Chap. I. God reproueth the people for their vnthankfulnes, and rehearseth vnto them his owne louynge mercy, that he maye bringe th&ebar; agayne: yf they wyl not amende, he wil chose another people.

Chap. II. The Synagoge c&obar;playneth vp&obar; hir children. The callynge of the Heithen.

Chap. III. E&esset;dras sheweth of the excellent workes of God, done vnto the people, and hath a frendly contencion with God: because he suffreth the Babilonians to haue the dominion ouer them, where as they yet are sinners also.

Chap. IIII. The angel rebuketh E&esset;dras, for takinge in h&abar;de to seke out the grounde of Gods iudgment, and instructeth him with fayre symilitudes.

Chap. V. A communicaci&obar; of E&esset;dras and the angel together.

Chap. VI. The angel enfourmeth E&esset;dras, and answereth him to his questions.

Chap. VII. The angel sheweth E&esset;dras many secrete matters, and thinges for to come.

Chap. VIII. E&esset;dras prayeth for the people, that God wyll rather loke vpon his owne louynge mercy and the godlynes of few, th&ebar; vpon the wycked synnes of many.

Chap. IX. Tokens of the tyme and punyshment for to come. Visions are shewed vnto E&esset;dras.

Chap. X. A communicacion betwixte E&esset;dras, and the woman that appeared vnto him.

Chap. XI. XII. XIII. Of certayne visions and the interpretacions therof.

Chap. XIIII. God appeareth vnto E&esset;dras in the bush, talketh with him, and c&obar;maundeth him what he shal doo.

Chap. XV. God sheweth E&esset;dras the punyshm&ebar;t that he wyl sende vpon the synfull people, and commaundeth him to tell them the same.

Chap. XVI. Punyshment vpon the Heithen, and how the people of God shal behaue them selues therin. The first Chapter.

A    ^noteThe seconde boke of þe; prophet E&esset;dras: (þe; sonne of Saraias, the sonne of Azarias, þe; sonne of Helchia, þe; sonne of Sall&ubar;, the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Amerias, the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Maraioth, the sonne of Sarahias, the sonne of Vzi, the sonne of Boccus, the sonne of Abisu, the sonne of Phineas, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron, of the trybe of Leui) which was presoner in the lande of the Meedes, in the raigne of Artaxerses kynge of Persia.

^noteAnd the worde of the LORDE came vnto me, sayenge: Go thy waye ∧ shew my people their synfull dedes, ∧ their children their wickednesses, which they haue done against me, that they maye tell their childers childr&ebar; the same: for the synnes of their fathers are increased in them. B   And why? they haue forgotten me, ∧ haue offred vnto straunge goddes. Am not I euen he, that brought them out of the lande of Egipte, from the house of bondage? But they haue prouoked me vnto wrath, ∧ despysed my councels. Pull thou out then the hayre of thy heade, and cast all euell ouer them, for they haue not bene obedient vnto my lawe.

It is a people without lernynge ∧ nourtoure. How longe shal I forbeare them, vnto whom I haue done so moch good? Many kynges haue I destroyed for their sakes: ^note Pharao &wt; his serua&ubar;tes and all his power haue I smytten downe and slayne: ^note All þe; nacions haue I destroyed and roted out before them, and in þe; east haue I brought two landes and people to naught, euen Tyre ∧ Sydon, and haue slayne all their enemies. Speake thou therfore vnto them, sayenge: Thus sayeth the LORDE: ^note I led you thorow the see, and haue geuen you sure stretes sence the begynnynge. ^noteI gaue you Moses to be youre captayne, and Aaron to be the prest: ^note I gaue you light in a piler of fyre, ∧ greate w&obar;ders haue I done am&obar;ge you: yet haue ye forgotten me, sayeth the LORDE.

