1   And kyng Dauid hadde eeldid, and he hadde of age manye dais; and whanne he was couerd with clothis, he was not maad hoot. 2   Thanne his seruauntis seiden to hym, Seche we to oure lord kyng a &yogh;ong wexen mayden; and stonde she before the kyng, and fede she hym, and sleep in his bosum, and make she hoot oure lord kyng. 3   Thanne thei sou&yogh;ten a fayre &yogh;ong womman in alle the coostis of Irael; and thei founden Abisaag Sunamytem, and brou&yogh;ten hir to the kyng. 4   Forsothe she was a child womman fayr ful mych, and she slepte with the kyng, and seruede to hym; forsothe the kyng knewe hyre not. 5   Forsothe Adonyas, the sone of Agith, was reryd vp, seiynge, I shal regne. And he made to hym a chaar, and horsmen, and fifti

men, that before him shulden renne. 6   And his fadir vndurnam not hym eny tyme, seiynge, Whi thus diddist thou? Forsothe and he was ful fayr, the secound born after Absolon; 7   and the word of hym with Joab, the sone of Saruye, and with Abiathar, preest, that helpiden the parties of Adonye. 8   Forsothe Sadoch, the preest, and Banayas, the sone of Joiade, and Nathan, the prophete, and Semei, and Cerethi, and Pherethi, and al the strength of the oost of Dauid, was not with Adonye. 9   Thanne wethers, and calues, and alle the fat offrid biside the stoon of Zoelech, that was ny&yogh; to the welle of Rogel, Adonyas clepede alle his britheren, the sones of the kyng, and alle the men of Juda, seruauntis of the kyng. 10   Forsothe Nathan, the prophet, and Banaye, and alle the stronge men, and Salomon, his brother, he clepide not. 11   And so Nathan seide to Bersabe, the modir of Salomon, Whether hast thou herd, that Adonyas, the sone of Agith, `hath regnyd, and oure lord Dauid thes thingis vnknowith? 12   Now thanne come, and tak counseil of me, and saue thi lijf, and of thi sone Salomon. 13   Go, and weend in to kyng Dauid, and sey to him, Whether not thou, lord, my kyng, swore to me thin hoond womman, seiynge, that Salomon thi sone shal regne aftir me, and he shal sitte in my see? Whi thanne regneth Adonyas? 14   And &yogh;it there thee spekynge with the kyng, I shal come after thee, and fulfil thi wordis. 15   And so Bersabe is goon yn to the kyng in the bedplace; forsothe the kyng hadde eeldid ful myche, and Abisaag Sunamyte seruede to him. 16   Bersabe bowid hir, and honourede the king; to whom the king, he seith, What wolt thou to thee? 17   The which answerynge seith, My lord kyng, thou swore bi the Lord thi God to thin

hoond womman, Salomon thi sone shal regne after me, and shal sitte in my see; and loo! now Adonye hath regned, 18   thee, my lord kyng, vnknowynge; 19   he hath slayn oxen, and alle the fatte, and manye wethers; and clepide alle the sones of the kyng, and Abiathar, the preest, and Joab, the prince of the chyualrie; forsothe Salomon, thi seruaunt, he clepide not. 20   Neuerthelater, my lord kyng, in thee the eyen of al Yrael beholden, that thou deme to hem, who owith to sit in thi see, my lord kyng, aftir thee; 21   and it shal be, whanne my lord kyng shal sleep with his faders, I and my sone Salomon shulen be synful. 22   &YOGH;it she spekynge with the kyng, Nathan, the prophete, cam. 23   And men toolden to the kyng, seiynge, Nathan, the prophete, is ny&yogh;. And whanne he was comen in the si&yogh;t of the kyng, and hadde honourde hym redi into the erthe, 24   Nathan seide, My lord kyng, hast thow seide, Adonye regne after me, and he sitte vpon my trone? 25   For he cam doun to day, and offride oxen, and fatte thingis, and manye wethers; and clepide alle the sonys of the kyng, and the prince of the oost, and Abiathar, the preest; and hem etynge, and drynkynge before hym, and seiynge, 26   Lyue the kyng Adonye, me, thi seruaunt, and Sadoch, the preest, and Benanye, the sone of Joiade, and Salomon, thi sone, he clepide not. 27   Whether of my lord the kyng wente out this word, and to me, thi seruaunt, thou shewedist not, who shulde be to sitte vpon the trone of my lord kyng after hym? 28   And kyng Dauid answerde, seiynge, Clepith to me Bersabe. The which whanne was goon in before the kyng, and hadde stoonden before hym, the king swore, 29   and seith, The Lord lyueth, that hath delyuerd my soule fro

al angwish; 30   for as I swore to thee bi the Lord God of Irael, seiynge, Salomon, thi sone, shal regne after me, and he shal sitte vpon my see after me, so I shal do to day. 31   And Bersabe, the cheere put doun into the erthe, honourde the kyng, seiynge, Lyue my lord kyng Dauid with outen eende. 32   And kyng Dauid seide, Clepith to me Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the prophete, and Banayam, the sone of Joiade. The whiche whanne thei weren comyn yn before the kyng, 33   the king seide to hem, Takith with &yogh;ou the seruauntis of &yogh;oure lord, and puttith my sone Salomon vpon my mule, and ledith hym into Gion. 34   And anoynte hym there Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the prophete, into kyng vpon Yrael `and Juda; and &yogh;e shulen synge with trompe, and seye, Lyue the king Salomon! 35   And &yogh;e shulen stye vp after hym, and come to Jerusalem; and he shal sitte vpon my see, and he shal regne for me; and to hym I shal comaunde, that he be duyk vpon Irael and upon Juda. 36   And Banayas, the sone of Joiade, answerde to the kyng, seiynge, Amen; thus speke the Lord God of my lord the kyng. 37   What maner wise the Lord was with my lord the kyng, so be he with Salomon, and hei&yogh;er make he the see of hym fro the see of my lord kyng Dauid. 38   Thanne Sadoch, the preest, wente doun, and Nathan, the prophete, and Banayas, the sone of Joyade, and Cerethi, and Pherethi; and putten Salomon vpon the mule of Dauid, the kyng, and brou&yogh;ten hym into Gion. 39   And Sadoch, the preest, took an horn of oyle fro the tabernacle, and anoyntide Salomon; and thei sungen with the trompe; and al the puple seide, Lyue the kyng Salomon! 40   And al the multitude steyede vp after hym, and the puple of men syngynge

with trompis, and `of gladynge with greet ioye; and the erthe `with ynne sownede of the crye of hem. 41   Forsothe Adonyas herde, and alle that weren beden `to mete of hym; and now the feest was eendid. But and Joab, the voys herd of the trompe, seith, What to hym wole the crye of the citee makynge noys? 42   &YOGH;it hym spekynge, Jonathan, the sone of Abiathar, the preest, cam; to whom seide Adonyas, Go yn, for a strong man thou ert, and good thingis tellynge. 43   And Jonathan answerde to Adonye, Nay; forsothe the lord oure kyng Dauid hath ordeyned Salomon kyng; 44   and sente with hym Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the prophete, and Banayam, the sone of Joyade, and Cerethi, and Pherethi; and putten hym vpon the mule of the kyng. 45   And Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the prophet, anoyntiden hym kyng in Gion; and gladynge thei stieden thens, and the cite with ynne sownede; this is the voys that &yogh;e herden. 46   But and Salomon sitte vpon the see of the rewme; 47   and the seruauntis of the kyng goon yn, blessiden to oure lord kyng Dauid, seiynge, God more large the name of Salomon vpon thi name, and magnifie the trone of hym vpon thi trone. And kyng Dauid honourde in his bed; 48   and ferthermore thes thingis spak, Blessid the Lord God of Yrael, that &yogh;af to day a sitter in my see, seynge myn eyen. 49   Thanne thei ben agaist, and alle risen, that weren bodyn `to meete of Adonye, and echon &yogh;eede into his weie. 50   Forsothe Adonyas, dredynge Salomon, roos, and &yogh;eed into the tabernacle of the Lord, and heelde the horn of the auter. 51   And thei toolden to Salomon seyynge, Loo! Adonyas dredynge kyng Salomon, holdith the horn of the

auter, seiynge, Swere to me to dai kyng Salomon, that he shal not sle his seruaunt bi swerd. 52   And Salomon seide, If he were a good man, there shal not falle forsothe an heere of hym in to the erthe; forsothe if yuel were foundun in hym, he shal die. 53   Thanne kyng Salomon sente, and brou&yogh;te hym out fro the auter; and goon yn, he honourde king Salomon; and Salomon seide to hym, Go into thin hows. CAP. II.

1   Forsothe the days of Dauid nei&yogh;iden that he shulde die; and he comaundide to Salomon, his sone, seiynge, Loo! 2   I weende into the weye of al erthe; tak coumfort, and be a strong man. 3   And keep wel the waardis and the heestis of the Lord thi God, that thou goo in the weyes of hym, and kepe the cerymonyes of hym, and the heestis of hym, and domys, and witnessyngis, as it is writyn in the lawe of Moyses; that thou vndurstonde al that thou dost, and whidir euer thou turne thee. 4   That the Lord conferme his wordis, `the whiche the Lord spak of me, seiynge, If thi sonys kepen my weyes, and goon before me in treuth, and in al her hert, and in al her soule, there shal not be doon awey to thee a man fro the kyngis seete of Israel. 5   Forsothe thou hast knowun what thingis Joab, the sone of Saruye, dide to me; what he dide to the two princis of the oost of Irael, to Abner, the sone of Ner, and to Amasi, the sone of Gether, whom he slew&yogh;, and shadde the blood of the batayl in pees; and putte the blood of the batail in his girdyl, that was about his leendis, and in his shoo, that was in his feet. 6   Thanne thou shalt do after thi wisdam, and thou shalt not brynge doun the hoornes of hym pesibli to hellis. 7   But and to the sones of Berzellay Galadite

thou shalt &yogh;eelde grace, and thei shulen be etynge in thi bord; forsothe thei camen a&yogh;en to me, whanne I flei&yogh; fro the face of Absolon, thi brother. 8   And thou hast anentis thee Semei, the sone of Gera, the sone of Gemyny, of Bahurym, that curside to me bi the werst cursynge, whanne I wente to the defensable placys; but for he cam doun to me into a&yogh;en comynge, whanne I shulde passe Jordan, and I swore to hym bi the Lord, seiynge, I shal not sle thee bi swerd, 9   thou wole not suffre hym to be harmles; forsothe a wise man thou art, and thou shalt knowe what thou shalt doo to hym, and thou shalt lede doun his hoor heeris with blood to helle. 10   Forsothe Dauyd slepte with his faders, and is biried in the citee of Dauid. 11   Forsothe the days, in the whiche Dauid regnede vpon Yrael, ben fourti &yogh;eer; in Ebron he regnede seuen &yogh;eer, and in Jerusalem three and thretti. 12   Salomon forsothe sat vpon the troone of Dauid, his fader, and the rewme of hym is fastned ful mych. 13   And Adonyas, the sone of Agith, &yogh;eede into Bersabe, the moder of Salomon; the which seide to hym, Whether pesible thin yncomynge? 14   The which answerde, Pesible. And he addide, A word to me is to thee. To whom she seith, Spek. 15   And he, Thou, he seith, knewe for the rewme was with me, and al Irael purposide to make me into a kyng to hym; but the rewme is translatid, and is maad of my brother; of the Lord forsothe it is ordeynd to hym. 16   Now thanne oon askyng Y preye of thee; ne confounde thou my face. The which seide to hym, Spek. 17   And he seith, Y preye that thou seye to Salomon the kyng; forsothe ne to thee he may eny thing denye; that he &yogh;yue to me Abisaag Sunamyte wijf. 18   And Bersabe seith, Wel, Y shal speke for thee to the kyng.

19   Thanne Bersabe cam to kyng Salomon, that she speke to hym for Adonye; and the kyng roos into the a&yogh;encomynge of hire, and he honourde hire, and he satte vpon his troone; and there is sett a troone to the moder of the kyng, the which sat at the ri&yogh;t side of hym. 20   And sche seide to hym, Oon litil askynge I preye of thee; ne confounde thou my face. And the kyng seide to hire, Ask, moder myn; forsothe ne leeueful it is that I turne awey thi face. 21   The which seith, Abisaag Sunamyte be &yogh;ouen to Adonye, thi brother, a wijf. 22   And kyng Salomon answerde, and seide to his moder, Whi askist thou Abisaag Sunamyte to Adonye? Ask `to hym and the kyngdam; forsothe he is my brother more than I, and hath Abiathar, the preest, and Joab, the sone of Saruye. 23   And so kyng Salomon swore bi the Lord, seiynge, These thingis do to me God, and thes thingis adde, for a&yogh;ens his lijf Adonye hath spoken this word. 24   And now lyueth the Lord, that confermyde me, and sette me vpon the see of Dauid, my fader, and that made to me an hows, as he spak, for to day Adonye shal be slayn. 25   And kyng Salomon sente bi the hoond of Banaye, the sone of Joiade; the which slew&yogh; hym, and is deed. 26   Forsothe the kyng seide to Abiathar, the preest, Go into Anathot, to thi feelde; and forsothe a man of deeth thou art; but to day I shal not sle thee, for thou bere the arke of the Lord God before Dauid, my fader, and thou susteynedist traueyle in alle thingis, in the whiche traueilde my fader. 27   Thanne Salomon made Abiathar, that he was not the preest of the Lord, that the word of the Lord were fulfillid, the which he spak vpon the hows of Hely, in Silo. 28   Forsothe there cam a messager to Salomon, that

Joab was bowid doun after Adonye, and after Salomon hadde not bowid. Thanne Joab flei&yogh; into the tabernacle of the Lord, and cau&yogh;te the horn of the auter. 29   And it is toold to kyng Salomon, that Joab hadde flowen into the tabernacle of the Lord, and was biside the auter; and Salomon sente Banaye, the sone of Joiade, seiynge, Go, and sle hym. 30   And Banaye cam to the tabernacle of the Lord, and seide to hym, Thes thingis seith the kyng, Go out. The which seith, I shal not goo out, but here I shal die. Banayas toolde a&yogh;en to the kyng the word, seiynge, Thes thingis spak Joab, and thes thingis answerde he to me. 31   And the kyng seide to hym, Do as he spak, and sle hym, and birye; and thou shalt doo awey the innocent blood, that is shad of Joab, fro me, and fro the hows of my fader. 32   And the Lord &yogh;eelde vpon his heed the blood of hym, for he slew&yogh; two ri&yogh;twise men betere than hym self, and he killide hem bi swerd, Dauid, my fader, vnknowynge, Abner, the sone of Ner, the prince of the chyualrie of Irael, and Amasam, the sone of Gether, prince of the oost of Juda. 33   And the blood of hem shal turne a&yogh;en into the heed of Joab, and into the heed of the seed of him in to euermore; forsothe to Dauid, and to his seed, and to the hows `of hym, and to the troone of hym be pees of the Lord into withouten eende. 34   And so Banaye, the sone of Joiade, steied vp, and wente to, and slew&yogh; hym; and he is biryed in his hows in desert. 35   And the kyng ordeynede for hym Banaye, the sone of Joiade, vpon the oost; and Sadoch he sette preest for Abiathar. 36   Forsothe the kyng sente, and clepide Semei, and seide to hym, Bild vp to thee howsis in Jerusalem, and dwel there, and thou shalt not goo out thens hidir and thider; 37   forsothe

whateuere day thou were goon out, and passist ouer the streem of Cedron, wite thou thee to be slayn; thi blood shal be vpon thin heed. 38   And Semei seide to the king, Good is the word of the kyng; as my lord kyng hath spokyn, so thi seruaunt shal doo. And so Semei dwellide in Jerusalem manye dais. 39   It is doon forsothe after three &yogh;eer, that the seruauntis of Semei flowen to Achis, the sone of Macha, the kyng of Geth; and it is toold to Semei, that his seruauntis weren goon in to Geth. 40   And Semei roos, and greithide his asse, and wente to Achis, into Geth, to his seruauntis to be sou&yogh;t; and he brou&yogh;te hem a&yogh;en fro Geth. 41   It is toold forsothe to kyng Salomon, that Semei was goon to Geth fro Jerusalem, and was turned a&yogh;en. 42   And sendynge he clepide hym, and seide to hym, Whether Y witnesside not to thee bi the Lord, and before seide to thee, What euer dai thou were goon out hidir and thidir, wite thou thee to be to die; 43   and thou answerdist to me, Good is the word that I herde? Whi thanne kepist thou not the ooth of the Lord, and the heest that I comaundide to thee? 44   And the kyng seide to Semei, Thou hast knowun al the yuel, of the which thin herte is gilti to thee, the which thou diddist to Dauid, my fader; the Lord hath &yogh;olden thi malice into thin heed. 45   And kyng Salomon blisside; and the troone of Dauid shal be stable before the Lord vnto euermore. 46   And so the kyng comaundide to Banaye, the sone of Joiade; the which stert to, smoot hym, and he is deed. CAP. III.

