PROLOGUE. Here bygynneth a prolog for alle the bokis of the Bible of the oolde testament. CAP. I.

Fyue and twenty bookis of the olde testament ben bookis of feith, and fulli bookis of holy writ; the first is Genesis, the ij. is Exodi, the iij. is Leuitici, the iiij. is Numeri, and the v. is Deutronomye; and these fyue ben the bookis of Moises, whiche ben clepid propurly the lawe; the vj. book is Josue, the vij. book is Judicum, that enclosith the story of Ruth; the viij. book, ix. x. and xj. and xij. and xiij. ben the foure bookis of Kyngis and twey bookis of Paralipominon; the xiiij. book is Esdre, that comprehendeth Neemye, and al is o bok anentis Ebreyes, as Jerom seith, but anentis Grekis and Latyns these ben twey bookis; and the xv. is Hester, the xvj. is Joob, the xvij. is the Sauter; the xviij. book, xix. and xx. ben the iij. bookis of Salamon; the first is Prouerbis, either Parablis, the ij. is Eclesiastes, and the iij. is Songis of Songis; the xxi. book, xxij. xxiij. and xxiiij. ben the foure grete prophetis; Isaie is the first, Jeremye is the ij. Ezechiel is the iij. and Daniel is the fourth; the xxv. book is o book of xij. smale prophetis; Osee `is the first, Joel `is the ij. Amos `is the iij. Abdie `is the iiij. Jonas `is the fyuethe, and Michee `is the vj. Naum `is the vij. Abacuk `is the viij. Sofonye `is the ix. Aggeye `is the x. Sacharie `is the xi. and Malachie `is the xij.; and alle these xij. smale prophetis ben o book, and in this ordre. And what euer book in the olde testament is `out of these fyue and twenty byfore seid, shal be set among apocrifa, that is, with outen autorite of bileue; therfore the book of Wisdom and Eclesiastici and Judith and Tobie be not of bileue. The first book of Machabeies was founden write in Ebreu, and the ij. book of Machabeyes was writen first in Grek. Jerom seith al this sentence in the prologe on the first book of Kyngis. Also the book of Baruc and the pistle of Jeremye ben not of the autorite of the bible anentis Ebreyes, ne the preyer of Manasses, as Jerom witnessith, and `how mich of the book of Hester and of Daniel is of autorite anentis Ebreyes, and in Ebreu lettre, it is told in the same bookis by Jerom hym self; netheles Jerom, in suynge Ebreyes, comprehendith alle these bookis in xxij.; for Ebreies maken oo book of the first and ij. book of Kyngis, and clepen it Samuel, and thei maken oo book of the iij. and iiij. book of Kyngis, and clepen it Malachym, and thei comprehenden in oo book the ij. bookis of Paralipominon. But certis, litel charge is of this rikenyng, whether the bookis of Kyngis ben noumbred foure, as Latyns doen, either tweyn, as Ebreies doen. Also litel charge is, whether Paralipominon be departid in ij. bookis, as Latyns vsen, either be oo book aloone, as Ebreis doen; and so of the first book of Esdras and of Neemye, litel charge is, whether thei ben tweyne, as Latyns and

Grekis vsen, `other oon aloone, as Ebreyes vsen. Netheles it semeth, that Latyns and Grekis han more reson in this rikenyng than Ebreies han, but hou euer these bookis ben noumbrid, alle these ben of autorite of bileue, either of cristen feith. Thanne if the first book of Esdre and the book of Neemye ben noumbrid for tweyne, as Grekis and Latyns vsen, and if men taken Judith for a book of holy Scripture, as the general congregacioun of clergie dide at the Seyne of Nicene, as Jerom witnessith in the prologe on Judith, thanne in the olde testament ben xxvij. bookis of bileue. <sup>note</sup>Also Eclesiastici was writen in Ebreu, and the book of Wisdom is not anentis Ebreies, but sowneth Grek eloquence, and summe olde writers affermen, that the Jew Filo made it. Therfore as holy chirche redith Judith and Tobie and the bookis of Machabeies, but resceyueth not tho among holy Scripturis, so the chirche redith these ij. bookis Eclesiastici and Sapience to edifying of the peple, not to conferme the autorite of techingis of holy chirche; Jerom seith this pleynly in the prologe on Prouerbis. Also Jerom translatide the first book of Esdre and Neemye, and biddith that no man delite in the dremis of the iij. and iiij. book of Esdre that ben apocrifa, that is, not of autorite of bileue; for anentis Ebreies the wordis of Esdre and of Neemye ben driuen in to o book; <sup>note</sup> `and the bookis of the olde testament, that ben not anentis Ebreies, and ben not of the noumbre of holy writ, owen to be cast fer awey; Jerom seith this in the prolog of Esdre. And therfore Y translatide not the thridde neither the fourthe book of Esdre, that ben apocrifa; but onely the first, and of Neemye, that ben rikened for twey bookis anentis Grekis and Latyns, and ben of autorite of bileue. Netheles apocrifa `ben seid in twey maners, as Catholicon seith on this word apocrifa; a book is seid apocrifum, either for the autor is vnknowen, and the treuthe therof is opyn; and hooly chirche resseyueth sich a book not to preuyng of feith, but to lernyng of vertues; and siche ben the bookis of Judith and other, whiche Seynt Jerom noumbrith in the prologe on Regum; either a book is seid apocrifum, for me doutith of the treuthe therof; and holy chirche resceyueth not siche bookis; and siche ben the book of `the &yogh;ong childhed of the Sauyour, and the book of the takyng up of the body of Seynt Marye to heuen; Catholicon seith this on that word apocrifa. But sothely alle the bookis of the newe testament, that is, foure gospelleris, Matheu, Mark, Luk, and Jon; xij. pistelis of Poul, vij. smale pistils, the Dedis of Apostlis, and the Apocalips ben fulli of autorite of bileue; ^note therfore cristen men and wymmen, olde and &yogh;onge, shulden studie fast in the newe testament, for it is of ful autorite, and opyn to vndirstonding of simple men, as to the poyntis that be moost nedeful to saluacioun; and the same sentence is in the derkiste placis of holy writ, whiche sentence is in the opyn placis; and ech place of holy writ, bothe opyn and derk, techith mekenes and charite; and therfore he that kepith mekenes and charite hath the trewe vndirstondyng and perfectioun of al holi writ, as Austyn preuith in his sermoun of the preysing of charite. Therfore no simple man of wit be aferd vnmesurabli to studie in the text of holy writ, for whi tho ben wordis of euerlastyng lif, as Petir seide to Crist in the vj. chapitre of Jon; and the Holy Gost stirede hooly men to speke and write the wordis of hooly writ for the coumfort and saluacioun of meke cristen men, as Petir in the ij. pistle in the ende, and Poul in xv. chapitre to Romayns witnessen. And no clerk be proude of the verrey vndirstondyng of holy writ, for whi verrey vndirstonding of hooly writ with outen charite, that kepith Goddis heestis, makith a man depper dampned, as James and Jhesu Crist witnessen; and pride and couetise of clerkis is cause of her blindenes and eresie, and priueth hem fro verrey vndirstondyng

of holy writ, and maken hem go quyk in to helle, as Austyn seith on the Sauter, on that word, Descendant in infernum viventes. CAP. II.

The old testament is departid in to thre parties, in to moral comaundementis, iudicials, and cerimonyals. ^noteMoral comaundementis techen to holde and preise and cherishe vertues, and to fle and repreue vicis, and these comaundementis bynden euer, and han strengthe, for tho ben groundid in charite and reson, and in lawe of kynde. ^note¶2; Judicials techen domes and peynes for orrible synnes, and the iudicials of Moises lawe weren ful iust and profitable for men, for tho weren ordeined of God, that may not erre in his domes, and lawis, and workis. Netheles sithen Crist was maad man, and ordeyned lawe of mercy and of charite, and wole not the deth of a sinful man, but repentaunce and saluacioun, cristen men ben not bounden to kepe the iudicials of Moyses lawe, that was endid in the tyme of Cristis passioun. ^noteBut &yogh;it cristen lordis that han the swerd, and ben Goddis vikers, in xiij. c^o. to Romayns, moun punishe men, that trespassen openly, in catel and bodyly prisoun, and sumtyme bi bodily deth, whanne the synne may not ellis be distried, neither the comynte may ellis be stablishid in pees, as the foure doctours and other latter preuen opynly by holy writ and resoun; but looke that this be don for charite and comyn profit, with mercy and compassioun of bretheren, not for couetise, nether pride, neither for veniaunce of a mannes owne wrong. ^note¶2; Cerymonials techen figuris and sacramentis of the olde lawe, that figureden Crist and his deth, and the misteries of holy chirche in the lawe of grace; and these cerimonials ceessiden outirly, as to obligacioun, in the tyme of Cristis deth, and ben noyful and dampnable to men that kepen tho, and for that the gospel is prechid and knowen generally; for if tho cerymonyes ben kept now, the kepers of tho knowlechen, that Crist is not &yogh;it comen, neither suffrid deth for mankynde; and this knowleching is opyn heresie; for whi the treuthe and fredom of the gospel suffisith to saluacioun with out keping of cerymonyes maad of God in the old lawe, and mych more with out cerimonyes of sinful men and vnkunnynge, that ben made in the tyme of Antecrist, and of vnbyndyng of Sathanas, in xx. c^o. of Apocalips. Therfore as it is opyn eresie to seie, that the gospel with his treuthe and fredom suffisith not to cristen mennes saluacioun with outen kepyng of cerimonyes of Goddis lawe &yogh;ouen to Moyses, so it semith opyn heresie to seie, that the gospel with his treuthe and fredom suffisith not to saluacioun of cristen men with out kepyng of ceremonyes and statutis of sinful men and vnkunnynge, that ben maad in the tyme of Sathanas and of Antecrist. CAP. III.

^noteSymple men of wit moun be edified mych to heuenly lyuyng bi redyng and knowyng of the olde testament, for in the bigynnyng of Genesis they moun knowe, hou God made heuen and erthe and alle creaturis of nou&yogh;t, and made man to his owne ymage and licnesse, and to haue blisse in body and soule with outen ende. Also `men moun knowe, hou sore God punishide Adam and Eue for brekyng of his comaundement; and hou Abel plesid God by feith, mekenesse and charite; and hou Caym displeside hym by synnes, and specialli by enuye, hatrede and manquellyng. Also hou Noe was loued of God, and al the world, outaken viij. persones, was distried for synne; and hou for pride and other synnes God departid many langagis, that no man vndirstood other in the tour of Babel; and hou feithful and obedient to God Abraham was, that he &yogh;ede out of his lond in to a straunge cuntre, and was redy to sle his owne sone Isaac at the wille of God, and gat therfore mich reward of God; and hou God distried Sodom and Gommor, and other thre cytees, for leccherye and

other synnes, that tho weren sunkun doun; and the dede see is now where tho grete cytees weren. Also hou trewe and obedient to God weren Isaac and Jacob and Joseph, and hou God kepte hem in alle perels. Al this proces of Genesis shulde stire cristen men to be feithful, and for to drede and loue God, and in alle thingis do his wille. ^note¶2; Also in Exodi men moun knowe, hou God kept his simple peple in Egipt, and encresside hem gretly in that lond, vndir the persecucioun and tirauntrie of Farao, and deliueride hem by many miraclis, and punishid Farao and his peple with ten stronge veniauncis, and fedde hem meruelously in desert xl. &yogh;eris, where no duelling of men was bifore, and made hem to ouercome the strong peple of Amalech. Aftir this God tau&yogh;te hem wyis gouernayle, and bitook to hem the ten comaundementis and other iudicials, to punishe gretly opyn grete synnes. Also they weren ful bisy to make a costlew tabernacle to the onour of God, by his bidding and techyng, that figuride holi chirche and vertues in mennes soulis. At the laste God took gret veniaunce on hem for idolatrie, whanne thei forsoken the feith and worshipyng of God, and onoureden &yogh;oten calues bi stiryng of the deuel. And thanne Moyses was a trewe mediatour bitwix God and the sinful peple, and seide thus to God, for gret trist of his mercy and ri&yogh;tfulnes, and for gret charite to the peple, “either for&yogh;iue thou this trespas to hem, either do me out of thi book in which thou hast writen me;” and for this deuout preier and greet charite of Moyses God sparede the synful pepil, and distryede not sodeynly al the pepil, but took hem to mercy and grace. And this proces of Exodi shulde make men trysty in Goddis help, and to be trewe in his loue, and eschewe his offence with al her my&yogh;tis. ^note¶2; The iij. book clepid Leuitici techith men sacrificis due to God, and for synnes of the peple, in the tyme of the olde testament, and that no man vnworthi shulde ney&yogh;e to the seruise and sacrifice of God. ^noteThese sacrificis owen not to be kept now, for tho figureden the passioun and deth of Crist, and remissioun of synnes bi the blood and merit of Crist, in the lawe of grace. Also this book techith men to absteyne fro wedlok of ny&yogh; kyn and affynyte, with ynne the ij. degre, and ordeyneth peyne of deeth for ydolatrie, and weddyng with ynne the ij. degre of consanguynyte and affynite. ^noteAt the last this book techith men to kepe Goddis heestis, and for to loue her nei&yogh;boris and to do equyte to hem, and werkis of mercy to nedy men; and comaundith iust wey&yogh;tis and mesures, and domes; and forbedith strongly ydolatrye and wicche craftis and false coniouryngis; and tellith prosperite that shal come to hem that kepen Goddis heestis, and veniaunce and peyne to hem that breken Goddis heestis. And this proces of Leuitici shulde make cristen men aferd to breke Goddis heestis, and ioyful to kepe tho to lyf and deth, for reward of God in euerlastyng blisse. ^note¶2; The iiij. book clepid Numeri tellith the noumbre of peple led out of Egipt, bothe of lewid men and of prestis and of dekenys; and how God kept hem longe in the orrible desert, and punisshide hem alle bi deeth, out taken Caleph and Josue, for grucchyng and mystriste to Goddis word, and punisshide Marie, Moyses sistyr, with lepre, for bacbytyng of Moyses, the mylde seruaunt of God. Also whanne God wolde haue distryed the peple for grucchyng a&yogh;ens hym, Moyses preyede with al his herte for the peple that wolde stoone hym to deeth. ^noteAlso God techith there, that he that doth ony synne by pride shal be deed, and that he that brak the sabot, &yogh;he by gaderyng of stickis, shulde be stooned of alle the peple. ^noteAlso God punisshide soore Chore, Dathan, and Abyron, that weren rebel a&yogh;ens Moyses and Aaron, and made discencioun in the peple, so that the erthe openyde, and deuouride hem with here tabernaclis, and al her catel, and thei &yogh;eden doun quyke in to helle. &YOGH;it whanne the

peple grucchide a&yogh;eyns Moyses and Aaron, and wolde sle hem vniustly, and God killide mony thousendis of the peple herfore, Moyses bad Aaron preye, and offre encense for the peple; and so he ceesside the veniaunce. ^noteAlso God techith there, that prestis shulen haue the firste fruytis and the first boren thingis, and part of sacrificis and avowis and offringis; and dekenys shulen haue tithis of the peple, and &yogh;iue her tithis, that is, the tenthe part of tithis whiche thei token of the peple, to the hi&yogh;est prest, and prestis and dekenys shulen holde hem apayed with her spiritual part of tithis and offryngis, and take no possessioun `in the lond of her britheren, for God hymself shal be the part and eritage of prestis, in the myddys of the sones of Israel. ^noteAlso for Moyses and Aaron bileueden not fully to Goddis word, but doutiden of his byheest at the water of a&yogh;enseying, God suffride not hem for to entre in to the lond of byheest, but bothe weren deed in desert. Also in this book ben told the duellyngis of the children of Israel in desert, and the batels whiche thei hadden a&yogh;eyns hethen men; and of Balaam hou he was huyrid to curse Goddis peple, and hou God compellyd hym to blesse his peple, and to seye profesie of Crist. And for the peple of Israel dide fornicacioun and idolatrie, God bad Moyses hange alle the princis a&yogh;ens the sunne, that the strong veniaunce of God were turned awey fro the peple of Israel. And for as myche as Fynees the prest killide a duke of Israel, that dide fornicacioun with an hethen womman, and dide this for feruent loue to God, he gat of God euerlastyng presthod for hym and his seed, and turned awey Goddis wraththe fro the children of Israel. Also there is tau&yogh;t, who shal be eyr of a man; and of halydayes, and sacrificis, and offryngis maade in tho; and whiche avowis shulen be holden, and whiche not; and of batels; and hou the preyes shulden be departid among the peple, and what shulde falle to the prest; and hou the lond of byheest shulde be departid to xij. lynagis; and dekenys shulden haue citees to enhabite in tho, and the subarbees to here sheep and beestys; ^note and citees of refuyt shulden be ordeyned for hem that shedden blood vnwilfully, not of purpos, neithir hatrede byfore goynge; and he that is gilty of mannis deeth shal be slayn with outen ony redempcioun. This proces of Numeri shulde stire cristen men for to loue here enemyes, and do good to hem, as Moyses and Aaron diden, and to kepe Goddis heestis, and shede not mannis blood vniustly. ^note¶2; The fyfthe book clepid Deutronomye is a rehersyng and confermyng of al the lawe biforegoyng, and styrith men gretly to kepe and teche Goddis heestis, and adde no thing to tho, neither drawe awey ony thing fro tho; and first it techith, that wise men and my&yogh;ty shulen be maad iugis, and deme iustly the pore and the riche; aftirward hou the Jewis ouercamen Seon, the kyng of Hesebon, and token his lond and alle the goodis therynne in to her owne possessioun, and dedyn in lyk maner to Og the kyng of Basan, and to his lond and goodis. ^noteFerthermore God comaundith men to kepe hise heestis, and adde no thing therto, neither drawe ony thing ther fro, and that they drede and loue God of al her herte, and al her soule, and al her strengthe, and eschewe ydolatrie, and serue and worshipe hym aloone; and that thei teche Goddis heestis to here sones, and thenke on tho heestis in hous and weye, slepynge and wakynge. Also God comaundith his peple to eschewe weddyngis of hethen men and wymmen to her children, lest they ben drawen to idolatrye, and bihetith many blessyngis to hem and miche encresyng of goodis, if thei kepen treuly hise comaundementis, and that strong veniaunce and distryyng shal come on the Jewis, if thei doen ydolatrie, and ben vnobedient to God. Also God biddith hem haue mynde, that they weldiden the lond of byheest, not for her owne ri&yogh;tfulnesse and strengthe, but for the synnes of men that duelliden therynne, and for the ooth of God which he made to Abraham and to other hooly men. And thanne God remembrith to hem many grete synnis, to make hem war that thei trespase no more, but that thei drede God

and loue hym in alle her hert and soule, kepe hise comaundementis, and swere by his name, and loue pilgrymes either comelyngis. ^noteEft God biddith hem haue hise wordis in her hertis and wittis, and haue tho for a singne in the hondis, and bytwyxe her y&yogh;en, and that they teche her sones to bithenke on the wordis of God euere, and that they write the wordis of God on the postis and &yogh;atis of her hous; and tellith and &yogh;iueth his blessyng to hem, if thei kepen hise heestis, and &yogh;iueth his curs to hem, if they breken hise heestis, and worshipen aliene goddis. Also they shulen distrye the placis wherynne hethen men diden ydolatrie, and distrye her auters, ymagis, woodis and ydols; and thei shulen make her sacrifices, and offre her tithis, and the firste fruytis, and &yogh;iftis and avowis in the place which the Lord hath chose to his name, and this was the temple of Jerusalem. Also a prophete, either a feynere of dremys, that `wole styre men to do ydolatrye shal be slayn, and so shal a frend either citee that doth idolatrye, eithir styrith other men therto. Also thou shalt paye tithis of alle fruytis that growen in erthe, of whete, of wyn, and of oyle, and the first boren thingis of neet and sheep; and in the thridde &yogh;ere thou shalt departe an othir tithe of alle thingis that growen to thee, and kepe it with ynne thine &yogh;atis, to susteyne the dekene, pylgrym outher comelyng, fadirles child either modirles, and wydue, that ben with ynne thy &yogh;atis. Also in the vij. &yogh;eer shal be remissioun of dette to citeseynes and kynnesmen, netheles not to a pylgrym and comelyng, for he may be compellid to paye. <sup>note</sup>Outirly a nedy man and begger shal not be among Goddis peple; but pore men shulen not fayle in the lond, therfore ryche men shulen helpe hem with loue, and helpe hem wilfully in here nede. Thanne God techith of thre grete solempnetees, of pask, of the feeste of woukis either pentecost, and of the feeste of tabernaclis; and that maystris and iugis shulen be ordeyned in alle &yogh;atis either citees by ech lynage, to deme the peple by iust doom, and take not &yogh;iftis nether persones. Ferthermore God techith, that who euer is conuyct by tweyne eithir thre witnessis, that he hath do idolatrie, he shal be stoonyd, first by the witnessis, and thanne by al the pepil. He that is proud and wole not obeye to the comaundement of the hi&yogh;e prest, and to the doom of the iugis, in that that thei techen Goddis lawe, shal be deed. Thanne God techith, what maner kyng the pepil shal make, and what shal be his office. <sup>note</sup>Aftirward God techith, that prestis and dekenys, and alle that ben of the same lynage, shulen `not haue part and eritage with the residue pepil of Israel, for they shulen ete the sacrifices of the Lord, and the offringis of hym, and thei shulen take noon othir thing of the possessioun of her bretheren; for whi God hym self is her eritage. ^noteFerthermore God forbedith idolatrie, and to enquere coniourers, and to kepe dremys and chiteryng of briddis; and comaundith that no wicche neithir enchaunter be, and that men take not councel at hem that han spiritis in cloos, neithir at false dyuynours, neithir axe of deede men the trouthe. Also God shal reise a profete of her brethir, that is Crist the Sauyour, and he that hath not hise wordis shal be punishid. A profete that wole speke by pride in the name of God that thing that God bad not hym, eithir bi the name of othir goddis, shal be slayn. ^noteAlso vj. citees of refuyt eithir of fraunchise shulen be, that he that sleeth a man, not by hatrede but a&yogh;ens his wille, be saued, and he that sleeth a man bi hatrede and bifore castyng, shal be slayn with oute mercy, eithir raunsoun. He that is conuict to have seid fals witnessyng a&yogh;ens his brothir, shal haue the same peyne to which his brothir shulde be put, if he hadde be gilty. ^noteAlso prestis shulen coumforte hem that gon to iust batel, to haue trist in God, and drede not her enemyes, and that ferdful men, and thei that han newly byldyd an hous, eithir newly plauntid a vyne, eithir newly weddid a wyf, and not vsid hir, go not to batel; and first werryours shulen profre pees to a citee, and if the citee &yogh;elde it self, men ther

ynne shulen lyue vndir tribute, ellis alle men ther ynne shulen be slayn; and this is vndirstonden of tho citees that be not &yogh;ouen in to possessioun to the pepil of Israel. And there is teld the departyng of preyes, and what trees shulen be kit doun in bisegynge. Also God techith what shal be doon, whanne a man is founden slayn, and the sleer is vnknowun. ^noteA child rebel to the fadir and modir, and that &yogh;iueth hym silf to glotenye, leccherye and drunkennesse, shal be stoonyd of al the citee. A man shal kepe the oxe and sheep of his brothir, that is strayed awey, and bringe it a&yogh;en to his brothir, and so of other beestis and of ech thing; and if thou knowist not, whose tho ben, thou shalt kepe tho stille, tyl thi brothir seke and resseyue tho. Who euer doth avoutrie, shal be deed; ^note if a man defoulith a virgyne, he shal wedde hir, and &yogh;iue l. siclis of siluer to her fadir. Thou shalt not take a seruaunt to his lord, which seruaunt fledde to thee, but he shal duelle with thee in a place that plesith hym. ^noteNoon hoore shal be of the dou&yogh;tris of Israel, neithir a lechour of the soones of Israel. Thou shalt not leene to thi brothir for vsure. If a man hatith his wife, he shal write and &yogh;iue to hir a libel of forsakyng; but this is forbedun of Crist in the gospel of M. v. ca. and `xix ca. Whanne a man hath take late a wyf, he shal not go to batel, neithir ony comyn office shal be put on hym, but oon &yogh;eer he shal be glad with his wif, and take heede to his hous. He that proloyneth his brothir, which is a fre man, and sillith hym, shal be slayn. Thou shalt &yogh;elde `at ny&yogh;t to a pore man his weed, and in the same day thou shalt paye to a nedy traueylour his huyre. Fadris shulen not be slayn for the sones, neithir sones for the fadris. ^noteWhanne thou repist corn in the feeld, and for&yogh;etist an handful, thou shalt not turne a&yogh;en to take it, but thou shalt suffre that a comelyng, fadirles child and wydewe take it awey; and so of gaderyng of olyues and of gaderyng of grapis. Whanne twey men ben at debatyng, and the wif of oon wole delyuere hir housbond fro the hond of the strenger, and take hym by the preuy membris, sche shall leese her hond withouten eny mercy. ^noteAnd there God forbedith false wei&yogh;tis and mesures, a more and a lesse. Also dekenes schulen pronunce and seie with hi&yogh; vois to alle the men of Israel, ^note he is cursid that doth ydolatrie, eithir brekith eny comaundement of God eithir doth a&yogh;ens eny part of the lawe of God; and al the peple schal seie, Amen. Also God biheetith greet prosperite to his peple, if thei kepe his heestis, and thei schulen be blessid in citee and in feeld, and the fruit of her wombe and the fruyt of her lond shal be blessid, and alle thingis that perteynen to hem schulen be blessid, and thei schulen haue victorie of hire enemyes, and manye prosperites of soule and of bodi schulen bifalle to hem; and if thei kepen not Goddis heestis, thei schulen be cursid in cite and feeld, the fruit of her wombe, and alle thingis that perteynen to hem schul be cursid; God schal sende hem hungir, thirst, pestilence, feuer and coold, brennynge and heete, and corupt eir, til thei perischen; enemyes schulen haue victorie, and conquere hem, and take hem presoners; and &yogh;it God schal punysche hem with huge veniaunce, that alle that heeren ben astonyed. ^noteNatheles if whanne alle these veniances ben fallen on hem, thei repenten verily in the herte, and turne a&yogh;en to God, and obeyen to hise heestis in al her herte and al her soule, the Lord shal haue mercy on hem, and bringe hem a&yogh;en to hire lond fro alle folkis, among whiche thei weren scaterid, and God schal blesse hem, and make hem to be of more noumbre than her fadris weren, and schal turne alle the cursis on her enemyes; and God schal &yogh;eue to hem aboundaunce in alle werkis of her hondis, and in alle thingis that perteynen to hem. Moises spac alle these wordis to al the puple of Israel, and bad hem drede not her enemyes, for God schal go bifore his peple, and ouercome her enemyes. And Moises ordeyned Josue to be ledere of the peple bifore al the multitude of the sones

of Israel. ^noteMoises wroot this lawe and &yogh;af it to prestis, the sones of Leuy, and to the eldre men of Israel, and bad hem rede the wordis of this lawe bifore al Israel, in the heeringe of alle men and wymmen, litel children, and comelingis, eithir conversis to the feith of Jewis, that thei heere and lerne and dreede oure Lord God, and kepe and fille alle the wordis of this lawe. Moises bi Goddis comaundement wroot a greet song, and tau&yogh;te it the children of Israel, that it schulde be into witnessing a&yogh;ens hem; and Moises clepide togidere alle the eldre men and techeris, and clepide heuene and erthe into witnessing a&yogh;ens hem; and whanne Moises hadde fillid alle the wordis of this greet song, he styede into an hil, and was deed there, and God biryede him, and man knew not his sepulcre til into this day. Cristen men schulde myche reede and heere `and kunne this book of Deutronomye that conprehendith al the lawe of Moises, and disposith men for to bileeue in Crist, and heere and kepe his wordis. CAP. IV.

