lachis: for treason done to him of hys men. And they senten and kylliddē hym in Lachis. And Olias his sonne reygnid for him. lii. yere in Ierusalē, and sought God in the dayes of Zacharie, vnderstondynge and seynge God. And whan he soughte God: he louide hyme in al thyngis, & God helpyd hym ayens philisteys and Arabeis, & ayens Amonitis.

And Amonites paidē yiftis to Osias: and his name was publyshede tylto the entre of Egipt, for ofte victories. He byldyde many tourys in Ierusalē, & also in wildernes, for he had mamy beastes & vines, & vynetiliers. For he was a man yeuen to earthtilth. He had in hys oost. ii. M. &. vi. C. princis of strōg men, &. iii. C thousande and. v. hundryd that weren able to batell, & foughten for the King ayens aduersaris, & his name yede out fer: for God helpid him and made him strong. But whā he was made strong: his hert was reisid into hys death. And he dyspysyd hys Lord God. For he yede into the temple of God: and wolde brene incens on the auter of incēs ayeng the law. And whā the Bishope & maninoble Priestis ayenstodē hym, and told •… n the lawe yt was ayens him: he was wrath, and helde the censer & manacide hem. And anon lepre rose in his forhead byfore the priestis in gods house. Than the prieste puttid hym oute. And he hastyd to go oute for dread: and for he felid anon the vengeaunce of God Therfore the Kyng Iosias was leprouse tylto the daye of his death, and dwellid in an house departid. And Ioathan his sōne gouernid the kyngs house: and demid the puple of the londe. And Ioathan reignid. xvi. yere in Ierusalē, & dyd rightfulnes bifore god: bial things which Osias his father had do, outtaken thys, that he entryde not into the temple of God: and yet the puple trespassed. He bylded many thyngis & faught ayens ye King of the sonnis of Amon▪ & ouircame him. And the sonnes of Amon yauen to hyme an hundryd talentis of siluer. &. x thousande chorus of barly, and as mani of whete. And Corus conteynethe xxx. bushels. And Ioathan was made stronge for he had dressid hys wayes byfore hys Lorde God, and he was deade. And Achaz his sonne reigned for him. xvi. yere in Ierusalē. This Achaz dyd not ryghtfulnes in goddis sight: but yed in the weies of the Kyngis of Israell, and made Imagis to Baal, & dyd manyfolde Idolatrie, and God bitoke him into the hond of ye Kynge of Sirie. which Kyng smore Achaz, and toke a great preye of his rewme into Damaske. And Achaz was bitake into ye hōdis of the Kynge of Israel, & was smitē wyth a greate wound. And Phacee the sonne of Romelie kyllid of Iuda vi. score thousande in oo daye, all the warriours: for they hadden forsake the Lord God of her fathirs. And ye sōnes of Israel tokē of her brithern of Iuda. ii. C. thousand of women & of chyldren and of damsellis & preye wythouten ende: and baren it into Samari. And Obed the prophet of God, seide to the mē of Israel, that they hadden do greate crueltie, and synnyd ayens God▪ And bade hem leade ayene the prisoneris of Iuda. Forwhie, greate vengeaūce of God neighith to you. Therfore, the princis of Israell maden the warriours to forsake the praye, and al thyngis whych they haddē take. And ye princis clothiden hem that weren naked and refreshiden hem with meate and drynke and annoyntynge wyth oyle for traueil, and sentē hem home benignely. Than Kyng Achaz sente to the Kyng of Assiriēs: and axid helpe. And Idumeis camē & kylliden moni men of Iuda: & token great praie. And Philisties token many Cytyes of Iuda: and dwelliden in tho. And God made lowe the puple of Iuda: for Achaz the Kyng of Israel, for he had made hym naked of helpe: & for he hadde dyspy •… id God. And God brought ayens hym Teglathfalasar the Kynge of Assiriens, yt tormētyd him and distried, for none ayenstod.

Therfore Achaz spoyllede goddis house, and the house of Kyngis and princis, and yafe yeftis to the Kynge of Assiriēs: and netheles it profityd nothynge to hym. And Achaz in the tyme of hys anguyshe, encreasyde despysynge ayens God, and offryde sacrifyce to goddis of damaske, and he sayd. The goddis of Sirie helpē hem, whyche Goddis I shal please with sacrifices, & thei shulē helpe me whan ayenwarde they weren into falling to him & to all Israell Therfore Achaz rauishid and brake all the vessellis of goddis house: and closed the yatis of goddis temple, & made to hym auteris in all the corneris of Ierusalē, and in al the cities of Iuda, to brenne incence: & terride God to wrath. And he died. And Ezechie his sonne reygned for hym. xxix. yere in Ierusalem. He dyd that, yt was pleasāt in goddis sight: bi al things which Dauid his father had do. And he openid the yates of goddis house in the fyrste yere of hys rewme, and made priestis and deakenis to clense and hale we the temple, & the auter of God, with al the vesseles & purtenauncis of the temple. And he gaderid togidyr al ye pryncys of the citie, & styed into goddis house. And they offriden. vii. bullis. vii. rames. vii. lā bren, &. vii buckis of gete: for sinnes for the rewme, for the sentuary, and for Iuda. And he seyd to the priests the sonnes of Aarō: that they shuldē offer on the auter of God, and theye didden so. And he ordeynyd dekinys in the house of God wyth symbalis and psalteries, and harpis by the ordinaunce of Dauid and of Gadde ye prophet of the Kyng, and of Nathā the prophet. For it was ye cōmaūde mēt of god: bi ye hōd of his prophits And dekēs stodē & heldē the organis of Dauid, and preistis helden trumpettis, and Ezechie cōmaūdid, that they sholden offer brent sacrificis on the auter. And whan brent sacrificis weren offirid: they. begunen to singe heriyngis to God, & to sowne wyth trumpetts & dyuers orgains, which Dauid the Kynge of Israell hadde made redie forto sowne. And Ezechi and the princis cōmaundiden to the dekeines: that they shuldē herie God wyth the wordis of Dauid and of Asaph ye prophete. And Ezechie sent to al Israell and Iuda: and wroote epistlis to Effcaim and Manasses: yt they shuldē come to goddis house in Ierusalem, and make paske to the Lord God of Israel. And it plesyd the •… ynge and all the multytude, And they demidē to send mesengers into all Israell, fro Bersa bee tylto •… an: that they shuldē come & make pa •… ke to the Lord God of Ierusalē And currours yedē out wyth Epi •… s by the cōmaūdemēt of the kyng and of his princis into al Israel and Iuda, as the Kynge had cōmaūdyd and preachid. Sonnes of Israell, turne ayene to ye lorde God of Abra ham, of Isaac, & of Israel: & he shal turne ayene to the remnauntis that ascapiden the hondis of the Kyng of Assirians. Serue ye to ye Lord God of your fathers: & the wrathe of hys stronge vengeaunce shal be turnede ayene fro you. For if ye turnē ayene to the lorde: youre britherne & your sonnes shulē haue mercie bifore her lordis, that leade hē prisoneris. And thei shulenturne ayene to thys lond. Therfore, currouris yeden swyftly fro citie to citie, bi the lond of Effraim, and of Manasses and of Zabulon: and they scordiden and bimowi den ye messengers. Nethelesse, some of Aser & Manasses and of Zabulō assentiden to the councel: and camen into Ierusalē. Goddis honde was made in Iuda: y• he yafe to hem one herte, and they dydden the worde of God by cōmaūdement of ye king and of pryncys. And many puple, weren gatherid in Ierusalē: to make solēnite of paske in ye second monthe. And they distrieden ye auters y• werē in Ierusalem. And theye dystryeden al thingis in which incens, was offrid to Idolis, and castiden forth into the stronde of Cedrō. Whan these thyngis weren halewyd ryghtly, all Israel yede out y• was founden in y• cities of Iuda. And they braken semulacris either Imagis, & he wedē downe wodis, & destrieden high places & auteres. And not only of Iuda & Beniamin: but also of Effraim & Manasses, til thei destridē tho vtterly. And Ezechie ordeyned cōpanies of Priestis & of Dekenis by her departings ech mā in his owne office as wel of prists as of dekēs, to brēt sacrificis & to pesible sacrificis, that they shuldē mynister & knowledge & synge in ye yates of ye castelles either oostes of y• lorde. And Ezechie commaūded to ye puple to yeue to prestis & dekenis here partis, yt is the fyrste fruitis & tithis y• they myghten yeue tent to ye lawe of God. And there is told mych of y• payinge & dealing of tythis & other holy thingis. Than it sueth, howe Senacherib blasphemed god of Israel, & howe Ezechie cōforted y• puple ayens his blasphemie and pride. Ezechie and Esaie the Prophet preiden ayens the blasphemie: and crieden til into heauen. And God sent hys Angell, and he kyllyd eche strong man and warryour and Prince of the ooste of the Kyng of Assiriens. And he turnid ayene wyth shenshyppe into hys londe: and hys owne Sonnys kyllyden hym wyth swerd. And God sauid Ezechie and the dwellars of Ierusalem, fro the honde of Senacheryh Kynge of Assitiens: and fro the hond of all men, and yafe to hem reste by cumpas. After these thyngys, Ezechie was sicke to the death: and he prayed to God, and God hearde hym. And the herte of Ezechie was reisid to pride: and Wrath was made ayens hym and ayens Iuda, and ayens Ierusalem. And after he was mekyd (for hys herte was reysede) both he and the dwellaris of Ierusalem weren mekyd: and therfore the vengeaunce of God came not in the dayes of Ezechie. And Ezechie was full ryche & noble: & in al hys werkis he did welsumlie what euer thynge he would. Nethelesse in the message of princis of Babilon, that weren sente to hym to axe of the greate wondre yt byfell on earth: God forsoke hyme that he was tempyd, and althyngis weren knowne that weren in hys her •… e. Than died Ezechie: and Manasses hys sonne reigned in Ierusalem. lv. yere. And Manasses dyd euil byfore God: bi abhominaciō of heathē men whych Goddy▪ tried byfore the sonnis of Israel. And he byldyde hygh placis and made auteris to Baalym and dyde manyfolde Idolatrie, and seruyd to wythcraftis, and se •… tyd Idoles in the temple of God. And he disceiued the puple of Iuda and the dwellars of Ierusalē: that they didden euil more thē heathen mē, which the Lord had distried from ye face of the sonnis of Israel. And God spake to hym and to hys puple: & they nolden take hede. Therfore he brought on hē the prince of the oost of ye kyng of assiryens: & they token Manasses and boundē hym wyth chayns and gyues, and lede hym into Babilon And after that he was anguishid: he preyede his Lord God, and he dyde penaunce greatlie before the God of his fatheys. And he preide hertely and besought God: & God herd hys preyer, and brought him ayene into Ierusalē into his rewme. And Manasses knewe that the Lord hymsilfe is God. And he dyd awaye Alien goddes, and simulacres either Idolls fro goddis house, and destried auteris whiche he had made in the hyll of goddis in Ierusalem, and castid al out of the Citie. And he restored the aulter of god: and offered on it Sacrifycis and heriynge. And cō maundid the puple of Iuda, to feare the Lord God of Israel. And nethelesse the puple offerid in hygh places to here lord God. Manasses died, & Amon his sonne reigned for him. ii. yere in Ierusalē. And he dyd euel in goddes sight, as Manasses his father had do, & offered & serued to all Idolis which Manasses had made And he reuerēced not y• face of God as Manasses reuerēced, and he dyd manye greater trespasses. And whā his seruāts hadden conspirid ayens him, they kylleden him. And y• puple kylled hem ye hadden slayne Amon: & maden Iosie his sōne king for him, & he reigned. xxxi. yere in Ierusalē. Iosie did that that was rightfull in goddes sight, and yede in the weys of Dauid his father, & bowed nether to y• rightside, nether to ye leftesyde. In the. viii. yere of his rewme whā he was yet a childe, he beganne to seke ye god of Dauid his father. And in ye. xii. yere after y• he began: he clensed Iuda and Ierusalē fro hight places & Imagis & Idoles. They distriedē before him the Aulteris of Baalim, & the simulac •… is that werē put aboue, he kytted downe and alto brake wodis & grauē Images, and scaterid the rēlifis on y• biriellis of hem ye werē wunt to offer. Further more, he br •… nt the bonis of priestes, in the aulteris of Idolis And he clensed Iuda & Ierusalē & distried all Idolis in the cities of Manasses and Effraim and of Simeon tylto Neptalim. In the eightenth yere of hys rewme, whan the Londe and the Temple of God was clensydde: he sent worthye menne to repareyle Goddis house, and so they didden in dede. And Elchie the greate pryeste yafe to Saphā the scriueyne and solemne messager, the boke of goddis lawe: and he bare it to the Kynge. And whan the Kynge hadde heard the wordis of the Lawe: he torent his clothes. And he cōmaūdid Elchie & other greate men to go & prie the lorde for the kynge, and •… or y• residews of Israel and Iuda on all the wordes of the boke of goddes lawe, for why, greate vengeaunce of God hath dr •… ppid on vs: •… or oure fathers kep •… ē not ye words of God, that they dyddē al thinges that bene wrytten in this boke. Therfore Elchie and they that weren sente togider of the Kynge: ye •… n to Olda, a Prophetesse, the wyfe of Sellū: and God seyd by her that he shall bryng in on this place and dwellers therof euilles and all curssi •… ges that bene wryttē in this boke of goddes lawe. For they forsokē God, and sacrifyed •… n to alien goddes, to terre him to wrathfulnes in al the werkes of her hondes. But for thou kinge of Iuda •… eardiste the wordes of the boke, & were meked in goddes sight, & weptiste and rentist thy clothis: I haue hearde the, saith God, and thou shalt be borne into thy Sepulchre in pece and thyne e •… ne shullen not se all the euyll whiche I shall brynge in on this place, and on the dwellars therof.