1   Thanne the rewme is confermyd into the hoondis of Salomon; and bi affynyte he is joyned to Pharao, the kyng of Egipt; forsothe he took his dou&yogh;ter, and

brou&yogh;te into the cite of Dauid, to the tyme that he hadde fulfillid beeldynge his hows, and the hows of the Lord, and the wal of Jerusalem bi enuyroun. 2   Neuerthelater the puple offride in hei&yogh; placis; forsothe the temple was not beildid to the name of the Lord vnto that dai. 3   Forsothe Salomon louede the Lord, goynge in the heestis of Dauid, his fader, out taak that in hei&yogh; placis he offrede, and tende vp the maad encense. 4   And so Salomon wente into Gabaon, that he offre there; forsothe that was the moost hei&yogh; place. Salomon offride a thousand oostis into brent sacrifice vpon that auter in Gabaon. 5   Forsothe the Lord aperide to Salomon bi sleepe the ny&yogh;t, seiynge, Ask that thou wolt, that I &yogh;yue to thee. 6   And Salomon seith, Thou didist with thi seruaunt, my fader Dauid, greet mercy, as he wente in thi si&yogh;t, in treuth and in ri&yogh;twisnes, and in ri&yogh;t herte with thee; thou hast kept to hym thi greet merci, and hast &yogh;euen to hym a sone, sittynge vpon his troone, as it is to dai. 7   And now, Lord God, thou hast maad thi seruaunt to regne for Dauid, my fader; forsothe I am a litil child, and vnknowynge the goynge out and myn yncomynge. 8   And thi seruaunt is in the mydil of the puple, whom thou hast chosun, of a puple with out eende, that may not be noumbred and gessid, for multitude. 9   Thanne thou shalt &yogh;yue to thi seruaunt an able herte to lore, that he may deme thi puple, and knowe betwix good and yuel; forsothe who may deme this puple, thi puple thus myche? 10   Thanne the word pleside before the Lord, that Salomon hadde askid siche a maner thing. 11   And the Lord seide to Salomon, For thou askedist this word, and askidist not to thee manye dais, ne ritchessis, othere

the lyues of thin enemyes, but thou askedist to thee wisdam to knowe doom, loo! 12   I haue doon to thee after thi wordis, and &yogh;euen to thee a wise herte and an vndurstondynge, in so myche that noon before thee were lijk thee, ne aftir thee ben to ryse. 13   But and thes thingis, `the whiche thou askydist not, I haue &yogh;euen to thee, that is, ritchessis, and glorie, that noon were lijk to thee in kyngis alle dais after. 14   Forsothe if thou gost in my weies, and kepist myn heestis, and my comaundementis, as wente thi fader, long I shal make thi dais. 15   Thanne Salomon wook vp, and vndurstood that it was a sweuen. And whanne he was comen to Jerusalem, he stood before the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord, and offride brent sacrifices, and made slayn pesible sacrifices, and a greet feste to alle his seruauntis. 16   Thanne camen two wymmen strompettis to the kyng, and stoden before hym; 17   of the whiche oon seith, I biseche, my lord, I and this womman dwelliden in oon hows, and I bare child anentis hire in the bed. 18   The thridde forsothe day after that I bare, bare and this; and we weren togidir, and noon othere in the hows with vs, out takun vs two. 19   Forsothe the sone of this womman is deed to ny&yogh;t, for slepynge she ouerlaye hym; 20   and risynge with silence of the vnkouenable ni&yogh;t, she took my sone fro myn syde, of thin hond womman slepinge, and leide it in hir bosum; hir sone forsothe, that was deed, she put in to my bosum. 21   And whan I was risyn eerli, for to &yogh;yue milk to my sone, he semyde deed; whom bisier lokinge bi the cleer li&yogh;t, I perseyuede not be myn, whom Y gat. 22   The tother womman answerde, It is not so as thou seist, but thi sone is deed;

forsothe myn lyueth. And a&yogh;enward she seide, Thou lie&yogh;st; forsothe my sone lyueth, and thi sone is deed. And so in this maner thei stryuen before the kyng. 23   Thanne the kyng seith, This seith, My sone lyueth, and thi sone is deed; and she answerde, Nay, but thi sone is deed; `myn forsothe lyueth. 24   Thanne the kyng seide, Bryngith to me a swerd. And whanne thei hadden brou&yogh;t a swerd before the kyng, 25   Deuydith, he seith, the quyk child in two parties, and &yogh;yueth the half part to the toon, and the half part to the tothir. 26   Forsothe the womman, whos was the quyk child, seith to the kyng; for the bowels of her ben stiryd vpon hire sone; Lord, I biseche, &yogh;ife to hir the quyk child, and wolith not sle hym. A&yogh;enward she seide, Ne to me, ne to thee be he, but be he deuydide. 27   The kyng answerde, and seith, &YOGH;yueth to this womman the quik child, and be he not slayn; forsothe this is his modir. 28   And so al Yrael herde the dome, that he hadde demyde; and thei dradden the kyng, seynge the wisdam of God to ben in hym, `to do doom. CAP. IV.

1   Forsothe kyng Salomon was regnynge vpon al Yrael. 2   And thes ben the princis that he hadde; Azarias, the sone of Sadoch, the preest; 3   Elyoreb, and Ahia, sones of Sila, scribe; Josaphat, the sone of Achilud, chaunselere; 4   Banayas, the sone of Joiade, vpon the oost; forsothe Sadoch and Abiathar, preestis; 5   Azarias, the sone of Nathan, vpon hem that stoden ny&yogh; to the kyng; Zabul, the sone of Nathan, a preest, freend of the kyng; 6   Ahiazar, prouost of the hows; and Adonyram, the sone of Adda, vpon the tributis. 7   Forsothe

Salomon hadde twelue ouerseers vpon al Yrael, that &yogh;euen corn to the kyng, and to his hows; forsothe bi the monethis arowe in the &yogh;eer, thei a rowe mynystreden necessarijs. 8   And thes the names of hem; Benhur, in the mount of Effraym; 9   Bendekar, in Mactes, and in Salebbym, and in Bethsames, and in Helon, and in Bethanan; 10   Benesech, and in Araboth; of hym forsothe was Socco, and al the loond of Eefer; 11   Benabidanab, of whom al Neptad; Dorthafaed, the dou&yogh;ter of Salomon, he hadde to wijf. 12   Bena, the sone of Achilud, gouernede Thaneth, Amageddo, and al Bethsan, that is beside Sarthana, vndur Jezmel, fro Bethsan vnto Abelmeula, `forn a&yogh;ens Selmaan. 13   Bengaber in Ramoth Galaad hadde Anothiair, of the sone of Manasse, in Galaad; he gouernede in al the regioun of Argob, that is in Basan, to sexti greet citees and wallid, that hadden brasen lockis. 14   Achymadab, the sone of Addo, rewlide in Manahym; 15   Achymaas, in Neptalym, but and he hadde Bachsemath, the dou&yogh;ter of Salomon, in mariage; 16   Bena, the sone of Husi, in Aser, and in Balod; Josaphat, the sone of Pharue, in Ysachar; 17    Semei, the sone of Hela, in Beniamyn; 18    Gaber, 19   the sone of Sury, in the loond of Galaad, and in the loond of Seon, kyng of Amorrey, and of Og, the kyng of Basan, vpon alle thingis that weren in that loond. 20   Juda and Yrael ben vnnoumbrable, as the grauel of the see in multitude, etynge, and drynkynge, and gladynge. 21   Forsothe Salomon was in his power, hauynge alle the rewmes, as fro the flood of the loond of Philisteis vnto the eende of Egipt, of men offryng to hym &yogh;iftis, and of seruynge to hym alle the days of his lijf. 22   Forsothe the meet of Salomon was bi eche day, thretti choris of tried floure, and sexti choris of

meele, 23   ten fatte oxen, twenti `lesewed oxen, and an hundrid wetheris, `out taak huntynge of hertis, and of goot, and of buglis, and of fed foulis. 24   Forsothe he helde al the regioun that was be&yogh;onde the flood, as fro Capsa vnto Gasan, and alle the kingis of that regioun; and he hadde pees on al side in enuyroun. 25   And Juda dwellide and Yrael with outen eny drede, echon vndur his vyn, and vndur his fiyg tree, fro Dan vnto Bersabee, alle the dais of Salomon. 26   And Salomon hadde fourti thousand cratchis of chaare hors, and twelue thousand of ridynge hors; and the forseid ouerseers of the kyng norisheden hem. 27   But and the necessarijs of kyng Salomon bord thei &yogh;auen with greet bisynes in her tyme; 28   forsothe barli, and chaf of hors, and of beestis thei brou&yogh;ten into the place, where the kyng was, aftir the settynge to hem. 29   Forsothe God &yogh;af wisdam to Salomon, and myche prudence ful greetli, and laargenesse of herte, as grauel that is in the brenk of the see. 30   And the wisdam of Salomon wente before the wisdam of alle the eest men, and of Egipciens; 31   and he was wiser than alle men; wiser than Ethan Esrayte, and than Eman, and than Cacal, and than Dorda, the sones of Maol; and he was nemned in alle the gentylis bi enuyroun. 32   And Salomon spak thre thousand parablis, and the ditees of hym weren fyue thousand; 33   and he disputide vpon the trees, fro the cedar that is in Liban, vnto the ysoop that goth out of the wal; and he tretyde of the beestis, and foulis, and of crepynge beestis, and of fisshis. 34   And there camen of alle puplis to the wysdam of Salomon to be herde, and of alle kyngis of erthe, the whiche herden the wisdam of hym.

CAP. V.

1   Forsothe Iram, the kyng of Tiry, sente his seruauntis to Salomon; forsothe he herde that men hadden anoyntid hym kyng for his fader; for Yram was freend of Dauid al tyme. 2   Forsothe and Salomon sente to Yram, seiynge, Thou wost the wil of my fader Dauid, 3    and for he my&yogh;te not bilde vp an hows to the name of his God, for the batailis oncomynge bi enuyroun, to the tyme that the Lord &yogh;af hem vndur the step of his feet. 4   Forsothe now the Lord my God hath &yogh;ouen rest to me bi enuyroun, and there is not Sathan, ne yuel a&yogh;encomynge; 5   for what thing I thenke to beeld a temple to the name of the Lord my God, as God spak to my fader, seiynge, Thi sone, whom I shal &yogh;yue to thee for thee vpon thi seete, he shal beelde to my name an hows. 6   Thanne comaund, that thei hewen to me cedrys of Liban; and my seruauntis ben with thi seruauntis; forsothe the mede of thi seruauntis I shal &yogh;yue to thee, what euer thou askist; forsothe thou wost that there is not in my puple a man, that kan hewe trees, as Sidonys. 7   Whanne thanne Iram hadde herd the wordis of Salomon, he gladide greetli, and seith, Blessid be the Lord God to day, that &yogh;af to Dauid a moost wise sone vpon this myche puple. 8   And Yram sente to Salomon, seiynge, I haue herd alle thingis that thou sentist to me; I shal doo al thi wil, in cedre trees, and in firris. 9   My seruauntis shulen doo hem down fro the wode to the see, and I shal make hem to gidre in shippis in the see, vnto the place the which thou shalt signyfye to me; and I shal leye hem to thee, that thou take hem; and thou shalt &yogh;yue necessaryes to me, that meete be &yogh;ouen

to myn hows. 10   And so Yram &yogh;af to Salomon cedre trees and firre trees, after al the wil of hym; 11   forsothe Salomon &yogh;af to Yram twenti thousand choris of whete into mete to his hows, and twenti choris of moost pure oyle; thes thingis Salomon &yogh;af to Yram bi ech &yogh;eer. 12   And the Lord &yogh;af wisdam to Salomon, as he spak to hym; and there was betwix Iram and Salomon pees, and bothe smyten couenant of pees. 13   And king Salomon chees werkmen of al Israel; and the moustre was thretti thousandis of men. 14   And he sente hem into the wode, ten thousand bi eche moneth whilmele, so that two monethis whilmele thei weren in her howsis; and Adonyram was vpon siche a maner gedrynge of men. 15   And so to Salomon weren seuenti thousandis of hem, that beren birthens, and ei&yogh;ti thousandis of masouns in the hyl, 16   with outen the prouostis, that reuliden to alle the werkis, in noumbre of thre thousand and thre hundrid, comaundinge to the puple, and to hem that dyden werke. 17   And the kyng comaundide, that thei shulden take the greet stoonus, and the precious stoonus, in to the foundement of the temple, and thei shulden square hem; the whiche the masouns of Salomon, 18   and the masouns of Yram, han ouerscorchide. Forsothe the cyteseynys of Biblis maden redi the trees and stonus, to the hows to be beeldid. CAP. VI.

1   It is doo forsothe the foure hundrid and ei&yogh;ti &yogh;eer of the goynge out of the sones of Irael fro the loond of Egipt, in the ferth &yogh;eer, the moneth Zio; he is the secounde moneth of the regne of Salomon vpon Irael; he began to beelde an hows to the Lord. 2   Forsothe the hows that kyng Salomon beeldide to the Lord,

hadde sexti cubitis in length, and twenti in brede, and thretti cubitis in hei&yogh;t. 3   And a &yogh;aat hows was before the temple of twenti cubitys in length, aftir the mesure of the brede of the temple; and hadde ten cubitis of brede before the face of the temple. 4   And he made in the temple side wyndows. 5   And he bildide vpon the wal of the temple table beeldyngis bi enuyroun, in the wallis of the hows, bi enuyroun of the temple, and of Goddis answerynge place; and he made the sidis in enuyroun. 6   The table beeldynge, that was aboue, hadde fyue cubitis of brede; and the mydil table beeldynge of sexe cubitis of brede; and the thridde table beeldynge hauing seuen cubitis of brede. Forsothe beemys he putte in the hows bi enuyroun with outforth, that thei shulden not cleue to the wallis of the temple. 7   Forsothe the hows, whanne it shulde be beeldid vp, is beeldid of stonus ouer scorchid and parfite; and hamer, and axe, and al yren, ben not herd in the hows, whanne it was beeldid. 8   The door of the mydil side in the wal was of the hows of the ri&yogh;t side; and bi a vyce thei stieden vp into the mydil sowpynge place, and fro the mydil into the thridde. 9   And he beeldide vp the hows, and endide it. 10   And he made the hows with cedre couplis, and bildide a table beeldynge vpon al the hows bi fyue cubitis of hei&yogh;t, and couerde the hows with cedre trees. 11   And the word of the Lord is maad to Salomon, 12   seyynge, This hows that thou beeldist; if thou gost in myn hestis, and dost my domys, and kepist alle my comaundementis, goynge bi hem, I shal fastne my word to thee, that I haue spoken to Dauid, thi fader; 13   and I shal dwelle in the mydil of the sonys of Yrael, and I shal not forsaak my puple Yrael. 14   Thanne Salomon beeldide vp the hows, and eendide it;

15   and beeldide vp the wallis of the hows with ynforth with cedre table beeldyngis, fro the pawment of the hows vnto the hei&yogh;est of the wal, and vnto the cowplis; and he couerde with cedre trees with inforth; and he couerde the pawment of the hows with firre bordis. 16   And he beeldide vp cedre table beeldingis of twenti cubitis at the hynder more parti of the temple, fro the pawment vnto the ouer parties; and he made an innermore hows of the heuenli answerynge place, into the holy of halewis. 17   Forsothe of fourti cubitis was that temple before the &yogh;atis of Goddis answerynge place. 18   And with cedre al the hows with ynforth was clothid, hauynge his turnours, and his iuncturis forgid, and grauyngis ouerbeynge; alle with cedre tablis thei weren clothid, ne algatis a stoone my&yogh;te apere in the wal. 19   Goddis answerynge place forsothe he made in the mydil of the hows, in the inner more partie, that he putte there the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord. 20   Forsothe Goddis answerynge place hadde twenti cubitis of length, and twenti cubitis of brede, and twenti cubitis of hei&yogh;t; and he couerde it, and clothide with moost pure gold; but and the auter he clothide with cedre. 21   Forsothe the hows before Goddis answerynge place he couerde with moost pure gold, and naylide platis to with golden nailis. 22   No thing was in the temple that was not couerde with gold; but and al the auter of Goddis answerynge place he couerde with gold; 23   and made in Goddis answerynge place two cherubyn of the trees of olyues, of ten cubitis of hei&yogh;t; 24   the too weenge of cherub of fyue cubitis, and the tother weenge of cherub of fyue cubitis, that is, hauyng ten cubitis, fro the cop of the wenge vnto the cop of the tother weenge. 25   Forsothe of ten cubitis was the secounde

cherub in the same mesure; and o werk was in the two cherubyn, 26   that is, o cherub hadde hei&yogh;t of ten cubitis, and lijk maner the secounde cherub. 27   And he putte the cherubyn in the mydil of the inner temple; forsothe the cherubyn strau&yogh;ten out her weengis, and the too weenge towchide the wal, and the weenge of the secounde cherub touchyde the tothere wal; forsothe the tothere weenges in the mydyl part of the temple towcheden hem self to gidre. 28   And he couerde cherubyn with gold, 29   and alle the wallis of the temple bi enuyroun; and grauyde with dyuerse grauyngis and turnynge; and made in hem cherubyn, and palmes, and dyuerse peynturis, as ferre stondynge fro the wal in goynge out. 30   But and the pawment of the hows he couerde with gold, with inforth and with outforth. 31   And in the goynge yn of Goddis answerynge place he made two litil dorys of the trees of olyues; and fyue postis of the corners, 32   and the two dorys of the trees of olyues; and he grauede in hem peynture of cherubyn, and the lickenes of palmes, and the ouermore grauyngis ful fer stoondynge out; and couerde hem with gold; and both he couerde cherubyn, and the palmes, and other with gold. 33   And he made in the entre of the temple postis of the trees of olyues foure cornerd; and the two doris of firre trees, 34    either to other; and either dore was dowble, and holdynge hem self togidre was opnyde. 35   And he grauyde cherubyn, and the palmys, and grauyngis myche semynge out; and alle he couerde with goldyn platis, with squaryd werk at rewle. 36   And he bildide the porch with ynforth, with three ordres of polshid stonus, and with oon ordre of the trees of cedre. 37   The firthe &yogh;eer the hows of the Lord is foundid, in the moneth of Zio;

and in the enleueth &yogh;eer, 38   the moneth of Ebul; he is the ei&yogh;t moneth; the hows is perfourmed in al his werk, and in alle his necessaries; and he bildide it vp in seuen &yogh;eer. CAP. VII.