^noteThe vj. book, which is clepid Josue, tellith in general, that Josue brou&yogh;te the peple into the lond of biheeste, and departide it bi lott to hem; and first how God bihi&yogh;te to Josue that noon schulde mowe a&yogh;enstonde him and his peple in alle the daies of his lijf; and God bihi&yogh;te that Josue schulde departe bi lot to his peple the lond of biheest; ^note and God comaundide him to kepe al the lawe, and bowe not fro it, but thenke therinne bi daies and ny&yogh;tis, that he kepe and do tho thingis that ben writen therinne. Aftir this Josue sente aspies to bihoolde the lond and the citee of Jerico; ^note and thei entriden in to the hous of a comun womman Raab, and weren sauid there bi counceil and helpe of the womman. Thanne Josue bad the prestis take the arke of boond of pees of the Lord, and goo bifore the peple, and thei diden so. And whanne the prestis camen with the arke to the brinke of Jurdan, ^note the greet watir of Jurdan wente awey to the deed se, and the hi&yogh;ere wateris stooden stille as a wal, so that the peple passide bi the drie botme, and the prestis stoodin on the drie erthe in the myddis of Jurdan. Also Josue bad xij. men of xij. lynagis of Israel take xij. greete stoonis fro the botme of Jordan, and sette tho in Galgalis, where the peple settide tentis in the ny&yogh;t aftir the passage of Jurdan, and take xij. stoonis of the lond, and putte in the myddis of Jordan, where the arke hadde stoonde; and bad that fadris schulden teche hire children, hou thei passiden bi the drie botme of Jurdan, for God driede the watris theroffe, as he hadde do before in the reed se, and the prestis and princis and al the peple obeyede to Josue. Thanne Josue circumcide the peple that was vncircumcidid xl. &yogh;eer in desert, and the peple made paask in the xiiij. day of the monthe at euentid; and Josue si&yogh; an aungel of the Lord, which aungel was prince of Goddis oost. ^noteAlso the stronge wallis of Jerico felden doun at Goddis ordynaunce, whanne the prestis brayeden with vij. trumpis, and alle the peple criede an hi&yogh; in the vij. day of cumpassing of the citee. And the peple of Israel distroiede and brente the citee and alle thingis therinne, outaken Raab and tho that weren in her hous, and outtaken gold and syluer, and vessels of bras and yroun, whiche thei haleweden in to the tresorie of the Lord. Also for ^noteAchar dide a&yogh;ens Goddis bidding, and took to himself a thing reserued to Goddis vs, he was stoonid and brent, and alle hise goodis weren brent with hym; and til this punysching was doon on hym, `the peple of Israel my&yogh;te not stoonde, but was ouercomen of hire enemyes. After this punysching of Achar Josue took the citee of Hay, and killede the king and al the peple, and distroiede and brente the citee, and hangide the king therof in a iebat. Thanne Josue bildide an auter to God in the hill of Hebal, and offride theronne brent sacrifice and peesible sacrificis, and wroot the Deutronomye of Moyses lawe on

stoonis. ^noteAnd first he blesside the peple of Israel, and aftir these thingis he redde alle the wordis of blessing and of cursing, and alle thingis that weren writen in the book of lawe; he lefte noo thing vntouchid of these thingis whiche Moises hadde comaundid, but he declaride alle thingis bifore al the multitude of Israel, to wymmen and litel children, and to comelyngis that dwelliden among hem. Also men of Gabaon feyneden hem to be of fer cuntre, and bi this fraude thei `gaten of Josue and other princis pees and lijf; and for this fraude thei and alle hire successouris weren maad boonde, to bringe woode and watir to the seruise of the auter and of al the multitude of Israel for euere. <sup>note</sup>Also Josue by Goddis help ouercam v. greete kingis in oo day, and made hise princis trede on the neckis of these kingis, and aftirward hangide these kingis in v. iebatis, and he ouercam alle the kingis and her peplis that dwelliden in the lond of biheest, that weren xxxj. kingis, and departide the lond of biheest to xij. lynagis of Israel bi lot, and citees of refuyt, and citees to prestis and dekenes to dwelle inne, as God comaundide. This processe of Josue schulde stire cristene men to haue greet trist in God, and dreede noo man neither peple, as longe as thei seruen treuly Almy&yogh;ty God. <sup>note</sup>¶2; The vij. book clepid Judicum tellith that the puple of Israel was reulid with iugis, either domysmen, aftir the deeth of Josue, <sup>note</sup> and sumtyme bi a womman Delbora. Whanne the peple felde to greete synnes, and specialy to ydolatrie, God sente aduersaries on hem that turmentiden the Jewis ful sore, and killide many thousendis of hem, and heeld othere vndir tribute and greet thraldam. <sup>note</sup>And whanne the peple repentide vereily, and criede to God with al her herte, he sente help to hem, and reiside a iuge that ouercam her enemyes, and reulide hem wel in pees and in Goddis lawe. This prosces of Judicum schulde stire cristene men for to flee synne, and loue God that doith so greet mercy to hem that repentyn verili. <sup>note</sup>¶2; `This book comprehendith the storie of Ruth, that was an hethene womman, and lefte her nacoun, and ydolatrie, and bileeuede in God, and kepte his lawe. Therfore sche was weddid to a noble man of the Jewis, and is set in the genelogie either kynrede of oure Sauyour. This story schulde stire alle men to forsake her synne, and serue God treuly in al hire lijf, for reward of heuenly blisse. ^note¶2; The first book of Kingis tellith, how the prest Ely and his sones weren repreued and slayn, for thei gouerneden yuele Goddis peple, and for her synne and necligence the peple dide myche synne, and was ouercomen of hethene men, and the arke of God was taken of hethene men, and thei killeden manye thousindis of the Jewis; ^note and how the trewe chijld Samuel was a feithful prophete of the Lord, and gouernede wel the peple in Goddis seruise and ri&yogh;tfulnesse, and dide noon extorcioun, neither took &yogh;iftis of eny man, neither coueitide eny mannis good, but dide alle thingis in his offis iustly bifore God and man. And whanne Samuel was eeld, he settide his sones iuges of Israel; and for thei bowide aftir auarice, and tooken &yogh;iftis, and peruertiden doom, the peple axiden a king on hem, to greet indignacoun of God and harm of hemself. Thanne Saul that was pore and meke, and sou&yogh;te the assis of his fadir, was maad king, and dide wel a lytel while, and aftirward for his pride and coueitise he was repreued of God, and pryued fro the reume, bothe he and his kyn; ^note and pore Dauith was chosen king bi Goddis ordynaunce for his meeknesse, mersy, and charite. Dauith sparyde Saul his enemye, that pursuede him to deeth vniustly, and was a traitour and blasfemere of God, and not oonly sparide him twyes bitaken in to his hoondis, whanne he my&yogh;te haue slayn him, and &yogh;it ascapide harmles, but also lettide hise men to smyte hym, whanne thei my&yogh;ten haue slayn him, and scapid harmles. And &yogh;it the wickid tyraunt Saul pursuede him for enuye,

and sou&yogh;te his deth in manye maners, and euere God kepte Dauith in alle perrels, and &yogh;eldide peyne to Saul for his tyrauntrie and wickidnesse, and made him to be slayn of hethene men. This processe of the firste book of Kingis schulde stire prestis to be not necligent in her offis, neither to be coueytous, and styre seculer lordis to be meke and iust to God and men. ^note¶2; The ij. book of Kingis tellith first, hou Dauith biweylide greetly the deth of Saul and of Jonatas, and of Goddis peple; and Dauith killede the man of Amalech that killede Saul outirly, aftir the deeth wounde of Saul, and brou&yogh;te to Dauith the coroune `and bye of Saul. Aftir this the lynage of Juda corounnede either anoyntide Dauith in Ebron, that he schulde reyne on the hous of Juda; and thanne was longe werre bytwixxe Hisboseth, sone of Saul, and bitwixe the hous of Dauith; Dauith encreside euere, and waxe strongere `and strongere, and the hous of Saul dicreeside ech day; and Dauith rengnide vij. &yogh;eer in Ebron, and gat vj. sones. Also Dauith made mychel sorewe for the deth of Abner, whanne Joab hadde killid him bi treesoun. Also Dauith killide Baana and Rechab, that killeden bi treesoun Hisboseth his enemye. Thanne al Israel cam in to Ebron, and anoyntide Dauith in to king of Israel, and Dauith regnede on Juda in Ebron vij. &yogh;eer and an half, and regnede in Jerusalem xxxiij. &yogh;eer on al Israel and Juda, and was xxx. &yogh;er eeld whanne he began to rengne, and rengnede xl. &yogh;eer. Aftir this the noble king Dauith hadde twyes victorie of Filisteis. Thanne Dauith took xxx. thousind chosen men of Israel to bringe to his place the arke of God, for reuerence and deuocioun. ^noteDauith made greet mynstrelsye, and mekide himself bifore the arke, and suffride rebukinge of Mycol, the dou&yogh;tir of Saul; therfore Dauith thou&yogh;te to bylde an hous to the ark of God. Thanne God telde to Dauith that his sone schulde bylde this hous, and the trone of the reume of Dauith schal be stable withouten ende; and this is fillid in Crist. Thanne Dauith hadde victorie of many londis, and made tho tributarie to Israel, and God kepte Dauith in alle thingis, to whiche he &yogh;ed forth. And Dauith dide dom and ri&yogh;tfulnesse to al his peple, and he dide mercy and curtesie to Myfyboseth, sone of Jonatas. Aftir these thingis Dauith dwellide at home, whanne Joab and the oost wente to bateile, ^note and `in this tyme Dauith dide auoutrie with Bersabee, the wijf of Vrie, and procuride the deth of Vrie bi tresoun. Thanne God sente Nathan the prophete to repreue Dauith of this synne, and he took meekly his repreuyng, and knoulechide that he synnede a&yogh;ens God; and God for&yogh;af the synne, but swerd and persecusioun &yogh;ede neuere awey fro his hous, for God killede the sone of Bersabee, and oo sone of Dauith killede another, and Absolon his sone roos a&yogh;ens him, and droof him out of Jerusalem, and sou&yogh;te with stronge oost to slee him. Thanne Dauith &yogh;ede out of Jerusalem on his feet, and sti&yogh;ide with bare feet into the hi&yogh;nesse of the hille of Olyuete, and wepte, and al his peple wepte bittirly. And Dauith mekede him to God, and seide, “&YOGH;if God seith to me, thou pleesist not me, I am redy, do he that that is good bifore himself.” <sup>note</sup>Thanne Semey, that was of the kyn of Saul, dispiside Dauith, and clepide him a manquellere, and a man of Belial, and a rauenour of the rewme, and he curside Dauith, and castide stoonis and erthe a&yogh;ens Dauith, and a&yogh;ens alle the seruauntis of king Dauith; and whanne Abisay wolde slee this cursere, Dauith bad him suffre Semey to curse him, and seide, God comaundide hym `that he curse Dauith. And the kyng seide to Abysay and to alle his seruauntis, “Loo! my sone that &yogh;ede out of my wombe seekith my lijf, that is, to slee me, how myche more now this sone of Gemyny; suffre &yogh;e him to curse bi comaundement of the Lord; if in caas the Lord bihoolde my turment, and &yogh;elde good to me for this cursing to day.” Aftirward Absolon defoulide opynly his fadris wijfes bifore al Ysrael. Thanne Achitofel &yogh;af a fel counceyl, to pursue Dauith in that ny&yogh;t with xij. thousandis of men, and sle him bifore that he were war; but this counceil was

distroied bi Goddis wille, and bi a wijs counceil of Chusy, the frend of Dauith. ^noteThanne Absolon gaderide al the power of Israel to make opyn werre a&yogh;ens his fadir; natheles Dauith for pite and charite comaundide thre princis of his oost to kepe Absolon alyue, that he my&yogh;te repente, and be sauid. ^noteAnd whanne Dauith knew that Absolon was slayn, he made so gret sorewe, that almest he was deed, and al the peple was in poynt to forsake Dauith. Thanne for this perel Dauith lefte his moornyng, and sat opinly in the &yogh;ate, to conforte al his oost. After this the counceil of al Israel cam to Dauith, that thei wolde brynge him in to his rewme worschipfully; and Dauith for&yogh;af the opyn tresoun to hem that thei hadden do bifore, and stiride swetly men of Juda, that weren specialy his traytouris, to come and bringe hym in to his rewme, and for&yogh;af her tresoun, and he for&yogh;af the souereyn tresoun to Amasa, that was of his owne kyn, and was prince of the oost of Absalon to slee Dauith; and Dauith swor to make this Amasa prince next Joab, and for&yogh;af the synne and cursing and tresoun to Semey, and swor that he shulde not dy&yogh;e. &YOGH;it bifore that Dauith cam to Jerusalem, ^note a new debate roos bitwixe the men of Israel and the men of Juda, for this bringing a&yogh;en of the king was not teld first to men of Israel; and bi stiring of Syba, a man of Belial, that was of kyn of Saul, al Israel was departid fro Dauith, and suede this Syba; and in this tyme Joab killyde bi tresoun the noble kny&yogh;t Amasa. Thanne this Syba passide bi alle the lynagis of Israel til into Habela, and into Bethmaka, and alle chosen men weren gaderid to him. And Joab and his oost bysegeden these citees, and wolde distroie the greet citee Habela, and a wijs woman of the citee sauid it bi hire counceil, and made Syba to be slayn, and al the peple to be sauid on bothe sydis. Also vij. men of the kyn of Saul weren slayn of Gabaonytis, bi suffring of Dauith, and bi counceil of God, for Saul killede wickidly the men of Gabaon; and for this synne of Saul hungir was maad thre &yogh;eer in the daies of Dauith; and aftir this veniaunce don on the hous of Saul, God dide mersy to the lond. Thanne is set a greet song of Dauith, which he spac to God, whanne he hadde delyuered him fro the hond of alle his enemyes; thanne sueth the noumbre of stronge men of Dauith. At the laste Dauith for pride and a&yogh;ens the lawe noumbride the peple of Israel, and therfore lxx. thousind of men weren deed bi pestilence. ^noteThanne Dauith repentide him sore, and mekide him to God, and seide thus, “I it am, that synnede, and I dide wickidly; what han these men don that ben scheep, that is, symple and innocent in comparisoun of me; I biseche that thin hond be turnid a&yogh;ens me, and a&yogh;ens the hous of my fadir.” Thanne God sente his profete Gad to hym, and bad him make an auter, and offre brent sacrifices and peesible sacrifices; and God dide mercy to the lond, and the veniaunce ceeside of Israel. The prosces of this ij. book ou&yogh;te to stire kingis and lordis to mersy and ri&yogh;tfulnesse, and euere to be war of ydilnesse, that brou&yogh;te Dauith to auoutrie and othere myscheues, and euere to be meeke to God and hise prestis, and sore repente of hire mysdeedis, and make amendis to God and men, and wilfully for&yogh;eue wroongis don to hem, and euere be war of pride and extorcouns, leest God take veniaunce on al the peple, as he dide on Dauith and his peple, and euere to be pacient and mersiful, as Dauith was, to gete remissioun of synnes bifore don, and to gete pees, and prosperite, and heuenly blisse withouten ende. CAP. V.

^noteThe thridde book of Kingis tellith first, how Adonyas, sone of Dauith, wolde haue regned, and Dauith in his lijf ordeynede Salomon to be king, and he regnede bifore the deeth of Dauith. Thanne Adonyas fledde for dreede to the tabernacle of God, and heeld

the corneer of the auter, tyl Salamon seide, that if he were a good man, he schulde not dye; ellis, if yuel were founden in him, he schulde di&yogh;e. ^noteThanne Dauith, in the tyme of his dy&yogh;inge, chargide Salamon to kepe wel Goddis lawe, and to quyte to the sones of Bersellay the trewthe and kyndnesse of her fadir, and to punysche Joab for his trecherouse manquelling of Abner and of Amasa in the tyme of pees, and to punysche wisely Semey for his wrste cursing, which he dide to Dauith. Aftir these thingis Salamon made Adonyas to be slayn, for he purposide gilefully to be king. And Salamon castide awey Abiathar, that he was not the prest of the Lord, and exylide him also, for he assentide to Adonyas, and was traytour to the king. Also Salamon comaundide Joab to be slayn in the tabernacle at the auter, for he hadde slayn gilefully twey princis in pees, withoute wyting of Dauith; and the king ordeynede Sadoch prest for Abiathar. Thanne the king comaundide Semey, that he schulde not go out of Jerusalem, and if he passide the stronde of Cedron, he schulde be deed; and Semey acceptide this; and for he passide these boundis, the king comaundide him to be slayn, and so he was slayn by comaundement of the king. Aftir these thingis the rewme was confermed in to the hondis of Salamon, and he weddide the dou&yogh;ter of Faroo, king of Egipt. ^noteThanne God bad Salamon axe of him, what hym lykide, and he axide that God schulde &yogh;eue to him wijs herte, that he my&yogh;te deme his peple, and make discrescyoun eithir departyng bitwixe good and yuel. And this axing pleeside God ful myche, therfore God &yogh;af to him a wijs herte and vndirstondinge, in so myche that noon bifore hym was lyk hym, neithir schal rise aftir hym. Also God &yogh;af to him richesse and glorie, that noon among kingis was lyk him in alle daies bifore. Thanne for Salamon &yogh;af a wijs sentense of dom bitwixe twey comen wymmen, that passide the wit of comun men, thei dredden the king, and seyin that Goddis wisdom was in him to make dom. Thanne is toold the worschipeful meyne and houshoold of Salamon. ^noteAftir these thingis Salamon bildide a noble hous to himself, and a famouse temple to God in Jerusalem. And aftir that the temple was fully maad, alle the eldre men and princis of lynagis and dukis of meynes of the children of Israel weren gaderid to king Salamon in Jerusalem, to bringe the arke of God fro Syon in to his owne place in the temple. Thanne the king axide of God manye preieris, and profitis for hem that preieden deuoutly in the temple, and God grauntide tho. ^noteAftir these thingis God halewide the temple, and certyfiede to Salamon, that if he kepte alle his comaundementis, he shulde sette the trone of Salamons rewme on Israel withouten ende; and if the pepel of Israel and her children kepen not Goddis heestis, but worschipen alyen goddis, he schal do awey Israel fro the face of lond which he &yogh;af to hem, and God schal caste awey fro his si&yogh;t the temple which he halewide to his name, and Israel schal be into a prouerbe and fable either tale to alle peplis, and this hous schal be into ensaumple. ^noteAftir this the qwene of Saba cam to Salamon, and hadde greet aray of men and of jewelis, and &yogh;af manye jewelis to Salamon, and he a&yogh;een to hire. Also Salamon tau&yogh;te hire alle thingis that sche hadde in hire herte, and sche blessid God and Salamon and his seruauntis, and &yogh;ede into hire lond. Thanne Salamon made manye scheeldis and bokelers of gold, and made a greet trone of yuer, and clothide it with fyn gold. Thanne king Salamon was magnified ouer alle kyngis of erthe in richessis and wisedom, and al erthe desyride to see his face, and to heere his wisdom, which his God hadde &yogh;oue in his herte. Aftir alle these thingis Salamon, whanne he was eeld, louede gretly manye hethene wymmen, and hadde a thousind wijues, principal and secundaries, ^note and thanne his herte was bischrewid and peruertid bi tho wymmen, that he suede alyen goddis, and worschipide hem. Therfore God reiside an aduersarie to Salamon in his lijf, and departide

his rewme in the tyme of Roboam his sone, and &yogh;af ten lynagis to Joroboam his seruaunt, and kepte oo lynage to his sone for the merit of Dauith his fadir. ^noteAnd this departyng bifelde myche, for Roboam forsook the counceil of eelde and wijse men, and suede the counceil of &yogh;unge men, and spac harde wordis to the peple. Thanne Roboam gaderide proudly al the hous of Juda, and the lynage of Beniamyn, an c. thousind and iiij. score thousind of chosen men and werrouris, that thei schulden fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens the hous of Israel, and bringe a&yogh;en the rewme to Roboam, the sone of Salamon; but God forbed this werre to Roboam and al his peple, for whi this word of departyng of the rewme was don of God. ^noteThanne Jeroboam made ij. golden caluys, and bad Israel worschipe tho, and sti&yogh;e no more to Jerusalem, and seide, “Israel, lo! these ben thi goddis, that ledden thee out of the lond of Egipt;” and he made vnworthi prestis of the laste men of the peple, that were not of the sones of Leuy, and he made templis in hi&yogh;e placis. Also whanne Jeroboam stood on the auter and castide encense, a man of God cam fro Juda bi the word of God, and seide, “A sone, Josias bi name, schal be born to the hous of Dauith, and he schal sle on this auter the prestis of hi&yogh;e placis, that brenne now encense in this autir, and he schal brenne boonys of men on this auter;” and the prophete &yogh;af this singne, that the auter schal be cleft, and the asche therinne schal be sched out. Thanne Jeroboam heeld forth his hond, and bad take that prophete, and his hond was drie, and hee my&yogh;te not drawe it a&yogh;en, and bi preier of the prophete the hond was heelid. And singne bifelde on the auter, as the prophete seide; and for that prophete eet breed in that place a&yogh;ens Goddis bidding, &yogh;he bi disseit of a fals prophete, the trewe prophete of God was slayn of a lyoun in the wey homward. Aftir these wordis Jeroboam turnede not a&yogh;en fro his worste weie, but a&yogh;enward of the laste peples he made prestis of hi&yogh;e placis, who euere wolde, fyllede his hond, and was maad prest of hi&yogh;e placis; and for this cause the hous of Jeroboam synnede, and was distroied, and doon awey fro the face of erthe. Aftir this the prophete Ahia, that was blynd for eelde, knew the wijf of Joroboam, that feynede hire to be anothir womman, and he bifore seide to hire, that hire syk sone schulde di&yogh;e in hir entryng in to hir hous, and that the hous of Jeroboam schulde be distroied outtirly for his synnes; and Israel schal be dryuen out of his good lond for the synnes of Joroboam, that synnede, and made Israel to do synne. Also the peple of Juda dide ydolatrie; ^note therfore the king of Egipt took awey the tresouris of Goddis hous, and of the kingis hous, and the golden scheeldis of Salamon, for whiche Roboam made scheeldis of bras. And batail was bitwixe Roboam and Jeroboam in alle daies. Thanne Abia regnede thre &yogh;eer on Juda, and &yogh;ede in alle the synnes of his fadir. ^noteAftir him roos king Asa in Juda, and he dide ri&yogh;tfulnesse bifore God, and dide awey idolatrie and sodomytis fro the lond, and his herte was perfit with God in alle daies. And schortly amonge alle the kingis of Israel was noon feithful to God; summe weren goode amonge the kingis of Juda; and this figurith, that among men of hooly chirche be summe goode, but among eretikis is noon good outtirly, as Jerom seith. ^noteAftir manye yuele kingis of Israel roos Acab, the worste of alle bifore hym, and he weddide Jesabel, an hethene womman, the dou&yogh;tir of Mechaal, king of Sydonyes, and Achab dide manyfoold idolatrie. ^noteThanne roos Elie the prophete, and seide to Acab, that in thre &yogh;eer and an half neither reyn neither dew schal be. Aftir this the prophete Elye hidde himself in the stronde of Carith, a&yogh;ens Jordan, and drank watir, and was fed of rauenys there, whiche brou&yogh;ten to him breed and flesch in the euentid and morewtid, and aftir that the stronde was dried up, God bad Elye go into Sarepta of Sydoneyes, and there he was fed of a widewe, and the pot of mele and `the pot of oile failede not to the widewe, til God &yogh;af reyn on the erthe. Thanne Elie reiside to lijf the deed chijld of a womman, at whom he was myche susteyned. And aftir manye daies God bad Elye schewe him to Acab, that God

schulde &yogh;eue reyn on the lond; and Elie dide so; and greet hungir was in Samarie. Thanne Elie apperide first to Abdie, that dredde God, and fedde an c. prophetis of God, whanne Jesabel killide the prophetis of God; and Elie swor to Abdie bi the Lord of oostis, that he wolde appere in that day to Achab. Thanne Acab axide Elye, “Wher thou art he, that distrowblist Israel?” And Elie seide, “Not I distrowblide Israel, but thou and the hous of thi fadir, that han forsaken Goddis heestis, and han sued Baalym, han distroublid Israel.” ^noteAftir this the prophete Elie conuyctid bi an opyn myracle viij. c. and l. prophetis of Baal of opin ydolatrie, and killede hem alle with helpe of the peple, that bileeuede to God for the greet myracle. And aftir this God sente greet rayn, and Elye ran bifore Acab to the citee Jesrael. Aftir these thingis Elye fledde for dreede of Jesabel, that manaside to slee hym, and whanne he hadde fled into disert bi the jurney of oo day, he axide of God to di&yogh;e; and whanne he slepte, an aungel bad hym rise, and eete breed baken vndir aischis, and drinke watir; and he &yogh;ede in the strengthe of that mete xl. daies and xl. ny&yogh;tis, til to Oreb the hil of God; and whanne he was hid there in a denne, and seide, that he was left aloone a prophete of the Lord, and thei sou&yogh;ten to slei him, God bad him go to Damask, ^note and anoynte Asahel king on Sirie, and anoynte Hieu king on Israel, and anoynte Elisee a prophete for him, and these thre schulden do veniaunce on trespasouris, and slee hem; and God lefte to himself vij. thousind of men in Israel, whois knees were not bowid bifore Baal. Thanne it sueth how Elisee suede Elie. Aftir these thingis king Acab hadde twey greete and merueilous victories a&yogh;ens Benadab, king of Sirie, for he blasfemede God of Israel. And for king Acab dide false mersy and killide not this blasfemere Benadab, whom God bitook into hise hondis, God sente a prophete to Acab, and telde thus, “For thou suffredist a man wrthi the deth to go fro thin hond, thi lijf schal be for his lijf, and thi peple schal be for his peple.” ^noteAftirward Jesabel the qwene made Nabath to be stonyd to deth bi false witnesse, and assent of Acab, for he noolde chaunge neither sille his vyner to the king; and whanne Acab &yogh;ede doun to take possessioun of this vyner, God bad Elye meete him, and seie thus, “Thou hast slayn and hast take possessioun; the Lord seith these thingis, in this place wherinne doggis lickiden the blood of Nabath, thei schulen licke also thi blood.” And Acab seide to Elye, “Wher thou hast founden me thin enemy?” And Elye seide, “I haue founde, for thou art seeld to do yuel in Goddis si&yogh;t, therfore God schal distroie and slee ech man of the house of Acab, and &yogh;eue his hous as the hous of Jeroboam, and as the hous of Baasa, for Acab terride God to wraththe, and made Ysrael to do synne. Also doggis scholen ete Jesabel in the feeld of Jesrael; if Acab di&yogh;eth in the citee, doggis scholen ete him, if he dieth in the feeld, briddis of the eir schulen ete him.” Noon othir was such as Acab, that was seeld to do yuel bifore God; forwhi Jesabel his wijf excitide him, and he dide abomynable ydolatrie. Thanne Acab dide ful greet penaunce, and was mekid bifore God; therfore God brou&yogh;te not yn this yuel in his daies, but in the daies of his sone. In the thridde &yogh;eer aftir these thingis, aboute iiij. c. prophetis of Baal counceiled Acab to make werre a&yogh;ens the king of Syrie for a citee clepid Ramoth of Galaad, and bihi&yogh;ten victorie and prosperite to Acab. ^noteBut Mychee, oo prophete of God, telde to Acab in Goddis name, that the spirit of leesingis disceyuede him bi his false prophetis, and that Acab schulde be slayn in that bateil; and so it bifelde in deede, but Mychee was dispisid and beten of the false prophetis, and was prisonyd, purposid to be slayn of the king, whanne he cam a&yogh;een in pees; and king Josophat, a good man, was in this bateile with cursid Acab, but Acab was slayn, and doggis lickeden his blood, and Josophat was sauid bi Goddis help. ^noteThanne roos Ocosias, king of Israel, for Acab his fadir, and Ocosias worschipide Baal, and terride God to ire bi alle thingis which

his fadir hadde do. This prosces of the iij. book of Kingis schulde stire kingis and lordis, to be mersyful and pytouse on her sugetis that trespasen a&yogh;ens hem, and in alle thingis eschewe ydilnesse, leccherie, tresoun, ydolatrie, and false counceilouris and vnwyse, and euere distroie synne, and take counceil at hooly scripture and trewe prophetis, and triste not to false prophetis, be thei neuer so manye, and crie faste a&yogh;ens oon either fewe trewe men. CAP. VI.

^noteThe iiij. book of Kingis tellith in general, how the rewme of Israel and the rewme of Juda weren conquerid of hethene men, for manye synnes which thei diden a&yogh;ens God and men, and weren obstynat, and dide not fruytfull penance in due tyme. ^noteFirst it tellith in special, hou the wickid king Ocosyas sente to take counceil at Belsabub, wher he my&yogh;te lyue, and rekyuere of his syknesse; therfore God sente Elye, the prophete, to telle to him that he schulde die, and go not doun of his bed. ^noteThanne this king sent to Elye a prince on l. men, and l. men with hym, to clepe Elye to the king; and fijer cam doun fro heuene, and deuouride this prince, and l. men that weren with him, for in scorn thei clepiden Elye the man of God; and in lyk manere fijer deuouride another prince, and l. men with him; the thridde prince and hise l. that mekeden hem to God and to the prophete, weren sauid on lyue. And God bad Elie go doun with hem to the king, and repreue him of his synne, and telle to the king himself, that he schal die and go not doun of his bed. ^noteAftir this the prophete Elie schulde be rauyschid awey fro erthe, and Elisee knew this, and suede him in ech place til to rauysching; and Elie smoot with his mantel the watris of Jordon, and tho weren departid therbi, and Elie and Elysee &yogh;eden ouere bi the drie botme therof. Thanne Elie was rauyschid in a char of fijer fro Elisee, and sti&yogh;ede bi a whirlwynd in to heuene; and the double spirit of Elye restide on Elisee, and with the mantel of Elye Elysee smoot twies the watris of Jordon, and in the secunde tyme tho weren departid, and Elysee passide ouere. Aftirward Elisee dwellide in Jerico, and heelide the watris fro bittirnesse and bareynesse, bi putting of salt in the watir. ^noteThanne Elysee sti&yogh;ede into Betel, and as he sti&yogh;ede bi the weye, litle children &yogh;eden out of the citee, and seiden to him in scorn, “Thou ballard, sti&yogh; up!” and he curside hem in the name of God, and twey beeris &yogh;eden out of the forest, and to-renten of hem xlij. children. After these thingis Joram, the king of Israel, and Josophat, the king of Juda, and also the thridde king, that was king of Edom, weren in desert, and hadden no watir, and weren in poynt of perisching. These thre kingis camen to Elisee for helpe, and bi spirit of prophecie he bad hem make dychis, and thei si&yogh;en neither wynd neither reyn, and the botme of dychis was fillid of watris; and he bifore seide that God schulde bitake Moab in to the hondis of these kingis, and thei schulden distroie citees, and feeldis, and trees; and thus it was don in dede. ^noteAlso Elysee multypliede a litil oile, and made a pore widewe fille manye vessels therof, and bad hir paie her dettis bi sum therof, `and that sche and her sones schulden lyue bi the residue therof. Aftirward Elysee biforeseide to a good womman, that herbouride him freely and largely, that sche schulde consceyue a sone; and whanne Elisee knew, that this sone was deed, he sente his seruaunt Giesi with his staaf to reise him, and neither vois neither feeling was in the chijld. Thanne Elysee entride in to a closet, where the chijld lay deed, and preiede to God, and lay on the chijld, and leide his mouth to the mouth of the chijld, and hise hondis on the chijldis hondis, and the chijld &yogh;oxide vij. sithes, and openede his i&yogh;en; and Elisee bitook the chijld qwyk to his modir. Also Elysee, whanne hungir was in Galgala, heelyde the pot of noyful mete, bi sendinge in of mele, that no

more bitternesse was in the mete. Thanne Elisee made a litil breed to suffice to an c. men, and thei leften relijfs. ^noteWhanne the king of Sirie sente lettris to the king of Israel, that he schulde cure Naaman of his lepre, and the king of Israel to-rente his clothis for sorewe, Elysee bad, that Naaman schulde be waischen vij. sithes in the water of Jordan, and so he schulde be curid; and thus it was don in deede. Thanne Naaman knoulechide, that noon other God is in al the erthe no but oonly the God of Israel; and Elisee took noo &yogh;ifte, &yogh;he freely profrede and preeside of Naaman. Thanne Giesy ran aftir Naaman, vnwytinge either not consentinge his maistir, and made a lesing, that Elisee sente to him, that he schulde &yogh;eue a talent of syluer and double chaunging clothis to twey &yogh;unge men of the sones of profetis. And Naaman constreynede him to take the double that he axide, and ordeynede twey children to bere bifore him. ^noteBut herfore Elisee seide, that the lepre of Naaman schulde cleue to Giesi and to his seede withouten ende; and Giesi &yogh;ede out fro Elisee, and was a mesel as snow. Whanne the sonis of prophetis &yogh;eden to the wode, to hewe doun wode to bylde placis to hem to dwellin inne, the irun of an axe felde doun in to watir; and Elisee castide doun the tree, either helue, and the irun houede, and was taken up therbi. Whanne the king of Sirie sette buschementis preuyly a&yogh;ens the king of Israel, Elisee warned the king of Israel therof; and whanne it was certified to the king of Sirie that Elisee telde his preuytes to the king of Israel, the king of Sirie sente a greet multitude of the oost to take Elysee, and whanne the oost cumpaside the citee Dotaym, wherinne Elysee was, ^note God made this oost blynd at the preier of Elisee, and so he ledde hem into the myddis of Samarie, and whanne the king of Israel wolde slee hem, Elisee seide nay, but bad make redy a feeste to hem, and late hem go in pees to her lord. And whanne ful strong hungre was in Samarie, that wymmen eetyn her owne children, oo womman axide doom of the king a&yogh;ens another womman, that wolde not bi couenaunt bringe forth hir chijld to be etyn, whanne thei hadden eten the chijld of the first womman. Thanne the king, that weeride the heire nexte his body, to-rente his clothis for sorwe, and swoor strongly, that in that day he wolde girde of the heed of Elisee. Elisee biforeknew the comynge of this messanger to do this deede, and bad men close the dore, and suffre not him for to entre, for his lord comith anoon aftir him to reuoke his ooth and sentence. ^noteThanne Elise seide in Goddis name, that to morewe in this tyme a buschel of wheete flour schal be for oo stater, that is, a litel quantite of moneye, as it were a peny, and twey buschellis of barly for oo stater, in the &yogh;ate of Samarie. And Elisee seide to a gret duk, that bileeuede not this word, “Thou schalt see it with thin i&yogh;en, and schal not ete therof;” and thus it was in dede, for whanne the oost of Sirie fledde by ny&yogh;t, for drede that God made among hem, thei leften alle her goodis, and fledden nakid, and coueitiden oonly to saue her lyues; and whanne a buschel of wheete flour was seeld on the morewe for oo stater, the king made that noble duk kepere at the &yogh;ate, and the cumpanye trade him to deeth, as Elisee bifore seide. Also Elisee spac to the womman whos sone he made to lyue, and bad hir and hir hous goo a pilgrimage either straunge lond, where euere sche fond couenable, for God schal bringe strong hungir on the lond vij. &yogh;eer and at the vij. &yogh;eeris ende the king restoride to hire alle hir thingis, and alle the rentis of fieldis in the tyme of hir absence. Benadab, king of Sirie, sent Asael to Elisee to enqueere whether this king my&yogh;te rekeuere of his syknesse; and God schewide to Elysee, that Benadab schulde di&yogh;e; and Elisee wepte ful sore, whanne he si&yogh; Asael, for God schewide to him that Asael schulde be king of Sirie, and do manye yuelis to the children of Israel, brenne of her strong citees, and slee bi swerd the &yogh;unge men of hem, and `hurle doun the litel children of hem, and kerue wymmen with chijlde. Joram, the sone of Josophat, dide yuel in Goddis

