shewid; and the name of the Lord Tetragramaton in summe Grece volyms vnto this day we han founden with oold lettris expressyd. But and the Salmys sixe and thretti, and the hundrid tenthe, and the hundryd enleueth, and the hundrid ei&yogh;tenth, and the hundrid foure and fourtithe, albeit that thei ben wryten with dyuerse metre, neuerthelater thei ben weuyd with the abece of the same noumbre; and the Lamentaciouns of Jeremye, and the Preier of hym, and forsothe the Prouerbis of Salomon, in the eend, fro that place in whiche he seith, A strong womman who shal fynde, with the same abicees or markyngis ben noumbrid. Forsothe fyue dowble lettrys ben anentis the Ebrewis, Caph, Men, Nun, Phe, Sade; forsothe other wise thei writen bi thes the bigynningis and the mydils of wordis, other wise the eendis. Wherfore and fyue bokis, Samuel, Malachym, Dabreiamyn, Esdras, Jeremye with Cynoth, that is, his Lamentaciouns, ben eymyd of sum men dowble bookis. What maner wise therfor two and twenti elymentis ben, bi the whiche we wryten Ebrewly al that we speken, and mannus voyce with the bigynnyngis of hem is takun, so two and twenti volyms ben noumbrid, bi the whiche as bi lettris and bigynnyngis the tendre and the &yogh;it sowkynge childhod of the ri&yogh;twise man is tau&yogh;t in the doctrine of God. The first book anentis hem is clepid Bresith, which we Genesis seyn; the secounde, Ellesmoth, `the which Exodus is clepid; the thridde is Vagetra, that is Leuytik; the ferth, Vagedaber, `the which we clepen Noumbre; the fifthe Abdabarym, `the which is before notid Deutronomy. Thes ben the fyue bokis of Moyses, `the whiche thei clepen proprely Thorath, that is, the lawe. The secounde ordre of the prophetis thei maken, and bigynnen fro Jesu, the sone of Naue, `the which anentis hem is seid Josue Bennun.

Fro thens thei vndurweuyden Sophym, that is, the book of Jugis; and into the same thei putten in Ruth, for in the days of Jugis don is toold hir storye. The thridde folowith Samuel, the which we seyn the Firste and the Secounde of Rewmys; the ferthe, Malachim, that is, of Kyngis, the which is conteyned in the thridde and the ferthe volym of Rewmys; and mych betere it is to seye Malachym, that is, of Kyngis, thanne Malathot, that is, of Rewmes; forsothe not of many folk he discriueth rewmes, but of oon Yrael puple, that is conteyned in twelue lynagis. The fifthe is Ysay; the sixt Jeremye; the seuenthe Ezechiel; the ei&yogh;tith the book of the twelue prophetis, `the which anentis hem is clepid Thariasra. The thridde ordre weeldith Agiogropha, that ben holi wryten ensaumplis. And the first book bigynneth fro Job; the secounde fro Dauyd, the which men holden in fyue dyuysiouns, and in o volym of Psalmys; the thridde is of Salomon, hauynge thre bokis, Prouerbis, that thei clepen Parablis, that is, Masloth; the ferthe Ecclesiasten, that is, Coelech; the fifthe is Soonge of Songis, whom thei before noten bi title Syrassyrym; the sixte is Danyel; the seuenthe Dabreiamyn, that is, the wordis of days, the whiche more nameli we mowen clepe the Cronycle of al Goddis story, the which book anentis vs is wryten Paralypomynon the First and the Secounde; the ei&yogh;tthe Esdras, the which and he lijk maner, anentis Grekis and Latyns, in two bokis is dyuydid; the nynthe Ester. And so ben maad togidre the bokis of the oold lawe two and twenti, that is, of Moyses fyue, of Prophetis ei&yogh;te, of Agiografis, that ben expresse exsaumplis to holynesse, nyne; al be it that summe writen Ruth and Synoth among the Agiographis, and thes bookis in her noumbre thei wenen to be to noumbrid, and bi that to ben of the

oold lawe foure and twenti bookis; the whiche vndre noumbre of foure and twenti eldris the Apocalips of Joon bryngith yn, honourynge the loomb, and offrynge her crownes, the cheerys born doun, hem stondynge before the foure beestis eyed before and behynde, that is, biholdynge into that that is passid, and into that that is to comen, and criynge with contynuel voyce, Holy, Holy, Holi, Lord God Almy&yogh;ti, that was, and that is, and that is to comen! This prologe of Scripturis as an helmyd bigynnynge to al the bokis `the whiche fro Ebrewe we han turned into Latyn, may acoorde, that we mowen knowe that what euere thing out of thes is, it is to be put among the Apographase, that is, among tho thingis whos autor is not knowun of al holi chirch. Therfore Sapiens, that comounli is wryten in of Salomon, and of Jesu, the sone of Syrak, and the book of Judith, and Toby, and Pastor, ben not in the canoun. I foond the Fyrst book of Machabeis Ebrewe; the Secounde is Greke, that may be proued of that settynge. The whiche thingis whanne thei so han hem, thou reder, Y biseche thee, ne eyme thou my traueyle the repreuynge of oold men. In the tabernacle of God ech man offreth that he may; other men gold, and siluer, and precious stones; other men bise, and purpur, and cocko offren, and iacynct. With vs is wel doon, if we offren skynnys and heeris of she geet; and neuerthelater the Apostle oure more contemptible thingis shewith more nedeful. Wherfor and al the fayrnesse of the tabernacle, and the distinccioun of the present, and of the chirche to comen, bi eche spicis is couered with skynnys, and with herys; tho that ben fowler thingis letten the brennynge of the sunne, and the harme of wederis. Thanne rede thow first Samuel, and myn Malachym, myn forsothe, myn; what euere thing forsothe ofter turnynge and in amendynge

more bisili and we han lernyd, and we holden, oure is, oure is. And whanne thou vndurstoondist that bifore hoond thou knewe not, or eyme thou me a remenour, if thou art kynde, or a leeyer bisiden, if thow art vnkynde; al be it that Y haue no conscience to myself, me to haue chaungid eny thing fro Ebrews trewth. Certeyne, if thow ert of hard bileue, rede Greke bokis and Latyns, and ley togidre with thes litil werkis, `the whiche aboue we han out toold; and where euere thow see bitwix hemself to discorde, ask eny of the Ebrews, to whom more thou owist to &yogh;eue feith, and if oure thingis he stable, I trowe that thou shalt not eyme hym a lyer, for in the same place with me lijk maner he dyuyne. But and &yogh;ow, wymmen seruauntis of Crist, Y preye, the whiche anoynten the heed of the Lord, doun syttynge with the moost precyous myrre of bileue, the whiche sechen not the Saueour in sepulcre, for whom nowe Crist hath stied vp to the fader, that a&yogh;ens the berkynge houndis that a&yogh;ens me with wood mouth waxen cruel, and goon about the cytee, and in that demen hem self wyse, if to other they bacbiten, that &yogh;e a&yogh;en putten the targetis of &yogh;oure preyers. I, knowynge my lownes, of that sentence euere more Y shal recorde, I seyde, I shal kepe my weyes, that I trespasse not in my tunge; Y haue put to my mouth warde, whanne the synful stood a&yogh;ens me; Y bicam dowmbe, and am lowid, and heelde my pees fro good thingis. Here endith the prolog of the foure bokis of Kyngis, and nowe bygynneth the first book.

The firste of Kyngis. CAP. I.

1   There was a man of Ramathaym of Sophym, of the hil of Effraym, and the name of hym Elchana, the sone of Jeroboam, sone of Elyuth, sone of Thau, sone of Suph, Eufrate. 2   And he hadde two wyues; name to the toon Anna, and name to the secounde Phenenna; and there weren of Phenenne sonys; forsothe of Anne there weren noon free children. 3   And that man stiede fro his cytee vp the ordeynd days, for to honour and sacrifie to the Lord of oostis in Sylo. Forsothe there weren the two sonys of Hely, Ophny and Phynees, preestis of the Lord. 4   The day thanne cam, and Elchana offerde, and &yogh;af to Phenenne his wijf, and to alle his children and dou&yogh;tren parties; 5   forsothe to Anne he &yogh;af o party drerye, for he louede Anne; forsothe the Lord hadde closid hir wombe. 6   Forsothe hir enemye tourmentide hir, and hugely angwishide, in so mych that she putte to reproue, that the Lord hadde closid hir wombe. 7   And so she dyde bi ech &yogh;eer, whanne, turnynge a&yogh;en the tyme, thei styeden vp into the hows of the Lord; and she so terryde hyr. Forsothe she wepte, and took no meete. 8   Thanne seide to hyr Helchana, hir man, Anna, whi wepist thow, and whi etist thow nou&yogh;t, and for what cause is tourmentid thin herte? Whether am Y not betere to thee than ten sones? 9   Forsothe Anna roos, after that she hadde eetyn in Silo and dronken. And Hely the preest sittynge vpon a litil seete, before the postis of the hows of the Lord, whanne Anna was in bitter inwit, 10   she

preiede the Lord, wepynge largeli; 11   and a vowe she vowide, seiynge, Lord God of oostis, if biholdynge thow see the tourmentynge of thi seruaunt, and were recordid of me, ne for&yogh;etist thin hoondmaydyn, and &yogh;yuest to thi seruaunt maal kynde, I shal &yogh;yue hym to the Lord alle the days of his lijf, and rasour shal not stie vpon his heed. 12   Forsothe it is doon, that whanne she multipliede preiers before the Lord, that Heli weytide hir mouth. 13   Forsothe Anna spak in hir herte, and oonli the lippis of hir weren meued, and the vois of hire was not fulli herd. Heli therfor eymyde hir dronken, and seide to hyr, 14   Howe long shalt thou be dronken? Defye a litil wi&yogh;t the wyn, bi the which thou art dronken. 15   Anna answerynge, Nay, she seith, my lord, for a womman wel mych wretcheful Y am; for wyn and al that may make dronken Y dranke not, but I haue held out my soule in the si&yogh;t of the Lord; 16   ne hoold thou thin handwomman as oon of the dou&yogh;tres of Belial, for of the multitude of sorwe and of my mournynge Y haue spokun vnto nowe. 17   Thanne Heli seith to hir, Go in pees, and God of Yrael &yogh;eue to thee the askynge that thou hast preied hym. 18   And she seide, Wolde God thin handwoman fynde grace in thin eyen. And the womman &yogh;ede into hir weye, and eete; and the cheeris of hir ben not more ouere into dyuerse thingis chaungid. 19   And thei arysen eerly, and anowreden before the Lord; and ben turned a&yogh;en, and camen into her hows in Ramatha. Forsothe Helchana knewe Anne his wijf; and the Lord is recordid of hir. 20   And doon it is after the cercle of dais, Anna conceyuede, and beer a child, and clepide his name Samuel;

forthi that she hadde askid hym of the Lord. 21   Forsothe hir man Helchana stiede vp, and al his hows, for to offre to the Lord a solempne oost, and his vowe. 22   And Anna assendide not; forsothe she seide to hir man, Y shal not goo, to the tyme that the child be wened, and I brynge hym, and he apere before the si&yogh;t of the Lord, and dwelle there contynuely. 23   And Helchana, hir man, seith to hir, Do that is seen to thee good, and dwel to the tyme that thow wene hym; and I preye, that the Lord fulfille his word. Thanne the woman abood, and &yogh;af hir sone mylk, to the tyme that he shulde meue hym awey fro the mylk. 24   And she brou&yogh;te hym with hir, after that she hadde wened hym, with thre calues, and thre bushelis of meele, and a vessel of wyn; and she brou&yogh;te him to the hows of the Lord in Sylo. Forsothe the child &yogh;it was a lytil faunt. 25   And thei slewen a calf, and offreden the child to Hely. 26   And Anna seith, I biseche, my lord, thi soule lyueth; Y am that womman, that stood before thee here, preyinge to the Lord; 27   for this child I preyede, and the Lord hath &yogh;euen to me the askynge that I askyde hym; 28   therfor and I haue lent hym to the Lord alle the dais, in the whiche he were lent to the Lord. And there thei honourden the Lord. And Anna honourde, and seith, CAP. II.

1   Gladid out is myn herte in the Lord, and areryd is myn horn in my God; maad large is my mouth vpon myn enemyes, for Y am glade in thin &yogh;yuer of heelth. 2   There is noon holy as is the Lord; forsothe ne there is other with out thee, and there is not strong as our

God. 3   Wole &yogh;e not multiplie to speke hei&yogh;e thingis, gloriynge; go there awey oold thingis fro &yogh;oure mouthe; for the God of sciencis Lord is, and to hym ben before maad redi thou&yogh;tis. 4   The boowe of stronge men is ouercomen, and feble ben gird with strength. 5   The fillid before for looues han leyd hem self, and the hungri ben fulfillid; to the tyme that the bareyn bere wel many, and she that many sones hadde, is feblid. 6   The Lord mortifieth, and quykeneth; bryngith doun to hellis, and a&yogh;en bryngith. 7   The Lord makith pore, and richeth; and mekith, and vndurrerith. 8   He bryngith vp fro powdre the nedye, and fro dryt he heueth vp the pore, that he sitte with princis, and the seet of glorie he holde; of the Lord forsothe ben the vttermoost parties of the erthe, and he hath put vpon hem the world. 9   The feet of his halowis he shal kepe, and vnpyteuous men in derknessis shulen waxe stille; for in his owne strength shal not be strengthid a man. 10   The Lord shulen drede the aduersaries of hym, and vpon hem in heuenes he shal thondre; the Lord shal deme the eendis of erthe, and he shal &yogh;yue empyre to his kyng, and he shal hie&yogh; the horn of his Crist. 11   And Helchana wente in Ramatha, into his hows; forsothe the child was seruaunt in the si&yogh;t of the Lord before the face of Hely the preest. 12   Forsothe the sones of Hely the sones of Belial, 13   not knowynge the Lord, ne the office of preestis to the puple; but who so euere hadde offerd the slayn sacrifyce, the child of the preest cam, while the flesh were sothen, and hadde a flesh hook thre tothid in his hoond; 14   and he putte it into the leede, or into the cawdroun, or into the pot, or into the greet panne; and al that the fleshook reryde, the preest

took to hym self; so thei diden to al Irael of men comynge in Silo. 15   Also or that thei brenten the fat, the child of the preest cam, and seide to the offrere, &YOGH;if to me flesh, that I seethe to the preest; I shal not take forsothe sothen flesh, but rawe. 16   And the offrere seide to hym, Be brent first after the maner to day the talw&yogh;, and tak to thee as mych as thi soule desireth. The which answerynge seide to hym, Nay, forsothe nowe thow shalt &yogh;yue; ellis I shal tak bi forse. 17   Therfor the synne of the children was greet wel mych before the Lord; for thei drowen awey men fro the sacrifice of the Lord. 18   Forsothe Samuel seruede before the face of the Lord, a child gird with a surplesse. 19   And a litil coote his moder made to hym, the which she brou&yogh;t the ordeyned days, stiynge vp with hir man for to offre a solempne oost, and hir vowe. 20   And Hely blesside to Elchana and to his wijf; and he seide to hym, The Lord &yogh;eelde to thee seed of this womman, for the encrees that thou hast lent to the Lord. And thei wenten into her place. 21   Thanne the Lord visitide Anne, and she conseyuede, and bare thre sones and two dou&yogh;tren. And the child Samuel is magnyfied anentis the Lord. 22   Forsothe Hely was wel oold, and he herde alle thingis that his sones diden in al Yrael, and what maner wise thei slepten with wymmen, the whiche weyteden at the dore of the tabernacle. 23   And he seide to hem, Whi doon &yogh;e siche maner thingis, the which I here werst thingis of al the puple? 24   Wole &yogh;e not, my sones; it is not good loos that Y here, that &yogh;e maken to trespas the puple of the Lord. 25   If a man synneth in a man, God may be plesid to him; forsothe if in to the Lord a man

synneth, who shal preye for hym? And thei herden not the voyce of her fader, for God wold sleen hem. 26   Forsothe Samuel the child profitide, and wexe; and he pleside both to God and to men. 27   Forsothe there cam a man of God to Heli, and seith to hym, Thes thingis seith the Lord, Whether not apertly Y am shewid to the hows of thi fader, whanne thei weren in Egipt, in the hows of Pharao? 28   And I cheese him of alle the lynagis of Yrael to me in to preest, that he shulde stie vp to myn auter, and brenne to me encense, and beer before me ephot; and I haue &yogh;ouen to the hows of thi fader alle thingis of the sacrifices of the sones of Yrael. 29   Whi with the heele &yogh;e han throwen awey my slayn sacrifice, and my &yogh;iftis, that I haue comaundid to be offred in the temple; and more thou hast honourede thi sones than me, that &yogh;e my&yogh;ten eete the cheese thingis of al the sacrifice of Yrael, my puple? 30   Therfor seith the Lord God of Yrael, Spekynge I haue spoken, that thin hows and the hows of thi fader serue in my si&yogh;t into with out ende; forsothe nowe seith the Lord, Awey be that fro me; but who so euere honourith me, Y shal glorifie hym; forsothe who dispisen me, shulen be vnnoble. 31   Loo! the dais comen, and I shal kut of thin arme, and the arme of the hows of thi fadre, that there be not an oold man in thin hows. 32   And thou shalt see thin enemye in the temple, in alle the welsum thingis of Yrael; and there shal not be an oold man in thin hous alle dais. 33   Neuerthelater I shal not doo awey fulli fro thee a man fro myn auter, but that thin eyen faylen, and thi lijf fayle; and a greet parti of thin hows shal die, whanne to mannus age it shal come. 34   Forsothe this shal be the tokne, that is to come to

thi two sonys, Ophny and Phynees, in o day thei shulen die bothe. 35   And I shal rere to me a trewe preest, that after myn herte and soule shal doo; and I shal bilde to hym a trewe hows, and he shal goo before my Crist alle days. 36   Forsothe it is to come, that who so euere abidith stil in thin hows, he come that it be preyed for hym, and he offre a silueren peny, and a round kaak of breed, and seye, Lete me, Y biseche, to o preeste paarte, that I eete a morsel of breed. CAP. III.