1   Forsothe Salomon beeldide his hows in thretene &yogh;eer, and vnto parfite brou&yogh;te forth. 2   And he bildide the hows of the wijld wode of Liban, of an hundrid cubitis of length, and of fifti cubitis of brede, and of thretti cubitis of hei&yogh;t; and foure aluris betwixe the cedre pilers; forsothe the cedre trees he hew&yogh; into pilers. 3   And he clothide al the chaumbre with cedre table beeldyngis; the which chaumbre was born vp with fyue and fourti pilers. The too ordre forsothe hadde fifteen pilers, 4   sette togidre a&yogh;ens hem self, 5   and `for a&yogh;en hem self beholdynge, with euen space betwixe the pilerys; and vpon the pilers foure cornerd trees, in alle thingis euen. 6   And the chaumbre of pilers he made of fifti cubitis of length, and of thretti cubitis of brede; and another chaumbre into the face of the more chaumbre; and pilers, and the heedis vpon the pilers he made. 7   Forsothe the chaumbre of the see, in the which is the chayer of dom, he made; and couerde with cedre trees, fro the pawment vnto the cop. 8   And the litil hows, in the which he sat to deme, was in the mydil chaumbre, lijk maner werk. Forsothe he made an hows to the dou&yogh;ter of Pharao, whom Salomon weddide, siche maner werk as this chaumbre. 9   Alle thingis with precious stoonus, `the whiche at a maner rewle and mesure, both with ynforth and with outforth, weren loken, fro the foundement vnto the cop of the

wallis, and with ynforth and vnto the more halle. 10   The foundementis forsothe of precious stoonus, the greet stoonus of ten, or of ei&yogh;t cubitis; 11   and there aboue precious stoonus of euen mesure weren hewen; and lijk maner of cedre. 12   And the more halle rownd, of thre ordres of hewen stonus, and of oon ordre of planed cedre; also and in the innermore porche of the hows of the Lord, and in the &yogh;aat hows of the hows of the Lord. 13   And kyng Salomon sente, 14   and took Yram, the sone of the widowe womman, fro Tyro, of the lynage of Neptalym, fader of the cuntre of Tyre, a crafti man of metal, and ful of wisdom, and vndurstondynge, and of lore, to doo al werk of metal. Which whanne he was comen to kyng Salomon, he made al the werk of hym; and made two brasen pilers, 15   of ei&yogh;teen cubitis of hei&yogh;t o piler; and a liyn of twelue cubitis wente about either piler. 16   And two heed coueryngys he made, that shulden be putte vpon the heedis of the pilers, &yogh;oten of bras; of fyue cubitis of hei&yogh;t oon heed couerynge, and of fyue cubitis of hei&yogh;t another heed couerynge; 17   and as in maner of a nette, and of cheynys wouyn togidre to hem self, in o werk. And either heed couerynge of the pilers was &yogh;oten; seuen litil nettis of verse in the toon heed couerynge, and seuen lytil nettis in the tothir heed couerynge. 18   And he fulfillide the pilers, and the two ordris bi enuyroun of alle the litil nettis, that thei coueren the heed coueryngis, that weren vpon the cop of the powmgarnettis; and the same wise he made to the secounde heed couerynge. 19   Forsothe the heed coueryngis, that weren vpon the heedis of the pilers, as in werk of a lilye weren forgid, in the &yogh;aathows, of foure cubitis; 20   and eft other heed coueryngis in the cop of the pilers aboue,

aftir the mesure of the piler a&yogh;ens the litil nettis; forsothe two hundryd ordres of powmgarnettis weren in enuyroun of the secounde heed couerynge. 21   And he sette two pilers in the &yogh;aat hows of the temple; and whanne he hadde sette the ri&yogh;t piler, he clepide it bi name Jachym; lijk maner he reride the secounde piler, and clepide the name of it Booz. 22   And vpon the heedis of the pilers he sette a werk in maner of a lilye; and fulfillid is the werke of the pilers. 23   He made forsothe the &yogh;oten see, of ten cubitis fro lippe vnto lippe, rounde in enuyroun; the hei&yogh;t of hym of fyue cubitis; and the littil nette of thretti cubitis girdide it by enuyroun. 24   And the grauynge vndur the lippe wente about it bi ten cubitis, goynge about the see; two ordris of storye grauyngis weren &yogh;oten, 25   and stoden vpon twelue oxen; of the whiche three beheelden to the north, and three to the weste, and three to the south, and thre to the este; and the see was there aboue vpon hem, whos alle the hyndirmore parties lurkiden with ynforth. 26   The greetnes forsothe of the watyr vessel was of three ouncis, and the lippe of it as the lippe of a chalice, and as a leef of a lilye to be `a&yogh;en bowid; it conteynede two thousand mesuris of thre quartis, thre thousand mesuris nee&yogh; of a potel. 27   And he made ten brasen feet, eche foot of foure cubitis of length, and of foure cubitis of brede, and of foure cubitis of hei&yogh;t. 28   And that werk of the feet was betwix grauyngis playn; and grauyngis betwix the ioynturis. 29   And betwix the litil crownes and wyndyngis, liouns, and oxen, and cherubin; and in the ioynturis lijk maner aboue; and vndur the lyouns and oxen as bridils of brasse hongynge. 30   And foure whelis bi eche feet, and brasen

axtrees; and bi foure partyes as litil shuldres vndur the water vessel &yogh;oten, a&yogh;ens hem self beholdynge. 31   And the mouth of the watir vessel with ynforth was in the cop of the heed, and that, that with outforth aperide, was of o cubite, and alle round, and togidre hadde o cubite and an half; in the corners forsothe of the pilers weren dyuers grauyngis, and the mene pilers betwix squaar, and not round. 32   Forsothe the foure whelis, that weren bi the foure corners of the foot, cleueden togidre to hem self vndir the foot; o whele hadde of hei&yogh;t a cubite and an half. 33   Forsothe the whelis weren siche, as ben wont to be maad in a chaar; and the axtre of hem, and the spokys, and the felijs, and the naue, alle &yogh;oten. 34   For thoo ilke foure litil shuldres, bi alle the corners of o foot, fro that foot weren &yogh;oten, and ioyned. 35   In the cop forsothe of the foot was a maner roundnes, of a cubite and a half, so forgid, that the watir vessel my&yogh;te be sette there aboue, hauynge his dyuerse endentyngis, and grauyngis of hym self. 36   Forsothe he grauede in the table beeldyngis, that weren of brasse, and in the corners, cherubyn, and liouns, and palmys, as into the lickenesse of a man stondynge, that thei shulen be seen not grauen, but leid to bi enuyroun. 37   And in this maner he made ten feet, bi o &yogh;etynge and mesure, and with lijk maner grauynge. 38   Forsothe he made ten brasen water vessels; o water vessel heelde fourti mesuris of thre quaartis, and was of foure cubitis; and alle the water vessels he putte vpon alle the feet, that is, vpon ten feet. 39   And he ordeynde the ten feet, fyue at the ry&yogh;t partie of the temple, and fyue at the left; forsothe the see he putte at the ri&yogh;t parti of the temple, a&yogh;ens the este at the south. 40   And Iram made cawdrones, and fier pannys, and wyn violis; and he parformede al the werk of kyng

Salomon in the temple of the Lord. 41   Two pilers, and two lytil cordis of the heed coueryngis vpon the heedis of the pilers, and two litil nettis, that thei coueren the two litil coordis, that weren vpon the heedis of the pilers. 42   And foure hundrid powmgarnettis in the two litil nettis; two vers of powmgarnettis in eche litil nettis, to the litil coordis to be couerd of the heed coueryngis, that weren vpon the heedis of the pilers. 43   And the ten feet, and the ten water vessels vpon the feet; and oon see, 44   and twelue oxen vndir the see; 45   and cawdrones, and fijr pannys, and wyn vyolis. Alle the vessels, that Iram made to kyng Salomon in the hows of the Lord, weren of latoun. 46   And in the wijld feeldy regioun of Jordan the kyng &yogh;etide hem, in the cleyye erthe, betwix Socoht and Sarcham. 47   And Salomon putte alle the vessels in the hows; for the mych multitude forsothe there was no wei&yogh;t of the brasse. 48   And Salomon made alle the vessels in the hows of the Lord; forsothe a golden auter, and a golden bord, on the which shulden be leyd the looues of proposicioun; 49   and fyue golden candelstickis at the ri&yogh;t side, and fyue at the left, a&yogh;ens Goddis answerynge place, of moost pure gold; and as flouris of lilie, and golden lanterns there aboue, and golden snytters; 50   and stenys, and flesh hookis, and vyolis, and morters, and censerys, of moost pure gold; and the heengis of doris of the ynnermore hows of the holy of halowis, and of the dorys of the hows of the temple, weren of gold. 51   And he parfourmede al the werk, that Salomon made in the hows of the Lord; and he brou&yogh;te in the thingis that Dauid, his fader, hadde halowid; siluer, and gold, and vessels; and he leide vp in the tresours of the hows of the Lord.

CAP. VIII.

1   Thanne alle the more thur&yogh; birth of Yrael ben gadryd, with the princis of lynagis, and the duykis of the meynees of the sones of Yrael, to king Salomon, in to Jerusalem, that thei bryngen the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord fro the cite of Dauid, that is, fro Syon. 2   And al Irael cam to gidre to kyng Salomon, in the moneth of Bethanym, in a solempne day; he is the seuenth moneth. 3   And alle the eldris of Irael camen; and preestis token the arke, 4   and beren the arke of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the couenaunt of pees, and alle the vessels of the seyntuarie, that weren in the tabernacle; and preestis and Leuytis beren hem. 5   Forsothe kyng Salomon, and al the multitude of Yrael, that was comen to hym, wenten with hym before the arke, and offreden sheep and oxen, with out eymynge and noumbre. 6   And the preestis brou&yogh;ten yn the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord into his place, into Goddis answerynge place of the temple, into the holi of halowis, vnder the weengis of cherubyn. 7   Forsothe cherubyn spradden out the weengis vpon the place of the arke; and thei couerden the ark, and his clothis ther aboue. 8   And whanne the berynge stauys semeden out, and the hei&yogh;est of hem apereden with out the seyntuarie, before Goddis answerynge place, thei apereden no more with out forth; and the whiche weren there vnto the day that is now. 9   Forsothe in the arke was noon othere

thing but the two stonen tablis, the whiche Moyses hadde sette in it in Oreb, whanne the Lord couenauntide couenaunt of pees with the sones of Irael, whanne thei shulden goo out of the loond of Egipt. 10   It is doon forsothe whanne the preestis weren goon out of the seyntuarie, a litil clowde fulfillide the hous of the Lord; 11   and the preestis my&yogh;ten not stoond and mynystre, for the litil clowde; forsothe the glorie of the Lord hadde fulfillid the hous of the Lord. 12   Thanne seith Salomon, The Lord seide, that he shulde dwelle in a litil clowde. 13   Beeldynge I haue beeldid an hows in to thi `dwellynge place, thi moost fast see into euermore. 14   And the kyng turnede his face, and blisside to al the chirch in Irael; forsothe al the chirch of Irael stood. 15   And Salomon seith, Blessid is the Lord God of Irael, that spak in his mouth to Dauid, my fader, and in the hondis of hym perfourmyde, seiynge, 16   Fro the day that I ladde out my puple Irael fro Egipt, I chees not a citee of alle the lynagis of Irael, that an hows shulde be beeldid vp, and my name were there; but Dauid I chees, that he were vpon my puple Irael. 17   And Dauid, my fader, wolde beeld vp an hows to the name of the Lord God of Yrael. 18   And the Lord seith to Dauid, my fader, That thou thou&yogh;tist in thin herte to beelde vp an hows to my name, thou didist wel, that same thing tretynge in mynde; 19   neuerthelater thou shalt not beelde to me an hows, but thi sone, that shal goon out of thi reynes, he shal beelde an hows to my name. 20   The Lord hath confermyd his word, that he spak; and I stood for Dauid, my fader, and satte upon the trone of Irael, as the Lord spak; and I haue beeld an hows to the name of the Lord God of Yrael. 21   And I haue sette there a place of the arke, in the which is the couenaunt of

pees of the Lord, the whiche he smoot with oure faders, whanne thei wenten out of the loond of Egipt. 22   Forsothe Salomon stood before the auter of the Lord, in the si&yogh;t of the chyrch of Yrael; and he spradde out his hoondis into heuene, 23   and seith, Lord God of Yrael, there is not lijk of thee, God in heuene aboue, and upon erthe beneeth, the which kepist couenaunt and mercy to thi seruauntis, that goon before thee in al her herte; 24   the which keptist to Dauid, my fader, thi seruaunt, that thou speke to hym; with mouth thou speke, and with hoondis thou hast fulfillid, as this dai proueth. 25   Now thanne, Lord God of Irael, kepe to thi seruaunt Dauid, my fader, that thou speke to hym, seiynge, There shal not be doon a wey a man before me of thee, that sitte vpon the trone of Irael, so neuerthelater if thi sonis kepen thi weye, that thei goon before me, as thou wentist in my si&yogh;t. 26   And now, Lord God of Irael, thi wordis ben thei fastned, that thou speke to thi seruaunt Dauid, my fader. 27   Thanne whethir it is to trowe, that vereli God dwelle vpon erthe; forsothe if heuene, and heuenes of heuens mowen not take thee, myche more this hows, that I haue beeldid to thee. 28   But behold to the orisoun of thi seruaunt, and to the preiers of hym, Lord my God; here the ympne, and the orysoun, that thi seruaunt preieth before thee to day; 29   that thin eyen ben openyd vpon this hows ni&yogh;t and day, vpon the hows, of the which thou seydyst, My name shal be there; that thou here the orisoun, that thi seruaunt preieth to thee in this place; 30   that thou here the preier of thi seruaunt, and of thi puple Irael, what euere thing he shal preye in this place, and thou here in the stede of thi dwellynge place in heuene; and whanne thou herist, thou

shalt be merciful. 31   If a man synneth into his nei&yogh;bour, and haue eny ooth, bi the which streyned he be holdyn, and come for the ooth before thi auter, into thin hows, 32   thou shalt here in heuen, and doon, and thou shalt deme thi seruauntis; condempnynge the wickid, and &yogh;eeldynge his weye vpon his heed, iustifiynge the ri&yogh;twise, and &yogh;eeldynge to hym after his ri&yogh;twisnes. 33   If thi puple Irael shul flee his enemyes, for he is to synne to thee, and doynge penaunce, and knowlechynge to thi greet name, comen, and honouren, and preyen thee in this hows, 34   here thou in heuene, and for&yogh;if the synne of thi puple Irael; and thou shalt lede hem a&yogh;en into the loond, that thou &yogh;af to the fadres of hem. 35   If heuene were closid, and shal not reyne for the synnes of hem, and preiynge in this place, penaunce doon to thi name, and fro her synnes weren conuertid for her affliccioun, 36   here thou hem in heuene, and for&yogh;if the synnes of thi seruauntis, and of thi puple Irael, and shew to hem a good weye, bi the which thei goon, and &yogh;if reyne vpon the loond, that thou hast &yogh;ouun to thi puple in to possessioun. 37   `If that hungre were growen `vp on the erthe, or were pestilence, or corrupt eyr, or fretynge, or locust, or rust, and turmentith hym, and his enemy besegynge the &yogh;atis, al veniaunce, al infirmyte, 38   al cursynge, and wisshynge, that shall falle to eny man of thi puple Yrael, if a man knowe the wounde of his herte, and stretche out his hoondis in this hows, 39   thou shalt here in heuene, in the place of thi dwellynge, and thou shalt be a&yogh;en plesid, and thou shalt doo that thou &yogh;yue to echon after alle her weyes, as thou shalt seen the herte of hym; for thou alone hast knowun the herte of alle the sonys of men, 40   that thei dreden thee alle days in the which thei

lyuen vpon the face of the erthe, that thou hast &yogh;euen to oure fadris. 41   Forthermore and an alyen, that is not of thi puple Irael, whanne he cometh fro a ferre loond for thi name; forsothe thi greet name shal be herd, and thi strong hoond, and thi strau&yogh;t out arme ouer al; 42   whanne thanne he shal come, and preye in this place, 43   thou shalt here in heuene, in the firmament of thi dwellynge place, and thou shalt doo alle thingis, for the whiche the alien hath inwardli clepid thee, that alle puplis of erthis lernen to drede thi name, as thi puple Yrael, and proue thei, for thi name is inwardly clepid vpon this hows, that I haue beeldid. 44   If thi puple were goon out to batail a&yogh;ens his enemyes, bi the weye whidir euere thou shalt seende hem, thei shulen preye thee a&yogh;en the weye of the citee that thou hast chosun, and a&yogh;ens the hows that I haue beeldid to thi name, 45   and thou shalt here in heuene the orysouns of hem, and the preyers of hem, and doon the doom of hem. 46   That yf thei synnen to thee, there is not a man that synneth not, and wrooth thou shalt take hem to her enemyes, and caytife were lad into the loond of enemyes, 47   ferre or ni&yogh;, and doon penaunce in her herte, in the place of caitifte, and turned han preyed in her caytifte, seiynge, We han synned, wickidly we han doon, vnpitously we han born vs; 48   and weren turned to thee in al her herte, and in al her soule, in the loond of her enemyes, to the which catife thei weren lad, and preyen thee a&yogh;ens the weie of her loond that thou hast &yogh;ouen to the faders of hem, and of the citee that thou hast chosun, and of the temple that I haue beeldid to thi name, 49   thou shalt here in heuen, in the firmament of thi see, and the orysouns of hem, and the preiers of hem, and thou shalt doon