si&yogh;t, as the hous of Acab dide; for the dou&yogh;tir of Acab was his wijf; but God nolde distroie Juda, for Dauith his seruaunt, as he bihi&yogh;te to him, to &yogh;eue a lanterne to him and to hise sones in alle daies. ^noteAftir these thingis Elisee bad oon of the sones of prophetis anoynte Hyeu in to king on Israel, and sey to him; “Thou schalt distroie the hous of Acab, and God schal make it as the hous of Jeroboam, and doggis schulen ete Jesabel in the feeld of Jesrael, and noon shall berie hir.” And Hieu killide Joram, king of Israel, and Ocosias, king of Juda, and Jesabel the cursid quene; and doggis etyn the flesch of Jesabel; and hir flesch was a tord on the face of erthe. ^noteThanne Hieu made lxx. sones of Acab to be slayn of hir keperis, and nurschers; and he killide xlij. men britheren of Ocosias; and aftir this doinge Hieu feynede hym to worschipe Baal more than Acab dide, and bi this feyning he gaderid to gidere alle the prophetis, and prestis, and seruauntis of Baal `in the temple of Baal, and killide hem alle, and castide out of the temple of Baal his ymage, and brent it, and drof it al to dust; and distroiede the hous of Baal, and made gongis for it; and so Hieu dide awey Baal `fro Israel. Natheles Hieu &yogh;ede not awey fro the synnes of Joroboam, nether forsok golden caluis that weren in Betel and Dan; but for Hieu dide this veniaunce a&yogh;ens the hous of Acab, God seide, that his sones til the iiij. generacoun schulen sitte on the trone of Israel. Thanne Atalia, the modir of Ocosias, whanne hir sone was deed, killede al the blood of the king, and regnide vi. &yogh;eer. ^noteBut Joas, the sone of Ocosias king, was kept preuyly vj. &yogh;eer in the temple of God, and in the vij. &yogh;eer he was maad king bi help of Joiada, the gret prest, and Atalia was slayn. ^noteTherfore Joiada made a boond of pees bitwixe God, and the king, and the peple, that hit schulde be the peple of God, `and bitwixe the king and the peple; and the peple distroiede the auteris of Baal, and al to-braken his ymagis, and killeden Mathan, the prest of Baal, bifore the auter. This Joas bigan to regne whanne he was vij. &yogh;eer eld, and regnede xl. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and dide ri&yogh;tfulnesse bifore God in alle the daies in whiche Joiada the prest tau&yogh;te him. <sup>note</sup>And Joas bad prestis take al the money that was offrid for priys of soulis, and bi free wille, to make reperacoun of the temple; and for prestis weren neclygent in this reparacoun, Joas the king bad the prestis &yogh;eelde the money to reparacoun, and take it no more. And the chaunceler of the king and the bischop Joiada heelden out of the arke the moneye, and &yogh;auen it in to hond of maistris of werkmen, and thei spendeden it wel in this offis and necessarie reparacoun; and made noo rekenyng to souereyns, but treeteden this moneye in feith, eithir good conscience. For as myche as Asael, king of Sirie, cam with his oost to werre a&yogh;ens Jerusalem, Joas, king of Juda, took alle thingis which fadris hadden halewid, and whiche he hadde offrid and al the syluer that my&yogh;te be founden in the tresouris of the temple of God, and in the paleys of the king, and sente al to Asael, king of Sirie; and he &yogh;ede awey fro Jerusalem. The seruauntis of Joas sworen togidere, and killeden him, and Amasias his sone regnede for hym. <sup>note</sup>Joachas the sone of Hieu regnede on Israel, and dide yuel, as Joroboam dide. Therfore God bitook Israel in to the hondis of Asael, king of Sirie, and of Benadab his sone in alle daies, that there weren not left to Joachas of al the peple of Israel no but v. hundrid horsmen, and x. charis, and x. thousind of footmen. Thanne Joachas bisou&yogh;te God, and he &yogh;af a sauyour to Israel, and Israel was delyuered fro the hond of the king of Sirie. <sup>note</sup>Thanne Elisee felde in to gret siknesse, bi which he was deed; and whanne Joas, king `of Israel, cam to him, and wepte, Elisee bad hym bringe a bowe and arewis, and bad him sette his hond on the bowe; and Elisee settide his hondis on the kingis hondis, and bad him scheete out at the eest wyndow opened; and Elisee seide, “This is

the arewe of Goddis helthe a&yogh;ens Sirie, `and thou schalt smyte Sirie, in Affech, til thou waaste it.” <sup>note</sup>Efte Elisee bad Joas smyte the erthe with a darte; and whanne he had smyte thries, and styntide, and Elisee was wrooth a&yogh;ens him, and seide, “If thou haddist smyte v. sithes, either vj. sithes, either vij. sithes, thou schuldust haue smyte Sirie til to the ending, but now thou schalt smyte it thries. <sup>note</sup>Elisee di&yogh;ede, and was beried, and whanne a deed bodi was beried in the sepulcre of Elisee, `and hadde touchid the boonys of Elyse, the man lyuede a&yogh;en, and stood on his feet. Amasias, king of Juda, regnede ix. &yogh;eer, and dide ri&yogh;tfulnesse in party, but not as Dauith. He killide x. thousind men of Edom, and for pride therof he terride the king of Israel to werre; and Amasias was ouercomen in this bateile, and the king of Israel took him presoner, and brak the wal of Jerusalem bi iiij. c. cubitis; and the king of Israel took awey al the gold and syluer, and alle the vesselis that were founden in Goddis hous, and in the tresouris of the king, and took pleggis, and turnede a&yogh;een in to Samarie. At the laste the men of Amasias conspireden a&yogh;ens him, and he fledde in to Lachis, and thei sentyn thidir, and killede hym there, and birieden him in Jerusalem with his fadris; ^note and Asarie his sone regnede for hym in Jeruselem l. &yogh;eer He dide ri&yogh;tfulnesse in party, as Amasias his fadir dide; and God smoot hym with leepre til into the day of his deeth; and Joathas his sone gouernede the paleys, and deemyde the peple of the lond, and euere the kingis of Israel diden yuele, and &yogh;eden in the synnes of Jeroboam. And in the dayes of Manahen, king of Israel, Ful, the king of Assiriens, took greet tribute of him, to make Manahen stronge in the rewme. And in the daies of Facee king of Israel, that dide yuel in Goddis si&yogh;t, cam Teglath Falasar, king of Assur, and took manye placis in the lond of Israel, and he took Galaad, and Galilee, and al the lond of Neptalym, and translatide hem into Assiriens. Aftir ward Acas regnede on Juda xvj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and &yogh;ede in the weies of kingis of Israel, and dide foul ydolatrie. And aftir these thingis Osee, the king of Israel, rengnede ix. &yogh;eer, and dide yuel, but not as the kingis of Israel that weren bifore hym. And this Osee was maad tributarie to Salmanasar, king of Assiriens, and whanne this Osee wolde be rebel, and paie not tribute to Salmanasar, he biseegide Osee, and presonyde hym, and bisegide Samarie three &yogh;eer, and took it in the nynthe &yogh;eer of Osee, and translatide Israel into Assyriens. Thanne the scripture rehersith many grete synnes of the peple of Israel, for whiche thei weren conquerid, and dryuen out of her lond. Thanne the king of Assiriens brou&yogh;te peple fro Babiloyne, and fro manye othere hethene cuntreis, and settide hem in the citees of Samarie, for the children of Israel; and for this peple dredde not God, he sente in to hem lyouns, that killeden hem; therfore the king of Assiriens sente thidir oo prest of Israel, to teche hem the lawe of God of Israel, and so thei worschipiden God of Israel, and hire hethene goddis togidere. CAP. VII.

^noteEzechie, king of Juda, rengnide xxix. &yogh;eer, and dide good bifore God bi alle thingis whiche his fadir Dauith hadde do; he distroiede hi&yogh;e placis, and al to-brak ymagis, and hewyde doun wodis, and brak the serpent of brasse; for the children of Israel brente ensense to it; and he hopide in God. Therfore of alle the kingis of Juda was noon lyk him aftir him, but neither among these kingis that weren bifore him. And in the xiiij. &yogh;eer of Ezechie, Senagerib, king of Assiriens, sti&yogh;ede to alle wallide citees of Juda, and took tho. Thanne Ezechie &yogh;af to hym al the syluer that was founden in Goddis hous, and in the tresouris of the king, for he schulde goo awey, and distrie not Jerusalem neither Judee; and for Senagerib kepte not couenaunt, ^note Ezechie rebellide a&yogh;ens him, in trist of Goddis help. Thanne Senagerib sente Rapsaces with strong oost to Jerusalem, to blasfeme God, and make the peple &yogh;elde hem to him for dreede. Thanne Ezechie to-rente his clothis for

sorwe, and was hilid with a sak, and entride into Goddis hous, and sente `the hi&yogh;e prest and othere eelde men clothid with sakkis to the prophete Isaie, that he schulde preie to God a&yogh;ens the blasfemye of Assyriens. <sup>note</sup>And Isaie seide, in Goddis name, that thei schulde not drede of thes wordis of Assiriens, for God schal sende a spirit to Senacharib and he schal here a messanger, and he schal turne a&yogh;en into his lond; and God schal caste hym doun bi swerd in his lond; and whanne Senacherib &yogh;ede hoom to defende his lond a&yogh;ens the king of Ethiopie, he sente blasfeme lettris to Ezechie, and seide, that his God my&yogh;te not delyuere hym fro his hondis. Therfore God counfortide Ezechie bi the prophete Isaie, that he schulde not dreede Senacherib, for Senacherib schal not entre into Jerusalem, neither sende arwe into it, neither ocupie it, neither biseege it; but God schal defende and saue Jerusalem, for himself, and for Dauith his seruaunt. And in that ny&yogh;t the aungel of God killede in the tentis of Assiriens an c. thousind and lxxxv. thousind; and in the morewe tyde Senacherib &yogh;ede into his lond, and his owne sones killiden hym in the temple of his God Nestrach, while he worschipide Nestrach. Aftir this whanne Ezechie was syik to the deeth, Isaie seide `to hym in Goddis name, “Dispose thin hous, for thou schalt di&yogh;e and not lyue.” And for Ezechie wepte greetly, God curide him, and made him go into the temple on the thridde day, and encreeside xv. &yogh;eer to his lijf; and in singne herof God made the sunne go bacward bi ten grees. Aftir this doinge the king of Babiloyne sente lettris, messengeris, and &yogh;iftis to Ezechie, and bi pride he schewide alle hise tresouris and iewelis to the messengeris. Therfor God seide bi Isaie to him, that daies schulen come, and alle thingis in thin hous schulen be taken awey into Babiloyne. And Ezechie seide, “The word of God is good; oonly pees and treuthe be in my daies.” ^noteAftir Ezechie Manasses his sone regnede lv. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and dide gret yuel in Goddis si&yogh;t, and mychel ydolatrie; and the peple of Juda was disceyued of Manasses, that thei diden more yuel than hethene men, whiche God distroiede fro the face of the sones of Israel. And for Manasses dide these worste abomynacouns ouer alle thingis whiche the men of Amereys diden, and he sched ful myche innocent blood, til Jerusalem was fillid til to the mouth, God seide, that he wolde bringe in yuelis on Jerusalem and Juda, that, who euere heerith, bothe hise eeris tyngle; and he schal do awey Jerusalem, as tablis on boord ben wont to be don awey, but God schal leue remenauntis of his eritage, and bitake hem in the hond of her enemyes. Manasses diede, and was buried in the orcherd of his hous; ^noteand Amon his sone regnede for hym ij. &yogh;eer, and dide yuel as his fadir dide, and forsook God, and seruede vnclennesses and ydolis, as his fadir dide, and worschipide thoo. And his seruauntis settiden tresoun to him, and killeden hym in his hous; and the peple of the lond killiden alle men, that hadden conspyrid a&yogh;ens the kyng Amon; and for hym thei ordeyneden Josie his sone king to hem. ^noteJosie bygan to rengne whanne he was viij. &yogh;eer eeld, and rengnede xxxj. &yogh;er in Jerusalem; and he dide that that was pleesaunt bifore God, and &yogh;ede bi alle the weies of Dauith his fadir. In the xviij. &yogh;eer of Josie he hadde besynesse that the temple of God were reparailid; ^note and whanne the book of lawe was red bifore the king, he to-rente hise clothis, and sente solempne messengeris to take counceil at God for himself and his reume; for he seide, that greet veniaunce of God is kynlid a&yogh;ens vs, for oure fadris herden not the wordis of this book, to do al that is writen to vs. And God seide bi the prophetesse Olda, the wijf of Sellum, “I schal bringe yuelis on this place, and on the dwelleris thereof, alle the wordis of the lawe whiche Josie redde, for they forsooken me, and maden sacrifice to alyen goddis; and for thou, Josiee, herdist the wordis of the book, and thin herte was afeerd, and thou were meekid bifore me, and to-rentist thi clothis, and weptist bifore me, therfore thou schalt di&yogh;e in pees, that thin i&yogh;en se not

alle these yuelis, whiche I schal bringe in on this place.” Thanne Josie gaderide to hym alle the olde men of Juda and of Jerusalem, and the king sti&yogh;ede into the temple of God, and alle men of Juda and alle men that dwelliden in Jerusalem, prophetis and prestis, and al the peple styede with hym, and he redde to alle men heeringe alle the wordis of the book of couenaunt of the Lord, that was founden in the hous of the Lord. And the king stood on the grees, and smoot couenaunt bifore the Lord, that thei schulden go aftir the Lord, and kepe alle hise heestis, and witnessingis, and cerymonies, in al the herte and in al the soule, and the peple assentide to the couenaunt. And the king bad the bischop and prestis and porters caste out of Goddis temple alle vessels that weren maad to Baal, and to other ydols; and he brent tho out of Jerusalem, in the valey of Cedron, and bar the dust of tho into Bethel. And he distroide ydolatrours, and the hous of lecchours that weren in the hous of God; and he distroide auteris and hi&yogh;e placis of ydols, and ymagis, and took out boonys fro sepulcris, and brente tho on the autir in Bethel, that seruide to ydolatrie. Also Josie dide awey alle templis of hi&yogh;e placis, that weren in the citee of Samarie, whiche the kingis of Israel hadden maad to terre the Lord to wraththe; and he dide to tho as he hadde do in Bethel, and he killide the prestis of hi&yogh;e placis, whiche prestis weren there ouer the auters, and he brente mennis boonys `on tho auters. ^noteAlso Josie made the puple to make a solempne pask, and such pask was not maad fro the daies of iugis, and alle kingis of Israel and Juda, as was this pask maad, in the xviij. &yogh;eer of Josie. ^noteAnd hee dide awey spiritis spekinge in mennis wombis, and false dyuynouris, and figuris of ydols, and vnclennessis, and abomynacyouns, that weren in the lond of Juda and of Jerusalem. No king bifore him neither aftir him was lyk him, that turned a&yogh;en to God in al his herte, and in al his soule, and in al his vertu, bi al the lawe of Moises. Natheles for the orrible synnes of Juda God turnede not awey fro his strong veniaunce, but seide, that he wolde take awey Juda fro his face, as he dide awey Israel, and that he wolde caste awey the citee Jerusalem whiche he chees. Therfor Farao Nechao, king of Egipt, killide Josye in Magedo, ^note and Joachas his sone was maad kyng for his fadir; and he rengnede thre monethis in Jerusalem, and dide yuel bifore God bi alle thingis whiche his fadris hadden do; and this Farao prisonyde him in Reblatha, and took tribute of the lond, an c. talentis of syluer, and oo talent of gold; and this Farao made king Elyachym, the sone of Josie, ^noteand turnede his name Joachym; and this Farao ledde Joachas in to Egipt; and Joachym dide yuele bifore God bi alle thingis whiche his fadris hadden do. And this Joachym was maad seruaunt thre &yogh;eer to Nabugodnosor, king of Babilonie, and eft he rebellyde a&yogh;ens Nabugodnosor, and God sente theuis of Caldeys, and theuis of Sirie, and theuis of Moab, and theuis of the sones of Amon into Juda, that he schulde distroie it, as he spac bi his prophetis, and specialy for the synnes of Manasses. This Joachym di&yogh;ede, and his sone Joakyn rengnide iij. monethis in Jerusalem, and dide yuel bifore God, as hise fadris hadden do. In that tyme the seruauntis of Nabugodnosor sti&yogh;ede to Jerusalem, and biseegeden it. Thanne Nabugodnosor came to Jerusalem to ouercome it, and Joakyn, and his modir, and his seruauntis, and princis, and chaumbirleyns &yogh;eden out to Nabugodnosor, ^noteand he translatide Joakyn and his oost, x. thousind, and many crafty men in to Babiloyne; and took alle the tresouris of Goddis hous, and of the kingis hous, and bet togidere alle the golden vessels, whiche king Salamon hadde maad in the temple. And Nabugodnosor ordeynede Mathanye, the brother of Josie, to be kinge, and clepide hym Sedechie, and he rengnede xj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and dide yuel bifore God bi alle thingis that Joachym hadde do; for God was wrooth a&yogh;ens Jerusalem and Juda, til he castide hem awey fro his face. And Sedechie &yogh;ede awey fro the king of Babilonye, and in the ix. &yogh;eer of Sadechie Nabugodonosor cam with al his oost, and bisegide Jerusalem til to the xi. &yogh;eer of Sedechie,

and thanne the citee was broken, and Sedechie and his warriouris fledden bi ny&yogh;t, and the oost of Caldeys pursuede and took him, and brou&yogh;te him to Nabugodonosor in Reblatha. ^noteAnd Nabugodonosor spac dom with Sedechie, and killide hise sones bifore him, and puttide out his i&yogh;en, and boond him with chaynes, and brou&yogh;te hym in to Babiloyn. Thanne Nabusardan, the prince of the oost, brente Goddis hous, and the kingis hous, and the housis of Jerusalem, and distroiede the wallis of Jerusalem in cumpas; and he translatide into Babiloine the residue puple of Juda, outaken a fewe pore men, vyntilieris and erthetilieris; and he brak alle the brasen vessels and of metal in the temple, and bare the metal into Babilone. ^noteThanne Nabugodonosor made Godolye to be souereyn of the peple left in the lond of Juda, and thanne alle the dukis of kny&yogh;tis camen to Godolie in Maspha, and he made an ooth to hem, that it schulde be wel to hem, if thei wolden serue the king of Babilone. ^noteAnd Ismael, that was of the kingis blood, killide Godolye, and Jewis and Caldeis that weren with him, and al the peple of Juda and the princis of kni&yogh;tis fledden into Egipte, for drede of Caldeys. At the laste, Euylmeradach, king of Babilone, reiside Joachyn fro presoun, and settide his trone aboue the trones of othir kingis that weren with hym in Babilone; and Joachyn eet euere breed in the kingis si&yogh;t of Babilone, in alle the daies of his lijf. This prosces of Godolie and that sueth is teld largeliere in the ende of Jeremye than heere in the ende of Kingis. This prosces of the iiij. book of Kingis schulde stire alle men, and namely kingis and lordis, for to hate synne, as ydolatrie and coueitise, and brekinge of Goddis heestis, for whiche the peple of Israel and the peple of Juda was thus punschid, and conquerid of hethene men, and for to loue vertues and kepinge of Goddis heestis, and distroyinge of opyn sinnes, for whiche manye goode kingis, as Esechie, Josie, and many othere, hadden grek02Q0001 thank and socour of God in manye greete perels, and blisse of heuene withouten ende. God for his mercy graunte this blisse to vs! Amen. CAP. VIII.

^noteThe bookis of Paralypomynon ben ful nescessarie to vndirstonde the stories of the elde testament, in so myche, as Jerom seith, that if eny man withouten these bookis wole presume to haue the kunnynge of hooly scripturis, he scorne himself, that is, disseyue eithir make himself worthi to be scorned; for whi the stories left out in the bookis of Kingis be touchid in these bookis, and vnnumberable questiouns of the gospel ben declarid by these bookis. ^noteThe firste book of Paralypomynon tellith in the bigynnynge the generacyouns fro Adam til to Jacob, and so forth til to Dauith, and touchith schortly manye stories of Saul, and of Dauith, and of Salomon, in the ende therof; and how Dauith ordeynede prestis and dekyns in her offis, and how and bi what seruise thei schulden serue God. ^noteThe bigynnyng of the ij. book of Paralipomynon tellith hou Salomon axide of God wisedom to deme his peple, and God &yogh;af to him wisdom, and kunnyng, and richesse, and glorie, so that noon among kingis neither bifore neither aftir him was lyk him. Thanne is toold how Salomon byldide the temple of Jerusalem, and an hous to himself. Aftir this the queene of Saba cam to Salomon, and brou&yogh;te many precious iewelis to him, and preuede his kunnynge and wisdom in many thingis. And alle the kingis of the erthe desyreden to see the face of Salomon, for to here the wisdom of God, which he hadde &yogh;oue in his herte. Aftir this it sueth hou Roboam departide the x. lynagis fro the hous of Dauith bi his pride and harde wordis, and bi suynge of the counceil of &yogh;unge men; and whanne the rewme of Juda was confermyd to him, he forsook the lawe of God, and al

Israel dide the same with him. Therfore God sente the king of Egipt with vnnoumbrable peple on hem, and took awey the tresours of Goddis hous and of the kingis hous, and thei serueden the king of Egipt, to knowe the dyuersite of Goddis seruise, and of the seruise of the rewme of the londis. Aftir him regnede Abia, his sone, and he tretide wijsely with the peple of Israel, that thei schulde forsake her synne, and werrey not a&yogh;ens Goddis puple and the rewme of Juda; and for thei wolde proudly werreye a&yogh;ens the rewme of Juda, and a&yogh;ens this good counceil of Abia, he killyde of hem bi Goddis help v. hundrid thousynd of stronge men. ^noteAftir this counceil Abia di&yogh;ede, and Asa his sone rengnede for him; and in the daies of Asa the lond was in reste x. &yogh;eer; and Asa dide that that was good and plesaunt in the si&yogh;t of God, and he distroiede auteris of ydolatrie, and hi&yogh;e placis, and he brak ymagis, and hewyde doun wodis, and comaundide the peple of Juda to seeke the Lord God of her fadris, and do his lawe, and kepe alle hise heestis. He rengnide in pees, and byldide stronge citees with wallis, and touris, and &yogh;atis, and lockis, and he hadde in his oost thre hundrid thousind of Juda, of men beringe scheeldis and speris, and of Beniamyn ij. hundrid thousind and lxx. thousind of men of armes, and of archeris. And he ouercam the king of Ethiopie, that cam with x. c. thousind men and iij. c. charris; and Asa hadde the victorie, for in trist of Goddis help he cam a&yogh;ens this gret multitude. ^noteThanne the prophete of God seide to Asa and al his peple, “The Lord is with &yogh;ow, for &yogh;e weren with hym; if &yogh;e seeken hym &yogh;ee schulen fynde; and if &yogh;e forsaken him he schal forsake &yogh;ou; many daies schulen passe in Israel withoute veri God, and without prest, and techere, and lawe; and whanne thei turnen a&yogh;en in her angwische, and crien to God, and seekyn him, thei schulen fynde him. Be &yogh;e confortid, and &yogh;oure hondis be not maad vnstedfast, for whi mede schal be to &yogh;oure werk.” And whanne Asa hadde herd these wordis, and profecie, he was coumfortid, and dide awey alle ydols fro al the lond of Juda and of Beniamyn, and fro the citees whiche he hadde take of Effraym. And he gaderide to gidere al the puple vndir him, and he entride into Jerusalem, to make stronge the boond of pees, that thei schulden seeke the Lord God of her fadris in al her herte and al her soule, and he seide, “If eny man seekith not the Lord God of Israel, di&yogh;e he, fro the leeste til to the meeste, fro man til to womman.” And thei sworen with al hire herte and with al hire wille, thei sou&yogh;ten God and founden hym, and God &yogh;af reste to hem bi cumpas. And whanne the king of Israel werride a&yogh;ens Aza, Asa sente mychil gold and syluer to the king of Syrie, to helpe him, and to werreye a&yogh;ens the king of Israel, and he dide so. ^noteThanne God blamyde Asa greetly, for he triste in the king of Sirie, and not in God. “And therfor the oost of the king of Sirie ascapide fro thin hond,” seide God, “and also bateiles schulen rise a&yogh;ens thee in present tyme.” And Asa was wrooth a&yogh;ens the prophete, that telde this to hym, and puttide him in the stockis; and God hadde ful gret indingnacoun on this thing, and killide full manye men of the puple in that tyme. And in the ende of his lijf Asa hadde ful greet syknesse of his feet, ^note and in his syknesse he sou&yogh;te not the Lord, but triste more in the craft of lechis. And Asa di&yogh;ede, and Josophat his sone regnede `for hym, and was strong a&yogh;ens Israel. <sup>note</sup>And king Josophat ordeynede noumbris of kni&yogh;tis in alle wallid citees of Juda, and ordeynede strong hooldis in the lond of Juda, and in the citees of Effrahym, whiche Asa his fadir hadde take. And the Lord was with Josophat, and he &yogh;ede in the firste weies of Dauith his fadir, and he hopide not in Baalym, but in God Almy&yogh;ty, and &yogh;ede in his comaundementis, and not bi the synnes of Israel. <sup>note</sup>And God confermyde the rewme in the hond of Josophat, and he hadde ful many richessis and myche glorie; and whanne his herte hadde take trist for the weies of the Lord, he dide aweye also hi&yogh;e placis and woodis fro Judea, where the puple made offring `out of Jerusalem

a&yogh;ens the lawe. And Josophat in the iij. &yogh;eer of his rewme sente fyue of his princis, that thei schulde teche in the citees of Juda; and he sente ix. deknes with hem, and ij. prestis with hem, and thei hadden the book of Goddis lawe, and tau&yogh;ten the peple in Juda; and thei cumpassiden alle the citees of Juda, and tau&yogh;ten al the peple. Therfore the drede of the Lord was maad on alle rewmys of londis that weren bi the cumpas of Juda, and dursten not werreye a&yogh;ens Josophat. And he hadde redy at his hond xj. c. thousind and lx. c. thousind of kni&yogh;tis, and men of armys, and archers, outaken othere whiche he `hadde set in wallid citees, and in all Juda. And Filisteyis and Arabeyes brou&yogh;ten to Josophat &yogh;iftis and tributis, and many thousindis of scheep and buckis of geet. <sup>note</sup>And aftir this doinge Josophat was alyed to Acab, and &yogh;ede with hym to bateile into Ramoth of Galaad, and iiij. c. prophetis, that weren disseyued bi a spirit of lesing, excitide Acab to this werre, and bihi&yogh;te prosperite and victorie to him; but Mycheas, oo trewe prophete of God, telde to Acab that he schulde di&yogh;e in this bataile, and so it was indeede; and Josophat, that was in moost perel of this bateile, was sauid bi Goddis help. Aftir this bateil Josophat turnede a&yogh;een in pees to Jerusalem, and a prophete of God mette him, and seide, “Thou helpist the wickid man, and art ioyned in frenschip to hem that haten God, and therfor thou disseruedist the wraththe of God, but goode werkis ben founden in thee, for thou didest awey wodis fro the lond of Juda, and madist redy thin herte to seeke the Lord God of thi fadris.” <sup>note</sup>Therfore Josophat dwellide in Jerusalem, and eft he &yogh;ide out to the peple fro Bersabe til to the hil of Effraym, and clepide hem a&yogh;en to the Lord God of her fadris; and he ordeynede iugis of the lond in alle stronge citees of Juda bi ech place; and he comaundide thus to the iugis, <sup>note</sup> “See &yogh;e, what &yogh;e owen to do, for &yogh;e vsen the dom not of man but of the Lord, and what euer thing that &yogh;e schal deme, schal turne into &yogh;ou; the dreede of the Lord be with &yogh;ou, and do &yogh;e alle thingis with diligence; for whi neither wickidnesse, neither taking of persoones, neither coueitise of &yogh;iftis, is anentis &yogh;oure Lord God.” And in Jerusalem Josophat ordeynede dekenes and prestis, and princis of meynes of Israel, that thei schulde deme to the dwelleris therof the doom and cause of God; and he comaundide to hem and seide, “Thus &yogh;e schulen do in the drede of the Lord feithfully, and in a perfit herte; ech cause that cometh to &yogh;ou of &yogh;oure britheren that dwellen in her citees, bitwixe kinrede and kynrede, where euere is questioun either doute of the lawe of comaundement of cerymonies of iustifijngis, schewe &yogh;ee to hem, that thei do not synne a&yogh;ens the Lord, and wraththe either veniaunce come not on &yogh;ow, and on &yogh;oure britheren; <sup>note</sup> therfore do &yogh;e thus and &yogh;e schule `not do synne; and Amarie, &yogh;oure prest and bischop, schal be souereyn in these thingis that perteynyn to God.” Aftir these thingis the sones of Amon, and the sones of Moab, and with men of Ydume, weren gaderid togidere to werrye a&yogh;ens Josophat. Thanne Josophat &yogh;af him al to beseche God, and prechide fasting to al Juda, and al Juda was gaderid to biseeche the Lord; and Josophat knoulechide, that he hadde not power to a&yogh;enstonde so greet a multitude of enemyes. Thanne God coumfortide him and his peple bi a prophete, that thei schulde not dreede this greet multitude of enemyes, for God himself schulde fi&yogh;te and ouercome her enemyes, without strook of his peple; and so it was in dede. ^noteAt the laste, Josophat made frenschipe with Ocosie, king of Israel, whois werkis weren ful yuele, and thei weren felowis to make schippis, that schulden go into Tarsis. Therfor God bi his prophete seide to Josophat, “For thou haddist boond of pees with Ocosie, God hath smyte thi werkis,” and the schippis ben al to-broken and my&yogh;ten not go into Tarsis. Thanne di&yogh;ede Josophat, and Joram his sone rengnyde for hym. ^noteThis Joram weddide the dou&yogh;tir of Acab, and killide

hise owne britheren, and &yogh;ede in the weies of the kingis of Israel, as the hous of Acab hadde do; and he dide ydolatrie, and made the dwelleris of Jerusalem and also Juda to breke Goddis lawe. ^noteTherfor Edom and Lobna &yogh;eden awey fro his lordschipe, for he hadde forsake the Lord God of his fadris; and therfore God reiside a&yogh;ens him Filisteys and Arabeys, that coosteyen with Ethiopiens, and thei distroieden the lond of Juda, and token awey al the catel that was founden in the hous of the king, and tooken awey his wijf and sones, outaken Joachas the &yogh;ungeste. And God smoot Joram with vncurable sorewe of wombe twey &yogh;er, so that he rotid on erthe, and castide out hise entrailis, and di&yogh;ede in worst syknesse. And his sone Ocosias rengnyde for him, and dide yuele as the hous of Acab, for whi his modir excitide him to do wickidly; and thei of the hous of Acab weren his councelers into his deth, and he &yogh;ede in the counceil of hem. And therfore Hieu, whanne he distroyede the hous of Acab, killide Ocosie, and the prince of Juda, and the sones of the britheren of Ocosie. ^noteAfter these thingis Joas waas maad king, bi the helpe of Joiada the prest, and the curside womman Atalia was slayn. The prestis and grete men of the peple brou&yogh;ten out of Goddis hous the sone of the king, and settiden a coroun on his heed, and &yogh;auen in his hond the lawe to be kept, and maden him king. And Joiada made couenaunt bitwixen him and al the peple and the king, that thei schulden be the peple of God, that is, forsake ydolatrie, and kepe treuly Goddis lawe. Therfore al the peple &yogh;ede into the hous of Baal, and distroyeden it, and braken the auters and symylacris, either ymagis of him, and thei killeden bifore the auteer Mathan, the prest of Baal. This Joas dide wel in the tyme of Joiada, and reparilide the temple of Jerusalem, that was distroyed bi Atalia and hir sones; ^note but aftir the deeth of Joiada he was flaterid bi the princis of Juda, and thei felden to idolatrie, and forsoken the temple of God. And the wraththe of God was maad a&yogh;ens Juda and Jerusalem for his synne, and he sente prophetis to hem, that thei schulden turne a&yogh;en to God, and thei nolde heere these profetis. And Sacarie, the prest and sone of Joiada, repreuede hem for this synne, and thei stonyden hym to deth in the purseynt of Goddis hous, by comaundement of the king. And whanne the &yogh;eer was endid the oost of Syrie sti&yogh;ede a&yogh;ens hym, and cam in to Juda and Jerusalem, and killide alle the princis of the peple, and senten al the prey in to Damask to the king. And certis whanne a ful litil noumbre of men of Sirie was comen, God bitook in her hondis a multitude withouten ende, for thei hadden forsake the Lord God of her fadris, and thei vsiden schameful domes in Joas, and &yogh;eden forth, and leftyn him in greet sorewis; and his seruaunts risen a&yogh;ens him for veniaunce of the blood of the sone of Joiada the prest, and killiden him in his bed; and Joas was deed, and Amasie his sone rengnide for him. CAP. IX.

