1   Seyden forsothe the sonys of prophetis to Helisee, Loo! the place in the whiche we dwellen before thee, is streyt to us; goo we vnto Jordan, 2   and taken eche fro the wood sundrye matteers, that we beelden to us there a place to dwellen. 3   The whiche seide, Gooth. And oon of hem seith, Comme thanne and thou with thi seruauntis. He answerde, I schal commen. 4   And he wente with hem. And whanne thei weren commen to Jordan, they hewen treese. 5   It fell forsothe, that whanne oon had hewen a mateer, felle the yren of the axe in to the watir; and he criede oute, and seith, Allas! allas! allas! my lord, and that same I tooke of borowynge. 6   Forsothe the man of God seyde, Where felle it? And he schewyde to hym the place. Thanne he hewede of a tree, and putte thidir; and the yren swam. 7   And he saith, Take. The whiche strau&yogh;t out the hoond, and took it. 8   The kyng forsothe of Cyrye fau&yogh;te a&yogh;eynst Yrael; and wente in counseil with his seruauntis, seiynge, In this place and that sette we buschementis. 9   And so the man of God sente to the kynge of Yrael, seyinge, Be war, lest thou passe to that place, for ther ben Cyris in buschementis. 10   And so the kyng of Yrael sente to that place, `the whiche the man of God hade spoken to hym, and he before occupiede it, and he weytyde hym there not oonys, ne twyes. 11   And the herte of the kyng of Cyrye is distourbled for this thing; and, the seruauntis clepid to gydre, seith, Whi han &yogh;e not schewed to me, who be my traitour anentis the kyng of Yrael? 12   And oon of the seruauntis of hym seyde, Nay, my lord kyng, bot Helisee, the prophete, that is in Yrael,

schewith to the kyng alle wordis, whateuer thou hast spoken in thy priue chaumbre. 13   And he seyde to hym, Gooth, and seeth, wher he be, that I sende, and take hym. And thei tolden to hym, seyinge, Loo! in Dotaym he dwellith. 14   And he sente thidre hors, and chaaris, and the strengthe of the oost; the whiche, when thei weren commen at ny&yogh;t, they enuyrounden the cyte. 15   The seruaunt forsothe of the man of God rysynge erly wente oute, and he sawe the hoost in enuyroun of the cyte, and hors, and chaaris. And he tolde to hym, seyinge, Allas! allas! allas! my lord, what schal we done? 16   And he answerde, Wylle thou not dreede; forsothe mo ben with us than with hem. 17   And whanne Helise hade preyede, he seith, Lord, opyn the ee&yogh;en of this chylde, that he see. And the Lord opnede the ee&yogh;en of the chijld, and he saw&yogh;. And loo! an hyll ful of hors, and of fyren chaaris, in enuyroun of Helisee. 18   Forsothe the enmyes camen doun to hym; bot Helisee preyede to the Lord, seyinge, Smyit, I beseche, this folc with blyndnesse. And the Lord smoot hem, lest thei see&yogh;en, after the worde of Helisee. 19   Forsothe Helisee seyde to hem, This is not the weye, ne this is not the cyte; folowith me, and I schal schewe to &yogh;ou the man, whom &yogh;e seeken. And he ladde hem in to Samarye. 20   And whan thei weren commen in to Samarie, Helisee seyde, Lord, opne the ee&yogh;en of these, that thei seen. And the Lord opnede the ee&yogh;en of hem, and thei seen hem selfen to ben in the mydill of Samarye. 21   And the kynge of Yrael seide to Helisee, whanne he hadde seen hem, Whether I schal smyten hem, fader myne? 22   And he seith, Thou schalt not smyten hem, ne forsoth thou hast taken hem with swerde, and with thi bowe, that thou smyte; bot putte

brede and watir before hem, that thei eten and drynken, and goon to their lord. 23   And there is putte to hem grete greithinge of metis; and thei eeten, and drunken. And he laft hem, and thei wenten to their lord; and no more camen the theeuis of Cyrye in to the lond of Yrael. 24   It is done forsothe aftir these thingis, Benadab, kyng of Cyrye, gaderde alle his hoost, and stey&yogh;ede vp, and beseegyde Samarye. 25   And there is maad grete hungre in Samarye; and so long it is beseegide, to the tyme that the heued of an asse were sold for foure scoor platis of syluer, and the ferth parte of a mesure of the dryt of culuers for fyue platis of syluer. 26   And whanne the kyng of Yrael passed by the wall, a maner womman criede to hym, seiynge, Saue me, my lord kyng. 27   The whiche seith, Nay, saue thee the Lord; wherof may I saue thee? of the corn flore, or of the presse? And the kyng seide to hire, What wylt thou to thee? The whiche answerde, 28   Thys womman seide to me, &YOGH;eue thi sone, that we eten hym to day; and my sone we schal eten to morwe. 29   Thanne we seetheden my sone, and eeten. And I seide to hire the tother day, &YOGH;eue thi sone, that we eten hym; the which hyde hyre sone. 30   The which thing whanne the kyng hade herde, he kutt his clothis, and passede by the wall; and alle the puple sawe an hayre, with whiche the kyng was clothid at the flesch with in forthe. 31   And the kynge seith, Thes thingis do to me God, and thes thingis adde, &yogh;if the heued of Helisee, the sone of Saphath, schulde stonden vpon hym to day. 32   Helisee forsothe satt in his hous, and olde men seeten with hym; and so he sente beforn a man, and er the messager came, he seide to the old men, Whether &yogh;e knowen, that the sone of a

man sleere hath sente hithir, that myn heued be gyrd off? See&yogh;ith than, whanne the messager commith, closeth the dore, and suffreth hym not to commen in; lo! forsothe the soun of the feet of his lord is bihynde hym. 33   And &yogh;it hym spekynge to hem, apeeride the messager, that came to hym; and seith, Loo! so myche yuel of the Lord is; what more schal I abyden of the Lord?

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