1   Forsothe it is doon, after that Saul is deed, that Dauid is turned a&yogh;en fro the slau&yogh;ter of Amalech, and dwellide in Sichelech two days. 2   Forsothe in the thridde day aperide a &yogh;ong man, of the tentis of Saul, with to-rent clooth, and sprengid the heed with powdre; and as he came to Dauid, he felle vpon his face, and lowtide. 3   And Dauid seide to hym, Whens comyst thou? The which seith to Dauid, Fro the tentis of Yrael I flei&yogh;. 4   And Dauid seide to hym, What is the word that is doon; shewe to me. The which seith, The puple flei&yogh; fro the batail, and many fallynge of the puple ben deed; but and Saul, and Jonathas, his sone, han died. 5   And Dauid seide to the &yogh;ong man, that toolde to hym, Wherbi wost thou, that Saul is deed, and Jonathas, his sone? 6   And

the &yogh;ong man seith, that toolde to hym, Bi hap I cam into the hil of Gelboe, and Saul lenyde vpon his speer; forsothe chaaris and horsis nei&yogh;eden to hym; 7   and turned bihynde his rigge, and seynge clepide me. To whom whanne I hadde answerde, I am ni&yogh;; 8   he seide to me, Forsothe who art thou? And I seide to hym, Amalechite I am. 9   And he spak to me, Stoond vpon me, and sle me; for anguyshis holden me, and &yogh;it al my soule is in me. 10   And stondynge vpon hym I slew&yogh; hym; forsothe I wiste that he my&yogh;te not lyue after the fallynge; and I took the diademe that was in his heed, and the bee&yogh; fro his arm, and I haue brou&yogh;te it to thee, my lord, hidyr. 11   Forsothe Dauid takynge his clothis kitte, and alle the men that weren with hym; and thei weileden, 12   and wepten, and fastiden vnto the euen, vpon Saul, and Jonathan, his sone, and vpon the puple of the Lord, and vpon the hows of Irael, forthi that thei weren faln with swerd. 13   And Dauid seide to the &yogh;onge man, that toolde to hym, Whens ert thou? The which answerde, I am the sone of an Amalechit man comlynge. 14   And Dauid seith to hym, Whi draddist thou not to putte thin hoond for to slee the crist of the Lord? 15   And Dauid clepynge oon of his children seith, Goynge ny&yogh; fal into hym. The which smoot hym, and he is deed. 16   And Dauid seith to hym, Thi blood vpon thin heed; forsothe thi mouth hath spoken a&yogh;ens thee, seiynge, I slew&yogh; the crist of the Lord. 17   Forsothe Dauyd weilide this maner a weilynge vpon Saul, and vpon Jonathas, his sone. 18   And he comaundide, that thei techen the sones of Juda weilynge, as it is writen in the Book of Ri&yogh;twise Men; and seith, Bihold, Irael, for, thes that ben deed, vpon thin hei&yogh;e thingis woundide;

19   the noble men of Yrael vpon thin hillis ben slayn. What maner wise fellen the strengthful? 20   woleth &yogh;e not telle in Geth, ne telle &yogh;e in the gedryngis togidre of the many weyes of Aschalon; lest perauenture the dou&yogh;tres of Philisteis gladen, ne ioyen the dou&yogh;tris of the vncircumcidid. 21   Hillis of Gelboe, ne dewe ne reyn come vpon &yogh;ow, ne be thei feeldis of first fruytis; for there is throwen a wey the sheelde of stronge men, the sheelde of Saul, as thou&yogh; he hadde not ben anoyntid with oyle. 22   Fro the blood of the slayn, fro the talw&yogh; of stronge men, the arowe of Jonathas neuer turnede a&yogh;en bacward, and the swerd of Saul is not turned a&yogh;en in ydel. 23   Saul and Jonathas loueli, and feyr in her lyif, forsothe in deeth thei ben not deuydide; swifter than eglis, stronger than liouns. 24   Dou&yogh;tris of Yrael, vpon Saul wepith, the which clothide &yogh;ou with reed in delicis, the which &yogh;af golden ournementis to &yogh;oure worshipynge. 25   What maner fellen strong men in batayl? Jonathas in thin hei&yogh; thingis is slayn. 26   I sorwe vpon thee, brother myn Jonatha, ful myche feir, and loueli ouere the loue of wymmen; as a moder louith hir oneli sone, so Y louede thee. 27   What maner wise fellen stronge men, and pershiden aarmes to fi&yogh;ten with in batayl? CAP. II.

1   Therfor after thes thingis Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, Whether I shal goon vp into oon of the cytees of Juda? And the Lord seith to hym, Go vp. And Dauid seide to hym, Whedir shal I go vp? And he answerde to hym, Into Ebron. 2   Thanne Dauid &yogh;ede vp, and his two wyues, Achynoem Jezraelite, and Abigail, the wijf of Naabal of Carmele. 3   But and the men that weren with hym, Dauid

ladde echon with her hows; and thei dwelliden in the bur&yogh; touns of Ebron. 4   And the men of Juda camen, and anoyntiden there Dauid, for he shulde regne vpon the hows of Juda. And it is toold to Dauid, that the men of Jabes Galaad hadden biryede Saul. 5   Thanne Dauid sente messageris to the men of Jabes Galaad, and he seide to hem, Blessid be &yogh;e of the Lord, the whiche diden this mercy with &yogh;oure lord Saul, and biryeden hym. 6   Forsothe and nowe the Lord shal &yogh;eelde to &yogh;ou merci and treuth, but and Y shal &yogh;eelde grace, forthi that &yogh;e diden this word. 7   Be &yogh;oure hoondis coumfortid, and be &yogh;e sones of strength; forsothe thou&yogh; &yogh;oure lord Saul be deed, neuerthelater the hows of Juda hath anoyntid me into a kyng to hem. 8   Abner forsothe, the sone of Ner, prince of the oost of Saul, took Hisbosech, the sone of Saul, and ladde hym about bi the tentis, 9   and sette hym kyng vpon Galaad, and vpon Jethsuri, and vpon Jezrael, and vpon Effraym, and vpon Beniamyn, and vpon al Yrael. 10   Of fourti &yogh;eer was Hisboseth, the sone of Saul, whanne he bigan to regne vpon Irael; and two &yogh;eer he regnede. Forsothe oneli the hows of Juda folwide Dauid. 11   And the noumbre of dais, the which Dauid dwellide comaundynge in Ebron vpon the hows of Juda, was of seuen &yogh;eris and of sexe monethis. 12   And Abner, the sone of Ner, wente out, and the children of Hisboseth, the sone of Saul, fro the tentis into Gabaon. 13   Forsothe Joab, the sone of Saruye, and the children of Dauid wenten out, and a&yogh;en camen to hem biside the fish poond in Gabaon. And whanne thei weren comen `togidir in oon forn a&yogh;ens other, these seeten on the too parti of the fish poond, and thei on the tother. 14   And Abner seide to Joab, Rise children, and pleye thei

before vs. And Joab answerde, Risen. 15   Thanne rysen and wenten twelue bi noumbre of Beniamyn, of the parti of Hysboseth, the sone of Saul; and twelue of the children of Dauid. 16   And taken of echon the heed of his peere, he pi&yogh;te doun a swerd in the side of the contrarie; and thei fellen doun to gidre. And the name of that place is clepid The Feelde of stronge men in Gabaon. 17   And there is sprongen an hard batail ynow&yogh; in that day; and Abner is dryuen, and the men of Yrael, of the children of Dauid. 18   Forsothe there weren there the thre sones of Saruye, Joab, and Abisay, and Asahel; ceertis Asahel was a moost swift renner, as oon of the caprettis that dwellen in wodis. 19   Forsothe Asahel pursuede Abner, and bowide not aside, ne fro the ri&yogh;t ne fro the left, leeuynge to pursue Abner. 20   And so Abner bihelde bihynde his bak, and seith, Whether art thou not Asahel? The which answerde, Y am. 21   And Abner seide to hym, Go to the ri&yogh;t, or to the left; and tak oon of the &yogh;onge men, and tak to thee the spoilis of hym. Forsothe Asahel wolde not leeue, but he constreynede hym. 22   And eft Abner spak to Asahel, Go a wey, and wole thou not sue me, lest I be constreyned to stike thee into the erthe, and I shal not mowe rere my face to Joab, thi brother. 23   The which dispiside to here, and wolde not bowe aside. Thanne Abner, the speer turned a wey, smoot hym in the sheer, and stikide hym thur&yogh;, and he is deed in the same place; and alle that wenten bi the place, in the which Asahel hadde fallen, and was deed, biden stille. 24   Forsothe Joab and Abisay pursuynge Abner fleynge, the sunne wente doun; and thei camen to the hil of the water kundit,

that is fro a&yogh;ens of the valey, and of the weye of deseert in Gabaon. 25   And the sones of Beniamyn ben gederid to Abner, and clustrid togidir in o cumpanye thei stoden in the cop of a litil hil. 26   And Abner criede to Joab, and seith, Whether vnto slau&yogh;ter thi swerd shal be cruel? Whether knowist thou not, that perilous be despeir? How long thou seist not to the puple, that he leeue to pursue his britheren? 27   And Joab seith, The Lord lyueth, for if thou haddist spoken eerli, the puple pursuynge his britheren hadde goon awey. 28   Thanne Joab fulsownede with the trompe, and al the oost stood; and nomore thei pursueden Yrael, ne wenten in strijf. 29   Forsothe Abner and his men wenten awey bi the wijlde feeldis of Moab al that ni&yogh;t, and thei wenten ouer Jordan; and, passid alle Bethoron, thei camen to the tentis. 30   But Joab turned a&yogh;en, Abner laft, gederide al the puple; and there failiden of the children of Dauid ten and nyn men, out taken Asahel. 31   Forsothe the seruauntis of Dauid smyten of Beniamyn, and of the men that weren with Abner, thre hundred and sexti, and the whiche ben deed. 32   And thei token Asahel, and biryeden hym in the biriels of his fader in Bethleem. And Joab, and the men that weren with hym, wenten al ni&yogh;t, and in that bigynnynge of day thei camen into Ebron. CAP. III.

1   There is maad thanne a longe stryuynge togidre bitwixe the hows of Dauid and the hows of Saul; Dauid profitynge and euermore strenger than hym self, forsothe the hows of Saul decresynge eche dai. 2   And there ben born sones of Dauid in Ebron; and his first geten was Amon, of Achinoem Jezraelite; 3   and after hym &YOGH;eliab, of Abigail, the wijf of Naabal Carmeel; forsothe the thridde,

Absolon, the sone of Maacha, the dou&yogh;ter of Tholomay, the kyng Jethsure; 4   forsothe the feerthe, Adonyas, the sone of Agith; and the fifthe, Saphacias, the sone of Abital; 5   forsothe the sexte, Jethraam of Egla, the wijf of Dauid. Thes ben born to Dauid in Ebron. 6   Thanne whanne there was a batail bytwixe the hows of Saul and the hows of Dauid, Abner, the sone of Ner, gouernde the hows of Saul. 7   Forsothe there was to Saul a secoundarie wijf, Respha bi name, the do&yogh;ter of Achay; and Abner wente into hir. And Hisboseth seide to Abner, 8   Whi wentist thou in to the secoundarie wijf of my fader? The which, ful miche wrooth for the wordis of Hisboseth, seith, Whether the heed of a dog Y am a&yogh;ens Juda to day, the which haue doon merci vpon the hows of Saul, thi fadre, and vpon britheren, and the next kyn of hym, and I haue not takyn thee into the hondis of Dauid, and thou hast a&yogh;en sou&yogh;t in me that thou vndurnyme for a womman to day? 9   Thes thingis doo God to Abner, and thes thingis adde to hym, but what maner wise the Lord hath swore to Dauid, so shal I doo with hym, 10   that the kyngdom be ouerborn fro the hows of Saul, and the trone of Dauid be rerid vpon Irael and vpon Juda, fro Dan vnto Bersabe. 11   And he my&yogh;te not answere to hym eny thing, for he dradde hym. 12   Thanne Abner sente messageris to Dauid for hym self, seiynge, Whos is the loond? and for thei shulden speke, Mak with me frenships, and myn hoond shal be with thee, and I shal brynge a&yogh;en to thee al Irael. 13   The which seith, Altherbest I shal doo with thee frenships, but o thing I aske of thee, seiynge, Thou shalt not se my face, before that thou brynge Mychol, the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, and so thou shalt come, and se me. 14   Thanne Dauid sente messagers to Hisboseth,

the sone of Saul, seiynge, &YOGH;eeld my wijf Mychol, that I weddide to me for an hundrid tersis of Philisteis. 15   Thanne Hisbotseth sente, and took hir `fro hir man, Faltiel, the sone of Lais; 16   and hir man folwide hir wepynge vnto Bahurym. And Abner seide to hym, Go and turn a&yogh;en; the which turnede a&yogh;en. 17   Forsothe Abner brou&yogh;te in a word to the eldris of Irael, seiynge, Both &yogh;isterday and the thridde dai hens &yogh;e sou&yogh;ten Dauyd, that he regne vpon &yogh;ou. 18   Nowe thanne doth; for the Lord spak to Dauid, seiynge, In the hoond of my seruaunt Dauid I shal saue my puple Yrael fro the hoond of Philisteis, and of alle his enemyes. 19   Forsothe Abner spak also to Beniamyn, and wente, for to speke to Dauid, in Ebron, alle thingis that plesiden to Irael and to al Beniamyn. 20   And he cam to Dauid, in Ebron, with twenti men. And Dauid made to Abner, and to his men that camen with hym, a feest. 21   And Abner seide to Dauid, Y shal ryse, that I gedre to thee, my lord kyng, al Yrael, and I goo in with the boond of pees, and thou comaunde to al, as thi soule desirith. Thanne whanne Dauid hadde ladde out Abner, and he was goon in pees, 22   anone the children of Dauid and of Joab camen, the theuis slayn, with ful miche greet pray; forsothe Abner was not with Dauid, in Ebron, for nowe he hadde laft hym, and he was goon forth in pees. 23   And Joab, and the oost that was with hym, aftirward camen; and so it is toold to Joab of tellers, Abner, the sone of Ner, cam to the kyng, and he lafte hym, and he wente awey in pees. 24   And Joab wente yn to the kyng, and seith, What hast thou doon? Loo! Abner cam to thee; whi hast thou laft hym, and he &yogh;ede, and wente awey? 25   Knowist thou not Abner, the sone of Ner, for to

that he cam to thee, that he desseyue thee, and knowe thin outgoynge and thin incomynge, and he shal knowe alle thingis that thou dost? 26   And so Joab, goon out fro Dauid, sente messageris after Abner; and brou&yogh;te hym a&yogh;en fro the cistern of Cyra, vnknowynge Dauid. 27   And whanne Abner was turned a&yogh;en into Ebron, Joab ladde hym aside to the mydil of the &yogh;aat, that he speke to hym in trecherye; and he smoot hym there in the sheer, and he is deed, into wreche of the blood of his brother Asahel. 28   That whanne Dauid hadde herd the thing doon, seith, Clene I am and my kyngdam anentis God vnto with outen ende fro the blood of Abner, the sone of Ner; 29   and come it vpon the heed of Joab, and vpon al the hows of his fader; ne fail there fro the hows of Joab oon suffrynge flux of seed, and a leprous, holdynge a spyndle, and a fallynge with swerd, and a nedi breed. 30   Therfor Joab, and Abisay, his brother, slewen Abner, forthi that he hadde slayn Asahel, the brother of hem, in Gabaon, in the batail. 31   And Dauid seide to Joab, and to al the puple that was with hym, Kittith &yogh;oure clothis, and beth gird with sackis, and weileth before the exequies of Abner. Forsothe Dauid folwide the beere. 32   And whanne thei hadden biryden Abner in Ebron, kyng Dauyd reride his voys, and wepte vpon the toumbe of Abner; forsothe and al the puple wepte. 33   And the kyng, weilynge and mournynge Abner, seith, Not as slow men ben went to dye, thou diedist, Abner. 34   Thin hoondis ben not boundun, and thi feet ben not greued with fettris, but as men ben wont to fal before the sonys of wickidnes thou felle. And doublynge togidre al the puple wepte vpon hym. 35   And whanne al the multitude was comen to taak meet with Dauid, &yogh;it cleer day, Dauid swore, seiynge,

Thes thingis doo to me God, and thes thingis adde, if before the sunne goynge doun I shal taast breed or eny other thing. 36   And al the puple herde; and alle thingis plesiden to hem that the kyng dide in the si&yogh;t of al the puple; and al the comoun knewe, 37   and al Irael in that dai, for it was not doon of the kyng, that Abner, the sone of Ner, were slayn. 38   And the kyng seide to his seruauntis, Whether &yogh;e knowen not, for a prince and the moost to dai in Irael hath fallen? Forsothe I &yogh;it delicate and anoyntid kyng; greetli thes men, sonis of Saruye, ben hard to me; the Lord &yogh;eeld to the doynge yuel after his malice. CAP. IV.