^noteAmasie dide good in party, but not in a parfit herte, and he killide hem that hadden slayn the king his fadir, but he killide not her sones, as God bad in the lawe. This Amasie foond in al Juda and Beniamyn fro xx. &yogh;eer and aboue, xxx. thousind of &yogh;unge men that &yogh;eden out to bateile, and heelden spere and scheeld; and he hyride of Israel an c. thousind of ful stronge men for an c. talentis of syluer, to fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens the sones of Edom. And a man of God seide to Amasie, “A! thou king, the oost of Israel go not out with thee, for the Lord is not with Ysrael, and with alle the sones of Effraym; that if thou gessist that bateilis stonden in the strengthe of oost, the Lord schal make thee to be ouercomen of thin enemyes; for it is propir to God for to helpe, and `for to turne into fli&yogh;t.” ^noteTherfore Amasie departyde awey the oost of Israel, and tristily ledde forth his puple to bataile; and he hadde the victorie, and killide xl. thousind of his enemyes in this bataile. And aftir this victorie Amasie worschipide the goddis of Edom, and brente encense to hem;

wherfor God was wrooth a&yogh;ens Amasie, and sente to him a prophete, that schulde seie to him, “Whi hast thou worschipid goddis that delyueriden not her puple fro thin hond?” Whanne the prophete spac these thingis to him, he answeride to the prophete, “Wher thou art a counceler of the king? ceese thou, lest perauenture I slee thee.” Therfore the prophete &yogh;ede awey, and seide, “I woot that the Lord thou&yogh;te to slee thee, for thou hast doo this yuel, and ferthermore thou assentidist not to my counceil:” ^note and so it bifelde in deede, for bi pride he terride the king of Israel to werre, and nolde ceese for heleful counceil of the king of Israel. Therfore the king of Israel ouercam the puple of Juda, and took Amasie, and distroiede the wal of Jerusalem bi iiij. c. cubitis, and took awey al the tresour and vessels whiche he foond in Goddis hous, and in the kingis hous. And aftir this doing Amasie fledde out of Jerusalem into Lachis, for tresoun doon to him of his men; and thei senten, and killiden him in Lachis. And Osias his sone regnede for him lij. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and sou&yogh;te God in the daies of Sacarie, vndirstondinge and seeinge God, and whanne he sou&yogh;te God, he louyde him in alle thingis; and God helpide him a&yogh;ens Filisteys, and a&yogh;ens Arabeys, and a&yogh;ens Ammonytis. And Ammonitis payeden &yogh;iftis to Osias, and his name was puplischid til to the entring of Egipt, for ofte victories. He bildide manye touris in Jerusalem, and also in wildirnesse, for he hadde many beestis, and vynes, and vyntilieris, for he was a man &yogh;ouen to erthe tilthe. He hadde in his oost ij. thousynd and vj. c. princes of stronge men, and iij. c. thousind `and vij. thousind and v. c. that weren able to bateil, and fou&yogh;ten for the king a&yogh;ens aduersaries; and his name &yogh;ede out fer, for God `helpide him, and made him stronge. But whanne he was maad stronge, his herte was reisid into his deth, and he dispiside his Lord God, for he &yogh;ede into the temple of God, and wolde brenne encense on the auter of encense, a&yogh;ens the lawe. And whanne the bischop and many noble prestis a&yogh;enstodyn him, and teldyn the lawe that was a&yogh;ens him, hee was wrooth, and helde the censer, and manaside hem; and anoon lepre roos in his forheed bifore the prestis in Goddis hous. Thanne the prestis puttiden him out, and he hastide to go out, for drede, and for he feelide anon the veniaunce of God. ^noteTherfore king Osias was leprouse til to the day of his deth, and dwellide in an hous departid. And Joathan his sone gouernede the kingis hous, and deemyde the puple of the lond. And Joathan rengnyde xvj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and dide ri&yogh;tfulnesse bifore God, bi alle thingis whiche Osias his fadir hadde do, outaken this, that he entride not into the temple of God; and &yogh;it the puple trespasside. He byldide manye thingis, and fau&yogh;t a&yogh;ens the king of the sones of Amon, and ouercam him; and the sones of Amon &yogh;auen to hym an c. talentis of syluer, and x. thousind corus of barly, and as manye of whete; and a corus conteyneth xxx. buschellis. And Joathan was maad strong, for he hadde dressid his weyes bifore his Lord God, and he was deed, and Achas his sone regnede for hym xvj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem. ^noteThis Acas dide not ri&yogh;tfulnesse in Goddis si&yogh;t, but &yogh;ede in the weies of the kingis of Israel, and made ymagis to Baal, and dide manyfold ydolatrie; and God bitook him in to the hond of the king of Sirie, which king smoot Acas, and took a gret prey of his rewme into Damask; and Acas was bitaken to the hondis of the king of Israel, and was smyten with a greet wounde. And Facee, the sone of Romelye, killide of Juda vj. score thousind in oo day, alle the werriouris; for thei hadden forsake the Lord God of her fadris; and the sones of Israel tooken of hire britheren of Juda ij. c. thousind of wymmen, and of children, and of damyselis, and prey withouten ende, and baren it in to Samarie. And Obed, the prophete of God, seide to the men of Israel, that thei hadden do greet cruelte, and synned a&yogh;ens God, and bad hem lede a&yogh;en the prisoneris of Juda, “for whi

greet veniaunce of the Lord nei&yogh;eth to &yogh;ou.” ^noteTherfore the princes of Israel maden the werriouris to forsake the prey, and alle thingis whiche thei hadden take; and the princis clothiden hem that weren nakid, and refreschiden hem with mete, and drinke, and anoyntyng of oile, for traueile, and senten hem hoom benyngly. Thanne king Acas sente to the king of Assiriens, and axide help; and Ydumeys camen, and killiden manye men of Juda, and tooken greet prey; and Filisteys tooken many citees of Juda, and dwelliden in tho. And God made low the puple of Juda for Acas the king of Israel, for he hadde maad `him nakid of help, and for he hadde dispisid God. And God brou&yogh;te a&yogh;ens him Teglath Falasar, the king of Assiriens, that turmentide him, and distroiede, for noon a&yogh;enstood. Therfore Acas spoilide Goddis hous, and the hous of kingis and of princis, and &yogh;af &yogh;iftis to the king of Assiriens; and natheles it profitide no thing to him; and Acas, in the tyme of his anguysch, encreside dispising a&yogh;ens God, and offride sacrifices to the goddis of Damask, and he seide, “The goddis of Sirie `helpen hem, whiche goddis I schal plese with sacrifices, and thei schulen helpe me,” whanne a&yogh;enward thei weren fallyng to him, and to al Israel. Therfor Acas rauyschide and brak alle the vessels of Goddis hous, and closide the &yogh;atis of Goddis temple, and made to him auteris in alle corners of Jerusalem, and in alle the citees of Juda, to brenne encense, and terride God to wraththe. ^noteAnd he di&yogh;ede, and Esechiee his sone rengnide for him xxix. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem; he dide that that was plesaunt in Goddis si&yogh;t, bi alle thingis which Dauith his fadir hadde do. And he opynede the &yogh;atis of Goddis hous, in the firste &yogh;eer of his rewme, and made prestis and dekenes to clense and halewe the temple and auter of God, with al the vessels and purtenaunsis of the temple; and he gaderide togidere alle the princis of the citee, and sti&yogh;ide into Goddis hous; and thei offriden vij. boolis and vij. rammes, vij. lambren, and vij. buckis of geet, for synne, for the rewme, for the sentuarie, and for Juda. And he seide to the prestis, the sones of Aaron, that thei schulden offre on the auter of God, and thei diden so. And he ordeynede dekenys in the hous of God, with symbals and sautrees and harpis, bi the ordynaunce of Dauith, and of Gad, the prophete of the king, and of Nathan the prophete; for it was the comaundement of God bi the hond of hise prophetis. And dekenys stooden and heelden the orgenys of Dauith, and prestis heldyn trumpis. And Esechie comaundide that thei schulden offre brent sacrifices on the auter, and whanne brent sacrifices weren offrid, thei bigunnen `to singe heryingis to God, and to sounne with trumpis and diuerse orgenys, whiche Dauith the king of Israel hadde maad redy for to sounne. And Esechie and the princis comaundiden to the dekenys that thei schulden herie God with the wordis of Dauith, and of Asaph the prophete. <sup>note</sup>And Esechie sente to al Israel and Juda, and wroot epistlis to Effraym and Manasses, that thei schulden come to Goddis hous in Jerusalem, and make pask to the Lord God of Israel. And it pleside the king and al the multitude, and thei demeden to sende messangeris into al Israel, fro Bersabee til to Dan, that thei schulden come and make pask to the Lord God `of Israel in Jerusalem. And currowris &yogh;eden out with epistlis, bi comaundement of the king and of hise princes, `in to al Israel and Juda, as the king hadde comaundid, and precheden, “Sones of Israel, turne &yogh;e a&yogh;een to the Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, and he schal turne a&yogh;en to the remenauntis that ascapiden the hondis of the king of Assiriens; serue &yogh;e to the Lord God of youre fadris, and the wraththe of his strong veniaunce schal be turned awey fro &yogh;ou; for if &yogh;e turnen a&yogh;en to the Lord, &yogh;oure britheren and &yogh;oure sones schulen haue mersy bifore hire lordis, that ledden hem prisoners, and thei schulen turne a&yogh;en into

this lond.” Therfore currouris &yogh;eden swiftly fro citee `in to citee, by the lond of Effraym and of Manasses `til to Sabulon, and thei scorneden and bymowiden the messengeris; natheles summe of Aser and of Manasses and of Sabulon assentiden to the counceil, and camen in to Jerusalem. Goddis hond was maad in Juda, that he &yogh;af to hem oon herte, and thei diden the word of God bi comaundement of the king and of princis, and many puplis weren gaderid in Jerusalem, to make the solempnite of pask in the ij. monthe; and thei distroieden the auteris that weren in Jerusalem, and thei distroieden alle thingis in which encense was offrid to ydolis, and castiden forth in to the stronde of Cedron. Whanne these thingis weren halewid ri&yogh;tly, al Israel &yogh;ede out, that was founden in the citees of Juda, and thei braken symylacris, either ymagis, and hewiden doun wodis, and distroieden hi&yogh;e placis and auteris, and not oonly of al Juda and Beniamyn, but also of Effraym and Manasses, til thei distroieden thoo outtirly. And Esechie ordeynede cumpanyes of prestis and of dekenis, bi her departingis, ech man in his owne offis, as wel of prestis as of dekenis, to brent sacrifices and peesible sacrifices, that thei schulden mynystre and knouleche and singe in the &yogh;atis of the castels, eithir oostis, of the Lord. And Esechie comaundide to the puple to &yogh;eue to prestis and deknes her partys, that is, the firste fruytis and tithis, that thei my&yogh;ten &yogh;eue tent to the lawe of God. And there is teld myche of the paying and deeling of tithis and other hooly thingis. Thanne it sueth hou Sennagerib blasfemede God of Israel, and hou Esechie counfortide the puple a&yogh;ens his blasfemye and pride. ^noteAnd Esechie and Ysaie the prophete preieden a&yogh;ens the blasfemye, and crieden til in to heuene; and God sente his aungel, and he killide ech strong man, and werriour, and prince of the oost of `the king of Assiriens, and he turnide a&yogh;en with schenschipe into his lond, and hise owne sones killiden him bi swerd. And God sauide Esechie and the dwelleris of Jerusalem fro the hond of Senacherib, king of Assiriens, and fro the hond of alle men, and &yogh;af to hem reste bi cumpas. Aftir these thingis Esechie was syk to the deeth, and he preiede to God, and God herde him. And the herte of Esechie was reisid to pride, and wraththe was maad a&yogh;ens him, and a&yogh;ens Juda, and a&yogh;ens Jerusalem. And aftir he was meekid, for his herte was reysid, bothe he and the dwelleris of Jerusalem weren mekid, and therfore the veniaunce of God cam not in the daies of Esechie. And Esechie was ful riche and noble, and in alle hise werkis he dide welsumly, what euer thing he wolde. Natheles in the message of princes of Babilone, that weren sente to him to axe of the grete wondir that bifel on erthe, God forsook him, that he was temptid, and alle thingis weren knowen that weren in his herte. ^noteThanne di&yogh;ede Esechie, and Manasses his sone rengnide in Jerusalem lv. &yogh;eer. And Manasses dide yuele bifore God, bi abomynacioun of hethen men, which God distroiede bifore the sones of Israel, and he byldide hi&yogh;e placis, and made auteris to Baalym, and dide manyfold ydolatrie, and seruede to wicche craftis, and sette ydolis in the temple of God; and he disseyuede the puple of Juda and the dwelleris of Jerusalem, that thei diden yuel more than hethene men, which the Lord hadde distroied fro the face of the sones of Israel. And God spac to him and to his puple, and thei nolden take heede; therfore he brou&yogh;te on hem the princis of the oost of the king of Assiriens; and thei tooken Manasses, and bounden him with chaynes and gyues, and ledde him into Babilone; and aftir that he was angwischid, ^note he preiede his Lord God, and he dide penaunce gretly bifore the God of his fadris, and he preiede hertily, and bisou&yogh;te God, and God herde his preier, and brou&yogh;te him a&yogh;en in to Jerusalem, into his rewme. And Manasses knew that the Lord himself is God, and he dide awey alien goddis, and symylacris, either idolis fro Goddis hous, and distroiede auteris whiche he hadde maad in the hil of Goddis hous and

in Jerusalem, and castide alle out of the citee, and he restoride the auteer of God, and offride on it sacrificis and herying, and comaundide the puple of Juda to serue the Lord God of Israel; and natheles the puple offride &yogh;it in hi&yogh;e placis to her Lord God. Manasses di&yogh;ede, and Amon his sone regnide for him ij. &yogh;er in Jerusalem, and he dide yuel in Goddis si&yogh;t, as Manasses his fadir hadde do, and offride and seruede to alle idolis, which Manasses hadde maad; and he reuerenside not the face of God, as Manasses reuerenside, and he dide many greetere trespasis; and whanne his seruauntis hadden conspirid a&yogh;ens him, thei killiden him; and the puple killide hem that hadden slayn Amon, and made Josie his sone king for him, and he regnide xxxj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem. ^noteJosie dide that that was ri&yogh;tful in Goddis si&yogh;t, and &yogh;ede in the weies of Dauith, his fadir, and bowide neither to the ri&yogh;t side neither to the lift side. In the viij. &yogh;eer of his rewme, whanne he was &yogh;it a chijld, he bigan to seke the God of Dauith, his fadir, and in the xij. &yogh;eer, aftir that he bigan, he clenside Juda and Jerusalem fro hi&yogh;e placis, and ymagis and ydolis. Thei distroieden bifore him the auters of Baalym, and the symylacris that weren put aboue; he kittide doun, and altobrak wodis and grauen ymagis, and scateride the relijfis on the biriels of hem that weren wont to offre. Ferthermore he brente the boonys of prestis in the auteris of idolis, and he clenside Juda and Jerusalem, and distroiede alle ydolis in the citees of Manasses and of Effrahym and of Symeon til to Neptalym. In the xviij. &yogh;eer of his rewme, whanne the lond and the temple of God was clensid, he sente worthi men to reparaile Goddis hous, and so thei diden in deede. And Elchie, the gret prest, &yogh;af to Saphan, the scriueyn and solempne messenger, the book of Goddis lawe, and he bar it to the king; and whanne the king hadde herd the wordis of the lawe, ^note he to-rente hise clothis, and he comaundede Elchie and othere grete men to goo, and preie the Lord for the king, and for the resydues of Israel and of Juda, on alle the words of the book of Goddis lawe; “for whi greet veniaunce of God hath droppid on vs, for oure fadris kepten not the wordis of God, that thei diden alle thingis that ben writen in this book.” Therfore Elchie, and thei that weren sent togidere of the king, &yogh;eden to Olda, a profetesse, the wijf of Sellum; and God seide bi hir that he schal bringe in on this place and dwelleris therof yuelis, and alle cursinges that ben writen in this book of Goddis lawe; for thei forsoken God and sacrificiden to alyen goddis, to terre him to wrathfulnesse, in alle the werkis of her hondis; “but for thou, king of Juda, herdist the wordis of the book, and were meekid in Goddis si&yogh;t, and weptist and to-rentist thi clothis, I haue herd thee,” seith God, “and thou schalt be born in to thi sepulcre in pees, and thin i&yogh;en schulen not see al the yuel which Y schal bringe in on this place, and on the dwelleris therof.” And whanne Josie hadde herd these wordis, he clepide togidere alle the eldre men of Juda and of Jerusalem, and he sti&yogh;ide in to Goddis hous, and alle men of Juda and the dwelleris of Jerusalem sti&yogh;iden togidere, prestis and deknis, and al the puple fro the leeste `til to the moste, and in audiense of hem the king redde in Goddis hous alle the wordis of the book; and he stood in his trone, eithir seete of doom, and smoot boond of pees bifore God, that he schulde go aftir God, and kepe hise heestis, and witnessingis, and iustifyingis, in al his herte and al his soule, and do tho thingis that ben writen in that book whiche he hadde red. And he chargide gretly on this thing alle men that weren founden in Jerusalem and Beniamyn; and the dwelleris of Jerusalem diden bi the couenaunt of the Lord God of her fadris. Therfore Josie dide awey alle abomynaciouns fro alle the cuntreys of the sones of Israel, and made alle men, that weren residue in Israel, to serue her Lord God; in alle the daies of his lijf thei &yogh;eden not awey fro the Lord God of her fadris. Aftirward Josie made pask in Jerusalem, and

ordeynede prestis in hire officis, and bad hem mynystre in Goddis hous, and bad dekenis serue God and his puple Israel, and make hem redy bi hire housis and kinredis in the departing of ech, as Dauith, king of Israel, comaundide, and bad hem serue in the seyntuarie, bi the meynes and cumpanyes and dekenis, and that thei be hal wid, and offre pask, and make redy her britheren therto. ^noteAnd Josie made such a pask, that noon was lyk in Israel, fro the daies of Samuel the prophete, neithir eny of the kingis of Israel made pask, as Josie dide, to prestis, and dekenes, and to al Juda and Israel, and to the dwelleris of Jerusalem; for he &yogh;af to al the puple that was founden in Jerusalem in the solempnite of pask, xxx. thousinde lambrin `and kidis and othere scheep, and iij. thousind of oxun. Aftir that Josie hadde reparelid the temple, Necao, king of Egipt, sti&yogh;ide to fi&yogh;te in Cartamys, and Josie &yogh;ede forth a&yogh;ens him, and the king of Egipt seide to Josie, “I come not to day a&yogh;ens thee, but I fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens another hous, to whiche God bad and made me go in haste; therfore ceese, thou king of Juda, to day a&yogh;ens God, which is with me, lest he sle thee.” Josie nolde turne a&yogh;en, but made himself redy to bataile a&yogh;ens the king of Egipt, and assentide not to the wordis of the king of Egipt, spoken bi Goddis mouth. Therfore Josie was slayn of the king of Egipt, and the peple of the lond made Joacas his sone king in Jerusalem. He regnide iij. moonthis in Jerusalem, and the king of Egipt puttide him doun, and condempnide the lond of Juda in an c. talentis of syluer, and in a talent of gold, and made Eliachym his brothir kyng for him on Juda and Jerusalem, and turnide his name Joachym. He regnide xj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and dide yuel bifore God. Therfore Nabugodonosor took him, and ledde him boundyn with chaynes into Babilone, and baar thidir the vessels of Goddis temple; and Joakin his sone rengnide for him iij. moonthis and x. daies in Jerusalem, and dide yuel in Goddis si&yogh;t. Thanne Nabugodonosor sente men that ledden hym into Babilone and bare out the preciouseste vessels of Goddis hous; and Nabugodonosor made Sedechie king on Juda and Jerusalem. ^noteHe rengnide xj. &yogh;eer in Jerusalem, and dide yuel in Goddis si&yogh;t, neithir was aschamyd of the face of Jeremye, the prophete, that spac to him of Goddis mouth. He brak the ooth maad too Nabugodnosor; therfore Nabugodnosor cam and took hym, and ledde him and alle the vessels and the tresouris of Goddis hous and of the king and princis into Babilone, and killide the puple, and distroiede and brente Jerusalem; and the puple that was left alyue was led into Babilone, and seruede the king and his sones, til the king of Perseys rengnide, and til l. &yogh;er weren fillid, bi Goddis word seid bi the mouth of Jeremye. And Cirus, king of Perseys, comaundide to be prechid, &yogh;he bi writinge in al his rewme, that Jewis schulden turne a&yogh;en into Judee. CAP. X.

^noteThis proces of Paralypomynon in the j. and ij. book schulde stire `cristene kingis and lordis to distroie synne, and loue vertu, and make Goddis lawe to be knowe and kept of her puple, for heere thei mown se, hou sore God punschide yuele kingis, that lyueden yuele, and drowen the puple to idolatrie, either other gret synnes, and hou greetly God preyside, rewardide, and cherischide good kinges, that lyueden wel, and gouernede wel the puple in Goddis lawe, and opin resoun, and good conscience. And thou&yogh; kingis and lordis knewen neuere more of hooly scripture than iij. stories of the ij. book of Paralypomynon and of Regum, that is, the storie of king Josophat, the storie of king Ezechie, and the storie of king Josie, thei my&yogh;te lerne sufficiently to lyue wel and gouerne wel hire puple bi Goddis lawe, and eschewe al pride, and ydolatrie, and coueitise, and other synnes. But alas! alas! alas! where king Jozophat sente hise princis, and dekenes, and prestis, to ech citee of

his rewme with the book of Goddis lawe, ^note to techen opinly Goddis lawe to the puple, summe cristene lordis senden general lettris to alle her mynistris, and leegemen eithir tenauntis, that the pardouns of the bisschopis of Rome, that ben opin leesingis, ^note for thei graunten many c. &yogh;eeris of pardoun aftir domes day, be prechid generaly in her rewmes and lordschipis, and if eny wijse man a&yogh;enseith the opin errouris of anticrist, and teche men to do her almes to pore nedy men, to ascape the peynes of helle, and to winne the blisse of heuene, he be prisoned, as a man out of cristen bileue, and traytour of God, and of cristen kingis and lordis. And where king Ezechie made him ful bisy to clense Goddis hous, and do awey al vnclennesse fro the sentuarie, and comaundide prestis to offre brent sacrifice on Goddis auteer, and ordeynede dekenis in Goddis hous to herie God, as Dauith and other prophetis ordeyneden, ^note summe cristene lordis in name, and hethene in condiscouns defoulen the sentuarie of God, and bringin in symonient clerkis, ful of coueitise, eresie, and ypocrisie, and malice, to stoppe Goddis lawe, that it be not knowen and kept, and frely prechid; and &yogh;it summe cristene lordis holden many prelatis and curatis in her courtis and in seculer offis a&yogh;ens Goddis lawe and mannis opinly, and withholden hem fro her goostly offis and helping of cristen soulis; and where king Josie prechide opinly Goddis lawe in the temple to al the puple, and castide awey idolis, and brente the boonis of prestis, that diden idolatrie, summe cristen lordis in name not in dede, ^note preisen and magnifien freris lettris, ful of disceit and leesingis, and make hire tenauntis and meyne to swere bi herte, boonis, nayles, and sydes, and other membris of Crist, and pursuen ful cruely hem that wolden teche treuly and freely the lawe of God, and preisen, mayntenen, and cherischen hem, that prechen fablis, lesingis, and synful mennis tradiciouns, either statutis, and letten greetly the gospel to be prechid, and holy writ to be knowen and kept. But wite these vnwyse lordis, that Elye the prophete, oon aloone hadde the treuthe of God, and king Acab with viij. c. and l. prestis and prophetis of Baal hadde the false part; and eft Mycheas, oon aloone prophete of God, hadde the treuthe a&yogh;ens iiij. c. prophetis of Baal, that counceileden Acab go to werre to his owne schenschipe and deth; ^note so now a fewe pore men and idiotis, in comparisoun of clerkis of scole, mown haue the treuthe of holy scripture a&yogh;ens many thousinde prelatis and religiouse, that ben &yogh;ouen to worldly pride and coueitise, symonie, ypocrisie and other fleschly synnes, moost sithen these pore men desiren oonly the treuthe and fredom of the hooly gospel, and of hooly scripture, and accepten manis lawis and ordynauncis, oonly in as myche as thei ben groundid in holy scripture, eithir good resoun, and comyn prophit of cristen puple; and worldly prelatis and feyned relygious grounden hem on synful mennis statutis, that sounnen pride and coueitise, and letten the treuthe and fredom of Goddis lawe to be knowen and kept, and bringen cristen puple in nedeles tharldam and greet cost. But it is for to drede ful sore lest kingis and lordis ben now in the formere synnes of Manasses; God graunte that thei repenten verily and make amendis to God and men, as he dide, in the ende; for thei setten idolis in Goddis hous, and exciten men to idolatrie, and scheden innocent blood in many maners, as Manasses dide. ^noteFirst thei setten in her herte, that schulde be the temple and specialy chaumbre of God, the idole of coueitise, either of glotonie, either of pride, either of other greet synnes, for seint Poul seith, that oure bodies ben the temple of the Hooly Goost, `and eft he seith, that auarice is the seruise of idolis, and eft he seith, that glotouns maken her bely her God; and God seith bi Job, that the deuil is king ouer alle the sones of pride, and Jhesu Crist seith, that the deuil is prince of this world, that is, as Austin seith, of false men that dwellen in this world. Thanne thei that setten pride, either coueitise, either glotonie, either rauyn, in her herte, settyn idolis of

Baal, either of the deuil, in the temple of God. ^noteSpecialy lordis setten idolis in Goddis hous, whanne thei maken vnworthi prelatis either curatis in the chirche; for whi such vnable prelatis either curatis ben idolis, as God seith in xj. c. of Zacarie to an vnable prelat, “A! thou schepherde, and idole, forsakinge the floc;’ ^note wherfor Erchedekene in Rosarie, which is oon of the famouseste doctouris, and of the popis lawe, writith thus, an yuel prelat is seid a rorynge lyoun, and a wolf rauysching prey;” and in the xxxiiij. c. of Esechiel, he is seid to feede him self and not the scheep; also he is seid to seke his owne profitis temporal, therfore he is not of Goddis children, as Austyn seith in viij. cause, j. questioun, c^o. sunt quidam, and for this thing power schal be taken awey fro him, as God seith in the xxxiiij. c. of Ezechiel. ^noteAlso an yuel prelat is seid a wolf, as the lawe witnessith in lxxxiij. distincioun c^o. nichil; also for defaute of gouernaile he is seid a vnchaast dogge, as Austyn witnessith in ij. cause vij. questioun, c^o. qui nec; also he is a crowe, either a rauen, for the blacknesse of synnes, as the lawe witnessith there, in c^o. non omnis; also he is seid fonned salt, not prophitable to eny thing, as the lawe witnessith there, in c^o. non omnis; also he is seid an hog, as the lawe witnessith in xliij. distinctioun, in c^o. in mandatis; also he is seid a cherl of cherlysched of yuel lijf, as the lawe witnessith in xlvij. distinctioun, in the bigynnyng; also he is seid a capoun, for he hath the manere of an hen, for as a capoun crowith not, so an yuel prelat crowith not in preching; also an yuel prelat gendrith not bi preching of Goddis word, neithir he fi&yogh;tith for hise sogetis; also as the capoun clepith not hennis, so an yuel prelat clepith not pore men to mete; also as a capoun makith fat himself, so an yuel prelat makith fat himself. Therfore sithen he seekith plenteuousnesse, metis, and richessis, he schal be put into the fijer of helle, as Jerom witnessith on Mychee, and in the xxxv. distinctioun, c^o. ecclesie principes. Erchedekene writith al this in xliij. distinctioun, in c^o. sit rector, on the word muti. Also a doumb prelat is an ydol, and not a very prelat; a doumb prelat is not a very prelat, sithen he vsith not the offis of a prelat, but he hath oonly the licnesse of a prelat, as an ydol that vsith not the offis of a man is oonly lijk a man, but it is noo man; therfore suche doumbe prelatis moun ri&yogh;tfully be seid symylacris, either ydolis, of whiche it is seid in the vi. c^o. of Baruk, “the trees of hem ben maad fair of a carpenter, and tho ben araied with gold and syluer, and moun not speke,” and thei that maken suche prelatis ben lijk hem, whiche makeris schulen be dampned with suche prelatis, bi that word of Dauith, “thei that maken tho ben maad lijk tho.” ^noteBut marke wel, that hethene men hadden symylacris of vj. kyndis, that is, of cley, of tree, of bras, of stoon, of syluer, and of gold; we moun fynd these vj. kyndis in yuel prelatis; for whi symylacris of cley ben fleschly prelatis, of whiche God seith in the sautir, “I schal do hem awey as the cley of streetis;” symylacris of tree ben vnwise prelatis and boistous and without wit, of which it is seid in holy scripture, “a tree is wlappid in siluer;” and these ben seid to be maad of nou&yogh;t in to prelatis, thes ben beestis clepid chymeres, that han a part of ech beest, and suche ben not no but oonly in opynyoun, either speche, and not in dede, neither in kynde; symylacris of bras ben thei, that han oonly worldly eloquence, for whi brasse &yogh;eueth greet soun, in i. pistle to Corinth., xiij. c. “if I speke in the langagis of men and of aungels, and I have not charite, I am maad as bras sounnynge;” symylacris of stoon ben thei, that ben broken fro ri&yogh;tfulnesse and vertu, for temporal strengthe, these prelatis ben not the stoon which is set into the heed of the corner, but these ben the stoon of hirtyng and of sclaundre; symylacris of syluer ben thei that ben maad bi moneye, eithir richessis, whiche prelatis seyn, what wolen