C    ^noteThus sayeth the allmightie LORDE: I gaue you quales to eate, and tentes for youre sucoure: Neuertheles ye murmured, and ascrybed not þe; victory of youre enemies vnto my name: yee this same daie do ye yet murmoure. Where are the benefites, that I haue done for you? ^noteWhan ye were hongrie in the wildernes, dyd ye not crie vnto me: Why hast thou brought vs in to this wildernes, to kill vs? It had bene better for vs, to haue serued þe; Egipcians, then to dye in this wildernesse. Th&ebar; had I pitie vpon youre mourninges, and gaue you Manna to eate. Ye ate angels foode. ^noteWh&abar; ye were thyrstie, dyd not I hew þe; hardstone, ∧ caused water ynough to flowe thereout? For the heate, I couered you with þe; leaues of the trees. A good pleasaunt fatt londe gaue I you: I cast out the Cananites, the Pheresites and Philistynes before you. What shal I do more for you, saieth the LORDE?

D    ^noteThus sayeth the Allmightie LORDE: Whan ye were in the wildernes, in the water of the Amorites, beynge a thyrst ∧ blasphemynge my name, I gaue you not fyre for youre blasphemies, but cast a tre in to þe; water, and made the ryuer swete. What shall I do vnto the, O Iacob? Thou Iuda woldest not obeye me. ^noteI wil turne me to another people, ∧ vnto those will I geue my name, that they maye kepe my statutes. Seinge ye haue forsak&ebar; me, I wil forsake you also. Whan ye desyre me to be gracious vnto you, I shal haue no mercy vpon you. ^noteWhan ye call vp&obar; me, I wil not heare you. For ye haue defyled youre h&abar;des with bloude, and youre fete are swift to commytt manslaughter. Ye haue not forsaken me (in a maner) but youre owne selues, sayeth the LORDE.

E   Thus sayeth the Allmightie LORDE: haue I not prayed you, as a father his sonnes, as a mother hir daughters, and as a norsse hir yonge babes, that ye wolde be my people, and I shulde be youre God: that ye wolde be my children, and I shulde be youre owne father? ^noteI gathered you together, as an henne gathereth hir chekens vnder hir wynges. But now what shal I do vnto you? I shal cast you out fro my face. ^noteWhan ye offre vnto me, I shal turne my face from you: for youre solempne feast dayes, youre new moones and youre circumcisions haue I forsaken. I sent vnto you my seruauntes the prophetes, whom ye haue taken and slayne, and torne their bodies in peces, whose bloude I wyll requyre of youre handes, sayeth the LORDE.

F   Thus sayeth the Allmightie LORDE: youre house must be desolate. I wil cast you out as the wynde doth þe; strawe: youre children shal not be frutefull, for they haue despysed my commaundement, and done þe; thinge þt; is euell before me. ^noteYoure houses wil I geue vnto a people þt; shal come, and they þt; neuer herde me, shal beleue in me: ∧ they vnto wh&obar; I neuer shewed token, shal do the thinge þt; I c&obar;maunde th&ebar;. They haue sene no prophetes, yet shal they call their synnes to remembraunce, and knowlege th&ebar;. I reporte me vnto the grace, that I wil do for the people which is to come, whose children reioyse in gladnes: ∧ though they haue not sene me &wt; bodely eyes, yet in sprete they beleue the thinge that I saye. And now brother, beholde what greate worshipe, ^note and se þe; people that commeth from the east, vnto whom I wyll geue the dukedome of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, of Oseas, Amos, and Micheas, of Ioel, Abdy, Ionas, Naum and Abacuc, of Sophony, Aggeus, Zachary and Malachy, which is called also an angel (or messa&ubar;ger) of the LORDE. The II. Chapter.