1   Forsothe Hisboseth, the sone of Saul, herde that Abner hadde faln in Ebron; and the hondis of hym ben feblid, and al Irael is disturblid. 2   Forsothe two men, princis of theuys, weren to the sone of Saul; name to the toon Baana, and name to the tothir Reechab, the sones of Remmon Berothit, of the sonys of Beniamyn; forsothe and Beroth is told into Beniamyn. 3   And Berothitis flowen into Jethaym; and thei weren there comelingis into that tyme. 4   Forsothe there was to Jonathe, the sone of Saul, a sone feble in feete; forsothe he was fyue &yogh;eer oolde, whanne a messager cam fro Saul and Jonatha, of Jezrael. And so his nurish takynge hym flei&yogh;; and whanne she hiede for to flee, he felle, and is maad halt; and he hadde name Myphibosech. 5   Comynge thanne the sones of Remmon Berothit, Reechab and Baana, wenten in, the brennynge dai, the hows of Hisboseth, that

slepte vpon his bed the myddai; and the womman that kepte the doris of the hows purgynge whete, slepte fast. 6   Forsothe thei wenten into the hows vnwityngly, takynge eeris of whete; and Reechab, and Bana, his brother, smyten hym in the sheer, and flowen. 7   Forsothe whanne thei weren goon into the hows, he slepte vpon his bed in the priue chaumbre; and smytynge thei slewen hym; and his heed taken of, thei wenten bi the weie of deseert al ny&yogh;t. 8   And thei brou&yogh;ten the heed of Hisboseth to Dauid, in Ebron, and thei seiden to the kyng, Loo! the heed of Hisboseth, the sone of Saul, thin enemye, that sou&yogh;te thi lijf; and the Lord hath &yogh;yuen to oure lord the kyng veniaunce to dai of Saul and of his seed. 9   Forsothe Dauid answerynge to Reechab, and Bana, his brothir, sones of Remmon Berothei, seide to hem, The Lord lyueth, that hath delyuerd my soule fro al angwissh; 10   for hym that toolde to me and seide, Deed is Saul, the whych wende hym self welsum thingis to telle, I heelde, and slew&yogh; hym in Sichelech, to whom it hadde behouid me to &yogh;eue mede for the message; 11   miche more nowe, whanne wickid men han slayn a giltles man in his hows vpon his bed, now I shal seche his blood fro &yogh;oure hoond, and doo a wey &yogh;ou fro the erthe. 12   And so Dauid comaundide to his children, and thei slewen hem; and kyttynge of the hoondis and the feet of hem, thei hongeden hem ouer the fish poond in Ebron. Forsothe the heed of Hisboseth thei token, and biryeden it in Ebron, in the sepulcre of Abner. CAP. V.

1   And alle the lynagis of Irael camen to Dauid, in Ebron, seiynge, Loo! we ben

thi boon and thi flesh. 2   But and &yogh;istirdai and before &yogh;isterdai, whanne Saul was kyng vpon vs, thou were ledynge out and bryngynge a&yogh;en Yrael; forsothe the Lord seide to thee, Thou shalt fede my puple Irael, and thou shalt be duyk vpon Irael. 3   Forsothe and the eldris of Irael camen to the kyng, in Ebron; and kyng Dauid smoot with hem couenaunt of pees in Ebron, before the Lord; and thei anoyntiden Dauid into kyng vpon Irael. 4   A sone of thretti &yogh;eer was Dauid, whanne he bigan to regne, and fourti &yogh;eer he regnede in Ebron; 5   he regnyde vpon Juda seuen &yogh;eer and sixe monethis; forsothe in Jerusalem he regnede thretti and three &yogh;eer, vpon al Irael and Juda. 6   And the kyng &yogh;eede, and al the men that weren with hym, into Jerusalem, to Jebuse, dweller of the loond. And it is seid to Dauid of hem, Thou shalt not go in hidre, but if thou take a wey the blynde and the halt, seiynge, Dauid shal not goo yn hidre. 7   Forsothe Dauid took the tote hil Syon; that is the citee of Dauid. 8   Forsothe he purposide in that dai mede to hym that smoot Jebuse, and touchide the goters of the `hows eues, and took a wey the halt and the blynde, hatynge the lijf of Dauid. Therfore it is seid in prouerbe, The blynde and the halt shulen not goon into the temple. 9   Forsothe Dauid dwellide in the tote hil, and clepide it the citee of Dauid; and he bieldide bi enuyroun fro Mello, and with in forth. 10   And he wente profitynge and vndre growynge; and the Lord God of oost was with hym. 11   Forsothe Yram, the kyng of Tiry, sente messagers to Dauid, and cedre trees, and `crafty men of trees, and crafti men of stonys to the wallys; and thei beeldiden the hows of Dauid. 12   And Dauid knewe, for the Lord hadde confermyd hym kyng vpon Irael, and for

he hadde arerid out his kyngdam vpon his puple Yrael. 13   Thanne Dauid took &yogh;it secundarye wyues, and wyues of Jerusalem, after that he was comyn fro Ebron; and there ben born to Dauid and other sones and dou&yogh;tris. 14   And thes the names of hem that ben born to hym in Jerusalem; Samua, and Sobab, and Nathan, 15   and Salomon, and Jobaar, and Elisua, 16   and Repheg, and Japhia, and Elizama, and Helida, and Heliphelech. 17   Thanne Philisteis herden, that thei hadden anoyntid Dauid kyng vpon Yrael, and thei alle stieden vp for to seche Dauid. The which thing whanne Dauid hadde herd, wente doun in to a strength. 18   Forsothe Philisteis comynge ben heeld out in the valey of Raphaym. 19   And Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, If I shal stie vp to Philisteis, and if thou shalt &yogh;yue hem in myn hoond? And the Lord seide to Dauid, Sty, for takyng I shal &yogh;yue Philisteis in thin hoond. 20   Thanne Dauid cam in Baal Pharasym, and smoot hem there, and seide, The Lord hath dyuidid myn enemyes before me, as watris ben dyuidid. Therfor the name of that place is clepid Baal Pharasym. 21   And thei laften there her grauen thingis, the whiche Dauid took, and his men. 22   And &yogh;it the Philisteis addiden for to stie vp, and thei ben held out in the valey of Raphaym. 23   Forsothe Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, If I shal stye a&yogh;ens the Philisteis, and if thou shalt take hem into myn hoondis? The which answerde, Thou shalt not stye vp a&yogh;ens hem, but goo about bihynde the bak of hem, and comynge to hem fro a&yogh;ens of the peer trees. 24   And whanne thou herist noise of cry goynge in the cop of the peer trees, thanne thou shalt

goo into batail; for thanne the Lord shal goo out before thi face, that he smyte the tentis of Philisteis. 25   And so Dauid dide as the Lord comaundide to hym; and he smoot Philisteis fro Gabaa vnto thou come to Jezer. CAP. VI.

1   Forsothe Dauid eft gedrede alle the chosen men of Irael, thretti thousandis. 2   And Dauid roos, and wente, and al the puple that was with him of the men of Juda, for to brynge the arke of God, vpon the which is inwardli clepid the name of the Lord of oostis, sittynge in cherubyn vpon it. 3   And thei puttiden the arke of God vpon a newe wayn, and thei token it fro the hows of Amynadab, that was in Gabaa. Forsothe Oza and Hayon, the sones of Amynadab, dryuen the newe wayn. 4   And whanne thei hadden taken it fro the hows of Amynadab, that was in Gabaa, Hayon kepynge the arke of God, wente before the arke. 5   Forsothe Dauid and al Yrael pleiden before the Lord, in alle forgid trees, and harpis, and syngynge instrumentis, and tymbris, and trumpis, and cymbalis. 6   Forsothe after that thei camen to the corn flore of Nachor, Oza strau&yogh;te out the hoond to the arke of God, and heelde it, for the oxen wynseden, and boweden it. 7   And the Lord is wrooth bi indignacioun a&yogh;ens Ozam, and he smoot hym vpon the fool hardynes; the which is there deed biside the arke of God. 8   Forsothe Dauid sorwide, forthi that the Lord hadde smyten Ozam; and the name of that place is clepid the Smytynge of Oze into this dai. 9   And Dauid dradde the Lord in that dai, seiynge, What maner wise shal goon into me the arke of the Lord? 10   And he wolde not turne aside to hym the arke of the

Lord in the cite of Dauid, but he turnede it aside into the hows of Obethedon Jethei. 11   And the arke of the Lord dwellid in the hows of Obethedon Jethei thre monethis; and the Lord blesside Obethedon, and al his hows. 12   And it is toold to the kyng Dauid, that the Lord hadde blessid Obethedon, and alle thingis of hym, for the arke of God. And Dauid seide, I shal goo, and brynge a&yogh;en with blessynge into myn hows. Thanne Dauid wente, and brou&yogh;te the arke of God fro the hows of Obethedon into the cytee of Dauid with ioy; and there weren with Dauid seuen holi companyes, and the slayn sacrifice of a calf. 13   And whanne thei hadden stied ouer, that baren the arke of the Lord, sexe paas, thei offreden an oxe and a wether. And Dauid smoot in orgayns bounden to the shuldres; 14   and he lepe with al his strength before the Lord; forsothe Dauid is gird with a surplees. 15   And Dauid, and al the hows of Irael, brou&yogh;ten the arke of the testament of the Lord in ioy, and in sown of trompe. 16   And whanne the arke of the Lord was comen into the cite of Dauid, Mychol, the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, biholdynge bi the wyndow, saw&yogh; the kyng vndurgoynge and lepynge before the Lord; and she dispyside hym in hir herte. 17   And thei brou&yogh;ten in the arke of the Lord, and thei puttiden it in his place, in the myddis of the tabernacle, that Dauid hadde strau&yogh;t out to hym; and Dauid offrede brent sacrifice and pesible before the Lord. 18   And whanne offrynge brent sacrifice and pesible he hadde ful endid hem, he blesside to the puple in the name of the Lord of costis. 19   And he partide to al the multitude of Yrael, as wel to man as to womman, to echon o kaake of breed, and o rostid gobet of oxe flesh, and tried floure fried with oyle;

and al the puple wente echon into his hows. 20   And Dauid turned a&yogh;en, that he blesse to his hows, and Mychol, the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, goon out into a&yogh;en comynge of Dauid, seith, How glorious was the kyng of Irael to dai discouerynge hym self before the hoond wymmen of his seruauntis, and is maad nakid as if were maad nakid oon of the knauys? 21   And Dauid seide to Mychol, The Lord lyueth, for I shal pleye before the Lord, that hath chosen me rather than thi fader, and than al the hows of hym, and he hath comaundid to me, that Y were a ledere vpon the puple of the Lord of Irael; 22   and I shal pleye, and fowlere Y shal be maad more than I am maad, and I shal be meke in myn eyen, and with `hoond wymmen, of the whiche thou hast spoken, more glorious Y shal apere. 23   Therfor to Mychol, the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, is not born a sone vnto the day of hir deeth. CAP. VII.

1   Forsothe it is doon, whanne the kyng hadde seeten in his hows, and the Lord hadde &yogh;euen to hym rest on al side fro alle his enemyes, 2   he seide to Nathan the prophete, Seest thou not, that I dwelle in a cedre hows, and the ark of God is put in the mydil of skynnes? 3   And Nathan seide to the kyng, Al that is in thin herte goo and do, for the Lord is with thee. 4   Forsothe it is doon in that ny&yogh;t, and loo! the word of the Lord to Nathan, seiynge, 5   Go, and spek to my seruaunt Dauid, Thes thingis seith the Lord, Whether thou shalt bilde to me an hows to dwelle yn? 6   Forsothe ne in an hows I haue dwellid fro the day that I ladde out the sones of Yrael fro the loond of Egipt vnto this dai; but I wente in tabernacle and in tente, 7   thur&yogh; out alle

placis, to the whiche I passide with alle the sones of Irael? Whether spekynge I haue spokyn to oon of the lynagis of Irael, to whom I haue comaundid, that he fede my puple Irael, seiynge, Whi hast thou not bildid to me a cedre hows? 8   And now thes thingis thow shalt seye to my seruaunt Dauid, Thes thingis seith the Lord of oostis, I took thee fro the lesews folwynge flockis, that thou were a duyk vpon my puple Irael, 9   and I was with thee `in alle thingis, whidir euere thou wentist, and I slew&yogh; alle thin enemyes fro thi face, and I made to thee a greet name after the name of greet men that ben in erthe; 10   and Y shal putt a place to my puple Irael, and I shal plaunte hym, and I shal dwelle with hym, and he shal namore be disturblid, ne the sones of wickidnes shulen adde that thei tourmenten hym as before, 11   fro the day that I ordeynede iugis vpon my puple Irael; and I shal &yogh;yue rest to thee fro alle thin enemyes. And the Lord before seith to thee, that the Lord shal make to thee an hows; 12   and whanne thi dais weren ful endyd, and thou slepist with thi fadris, Y shal rere thi seed after thee, that shal go out of thi wombe, and Y shal fastne the kyngdom of hym. 13   And he shal beelde an hows to my name, and Y shal stable the troon of his rewme vnto eueremore; 14   I shal be to hym into a fader, and he shal be to me into a sone; the which if eny thing wickidli shal doo, I shal vndirnymme hym in the &yogh;eerd of men, and in the veniaunces of the sonys of men. 15   Forsothe my mercy I shal not take a weye fro hym, as I took a weye fro Saul, whom I meuyde a weye fro my face. 16   And thin hows shal be feithful, and thi kyngdam vnto with outen eende before my face, and thi troon shal be

stedefast contynuli. 17   After alle thes wordis, and after al this visioun, thus spak Nathan to Dauid. 18   Forsothe Dauid the kyng wente in, and sat before the Lord, and seide, Who am I, Lord God, and what myn hows, for thou hast brou&yogh;t me hidir to? 19   But and this litil is seen in thi si&yogh;t, Lord my God; `that hast louyd me, but thou speke also of the hows of thi seruaunt into ferre hens. Forsothe this is lawe fro Adam, Lord God; 20   what thanne &yogh;it Dauid shal mowe adde, that he speke to thee? Forsothe thow knowist thi seruaunt, Lord God; for thi word, 21   and aftir thin herte, thou hast doon alle thes greet thingis, so that thou shuldist make knowen to thi seruaunt. 22   Therfor thou art magnified, Lord God, for there is not lijk of thee, ne there is God with out thee, in alle thingis `the whiche we han herd with oure eeris. 23   Forsothe what is there folk of kynde as the puple of Irael in the loond, for the which God wente, that he bie it to hym into a puple, and sette to hym a name, and make to hym greet thingis, and orrible vpon the erthe, fro the face of thi puple, whom thou hast bou&yogh;t to thee fro Egipt folk and the god of it? 24   And thow hast fastned to thee thi puple Irael into a puple euermore, and thou, Lord, art maad to hem into a God. 25   Nowe thanne, Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken vpon thi seruaunt and vpon his hows, rere vnto euermore, and do as thou hast spoken; 26   and thi name be magnyfied vnto euermore, and be it seid, Lord of oostis God vpon Irael; and the hows of thi seruaunt Dauid shal be stablid before the Lord; 27   for thou, Lord of oostis, God of Irael, hast openyd the eer of thi seruaunt, seiynge, An hows I shal bilde to thee; therfor thi seruaunt

hath founden his herte, that he preye thee bi this preyer. 28   Now thanne, Lord God, thou ert verrey God, and thi wordis shulen be sooth; forsothe thou hast spokyn to thi seruaunt these good thingis; 29   bigyn therfor, and blesse to the hows of thi seruaunt, that it be before thee into euermore; for thou, Lord God, spakist thes thingis, and bi thi blessynge the hows of thi seruaunt shal be blessid into euermore. CAP. VIII.