&yogh;e &yogh;eue to vs, and we schulen bitraie Crist to &yogh;ou; golden symylacris ben thei that ben maad oonly for worldly nobleie, for whi gold singnefieth nobley, and therfore the heed of the ymage of Nabugodonosor was of gold in ij. c. of Daniel. ^noteErchedekene tellith al this in xliij. distinctioun, c^o. sit rector, on the word mutus. Thou&yogh; this doctour of the popis lawe be pleyn and scharp, he seith treuthe sesonable, for the chirche now acordith with hooly writ, and resoun, and comun doctouris of holy scripture; for in xi. c. of Sacariee, God clepith an yuel prelat an ydol, and in Ezechiel and other prophetis he licneth tyrauntis and raueynouris to lyouns, woluis, beeris, and othere vnresonable beestis, to dispise her synne. Here lordis and other prelatis moun see in party, hou perilous it is to ordeyne yuele prelatis eithir curatis in the chirche, for as seint Gregory seith, in i. part of Pastoralis, ij. c^o. noo man harmeth more in the chirche, than he that doth weiwardly, and holdith the name of ordre, eithir of holynesse; and the lawe seith de electionibus, c^o. nichil, that no thing harmeth more the chirche of God, than that vnworthi men be taken to the gouernaile of soulis; and Grostede seith in his sermoun Premonitus a venerabili patre, that to make vnable prelatis eithir curatis in the chirche of God, is to haue come to the hi&yogh;est degree of trespasis; also in his sermoun Dominus noster Jhesus Cristus, he writeth thus to the pope, “he that bitakith the cure of soulis to a man vnmy&yogh;ti, vnkunnynge, either not wilful to kepe duly the soulis, is gilty of alle the soulis, thou&yogh; eny ascapith, and is sauid bi Goddis grace, and he that bitakith the cure of soulis to him that is opinly vnable therto, techith to sette more pris bi vnresonable beestis than by men, and for to loue more erthly thingis, that passyn schortly, than everlastinge thingis, and more than the deeth and blood of Goddis sone; and he that &yogh;eueth thus the cure of soulis to `vnable men, is werse than Eroude, that pursuede Crist, and worse thanne Jewis and hethene men, that crucifieden Crist.” Grostede seith this pleynly, and preueth it opinly bifore the pope and al his clergie; and thei that procuren beneficis and richessis to men, haten hem to whiche thei procuren thus, as if thei procured hem to be set in the cop of the chirche, in whirlwijndis and greet tempestis. Grostede seith this in his sermoun Scriptum est de leuitis; and he that is necligent to drawe soulis out of the pit of synne, as myche as he may, bi the ordre of lawe, and he that lettith him of his werk, sleeth the soulis; and he that settith more prijs bi a fleschly scheep than a goostly scheep, that is, mannis soule, settith more pris bi a peny than bi the lijf of Goddis sone, which is worth al this world. A recheles curat, and that sleeth sogettis bi yuel ensaumple, and withdrawing of Goddis word, is worse than vnresonable beestis, and he is wrse than the crucifieris of Crist, for he crucifieth him in hise membris. Goode counceilouris thei ben aloone, that ben wijse men, and drede God, for whi alle coueitouse men ben foolis, and vnwijse men, and to be led bi the counceil of hem is to dispose of henne cotis bi the counceil of foxis, and to dispose of foldis of scheep bi the counceil of woluis. ^noteGrostede seith this in a sermoun Premonitus a venerabili patre. See, &yogh;e lordis and prelatis, that maken vnable curatis, for fleschly affeccioun and &yogh;iftis, and specialy for pleyinge at the bere, and othere vnleeful iapis, what tresoun &yogh;e doon to God, and what harm to Cristis chirche and &yogh;oure auaunseeis; &yogh;e maken orrible abomynacoun of discoumfort stoonde in the hooly place, for &yogh;e make anticrist to stonde at the hi&yogh;e auter, in the stede of Crist, and trete the holy sacrament of Cristis flesch and his blood ful vnworthily, and as Parisience seith, whanne &yogh;e maken a coueitouse prest to stonde at the auter, &yogh;e maken a maldworp stonde there, in the stede of Crist; and whanne &yogh;e maken a fonned bischop, that can not and loueth not Goddis lawe, stonde mytrid

at the auter, &yogh;e make an horned asse stonde at the auter, in the stede of Crist; and so of othere vnresonable beestis, as lyouns, wluis, beeris, apis, dragouns, hoggis, horsis, doggis; and othere viciouse prestis, proude, coueitouse, raueynouris, wrathful, ypocritis, trecherouse, glotenouse, lecherouse, enuyouse, and bacbiteris; and &yogh;e transfiguren Satanas into an aungel of li&yogh;t, whanne &yogh;e maken curatis either prelatis, that ben contrarie to Crist, to ocupie the offis of bischop, abbot, either of prest. Lordis and prelatis, that han sett suche idolis in Goddis hous, as Manasses dide, sue &yogh;e Manasses in very repentaunce, and making of amendis to God and men. ^noteAlso lordis and prelatis exciten strongly men to ydolatrie, for thei sweren custumably nedelesly, and ofte vnavisily and fals, bi the membris of God, of Crist, and bi seintis, in so myche that ech lord and greet prelat comynly makith to him an ydole of sum seint, whom he worschipith more than God; for comunly thei sweren bi oure Lady of Walsingham, seint Joon Baptist, seint Edward, seint Thomas of Caunterbury, and such othere seintis, and chargen more this ooth than thou&yogh; thei sweren by the Hooly Trinite; and in al this thei onoren more these seintis than thei onouren the Hooly Trinite. Thou&yogh; it were leeueful to swere bi seintis, this is ydolatrie, to charge more an ooth maad bi suche seintis than bi God Almy&yogh;ty, either bi the Hooly Trinite; natheles Crisostom witnessith on the v. c^o. of Matheu, that to swere bi eny creature, is to do idolatrie; for as Jerom there, and Decrees, in xxij. cause, j. questione, c^o. si quis per capillum, and c^o. next bifore, and Decretals de jure jurando, c^o. et si Christus, witnessen pleynly, to swere bi a creature is a&yogh;ens Goddis comaundement; and therfore Crist in the v. c^o. of Math., comaundith to swere, not bi heuene, neither bi erthe, and vndirstondith bi heuene and erthe creaturis of heuene and creaturis of erthe; and in al the old lawe it is not founden, where God grauntith to swere bi eny creature, but oonly bi his owne name, either bi himself; and therfore the wise man seith in the xxiij. c^o. of Ecclesiastici “a man that swerith mychil schal be fillid with wickidnesse, and veniaunce schal not go awey fro his hous;” and eft he seith, “thi mouth be not customable to swering, for whi myche fallyng is in it; the nemyng of God be not customable in thi mouth,” that is, to swere bi his name in veyn, either fals, either for an yuel ende; “and be thou not medlid with the names of seintis,” that is, to swere bi seintis, “for thou schalt not be giltlees of hem.” ^noteHere lordis and prelatis moun see how thei don opin ydolatrie, whanne thei gessen to onoure seintis, and hire opin deedis of ydolatrie and blasfemye ben opin bookis of ydolatrie `and blasfemye to hire sugetis; ^note therfore, as Gregory seith in ij. bok of Pastrals v. c^o., prelatis ben worthi so many dethis, hou manye ensaumplis of perdiscoun thei senden to sogettis, and in xxv. c^o. of Numery, God bad Moises hange alle the princis in iebatis a&yogh;ens the sunne, for the peple of Israel dide leccherie and idolatrie bi ensaumple and suffraunce of hem. Now in Engelond it is a comyn proteccioun a&yogh;ens persecuscioun of prelatis and of summe lordis, if a man is customable to swere nedeles, and fals, and vnauisid, bi the boonys, nailes, and sidis, and other membris of Crist, and to be proud and leccherous, and speke not of Goddis lawe, and repreue not synne aboute him; and to absteyne fro oothis nedeles and vnleeueful, and to eschewe pride, and speke onour of God and of his lawe, and repreue synne bi weie of charite, is matir and cause now whi prelatis and summe lordis sclaundren men, ^note and clepen hem lollardis, eretikis, and riseris of debate and of tresoun a&yogh;ens the king; now Manasses settith idolis opinly in the temple of God, and sterith men gretly to do idolatrie, and cherischen hem that breken opinly Goddis heestis, and punysche hem soore, as hethene men either eretikis, that bisien hem to lerne, kepe, and

teche Goddis heestis; the iij. tyme lordis and prelatis bothe schedden innocent blood, as Manasses dide, for thei waastyn folily hire goodis in wakingis and pleyingis bi ni&yogh;t, and in rere-soperis and othere vanites, and taken grete and vnmesurable taxis of the comyns; and lesse lordis and prelatis doon greet extorciouns to pore men, and taken pore mennis goodis, and paien litil either nou&yogh;t and out of tyme for tho. Therfore, as Mychee the prophete seith in iij. c., thei hyilden pore men, and eten her flesch; ^note and Grostede declarith wel this in his dicte `that bygynneth thus, sint lumbi vestri precinti, and in the xiij. dicte; and God seith in the Sautir of suche tirauntis, “thei deuouren my puple as the mete of breed.” How myche blood lordis scheden in werris, for pride and coueitise, by counceil of false prelatis, confessouris, and prechouris, it passith mannis wit to telle fully in this lijf; but of scheding of blood and sleeing of pore men, bi withdrawing of almes, and in &yogh;euynge it to dede stockis, either stoonis, either to riche clerkis and feyned religiouse, were to speke now, if a man hadde the spirit of goostly strengthe. ^noteNow men knelyn, and preien, and offren faste to dede ymagis, that han neither hungir neither coold; and dispisen, beten, and sleen Cristen men, maad to the ymage and lycnesse of the Holy Trynite. What onour of God is this to knele and offre to an ymage, maad of synful mannis hondis, and to dispise and robbe the ymage maad of Goddis hondis, that is, a cristen man, either a cristen womman. Whanne men &yogh;eue not almes to pore nedy men, but to dede ymagis, either riche clerkis, thei robbyn pore men of her due porcoun, and needful sustenaunce assingned to hem of God himself; ^note and whanne suche offereris to dede ymagis robben pore men, thei robben Jhesu Crist, as he seith in xxv. c^o. of Math., “that, that &yogh;e diden to oon of these leeste of myne, &yogh;e diden to me,” and if thei schulen be dampned that &yogh;euen not mete and drinke, and othere nescessaries to pore men, as Crist seith, where schulen thei become that robben pore men, and so Jhesu Crist himself; and if these tweyne, that &yogh;euen not lyflode, and that robben pore men, schulen be dampned so depe in helle, where schulen false techeris, stireris, and confessouris bicome, that stiren lordis and riche men to robbe thus pore men, and to do this vndir the colour of excellent almes and holynesse? But morne we sore for this cursidnesse, and preie we to God with al oure herte, that sithen lordis and prelatis suen Manasses in these opyn synnes, God stire hem to sue Manasses in very penaunce, and make amendis to God and men, lest oure reume be conquerid of aliens, either hethen men, for these opyn synnes and many moo. CAP. XI.

^noteThe firste book of Esdras tellith, how Cirus, king of Perseys, &yogh;af lycence to Jewis to turne a&yogh;en in to Jerusalem and Judee, and bylde the temple of God in Jerusalem, and bad that other men in his rewme schulden helpe to this bylding; and he &yogh;af the vessels herto whiche Nabugodnosor hadde take awey fro Jerusalem. Thanne is teld the noumbre of hem that turnede a&yogh;en into Judee, vndir Josue the prest, the sone of Josedech, and vndir Sorobabel, the duyk; and hou thei bygunnen to bylde the auter and temple; and what letting thei hadden of enemyes, and what coumfort of God, and of hise prophetis. Thanne it is teld, what sorwe Esdras made, for the princis and prestis and comyns token hethene wommen to wyues a&yogh;ens the lawe; and how the princis and the puple repentiden mekely and verily, and maden amendis to God and men. ^noteIn the book of Neemye, which is clepid the ij. book of Esdras, is teld, how Neemye gat graunt of the king to bylde the wallis of Jerusalem, and how he and othere men, bothe prestis and othere, princis and comyns, bildiden the wallis, and &yogh;atis, and lockis, and touris aboue, for defense a&yogh;ens

enemyes; and how the enemyes of Jewis purposiden with strong hond to slee Jewis preuely, and distroie hire werk. Thanne half the part of &yogh;unge men made the werk, and half the part was redy to bateyle; with oon hond thei maden the werk, and with the other thei helden the swerd; and eche of hem that bildide was gird with his swerd. Thanne it sueth how Neemye, duk of the puple, dide freely his offis, and took noo costis assingned to the duk, and he dide thus for the pouert of the puple. Aftir this doinge Esdras redde in the book of Goddis lawe, fro the morewitide til to noon bifore the multitude of men and wymmen, and dekenes made silence in the puple to here the lawe; ^note and Esdras redde in the book of Goddis lawe fro the firste day `til to the laste. Thanne the children of Israel camyn togidere in fasting and in sackis, either heiris, and erthe was on hem, and the seed of the sones of Israel was departid fro ech alyen sone, and thei stoden bifore the Lord, <sup>note</sup> and knoulechiden her synnes, and the wickidnessis of hire fadris, and thei risiden togidere to stonde, and thei redden in the book of lawe of hire God fouresithis in the day, and fouresithis in the ny&yogh;t thei knoulechiden and heryeden hire Lord God; and dekenes cryeden with gret vois to hire Lord God, and baddin the puple rise and blesse God. Thanne sueth the solempne confessioun of Esdras, how he knoulechide first the glorious werkis of God, and aftirward the orrible synnes of al the puple, and of hire fadris; and thanne al the peple made couenaunt, and swor to kepe Goddis lawe, and to bie not in the sabat and <sup>note</sup> haliday of hem that brou&yogh;ten viteilis to selle; and thei bihi&yogh;ten to paie the firste fruitis to prestis, and tithis to the dekenes, and to bringe al this to the temple of God. At the laste Neemye suffride neither Jewis neither straungeris sille neither bie in the sabotis, not oonly in Jerusalem, but neither in placis ny&yogh; the wallis; and he rebuykede, and curside, and beet men, and made hem ballid, that token alien wommen to be hire wyues, as of Asotus, of Amon, and of Moab; and chargide hem greetly in the Lord, that thei schulden not &yogh;eue hire dou&yogh;tris to the sones of hethen men, and take nou&yogh;t of the dou&yogh;tris of hethen men to hire owne sones, and to hem self. This proces of Esdras and of Neemye schulde styre vs to be bisy to biylde vertues in oure soule, aftir turnyng a&yogh;en fro caitifte of synne, and to fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens temptaciouns, and byilde faste vertues, as thei fou&yogh;ten with oon hond a&yogh;ens enemyes, and biyldeden with the tothir hond; and we schulden be ful bisy to kepe the gostely sabot in goode werkis and herying of God, sithen thei were so besy to kepe the figuratif sabot. <sup>note</sup>Thou&yogh; the book of Tobie is `not of bileeue, it is ful deuout storie, and profitable to the symple puple, to maken hem to kepe patience and Goddis heestis, to do werkis of mercy, and teche wel hire children, and to take wyues in the drede of God, for loue of children, and not al for foul lust off body, neither for coueitise of `goodis of this world; and also children moun lerne heere bi &yogh;unge Tobie to be meke and obedient, and redy to serue fadir and modir in her nede. Therfore amonge alle the bookis of the elde testament symple men of wit schulden rede and here ofte this book of Tobie, to be trewe to God in prosperite and aduersite, and eschewe idolatrie, glotenye and coueitise, and to be pacient in tribulacoun, and go neuere awey fro the dreede and loue of God. Thou&yogh; the seene of clerkis, either general gadering of clergie, hath take the book of Judith among the noumbre of hooly scripturis, natheles it is not of the canoun eithir feith of the bible anentis Ebreis, for thei resseyuen not the autoritie of this book; natheles it was writen in Caldee langage, and is noumbrid among stories, as Jerom witnessith on the prolog. ^noteBut natheles this book comendith chastite and abstinence, penaunce and wideuhood of Judith, and her loue

which sche hadde to deliuere Goddis puple fro her enemyes, and to kepe the feith and worschiping of God among his peple. Also this book comendith the feith and treuthe of Achior, that was conuertid to Goddis lawe bi myracle of sleeing of Olofernes, bi the hondis of the widewe Judith. ^noteThanne Judith repreuede prestis for thei temtide God, and consentiden to deliuere the citee to enemyes, if God sente not helpe to hem withinne v. daies, and goode prestis tooken meekly this repreuyng of a womman; and sche tau&yogh;te hem hou thei schulden do penaunce for this trespas, and coumforte the puple to triste in God, and abyde his mercy and help, at his owne wille. ^noteVs nedith not to excuse Judith fro lesingis and tresoun to Olofernes, but we moun fauorably excuse hire fro deedly synne in this doinge, for the greet loue that sche hadde to Goddis peple, and to slee Olofernes, a blasfemyere of God, and distroiere of his lawe and peple; and iustly God took this veniaunce on Olofernes, for his synnes and harmes don to Goddis peple, and whiche he purposide to do, if he my&yogh;te lyue longe. Of this proces proude werriouris schulden drede God, that made proud Olofernes to be slayn of a womman, and al his greet oost `to be scaterid and distroied; and cristen men schulden be coumfortid greetly, for to haue ful trist in God, and in his helpe, that so my&yogh;tily delyuerede his puple fro so greet an enemy and strong oost, withouten perisching of his peple. And sithen Judith hadde so greet preising for hire doinge, that was medelid with manye synnes, myche more preising schulen thei haue in heuene, withouten ende, that putten forth hem silf to be martirid for Goddis cause, with trewe meenes of pacience and of charite. ^noteThe book of Ester tellith first, how the qwene Vasti was forsaken for hire pride, and was departid fro mariage of king Assuerus, and hou Ester, for hire meekenesse, bewte, and Goddis grace was maad qwene in the stide of Vasty. Also the trewe Mardoche, the fadir in lawe of adopcioun of this womman Ester, tau&yogh;te hire to loue God, and kepe his lawe, and sche was full meke and obedient to Mardochee, &yogh;he, whanne sche was qwene, as to hire fadir in lawe. Thanne Aaman, of the kinrede of Agag, conspyride bi sotil malice to distroie al the peple of Jewis, in the lond of Assuerus, and hadde graunt of the king, at his owne wille, and the day of distroiyng and of sleeing of the Jewis was pupplischid thour&yogh; al the rewme. Thanne Mardochee and the Jewis diden greet penaunce, and maden gret sorwe, and preieden God to helpe in that gret nede. And Mardochee sente to Ester, that sche schulde do the same, and goo to the king, in perel of hire lijf, to axe grace of him, and reuoking of lettris and power grauntid to Aman, the enemy of Jewis. And aftir myche fasting, penaunce, and preier, Estir bitook hirself to Goddis disposicioun, and to perel of her deth, and entride to the king, &yogh;he, a&yogh;ens the lawe of the lond, whanne sche was not clepid, to axe mercy and help of the king, for hirsilf and al hire puple. And God turnede the feersnesse and cruelte of the king to mekenesse, mersy, and benyngnite a&yogh;ens Ester, and the peple of Jewis. ^noteAnd thanne he reuokide the power grauntid to Aaman, and leet hange him, as he purposide to haue hangid the trewe Mardochee, and &yogh;af general power to Jewis to slee alle hire enemyes in his empire. ^noteAftir these thingis the king enhaunside Mardochee, and made him grettist next the king, and &yogh;af greet fraunchise and onour to the Jewis. This story of Ester schulde stire men to be trewe to God and his lawe, and putte awey pride and enuye, and euere triste in God in alle perrels; and tirauntis schulden be aferd to conspire a&yogh;ens Goddis seruauntis, leest God take veniaunce on hem, as he dide on this man Aaman, that conspiride the deeth and general distroiyng of Jewis. ^noteThe book of Job is ful sotil in vndirstonding, for Job argueth a&yogh;ens hise enemyes, that wolden bringe hym out of cristen feith, and concludith many errouris that suen of hire false bileeue and opynyon; and Job affermith not that al is soth that he spekith a&yogh;ens hise aduersaries, but concludith hem in hire fals

bileeue, that many errouris suen therof; and for I haue declarid in party in the glos hou the harde sentensis of Job schulen be vndirstonden, therfore I passe ouer li&yogh;tly now. First this book tellith the kyn of Job, and hise richessis, and holy lijf of him and hise children; and aftirward it tellith what tribulacoun bifelde to Joob in his catel, in hise children, and in his owne bodi, and hou paciently he suffride this, and thankide God in alle hise dissesis. Thanne his wijf, whom the deuel reseruede as a special instrument to him, to disseyue Joob by his wijf, as he disseyuede Adam bi Eue, counceld him to blasfeme God, and therbi di&yogh;e; and Joob repreuede hire foly, and seide, if we han resseyued goodis of Goddis hond, whi suffre we not yuels, that is, peynes. In alle these thingis Joob synnede not in hise lippis. Thanne sueth the disputing bitwixe Joob and hise freendis, almest til to the ende of the book. Job heeld strongly the treuthe of cristen feith, and specialy of the rising a&yogh;en of bodies at domis day; and hise freendis seiden many treuthis, and medleden falsnesse, and euere purposiden an yuel ende and falsed, for thei helden that meede is &yogh;ouen oonly in this lijf for goode werkis, and that no man is punyschid here, no but for synnes passid, and as a man is punyschid more than an other in this lijf, so he hath synned more than another man lesse punschid; but al this is fals, as Joob preuith, and God confermith in the ende. For whi reward of goode deedis is myche more in the lijf to comynge, thanne in present lijf, and a vertuose man is punyschid here for to haue mede in heuene; and comunly a iust man hath more tribulacoun in this lijf thanne a wickid man, as it is opin of Crist, that suffride heere myche dissese, and of tyrauntis that han prosperite in this lijf. ^noteAnd therfore Joob telde opinly hise goode dedis to coumforte him a&yogh;ens dispeir, to whiche hise frendis wolden bringe him; but Joob dide this ouer myche, and with sum pride, and iustifiede himself ouer myche, that hise freendis conseyueden that he blasfemyde God, and preuede God vnri&yogh;tful; ^note and of thes twey poyntis Joob repentide in the ende. Thanne God for&yogh;af to him this litil synne, and appreued his trewe sentense, and dampnede the errour of hise aduersaries. Thanne Job preiede, and made sacrifice for hise aduersaries, and God herde him, and dide mercy to hem; and God addide alle thingis double, that Joob hadde; and he hadde xiiij. thousind of scheep, and vj. thousind of camelis, and a thousind &yogh;ockis of oxen, and a thousind femal assis, and vij. sones, and iij. dou&yogh;tris; and Joob lyuede `vij. score &yogh;eer aftir his turment, and si&yogh; hise sones and the sones of his sones til to the fourthe generacoun. This proces of Job schulde stire men to be iust of lyuyng, and to be pacient in aduersitees, as Joob was, and to be stedfast in cristen feith, and answere wijsely and meekly to eretikis and aduersaries of oure feith, as Petir and Poul techen, and euere be meke and ful of charite, and preie for oure enemyes, and looke aftir meede in heuene, and not in erthe, for oure good deedis. ^noteThe Sautir ^note comprehendith al the elde and newe testament, and techith pleynly the mysteries of the Trinite, and of Cristis incarnacoun, passioun, rising a&yogh;en, stying in to heuene, and sending doun of the Holy Gost, and preching of the gospel, and the coming of Antecrist, and the general

dom of Crist, and the glorie of chosen men to blisse, and the peynes of hem that schulen be dampned in helle; and ofte rehersith the stories of the elde testament, and bringith in the keping of Goddis heestis, and loue of enemyes. Noo book in the eld testament is hardere to vndirstonding to vs Latyns, for oure lettre discordith myche fro the Ebreu, and many doctouris taken litel heede to the lettre, but al to the goostly vndirstonding. Wel

were him that koude wel vndirstonde the Sautir, and kepe it in his lyuyng, and seie it deuoutly, and conuicte Jewis therbi; for manye men that seyn it vndeuoutly, and lyuen out of charite, lyen foule on hemself to God, and blasfemen hym, whanne thei crien it ful loude to mennis eeris in the chirche. Therfore God &yogh;eue grace to vs to lyue wel in charite,

and sey it deuoutly, and vndirstonde it treuly, and to teche it opinly to Cristen men and Jewis, and bringe hem therby to oure Cristen feith, and brennynge charite. ^noteThe Prouerbis either Parablis of Salamon teche men to lyue iustly to God and man. ^noteEcclesiastes techith men to forsake and sette at nou&yogh;t alle goodis in the world, and to drede God, and kepe hise heestis. ^noteThe Songis of Songis techen men to sette al hire herte in the loue of God, and of hire nei&yogh;eboris, and to do al hire besynesse to bringe men to charite and salvacoun, bi good ensample, and trewe preching, and wilful suffring of peyne and deth, if nede be. ^noteProuerbis speken myche of wijsedom and keping of Goddis heestis, in comendinge trewe teching, and in repreuyng fals teching, and Prouerbis treten mychel of ri&yogh;tfulnesse, and iust domes and gouernaunce, and of punysching of auoutrie and othere falsenessis;

and comenden myche iust lordis and sogetis, and repreuen strongly wrongful lordis and rebel sogettis. Also Prouerbis techen derkly the mysteries of Crist, and of hooly chirche, and techen myche wijsdom and prudence, for the soule and the body. ^noteTherfore lordis, and `iugis, and comuneris also, and namely prestis, schulden stodie wel this book, and rule hemself therbi, to saluacoun of body and of soule. <sup>note</sup>Ecclesiastes is a ful sotil book, for Salamon spekith in many persones, and concludith her entent and sentence, not in appreuyng the sentence of fleschly men, that preisen more bodily goodis and lustis of the body than heuenly goodis and lyking of vertues, and dampneth many errours of worldly men, and schewith that al is vanite, til me come to the drede of God, and keeping of hise heestis. Therfore men `moten bee wel war hou thei vndirstonden Salamon in this book, that thei appreue noon errour, and dampne noo treuthe, for mysconseyuing of Salamonys wordis, and the Hooly Goostis wordis in this book. ^noteThe Songis of Songis touchen derkly the staat of the synagoge, fro the gooing out of Egipt til to Cristis incarnacoun and passioun; and thanne tho Songis touchen the staat of Cristis chirche, and `of the synagoge in the ende of the world, and treetyn hi&yogh;ly of loue to God and nei&yogh;ebore also; <sup>note</sup> and this book is so sotil to vndirstonde, that Jewis ordeyneden, that no man schulde stodie it, no but he were of xxx. &yogh;eer, and hadde able wit to vndirstonde the goostly preuytees of this book; for sum of the book seemith to fleschly men to sounne vnclene loue of leccherie, where it tellith hi&yogh; goostly loue, and greet preuytees of Crist and of his chirche. Therfore men moten be ful wel war to conseyue wel the wordis of the Holy Goost in this book, and knowe whanne Crist spekith to the chirche, either to the synagoge, and whanne the synagoge spekith to God, and whanne the chirche spekith to Crist, and whanne God spekith to aungels, patriarkis, and prophetis, and apostlis, and whanne these persones speken to the synagoge either to the chirche, either a&yogh;enward. <sup>note</sup>The book of Wijsedom, `thou&yogh; it be not a book of bileeue, techith myche ri&yogh;tfulnesse, and preisith wysdom, and repreuith fleschly men for hire false bileeue and yuel lyuynge, and comendith myche iust men, sad in bileeue and vertuouse lyuynge, and touchith myche of Cristis incarnacoun, his manheed and godheed togidere, and dampneth gretly idolatrie, and fals worschiping of idolis, and false goddis. ^note`Thou&yogh; Ecclesiastici be no book of bileeue, it techith myche wisdom and prudence `for soule and body, and hath myche the sentence of Prouerbis, and comaundith men to thenke and speke of Goddis heestis, and for to dreede God, and loue him, and euere haue mynde of deth, and of the greet dom, to kepe men out of synne, and in parfit loue to God and man. Also it preisith myche almes and good preier, and repreuith gretly extorcouns, and wrong, and false oothis, and false mesuris, and false wey&yogh;tis, and al fraude, preuy and apert; at the laste it comendith goode men, and herieth God, that delyuereth fro alle perrelis. ^noteIf this book be wel vndirstonden, it is profitable bothe to goostly gouernours and bodily lordis, and iustisis and comyns also. ^noteThe Prophetis han a general prologe for alle, and for I declaride sumdel the grete profetis, and in party the litil prophetis, and thenke soone to make an ende, with Goddis help, of the glos on the smale prophetis, I thenke now to passe ouer withouten eny tarying. ^noteThe firste book of Macabeis tellith hou gret distruccioun and cruelte Antioke the noble dide a&yogh;ens the Jewis, and hou many thousindis he killide of hem, that wolden holde Goddis lawe, and brente the bookis of Goddis lawe, and defoulide the temple of Jerusalem, and compellide men, for drede of deth,

to do idolatrie, and forsake God and his lawe; and he took vessels and tresouris in the temple, and bar into his lond, ^note and he brente the citee of Jerusalem, and distroiede the housis therof and the wallis therof in cumpas; and he took the hi&yogh;e tour of Dauith, and sette men of armes therinne to lette men come to Jerusalem. And thei diden mychel harm to the puple of Israel, and who euere heeld the bookis of Goddis testament and kepte his lawe, was slayn bi comaundement of Antiok the king, and wymmen that circumcideden her children weren slayn, bi comaundement of Antioke the king, and thei hangiden children bi the neckis, bi alle the housis of men of Israel, and killiden hem that circumcideden children. ^noteThanne roos Matatyas, the prest, and fledde fro Jerusalem into Modyn, and biweylide gretly this distroying of the puple, of the temple and citee, and of al the lond; and he a&yogh;enstood the king and hise mynistris, and killide the kingis mynistris, that compellide men to do idolatrie, and he killide a man, that dide ydolatrie, and distroiede the auter wheronne idolatrie was don. Thanne Matatias and hise sones fledden into hillis, and leften alle thingis whiche thei hadden in the citee, and manye men that sou&yogh;ten doom and ri&yogh;tfulnesse, and wolden kepe Goddis lawe, camen to hem in desert. ^noteAnd hethen men maden werre on hem in sabatis, and manye di&yogh;eden in her sympilnesse, for thei nolden make bateil in sabatis. Thanne manye Jewis were gaderid to him, and maden a greet oost, and weren redy to fi&yogh;te in sabotis, and thei killeden synners in greet wraththe. And Matatias and hise freendis cumpassiden and distroieden auteris, and circumcididen alle children, whiche thei founden in the coostis of Israel, and thei pursueden the children of pride; and the werk hadde prosperite in her hondis, and thei gaten the lawe fro the hondis of hethen men and of kingis, and &yogh;aue not strengthe to the synful man. And whanne Matatias was in point of deeth, he coumfortide hise sones to putte hire lyues for the lawe of God, bi ensaumple of Abraham and othere hooly men bifore goyng; and he ordeynede Judas Macabeus to be duk of bateil, and ordeynede Symount his sone to be fadir and prest to hem, for he was a man of counceil. Thanne ben teld many batels of Judas Macabeus a&yogh;ens hethene men, and of grete victories bi Goddis help. ^noteThanne Judas Macabeus made frenschipe with Romayns, for hire prudence, ri&yogh;tfulnesse and power. And whanne Judas was deed in bateile, the peple ordeynede Jonathas, his brother, prince and duyk, for to holde werre a&yogh;ens hethen men. Thanne ben teld many bateiles of Jonathas, and victories whiche he hadde a&yogh;ens hethen men. Thanne Jonatas, aftir manye victories, sente to renule frenschip with Romayns, and with Sparciatis, that weren of the kyn of Jewis; and Jonathas and hise sones weren slayn at the laste, bi tresoun of Trifon, that was an hethene man, and my&yogh;ty duyk. Thanne Symount was maad duyk of the peple, and in the stede of Judas Macabeus and of Jonatas; and he dide manye bateiles and stronge, and hadde greet victories a&yogh;ens hethene men; and Jewis hadden myche reste vndir hym; and he made stronge hooldis and citees in Juda; and he renulide frenschipe with Romayns and Sparciatis, and hadde myche glorie of his folc, and of hethene kingis. At the laste Symount and his twey sones weren slayn bi tresoun, and Jon, his sone, was prince of prestis, aftir his fadir day, and dide many bateiles a&yogh;ens hethene men. ^noteThe ij. book of Macabeis tellith myche the same sentence of the first book, and hath a fewe special poyntis, of Elyodorus, of Eleasarus, and of the noble wydue and hire vij. sones. Eliodorus was sent of the hethen king to take awey the tresouris of the temple of Jerusalem, and bere tho to the king, and thou&yogh; the tresouris weren kept for the lijflode of widewis and fadirles children, and summe weren another mannis goodis, Elyodorus wolde algate bere

al to the king; but God made hym and his felowis soore aferd, and Eliodorus was beten almest to the deth, of a ferdful oon sittinge on a hors, that hadde twey &yogh;unge men aboute him; and Eliodorus was cast doun to the grounde, and was born out on a bere, and lay domb. And whanne the hi&yogh;est prest offride sacrifice, and preiede for the helthe of Eliodorus, God grauntide lijf to him, and he thankide God, and the hi&yogh;est prest, and &yogh;ede to the king and tolde to him hou it stood; and he witnesside to alle men the grete werkis of God, whiche he hadde seyn with hise i&yogh;en. Thanne is toold of the curside deedis of Jason the prest, that cam in by symonye, and wolde bringe Jewis to idolatrie and sodomye, and to forsake God and his lawe. Thanne is teld of greet cruelte of Antioke, whiche he dide a&yogh;ens the Jewis and the hooly place of Jerusalem; and God suffride this for the synnes of the peple, for whi God chees not the folc for the place, but the place for the folc. Thanne Eleasarus ches to di&yogh;e a scharp deeth, rathere than he wolde breke Goddis lawe in a litil poynt, to ete pork, &yogh;he, to feyne to ete pork. ^noteAftir this it sueth hou the blissid widewe and hire vij. sones were martiride, for thei nolden breke Goddis lawe, and hou gloriously the blessid modir coumfortid hem to take deeth with ioie for the lawe of God. This storie and proces of Macabeis schulde stire cristen men to holde Goddis lawe to lijf and deth, and if kni&yogh;tis schulden vse the swerd a&yogh;ens eny curside men, thei schulden vse it a&yogh;ens lordis and prestis principaly, that wolen compelle men, for drede of prisoun and deth, to forsake the treuthe and fredom of Cristis gospel; but God for his greet mercy &yogh;eue very repentance to hem, that thus pursuen trewe men, and graunte pacience, meekenesse, `and charite to hem `that ben thus pursued! Amen. CAP. XII.