And when Iosie had hearde these wordes: he clepide togither al the elder men of Iuda, and Ierusalem. And he stied vp into goddes house: and all men of Iuda, and the dwellars of Ierusalem, stieden togider, Priestis and Dekenis and all puple fro the leaste tilto the moste. And in audience of hem, the kynge reade in goddes house, all the wordis of the boke. And he stod in his trone either seate of dome, and sinote bonde of peace before God, that he shulde go after God, and kepe his hestis and wytnessynges, and iustifyingis in al his herte, and in all his soule, and do tho thinges that ben written in this boke, whyche he had reade. And he chargid greatly on this thing, al mē that weren founden in Ierusalem, & Beniamyn, and the dwellars of Ierusalem dyden by couenaunt of her Lorde God of here fathers. Therefore Iosie dyd auoide all abominations, fro all the contreis of the sonnis▪ of Israel, and made al men that werē residue in Israel: to serue here lorde God. In al ye dayes of hys life they yeden not awey fro the Lorde God of her fathers. Afterward Iosie made paske in Ierusalem and ordeined priestis in her officis, & bade hem ministre in Goddis house. And bade dekenies serue God & hys puple Israel: & make hem redie bi here houses and kynreddis, in the depar. tinge of eche as Dauid kyng of Israel commaūdid, and bade hē serue in the sentuari, by the meines, cōpanies and deakenis: and that they be ha •… owide and offer paske, and make redie here bretherne therto. And Iosie made suche a paske: yt none was lyke in Israell, fro the dayes of Samuel the prophet. Neither ani of the kyngis of Israel: made paske as Io sie dyd, to priests and dekenis, and to al Iuda and Israel, and to the dwellars of Ierusalem. For he yafe to al the puple that was foūden in Ierusalem in the solemnitie of paske: xxx. thousande Lambrens & kyddis and other shepe, & three thousand of oxē. After that Iosie had repareilide the temple: Necao Kynge of Egipt, stied to fight in Cartamis, & Iosi yede forth ayens hym. And the Kynge of Egypt seide to Iosie, I come not to day ayens the: but I fyght ayens an other house to which God bade, and made me go in haste. Therfore cease thou Kynge of Iuda to daye ayens God which is wyth me: leste he s •… ea the. Iosi nold turne ayen: but made hym selfe redye to batteile ayens the Kynge of Egypt, and assentid not to the words of ye King of Egipt: spoken bi goddis mouth. Therfore, Io sie was slayne of ye Kinge of Egipte And the puple of the lond made Ioacas his sonne King in Ierusalē He reygned thre monethes in Ierusalē. And the Kynge of Egipt puttid him downe, and condemned the londe of Iuda in an hūdred talentis of syluer and in oo talente of golde, and made Eliachim hys brother King for him on Iuda and Ierusalem, and turnid hys name Ioachim. He reigned. xi. yere in Ierusalē, and dyd euil bifore God. Therfore Nabugodonosor toke hym and led him bounden with chaines into Babilō: & bare thyther the vesselles of Goddis temple. And Ioachim hys sonne reignyd for hym thre monethis and. x. dayes in Ierusalē: and dyd euil in Goddis syght.

Than Nabugodonosor sente men that ledden hym into Babilon, and bare oute the preciouseeste vessellis of goddis howse. And Nabugodonoso •… made Sedechye Kynge on Iuda and Ierusalem: he reignid. xi. yere in Ierusalem, and dyd euyll in Goddis sight, neyther was ashamid of the face of Ieremie the prophete that spoke to him of goddis mouth. He brake the oothe made to Nabugodonosor. Therfor Nabugodonosor came and toke him: and lede him and al the vessellis and the treasuris of goddis house & of the Kynge and princis into Babilon, and kyllyd the puple, and destried & brent Ierusalem. And the puple yt was lefte aliue was lede into Babilon and seruyde the Kynge & hys sonnes, tyl the King of Persis reignid, and til. l. yere werē fyllyd, by goddis worde, seyd bi the mouth of Ieremy. And Cirus King of Persis cōmaundid to be preachyd (yea by writing in all his rewme) ye Iewis shouldē turne ayene into Iude.

The. x. chapiter.

THys processe of Paralipomenon, in the fyrst & second boke: shoulde styr Kyngis & christē lords: to distrie syn and loue vertue & make goddislawe to be known and kept of here puple. For here theye moune se howe sore God punnished euill Kyngis that liuiden euil and drouen the puple to I dolatrie eyther other greate sinnis & howe greatlie God preysed, rewardid, and cherishid good kingis, that lyueden well, & gouerniden well the puple in goddis lawe, and open reason and good cōscience. And though kyngis and Lordes knewen neuer more of holy write, than. iii. stories of y• seconde boke of Paralipomenō and of Regum, that is, the storye of Kynge Iosaphat, the storye of king Ezechie, and the storye of Kyng Iosie: they myghten learne sufficientlye to lyue wel & gouerne well here pupl •… by goddis lawe, and eschewe al pride and Idolatri and couetise and other sins. But alas alas alas, wher Kynge Iosaphat sent his Princes, and Dekenis, and Priestis to eche Citi of his rewme with the boke of goddis lawe, to teach openly goddes lawe to the puple: some christen Lordes senden general letters to al here mynisters and lyge men either tenantis, that the pardons of y• Byshopis of Rome, that ben open leasings (for thei graūtē mani hūdrith yeres of pardons after domisedaie) be preachyd generally in here rewmis & lordeshypis. And if any wyse man ayensaye the open errours of Antychrist: and teach men to do her almese to poore nedie men to ascape the peinis of hell: and to wynne the blesse of heauē, he shalbe prisoned as a mā of vnchristē beleue, & traytour of god, and chrysten kingis and Lor des. And where kynge Ezechie made him ful bisie to clense Goddis house and do awaye all vnclennesse fro the sentuarie, and cōmaūdyd priestis to offer brent sacrifice on goddis auter & ordeynid dekens in Goddis house to herie God, as Dauid and othere prophetis ordeniden: some chrysten lords inname (& hethē in cōdicions) defoulen the sentuarye of God, and bringen in Simonielit clerkis, ful of couetise, and herecie, and Hipocricy and malice, to stoppe Goddis lawe that it be not knowne and kepte and freali preachid. And yet some christē lordis holden mani prelatis and curats in her conrtis & in secular office ayens goddis lawe & mans openlie: and wythholden hem fro here gostly office, and helpynge of Christen soules.

And where Kynge Iosie preachyde openlie Goddis la we in the •… mpel to al the puple, and casted away Idolis and brent the bonis of prestis that did Idolatri some christē lords (in name and not in dede) preisen and magnyfyen fryeres letters, full of dys •… eyte and leasyngys, and maken here tenauntis, and meines, to swere by herte, bonys, nayles and sydes, and other mem •… ryes of christe, and pursuen full cruellie, hem that wolden teache trulye and frelye the lawe of God, and preisen, meinteynen and cherishen hem that preachen fables, leesyngis and synfull mens traditions eyther statutis, and letten greate ly the gospell to be preachyd, and ho ly wryte to be knowne and kept.

But wytte these vnwyse Lordys, that Elie the Prophete (one alone) hadde the trueth of God. And Kyng Achab wyth eyght hundrid and. L. pryestys and Prophetys of Baalle hadden the false parte.

And efte Micheas, one alone Prophete of God, had the truethe ayens foure hūdryde Prophetys of Baall that councellidē Achab to warre, to hys owne shenshipe and death. So nowe a fewe pore men and Ideots in comparisōe of clerkis of Schole: moune haue the trueth of holy scrip ture, ayens many thousand prelatis and religiouse, yt ben yeuē to worldli pride and couetise, simoni, hypocrisie and other fleshly synnes, moste sithen these pore men desirē only the trueth & fredome of the holi gospel & holy sc •… ipture, & acceptē mās law & ordinaūcis, only in as mych as they ben groūdid in holi scripture, either good reasone and cōmon profite of christen puple: and worldly prelatis and feinid religiouse, grounden hem on sinful mens statutis, that sownē pryde & couetise and letten ye trueth and fredome of goddis lawe to be knowne and bringin christē puple in endlesse thraldome and greate coste.

But it is to be drede full sore, leste kyngis and lordis bene nowe in the former synnes of Manasses: god graunte that they repent verily and make amendes to god and man, as he dyd in the ende, for they setten Idoles in goddis house, and exciten men to Idolatri: and sheden innocēt bloud in many maneris as Manasses dyd. Firste thei setten in here hert (that should be the temple and speciall chamber of god) the Idole of couetise, eyther of Glotonie, either of Pryde, either of other greate sinnes. For sainte Paule seyth that our bodies ben the temple of the holy gost. And efte he seyeth that glottons maken her belies here God. And God seith by Iob: that the deuill is king ouer all the chyldren of pryde. And Iesus Chryst seith, that the deuel is Prince of thys worlde, that is (as Austē seith) of false men yt dwellē in this worlde. Then they that setten pride, either couetise, either glotonie either raueine in here herte: setten Idols of Baal, either of the deuell in the temple of God. Specially lordes sitten Idolis in Goddes house whē they maken vnworthy prelates either curates in the chirch. For why such vnable prelatis, either curatis, ben Idolis, as God seith in the. xi. Chapyter of Zacharie, to an vnable prelate. Athou shepperd and Idole for saking the flocke. Wherefore Archedekene in his Rosarie, whiche is one of the famousest doctours of the Popis lawe, wrytteth thus. An euil prelate is seyde a •… orynge Lyon: and a wolfe raueshyng praye. And in the xxxiiii. Chapter of Ezechiell: he is seyde to fede hym selfe, and not the shepe. Also he is seyd to seke his owē profite temporall. Therfore he is not of goddis chyldren, as Austyne seith. viii. question, and fyrste Chapter. Sunt quidam. And for this thinge powre shalbe taken awaye fro hym as God seyth in the xxxiiii. Chapter of Ezechiell. Also an euell prelate is seyd a wolfe, as the lawe witnesseth in y• lxxxiii. distinction, Capite. Nihil Also for defaute of gouernall, he is seyde an vnchaste dogge: as Austen witnesseth in ye second cause ye seuēth question. Capiter. Que nec. Also he is seyde a Crowe, either a Rauene for the blackenes of sinnis: as ye law wytnesseth ther in capite. Non omnis. Also he is seyde founid salt, not profytable to anye thinge, as the lawe witnesseth ther in Capite. Non omnis. Also he is seyde an Hogge: as the lawe witnesseth in the. lxiii. distinctiō Chapter In mandatis. Also he is seyd a cherle of a cherlesched of euell lyfe: as the lawe wytnesseth in the. xivii. destinctiō in the beginnyng. Also he is seyd a Capō: for he hath ye maner of an Hen. For as a Capō croweth not: so an euel prelate croweth not in preaching. Also an euel prelat gē dreth not bi preching of gods word neither he fighteth for his sogettes. Also as a Capon clepyth not hēnes: so an euill prelate clepith not poore men, to meate. Also as a Capon maketh fat him selfe: so an euill prelate maketh fat him selfe. Therfore sithē he sechyth plentuousenes of meates and rechessis: he shall be put into fyre of hell, as Ierome wytnessith on Michee in y•. xxxv. Distinctiō, Capi. •… cclesie Principes. Atchdeken writith all thys in the. xliii. Distinction, in Cap. Sit Rector On this word •… uti. Also adombe Prelate is an Idole: and not a veri prelare. A dombe pre late is not a verie prelate, sith he vseth not the office of a prelate, but he hath only the lykenes of a prelate. As an Idoll that vseth not the office of a man: is onely lyke a man, but is no man. Therfore such dom be prelates moune rightfulli be saide simulacris either Idolis of which it is seyde in the. vi. Chap. of Baruck •… . The trees of hem ben made fayre of a carpēter and the ben a raied wt gold & syluer, and •… oun not speak. And thei ye maken suche prelatis: bene lyke hem, whiche makeris shulē be damned wt suche prelatis, by that word of Dauid. They yt maken tho: bene made lyke tho. But marcke well that heathen men hadden simulacris of. vi. kyndis. That is, of cleye, of Tree, of Brasse, of Stone, of Syluer, and of Gold. We moune fynd these. vi. kyndis in euill prelatis (for why) simulacris of cley bene fleshly prelates, of whiche God seyth in the Psalter, I shal do hem awaye, as the cley of the stretis. Simulacris of tree bene vnwise prelatis and boistuous & with oute wyt. Of whiche it is sayd in holy scripture, a tree is wlappid in syluer. And these bene seyde to be mad and nought: into prelatis. These ben beastis clepid chymeris: that han aparte of eche beaste. And suche bene not, no but only in opinionne either speche, & not in dede nether in kynde. Simulacris of Brasse ben they that han only wordly eloquēce. For why brasse yeueth greate sowne. In Epistle to Corthinthies. xiii. Chapt. If I speake in ye langagis of mē, & of Aungellis, and I haue not Charitie: I am made as bras sowneing. Simulacris of stone bene they, y• bene broken fro rightfulnes and vertue for temporall strength. These prelatis be not the stone whiche is set into the heade of the corner, but these ben the stone of hurtyng and of sclander. Simulacris of Syluer bene they y• bene made by money, either riches whiche prelates seyne. What wolen ye yeue to vs? and we shulen bitraye Chryste to you. Golden simulacris bene tho that bene made onlye for worldly nobly. For why golde signifieth nobley. And therfore y• heade of the Image of Nabugodonosore was of golde, in the. ii. Chapter of Daniell. Archedeken telleth all this, in the. xliii. destinction. Capiter. Si •… rector. On this worde. •… utus. Though this doctour of the Popis lawe, be pleyue and sharpe: he seythe trueth sesonable. For the chirch now accordith wyth holy write and reasō and commō Doctours of holy scripture. For in the. xi. Chapter of zacharie, God clepith an euill prelate an Idole.