1   Forsothe it is doon after thes thingis, Dauid smoot Philisteis, and mekide hem; and Dauid took a bridil of tribut of the hoond of Philisteis. 2   And he smoot Moab, and he metide hem with a litil coord euenynge to the erthe; forsothe he metid two litil coordis, oon to slee, and another to quykne. And Moab is maad to Dauid seruynge vndir tribute. 3   And Dauid smoot Adadezer, the sone of Roob, the kyng of Soba, whanne he wente forth that he take lordship vpon the flood of Effraten. 4   And take to Dauyd on his partye a thousand and seuene hundrid horsmen, and twenti thousand of feet men, kut of bi the knee alle the &yogh;ockis of charis; forsothe he lafte of hem an hundrid charis. 5   Forsothe Ciria of Damasc cam to bere socour to Adadezer, the kyng of Soba; and Dauid smoot of Ciria two and twenti thousand of men. 6   And Dauid putte a strength in Cirya of Damask, and Cirya is maad to Dauid seruynge vndir tribute. And the Lord kepte Dauid in alle thingis, to what euere thingis he wente forth. 7   And Dauid took goldun aarmys and bee&yogh;is, that hadden the seruauntis of Adadezer, and brou&yogh;te hem into Jerusalem. 8   And Dauid the kyng took fro Bethe, and fro Beroth, citees

of Adadezer, ful myche brasse; of the which Salomon made alle the brasen vessels in the temple, and the brasen see, and pilers, and auter. 9   Forsothe Thou, the kyng of Emath, herde that Dauid hadde smyten al the strength of Adadezer. 10   And Thou sente Joram, his sone, to kyng Dauid, that he salute hym, thankynge to gidre, and he doo gracis, forthi that he hath ouercomen Adadezer, and smyten hym; forsothe Thou was enemye to Adadezer; and in his hoond weren silueren vessels, and golden vessels, and brasen vessels. 11   The whiche and thoo halwide kyng Dauid to the Lord, with the siluer and gold, `the whiche he hadde halwid of alle the gentils, the whiche he hadde dreuen out of Cyrie, 12    and Moab, and the sones of Amon, and of Philisteis, and Amalech, and of the spoylis of Adadezer, the sone of Roob, kyng of Soba. 13   Forsothe Dauid made to hym a name, whanne he turnyde a&yogh;en, Cirye taken, in the valey of wodis slayn ei&yogh;teen thousandis, and in Jebelem, at thre and twenti thousand. 14   And he putte in Ydume kepers, and sette a strength, and al Ydume is maad seruynge to Dauid; and the Lord kept Dauid in alle thingis, to what euer thingis he wente forth. 15   And Dauid regnyd vpon al Yrael, and Dauid dide dome, and ri&yogh;twysnes to al the puple. 16   Forsothe Joab, the sone of Saruye, was vpon the oost; aftirward Josaphat, the sone of Achilud, was chaunseleer; and Sadoch, 17   the sone of Achitob, and Achimalech, the sone of Abiathar, weren prestis; and Saraias a scribe. 18   Forsothe Banaias, the sone of Joiade, was vpon archeris and alblasters, `that ben clepid Cerethi and Pherethi; forsothe the sones of Dauid weren prestes.

CAP. IX.

1   And Dauid seide, Whether wenist thou that there be eny man, that is laft of the hows of Saul, that I do with hym mercy for Jonatha? 2   Forsothe there was of the hows of Saul a seruaunt, Cyba bi name; whom whanne the kyng hadde clepid to hym silf, seide to hym, Ert thou not Cyba? And he answerde, Y am thi seruaunt. 3   And the kyng seith, Whether is there on lyue eny man of the hows of Saul, that I doo with hym merci of God? And Ciba seide to the kyng, The sone of Jonatha is on lyue, feble the feet. 4   Where, he seith, is he? And Ciba seide to the kyng, Loo! he seith, he is in the hows of Machir, the sone of Amyel, in Lodobar. 5   Thanne kyng Dauid sente, and took hym fro the hows of Machir, the sone of Amyel, fro Lodobar. 6   Forsothe whanne Myphibosech, the sone of Jonathan, the sone of Saul, was comen to Dauid, he felle into his face, and lowtide. And Dauid seide, Myphibosech! The which answerde, I am ny&yogh;, thi seruaunt. 7   And Dauid seith to hym, Ne dreed thow, for doynge I shal do with thee merci for Jonathan, thi fader; and I shal restore to thee alle the feeldis of Saul, thi fader, and thou shalt eete breed in my bord euermore. 8   The which honouringe him seith, Who am I, thi seruaunt, whom thou hast biholdyn vpon a deed hownd lijk of me? 9   And so the king clepide Cibam, the child of Saul; and seide to hym, Alle thingis, what euere weren of Saul and al his hous, I haue &yogh;euen to the sone of thi lord; 10   wyrk thanne the erthe to hym, thou, and thi sones, and thi seruauntis, and thou shalt brynge yn meetis to the sone of thi lord, that he be nurshid; Myphibosech forsothe, the sone of thi lord, shal eete euermore breed vpon my bord. Forsothe

there weren of Ciba fifteen sonys and twenti seruauntis. 11   And Ciba seide to the kyng, As thou hast comaundid, my lord kyng, to thi seruaunt, so thi seruaunt shal doo; and Myphibosech shal eete vpon thi bord, as oon of the sonys of the kyng. 12   Forsothe Myphibosech hadde a litil sone, Mycha bi name; forsothe al the kynrede of the hows of Ciba seruede to Myphibosech. 13   But Myphibosech dwellide in Jerusalem; for of the bord of the kyng contynueli he eete, and he was halt either foot. CAP. X.

1   Forsothe it is doon after thes thingis, that Naas, the kyng of the sonys of Amon, diede; and Anon, his sone, regnede for hym. 2   And Dauid seide, I shal doo mercy with Anon, the sone of Naas, as his fader dide merci with me. Thanne sente Dauid comfortynge hym bi his seruauntis vpon the fader deth. Forsothe whanne the seruauntis of Dauid weren comen into the loond of the sonis of Amon, 3   the princis of the sones of Amon seiden to Anon, her lord, Wenyst thou that for the worship of thi fader Dauid hath sente to thee coumfortours; and not therfor that he aspie, and serche the citee, and turne it vpsedoun, Dauid hath sente his seruauntis to thee? 4   And so Anon took the seruauntis of Dauid, and shooue the half part of the beerd of hem, and he kittide of the mydil clothis of hem vnto the arsis; and he lafte hem. 5   The which whanne was toold to Dauid, he sente into a&yogh;en comynge of hem, forsothe thei weren men ful foul confoundid. And Dauid sente to hem, Dwellith in Jericho, to the tyme that &yogh;oure beerd growe, and thanne turneth a&yogh;en. 6   Forsothe the sones of Amon, seynge that thei hadden doo wronge to Dauid, thei senten, and hireden bi mede Cyrie of

Roob, and Cirye of Soba, twenty thousandis of foot men, and of the kyng of Maacha a thousand men, and of Istob twelue thousandis of men. 7   The which thing whanne Dauid hadde herd, he sente Joab and al the oost of fi&yogh;ters. 8   Thanne the sonys of Amon wenten out, and dressiden sheltrun before hym in the entree of the &yogh;ate. Forsothe Cire of Soba, and Roob, and Istob, and Maacha weren aside in the feeld. 9   Thanne Joab seynge that a batail was maad redi a&yogh;ens hym, and fro a&yogh;ens and bihynde the bac, he cheese to hym of alle the chosen of Irael, and ordeynde sheltrun a&yogh;ens Cyre. 10   Forsothe the tother partye of the puple he took to Abisai, his brothir, the which dresside sheltrun a&yogh;ens the sones of Amon. 11   And Joab seith, If Cyres han the ouerhoond a&yogh;ens me, thou shalt be to me into help; forsothe if the sones of Amon han the ouerhoond a&yogh;ens thee, I shal help to thee; 12   be thou a strong man, and fi&yogh;te we for oure puple, and for the citee of oure God; forsothe the Lord shal do that is good in his si&yogh;t. 13   And so Joab wente yn, and his puple that was with hym, strijf a&yogh;ens Cyres, the whiche anoon flowen fro the face of hym. 14   Forsothe the sones of Amon, seynge that the Cyres weren flowen, and thei flowen fro the face of Abisai, and wenten into the citee; and Joab is turned a&yogh;en fro the sonis of Amon, and cam into Jerusalem. 15   Forsothe seynge the Cires that thei hadden fallen before Irael, ben gadrid togidre. 16   And Adidazer sente, and brou&yogh;te out the Cirys that weren be&yogh;onde the flood, and brou&yogh;te forth the oost of hem; forsothe Sabath, the maistre of chyualrye of Adadezer, was the prince of hem. 17   And whanne it was toold to Dauid, he drew&yogh; togidre al Irael, and passide ouere Jordan, and cam into Helama. And the

Cires dresseden sheltrun fro a&yogh;ens Dauid, and fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens hym. 18   And Cyres flowen fro the face of Irael; and Dauid slow&yogh; of Cires seuen hundrid chares, and fourti thousandis of horsmen; and he smoot Sobach, the prynce of chyualrye, the which anoon is deed. 19   Forsothe seynge alle the kyngis, that weren in the strength of Adadezer, hem to be vencusshid of Yrael, maden pees with Irael, and serueden to hem; and Cires dradden to &yogh;eue help to the sones of Amon. CAP. XI.

1   Forsothe it is doon, turnynge the &yogh;eer that tyme the which kyngis ben wont to goo forth to batails, Dauid sente Joab, and with hym his seruauntis, and al Irael; and thei wastiden the sones of Amon, and bisegeden Raba; forsothe Dauid abood stille in Jerusalem. 2   While these thingis weren doo, it felle, that Dauid roos on a dai fro his bed aftir mydday, and wente in the solere of the kyngis hows; and he saw&yogh; a womman wasshynge hir fro a&yogh;ens vpon hir solere; forsothe she was a ful feyr womman. 3   Than Dauid sente, and aserchede, what was the womman; and it is toold to hym, that she was Bersabee, the dou&yogh;ter of Elyam, the wijf of Vrye Ethei. 4   And so Dauid sente messagers, and took hir; the which whanne she was goon in to hym, he slepte with hir, and anoon she is halwid fro hir vnclennes. 5   And she turnede a&yogh;en to hir hows, the fruyt of hir wombe conseyued; and she sendynge toold to Dauid, and seith, I haue conseyued. 6   Forsothe Dauid sente to Joab, seiynge, Send to me Vrie Ethee; and Joab sente Vrye to Dauid. 7   And Vrye cam to Dauid; and Dauid askide, how ri&yogh;t dide Joab and the puple, and what maner wise the batail was serued. 8   And Dauid seide to Vrye, Go into thin

hows, and wassh thi feet. And Vrye wente out of the kyngis hows, 9   and hym folwide the kyngis meet. Forsothe Vrye slepte before the &yogh;ate of the kyngis hows with othere seruauntis of his lord, and he wente not down to his hows. 10   And it is toold to Dauid of seieris, Vrye wente not to his hows. And Dauid seith to Vrye, Whether not fro `a ferre weye thou cam? whi desendist thou not into thin hows? 11   And Vrie seith to Dauid, The arke of God, and Yrael and Juda dwellen in tentis, and my lord Joab, and the seruauntis of my lord biden vpon the face of the erthe, and I shal go `in to myn hous, that I ete, and drinke, and slepe with my wijf? Bi thin helth, and bi the helth of thi soule, I shal not doo this thing. 12   Thanne Dauid seith to Vrie, Bijd here also to dai, and to morwe Y shal leeue thee. Vrye bode in Jerusalem that day and the tothere. 13   And Dauyd clepide hym, that he eete before hym and drynk, and he made hym drunke; the which goon out at euen, slepte in his bedde with the seruauntis of his lord; and he desendide not into his hows. 14   And it is doon thanne eerli, and Dauid wroot a lettre to Joab, and sente bi the hoond of Vrye, 15   wrytynge in the lettre, Puttith Vrie fro a&yogh;ens of the batail, where the batail is moost strong, and forsakith hym, that he smyten die. 16   Thanne whanne Joab bisegide the citee, he putte Vrye in the place where he wiste moost stronge men to ben. 17   And the men gon out fro the cite, fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;en Joab, and thei slewen of the puple of the seruauntis of Dauid, and also Vrie Ethee is deed. 18   And so Joab sente, and toolde alle thes wordis of the batail; 19   and comaundide to the messageer, seiynge, Whanne thou hast ful endid alle the wordis of the batail to the kyng, 20   if thou seest hym to han indignacioun,

and seye, Whi ne&yogh;eden &yogh;e to the wal for to fi&yogh;te? whether knewen &yogh;e not, that aboue fro the wal ben sent manye dartis? 21   who smoot Achymalech, the sone of Jeroboal? whether not a womman sente vpon hym a gobet of a myln stoon fro the wal, and slew&yogh; hym in Thebes? whi biside the wal &yogh;e wenten to? thow shalt seye, Also thi seruaunt, Vrye Ethee, is slayn. 22   Thanne the messager wente, and cam, and toolde to Dauid alle thingis that Joab comaundide to hym. 23   And the messager seide to Dauid, The men hadden the ouer hoond a&yogh;ens vs, and thei wenten out to vs into the feeld; forsothe we, the bure made, pursueden hem vnto the &yogh;ate of the citee. 24   And the sheeters dresseden dartis to thi seruauntis fro the wal aboue, and there ben deed of the seruauntis of the kyng; but also Vrie Ethee, thi seruaunt, is deed. 25   And Dauid seide to the messager, Thes thingis thou shalt seye to Joab, This thing breke thee not; forsothe dyuerse is the hap of batail, and now this, now hym wastith the swerd; coumfort thi fi&yogh;ters a&yogh;ens the cytee, that thou distroye it, and enhurte hem. 26   Forsothe the wijf of Vrye herde, that Vrie her houseboond was deed, and she weilide hym. 27   And the weilynge ouere doon, Dauid sente, and brou&yogh;te hir into his hows; and she is maad wijf to hym, and she bare to hym a sone. And the word that Dauid dide displeside before the Lord. CAP. XII.