A   Thus sayeth the LORDE: I brought this people out of bondage, I gaue th&ebar; my c&obar;maundementes by my serua&ubar;tes þe; prophetes, whom they wolde not heare, but despysed my co&ubar;cels. The mother that bare them, sayeth vnto them: Go youre waye ye children, for I am a wyddow ∧ forsaken: I brought you vp with gladnesse, but with sorow and heuynes haue I lost you: for ye haue synned before the LORDE yo&highr; God, and done þe; thinge that is euell before him. But what shall I now do vnto you? I am a wyddow and forsak&ebar;: go youre waye (o my children) and axe mercy of the LORDE. As for me O father, I call vpon the for a wytnesse ouer the mother of these childr&ebar;, which wolde not kepe my couenaunt: þt; thou brynge them to c&obar;fucion, and their mother to a spoyle, that she beare no more. Let their names be scatred abrode amonge the Heithen, let them be put out of the earth, for they haue thought scorne of my couenaunt.

B   Wo be vnto the Assur, thou that hydest the vnrighteous by the. Thou wicked people, ^note remembre what I dyd vnto Sodom and Gomorre, whose land is turned to pitch and a&esset;shes. Euen so also wyll I do vnto all them, that heare me not, sayeth the Allmightie LORDE. Thus sayeth the LORDE vnto E&esset;dras: Tell my people, þt; I will geue them the kyngdome of Ierusalem, which I wolde

haue geuen vnto Israel. Their glory also wyl I take vnto me, and geue them the euerlastynge tabernacles, which I had prepared for those.

The tre of life shalbe vnto them a swete smellynge oyntment: they shal nether laboure ner be weery. Go ye youre waye, ∧ ye shall receaue it. Praye for yo&highr; selues a few dayes, that they maye dwell therin. Now is the kingdome prepared for you, therfore watch. Take heau&ebar; and earth to wytnesse, for I haue broken the euell in peces, and created the good, for I lyue sayeth þe; LORDE. Mother enbrace thy children, and brynge them vp with gladnes: make their fete as fast as a piler, for I haue chosen the, sayeth the LORDE.

C   And those that be deed wyll I rayse vp agayne from their places, and brynge them out of þe; graues, for I haue knowne my name in Israel. Feare not thou mother of the children, for I haue chosen the, sayeth the LORDE. And for thy helpe I shal sende the my seruauntes Esay and Ieremy, after whose councell I haue sanctified ∧ prepared for the, xij. trees with dyuerse frutes, and as many welles flowinge with mylck and hony, ∧ seuen mountaynes, whervp&obar; there growe roses and lilies, wherin I wyl fyll my children with ioye. Execute iustice for the wyddowe, be iudge for the fatherlesse: geue to þe; poore: defende the c&obar;fortlesse: clothe the naked: heale the wounded and sick: laugh not a lame man to scorne: defende the crepell, and lat the blinde come in to þe; sight of my clearnes. Kepe the olde ∧ yonge within thy walles: ^note where so euer thou fyndest the deed, tok&ebar; them, and burye them, and I shal geue the the first place in my resurreccion. D   Holde styll (O my people) and take þi; rest, for thy quyetnes is come. Fede thy children O thou good norsse, stablish their fete: As for the seruauntes whom I haue geuen the, there shal not one of them perishe, for I wyl seke th&ebar; from thy nombre, vexe not thy self.

For whan the daye of trouble and heuynes commeth, other shal wepe and be soroufull, but thou shalt be mery and plenteous. The Heithen shalbe gelous, but they shalbe able to do nothinge agaynst the, sayeth the LORDE. My handes shal couer the, so that thy children shal not se the fyre euerlastinge. Be ioyfull O thou mother with thy childr&ebar;, for I wyll delyuer the, sayeth the LORDE. Remembre thy deed childr&ebar;, for I shal brynge them out of the earth, and shew mercy vnto them, for I am mercifull, sayeth the LORDE Allmightie.