the doom of hem; 50   and thou shalt haue merci to thi puple, that hath synned to thee, and to alle the wickidnesses bi the whiche thei han trespassid in thee; and thou shalt &yogh;yue merci before hem, that hadden hem caitife, that thei doon merci to hem. 51   Forsothe thi puple he is, and thin heritage, whom thou hast brought out of the loond of Egipte, fro the mydil of the yren furneis; 52   that thin eyen ben opened to the preyer of thi seruaunt, and of thi puple Yrael; and thou shalt here hem in alle thingis, for the whiche thei inwardly shulen clepe thee. 53   Forsothe thou hast seuerde hem to thee in to herytage of alle puplis of the erthe, as thou speke bi Moysen, thi seruaunt, whanne thou laddist out oure fadris fro Egipt, Lord God. 54   It is doon forsothe, whanne Salomon hadde ful eendid, preiynge the Lord al the orysoun, and this preier, he aroos fro the si&yogh;t of the auter of the Lord; forsothe either knee he hadde pi&yogh;t into the erthe, and the hoondys he hadde sprad out to heuene. 55   Thanne he stood, and blesside to al the chirche `of Yrael with a greet voys, seyynge, Blessid is the Lord God, 56   that &yogh;af rest to his puple Irael, after alle thingis that he spak; there felle not of a word, forsothe not oon, of alle the wordis that he spak bi Moyses, his seruaunt. 57   Be the Lord oure God with vs, as he was with oure faders, not forsakynge vs, ne throwynge a ferre; 58   but bowe he oure hertis to hym, that we goon in alle the weys of hym, and kepe the maundements of hym, and cerymonyes, and domes, what euere he comaundide to oure fadres. 59   And ben thes myn wordis, in the whiche I haue preied before the Lord, nei&yogh;ynge to thee Lord oure God day and ny&yogh;t, that he do doom to his seruaunt, and to his puple Irael bi eche days; 60   and witen alle puplis

of the erthe, for the Lord he is God, and there is noon more with out hym. 61   Forsothe be oure herte parfite with the Lord oure God, `that we goon in the domys of hym, and kepen the heestis of hym, as and to day. 62   Thanne the kyng, and al Yrael with hym, offreden slayn sacrifices before the Lord. 63   And Salomon slew&yogh; pesible oostis, that he offrede to the Lord; two and twenti thousand of oxen, and an hundryd and twenti thousand of sheep; and the kyng and the sones of Yrael halweden the temple of the Lord. 64   In that day the kyng halwide the mydil of the porche, that was before the hows of the Lord; forsothe he dide brent offryngis there, and sacrifice, and the talw&yogh; of the pesible thingis; for the brasen auter that was before the Lord was to litil, and my&yogh;te not take the brent offrynge, and the sacrifice, and the talw&yogh; of pesible thingis. 65   Thanne Salomon made in that tyme a solempne feest day, and al Irael with hym, a greet multitude, fro the entre of Emath vnto the ryuer of Egipt, before the Lord oure God, seuen days and seuen dais, that is, fourteen dais. 66   And in the ei&yogh;t day he lafte the puple, the which blessynge to the kyng wente into her tabernaclis, gladynge and with myrye herte vpon alle the goodis that God hadde doon to Dauid, his seruaunt, and to Irael, his puple. CAP. IX.

1   It is doon forsothe, whanne Salomon hadde perfourmed the beeldynge of the hows of the Lord, and the beeldynge of the kyng, and al that he desyryde, and wolde make, 2   the Lord aperide to hym the secounde tyme, as he aperyde to hym in Gabaon. 3   And the Lord seide to hym, I haue herd thin orisoun, and thi preyer, that thou preiedist before me; I haue

halwid this hows, that thou hast beeld, that I putte my name there into euermore; and myn eyen and myn herte shulen be there alle days. 4   Forsothe thou, if thou gost before me, as thi fader &yogh;ede, in symplenes of herte, and euennesse, and dost alle thingis that I haue comaundid to thee, and my domys, and my lawful thingis kepest, 5   I shal sette the trone of thi rewme vpon Irael in to euermore, as I spak to Dauid, thi fader, seiynge, There shal not be doon awey a man of thi kynrede fro the see of Irael. 6   Forsothe if bi turnynge a wey &yogh;e and &yogh;oure sonys weren turned a weye, not folwynge me, ne kepynge myn heestis and cerymonyns, that I purposide to &yogh;ow, but &yogh;e goon a wey, and herein alyen goddis, and honouren hem, 7   I shal doo awey Irael fro the vttermoost of the erthe that I haue &yogh;euen to hem; and the temple that I haue halwid to my name, I shal throwe awey fro my si&yogh;t; and Irael shal be into prouerbe and into fable, to alle puplis. 8   And this hows shal be into exsaumple; alle that passen bi it, shulen wondre, and whistlen, and seyn, Whi dide the Lord thus to this loond, and to this hows? 9   And thei shulen answere, For thei forsoken the Lord her God, that ladde out the faders of hem fro the loond of Egipt; and thei folweden alien goddis, and herieden hem, and honourden hem; therfor the Lord brou&yogh;te yn vpon hem al this yuel. 10   Forsothe fulfillid twenti &yogh;eer, after that Salomon hadde beeldid two howsis, that is, the hows of the Lord, and the hows of the kyng, 11   Iram, the kyng of Tire, &yogh;euynge to kyng Salomon cedre and firre trees, and gold, after al that he hadde nede; thanne Salomon &yogh;af to Iram twenti bur&yogh; touns in the loond of Galilee. 12   And Yram wente out fro Tyro for to se the bur&yogh; touns, that Salomon hadde &yogh;euen to hym, and thei plesiden not to hym; 13   and he seith, Whether thes ben the citees that

thou hast &yogh;euen to me, brother? And he clepide hem the loond of Chabul, vnto this day. 14   Forsothe Iram sente to kyng Salomon an hundrid and twenti talentis of gold. 15   This is the summe of the expensis, that kyng Salomon offrede to beelde the hows of the Lord, and his hows of Mello, and the wal of Jerusalem, and Ezer, and Magedo, and Gazer. 16   Pharao, the kyng of Egipt, stiede vp, and took Gazer, and brente it vp with fier; and Chanane that dwellide in the citee he slew&yogh;, and &yogh;af it into dower to his dou&yogh;ter, Salomons wijf. 17   Thanne Salomon beeldide vp Gazer, and the nethir Bethron, 18   and Balaad, and Palmyram in the loond of wildirnes, 19   and alle the touns that to hym perteyneden, and weren withouten wal; and he made sikir the citees of charis, and the cytees of horsmen, and what euere thing to hym pleside for to beelde in Jerusalem, and in Liban, and in al the loond of his power. 20   Al the puple that abood stylle of Amorreis, Ethees, and Pherezeis, Euees, and Jebuseis, that ben not of the sones of Irael, 21   of thes the sones that abiden stille in the loond, that is, whom the sones of Irael my&yogh;ten not throwe out, Salomon made tributaries into this day. 22   Of the sones forsothe of Irael kyng Salomon ordeynde not eny man to serue, but thei weren men fi&yogh;ters, and the seruauntis of hym, and princis, and duykis, and prefectis of charis and of hors. 23   Forsothe thei weren princis vpon alle the werkis of Salomon, prouostis fyue hundrid and fifti, that hadden the puple subiect, and to the ordeynd werkis comaundiden. 24   The dou&yogh;ter forsothe of Pharao stiede vp fro the citee of Dauid in to hir hows, that Salomon hadde beeldid to hire; thanne he bieldide Mello. 25   Forsothe Salomon offride three sithes bi eche &yogh;eer brent sacrifices

`and pesible slayn sacrifices, vpon the auter that he hadde beeldid to the Lord; and he brente the maad encense before the Lord, and perfite is the temple. 26   Forsothe kyng Salomon made a nauee in Aziongaber, that is besyde Haylam, in the brenk of the Reed see, in Ydume loond. 27   And Yram sente in that nauee his seruauntis, shipmen, and wise of the see, with the seruauntis of Salomon; 28   the whiche whanne thei weren comen in to Oofer, thens the taken gold of foure hundrid and twenti talentis thei brou&yogh;ten to kyng Salomon. CAP. X.

1   But and queen Sabaa, the loos of Salomon herd in the name of the Lord, she cam to asaye hym in derk sentensis. 2   And she goon out with greet companye to Jerusalem, and ritchessis, and chamels berynge swote spices, and gold vnnoumbrid ful myche, and precious iemmys, cam to kyng Salomon, and spak to hym alle thingis that she hadde in hire herte. 3   And Salomon tau&yogh;te hire alle the wordis that she purposyde; and there was not a word that my&yogh;te be vnknowun fro the kyng, and that he answerde not to hire. 4   Forsothe queen Sabaa seynge al the wisdam of Salomon, and the hows that he hadde beeldid vp, 5   and the metis of his bord, and the dwellynge placis of the seruauntis, and the ordris of the seruytours, and the clothis of hem, and the botelers, and the brent sacrificis the whiche he offride in the hows of the Lord, she hadde no more spirite. 6   And she seide to the kyng, Sooth is the word that I herde in my loond, 7   vpon thi wordis, and vpon thi wisdam; and I trowide not to the tellers to me, to the tyme that I my self cam; and I haue seen with myn eyen, and proued that the half partye was not toold to me; 8   more is thi wisdam and thi werkis, than the loos that

I haue herd. Blessid ben thi men, and blessid ben thi seruauntis, thes that stonden before thee euermore, and heren thi wisdam. 9   The Lord thi God be blessid, to whom thou hast plesid, and hath putte thee vpon the troone of Yrael; forthi that the Lord shal loue Yrael into euermore, and he hath sette thee a kyng, that thou doo doom and ry&yogh;twisnes. 10   Thanne she &yogh;af to the kyng an hundrid and twenti talentis of gold, and many swote spicis ful myche, and precious iemmys; there ben no more brou&yogh;t spicis so manye, as thoo `the whiche queen Sabaa &yogh;af to kyng Salomon. 11   But and the nauee of Yram, `the which bare gold of Oofer, brou&yogh;te to of Oofer manye tyyn trees ful myche, and precious iemmys. 12   And the kyng made of the tyme trees beddis, and of the hous of the Lord, and of the kyngis hows, and harpis, and syngynge instrumentis to syngers; there ben not brou&yogh;t syche maner tyme trees ne seen, vnto the day that is now. 13   Forsothe kyng Salomon &yogh;af to the queen Sabaa alle thingis that she wold, and axed of hym, out take thes thingis the whiche freeli he &yogh;af to hire in the kyngis &yogh;ift; the which is turned a&yogh;en, and wente into hire loond with hire seruauntis. 14   Forsothe the peyse of gold, that was offrid to Salomon bi eche &yogh;eer, was of sex hundrid and sexe and sexti talentis of gold, out take that men offreden, 15   that weren vpon tollis, and marchaundis, and alle the sellynge sheeldis, and alle kyngis of Arabye, and duykis of the loond. 16   And kyng Salomon made two hundrid sheeldis of moost pure gold; sexe hundrid ouncis of gold he &yogh;af in a plate of o sheeld; 17   and thre hundrid bokelers of moost proued gold; thre hundrid pound of gold clotheden o bokelere. And the kyng putte hem in the hows of the wijlde wode of

Liban. 18   Also kyng Salomon made a greet trone of yuer, and he clothide it with ful myche &yogh;alow&yogh; gold; 19   the which hadde sexe grees; and the cop of the trone was round in the hyndermore partie; and two hoondis hens and thens, holdynge the sittynge place, and two liouns stoden beside eche hondis; 20   and twelue litil liouns stoondynge vpon the sexe grees hens and thens; there is not maad siche a werk in alle rewmes. 21   But and alle the vessels, of the whiche kyng Salomon drank, weren golden, and al the necessarie of the hows of the wijlde wode of Liban of moost pure gold; and there was not siluer, ne of eny prijs was holden in the dais of Salomon. 22   For the nauee of the kyng bi the see with the nauee of Yram onys bi thre &yogh;eer wente into Tharsis, bryngynge thens gold, and siluer, and olefauntis teeth, and apis, and pokokis. 23   Thanne kyng Salomon is magnified vpon alle the kyngis of erthe in richesses and wisdam. 24   And al erthe desiride to se the cheer of Salomon, that it here the wisdam of hym, that God hadde &yogh;euen in his herte. 25   And alle thei brou&yogh;ten to him &yogh;iftis, golden vessels, and silueren, clothis, and batayl aarmys, swote spicis forsothe, and hors, and mulis, bi alle &yogh;eeris. 26   And Salomon gedride charis, and horsmen; and there ben maad to hym a thousand and foure hundrid charis, and twelue thousand of horsmen; and he disposide hem bi the strengthid citees, and with the king in Jerusalem. 27   And he made, that there was as myche plente of siluer in Jerusalem, as of stoonus; and he &yogh;af the multitude of cedres as mulberie trees, that growen in wijld feeldis. 28   And the hors of Salomon weren brou&yogh;t out of Egipt, and of Choa; forsothe marchauntis of the kyng bou&yogh;ten of Choa,

and the prijs set, brou&yogh;ten. 29   Forsothe there was bou&yogh;t a foure whelid cart of Egipt for sexe hundrid ouncis of siluer, and an hors an hundrid and fifti; and in this maner alle the kyngis of Ethees and of Cyrye soolden hors. CAP. XI.

1   Forsothe kyng Salomon to brennyngly louede many hethen wymmen, the dou&yogh;ter forsothe of Pharao, and Moabitis, and Amonytis, and Ydumees, and Cidonees, and Ethees; 2   of the gentils, on the whiche the Lord seide to the sones of Yrael, &YOGH;e shulen not goon into hem, ne of hem shulen goon out to &yogh;ou; moost certeynli forsothe thei shulen turne a weie &yogh;oure hertis, that &yogh;e folwen the goddis of hem. And so to thes is couplid kyng Salomon, bi moost brennynge loue. 3   And there weren to hym wiues as queens seuen hundrid, and secoundarie wiues thre hundrid; and wymmen turneden awey the herte of hym. 4   And whanne now he was oold, the herte of hym is beshrewid bi wymmen, that he folwide alien goddis; and the herte of hym was not parfit with the Lord his God, as the herte of Dauid, his fadre. 5   But Salomon heryede Astertem, the goddesse of Sydonyes, and Chamos, the god of Moabitis, and Moloch, the mawmet of Amonytees; 6   and Salomon dide that was not plesynge before the Lord, and he fulfillide not that he folwe the Lord, as Dauid, his fader. 7   Thanne Salomon beeldide vp the temple of Chamos to the mawmet of Moab, in the hil that is a&yogh;ens Jerusalem, and to Moloch, the mawmet of the sones of Amon. 8   And in this maner he dide to alle his heythen wyues, that brenden encense, and offreden to her goddis. 9   Therfor the Lord wraththid to Salomon, forthi that his mynde was turned aweie fro the Lord God of Irael; the which aperide

to hym the secounde, 10   and hadde comaundid of this word, that he shulde not folwe alyen goddis; and he kepte not that, that the Lord comaundyde to hym. 11   And so the Lord seide to Salomon, For thou haddist this anentis thee, and keptist not my couenant, and myn heestis, the whiche I comaundide to thee, brekynge I shal kitte thi rewme, and &yogh;euen it to thi seruant. 12   Neuerthelater in thi days I shal not doon, for Dauid, thi fader; fro the hoond of thi sone I shal kutte it; 13   and al the rewme I shal not doon a wey, but o lynage I shal &yogh;yue to thi sone, for Dauid, my seruaunt, and Jerusalem, that I haue chosen. 14   The Lord forsothe reride an aduersary to Salomon, Adad Ydume, of the kyngis seed, that was in Edom. 15   Forsothe whanne Dauid was in Ydume, and Joab, the prince of chyualrie, hadde styed vp to byrye hem that weren slayn, and hadde slayn al maal in Ydume; 16   forsothe sexe monethis there dwellide Joab, and al Irael, to the tyme that thei hadden slayn al maal in Ydume; 17   he Adad fleei&yogh;, and Ydume men, of the seruauntis of his fadir, with hym, that he goo into Egipt; forsothe Adad was a litil child. 18   And whanne thei hadden rysen fro Madian, thei camen into Pharan; and thei token with hem men of Pharan, and wenten into Egipt, to Pharao, the kyng of Egipt; the which &yogh;af to hym an hows, and ordeynde meetis, and a loond asignede. 19   And Adad foonde grace before Pharao ful myche, in so myche that he &yogh;af to hym a wijf, the sister germayn of his wiif Taphnes, the queen. 20   And the sister of Taphnes gat to hym Jenebath, a sone; and Taphnes norishide hym in the hows of Pharao; and Jenebath was dwellynge before Pharao, with his sones. 21   And whanne Adad hadde herd in Egipt, Dauid to haue slept with his fadris, and

Joab, prynce of chyualrie, to be deed, he seide to Pharao, Lete me, that I goo into my loond. 22   And Pharao seide to hym, What thing forsothe anentis me nedist thow, that thou seche to goo to thi loond? And he answerde, Noon; but I preye thee, that thou lete me. 23   Forsothe God reryde to hym an aduersarie, Rason, sone of Eliadan, that flei&yogh; Adadezer, kyng of Soba, his lord; 24   and he gadride a&yogh;ens hym men, and he is maad prince of theues, whanne Dauid shulde haue slayn hem; and thei wenten to Damasch, and dwelliden there; and thei ordeyneden hym a kyng in Damasch. 25   And he was an aduersarie to Irael alle the days of Salomon; and this is the yuel of Adad, and haat a&yogh;en Yrael; and he regnede in Cyrye. 26   Forsothe Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, Eufrate of Seredera, seruaunt of Salomon, whos moder was a womman widwe, Serua bi name; and he reride the hoond a&yogh;ens the kyng. 27   And this the cause of the rebellioun a&yogh;ens hym; for Salomon beeldide Mello, and euenede the swelw&yogh;e of the citee of Dauid, his fader. 28   Forsothe Jeroboam was a my&yogh;ti man, and a strong; and Salomon seynge the &yogh;onge waxynge man of good witte, and able to be tau&yogh;t, he made hym a prefect vpon the tributis of al the hows of Joseph. 29   It is doon thanne in that tyme, that Jeroboam shulde goon out fro Jerusalem; and Ahyas Silonyte, prophete, foonde him in the weye, couerde with a newe mantil; forsothe thei two weren alone in the feelde. 30   And Ahyas takynge hys newe mantil, with the which he was couerde, kitte into twelue parties. 31   And he seith to Jeroboam, Tak to thee ten kyttyngis; thes thingis forsothe seith the Lord God of Yrael, Loo! I shal kitte the rewme fro the hoond of Salomon, and I shal &yogh;yue to thee ten lynagis; 32   but o lynage

shal leeue to hym, for my seruaunt Dauid, and Jerusalem, the citee that I haue chosen of alle the lynagis of Irael; 33   forthi that he forsook me, and honourde Astartem, goddesse of Sydonees, and Chamos, god of Moab, and Moloch, god of the sonys of Amon; and he wente not in my weyes, that he dide ri&yogh;twisnesse before me, and my heestis, and my domys, as Dauid, his fader. 34   Ne I shal not doo aweye al the rewme fro his hoond, but I shal putte hym a duyk alle the days of his lijf, for Dauid, my seruaunt, whom I chees, the which kepte myn heestis, and my maundementis. 35   I shal doo aweye forsothe the rewme fro the hoond of his sone, I shal &yogh;yue to thee the ten lynagys; to his sone forsothe I shal &yogh;yue o lynage, 36    that there abyde stille a lantern to Dauid, my seruaunt, alle dais before me in Jerusalem, citee that I chees, that there were my name. 37   Forsothe thee I shall take, and thou shalt regne vpon alle thingis that thi soule desyrith, and thou shalt be kyng vpon Yrael. 38   If thanne thou herist alle thingis that I shal comaunde to thee, and gost in my weies, and dost that is ri&yogh;t before me, kepynge my maundementis, and myn heestis, as Dauid, my seruaunt, dide, I shal be with thee, and beelde to thee a trewe hows, what maner wise I beeldide to Dauid an hows, and I shal take to thee Yrael; 39   and I shal tourmente the seed of Dauid vpon this, neuerthelater not alle dais. 40   Thanne Salomon wolde slee Jeroboam, the whiche roos, and flei&yogh; into Egipt, to Susaach, the kyng of Egipt; and he was in Egipt vnto the deeth of Salomon. 41   Forsothe the remnaunt of the wordis of Salomon, and alle thingis that he dide, and the wisdom of him, loo! alle thei ben writyn in the boke of the wordis of the dais of Salomon. 42   Forsothe the dais the whyche Salomon regnede in Jerusalem

vpon al Yrael, ben fourti &yogh;eer. 43   And Salomon slept with his faders, and is biried in the citee of Dauid, his fader; and Roboam, his sone, regnede for him. CAP. XII.