1   Thanne the Lord sente Nathan to Dauid; the which whanne he was comen to hym, seide to hym, Answere to me doom; two men weren in o cytee; oon ryche, and another pore. 2   The riche hadde sheep and oxen ful manye; 3   forsothe

the pore hadde no thing vtterly, saaf o litil sheep, the which he bou&yogh;te, and norshide, and the which wexe anentis hym with his sonys, togidre of his breed etinge, and of his cup drynkynge, and in his bosum slepynge; and it was to hym as a dou&yogh;ter. 4   Forsothe whanne a maner pylgrym was comen to the riche man, he sparynge to take of the sheep and of his oxen, that he &yogh;eue a meetshipe to that pilgrym, that cam to hym, took the sheep of the pore man, and maade redi meetis to the man that cam to hym. 5   Forsothe Dauid wrooth ful myche bi indignacioun a&yogh;ens that man, seide to Nathan, The Lord lyueth, for the sone of deeth is the man, the which dide that; 6   the sheep he shal &yogh;eelde into foure foold, forthi that he hath doo this word, and hath not sparyd. 7   Forsothe Nathan seide to Dauid, Thou ert thilk man, that didist this thing. Thes thingis seith the Lord God of Irael, I haue anoyntid thee into kyng vpon Irael, and I haue delyuerde thee fro the hoond of Saul, 8   and &yogh;eue to thee the hows of thi lord, and the wyues of thi lord in thi bosum, and &yogh;euen to thee the hows of Irael, and of Juda; and if thes thingis ben litil, I shulde adde to thee myche more. 9   Whi thanne hast thou dispisid the word of the Lord, that thou doo yuel thingis in my si&yogh;t? Vrye Ethei thou hast smyten with swerd, and the wijf of hym thou hast takyn to thee into wijf, and thou hast slayn hym bi the swerd of the sones of Amon. 10   For what thing swerd of thin hows shal not goo a wey fro thee vnto with outen ende; forthi that thou hast dispised me, and took the wijf of Vrie Ethei, that she were thi wijf. 11   And so thes thingis seith the Lord, Loo! I shal rere vpon thee yuel of thin hows, and I shal taak awey

thi wyues in thin eyen, and &yogh;yue to thin nei&yogh;bour, and he shal sleepe with thi wyues in the eyen of this sunne. 12   Forsothe thou didist hidyngli; forsothe I shal doo this word in si&yogh;t of al Irael, and in the si&yogh;t of this sunne. 13   And Dauid seide to Nathan, I haue synned to the Lord. And Nathan seide to Dauid, Forsothe the Lord hath ouerborn thi synne; thou shalt not die. 14   Neuerthelater for thou hast maad the enemyes to blaspheme the name of the Lord, for that word the sone that is born to thee bi deeth shal die. 15   And Nathan is turned a&yogh;en into his hows. And the Lord smoot the litil child, whom the wijf of Vrye bare to Dauid, and he is dispeyrid. 16   And Dauid preyde the Lord for the litil child; and Dauid fastide with fastynge, and wente in aside, and laye vpon the erthe. 17   Forsothe the eldris of his hows camen, constreynynge hym that he shulde ryse fro the erthe; the whiche wolde not, and eete not with hem meete. 18   Forsothe it felle the seuenthe dai, that the child diede; and the seruauntis of Dauid dradden to telle to hym, that the child was deed; thei seiden forsothe, Loo! whanne the lityl child lyuede, we speken to hym, and he herde not oure voys; how mych more if we seyn the child is deed, he shal turment hym self? 19   Whanne thanne Dauid hadde herd his seruauntis musynge, he vndirstood that the lytyl faunt was deed; and he seide to his seruauntis, Whether the child is deed? The whiche answerden vnto hym, He is deed. 20   Thanne Dauid roos fro the erthe, and he is wasshid, and anoynt; and whanne he hadde chaungid clothinge, he wente into the hows of the Lord, and honourde, and cam into his hows; and he askyde, that thei shulden sette to hym breed, and he eete. 21   Forsothe

his seruauntys seiden to hym, What is the word that thou hast doon? For the litil faunt, whanne he &yogh;it lyuede, thou fastidist and weptist; forsothe the child deed, thou roos and eete breed? 22   The which seith, For the faunt whanne he &yogh;it lyuede I fastide and wepte; forsothe I seide, Who woot, if perauenture the Lord &yogh;yue hym to me, and the faunt lyue? 23   Forsothe now for he is deed, whi fast I? whether shal I mowe more ouer clepe hym a&yogh;en? I shal more goo to hym, forsothe he shal not turne a&yogh;en to me. 24   And Dauid coumfortide Bersabe, his wijf, and wente into hir, and slepte with hir. The which gat a sone, and clepide the name of hym Salomon; and the Lord louyde hym. 25   And he sente hym in the hoond of Nathan, the prophet; and he clepide the name of hym Loueli to the Lord, forthi that the Lord shulde loue hym. 26   Thanne Joab fau&yogh;t a&yogh;ens Rabath, kyng of the sones of Amon, and he hath ouercomen the kyngis citee. 27   And Joab sente messagers to Dauid, seiynge, I haue fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens Rabath, and the citee of watres is to be taken. 28   Now thanne gadre the tother parti of the puple, and bisege the citee, and tak it, lest whanne the citee were wastid of me, to my name the victorie be ascriued. 29   And so Dauid gadride al the puple, and wente forth a&yogh;ens Rabath; and whanne he hadde fou&yogh;ten, he took it. 30   And he took the diademe fro the mawmet, that is clepid the kyng of hem, fro his heed, in wei&yogh;t of gold a talent, hauynge moost precious gemmys; and it is put vpon the heed of Dauid; but and ful myche praye of the cyte he bare out. 31   And bryngynge forth sawede the puple of it, and ladde about vpon hem boostful yren carris, and he dyuydide with sharys, and he pi&yogh;t thur&yogh; in the shap of the sidis; thus he

dide to alle the citees of the sonys of Amon. And Dauid is turned a&yogh;en, and alle the oost of hym, into Jerusalem. CAP. XIII.

1   Forsothe it is doon after thes thingis, that Amon, the sone of Dauid, louede the sister of Absolon, the sone of Dauid, moost fayre, Thamar by name; 2   and `peyrede for hir ful myche, so that for the loue of hir he wexe sijk. The which for she was a mayde, hard to hym it semede, that eny thing vnhonestly he shulde do with hir. 3   Forsothe there was to Amon a freende, Jonadab bi name, the sone of Semaa, brother of Dauid, a ful slei&yogh; man. 4   The which seide to hym, Whi thus ert thou waastid bi leenesse, thou sone of the kyng, bi ech dai? whi shewist thou not to me? And Amon seide to hym, I loue Thamar, the sister of my brother Absolon. 5   To whom answerde Jonadab, Ly vpon thi bedde, and feyn sijknes; and whanne thi fader cometh, that he visite thee, sey to hym, Come, I preye, Thamar, my sister, that she &yogh;yue to me meet, and make sowil, that I eete of hyr hoond. 6   And so Amon laye doun, as thou&yogh; he wexe sijk. And whanne the kyng was comen to visite hym, Amon seith to the kyng, Come, I preye, Thamar, my sister, that she make in myn eyen two maner of potagis, and the meet maad redi I take of hir hoond. 7   Thanne Dauid sente to the hous of Thamar, seiynge, Go in to the hows of Amon, thi brothir, and mak to hym potage. 8   And Thamar cam into the hows of Amon, hir brothir. Forsothe he laye; the which takynge meele mengide

togidir, and meltynge in his eyen she sethide the supettis; 9   and takynge that she hadde sothen, she helte out, and sette before hym, and he wolde not eete. And Amon seide, Doo &yogh;e a wey alle men fro me. And whanne alle weren doon awey, Amon seide to Thamar, 10   Beer yn the meet in the priue chaumbre, that I eete of thin hoond. Thanne Thamar took the sewis that she hadde maad, and brou&yogh;te to Amon, hir brother, in the priue chaumbre. 11   And whanne she hadde brou&yogh;te hym meet, he cau&yogh;te hir, and seith, Come, ly with me, my sister. 12   The which answerde to hym, Wole thou not, my brother, wole thou not oppresse me, ne forsothe it is leeueful in Irael; wole thou not doo this foli. 13   Forsothe I shal not mowe bere my reproof, and thou shalt be as oon of the vnwise men in Irael; but rather spek to the kyng, and he shal not denye me to thee. 14   Forsothe he wolde not assent to the preyers of hir, but more my&yogh;ti bi strengthis oppresside hir, and laye with hir. 15   And ful haatsum Amon hadde hir with to myche greet haate, so that the haat was more, that he hatide hir, thanne the loue that he louede hir before. And Amon seide to hir, Ryse, and goo. 16   The whych answerde to hym, This yuel is more that thou now dost a&yogh;ens me, castynge me out, `than that thou didist before. 17   And he wolde not here hir; but the child clepide, that seruede to hym, he seide, Throw out this fro me, and close the dore after hir. 18   The which was clothid with a coote doun to the heele; forsothe sich maner clothis vseden the dou&yogh;tris of the kyng maydens. And so his seruaunt putte hyre out, and closide the dore after hire. 19   The which spryngynge asshen to hire heed, the heele coot

kyt, and the hoondis put on hire heed, she &yogh;ede goynge yn and criynge. 20   Forsothe Absolon, hir brother, seide to hyre, Whether Amon, thi brother, hath lyen with thee? And now, sister, hold thi pees; thi brothir he is, ne turment thin herte for this thing. And so Thamar aboode languysshynge there with ynne the hows of Absolon, hir brothir. 21   Forsothe whanne Dauid hadde herd thes wordis, he greetli sorwide, and he wolde not make sori the spirite of Amon, his sone; for he louide hym, for he was the firste goten of hym. 22   Forsothe Absolon spak not to Amon, ne yuel ne good; but Absolon hatide Amon, forthi that he hadde defoulid Thamar, his sister. 23   Forsothe it is doon after the tyme of two &yogh;eer, that the sheep of Absolon weren clippid in Baalassor, that is biside Effraym. And Absolon clepide alle the sonys of the kyng. 24   And he cam to the kyng, and seith to hym, Loo! the sheep of thi seruaunt ben clippid; come, I preye, the kyng with his seruauntis to his seruaunt. 25   And the kyng seide to Absolon, Wole thou not, sone myn, preye, wole thou not, that we comen alle, and greuen thee. Forsothe whanne he constreynede him, and wolde not come, he blesside to hym. 26   And Absolon seith to Dauid, If thou wolt not come, come algate with vs, I biseche, Amon, my brother. And the kyng seide to hym, It is no nede, that he goo with thee. 27   And so Absolon constreynede hym; and he lafte with hym Amon, and alle the sones of the kyng. And Absolon made a feest as the feest of a kyng. 28   Forsothe Absolon hadde comaundid to his children, seiynge, Weitith wel, whanne Amon were dronken with wyn, and I shal seye to &yogh;ou, Smitith hym, and sleeth. Wole &yogh;e not drede, forsothe I am that comaunde

to &yogh;ou; be &yogh;e maad stronge, and beth stronge men. 29   Thanne the children of Absolon diden a&yogh;ens Amon, as Absolon hadde comaundid to hem; and alle the sones of the kyng rysynge, eche styede vpon her mulis, and flowen. 30   And whanne &yogh;it thei wenten in the weye, fame cam fulli to Dauyd, seiynge, Absolon hath smytyn alle the sones of the kyng, and there lafte not of hem nameli oone. 31   And so the kyng roos, and kytte his clothis, and felle vpon the erthe; and alle his seruauntis that stoden ny&yogh; to hym, cutten her clothis. 32   Forsothe Jonadab, the sone of Semmaa, brother of Dauid, answerynge seide, Ne eyme, my lord the kyng, that alle the children, sones of the kyng, ben deed; Amon alone is deed, for in haat Absolon was sett, fro the day that he oppresside Thamar, his sister. 33   Now thanne, my lord kyng, sette not on his herte this word, seiynge, Alle the sones of the kyng ben slayn; for Amon aloon is deed. 34   Forsothe Absolon flei&yogh;. And the child weyter heuede vp his eyen, and bihelde, and loo! myche puple cam bi the out weye fro the side of the hil. 35   And Jonadab seide to the kyng, Loo! the sones of the kyng ben ny&yogh;; after the word of thi seruaunt, so it is doon. 36   And whanne he hadde ceside to speke, `aperiden and the sones of the kyng; and comynge yn thei rereden her vois, and wepten; but and the kyng and alle his seruauntis wepten with ful myche greet wepynge. 37   Forsothe Absolom fleynge wente to Tholamay, sone of Amyur, kyng of Gethsur. Thanne Dauid weylide Amon, his sone, manye dais. 38   Forsothe Absolon, whanne he was flowen, and comen into Gethsur, he was there thre &yogh;eer. 39   And kyng Dauid cesede to pursue Absolon, forthi that he was coumfortid vpon the deeth of Amon.

CAP. XIV.