1   Child forsothe Samuel mynystrede to the Lord before Hely, and the sermoun of the Lord was precious; in tho dais was noon opyn visioun. 2   It was maad thann on a day, Heli leye in his place, and his eyen daswiden, and he my&yogh;te not see the lanterne of God, before it were quenchid. 3   Forsoth Samuel slepte in the temple of the Lord, where was the arke of God. 4   And the Lord clepide Samuel; the which answerynge seith, Loo! I. 5   And he ranne to Hely, and seide to hym, Loo! Y; thou hast clepid forsothe me. The which seide, I haue not clepid thee; turn a&yogh;en and sleep. And he &yogh;ede and slept. 6   And the Lord eft leyde to to clepe Samuel; and Samuel rysynge &yogh;ede to Heli, and seide, Loo! Y; for thou hast clepid me. The which answeryde, Y haue not clepid thee, sone myn; turn a&yogh;en and sleep. 7   Forsothe Samuel &yogh;it not knewe the Lord, ne the sermoun of the Lord was openyd to hym. 8   And the Lord leide to, and &yogh;it clepide Samuel the thridde tyme; the which rysynge &yogh;ede to Hely, and seith, Loo! 9   Y; for thou hast clepid me. Thanne Hely vndurstood, that the Lord clepide the child; and he seith to Samuel, Go and sleep;

and if herafter he clepe thee, thou shalt seye, Spek, Lord, for thi seruaunt herith. Thanne Samuel wente and slept in his place. 10   And the Lord cam, and stood, and clepide as he clepide the secounde tyme, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel seith, Spek, Lord, for thi seruaunt herith. 11   And the Lord seide to Samuel, Loo! Y doo a word in Yrael, the which who so euere herith, bothe his eeris shulen tynclen. 12   In that day I shal arere a&yogh;ens Hely alle thingis, the whiche I haue spokun vpon the hows of hym; Y shal bigynne, and fulfille. 13   Forsothe I seide before to hym, that I was to deme his hows without ende for wickidnes; for thi that he knewe his sonys vnworthili to doon, and vndurnam hem not. 14   Therfore Y swore to the hows of Hely, that the wickidnes of hys hows shal not be doon a seeth before with slayn sacrifices and &yogh;iftis vnto with out ende. 15   Forsothe Samuel slept vnto the morwe, and he openyde the dorys of the hows of the Lord; and Samuel dredde to shewe the visyoun to Hely. 16   Thanne Hely clepide Samuel, and seide, Samuel, my sone. The which answerynge seith, Y am redy. 17   And he askide hym, What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? Y preye thee, ne hele thou fro me; thes thingis do to thee God, and thes thingis adde, if thou hidist fro me a word of alle the wordis that ben seyd to thee. 18   And Samuel shewide to hym alle the wordis, and hidde not fro hym. And he answerde, A Lord he is; that good is in his eyen, do he. 19   Forsothe Samuel wexe, and the Lord was with hym, and there felle not into the erthe of alle the wordis of hym. 20   And alle Yrael knew&yogh; fro Dan vnto Bersabee, that Samuel was the feithful

prophet of the Lord. 21   And the Lord addide that he shulde apere in Sylo, for the Lord was shewid to Samuel in Sylo after the word of the Lord; and the word of Samuel felle `into al Yrael. CAP. IV.

1   And it is doon in tho days Philistien camen to gidre into fi&yogh;t; forsothe and Yrael wente out into batayl to meet Phylistien, and he sette tentis bisyde the stoon of help. Forsothe Philistien camen into Aphet, 2   and maden shiltroun a&yogh;ens Yrael. Forsothe, the strijf bigun, Yrael turnede backis to the Philistiens; and there ben slayn in that strijf pasmele bi feeldis as foure thowsandys of men; 3   and the puple is turnede a&yogh;en to the tentis. And the more thur&yogh; birth of Yrael seyden, Whi hath the Lord smyten vs to day before Philistien? Brynge we forth to vs fro Sylo the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord, and come it in the myddil of vs, that is saue vs fro the hoond of oure enemyes. 4   Thanne the puple senten into Sylo, and token thens the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord of oostis, sittynge vpon cherubym. And the two sones of Hely, Ophny and Phynees, weren with the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord. 5   And whanne the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord was comen into the tentis, al Yrael cryede out with a greet crye, and the erth thur&yogh; sownede. 6   And Philistien herden the voys of the crye, and seiden, Forsothe what is this vois of greet crye in the tentis of Ebrewis? And thei knewen, that the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord was comen into the tentis. 7   And Philistien dredden, seiynge,

God is comen into the tentis; and inwardly thei weiliden, 8   seiynge, Woo to vs! forsothe there was not so mych gladynge &yogh;isterday, ne before &yogh;istirday; woo to vs! who shal kepe vs fro the hoondis of thes hei&yogh;e goddis? thes ben the goddis that smyten Egipt bi al veniaunce in deseert. 9   Takith coumfort, and `be &yogh;e men of Philistien, ne serue &yogh;e to Ebrewis, as thei serueden to vs; takith coumfort, and fi&yogh;tith. 10   Thanne Philystien fou&yogh;ten, and Yrael is hewen down, and echon flee&yogh; into his tabernacle; and there is doon a wel greet veniaunce, and there fellen of Yrael thretti thowsandis of foot men. 11   And the arke of God is taken, and the two sones of Hely ben deed, Ophny and Phynees. 12   Forsothe rennynge a man of Beniamyn fro the sheltroun cam into Sylo in that day, rent the clooth, and spreynt with powdre the heed; 13   and whan he was comen, Hely sat vpon the litil seet a&yogh;ens the weye abidynge; forsothe his herte was dredynge for the arke of the Lord. Forsothe that man after that he is goon yn, toolde to the cytee, and al the cytee &yogh;ellide. 14   And Hely herde the sown of the crye, and seide, What is this sown of this noyse? And he hiede, and cam, and toold to Hely. 15   Forsothe Hely was of nynty and ei&yogh;t &yogh;eer, and his eyen dasweden, and he my&yogh;t not se. 16   And he seyde to Hely, Y am that am comen fro the batayl, and Y that haue flowen fro the shiltroun to day. To whom he seith, What is doon, sone myn? 17   Answerynge forsothe he that toold, seith, Yrael hath flowen before the Philistiens, and a greet fallynge is doo in the puple; also and thi two sones been deed, Ophny and Phynees, and the arke of God is takun. 18   And whanne he hadde

nemnyd the arke, he felle fro the litil seet backward biside the dore, and the scullis brokun, he is deed. Forsothe an oold man he was, and of greet age; and he demyde Yrael fourti &yogh;eer. 19   His dou&yogh;tre in lawe forsothe, the wijf of Phynees, was with child, and ny&yogh; to the berynge; and the messager herde that the arke of God was takun, and hir fader in lawe deed, and hir man, she bowide hir self, and bare child; forsothe there fellen in hir sodeyn sorwis. 20   Forsothe in that moment of her deeth seiden to hir, that stoden about hir, Ne drede thow, for a sone thow hast born. The which answerde not to hem, forsothe ne took hede. 21   And she clepide the child Hicaboth, seiynge, Translatid is the glorye of the Lord fro Irael, for takun is the ark of God; and for hir fader in lawe and for hir man she seith, 22   Translatid is the glorie of God fro Yrael; forthi that the arke of God was takun. CAP. V.

1   Philistien forsothe token the arke of God, and beren it fro the stoon of help into Azoth. 2   And Philistien token the arke of God, and brou&yogh;ten it into the temple of Dagon, and setten it beside Dagon. 3   And whanne Azothis weren rysen eerli the tother day, loo! Dagon lay redi in the eerth before the ark of the Lord. And thei token Dagon, and setten it a&yogh;en in his place. 4   And eft, eerly the tother day rysynge, thei fonden Dagon liynge vpon his face in the erthe before the arke of the Lord. Forsothe the heed of Dagon, and the two palmys of his hoondis weren kut awey vpon the thresshwold; 5   forsothe the stok of Dagon aloone lafte in his place. For this cause the preestis of Dagon, and alle that goon into his temple, treden not vpon the thresshwold of Dagon in Azoth vnto the

day that is nowe. 6   Forsothe the hoond of the Lord is greggid vpon the Azothis, and he wastide hem, and he smoot Azothe and his coostis in the more priue party of the arsis; and the towns and feeldis booyleden out in the mydil of that regioun, and myis ben born; and there is doon a greet confusioun of deeth in the cytee. 7   Men forsothe of Azoth seynge siche a maner veniaunce seiden, Dwel not the arke of God of Yrael anentis vs; for hard is his hoond vpon vs, and vpon Dagon oure god. 8   And seendynge thei gedreden to hem self alle the maystris of Philistiens, and seiden, What shulen we doo of the arke of God of Yrael? And Gethey answerden, The arke of God of Yrael be turned about; and thei turneden about the arke of God of Yrael. 9   Forsothe hem turnynge it about, the hoond of the Lord of a greet slau&yogh;ter wel mych was doon vpon alle the cytees; and he smoot the men of ech cytee fro litil vnto more, and the arsroppis of hem goynge out stonken; and Gethey wenten into counseil, and maden to hem letheren seetis. 10   Thanne thei senten the arke of the Lord into Acharon. And whanne the arke of the Lord was comen into Acharon, Acharonytis cryeden out, seiynge, Thei han brou&yogh;t to vs the arke of God of Yrael, that he sle vs and oure puple. 11   Thei senten thanne, and gedriden togidre alle the maystrys of Philistiens; the which seiden, Leeue &yogh;e the arke of God of Yrael, and be it turned a&yogh;en into his place, and sle it not vs with oure puple. 12   Forsothe dreed of deth was maad in alle the cytees, and moost greuous was greetli the hoond of the Lord. Forsothe the men, that weren not deed, weren smyten in the priuyer party of the arsis, and the &yogh;ellynge of ech cytee stiede vp into heuene.

CAP. VI.

1   Was thanne the arke of the Lord in the regioun of the Philistiens seuen monethes; 2   and after thes thingis Philistiens clepiden the preestis and dyuynours, seiynge, What shal we doon with the arke of God? Shewe &yogh;e vs, what maner wyse we shulen sende it a&yogh;en `in to his place. 3   The whiche seiden, If &yogh;e senden a&yogh;en the arke of God of Yrael, wole &yogh;e not leeue it voyde, but that &yogh;e owen, &yogh;eldeth to hym for the synne; and thanne &yogh;e shulen be heelid, and &yogh;e shulen knowe, whi that his hoond goth not a wey fro &yogh;ow. 4   The whiche seiden, What is that for the trespasse we owen to &yogh;eeld to it? 5   And thei answerden, After noumbre of prouyncis of Philistiens fyue golden arsis &yogh;e shulen make, and fyue golden myis; for o plage was to &yogh;ow alle and to &yogh;oure maistris. And &yogh;e shulen make a licnesse of &yogh;oure arsis, and a licnesse of the myis that han wastid the loond; and &yogh;e shulen &yogh;yue to the God of Yrael glorye, if perauenture he releue his hoond fro &yogh;ou, and fro &yogh;oure goddis, and fro &yogh;oure loond. 6   Whi agreggen &yogh;e &yogh;oure hertis, as Egipt agreggide, and Pharao his hert? Whether not after he is smyten, thanne he lafte hem, and thei &yogh;eden a wey? 7   Nowe thanne takith, and makith a newe weyn, and ioyneth two kyen that han calued late, in the weyn, to whom is not put on &yogh;ok; and reclosith her calues at home. 8   And &yogh;e shulen take the arke of the Lord, and putte in the weyn; and the goldun vessels that &yogh;e han payed out to it for the trespas, &yogh;e shulen put in a litle cofre at the side of it; and leeue &yogh;e it, that it goo. 9   And &yogh;e shulen biholden, forsothe and if bi the weye of her coostis it stie vp a&yogh;en Bethsames, it

hath doo to &yogh;ou this greet yuel; forsothe if not, we shulen wyte that the hoond of it hath not towchid vs, but by hap it hath fallun. 10   Thanne thei diden this wise; and takynge two kyen that &yogh;auen calues sowke, thei ioyneden to the wayn; forsothe the calues of hem thei closiden at home. 11   And thei putten the arke of God vpon the wayn, and the litle coofre that hadde the golden myis, and the licnes of arsis. 12   Forsothe the kyen &yogh;eden euen ry&yogh;t bi the weye that ledith to Bethsames; and in o weye thei wenten goynge and loowynge, and thei boweden not asyde ne to the ry&yogh;t ne to the left; but and the maystris of Philistyens folweden vnto the teermys of Bethsames. 13   Forsothe Bethsamytis repiden whete in the valey, and rerynge vp the eyen thei seen the arke, and thei ioyeden, whanne thei hadden seen. 14   And the wayn cam into the feeld of Josue Bethsamyte, and stood there. Forsothe a greet stoon was there; and thei heweden the trees of the wayn, and the kien thei putten vpon, the brent sacrifice to the Lord. 15   Forsothe Leuytis putten down the arke of God, and the litil coofre that was biside it, in the which weren the golden vessels; and thei putten vpon the greet stoon. Forsothe Bethsamytis men offreden brent sacrifice, and slewen sacrifices in that day to the Lord. 16   And the fyue maystris of Philistiens seen, and ben turned a&yogh;en into Acharon in that day. 17   Forsothe thes ben the golden arsis, the whiche Philistiens for the trespas &yogh;olden to the Lord; A&yogh;ot oon, Gaza oon, Ashalon oon, Geth oon, Acharon oon; 18   and goldun myis after the noumbre of Philistiens cytees, of the fyue prouyncis, fro wallid cytee vnto toun that was with outen wal, and vnto greet Abel,

vpon the which he putte the ark of the Lord, that was vnto that day in the feeld of Josue Bethsamyte. 19   Forsothe he smoot of the men of Bethsamyte, for that thei hadden seen the arke of the Lord, and he smoot of the puple seuenti men, and fifti thowsandis of the raskeyl. And the puple weyliden, whanne the Lord hadde smyten with a greet veniaunce the comoun puple. 20   And the men of Bethsamyte seiden, Who shal mowe stoond in the si&yogh;t of this holy Lord God, and to whom shal he stye vp fro vs? 21   And thei senten messagerys to the dwellers of Caryathyarym, seiynge, Philistiens han brou&yogh;t a&yogh;en the arke of the Lord; cometh doun, and bryngeth it a&yogh;en to &yogh;ow. CAP. VII.

1   Thanne the men of Caryathyarym camen, and brou&yogh;ten a&yogh;en the arke of the Lord, and beren it into the hows of Amynadab in Gabaa. And thei halweden Eleazar his sone, for he shulde kepe the arke of the Lord. 2   And it is doon, fro what day the arke of the Lord dwellide in Caryathiarym, multiplied ben the days; forsothe nowe was the twentithe &yogh;eer; and al the hows of Yrael restide after the Lord. 3   Forsothe Samuel seith to al the hows of Yrael, seiynge, If in al &yogh;oure herte &yogh;e turnen to the Lord, doth awey alien goddis fro the mydil of &yogh;ow, Baalym and Astaroth; and makith redi &yogh;oure hertis to the Lord, and serueth to hym alone; and he shal delyuere &yogh;ow fro the hond of Philistyens. 4   Thanne the sones of Yrael token awey Baalym and Astaroth, and serueden to the Lord alone. 5   Forsothe Samuel seide, Gederith al Yrael in to Masphat, that Y preye the Lord for &yogh;ou. 6   And thei camen to gidre in Masphat,

and thei drewen water, and heelden out in the si&yogh;t of the Lord; and thei fastiden in that day, and seiden, To thee we han synned, Lord. And Samuel demyde the sones of Yrael in Masphat. 7   And Philistiens herden that the sones of Yrael weren gedryd in Masphat; and the satrapis of Philistiens stieden vp to Yrael. The which thing whanne the sones of Yrael hadden herd, thei dredden fro the face of Philistiens. 8   And thei seiden to Samuel, Ne ceese thow for vs to crye to the Lord oure God, that he saue vs fro the hond of Philistyens. 9   Forsothe Samuel took o sowkynge loomb, and offrede it into hool brent sacrifice to the Lord. And Samuel criede to the Lord for Yrael; and the Lord herde hym. 10   Forsothe it is doon, whanne Samuel offrede brent sacryfice, Philistiens to-goon into batayl a&yogh;ens Yrael. Forsothe the Lord thundryde with greet crakkynge in that day vpon the Philistiens, and he feeride hem; and thei ben slayn fro the face of Yrael. 11   And the sones of Yrael goon out fro Masphat, pursueden Philistiens, and smyten hem vnto the place that was vndur Bethaar. 12   Forsothe Samuel took a stoon, and putte it betwix Masphat and betwix Sen; and he clepide the name of that place The stoon of help. And he seide, Hidir to the Lord hath holpen to vs. 13   And Philistiens ben mekid, and no more ouer thei leiden to that thei camen into the teermys of Yrael. And so is doon the hoond of the Lord vpon Philistyens alle the days of Samuel. 14   And the cytees that the Philistiens token fro Yrael, ben &yogh;olden a&yogh;en to Yrael, fro Accharon vnto Geth and his teermys; and he delyueride Yrael fro the hoond of Philistyens; and pees was bitwix

Yrael and Ammorre. 15   Forsothe Samuel demyde Yrael alle the days of his lijf; 16   and wente bi eche &yogh;eer enuyrounynge Bethel, and Galgal, and Masphat, and he demyde Yrael in the forseid placis; 17   and turned a&yogh;en in to Ramatha, forsothe there was his hows; and there he demyde Yrael, and he bildide vp there also an auter to the Lord. CAP. VIII.

1   Forsothe it is doon whanne Samuel wexe oold, he putte his sones domesmen of Yrael. 2   And the name of his first geten sone was Joel, the name of the secounde Abya, domysmen in Bersabe. 3   And the sones of hym wenten not in his weyes, but boweden aside after aueryce, and thei token &yogh;iftis, and thei peruertiden doom. 4   Thann alle the more thur&yogh; birth of Yrael gedrid, camen to Samuel in Ramatha. 5   And thei seiden to hym, Loo! thou art waxen oold, and thi sones goon not in thi weyes; ordeyn to vs a kyng, that he deme vs, and as alle nacyouns han. 6   And the word displeside in the eyen of Samuel, forthi that thei hadden seid, &YOGH;if to vs a kyng, that he deme vs. And Samuel preide to the Lord. 7   Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here the voys of the puple in alle thingis that thei speken to thee; forsothe thei han not throwun a wey thee, but me, lest Y regne vpon hem. 8   Aftir alle her werkis that thei han doo, fro the day that Y ladde hem out of Egipt vnto this day, as thei forsoken me, and serueden to alien goddis, so thei doon also to thee. 9   Nowe thanne here the voyce of hem; neuerthelater take hem to gidre to witnesse; and sey before to hem the ri&yogh;t of a kyng,

the which is to regne vpon hem. 10   And so Samuel seide alle the wordis of the Lord to the puple, that askiden of him a kyng; and seith, 11   This shal be the ri&yogh;t of a kyng, that is to comaunde to &yogh;ou; &yogh;oure sonys he shal take, and putte in his charys; and he shal make to hym ryders, and before renners of his long cartis; 12   and he shal ordeyn to hym rewlers of thowsandis, and rewlers of hundridis, and ereres of his feeldis, and repers of cornys, and smythis of aarmys, and of his charis. 13   Forsothe &yogh;oure dou&yogh;tres he shal make to him oynement makers, and fier makers, and clothmakers. 14   Forsothe &yogh;oure feeldis and vynes and olyues, the best he shal take, and &yogh;yue to his seruauntis. 15   But and &yogh;oure cornys, and the rentis of vynes he shal tithe, that he &yogh;yue to geldyngis and to his seruauntis. 16   Forsothe &yogh;oure seruauntis and hoondwymmen, and the best &yogh;onge men and assis he shal take awey, and putte in his werk. 17   Forsothe &yogh;oure flockis he shal tithe, and &yogh;e shulen be to him seruauntis. 18   And &yogh;e shulen crye in that day fro the face of &yogh;oure kyng, whom &yogh;e han chosun to &yogh;ow; and the Lord shal not here &yogh;ou in that day, for &yogh;e han askid to &yogh;ou a kyng. 19   Forsothe the puple wolden not here the vois of Samuel, but seiden, Nay, forsothe a kyng shal be vpon vs; 20   and we forsothe shulen be as other folk of kynde, and oure kyng shal deme vs, and he shal go out before vs, and he shal fi&yogh;t oure batayl for vs. 21   And Samuel herde alle the wordis of the puple, and spak hem in the eeris of the Lord. 22   Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here thow the voys of hem, and set vpon hem a kyng. And Samuel seith to the men of Yrael, Goo ech man into his cytee.

CAP. IX.