And in Ezechfell and other Prophetis he lykeneth Tirantis, and raueinoures, to Lions, woluis, bearis and other vnsaciable beastis to dispyse here synne. Here Lordis and other prelatis moune se in partie, how perilouse it is to ordeyne euell prelatis either euratis in the churche. For as Saynte Gregorye seyth in the fyrste parte of Pastorallis. ii. Chapter. No man harmeth more in the •… hirch then he y• doeth weywardly & holdith the name of order, either holynes. And ye law seith De electionibus capite Ni •… hil. That nothing harmith more in the chyrch of God: than that vnworthi men be takē to the gouernall of soulis. And Grosted seyth, in his sermō Premonitꝰ a venerabili pa •… re That to make vnable prelats either curats in y• chirch of God: is to haue come to the hyghiste degree of treaspasses. Also in hys sermō, Dominus noster Iesus Christus: he wrytith thus to the pope. He y• bitakith y• cure of soulis to a man vnmighty, vnkūing eyther not wylfull to helpe duly the soulys: is gyltye of all the soulys, though ani ascape either is sauid by Goddis grace. And he that bitakith the cure of soulis to him that is opē ly vnable therto: techith to set more •… rice by vnreasonable beastis, than by men, and forto loue more earthly thyngis y• passen shortly: than euerlastinge thyngis, more than y• death and bloude of goddis sonne. And he that yeuethe thus the cure of soules to vnable men: is worse than Herod that pursued Christ, and worse thā Iewis and heathen mē that crucifiden Christ. Gros •… id seith this plainly, and preuithe it openly byfore the pope and all hys clergie. And the ye that procutē beneficis either rychessis •… o men: hatē hem to whom the •… •… rocuren thus, as if they procuryde hem to be set in the cop of the chirch in whirle winds and great tēpestis. Grosted seyth thys in hys sermon▪ Scriptum est •… e Leuitis And he that is negligent to drawe soulis out of the •… yt of sinne, as mych as he maye by the order of lawe: and he that letti •… h hym of hys werke sleythe the souls. And he settith more price bi a flesh •… shepe than a gostly shepe, yt is mans soule. Yea settith more price bi a peny than by the lyfe of Gods so •… e: whych is worth all thys worlde. A rechlesse curat that sleeth so get ys by euyl ensample and with drawing of Goddis worde: is worse than the vnreasonable beastis, & he is worse than the crucifiers of Christe: for he crucifieth him in his mēbres. Good councelloures they bene alone: that bene wyse men and dread God. For whye, al couetouse men bene foolys and vnwyse men. And to belede by the counsell of hem: is to dyspose of 〈◊〉 , by the councell of foxys, and to dyspose of foldes of Shepe, by the counsell of wolues. Gros •… ede seyth thys in a sermon. Premonitus a venerabili patre. Se ye lords and prelatis that maken vnable curatis for fleshly affection and yeftys (and specyally for pleiynge at the beere, and other vnlefull iapis) what treasone ye done to God and what harme to Christis chirch & your auaūsees. Ye maken horryble abominacion of dis comforte stond in the holy place: for ye maken Antichrist to stonde at the hygh auter in the stede of Chryste: and treate the holye sacramente of Christes fleshe and blude full vnworthyly. And as Parisyens seyth, whan ye maken a coueitous pryest to stōd at the auter: ye makē a Moldy warpe to stonde there in the stede of Chryste. And whan ye maken a fonde Byshope that can not and louyth not Goddis lawe stonde mytryde at the auter: ye maken an hornyde asse stonde at the auter in stede of Christe. And so of other vnreasonable Beastys as Lyons. Woluys, Berys, Apis, Dragons, Hoggis, Doggis, & other visious Priestys, Proude, Coueitouse, Raueinouris, wrathfulle Hypo •… ritis, trecherouse, Glotenouse, Lecherouse, Enuious, and Back byteris. Ye trans fyguren Satanas into an angelle of lyghte whan ye maken curatys eyther prelatys that bene contrarye to Christ to occupie the office of a bishop, Abbot eyther pryeste, Lordes and prelatys that haue set suche Idolys in goddys house as Manasses dyde. Sue ye Manasses in very repētaūce and makyng of amendis to god and men. Also lordis and prelatis exciten strongly men to do I dolatrye. For thei swerē custōabli, nedles •… i & oft vnauisely and false, by the membres of god, by Chryste and by seyntis, in so mych that eche lorde and prelate, comynly maketh to hym an Idole of some seint, whō he worshipyth more then god, For comenly they sweren by our lady of walsyngham, seynte Iohn Baptyst, seynt Edward, seint Thomas of Canterburie, and suche other seintis: and chargen more this ooth then though they sweren by y• holy Trinitie. And in all thys, they honourē more these seintis, than thei honourē the holy Trinity Thoughe it were leful toswere biseyntis. this is Idolatrie to charge more an othe made by suche seyntis, than by God almighti either by the holi Trinitie. Nethelesse Chrisostom wytnessyth on the. v. chapiter. of Mathew: that to swere by ani creature, is to do Idolatrie. For as Ierome there (and decrees in the. xxii. cause. i. question.

Siquis per capillum. and Capite. next bifore, and Decretalis De Iur •… iurando, Capite Etsi Christus) wyttnesseth playnly, that to Swere by a Creature: is ayens goddis cōmaū dement. And therfore Christ in the. v chapiter of Mathew cōmaundythe to not swere bi heauē neither bi erth and vnderstondyth bi heauē & earth: creaturys of heauen & creaturys of erth. And in al the olde lawe it is not foundun where Godde grauntythe to swere by any creature, but onli bi hys owne name, or by hym selfe. And therfore the wyse man seyth in the xxiii. chapiter of Ecclesiasticus.

A manne that swerythe myche, shalbe fyllyd wyth wyckydnes: and vengeaunce shall not go awaye fro hys house. And efte he seythe. Thy mouth be not customably to swexeynge: for whi mych fallynge is in it. The •… empning of God be not custo mable in thy mouth: that is to swere by hys name in vayne, eyther false e •… ther for an euylle ende. And be thou not medlid wyth ye namis of seynts: that is to swere bi seyntis. For thou shalte not be gyltlesse of hem.

Here Lordys and Prelatys moune se, howe theye done openne Idolatrie: whan they gessen to honoure Seyntis. And here opē dedis of Idolatrie, bene open bokis of Idolatrye and Blasphemye to here soget •… s.

Therfore, as Gregory seyth in the seconde boke of Pastorallis the fifte chapiter▪ Prelatis bene worthy so many Deathes: how many ensamples of perdision theye senden to sogettis. And in the fyue and twenty chapiter of Numer •… God bade Mo ses hong all the Pryncys in Iebats ayens the Sunne: for the puple of Iscaell dyd Lechery and Idolatrye by ensample and sufferaūce of hem.

Nowe in Englonde it is a common protection ayens Persecutyon of Prelatis and some Lordys: yf a man be customable to swere nedles false, and vnauysyde, by the bones, naylys and sydys, and other membrys of Chryste & to be proude, and Lecherouse and speake not of Goddis lawe, and repreue not Synne aboute him. And to a bstayn fro othis nedelesse and not leful and to eshewe Pryde, and speake Honour of God and hys Lawe, and repreue Synne be waye of Charitie: is mattere and cawse nowe, whye Prelatis & some Lords, slaūder mē & clepen hem low lardis, Heritikis, reisars of debate & of treason ayens the Kynge. Nowe Manasses sertethe Idols openly in the temple of God, and styryth men greatly to do Idolatrie & cherisheth hein that breakē openly gods, hestis & puny sheth hem sore as heathē men eyther heretykis, that bysien hem to learne, kepe, and teach goddis hests The. iii. time lordis & prelatis both: sheden innocent bloud, as Manasses did. For thei wastē folili here goods in w •… yngis & pleyingis binyghtis and in reresopers, and in other vanities, and takē greate & vnmesurable taxes of the comens. And lesse lords and prelatis done greate extortions to pore mē: & takē poremēs goodis & paye little or nought (and out of tyme) for tho. Therfore as Miche the prophet seyth in the. iii. chapiter, they hielden pore mē: and eaten here fleshe. And Grostede declareth thys well in hys dict that begynyth thus. Siut lumbi vestri preci •… cti, and in thē thryde Dicte. And God seyth in the Psalter of suche tyrantes: they deuoren my people, as the meate of bred. Howe miche bloude Lordis sheden in warris for pryde and couetyse, by coun •… eil of false prelates cōfessouris & preachars: it passeth mans wyt to te •… ully in this lyfe. But of shedynge bloude & sleyng of poore men, by •… drawyng of Almese, and in yeuyeng it to deade stockis either stones, eyther to riche clerkis and feyned relygiouse: were to speake nowe, yf a mā had the spirite of gostly strength. Nowe men knelene and preyen and offren faste to deade Imagis that han neither hunger nor colde, & dyspisen, beaten and sleen chrysten men, made to the Image & lykenes of the holye Trinitie, what honour of god is this? to knele and offer to an Image made of synfull mans handis, and to dispise and robbe the Image made of goddes handis, that is a christen man either a christē woman. Whan men yeuē not Almese to pore nedie men but to deade Imagis eyther ryche clerkis: they robben pore men of here due portion and nedfull sustinaunce, assignyd to hem of God him sylfe.

And whan suche offerars to dead Imagis robben pore men, thei robbē Iesu Christe: as he seyth in the xxv. chapiter of Mathew. That, that ye dydden to one of these leest of myne: ye dydden to me. And if they shulen be damnid that yeuen not meate and dryncke and other necessaris to pore men as Christ seyth: where shoulen they bicome, that robben pore men, and so Iesu Christe him silfe?

And if these tweyne, that yeuen not lyuelode and that robben pore men, shulen be dampnyd sodeape in Hell: where shulen false teachars, styrars and confessours bicome, that styren Lords and rych men to robbe thus pore men, & to do thys vnder the coloure of excellent Almese and holynes?

But mourne we sore for thys cursydnes, and prey we to God wyth al oure herte, that sythyn Lordis and prelatis suen Manasses in these open sinnis: God styr hē to sue Manasses in very penaunce, and make a mendis to God and men, leste our rewm be conquiryd of aliens either of Heathen men, for these open synnis and many mo.

The. xi. chapiter.

The fyrste boke of Esdras tel tellyth, howe Cirus Kynge of Persys yafe lycence to Iewis, to turn ayen to Ierusalem & Iudee & bylde the tēple of God in Ierusalē. And bade yt other me •… e in his rewme: shulden helpe to this bildinge, and he yafe the vessellis herto, that Nabugodonosore had taken awaye fro Ierusalem. Than is telde the noumbre of hem that turniden ayen into Iude vnder Iosue the prieste, the sonne of Iosedeche, and vnder Zorobobell the Duike. And howe they bygunnen to bylde the auter and the Temple, and what lettynge they hadden of enimies, and what conforte of God and of his Prophetes.

Than it is telde what sorowe Esdras made, for the Princis and Pristes and commons token Heathen women to wyfes ayens the Lawe. And howe the Princes and the Puple repentiden mekely and veryly, & maden amēdes to Godde & men.

In the boke of Neemie, whycheNeemie. is clepyd the Seconde boke of Esdras, is toolde howe Neemie▪ gate graunte of the Kynge to bylde the wallis of Ierusalem. And howe he and other men boeth Priestis and other princis and comins, byldeden the yatis and walles, and lockis and touris aboue: for defence of enimies And howe the enemyes of Iewis purposiden wt stronge hande to slea Iewis priueli, & distri here wercke. Thā halfe ye parte of yong mē, made the wercke, & halfe the parte was re die to bataile. Wyth one hande they madē the wercke, & wt the other they helden the swerde and eche of hem y• bilded, was gyrde wt his swerde. Than it suith, howe Neemie Duke of the puple dyd frely hys office: and toke no coostis assignid to the Duke And he dyd thus: for the pouertie of the puple. After thys doing, Esdras rede in the boke of goddys lawe fro the morningtide tylto noone: before the multytude of men and women, And dekenis maden scilence in the puple to heare the lawe. And Esdras red in the boke of gods lawe: fro the fyrst daye tilto the last.

Than the children of Israel camen togidyr, in fastynge and in sackis either hairis, and earth was •… n hem And the seed of the sonnis of Israel, was departid fro eche Alyen sonne: and they stoden byfore the Lorde, and knowlechyden here synne, and the wyckydnes of here fadyrs.

And they rysiden to gidir to st •… nd: and they readden in the boke of the lawe of here God. Foure sythys in the daie and foure sithis in the night: they knowlechyden and heriydē here Lorde God. And Dekenis •… ryeden wythe greate Uoyce to here Lorde God, and baden the Puple ryse and blesse God.

Than suyth the solemne confessiō of Esdras, howe he knowlechyde fyrste the gloriouse werkes of God: and afterwarde the horrible synnis of all the puple, and of here fadyrs.

And than al the puple made cou •… naūt & swore to kepe gods law: and to bie not in ye Sabot & holy daie of hem that broughten vyteilis to sell.

And they byhyghten to paye the fyrste frutis to priestis: and tithis to Dekenys, and to brynge all thys to the temple of God. At the laste Neemie su •… eryd neither Iewes neither Strayngars: sell neyther bye in the Sabottis. Not only in Ierusalem: but neither in placis nigh the wal •… s.

And he rebukyd and curssyd and beate menne and made hem ballyd: that tokē alien womē to here wyfs. As of Osotus, of Amō, and of Moab. And chargid hem greately in the Lord: that they shulen not yeue here doughters to the sonnys of heathen mē, & take not of ye doughters of heathē men to here owne sonis & to hem s •… lt. This proces of Esdras & Neemi shuld stir vs to be bysy to bylde vertuis in our soule, after turnyng ayene fro catiftie o •… sinne: & to fyght ayens temptatiōs, and byld faste vertuis, as they foughtē wyth the toon hōde ayens enimies, and bildidē wyth the tother honde. And we shoulden be full bisy to kepe the gostly Sabot in good werks and heriyng of God: sithen they weren so bisy to kepe the fyguratyse Sabot.

Though the boke of Tobie is notIob •… ▪ of bileue, it is full deuout storie and profytable to the symple Puple, to make hem to kepe pacience, & goddis heestis, to do workis of mercie, and to teache well here chyldren and to take wyfes in the drede of God, for loue of chyldren, and not all for foule lust of bodi, neither for couetise of the goddis of the worlde. And also childrē moūe learne here by yong Tobie, to be meke and obediente, & redie to serue fadir and modir in her nede. Therfore among all the bokis of the olde Testament: simple men wyt shoulen read & heare often this boke of Tobie, to be trewe to God in prosperitie and aduersytie, and eschewe Idolatrie, glotonnye and couetyse, and to be patient in tribulation & go neuer a waye fro the loue and dreade of God. Thoughe theIudith Seene of Clarkis, eyther generalle gaderynge of clergie, hath taken the boke of Iudith, among the nombre of holy scriptures: netheles it is not of the cannon, eyther feyth of the bible anentis Hebruis. For they recey uen not the Autorytie of thys boke. Nethelesse it was wryttē in Caldee langage: and it is nounbryd among stories, as Ierom witnesseth on the prologe. But nethelesse, thys boke cōmendith Chastitie, and Abstinēce penaūce and wydewhod of Iudith: and her loue which she hade to delyuer Godds puple fro here enimies, and to kepe the fayth and worshypynge of God amonge hys puple. Also, thys boke cōmendyth thefeyth and trueth of Achior, that was conuertyd to Goddis lawe: by myracle and sleayng of Holofernes, by ye hō dys of the wyddow Iudyth. Than Iudyth repreuide pryestys, for they temptidē God and consentydē to de liuer the Citie to enymies: if Godde sente not helpe to hem wythin Fyue dayes. And good Priestis token mekelie thys repreuing of a womā, and she taught hem how thei shouldē do penaunce for this trespace: and comfortide the puple for to truste in Godde, and abyde hys mercye and helpe at hys owne wyll. Us nedyth not to excuse Iudyth for leasyngys and treason to Holofernes: but we moune fauourablye excuse her fro deadly synne in thys dornge, for the great loue yt she had to Gods puple, and to sl •… Holofernes a blasphemer of God and dystrier of his lawe and puple. And iustlye Godde toke thys vēgeaūce on Holofernes, for his sin & harinis done to Gods puple, and which he purposid to doi •… he might liue lōg. Of this proces, proud war riers shuldē drede God: that made proude Holofernes to be slayne of a womā, & al hys great oost scatteryd & destryed. And christē mē shuldē be comfortyde greatlye, for to haue full tryst to God and in his helpe: that so myghttylly delyuered his puple fro so greate an enimie and strong oost, wythouten perishyng of hys puple. And sythen Iudyth hadde so greate preysynge for her doynge that was medlid wt many synnis: mych more preysynge shulē they haue in heauen wtouten end, yt putten forth hem silfe to be martirid for Gods cause, with true meanis of patiēce & of chatitie.