1   Forsothe Joab, the sone of Saruy, vndurstondynge, that the herte of the kyng was turned to Absolon, 2   he sente to Thekuam, and took thens a wise womman, and he seide to hir, Feyne thee to weil, and be clothid with the weilynge clooth, and be thou not anoynt with oyle, that thou be as a womman now myche tyme weilynge the deed. 3   And thou shalt goo in to the kyng, and thou shalt speek to hym thes maner wordis. Forsothe Joab putte the wordis in hire mouth. 4   And so whanne the Thekuyd womman was goon out to the kyng, she felle before hym vpon the erthe, and lowtide, and seide, Keep me, thou king. 5   And the kyng seide to hire, What hast thou of cause? The which answerde, Alas! a womman widowe I am, forsothe my man is deed; 6   and of thin hoond womman weren two sones, the whiche wraththeden a&yogh;ens hem self in the feeld, and no man was that hem my&yogh;te defende, and the toon smoot the tother, and slow&yogh; hym. 7   And loo! al the kynrede risynge a&yogh;ens thin hoond womman seith, Tak hym that hath smytyn his brothir, that we sleen hym for the lijf of his brother whom he slow&yogh;, and the eyr doo we a wey; and thei sechen to quench my spark that is laft, that there be not laft name to my man, and relikis vpon erthe. 8   And the kyng seith to the womman, Go into thin hows, and I shal ordeyn for thee. 9   And the Thekuyt womman seide to the kyng, In me, my lord kyng, be this wickidnes, and into the hows of my fader; forsothe the kyng and his trone be innocent. 10   And the king seith, Who so a&yogh;en seith thee, bryng hym to me, and he shal no more adde that he touche thee. 11   The which seith, The kyng recoorde of the Lord

his God, and be there not multiplied `the kyn of the blood to wreche, and thei shulen not sle my sone. The which seith, The Lord lyueth, for there shal not falle of the erys of thi sone vpon the erthe. 12   Thanne the womman seyde, Spek thin hoond womman to my lord kyng a word. And he seith, Spek. 13   And the womman seide, Whi hast thou thou&yogh;t siche a maner thing a&yogh;ens the puple of God? and the kyng hath spoken this word, that he synne, and that he brynge not a&yogh;en his casten out? 14   Alle we dyen, and as watres we sliden into the erthe, that shulen not be turned a&yogh;en; and God wole not perishe the lijf, but withdrawith, thenkynge lest fulli he perishe, that is cast awey. 15   Now thann come, that I spek to my lord kyng this word, present the puple; and thin hondwomman seide, I shal speke to the kyng, if eny maner the kyng doo the word of his hoond womman. 16   And the kyng herde `the word, that he delyuer his hondwomman fro the hoond of alle, that wolden fro the erytage of the Lord doo me awey, and my sone togidre. 17   Sey thanne thin hondwomman, that the word of my lord the kyng be maad as sacrifice; forsothe as the aungel of the Lord, so is my lord kyng, that nether bi blessynge ne bi cursynge he be meuyd. Wherfor and the Lord thi God is with thee. 18   And the kyng answerynge seide to the womman, Ne hijd thou fro me the word that I aske. And the womman seide to hym, Spek, my lord kyng. 19   And the kyng seith, Whether the hoond of Joab is with thee in alle these? The womman answerde, and seith, Bi the helth of thi soule, my lord kyng, ne at the left ne at the ri&yogh;t he is of alle thes thingis, the whiche my lord kyng hath spoken. Forsothe thi seruaunt Joab he comaundide to me, and he putte in the

mouth of thin hoond womman alle thes wordis, 20   that I turne the figure of this word; forsothe thi seruaunt Joab comaundide this. Forsothe thou, my lord kyng, ert wise, as the aungel of God hath wisdom, that thou vndirstonde alle thingis vpon erthe. 21   And the kyng seith to Joab, Loo! plesid I haue doo thi word; go thanne, and cleep a&yogh;en the child Absolon. 22   And Joab fallynge vpon his face into the erthe, honourde, and blisside to the kyng; and Joab seide, To dai hath thi seruaunt vndurstonde, for I haue foundun grace in thin eyen, my lord kyng; forsothe thou hast doon the word of thi seruaunt. 23   Thanne Joab roos, and wente into Gethsur, and brou&yogh;te Absolon into Jerusalem. 24   Forsothe the kyng seide, Turne he a&yogh;en into his hows, and se he not my face. 25   And so Absolon is turned a&yogh;en into his hows, and the face of the kyng he saw&yogh; not. Forsothe there was not a man as feyr as Absolon in al Irael, and ful miche semeli; fro the stap of the foot vnto the top, there was not in hym eny spot; and the more that he doddide the heeris, 26    so mych more thei wexen; forsothe onys in the &yogh;eer he was doddid, for the heere heuyde hym. He weiede the heeris of his heed with two hundred siclis bi the comoun wei&yogh;t. 27   Forsothe there been born to Absolon thre sones, aud o dou&yogh;ter, Thamar bi name, of sembli shap. 28   And Absolon dwellide in Jerusalem two &yogh;eer, and saw&yogh; not the face of the kyng. 29   And so he sente to Joab, that he shulde sende hym to the kyng; the which wolde not come to hym. And whanne the secounde he hadde sent, and he wold not come, 30   he seide to his seruauntis, &YOGH;e knowen the feelde of Joab biside my feelde hauynge barli corn; gooth thanne, and brenneth it vp with fier. Thanne

the seruauntis of Absolon brenten the corn with fier. And the seruauntis of Joab comynge, her clothis kut, seiden, The seruauntis of Absolon han brent vp a partie of the feelde with fier. 31   And Joab roos, and cam to Absolon into his hows, and seide, Whi han thi seruauntis brente vp my corn with fier? 32   And Absolon answerde to Joab, I haue sente to thee, preiynge that thou come to me, and I sende thee to the kyng, that thou seie to hym, Whi cam I fro Gethsur? Betere it was to me to be there; I biseche thanne, that I see the face of the kyng, that if he haue mynde of my shrewidnes, he slee me. 33   Joab goon yn to the kyng tolde to hym. And Absolon clepid wente yn to the kyng, and he lowtide upon the face of the erthe before hym, and the kyng kisside Absolon. CAP. XV.

1   Thanne after thes thingis Absolon made to hym a chaar, and horsmen, and fifti men that shulden goo before hym. 2   And eerli risynge Absolon stood biside the entre of the &yogh;ate in the weye; and eche man, that hadde a neede that he com to the dom of the kyng, Absolon clepide to hym self, and seide, Of what citee ert thou? The which answerynge seide, Of a lynage of Yrael I am, thi seruaunt. 3   And Absolon answerde to hym, To me thi wordis semen good and iust, but there is not `the which `thee heere ordeyned of the kyng. And Absolon seide, 4   Who ordeyneth me domesman vpon the loond, that to me comen alle that han neede, and ri&yogh;twisly Y deme? 5   But whanne a man nei&yogh;ede to hym for to salute hym, he strau&yogh;te out his hoond, and takynge he kisside hym; 6   and that

he dide to al Yrael, the which cam to dom that he were herd of the king; and he biside the hertis of the men of Yrael. 7   Forsothe aftir fourti &yogh;eer Absolon seide to kyng Dauid, I shal go, and &yogh;eelde my vowis, that I vowide to the Lord in Ebron; 8   forsothe vowynge thi seruaunt vowide, whanne he was in Gethsur of Syrie, seiynge, If the Lord brynge me a&yogh;en into Jerusalem, I shal sacrifie to the Lord. 9   And the kyng seide to hym, Goo in pees. And he roos, and wente into Ebron. 10   Forsothe Absolon sente aspies into alle the lynagis of Yrael, seiynge, Anoon that &yogh;e heren the noyse of the trumpe, seith, Absolon shal regne in Ebron. 11   Forsothe with Absolon wenten two hundred men clepid of Jerusalem, goynge with symple herte, and the cause fulli vnknowynge. 12   Forsothe Absolon clepide Achitophel Gilonyte, the counselour of Dauid, fro his cite Gilo. And whanne he hadde offrid slayn sacrifice, there is maad a strong coniurysoun, and the puple rennynge togidre encreside with Absolon. 13   Thanne cam a messager to Dauid, seiynge, With al the herte al Yrael folowith Absolon. 14   And Dauid seith to his seruauntis that weren with hym in Jerusalem, Risith, and flee we; forsothe ne there shal be to vs fli&yogh;t fro the face of Absolon; hieth to goon out, lest perauenture he comynge ocupie vs, and fulfille vpon vs fallynge, and smyte the cite in mouth of swerd. 15   And the seruauntis of the kyng seiden to hym, Alle thingis, what euere comaundith oure lord the kyng, gladli we folowen out, thi seruauntis. 16   Thanne the kynge wente out, and al hys hows, on her feet; and the kyng lafte ten secoundarie wyues to the hows to be kept. 17   And the kyng goon out, and al Yrael, on her feet, stoode afer fro the hows. 18   And alle his seruauntis wenten biside hym, and the

legiouns Cerethi and Pherethi, and al Gethei stronge fi&yogh;ters, the sexe hundrid men, that hadden folwid hym fro Geth on foot, wenten before the kyng. 19   Forsothe the kyng seide to Ethei Gethee, Whi comyst thou with vs? Turn a&yogh;en, and dwel with the kyng for a pilgrime thou art, and wentist out fro thi place. 20   &YOGH;isterday thou cam, and to day thou ert compellid to goo out with vs. Forsothe I shal goo, whider I am to goo; turn a&yogh;en, and leede a&yogh;en with thee thi britheren, and the Lord doo with thee merci and trewth, for thou hast shewid grace and feith. 21   And Ethei answerde to the kyng, seiynge, The Lord lyueth, and my lord the kyng lyueth, for in what euere place thou were, my lord kyng, other in deeth or in lijf, there shal be thi seruaunt. 22   And Dauid seith to Ethai, Come, and passe forth. And Ethei Gethee passide forth, and the kyng, and alle the men that with hym weren, and the tother multitude. 23   And alle thei wepten with a greet voys, and al the puple passide forth; the kyng forsothe wente ouer the streem of Cedron, and al the puple wente a&yogh;ens the weye of the olyue, that biholdith to deseert. 24   And Sadoch the preest cam, and alle the Leuytis with hym, berynge the arke of the boond of pees of God, and thei setten doun the arke of God; and Abiathar stiede vp, to the tyme that alle the puple weren ful comen that was goon out fro the citee. 25   And the kyng seide to Sadoch, Beer a&yogh;en the arke of God into the citee; if I shal fynde grace in the eyen of the Lord, he shal leede me a&yogh;en, and shewe to me it and his tabernacle. 26   Forsothe if he shal seye, Thou plesist not to me; prest I am, do he that is good before hym. 27   And the kyng seide to Sadoch the preest, O seere, turne a&yogh;en into the cite in pees, and

Achymaas, thi sone, and Jonathan, the sone of Abiathar, &yogh;oure two sonys, be thei with &yogh;ou. 28   Loo! I shal be hid in the wijlde feeldis of deseert, to the tyme that the word come from &yogh;ou, shewynge to me. 29   Thanne Sadoch and Abiathar beren a&yogh;en the arke of God into Jerusalem, and dwelliden there. 30   But Dauid stiede vp the hil of olyues, stiynge and wepynge, the heede couerde, and the feet nakid goynge; but and al the puple that was with hym, the heed couerde, stieden vp wepynge. 31   Forsothe it is toold to Dauid, that Achitophel was in the coniurynge with Absolon; and Dauid seide, Lord, I biseche, mak foli the counseil of Achitophel. 32   And whanne Dauid stiede vp the cop of the hil, in the which he was to preye the Lord, loo! Cusy Arachites a&yogh;en cam to hym, the clothing kut, and the heed ful of erthe. 33   And Dauid seide to hym, If thou comyst with me, thou shalt be to me to chargynge; 34   forsothe if thou turnest a&yogh;en into the citee, and seist to Absolon, Thi seruaunt I am, kyng, suffre me to lyue; as I was the seruaunt of thi fadre, so I shal be thi seruaunt; thou shalt scatyr the counseyl of Achitophel. 35   Forsothe thou hast with thee Sadoch and Abiathar, preestis; and eche word, what euere thou herist in the hows of the kyng, thou shalt shewe to the prestis, Sadoch and Abiathar. 36   Forsothe there ben with hem her two sonys, Achymaas, the sone of Sadoch, and Jonathan, the sone of Abiathar; and &yogh;e shulen seende bi hem to me al the word that &yogh;e shulen here. 37   Thanne comynge Chusa, the freend of Dauid, into the citee, forsothe Absolon is comen into Jerusalem.

CAP. XVI.

1   And whanne Dauid hadde goon a litil the cop of the hil, Ciba, the child of Myphibosech, aperide into a&yogh;en comynge of hym, with two assis, that weren chargid with two hundrid loouys, and an hundred bundels of dried grapis, and an hundred peysis of fijgis pressid, and with two botels of wyn. 2   And the kyng seide to Cyba, What to hem wolen thes thingys? And Ciba answerde, My lord kyng, the assis, that the hoomli men of the kyng sitten on; the loouis and the fijgis, to thi children for to eete; forsothe the wyn, that he drynke, who so failith in deseert. 3   And the kyng seith, Where is the sone of thi lord? And Ciba answerde to the kyng, He abood stille in Jerusalem, seiynge, To day shal the `hows of Yrael restore to me the kyngdam of my fader. 4   And the kyng seith to Cyba, Alle thingis that weren of Miphibosech ben thin. And Cyba seide, I preye, fynde I grace before thee, my lord kyng. 5   Thanne kyng Dauid cam into Bahurym, and loo! there wente out a man thens of the kynrede of the hows of Saul, Semei bi name, the sone of Gera; he wente forth goynge out, and cursyde. 6   And he sente stonus a&yogh;ens Dauid, and a&yogh;ens alle the seruauntis of king Dauid; forsothe al the puple, and alle the fi&yogh;ters fro the ri&yogh;t and fro the left side of the kyng wenten. 7   Forsothe thus spak Semei, whanne he curside to the kyng, Go out, go out, thou man of bloodis, and man of Belial! 8   The Lord hath &yogh;oldyn to thee al the blood of the hows of Saul, for thou hast reued the kyngdam fro hym; and the Lord hath &yogh;ouun the kyngdam in the hoond of Absolon, thi sone; and loo! thin euels beren thee doun, for a man

of blodis thou art. 9   Forsothe Abisai, the sone of Seruye, seide to the kyng, Whi cursith this dog to diynge to my lord kyng? I shal goo, and girde of his heed. 10   And the kyng seith, What is to me and to &yogh;ou, &yogh;e sonys of Saruye? Letith hym, that he curse; forsothe the Lord comaundide to hym that he curse Dauid; and who is that dar seie, Whi thus he doth? 11   And the kyng seith to Abisai, and to alle his seruauntis, Loo! my sone, that is goon out fro my wombe, sechith my lijf; mych more now this sone of Geminy `cursith to me? Letith hym, that he curse after the heest of the Lord; 12   if perauenture the Lord beholde my tourmentynge, and &yogh;eelde to me good for this cursynge to dai. 13   And so Dauid wente, and his felawis, bi the weie with hym; forsothe Semei wente cursynge a&yogh;ens hym bi the cop of the hil aside, and sendynge stoonus a&yogh;ens hym, and the erthe sprengynge. 14   And so kyng Dauid cam, and al the puple with hym wery, and there thei ben refreshid. 15   Forsothe Absolon, and al the puple of Irael wenten into Jerusalem, but and Achitophel with hym. 16   Forsothe whann Cusay Arachites, the freend of Dauid, was comen to Absolon, he spak to hym, Heil, kyng! heil, kyng! 17   To whom Absolon, This is, he seith, thi grace to thi freend; whi hast thou not goo with thi freend? 18   And Cusai answerde to Absolon, Nay, for of hym I shal be, whom the Lord chesith, and al this puple, and al Yrael; and with hym Y shal dwelle. 19   `But and this I shal brynge yn, to whom am I to serue? whether not to the sone of the kyng? as I obeysshide to thi fadir, so and I shal obeishe to thee. 20   Forsothe Absolon seide to Achithophel, Goo &yogh;e into counseyl, what we owen to doon. 21   And Achithophel seith to Absolon, Go into the secundarye wyues

of thi fadre, `the whiche he hath laft at the hows to be kept; that whanne al Yrael herith, that thou hast defoulid thi fader, the hoondis of hem ben strengthid with thee. 22   Thanne thei strau&yogh;ten out to Absolon a tabernacle in the solere, and he wente into the secundarye wyues of his fader before al Irael. 23   Forsothe the counseil that Achithophel &yogh;af in thoo dais, as if a man counseilde God; so was al the counseil of Achithophel, and whanne he was with Dauid, and whanne he was with Absolon. CAP. XVII.