^noteBut it is to wite, that holy scripture hath iiij. vndirstondingis; literal, allegorik, moral, and anagogik. The literal vndirstonding techith the thing don in deede; and literal vndirstonding is ground and foundament of thre goostly vndirstondingis, in so myche as Austyn, in his pistle to Vincent, and othere doctouris seyn, oonly bi the literal vndirstonding a man may argue a&yogh;ens an aduersarie. Allegorik is a goostly vndirstonding, that techith what thing men owen for to bileeue of Crist either of hooly chirche. Moral is a goostly vndirstonding, that techith men, what vertues thei owen to sue, and what vices thei owen to flee. Anagogik is a goostly vndirstonding, that techith men, what blisse thei schal haue in heuene. And these foure vndirstondingis moun be taken in this word Jerusalem; for whi to the literal vndirstonding it singnefieth an erthly citee, as Loundoun, either such another; to allegorie it singnefieth hooly chirche in erthe, that fi&yogh;tith a&yogh;ens synnes and fendis; to moral vndirstondinge it singnefieth a cristen soule; to anagogik it singnefieth hooly chirche regnynge in blisse either in heuene, and tho that ben therinne. And these thre goostly vndirstondingis ben not autentik either of beleeue, `no but tho ben groundid opynly in the text of holy scripture, in oo place other other, either in opin resoun that may not be distroied, either whanne the gospelris either other apostlis taken allegorie of the eelde testament, and confeermyn it, as Poul in the pistle to Galat. in iiij. c. preueth, that Sara, the free wijf and principal of Abraham, with Isaac hir sone, singnefieth bi allegorie the newe testament and the sones of biheeste; and Agar, the hand mayde, with hir sone Ismael, signefieth bi allegorie the elde testament, and fleschly men that schulen not be resseyued in to the eritage of God with the sones of biheeste, that holden the treuthe and freedom of Cristis gospel with endeles charite. ^noteAlso holy scripture hath

many figuratif spechis, and as Austyn seith in the iij. book of Cristen Teching, that autouris of hooly scripture vsiden moo figuris, that is, mo fyguratif spechis, than gramariens moun gesse, that reden not tho figuris in holy scripture. It is to be war in the bigynnyng, that we take not to the lettre a figuratif speche, for thanne, as Poul seith, the lettre sleeth, but the spirit, that is, goostly vndirstonding, qwykeneth; for whanne a thing which is seid figuratifly is taken so as if it be seid propirly, ^note me vndirstondith fleschly; and noon is clepid more couenably the deth of soule, than whanne vndirstonding, that passith beestis, is maad soget to the fleisch in suynge the lettre. What euer thing in Goddis word may not be referrid propirly to oneste of vertues neither to the treuthe of feith, it is figuratyf speche. Onestee of vertues perteyneth to loue God and the nei&yogh;ebore; treuthe of feith perteyneth to knowe God and the nei&yogh;ebore. Hooly scripture comaundith no thing no but charite, it blamith no thing no but coueitise; and in that manere it enfoormeth the vertues either goode condiscouns of men. Holy scripture affermith no thing no but cristen feith bi thingis passid, present, and to comynge, and alle these thingis perteynen to nursche charite, and make it strong, and to ouercome and quenche coueitise. Also it is figuratijf speche, where the wordis maken allegorie, ether a derk lycnesse, either parable, and it is fyguratyf speche in i. c. of Jeremye, “to day I have ordeyned thee on folkis and rewmys, that thou draw up bi the roote, and distroie, and bylde, and plaunte;” that is, that thou drawe out elde synnes, and distroie circumstaunces either causis of thoo, and bylde vertues, and plaunte goode werkis and customys. Alle thingis in holy scripture, that seemyn to vnwijse men to be ful of wickidnesse a&yogh;ens a man himself, either a&yogh;ens his nei&yogh;ebore, ben figuratyf spechis, and the preuytees, either goostly vndirstondinges, schulden be sou&yogh;t out of vs, to the feeding either keping of charite. Such a reule schal be kept in figuratif spechis, that so longe it be turned in mynde bi diligent consideracoun, til the expownyng either vndirstonding be brou&yogh;t to the rewme of charite; if eny speche of scripture sounneth propirly charite, it owith not to be gessid a figuratijf speche; and forbeedith wickidnesse, either comaundith profyt either good doynge, it is no figuratyf speche; if it seemith to comaunde cruelte, either wickidnesse, either to forbede prophit,

either good doinge, it is a figuratijf speche. ^noteCrist seith, “if &yogh;e eten not the flesch of mannis sone and drinke not his blood, &yogh;e schulen not have lijf in &yogh;ou.” This speche semith to comaunde wickidnesse either cruelte, therfore it is a figuratif speche, and comaundith men to comune with Cristis passioun, and to kepe in mynde sweetly and profitably, that Cristis flesch was woundid and crucified for vs. Also whanne hooly scripture seith, “if thin enemy hungrith, feede thou hym, if he thurstith, &yogh;eue thou drinke to hym,” it comaundith benefice, either good doinge; whanne it seith, “thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed,” it seemith that wickidnesse of yuel wille is comaundid. This is seid bi figuratijf speche, that thou vndirstonde, that the coolys of fijer ben brennynge weylyngis, either moornyngis of penaunce, bi whiche the pride of hym is mad hool, which sorwith, that he was enemy of a man that helpith and releuith his wrecchidnesse. Also the same word either the same thing in scripture is taken sumtyme in good, and sumtyme in yuel, as a lyoun singnefieth sumtyme Crist, and in another place it singnefieth the deuyl. Also sour dou&yogh; is set sumtyme in yuel, where Crist seith, “be &yogh;e war of the sour dou&yogh; of Farisees, which is ypocrisie;” sour dou&yogh; is sett also in good, whanne Crist seith, “the rewme of heuenes is lyk sour dou&yogh;,” etc. And whanne not oo thing aloone but tweyne, either mo, ben feelid, either vndirstonden, bi the same wordis of scripture, thou&yogh; that it is hid, that he vndirstond that wroot, it is no perel, if it may be preuyd bi other placis of hooly scripture, that ech of tho thingis acordith with treuthe. And in hap the autour of scripture seith thilk sentense in the same wordis which we wolen vndirstonde; and certys the Spirit of God, that wrou&yogh;te these thingis bi the autour of scripture, bifore si&yogh; withoute doute, that thilke sentense schulde come to the redere, either to the herere, &yogh;he, the Holy Goost purueyde, that thilke sentence, for it is groundid on trewthe, schulde come to the redere, either to the herere, for whi what my&yogh;te be purueyed of God largiliere and plentyuousliere in Goddis spechis, than that the same wordis be vndirstonden in manye maners, whiche maners, either wordis of God, that ben not of lesse autorite, maken to be preued. ^noteAustin in iij. book of Cristen Teching seith al this and myche more, in the bigynnyng therof. Also he whos herte is ful of charite conprehendith, withouten eny errour, the manyfoold abundaunce and largest teching of Goddis scripturis, for whi Poul seith, “the fulnesse of lawe is charite,” and in another place, “the ende of lawe,” that is, the perfeccioun, either

filling, of the lawe, “is charite of clene herte, and of good conscience, and of feith not feyned,” and Jhesu Crist seith, “thou schalt loue thi Lord God of al thin herte, and of al thi soule, and of al thi mynde, and thi nei&yogh;ebore as thi self, for in these twey comaundementis hangith al the lawe and prophetis.” And as the roote of alle yuels is coueitise, so the roote of alle goodis is charitee. ^noteCharite, bi which we louen God and the nei&yogh;ebore, holdith sykirly al the greetnesse and largnesse of Goddis spechis. Therefore if it is not leisir to seeke alle holy scriptures, to expounne alle the wlappingis of wordis, to perse alle the preuytes of scripturis, holde thou charite, where alle thingis hangen, so thou schalt holde that that thou lernydist there; also thou schalt holde that that thou lernedist not, for if thou knowist charite, thou knowist sum thing wheronne also that hangith that in hap thou knowist not; and in that that thou vndirstondist in scripturis, charite is opin, and in that that thou vndirstondist not, charite is hid, therfore he that hooldith charite in vertues, either in goode condiscouns, hooldith bothe that that is opyn and that that is hid in Goddis wordis. Austyn seith al this and myche more in a sermoun of the preysing of charite. ^noteAlso vij. reulis of Tyconye and of Austyn declaren many derke thingis of hooly scripturis. The first reule is of Jhesu Crist, and of his holy spirit; oo persoone of the heed and of the body, that is, of Crist and of holy chirche, is schewid to vs in this reule, for it is not seid in veyn to feithful men, “&yogh;ee ben the seed of Abraham,” whanne ther is oo seed of Abraham, which seed is Crist. Doute we not, whanne scripture goith fro the hed to the body, either fro the body to the heed, and natheles it goith not awey fro oon and the same persone, for whi oo persone spekith in Isaie, “he settide a myter to me as to a spouse, and he onouride me as a spousesse with an ournement.” And natheles it is to vndirstonde what of these tweyne acoordith to the heed, that is, Crist, and what acordith to the body, that is, hooly chirche, for whi a myter acordith to Crist, which is the spouse, and an ournement acordith to hooly chirche, which is the spouse of Crist. The secunde reule, as Ticonye seith, is of the bodi of Crist, which bodi is departid into tweyne, but ceertis this bodi of Crist ou&yogh;te not be clepid so, for treuly it is not the bodi of Crist, which shal not be with him withouten ende, but it schal be seid of the veri bodi and of the medlid body of Crist, either of the veri bodi and feyned body of Crist; for whi ypocritis schulen be seid to be not with Crist, not oonly withouten ende, but also now, thou&yogh; thei seemyn to be in the chirche of Crist. Wherfor this reule my&yogh;t be clepid thus,

that it were seid of the medlid chirche, that is, that conprehendith chosen men to blisse, and also ipocritis, that schulen be dampned. And this reule axith a waking either diligent redere; whanne it spekith of other men, it semith to speke now as to the same men to whiche it spac bifore, either it seemith to speke of the same men, whanne it spekith of othere men; as if oo body be of euer either, for temporal medlyng, and for comynyng of sacramentis. To this reule it perteyneth, that the chirche seith in Songis, “I am blac and fair as the tabernaclis of Cedar, as the skynnes of Salomon;” the chirche seide that sche is euer either, for temporal vnite withinne oo net of goode fischis and of yuel fischis; for whi the tabernaclis of Cedar parteynen to Ismael, that schal not be eir with the sone of the free wijf. The thridde reule is of byheestis and of lawe; this reule may be seid also of the spirit and lettre; it may be seid also of grace and of comaundement; and Tyconie erride in seyinge, that werkis ben &yogh;ouen of God to vs for meryt of feith, but feith it silf is so of vs, that it is not of God to vs. The iiij. reule is of al and of party, whanne summ of a thing is set for al, eithir a&yogh;enward al is set for a party. ^noteThe v. reule is of tymes, and this is bi a figure clepid synodoches, whanne a part is set for al, either al is set for oo part. Oon euangelist seith, that it was don aftir viij. daies, whanne the face of Crist schynede as the sunne, and another gospeler seide, that it was don aftir vj. daies; euer either my&yogh;te not be soth, that is seid of the noumbre of daies, no but he that seide aftir viij. daies be vndirstonden to haue sett for the hool day the last part of the day, sithen Crist bifore seide it to come, and to haue set for the hool day the first part of the day, in whiche he schewith, that the appering of Cristis face was fully don; and that he that seide aftir vj. daies, rekynede alle the hool daies and the myddil daies, and noon other. Bi this kynde of speche, bi which kinde al is singnefied by a part, thilk questioun of Cristis rising a&yogh;en is asoiled; the laste part of the day, wherinne Crist suffride deth, is taken for al the day with the ny&yogh;t passid bifore, and the first part of Sunday, in whos morewitide he roos a&yogh;en, is taken for al Sunday and the ny&yogh;t bifore goynge; and the Sabot with the hool ny&yogh;t bifore goynge is al hool day and ny&yogh;t. If these ny&yogh;tis and daies be not taken thus, ther moun not be iij. daies and iij. ny&yogh;tis, in whiche he bifore seide, that he schulde be in the herte of erthe. Also this reule of tymes is taken for lawful noumbris, as ben vij. x. and xij. and suche moo, for ofte suche noumbris ben sett for al tyme, as this that Dauith seith, “seuen sithis in the day I seide preysing, either herying, to thee,” is noon othir thing

than this, “his herying be euere in my mouth.” Also bi an c. and xliii. in Apoc. is singnefied the vniuersite, either al the multitude, of seintis. ^noteThe vi. reule is of recapitulacoun, either rehersing a thing don bifore, not in ordre, as it is sett; for whi summe thingis ben seid so, as if `tho suen in the ordre of tyme, either ben teld bi contynuyng of thingis, that is, that ben ioyned next togidere, whanne the telling is clepid a&yogh;en preuyly to the formere thingis, that weren left out; and if men vndirstonden not such seying bi this reule, thei erren; as in Genesis it is seid, “God plauntide paradys in Eden, at the eest, and settide there the man that he foormyde, and God brou&yogh;te forth &yogh;it of erthe ech fair tre,” etc.; this is seid bi recapitulacoun. In lyk maner there “the lond was of oo lippe,” that is, speche, it is seid bi recapitulacoun. ^noteThe vij. reule is of the deuel and of his bodi, for he is heed of alle wickide men, that ben his body in a manere, and schulen go with him in to the turment of euerlasting fijer, as Crist is the heed of hooly chirche, which is his body, and schal be with hym in rewme and glorie euerlastinge. Also thei that haue lykinge for to studie in holy writ, schulen be chargid, that thei kunne the kyndis and maners of spekingis in holy scriptures; and thei that perseyue diligently and holde wel in mynde, hou a thing is wont to be seid in holy scripturis. Also that is souereyn help and moost nedful, preie thei, that God &yogh;eue to hem the veri vndirstonding of holy scripture, for thei reden in tho scripturis, aboute whiche thei ben studiouse, that God &yogh;eueth wisdom, and kunnyng, and vndirstonding of his face, that is, &yogh;ifte and grace. Also if her stodie is don with meeknesse, and loue of cristen lore, it is of God. ^noteAustyn writith al this in the iij. book of Cristen Teching, aboute the myddil, and in the ende. Isidre, in the j. book of Souereyn Good, touchith these reulis schortliere, but I haue hym not now, and Lyre, in the bigynnyng of the bible, touchith more opinly these reulis, but I haue him not now, and Ardmacan, in the bigynnyng of his book de Questionibus Armenorum, &yogh;eueth many goode groundis to vndirstonde holy scripture to the lettre, and goostly vndirstonding also, but I haue him not now. ^noteAlso no thing may seme to be wijsere, no thing of more eloquence, than is hooly scripture, and the autours therof, that weren enspijrid of God. And thei ou&yogh;ten not to speke in other manere than thei diden, and the prophetis, and moost Amos, weren ful eloquent, and seint Poul waas ful eloquent in his pistlis. Also the autouris of hooly scripture spaken derkly, that the preuyteis therof ben hid fro vnfeithful men, and goode men ben exercisid, either ocupied, and that in expounnynge hooly scripture thei haue a newe

grace, diuerse fro the first autouris. Austin, in the bigynnyng of the iiij. book of Cristen Teching. Also, as the litle richessis of Jewis, whiche thei baren a wey fro Egipt, weren in comparisoun of richessis which thei hadden aftirward in Jerusalem, in the tyme of Salomon, so greet is the prophitable kunnynge of filosoferis bookis, if it is comparisouned to the kunnynge of hooly scripturis; for whi what euer thing a man lernith withouten hooly writ, if the thing lerned is veyn, it is dampned in holy writ, if it is prophitable, it is foundid there. And whanne a man fyndith theere alle thingis whiche he lernyde profitably in other place, he schal fynde myche more plenteuously tho thingis in hooly scripture, whiche he lernede neuere in other place, but ben lerned oonly in the wondirful hi&yogh;nesse and in the wondirful meeknesse of hooly scripturis. Austin seith this in the ende of ij. book of Cristen Teching. Also hooly scripture conteyneth al prophitable treuthe, and alle othere sciencis preuyly in the vertu of wittis, either vndirstondingis, as wynes ben conteyned in grapis, as ripe corn is conteyned in the seed, as bowis ben conteyned in the rootis, and as trees ben conteyned in the kernels. ^noteGrostede, in a sermoun Premonitus a venerabili patre. Also hooly scripture wlatith sofymys, and seith, he that spekith sofisticaly, either bi sofymys, schal be hatful, and he schal be defraudid in ech thing, as the wijse man seith in xxxvij. c. of Ecclesiastici. If filosoferis, and moost the disciplis of Plato, seiden eny treuthis, and prophitable to oure feith, not oonly tho treuthis owen not to be dred, but also the schulen be calengid into oure vs, eithir profijt, fro hem, as fro vniust possessouris. And as Jewis token, bi autorite of God, the gold, `and syluer, and clothis of Egipcyans, so cristene men owen to take the trewe seyingis of filosoueris, for to worschippe oo God, and of techingis of vertues, whiche treuthis the filosoueris founden not, but diggeden out of the metals of Goddis puruyaunce, which is sched euery where. So dide Ciprian, the swettest doctour and moost blessid martir, so diden Lactancius, Victorinus, and Illarie, and Greekis withoute noumbre. Austin in ij. book of Cristen Teching. Bi these reulis of Austin and bi iiij. vndirstondingis of hooly scripture, and bi wijs knowing of figuratijf spechis, with good lyuynge and meeknesse, and stodyinge of the bible, ^notesymple men moun sumdel vndirstonde the text of holy writ, and edefie myche hemself and other men; but for Goddis loue, &yogh;e symple men, be war of pride, and veyn iangling and chyding in wordis a&yogh;ens proude clerkis of scole and veyn religions,02Q0003 and answere &yogh;ee mekely and prudently to enemyes of Goddis lawe, and preie &yogh;e hertly for hem, that God of his greet mercy &yogh;eue to hem very knowing of scripturis, and meekenesse, and charite, and euere be &yogh;e redy, what euer man techith eny treuthe of God, to take that meekely, and with greet thankingis to God; and if eny man in erthe, either aungel of heuene, techith &yogh;ou the contrarie of holy writ, either eny thing a&yogh;ens resoun and charite, fle fro him in that, as fro the foul deuel of helle, and holde &yogh;e stedfastly to lijf and deeth the treuthe and freedom of the hooly gospel of Jhesu Crist, and take &yogh;e mekely mennis seyingis and lawis, onely in as myche as thei acorden with holy writ and good conscience, and noo ferther, for lijf neither for deth.

CAP. XIII.

^noteAlso holy scripture is betere knowen bi licnesses and bi derknessis; it doth awey anoyes, and we owe to thenke and bileeue, that the thing that is writen in holy scripture, &yogh;he, thou&yogh; it be hid, either not knowen, is betere and trewere than that we moun vndirstonde bi vsself; and worschipfully and heelfully the Holy Goost mesuride so holy scripturis, that in opyn placis he settide remedie to oure hungir, and in derk placis he wipte a wey anoies; for almest no thing is seyn in tho derknessis, which thing is not founden seid ful pleynly in other placis. Therfore bifore alle thingis it is nedeful, that a man be conuertid bi Goddis drede, and be mylde bi pite, either cristen religioun; and that he a&yogh;ensie not hooly scripture, wher it be vnderstonden, thou&yogh; it smyte eny synnes of oure, whether it be not vndirstonden, as if we moun vndirstonde betere, either comaunde, either teche betere. Be the &yogh;ifte of drede and of pitee, me comith to degre of kunnyng, for whi ech fructuous man of hooly scripturis exercisith himself in this thing, and to fynde noon other thing in tho, than for to loue God for God himself, and for to loue his nei&yogh;ebore for God. Thanne thilke drede, bi which he thenkith on Goddis dom, and thilke pite, bi which he must nedis bileeue and &yogh;eue stide to autorite of holy bookis, conpellith hym to beweyle hymself, for whi this kunnyng of good hope makith a man not to auaunce himself, but biweile himself; and bi this affeccioun, either good wille, he geetith with besy preieris the coumfort of Goddis help, that he be not broken bi dispeir; and he bigynneth to be in the fourthe degre of goostly strengthe, in whiche he hungrith and thirstith ri&yogh;tfulnesse; thanne in the v. degree, that is, in the counceyl of mercy, he purgith the soule, that makith noise and vnrestfulnesse of coueitise of erthly thingis; and thanne he dispisith filthis of soule, and louith God and nei&yogh;eboris, &yogh;he enemyes; bi this he sti&yogh;ith to the vj. degre, where he purgith the i&yogh;e of soule, bi which i&yogh;e God may be seyn, as myche as he may be seyn of hem that di&yogh;en to this world, as myche as thei mowen; for in so myche thei seen God in her soule, thour&yogh; feith and loue, hou myche thei di&yogh;en to this world; `and in as myche as thei leuyn to this world, thei seen not God; and in this degre, wherinne a man di&yogh;ith to the world, he neither preferrith, neither makith euene himself, neither his nei&yogh;ebore, with the treuthe of hooly writ; therfore this hooly man schal be so symple and clene of herte, that neither for plesaunce of men he be drawe a wey fro treuthe, nether bi cause to eschewe eny harmys of himself, that ben contrarie to this lijf, such a chiild sti&yogh;ith to verey wisdom, which is the laste and the vij., which he vsith in pees and in reste. <sup>note</sup>Seint Austyn seith al this in the bygynnyng of the ij. book of Cristen Teching. Heere is a blissid entring bi these vij. vertues to the kunnyng of holy scripture in this lijf, to haue here reste of soule, and aftirward ful reste of bodi and soule in heuene, withouten ende. Alas! what don proude and coueitouse wrecchis at hooly scripture, that seeken the world and fleschly eese, and wolen not conuerten hem fro `these cursidnessis; thei disseyuen hemself, and the puple that gessen hem wijse men, whanne thei ben opyn foolis; and maken hemself deppere dampned, and other men also that suen her folye, and blasfemyn God. Thes worldly foolis schulden wite, that hooly lijf is a launterne to bringe a man to very kunnynge, as Crisostom seith, and the drede and loue of God is the bigynning and perfeccioun of kunnyng and wijsdom; and whanne these fleschly apis and worldly moldewerpis han neither the bigynnyng of wijsdom, neither desyren it, what doon thei at hooly scripture, to schenschipe of hemself and of othere men? As longe as pride and `coueitise of worldly goodis and onouris is rootid in her herte, thei maken omage to Satanas, and offren to him bothe bodi and soule, and al her witt and fynding. Such foolis schulden thenke, that

wijsedom schal not entre into an yuel willid soule, neither schal dwelle in a body soget to synnes; ^note and Jhesu Crist seith, that the fadir of heuene hijdith the preuytees of hooly scripture fro wijse men and prudent, `that is wijse men and prudent to the world, and in her owne si&yogh;t, and schewith tho to meke men; therfore worldly foolis, do &yogh;e first penaunce for &yogh;oure synnes, and forsake pride and coueitise, and be &yogh;e meke, and drede &yogh;e God in alle thingis, and loue him ouer alle other thingis, and &yogh;oure nei&yogh;eboris as `&yogh;oure self; and thanne &yogh;e schulen profite in stodie of hooly writ. But alas! `alas! alas! the moost abomynacoun that euer was herd among cristen clerkis is now purposid in Yngelond, bi worldly clerkis and feyned religiouse, and in the cheef vniuersitee of oure reume, as manye trewe men tellen with greet weylyng. This orrible and deuelis cursednesse is purposid of Cristis enemyes and traytouris of alle cristen puple, that no man schal lerne dyuynite, neither hooly writ, no but he that hath doon his fourme in art, that is, that hath comensid in art, and hath ben regent tweyne &yogh;eer aftir; this wolde be ix. &yogh;eer either ten bifore that he lerne hooly writ, aftir that he can comunly wel his gramer, thou&yogh; he haue a good witt, and traueile ful soore, and haue good fynding ix. either x. &yogh;eer aftir his gramer. This semith vttirly the deuelis purpos, that fewe men either noon schulen lerne and kunne Goddis lawe; but God seith bi Amos, on thre greete trespasis of Damask and on the iiij., “I schal not conuerte him;” where Jerom seith, the firste synne is to thenke yuelis, the ij. synne is to consente to weyward thou&yogh;tis, the iij. synne is to fille in werk, the iiij. synne is to do not penaunce aftir the synne, and to plese himself in his synne; but Damask is interpretid drinkynge blood, either birling blood. <sup>note</sup>Lord! whether Oxunford drinke blood and birlith blood, bi sleeinge of quyke men, and bi doinge of sodomye, in leesinge a part of mannis blood, wherbi a chijld myte be fourmed, deme thei that knowen; and wher Oxunforde drinke blood of synne, and stirith othere men of the lond to do synne, bi booldnesse off clerkis, deme thei iustly, that seen it at i&yogh;e, and knowen bi experiens. Loke now wher Oxunford is in thre orrible synnes and in the fourthe, on which God restith not til he punsche it. Sumtyme children and &yogh;unge men arsistris weren deuout and clene as aungels, in comparisoun of othere, now men seyn thei ben ful of pride and leccherie, with dispitouse oothis, needles and false, and dispising of Goddis heestis; sumtyme cyuylians and canonistris weren deuout, and so bisy on her lernyng, that they tooken ful litil reste of bed, now men seyn that thei ben ful of pride and nyce aray, enuye, and coueitise, with leccherie, glotonie and ydilnesse; sumtyme dyuynys weren ful hooly and deuout, and dispisiden outtirly the world, and lyueden as aungels in meeknesse, clennesse, souereyn chastite, and charite, and tau&yogh;ten treuly Goddis lawe in werk and word; now men seyn, thei ben as deligat of hir mouth and wombe, and as coueitouse as othere worldly men, and flateren, and maaken leesingis in preching, to eschewe bodyly persecuscoun, and to gete benefices. The firste grete synne is generaly in the vniuersite, as men dreden and seen at i&yogh;e; the ij. orrible synne is sodomye and strong mayntenaunce thereof, as it is knowen to many persones of the reume, and at the laste parlement. Alas! dyuynys, that schulden passe othere men in clennesse and hoolynesse, as aungels of heuene passen freel men in `vertues, ben moost sclaundrid of this cursid synne a&yogh;ens kynde. The iij. orrible synne is symonie, and forswering in the semble hous, that schulde be an hous of ri&yogh;tfulnesse and hoolynesse, where yuelis schulde be redressid; this symonie with portenauncis thereof is myche worse and more abomynable than bodily sodomye. &YOGH;it on these thre abomynacouns God wolde graciously conuerte clerkis, if thei wolden do very penaunce, and &yogh;eue hem hooliche

to vertues; but on the iiij. most abomynacoun purposid now to letten Cristen men, &yogh;he prestis and curatis, to lerne freely Goddis lawe, til thei han spendid ix. &yogh;eer either x. at art, that conprehendith many strong errouris of hethene men a&yogh;ens Cristen bileeue, it seemith wel that God wole not ceese of veniaunce, til it and othere ben punschid soore; for it seemith that worldly clerkis and feyned relygiouse don this, that symple men of wit and of fynding knowe not Goddis lawe, to preche it generaly a&yogh;ens synnes in the reume. ^noteBut wite &yogh;e, worldly clerkis and feyned relygiouse, that God bothe can and may, if it lykith hym, speede symple men out of the vniuersitee, as myche to kunne hooly writ, as maistris in the vniuersite; and therfore no gret charge, thou&yogh; neuer man of good wille be poisend with hethen mennis errouris ix. &yogh;eer either ten, but euere lyue wel and stodie hooly writ, bi elde doctouris and newe, and preche treuly and freely a&yogh;ens opin synnes, to his deth. See therfore what Jerom seith on Amos, God bifore seith yuels to comynge, that men heere, and amende hemself, and be delyuered fro the perel nei&yogh;inge, either if that thei dispisen, thei ben punschid iustiliere; and God, that bifore seith peynes, wole not punsche men that synnen, but that thei be amendid. Jerom seith this in the `ende of the j. book of Amos. God, for his gret mercy, graunte, that clerkis here the greet veniaunce manasid of God, and amende hemself treuly, that God punsche not hem; for if thei amenden not hemself, thei ben eretikis maad hard in her synnes; but see what Jerom seith a&yogh;ens eretikis, and in comendinge of hooly scripture; he seith thus on Amos, “Eretikis that seruen the wombe and glotonye, ben clepid ri&yogh;tfully fattest kyin, either kyin ful of schenschipe.” “We owen to take hooly scripture on thre maneris; first, we owen vndirstonde it bi the lettre, and do alle thingis that ben comaundid to vs therinne; the ij. tyme bi allegorie, that is, goostly vndirstonding; and in the iij. tyme bi blisse `of thingis to comynge.” Jerom seith this in the ij. book on Amos, and in iiij. c. of Amos. Natheles for Lyre cam late to me, see what he seith of the vndirstonding of holy scripture; he writith thus on the ij. prologe on the bible, “Joon seith in v. c. `of Apoc. `I sy&yogh; a book written withinne and withouteforth in the hond of the sittere on the trone;' this book is holy scripture, which is seid writen without forth, as to the literal vndirstonding, and withinne, as to the preuy and goostly vndirstonding;” ^note and in the j. prologe he declarith iiij. vndirstondingis of hooly writ in this manere, “Holy writ hath this specialte, that vndir oo lettre it conteyneth many vndirstondingis, for the principal autour of hooly writ is God himself, in whos power it is, not oonly to vse wordis to singnifie a thing as men don, but also he vsith thingis singnefied bi wordis to singnefie other thingis; therfore bi the singnyfying bi wordis is taken the literal vndirstonding, either historial, of holy scripture, and bi the singnefying which is maad bi thingis is taken the preuy, either goostly vndirstonding, which is thre maneres, allegorik, moral, either tropologik, and anogogik. If thingis singnefied bi wordis ben referrid to singnefie tho thingis that owen to be bileeued in the newe testament, so it is taken the sense of allegorik; if thingis ben referrid to singnefie tho thingis whiche we owen to do, so it is moral sense, either tropologik; if thingis ben referrid to singnefie tho thingis that scholen be hopid in blisse to comynge, so it is anagogik sense. The lettre techith what is doon; allegorie techith what thou owist for to bileeue; moral techith what thou owist for to do; anagogic techith whedir thou owist to go; and of these iiij. sensis, either vndirstondingis, may be set ensaumple in this word Jerusalem; for bi the literal vndirstonding Jerusalem singnefieth a cyte, that was sumtyme the cheef citee in the rewme of Jude, and Jerusalem was foundid first of Melchisedech,

and aftirward it was alargid, and maad strong bi Salomon; bi moral sense it singnefieth a feithful soule, bi which sense it is seid in lij. c. of Isaie, `rise thou, rise thou, sette thou Jerusalem;' bi sense allegorik it singnefieth the chirche fi&yogh;tinge a&yogh;ens synnes and feendis is, bi which sense it is seid in xxj. c. of Apoc., `I si&yogh; the hooly citee newe Jerusalem comynge doun fro heuene, as a spouse ourned to hire housbonde;' bi sence anagogik `it singnefieth the chirche rengninge in blisse, bi this sence it is seid in iiij. c. to Galat. `thilke Jerusalem which is aboue, which is oure modir, is free; and as ensaumple is set in oo word, so it might be set in oo resoun, and as in oon, so and in othere.” Lire seith al this in the firste prologe on the bible. CAP. XIV.