1   Roboam forsothe cam into Sichym; thider forsothe was gedrid al Irael to ordeyn hym a kyng. 2   Forsothe but Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, whanne &yogh;it he was in Egipt, ferre flowen fro the face of Salomon the kyng, the deeth of hym herd, he turnede a&yogh;en fro Egipt; 3   and thei senten, and clepeden hym. Thanne Jeroboam and al the multitude of Irael cam, and thei speken to Roboam, seiynge, 4   Thi fader putte to vs moost hard &yogh;ok, and so thou now mak lasse a lytil of the heest of thi fader moost hard, and of the moost greuous &yogh;ok that he hath putte on to vs, and we shulen serue to thee. 5   The which seith to hem, Gooth vnto the thridde day, and turneth a&yogh;en to me. 6   And whanne the puple was goon, kyng Roboam wente in counseil with the eldris, that stoden ny&yogh; before Salomon, his fader, whil that he &yogh;it lyuede; and seith, What counseil &yogh;euen &yogh;e to me, that I answere to the puple? 7   The whiche seiden to hym, If thou obesshe to this puple to dai, and seruest to this puple, and to the askynge of hem &yogh;euest stede, and spekist to hem li&yogh;t wordis, thei shulen be to thee seruauntis alle dais. 8   The which forsook the counseil of the oold men, that thei &yogh;auen to hym, and he took to hym the &yogh;onge men, that weren norishid with hym, and stoden ny&yogh; to hym; 9   and he seide to hem, What counseil &yogh;euen &yogh;e to me, that Y answere to this puple, that seiden to me, Mak li&yogh;ter the &yogh;ok that thi fader putte vpon vs? 10   And the &yogh;onge men seiden to hym, that weren norishid with hym, Thus spek to this puple, that speken to thee, seiynge,

Thi fader agregide oure &yogh;ok, thou releue vs; thus thou shalt speke to hem; My leest fyngre is gretter than the bak of my fader; 11   and now my fader putte vpon &yogh;ow a greuous &yogh;ok, forsothe I shal adde vpon &yogh;oure &yogh;ok; my fader bette &yogh;ow with scourgis, forsothe I shal bete &yogh;ou with scorpiouns. 12   Thanne Jeroboam cam, and al the puple, to Roboam the thridde day, as the kyng spak, seiynge, Turneth a&yogh;en to me the thridde dai. 13   And the kyng answerde to the puple hard, forsakid the counseil of the eldres, that thei hadden &yogh;euen to hym; 14   and he spak to hem aftir the counseil of the &yogh;onge men, seiynge, My fader agregide &yogh;oure &yogh;ok, and I forsothe shal adde to &yogh;oure &yogh;ok; my fader bette &yogh;ou with scourgis, Y shal bete &yogh;ou with scorpiouns. 15   And the kyng assentide not to the puple, for the Lord was a&yogh;ens hym, that he rere his word, that the Lord spak in the hoond of Ahye Silonyte to Jeroboam, sone of Nabath. 16   And so the puple seynge, that the kyng wolde not here hem, answerde to hym, seiynge, What to vs part in Dauid, or what heritage in the sone of Ysaye? Turne a&yogh;en into thi tabernaclis, Irael; now se thin hows, Dauid. And Yrael wente into her tabernaclis. 17   Vpon the sonys forsothe of Irael, whiche euere dwelliden in the citees of Juda, regnede Roboam. 18   Thanne kyng Roboam sente to Vram, that was vpon the tributis; and al the puple stoneden hym, and he is deed. 19   Forsothe kyng Roboam hastijf steiede vp in a chare, and flei&yogh; into Jerusalem; and Irael wente a wey fro the hows of Dauid, vnto the day that is now. 20   It is doon forsothe whanne al Irael hadde seen that Jeroboam was turned a&yogh;en, thei senten, and clepeden hym, the oost gadryd, and thei ordeyneden hym kyng vpon al the rewme

of Ysrael; ne eny man folwide the hous of Dauid, saue the lynage of Juda alone. 21   Forsothe Roboam cam to Jerusalem, and he gadride al the hows of Juda, and the lynage of Beniamyn, an hundrid and four score thousand of chosen men and fi&yogh;ters, that thei fi&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens the hows of Irael, and brynge a&yogh;en the rewme to Roboam, the sone of Salomon. 22   Forsothe the word of the Lord is don to Semeyam, a man of God, 23   seiynge, Spek to Roboam, the sone of Salomon, kyng of Juda, and to al the hous of Juda and of Beniamyn, and to the tothere of the puple, seiynge, Thes thingis seith the Lord, 24   &YOGH;e shulen not stie up, ne fi&yogh;t a&yogh;ens &yogh;oure bretheren, the sones of Irael; turne a&yogh;en a man into his hows, of me forsothe is doon this word. Thei herden the word of the Lord, and thei ben turned a&yogh;en fro the weye, as the Lord comaundide to hem. 25   Forsothe Jeroboam beeldide vp Sichem, in the hil of Effraym, and dwellide there; and goon out thens, he beeldide vp Phanuel. 26   And Jeroboam seide in his herte, Now the kyngdam shal turne a&yogh;en to the hows of Dauid, 27   if this puple stie vp, that he doo sacrifices in the hows of the Lord in Jerusalem; and the herte of this puple shal be turned to her lord, Roboam, kyng of Juda; and thei shulen slee me, and turnen a&yogh;en to hym. 28   And the counseil out thou&yogh;t, he made two golden calues, and seide to hem, Wole &yogh;e no more stye vp in to Jerusalem; loo! thi goddis, Irael, that ladden thee out of the loond of Egipt. 29   And he putte oon in Bethel, and another in Dan. 30   And doon is this word to Irael into synne; forsothe the puple wente to honoure the calf, into Dan. 31   And he maade templis in hei&yogh;tis, and preestis of the eendis of the puple, that weren not of the sones of Leuy. 32   And he ordeyned a solempne dai in the ei&yogh;tithe

moneth, the fiftenthe dai of the moneth, into the liknes of the solempnete that is halwid in Juda. And stiynge vp, lijk maner he made an auter in Bethel, that he offre to the calues, the whiche he hadde forgid; and he sette in Bethel preestis of the hei&yogh; thingis, that he hadde maad. 33   And he stiede vp vpon the auter, that he hadde maad in Bethel, the fifteenthe day of the ei&yogh;tithe moneth, the which he feynede of his owne herte; and he made a solempnete to the sonys of Yrael, and he stiede vp vpon the auter, that he brenne encense. CAP. XIII.

1   And loo! a man of God cam fro Juda, in the word of the Lord, into Bethel, Jeroboam stoondynge vpon the auter, and leiynge encense. 2   And he criede out a&yogh;ens the auter, in the word of the Lord, and seith, Auter! auter! thes thingis seith the Lord, Loo! a sone shal be born to the hows of Dauid, Jozias bi name; and he shal offre vpon thee the preestis of hei&yogh; thingis, `the whiche now in thee encensis brennen vp, and the boonys of men vpon thee he shal brenne. 3   And he &yogh;af in that day a tokne, seiynge, This shal be the tokne that the Lord spak, Loo! the auter shal be kyt, and the askis shulen be shed out, that in hym is. 4   And whanne the kyng hadde herde the word of the man of God, that criede a&yogh;ens the auter in Bethel, he strau&yogh;te out his hoond fro the auter, seiynge, Takith him. And his hoond, that he strau&yogh;te out a&yogh;ens hym, wex drye, and he my&yogh;te not drawe it a&yogh;en to hym self. 5   The auter forsothe is kit, and the askis ben shed out of the

auter, after the tokne that the man of God hadde seid before, in the word of the Lord. 6   And the kyng seith to the man of God, Besech the face of the Lord thi God, and preye for me, that myn hoond be restorid to me. And the man of God preiede the face of God; and the hoond of the kyng is turned a&yogh;en to hym, and is maad as it was before. 7   Forsothe the kyng spak to the man of God, Cumme with me hoom, that thou eete, and I shal &yogh;yue to thee &yogh;iftis. 8   And the man of God seide to the kyng, If thou shuldist &yogh;yue to me the half parti of thin hows, I shal not come with thee, and I shal not eete breed, ne drynke water in this place; 9   forsothe so it is comaundid to me in the word of the Lord, comaundynge, Thou shalt not eete breed, ne drynke water, ne thou shalt turne a&yogh;en bi the waye that thou cam. 10   Thanne he wente bi another weye, and he is not turned a&yogh;en bi the weie, bi the which he cam in to Bethel. 11   A maner prophete forsothe, an oold man, dwellide in Bethel, to whom camen his sonys, and toolden to hym alle the werkis that the man of God hadde doon in that day in Bethel; and the wordis that he hadde spoken to the kyng thei toolden to her fader. 12   And her fader seide to hem, Bi what weie wente he? His sones sheweden to hym the weye, bi the which the man of God hadde goon, that cam fro Juda. 13   And he seith to his sones, Makith redi to me an asse. The which whanne thei hadden maad redi, he stiede vp, 14   and wente aftir the man of God, and he foonde hym sittynge vndir a therebynt. And he seith to hym, Whether thou art the man `of God, that cam fro Juda? He answerde to hym, I am. 15   And he seide to hym, Come with me hoom, that thou eete breed. 16   The which seith, I may not turne a&yogh;en, ne come with thee, and I shal not eete breed, ne

drynke water in this place; 17   for the Lord spak to me in the word of the Lord, seiynge, Thow shalt not ete breed, and thou shalt not drynke watir there, ne thou shalt turne a&yogh;en bi the weye that thou wentist. 18   The which seith to hym, And I am a prophete lijk thee; and the aungel spak to me in the word of the Lord, seiynge, Bryng hym a&yogh;en with thee into thin hous, that he eete breed, and drynke water. He bigyilde hym, and brou&yogh;te a&yogh;en with hym. 19   Thanne he eete breed in his hous, and drank water. 20   And whanne he satte at the bord, the word of the Lord is doon to the prophete that brou&yogh;te hym a&yogh;en; 21   and he criede out to the man of God that cam fro Juda, seiynge, Thes thingis seith the Lord, For thou were not obeishynge to the mouth of the Lord, and keptist not the maundement that the Lord thi God comaundide to thee, 22   and turnedest a&yogh;en, and eete breed, and dranke water in the place in the which I comaundide to thee, that thou shuldist not eete breed, ne drynke water, thi careyn shal not be born into the sepulcre of thi faders. 23   And whanne he hadde eeten and drunken, the prophete, whom he hadde brou&yogh;t a&yogh;en, made redi his asse. 24   The which whanne he was goon, a lioun foond hym in the weye, and slew&yogh;. And the careyn of hym was throwun forth in the weye; forsothe the asse stood biside hym, and the lioun stood biside the careyn. 25   And loo! men goynge seen the careyn throwen in the weie, and a lioun stoondynge beside the careyn; and thei camen, and openeden into the citee, in the which that ilke olde prophete dwellide. 26   The which thing whanne the prophete hadde herd, that ladde him a&yogh;en fro the weye, seith, The man of God he is, that was vnobeshynge to the mouth of God;

and the Lord took hym to a lyoun, that brusside hym, and slew&yogh; hym, after the word of the Lord that he spak to hym. 27   And he seide to hys sonys, Makith redi to me an asse. The which whanne thei hadden maad redi, 28   and he is goon, he foond the careyn of hym throwun forth in the weye, and an asse and a lioun stondynge beside the careyn; and the lyoun eete not of the careyn, ne hurte not the asse. 29   Thanne the prophete took the careyn of the man of God, and putte it vpon the asse; and turned a&yogh;en, he brou&yogh;te it in to the citee of the oold prophete, that he weyle hym. 30   And he putte the careyn of hym in his sepulcre, and thei weileden hym, Allas! allas! my brothere! 31   And whanne thei hadden weilid hym, he seide to hys sonys, Whanne I shal be deed, birieth me in the sepulcre, in the which the man of God is biried; beside the bonys of hym putte &yogh;e my bonys. 32   For forsothe the word shal come, that he before seide in the word of the Lord, a&yogh;ens the auter that is in Bethel, and a&yogh;ens alle the temples of the hei&yogh; thingis, that ben in the citees of Samarye. Aftir thes wordis Jeroboam ys not turned awey fro his werst weye, but a&yogh;enward he made of the last puplis preestis of hei&yogh; thingis; who so euer wolde, fulfillid his hoond, and was maad a preest of hei&yogh; thingis. 33   And for this cause the hows of Jeroboam synnede, and is turned vpsedoun, and doon awei fro the vttermoost of the erthe. CAP. XIV.

1   In the tyme Abya, the sone of Jeroboam, wexe sijke. 2   And Jeroboam seide to his wijf, Ryse, and chaunge abijt, that thou be not knowun, that thow be the wijf of Jeroboam; and go in to Silo, where Ahya, the prophet, is, the which

spak to me, that I was to regne vpon this puple. 3   Tak forsothe in thin hoond ten looues, and a litil kake, and a vessel of hony, and go to hym; forsothe he shal shewe to thee, what ben to come to this child. 4   The wijf dide as Jeroboam seide, and arysynge she wente into Silo, and cam into the hows of Ahye; and he my&yogh;te not se, for the eyen of hym hadden dasewide for eeld. 5   Forsothe the Lord seide to Ahyam, Loo! the wijf of Jeroboam is comen in, that she counsele thee vpon hire sone, that is sijk; thes thingys and thes thou shalt speke to hire. Thanne whanne she was comen yn, and hadde vnlikned hire self to be that she was, 6   Ahias herde the soun of the feet of hire comynge in bi the dore, and seith, Cum in, wijf of Jeroboam; whi anothir thow feynest thee to be? Forsothe I am sent to thee an hard messagere. 7   Go, and sey to Jeroboam, These thingis seith the Lord God of Irael, For I haue enhaunsid thee fro the myddis of the puple, and &yogh;af thee duyk vpon my puple Irael, 8   and kytte the rewme of the hows of Dauid, and &yogh;af it to thee, and thow was not as my seruaunt Dauid, that kepte myn heestis, and folwide me in al his herte, doynge that was plesynge in my si&yogh;t; 9   but thou hast wrou&yogh;t euil, ouere alle that weren before thee, and thou hast maad alien goddis to thee, and &yogh;oten, that thou terre me to wraththe, forsothe thou hast throwen me behynde thi bak. 10   Therfor loo! I shal brynge yn yuels vpon the hows of Jeroboam, and I shal smyte fro Jeroboam vnto a pissere at the wal, and closide, and last in Yrael; and I shal clense the relikis of the hows of Jeroboam, as is wont to be clensid muk vnto the pure; 11   forsothe thoo that weren deed of Jeroboam in the citee, houndis shulen eete hem; forsothe thoo that weren deed in the feeld, briddes of heuene shulen deuowre hem; for the Lord spak. 12   Thou

therfor ryse, and go into thin hows; and in that goynge in of thi feet in to the cytee the child shal dye. 13   And al Yrael shal beweile hym, and berye; forsothe he alone shal be brou&yogh;t yn of Jeroboam in to the sepulcre, for there is founden vpon hym a good word of the Lord God of Yrael, in the hows of Jeroboam. 14   The Lord forsothe shal ordeyne to hym a kyng vpon Irael, that smyte the hows of Jeroboam, in this day and in this tyme; and the Lord God of Irael shal smyit, 15   as a reede in water is wont to be moued; and he shal pulle vp Irael fro this good loond, that he &yogh;af to the faders of hem, and he shal wyndowe hem be&yogh;onde the flood, for thei maden to hem mawmet wodis, that thei terren the Lord. 16   And the Lord God shal take Irael `to her enemyes, for the synnes of Jeroboam, the which synnede, and made Irael to synne. 17   And so the wijf of Jeroboam roos, and wente, and cam into Tharsa; and whanne she wente in the threshwold of the hows, the child dyede. 18   And thei birieden hym; and al Irael weylide hym, aftir the word of the Lord, the which he spak in the hoond of his seruaunt, Ahye the prophete. 19   The remenaunt forsothe of the wordis of Jeroboam, how he fau&yogh;t, and how he regnede, loo! thei ben writen in the book of the wordis of the dais of the kyngis of Yrael. 20   The dais forsothe, in `the whiche regnede Jeroboam, ben two and twenti &yogh;eer; and Jeroboam slepte with his fadres, and Naadab, his sone, regnede for hym. 21   Forsothe Roboam, the sone of Salomon, regnede in Juda; of oon and fourti &yogh;eer was Roboam whanne he began to regne, and seuenteen &yogh;eer he regnede vpon Jerusalem, the citee that the Lord chees, that he putte his name there, of alle the lynagis of Irael. The name forsothe of his moder, Naama Amanyte.