1   Thanne seide Achitophel to Absolon, I shal chese to me twelue thousandis of men, and rysynge I shal pursue Dauid this ni&yogh;t. 2   And fallynge forsothe vpon hym that is wery, and the hoondis feblid, I shal smyte hym; and whanne al the puple fleeth that is with hym, I shal smyte the kyng desolate. 3   And I shal brynge a&yogh;en al the puple, what maner o man is wont to be turned a&yogh;en; forsothe o man thou sechist, and al the puple shal ben in pees. 4   And his word pleside to Absolon, and to alle the more thur&yogh; birth of Yrael. 5   Forsothe Absolon seith, Clepe &yogh;e and Cusai Arachite, and here we what also he seith. 6   And whan Cusai was comen to Absolon, Absolon seith to hym, Siche a maner word spak Achitophel; shul we doo, or nay? what counseil &yogh;yuest thou? 7   And Cusay seide to Absolon, It is not good this counseil, that Achithophel hath &yogh;ouun at this tyme. 8   And eft Cusay brou&yogh;te yn, Thou hast knowen thi fader, and the men that with hym ben, to ben moost stronge, and in bitter wil, as if a she bere wexe feers in the wijlde wode, rauysshid the whelpis; but and thi fader is a man fi&yogh;ter, and he shal not dwelle with the puple. 9   Perauenture now he

lurkith in dichis, or in a place where he wole; and whanne oon fallith, eche in the bigynnynge shal here, who so euere herith, and shal seye, There is maad veniaunce in the puple that pursuede Absolon. 10   And eche moost strong, whos is the herte as of a lioun, shal be feblid for drede; forsothe al the puple of Yrael woot thi fader to be strong, and alle stronge, that with hym ben. 11   But this semeth to me to be ri&yogh;t counseil; be gedrid to thee al the puple, fro Dan vnto Bersabe, vnnoumbrable as the grauel of the see; and thou shalt be in the myddis of hem. 12   And we shulen falle vpon him, in what euer place he were foundun, and we shulen couer hym, as dewe is wont to falle on the erthe; and we shulen not leeue of the men that with hym ben, forsothe not oone. 13   And if he were goon in eny citee, al Yrael shal wyynde aboute that citee coordis, and we shulen drawe it into the streem, that there be not foundun forsothe of it not a litil stoon. 14   And Absolon seide, and alle the men of Irael, Betere is the counseil of Cusai Arachite thanne the counseil of Achithophel; forsothe thur&yogh; the wil of the Lord is scaterid the profitable counseil of Achithophel, that the Lord brynge yn yuel vpon Absolon. 15   And Cusay seith to the preestys, Sadoch and Abiathar, This and this maner Achithophel &yogh;af counseil to Absolon, and to the eldres of Yrael, and I &yogh;af sich counseil and sich. 16   Now thanne sendith soone, and tellith to Dauid, seiynge, Ne abide thou this ni&yogh;t in the wijlde feeldis of deseert, but with out tariynge weende ouer; lest perauenture the kyng be soopen a wey, and al the puple that is with hym. 17   Forsothe Jonathan and Achymas stoden biside the welle of Rogel; an hondwomman &yogh;ede,

and toolde to hem, and thei wenten forth, that thei tellen to kyng Dauid the message; forsothe thei my&yogh;ten not be seen, or go into the cytee. 18   Forsothe a maner child saw&yogh; hem, and toolde to Absolon; forsothe thei wenten in a swift paase in the hows of a maner man in Bahurym, that hadde a pit in his vestiarye, and thei descendiden into it. 19   Forsothe a womman took, and strau&yogh;te out a couerynge vpon the mouth of the pit, as driynge pild barli, and so the thing is hid. 20   And whanne the seruauntis of Absolon weren comen into the hows, thei seiden to the womman, Where is Achymas and Jonathan? And the womman answerde to hem, Thei wenten hiyngli, a litil wi&yogh;t water taastid. And thes that sou&yogh;ten, whanne thei founden not, thei turneden a&yogh;en into Jerusalem. 21   And whanne thei weren goon, they stieden vp fro the pit; and goynge toolden to kyng Dauid, and seiden, Ryseth, and soone goth ouer the flood, for sich maner counseil &yogh;af Achithophel a&yogh;ens &yogh;ou. 22   Thanne Dauid roos, and al the puple that was with hym, and thei passiden Jordan, to the tyme that the dai `were li&yogh;tid, or the word were puplishid; and not oone forsothe was laft, that passide not the flood. 23   Forsothe Achitophel seynge, that his counseil was not doon, made redi his asse, and roos, and wente into hys hows, and into his citee; and his hows disposid, he diede bi hoongynge, and is biried in the sepulcre of his fader. 24   Forsothe Dauid cam into stronge placis, and Absolon passide ouer Jordan, he and alle the men of Yrael with hym. 25   Forsothe Absolon sette Amasan for Joab vpon the oost; forsothe Amasan was the sone of a man that was clepid Gethra of Jezreli, that wente into Abigayl, the

dou&yogh;ter of Naas, sister of Saruye, that was the moder of Joab. 26   And Irael sette tentis with Absolon in the loond of Galaad. 27   And whanne Dauid was comen into the defensable placis, Sobi, the sone of Naas of Rabath, of the sonys of Amon, and Machir, the sone of Amyel, of Lodobar, and Berzellay Galadite, of Rogelym, 28   offreden to hym couerynge clothis, and tapetis, and erthen vessels, whete, and barli, and meele, and powned corn, and benen, and potage, and fryed `gederynge of corns, that is clepid cycer, and hony, 29   and bottre, and sheep, and fatte calues. And thei &yogh;yuen to Dauid, and to the puple that was with hym, for to ete; forsothe thei ouertroweden the puple to be feyntid in the deseert bi hungre and threst. CAP. XVIII.

1   Dauid thanne, his puple biholden, ordeynde vpon hem leders of thousandis, and leders of hundridis. 2   And he &yogh;af the thridde parti of the puple vndir the hoond of Joab; and the thridde vndur the hoond of Abisai, the sone of Seruye, the brothir of Joab; and the thridde vndur the hoond of Ethay, that was of Geth. And the kyng seide to the puple, And I shal goon out with &yogh;ou. 3   And the puple answerde, Thou shalt not goo out; forsothe whether we fleen, it shal not perteyne to hem in greet forse of vs; or the half partie falle fro vs, thei shulen not retche anow, for thou oone for ten thousandis ert countyd; beter it is thanne, that thou be to vs in the cytee to socour. 4   To whom seith the kyng, That to &yogh;ou semeth ri&yogh;t, that I shal doo. Thanne the kyng stoode biside the &yogh;aate, and the puple wente out bi her cumpanyes, bi hundredis and thousandis.

5   And the kyng comaundide to Joab, and Abisai, and Ethay, seiynge, Kepith to me the child Absolon. And al the puple herde the kyng comaundynge to alle the princis for Absolon. 6   And so the puple wente into the feelde a&yogh;ens Yrael; and a batail is doon in the wijld wode of Effraym. 7   And the puple of Irael is there hewen doun of the oost of Dauid, and there is doon a greet slau&yogh;ter in that day of twenti thousand. 8   Forsothe there was the batail sparpoild vpon the face of al the loond, and manye mo weren whom the wijlde wode waastide of the puple, than thei whom the swerd deuowrede in that day. 9   Forsothe it felle, that Absolon a&yogh;encam to the seruauntis of Dauid, sittynge vpon a muyl; and whanne the muyle wente yn vndur a thik ook, and a greet, the heed of hym cleuyde to the ook; and hym hongid bitwix heuene and erthe, the muyle, to the which he satte in, passide forth. 10   Forsothe a maner man saw&yogh; that, and toolde to Joab, seiynge, I saw&yogh; Absolon hongynge fro an ook. 11   And Joab seith to the man that toolde hym, If thou saw&yogh;, whi stikist thou not hym with the erthe, and I shulde haue &yogh;yue to thee ten ciclis of siluer, and a kny&yogh;tis girdil? 12   The which seide to Joab, If thou peysedist in myn hoondis a thousand silueren platis, I shulde not putte myn hoond into the sone of the kyng; forsothe herynge vs, the kyng comaundide to thee, and to Abisai, and to Ethai, seiynge, Kepith to me the child Absolon. 13   But and if I hadde doon a&yogh;ens my soul foolhardili, that my&yogh;te not the kyng vnknowe, and thou shuldist stoond forn a&yogh;ens. 14   And Joab seith, Not as thou wolt, but I shal goo to hym before thee. Thanne Joab took three speris in his hoond, and pi&yogh;te hem in the herte of Absolon. And whanne &yogh;it he qwappide

cleuynge in the ook, 15   ten &yogh;onge squyers of Joab runnen, and smytynge slowen hym. 16   Forsothe Joab sownede with the trumpe, and with heelde the puple, that he pursuede not Irael fleynge, wylnynge to spare to the multitude. 17   And thei token Absolon, and casten hym in the wijld wode in to a greet diche, and thei beren togidir vpon hym a greet heep of stoonus ful myche; forsothe al Irael flee&yogh; into her tabernaclis. 18   Forsothe Absolon hadde arerede vp to hym, whanne he &yogh;it lyuede, a title, that is in the valey of the kyng; he seide forsothe, I haue not a sone, and this shal be in mynde of my name; and he clepide the title bi his name, and it is clepid the Hoond of Absolon into this day. 19   Forsothe Achymas, the sone of Sadoch, seith, I shal renne and telle to the kyng, for the Lord dide doom to hym fro the hoond of the enemyes of hym. 20   To whom Joab seide, Thou shalt not be messager in this dai, but thou shalt telle in the tother; to day I wole not thee to telle, forsothe the sone of the kyng is deed. 21   And Joab seith to Cusi, Go, and tel to the kyng what thou hast seen. 22   Cusi lowtide to Joab, and ranne. Eft Achymas, the sone of Sadoch, seide to Joab, What lettith, if I also renne after Cusi? And Joab seide to hym, What wolt thou renne, sone myn? Come hidir, thou shalt not be berer of good message. 23   The which answerde, What forsothe if I shal renne? And he seith to hym, Renn. Thanne Achymaas rennynge bi the weye of the good short weye ouerpasside Cusai. 24   Dauid forsothe sat bitwix two &yogh;atis; the weyter forsothe, that was in the hei&yogh;t of the &yogh;ate vpon the walle, rerynge vp the eyen, saw&yogh; a man aloone rennynge; 25   and cryinge out shewide to the kyng. And the kyng seide to hym, If he is aloone, gode message

is in the mouth of hym. 26   Forsothe hym goynge and nei&yogh;ynge nerre, the wayter saw&yogh; anothir man rennynge; and criynge out in the cop seith, There semeth to me another man rennynge aloone. And the kyng seide to hym, And this is a good messager. 27   Forsothe the weyter seith, I biholde the rennynge of the former, as the rennynge of Achymaas, the sone of Sadoch. And the kyng seith, A good man he is, and cometh berynge good mesage. 28   Forsothe Achymaas cryinge, seide to the kyng, Hail kyng! And lowtynge the kyng before hym bowide into the erthe, seith, Blessid be the Lord thi God, that hath concludid the men, that rereden her hoondis a&yogh;ens my lord the kyng. 29   And the kyng seith, Is there not pees to the child Absolon? And Achymaas seide, I saw&yogh; a greet towmbe, whanne Joab thi seruaunt sente me, O kyng, thi seruaunt; other thing I knowe not. 30   To whom the kyng, Passe, he seith, and stoond here. And whanne he was passid, 31   and stoode, Cusi aperide; and comynge seith, I brynge good message, my lord king; forsothe the Lord hath demyde for thee to day fro the hoond `of alle that risen a&yogh;ens thee. 32   The kyng forsothe seide to Cusi, Is there not pees to the child Absolon? To whom answerynge Cusi, Be thei maad, he seith, as the child, the enemyes of my lord the kyng, and alle that risen a&yogh;ens hym into yuel. 33   And so the kyng cau&yogh;t with sorwe, stiede vp to the sowpynge place of the &yogh;aate, and wepte, and thus he spak goynge, Sone myn, Absolon! Absolon, sone myn! who to me &yogh;yueth, that I dye for thee? Absolon, sone myn! sone myn, Absolon!

CAP. XIX.

1   Forsothe it is toold to Joab, that the kyng wept, and weilide his sone; 2   and the victorye is turned in that dai into weilynge to al the puple; forsothe the puple herde in that day to be seid, The kyng sorwith vpon his sone. 3   And the puple bowide aside in that dai to goo in to the citee, what maner wise a puple turnede and fleynge fro the batail is wont to bowe aside. 4   Forsothe the kyng couerde his heed, and criede with a greet vois, Sone myn, Absolon! Absolon, sone myn! 5   Thanne goon yn Joab to the kyng into the hows, seide, Thou hast confoundid to day the cheeris of alle thi seruauntis, and that han maad saaf thi lijf, and the lijf of thi sonys and of thi dou&yogh;tris, and the lijf of thi wyues, and the lijf of thi secoundarye wyues. 6   Thou louest the hatynge thee, and thou hast in haate the louynge thee; and thou hast shewid to day, for thou reckist not of thi leeders and of thi seruauntis; and verreily I haue knowen now, that if Absolon lyuede, and alle we hadden diede, thanne it shulde plese to thee. 7   Now than ryse, and go forth, and spekynge do aseethe to thi seruauntis; forsothe I swere to thee bi the Lord, that if thow gost not out, that oon forsothe be not to abidynge still with thee this ny&yogh;t; and werse shal be to thee this, than alle the yuels that camen vpon thee fro thi &yogh;ongth vnto the tyme that is now. 8   Thanne the kyng roos, and satte in the &yogh;ate; and to al the puple it is toold, that the king satte in the &yogh;ate, and al the multitude cam before the king. 9   Forsothe Irael flee&yogh; into her tabernaclis. And al the puple stroof in alle the lynagis of Irael, seiynge, The kyng hath delyuerd vs fro the hoond of oure enemyes, and he hath saued vs fro

the hoond of Philisteis; and now he flee&yogh; fro the loond for Absolon. 10   Forsothe Absolon, whom we anoyntiden kyng vpon vs, is deed in batail; how long be &yogh;e stille, and &yogh;e brengen not a&yogh;en the kyng? And the counseil of al Irael cam to the king. 11   Forsothe kyng Dauid sente to Sadoch and to Abiathar, preestis, seiynge, Speke &yogh;e to the more thur&yogh; birth of Juda, seiynge, Whi ben &yogh;e comen last to brynge a&yogh;en the kyng into his hows? Forsothe the word of al Irael is ful comen to the kyng, that thei brengen hym a&yogh;en into his hows. For the kyng seide, Thes thingis &yogh;e shulen seye to the puple, 12   My britheren &yogh;e, my boon and my flesh &yogh;e; whi last brengen &yogh;e a&yogh;en the kyng? 13   And to Amasa seye &yogh;ee, Whether ert thou not my boon and my flesh? Thes thingis God do to me, and thes thingis adde, if thou were not maister of chiualrye after Joab before me al tyme. 14   And he bowide the herte of alle the men of Juda as of o man; and thei senten to the king, seiynge, Turn a&yogh;en, thou and alle thi seruauntis. 15   And the kyng turnede a&yogh;en, and cam vnto Jordan; and al Juda cam forth into Galgala, that he a&yogh;en come to the kyng, and thei shulden brynge hym ouer Jordan. 16   Forsothe Semei, the sone of Gera, the sone of Gemyny, of Bahurym, hi&yogh;ede, and cam doun with the men of Juda into a&yogh;en comynge of kyng Dauid, with a thousand men of Beniamyn; 17    and child Ciba of the hows of Saul, and his fifteen sonys, and twenti seruantis weren with hym; and brekynge Jordan before the kyng, 18   passeden the forthis, that thei brengen ouer the hows of the kyng, and doon after his comaundynge. Forsothe Semei, the sone of Gera, faln doun before the kyng, whanne now he hadde passid Jordan, 19   seide to hym, My