1   And there was a man of Beniamyn, Cys bi name, the sone of Abyel, sone of Seor, sone of Bethor, sone of Aphya, sone of the man of Gemyny, stronge bi strength. 2   And ther was to hym a sone, Saul bi name, chosyn and good; and there was not a man of the sones of Israel betere than he; fro the shuldre and aboue he peeryde aboue al the puple. 3   Forsothe the shee assys of Cys, fadre of Saul, weren lost. And Cys seide to Saul his sone, Tak with thee oon of the children, and rysynge go, and seche the she assis. The which whanne thei hadden passid bi the mount of Effraym, 4   and bi the loond of Saliza, and thei hadden not foundun, thei passiden also bi the loond of Salym, and there was noon; bot and by the loond of Gemyny, and thei founden not. 5   Forsothe whanne thei weren comen into the loond of Suph, and hadden not foundun, Saul seide to his chijld that was with hym, Come, and turne we a&yogh;en; lest perauenture my fadre leeue the she assis, and be bysie for vs. 6   The which seith to hym, Loo! the man of God is in this cytee, a noble man; al that he spekith, with out dout it cometh. Now thanne goo we thidre, if perauenture he shewe to vs of oure weye, for the which we ben comen. 7   And Saul seyde to his child, Loo! we shulen go; what shulen we brynge to the man of God? Breed faylith in oure sackis, and a lepe we han not, that we &yogh;yuen to the man of God, ne eny other thing. 8   Eft the child answerde to Saul, and seith, Loo! there is founden in myn hoond the feerth part of a sicle of siluer; and &yogh;yue we to the man of God, that he shewe to vs oure weye. 9   Sumtyme in

Yrael thus spak echon goynge to counseyle God, Cometh, and goo we to the seer; forsothe he, that to day is seid a prophet, sumtyme was clepid seer. 10   And Saul seide to his child, Altherbest is thi word; com, go we. And thei wenten into the cyte, in the which was the man of God. 11   And whanne thei stieden vp the hil of the citee, thei founden children wymmen goynge out to drawe watir, and thei seiden to hem, Whether here is the seer? 12   The which answerynge seiden to hem, Here he is, loo! before thee; hye nowe, forsothe to day he cam into the cytee; for to day is sacrifice of the puple in the hei&yogh;e. 13   Goynge into the cyte anoon &yogh;e shulen fynde hym, or he stie vp into the hi&yogh;e for to eete; forsothe ne the puple is to eete to the tyme that he come, for he shal blesse to the oost, and there after shulen eete that ben clepid. Nowe thanne stieth vp, for to day &yogh;e shulen fynde hym. 14   And thei stieden vp into the cytee. And whanne thei wenten in the mydil of the cyte, Samuel aperyde goynge out metynge to hem, that he stye vp into the hei&yogh;. 15   Forsothe the Lord hadde toold the litil eer of Samuel before o day, 16   that Saul cam, seiynge, This same our that nowe is to morwe, Y shal seende to thee a man of the loond of Beniamyn, and thow shalt anoynt hym duyk vpon my puple Yrael, and he shal saue my puple fro the hoond of Philistyens; for I haue biholden my puple, forsothe the crye of hem is comen to me. 17   And whanne Samuel hadde beholden Saul, the Lord seide to hym, Loo! the man that I seide to thee; this shal lordship to my puple. 18   Forsothe Saul nei&yogh;ede to Samuel in the mydil of the &yogh;ate, and seith, Shewe to me, Y preye, where is the hows of the seer? 19   And Samuel answerde to Saul, seiynge,

Y am the seer; sty vp before me into the hei&yogh;, that thou eete with me to day, and Y shal leeue thee the morwetide, and alle thingis that ben in thin herte Y shal shewe to thee. 20   And of the assis `the which thre days hens thou lostist, ne be thow bysy, for thei ben foundun; and of whom shulen be alle the best thingis of Yrael, whether not to thee, and to al the hows of thi fader? 21   Forsothe Saul answerynge seith, Whether not the sone of Gemyny Y am, of the leest lynage of Yrael, and my kynrede the last among alle the meynees of the lynage of Beniamyn? Whi thanne hast thou spoken to me thes wordis? 22   And so Samuel takynge Saul, and hys child, brou&yogh;te hem into the hows of thre benchis, and he &yogh;af to hem a place in the cheefe of hem that weren boden to meet; forsothe there weren as thretti men. 23   And Samuel seide to the cook, &YOGH;if thow the part that I &yogh;af to thee, and comaundide, that thow shulde lay aside anentis thee. 24   And the cook reryde the shuldre, and putte before Saul. And Samuel seide, Loo! that is laft, put before thee, and ete; for of purpos it is kept to thee, whanne Y clepide the puple. And Saul eet with Samuel in that day. 25   And thei wenten down fro the hei&yogh; into the bur&yogh; town; and he spak with Saul in the solere, and he beddide Saul in the solere, and he slepte. 26   And whanne eerly thei weren rysen, and nowe the day wexe li&yogh;t, Samuel clepide Saul into the solere, seyynge, Ryse, that Y leeue thee. And Saul roos, and bothe thei wenten oute, he, that is, and Samuel. 27   And whanne thei weren goo down in the vttermost parti of the cytee, Samuel seide to Saul, Sey to the child, that he goo before vs,

and passe forth; forsothe thow stoond stil a litil, while that Y shewe to thee the word of the Lord. CAP. X.

1   Samuel forsothe took a `litil brytil vessel of oyle, and heelde out on his heed, and he kisside hym, and seith, Loo! the Lord hath anoyntide thee vp on his erytage into a prince; and thow shalt delyuer his puple fro the hoondis of her enemyes, `the which ben in enuyroun of it. And this to thee a tokne, for the Lord hath anoyntide thee into a prince; whanne thow gost to dai fro me, 2   thow shalt fynde two men byside the sepulcre of Rachel, in the coostis of Beniamyn, in the mydday, feermynge greet dichis; and thei shulen seye to thee, The she assis ben foundun, to the whiche to be sou&yogh;t thou wentist; and thi fader, the meen while the assis laft, is bisy for &yogh;ow, and seith, What shal Y do of my sone? 3   And whanne thou gost thens, and ferther passist, and comest to the ook of Thabor, thre men shulen fynde thee there, stiynge vp to God into Bethel, oon berynge thre kyddis, and another berynge thre kakis of breed, and another berynge a galoun of wyn. 4   And whanne thei saluten thee, thei shulen &yogh;yue to thee two looues, and thow shalt take of the hoond of hem. 5   After thes thingis thou shalt come into the hil of the Lord, where is the stacioun of Phylistynes; and whanne thow were goon into the cytee, there thow shalt haue metynge a floc of prophetis comynge doun fro the hee&yogh;, and before hem a sawtrye, and a tymbre, and a trompe, and an harp, and hem propheciynge. 6   And the Spyrit of

the Lord shal leep into thee, and thow shalt prophecye with hem, and thow shalt be chaungid into another man. 7   Whanne thanne alle thes toknes comen to thee, do what euere thingis fyndith thin hoond, for the Lord is with thee. 8   And thow shalt goo doun before me in Galgala; forsothe Y shal come down to thee, that thow offre an offrynge, and offre pesible slayn sacrificis; seuen days thow shalt abide, to the tyme that Y come to thee, and shewe to thee what thow doo. 9   And so whanne he hadde turned his shuldre, that he &yogh;ede fro Samuel, God with ynne chaungide to hym another herte, and alle thes toknes camen in that day. 10   And thei camen to the forseyd hil, and loo! a companye of prophetis metynge to hym; and the Spyryt of the Lord leepe yn vpon hym, and he propheciede in the mydil of hem. 11   Forsothe seynge alle, that knewen hym &yogh;istyrday and the thridde day hens, that he was with prophetis, and prophecide, seiden togidre, What nowe thing fallith to the sone of Cys? Whether and Saul among the prophetis? 12   And another answerde to the tothir, seiynge, And who is the fadre of hym? Therfor it is turnyd into a prouerbe, Whether and Saul among the prophetis? 13   Forsothe he ceside to prophecie, and cam to the hei&yogh;. 14   And the brother of the fader of Saul saide to hym, and to his child, Whidre `wenten &yogh;e? The whiche answerde, To seche the she assis; the whiche whanne we hadden not founde, we camen to Samuel. 15   And his fader brother seide to him, Shewe to me what Samuel seide to thee. 16   And Saul seith to his fader brothir, He shewide to vs, for the she assis weren founden. Forsothe of the word of the kyngdam he shewide not to hym, the which Samuel spak to hym. 17   And Samuel clepide togidre the puple to the Lord in Masphat;

and seith to the sones of Yrael, 18   Thes thingis seith the Lord God of Yrael, Y haue ladde out Yrael fro Egipt, and Y haue delyuerde &yogh;ow fro the hoond of Egipciens, and fro the hoond of alle kyngis that tourmentiden &yogh;ow. 19   Forsothe &yogh;e to day han throwun awey &yogh;oure God, the which alone saueth &yogh;ow fro alle yuels, and &yogh;oure tribulaciouns; and &yogh;e han seiden, Nay, but a kyng ordeyn vpon vs. Nowe thanne stondith before the Lord bi &yogh;oure lynagis, and by meynees. 20   And Samuel appliede alle the lynagis of Yrael, and the lot felle vpon the lynage of Beniamyn. 21   And he apliede the lynage of Beniamyn, and the kynredis of hym; and lot felle vpon the kynrede of Metry, and cam vnto Saul, the sone of Cys. Thanne thei sou&yogh;ten hym, and he is not founden there. 22   And thei counseilden after thes thingis the Lord, forsothe whether he were to come thidre. And the Lord answerde, Loo! he is hidde at home. 23   And so thei runnen, and token hym thens; and he stood in the mydil of the puple, and he was hei&yogh;er than al the puple fro the shuldres and aboue. 24   And Samuel seith to al the puple, Certis &yogh;e seen whom the Lord hath chosun; for there is noon lijk to hym in al the puple. And al the puple criede, and seith, Lyue the kyng! 25   Forsothe Samuel spak to the puple the lawe of the rewme, and wroot in the book, and leyde vp before the Lord. And Samuel laft al the puple, eche into her hows; 26   but and Saul wente into his hows in Gabaath; and wente with hym a paart of the oost, of whom God hadde towchid the hertis. 27   Forsothe the sones of Belial seiden, Whether this shal mowe saue vs? And thei dispysiden hym, and brou&yogh;ten not to hym &yogh;iftis; forsothe he feynde, as thou&yogh; he herde not.

CAP. XI.

1   And it is doon as after a moneth, Naas Amonite stiede vp, and bigan to fi&yogh;t a&yogh;ens Jabes Galaath. And alle the men of Jabes seiden to Naas, Haue thow vs boundun in pees, and we shulen serue to thee. 2   And Naas Amonyte answerde to hem, In this I shal smyte with &yogh;ou boond of pees, that I drawe out the ry&yogh;t eyen of &yogh;ow alle, and Y put &yogh;ou reproue in al Yrael. 3   And the eldres of Jabes seiden to hym, Graunt to vs seuen days, that we senden messagers to alle the teermes of Yrael; and if there weren not the which defende vs, we shulen goon out to thee. 4   Thanne messagers camen into Gabaath of Saul, and speken the wordis, herynge the puple; and al the puple reryde her voys, and wepte. 5   And, loo! Saul cam, folowynge the oxen fro the feeld; and seith, What hath the puple, that he wepith? And thei toolden to hym the wordis of the men of Jabes. 6   And the Spyrit of the Lord leepe into Saul, whanne he hadde herd thes wordis, and the woodnesse of hym wraththid wel mych. 7   And takynge to either oxe he hew&yogh; into gobetis, and sente into alle the teermys of Yrael, bi the hoond of the messageers, seiynge, Who so euere goth not out, and hath not folwid Saul and Samuel, thus shal be doo to the oxen of hym. Thanne the dreed of the Lord cau&yogh;te the puple, and thei wenten out as o man. 8   And he noumbrede hem in Beseth; and of the sones of Yrael weren thre hundrid thowsandis; of the men forsothe of Juda thretti thowsandis. 9   And thei seiden to the messagers that camen, So &yogh;e shulen seie to the men that ben in Jabes of Galaath, To morwe shal be to &yogh;ow helth, whanne the sunne hetith. Thanne the messagerys camen, and

toolden to the men of Jabes; the whiche weren glad, 10   and seiden, To morwe we shulen goo out to &yogh;ow, and &yogh;e shulen doo to vs al that shal plese to &yogh;ow. 11   And it is doon, whanne the morwe was comen, Saul sette the puple in thre parties; and he wente into the mydil tentis in the morwetide watche, and he smoot Amon `vnto the tyme that the day hetide; forsothe the tother ben scatrid, so that there weren not laft in hem tweyn togidre. 12   And the puple seith to Samuel, Who is he this, that seide, Saul shal not regne vpon vs? &YOGH;if &yogh;e the men, and we shulen slee hem. 13   And Saul seith, There shal not be slayn eny man in this day, for to day the Lord hath doon helth in Yrael. 14   Forsothe Samuel seide to the puple, Cometh, and goo we into Galgala, and renewe we there the rewme. 15   And al the puple &yogh;ede to Galgala, and thei maden there Saul a kyng before the Lord in Galgala; and thei offreden pesyble slayn sacrifice to the Lord. And Saul gladdide there, and alle the men of Yrael wel mych. CAP. XII.

1   Forsothe Samuel seide to alle Yrael, Loo! I haue herd &yogh;oure voys aftir alle thingis that &yogh;e han spokun to me, and I haue ordeynd vpon &yogh;ou a kyng; 2   and nowe the kyng goth before &yogh;ow. Forsothe Y haue eeldid, and waxen hoor; forsothe my sones ben with &yogh;ow; also conuersaunt before &yogh;ou fro my &yogh;ongth vnto this day. 3   Loo! Y am redi; spek &yogh;e to me before the Lord, and before the crist of hym; whether oxe of eny man Y took, or asse; if eny man Y chalengide; if Y oppresside eny man; if of the hoond of eny man Y took &yogh;ift; and Y shal dispise it to day, and restore to &yogh;ow. 4   And thei

seiden, Thow hast not chalengid vs, ne oppressid, ne takyn eny thing of the hoond of eny man. 5   And he seide to hem, Witnesse is the Lord a&yogh;ens &yogh;ow, and witnesse the crist of hym in this day; for &yogh;e han not founden in myn hoond eny thing. And thei seiden, Witnesse. 6   And Samuel seith to the puple, The Lord, that made Moysen and Aaron, and ladde &yogh;oure fadres fro the loond of Egipt, is ny&yogh;; 7   now thanne stondith, that in doom I stryue a&yogh;ens &yogh;ow before the Lord, of alle the mercyes of the Lord, that he hath done with &yogh;ow, and with &yogh;oure fadres. 8   What maner wise Jacob wente into Egipt, and &yogh;oure fadres crieden to the Lord; and the Lord sente Moyses and Aaron, and ladde &yogh;oure fadres out of Egipt, and sette hem in this place. 9   The whiche for&yogh;eten of the Lord, her God; and he took hem in the hoond of Cysar, mayster of the kny&yogh;thod of Asor, and in the hoond of Philistiens, and in the hond of the king of Moab; and thei fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens hem. 10   Forsothe aftyrward thei cryeden to the Lord, and seiden, We han synned, for we han forsakun the Lord, and serueden to Baalym and Astaroth; nowe thanne delyuer vs fro the hoond of oure enemyes, and we shulen serue to thee. 11   And the Lord sente Jeroboal, and Bedan, and Barach, and Jepte, and Samuel; and he delyuerde &yogh;ow fro the hoond of &yogh;oure enemyes bi enuyroun; and &yogh;e han dwellid trustily. 12   Forsothe seynge that Naas, the kyng of the sones of Amon, was comen a&yogh;ens &yogh;ow, &yogh;e seiden to me, Nay, but the kyng shal comaunde to vs; whanne the Lord &yogh;our God shulde regne in &yogh;ow. 13   Nowe thanne &yogh;oure kyng is redi, whom &yogh;e han chosen and askid; loo! the Lord hath &yogh;euen to &yogh;ow a kyng. 14   If &yogh;e dreden the Lord, and

serueth to hym, and herith the voys of hym, and whettith not the mouth of the Lord; and &yogh;e shulen ben, and the kyng that comaundith to &yogh;ow, folowynge the Lord &yogh;oure God. 15   Forsothe if &yogh;e heren not the voys of the Lord, but whettith out the word of hym, the hoond of the Lord shal be vpon &yogh;ow, and vpon &yogh;oure fadres. 16   But nowe stondith, and seeth this greet thing that the Lord is to doo in &yogh;oure si&yogh;t. 17   Whether not repynge tyme of whete is to day? Y shal inwardly clepe the Lord, and he shal &yogh;yue voicis, and reynes; and &yogh;e shulen wite, and seen, for greet yuel &yogh;e han doo to &yogh;ow in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, askynge vpon &yogh;ow a kyng. 18   And Samuel criede to the Lord, and the Lord &yogh;af voicis and reynes in that day. 19   And al the puple dredde wel mych the Lord and Samuel; and al the puple seide to Samuel, Prey for thi seruauntis to the Lord thi God, that we dyen not; forsothe we han addid to alle oure synnes yuel, that we asken to vs a kyng. 20   Forsothe Samuel seide to the puple, Wole &yogh;e not drede; &yogh;e han doon alle this yuel; neuerthelater wole &yogh;e not goo awey fro the bak of the Lord, but serueth to the Lord in al &yogh;oure herte; 21   and wole &yogh;e not bowe aside after veyn thingis, that shulen not profyt &yogh;ou, ne shulen delyuer &yogh;ou; for veyn thingis thei ben. 22   And the Lord shal not forsake his puple for his greet name; for the Lord hath sworn to make &yogh;ow to hym a puple. 23   Forsothe God sheelde the synne fro me in the Lord, that I ceese to prey for &yogh;ow; and I shal teche &yogh;ow a ri&yogh;t weye and good. 24   Therfor dredith the Lord, and serueth to hym in treuth, and of al &yogh;oure herte; forsothe &yogh;e han seen the greet dedis, `the whiche he hath doon in &yogh;ow; and if &yogh;e ben stedfast in malice, 25   and &yogh;e and &yogh;oure kyng to gidre shulen perishe.

CAP. XIII.