22   And Juda dide yuel before the Lord, and thei terreden hym vpon alle thingis, that the faders of him diden in her synnes, that thei synneden. 23   Forsothe and thei beeldiden vp to hem self auterys, and ymagis, and mawmet wodis, vpon al hei&yogh; hil, and vndur eche tree ful of braunchis. 24   But men maad wommanlich weren in the loond, and thei diden alle the abhomynaciouns of hethen men, the whiche the Lord al to-trade before the face of the sonys of Irael. 25   Forsothe in the fifthe &yogh;eer of the regne of Roboam, Sesac, the kyng of Egipt, stiede vp into Jerusalem; 26   and he took the tresours of the hous of the Lord, and the kyngis tresours, and alle thingis he brak in two, and the golden sheeldis that Salomon made. 27   For the whiche kyng Roboam made brasen sheeldis, and took hem in the hoond of the duykis sheeldberers, and of hem that watchiden before the doore of the hows of the kyng. 28   And whanne the kyng wente into the hows of the Lord, thei beeren hem, that hadden the office of goynge before, and afterward thei brou&yogh;ten a&yogh;en to the armerye place of the sheeldberers. 29   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Roboam, and alle thingis that he dide, loo! ben writen in the book of the wordis of the dais of the kyngis of Juda. 30   And there batayl was bitwix Roboam and Jeroboam alle dais. 31   And Roboam slepte with his faders, and is biried with hem in the citee of Dauid. Forsothe name of his moder, Naama Amanyte; and Abya, his sone, regnede for hym. CAP. XV.

1   Thanne in the ei&yogh;tetenthe &yogh;eer of the regne of Jeroboam, the sone of Naabath, regnede Abya vpon Judam. 2   Thre &yogh;eer he regnede in Jerusalem; name of his

moder Macha, the dou&yogh;ter of Abessalon. 3   And he wente in alle the synnes of his fader, the whiche he hadde doon before hym; ne the herte of hym was parfite with the Lord his God, as the herte of Dauid, his fader. 4   But for Dauid the Lord his God &yogh;af to hym a lanterne in Jerusalem, that he rere his sone aftyr hym, and stoonde in Jerusalem; 5   for thi that Dauid hadde doo ri&yogh;t in the eyen of the Lord, and hadde not bowid awey fro alle thingis that he hadde comaundide to hym, alle days of his lijf, out taak the word of Vrie Ethei. 6   Neuerthelater there was batail betwix Abyam and Jeroboam, al tyme of his lijf. 7   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Abye, and alle thingis that he dide, whethir not thes ben writen in the book of the wordis of the days of the kyngis of Juda? And there was batail betwix Abyam and Jeroboam. 8   And Abya slepte with his faders; and thei biryden hym in the cite of Dauid; and Asa, his sone, regnede for hym. 9   Forsothe in the twentithe &yogh;eer of Jeroboam, kyng of Irael, regnede Asa, kyng of Juda; 10   and oon and fourti &yogh;eer he regnede in Jerusalem. Name of his moder, Macha, the dou&yogh;ter of Abessalon. 11   And Asa dide ri&yogh;t in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, as Dauid, his fader; 12   and he took awey the wommannysh maad men of the loond, and he purgide alle the filthis of the mawmettis, `the whiche his fadris maden. 13   Ferthermore and his moder Macham he `putte awey, that she were not prince in the heriyng thingis of the mawmet of mannus &yogh;eerde, and in his `mawmet wode that she hadde halowide; and he turnede vpsodoun the den of hym, and he to-brak the foulest licnes, and brente in the steem of Cedron; 14   forsothe the hei&yogh; thingis he dide not awey; neuerthelater the herte of Asa was perfijt with the Lord his God, alle his dais. 15   And he

brou&yogh;te in tho thingis, the whiche his fader hadde halowid and vowede, into the hows of the Lord, siluer, and gold, and vessels. 16   Forsothe batayl there was betwix Asa and Baasa, kyng of Irael, alle the dais of hem. 17   Forsothe Baasa, the kyng of Yrael, stiede vp into Juda, and he beeldide Rama, that no man my&yogh;te goon out, or goon yn, fro the parti of Asa, kyng of Juda. 18   And so Asa takinge al the siluer and gold, that lafte in the tresours of the hows of the Lord, and in the tresours of the kyngis hows, &yogh;af into the hoondis of his seruauntis; and sente to Benadab, the sone of Trabemnon, the sone of Osyon, kyng of Cyrye, that dwellide in Damasch, 19   seiynge, Couenaunt of pees is betwix me and thee, and betwix my fader and thi fader, and therfor to thee I haue sent &yogh;iftis, gold, and siluer; and I aske, that thou come, and make at nou&yogh;t the boond of pees, that thou hast with Baasa, the kyng of Irael, and he goo awey fro me. 20   Assentynge Benadab to kyng Asa, sente the princis of his oost into the citees of Yrael; and thei smiten Ahion, and Dayr, and Abel, and the hows of Maacha, and al Seneroth, that is, al the loond of Neptalym. 21   The which thing, whanne Baasa hadde herd, he lafte to beelde vp Rama, and he turnede a&yogh;en into Tharsa. 22   Forsothe kyng Asa sente a messager into al Juda, seiynge, No man be excusid. And thei token the stoonus of Rama, and the trees of it, with the whiche Baasa hadde beeldid; and kyng Asa made out of the same Gabaa of Beniamyn, and Maspha. 23   The remnaunt forsothe of alle the wordis of Asa, and of al his strength, and alle thingis that he dide, and the citees that he made vp, whethir not thes ben writen in the book of the wordis of the days of the kyngis of Juda? Neuerthelater in the tyme of his eelde he akide the feet.

24   And Asa slepte with his faders, and is biryed with hem in the citee of Dauid his fader; and Josaphath, his sone, regnede for hym. 25   Nadab forsothe, the sone of Jeroboam, regnede vpon Irael, the secounde &yogh;eer of Asa, the kyng of Juda; and he regnede vpon Yrael two &yogh;eer. 26   And he dide that is yuel in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, and wente in the weies of his fader, and in the synnes of hym, in the whiche he made Irael to synne. 27   Forsothe Baasa, the sone of Ahia, of the hows of Ysachar, weytide to hym, and smoot hym in Jebethon, that is the citee of Philisteis; forsothe Naadab and al Yrael besegiden Jebothon. 28   Thanne Baasa slew&yogh; hym, in the thridde &yogh;eer of Asa, the kyng of Juda, and regnede for hym. 29   And whanne he hadde regned, he smoot al the hows of Jeroboam; and he laft not forsothe not oon lijf of his seed, to the tyme that he dide awey hym, after the word of the Lord, that he spak in the hoond of his seruaunt, Ahye Silonyte, prophete, 30   for the synnes of Jeroboam, the whiche he hadde synned, and with whiche he hadde made Irael to synnen, and for the trespas, in the which he hadde terred the Lord God of Yrael. 31   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Naadab, and alle thingis that he wrou&yogh;te, whether not thes ben wrytyn in the book of the wordis of the dais of the kyngis of Yrael? 32   And there was batail betwixe Asa and Baasa, king of Yrael, alle the dais of hem. 33   The thridde &yogh;eer of Asa, kyng of Juda, regnede Baasa, the sone of Ahia, vpon al Yrael, in Tharsa, foure and twenti &yogh;eer. 34   And he dide yuel before the Lord, and he wente in the weyes of Jeroboam, and in the synnes of hym, in the whiche he made Irael to synne.

CAP. XVI.

1   Forsothe the word of the Lord is doon to Yau, the sone of Anany, a&yogh;ens Baasa, seiynge, 2   Forthi that I haue enhaunsid thee fro powdre, and sette thee duyk vpon Yrael, my puple; forsothe thow hast goon in the weie of Jeroboam, and hast maad my puple Irael to synne, that thow terre me in the synnes of hem; 3   and lo! I shal kitte of the hyndirmore of Baasa, and the hyndirmores of the hows of hym, and I shal make thin hows as the hows of Jeroboam, the sone of Naabath. 4   Who were deed of Baasa in the citee, houndis shulen eete hym, and who were deed of hym in the regioun, the foulis of heuen shulen eete hym. 5   Forsothe the remnaunt of the wordis of Baasa, and what euer thingis he dide, and the batayls of hym, whether not thes ben writyn in the bokis of the wordis of the dais of the kyngis of Irael? 6   Thanne Baasa slepte with his faders, and is biryed in Tharsa; and Hela his sone, regnede for hym. 7   Forsothe whanne in the hond of Yau, the sone of Anany, the prophete, the word of the Lord was maad a&yogh;ens Baasa, and a&yogh;ens the hows of hym, and a&yogh;ens al the yuel that he hadde doon before the Lord, to terren hym in the werkis of his hondis, that he were maad as the hows of Jeroboam, for this cause he slew&yogh; hym, that is, Yau, the sone of Anany, the prophete. 8   The sixe and twentithe &yogh;eer of Asa, the kyng of Juda, regnede Hela, the sone of Baasa, vpon Yrael, in Tharsa, two &yogh;eer. 9   And a&yogh;ens hym rebellid Zamry, his seruaunt, duyk of the half partie of the horsmen; forsothe Hela was in Tharsa, drynkynge and drunken in the hows of Arsa, prefect of Tharsa. 10   Thanne Zamry fallinge on smoot, and slew&yogh; hym, the seuen and twentith &yogh;eer of Asa, kyng of

Jude; and he regnyde for hym. 11   And whanne he hadde regned, and sitten vpon his see, he smoot al the hows of Baasa, and he lafte not of yt a pisser to the wal, and `the kynne, and the freendis of hym. 12   And Zamri dide aweye al the hows of Baasa, after the word of the Lord, that he hadde spoken to Baasa, in the hoond of Yau, 13   the prophete, for alle the synnes of Baasa, and the synnes of Hela, his sone, the whiche synneden, and maden Israel to synne, terrynge the Lord God of Israel in her vanitees. 14   The remenaunt forsothe of the wordis of Hela, and alle thingis that he dide, whether not thes ben writin in the boke of the wordis of the dais of the kyngis of Israel? 15   The seuen and twentithe &yogh;eer of Asa, kyng of Juda, regnede Zamri seuen dais in Tharsa; forsothe an oost besegide Jebethon, the citee of Philistees. 16   And whanne it hadde herde Zamri to han rebellid, and to han sleyn the king, al Israel made to hem a kyng Amry, that was prince of the chyualri vpon Israel, in that dai, in the tentis. 17   Thanne Amri stiede vp, and al Israel with him, fro Jebethon, and segiden Tharsa. 18   Forsothe Zamri seynge, that the cite was to be ouercomen, he wente in to the paleis, and brende vp him self with the kingis hous; 19   and is deed in his synnes that he synnede, doynge yuel before the Lord, and goynge in the weye of Jeroboam, and in the synnes of hym, by the whiche he made Yrael to synne. 20   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Zamry, and of the spies of him, and of the tyraundise, whethir thes ben not writyn in the book of the wordis of the dais of the kyngys of Yrael? 21   Thanne the puple of Irael is deuydid in two parties; the half partye of the puple folwide Thebny, the sone of

Jeneth, that he ordeyne hym kyng, and the half parti Amry. 22   Forsothe the puple that was with Amry hadde the ouerhoond ouer the puple that folwide Thebny, the sone of Jeneth; and Thebny is deed, and Amry regnede. 23   The oon and thretty &yogh;eer of Asa, kyng of Juda, regnede Amry vpon Yrael, twelue &yogh;eer; in Tharsa he regnede sixe &yogh;eer. 24   And he bou&yogh;te the hille of Samarye of Somer for two talentis of siluer, and he beeldide it; and he clepide the name of the citee, that he bieldide vp, by the name of Somer, that is, the hil of the Lord, or the hil of Samarye. 25   Forsothe Amry dide yuel in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, and he wro&yogh;te wickidly, ouer alle that weren before hym. 26   And he wente in al the weye of Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, and in the synnes of hym, bi the whiche he made Irael to synne, that he terre the Lord God of Irael in his vanitees. 27   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Amry, and the batailis of hym, that he dide, whether not thes ben wryten in the book of the wordis of the dais of the kyngis of Irael? 28   And Amry slepte with his faders, and is biried in Samarye; and Achab, his sone, regnede for hym. 29   Achab forsothe, the sone of Amry, regnede on Irael the ei&yogh;t and threttithe &yogh;eer of Asa, kyng of Juda; and Achab, the sone of Amry, regnede vpon Irael, in Samarie, two and twenti &yogh;eer. 30   And Achab, the sone of Amry, dide yuel in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, ouer alle that weren before hym; 31   ne it suffiside to hym that he &yogh;ede in the synnes of Jeroboam, the sone of Naaboth, but `more ouere he weddide a wijf, Jezabel, the dou&yogh;ter of Methaal, kyng of Sydonyes; and he wente, and seruede to Baal, and honourde hym. 32   And he sette an auter of Baal in the temple of Baal, that he hadde beeldid vp in Samarye,

33   and he plauntide a maumet wode; and Achab addide in his werke, terrynge the Lord God of Yrael, ouer alle the kyngis of Irael that weren before hym. 34   In the dais forsothe of hym Ahiel of Bethel beeldide vp Jericho; in Abiram, his fyrst goten, he foundide it, and in Segub, his last, he sette the &yogh;atis of it, after the word of the Lord, that he hadde spokyn in the hoond of Josue, the sone of Nun. CAP. XVII.

1   And Helias Tesbites, of the dwellers of Galaad, seide to Achab, The Lord God of Yrael lyueth, in whos si&yogh;t Y stond, if there shal be thes &yogh;eeris dewe and reyn, but after the wordis of my mouth. 2   And the word of the Lord is maad to hym, 3   seynge, Go aweye hens, and go a&yogh;ens the est, and be hidde in the streem of Carith, 4   that is a&yogh;ens Jordan, and there thou shalt drynke of the streem; and to the crowis I haue comaundide, that thei feden thee there. 5   Thanne he wente, and dide after the word of the Lord; and whanne he hadde gon, he sat in the streem of Carith, that is a&yogh;ens Jordan. 6   And the crowis brou&yogh;ten to hym breed and flesh erly; also at euen; and he dranke of the streem. 7   Forsothe after summe days the streem is dryed; forsothe it hadde not reyned vpon erthe. 8   Thanne the word of the Lord is do to hym, 9   seiynge, Ryis, and go `into Sarept of Sidonyes, and thow shalt dwelle there; forsothe I haue comaundid there to a womman widowe, that she fede thee. 10   And he roos, and wente into Serept of Sydonyes; and whanne he was comyn to the &yogh;ate of the citee, a womman widowe aperide to hym gederynge stickis; and he clepide hire, and seide to hir, &YOGH;if to me a litil of water in a vessel, that I drynke. 11   And whanne she wente, that

she brynge to, he criede bihynde the bak of hir, seiynge, Bryng to me, I beseche, and a morsel of breed in thin hoond. 12   The which answerde, The Lord thy God lyueth, for I haue not breed, but as myche as an handful may take of mele in a stene, and a litil of oyle in an oyle vessel; loo! I gedre stikkis, that I goo yn, and make it to me, and to my sone, that we eten and dien. 13   To whom seith Helias, Wole thou not drede, but go, and do as thow hast seid; neuerthelater to me first make of that litil mele a litil loof, baken vndre the asshen, and bryng to me; forsothe to thee and to thi sone thou shalt make afterward. 14   Thes thingis forsothe seith the Lord God of Irael, The stene of mele shal no&yogh;t fayle, ne the vessel of oyle shal not be mynushid, vnto the day in the which the Lord is to &yogh;yue reyn vpon the face of the erthe. 15   The which wente, and dide after the word of Helye; and he ete, and she, and hir hows. 16   And fro that dai the steen of mele failide not, and the vessel of oile is not mynushid, after the word of the Lord, that he hadde spokyn in the hoond of Helye. 17   It is doon forsothe after thes wordis, the sone of an huswijf womman wexe sijk, and the langour was moost strong, so that there lafte not in hym breeth. 18   Thanne she seide to Helias, What to me and to thee, thou man of God? Thou wentist into me, that my wickidnesses shulden be remembrid, and thou shuldist slee my sone. 19   And Helias seith to hire, &YOGH;if to me thi sone. And he took him fro hir bosum, and bare in to the sowping place, where he dwellide; and putte hym vpon his litil bed. 20   And he criede to the Lord, and seide, Lord, my God, also whether the widowe, anentis whom Y &yogh;it am susteyned, thou hast tourmentid, that thow slee the sone of hire? 21   And he sprade out hym self,

and mesurede vpon the child thre sithis, and criede to the Lord, and seith, Lord my God, the soule of this child, Y beseche, be turned a&yogh;en into the bowels of hym. 22   And the Lord herde the voys of Helias, and the soule of the child is turned a&yogh;en with ynne hym, and he a&yogh;en quikenyde. 23   And Helias took the child, and putte it doun fro the sowpyng place in to the nedre hows, and took to his moder; and he seith to hire, Lo! thi sone lyueth. 24   And the womman seide to Helias, Now in this Y haue knowe, for the man of God thow ert, and the word of God in thi mouth is sothe. CAP. XVIII.