The boke of Hester tellith first,Hester. howe the Quene Uasti was forsaken for hyr pryde: and was departid from the mariage of Kynge Assuerus. And howe Hester for her meknes, beautye and Goddis grace was made quene in the styd of vasti. Also ye trewe Mardochee, the father in lawe of adoption of thys woman Hester: taught hyr to loue God and kepe his law. And she was ful meke and obedyen •… e to Mardochee: yea whā she was quene, as to hyr father in lawe. Than Aman of the kynryde of Agag, cōspyred bi subtyle malice to dystrye all the puple of Iewis in the lond of Assuerus: and had graūt of the Kynge at hys owne wyll, and the daye of dystriynge and of sleaing of ye Iewis was publishid through all the rewme. Than Mardochee and the Iewis dydden greate Penaunce and n aden greate Sorowe: and prayden Godde of helpe in that greate nede. And Mardochee sent to Hester: that she shulde do the same, and go to the Kynge in peryle of her lyfe, and to axe grace of hym and reuokynge of letteris & powre graūtid to Aman the enimie of Iewes. And After mich fasting, penaūce and pryer: Hester betoke hyr selfe to Goddis dysposytyon, and to perylle of here death, and entryd to the Kyng, yea ayens the lawe of the lond, whan she was not clepyd: to axe mercye and helpe of the Kynge for her selfe and all her puple. And Godde turned the fiersenes and the cruelty of the King to mekenes, mercie, and benygnitie: ayens Hester and ye puple of Iews. And than he reuokyd ye powr graū tyd to Aman: and let hange hym as he had purposyd to haue hongeyd the trewe Mardochee, and yafe general powr to Ieues, to slea all her enimies in hys Empyre. After these thyngis, the Kyng enhaunsyd Mardochee, and made hym greatest next the Kyng: and yafe greate franches and honour to the Iewes. This storie of Hester shoulde styre men to be trewe to Godde and to hys Lawe, and put awaye Pride and Enuye, and euer tryste in God in all perylis: and Tyrauntis shoulden be aferde to conspyre ayens Gods seruauntis le •… te God take vengeaunce on hem, as he dydde on thys manne Aman that hadde conspired the death and generall dystriynge of Iewis

The boke of Iob, is full subtyleIob. in vnderstondyng. For Iob arguith ayens hys enimies, yt wolden bryng hym out of chrysten feyth: and cōclu dyth mani errouris that suen of here false byleue and opynyon. And Iob affirmyth not that allis south that he speakyth ayens hys aduersaries: but concludyth hem in here false byleue, that mani errours suen therof. And, for I haue declaryde in partye in the glose howe, harde sentencis of Iob shuldē be vnderstandē: therfore I passe ouyr lyghtlye nowe. Fyrste thys boke telllyth the kynne of Iob and hys rychesses, and holye lyfe of hym and of his chyldren. And afterwarde it tellyth: what trybulatyon befell to Iob, in his cattel, in his chil dren, and in hys owne body, & how patiently he suff •… yd this, and thanckyd Godde in al hys dyseases. That his wife whom the Dyuill reseruid as a specyall instrumente to hym to diseyue Iob by hys wyfe, as he disceyued Adame by Eue: counsellynge hym to blaspheme God and therby dye. And Iob reprehendid hyr folye and sayd. If we han receiuid goods of Goddis hande: why suffer we not euillis? that is peynes.

And in all these thyngys: Iob synnyd not in hys lyppys.

Than suyth the dysputynge, bytwyxt Iob and hys frindys: almost tilto the ende of the boke.

Iob helde strongely the trueth of Christen feyth and specially of risyng ayene of bodys at domies daye And his frēdis seyden many truthis and medlidē falsnes, and euer purposyden an euyll ende and falsed.

For they helden that mede is yeuen onely in thys lyfe for good werkys: and that no man is punnyshed here, no but for synnys passed. And as a man is punished more then an other in thys lyfe: so he hath synnyd more than a nother man, lesse punished.

But al this is false, as Iob priueth and Godde confyrmyth in the ende. For why, reward of Good dedis is mych more in the lyfe comynge, thā in present lyfe. And a vertuouse man is punnyshed here, for to haue mede in heauen. And cōmonlye a iuste man hathe more trybulacion in this lyfe: than a wycked man. As it is open of Chryst yt suffrid here much dysease: & of tiraūtis, y• han mich prosperitte in this lyfe, And therfore, Iob telde hys good dedes opēly, to cōfort him selfe ayens dyspeyre: to whyche hys fryndes wolden brynge hyme. But Iob dyd thys ouer myche and wyth some pryde, and iustyfyede hym selfe ouermich: that his frindis cōceiuidē that he blasphe myde God, and preuyd God vnrygffulle. And of these two poyntys, Iob repentyde in the ende. Than Godde foryafe to hym thys lyttle syne, and appreuyde hys true sentēce: and damnid the errour of his aduersaries. Than Iob preied and made sacrifice for his aduersaries: and God hearde hym and did mercie to hem. And Godde addyde all thyngys duble that Iob hadde. And he had. xiiii. thousande of shepe and. vi. thousande of Camellis, and a thousāde yokis of oxē, and a thousande Femell Asses, and seuen sonis &. iii daughters. And Iob lyued. vii. score yere after hys turmente & sygh his sonnis & the sōnis of hys sonnis tilto the. iiii. generacion. Thys proces of Iob shuld styr men to be iuste of lyueyng, and to be patient in Aduersitie, as Iob was and to be stidfaste in christen feyth, and answere wysely and mekely, to heretikis and aduersaries of ou •… fayth as Peter & Poule techen: and euer be meke and full of charitie, and prey for our enimies, and loke after mede in heauen and not in earth, for our good dedis.

The Psalter comprehendith al the •… salter. olde testament and newe, and techith playnely the misteries of the Trinitie, & of Christis Incarnation, Passion, and Riseyng agayne, Stiynge into Heauen, and sendyng downe of the Holygoste, and preachyng of the Gospell, and the commyng of Antichrist, & the generall dome of Christ and the glorie of chosen men to blis: and the peynis of hem that shulen be damnid in Hell.

And ofte rehersyth the stories of the olde Testament: and bryngyth in the kepeyng of Godis hestis, and loue of Enimies. No boke of the olde Testament is harder to vnderstondyng to vs Latines: for our letter discordith mych fro the Hebrwe.

And many Doctouris taken lyttle heede to the letter: but all to the gostly vnderstondyng.

Well were hym that coulde well vnderstonde the Psalter, and kepe it in hys lyueyng: and seye it deuoutly and conuicte Iewis thereby.

For many men that seyne it vndeuoutely, and lyuen oute of charitie: lyghen foul on hemsylfe to God and blasphemen hym, when they crien it full lowde to mennis Earys in the Chyrche.

Therefore God yeue grace to vs to lyue well in charitie, and s •… y it deuoutely, and vnderstonde it truely: and to teach it openly to christē men and Iewis, and bryng hem thereby to oure Christen Feyche and brenyng Charitie.

The Prouerbis either ParablisProuerbis. of Solomō: teachē men to lyue iustly to God and man.

Ecclesiastes teachith men to forsakeEcclesiastes. and set at nought all goodys in the worlde: and to drede God and kepe his hestis.

The songis of songis, teachē mē toSongis of songis. set al here herte in the loue of God & of here neighbours: & to do all here busines to bring men to charitie and saluation, by good ensample & trew preachyng and wylfull sufferyng of peyne and death if nede be.

Prouerbis speaken mych of wisdome and kepyng of Gods hests: in cōmondyng trewe teachyng, and in repreuyng false teachyng. And prouerbis teachen mych of ryghtfulnes and iuste domis and gouernaūce: & of punishyng of Adulterie and other falsenessis, and cōmenden mych iust Lords and sogets: & repriuen strōgly wronful Lords & rebel sogettis.

Also Prouerbis teachen derkly, the mysteries of Christe and of holy Chirch: and teachen mych wisdome and prudēce for the soul and the bodye. Therfore Lords and comeners also, and namely priestis, shulen study well thys boke: and rule hemsilfe therby to saluatiō of body & of soull.

Ecclesiastes is a full sotill boke.Ecclesiastes. For Solomō speakith in many persons: and concludith here intent and sentēce. Not in appreuing the sentēce of fleshly men, that preisen more bodily goodis and lustis of the body, than heauēly goodis & likyng of vertuis: & damnith many errours of mē, & shewith that al is Uanitie, tyll me come to the dred of God, & keping of his hestis. Therfore, men moten be wel war how thei vnderstōdē Solo mō in this boke: yt thei appreuē none errour & damnē no truth, for miscō ceyuyng of Solomons wordis, and the Holigostis wordis in this boke.

The songis of songis techē derklye, the state of ye Sinagoge, fro the goyng out of Egypt, tylto Christis incarnation and passion. And than tho songis teachen the state of Christis chyrch and of the Synagoge in the ende of the worlde: and treaten hyghlye of loue to God and neyghbouris also, And thys boke is so sotle to vnderstond: that Iewis ordeyniden that no man should studye it, no but he were of. xxx. yere, and had able wyt to vnderstōd the gostli pryuities of thys boke. For some of the boke semith to fleshly mē, to sow vnclene loue of lecherie: where it tellyth hygh gostly loue, and great priuities of Christe and of hys chyrch.

Therfore, men moten be full well ware: to conceyue weil the wordis of the Holygoste in thys boke, and knowe whan Christ speakyth to the chyrch either to the Synagoge, and whā the Sinagog speakith to God and whanne the chyrche speaketh to Chryste. And whan God speakyth to Angelis, Patriarkis, & prophets and Apostles: & whan these persons speaken to ye synagoge, eyther to the chyrche, either ayen warde.

The boke of wisdome, though it beWysdom not a boke of bileue: teachith miche rightfulnes & preysyth wysdome, & repreuyth fleshlye men for here false byleue and euyllyuyng, and cōmendyth mych iust men, sadde in byleue & vertuouse liuinge. And it toucheth mych of Chrystys incarnacion, hys manhede and godhede togither: and damneth greatli Idolatrie and false worshypynge of Idolles and false goddis

Thoughe Ecclesiasticus be no boke of beleue: it teacheth mich wysdomeEcclest •… . and prudence for Soule and body, & hath mich ye sentence of prouetbis And cōmaūdyth men to thynke and speake of gods hestis: & for to dread God and loue hym, and euer haue mynde of death & of the great dome, to kepe men out of synne, and in perfecte loue to God and man. Also it preisith mych almese and good preier, and repreuith greatly extortions and wrong, and false othis and false measuris, and false weyghtis, and al fraude priuie and aparte.

At the last it cōmendith good men, and heriyth God, that deliuerith fro all perilis. If thys boke be well vnderstōd: it is profitable both to gost ly gouernouris, and bodily Lordis and Iusticis, and Comins also. The Prophetis han a general Prolog for all. And for I declarid some dell the great Prophets and in partie the smal Prophetis: and thyncke sone to make an ende (with Godes helpe) of the Glose of the smal Prophetis: I thynke now to passe ouir wythouten any tariyng.

The first boke of Machabeis, tellithMachab. howe greate dystructyon and crueltie Antioke the noble, dyd ayen the Iews, and how mani thousandis he kyllyd of hem, that woldē holde Goddys lawe. And brent the bokes of Gods lawe: and defoulid the temple of Ierusalem, and compellyd men for dreade of death to do Idolatrie, and forsake God and his Lawe. And he toke vesseles and tresourys in the temple: and bare into hys lo •… de. And he brente the Citye of Ierusalem: and dystried the housis therof and the wals therof in cō passe. And he toke the hygh toure of Dauid and set men of armis therin, to lette men come to Ierusalem, and they dydden mych harme to the puple of Israell▪ And who euer helde the boke of Goddis testamente, and kepte hys Lawe: was slayne by cō maundement of Antioke the Kyng.

And women that circū •… ididen here chyldren: weren slayne by cōmaūdement of Antioke the Kyng. And thei hangiden chyldren by the neckis, by all the houses of men of Israell, and kyllyden hem that circūcididen chyldrē. Than arose Matathias y• pryst and fled fro Ierusalem into Modin and byweilede greatly thys distryynge of the puple, of the temple and citie, and of al the lond. And he ayene stode the Kynge and hys ministers: and kyllid the Kingis ministres that cōpelliden men to do Idolatry. And he killid a man that did Idolatri on the auter: & dystried the auter wheron Idolatrie was done. Than Matathias and hys sonnys fledden into hyllis: and leften all thyngis whych they hadden in the Cittie. And mani men that soughtē dome & ryghtfulnes: and woldē kepe Gods Lawe: camen to hem into deserte. Heathen men made wars on hem in Sabates: and manye dieden in here simplenes, for thei nolden make battel in Sabatis. Than manie Iewis weren gaderyd to hym and maden a greate Ooste, and weren redye to fyght in Sabattis and thei kylliden synnars in greate wrath.

And Matathias and hys fryndes compassiden and dystrieden auters, and circumcididen chyldren, whych they founden in al the coastis of Israell. And they pursuiden the chyldren of pryde: and the werke hadde prosperitie in his hondis.

And they gotten the law fro the honds of heathen men and of kyngs: & yeauē not strēgth to the sinful mā.

And whan Matathias was in poynte of Death: he comfortyd hys sonnis to put here lyues for the law of God, bi ensample of Abrahā and other holy mē byfore goyng. And he ordeynid Iudas Machabeus to be Duke of bateyl: and ordeynid Simont hys sonne to be Fadyr and priest to hem, for he was a man of counsell. Than bene tolde manye batteylys of Iudas Machabeus ayens heathen men: and of great vyc torie bi Goddis help. Than Iudas Machabeus made frendshyp wyth Romaynis for her prudence, ryghtfulnes & powre. And whan Iudas was deade in batteyle: the puple ordeined Ionathas hys brother theyr prynce and Duke for to hollde war ayens heathen men. Than ben telde many bateils of Ionathas & vyctories: whyche he had ayens heathen men. Than Ionathas after many vyctories: sente to renulle frenshy pe wyth Romayns and Sparcyatys that weren of the Kynne of Iewis. And Ionathas and hys sonnis weren slayne at the laste bi treasonne of Trifon, that was an heathē manne and myghtie Duke. Than Simont was made Duke of the Puple: and in the styd of Iudas Machabeus & of Ionathas, and he dyd many bat teylis and strong, & had great victories ayens heathen men. And Iewis hadden much reste vnder hym: and he made stronge holdys and cy •… yes in Iuda. And he renullyde frendship wyth Romaynis and Sparciatys, and hade mych glorye of hys folke and of heathen Kyngys. And at the laste Symont and his sonnis werē slayne by treasone: and Iohn hys sonne was Prynce of priestys after hys fathe •… ys dayes, and dyd manye bateyls ayens heathen men.

The seconde Boke of Machabeys: tellyth mych the same sentence of the fyrste boke, and hath a fewe speciall poynts of Eliodorus and of Eliazarus, and of the noble Wydo we and hyr seuen sonnis. Eliodorus was sente of the Kynge to take awaie the treasuris of the Temple of Ierusalem, and bere tho to the Kynge. And thoughe the treasourys weren kepte for the lyfelode of Wyddowes and fatherlesse chyldren, and some weren another manys goodis. Eliodorus wolde algate beare al to the Kynge. But God made hym & hys felowis sore aferd, And Elidorus was beaten almost to death, of a ferdful one sytynge on an horsse, that hade two younge men aboute him. And Elio dorus was cast downe to the groūd and was borne out on a bere and ley doumb •… .

