1   In the secounde &yogh;eer of the kyngdam of Nabugodonosor, Nabugodonosor saw&yogh; a sweuen; and his spirit was to gydre ferid, and his sweuen flei&yogh; fro hym. 2   Therfore the kyng comaundide, that dyuynours shulden be clepid to gydre, and witchis, and enchauntours, and Caldeis, that thei shulden shewe to the kyng his sweuens; whiche whenn thei camen, stoden bifore the kyng. 3   And the kyng saide to hem, Y saw&yogh; a sweuen, and Y confusid, or astonyed, in mynde, wote not what I saw&yogh;. 4   And Caldeis answerden to the kyng by Siry speche, Kyng, lyue thou in to with outen eende; saye thou thi sweuen to thi seruauntis, and we shuln shewe the interpretacioun, or declaryng, therof. 5   And the kyng answerde, and saith to the Caldeis, The word wente awey fro me; no bot &yogh;e shuln shewe to me the sweuen, and the coniecturyng, or menyng, therof, &yogh;e shuln perishe, and &yogh;our housis shuln be maad commoun, or forfetid. 6   Forsothe &yogh;if &yogh;e shuln telle the

sweuen, and coniecture therof, &yogh;e shuln resceyue of me meedis and &yogh;iftis, and myche honour; therfore shewe &yogh;e to me the sweuen, and the interpretacioun therof. 7   Thei answerden the secounde tyme, and saiden, The kyng saye the sweuen to his seruauntis, and we shuln shewe the interpretacioun therof. 8   The kyng answerde, and saith, Certis I wote, for &yogh;e a&yogh;ein byen the tyme, witynge that the word hath gon awey fro me. 9   Therfore &yogh;if &yogh;e shuln not shewe to me the sweuen, oo sentence is of &yogh;ou, that &yogh;e han maad to gydre an interpretacioun, and fals, and ful of dysceyt, that &yogh;e speke to me til the tyme passe; and so saye &yogh;e to me the sweuen, that Y wite, that &yogh;e shuln speke to me and the verre interpretacioun therof. 10   Therfore the Caldeis answeryng byfore the kyng, saiden, Kyng, ther is no man vpon erthe, that may fulfille thi word; bot nether eny grete of kyngus and mi&yogh;ti axith siche manere word of eche dyuynour, and witche, and Caldey. 11   Sotheli the word whom thou, kyng, seekist, is greuous, nether eny man shal be founden, that shal shew it in si&yogh;t of the kyng, out taken goddis, whos lyuyng is not with men. 12   Whiche thing herd, the kyng, turned in to wodenesse and in grete wrath, comaundide, that alle the wijse men of Babyloyne shulde perishe. 13   And the sentence gon out, the wijse men weren slayn; and Danyel and his felawis weren sow&yogh;t, that thei shulden perishe. 14   Than Danyel enquyride of the lawe and sentence, of Arioch, prince of the kny&yogh;thode of the kyng, whiche wente oute for to slea the wijse men of Babiloyne. 15   And he axide hym, that hadde taken power of the kyng, for what cause so cruel sentence wente out fro the face of the kyng. Therfore whann Arioch hadde shewide to Danyel, Danyel gon yn preyede the kyng, 16   that he shulde &yogh;eue hym tyme for to shewe

the vndoyng to the kyng. 17   And he entride in to his hous, and shewide to Ananyas, Mysael, and Azarias, his felawis, the neede, 18   that thei shulden seeke mercye of the face of God of heuen vpon this sacrament; and Danyel and his felawis shulden not perishen with other wijse men of Babyloyne. 19   Thann the misterie was shewid to Danyel by a visioun in ni&yogh;t. And Danyel blesside God of heuen, and saith, 20   Be the name of God blessid fro world, and til in to world, for wijsdam and strengthe is of hym; 21   and loo! he chaungeth tymes and ages, translatith rewmes and ordeyneth; &yogh;euith wisdam to wijse men, and science to men vndirstondynge disciplyne; 22   shewith depe thingus and hid, and knewe in derknessis thingus ordeyned, and li&yogh;t is with hym. 23   God of oure faders, to thee I knowleche, and Y herye thee, for thou hast &yogh;ouen to me wijsdam and strengthe; and now thou hast shewide to me whiche thingus we preyden thee, for thou hast opnyde to vs the word of the kyng. 24   After these thingis Danyel wente yn to Arioch, whom the kyng hadde ordeyned, that he shulde leese the wise men of Babiloyne, and thus spake to hym, Leese thou not the wijse men of Babiloyne; leede yn me in the si&yogh;t of the kyng, and I shal telle to the kyng the solucioun, or vndirstondyng. 25   Thanne Arioch hastynge ledde yn Danyel to the kyng, and saide to hym, I haue founden a man of the sonys of transmygracioun of Jude, that shal telle to the kyng the solucioun. 26   The kyng answerde, and saide to Danyel, to whom the name was Balthasar, Gessist thou, wher thou maist verrely shewe to me the sweuen that I saw&yogh;, and the interpretacioun therof? 27   And Danyel answerde byfore the kyng, and saith, The mysterie whiche the kyng axith, the wise men, and the witchis, and dyuynours bi auteris, and dyuynours by lokyng of sterris,