lord, ne wiyt thou to me the wickidnes, ne haue thou mynde of the wrongis of thi seruaunt in the dai, the which thou wentist out, my lord kyng, fro Jerusalem, ne set thou, kyng, in thin herte; forsothe I thi seruaunt knowe my synne; 20    and therfor to dai first I cam of al the hows of Joseph, and cam doun into a&yogh;encomynge of my lord the kyng. 21   Forsothe answerynge Abisai, the sone of Saruye, seide, Whether for thes wordis Semei shal not be slayn, that curside to the crist of the Lord? 22   And Dauid seith, What to me and to &yogh;ou, &yogh;e sonys of Saruye? Whi ben &yogh;e maad to me to day into Sathan? Thanne whether to dai shal not be slayn a man in Irael? Whether I knowe not me to day maad kyng vpon Irael? 23   And the kyng seith to Semei, Thou shalt not die; and he swore to hym. 24   Forsothe Myphibosech, the sone of Jonathan, the sone of Saul, cam doun into the a&yogh;encomynge of the kyng, the feet vnwasshen, and the beerd vnshauen. And his clothis he hadde not washen, fro the day that the kyng wente out vnto the day of his turnynge a&yogh;en in pees. 25   And whanne he hadde a&yogh;en comen to the kyng, the kyng seide to hym, Whi cam thou not with me, Myphibosech? 26   And answerynge he seith, My lord kyng, my seruaunt dispiside me; and I thi seruaunt seide to hym, that he shulde make to me redi an asse, and stiynge vp I my&yogh;te goo with the kyng; forsothe I thi seruaunt am halt. 27   Also and he accuside me, thi seruaunt, to thee, my lord kyng; forsothe thou, my lord kyng, ert as the aungel of God; do that is plesynge to thee. 28   Forsothe ne the hows of mi fader was but gilti to the deth to my lord kyng; forsothe thou puttist me thi seruaunt among thi meetfelawis of thi bord; what thanne haue I of ry&yogh;twise playnt, or what may I more be spoken of to the

kyng? 29   Forsothe the kyng seith to hym, What more shalt thou speke? stedefast it is that I haue spoken; thou and Siba, dyuyde &yogh;e possessiouns. 30   And Myphibosech answerde to the kyng, Also al take he, aftir that my lord the kyng is turned a&yogh;en pesibli into his hows. 31   Forsothe Berzellay Galadite, a ful olde man, comynge down fro Rogelym, ladde the kyng ouer Jordan, redi also for to folwe hym bi&yogh;onde the flood. 32   Forsothe Berzellai Galadite was ful ooolde, that is, of fourscore &yogh;eer, and he &yogh;af food to the kyng, whanne he dwellid in the defensable placis; forsothe he was a ful mych riche man. 33   And so the kyng seide to Berzellai, Come with me, that thou reste sikir with me in Jerusalem. 34   And Berzellai seith to the kyng, How feele ben the dayes of the &yogh;eeris of my lijf, that I stye vp with the kyng to Jerusalem? 35   Of foure scoore &yogh;eer I am to dai; whether my wittis thryuen to deme swote or bittir, or meet and drynk may delite thi seruaunt, or I may here forthermore the vois of men syngers and of wymmen syngers? Whi thi seruaunt be to charge to my lord kyng? 36   A litil I shal goo forth thi seruaunt fro Jordan with thee, ne I nede this while &yogh;eeldynge; 37   but I biseche, that I turne a&yogh;en thi seruaunt, and die in my citee, and be biried bisyde the sepulcre of my fader and of my moder; forsothe there is thi seruaunt Chamaan; he go with thee, my lord kyng, and do to hym that semeth to thee good. 38   And so the kyng seide to hym, Chamaan goo with me; and I shal doo to hym what euer thing shal pleese to thee, and al that thou askist of me, thou shalt geete. 39   And whanne al the puple, and the kyng was passid ouer Jordan, he resteiede; and the king kisside Berzellai, and blesside to hym; and he turnede a&yogh;en into his place. 40   Thanne the kyng wente into Galgalan,

and Chamaan with hym. Forsothe al the puple of Juda brou&yogh;te ouer the kyng, and of the puple of Irael oonli the half parti was at. 41   And so alle the men of Irael rennynge to the kyng, seiden to hym, Whi oure britheren, the men of Juda, han stoln thee, and han brou&yogh;t ouer Jordan the kyng and his hows, and alle the men of Dauid with hym? 42   And alle the men of Juda answerden to the men of Irael, For to me nerre is the kyng; whi wraththist thou vpon this thing? Whether we han eten eny thing of the kyng, or &yogh;iftis to vs ben &yogh;euen? 43   And the man of Irael answerde to the men of Juda, and seith, Bi ten parties more I am anentis the kyng, and more to me perteneth Dauid than to thee; whi hast thou doo to me wronge, and it is not toold to me former, that I brynge a&yogh;en my kyng? Forsothe harder answerden the men of Juda than the men of Irael. CAP. XX.

1   It felle forsothe, that there was a man of Belial, Syba bi name, the sone of Botry, a `man of Gemyny; and he songe with a trumpe, and seith, There is not to vs paart in Dauid, ne heritage in the sone of Isay; turn a&yogh;en into thi tabernaclis, Irael. 2   And al Irael ys seuered fro Dauid, and folwide Ciba, the sone of Botri; the men forsothe of Juda cleueden to her kyng, fro Jordan vnto Jerusalem. 3   And whanne the kyng was comen into his hows into Jerusalem, he took the wymmen, and his ten secoundarie wyues, the whiche he hadde laft to the hows to be kept, and he took hem into waard, &yogh;yuynge foodis to hem; and he wente not into hem, but thei weren closid vnto the dai of her deth, lyuynge in widewheed.

4   Forsothe the kyng seide to Amase, Cleep to me alle the men of Juda into the thridde dai, and thou be to present. 5   Thanne Amasa wente for to clepe Juda; and he dwelte out of the couenaunt tyme that the kyng ordeynde to hym. 6   Forsothe Dauid seith to Abisai, Now more Siba, the sone of Botri, is to tourment vs than Absolon; tak therfor the seruauntys of thi lord, and pursue hym, lest perauenture he fynde the citee strengthid, and flee awey fro vs. 7   Thanne wente out with hym the men of Joab, Cerethi forsothe and Pherethi, and alle the stroonge men wenten out of Jerusalem to pursue Siba, the sone of Botri. 8   And whanne thei weren biside the greet stoon, that is in Gabaon, Amasa comynge a&yogh;en cam to hem; forsothe Joab was clothid with a strait coote at the mesure of his shap, and there aboue gird with a knyif hongynge vnto the reyn gottys in the sheethe, the which forgid with li&yogh;t meuynge my&yogh;t goon out, and smyte. 9   And so Joab seide to Amasan, Heyl, my brother! And he heelde with the ri&yogh;t hoond the chyn of Amase, as kyssynge hym. 10   Forsothe Amasa weytide not wel the knyif that Joab hadde, the which smoot hym in the side, and shedde out the gottis of hym into the erthe, and is deed; ne the secounde wounde he putte to. Forsothe Joab and Abisay, his brother, pursueden Siba, the sone of Botry. 11   There among sum men of the children of Dauid, whanne thei hadden `seen and stonden biside the careyn of Amase, of the felawis of Joab, seiden, Loo! that wolde be for Joab, leder of Dauid. 12   Forsothe Amasa spreynd with blood laye in the myddil weye. That saw&yogh; a man, that al the puple stood stille to seen hym, and meuede a wey Amasa fro the weye into the feelde, and couerde hym with a clooth, lest the goers shulden

abide stille for hym. 13   Thanne hym meued fro the weie, eche man folowynge Joab wente to pursue Siba, the sone of Botri. 14   But he passide thur&yogh; out alle the lynagis of Yrael vnto Hebelam, and into Bethmacha; and alle the chosen men weren gedrid to hym. 15   And so thei camen, and setten a&yogh;ens hym in Habela, and in Bethmacha, and enuyrounden the citee with strengthis; and the citee is bisegid. Forsothe al the puple, that was with Joab, enforside to destrie the wallis. 16   And a wyse womman criede out fro the citee, Herith! herith! seith to Joab, Nei&yogh; hidir, and I shal speke with thee. 17   The whych whanne he hadde nei&yogh;id to hire, she seide to hym, Thou ert Joab? And he answerde, I. To whom thus she spake, Here the wordis of thin hoond womman. The which answerde, I here. 18   And eft she, A word, she seith, was seide in olde prouerbe, Who aske, asken thei in Habela; and so thei profiteden. 19   Whether I am not, the which answere the trewthe of Yrael? and thou sechist to turne vpsedoun the citee, and to doon awey the moder of citees in Irael? whi berist thou doun the herytage of the Lord? 20   And Joab answerynge seith, Aweie be, aweie be this fro me; I bere not doun, ne destrie. 21   Not so the thing hath hym; but a man of the hil of Effraym, bi name Siba, the sone of Botri, reride his hoond a&yogh;ens kyng Dauid; takith hym alone, and we shulen goo awey fro the citee. And the womman seith to Joab, Loo! his heed shal be sente to thee bi the walle. 22   Thanne she wente into al the puple, and spak to hem wiseli; the which the gird of heed of Siba, the sone of Botri, casten forth to Joab. And he songe with the trompe, and thei wenten awey fro the citee, echon into her tabernaclis; forsothe Joab turnyde a&yogh;en

to Jerusalem to the kyng. 23   Thanne Joab was vpon al the oost of Irael; forsothe Bananyas, the sone of Joiade, vpon Ceretheis and Pheretheis; 24   Adhuram forsothe vpon the tributis; but Josaphat, the sone of Achilud, the chaunselere; 25   Siba forsothe a scribe; forsothe Sadoch and Abiathar prestis; 26   forsothe Hira Hiracte was the preest of Dauid. CAP. XXI.

1   Forsothe there is doon hungre in the dais of Dauid, thre &yogh;eer contynueli. And Dauid counseilde the heuenli answere of the Lord; and the Lord seide, For Saul, and the hows of hym, and the blood, for he slew&yogh; Gabanytes. 2   Thanne the Gabanytis clepid, the kyng seide to hem; forsothe Gabanytis ben not of the sonys of Irael, but the relikis of Ammoreis; forsothe the sonys of Yrael hadden sworn to hem, that thei shulen not slee hem, and Saul wolde smyte hem bi enuye, as for the sonys of Irael and of Juda; thanne Dauid seide to Gabanitis, 3   What shal I doo to &yogh;ou, and what shal be &yogh;oure amendys, that &yogh;e blissen to the heritage of the Lord? 4   And Gabanytis seiden to hym, There is no questioun to vs vpon gold and siluer, but a&yogh;ens Saul, and the hows of hym; and we wolen not, that there be slayn a man of Irael. To whom the kyng seith, What thanne wolen &yogh;e, that I doo to &yogh;ow? 5   The whiche seiden to the kyng, The man that hath defowlid vs, and oppressid wickidli, so we owen to doon awey, ne oon forsothe be laft of the lynage of hym in alle the coostis of Yrael. 6   Be there &yogh;ouun to vs seuen men of the sonys of hem, that we crucifien hem to the Lord in Gabaa of Saul, sumtyme

the chosen of the Lord. And the kyng seith, I shal &yogh;eue. 7   And the kyng sparide to Myphibosech, the sone of Jonathan, the sone of Saul, for the ooth of the Lord, that was betwix Dauid and Jonathan, the sone of Saul. 8   And so the kyng took two sonys of Respha, the dow&yogh;ter of Ahia, whom she bare to Saul, Armoony, and Myphibosech; and `of Mychol fyue sones, of the dou&yogh;ter of Saul, whom she gat to Adriel, the sone of Berzellay, that was of Demolati. 9   And he &yogh;af hem into the hoondis of Gabanytis, the which crucifieden hem in the hil before the Lord; and thes seuen slayn togidir fellen in the dais of the fyrst rijp, begynnynge the repynge of barli. 10   Forsothe takynge Respha, the dou&yogh;ter of Ahia, spradde abrood an heyre to hire on a stoon, fro the bigynnynge of the ryp to the tyme that watir droppide vpon hem fro heuene; and she suffride not breddis to teren hem bi the day, ne beestis bi the ny&yogh;t. 11   And these thingis ben toold to Dauid, the whiche dide Respha, the dou&yogh;ter of Ahia, the secoundarye wijf of Saul. 12   And Dauid &yogh;ede, and took the boonus of Saul, and the boonus of Jonathan, his sone, of the men of Jabes Galaad; `the which hadden stoln hem fro the streete of Bethsan, in the which Philisteis hadden hongid hem, whanne thei slewen Saul in Gelboe. 13   And bare a wey thens the boonus of Saul, and the boonus of Jonathan, his sone; and thei gederynge togidir the boonus of hem that weren pi&yogh;t, birieden hem with the boonus of Saul and Jonathan, his sone, in the loond of Beniamyn, in the side in the sepulcre of Cys, his fader. 14   And thei diden alle thingis, that the kyng comaundide; and the Lord dide mercy a&yogh;en to the loond after thes

thingis. 15   Forsothe there is doon eft bateil of the Philisteis a&yogh;ens Irael; and Dauid cam doun, and his seruauntis with hym, and thei fau&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens Philisteis. 16   Forsothe Dauid failynge, Jesbidenob, that was of the kynrede of Arapha, whose yren of the speere peiside thre hundrid vnncis, and he was gird with a newe swerd, `enforside to smyte Dauid. 17   And Abisay, the sone of Saruye, was to hym a socour; and the Philistee smyten he slew&yogh;. Thanne the men sworen to Dauid, seiynge, Now thow shalt not goo out with vs in to bateil, lest thou quenche the lanterne of Yrael. 18   The secounde bateil forsothe was in Gob a&yogh;ens Philisteis; thanne he smoot Sobochai of Huzachizaph, of the lynage of Arapha, of the kynrede of geauntis. 19   The thridde bateil forsothe was in Gob a&yogh;ens the Philisteis; in the which Adeodatis, the sone of the wijlde wode, leyer of dyuerse colours, Bethlamyte, smoot Goliath Gethee, whos shaft of the speere was as a beem of websters. 20   The ferthe bateyl was in Geth; in the which was an hee&yogh; man, that hadde sexe fyngris in the hoondis and feet, that is, foure and twenti; and he was of the kyn of Arapha; 21   and he blasphemyde in Yrael; forsothe Jonathan, the sone of Samaa, the brother of Dauid, smoot hym. 22   These foure ben born of Arapha in Jeth, and thei fellen in the hoond of Dauid, and of his seruauntis. CAP. XXII.