And whan the hyghste Prieste offrid sacrifice and preied for ye helth of Eliodorus: God grauntyd lyfe to hym. And he thankyde God and the hygheste priste: and yede to the King and tolde hym howe it stode. And he wytnessid to al men the greate werkis of God: whych he had sene with hys iyen.

Than is tolde of the curssyd dedys of Iason the prieste, that came in by Simonie, and woulde brynge the Iewis to Idolatrie and Sodomitie, and to forsake God and hys Lawe.

Than is tolde of the greate crueltye of Antiochus whych he dyde ayens the Iewes and the holie place of Ie rusalem: and God suffrede thys for the synnes of ye puple, for why God chees not folke for the place, but the place for the folke. Than Eleazarus cheese to dye a sharpe Death: rather that he woulde breke Goddys lawe in a litle pointe to eatte porke, yea to feyne to eate porke.

After thys it sueth howe the blyssyd wyde we and hyr. vii. sonnys weren martyryd for they noldenne breake Goddis lawe: and howe gloriously the blessede mother comforted hein, to take Death with ioye for the law of God.

Thys story of Machabeys shoulde styr Christen men to holde Goddys law to life & to death. And if knights shulē vse ye swerd ayens any curssyd men they shouldē vse it ayens lords and pryestis principally, that woldē compel men for drede of prisone and death to forsake the trueth and fredome of Christis gospel. But God for hys greate mercie, yeue verye repētaūce to hem that thus pursuē tru men: and graunte patience, mekenes and charitie to hem that benne thus pursuyd.

Amen.

The. xii Chapiter.

But it is to wytte, that holy scripture hath. iiii. vnderstōdyngis. Literal, Moral Aligorike, & Anagogike. The Literal vnderstōdyng teachith the thynge done in dede. And litteral vnderstandynge is ground and foū dement of. iii. gostli vnderstondingis In so mych as Austē in hys Epistle to Uincent & other doctours seyne. Only by the lytteral vnderstondyng a mā maie argu ayens an aduersari.

Aligorike is a gostli vndirstōding that teachyth what thyng men owē to beleue of Chryste eyther of holye Churche. Morall, is a gostly vnderstandyng that teachyth menne what vertues they owen to sue, and what vyces they owne to flee. Anagogik, is a gostly vnderstandynge that teacheth men what blisse they shullenne haue in heauen. And thes. iiii. vnderstondingys moune be taken in thys worde Ierusalē. For why, to y• literall vnderstondynge it sygnifieth an earthly cytie, as London or such an other. To Alygorye it syngnyfyeth holy churche in earth y• fytyth ayens sennis and Fendis. To morall vnderstonding, it singnifyeth a Christē sowlle. To anagogike it sygnifyeth holy church reynyng in blysse, eyther in heauen, and tho that benne therin.

And these three Gostlye vnderstondyngis ben not autentike, either of beleue: no but tho ben growndyd openly in the text of holy Scripture in oo place ether in other, either in open reason that may not be distryid▪

Either whan the Gospelars either other Apostles: take Allegorie of the olde Testamēt and confirmen it. As Poul in ye Epistil to Galathies the. iiii. chapiter, preuyth, that Sarai the fre wyfe and principall of Abraham, wyth Isaac hyr sonne: signifieth by Alegorie, the newe Testament, and the sonnis of byhest. And Agar the handmayde with hyr sonne Ismael: signifieth by Alegory the olde Testament, and fleshly men that shulen not be receyuyd into the heritage of God, wyth the sonnis of byheste, that holden the trewth and fredome of Christis Gospeil wyth endelesse Charitie.

Also holy Scripture hath manye figuratife speachis.

And as Austin seyeth in the thryd boke of christen teachyng: that Autours of holy Scriture vsen moe figuris, that is moe figuratyfe speachis, than gramariens moune gesse that readen not tho figurys in holye Scripture.

It is to be ware in the begynyng: that we take not to the Letter a figuratyfe speach.

For than (as Poule seythe) the Letter sleayth: but the Spirite, that is Gostly vnderstondyng, quyckennythe.

For whanne a thynge whyche is seyed figuratyfely, is taken so as if it be seyed propirly: me vnderstondyth fleshly.

And none is clepyd more couenable the Death of Soull: than whan vnderstonding that passith Beastis, is made sogette to the fleshe in suyng the Letter.

Whateuer thyng in Gods worde may not be referrid propirli to honestie and vertuis, neither to the truth of feyth: it is figuratife speach. Honesti of vertuis perteinith to the loue of God and our neyghbours. Truth of feyth perteynith to knowe God and thy neighboure. Holy scripture cōmaūdith nothyng but charitie: it blamith nothyng no but couetise. And in that maner it enformith the good vertus either ye good conditiōs of men. Holy scripture affirmith nothing: no but christē feith, by thyngis passid, present, and to cō myng. All these thyngis perteinen to nourish charitie and make it strong, and to ouircome & quench couetise. Also it is figuratife speache: where the wordis maken Allegorie, either a dearke lykenes either a Parable. And it is figuratife speach in ye first chapter of Ieremie. To daie I haue ordeinid the on folckis and rewmis: that thou drawe vp by the rote and dystry and bylde and plante. That is, that thou drawe out olde synnis, and dystry circomstaūcis either causis of tho: and bylde vertuis & plant good werckis and customis.

Al thyngis in holy scripture that semē to vnwise mē to be ful of wykidnes ayens a mā himsilfe ether ayens his neyghboure: ben figuratife spechis, and the priuities eyther gostly vnderstondyngis shulden be sought oute of vs, to the fedyng eyther kepyng of Charitie.

Such a rule shal he kepte in figuratife spechis, that so loug it be turnid •… n mynde by diligent consyderation: tyl the expownyng either the vnderstondyng be brought to the rewme of Charitie.

And if any speach of scriptur sowne propitly Charitie: it o with not to be gessid a figuratife spech. And if it for byd wickidnes either cōmaūde profite either good doyng: it is no figuratife speach. If it seme to cōmaūde crueltie either wyckidnes, eyther to for byd profyte eyther good doinge: it is a fyguratife spech. Christe seith If ye eatten not the fleshe of manis sonne, & drynken not hys bloud: you shoullen not haue lyfe in you. Thys speache semyth to cōmaūde wyckidnes eyther crueltye: therfore it is a fyguratyfe speache, and cōmaundith men to cōmune wyth Christis passi on, and to kepe in mynde swetly and profinablie, that Christis flech was woundid and crucifiede for vs. Also whan holy scryptur seyth. If thyne enimie hunger, fede thou hym, if he thryste: geue thou drynke to hym: it cōmaundyth benefyte eyther good doynge. Whan it seyth, thou shalte gather togyther coles on his heade: it semith that wickednes of euyl wil is cōmaundyd. Thys is seyd by fyguratyfe speach: yt thou vnderstoud that the coolis of fyre, ben brenyng weilyngis either mourningis of pē naunce: by whych the pryde of hym is made whole, whyche soroweith that he was enimie of that man, that helpith and releuith his wrechednes

Also the same worde, either the same thynge in Scripture: is taken some tyme in good and some tyme in Euyll. As a Lion signifiyth some tyme Christe: and in an other place it signifith ye deuil. Also sowr dough is set some time in euil: wher Christ seith, beware of the sowre dough of the Phariseis, which is Hypocrisie.

Sowre dough is set also in good: whan Christe seyth, the rewme of heauens is lyke sowre dough &c.

And whan not oo thyng alone but tweyne eyther moe ben felyd eyther vnderstōden by the same wordis of scripture, though it be hyd y• he vnderstode that wrote: it is no peryle if it maye be preuid by other placis of holy scripture, that ech of tho things accordith wyth truth, and in hap the autour of scripture seith the ilke sentence in the same wordis, which we wolen vnderstonde. And certis the Spirite of God that wrought these thyngis by the Autour of scripture: byfore seeth wythouten doubt that the ilke sentence shulde come to the readar either to the hearar.

Yea the Holygoste purueied that that ilke sentēce (for it is groūdid on truth) shuld come to the redadar, either hearar. For what myghte be purueyed of God largelyer and plē tuouselyer in Gods spechis: thā that the same wordis be vnderstōden in many maners: which maners other wordis of God that ben not of lesse autoritie, make to be preuid?

Austine in the. iii. boke of christen teachyng, seyth all thys and myche more in the bygynyng therof.

Also he, whose herte is full of charitie: comprehendith wythouten any erroure, the manifold aboundaūce, & largist teching of Gods scripture. For why, Paul seith. The fulnes of law is chariti. And in an other place The ende of law (that is perfection eyther, fyllynge of the lawe) is charitie of clene herte and of good cōscience and of feyth not feynyde. And Iesu Chryst seyth. Thou shalte loue thy lorde God of al thyne herte, and of al thy soule and of al thy mynde: and thy neighbour as thy selfe. For in thes two cōmaūdemētis, hangith all the lawe and the prophetis. And as the rote of all euillis is couetyse: so the rote of al goodnes is charitie.

Charitie by which we louen God and the neghbour: holdyth sykerlye al the greatnes & largenes of Gods speachis. Therfore, if it is not leisure to seke al holi scripturs, to expowne al the wlappings of words, to perse all the priuities of scrypturis: holde thou charite wher al thyngis hang, so thou shalte holde that, that thou lernidest there. Also thou shalt holde that, that thou lernydiste not. For if thou knowe charitie: thou knoweste somthynge wheron also that hangyth, that in hap thou knowiste not.

And in that that thou vnderstōdist in scriptur: charitie is open, and in that that thou vnderstondysie not, charitie is hyd. Therfor, he yt holdith charitie in vertuys either in good condicions: holdyth boeth that, that is open and that, that is hid in Goddis wordis. Austyne seyth al thys and mich more in a sermō of the preising of charitie. Also. vii. rue •… is of Tyco, nie and of Austine: declar •… n manye thyngis of holie scripturis.

The firstrule is of Iesu Christe and of his holi spirite. Do persone of the head & of the bodie, that is of Christ and of holy chyrche: is shewid to vs in this rule. For it is not seid in vain to feythful men, ye bene the seede of Abraham: whan there is •… o seede of Abraham, whych seede is Chryste. Dout we not, whē scriptur goth fro the hed to ye bodi, ether fro ye bodi to the hed, & netheles it goth not awey fro one & the same persōe. For w •… ye oo persōe spekith in Esai. He settid a mi •… er to me as to a spouse: & he hono rid me as a spouses, wt an ornamēt. And nethles it is to vnderstōd, what of these. ii. accordith to the hed, yt is Christ: & what accordith to the bodi, yt is holi chirch. For wh •… a myter accordith to Christ which is ye spouse: & an ornamēt acordith to holi chirch, which is the spouses of Chryst.

The. ii, rule, as Ticonie seith, is of the bodi of Christ: which bodi is departyd into tweyne.

But certis th •… s bodie of Christe ought not to be clepid so. For trulye it is not the bo •… i of Christe: wh •… che shal not be wt him wtoutē end. But it shal be seid of the veri body & of the medlid bodi of Christ, ether of ye veri bodi & of the feinid bodi of Christ. For why, hypocritis shoullen be seid to be not wyth Chryste, not onelye withoutē end: but also now, though they semen to bee in the Churche of Chryst. Wherefore, this rule might be clepyd thus: that it were seyde of the medlid chyrch that is that cōprehendyth chosen mē to blisse, and also Hipocritis that shoulen be damnid. And this rule axeth a waking ether dylygente reader. Whan it speakyth of other men, it semith to speak nowe as to the same men whych it speake before. Either it semyth to speake of the same men: whane it speakyth of other men, as if oo body be of euereither, for temporall medlynge, and communynge of Sacramentys.

To thys rule it perteyneth that the chirch seyth in songis of Songys: I am blacke and fayre, as the tabernacles of Cedar, as the skynnys of Solomon. The Churche seyde that she is euereither for temporal vnitie wythin oo nette of good fyshys, and of euyll fyshes. For whye, the tabernacles of Cedar, perteinē to Ismaell, that shall not be Heyre wyth the sonne of the free wyfe, The thyrde rule is of byheestis and lawe.

Thys rule maye be sayd also of the spirite and letter: and maye be sayde also of grace, and of commaundemente. And Ticonie errid in seying, that wercks ben yeuen to vs of God for merite of feyth: but feyth it selfe is so of vs, that it is not of God to vs. The fourth ruele is of all and of partye. Whan some of a thing is set for all, eyther ayenwarde, all is sette for a partie. The. v. rule is of tymes. And thys is by a fygure clepyd Sinodoches, whan the parte is set for all, eyther al is set for a parte. One Euangelyste seyth that it was done after. viii. dayes: whannethe face of Christe shynyde as the sunne. And an other gospeller seith, that it was done aftir. vi. dais. Euerether might not be forth y• is seyde of ye numbre of dai •… 〈◊〉 but n •… y• seid aftir. viii. dais, be 〈◊〉 •… en to haue set for the whole daie, the last parte of the daye syth Christ biforesei •… it to come, and to haue set for ye whole daye the first part of the daie, in ye which he shewith that the apearing of Christs face was fully done. And yt he that seyde, aftir vi. dais, reckenyd all the whole daies & the midle days & none other, By thys kynde of spech by whyche kynd al is singnified bi a part: the ilk question of Christis rysynge ayene is assoyled. The last parte of the day wyth ye nyght passed before, and the fyrste parte of the sundaye in whose morowe tyde he rose ayene: is taken for al sundaye and the nyght before goynge. And the Sabot wyth the whole nyght byfore goynge is al an whole daie and night. If these daies and nyghtys were not taken thus: there moute not be. iii. dayes and thre nyghtis, in which he byforseyde that he shoulde be in the herte of the earth. Also this rule of tymes is taken for lawful numbres as ben. vii. x. xii. and such mo.

For ofte suche noumbris ben set for all tyme, as thys that Dauid seyth. Seuensytis in the daye, I seyd preisynge eyther he riyng to the, is none other thyng than thus Hys heriyng be euer in my mouth. Also by an. C. &. xliii. in Apocal: is signified the vniuersitie ether al the multitud of seintis. The vi. rule is of recapitulatiō, either rehersing a thing done bifore: not in order as it is set, for whi some things bē seid so, as if tho •… uen in the order of time, ether bē teld bi cōtinuing things, that bē ioynid next togidir, whan the teling is clepid priuily to the former things that werē lefte oute. And if men vnderstonden not such seiyng is by this rule: thei erren. As in genesis, it is seyde. God plantid paradise in Eden at the east, and settyd there the man that he formyd. And Godde brought forth yet of the earth ech fayre tree &c. This is seyd by recapitulation. In lyke manner, ther the londe was of oo lyppe, that is speache: it is seid •… i recapitulacion

The vii, rule is of the deuyle and of hys bodye. For he is head of al wickyde men, that •… ene hys boddye in a maner, and shulen go wyth him into torment & euerlasting fire: as Christ is the heade of holy chyrche which is hys bodie, and shall be wyth hym in rewme and glorie euerlastinge. Also they that han lykynge to studie in holye wrytte: shulen be chargyde that they kunne the kyndys and maners of speakyngs in holy scripturis and that they perceyuen dylygentlye and holdenne well in mynde, howe a thyng is wont to be seid in holi scrip ture. Also, that is souerayne helpe and moste nedefull: preye theye that God yeue to hem the verye vnderstondynge of holye Scrypture

For they readen in tho scripturis, about which they bē studiouse: that God yeuith wisedome and cunning & vnderstōding of his face, that is yift and grace. Also if here study be done wyth mekenes & loue of christē lore, it is of God.