1   A sone of o &yogh;eer was Saul whanne he began to regne; forsothe two &yogh;eer he regnede vpon Irael. 2   And Saul chees to hym thre thowsandis of Yrael, and there weren `in Machynas with Saul two thowsandis, in the hil of Bethel; forsothe a thowsand with Jonatha in Gabaa Beniamyn; forsothe the tother puple he sente a&yogh;en echon into her tabernaclis. 3   And Jonathas smoot the stacioun of Philistiens, that was in Gabaa. The which thing whanne Philistyens hadden herd, Saul criede with a trompe in al the loond, seiynge, Heren the Ebrewis. 4   And al Yrael herde siche a maner loos, Saul hath smyten the stacioun of Philistiens; and Yrael areride him a&yogh;ens the Philistiens; thanne the puple criede after Saul in Galgala. 5   And Philistiens ben gedrid to fi&yogh;t a&yogh;ens Yrael; thretti thousandis of charys, and sexe thousandis of horsmen, and the tother comoun, as mych grauel that is in brenk of the see; and thei stiynge vp setten tentis `in Machynas, at the este of Bethauen. 6   The which thing whanne the men of Yrael hadden seen, hem seluen in streit set, forsothe the puple was tourmentid, and thei hidden hem self in dennys, and in hidils, in stonys forsothe, and in dichis, and in cysternes. 7   Forsothe Hebrewis passiden Jordan, the loond of Gad, and of Galaad. And whanne &yogh;it Saul was in Galgala, al the puple is feerd that folwide hym. 8   And he abood Samuel seuen days `after the couenaunt, and Samuel cam not in Galgala; and the puple is slyden fro hym. 9   Thanne seith Saul, Bryngith to me brent sacrifice and

pesible; and he offrede brent sacrifice. 10   And whanne offrynge he hadde fulfillid the brent sacrifice, loo! Samuel cam; and Saul wente out to mete hym, for to salute hym. 11   And Samuel spak to hym, What hast thou doon? Saul answerde, For I saw&yogh; that the puple shulde slyde awey fro me, and thou cam not after the couenauntid dais; forsothe the Philistyens weren gedryd into Machynas; Y seide, 12   Nowe Philistiens shulen come to me in Galgala, and the face of the Lord I haue not plesid; thur&yogh; nede constreined Y haue offrid brent sacryfice to the Lord. 13   And Samuel seide to Saul, Folily thow hast doon, ne thou hast kept the heestis of the Lord thi God, the whiche he hath comaundid to thee; the which thing if thou haddist not doon, ri&yogh;t nowe the Lord hadde maad redi thi kyngdom vpon Yrael into withouten ende; 14   but thi kyngdom shal no more ryse togidre. Thanne the Lord sou&yogh;te a man after his herte; and the Lord hath comaundid to hym, that he were a duyk vpon his puple, forthi that thou hast not kept the thingis that the Lord comaundide. 15   Forsothe Samuel roos, and stiede vp fro Galgalis in Gabaa of Beniamyn; and the tother puple stieden vp after Saul, metynge to the puple that ouercamen hem; comynge fro Galgala in Gabaa, in the hil of Beniamyn. And Saul noumbrede the puple, that weren foundun with hym as sixe hundryd men. And Saul, 16   and Jonathas his sone, and the puple that was foundun with hem, was in Gabaa of Beniamyn; forsothe Philistiens seeten togidre `into aspijs, for to fi&yogh;ten. 17   And there wenten out for to fi&yogh;te fro the tentys of Philistiens thre cumpanyes; o cumpanye wente a&yogh;ens the weye of Effraym to the loond of Saul;

18   forsothe another wente bi the weye of Betheron; forsothe the thridde turnede hem to the weye of the teerme in the loond of Saba, `stondynge ny&yogh; to the valey of Seboym a&yogh;ens the deseert. 19   Forsothe there was not an yren smith foundun in al the loond of Yrael; forsothe Philistiens shunneden, lest perauenture the Hebrews maden swerd or speer. 20   Thanne al Yrael descendide to Philistiym, that echon sharpe his shaar, and diggyng yren, and axe, and purgyng hook; 21   for eggys of the sharis, and of diggynge yrens, and of forkis, and of the axis weren blunt, vnto a prik to menden. 22   And whanne the day of the batayl was comen, there is not founden swerd and speer in hoond of the puple that was with Saul and Jonatha, out takun Saul, and Jonatha hys sone. 23   Forsothe the stacioun of Philistym wente out, for to stye ouer into aspijs to fi&yogh;t. CAP. XIV.

1   And it felle on a day, that Jonathas, the sone of Saul, seide to the &yogh;ong man his squyer, Com, and goo we to the stacioun of Philistyens, that is bi&yogh;onde that place; to his fader forsothe that same thing he shewide not. 2   Forsothe Saul dwellide in the vttermoost parti of Gabaa, vndur a poomgarnet tree, that was in `the feeld of Gabaa; and there was a puple with hym as of sexe hundred men. 3   And Achias, the sone of Achitob, the brother of Ychabod, the sone of Phynees, that was comen of Hely, the preest of the Lord in Silo, beere the prestis coope; but and the puple knewe not whider Jonathas was goon. 4   Forsothe there weren bytwixe the stiyngis vp, bi the whiche

Jonathas enforside to goo to the stacyouns of Philistiens, hei&yogh;e stonys on either side, and as in maner of teeth litle rochis hens and thens before brokun; name to the oon Boosez, and to the tother the name Sene; 5   o litil roche ful hee&yogh; at the north a&yogh;ens Machynas to fi&yogh;ten, and another at the south a&yogh;ens Gabaa. 6   Jonathas forsothe seide to the &yogh;ong man his squyer, Come, and passe we to the stacioun of thes vncercumcidide, if perauenture the Lord do for vs; for it is not to the Lord hard to saue, or in many or in fewe. 7   And his squyer seide to hym, Do alle thingis that plesen to thin inwit; go whider thow coueytist, I shal be with thee where euere thou wolt. 8   And Jonathan seith, Loo! we goon to thes men; and whanne we aperen to hem, 9   if this maner thei speken to vs, Dwel &yogh;e, to the tyme that we comen to &yogh;ou; stonde we in oure place, ne stye we vp to hem. 10   Forsothe if thei seyn, Stye &yogh;e vp to vs; stye we vp, for the Lord hath takun hem in oure hoondis; this shal be to vs a tokne. 11   And so either aperide to the stacioun of Philistiens; and Philistiens seiden, Loo! the Hebrewis goon out fro the caues, in the whiche thei weren hid. 12   And the men speken fro the stacioun to Jonathan and to his squyer, and seiden, Stieth vp to vs, and we shulen shewe &yogh;ou a thing. And Jonathas seith to his squier, Stie we, folwe me; forsothe the Lord hath taken hem into the hoondis of Yrael. 13   Forsothe Jonathas styede crepynge with hoondis and feet, and his squyer after hym; and whanne thei hadden seen the face of Jonathan, other fellen before Jonathan, other his squyer slow&yogh;, folowynge hym. 14   And the first veniaunce is doon, the which smoot Jonathas and the squyer of

hym as of twenti thousand men, in the half party of an akir that a peyre of oxen in a day is wont to ere. 15   And a myracle is doon in the tentis, bi the feeldys, but and al the puple of the stacioun of hem that weren at robbynge, wexe astonyed, and the tentis ben disturblid; and it felle as a myracle fro God. 16   And the weyters of Saul, that weren in Gabaa of Beniamyn, bihelden, and, loo! a multitude throwun doun, and hidir and thider down fleynge. 17   And Saul seith to the puple that weren with hym, Enserchith, and lokith, who &yogh;ede awey fro vs. And whanne thei hadden sou&yogh;t, it is founden not to be nee&yogh; Jonathas and his squyer. 18   And Saul seith to Achyam, Applye the arke of `the Lord; forsothe the arke of God was there in that day with the sonys of Israel. 19   And whanne Saul spak to the preest, greet noyse is out sprongen in the tentis of Philistyen; and it wexe litilmele, and cleerliker it sownyde. And Saul seith to the preest, Withdrawe thin hoond. 20   Thanne Saul and the puple that was with hym criede togidre; and thei camen to the place of the strijf, and, loo! the swerd of echon was turned to his nei&yogh;bour, and a greet slau&yogh;ter wel mych. 21   But and the Hebrewis that weren with Philistiens &yogh;istirday and bifore &yogh;isterdai, and stieden vp with hem in the tentis, ben turned for to ben with Yrael, that weren with Saul and Jonatha. 22   Forsothe alle the Iraelitis, the whiche hadden hid hem silf in the hil of Effraym, herynge that Philistiens weren flowen, felawshipten hem02Q0008 seluen with hem in the batayl, and weren with Saul as twenti thousandis of men. 23   And the Lord sauyde Irael in that day. Forsothe the fi&yogh;t camen

vnto Bethauen. 24   And men of Yrael ben felawshipt to hem seluen in that day; forsothe Saul swore to the puple, seyynge, Cursid be the man that etith breed vnto euen, to the tyme that I be vengid of myn enemyes. 25   And al the puple eete no breed. And alle the comouns of the loond camen into a wast wody place, in the which was hony on the face of the feeld. 26   And so al the puple wente into the place of hei&yogh;e trees, and there apperide flowyng hony; and no man appliede the hond to his mouth; forsothe the puple dredde the ooth. 27   Forsothe Jonathas herde not, whanne his fadre swore to the puple; and he strau&yogh;t out the cop of the &yogh;eerde, that he hadde in the hoond, and he wette into the hony combe; and he turnede his hoond to his mouth, and the eyen of hym ben li&yogh;tned. 28   And answerynge oon of the puple seith, Thi fader hath constreynyd the puple with ooth, seiynge, Cursid be the man that etith breed to day. Forsothe the puple faylide. 29   And Jonathas seide, My father hath disturblid the loond; &yogh;oure self han seen, for myn eyen ben li&yogh;tned, forthi that Y taastide a litil of this hony; 30   myche more if the puple hadde eeten of the prei&yogh;e of her enemyes, that thei foonden; whether not more veniaunce hadde be doo in Philistees? 31   Thanne thei smyten in that day the Philistees fro the place of engynes vnto Hailon. 32   Doun weried is the puple wel miche; and turned to the praye, took sheep, and oxen, and calues, and slewen in the lond; and the puple eete with blood. 33   And thei toolden to Saul, seiynge, that the puple hadde synned to the Lord, etynge with blood. The which seith, &YOGH;e han trespasside; turneth to me ry&yogh;t nowe a greet

stoon. 34   And Saul seide, Beth &yogh;e scatered into the comouns, and seye &yogh;e to hem, that echon brynge to me his oxe and wether; and sleeth vpon it, and etith, and &yogh;e shulen not synne to the Lord, etynge with blood. And so al the puple brou&yogh;te echon an oxe in his hoond vnto ny&yogh;t, and thei slowen there. 35   And Saul bildide vp an auter to the Lord; and thanne first he bigan to bilde an auter to the Lord. 36   And Saul seide, Falle we vpon the Philistyens bi ny&yogh;t, and waste we hem vnto the morwetide li&yogh;t; ne leeue we of hem a man. And the puple seide, Al that good is seen to thee in thin eyen, do. And the preest seith, Nei&yogh; we hider to God. 37   And Saul counseylide the Lord, seiynge, Whether shal Y pursue Philistiym, if thou taake hem into the hoondis of Yrael? And he answerde not to hym in that day. 38   And Saul seide, Aplieth hidir alle the corners of the puple, and witith, and seeth, bi whom fallith this synne to day. 39   The Lord the saueour of Yrael lyueth; for if bi Jonathan my sone it is doon, with out a&yogh;en drawynge he shal die. To the which no man a&yogh;en seide to hym of al the puple. 40   And he seide to al Yrael, Be &yogh;e seuerd into o parti, and Y with Jonathan my sone shal be in o parti. And the puple answerde to Saul, That good is seen in thin eyen, do. 41   And Saul seide to the Lord God of Irael, Lord God of Yrael, &yogh;yue dom, what is, that thou answerst not to thi seruaunt to day? If in me, or in Jonathan my sone, is this wickidnes, &yogh;yf shewynge; and if this wickidnes is in thi puple, &yogh;if holynes. And Jonathas and Saul ben taken; forsothe the puple &yogh;ede out. 42   And Saul seith, Leyeth lot betwix me and Jonathan my sone. 43   And Jonathas is taken. Forsothe

Saul seide to Jonathan, Shewe to me what thow hast doon. And Jonathas shewide to hym, and seith, Taastynge Y tastide in the cop of the &yogh;eerd that was in myn hoond a litil of hony, and loo! 44   Y dye. And Saul seith, Thes thingis do to me God, and thes thingis adde, for bi deeth thou shalt dye, Jonathas. 45   And the puple seide to Saul, Thanne whether Jonathas shulde dye, that hath doo this greet helth in Yrael? that is felony; the Lord lyueth, oon heer of the heed of hym shal not fal into the erthe, for with God he hath wrou&yogh;t to day. Thanne the puple delyuerd Jonathan, that he diede not. 46   And Saul wente a wey, and pursuede not Philistiym; forsothe Philisteis wenten a wey into her placis. 47   And, the rewme stablid vpon Yrael, Saul fau&yogh;t bi enuyroun a&yogh;ens alle his enemyes, a&yogh;ens Moab, and the sones of Amon, and Edom, and the kyngis of Saba, and the Philisteis; and whidir euer he turnede hym silf, he venkusede. 48   And, the oost gedrid, he smoot Amalech, and he delyuerde Yrael fro the hoond of his wastours. 49   Ther weren forsothe the sones of Saul, Jonathas, and Jesuy, and Melchisona; names of his two dou&yogh;ters, name of the first goten Merob, and name of the lasse Mycol. 50   And name of the wijf of Saul Achynoem, the dou&yogh;ter of Achymaas; and the name of the prince of his chiualrye Abner, the sone of Ner, cosyn germeyn of Saul. 51   Forsothe Cys was the fader of Saul, and Ner, the fader of Abner, the sone of Abyel. 52   Forsothe there was strong batail a&yogh;ens Philisties alle the days of Saul; wherfor whom euere Saul saw&yogh; a strong man and able to bateil, he felawshipide him to him silf.

CAP. XV.

1   And Samuel seide to Saul, The Lord sente me, that I anoynte thee into kyng vpon his puple Yrael; nowe thanne here the voys of the Lord. 2   Thes thingis seith the Lord of oostis, I haue remembrid alle thingis that Amalech dide to Yrael; what maner wyse he withstood to hym in the weye, whanne he shulde stye vp fro Egipt. 3   Nowe thanne go, and smyte Amalech, and destruy alle the thingis of hym; ne spare thou to hym, ne coueyt thou eny thing of his thingis; but sle fro man vnto womman, and litil child, and soukynge, oxe, and sheep, and camel, and asse. 4   And so Saul comaundide to the puple, and noumbrede hem as loombs two hundrid thousandis of foot men, and ten thowsandis of the men of Juda. 5   And whanne Saul was comen vnto the cyte of Amalech, he leyde out aspies in the streem. 6   And Saul seide to Cynee, Goth hens, goth awey, and departith fro Amalech, lest perauenture I enwrappe thee with hem; forsothe thou didist mercy with alle the sones of Yrael, whanne thei stieden vp fro Egipt. And Cynee wente a wey fro the mydil of Amalech. 7   And Saul smoot Amalech fro Euila, to the tyme that he cam to Sur, that is fro the regioun of Egipt. 8   And he took Agage, the kyng of Amalech, on lyue; forsothe al the comoun he slew&yogh; in the mouth of swerd. 9   And Saul sparide, and the puple, to Agag, and to the best flockis of sheep, and of drouys, and to clothis, and to wetheris, and to alle thingis that weren fayre; ne thei wolden scatere hem; forsothe what thing was foul and reprouable that thei destruyden. 10   Forsothe the word of the Lord is doon to Samuel, seiynge,

It othinkith me, 11   that I haue ordeyned Saul a kyng; for he hath forsokyn me, and my wordis he hath not fulfillid in dede. And Samuel is sory, and cryede to the Lord al ny&yogh;t. 12   And whanne fro ni&yogh;t Samuel was rysen that he go to Saul eerli, it is toold to Samuel, for Saul was comen into Carmeel, and hadde arerid to hym an out shynynge tokne of victory in maner of a bow, and turned was passid, and goon doun into Galgala. Thanne Samuel cam to Saul, and Saul offred brent sacrifice to the Lord of the cheef of the preiys, that he brou&yogh;te fro Amalech. 13   And while Samuel was comen to Saul, Saul seide to hym, Thou blessid of the Lord, Y haue fulfillid the word of the Lord. 14   And Samuel seide, And what is this voys of flockis that rengith in myn eeris, and of droues that I here? 15   And Saul seith, Fro Amalech men han brou&yogh;t thes thingis, forsothe the puple sparede to the betre sheep and drouys, for thei shulden be offrid to the Lord thi God; the tother forsothe we slewen. 16   And Samuel seide to Saul, Suffre me, and I shal shewe to thee what thingis the Lord hath spoken to me to ny&yogh;t. And he seid to hym, Spek. 17   And Samuel seith, Whether not, whanne thou were a litil child in thin owne eyen, and thou art maad heed in the lynage of Yrael, and the Lord anoyntide thee into kyng vpon Yrael; 18   and the Lord sente thee into the weye, and seith, Go, and sle the synful men of Amalech, and thou shalt fi&yogh;t a&yogh;ens hem vnto the slau&yogh;ter of hem. 19   Whi thanne hast thow not herd the voys of the Lord, but turnedist to the preye, and didist yuel in the eyen of the Lord? 20   And Saul seith to Samuel, If I haue herd the voys of the Lord, and haue

goon in the weye bi the which the Lord sente me, and haue brou&yogh;t Agag, the kyng of Amalech, and Amalech Y slewe. 21   Forsothe the puple took of the praye, sheep and oxen, the cheef of hem that ben slayn, that thei offren to the Lord her God in Galgalis. 22   And Samuel seith, Whether wole the Lord brent sacrifices or slayn offryngis, and not more that it be obeishid to the voice of the Lord? Forsothe betre is obeishaunce than slayn sacrificis, and to take heed more than to offre the fatnes of wetheris; 23   for as synne of denyynge bi deuelis is to repugne, and as hidows trespas of mawmetrye to wiln not assent. Forthi thanne that thow hast throwen aweye the word of the Lord, the Lord hath throwen awey thee, that thow be not kyng. 24   And Saul seide to Samuel, Y haue synned, for I haue broken the word of the Lord, and thi wordis, dredynge the puple and obeishynge to the voyce of hem; 25   but nowe, Y biseche, bere my synne, and turne a&yogh;en with me, that I honoure the Lord. 26   And Samuel seith to Saul, Y shal not turne a&yogh;en with thee, for thow hast throwen awey the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath throwen awey thee, that thow be not kyng vpon Irael. 27   And Samuel turnede forto goo awey; forsothe he cau&yogh;te the cop of the mantil of hym, the which also is rent. 28   And Samuel seide to hym, The Lord hath kyt the kyngdam of Yrael fro thee to day, and hath takyn it to thi nei&yogh;bore beter than thow; 29   forsothe to the ouercomer in Yrael he shal not spare, and thur&yogh; a thenkynge he shal not be bowid; forsothe ne a man he is that he do othenkynge. 30   And he seith, Y haue synned; bot nowe honour me before the eldren of my puple, and before

fore Yrael; turne a&yogh;en with me, that I honour the Lord thi God. 13   Thanne Samuel, turned a&yogh;en, folwide Saul, and Saul honourede the Lord. 32   And Samuel seide, Bringith to me Agag, the king of Amalech. And offrid is to him Agag altherfattest tremblynge. And Agag seide, So whether `not seuereth bitter deth? 33   And Samuel seith, As thi swerd hath maad wymmen withouten free children, so thi moder shal be with out free children among wymmen. And Samuel hewide hym into gobbetis before the Lord in Galgalis. 34   Forsothe Samuel &yogh;ede into Ramatha; forsothe Saul stiede vp into his hows in Gabaa. 35   And Saul saw&yogh; no more Samuel vnto the day of his deth; neuerthelater Samuel weilide Saul, for it othou&yogh;t the Lord, that he hadde ordeynyd Saul kyng vpon Irael. CAP. XVI.