^noteNatheles alle goostly vndirstondinges setten bifore, eithir requyren, the literal vndirstonding, as the foundement; wherfore as a bylding bowing a wey fro the foundement is disposid to falling, so a goostly expociscoun, that discordith fro the literal sense, owith to be arettid vnseemely and vncouenable, either lesse seemely, and lesse couenable; and therfore it is nedful to hem, that wolen profite in the stodie of holy scripture, to bigynne at the vndirstonding of literal sence, moost sithen bi the literal sense aloone, and not bi goostly sencis may be maad an argument, either preef, to the preuyng, either declaring, of a doute, as Austin seith in his Pistle to Vincent Donatiste. ^noteSeint Isidre, in the firste book of Souereyn Good xx. c. settith vij. reulis to expounne hooly scripture, and summe clepen these reulis the keies of scripture, for bi these rulis the vndirstonding of scripture is openid in many thingis. The firste reule is of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, and of his goostly body, which is holy chirche, for whi for the knytting togidere of the heed to the body hooly scripture spekith sumtyme of euer either vndir oo resoun, as vndir oo persone, and passith fro oon to anothir, in ensaumple in lxj. c. of Isaie it is seid, “He clothide me with clothis of helthe, and he compasside me with clothing of ri&yogh;fulnesse, as a spouse maad fair with a coroune, and as a spousesse ourned with hire brochis;” for whi this that is seid “as a spouse,” etc. is vndirstonden of Crist, and this that sueth, “as a spousesse” etc. is vndirstonden of holy chirche. Also in the j. c. of Songis it is seid, “Kisse he me with the cosse of his mouth, for thi tetis ben betere than wyn;” for whanne it is seid, “kisse he me” etc., it is the word of the spousesse desiringe to haue the spouse; and this that sueth, “for thi tetis,” etc. is the word of the spouse, preising the spousesse; wherfore in such thingis, knyt so togidere bi resoun biforeseid, a prudent redere owith to perseyue what accordith to the heed, and what to the body. The ij. reule is of the very body and of the feyned body of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, for whi hooly chirche, which is the goostly body of Crist, is a nett which is not drawen &yogh;it to the brinke; therfor it hath yuele men meddlid with goode men til to the doom, in whiche these schulen be departid fro hem, and therfore in holy scripture yuele men ben preisid sumtyme with goode men, with whiche thei ben medlid; as in the xj. c. of Osee God seith thus, “Israel is a chijld, and I louede him;” and a&yogh;enward sumtyme goode men ben blamed with yuel men, as in j. c. of Isaie, “An oxe knew his lord and an asse knew the cracche of his lord, but Israel knew not me and my puple vndirstood not;” and sumtyme in the same resoun it is expressid what perteyneth to goode men and what to yuele men, as in j. c. of Songis it is seid, “I am blac but fair, &yogh;e dou&yogh;tris of Jerusalem, as the tabernaclis of Cedar, as the skynnes of Salamon;” these ben the wordis of the spousesse, which for resoun of yuel men conteyned in the chirche, seith, “I am blac,” but for resoun of goode men it addith, “but fair;” and

this that sueth, as for ensaumple, “as the tabernaclis of Cedar,” is referrid to yuele men; for whi Cedar was the sone of Ysmael, as it is seid in xxv. c. of Genesis, of whom Saracenus camen forth, and this that is addid, “as the skynnes of Salamon,” is referrid to goode men. Therfore bi Salamon here is vndirstonden God himself, bi cristen expocitouris and Ebreies; and therfore the skynnes of Salamon ben seid tho with which the tabernacle was heelid, in which tabernacle goode men worschipiden God. The iij. reule is of the spirit and of the lettre; this reule is expounned thus comunly, that the historial, either literal sense, and the mystik, either goostly sense, is taken vndir the same lettre, for whi the treuthe of the storie schal be holden, and natheles it schal be referrid to the goostly vndirstonding. This reule may be expounned also in another manere, that it be referrid oonly to the literal sense, as othere reulis ben; aboute which thing it is to see, that the same lettere hath sum tyme double literal sense, in ensaumple in j. book of Paralypomynon, xvij. c., God seith to Salamon, “I schal be `to him in to a fadir, and he schal be to me into a sone;” and this to the lettere is vndirstonden of Salomon, in as myche as he was the sone of God, bi grace in &yogh;ungthe, wherfore Nathan the prophete clepide hym, “amyable to the Lord” in ij. book of Kingis, xij. c. Also the forseid autorite, “I schal be to hym in to a fadir,” etc. is brou&yogh;t in of Poul in j. c. to Ebreis, as seid to the lettre of Crist himself, and this is opyn bi this, that Poul bringith it in to preue, that Crist is more than aungels; but such preuynge may not be maad bi goostly sense, as Austin seith a&yogh;ens Vincent Donatiste; forsothe the forseid autorite was fillid to the lettre in Salomon, natheles lesse parfitly, for he was the sone of God oonly bi grace, but it was fillid parfitlier in Crist, that was the sone of God bi kinde; but natheles euer either expocisscioun is literal outtirly. Natheles the ij. expociscoun, which is of Crist, is goostly and preuy in sum maner, in as myche as Salamon was the figure of Crist. The iiij. reule is of al and of part, for whi scripture passith fro oon to the tothere, and a&yogh;enward, as in xiij. c. of Isaie, the scripture spekith first a&yogh;ens Babilone specialy, whanne it is seid, “the birthen of Babilone,” and thanne the scripture passith to vndirstonde the word generaly of al the world, bi this that sueth, “the Lord cometh fro the hy&yogh;nesse of heuene, and the vessels of his stronge veniaunce comen, that he distroie all erthe;” aftirward the scripture turneth a&yogh;en to speke a&yogh;ens Babilone specialy, whanne it is seid, “Lo! I schal rise on &yogh;ou Medeys, that schul not seeke syluer;” for whi Darius Medey, with Cirus, his cosyn, took Babilone, and killide Baltasar, the king of Babilone, as it is seid in the v. c. of Daniel. The v. reule is of tymes, which reule bifallith in iiij. maners; in oo manere bi a figure clepid synodoches, whanne a part of tyme is set for al the tyme, as it is seid in the gospel, that Crist lay thre daies in the sepulcre, and natheles the firste day and the thridde weren not hool daies. In another maner this reule bifallith for smale partys of tyme, that ben noumbrid sumtyme in scripture, and sumtyme ben left out, and bi this the scripture that spekith of sum noumbre of &yogh;eris, in manye placis, settith sumtyme moo &yogh;eris, rekenynge the foreseid smale partys, in another place it settith fewere &yogh;eeris, in leuyng out the smale partys. In iij. maner this reule bifallith, for that the rekenyng of &yogh;eeris bigynneth in oo place at the formere terme, and in another place at the latter teerme, as in xv. c. of Genesis, it was said to Abraham, that his seed schal be a pilgrym bi iiij. c. &yogh;eer, and in xij. c. of Exodi it is seid of this pilgrimage, that the dwelling of the sones of Israel in the lond of Egipt was of iiij. c. &yogh;eer and xxx., for the rekenyng of this more noumbre bigynneth at the tyme, in which it was seid to Abraham in xij. c. of Genesis, “go out of thi lond,” etc., and the rekenyng of the lesse noumbre bigynneth at the natyuite of Isaac, that was xxx. &yogh;eer aftir the goinge out

of Abraham fro Aran. The iiij. tyme this reule bifallith, for that hooly scripture spekith of thing to comynge bi the maner of thing passid, as in the ix. c. of Isaie, “a litil child was born to vs,” etc.; and this is to singnefie the certeynte of profecie, whos bifalling of tyme to comynge is so certeyn, as if it were passid now; and this is for certeynte of Goddis bifore knowing, bi whiche the reuelacoun is maad to the prophete. Natheles such maner of speche hath noo place, no but in profecie of predestynacoun, either ful determynyng of God; which prophecie is, whanne a thing to comynge in noun certeyn to mannis knowing, is schewid to the prophete in that maner, bi which it is in the bifore knowing of God, which bifore knowing of God bihooldith so without fayling thingis to comynge, as thingis present and passid. But in profecie of manaasinge, such maner of speech hath noo place, which profecie of manaas is, whanne eny peyne worthi to be brou&yogh;t in on a puple, either on a persoone, is schewid to the prophete, not bi that that it is in the bifore knowing of God, but bi the ordre of secunde causis, as bi the yuel disseruyngis of men; as is thilke prophecie of Jonas iij. c., “&YOGH;it xl. daies, and Nynyue schal be distroied;” for whi the synnes of that citee hadden disseruyd this distroying; natheles for such a cause is chaungable, therfore sumtyme the effect, that is, peyne manaasid, sueth not, as heere, for `Nynyuytis diden penaunce, and so the Lord brou&yogh;te not in the peyne manassid. The vj. reule is of recapitulacoun, that is, rehersing of thing don bifore, and of anticipacoun, either bifore takinge, that is, setting in of thing bifore that it is don; for in hooly scripture not euere stories and deedis ben writen in the same ordre in whiche thoo ben don, and therfore whanne lattere thingis ben sett bifore, it is seid anticipacioun, either byfore taking, and whanne the formere thingis ben set byhynde, it is seid recapitulacoun, either rehersing of thing doon bifore, as in x. c. of Genesis it is seid of the sones of Noe, “the ilis of hethene folkis in her cuntrees weren departid of these sones of Noe, ech man bi his langage;” and withinne in the same x. c. it is seid, “these ben the sones of Cham, in kynredis and langagis,” and aftirward it is seid in xj. c., “the lond was of oo langage and of the same wordis;” wherof it is opin, that this that is bifore seid of the departyng of langagis, is seid bi anticipacoun; in lyk maner in ij. c. of Genesis, aftir that Moises in j. c. hadde discriued the creacoun, either making of nou&yogh;t of heuene and of erthe, and the departing and ournyng of the world, he seide, “these ben the generacouns of heuene and of erthe, in the day in whiche tho weren mad;” wherof it is opin that this is seid bi recapitulacoun, either rehersing of thing don bifore. The vij. reule is of the deuil and of his body, for as Gregori seith in the x. Omelie, ^note “Certys the deuil is heed of alle wickid men, and alle wickide men ben membris of this heed,” and therfore for the knytting togidere of the heed to the membris, the scripture that spekith of oon, passith in the same knytting togidere of resoun to speke of the tother, as in xiiij. c. of Isaie, where the scripture spekith of the king of Babilone, that was a membre of the deuil, it passith to speke of the prince of fendis, whanne it is seid there, “Lucifer, that rysidist eerly, hou feldist thou doun fro heuene;” and in the xxviij. c. of Ezechiel, where the scripture spekith of the prince of Tire, it passith to speke of the deuil, whanne it is addid, “thou, a singnet, either a prente, of the licnesse of God, were ful of wisdom, and parfit in fairnesse, in the delices of paradys of God.” Lyre seith al this in the ij. prologe of Genesis. ^noteHeere Lire rehersith the sentence of seint Austyn, and of Isidre in these reulis, and declarith hem opinly bi holy scripture and resoun, and countrith not Austin, but declareth him ful mychel to symple mennis witt; and addith more bi scripture and resoun, that Austin touchith not.

Thou&yogh; these reulis either keies of scripture bringen men to greet vndirstonding therof, &yogh;it men moten taken heede, what is seid of Crist bi his godheed, and what bi his manheed, for Crist bi his manheed, is seid lesse than the fadir, and bi the godheed he is seid euene with the fadir; and for as myche as Crist is bothe God and man, we graunten that God is deedly, ^note and di&yogh;ede on the crosse, not bi his godheed, but bi the manheed of Crist, that was ioyned in oonhed of persone with the godheed, and we graunte, as the gospel doith, that man, while he was deedly on erthe, was in heuene, for his godheed was there, and he also bi resoun therof. Also we moun graunte wel, that a man made heuene and erthe, for Crist bi his godheed, which Crist is and was man, dide thus. ^noteAlso hooly scripture tellith ofte the thou&yogh;tis of men, and ofte the wordis and deedis; and whanne the thou&yogh;tis, and wordis, and deedis of men ben contrarie, oo gospeller tellith the thou&yogh;tis, and another tellith the wrdis; and bi this equiuocacoun, either diuerse speking, thei ben acordid, &yogh;he, whanne thei seemen contrarie in wordis; also ofte in storial mateer scripture rehersith the comune opynyoun of men, and affirmeth not, that it was so in dede. In this maner the gospel seith, that Joseph was the fadir of Crist, thou&yogh; he neuere gendride Crist; for Marie, Cristis modir, was euere clene virgyne. Thus the gospel seith, that at the biheeding of Joon Baptist, Eroude was soory, and &yogh;it, as doctouris seyn, he was ful glad therof; but he feynede him sory for the puple, and the puple gessid him sory. Also thou&yogh; scripture rehersith, hou hooly men lyueden, and comendith hem greetly, it appreueth not alle hire deedis, for many greete seyntis erriden foule in manye poyntis; and thou&yogh; scripture tellith the stories of yuel men and dampned, it repreuith not herfore alle thingis whiche thei diden, for thou&yogh; thei weren hemsilf ful cursid, thei diden many goode deedis of kynde, and sumtyme perauenture goode dedis of vertu, if thei weren in grace for a tyme. At the laste take &yogh;e good heede, whanne scripture spekith bi comaundement to all men, and whanne it &yogh;eueth comaundement to certeyn persones of diuerse statis. In the first poynt, alle men moten do, as it seith; in the ij. tyme, the persoones of staatis specified moten nedis obeye; whanne scripture speketh oonly bi counceil, men moun be sauid, thou&yogh; thei do not the counceil, as ful many men and wymmen moun be sauid, thou&yogh; thei take not virginite, neither contynence, neither &yogh;euen alle her goodis to pore men, and &yogh;it these ben heere counceils of Jhesu Crist in the gospel. CAP. XV.

For as myche as Crist seith that the gospel shal be prechid in al the world, and Dauith seith of the postlis and her preching, “the soun of hem &yogh;ede out into ech lond, and the wordis of hem &yogh;eden out into the endis of the world,” and eft Dauith seith, “the Lord schal telle in the scripturis of puplis, and of these princis that weren in it,” that is, in holi chirche, and as Jerom seith on that vers, ^note “hooly writ is the scripture of puplis, for it is maad, that alle puples schulden knowe it,” and the princis of the chirche, that weren therinne, ben the postlis, that hadden autorite to writen hooly writ, for bi that same that the postlis writiden her scripturis bi autorite, and confermynge of the Hooly Goost, it is hooly scripture, and feith of cristen men, and this dignite hath noo man aftir hem, be he neuere so hooly, neuer so kunnynge, as Jerom witnessith on that vers. Also Crist seith of the Jewis that crieden Osanna to him in the temple, that thou&yogh; thei weren stille stoonis schulen crie, and bi stoonis he vndirstondith hethen men, that worshipiden stoonis for her goddis. And we Englische men ben comen of hethen men, therfore we ben vndirstonden bi thes stonis, that schulden crie hooly writ, and as Jewis, interpretid knowlechinge, singnefien clerkis, that schulden knouleche to God, bi repentaunce of synnes, and bi vois

of Goddis heriyng, so oure lewide men, suynge the corner ston Crist, mowen be singnefied bi stonis, that ben harde and abydinge in the foundement; for thou&yogh; couetouse clerkis ben woode by simonie, eresie, and manye othere synnes, and dispisen and stoppen holi writ, as myche as thei moun, &yogh;it the lewid puple crieth aftir holi writ, to kunne it, and kepe it, with greet cost and peril of here lif. For these resons and othere, with comune charite to saue alle men in oure rewme, whiche God wole haue sauid, a symple creature hath translatid the bible out of Latyn into English. First, this symple creature hadde myche trauaile, with diuerse felawis and helperis, to gedere manie elde biblis, and othere doctouris, and comune glosis, and to make oo Latyn bible sumdel trewe; and thanne to studie it of the newe, the text with the glose, and othere doctouris, as he mi&yogh;te gete, and speciali Lire on the elde testament, that helpide ful myche in this werk; the thridde tyme to counseile with elde gramariens, and elde dyuynis, of harde wordis, and harde sentencis, hou tho mi&yogh;ten best be vndurstonden and translatid; the iiij. tyme to translate as cleerli as he coude to the sentence, and to haue manie gode felawis and kunnynge at the correcting of the translacioun. First it is to knowe, that the best translating is out of Latyn into English, to translate aftir the sentence, and not oneli aftir the wordis, so that the sentence be as opin, either openere, in English as in Latyn, and go not fer fro the lettre; and if the lettre mai not be suid in the translating, let the sentence euere be hool and open, for the wordis owen to serue to the entent and sentence, and ellis the wordis ben superflu either false. In translating into English, manie resolucions moun make the sentence open, as an ablatif case absolute may be resoluid into these thre wordis, with couenable verbe, the while, for, if, as gramariens seyn; as thus, the maistir redinge, I stonde, mai be resoluid thus, while the maistir redith, I stonde, either if the maistir redith, etc. either for the maistir, etc.; and sumtyme it wolde acorde wel with the sentence to be resoluid into whanne, either into aftirward, thus, whanne the maistir red, I stood, `either aftir the maistir red, I stood; and sumtyme it mai wel be resoluid into a verbe of the same tens, as othere ben in the same resoun, and into this word et, that is, and in English, as thus, arescentibus hominibus præ timore, that is, and men shulen wexe drie for drede. Also a participle of a present tens, either preterit, of actif vois, eithir passif, mai be resoluid into a verbe of the same tens, and a coniunccioun copulatif, as thus, dicens, that is, seiynge, mai be resoluid thus, and seith, eithir that seith; and this wole, in manie placis, make the sentence open, where to Englisshe it aftir the word, wolde be derk and douteful. Also a relatif, which mai be resoluid into his antecedent with a coniunccioun copulatif, as thus, which renneth, and he renneth. Also whanne oo word is oonis set in a reesoun, it mai be set forth as ofte as it is vndurstonden, either as ofte as reesoun and nede axen; and this word autem, either vero, mai stonde for forsothe, either for but, and thus I vse comounli; aud sumtyme it mai stonde for and, as elde gramariens seyn. Also whanne ri&yogh;tful construccioun is lettid bi relacion, I resolue it openli, thus, where this reesoun, Dominum formidabunt adversarij ejus, shulde be Englisshid thus bi the lettre, the Lord hise aduersaries shulen drede, I Englishe it thus bi resolucioun, the aduersaries of the Lord shulen drede him; and so of othere resons that ben like. At the bigynnyng I purposide, with Goddis helpe, to make the sentence as trewe and open in English as it is in Latyn, either more trewe and more open than it is in Latyn; and I preie, for charite and for comoun profyt of cristene soulis, that if ony wiys man fynde ony defaute of the truthe of translacioun, let him sette in the trewe sentence and opin of holi writ, but loke that he

examyne truli his Latyn bible, for no doute he shal fynde ful manye `biblis in Latyn ful false, if he loke manie, nameli newe; and the comune Latyn biblis han more nede to be correctid, as manie as I haue seen in my lif, than hath the English bible late translatid; and where the Ebru, bi witnesse of Jerom, of Lire, and othere expositouris discordith fro oure Latyn biblis, I haue set in the margyn, bi maner of a glose, what the Ebru hath, and hou it is vndurstondun in sum place; and I dide this most in the Sauter, that of alle oure bokis discordith most fro Ebru; for the chirche redith not the Sauter bi the laste translacioun of Jerom out of Ebru into Latyn, but another translacioun of othere men, that hadden myche lasse kunnyng and holynesse than Jerom hadde; and in ful fewe bokis the chirche redith the translacioun of Jerom, as it mai be preuid bi the propre origynals of Jerom, whiche he gloside. And where I haue translatid as opinli or opinliere in English as in Latyn, late wise men deme, that knowen wel bothe langagis, and knowen wel the sentence of holi scripture. And wher I haue do thus, or nay, ne doute, thei that kunne wel the sentence of holi writ and English togidere, and wolen trauaile, with Goddis grace, theraboute, moun make the bible as trewe and as opin, &yogh;ea, and opinliere in English than it is in Latyn. And no doute to a symple man, with Goddis grace and greet trauail, men mi&yogh;ten expoune myche openliere and shortliere the bible in English, than the elde greete doctouris han expounid it in Latyn, and myche sharpliere and groundliere than manie late postillatouris, eithir expositouris, han don. But God, of his grete merci, &yogh;eue to vs grace to lyue wel, and to seie the truthe in couenable manere, and acceptable to God and his puple, and to spille not oure tyme, be it short be it long at Goddis ordynaunce. But summe, that semen wise and holi, seyn thus, if men now weren as holi as Jerom was, thei mi&yogh;ten translate out of Latyn into English, as he dide out of Ebru and out of Greek into Latyn, and ellis thei shulden not translate now, as hem thinkith, for defaute of holynesse and of kunnyng. Thou&yogh; this replicacioun seme colourable, it hath no good ground, neither resoun, neithir charite, for whi this replicacioun is more a&yogh;ens seynt Jerom, and a&yogh;ens the firste lxx. translatouris, and a&yogh;ens holi chirche, than a&yogh;ens symple men, that translaten now into English; for seynt Jerom was not so holi as the apostlis and euangelistis, whos bokis he translatide into Latyn, neither he hadde so hi&yogh;e &yogh;iftis of the Holi Gost as thei hadden; and myche more the lxx. translatouris weren not so holi as Moises and the profetis, and speciali Dauith, neither thei hadden so greete &yogh;iftis of God, as Moises and the prophetis hadden. Ferthermore holi chirche appreueth, not oneli the trewe translacioun of meene cristene men, stidefast in cristene feith, but also of open eretikis, that diden awei manie mysteries of Jhesu Crist bi gileful translacioun, as Jerom witnessith in oo prolog on Job, and in the prolog of Daniel. Myche more late the chirche of Engelond appreue the trewe and hool translacioun of symple men, that wolden for no good in erthe, bi here witing and power, putte awei the leste truthe, &yogh;ea, the leste lettre, either title, of holi writ, that berith substaunce, either charge. And dispute thei not of the holynesse of men now lyuynge in this deadli lif, for thei kunnen not theron, and it is reseruid oneli to Goddis doom. If thei knowen ony notable defaute bi the translatouris, either helpis of hem, lete hem blame the defaute bi charite and merci, and lete hem neuere dampne a thing that mai be don lefulli bi Goddis lawe, as weeryng of a good cloth for a tyme, either riding on an hors for a greet iourney, whanne thei witen not wherfore it is don; for suche thingis moun be don of symple men, with as greet charite and vertu, as

summe, that holden hem greete and wise, kunnen ride in a gilt sadil, either vse cuyssyns and beddis and clothis of gold and of silk, with othere vanitees of the world. God graunte pite, merci, and charite, and loue of comoun profyt, and putte awei such foli domis, that ben a&yogh;ens resoun and charite. &YOGH;it worldli clerkis axen gretli what spiryt makith idiotis hardi to translate now the bible into English, sithen the foure greete doctouris dursten neuere do this? This replicacioun is so lewid, that it nedith noon answer, no but `stillnesse, eithir curteys scorn; for these greete doctouris weren noon English men, neither thei weren conuersaunt among English men, neithir in caas thei kouden the langage of English, but thei ceessiden neuere til thei hadden holi writ in here modir tunge, of here owne puple. For Jerom, that was a Latyn man of birthe, translatide the bible, bothe out of Ebru and out of Greek, into Latyn, and expounide ful myche therto; and Austyn, and manie mo Latyns expouniden the bible, for manie partis, in Latyn, to Latyn men, among whiche thei dwelliden, and Latyn was a comoun langage to here puple aboute Rome, and bi&yogh;ondis, and on this half, as Englishe is comoun langage to oure puple, and &yogh;it this day the comoun puple in Italie spekith Latyn corrupt, as trewe men seyn, that han ben in Italie; and the noumbre of translatouris out of Greek into Latyn passith mannis knowing, as Austyn witnessith in the ij. book of Cristene Teching, and seith thus, “the translatouris out of Ebru into Greek moun be noumbrid, but Latyn translatouris, either thei that translatiden into Latyn, moun not be noumbrid in ony manere.” For in the firste tymes of feith, ech man, as a Greek book came to him, and he semyde to him silf to haue sum kunnyng of Greek and of Latyn, was hardi to translate; and this thing helpide more than lettide vndurstonding, if rederis ben not necligent, forwhi the biholding of manie bokis hath shewid ofte, eithir declarid, summe `derkere sentencis. This seith Austyn there. Therfore Grosted seith, that it was Goddis wille, that diuerse men translatiden, and that diuerse translacions be in the chirche, for where oon seide derkli, oon either mo seiden openli. Lord God! sithen at the bigynnyng of feith so manie men translatiden into Latyn, and to greet profyt of Latyn men, lat oo symple creature of God translate into English, for profyt of English men; for if worldli clerkis loken wel here croniclis and bokis, thei shulden fynde, that Bede translatide the bible, and expounide myche in Saxon, that was English, either comoun langage of this lond, in his tyme; and not oneli Bede, but also king Alured, that foundide Oxenford, translatide in hise laste daies the bigynning of the Sauter into Saxon, and wolde more, if he hadde lyued lengere. Also Frenshe men, Beemers, and Britons han the bible, and othere bokis of deuocioun and of exposicioun, translatid in here modir langage; whi shulden not English men haue the same in here modir langage, I can not wite, no but for falsnesse and necgligence of clerkis, either for oure puple is not worthi to haue so greet grace and &yogh;ifte of God, in peyne of here olde synnes. God for his merci amende these euele causis, and make oure puple to haue, and kunne, and kepe truli holi writ, to lijf and deth! But in translating of wordis equiuok, that is, that hath manie significacions vndur oo lettre, mai li&yogh;tli be pereil, for Austyn seith in the ij. book of Cristene Teching, that if equiuok wordis be not translatid into the sense, either vndurstonding, of the autour, it is errour; as in that place of the Salme, the feet of hem ben swifte to shede out blood, the Greek word is equiuok to sharp and swift, and he that translatide sharpe feet, `erride, and a book that hath sharpe feet, is fals, and mut be amendid; as that sentence vnkynde &yogh;onge trees shulen not &yogh;eue depe rootis, owith to be thus, plauntingis of auoutrie shulen not &yogh;eue depe rootis. Austyn seith this there. Therfore

a translatour hath greet nede to studie wel the sentence, both bifore and aftir, and loke that suche equiuok wordis acorde with the sentence, and he hath nede to lyue a clene lif, and be ful deuout in preiers, and haue not his wit ocupied about worldli thingis, that the Holi Spiryt, autour of wisdom, and kunnyng, and truthe, dresse him in his werk, and suffre him not for to erre. Also this word ex signifieth sumtyme of, and sumtyme it signifieth bi, as Jerom seith; and this word enim signifieth comynli forsothe, and, as Jerom seith, it signifieth cause thus, forwhi; and this word secundum is taken for aftir, as manie men seyn, and comynli, but it signifieth wel bi, eithir vp, thus bi &yogh;oure word, either vp &yogh;oure word. Manie such aduerbis, coniuncciouns, and preposiciouns ben set ofte oon for another, and at fre chois of autouris sumtyme; and now tho shulen be taken as it acordith best to the sentence. Bi this maner, with good lyuyng and greet trauel, men moun come to trewe and cleer translating, and trewe vndurstonding of holi writ, seme it neuere so hard at the bigynnyng. God graunte to us alle grace to kunne wel, and kepe wel holi writ, and suffre ioiefulli sum peyne for it at the laste! Amen.

PREFATORY EPISTLES OF ST. JEROME. Heere bigynnith the epystle of saynt Jerom preest of alle the bokes of Goddis storye. CAP. I.