Austine wrytith al thys in. iii. boke of christen teachyng aboute the middle and in the ende.

I sidre in the fyrste boke of souerayne good: teach these rules shortlyer, but I haue hym not nowe.

And Lire in the bygynynge of the Bible: touchyth more openly these rulis, but I haue him not nowe. And Armacā in the beginyng of his boke Dequestionibus Armenotū. yeuith many good growndis to vnderstōd holy scripture to the letter and gostly vnderstondynge also: but I haue him not now. Also nothing maiseme to be wyser, nothynge of more Eloquēce: thā is holy scripture, & the autors therof yt werē enspirid of God. And they oughtē not to speake in other maner thā thei dydē. And y• Pro phetis (& most Amos) werē full eloquēt. And Paul was full eloquēt in his Epistlis. Also the authours of holy Scripture spaken full dearkly, that the preuities therof ben hyd to vnfeythfull men, and good men ben exercisid either occupied, and that in expownynge holy Scripture, they haue a nwe grace diuers fro the first autours, Austine in the beginning of the. iiii. boke of christen teachynge. Also as the little rychesse of Iewis whiche they baren awey fro Egypt weren in comparisō of richesse which they hadden afterwarde in Ierusalem in ye tyme of Solomon, so great is the profytable kunnynge of phylosophers bokis, if it be comparisoned to the kynnynge of holye scripturis. For why, what thynge euer a man •… earneth withouten holy wryt, if the thing be veyne, it is damnyd in holi writ, if it be profitavle, it is foū did ther. And whā a mā findith ther al things which he lernid profitably in or 〈◊〉 place, he shal find mich more plēt •… ly tho thingis in holy scripture, which he lernyd neuer in other place, but be lerned onli in ye wōderful highnes & in ye wōderful meknes of holy scriptur. Austine seith this in ye end of ye. ii. boke of christē teching. Also holy scripture cōteinith al profy table trueth & al other sciēcis preuily in ye vertue of wyttis either vndurstādingis, as wynes ben conteyned in grapis, as ripe corne is conteined in the seede, as bowis ben conteyned in the rotis, & as trees bene conteyned in ye kiruels. Grosted in a sermō. Premouitus a venerabili patre. Also ho ly scriptur wlatith sophimis & seith.

He that speakyth sophistically eyther by Sophisinis: shal be hatfull, & he shal be defraudid in eche thyng, as the wise man seyth in the. xxxvii. Chapiter of Ecclesiasticus.

If Philosophers, and moste the distiples of Plato, seydē any truth is and profitable to our feyth: not only tho truthis owen not to be drede: but also tho shulen be calengyd into oure vse either profyte fro hem, as fro vniuste possessouris.

And as Iewis token by autoritie of God, the golde and clothis of Egyptians: so Christiās owē to take the trwe seyingis of Hhilosophers, for to worship oo God, and of techyng of vertuis. Whych truth is the Philosophers foundē not, but dyggiden oute of the metalis of Gods purueyaunce, whych is shed euerie where. So dyd Ciprian the swetest Doctoure and most blessed martyr. So did Lactātius, Uictorinus, and, Illarie, and Grekis wythoutē noū ber. Austyne in the. ii. boke of christen teachyng.

By these rulis of Anstine & by. iiii. vnder stōdyng is of holy scripture, & by wise knowyng of figuratife speachis, wyth good lyuyng and mekenes and studiyng of the Bible: simple men moune somedeal vnderstōd the text of holy write, & edifie myche hemsylfe and other men.

But for gods loue ye simple men beth ware of pryde, and veyne ianglynge and chydyng in wordis ayens proude clerkis of scholis and veyne religiouse, & answere ye mekely and prudently, to enimies of Gods lawe and prey ye hertli for hem, that God for hys great mercie yeue to hem verie knowing of scripturis and mekenes and charitie. And euer be ye redy what man teachith any trueth of God: to take that mekely, and wyth greate thākis to God. And if any mā in earth either angel of heauē techith you ye cōtrarie of holy write, either a ny thyng ayens reasō & charitye, fle fro him in yt, as fro ye foule fēd of hel & hold ye stedfastly to life & death, ye trueth & fredō of ye holy gospel of Ie su Christ▪ and take ye mekely menis seyingis & lawis, only in as miche as they accorden wt holy wryte & good cōsciences, & no ferther, for lyfe neyther for death.

The. xiii. Chap.

ALso holy Scripture is bet ter knowne by lyknesses, & by derknessys it doeth awaye anoies. And we owē to thyncke, and bileue that the thinge that is wrytten in holy scryptur, yea though it be hyd either not knowen, is better and truer, than yt we moune vnderstōd bi vss •… lfe, & worship fulli & helthfuli the holi gost mesurid so holy scripturs▪ yt in opē placis he settid remedi to our hōger, & in darke placis he wipt awei anoies. For almost nothing is seene in tho dearkenessis, which thyng is not founden seid full plainli in other placis. Therfore, byfore al things it is nedful y• a man be cōuertid by Gods drede, & be mylde by piti either christē religiō, & that he ayense •… e not holy Scripture where it be vndurstōdē, though it smyte any sinnis of ours, whether it be not vnderstondē, as if we moune vnderstond better, either cōmaunde, either teache better. By ye yifte of dred & of pitie▪ me comith to ye degre of •… uning For why, ech fruc •… uo use mā of holy scripturis, exercisith him selfe in this thynge, and to fynd none other thing in tho: than forto loue God for God himsilfe, & forto loue his neighbour for God. Thā thilke drede by which he thinckith on goddis dome, & thilk pitie by which he must nedis bileue, & yeue sted to autoritie of holi bokis: compellith hym to biweile himselfe, for whye, this kunnynge of good hope makyth a man not to auaunte hymsylfe, but byweyle himsylfe.

And by thys affection either good wyll, he gettith by bysy preyars the conforte of Godis helpe, that he be not broken by dispeyre. He bigynith to be in the fourth degree of gostely strength: in whych he hungrith and thyrstith ryghtfulnes.

Than in the. v. degre, that is in the councell of merci: he purgith the soull that makith noies and vnrestefulnes of couetise & earthly thyngis.

And than he dyspysyth fylthys of soule, and louyth God and neyghbours, yea enimies.

By thys he styith to the. vi. degree: where he purgyth the iygh of soule: by whych iygh God maye be seene as mych as he maye be seen, of hem that dyen to thys worlde, as mych as they moune.

For in so mych they seene God in here soul, thorow feyth & loue: howe mych they dien to this worlde. And in as mich as thei liuē in this world they seene not God. And in thys degre wherin a man dyeth to ye world he neyther preferrith nether makyth euen hym selfe neyther hys neiboure wyth the truth of holy write. Therfore thys holy man shal be so simple and clenne of herte: that neyther for plesaūce of men he be drawen awey fro truth, neither bicause to eschew any harmes to hym selfe, that bē cō trari to this life. Such a child stieth to very wysdome, whych is the last and the seuenth: whych he vsyth in peace and in reste. Seint Austē seyth al this: in the bigining of the second boke of christen teachynge.

Heare is a blyssed entrynge by thes seuen vertues to the cuninge of holy scriptnr in this lyfe to haue here rest of soule, and afterwarde ful reste of body and soule, in heauen wythoutē ende. Alas, what done proude and coueitouse wretchis at holy scriptur that sekenne the worlde and f •… eshlye •… ase, and wolen not conuerte hem fro these curssidnesses.

They dysceyuen heme sylfe and the Puple that gesse hemme wyse menne, whanne they ben open foles, and makenne heme felfe deper damnydde, and othere menne also that suen here follye, and Blasphemen Godde.

These worldlye folys shoulen wytte: that holye lyfe is a lanterne to brynge a man to verye kunnynge as Chrysostome seith. And the dred and loue of Godde, is the begynynge and perfection and kunnyng of wysdome.

And whan these fylthye Apys and worldly molde warpys, han neyther the begynnyng of wysdome neyther desyren it: what done they at holye Scrypture to shenshyp of hem selfe and of other men?

As longe as Pryde and Couetyse of worldli goodis and honoure is rotyde in her herte: theye maken homage to Satanas, and offerne to hym bothe bodye and soule and al her wytte and fyndynge

Suche folys shoulenne thynke, that wysdome shal not enter into an iuill wyllyd soule: neyther shall dwell in a bodye soget to synnys.

And Iesu Christe seyth that the Father of heauen hydyth the priuities of holye Scripture from wyse menne and Prudent to the worlde, and in her owne syght, and she wyth tho to meke men.

Therfore worldlye foles, do ye fyrste penaunce for your synnis, and forsake Pryde and Couetyes: and be ye meke and drede ye God in all thyngs, and loue hym ouer al othere thingis, and your neiboure as your sylfe, and than you shoulen profyte in studye of holy wryte.

But alas, alas, alas. The moste abomination that euer was hearde among chrysten clerkis: is now purposid in Englond, by worldli clerks and feynede relygiouse. And in the chife vniuersitye of oure rewme (as mani true men tellen wyth gret wey lyng) thys horrible and deuilys cursydnes is purposid, of Christis enymies and traytourys of all chrysten puple: that no man shall learne diuinitie neyther holy wryte, no but he that hath done hys fourme in arte, that is, that hath cōmencyd in arte, and hath be regente twoe yere after. This woulde be. ix yere or. x. before that he learne holye write, after that he can commenlye well hys gramer: though he haue a good wytte and traueile ful sore and haue good findyng. ix vere eyther. x. after hys gram mer. Thys semith vtterli the Diuils purpose: that fewe men eyther none shulen learne and kun Goddis law. But God seyth by Amos on three greate trespasses of Damaske: and on the fourth I shal not cōuert him. Where Ierom seyth, the fyrst synne is to thynke euylis, the. ii. synne is to consent to wey ward thoughtis, the thyrde synne is to fyll in werke, the fourth synne is to do not penaunce after the sinne, and to please him silfe in hys sinne. But Damaske is interpretyde Drynkynge either byrlyng bloude.

Lorde, where Oxenforde drinkyth bloude and byrlith bloude, by sleaynge of quicke men and doynge of Sodomies, in leasiug a parte of mans blude wherby a chyld might be formid: deme thei that knowen. And where Oxenford drynk bloud of synne, and styrre other men of the lond to do syn by boldnes of clarkis deme they iustly that seene it at eigh and knowen by experience. Loke nowe, where Oxenford, is in thre orryble synnis, and in the forth, on whyche God restythe not tyll he punyshe it.

Somtyme, chyldren and younge men Artitars werenne deuoute and clene as Angeles in comparyson of other: nowe men seine they ben full of pryde and lecherye, and dyspytuouse othys nedelesse and false, and dyspyseynge of Goddys hestys. Somtyme Ciuili •… ns & Canonistis, weren deuoute, and so bysy in here learnynge, that they token full lyttle reste on bedde: nowe men seyne, that they bene ful of pride, and nice araie, enuye and couetise, wyth lecherye, glottonnye and Idelnes. Sometyme Dyuynis werenne full holye and deuoute, and dyspisyden vtterlye the worlde and lyuyden as angellis, in mekenes, cleenesse, soueraynue chastytye, and charytye, and taughtē truly Godds lawe in werk and word: now men seine they bene as delycate of her mouth & wombe and as couetyse as other worlddlye men, and flatteren & maken leasings in preachynge, to eschewe bodylye persecution, and to gette benefycys.

The fyrste greate synne is generalli in the vniuersitie (as men dre den and seene at eigh) the second orible synne is sodomys, and stronge meyntenaūce therof, as it is knowē to many persōs, of the rewme. And at the last parliamēte, alas diuinis, that shulden passe other men in clea nes & holines (as an gellis of heauen, passen frele mē in vertuis) bene moste slaundred of this curssed sinne ayens kynde.

The thryde horible synne is Simonie and for sweryng in the semble house, yt shulde be an house of rightfulnes & holynes, where euillis shullen be redressyd.

This Simonie wyth purtenaū cis therof, is mych worse and more abominable than bodily sodomies.

Yet on these three abominations God wolde graciousely cōuert clerkis: if they wollen do very penaunce and yeue hem wholy to vertuis.

But on the fourthe abomination, purposid no we to letten christē men, yea priestis and curats, to learne fre ly Gods lawe, tyll they han spendyd ix. yere or. x. atarte, that comprehē dyth many strong errouris of Heathen men ayens christen byleue: it semyth well that God wole not cease of vengeaūce, til it and other ben punishid sore. For it semith that worldly clerkis and feynid religiouse done thys: that simple men of wytte and fyndyng knowe not Godis lawe, to preache it generally ayens synnis in the rewme.

But witte ye worldly clerkis and feinid relygiouse: that God both can and maye (if it lykyth hym) spede simple men oute of the Uniuersitie, as mych to kunne holye wrytte: as maisters in the Uniuersitie.

And therfore no greate charge thoughe neuer man of good wyll, be poysonyde wyth Heathen mens errouys nyne yere eyther tenne, but euer lyue well and studye holy wryte by elde Doctouris and Newe: and preach truely and freely ayens open synnys to hys death.

See therfore what Ierome seyth on Amos.

God byfore seeth Euilys to commynge: that men heare and amende hemsilf, and be delyueryd fro peryle nyghynge.

Eyther if that they dyspisen: they ben punished iustlyer. And God that before seeth peynes: wole not punish men that synnen, but that they be amendid. Ierome seyth this in ye ende of the fyrste boke of Amos. God for his greate mercie graūt that clerkis heare the greate vengeaunce manassyd of God, and amende hemsylfe truely, that God punishe not hem.

For if they amende not hemsilfe, they ben Heritykis, made harde in here synnis. But se what Ierome seyth ayens Heretikis: and in commēding of holy scripture. He seythe thus on Amos.

Heretikis that seruen the wombe and Glotonie, bene clepid righfully fattest kyne, or kyne ful of shenshipe. We owen to take holy scripture on three maners.

Fyrste we owen vndurstonde it by the letter: and to all thyngis that ben commaunded to vs therin.

The. ii. tyme by Allegorye, that is gostlye vnderstonding.

And in the thryde tyme, by blysse of thyngis to comynge.