1   Aftir manye dais the word of the Lord is doo to Helias, in the thridde &yogh;eer, seiynge, Go, and shewe thee to Achab, that I &yogh;eue reyn vpon the face of the erthe. 2   Thanne Helias wente that he shewe hym to Achab; forsothe there was hidows hungre in Samarye. 3   And Achab clepide Abdiam, the stiward of his hows; forsothe Abdias dradde the Lord God of Yrael myche. 4   For whanne Jesabel shulde slee the prophetis of the Lord, he took an hundrid prophetis, and hidde hem, fifti and fifti, in dennys, and he fedde hem with breed and water. 5   Thanne Achab seide to Abdias, Go in to the loond, to alle the welles of watris, and into alle valeis, if peradventure we mowen fynde herbe, and saue hors and mulis; and the beestis fulli dien not. 6   And thei deuydeden the regiouns to hem self, that thei goon about hem; Achab wente bi o weye, and Abdias bi another, aside. 7   And whanne Abdias was in the weie, Helias a&yogh;en cam to hym; the which whanne he hadde knowen hym, he felle vpon his face, and seith, Whethir thou art my lord Helias? 8   To whom he answerde, Y. And he seide, Go, and sey

to thi lord, Helias is nee&yogh;. 9   And he, What haue I synned, he seith, for thou takist me, thi seruaunt, in the hoond of Achab, that he slee me? 10   The Lord thi God lyueth, for there is not folk or rewme, in the whiche my lord hath not sent, sechynge thee; and alle men answerynge, He is not here, he hath adiurid alle rewmes `and folkis, for thi that thou art not foundun; 11   and now thou seist to me, Go, and sey to thi lord, Helie is nei&yogh;. 12   And whanne I shal goo aweye fro thee, the Spiryt of the Lord shal bere thee aweye into a place that I knowe not; and Y goon yn, shal telle to Achab, and not fyndynge thee, he shal slee me; thi seruaunt forsothe dredith the Lord fro his &yogh;ongth. 13   Whethir is it not shewid to thee, my lord, what I haue doon, whanne Jesabel shulde slee the prophetis of the Lord, that I hidde of the prophetis of the Lord an hundrid men, fifti and fifti, in dennys, and fedde hem with breed and water? 14   And now thow seist, Go, and sey to thi lord, Helye is nei&yogh;, that he slee me. 15   And Helyas seide, The Lord of oostis lyueth, before whos cheer I stonde, for to day Y shal apere to hym. 16   Thanne Abdias wente into the a&yogh;en comynge of Achab, and shewide to hym; and Achab cam into the a&yogh;en comynge to Helye. 17   And whanne he hadde seen hym, seith, Whether art thou not he, that disturblist Irael? 18   And he seith, I haue not disturblid Irael, but thow, and the hows of thi fader, that hast forsakyn the hestis of the Lord, and &yogh;e han folowid Baalym. 19   Neuerthelater now send, and gadre to me al Yrael, in the hil of Carmele, and the prophetis of Baal foure hundrid and fifti, and the prophetis of mawmet wodis foure hundrid, that eten of the bord of Jezebel. 20   Achab sente to alle the sonys of Yrael, and gaderide the prophetis in the hil of Carmele. 21   Forsothe

Helie comynge ny&yogh; to al the puple of Yrael, seith, How long halt &yogh;e into two parties? If the Lord is God, folwith hym; forsothe if Baal, folwith hym. And the puple answerde not to hym a word. 22   And eft Elias seith to the puple, I am laft a prophet of the Lord alone; the prophetis forsothe of Baal foure hundryd and fifti, and the prophetis of mawmete wodis ben foure hundrid. 23   Be there &yogh;ouen to vs two oxen; and chese thei oon oxe, and hewynge in gobetis thei shulen leye vpon trees, forsothe fier vndurputen thei not; and Y shal make anothir oxe, and putten vpon trees, and fier I shal not putte vndur. 24   Inwardly clepe &yogh;e the name of &yogh;owre goddis, and I shal inwardly clepe the name of my God; and God that herith bi the fier, he be God. Al the puple answerynge seith, Best the proposicioun, that Helias spac. 25   Thanne Helias seide to the prophetis of Baal, Chesith to &yogh;ou an oxe, and doth first, for &yogh;e ben moo; and inwardli clepith the namys of &yogh;oure goddis, and puttith not vndir fier. 26   The whiche whanne thei hadden take the oxe, that he &yogh;af hem, thei diden, and inwardli clepiden the name of Baal, fro erly vnto myddai, seiynge, Baal, here vs! And there was not voys that shulde answere; and thei skipten ouer the auter, that thei maden. 27   And whanne now was myddai, Helye scornyde to hem, seiynge, Crieth with a more voys, forsothe &yogh;oure god is, and perauenture with another he spekith, or in a turnynge in place, or in the weye, or certis he slepith, that he be wakid. 28   Thanne thei crieden with a greet voys, and thei cuttiden hem self, after her rijt, with sheeris and litil launcis, to the tyme that thei weren alle beshed with blood. 29   Forsothe aftir that mydday was passid, and hem propheciynge, the

tyme was comen, the which is wont sacrifice to be offrid, and vois is not herd, ne eny man answerde, ne took heed to the praiynge. 30   And Helye seide to al the puple, Cometh to me. And the puple nei&yogh;ynge to hym, he curede the auter of the Lord, that was destruyed. 31   And he took twelue stonus, after the noumbre of the lynagis of the sonys of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord is maad, seiynge, Yrael shal be thi name. 32   And he beeldide vp an auter of stonus, in name of the Lord, and he made a water cundid, as by two litil forwis in enuyroun of the auter. 33   And he putte togidre the wode, and he deuydide bi membris the oxe, 34   and leide vpon the wode, and seith, Fillith foure stenys with water, and heeldith vpon the brent sacrifice, and vpon the wode. And eft he seide, Also the secounde doth this. The which whanne thei hadden doo the secounde, he seith, Also the thridde that same thing doth; and thei diden the thridde. 35   And the watris runnen aboute the auter, and the dijch of the water cundid is fillid. 36   And whanne now was tyme, that brent sacrifice shulde be offred, the prophete Helias comynge ny&yogh; seith, Lord God of Abraham, and of Ysaac, and of Yrael, to day shew for thow art God of Yrael, and Y thi seruaunt, and after thin heest haue doon alle thes wordis. 37   Here me, Lord; here me, Lord; that this puple lerne, for thou art Lord God, and thou hast conuertid the herte of hem eftsonys. 38   Forsothe the fijr of the Lord felle, and deuowride the brent sacrifice, and the wode, and the stonus, forsothe the powdre, and the water that was in the water cundid lickynge. 39   The which thing whanne al the puple hadde seen,

he felle in to his face, and seith, The Lord he is God; the Lord he is God. 40   And Helias seide to hem, Takith the prophetys of Baal; ne oon forsothe flee aweye of hem. Whom whanne thei hadden cau&yogh;t, Helie ladde hem to the streem of Syson, and slow&yogh; hem there. 41   And Helie seith to Achab, Sty vp, and eet, and drynk, for sown of myche reyn is. 42   Achab stiede up, that he eete and drynke; Helyas forsothe stye&yogh;ede up into the hil of Carmel, and bowede into the erthe, putte his face betwixe his knees. 43   And he seide to hys child, Stye vp, and behold a&yogh;ens the see. The whiche whanne he hadde styed vp, and lokid, seith, Ther is no thing. And eft he seith to hym, Turn a&yogh;en seuen sithis. 44   Forsothe in the seuenthe sijth, loo! a litil clowde as the step of a man stiede vp fro the see. The which seith, Sty vp, and sey to Achab, Ioyn thi chare, and cum down, lest reyn before ocupye thee. 45   And whanne thei hadden turned hem self hidir and thidir, loo! heuenes ben derkid, and clowde, and wynde, and there is maad a greet reyn. And so Achab stiynge vp wente into Jezrael; 46   and the hoond of the Lord was vpon Helias, and the reynys gird, he ranne before Achab, to the tyme that he cam into Jezrael. CAP. XIX.

1   Achab forsothe toolde to Jezabel alle thingis that Helias hadde doon, and what maner wise he hadde slayn alle the prophetis of Baal bi swerd. 2   And Jezabel sente a messager to Helias, seiynge, Thes thingis doon to me goddis, and thes adden, but this our to morwe I shal putte thi lijf as the lijf of oon of hem. 3   Thanne Helias dradde, and risynge wente whidir euer the wil bare hym; and he cam into Bersabe of Juda, and lafte his child there; 4   and wente into desert, the weye

of o day. And whanne he was comen, and satte vndir an yue tree, he askide to his soule, that he die; and seith, Lord, it suffisith to me, tak awey my lijf; forsothe ne I am betere than my faders. 5   And he threwe hym self doun, and slepte in the shadew of the yue tree. And loo! the aungel of the Lord touchide hym, and seide to hym, Rijs, and eet. 6   He biheelde, and loo! at his heed a loof bakyn vndur asshen, and a vessel of water. Thanne he ete, and drank, and eft he slepte. 7   And the aungel of the Lord is turned a&yogh;en the secounde, and touchide hym; and he seide to hym, Rijs, and eet; forsothe a greet weye fallith to thee. 8   The which whanne he hadde rysen, ete, and drank; and he wente in the strength of that meete fourti days and fourti ny&yogh;tis, vnto the hil of God, Oreb. 9   And whanne he was comen thidir, he dwellide in the denne; and loo! the word of the Lord to hym, and seide to hym, What dost thow here, Helyas? 10   And he answerde, Bi loue I haue loued, for the Lord God of oostis; for the sonys of Yrael han forsaken the couenaunt of the Lord; thin auters thei han distruyed, and thi prophetis thei han slayn bi swerd; and I am laft alone, and thei sechen my lijf, that thei doon it aweye. 11   And he seith to hym, Go out, and stoond in the hil, before the Lord. And loo! the Lord passith, and a greet wynde, and a stroong, and turnynge vpsedoun hillis, and togidre broosynge stonus before the Lord; not in the wynde the Lord. Also after the wynde quauynge; not in the quauyng the Lord. 12   And aftir the quauynge fijr; not in the fier the Lord. And after the fier whistlynge of a thinne blast; there the Lord. 13   The which thing whanne Helias hadde herd, he couerde his cheer with a mantil, and goon out, he stode in the dore of the

denne. And a vois seith to hym, seiynge, What dost thou here, Helias? 14   And he answerde, Bi loue I haue loued, for the Lord God of oostis; for the sonys of Yrael han forsakyn thi couenaunt; thin auters thei han distruyed, and thi prophetis thei han slayn with swerd; and Y am lafte alone, and thei sechen my lijf, that thei don it awey. 15   And the Lord seith to hym, Go, and turn a&yogh;en in to thi weye, bi deseert, into Damasch; and whanne thou comest thidre, thow shalt anoynte Azael kyng vpon Syrye; and Hieu, 16   the sone of Nampsy, thou shalt anoynt kyng vpon Yrael; Helisee forsothe, the sone of Saphat, that is of Abel Mewla, thow shalt anoynte prophete for thee. 17   And it shal be, who so euere fleeth the swerd of Azael, Hyeu shal sle hym; and who so euere shal flee the swerd of Hieu, Helisee shal slee hym. 18   And I shal leeue to me in Yrael seuen thousand of men, of whom the knees ben not bowid before Baal, and al mouth that hath not honourde hym, kyssynge the hoond. 19   Thanne Helias goon forth thens, foonde Helisee, the sone of Saphath, erynge in twelue &yogh;ockis of oxen; and he in the twelue &yogh;ockis of oxen erynge was oon. And whanne Helias was comen to hym, he putte his mantil vpon him. 20   The which anoon, the oxen laft, ranne aftir Helias, and seith, Kysse Y, I preye thee, my fader and my moder, and so I shal folwe thee. And he seide to hym, Go, and turn a&yogh;en; forsothe that that was myn I haue doon to thee. 21   And turned a&yogh;en forsothe fro hym, he took a peyr oxen, and slew&yogh; it; and in the plow&yogh; of oxen he sethide flesh, and &yogh;af to the puple, and thei eten; and rysynge he wente, and folwide Helyas, and seruede to hym.

CAP. XX.

1   Benadab forsothe, kyng of Cyrye, gederide al his oost, and two and thretti kyngis with him, and hors, and charris; and stiynge vp a&yogh;ens Samarye fau&yogh;t, and besegide it. 2   And sendynge messageris to Achab, kyng of Yrael, in to the citee, seith, 3   Thes thingis seith Benadab, Thi siluer and thi gold is myyn, and thi wyues, and thi sones altherbest ben myyn. 4   And the kyng of Irael answerde, Aftir thi word, my lord kyng, I am thin, and alle miyn. 5   And the messagers turnynge a&yogh;en seiden, Thes thingis seith Benadab, that sente vs to thee, Thi siluer, and thi gold, and thi wyues, and thi sonys thou shalt &yogh;yue to me. 6   To morwe thanne, this same hour, I shal sende my seruauntis to thee, and thei shulen aserchen thin hows, and the hows of thi seruauntis; and al thing that to hem shal plese, thei shulen putte in her hoondis, and taken aweye. 7   The kyng of Yrael forsothe clepide alle the eldrys of the loond, and seith, Takith hede, and seeth, for he aspieth to vs; forsothe he sente to me for my wyues, and sonys, and for siluer, and gold, and I forsooke not. 8   And alle the more thur&yogh; birth seiden, and al the puple to hym, Here thou not, ne assent thou to hym. 9   And he answerde to the messageris of Benadab, Seith to my lord the kyng, Alle thingis for the whiche thou hast sent to me, thi seruaunt, in the bigynnynge I shal do; forsothe this thing I may not doo. 10   And the messagers turned a&yogh;en, tolden alle thingis to hym. The which sente a&yogh;en, and seith, Thes thingis doon to me goddis, and thes thingis adden thei, if the powdre of Samarye suffisith to the handfulles of al the puple that folwith me. 11   And answerynge the kyng of Yrael seith, Seith to hym, Ne glorye euenly the gird as the vngird. 12   It is doo forsothe, whanne Benadab hadde herd this word, he drank,

and the kyngis, in hiletis; and he seith to his seruauntis, Enuyrounith the citee. 13   And thei enuyrounden it. And loo! a prophet comynge ny&yogh; to Achab, kyng of Yrael, seith to hym, Thes thingis seith the Lord God, Certis thow hast seen al this multitude ful myche; loo! I shal take it into thin hoond to day, that thow wite for I am a Lord. 14   `And Achab seith, Bi whom? And he seide to hym, Thes thingis seith the Lord, Bi the foot folowers of the pryncis of prouyncis. And he seith, Who shal bigynne to fi&yogh;te. And he seide, Thow. 15   Thanne he noumbride the children of the princis of prouyncis, and he founde the noumbre of two hundryd and two and thretti; and he toolde after hem the puple, alle the sones of Yrael, seuen thousand. 16   And thei wenten out at mydday. Benadab forsothe drank drunken in his hilet, and kyngis two and thretti with hym, `the whiche weren comen to the help of hym. 17   Forsothe the children of the princis of prouyncis ben goon out in the first frount. And so Benadab sente, the which toolden to hym, seiynge, Men ben goon out fro Samarye. 18   And he seith, Whether for pees thei comen, nymmeth hem on lyue; whethir that thei fi&yogh;ten, takith hem on lyue. 19   Thanne the children of the pryncis of prouyncis wenten out, and the tother oost folwide; 20   and echon smoot the man that a&yogh;ens hym cam. And Cyris floowen, and Irael pursuede hem; Benadab forsothe, kyng of Cyrye, flei&yogh; in hors with his horsmen. 21   Also the kyng of Irael goon out smoot hors and chaarys, and smoot Cyrye with a ful mych greet veniaunce. 22   Forsothe a prophete nei&yogh;ynge to the kyng of Irael, seide to hym, Go, and tak coumfort, and wite, and se, what thow dost; forsothe the &yogh;eer folowynge the kyng of Cyrye shal stey&yogh;e vp a&yogh;ens thee. 23   The seruauntis forsothe of the

kyng of Cyrye seiden to hym, The Goddis of hillis ben the Goddis of hem, therfor thei han ouercomen vs; but betere it is that we fi&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens hem in the wijlde feeldis, and we shulen weelde hem. 24   Thow thanne do this word; remeue alle the kyngis fro thin oost, and put princis for hem; 25   and restore the noumbre of kny&yogh;tis, that fellen of thin, and the hors aftir the hors before hadde, and the chaaris after the chaarys that thou haddist before; and we shulen fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens hem in the wilde feeldis, and thou shalt seen, that we shulen weelde hem. He trowide to the counseil of hem, and dide so. 26   Thanne after that &yogh;eer was passid, Benadab noumbride Cyros, and stie&yogh;ede vp in to Affeth, that he fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens Yrael. 27   Forsothe the sones of Yrael ben noumbrid; and metis takyn, wenten forth euen a&yogh;ens, and thei setten tentis a&yogh;ens hem, as two litil flockis of geet. Ciries forsothe fulfilliden the erthe. 28   And nei&yogh;ynge oo man of God seide to the kyng of Yrael, Thes thingis seith the Lord God, For Cyries seiden, God of hillis is the Lord of hem, and he is not God of valeys, I shal &yogh;yue al this greet multitude in thin hoond, and &yogh;e shulen wite for I am a Lord. 29   Dresseden seuen days forn a&yogh;ens thes and thei sheltruns; forsothe the seuenthe day the batail is doon, and the sones of Yrael smyten of Cyryes an hundrid thousand of foot men in o day. 30   Forsothe tho that laften flowen in to Affeth into the citee, and the wal felle vpon seuen and twenti thousand of men that laften. Forsothe Benadab fleynge wente in to the citee, into the cowch that was beside the bed place; 31   and his seruauntis seiden to hym, Loo! we han herd that the kyngis of the hous of Yrael ben mercyable, and so putte we sackis in oure reens, and litil coordis in oure heedis,