Brother Ambrose, to me thi litel &yogh;iftis perfitli berynge, hath brou&yogh;t with and ri&yogh;t swete lettres, the whiche han shewid sothfastnes of now proued feith, fro the bigynnyng of frenshipes, and newe thingis of olde frenship. Verrei forsothe that frenship is, and thur&yogh; the glew of Crist cowplid, the which not profit of famylier thing, not presens oonli of bodies, not grasping and trecherous flateryng, but the drede of God and the studies of Goddis scripturys ioynen. We han redde in olde stories, sum men to han vyrounde prouynces, to han gon to new puplis, to han passid the see, that hem whom thei han knowun of bokis, my&yogh;ten seen verreli present. So Pictagorax to the filosofers of Memphus, so Plato to Egipte, and to Archite Tarentyne, and thilk brynk of Itali, the which sum tyme was seid Grete Grece, ful traueilousli &yogh;ede; that he that in Athenys was a maister and my&yogh;ti, and whos doctrine the stodies of Achademy perfitli sowneden, wolde be maad a pilgrym and a disciple, more wilnyng other mennus thingis shamfastli to lernen, than his owne vnshamfastli `to prece forth. Aftirward whil he pursueth fleynge lettres as in al the world, takun of see theues and sold, also to a ful cruel tiraunt pered, led cheytif, boundun, and thral. Neuerthelater for he was a filosofre, he was more than his bier. To Tite Lyuy, wellynge with the mylk welle of faire speche, we han red, summe noble men to han comen

fro the vtmost costis of Spayne and of Fraunse; and whom Rome drow not to his si&yogh;t, `o mannus fame fulli ledde. That age hadde a myracle vnherd, and to alle worldis to ben ofte worshipid, that thei, gon in so greet a cite, other thing wold sechen with oute the cite. Apolony, or that deuynour, `or as the comunte spekith, a filosofer, as Pictagorax disciplis tellen, &yogh;ede into Perses, passid Kaukasoun, Albanus, Scitus, and Massegetos, &yogh;ede thur&yogh; the most plenteuows kyngdomes of Inde; and at the end, the brodest flode of Phison passid, come to Bragmanon, that Hiearch sittynge in the golden trone, and drynkynge of the welle of Tantali, among fewe disciplis techynge of kynde, of maners, of course of daies and of sterres, he my&yogh;t heren; fro thens bi Elamytas, Babiloyns, Caldeos, Medos, Assyrios, Parthos, Syros, Phenices, Arabes, Palestyns, turned a&yogh;en to Alisawndre, &yogh;ede to Ethiop, that he my&yogh;t se the maistres of the studies, and the most famows borde of `the sonne in grauel. That man fonde ouer al that he mi&yogh;te lerne, and that euermore profitynge, euermore he my&yogh;t be maad better than hym silf. Vpon this `Philostratus wrote most fullich in ei&yogh;t volumes. CAP. II.

What shal I speke of men of the world? sith the apostle Poul, the vessel of eleccoun and the maister of Gentilis, the which of conscience of so greet a gest in hym silf spak seiynge, “whether sechen &yogh;e experyment of hym that spekith in me Crist,” after Damask and Arabe enuyround, &yogh;ede vp to Jerusalem, that he my&yogh;t se Peter, and dwelte with hym fiftene daies; bi this forsothe mysterie of seuene and ei&yogh;t the prechour of Gentilis to comyng was to be enformyd; and eftsones aftir fourtene &yogh;eer, takun to hym Barnaba and Tyto, expownede with the apostlis the euangeli, lest perauenture in veyn

he shulde renne, or hadde ronnen. The dede of the quyk vois hath I not what of hidde inward worchyng, and into the eris of the disciple fro the mouth of the autour the vois ouer&yogh;otun strengerli sowneth. Wherfor and Eschyneus, whan he was exylid into Rodi, and was redde thilk orisoun of Demostens, that a&yogh;ens hym he hadde, wondrynge alle men and preisynge, si&yogh;ynge seith, “what if thilk beest &yogh;e hadden herd tellinge his owne wordis!” CAP. III.

Ne this Y seye, that there be eny thing in me siche, that other thou my&yogh;tist of me here, or woldist lerne; but whether with thi feruour and studie of lernyng, also with outen vs, shulde be proued bi hem silf; a wit able to be tau&yogh;t and with outen techer is preisable. Not what thou fyndist, but what thou sechist, we taken heed. Neshe wax and li&yogh;t to formen, &yogh;he, if the hondis of the crafti man and of the fourmer cesen, neuertheles with ynne thoru&yogh; vertu is al what `euere may be. Poul the apostle at the feet of Gamaliel glorieth hym silf to haue lernyd the lawe of Moyses and the prophetis, that he, armed with spirytual daartis, aftyrward my&yogh;te seie tristily, “forsothe the armes of our kni&yogh;hode ben not fleishli, but my&yogh;ti thoru&yogh; God to the distruccoun of holdis, that we be destruyinge thou&yogh;tis, and al hei&yogh;nes reisynge it silf a&yogh;ens the kunnyng of God, and chatyuynge al vndirstondyng for to obeishe to Crist, and redi to vndir&yogh;oken al inobeishaunce.” To Tymothe tau&yogh;t in holi lettres fro childhode he wryteth, and enorteth the studie of lessoun, lest he leue of the grace, the which is &yogh;ouun to hym bi imposicoun of the prestis hond. To Tite he comaundide, among other vertues of a bishop, whom in short sermoun he depeyntid, that kunnyng also he leue not of scripturis, “holdynge,” he seith, “that sermoun, the which is aftir doctrine trewe sermoun, that he be my&yogh;ti to myche styre in holsum doctryne, and the withseieris to withstonde.”

CAP. IV.

Holi forsothe cherlhed to hym silf alone profiteth; and as myche as he edifieth of desert of lijf the chirche of Crist, so myche he noieth if to the destruyers he withstonde not. Malachie the prophete, &yogh;he, bi Malachye the Lord, askith prestis the lawe; in so myche the offis of the preste is, askid, to answeren `of the lawe. And in Deutronomy we reden, “aske thi fadre, and he shal telle thee; thi prestis, and thei shal seie to thee.” In the psalm forsothe the hundryd and ei&yogh;tetene, “thi iustifiyngis were to me chauntable in the place of my pilgrimage.” And in the discripcioun of the ri&yogh;twisman, whan David comparysownede hym to a tree of lijf that is in paradise, among other vertues this he brou&yogh;t forth, “in the lawe of the Lord the wil of hym, and in his lawe he shal thenk dai and ny&yogh;t.” Daniel in the ende of the most holi visioun seith ri&yogh;twise men to shyne as sterrys, and vndirstonders, that is, tau&yogh;t men, as the fermament. Thou seest how myche thei ben atwyn, ri&yogh;twise chirlehede and tau&yogh;t ry&yogh;twisnesse. Other men to sterres, other men to heuene ben comparisoned; al be it that, aftir the trewthe of Ebrew tung, either may be vndurstondun of lerned men. Thus we reden anentis hem, “thilk forsothe that weren tau&yogh;t shulen shyne as the shynyng of the firmament, and thoo that techen many men to rightwisnes as sterres into perpetuel eternytees.” Whi is Poul seid the vessel of eleccoun? forsothe for the vessel of the lawe, and of holi scripture he was the almery. The Faryseus ben stonyed in the doctryne of the Lord, and wondren in Petre and Joon, how thei kunnen the lawe, sith lettres thei lerneden not. What euer forsothe to other men excersice and ech dai thenkynge in the lawe was wont to &yogh;yuen, that to hem the Holi Gost tolde, and after that it is writin, “thei weren Goddis tau&yogh;t men,” that is, able men to li&yogh;tli be tau&yogh;t of God. Twelue &yogh;eer the Saueour hadde fulfillid, and in the temple sittynge, askynge of questiouns of the lawe more techeth,

whil he prudentli demaundeth. But perauenture we seyn chirl Petre, and cherl Joon, of whom either my&yogh;t seyn, “and if I be vnwise in word, neuerthelater not in kunnyng.” Chirl Jon fissher is vntau&yogh;t; and whens that vois, Y prey, “In the first was the word, and the word was anentys God, and God was the word?” Logos in Grece many thingis signifieth, for whi and word it is, and resoun, and noumbre, and chesoun of eech thing, bi the which alle thingis ben that ben; the whiche echoon we vndurstonden ri&yogh;tli in Crist. CAP. V.

Thes thingis tau&yogh;te Plato knewe not; thes thingis Demosteynes the fayre speker wiste not; “I shal lese,” he seith, “the wisdom of wise men, and the prudence of prudent men Y shal reprouen.” Verreye wisdom shal spil the fals wisdom, and al be it that the foli of prechyng be in the cros, neuerthelater Poul spekith wisdom among perfit men; wisdom forsothe not of this world, the which is destruyed, ne of princes of this world; but he spekith wisdom of God in mysterie hid, that God bifore ordeynede bifore worldis. The wisdom of God Crist is; “Crist forsothe is the vertu of God and the wisdom of God.” This wisdom is in mysterie hid, and of the which the title of the nynthe salm is bifore notid, “for the hid thingis of the sone,” in the whiche ben alle the tresoures of wisdom and of the kunnyng of God hid; and `he that was in mysterie hid, is bifore ordeyned bifore the worldis; `bifore ordeyned forsothe and bifore figuryd in lawe and prophetis. Wherfore and prophetis weren clepid seers, for thei seien hym, whom other men seien not. “Abraham saw&yogh; the day of hym, and he was glad.” Heuenes weren openyd to Ezechiel, the which weren closid to the synful puple. “Opene,” seith Dauid, “myn ei&yogh;en, and I shal biholde the merueilis of thi lawe.” The lawe forsothe is spiritual, and nede it is openynge, that it be vndirstondun, and with opyn face we

biholden the glorie of God. The book in the Apocalipis is shewid seelid with seuene seelis, which if thou &yogh;yue to a man kunnynge letteres that he rede, he shal answere thee, I may not, it is forsothe seelid. How feel to dai wenen hem to han knowun letteres, holden the seelid book, and mown not openen, but if he vnlowke, that hath the keye of Dauyd, “the which openeth and no man closith, closith and no man openeth.” In the Dedis of the Apostlis the holi geldyng, &yogh;he, the holi man, so forsoth hym nemneth holi writ, whan he shulde rede Isaye the prophete, is askid of Philip, “wenest thou, whether thou vndirstondist thingis that thou redest?” and he answeride, “how may I, but ony man had tau&yogh;te me.” I that among speke of my silf, am not holier than this geldyng, ne more studious, the which from Ethiope, that is, fro the vttermost coostis of the world, come to the temple, forsoke the kyngis halle, and was so greet a louer of Goddis kunnyng and lawe, that in a chare wold reden holy lettres; and &yogh;it whan he shulde hold the boke, and the wordis of the Lord shulde conseyue in his thenkyng, with tunge shulde turne, with lippis shulde speke, vnknewe hym whom in the book unwitynge he worshipide. Philip com and shewide hym Jhesu, the which closed satte pryue in the lettere. O meruelous vertu of the doctour! the same our bileuede the geldyng, is baptisid, feithful and holi, and a maister is maad of a disciple; more fonde in the desert welle of the chirche, than in the goldun temple of the synagoge. Thes thingis of me shortli ben fulli writun. CAP. VI.

Forsothe the epistles streytnes suffryd not lenger this to ben outstrayed, that thow my&yogh;test vnderstonde thee not mown entre in holi scriptures with outen a forgoer and shewynge the stye. I holde my pees of gramariens and retorikis, filoferis, geometrers, logissians, musissians, astronomers, astrologerys, fisissians, whos sciens is ynew&yogh;, or ful profitable, to deedli men, and in thre partis it is diuidid, in doctrine, resoun,

and vse. I shal com to the lesse craftys, and which not oonly with tung, but with honde ben mynystrid; erthe tilyers, masouns, smythes of metallis, and hewers of trees, also wulle graithers and fullers, and other that forgen dyuerse purtynauncis to howsis, and fowle litle werkis, mowe not be, with outen a techer, that that thei coueyten. Lechis bihoten that that is of lechis, forgers treten forgeable thingis; the craft oneli of scripturys is the which alle chalengen to hem pasemel. “We writen pasemel poyet sawes, of tau&yogh;t and of untau&yogh;t.” This craft of scripturys the olde chaterynge damme, this the dotid olde man, this the sofistre ful of wordis, this alle presumen, to-teren, techen or thei lernen. Other, with the brow born down, weiynge greet wordis, among &yogh;ong wymmen philosofien of holi lettres. Other lernen of wymmen that is shame that that thei techen men; and whether this be litle, with a maner li&yogh;tnes of wordis, &yogh;ee and hardynes, shewen out to other, that thei vndurstonden not. I holde my pees of lijk to me, the which thou&yogh; perauenture comen after seculer lettris to holi scripturis, and with a feir sermoun deliten the eeris of the puple, what euere thei seiyn, thei wenen it be the lawe of God, ne thei dedeynen to know what the prophetis, what the apostlis feleden; but to her owne cense shapen vncouenable witnesse, as thou&yogh; it were greet, and not vicyous maner of seiyng, to depraue sentensis, and to drawe at ther wil holi writ repugnynge. As thou&yogh; we had not red the bokys drawun out of Omere, and of Virgile, and not so also and Maronem we mowe seyn cristen with outen Crist, for he wroot, “Now turneth a&yogh;en and the mayden, turnun a&yogh;en Saturnus rewmes, nowe the newe kynrede is sent down fro the hei&yogh;e heuene,” and the fadre spekinge to the sone, “sone, my strengthes, my greet power aloon;” and after, the wordis of the Sauyour in the cros, “siche thingis he &yogh;aue hauynge mynde, and ficchid he dwelt.” Childishe ben thes thingis, and like to the pley of childeren pleiynge in the sercle, to teche that thou knowist not; &yogh;he, and

that I speke with indignacoun, foli is that not forsothe to knowe that thou knowist not. CAP. VII.

It is leueful to se, that `the storie of Genesis `be ful knowin, in the which of the creature of the world, of the bigynnyng of mankynde, of the deuysioun of the erthe, of the confusioun of tungis and of folkis, and of descendyng of the folk of Ebrew vnto Egipt, and vnto the goyng out is writun. Exodus is open with the ten plagis, with the ten hestis, with mystik, and with Goddis preceptis. Prest is the book of Leuy, in the which alle sacrifyces, &yogh;he, and almost alle silablis, and the clothis of Aron, and the hole ordre of Leuy, enspiren heuenli sacramentis. Numeri forsothe, whether thei conteynen not the `mysteries of al the hole craft of noumbrarie, and of prophecie of Balaam, and of the two and fourti mansiouns thur&yogh; wildernes? Deutronomy forsothe the secounde lawe, and the prefiguracoun of the lawe of the euangelie, hath he not so thilk thingis, that ben rather, that neuertheles alle thingis ben newe of the olde? Hider to Moyses, `hider to Pentateuchon, that is, the fyue bokis, with the which fyue wordis the apostle glorieth hym silf wilne to speke in the chirche. Job, the sawmpler of pacience, the which whethir not mysteries with his word knytteth? In proos he bigynneth, in verse he goth forthe, in word a fote, that is, in meke word, he is endid; and he determyneth alle the lawes of dialatik, in proposicoun, assumpcoun, confirmacioun, conclusioun. Ech wordis in it ben ful of wittis; and, that I holde my pees of other, the resurreccoun of bodies so profecieth, that no man of that, othere more open, or more slyly, my&yogh;t wryte. “I wote,” he seith, “that my forbier lyueth, and in the last dai Y

am to aryse fro the erthe; and eftsones I shal be enuyround with my fel, and in my flehs Y shal se God, my Saueour, whom Y my silf am to se, and myn ei&yogh;en ben to biholden, and noon othere. This is myn hope put vp into my bosum.” Y shal com to Jhesu of Naue, the which berith the figure of the Lord, not oonli in gestis, but also in name. He passith Jordan, the rewmes of enemyes turneth vpsedoun, he deuydeth the erthe to the puple ouercomer, and bi alle cytees, villagis, hillis, and flodis, rennynge watres, and the ny&yogh; coostis he discriuede of the chirche, and of the heuenli Jerusalem the spiritual rewmes. In the book of Juges how feel princes of the puple, so feel figurys there ben. Ruth Moabites fulfillith the prophecie of Ysaie seiynge, “Lord, sende out the lomb, the lordshiper of erthe, fro the stoon of desert to the mownt of the dow&yogh;ter of Syon.” Samuel shewith the old lawe don awey in Heli deed, and in the sla&yogh;ter of Saul. Forsothe in Sadok and Dauid ben witnessid the sacramentis of the new presthod, and of new empyre. Malachym, that is, the thrid and the ferthe book of Kynges, discryueth the rewme of Juda, and the rewme of Israel, fro Salomon to Jecony, and fro Jeroboam, sone of Nabath, vnto Osee, the which was led into Asyries. If thow biholdist the storye, the wordis ben symple; if in the lettres thow biholdist the preuey witt, the fewnesse of the chirche, and the batails of eretikis a&yogh;ens the chirche, ben told. The twelue prophetis, togidre artid into the narewnes of o volym, myche othere than sowneth in the lettre bifore figuren. Osee often nemneth Effraym, Samary, Joseph, Jezrael, and the fornycary wijf, and the sonis of fornycacoun, and the auowtres closid in the bed of the husbond to setten myche tyme wydow, and vndir the mornyng cloth of the husbond to abide the comyng a&yogh;en to hir. Joel, the sone of Phatuel, discryueth the lond of the twelue lynagis wastid thur&yogh; the wort worm, bruk, locuste, thur&yogh; rust wastynge; and after the outturnyng of the rather puple, the Holi Gost shed out vpon the seruauntis of God and hond maydenes, that is,

vpon an hundrid and twenty names of bileuers, and the sunne shynynge like a reynbow held oute in the comune etyng place of Syon, the whiche hundrid and twenti, fro oon vnto fyftene, arawe and bi encrees arysynge, maken oute the noumbre of the fyftene grees, the whiche in the Sawter ben mystili conteyned. Amos, shepherd and cherl, and wel knowynge the beries of busshis, may not be openyd in fewe wordes. Who forsothe worthili may shew out the thre and foure wickidnessis of Damask, of Gaze, of Tyry, of Ydume, of the sones of Amon, and of Moab, and, in the seuenth and ei&yogh;te degre, of Juda and of Israel? This spekith to the fatt kien, that ben in the mownt of Samarie, and witnessith the more hows and the lesse to fallen. He seeth the maker of the locust, and the Lord stondynge vpon the dawbed wal and the adamauntyn, and the appel croke drawynge tourmentis to synful men, and hunger in the erthe, not hunger of bred, ne thrist of water, but of heryng of the word of God. Abdias, that is as myche to seie as the seruaunt of the Lord, ful thundreth a&yogh;ens Edom, and the blodi and erthli brother; also the euermore enemye of the brother Jacob, he smytith with a goostli dart. Jonas, the moost fayre culuer, in his shipbreche bifore figurynge the passioun of the Lord, clepith a&yogh;en the world to penaunce, and, vndir name of Nynyue, tellith helthe to Gentils. Micheas of Moraschym, the witheire of Crist, tellith the wastyng of a dow&yogh;ter of a priue thef, and he settith bisegyng a&yogh;ens hire, for she smote the cheke bone of the iuge of Israel. Naum, coumfortour of the world, blameth the citee of blodis, and after his turnyng awey spekith, “Loo, vpon the hillis the fete of the euangelisynge and tellynge pees.” Abacuc, a strong wristeler and a sharp, stondith vpon his waard, and ficcheth a weie of grees vpon the strengthe, that Crijst in cros he biholde, and seie, “The glorie of hym coueride heuenes, and of hys preisyng ful is the erthe; his shynyng shal be as li&yogh;t, and hornes in his hondis, there his strengthe is hid.” Sophonyas, the wayter and the knower of the priuetees of

the Lord, herith a cry fro the &yogh;aat of fisshes, and &yogh;ellynge fro the secound, and contricoun fro litle hillis; he tellith also the crie of weilynge to the dwellers of Pile; for al the puple of Chanaan helde his pees togidre, and echon ben disparpulid, that weren inlappid with siluer. Aggeus, solempne and glad, the whiche sewe in teres that he repe in ioy, edifieth the temple distruyed, and ledith in God the fadre spekinge, “&YOGH;it and a litle while and Y shal moue to gider heuene and erthe, the see and the drye, and I shal moue al folk, and the desyred shal com to al folk.” Zachary, mynde of his Lord, manyfold in profesie, Jhesus clothid with fowle clothes, and the stoon of seuene ei&yogh;en, and the goldun candilstik with as feel lanternes as ei&yogh;en, and two olyues fro the left syde of the lawmpe he biholdith, and fro the ri&yogh;t side; that after the reed horsis specked whith, and scatered plowes of fowre horsis of Effraym, and the hors of Jerusalem, he prophecie the pore kyng, and preche the kyng sittynge vpon the colt, sone of the she asse vsed to &yogh;ok. Malachi, apertlich and in the ende of alle prophetis, of the castyng out of Israel and the clepyng of Gentilis seith, “Wil is not to me in &yogh;ow, seith the Lord of oostis, and &yogh;ift shal I not take of &yogh;oure honde; fro the sunne arysyng vnto the goyng down greet is my name in Gentilis, and a clene offryng is sacrified, and offrid to my name in alle places.” Ysaie, Jeremye, Ezechiel, and Danyel, who may other vndirstond or expown? Of whom the first is not seyn to me to weuen prophecie, but euangelie. The secounde knyttith the note &yogh;erde, and the pot a fier fro the face of the north, and the leparde spuylide his colours, and the foure fold abice in dyuerse metres. The thrid hath bigynnyngis and ende with so feel derknessis enuolued, that, as anentis the Ebrewis, thilk partis with the bigynnyng of Genesis shulde not be rad bifore thretti wynter. The ferthe forsothe, the which and the laste among the foure prophetis, knower of tymes, a louer of stories of al the world, feer bifore tellith the stoon before kit of the hil with outen hondis, and al rewmes

subuertynge, with a clere sermoun. Dauid, oure Symphonydes, Pyndarie, and Alcheus, Flaccus, and Catullus, and Serenus, precheth Crist with the harp, and in the ten `cordid sawtri arereth vp the ariser fro helle. Salomon, the pesible and the ful loued of the Lord, mendith maneres, techith kynde, ioyneth Crist and the chirche, and the swete bryde song singith of the holi brydalis. Hester, in figure of the chirche, delyuerith the puple fro peril, and, Aman, that is as myche to sey as wyckidnes, slawn, she sendith partis of the feest, and a solempne day into the after geten. Perlipomynon, that is, the book of the olde instrument, recapitulatour, word bregger, is suche and so myche, that who so euere with outen it wole prowdli take to hym kunnynge of scriptures, scorne he hym silf; forsothe be alle names `o rewe, and ioynters of wordis, outlaft stories in the boke of Kyngis ben towched, and questiouns vnnoumbrable of the euaungelye ben maad open. Esdras and Neemy, helper, that is to sey, and coumfortour fro the Lord, ben artyd in o volume, enstoren the temple, the walles of the citee maken out, and al that congregacoun of the puple a&yogh;engoynge into her cuntre, and the discripcoun of prestis, of deknes, of Israel, and of men takun fro hethenes to the ryte of Jewis, and the deuydid werkis of walles and of toures bi singuler meynes, bryngen forth other thyng in the rynde, and in the mergh other thing withholden. Seest thow me for the loue of scripturys rauyshid to haue passid the maner of a pistle, and &yogh;it not haue fillid that I wolde? We han herd oonlich, what we mowe know, what coueyten, and forsothe that we mowe say, “my soule coueytide to desire thi justyfyyngis in al tyme.” Forthermore that of Socrates is fulfyllid in vs, “this oonli Y knowe that Y knowe not.” I shal towche and shortly the newe testament. Mathew, Mark, Luke, and Joon, the foure hors plowes of the Lord, and the verrey cherubyn, that is to sey, plente of kunnyng, thoru&yogh; out al the bodi ben i&yogh;ed, sparklis shynen out, li&yogh;tes hidir and thidir rennen, han ri&yogh;t feet and streychynge into hei&yogh;e, rigges fethered, and

holden hem to gidre ouer al fleynge, and to hem siluen ben thur&yogh; out pleitid, and as a wheel with ynne a wheel ben turned, and gon whidre euer the breeth of the Holi Goost hem perfitly ledith. Poul the apostle writith to seuene chirches; the ei&yogh;t forsothe to Ebrewis of summe men out of the noumbre is put. Tymothe he enfourmeth, and Tite; Philomon he preieth for the seruaunt fugitife, vpon the whiche I wene beter to be stil, than to few thingis write. The Actes of the Apostlis forsothe nakid storye semen to sownen, and to weuen the childhod of the waxynge chirche; and for we knowen the wryter of hem Luke to ben a phisisian, whos preysyng is in the euangelie, we taken hede there with alle his wordis to ben medecyn of the langwissynge soule. James, Petre, Joon, Jude, seuene epistlis maden as wel mistik as redi, and short togidre, and long; short in wordis, long in sentencis, that he be seldom, that not wexeth blynd in the redyng of hem. The Apocalips of Joon so fele hath sacramentis, how fele wordis. Litle Y haue seid, and for the desert of the volym, al the preysyng is the lower; in euery wordis manyfold vnderstondyngis sitten hid. I prey thee, dere brother, among these thingis to lyuen, these thingis to thenken, noon othre thingis to knowun, and no thing ellis to sechen. Semeth it not to thee now here in erthis a dwellyng place of heuenli kyngdom? I wole not, that thou be offendid in holi scripturis thur&yogh; symplenes, and as thur&yogh; foulnes of wordis, the whiche, or thur&yogh; the vice of the vndoers, or of verrey purpose, ben so spokun, that the li&yogh;tloker thei my&yogh;ten enfourme a churlishe cumpany; and that in oon and the same sentence other wise the tau&yogh;t, othre wise the vntau&yogh;t my&yogh;ten fele. I am not so lustsum and dul, that I shulde bihote thes thingis me to know, and the fruytis of hem to gadere in the erthe, whos rotis ben ficchid in heuene; but I knowelech to wiln, but I professe me to enforse, I profer me to the sitter; forsakynge mayster Y bihote a leder, “to the asker me &yogh;yueth, to the knocker me openeth, the seker fyndith;” lerne we in erthis whos

nyng to vs dwellith in heuene. I shal take thee with met hondis a&yogh;ens othre, and that I heelde out sum what vncouenably that be of the bolnyng of Ermagore, what euer thou shulde seek with thee, I shal enforse to kunne. CAP. VIII.

Thou hast here the moost louyd brother of thee Eusebi, the which dowblid to me the grace of thi lettres, tellynge the honestee of thi maners, the dispisyng of the world, the feith of frenship, the loue of Crist; for prudence and fayrnes of speche also with outen hym thilke epistle tolde bifore. Hye, Y preye thee, and the corde of the boot dwellynge in the see rather kut of, than vnbynd; no man to renounse the world, wel may selle thingis that he hath dispisid for to selle. What euer into thi costagis of thin thow takest, cownte it for wynnyng; in

olde maner it is seid, to an auerowse man lackith, as wel that that he hath, as that that he hath not; to hym that bileueth al the world of richessis is, forsothe, an vnfeithful man, &yogh;he, nedith an half peny. So lyue we, as no thing hauynge and alle thingis holdynge in possessioun; lyuelod and clothing ben richessis of cristen men. If thow hast in thi power thi thing, selle; if thow hast not, cast awey; to hym that takith awey thi coote, the mantil is to be laft. And but thow euermore makynge a&yogh;en moru fro moru, and drawynge day fro day, sle&yogh;li fote bi fote thow sille thi litle possessiouns, hath not Crist wherof his pore men he fede? Al he hath &yogh;yuen to God, that offride hym silf. The apostlis oonli forsoken the boot and the nettis; the widwe putte two mytis into the tresorye of God, and it is put bifore the richessis of Cressi. Li&yogh;tli he dispisith alle thingis, the whiche hym silf euermore thenkith to be to dien. CAP. IX.

I haue takun desired epistlis of my man Desiderie, the which, thur&yogh; a maner bifore kunnynge of thingis that ben to com, with Danyel is fallun the name of hym, preiynge, that I shulde take to the erys of ourne the fyue bokis of Moyses translatid fro Ebrewe speche into Latyn tung. Certeyn a perylous werk, open to the berkyngis of backbyters, that seyn me to forgen new thingis for olde into the stranglyng of the seuenti interpretours, so wit as wyn prouing; sith Y ful oft haue witnessid me to offre in the tabernacle of God for a li&yogh;t porcoun thingis that I may, ne the richessis of an othre man to be defowlid with the porenes of othre. The which thing that I shulde dore don, me styryde the studie of Orygen, the which to olde translacioun mengide the translacoun of Theodocioun, with astericho, that is, with the signe of a `sterre, whan he makith clere the thingis that weren to

litle, and with obelo, that is, with signe of an arow, whan he any wast thing distroieth and scrapith awey, al his werk markynge; and moost tho thingis the whiche the autoryte of the apostlis and of the euangelistis openyde; in the which many thingis we reden of the olde testament, the whiche ben not had in oure bokis; as is that, “fro Egipt I clepid my sone;” and, “for he shal be clepid Nazare;” and “men shal seen, in whom thei han pungid;” and, “flodis shal flowe of his womb quyk watres;” and, “thingis that nether ei&yogh;e sei&yogh;, ne eere herde, ne in to the herte of man stiede, that God greithid to hem that hym louen;” and many othre thingis, the whiche desyren propre ordre. Aske we thanne hem, where thes thingis ben wrytun; and whanne thei mown not seye, of the bokis of Ebrewe brynge we forthe. The first witnes is in Osee, the secounde in Ysaye, the thrid in Zacharye, the ferthe in Prouerbis, the fifte as wel in Ysaye; the whiche many men vnknowynge folwen the deceyuyngis of scripturys, whos autor is vnknowun, and setten bifore, Spanyshe songes vpon deed men, or of noresses vpon ther children, autentik bokis. The cause of the errour is not myn to expown. Jewis seyn, that it is don with wise counsel, lest Ptholome herier of o God, also as anentis the Ebrewis shulde of take dowble Godhede; the whiche moost therfor thei diden, for he was knowen to falle into the techyng of Plato. Wherfore wher euere holi wrytt witnessith ony holi thing of the Fadre, and the Sone, and the Holy Goost, or othre wyse thei vndiden, or algatis helden ther pees, that thei my&yogh;ten do aseth to the kyng, and that thei opened not the priuete of the bileue. And I not who, the first auctour, thur&yogh; his lesyng maad out seuenti sellis at Alysawndre, in the whiche thei deuydide the same thingis shulde wryte; sith Aresteus, of the same Ptholome chefe counseylour, and keper of bokis, and myche tyme aftir Josaphus, not suche thinge tolden, but wryten hem, gadrid to

gider in o chirche, to han spokin togider, and not to haue prophecied. It is another to be a prophet, and an other to ben an vndoer of langage; there the spiryt seith bifore thingis that ben to comen, here teching and plente of wordis, thingis that he vndurstondith translateth. But perauenture Tullyus is to be wenyd enblowid with the spirit of retorik, to haue translatid the boke that is seid Economyk of Zenofontes, and the boke that is seid the Pictagore of Plato, and the boke that is seid Prothesifontes of Demostynes; other the Holi Gost wenyde witnessis of the same bokis othre wise bi the seuenti vndoers of tungis, othre wise bi the apostlis, that that thei helden ther pees, thes han li&yogh;id to ben writun. What thanne? dampne we the olde? nay, but after the studies of the rather men, in the hous of the Lord we traueilen that that we may. Thei han undon scripturis before the coming of Crist; and that that thei wisten not, thei han spokin with doutous sentence; we after the passioun and the resurreccoun of hym not oonli profesie, but storye wrytun. Othre weys forsothe thingis seen, other wise thingis herd ben told; that we beter vndirstonden, beter we tellen. Here than, thou enemye, herkyn, thow backbiter; I dampe not, I reprehende not the seuenti, but trustily I putte bifore the apostlis to alle tho; bi the mowthe of these to me Crist sowneth, whom before the prophetis amonge spiritual &yogh;iftis Y rede sett, amonge the which the vndoers of tungis holden fulli the last degre. Wherto art thou tourmentid with enuy? what sterist thow vnwise mennus willis a&yogh;ens me? if where Y seme to thee erre in the translating, aske the Ebrewis, conseil the maystrys of dyuerse citees; that thei han of Crist, thi bokis han not. It is another, if the witnessis vsurped of the apostlis after proueden a&yogh;en hem seluen, and the Latyn saumplers ben more amendid than Grekis, Grekis than Ebrews. But thes a&yogh;enus the enuyows. Now, ful dere Desidery, I preye thee, for that thou hast maad me to vndergon so greet werk, and to take the bigynnyng of Genesis,

helpe thow with preiers, that I mowe thur&yogh; the same spyryt, thur&yogh; which the bokis ben wrytun, translaten hem into Latyn sermown. `Here endith the Prologis.

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