1   And the Lord seide to Samuel, How long thow weilist Saul, whanne Y haue throwun hym a ferre, that he regne not vpon Irael; fil thin horn with oyle, and come, that Y sende thee to Ysaye Bethlamyte; forsothe Y haue purueyd in the sonys of hym a kyng to me. 2   And Samuel seith, Howe shal Y goo? forsothe Saul shal here, and he shal slee me. And the Lord seith, A calf of the droue thow shalt take in thin hoond, and sey, To offre to the Lord Y am comen. 3   And thou shalt clepe Ysaye to the slayn sacrifice, and I shal shewe to thee what thou doo; and thou shalt anoynt whom euer Y shal shewe to thee. 4   Thanne Samuel dide, as the Lord spak to hym; and he cam into Bethleem, and the eldrys of the cytee a&yogh;en comynge to hym wondriden, and seiden, Whether pesible is thin yncomynge? 5   And he seith, Pesible; to offre to the Lord Y am comen; be &yogh;e halowid, and cometh with me, that I offre. Thanne

he halowid Ysaye, and hys sones, and clepide hem to the sacrifice. 6   And whanne thei weren comen yn, he saw&yogh; Elyab, and seith, Nowe before the Lord is the crist of hym. 7   And the Lord seide to Samuel, Ne behold thou the cheere of hym, ne the hei&yogh;te of his stature; for Y haue throwun hym aweye, ne aftir the lokynge of men Y deme; forsothe a man seeth tho thingis that ben opyn, forsothe the Lord lokith the herte. 8   And Ysaye clepide Amynadab, and brou&yogh;te hym before Samuel; the which seide, Ne this the Lord hath chosun. 9   Forsothe Ysaye brou&yogh;te forth Sama; of whom he seith, Also this the Lord hath not chosun. 10   And so Ysaye brou&yogh;te forth his seuen sones before Samuel; and Samuel seith to Ysaye, The Lord hath not chosen of thes. 11   And Samuel seide to Ysaye, Whether nowe fulfillid ben the sones? The which answerde, &YOGH;it another there is, a litil child, and fedith sheep. And Samuel seith to Ysaye, Send, and bryng forth hym; forsothe ne we shulen sitte, before that he come hidir. 12   Thanne he sente, and brou&yogh;te hym forth; forsothe he was rodi, and fayr in si&yogh;t, and sembli in face. And the Lord seith, Rise, and anoynt hym; forsothe he it is. 13   Thanne Samuel took an horn of oyle, and anoyntide hym in the myddis of the britheren of hym; and the Spirit of the Lord is ful sent into Dauyd fro that day and therafter. And Samuel rysynge wente into Ramatha. 14   And so the Spyrit of the Lord wente awey fro Saul, and the shrewid spyrit fro the Lord `shook hym. 15   And the seruauntis of Saul seiden to hym, Loo! the yuel spiryt of the Lord shakith thee; 16   comaunde the lord oure kyng, and thi seruauntis that before thee ben, sechen a man kunnynge to pleye

with harpe, that whanne the yuel spyrit of the Lord takith thee, he pleye with his hoond, and li&yogh;ter thou bere. 17   And Saul seith to his seruauntis, Purueieth to me sum man wel harpynge, and bryngith hym to me. 18   And answerynge oon of the children seith, Loo! I saw&yogh; the sone of Ysaye Bethlemyte, kunnynge to harpe, and moost my&yogh;ti bi strength, a man curaiows in batayl, and wyse in wordis, and a fayre man; and the Lord is with hym. 19   Thanne Saul sente messagers to Ysaye, seiynge, Send to me Dauith thi sone, the which is in the lesewis. 20   And so Ysay took an asse ful of loouys, and a galoun of wyn, and o kyd of the she geet; and he sente bi the hoond of Dauid his sone to Saul. 21   And Dauid cam to Saul, and stood before hym; and he louyde hym ful mych, and is made a squyer of hym. 22   And Saul sente to Ysaye, seiynge, Stoond Dauyd in my si&yogh;t, forsothe he hath foundun grace in myn eyen. 23   Thanne whanne euere the yuel spyrit of the Lord cau&yogh;te Saul, Dauid took an harp, and smoot with hys hoond, and Saul was refourmyd, and li&yogh;ter he hadde; forsothe the yuel spiryt wente a wey fro hym. CAP. XVII.

1   Forsothe Philisteis gedrynge her cumpanyes into batayl camen to gidre in Socoth of Judee, and thei setten tentis betwix Socoth and Azecha, in the coostis of Domyn. 2   Forsothe Saul and the men of Yrael gedrid camen in the valey of Therebynt, and dressiden sheltroun to fi&yogh;t a&yogh;ens the Phylisteis. 3   And Philisteis stoden vpon the hil on this partye, and Irael stood vpon an hil, and on the tother perty a valey that was bitwix hem. 4   And

a bastard man wente out fro the tentis of Philistiens, Goliath of Geth bi name, in hei&yogh;te of sexe cubitis and a span; 5   and a stelyn helm vpon his heed; and he was clothid with a maylid hawberioun; forsothe the wei&yogh;t of his hawberioun was of fyue thousand siclys of steel; 6   and stelyn legharneis he hadde in the hipis, and a stelyn sheeld couerde the shuldris of hym. 7   The shaft of his speer was as the beem of websters; forsothe that yren of his speer hadde sexe hundrid siclis of yren; and his squyer wente before him. 8   And stondinge he criede a&yogh;ens the cumpanyes of Israel, and he seide to hem, Whi ben &yogh;e comyn redi to batail? Whether Y am not a Philistee, and &yogh;e the seruauntis of Saul? Chesith of &yogh;ou a man, and come he doun to a synguler strijf; 9   if he may fi&yogh;t with me, and smytith me, we shulen be to &yogh;ou seruauntis; forsothe if Y shal haue the maystrye, and smyte hym, &yogh;e shulen be seruauntis, and serue to vs. 10   And the Philistee seide, I haue &yogh;eue reproof to the cumpanyes of Yrael to day; &yogh;yueth to me a man, and go he yn with me a synguler strijf. 11   Forsothe Saul herynge and alle the Yraelitis the wordis of this maner Philistee, thei weren stonyed, and dradden ful mych. 12   Forsothe Dauyd was the sone of an Effratee man, of the which it is aboue seid, of Bethlem Juda, to whom the name was Ysaye, the which hadde ei&yogh;t sonys; and he was a man in the days of Saul olde, and of greet age amonge men. 13   Forsothe the thre more sonys of hym wenten after Saul into batayl; and the names of the thre sonys of hym, that wenten to batayl, Heliab, the first goten, and the secounde, Amynadab, forsothe the thridde,

Samma. 14   Forsothe Dauyd was the leest. Thanne the thre more folwynge Saul, Dauyd wente, 15   and turnede a&yogh;en fro Saul, for to fede the flok of his fadre in Bethleem. 16   Forsothe the Philistee cam forth eerli, and at euen `stondynge repreuyde the children of Yrael fourti days. 17   Forsothe Ysaye seide to Dauyd his sone, Tak to thi bretheren powned corn, of the mesure of ephi, and thes ten loouys, and renne into the tentis to thi britheren; 18   and ten chesis thes thou shalt bere to the tribune; and thi britheren thou shalt visite, if thei ry&yogh;t doon, and with whom thei ben ordeynyd, lern. 19   Forsothe Saul, and thei, and alle the sonys of Yrael in the valey of Therebynt fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens Philisteis. 20   And so Dauid roos eerli, and commendide the flok to the keper, and chargyd &yogh;eed, as Ysay comaundide to hym; and cam to the place of Magala, and to the oost, that, goon out to fi&yogh;t, criede out in the strijf. 21   Forsothe Irael hadde dressid sheltroun; but and a&yogh;ens hem Philisteis weren redy. 22   Thanne Dauid leuynge the vessels, the whiche he brou&yogh;te, vndre the hoond of a keper at the fardels, he ran to the place of the strijf, and he askide, if alle thingis ri&yogh;t weren doon anentys his britheren. 23   And whanne &yogh;it he spak to hem, aperyde that bastard man, Goliath bi name, Philistee of Geth, stiynge fro the tentis of Philisteis; and hym spekynge thes same wordis, Dauyd herde. 24   Forsothe alle the Ysraelitis whanne thei hadden seen the man, thei flowen fro his face, dredynge hym greetli. 25   And echon of Irael seide to other, Whether thou hast seen this man that styeth vp? forsothe to &yogh;yue reprofe to Yrael he stieth vp; therfor the man

that smytith hym, the kyng shal make riche with greet ricchessis; and his dou&yogh;ter he shal &yogh;yue to hym, and the hows of his fadre he shal make with out tribute in Yrael. 26   And Dauid seide to the men that stoden with hym, seiynge, What shal it be &yogh;ouun to the man that smytith this Philistee, and bereth awey reprofe fro Irael? forsothe who is he this Philistee vncircumcidid, the which reproueth the shiltrouns of the God lyuynge? 27   Forsothe the puple toolde to hym the same word, seiynge, Thes thingis shulen be &yogh;eue to the man that smitith hym. 28   The which thing whanne Heliab, his more brother, hadde herd, hym spekynge with other, is wrooth a&yogh;ens Dauid, and seith, Whi art thou comen, and whi hast thow forsaken thes fewe sheep in deseert? I haue knowen thi pride, and the shrewidnesse of thin herte; for that thou my&yogh;tist se the bateil, thou art comen doun. 29   And Dauid seith, What haue I doon? 30   Whether is it not a word? And he bowide a syde a litil fro hym to an other; and he seide the same word, and the puple answerde to hym word as bifore. 31   Forsothe the wordis that Dauid spak, ben herd, and toold in the si&yogh;t of Saul. 32   To whom whanne he was brou&yogh;t, he spak to hym, Ne falle not doun the herte of eny man in hym, and thi seruaunt shal goo, and fi&yogh;t a&yogh;en the Philistee. 33   And Saul seith to Dauid, Thou mayst not withstoond to this Philistee, ne fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens hym, for a child thou art; forsothe this man is a fi&yogh;ter fro his &yogh;ongth. 34   And Dauid seide to Saul, Thi seruaunt fedde the flok of his fader, and there cam a lioun or a beere, and took a wether fro the mydil of the flok; 35   I pursuede hem, and smoot, and delyuerde fro the

mouth of hem; and thei rysen a&yogh;ens me, and I cau&yogh;te the chaul of hem, and straunglide, and slow&yogh; hem. 36   Forsothe and a lioun and a beere slewe Y thi seruaunt; therfore shal be and this Philistee vncircumcidid as oon of thes. Now Y shal goo, and take awey the shenship of the puple; for who is this Philistee vncircumcidid, that is hardy to myssey to the oost of the lyuynge God? 37   And Dauid seith, The Lord that hath delyuerd me fro the mouth of the lioun, and fro the hoond of the beere, he shal delyuer me fro the hoond of this Philistee. Forsothe Saul seide to Dauid, Go, and the Lord be with thee. 38   And Saul clothide Dauid with his clothis, and putte on a stelen helm vpon his heed, and clothide hym with an hawberioun. 39   Thanne Dauid gyrd with his swerd vpon his clothinge, began to asaye if armyd he my&yogh;te goo; forsothe he hadde not the custome. And Dauid seide to Saul, I may not thus goo, for and vse I haue not. And he putte doun tho thingis, and he took his staf, 40   that euermore he hadde in hondis. And he cheese to hym fyue moost cleer stonus of the streem; and he putte hem into the sheepherdis scrip that he hadde with hym; and he took a slynge in hoond, and &yogh;eed forth a&yogh;ens the Philystee. 41   Forsothe the Philistee &yogh;eed, comynge and nei&yogh;ynge a&yogh;ens Dauyd; and his squyer before hym. 42   And whanne the Philistee hadde inwardly beholden hym, and seen Dauyd, he despiside hym; forsothe he was a &yogh;ong man, rodi, and fayre in si&yogh;t. 43   And the Philistee seide to Dauyd, Whethir I am a dog, that thou comest to me with a staf? And the Philistee curside Dauid in his goddis; 44   and seide to Dauyd, Com to me, and Y shal &yogh;eue thi flesh to the

fowlis of heuene, and to the beestis of the erthe. 45   Forsothe Dauid seide to the Philistee, Thou comest to me with swerd, speer, and sheeld; forsothe Y come to thee in the name of the Lord God of oostis, God of the cumpanyes of Irael, to whom thou hast reprouyd to day. 46   And the Lord shal &yogh;eue thee in myn hoond, and I shal smyte thee, and take awey thin heed fro thee; and I shal &yogh;yue the careyns of the tentis of Philisteis to day to the fowlis of heuene, and to the beestis of the erthe; that al the erthe wyte, 47   for the Lord God is in Yrael, and al this chirche knewe, for not in swerd ne in speer saueth the Lord; forsothe of hym is the batayl, and he shal take &yogh;ou in to oure hoondis. 48   Thanne whanne the Philistee was rysen, and cam, and nei&yogh;ede a&yogh;ens Dauid, Dauid hyede, and a&yogh;en cam to the fi&yogh;t forn a&yogh;ens of the Philistee. 49   And he putte his hoond into the scrip, and took a stoon, and leyde in the slynge, and, berynge it about, he smoot hym in the foreheed; and the stoon is pi&yogh;t in the forhed of hym, and he felle into his face vpon the erthe. 50   And Dauid hadde the maystrie a&yogh;ens the Philistee in slynge and stoon, and the smyten Philistee he slew&yogh;. And whanne Dauid hadde no swerd in the hoond, 51   he ran, and stood vpon the Philistee, and took his swerd, and drew&yogh; it out of his sheeth; and he slew&yogh; hym, and girde of his heed. Forsothe seynge the Philisteis that the strengest of hem was deed, thei flowen. 52   And rysynge the men of Yrael, and of Juda criden out, and pursueden the Philisteis, for to the while that thei camen into the valey, and vnto the &yogh;ate of Acharon. And there fellen woundid of the Philisteis, in the weye of Sarym, and vnto Geth, and vnto Acharon.

53   And the sonis of Yrael turnynge a&yogh;en, after that thei hadden pursued the Philisteis, thei asseilden the tentis of hem. 54   Forsothe Dauyd takynge the heed of the Philistee, brou&yogh;te it into Jerusalem; forsothe the armys of hym he putte in his tabernacle. 55   Forsothe that tyme that Saul saw&yogh; Dauyd goynge out a&yogh;ens the Philistee, he seith to Abner, the prynce of his chyualrie, Abner, of what stok descendide this &yogh;ong man? And Abner seide, Lyueth thi soule, kyng, I knew&yogh; not. 56   And the kyng seith, Ask thou, whos sone is this child. 57   And whanne Dauyd was comen a&yogh;en, the Philistee smyten, Abner took hym, and brou&yogh;te hym yn before Saul, hauynge in the hoond the heed of the Philistee. 58   And Saul seith to hym, Of what progenye art thou, O thou &yogh;ong man? And Dauid seide, The sone of thi seruaunt, Ysaye Bethlemyte, Y am. CAP. XVIII.

1   And it is doon, whanne he hadde endid to speke to Saul, the soule of Jonathas is glewid to gidre to the soul of Dauid, and Jonathas louyde hym as his owne lijf. 2   And Saul took hym in that day, and grauntide not to hym, that he turne a&yogh;en into the hows of his fadre. 3   Forsothe Jonathas and Dauid wenten into the couenaunt of pees; forsothe he louyde hym as his lijf; 4   forwhi Jonathas spuylide hym self the coote, that he was clothid, and &yogh;af it to Dauid, and his other clothis, vnto his `bowe and swerd, and vnto the kny&yogh;tis girdil. 5   Forsothe Dauyd wente out to alle thingis, what euere Saul sente

him, and wiseli he gouernde hym self; and Saul putte hym vpon men of batayl, and he was acceptid in the eyen of al the puple, and moost in the si&yogh;t of the seruauntis of Saul. 6   Forsothe whanne Dauid turnede a&yogh;en, the Philistee smyten, and beer the heed of hym into Jerusalem, the wymmen wenten out fro alle the cytees of Yrael, syngynge, and dauncis ledynge, into a&yogh;encomynge of Saul the kyng, in tymbers of gladnes, and in trumpis. 7   And the wymmen songen before, pleiynge, and seyynge, Saul hath smyten a thousand, and Dauyd ten thowsandis. 8   And Saul is wrooth ful mych, and this word displeside in the eyen of hym; and seide, Thei han &yogh;ouun to Dauid ten thousandis, and to me a thousand thei han &yogh;ouun; what to hym is more ouere but oneli the rewme? 9   Thanne not with ri&yogh;t eyen Saul bihelde Dauid, fro that day and therafter. 10   Forsothe after the tother day the yuel spiryt of God aseilide Saul, and he straungeli spak in the myddis of his hows. Forsothe Dauid harpide with his hoond, as bi eche days; and Saul heelde a speer, 11   and kest it, wenynge that he my&yogh;t pitche to gidre Dauid with the wal; and Dauyd bowide a side fro the face of hym the secounde tyme. 12   And Saul dredde Dauid, forthi that the Lord was with hym, and fro hym goon awey. 13   Thanne Saul moued hym a wey fro hym, and made hym a leder vpon a thousand men; and he wente out and cam yn in the si&yogh;t of the puple. 14   Forsothe in alle his weyes Dauid wiseli dide, and the Lord was with hym; 15   and so Saul saw&yogh; that he was wel mych wiys, and began to shunne hym. 16   Forsothe al Yrael and Juda louyde Dauyd; forsothe he &yogh;ede

yn and &yogh;ede out before hem. 17   And Saul seide to Dauid, Loo! my more dou&yogh;ter Merob, hir Y shal &yogh;eue to thee a wijf; oneli be a strong man, and fi&yogh;t the bateils of the Lord. Forsothe Saul trowide, seiynge, Be not myn hoond in hym, but be vpon hym the hoond of Philisteis. 18   Forsothe Dauyd seide to Saul, Who am Y, or what is my lijf, or the kynrede of my fadre in Irael, that Y be maad the sone in lawe of the kyng? 19   It is doon forsothe the tyme whanne Merob, the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, shulde be &yogh;euen to Dauid, &yogh;euen is Hadriel Molatite wijf. 20   Forsothe Dauyd louyd Mychol, the tother dou&yogh;ter of Saul; and it is toold to Saul, and it pleside to hym. 21   And Saul seide, Y shal &yogh;yue hir to hym, that it be maad to hym into sclaundre, and be vpon hym the hoond of Philisteis. Thanne seide Saul to Dauyd, In two thingis thow shalt be my sone in lawe to day. 22   And Saul comaundide to his seruauntis, Spek &yogh;e to Dauith pryuely fro me, seiynge, Loo! thou plesist to the kyng, and alle the seruauntis of hym louen thee; now thanne be thow the sone in lawe of the kyng. 23   And the seruauntis of Saul speken in the eeris of Dauid alle thes wordis. And Dauid seith, Whether litil it seme to &yogh;ow to be the sone in lawe of the kyng? Forsothe Y am a pore man, and a thinne. 24   And the seruauntis of Saul toolden a&yogh;en, seiynge, Sich maner wordis spak Dauid. 25   Forsothe Saul seide, Thus spekith to Dauid, The kyng nedith no sposeilis, but oonli an hundrid tersis of Philisteis, that veniaunce be doon of the enemyes of the kyng. Forsothe Saul thou&yogh;te to betray Dauid into the hoondis of Philisteis. 26   And whanne his seruauntis hadden a&yogh;en toold to Dauid the wordis that Saul hadde seid, the word pleside

in the eyen of Dauyd, that he were maad the sone in lawe of the kyng. 27   And after a fewe days Dauyd rysynge wente into Acharon, with the men that with hym weren, and smoot of the Philisteis two hundrid men; and brou&yogh;te the &yogh;erdis of hem, and noumbride hem to the kyng, that he were the sone in lawe of the kyng. And so Saul &yogh;af to hym Mychol, his dou&yogh;ter, wijf. 28   And Saul saw&yogh;, and vndurstood, that the Lord was with Dauid. 29   Forsothe Mychol, the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, louid hym, and Saul began more to drede Dauyd; and Saul is maad the enemye of Dauyd alle days. 30   And the princis of Philisteis wenten out; forsothe fro the bigynnynge of the goynge out of hem Dauyd wiselyer beer hym self than alle the men of Saul; and solempne is maad the name of hym ful myche. CAP. XIX.