and goo we out to the kyng of Yrael; perauenture he shal saue oure lyues. 32   Thei girdeden her reenes with sackis, and puttiden litil coordis in her heedis, and thei camen to the kyng of Yrael, and seiden to hym, Thi seruaunt Benadab seith, I preye thee, lyue my lijf. And he seith, If &yogh;it he lyue, my brother he is. 33   The which the men token for the happi good word, and hastily thei rauyshiden the word of his mouth, and seiden, Thi brothir Benadab lyueth. And he seide to hem, Goth, and bryngith hym to me. Thanne Benadab wente out to hym, and he reryde hym into his chaare. 34   The which seide to hym, The citees that my fader took fro thi fader I shal &yogh;eeld, and streetis make to thee in Damask, as my fader made in Samarye; and I boundun to pees shal goo aweye fro thee. Thanne he couenauntide a boond of pees, and lafte hym. 35   Thanne a maner man of the sones of prophetis seide to his felawe, in the word of the Lord, Smyit me. And he wolde not smyte. 36   To whom he seith, For thow woldist not here the voys of the Lord, loo! thou shalt goon a weye fro me, and a lioun shal smyte thee. And whanne he was goon a weye a litil fro hym, a lioun foond hym, and smoot hym. 37   But and another man fyndynge he seide to hym, Smyit me. The which smoot hym, and woundide. 38   Thanne the prophete wente, and a&yogh;en cam to the kyng in the weye; and he chaungide, bi sprengynge of powdre, the mouth and his eyen. 39   And whanne the king was passid, he criede to the kyng, and seith, Thi seruaunt wente out `fro ny&yogh; to fi&yogh;te, and whanne o man was flowen, a maner man brou&yogh;te hym to me, and seith, Keep this man; the which if were slyden a weye, thi lijf shal be for the lijf of hym, or a

talent of siluer thou shalt &yogh;eelde. 40   Forsothe while Y disturblid hidir and thidyr turnede me, feerly he aperide not. And the kyng of Yrael seith to hym, This is thi dome that thi self hast demyd. 41   And he anoon wipide a weye the powdre fro his face, and the kyng of Irael knewe him, that he was of the prophetis. 42   The whiche seith to hym, Thes thingis seith the Lord, For thou hast laft a man worthi the deeth fro thin hoond, thi lijf shal be for the lijf of hym, and thi puple for his puple. 43   Thanne the kyng of Irael turnede a&yogh;en `in to his hows, dispisynge to here, and ful of woodnes cam in to Samarie. CAP. XXI.

1   Aftir thes wordis forsothe, in that tyme, there was a vyn to Naboth Jezraelite, that was in Jezrael, biside the paleys of Achab, kyng of Samarye. 2   Thanne spak Achab to Naboth, seiynge, &YOGH;if to me thi vyn &yogh;erd, that I make to me a wort &yogh;erd, for it is ni&yogh;, and biside myn hows; and I shal &yogh;yue to thee for it a betere vyn &yogh;erd; or if more profitable thow wenyst to thee, of siluer the prijs as myche as it is worth, I shal &yogh;eue. 3   To whom answerde Naboth, Merciful be to me the Lord, that I &yogh;yue not the heritage of my fadres to thee. 4   Thanne Achab cam into his hows, endeynynge, and grutchynge vpon the word that Naboth Jezraelite hadde spoken to hym, seiynge, I shal not &yogh;yue to thee the heritage of my faders; and throwynge hym self into his bed turnede a weye his face to the wal, and eete not breed. 5   Forsothe Jezabel, his wijf, wente into hym, and seide to hym, What is that, wherof thi soule is drery? and whi etist thou not breed? 6   The which answerde to hire, I spak to Naboth Jezraelite, and seide to

hym, &YOGH;if to me thi vyn &yogh;erd, the monee takyn, or if to thee it plese, I shal &yogh;yue to thee a betere vyn &yogh;erd for it. And he seith, I shal not &yogh;yue to thee my vyn &yogh;erd. 7   Thanne Jesabel, his wijf, seide to hym, Of greet autoryte thou art, and wel thou gouernyst the rewme of Yrael; rijs, and eet breed, and in euen ynwit be thow; I shal &yogh;yue to thee the vyn &yogh;erd of Naboth Jezraelite. 8   And so she wroot lettris of the name of Achab, and signede hem with his rynge; and sente to the more thur&yogh; birth, and to the best, that weren in his cytee, that dwelliden with Naboth. 9   Of the lettris forsothe this was the sentence; Preche &yogh;e fastynge, and makith Naboth to sitte among the first of the puple; 10   and vndirleye &yogh;ee two men, sonys of Belial, a&yogh;ens hym, and fals witnes seye thei, Naboth hath blessid God and the kyng; and ledith hym out, and stonith, and so dye he. 11   Thanne his citeseens more thur&yogh; birth, and the best that dwelliden with hym in the citee, diden as Jesabel hadde comaundid to hem, and as it was writen in the lettris, that she sente to hem. 12   Thei prechiden fastynge, and maden Naboth to sitte among the first of the puple; 13   and two men brou&yogh;ten forth, sonys of the deuel, thei maden hem to sitte a&yogh;ens hym, and thei, that is, as deuels men, seiden a&yogh;ens hym witnes before al the multitude, Naboth blesside God and the kyng; for what thing thei ledden hym out of the citee, and with stonus slowen. 14   And thei senten to Jesabel, seiynge, Naboth is stoned, and is deed. 15   It is doo forsothe, whanne Jesabel hadde herd Naboth stoned and deed, she spak to Achab, Rijs, weeld the vyn &yogh;erd of Naboth Jezraelite, that wold not to thee assente, and &yogh;yue it, the monee taken; forsothe Naboth lyueth not, but he is deed. 16   The which thing whanne

Achab hadde herd, that Naboth is deed, he roos, and cam doun into the vyn &yogh;erd of Naboth Jezraelite, that he weelde it. 17   Thanne the word of the Lord is doon to Helias Thesbites, 18   seiynge, Rijs, and come down into a&yogh;en comynge to Achab, kyng of Irael, that is in Samarye; loo! to the vyn &yogh;erd of Naboth he dessendide, that he weelde it. 19   And thou shalt speke to hym, seiynge, Thes thingis seith the Lord God, Thow hast slayn, and furthermore thou hast weeldid; and after thes thingis thow shalt adde, Thes thingis seith the Lord, In this place, in the which houndis lickiden the blood of Naboth, shulen lick and thi blood. 20   And Achab seith to Helyas, Whether thow hast foundun me thin enemy? The which seide, I haue founden, forthi that thou be solde that thou doo yuel in the si&yogh;t of the Lord. 21   Therfor thes thingis seith the Lord, Loo! I shal brynge yn yuel vpon thee, and I shal hewe of thin hyndirmoris, and slee fro Achab a pisser to the wal, and the closid, and the last in Irael; 22   and I shal &yogh;yue thin hows as the hows of Jeroboam, the sone of Nabath, and as the hows of Baasa, the sone of Achia; for thou hast doon that thou terre me to wrath, and thou hast maad Irael to synne. 23   But and of Jesabel the Lord hath spokyn, seiynge, Houndis shulen eete Jezabel in the feelde of Jezrael; 24   if Achab were deed in the citee, houndis shulen ete hym; forsothe if he were deed in the feelde, foulis of heuene shulen ete hym. 25   Therfor there was non other siche as Achab, that is sold that he do yuel in the si&yogh;t of the Lord; forsothe Jezabel, his wijf, stiryde hym; 26   and abomynable is maad, insomiche that he folwide the mawmettis that Amorreis maden, whom the Lord destruyde fro the face of the sonis of

Yrael. 27   And so whanne Achab hadde herd thes wordis, he kitte his clooth, and couerde his flesh with an heire, and he fastide, and slepte in a sak, and wente, the heed leyd doun. 28   And the word of the Lord is maad to Helye Thesbite, seiynge, 29   Whether hast thou not seen Achab mekyd before me? Thanne for he is mekid bi chesoun of me, I shal not brynge yn the yuel in the days of hym, but in the dais of his sone I shal brynge yn the yuel to the hows of hym. CAP. XXII.

1   Three &yogh;eer thanne passiden ouer with outen batail bitwixe Cirye and Irael. 2   Forsothe in the thridde &yogh;eer Josaphat, kyng of Juda, cam doun to the kyng of Irael. 3   And the kyng of Irael seyde to his seruauntis, Vnknowe &yogh;e, that Ramoth Galaad is oure, and we ben negligent to take it fro the hoond of the kyng of Cyrye? 4   And he seith to Josaphath, Shalt thou not come with me to fi&yogh;t in Ramoth Galaad? 5   And Josaphath seide to the kyng of Irael, As Y am, so and thow; my puple and thi puple ben oon, and mi horsmen and thi horsmen. And Josaphath seide to the kyng of Irael, Seche, I praye thee, the word of the Lord to day. 6   Thanne the kyng of Irael gaderide the prophetis about foure hundrid men, and seith to hem, Shal I goo into Ramoth Galaad to fi&yogh;te, or reste? The whiche answerden, Sty vp, and the Lord shal &yogh;eue it in the hoond of the kyng. 7   Josaphath forsothe seide, Is there not here eny man a prophete of the Lord, that we asken bi hym? 8   And the kyng of Irael seith to Josaphat, There is laft o man, bi the which we mowen aske the Lord; but and I haue hatid hym, for he

prophesieth not to me good, but yuel, Mycheas, the sone of Hyemla. To whom Josaphath seith, Spek thou not so, kyng. 9   Thanne the kyng of Irael clepide a maner geldyng, and seide to hym, Hy to brynge to Mychie, the sone of Hyemla. 10   The kyng of Irael forsothe, and Josaphath, kyng of Juda, seeten, echon in her see, clothid with kyngis ournynge, in the corn floore biside the dore of the &yogh;aat of Samarie; and alle the prophetis prophecieden in the si&yogh;t of hem. 11   Forsothe Sedechias, the sone of Chanaan, maade to hym yren horns, and seith, Thes thingis seith the Lord God, With thes thou shalt wyndowe Cyrye, to the tyme that thou doo it aweye. 12   And alle the prophetis lijc maner prophecieden, seiynge, Sty vp into Ramoth Galaad, and goo welsumli; the Lord shal take in the hoond of the kyng thin enemyes. 13   The messager forsothe, that was goon for to clepe Mychie, spak to hym, seiynge, Loo! the wordis of the prophetis with oon mouthy to the kyng good thinges prechen; thanne be thi word lijc of hem, and speke good thingis. 14   To whom Mychie seith, The Lord lyueth, for what euer thing the Lord seye to me, that I shal speke. 15   And so he cam to the kyng. And the kyng seith to hym, Mychie, shulen we goo in to Ramoth Galaad to fi&yogh;te, or ceese? To whom he answerde, Sty, and go welsumli; and the Lord shal take it in the hoond of the kyng. 16   Forsothe the kyng seide to hym, Eft and eft I adiure thee, that thou speke not to me, but that is soth in name of the Lord. 17   And he seith, I saw&yogh; al Irael to scaterde in hillis, as sheep not hauynge sheepherd; and the Lord seith, Thes han not a lord, echon turn a&yogh;en into his hows in pees. 18   Thanne the kyng of Irael seide to Josaphat, Whether I seide no&yogh;t to thee, for he prophecyde not to me good, but

euermore euyl? 19   Forsothe he addynge seith, Therfor here the word of the Lord; I saw&yogh; the Lord vpon his see sittynge, and al the oost of heuene stondynge nee&yogh; to hym, fro the ri&yogh;t and fro the left. 20   And the Lord seith, Who shal desseyue Achab, kyng of Yrael, that he stie vp, and falle in Ramoth Galaad? And oon seide siche maner wordis, and another otherwise. 21   Forsothe a spirit wente out, and stood before the Lord, and seith, I shal desseyue hym. To whom the Lord spak, In what? 22   And he seith, I shal goon out, and I shal be a spirit lee&yogh;er in the mouth of alle the prophetis of hym. And the Lord seide, Thou shalt desseyue, and haue the ouerhoond; go out, and do so. 23   Now thanne, loo! the Lord hath &yogh;euen a spirit of lesynge in the mouth of alle thi prophetis that here ben; and the Lord spak a&yogh;ens thee yuel. 24   Forsothe Sedechias, the sone of Chanaan, cam ny&yogh;, and smoot Mychie in to the cheeke, and seith, Whethir thanne the Spirite of the Lord hath laft me, and spoken to thee? 25   And Mychie seith, Thou art to seen in that day, whanne thou shalt goon into the bed place with ynne the bedde, that thou be hidde. 26   And the kyng of Irael seith, Takith Mychie, and dwel he anentis Amon, the prynce of the citee, and anentis Joas, the sone of Amalech; 27   and seith to hem, Thes thingis seith the kyng, Puttith this man into prisoun, and susteyneth hym with breed of tribulacioun, and with water of angwishe, to the tyme that I turne a&yogh;en in pees. 28   And Mychie seide, If thow turne a&yogh;en in pees, the Lord hath not spoken in me. And he seith, Here &yogh;e, alle puplis. 29   And so the kyng of Irael stieth vp, and Josaphath, kyng of Juda, into Ramoth Galaad. 30   And so the king of Yrael seide to Josaphath, Tak aarmys, and goo into batail, and be thou clothid with thi clothis. But the kyng of Irael chaungide his habite, and wente into batayl. 31   The

kyng forsothe of Cirye comaundide to the princis of the chaaris, two and thretti, seiynge, &YOGH;e shulen not fi&yogh;te a&yogh;ens the lasse, and a&yogh;ens any more, but oonli a&yogh;ens the kyng of Irael. 32   Whanne thanne the pryncis hadden seen the chaar of Josaphath, thei ouertroweden that he hadde ben kyng of Irael, and the birre maad thei fou&yogh;ten a&yogh;ens hym. And Josaphath cried out; 33   and the princis of the charis vndirstoden, that it was not the kyng of Irael, and thei ceseden fro hym. 34   A maner man bente a boowe, into vncerteyn dressynge an arowe, and bi hap he smoot the kyng of Irael bytwixe the lunge and the stomak. And he seide to hys charyeter, Turn thin hond, and cast out me fro the oost, for greuousli Y am woundid. 35   Thanne the batail is don in that dai, and the kyng of Irael stood in his chaar a&yogh;ens Cyryes, and is deed at euen. Forsothe the blood of the wound flowide in to the bosum of the chaar. 36   And the bedel fulsouned in al the oost, before the sunne wente doun, seiynge, Echon turne a&yogh;en into the citee, and into his loond. 37   The kyng forsothe is deed, and is born into Samarye; and thei biryeden the kyng in Samarie. 38   And thei wasshen his chaar in the fish poond of Samarye, and houndis lickeden his blood, and thei lickeden the bridils, after the word of the Lord that was spokyn. 39   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Achab, and al that he dide, and the yuer hows that he beeldide, and of al the citees that he made vp, whether not thes ben wryten in the book of the wordis of the days of the kyngis of Yrael? 40   Thanne Achab slept with his faders, and Ochozias, his sone, regnede for hym. 41   Josaphat forsothe, the sone of Asa, began to regne vpon Juda, the ferth &yogh;eer of Achab, kyng of Yrael. 42   Of fyue and thretti &yogh;eer he was, whanne he began to regne, and fyue and twenti &yogh;eer he regnede in Jerusalem; the name of his moder Azuba,

the dou&yogh;ter of Salai. 43   And he wente in al the weye of Asa, his fader, and he bowide not aside fro it; and he dide that is ri&yogh;t in the si&yogh;t of the Lord. 44   Neuerthelater the hei&yogh;e thingis he dyde not aweye, &yogh;it forsothe the puple sacrifiede, and brente encense in he&yogh;tis. 45   And Josaphath hadde pees with the kyng of Irael. 46   The remnaunt forsothe of the wordis of Josaphath, and his werkis that he dide, and batails, whether not thes ben wryten in the book of the wordis of the days of `the kyngis of Juda? 47   But and the relikis of the wommannysh maad men, that laften in days of Asa, his fader, he dide aweye fro the loond. 48   And there was not thanne a kyng ordeynyd in Edom. 49   Forsothe kyng Josaphath made nauees in the see, `the whiche saileden in to Oofer for gold, and thei my&yogh;ten not goon, for thei ben broken in Aziongober. 50   Thanne Ochozias, the sone of Achab, seith to Josaphath, My seruauntis goon with thi seruauntis in shippis. And Josaphat wold not. 51   And Josaphath slepte with his faders, and is biried with hem in the citee of Dauid, his fader; and Joram, hys sone, regnede for hym. 52   Forsothe Ochozias, the sone of Achab, began to regne vpon Yrael, in Samarye, the seuentynthe &yogh;eer of Josaphath, kyng of Juda; and he regnede vpon Yrael two &yogh;eer. 53   And he dide yuel in the si&yogh;t of the Lord, and he wente in the weye of his fader, and of his moder, and in the weye of Jeroboam, sone of Nabath, that made Irael to synne. 54   Forsothe he seruede to Baal, and honourde hym, and he terrede the Lord God of Irael, aftir alle thingis that his fader dide. Here eendith the thridde book of Kyngis, and now bigynneth the fourthe.

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