Ierome seyth thus in the seconde boke on Amos, & in the. iiii. Chapter of Amos. Nethelesse for Lire came late to me: se what he seyth on the vndurstonding of holy scripture. He •… oriteth thus in the. ii. prolog on the Byble. Iohn seyth in the fyfth Chapter of Apocalips.

I sygh a boke writtē wythin and wythout forth, in the honde of the sytter on the trone. This boke is holy Scripture which is seyde written wythout forth, as to the literall vnderstondynge, and within, as to the priuie and gostly vnderstondynge.

And in the fyrste prologe, he declaryth foure vnderstondyngis of holy write in this manner.

Holye wryte, hathe this specyaltye that vnder oo letter, it conteyneth manye vnderstandyngis. For the principall autour of holy write, is God him selfe. In whose powre it is not only to vse wordes to signifie a thynge as men done: but also he vsith thyngis signified by wordis to signifie other thyngis.

Therfore by the signifiyng by wordis, is taken the litterall vnderstondynge either historiall of holy scripture: and by the signifiynge which is made by thyngis, is takē the priuie either goftly vndurstondyng which is. iii. maneris. Allegorike, morall either Tropologike, and Anogogike. If thyngis signified by wordis ben referrid to signifie tho thyngis that owen to be bileuid in the newe testamente: so it is taken the sense of Alegorike. If thyngis ben referrid to signifie tho thyngis which we owen to do: so it is moral sense either Tropologike. If thyngis ben referred to signifie tho thingis yt shulē be hopid in blisse to comynge: so it is Anagogike sense. The letter teachith what is done, Allegorye teachith what thou owiste to bileue, Morall teachith what thou oweste to do. Anagogie teachithe whyther thou owist to go. And of these. iiii. sensis either vndurstondingis: maye be set ensam ple in this worde Ierusalem. For by the litterall vnderstondynge, Ierusalem signifieth a Citie, yt was sometyme the chiefe Citie of the rewme of Iude. And Ierusalem was foundid fyrste of Melchisedech, and aftirward it was alargid & made strong by Solomon. By morall sence, it sig nifieth a faithfull soule. By whiche sense it is seyd in the. lii. Chapter of Esaie. Rise thou, rise thou, sitte thou Ierusalem. By sense Allegorike, it signifiethe the chirche fyghtynge ayens synnis and fendis, by whiche sense it is seyde in the▪ one & twentye of the Apocalips.

I. sygh the holy Citie newe Ierusalem comynge downe from heauē, as a spouse ourned to hir housbōde. By sense Anagogik it signifieth ye chirch reignynge in blysse. By this sense it is seyde in the. iiii. Chapter to Galathies. Thilke Ierusalem whiche is aboue, which is oure mother: is fre. And as ensample is set in oo worde, so it myght be set in oo reasone. And as in one, so and in other. Lire seyth al this in ye fyrst prologe on the bible. (:)

The. xiiii. Chapter.

NEtheles, al gostly vnderstō dings settē bifore either requirē, the litteral vnderstō ding, as the foūdemēt. For why, as a bilding bowing awaie fro ye foundemēt, is desposid to fallynge: •… o a gostly exposition that discordith fro ye litteral sēse, owith to be erectid vnsēli & vncouenable, ether les semely & lesse couenable. And therfore it is nedeful for hem yt wolē profite in ye studye of holy scriptur, to bigyne at the vndurstondynge of litteral sence. Most sithē by the litteral sense alone, (& not by gostly sense) maye be made an argumēt, either priefe, to priuyng either declaring of a doubt, as Austē seith in his Epistle to Uincēt Donatiste. S. Isidre in ye first boke of So ueraine good. xx. Chap. settith. vii. rulis to expoūd holy scripture. And some clepē these rulis, ye keis of scrip tur, for by these rulis y• vnderstōding of scriptur is opēed in many thingis.

The fyrst rule is of our Lorde Iesu Chryste, and of his gostly bodye, whiche is holy chirche. For why, for knyttynge togidir of the heade to the bodie: holy scripture speakith sometyme of euereither vnder oo reasone, as vnder oo persone, and passith fro one to an other. In ensample, in. lxi. Chapter of Esaie it is seyde. He clothide me wyth clothis of health, and he cumpassid me wyth clothingis of ryghtfulnes, as a spoule made fayre wyth a corowne, as a spousesse ourned with hir brochis. For why, this that is seyde as of spouse, is vnderstonden of Christe. And this yt suith, as spousesse: is vnderstonden of holy chirche. Also in the fyrst Chapter of Songis, it is seyde. Kysse he me wt the coss •… of his mouthe: for thy tetis ben better than wyne. For when it is seyde, Kysse heme. &c. It is the worde of the spousesse desyringe to haue the spouse. And this that suith, for thy tetis. &c. is y• word of y• spouse preysyng the spouses. Wherfore in such things knite so togidir bi resone byfore seyde: a prudente readar oweth to perceyue, what accordith to the heade, & what to the dodye. The▪ ii rule is of the verie body & of the feynid body of oure Lorde Iesu Christ. For why holy chirch which is the gostly body of Christ, is a net which is not yet drawen to y• brynk. Therfore it hath euel mē medlyd wt good men tyll to the dome, in which these shulē be departed fro hem. And therfore in holy scripture: euill men ben preised some tyme wyth good men, wyth the which they ben medeled. As in the. xi. Chapter of Osee, God seyth thus. Israell is a chylde, and I loued hym. And ayene warde sometyme good men ben blamed wt euell men, as in the fyrst Chapter of Esay. An Oxe knewe his Lorde, and an Asse knew the cratch of his Lord but Israel knew not me & my puple vnderstode not. And sometime in the same reson it is expressyd, what pertaineth to good men: & what to euil mē. As in ye. i. chap. of songs it is seid I am blak but fair, ye doughters of Ierusalē as ye tabernacles of Cedar as ye skins of Solomō. Thes ben ye words of ye spouses which for reson of euil mē cōteinid in ye chirch seith, I am blak, but for reson of good mē: it addith, But fair. And this y• suith as for ensāple. As ye tabernacles of Ce dar: is referryd to euil mē. For why Cedar was the sōne of Ismael as it is seid in ye. xxv. of Genesis: of whōe Saracēs camē forth. And this yt is addid, as ye skyns of Solomō, is referrid to good mē. Therfore bi Solomō, here is vnderstōden God him silfe: bi christē expositours & Hebrus And therfore the skins of Solomon ben seyde tho with whych the tabernacle was hylyd. in whych tabernacle good men worshypen God.

The. iii. rule is of the spryte and of the Letter. Thys rule is expounyd thus cominlye: that the hystorial either Lytterall sense and the mystike eyther gostlye sence, is taken vnder the same letter. For whie the trueth of the storie shalbe holdē: and nethelesse it shal be referryd to the gostlye vnderstondyng. Thys rule maye be expounyde also in an other manner that it be referryd also to the lytteral sense, as other rulys benne. Aboute whych thynge it is to se that the same letter hath some tyme double litterall sense, in ensample in the first boke of paralipomenō the. xvii. chapiter God seyth to Solomō. Ishal be to hym into a father, and he shal be to me into a sonne. And thys to the letter is vnderstondē of Solomō: in as mich as he was y• sonne of God bi grace in youth. Therfor N •… than the prophet clepid him amiable to the lorde in the. ii. boke of Kyngis xii. chapiter. Also the forsayde auto •… ytie. I shalbe to hym into a father &c. is brought in of Paule, in the firste chapiter to Ebrus, as seyd to the letter of Christe hym syl •… e. And this is opē by thys yt Paule bryngyth in to priue: that Chryste is more than Angellis. But suche pryu •… nge may not be made by gostli sense: as Austyne seyth ayens Uyncent Donatiste Forsoth the forsayde autorltie was fyllyd to the letter in Solo mō. Netheles perfectly: for he was the sonne of God only bi grace. But it was fyllyde perfectlyer in Chryst that was the sonne of God bi kynd.

But nethelesse euereyther exposition is lytterall vtterlye. Nethelesse the seconde exposition, whych is of Chryst: is gostly and pryuie in some manuer, in as mych as Solomon was the fygure of Chryste.

The. iiii. rule is of all and of parte. For why: scrypcure passyth fro one to an other: and ay •… newarde. As in the. xiii. chapiter of Esaie: the scripture spekyth fyrste ayens Babylon specially, whan it is seyde. The byrt •… im of Babilon. And than the scripture passyth to vnderstōd the worde generallye of al the worlde: by thys that suyth. The lord comyth fro the hyghnes of heauen: and the vessellis of his strong vengeaunce camē, that he distrye all earth. Afterwarde the scryptur turnyth ayene to speake ayens Babylon speciallye: whan it is seyde. Lo, I shall reise on you Medeis: that shulen not seke syluer.

For why Darius Medes, wyth Cirus hys cosenne, toke Babilon and kyllede Baltasar, the Kynge of Babylon, as it is seyde in the fyfte chapyter of Danyel.

The. v. rule is of tymes: whych rule byfallyth in. iiii. maners-In oo mā er, by a fygure clepid Sinodoches: whan a parte of tyme is set for all the tyme. As it is seyde in the gospel, that Chryst laye. iii dayes in the Sepulchre, and nethelesse, the fyrste day and the thyrd weren not whole dayes. In an other maner thys rule byfallyth for smalle partis of tyme that bene noumbrede sometyme inscripture: and somtyme ben left out. And by thys the scrypture that spea kyth of some noūbre of yeres in many placys: settyth somtime moe yers recknyng the forseyde smale partis. In an other place, it settyth fewe •… e yeres: in leauing out ye smale parts. In the thyrde manner thys rule byfalleth, for that the recknyng of yeris begynnith in oo place at the former terme, and in an other place at the latter terme. As in the xv. chapyter of Genises, it was seyd to Abrahā. That his seed shall be a pylgrime by. iiii. hūdrid yere. And in the. xii. Chap. of Exodi, it is seyd of this pilgrimag that the dwellinge of the sonnis of Israell in the londe of Egipt was of. iiii. hundred yere and. xxx. For the rikenyng of this more noumbre, biginyth at the tyme, in whiche it was seyde to Abraham in thee. xii. of Genesis.

Go out of the londe. &c. And the rikening of the lesse numbre, biginith at the natiuitie of Isaac that was xxx. yere aftir the goyng out of Abraham fro Aran.

The fourth time, this rule falith, for yt holy scripture speakith of thyng to coming, by ye maner of thing passid. As in the. ix. Chap. of Esaie. A lyttle childe was borne to vs &c. And this is to signifie the certentie of prophecie whose bifalling of time coming is so certeine, as if it were passid now. And this is for certenti of godis bifore knowing, by whych the reuelaciō is made to y• prophet. Nethlesse, such maner of spech hath no place n •… but in prop hecie of predestinacion eythere full determinynge of God whiche Prophecie is whan a thinge to coming in none certeine to manis knowinge is she wid to the Prophete in that maner, by which it is in y• byfore knowynge of God, whiche byfore knowynge as God biholdith, so wythouten feailynge thyngis to comynge, as thyng is presente & passid. But in Prophecie of manassynge, suche maner of speach hath no place, whiche prophecie of manas is, whā any peyue worthy to be brought in on any puple or on a persone, is shewid to the prophete. Not by that y• it is in the byfore knowinge of God, but by the order of second causis, as by the euyll deserueyngis of mē. As is that Prophecie of Ionas. iii. chap ter. Yet fourtye dayes, and Niniuie shall be distried. For why, the sinnis of that citie hadden deseruid this distriynge. Netherlesse, for such a cause is chaū gable, therfore sometyme the effecte (that is peyne manassid) sueth not, as here, for Niniuitis diddē penaūce and so the Lorde brought not in the peyne manassyd.

The. vi. rule is of recapitulation. That is of rehersing of thyngis done byfore. And of Anticipation either byfore takynge, that is settynge in of thyng byfore it is done. For in holye scrypture, not euerye storye and dedis ben wrytten in the same order in whiche tho bene done. And therefore whan latter thyngis bene set byfore, it is seyde Anticipaciō either bifore takyng. Whā the foremer thingis bene set byhinde, it is seyde recapitulacion, either rehersyng of thing done bifore. As in the tenth Chapter of Genisis it is seyde of the Sonnis of Noe.

The Ilis of the heathen folke in here contreys, weren departid of the sonnes of Noe: eche man by his langage. And within the same. x Chapter it is seyde. These •… en the sonnis, of Cham, in kynreddes and langagis. And afterwarde it is seyd in the xi. Chapter. The londe was of oo langage, and of the same wordis. Wherof it is open that this that is byfore seyde of ye departyng of langagis, is seyde by Anticipacion. In like maner in. ii. Chapter of Genesis After that Moses in. i. Chapter had discreuid the creation either making of nought of heauen and of earth, & the departing & ourning of y• world, he sayde, these benethe generations of heauen and of earthe, in the daie in whiche tho weren made. Wherof it is open, that this is seyde: by recapitulacion, either rehersyng of thing done bifore. The. vii. rule is of y• deuell & of his body. For as Gregorye seyth in the tenth. Homelie. Certis ye deuill is heade of al wicked mē. And all wycked mē be membres of thys heade.

And therfore the knettynge togither of the hede to the membres, the scrip ture that speakith of one: passith in ye same knittinge togither of reason, to speake of y• tother. As in the. xiiii. Chapter of Esaie. Wher y• scripture weake •… h of the king of Babilō, that was a membre of the deuil: it passith to speake of prince of fendis, whan 〈◊〉 is seyd there. Lucifer that risidiste •… ly, howe feldist thou downe fro heauen. And in the. xxviii. chapter of Ezechiel, wher the scriptur speaketh of y• prince of Tire it passith to speak of the deuil, when it is addid. Thou a signet eyther a printe of y• lykenes of God, were full of wysedome and perfecte in fayrnes, in the delicite of Paradise of God. Lire seyth al this in the seconde prologe of Genesis. Here Lire rehersyth the sentence of S. Austin & of Isidre in these rulis: and declarith hem openly by holye Scripture and reasone, and countrith not Austin, but declarith hym full myche to simple mens wyt, and addith more by Scripture and reasōe, y• Austine touchith not. Though these rulis and keyes of Scripture bryngin men to greate vnderstāding therof: yet men motē take hede what is seyde of Chryste of his godheade, and what by hys manheade. For Chryst by his māheade, is seyd lesse than the father, and by the godhead he is sey de euē wyth the father. And for asmuch as Chryst is boeth God and man, we grauntē that God was deadly and dyed on the Crosse. Not by his godheade, but by the māhead of Chryste, that was ioyned in oneheade of persone wyth the godhead. And we graunt, as the Gospel doth that man whyle he was deadly vpon earth: was in heauē, for his godheade was ther, & he also by reasone therof. Also we moun graunte well that a man made both heauen and earth. For Christe by his godheade, (which Christe is and was mā) dyd thus. Also holy Scriptur tellith oft the thoughtis of men and of the wor dis & dedis. And whā the thoughtis & wordis and dedis of men ben contrari, oo Gospellar tellith y• thoughtis, a nother tellith the wordis, and by this equiuocation either diuers speakinge, they bene accordid. Yea whan they semen contrarie in wordis. Also ofte in storiall mattir, scripture rehersyth the cōmone opinion of mē, and affirmeth not that it was so in dede. In this maner the Gospel seith that Ioseph was the father of Chryste: though he neuer gendrid Christ. For Mary Christis mother was euer clene virgine. Thus the Gospell seyth, that at the beheadyng of Iohn Baptiste, Herod was sorie, & yet as doctours seyne, he was full glad therof. But he feined him sory▪ for the puple, & the puple gessid hym sory. Also though scriptur do reherse how holimē liuiden &, doth cōmend hem grea •… li: it appreuith not all here dedis. For many great sāctis erridē foule in many points. And thoughe scripture do tel the stories of euil mē and dampnid, it repreueth not herefore all thyngis which thei didē. For though thei werē hemsilfe ful cursid: thei didē many good dedis of kynd, & sometime peraduēture many good dedis of vertue, if they werē in grace for a tyme. At the laste, take ye good hede whan the scripture speakith by commaundement to all men, & whā it geueth commaundement to certen personnes of dyuers statis. In the fyrste poynte all men moten do as it seith. In the seconde tyme, the personis of statis spicified, motē nedis obeye. Whan scripture speakith only by counsell, men mouue be saued though they do not the counsell: As full many men and womē moune be saued, though they take not virginitie neither continence, neither yeue all here goodis to poore men. And yet these bene here counsellis of Iesu Christ in the Gospell.