1   Saul spak to Jonathan, his sone, and to alle his seruauntis, that thei shulden slee Dauid; forsothe Jonathas, the sone of Saul, louid Dauyd mych. 2   Jonathas shewide to Dauid, seiynge, Saul, my fader, sechith to slee thee, wherfor keep the wel; Y biseche, dwel; and thou shalt dwel priueli, and be hyd. 3   Forsothe Y goynge out shal stoond biside my fadre in the feeld, where euer he were; and I shal spek of thee to my fadre, and what euere thing Y shal see, Y shal telle to thee. 4   Thanne Jonathas spak good thingis of Dauid to Saul, his fader, and seide to hym, Ne synne thou, kyng, into thi seruaunt Dauid, for he hath not synned to thee, and the werkis of hym ben goode to thee mych; 5   and he hath put his lijf

in thin hoond, and smoot the Philistee. And the Lord hath doo greet helth to al Yrael; thou hast seen and gladidist; whi thanne synnest thou in the giltles blood, sleynge Dauyd, that is with out blame? 6   The which thing whanne Saul hadde herd, pleside bi the voys of Jonathe, swore, The Lord lyueth, for he shal not be slayn. 7   And so Jonathas clepide Dauid, and shewide to hym alle thes wordis. And Jonathas brou&yogh;te yn Dauid to Saul, and he was before hym, as he was &yogh;istirday and the thridde day before. 8   Forsothe eft is moued batayl; and Dauyd goon out fau&yogh;t a&yogh;ens Philisteis, and he smoot hem bi a greet veniaunce, and thei flowen fro the face of hym. 9   And the yuel spirit of the Lord is doon in Saul; forsothe he sat in his hows, and helde a spere; forsothe Dauid harpid in his hoond. 10   And Saul enforside to fitche to gidre with a spere Dauid in the wal; and Dauid bowide a side fro the face of Saul; forsothe the speer, the wound pryued, is born into the wal; and Dauid fle&yogh;e, and is saued that ny&yogh;t. 11   Thanne Saul sente his cruel seruauntis the ny&yogh;t into the hows of Dauid, that thei my&yogh;ten kepe hym, and sleen in the morwe. The which thing whanne Mychol, his wijf, hadde toold to Dauide, seiynge, But if thou saue thee this ny&yogh;t, to morwe thou shalt die; 12   she putte hym down bi the wyndowe. Forsothe he &yogh;ede a wey, and flei&yogh;e, and is sauid. 13   Forsothe Michol took an ymage, and putte it vpon the bed, and an heery skyn of the she geet she putte vpon the heed of it, and couerde it with clothis. 14   Forsothe Saul sente seruauntis that shulden taak Dauyd, and it is answerd, that he was sike.

15   And eft Saul sente messagers, that thei seen Dauid, seiynge, Brynge &yogh;e hym to me in the bed, that he be slayn. 16   And whanne the messagers weren comen, it is foundun a simulacre vpon the bed, and skynnys of she geet at the heed of it. 17   And Saul seide to Mychol, Whi hast thou thus bigilid me, and hast laft myn enemye, that he flee? And Mychol answerde to Saul, For he spak to me, seiynge, Let me goon, ellis Y shal slee thee. 18   Forsothe Dauid fleynge is sauyd; and he cam to Samuel in Ramatha, and he toolde to hym alle thingis that Saul dide to hym; and he and Samuel wenten a wey, and dwelten in Naioth. 19   Forsothe it is toold to Saul of seieres, Loo! Dauyd in Naioth in Ramatha. 20   Thanne Saul sente catchepollis forto take Dauid; the whiche whanne thei hadden seen the companye of prophetis propheciynge, and Samuel stondynge vpon hem, the Spirit of the Lord is doon in hem, and also thei bigunnen to prophecien. 21   The whiche whanne was toold to Saul, he sente and other messagers; also thei propheciden. And eft Saul sente the thridde messageris, the whiche and thei propheciden. 22   And Saul, wrooth with wrathfulnes, he &yogh;ede also into Ramatha; and he cam vnto the greet cistern that is in Sochoth, and askide, and seide, In what place ben Samuel and Dauid? And it is seyd to hym, Loo! in Naioth thei ben in Ramatha. 23   And he &yogh;ede into Naioth in Ramatha; and is doon also vpon hym the Spirit of the Lord; and goynge yn he wente, and propheciede, for to he cam in Naioth in Ramatha. 24   And also he spuylide hym self his clothis, and propheciede with other before Samuel, and he propheciede

nakid al that day and ny&yogh;t. Wherof &yogh;ede out a prouerbe, Whether and Saul among the prophetis? CAP. XX.

1   Forsothe Dauid flei&yogh; fro Naioth, that is in Ramatha, and comynge spak before Jonatha, What haue I doon, what haue I doon? what is my wickidnes, and what my synne into thi fader, for he sechith my lijf? 2   The which seide to hym, A wey be it fro thee, thou shalt not die, forsothe ne my fader shal do eny thing greet or litil, but before he shewe to me; thanne this word oonli my fader hath heelid fro me, forsothe this shal not be. 3   And eft he swore to Dauid. And he seith, Sotheli thi fadre woot, that I haue foundun grace in thin eyen, and he shal seye, Jonathas wite not this, lest perauenture he be sory; but also the Lord lyueth, and lyueth thi soule, for in o degree oonli, that I so seye, Y and deeth ben dyuydid. 4   And Jonathas seith to Dauid, What euere thing thi soule seith to me, I shal doo to thee. 5   And Dauid seide to Jonathan, Loo! kalendis ben to morwe, and I of maner am wont to sitte biside the kyng to eete; leete me thanne, that I be hid in the feeld vnto the euen of the thridde day. 6   And if biholdynge thi fader aske me, thou shalt answere to hym, Dauid preide me for to goo swiftly into Bethlem, his citee, for solempne slayn sacrifices ben there to alle the men of his lynage. 7   And if he seye, Wel, pees shal be to thi seruaunt; forsothe if he were wrooth, wite thou, that fulfillid is the

malice of hym. 8   Do thanne mercy vnto thi seruaunt, for thow hast maad me thi seruaunt to goo in couenaunt of pees of the Lord with thee; forsothe if in me is eny wickidnes, thou sle me, and ne lede thou me into thi fader. 9   And Jonathas seith, God sheelde this fro me, forsothe ne it may be doon, that if certeynli I knowe to be fulfillid the malice of my fadre a&yogh;ens thee, Y telle not to thee. 10   And Dauid answerde to Jonathas, Who shal telle a&yogh;en to me, if eny thing perauenture thi fader shal answere to thee hard of me? 11   And Jonathas seide to Dauid, Come, and goo we out into the feelde. And whanne bothe weren goon into the feelde, 12   Jonathas seith to Dauid, Lord God of Yrael, if I serche the sentence of my fader to morwe, or other morwe, and eny thing of good were vpon Dauid, and anoon sende not to thee, and make knowun to thee, 13   this God doo to Jonatha, and thes thingis adde. Forsothe if the malice of my fader dwelle stedfastly a&yogh;ens thee, Y shal telle thin eer, and leete thee, that thou go in pees; and the Lord be with thee, as he was with my fader. 14   And if Y shal lyue, thou do to me the mercies of the Lord; forsothe if I shal dye, 15   thou shalt not do a wey thi mercy fro myn hows vnto with outen eende; othere if I shal not doo, whanne the Lord shal drawe out bi the rotis the enemyes of Dauid, echon fro the erthe, do he a wey Jonathan fro his hows, and seche the Lord fro the hoond of the enemyes `of Dauid. 16   Thanne Jonathas couenauntide a couenaunt of pees with the hows of Dauid, and the Lord sou&yogh;te fro the hoond of the enemyes `of Dauid. 17   And Jonathas addide to myche bynde Dauid bi ooth, forthi that

he louide hym; forsothe as his lijf, so he louyde hym. 18   And Jonathas seide to hym, To morwe ben kalendis, 19   and thou shalt ben askid after; forsothe thi syttynge schal be askid after vnto after to morwe. Thanne thou shalt come doun hastily, and come into the place, where thou art to be hid in the day, whanne it is leueful to worche; and thou shalt sitte biside the stoon, to whom name is Ezel. 20   And Y shal sende thre arowis biside it, and shal throwe as hauntynge me to a prik. 21   Forsothe and Y shal sende a child, seiynge to hym, Go, and bryng to me the arowis. 22   If I seye to the child, Loo! the arowis ben with ynne thee, tak hem; com thou to me, for pees is to thee, and no thing is of yuel, lyueth the Lord. Forsothe if thus Y shal speke to the child, Loo! the arowis ben be&yogh;onde thee; goo in pees, for the Lord hath laft thee. 23   Of the word forsothe that we han spokun, Y and thou, the Lord be bitwix me and thee vnto with outen eende. 24   Thanne Dauid is hid in the feelde; and the kalendis camen, and the kyng sat to eete breed. 25   And whanne the kyng hadde sitten vpon his chayer after the consuetude, that was beside the wal, Jonathas roos, and sat, and Abner on the side of Saul, and voyde aperyde the place of Dauid. 26   And Saul spak not eny thing in that day; forsothe he thou&yogh;te, that perauenture was comen to hym, that he was not cleen ne purified. 27   And whanne the secounde day after the kalendis hadde li&yogh;tid, eft aperide void the place of Dauid. And Saul seide to Jonathas his sone, Why cometh not the sone of Ysaye, ne &yogh;isterday, ne `to day for to eete? 28   And Jonathas answerde to Saul, He preide me enteerly, that he my&yogh;te goo into Bethleem; 29   and

seith, Lete me, for solempne sacrifice is yn my citee; oon of my britheren hath clepid me; nowe thanne if Y haue foundun grace in thin eyen, Y shal goo soone, and se my britheren; for this cause he cam not to the bord of the kyng. 30   Forsothe Saul, wrooth a&yogh;ens Jonathan, seide to hym, Thou sone of a womman wilfuli catchinge a man, whether I knowe not, that thou louest the sone of Ysay into thi confusioun, and into the confusyoun of thi shenful moder? 31   Forsothe alle the days in whiche the sone of Ysay shal lyue vpon the erthe, shal not be stable thou ne thi rewme; and so nowe send, and bryng hym to me, for the sone of deeth he is. 32   Forsothe Jonathas answerynge to Saul his fader seith, Whi shal he dye? what hath he doon? 33   And Saul cau&yogh;te a speer forto smyte hym, and Jonathas vndurstood, that it was fulli termyned of his fader, that Dauyd shulde be slayn. 34   Thanne Jonathas roos fro the bord in wraththe of woodnes, and eete not breed in the secounde day of kalendis; forsothe he sorowide vpon Dauid, forthi that his fader hadde shent hym. 35   And whanne the morwetide hadde li&yogh;tid, Jonathas cam into the feeld, after the couenaunt of Dauid, and a litil child with him. 36   And he seith to his child, Go, and bryng to me the arowis that I threwe. And whanne the child hadde runnen, he threwe an other arowe ouer the child. 37   And so the child cam to the place of the dartis that Jonathas sente; and Jonathas criede bihynde the bak of the child, and seith, Loo! there is not the arowe, but bi&yogh;onde thee. 38   And Jonathas criede eft bihynde the bak of the child, seiynge, Hi&yogh;e swiftli, ne stoond thou. Thanne the child of Jonathas gedride the arowis,

and brou&yogh;te to his lord, 39   and what shulde be doo vtterly he knewe not; forsothe oonli Jonathas and Dauyd knewen the thing. 40   Thanne Jonathas &yogh;af his aarmis to the child, and seyde to hym, Go, and bere into the cytee. 41   And whanne the child was goon, Dauid roos fro the place that bowith to the south; and fallynge redi into the erthe, honourde the thridde tyme, and kissynge hem seluen either othir, thei wepten togidre; forsothe Dauid more largeli. 42   Thanne Jonathas seide to Dauid, Go in pees; what euer thing we han sworn bothe in the name of the Lord, seiynge, The Lord be bitwix me and thee, and bitwix my seed and thi seed vnto with outen eende. 43   And Dauid roos, and wente a wey, but and Jonathas wente into the cytee. CAP. XXI.

1   Dauid forsothe cam into Nobe to Achymalech the preest; and Achymalech was astonyed, forthi that Dauid was comen; and he roos a&yogh;ens hym, and seide to hym, Whi thou alone, and no man is with thee? 2   And Dauid seith to Achymalech the preest, The kyng comaundide to me a word, and seide, No man knowe the thing, for the whych thou art sent fro me, and what maner heestis I haue &yogh;ouen to thee; for and to the children I haue ordeynd also `into that and that place; 3   nowe thanne if eny thing thou hast at hoond, or fyue looues, &yogh;if to me, or what euer thou fyndist. 4   And answerynge the preest to Dauid seith to hym, I haue not leeuyd loouys at hoond, but oonli hooli breed; if cleen be the children, moost fro wymmen, eete thei. 5   And Dauyd answerde to the preest, and seide to hym, Forsothe and if of wymmen it is

askid, we han conteyned vs fro &yogh;isterday and before &yogh;isterday, whanne we wenten out, and the vessels of the children weren holy; forsothe this weye is polute, but and it to day shal be halowid in the vessels. 6   Thanne the preest &yogh;af to hym halwid breed, forsothe ne there was breed, but oonly loouys of proposicioun, the whiche weren born a wey fro the face of the Lord, that there ben set hoot loouys. 7   Forsothe there was ther a maner man of the seruauntis of Saul in that day with ynne in the tabernacle of the Lord; this fedde the mulis of Saul; and the name of hym Doech Ydume, moost my&yogh;ti of the sheepherdis of Saul. 8   Forsothe Dauyd seide to Achymalech, If thou hast here at hoond speer, or swerd, &yogh;if to me; for my swerd and myn aarmys Y took not with me; forsothe the word of the kyng constreynede me. 9   And the preest seyde, Loo! heere the swerd of Goliath Philistee, whom thou smoot in the valey of Therebynt, it is wrappid with a pal after the preestis coope; if this thou wolt take, tak; forsothe ne here is othere with outen it. And Dauid seith, There is not another lijk to this, &yogh;if to me it. 10   And so Dauid roos, and flei&yogh; in that day fro the face of Saul, and cam to Achis, the kyng of Geth. 11   And the seruauntis of Achis seiden to hym, whanne thei seen Dauid, Whether not this is Dauid, kyng of the loond? Whether not to this sungen bi dauncys seiynge, Saul smoot o thousand, and Dauid ten thousandis? 12   Forsothe Dauid putte thes wordis in his herte, and dredde ful mych fro the face of Achis, the kyng of Geth. 13   And he chaungyde hys mouth before Achis, and he hurlide hidir and thider bitwix the hoondis of hem, and he a&yogh;en put into

the doris of the &yogh;ate, and his spotils floweden doun into the beerd. 14   And Achis seith to his seruauntis, Han &yogh;e seen a woode man? whi han &yogh;e brou&yogh;t hym to me? whether faylen to &yogh;ou woode men? whi han &yogh;e brou&yogh;t hym yn, that he wexe woode, me present? Letith hym goon hens, lest he goo into myn hows. CAP. XXII.

1   Dauid thanne &yogh;eed thens, and flei&yogh; into the spelunk of Odallam; the which thing whanne the britheren of hym hadden herd, and al the hows of his fadre, thei camen doun to hym thidir. 2   And camen to gidre to hym alle that weren in angwish set, and oppressid for other mennus monee, and for bitter inwit; and he is maad the prince of hem, and there weren with hym as foure hundrid men. 3   And Dauid wente thens into Masphat, that is of Moab; and seide to the kyng of Moab, Dwelle, Y preye, my fader and my moder with &yogh;ow, to the tyme that Y wite what God doo to me. 4   And he laft hem before the face of the kyng of Moab; and thei dwelten anentis hym alle days, in the whiche Dauid was in strong socour. 5   And Gad, the prophet, seide to Dauid, Wole thow not dwelle in the place of strong socour; weend forth, and goo into the loond of Juda. And Dauid wente, and cam into the wijlde wode of Areth. 6   And Saul herde, that Dauyd apperyde, and men that with hym weren. Forsothe Saul whanne he dwelt in Gabaa, and was in the wode that is in Rama, a speer in hoond holdynge, and alle his seruauntis stoden about hym, 7   he seith to his seruauntis that stoden ny&yogh; to hym, Herith me nowe, the sones of Gemyny; whethir to alle &yogh;ou the sone of Ysay shal &yogh;yue feeldis and vynes, and alle &yogh;ou shal make lederys of thousandis and

leders of hundredis? 8   For &yogh;e alle han sworn togidre a&yogh;ens me, and there is not that a&yogh;en telle to me; moost whanne and my sone hath ioyned couenaunt of pees with the sone of Ysay; there is not that sorwith my while of &yogh;ou, ne that telle to me, forthi that my sone hath reride my seruaunt a&yogh;ens me, weytynge to me vnto to day. 9   Forsothe answerynge Doech Ydume, that stood ny&yogh;, and was the fyrst amonge the seruauntis of Saul, I saw&yogh;, he seith, the sone of Ysay in Nobe, at Achimalech, the sone of Achitob, the preest; 10   the which counseilede the Lord for hym, and &yogh;af meetis to hym, but and the swerd of Goliath Philistee he &yogh;af to hym. 11   Thanne the kyng sente to cleepe Achymalech, the sone of Achitob, the preest, and al the hows of his fader, of the prestys that waren in Nobe; the whiche alle to the kyng ben comen. 12   And Saul seith to Achymalech, Here, thou sone of Achitob. The which answerde, I am prest, lord. 13   And Saul seide to hym, Whi han &yogh;e sworn togidre a&yogh;ens me, thou, and the sone of Ysay, and thou hast &yogh;euen to hym loouys and a swerd, and thou hast counseild for hym the Lord, that he ryse a&yogh;ens me, dwellynge a spye vnto to day? 14   And Achymalech answerynge to the kyng seith, And who in alle thi seruauntis trewe as Dauid, and the sone in lawe of the kyng, and goynge at thin heest, and gloryous in thin hows? 15   Whether to day I haue begun for hym to counseil the Lord? A wey be that fro me, ne trowe the kyng a&yogh;ens his seruaunt sich a maner thing in al the hows of my fader; forsothe thi seruaunt wiste not eny thing vpon this nede, othere litil or greet. 16   And the kyng seide, Bi deth shal dye, Achymalech, thou, and al

the hows of thi fader. 17   And the kyng seith to the outgoers in his nedis, that stooden about hym, Turneth, and sleeth the preestis of the Lord, for the hoond of hem is with Dauid; wytynge that he was flowen, and thei sheweden not to me. Forsothe the seruauntis of the kyng wolden not strecche out her hoond into the preestis of the Lord. 18   And the kyng seith to Doech, Turn thou, and fal into the preestis of the Lord. And Doech Ydume turnede, felle into the preestis, and hew&yogh; doun fyue and ei&yogh;tith men in that day, clothid with surplees. 19   Also he smoot Nobee, the citee of preestis, in mouth of swerd, men and wymmen, litil children and sowkynge, and oxe, and asse, and sheep, in mouth of swerd. 20   Forsothe oon ascapynge, sone of Achymalech, the sone of Achitob, whos name was Abiathar, 21   flee&yogh; to Dauid, and toolde to hym, that Saul hadde slayn the prestis of the Lord. 22   And Dauid seith to Abiathar, Forsothe I wist in that day, that whanne there was Doech Ydume, with out dout he wold telle to Saul; I am gilti of alle the soulis of thi fader. 23   Dwel with me, ne drede thou; if eny man sechith my lijf, shal seche and thi lijf, and with me thou shalt be kept. CAP. XXIII.

