1   Done it is forsoth, whan the Lord wolde reren Helyas by a whyrlwynd in to heuen, Helyas and Helyse wenten fro Galgalis. 2   And Helyas to Helyse seide, Sytt here, for the Lord hath sent me vnto Bethel. To whom seith Helese, the Lord liueth and thi soule liueth, for I schal not forsake thee. And whanne thei weren goo doun fro Bethel, 3   the sonys of prophetis, that weren in Bethel, wenten out to Helysee, and seyden to hym, Whether thou hast knowe, for the Lord to day schal taken thi lord fro thee? The whiche answerde, And I haue knowen; beeth stylle. 4   Helyas forsothe seide to Helise, Sytt heere, for the Lord hath sente me into Jericho. And he seith, The Lord liueth and thy soule liueth, for I schal not forsake thee. And when thei weren commen to Jericho, 5   the sonys of prophetis, that weren in Jericho, ney&yogh;iden to Helyse, and seyden to hym, Whether thou hast knowen, that the Lord schal taken to day thi lord fro thee?

And he seith, I haue knowen; beeth styll. 6   Helyas forsothe seyde to hym, Sytt here, for the Lord hath sente me vnto Jordan. The whiche seith, The Lord liueth and thi soule lyueth, for I schal not forsake thee. Thanne both thei wenten to gydre; 7   and fyfty men of the sonys of prophetis foloweden, the whiche and stoden forn a&yogh;eynst aferre; thei forsothe stoden both upon Jordane. 8   And Helyas tooke his mantyll, and inwrappyde it, and smote the watirs; the whiche ben deuydid in to eithir partye, and thei wenten both thor&yogh; the drye. 9   And whanne thei weren goon ouer, Helyas seyde to Helise, Aske that thou wilt, that I doo to thee, er I be taken awey fro thee. And Helise seyde, I beseche, that ther be doo thi spirite double in me. 10   The whiche answerde, An hard thing thou hast askede; neuer the later &yogh;if thou seest me, whanne I schal be taken fro thee, it schal be that thou hast askyde; &yogh;if forsothe thou seest not, it schal not be. 11   And whanne thei wenten, and goynge speke wordis, loo! the fijren chaare and the fijren hors deuyden euer either; and Helyas stey&yogh;ide up by `the whirlwynde in to heuen. 12   Helise forsothe sawe, and criede, Fader myn! fader myn! the chaar of Yrael, and charieter of it. And he saw&yogh; hym no more. And he toke his clothis, and kutt hem in to two partyes. 13   And he rerede the mantyll of Helye, that hadde fallen to hym; and, turned a&yogh;ein, stode upon the brynke of Jordan. 14   And with the mantyll of Helye, that hadde fallen to hym, he smote the waters, and thei ben not deuydid. And he seide, Where is the God of Helye also nowe? And he smote the watirs, and thei ben dyuydid hidre and thidre; and Helisee passede ouer. 15   Forsothe the sonys of the prophetis that weren in Jericho, seeinge, a&yogh;einward seyden, The spirite of Helye hath restyde upon Helisee. And thei

commynge in to a&yogh;ein commynge of hym, honoureden hym redye in to the erth. 16   And thei seyden to hym, Loo! with thi seruauntis ben fyfty stronge men, that mown goon, and seechen thi lord, lest perauenture the Spirite of the Lord haue taken hym, and throwen hym in oon of the hillis, or in oon of the valeys. The whiche seithe, Wylle &yogh;e not senden. 17   And they constreyniden hym, to tyme that he assentide to hem, and seyde, Sendith. And thei senten fyfty men; whiche whanne hadden sou&yogh;t three days, founden not. 18   And thei turneden a&yogh;eyn to hym; and he dwellyde in Jericho. And he seyde to hem, Whether I seyde not to &yogh;ou, Willith not senden? 19   Than the men of the cytee seyden to Helyse, Lo! the dwellynge of this cytee is best, as thou thi silf, lord, byholdist; bot and the watirs ben werst, and the erth bareyn. 20   And he seith, Bringith to me a newe vessel, and puttith in it salt. The whiche whan they hadden brou&yogh;te, 21   goon oute to the welle of watirs, he putte in to it salt, and seith, These thingis seith the Lord, I haue heelide these watirs, and there schal be no more in hem deth, ne bareynte. 22   Thanne the watirs ben helyde into this day, aftir the word of Helise, that he spac. 23   Forsothe Helise stey&yogh;ide up thens in to Bethel; and whanne he schulde stey up by the weye, lytyl children wenten out fro the cyte, and scorneden to hym seyinge, Stey up, ballard! stey up, ballard! 24   The whiche whan he byheld, saw&yogh;e hem, and cursed to hem in name of the Lord. And two beris wente oute fro the wyild wode, and totereden of hem two and fourty chyldren. 25   Forsothe he wente thens in to the hill of Carmele, and thens turnede a&yogh;ein in to Samarye.

Previous section

Next section