The. xv Chapter.

EOr as mych as Christ seith that the gospel shal be prea chid in all the worlde, and Dauid seyth of y• Apostlis and here preachyng, ye sowne of hem yede out into eche londe, & the wordis of hem yeden oute into the endes of the worlde: & efte Dauid seith, the Lorde shall tell in the scriptures of puples, and of these pryncis yt werē in it, that is in holye chirche: as Ie •… ome seyth on that verse, holy wryte is the scripture of puples, for it is made y• al puples shuldē know it, and the princis of the chirch yt werē therin, benthe Apostlis y• haddē autoritie to writen holye wryte (for by that same that the Apostlys wryttyden here scripturis by autoryti and confyrmynge of the holy goste, it is holy scripture and feyth of chrysten men) And thys dygnitie hath no man aftir hem, be he neuer so holy, neuer so kūnynge (as Ierome wytnessyth on that verse) also Chryste seyth of the Iewis that criden Osanna, to him in the temple, that though they werē styll, stonis shoulden crye: and by stonis he vnderstōdith heathen men, that worshipen stonis for here Goddis: and we English men ben cōmen of heathen men, therfore we ben vnderstonden bithese stones that shulē crye holy write, and (as Iewes inter pretyd knoleching) singnifien clerks, that shulden knowlech to Godde by repentaūce of synnis, and bi voice of Gods heriynge: so oure lewide men suing the corner stone Christ, moun be syngnyfyede by stonys that bene harde and abydinge in the foūdemēt for though couetouse clarkys bene wode bi simoni heresie, & mani other sinnis, and dispisen and stoppen holy write as mych as they moune, yet the lewde puple cryethe after holye wryt to kun it and kepe it with grete cost and perile of here lyfe. For these reasones and other, wyth cōmune charitye to saue al mē in our rewme which God wol haue sauide: a symple creature hath translatyde the Bi ble oute of latyne into Englishe.

Fyrste thys symple creature, had mych trauaile wyth diuers felowis & helpars to gather mani eld Bibles and other doctouris & comune glo •… is, & to make oo latine Bible somedell trwe, and than to studie it of the newe, the text with the glose, & other doctours as he might get: and specially Lire on the elde testamente, that helpyd full miche in hys werke The thyrde tyme to Counsell wyth elde elde gramariens and elde diuinis, of harde wordis and harde sentensis, how thy myght beste be vnderstanden & translated. The fourth tyme, to translate as cle •… rly as he could to ye sentence, and to haue many good felowis and kūnyng, at the correctinge of the translation. First it is to know that y• beste transsatyng out of Latyne into Englysh is, to translate after •… he sentence, and not onely after the wordis.

So that the sentence be as opyn (either opener) in Englyshe as in latyne, and go not farre fro the letter. And if the letter may not be suid in y• translatynge, let the sentence euer be whole and open. For the wordis owen to serue to ye entente and sentēce: and ellis the wordis bene superfluouse either false. In translatyng into English, many resolusiōs moune make the sentēce opē, as an ablatyfe case absolute maye he resolued into these thre words wt couenable verb the while, for, if, as gramariēs seine. As thus. The master reding, Istōd maye be resolued thus, while y• master readith, I stonde. Either if the master read, ether for the master. &c. And somtime it wold accord well wt the sentēce to be resoluid into whan, ether into aftirward, thus, whā the master red, Istode. Either, after the master read I stode. And sometime it may well be resolued into a verbe of the same tyme, as other ben in the same reason, and into this worde et, that is, and, in English, as thus. Aresentibus hominibus pre timore. That is And men shulen wexe drie for dread. Also a participle of a presente tens, either pretertens of actyfe voicis, either passife: may be resolued into a verbe of the same tens, and a coniūetion copulatyfe, as thus. Dicens. that is seynge maye be resolued thus, and seythe, eyther that seythe. And thys wole in many placis make the sentence open: where to englyshe it after the word, wold be derke and doubtfull. Also a relatyfe whyche maye be resoluyd into hys anticedēt wyth a cōiunciō copulatife: as thus, which ren •… ith. And he renneth. Also whan oo worde is once sette in a reasone it maye be set forth as ofte as it is vnderstondē, either as ofte as rea, sone and •… e axen. And this worde autem either, vero maye stonde for forsoth, eyther for but. And thus I vse cōmunlye. And sometime it may sto •… de for and, as elde gramariens seyne. Also whan ryghtful construction is lettyd by relation, I resolue openly thus. Where thys reason

Dum formidabunt aduersarii, eius shuld be englyshid thus bi the letter. The lorde hys aduersaries sholden dred: I english it thus by resolucyon The aduersaries of the lorde shulen dread hym. And so of other reasons that bene like. At the byginynge I purposyde wyth Goddys helpe: to make the sentence as true & open in englyshe as it is in latine, either more trwe and moore open than it is in latyne. And I praye for charitie and cōmune profyte of chrysten soulys, that if any wysemā fynd any defaut of the trueth of translation: let hym set in the true sentence and open the holy wryte. But loke yt he examyne trulye hys latyn byble: for no doubt he shall fynde many byblis in latyne ful false, if he loke mani. And namely newe, and the cōmune latyne bybles han more nede to be correctyd (as many as I haue sene in my life) thā hath the english bible late trāssated. And where the Hebru, by witnes of Ierom of Lire & other expositours dyscordith fro our Latyne biblis: I haue set in ye margent bi māner of a glose what ye Hebreu hath & howe it is vnderstouden in some place. And I did this most in the psalter, yt of al our bokis discordith most fro Hebru For the chirch readith not the psalter by the laste translātion out of Hebru into Latine: but an other translacion of other men yt haddē mich lasse kunninge, and holinesse thā Ierome had. And in fulfewe bokis the chirch readith the translacion of Ierome, as it maye be preued by the propre originallis of Ierome whiche he gloside. And wher I haue translatid as opē ly or openlier in English as in latin •… , lete wyse mē deme that knowne wel boeth langagis, and knowen well ye sentence of holy scripture. And wher I haue do thus or naye, ne doubt, they that kunne well the sentence of holy wryte and Englishe togider, & wolē trauayle wt goddis grace there aboute: moune make ye bible as true & as opine, yea & opinliar in Englysh than it is in Latyne. And no doubte to a simple man, wt goddis grace & great trauayle mē mighten expoune mich opēlier & shortlier the Bible in englysh: thā the elde great doctours han expoūid it in latine & mich sharp lier & groūdlier thā mani late Postil latours either expositours han don. But God of his great merci yeue to vs grace to liue wel, & to seie y• truth in couenable maner, & acceptable to God & his puple, & spil not our time, be it shorte be it long at Gods ordynaūce. But some y• semē wise & holy: seine thus. If mē now werē as hol •… as Ierōe was: thei mightē translate oute of latine into englysh, as he dyd out of Hebrue & greke into latine, & els thei shuldē not trāslatte now, as hem thynkith, for defaut of holynes & kūing. Thow this replicaciō seme colourable: it hath no good grounde nether reson nether chariti. For why this replicaciō is more ayens. s. Ierom, & ayens ye first lxx. trāslators & ayēs holi chirch, thā ayēs simple mē that translaten nowe into Englyshe. For Seinte Ierome was not so holy as the Apostlis and Euangelestis whose bokis he translatid into Latyne, neither he had so high yistis of the holy goste as they hadden. And myche more the. lxx. translatouris weren not so holy, as Moses, and ye Prophetis, and specially Dauid. Neither they hadden so greate yestis of God, as Moses & the Prophetis hadden. Forthermore, holy chirch appreueth not only the true translacion of meane Chrysten men, stidfast in Chrysten fayth: but also of opine Heretikis, that dyden aweye manye mysteries of Iesu Chryst by gyleful translacion, as Ierome wytnessithe in oo Prologe on Iob, and in ye prologe on Daniel. Mych more lette the Chirche of Englande appreuie the trew and holye translacion of simple men, that wollen for no good in erth by hir wyttynge and powre put awaye the lest truth, yea the lest letter eyther tytle of holy wryte, that beareth substaunce either charge. And dispute they not of the holines of mē nowe lyuyng in this deadly lyfe: for thei knowē not therō, & it is reserued only to godis dome. If they knowē anye notable faute by the translatours either helpars of hem, let hem blame the defaute by charitie, and mercye, and let hem neuer dampne a thynge that maye be done lefully by goddis lawe. As wearing of a good cloth for a tyme, eyther rydinge on an horse for a greate iourney: whā they wytten not wherfore it is done. For such thyngis moune be done of simple men, wyth as greate charitie, and vertue: as some yt holdē hem greate and wyse, kunnen ryde in a gylte sadle, eyther vse •… uissins and beddis and clothis of golde and of sylke wt other vanities of the worlde. God graunte pitie, mercie, and charitie & loue of comon profite, and put aw ay suche domis that bene ayens reason and charitie.

Yet worldly clerkis axen greatly, what spirite makith Idiotis hardy to translate nowe the bible into Englishe, sethe the foure great doctours dursten neuer do this. This replication is so lewid that it nedith none answer, no but stilnes either curties scorne. For these greate doctouris weren none Englyshe men, neyther they weren conuersaunt amonge Egleshe men neyther in caase they co •… den the langage of Englyshe men. But they ceasydē neuer tyl they hadden holy write, in here mother tonge of here owne puple. For Ierō that was a Latyne man of byrth translatyd the Byble bothe out of Hebru and oute of Greke into Latyne, and expounded full mych therto.

And Austyne, & many mo Latins, expouneden the Bible for many partis into Latyne, to Latyne men, amonge whiche they dwellyden. And Latine was a commone langage to here puple about Rome: and biyandis and on this halfe: as Englishe is commone langage to our puple, & yete this daye: the comō puple in Italye speakith Latten corrupt, as trwe men seine that han bene in Italye. And the noumber of translatouris out of Greke into Latine: passith mans knowynge: as Austyne wytnesseth in the. ii boke of chrysten teachynge: and seyth thus. The translatouris oute of Hebrue into Greke, moune be noumbred.

But Latyne translatoures, eyther they yt translatidē into Latine, moune not be noumbred in any maner. For in the fyrste tymes of feyth, ech man as a Greke boke came to him and he semed to hymselfe to haue some kun: nynge of Greke and of Latyne, was hardy to translate. And this thinge helped more thā lettyd vnderstondynge if readars be not negligente. For whye, the biholding of many bokis, hath shewid oft either declarid, some derker sentēcis. Thus seyth Austyne ther. Therfore Grosted seyth yt, it was goddis wyl, that diuers men translatiden, & that diuers translations be in the chirche. For wher one seyd derkly, one either more seyden openly. Lorde God, sithin at y• bigynyng of feyth so many men translatiden into Latine, and to greate profite of Latyne men: lete oo simple creature of God, translate into Englishe for profite of English mē. For if worldly clarkis lokē, well here Cronicles and bokis, they shulē fynd that Bede translatid the Byble and expowned mych in saxon, yt was Englishe either comone langage of this londe in his tyme. And not onely Bede but also Kyng Alured that founded Oxenforde: trāslated in his last daies, ye bigining of the Psalter into Saxō, & wold more, if he had liued longer. Also Frenshmē, Bemers and Britons, han the Byble & other bokis of deuocion and of exposition, translated in here Mother langage. Whye shuldē not Englishe mē, haue the same in here Mother langage? I can not wit. No but for falsenes and neglegence of clerkis either for oure puple is not worthy to haue so great grace & yist e of God in peyne of here olde synnes. God for his mercye amēd these euil causis: & make our puple to haue and kunne and kepe truly holy wryte to lyfe and deathe. But in translatyng of wordis equiuoke (yt is, that hath many significaciōs vnder oo letter) maye lyghtly be perile. For Austine seyth in ye. ii boke of chri sten teachinge, yt if equiuoke word is be not translated into ye sence either vnderstonding of the autoure it is erroure. As in that place of y• Psalter The feete of hem be swyfte to shed oute blude: the greke worde is equiuoke to sharpe and swyfte. And he that translatyd sharpe feete: erryd. And a boke that hath sharpe feete, is false and mut be amendyd. As that sentence. Unk •… nde younge trees shulen not yeue depe rootis: oweth to be thus. Plantyngis of auoutre: shulen not yeue depe roots

Austine saith this there. Therfore a translatoure hath greate nede to studye well the sentence both before and after: & loke that such equiuoke wordys accorde wyth the sentence. And he hath nede to lyue a clene lyfe and be ful deuout in praiers, & haue not his wyt occupied about worldly thyngis, that the holy spirite, au, toure of wysdome and kunyng and trueth: dresse hym in hys werke, and suffer hym not for to erre. Also thys worde ex syngnyfyeth somtyme of, and somtime it sygnyfyeth by as Ie rome seyth. And thys worde Enim. signyfyeth cōmonly forsoth, and as Ierom seyth, it syngnifyeth cawese as thus. For why. And thys worde Secūdum. is taken for after, as mani men sayne and comonlye. But it sing nyfyeth wel: by, eyther, vp, thus. By youre worde, eyther vp youre word Many such Aduerbis, cōiunctions and prepositiōs: ben set ofte one for an othere, & at fre choyse of autoris somtyme. And nowe tho shoulenne be taken: as it accordyth best to the sentence. By thys maner wyth good lyuynge and greate traueyle: men moūe com to trueth and clere translatynge, and trwe vnderstond ing of holye wryte, seme it neuer so harde at the begynynge.

God graūt to vs al to kune wel and kepe wel holy write and suffer ioifully some peyne for it at y• last.

Amen