1   And men toolden to Dauid, seiynge, Loo! Phylisteis fi&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens Seyla, and struyen the floris of cornys. 2   Thanne Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, Whether I shal goo, and smyte thes Philisteis? And the Lord seith to Dauid, Go, and thou shalt smyte Philisteis, and saue Seylam. 3   And men seiden, that weren with Dauid, to hym, Loo! we here beynge in Juda dreden; myche more if we goon into

Seilam a&yogh;ens the companyes of Philisteis. 4   Eft thanne Dauid counseilde the Lord; the which answerynge seith to hym, Ryse, and go into Seilam; forsothe I shal take the Philisteis in thin hoond. 5   Thanne wente Dauid and his men into Seilam, and fau&yogh;t a&yogh;ens the Philisteis; and droue a wey the beestis of hem, and smoot hem with a greet veniaunce; and Dauid sauyde the dwellers of Seilam. 6   Forsothe that tyme, the which Abiathar, the sone of Achymalech, flee&yogh;, he descendide to Dauid into Seylam, hauynge with hym the preestis coope. 7   Forsothe it is toold to Saul, that Dauid was comen into Seylam; and Saul seith, The Lord hath taken hym into myn hoondis, and closid is goon into the cytee, in the which ben &yogh;atis and lockis. 8   And Saul comaundide to al the puple, that to the fi&yogh;t thei shulden descende to Seilam, and bisege Dauid and his men. 9   The which thing whanne Dauid a&yogh;en knewe, for Saul made redy to hym priueli yuel, he seide to Abiathar, the preest, Clothe thee the preestis coope. 10   And Dauid seith, Lord God of Yrael, thi seruaunt hath herd the fame, that Saul hath disposid to come to Seyla, that he turne vpsedoun for me the cyte; 11   if the men of Seyla shulen take me into his hoondis, and if Saul shal come doun, as thi seruaunt hath herd, Lord God of Yrael, shewe to thi seruaunt? And the Lord seith, He shal come doun. 12   And Dauid eft seyde, If the men of Seila shulen take me, and the men that ben with me, into the hoondis of Saul? And the Lord seide, Thei shulen take. 13   Thanne Dauid roos, and his men, as sex hundrid; and, goon out fro Seyla, hidir and thider weren vagaunt vncerteyn. And it is toold to Saul, that Dauid hadde flowen fro Seila, and was sauid; for what skyl he laft to goon out. 14   Forsothe Dauid

dwellide in deseert, in moost defensable placis, and abood in the hil of wildirnes of Ziph, in the derk hil; neuerthelater Saul sou&yogh;te hym alle days, and the Lord took hym not into the hoondis of hym. 15   And Dauid saw&yogh;, that Saul was goon out, for to seche his lijf. Forsothe Dauid was in the deseert of Ziph, in a wode. 16   And Jonathas, the sone of Saul, roos, and wente to Dauid into the wode, and coumfourtide the hoondis of hym in God. 17   And he seide to hym, Ne drede thou; forsothe ne the hoond of Saul my fader shal fynde thee, and thou shalt regne vpon Yrael, and I shal be to thee the secounde; but and Saul my fader woot this. 18   Thanne either smoot couenaunt of pees before the Lord. And Dauid abood in the wode; forsothe Jonathas turnede a&yogh;en into his hows. 19   Forsothe Zipheis stieden vp to Saul in Gabaa, seiynge, Loo! whether not Dauid lurkith anentis vs in moost siker placys of a wode, in the hil of Achille, that is at the ri&yogh;t party of deseert? 20   Nowe thanne, as thi soule hath desyrid for to come doun, com doun; forsothe `our shal be, that we taken hym into the hoondis of the kyng. 21   And Saul seide, Blessid be &yogh;e of the Lord, for &yogh;e han sorewid my while. 22   Goth thanne, I praye, and more bisily makith redy beforn, and slelyer doth, and weitith swiftly the place, where be the foot of hym, or who saw&yogh; hym there, where &yogh;e han seid; forsothe he a&yogh;en thenkith of me, that I felli aspye hym. 23   Biholdith, and seeth alle the hidils of hym, in whiche he is hid, and turneth to me at certeyn thing, that I goo with &yogh;ou; that if also into the erthe he hide hym self, I shal thur&yogh; serche hym in alle the thousandis of Juda. 24   And thei rysynge wenten into Ziph before Saul. Forsothe Dauid and

his men weren in the deseert of Maon, in the wijld feeldis, at the ri&yogh;t side of Jesymith. 25   Thanne Saul wente and his felawis to seche hym, and it is toold to Dauid; and anoon he wente doun to a stoon, and abood in the deseert of Maon; the whiche thinge whanne Saul had herde, he pursuede Dauith in the deserte of Maon. 26   And Saul wente and his men at the side of the hil on the o partye; forsothe Dauid and his men weren in the side of the hil on the tother party; wherfor Dauid dispeyryde hym self to mowe askaap fro the face of Saul. And so Saul and his men in maner of a coroun girdiden Dauid and his men, for to take hem. 27   And a messager cam to Saul, seiynge, Hy&yogh;e, and come, for the Philisteis han held hem seluen vpon the loond. 28   Thanne Saul turnede a&yogh;en, cesynge to pursue Dauid; and he wente into the a&yogh;en comynge of the Philisteis. For that thei clepen that place the Dyuydynge Stoone. CAP. XXIV.

1   Thanne Dauid stiede vp thens, and dwelte in moost siker placis of Engaddi. 2   And whanne Saul was turned a&yogh;en, after that he hadde pursued the Philisteis, thei toolden to hym, seiynge, Loo! Dauid is in the deseert of Engaddi. 3   Thanne Saul, takynge to thre thousandis of chosen men of al Yrael, wente to aserche Dauid and his men, vpon moost hei&yogh; rochis, that oneli to wijlde capretis ben thur&yogh; weyes. 4   And he cam to the fooldys of sheep, the which offrede hemself to the weye goer. And a spelunk was there, the which Saul wente yn, that he purge the wombe; forsothe Dauid and his men lurkeden in the innere parti of the denne. 5   And the seruauntis of Dauyd seiden to hym, Loo!

the day of which the Lord spak to thee, I shal take to thee thin enemy, that thou doo to hym as it plesith in thin eyen. Thanne Dauid roos, and kyttide of the hemme of the mantil of Saul stilly. 6   After thes thingis the herte of Dauid smoot hym, forthi that he hadde kut a wey the hemme of the mantil of Saul. 7   And he seide to his men, Merciful be to me the Lord, that I doo not this thing to my lord, the crist of the Lord, that I putte myn hoond into hym, for the crist of the Lord he is. The Lord lyueth, for but the Lord smyte hym, other the day of hym come, that he dye, other comynge doun into batayl perish, merciful be to me the Lord, that I putte not myn hoond into the crist of the Lord. 8   And Dauid brak togidre his men with thes wordis, and suffrede hem not, that thei rysen into Saul; forsothe Saul rysynge fro the denne, wente in the weye begun. 9   Forsothe Dauid roos after hym, and wente out of the denne, and criede after the bak of Saul, seiynge, My lord kyng! And Saul beheelde bihynde hym; and Dauyd bowynge hym self redi into the erthe honourede. 10   And he seide to Saul, Whi herist thou wordis of men spekynge, Dauid sechith yuel a&yogh;ens thee? 11   Loo! to dai thin eyen seen, that the Lord took thee in myn hoond in the denne, and I thou&yogh;t for to slee thee, but myn eye sparide to thee; forsothe I seide, I shal not stretche out myn hoond in my lord, `for the crist of the Lord he is. 12   But more ouere, fader myn, se, and know the hemme of thi mantil in myn hoond, for whanne I kut the coope of thi mantil, I wold not stretch out myn hoond into thee; inwardly tak hede, and se, for there is not in myn hoond euel ne wickidnes, ne I haue synned in thee; forsothe

thou aspyist my lijf, that thou doo it awey. 13   The Lord deme bitwix me and thee, and the Lord wreke me on thee; forsothe myn hoond be not in thee, 14   as in the oold prouerbe it is seid, Fro vnpiteuous men goth out vnpiteuousnesse; myn hoond forsothe be not in thee. 15   Whom pursuyst thou, kyng of Yrael? whom pursuist thou? A deed dog thou pursuist, and a quyk fly&yogh;e. 16   The Lord be domesman, and the Lord deme bitwix me and thee, and see, and deme my cause, and delyuere me fro thin hoond. 17   Forsothe whanne Dauid hadde ful eendid spekynge siche maner wordis to Saul, Saul seide, Whether this is thi voys, sone myn Dauyd? And Saul reryde vp a voys, and wepte. 18   And to Dauid he seide, More ri&yogh;twise thou art than Y; forsothe thou hast &yogh;oldun to me gode thingis; forsothe I haue &yogh;oldun a&yogh;en to thee yuel thingis. 19   And thow hast shewid to me to day, what goode thingis thou hast doo to me, what maner wise the Lord took me in thin hoond, and thou slew&yogh; not me. 20   Forsothe who, whanne he fyndith his enemy, leeueth hym in a good weie? But the Lord &yogh;eelde to thee this while, for that, that to day thou hast wrou&yogh;t in me. 21   And `now, for I knowe, that moost certeynli thou art to regne, and to haue in thin hoond the kyngdom of Yrael, 22   swere to me in the Lord, that thou do not a wey my seed after me, ne doo a wey my name fro the hows of my fader. 23   And Dauid swore to Saul. Thanne Saul wente into his hows, and Dauid and his men stieden vp to more sykyr placis. CAP. XXV.

1   Samuel forsothe diede; and al Yrael is gaderid, and biweilide hym ful myche, and biryeden hym in his hows in Ramatha. And Dauid risynge wente doun

into the deseert of Pharan. 2   Forsothe there was a maner man in the wildernesse of Maon, and the possessioun of hym was in Carmele, and that man ful myche greet, and there weren to hym sheep thre thousandis, and a thousand goot; and it felle that his flok shulde be clippid in Carmele. 3   Forsothe the name of that man was Naabal, and the name of his wijf Abigail; and that womman was moost wyis and feyr, forsothe hir man hard and werst and malicious; forsothe he was of the kynrede of Caleph. 4   Whanne thanne Dauid in deseert hadde herd, 5   that Naabal clippide his flok, he sente ten &yogh;onge men, and seide to hem, Stieth vp into Carmele, and &yogh;e shulen come to Naabal, and &yogh;e shulen salute hym in my name pesibly; 6   and thus &yogh;e shulen seye, Pees be to my britheren and to thee, and pees to thin hows, and to alle, what euere thingis thou hast, be pees; of many &yogh;eeris be thou maad saaf, thou, and thin hows, and alle thin. 7   I haue herd that thi sheepherdis clippiden thi flockis, that weren with vs in deseert; neuere to hem we weren heuy, ne eny tyme faylide to hem eny thing of the flok, al the tyme that thei weren with vs in Carmele; 8   ask thi children, and thei shulen shewe to thee. Nowe thanne fynden thi children grace in thin eyen; in a good day forsothe we ben comen to thee; what euere thing thin hoond fyndith, &yogh;if to thi seruauntis, and to thi sone Dauid. 9   And whanne the children of Dauid weren comen, thei speken to Naabal alle thes wordis in the name of Dauid, and helden her pees. 10   Forsothe Naabal, answerynge to the children of Dauid, seith, Who is Dauid? and who is

the sone of Ysay? To day han sprungun yn seruauntis that fleen her lordis. 11   Shal I thanne take my loouys, and my watris, and flesh of beestis, that I haue slayn to my clippers, and &yogh;ife to men, whom I knowe not whennus thei ben? 12   And so the children of Dauid wenten a&yogh;en bi her weye; and a&yogh;en turned thei camen a&yogh;en, and toolden to hym alle the wordis that Naabal hadde seid. 13   Thanne Dauid seith to his children, Echon be gyrd with his swerd. And echon ben gird with her swerdis, and Dauid is gird with his swerd; and there folweden Dauid as foure hundrid men, forsothe two hundryd abiden stil at the fardels. 14   Forsothe to Abigail, the wijf of Naabal, oon of hir children toold, seyynge, Loo! Dauid sente messagers fro deseert, for thei wolden blesse to oure lord, and he with stoode hem; 15   these men weren good ynow `to vs, and not heuy, ne eny thing that eny tyme perishid al the tyme we han dwellid with hem in deseert; 16   for a wal thei weren to vs, as wel in ny&yogh;t as in day, alle days the whiche we fedden flockis anentis hem. 17   Wherfor behold, and bithenk, what thou doo; for determyned is the malice a&yogh;ens thi man, and a&yogh;ens thin hows; and he is the sone of Belial, so that no man may speke to him. 18   Thanne Abigail hi&yogh;ede, and took two hundryd loouys, and two botels of wyn, and fyue wetheris sothen, and fyue busshellis of brayid corn, and an hundrid busshellis of dryed grape, and two hundrid peyse of dryed figis; and she putte vpon the assis, 19   and seide to hir children, Gooth before me; loo! after the bak Y shal folwe &yogh;ou. To Naabal forsothe hir man she shewide it not. 20   Whanne thanne she was goon vpon the asse, and cam

doun at the roote of the hil, Dauid and his men camen doun into a&yogh;en metynge of hyre; to whom and she a&yogh;en cam. 21   And Dauid seith, Verreili in veyn I haue kept alle thingis that of this man weren in deseert, and there perishid not eny thing of alle thingis that to hym perteyneden, and he hath &yogh;oldun to me yuel for good. 22   Thes thingis do the Lord to the enemyes of Dauid, and thes thingis adde, if Y shal leeue of alle thingis that to hym pertenen vnto the morwe tide a pisser to the wal. 23   Forsothe whanne Abigail hadde seen Dauid, she hi&yogh;ede, and wente doun of the asse, and felle doun before Dauid vpon hir face, and honourde vpon the erthe. 24   And she felle at the feet of hym, and seyde, My lord, in me be this wickidnes; speke, Y biseche, thin hoondseruaunt in thin eeris, and here the wordis of thi seruaunt; 25   ne put, Y preye, my lord kyng, his herte vpon this wickid man Naabal, for after his name he is a fool, and foli is with hym; forsothe I, thin hoond womman, saw&yogh; not thi children, whom, my lord, thou sentist. 26   Now thann, my lord, lyueth the Lord and lyueth thi soule, that hath defendid thee, that thou cam not into blood, and hath sauyd thin hoond to thee; and now as Naabal thin enemyes ben maad, and that sechen to my lord yuel. 27   Wherfor tak this blessynge, that thin hoond womman hath brou&yogh;t to thee, my lord, and &yogh;yue to the children that folowen thee, my lord. 28   Do awey the wickydnes of thi seruaunt; forsothe the Lord makynge shal make to thee, my lord, a trewe hows, for the batayls of the Lord, my lord, thou fi&yogh;tist; malice thanne be there not founden in thee alle the days of thi lijf. 29   Forsothe if there arise any tyme a man pursuynge thee,

and sechynge thi lijf, the lijf of my lord shal be kept, as in a litil knytche of lyuynge men, anentis the Lord thi God; forsothe the lijf of thin enemyes shal be turned about as in the birre, and the cercle of a slynge. 30   Whanne thanne the Lord shal do to thee, my lord, alle thes gode thingis, that he hath spokyn of thee, and settith thee a duyk vpon Yrael, this shal not be to thee, 31   my lord, into &yogh;oxynge and into scripil of herte, that thou hast shed giltlesse blood, or thi self thou hast vengid. And whanne the Lord shal wel doo to thee, my lord, thow shalt recorde of thin hoond womman, and thou shalt wel doo to hir. 32   And Dauid seide to Abigayl, Blissid be the Lord God of Yrael, that sente thee to day into myn a&yogh;encomynge, and blessid thi speche; and blessid thou art, 33   that hast defendid me, that I &yogh;ede not to day to the blood, and vengide me bi myn hoond; 34   ellis the Lord God of Yrael lyueth, that hath defendide me, that Y dide not yuel to thee, but soone thow haddist comen into a&yogh;encomynge to me, there shulde not han laft to Naabal vnto the morwetide li&yogh;t a pisser to the wal. 35   Thanne Dauid took of the hoond of hir alle thingis that she brou&yogh;te to hym; and he seide to hir, Go in pees into thin hows; loo! I haue herd thi voys, and honourde thi face. 36   Forsothe Abigail cam to Naabal; and loo! there was to hym a feest in his hows, as a feest of a kyng; and the herte of Naabal myri, forsothe he was drunken ful myche; and she shewide not to hym word litil or greet vnto the morwe. 37   Forsothe eerli, whanne Naabal hadde defied the wyn, his wijf shewide to him thes wordis; and the herte of hym with yn forth is deed, and he is maad as a stoone. 38   And whanne ten days weren passid, the

Lord smoot Naabal, and he is deed. 39   The which thing whanne Dauid hadde herd, Naabal deed, he seith, Blissid is the Lord, that hath vengid the cause of my reproof fro the hoond of Naabal, and his seruaunt hath kept fro yuel, and the malice of Naabal the Lord hath &yogh;olden into his heed. Than Dauid sente, and spak to Abigail, that he take hir to hym into wijf. 40   And the children of Dauid camen to Abigail into Carmele, and speken to hir, seiynge, Dauid sente vs to thee, that he take thee into wijf to hym. 41   The which arysynge honourde redi into the erthe, and seith, Loo! thi seruaunt be in to an hond womman, that she wasshe the feet of the seruauntis of my lord. 42   And Abigail hi&yogh;ede, and roos, and stiede vpon the asse; and fyue childwymmen, hir feet folowers, wenten with hir, and she folowide the messagers of Dauid, and is maad to hym a wijf. 43   But and Dauid took Achynoem fro Jezrael, and either was the wijf of hym; 44   forsothe Saul &yogh;af Mychol his dou&yogh;ter, the wijf of Dauid, to Phalti, the sone of Lays, that was of Gallym. CAP. XXVI.

1   And Ziphei camen to Saul in Gabaa, seiynge, Loo! Dauid is hid in the hil of Achille, the which is fro a&yogh;ens of the wildernesse. 2   And Saul roos, and cam doun into the deseert of Ziph, and with hym thre thousandis of men of the chosun of Yrael, that he seche Dauid in the deseert of Ziph. 3   And Saul sette tentis in Gabaa of Achille, that was fro a&yogh;ens of the wildernesse in the weye. Forsothe Dauid dwellide in deseert. Forsothe seynge that Saul was comen after hym into deseert, 4   he sente aspies, and lernyde moost certeynli, that thidre he was comyn. 5   And Dauyd roos pryueli, and

cam to the place where Saul was. And whanne he hadde seen the place, in the whiche Saul slepte, and Abner, the sone of Ner, prince of his chiualrye, and Saul slepynge in the tent, and the tother comouns bi the enuyroun of hym, 6   Dauid seith to Achymalech, Ethee, and to Abisay, the sone of Saruye, the brother of Joab, seiynge, Who shal come doun with me to Saul into the tentis? And Abisai seide, Y shal goo doun with thee. 7   Thanne Dauid and Abisai camen to the puple the ny&yogh;t, and founden Saul liynge, and slepynge in the tent, and a speer pi&yogh;t at his heed in the erthe; forsothe Abner and the puple slepynge in the enuyroun of hym. 8   And Abisai seide to Dauid, God hath closid to dai thin enemye into thin hoondis; now thanne I shal stike hym with a speer in the erthe oonys, and the secounde shal be no nede. 9   And Dauid seide to Abisai, Thou shalt not sle hym, forsothe who shal stretche his hoond into the crist of the Lord, and shal be innocent? 10   And Dauid seide, The Lord lyuith, for but the Lord smyte hym, other the day of hym come that he die, other into batail comynge doun he perisshe; 11   merciful be to me the Lord, that I stretche not out myn hoond into the crist of the Lord; now thanne tak the speer, that is at his heed, and the cup of water, and go wee. 12   Dauid took the speer, and the cup of water, that was at the heed of Saul, and thei wenten awey, and there was not eny man that saw&yogh;, and vndurstood, and awook, but alle thei slepten; for the sleep of the Lord felle vpon hem. 13   And whanne Dauid was goon fro a&yogh;ens, and stood in the cop of the hil fro a fer, and there was a greet myddil valey bitwix hem, 14   Dauid criede to the puple, and to Abner, the sone of Ner, seiynge, Whether, Abner, thou shalt not answere?