1   Forsothe Dauid spak to the Lord the wordis of this ditee, in the day in the which the Lord delyuerde him fro the hoond of alle his enemyes, and fro the hoond of Saul. 2   And seith, The Lord my stoon, and my strength, and my saueour; 3   my God, my strong, and I

shal hoop in hym; my sheeld, and the horn of myn heelth, my rerer, and my refute; my saueour, fro wickidnes thou shalt delyuer me. 4   I shal inwardli clepe the preysable Lord; and fro myn enemyes I shal be saaf. 5   For there han enuyround me the defoulyngis of deeth; the stremys of Belial fereden me. 6   The coordis of helle enuryrounden me; there wenten before me the gnaris of deeth. 7   In tribulacioun I shal inwardli clepe the Lord, and to my God I shal crye; and he herde fro his hooli temple my vois, and my crye shal come to his eeris. 8   The erthe is togidir meued, and tremblide; the foundementis of hillis ben togidir smyten and squat, for he wraththide to hem. 9   Smook stiede vp fro the neesthrillis of hym, and fier fro his mouth shal deuowre; the colis ben brent vp of it. 10   And he bowide heuenes, and cam doun; and mystynes vndur his feet. 11   And he stiede vpon cherubyn, and flow&yogh;; and slood vpon the pennys of `the wynd. 12   He putte derknessis an hidlis in `his enuyroun, wynnowynge watris of the cloudis of heuenes; 13   for the li&yogh;tynge in the si&yogh;t of hym ben brent vp the coolis of fier. 14   The Lord shal thundre fro heuene; and the Hei&yogh; shal &yogh;eue his voys. 15   He sente his arowis, and scatrede hem; leytis, and waastid hem. 16   And there apperide the out heeldyngis of the see, and ben opened the foundementis of the world; fro the blamynge of the Lord, fro the inbrethinge of the spiryt of his woodnes. 17   He sente fro an hei&yogh;, and took me; and drou&yogh; out me fro manye watris. 18   He delyuerde me fro myn enemye moost my&yogh;ti, and fro hem that hatiden me; for thei weren stronger than I. 19   Thei camen before me in the day of my tourmentynge; and the Lord is maad my fastnynge. 20   And he ladde me out into

widnes, and delyuerde me; for I pleside to hym. 21   The Lord shal &yogh;eelde to me after my ri&yogh;twisnes; and after the clennesse of myn hoondis he shal quyit to me. 22   For I haue kept the weyes of the Lord; and I dide not vnpiteuousli fro my God. 23   Forsothe alle the domys of hym in my si&yogh;t; and his heestis I mouede not awey fro me. 24   And I shal be parfijt with hym; and I shal kepe me fro my wickidnes. 25   And the Lord shal restore to me after my ri&yogh;twisnes; and after the clennesse of myn hoondis in the si&yogh;t of his eyen. 26   With the hooli hooli thou shalt be, and with the stronge parfite; 27   and with the chosun chosun thou shalt be, and with the peruertid thou shalt be peruertid. 28   And the pore puple thou shalt make saaf; and to thin eyen hei&yogh; thou shalt make meke. 29   For thou, Lord, my lantern, and thou, Lord, shalt li&yogh;tne my derkenessis. 30   Into thee forsothe I shall renne, gird vp; and in my God I shal ouerleep the wal. 31   God, the weye of hym vndefoulid; the speche of the Lord examynyd bi fier, a shelde is of alle the hopers in hym. 32   For who is a God, saaf the Lord; and who strong saaf oure Lord? 33   God, that girdide me with strength, and planede perfyte my wey; euenynge my feet to hertis, 34   and vpon my hei&yogh; thingis settynge me; 35   techynge myn hoondis to bateil, and settynge togider as a brasen boow myn armys. 36   Thou &yogh;af to me a target of thin helth; and myn hoomlynes multipliede me. 37   Thou shalt enlaarge my goyngis vndur me; and myn heelis shulen not fayle. 38   I shal pursue myn enemyes, and treden; and I shal not turne a&yogh;en, to the tyme that I waast hem. 39   I shal waast hem, and breek togidir, that thei togidre risen not; thei shulen falle vndur my feet. 40   Thou girdist me with strengthe to batail; thow

fulli bowedist the a&yogh;enstondynge to me vndur me. 41   Myn enemyes thou &yogh;af to me the bak, hatynge me; and I shal scatere hem. 42   Thei shulen crye, and there shal not be that saue; to the Lord, and he shal not here hem. 43   I shal do hem awey as powdre of the erthe; and as cleye of streetis I shal breek hem, and to-flappe. 44   Thou shalt saue me fro the a&yogh;enseiyngis of my puple; thou shalt kepe me into the heed of folkis of kynde; the puple, whom I knowe not, shal serue to me. 45   Alyen sones shulen with stoonde to me; in herynge of the eer thei shulen obeishe to me. 46   Alien sones floweden doun; and thei shulen be drawen togidre in her angwishe. 47   The Lord lyueth, and blesside my God; and the strong God of myn heelth shal be enhaunsid. 48   God, that &yogh;euest veniaunces to me; and threwe doun puplis vndur me. 49   The which ledist out me fro myn enemyes, and fro the withstoondynge to me arerist me; fro a wickid man thou shalt delyuer me. 50   Therfor I shal knowlech to thee in folk of kynde, Lord; and to thi name I shal synge. 51   Magnifiynge heelthis of his kyng; and doynge mercies to his crist Dauid, and into his seed euermore. CAP. XXIII.

1   Forsothe thes ben the last wordis, that Dauid, the sone of Ysay, seide. A man seide, to `whom there is ordeynd of the Crist of God of Jacob, a solempne salm maker of Yrael; 2   The spirite of the Lord is spokyn bi me, and his word bi my tonge. 3   He seyde, God of Yrael to me

hath spokyn, the strong of Yrael, the lordshipper of men, the ri&yogh;twise lordshipper in the dreed of God. 4   As li&yogh;t of morwtide, springinge the sunne eerli with out clowdis, gliterith; and as bi reynes buriouneth the eerbe of the erthe. 5   And not so mych is myn hows anentis God, that euerlastynge couenaunt he shulde goo yn with me, stable in alle thingis and warnysshit; forsothe al myn heelth and al wil, ne there is eny thing of it, that ne buriowneth. 6   Brekers of the lawe forsothe as thornys shulen be pullid vp alle, the whiche ben not takyn with hoondis. 7   And if eny man wolde touche hem, he shal be aarmyd with yren, and speer tree; and with fier tend vp, thei shulen be brent vnto nou&yogh;t. 8   Thes the names of the stronge men of Dauid. Dauid sittynge in the chayer, moost wise prynce among three; he is as a moost tendre litil werme of a tree, the which ei&yogh;t hundrid slew&yogh; with a bure. 9   Aftir this Eliazar, the sone of his vncle Abohy; among the three stronge, that weren with Dauid, whanne thei reproueden to Philisteym, and thei ben gederid thidir into bateil. 10   And whanne the men of Yrael hadden stiede vp, he stood, and smoot the Philisteis, to the tyme that his hoond failide, and wexe heuy with the swerd. And the Lord dide greet heelth in that day; and the puple that flei&yogh; is turned a&yogh;en to the spoilis of the sleyn men to be withdrawen. 11   After this Semma, the sone of Age, of Arary. And Philisteis ben gedrid in the stacioun; forsothe there was there a feelde ful of corn; and whanne the puple hadde flowen fro the face of Philisteis, he stood in the mydil of the feeld, 12    and rescuwid it; and he smoot the Philisteis, and the Lord made a greet heelth. 13   Also and before wenten doun the three,

that weren princis amonge thretti, and camen in tyme of rijp to Dauid into the spelunk of Odollam. Forsothe the tentis of Philisteis weren sett in the valey of geauntis. 14   And Dauid was in the strength; forsothe the stacioun of Philistees thanne was in Bethlem. 15   Dauid desiride thanne the watir of the laak, and seith, If eny man wolde &yogh;yue to me drynke of the watir of the systern, that is in Bethleem, biside the &yogh;aat. 16   Thanne breken out three stronge men the tentis of Philisteis, and drewen water of the sistern of Bethleem, that was biside the &yogh;aat, and brou&yogh;ten to Dauid; and he wolde not drynke, but offride it to the Lord, seiynge, 17   Merciful be to me the Lord, lest Y doo this; whether the blood of thes men, that ben goon forth, and the perile of lyues I shal drynke? Thanne he wolde not drynke. Thes thingis diden the three moost stronge. 18   Forsothe Abisay, the brother of Joab, the sone of Saruye, was prince of the three; he is that reride his spere a&yogh;ens thre hundrid, whom he slew&yogh;, nemned in the three, 19   and amonge the three the nobler, and he was the prince of hem; but vnto the three first men he ful cam not. 20   And Banayas, the sone of Joiade, man moost strong of greet werkes, of Capseel, he smoot the two lyouns of Moab; and he cam doun, and smoot a lioun in the mydil cistern in the dais of snow&yogh;. 21   Forsothe he slew&yogh; an Egipcian man worthi beholdynge, hauynge in the hoond a spere; and so whanne he was comyn doun to hym in a &yogh;erd, bi force he pullide out the spere fro the hoond of the Egipcien, and he slew&yogh; hym with his speere. 22   Thes thingis dide Banayas, the sone of Joiade; 23   and he namyd among the three stronge, that weren amonge

the thretti nobler; neuerthelater vnto the three he ful cam not. And Dauid made hym to hym a secretarie of pryuete. 24   Asahel, the brother of Joab, among the thretti; Elianan, the sone of his eem, of Bethleem; 25   Seruma, of Arary; Elka, of Arodi; 26   Helias, of Phelu; Hyra, the sone of Aches, of Thekua; 27   Abiazer, of Anathoth; 28   Nobanay, of Vsathi; Selmon Acothes; 29   Macharoy Nethophatites; Eled, the sone of Baana, and he Nethophatite; Hitai, the sone of Rabai, of Jebeeth, of the sonis of Beniamyn; 30   Banai Affrotonyte; Heddai, of the streem of Gaas; 31   Albiabon Arbachite; Asmanech, of Berromy; 32   Elyala, of Sobony; the sones of Jonathan, and Jeson; 33   Semma, of Horodi; Hayam, the sone of Saray, Saratite; 34   Elipheleth, the sone of Saasbai, the sonys of Maachati; Heliam, the sone of Achitophel, Gilonyte; 35   Esrai, of Carmeel; Pharai, of Arbi; 36   Igaal, the sone of Natha, of Soba; 37   Bony, of Gaddi; Selech, of Ammony; Naamy Berothite, the squyer of Joab, the sone of Saruye; 38   Ira Yatrite; Gareb, and he Yatrite; 39   Vrie Ethee; alle, seuen and thretti. CAP. XXIV.

1   And the woodnes of the Lord addide to be wrooth a&yogh;ens Irael, and stiride Dauid in hem, seiynge to Joab, Go, and noumbre Yrael and Juda. 2   And the kyng seide to Joab, prince of his oost, Go thur&yogh; alle the lynagis of Irael fro Dan vnto Bersabe, and noumbreth the puple, that I knowe the noumbre of it. 3   And Joab seide to the kyng, The Lord thi God eeche to thi puple, as myche as it is now, and eft encrees it to the hundred so myche in the si&yogh;t of my lord the kyng; but what to hym wole my lord the kyng in siche a maner thing? 4   Forsothe the word of the kyng hadde the ouer hoond a&yogh;ens the wordis of Joab, and of the

princis of the oost; and Joab wente out, and the princis of kny&yogh;tis, fro the face of the kyng; `and thei noumbren the puple `of Yrael. 5   Whanne thei hadden passid ouer Jordan, thei camen into Aroer, at the ri&yogh;t half of the citee that is in the valey of Gad; 6   and bi Jaser thei passiden into Galaad, and into the nether loond of Odsi, and camen into the wodi placis of Dan; and goynge about 7   beside Sidon thei passiden ny&yogh; the walles of Tyri, and al the loond of Euey, and of Chananei; and thei camen into the sowth of Juda, into Bersabe. 8   And passid al the loond, thei weren after nyne monethis and twenty dais comen into Jerusalem. 9   Thanne Joab &yogh;af the noumbre of the discryuynge of the puple to the kyng. And there ben founden of Yrael nyn hundrid thousandis of stronge men, `the whiche my&yogh;ten drawe out swerd; and of Juda fyue hundrid thousandis of fi&yogh;tynge men. 10   Forsothe the herte of Dauid smoot hym, aftir that the puple is noumbred; Dauid seide to the Lord, I haue synned greetli in this deede; but I preye, Lord, that thou bere ouer the wickidnes of thi seruaunt, for foleli I haue doo to myche. 11   And so Dauid roos eerli, and the word of the Lord is maad to Gad, the prophete and seear, seiynge, 12   Go, and spek to Dauid, Thes thingis seith the Lord, Of three thingis to thee is &yogh;ouun choys; chees oon, that thou wolt of thes, that I doo to thee. 13   And whanne Gad was comen to Dauid, he toold to hym, seiynge, Outher seuen &yogh;eer shal come to thee hungre in thi loond; or three monethis thou shalt flee thin aduersaries, and thei shulen pursue thee; or certeyn three days pestilence shal be in thi loond; now thanne delyuer, and see, what word I shal answere to hym that sente me. 14   Forsothe Dauid seide to

Gad, I am constreyned ful myche `on alle sides; but beter it is that I falle into the hoondis of the Lord, forsothe manye ben the mercies of hym, than in the hoondis of men. 15   And the Lord sente yn pestilence into Irael fro eerli vnto the set tyme; and there ben deed of the puple fro Dan vnto Bersabee seuenti thousandis of men. 16   And whanne the aungel of the Lord hadde strau&yogh;t out his hoond vpon Jerusalem, that he scater it, the Lord hadde rewth vpon the tourmentynge; and he seith to the aungel smytynge the puple, Yt suffisith now; withhoold thin hoond. Forsothe the aungel of the Lord was beside the corn flore of Arewna of Jebusei. 17   And Dauid seide to the Lord, whanne he hadde seen the aungel sleynge the puple, I am that haue synnede, and I wykidli dide; thes that ben sheep, what diden thei? I biseche, be thin hoond turned a&yogh;ens me, and a&yogh;ens the hows of my fader. 18   Forsothe Gad, the prophete, cam to Dauid in that day, and seide to hym, Stye vp, and ordeyn an auter to the Lord in the corn flore of Arewna of Jebusei. 19   And Dauid stiede vp, after the word of Gad, the which the Lord hadde comaundide to hym. 20   And beholdynge Arewne vndurstoode the kyng and his seruauntis to comen ouer to hym; and, 21   goon out, he honourde the kyng, bowid the cheere into the erthe; and seith, What of cause is, that my lord the kyng cometh to his seruaunt? To whom Dauid seith, That I bye of thee the corn flore, and bilde an auter to the Lord, and cees the slau&yogh;ter, that is ful plenteuous in the puple. 22   And Arewna seith to Dauid, Tak, and offre my lord kyng, as it plesith to him; hast thou oxen into brent sacrifice, and a wayn, and &yogh;ockis of oxen into the vse of trees? 23   Arewna &yogh;af alle thingis to the king. And Arewna seide to the

king, The Lord thi God take thi vowe. 24   To whom answeringe the king seith, Not as thou wolt, but I shal bye bi prijs of thee, and I shal not offre to the Lord my God brent sacrifice freeli &yogh;euen. Than Dauid bou&yogh;te the corn flore for sexe hundrid siclis of gold, and the oxen for fifti siclis of siluer. 25   And Dauid bilde there an auter to the Lord, and he offride brent sacrifices and pesible; and the Lord is plesid a&yogh;en to the loond, and the veniaunce is forfendyd fro Yrael. Here endith the secounde book of Kingis, and bigynneth the thridde book.

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