mown not shewe to the kyng. 28   Bot ther is God in heuen, shewynge mysteries, whiche shewide to thee, thou kyng Nabugodonosor, whiche thingus ben to cum in the last tymes. Thi swenens and visions of thin hed, in thi couche, ben siche. 29   Thou, kyng, biganst for to thinke in thi bed, what thing was to cummynge after these thingus; and he that shewith mysteries, shewide to thee what thingus ben to cummynge. 30   And this sacrament, or hid trewthe, is shewid, not in wisdam that is in me more than in alle lyuynge men, bot that the interpretacioun be shewid to the kyng, and that thou shuldist wite the thou&yogh;tis of thi soule. 31   Thou, kyng, hast seen, and loo! as oo grete ymage; thilk ymage grete, and in stature hi&yogh;, stode a&yogh;einus thee, and the biholdyng therof was dreedful. 32   The hed of this ymage was of best gold, forsothe the brest and armys of syluer; forsothe the wombe and thi&yogh;es of brasse, 33   sothely the leggis of yren; forsothe of the feet sum part of yren, sum of erthe. 34   Thou hast seen thus, til a stoon was kit of, with outen hondis, of a mount, and smote the ymage in his feet of yren and erthe, and made lesse, or brake, hem. 35   Thanne the yren, pott, or mater maad of erthe, brasse, syluer, and gold, ben broken to gidre, and dryuen as in to a qwenchid brond of somer feeld, whiche ben rauyshid with wynd, and no place is foundun in hem; forsothe the stoon that smote the ymage, is maad a grete mounteyn, and fulfillide al erthe. 36   This is the sweuen. And we shuln saye the interpretacioun therof byfore the kyng. 37   Thou art kyng of kyngus, and God of heuen &yogh;aue to thee kingdam, strengthe, and empire, or lordship, and glorie, 38   and alle thingus in whiche sones of men dwellen, and beestis of the feeld; and he &yogh;aue in thin hond the foulis of heuen, and ordeynyde alle thingus vndir thi lordship; therfor thou art the golden

hed. 39   And after thee an other rewme shal ryse to gydre, lesse than thou; and the thrid rewme, an other of brasse, whiche shal comaunde to al erthe. 40   And the fourthe rewme shal be as yrunny; hou yrun brekith to gydre alle thingus, and dauntith, or tamith, so it shal menushe, and to gydre breke alle these thingus. 41   Forsothe thou hast seen of the feete and fyngris erthi, or cleyi, part of a potter, and a part of yren, the rewme shal be departid; whiche neuerthelese shal sprynge of the plauntyng of yren, after that thou hast seen yren meynt of cleye and tyel, 42   and fingris, or toon, of feet in partie of yren, in partie of erthe, the rewme in party shal be sad, and in party debrusid. 43   Sothely that thou hast seen yren meynt to tyel of cley, forsothe thei shuln be meynt to gidre by mans seed; bot thei shuln not cleue to hem self, as yren may not be meynt to tyel. 44   Forsothe in the days of tho rewmes, God of heuen shal reyse a kyngdam, whiche shal not be distruyed in to with outen eende, and his rewme shal not be taken to an other peple; it shal make lesse, and waste alle these rewmes, and the ylk shal stonde in to with outen eende. 45   Vp that that thou saw&yogh;, that a stoon is kit off with outen hondis of an hill, and maad lesse, or brake, the tyel, and yren, and bras, and syluer, and gold, the grete God shewide to `the kyng, what thingus ben to cummynge afterward; and the sweuen is trewe, and the interpretacioun therof feithful. 46   Than kyng Nabuchodonosor felle in to his face, and wirshipide Danyel, and comaundide sacrifices and encense, that it were offride to hym. 47   Therfore the kyng spekynge saith to Danyel, Verreli &yogh;our God is God of goddis, and Lord of kyngus, shewinge mysteries, for thou mi&yogh;tist opne this sacrament. 48   Thann the kyng enhaunside in to hee&yogh;

Danyel, and &yogh;aue to hym many &yogh;iftis and grete, and ordeynyde hym vpon alle prouyncis of Babiloyne prince and prefect, and maister vpon alle wijse men of Babiloyne. 49   Forsothe Danyel axide of the kyng, and ordeynyde vpon the werkis of the prouynce of Babiloyne, Sydrac, Mysac, and Abdenago; forsothe Danyel hym self was in the &yogh;atis of the kyng.

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