And Abner answerynge seith, Who art thou that criest, and vnrestist the kyng? 15   And Dauid seith to Abner, Whether ert thou not a man, and who other lijk thee in Yrael? whi thanne hast thou not kept thi lord the kyng? Forsothe there wente yn a man of the folk, for he wolde sleye thi lord the kyng; 16   it is not good, this that thou hast doo; the Lord lyuith, for sonys of deeth &yogh;e ben, for &yogh;e han not kept &yogh;oure lord, crist of the Lord. Now thanne se, where be the speer of the kyng, and where be the cup of water, that weren at the heed of hym. 17   Forsothe Saul knewe the voys of Dauid, and seide, Whether is this thi vois, my sone Dauid? And Dauid seith, My vois, my lord kyng. 18   And he seith, For what cause pursueth my lord his seruaunt? What haue I doo, or what yuel is in myn hoond? 19   Nowe thanne here, I preye, my lord kyng, wordis of thi seruaunt; if the Lord stirith thee a&yogh;ens me, sacrifice be smellid; forsothe if the sones of men, cursid be thei in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, that han throwun me out to day, that I dwelle not in the heritage of the Lord, seiynge, Go, and serue to alien goddis. 20   And now be not shed out my blood in the erthe before the Lord; for the kyng of Yrael is goon out that he seche a quyk fli&yogh;e, as a partritch is pursued in hillis. 21   And Saul seith, Y haue synned; turne a&yogh;en, my sone Dauid, namore forsothe I shal mysdoo to thee, forthi that my lijf was precious in thin eyen to day; forsothe it semeth that folili I haue doo, and many thingis to myche I haue vnknowen. 22   And Dauid answerynge seith, Loo! the speer of the kyng, go oon of the children of the kyng, and take it; forsothe the Lord shal &yogh;eeld to ech man after his ri&yogh;twisnes and feith; 23   forsothe the Lord

hath takun thee to day into myn hoond, and I wold not stretche out myn hoond in the crist of the Lord; 24   and as thi lijf is maad greet to day in myn eyen, so my lijf be maad greet in the eyen of the Lord, and delyuer he me fro al angwish. 25   Thanne Saul seith to Dauid, Blessid thou, sone myn Dauid; forsothe and doynge thou shalt doo, and my&yogh;ti thou shalt mowe. Thanne Dauid wente into his weye, and Saul turnede a&yogh;en into his place. CAP. XXVII.

1   And Dauid seith in his herte, Sumtyme on a day I shal falle in the hoond of Saul; whether is it not beter, that I flee, and be sauid in the lond of Philisteis, that Saul dispeire, and ceese to seche me in alle the coostis of Yrael; thanne flee we the hoondis of hym. 2   And Dauid roos, and wente, he and sexe hundryd men with hym, to Achis, the sone of Maoth, the kyng of Geth. 3   And Dauid dwellide with Achis in Geth, he, and his men, and his hows; Dauid, and his two wyues, Achynoem Jezralite, and Abigail, the wijf of Naabal Carmele. 4   And it is toold to Saul, that Dauid was flowen into Geth; and he addide no more for to seche hym. 5   Forsothe Dauid seide to Achis, If I haue founden grace in thin eyen, a place be &yogh;ouun to me in oon of the citees of this regioun, that I dwelle there; forsothe whi thi seruaunt dwellith in the citee of the kyng with thee? 6   And so Achis &yogh;af to hym in that day Sichelech, for the which cause Sichelech is maad of the kyngis of Juda vnto this day. 7   Forsothe the noumbre of the dais, in the whiche Dauid dwellide in the regioun of Philisteis, was of foure monethis. 8   And Dauid stiede vp, and his men, and brou&yogh;ten prayes of Gethsury, and of Gethry, and of Amalachitis; forsothe

thes hethen dwelliden in the loond bi oold tyme citees of Sur, vnto the loond of Egipt. 9   And Dauid smoot al the loond of hem, and he lafte not a lyuynge man and womman; and takynge sheep, and oxen, and assis, and camelis, and clothis, he turnede a&yogh;en, and cam to Achis. 10   Forsothe Achis seide to hym, In whom felle thou on to dai? Dauid answerde, A&yogh;ens the south of Jude, and a&yogh;ens the south of Yranyel, and a&yogh;ens the south of Ceny. 11   Man and womman Dauid lafte not on lyue, ne brou&yogh;te into Geth, seiynge, Lest perauenture thei speken a&yogh;ens vs. These thingis dide Dauid, and this was the dom of hym, alle the dais `the whiche he dwellide in the regioun of Philisteis. 12   Thanne Achis leuyde to Dauid, seiynge, Forsothe manye yuels he hath wrou&yogh;te a&yogh;ens his puple Yrael, therfor a seruaunt he shal be to me for euere more. CAP. XXVIII.

1   In tho dais forsothe it is doon, Philisteis gadreden her companyes, that thei weren redi before a&yogh;ens Yrael at batail. And Achis seide to Dauid, Witynge now wite thou, for with me thou shalt goon out in the tentis, thou and thi men. 2   And Dauid seide to Achis, Now thou shalt knowe what thi seruaunt is to doo. And Achis seith to Dauid, And I shal putte thee keper of myn heed alle dais. 3   Forsothe Samuel is deed, and al Yrael biweilide hym, and biryede hym in Ramatha, his cytee. And Saul took awey the dyuynours and clepers of deuels fro the loond, and slew&yogh; hem that hadden chaarmers of deuels in the wombe. 4   And Philisteis ben gadrid, and camen, and setten tentis in Siccymam; forsothe and Saul gadrede al Yrael, and cam into

Gelboe. 5   And Saul saw&yogh; the tentis of Philisteis, and dradde, and his herte quauyde ful myche. 6   And he counseilde the Lord; and he answerde hym not, ne bi prestis, ne bi sweuens, ne bi prophetis. 7   And Saul seide to his seruauntis, Sechith to me a womman hauynge a charmynge goost; and I shal goo to hir, and aske bi hir. And his seruauntis seiden to hym, There is a womman hauynge a dyuynynge spirite in Endore. 8   Thanne he chaungide his abite, and is clothid with othere clothis; and he &yogh;ede, and two men with hym; and thei camen to the womman bi ny&yogh;t. And he seith, Dyuyne to me in a chaarmynge spyrite, and rere to me whom Y shal seye to thee. 9   And the womman seith to hym, Loo! thou hast knowen how greet thingis Saul dide, and what maner wyse he hath putte out dyuynours, and clepers of deuels fro the loond; whi thanne weytist thou to my lijf, that I be slayn? 10   And Saul swore to hyre in the Lord, seiynge, The Lord lyuith; for there shal not come to thee eny thing of yuel for this thing. 11   And the womman seide to him, Whom shal I rere to thee? The which seith, Rere to me Samuel. 12   Forsothe whanne the womman hadde seen Samuel, she cryede with a greet voys, and seide to Saul, Whi hast thou putte this to me? forsothe thou ert Saul. 13   And the kyng seide to hyr, Wole thou not drede; what hast thou seen? And the womman seith to Saul, I saw&yogh; goddis stiynge vp fro the erthe. 14   And he seith to hir, What maner is the fourm of hym? The which seith, An oold man stiede vp, and he is clothid with a mantil. And Saul vndurstood that it was Samuel; and he bowide hym self vpon his face in the erthe, and honourde. 15   Forsothe Samuel seide to Saul, Whi hast thou vnrestid

me, that I be rerid? And Saul seith, I am artid to myche; forsothe Philisteis fi&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens me, and God is goon a wey fro me, and wol not here me, ne bi the hoond of prophetis, ne bi sweuens; therfor I haue clepid thee, that thou shewe to me what I shal doo. 16   And Samuel seith, What askist thou me, sith God hath goon a wey fro thee, and goon to thin enemye? 17   Forsothe the Lord shal doo to thee as he spak in myn hoond, and he shal kut thi kyngdam fro thin hoond, and &yogh;yue it to thi nei&yogh;bor Dauid; 18   for thou hast not obeishid to the vois of the Lord, ne thou didist the wraththe of his woodnes in Amalech. Therfor that that thou suffrist the Lord hath doo to thee to day; 19   and the Lord also shal &yogh;eue Irael with thee in the hoond of Philisteis. Forsothe to morwe thou and thi sones shal be with me; but and the Lord shal take the tentis of Yrael in the hoond of Philisteis. 20   And Saul anoon felle stra&yogh;t into the erthe; he dradde forsothe the wordis of Samuel, and mi&yogh;t was not in hym, for he hadde not eten breed al that dai and al ni&yogh;t. 21   And so that womman wente yn to Saul, and saith; forsothe he was disturblid greetli; and she seide to hym, Loo! thin hoond womman hath obeishid to thi vois, and I haue put my lijf in myn hoond, and I haue herd thi wordis, that thou speek to me. 22   Now thanne here thou the vois of thin hoond womman, and I shal putte before thee a morsel of breed, and etynge thou wexe hool, and mowe goon the weye. 23   The which forsoke, and seith, I shal not ete. Forsothe his seruauntis and the womman constreyneden; and at the last, the vois of hem herd, he roos fro the erthe, and sat vpon the bedde. 24   Forsothe that womman hadde a foddred calf in the hows, and she hi&yogh;ede, and slew&yogh; it; and takynge

floure she mengide it, and boke therf looues; 25   and putte before Saul and his seruauntis, the which whanne thei hadden eten, risen, and wenten thur&yogh; out al that ny&yogh;t. CAP. XXIX.

1   Thanne alle the companyes of Philisteis ben gadred in Aphech, but and Irael sette tentis vpon the welle that was in Jezrael. 2   Forsothe and the maistris of Philisteis wenten in hundredis and thousandis; forsothe Dauid and his men weren in the last companye with Achis. 3   And the princis of Philisteis seiden to Achis, What to hem self wolen thes Ebrews? And Achis seith to the princys of Philisteis, Whether knowe &yogh;e not Dauid, that was seruaunt to Saul, kyng of Irael? and is anentis me manye days or &yogh;eeris, and I founde not in hym eny thing, fro the dai that he ouer flei&yogh; to me vnto this dai. 4   Forsothe the princis of Philisteis ben wrooth a&yogh;ens hym, and seiden to hym, The man turne a&yogh;en, and sitt in his place, in the which I haue sett hym, and dessende he not with vs into batail, lest he be maad to vs aduersarye, whanne we bigynnen to fi&yogh;te; forsothe what maner wise other wise he shal mowe plese his lord, but in oure heedis? 5   Whether is not this Dauid, to whom thei syngen in dauncis, seiynge, Saul hath smyten in his thousandis, and Dauid in his ten thousandis? 6   Thanne Achis clepide Dauid, and seide to hym, The Lord lyueth; for ri&yogh;t thou ert, and good in my si&yogh;t, and thi goynge out and thin incomynge with me is in the tentis, and I haue not founden in thee eny thing of yuel, fro the dai that thou cam to me vnto this dai; but to the maistris thou plesist not. 7   Turn thanne a&yogh;en, and go in pees, and offend thou not the eyen of the

maistris of Philisteis. 8   And Dauid seid to Achis, Forsothe what haue I doo, and what hast thou founden in me thi seruaunt, fro the dai that I was in thi si&yogh;t vnto this dai, that I come not, and fi&yogh;t a&yogh;ens the enemyes of my lord the kyng? 9   Forsothe Achis answerynge spak to Dauid, I woot for thou art good, and in myn eyen as the aungel of God; but the princis of Philisteis seiden, He shal not stie vp with vs into batail. 10   Therfor rise eerli, thou, and thi seruauntis that camen with thee; and whanne fro ni&yogh;t &yogh;e shulen rise, and it bigynneth to `li&yogh;te day, gooth. 11   And so Dauid roos fro ni&yogh;t, he and his men, that he mi&yogh;t goo forth eerli to the loond of Philisteis, and turne a&yogh;en; forsothe Philisteis stieden vp into Jezrael. CAP. XXX.

1   Whanne Dauid and his men weren comen into Sichelech the thridde dai, Amalechites maden a bure fro the south partie into Sichelech; and thei smyten Sichelech, and thei brenten it with fier. 2   And caitifis thei ladden wymmen fro it, fro the leest vnto the greet; and thei slewen not eny man, but ladden with hem, and wenten her weye. 3   Thanne whanne Dauid was comen, and his men, to the citee, and thei founden it brent with fier, and her wyues, and her sonys, and dou&yogh;tris to be ladde caitifes, 4   Dauid and the puple that was with hym rereden vp her voices, and weiliden, to the tyme that teeris faileden in hem. 5   Forsothe and the two wyues of Dauid weren ladde caitife, Achynoem Jezraelite, and Abigail, the wijf of Naabal of Carmele. 6   And Dauid sorowide greetli; forsothe al the puple wold stoone hym, for bitter was the lyif of eche man vpon her sones and dou&yogh;tres. Forsothe Dauid is

coumfortid in the Lord his God. 7   And he seith to Abiathar, the preest, the sone of Achimalech, Aplie to me the preestis coope. And Abiathar apliede to Dauid the preestis coope; 8   and Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, Shal I pursue, or naye, these theues, and take hem? And the Lord seide to hym, Pursue; forsothe out of dout thou shalt take hem, and shake out the praye. 9   Thanne Dauid wente, he and sexe hundred men that weren with hym, and camen to the streem of Besor; and summe wery stoden stille. 10   Forsothe Dauid pursuede, he and foure hundrid men; for there stoden stille two hundred, that weri my&yogh;ten not goon ouere the streem of Besor. 11   And thei founden an Egipcien man in the feeld, and thei brou&yogh;ten hym to Dauid; and thei &yogh;euen hym breed for to eete, and drynke water; but and the relif of a wei&yogh;t of dried figis, 12    and two bundels of dried grapis. The whiche thingis whanne he hadde eten, the spiryt of hym is turned a&yogh;en, and he is refresshid; forsothe he hadde not eten breed, ne drunken water thre dais and thre ni&yogh;tes. 13   And so Dauid seide to hym, Whos ert thou, or whens and whidir gost thou? The which seith, An Egipcien child I am, and the seruaunt of an Amalechite man; forsothe my lord laft me, for I bigan to sikynyn the thridde dai hens. 14   Forsothe we wenten out of the south coost of Cerethi, and a&yogh;ens Judam, and to the south of Caleph, and Sichilich we han brent vp with fier. 15   And Dauid seide to hym, Maist thou lede me to this cumpanye? The which seith, Sweer to me bi God, that thou shalt not slee me, and not take me into the hoondis of my lord; and I shal lede thee to this companye. And Dauid swore to hym. 16   The which whanne he hadde ladde hym,

loo! thei seeten vpon the face of al the erthe, etinge and drinkynge, and as halowynge a feest dai, for al the pray and spoilis that thei token fro the loond of Philisteis, and fro the loond of Juda. 17   And Dauid smoot hem fro euen `unto euen of the tother dai, and there scapide not of hem eny man, but foure hundrid &yogh;onge men, that stieden vp camelis, and flowen. 18   Forsothe Dauid delyuerde alle thingis that Amalachitis token, and his two wyues he dilyuerde; 19   ne there failide eny man fro litil vnto miche, as wel of sonys as of dou&yogh;tris, and of spoilys; and what eure thingis thei hadden robbid, alle Dauid brou&yogh;te a&yogh;en; 20   and took all the flockis and drouys, and droue before his face. And thei seiden, This is the praye of Dauid. 21   Forsothe Dauid cam to the two hundrid men, that wery stoden stille, and my&yogh;ten not folowe Dauid; and he hadde comaundid hem to sitte stille biside the streem of Besor; the whiche wenten out to mete Dauid, and the puple that was with hym. Forsothe Dauyd comynge ny&yogh; to the puple, salutede hem pesibli. 22   And o man answerynge, werst and wickid of the men that weren with Dauid, seide, For thei camen not with vs, we shulen not &yogh;yue to hem eny thing of the praye, that we han delyuerde, but suffice to echon his wijf and sonis; the whiche whanne thei han takun, goo thei a weye. 23   Forsothe Dauid seide, Not so &yogh;e shulen doo, britheren myn, of these thingis that the Lord hath taken to vs, and hath kepte vs, and hath &yogh;euen the theuys, that breken out a&yogh;ens vs, into oure hoondis, 24   ne eny man shal here vs vpon this word. Forsothe euen part shal be of the goynge down to batail, and of the abidynge stille at the fardels; and lijk maner thei shulen

departe. 25   And this is maad fro that day, and there aftir a statute, and a decree, and as a lawe in Yrael vnto this day. 26   Thanne Dauid cam into Sichelech, and sente &yogh;iftis of the praye to the eldris of Juda, his nei&yogh;bours, seiynge, Takith blessynge of the praye of the enemyes of the Lord; 27   to hem that weren in Bethel, and that in Ramoth, at the south, and that in Gether, 28   and that in Aroer, and that in Sephamoth, 29   and that in Eschama, and that in Rethala, and that in the citees of Hierameli, and that in the citees of Ceny, and that in Arama, 30   and that in Lautuasaam, and that in Athech, 31   and that in Ebron, and to other, that weren in thes places, in the whiche Dauid hadde dwellid and his men. CAP. XXXI.

1   Forsothe Philisteis fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens Irael, and the men of Yrael flowen before the face of Philisteis, and thei slayn fellen in the hyl of Gelboe. 2   And Philisteis fallen into Saul, and into the sonys of hym, and thei smyten Jonathan, and Amynadab, and Melchisue, the sonys of Saul. 3   And al the charge of the batayl is turned into Saul; and there folweden hym men sheters, and he is woundid hydowsly of the archers. 4   And Saul seide to his squyer, Drawe out thi swerd, and smyit me, lest perauenture thes vncircumcidid men comen, and sleen me, scornynge to me. And his squier wolde not; forsothe he was agaist with to mych gaistnes; and so Saul cau&yogh;te his swerd, and felle vpon it. 5   The which thing whanne his squyer hadde seen, that is, that Saul was deed, also he felle on his swerd, and is deed with hym. 6   Thanne Saul is deed, and his three sonys, and his squyer, and

alle his men in that dai togidir. 7   Forsothe seynge the sonys of Yrael, that weren bi&yogh;onde the valey, and be&yogh;onde Jordan, that the men of Yrael hadden flowen, and that Saul was deed, and his sones, thei laften her citees, and flowen; and Philisteis camen, and dwelliden there. 8   Forsothe the tother dai doon, Philisteis camen for to spoyl out the slayn men, and thei fonden Saul, and his thre sones, liggynge in the hil of Gelboe; and thei girden of the heed of Saul, and thei spoileden hym out of the aarmys. And thei senten into the loond of Philisteis bi enuyroun, that it were toold in the temple of mawmettis, and in puplis. 10   And thei setten his aarmys in the temple of Ascharoth; forsothe the bodi of hym thei hengen in the wal of Bethsan. 11   The which thing whanne the dwellers of Jabes Galaad hadden herd, alle thingis that Philisteis hadden doo to Saul, 12   alle the moost stronge men rysen, and wenten al ny&yogh;t, and token the careyns of Saul, and the careyns of his sonis fro the wal of Bethsan; and the men of Jabes Galaad camen, and brenten hem with fier. 13   And thei token the boonys of hem, and biryeden in the wode of Jabes, and fastiden seuen days. Here endith the first book of Kyngis, and now bigynneth the secounde.

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