Enbrace thy childr&ebar;, vntyll I come and shew mercy vnto them, for my welles runne ouer, and my grace shal not fayle. E   I E&esset;dras receaued a charge of the LORDE vpon the mount Oreb, that I shulde go vnto Israel. But whan I came vnto th&ebar;, they set me at naught, and despysed the commaundement of þe; LORDE. And therfore I saye vnto you O ye Heithen, that heare and vnderstonde: Loke for youre shepherde, he shal geue you euerlastinge rest: for he is nye at hande, that shal come in the ende of the worlde. Be ready to the rewarde of the kyngdome, for the euerlastinge light shall shyne vpon you for euermore. Fle the shadowe of this worlde, receaue the ioyfulnes of youre glory. I testifie my sauioure openly: O receaue the gift þt; is geuen you, and be glad, geuynge thankes vnto him, that hath called you to the heauenly kyngdome. Aryse vp, and stonde fast: beholde the nombre of those that be sealed in the feast of the LORDE, which are departed from the shadowe of the worlde, and haue receaued glorious garm&ebar;tes of the LORDE. Take thy nombre O Sion, and shutt vp thy purified, which haue fulfilled the lawe of the LORDE. The nombre of thy children whom thou longedest for, is fulfilled: beseke the power of the LORDE, that thy people which haue bene called from the begynnynge, maye be halowed.

F    ^noteI E&esset;dras sawe vpon the mount Sion a greate people, whom I coude not nombre, ∧ they all praysed the LORDE with songes of thankesgeuynge. And in the myddest of th&ebar; there was a yonge m&abar; of an hye stature, more excellent then all they, and vpon euery one of their heades he sett a crowne, and was euer hygher and hygher, which I marueled at greatly. So I axed þe; angell, ∧ sayde: Syr, what are these? He answered and sayde vnto me: These be they, that haue put of the mortall clothinge and put on the immortall, and haue testified ∧ knowleged the name of God. Now are they crowned, and receaue the rewarde.

Then sayde I vnto the angell: what yonge personne is it, that crowneth them, ∧ geueth them the palmes in their handes? So he answered and sayde vnto me: It is þe; sonne of God, whom they haue knowleged in the worlde. Then beganne I greatly to commende them, that stode so stifly for the name of the LORDE. And so the angell sayde vnto me: Go thy waye, and tell my people, what maner of thinges and how greate wonders of the LORDE thy God, thou hast sene.

The III. Chapter.

A   In the thirtie yeare of the fall of the cite, I was at Babilon ∧ laye troubled vp&obar; my bed, ∧ my thoughtes came vp ouer my hert: for I sawe þe; desolacion of Sion, ∧ the plenteous wealth of them þt; dwelt at Babilon: ∧ my sprete was sore moued, so that I beg&abar;ne to speake fearfull wordes to the most hyest, and sayde: O LORDE LORDE, thou spakest at the begynnynge, whan thou plantedst þe; earth (and that thy self alone) and gauest commaundement vnto þe; people, and a body vnto Adam, ^note which was a creature of thy handes, and hast brethed in him the breth of life: and so he lyued before the, and thou leddest him in to paradyse, which gard&ebar; of pleasure thy right hande had planted, or euer the earth was made. And vnto him thou gauest commaundem&ebar;t to loue þi; waye, which he transgressed, ∧ immediatly thou appoyntedest death in him, and in his generacions. Of him came nacions, trybes, people ∧ kynreddes out of nombre. ^noteAnd euery people walked after their owne wil, and dyd nyce thinges before the: and as for thy commaundementes, they despysed them.

B    ^noteBut in processe of tyme thou broughtest the water floude, vpon those that dwelt in the worlde, and destroydest them. And like as the death was in Adam, so was the water floude also in these. Neuertheles one of them thou leftest: namely, Noe with his housholde, of whom come all righteous m&ebar;. And it happened that, whan they þt; dwelt vpon the earth, beganne to multiplie, and had gotten many children, and were a greate people, they beganne to be more vngodly then the first.

^noteNow whan they all lyued so wickedly before the, thou didest chose the a man from amonge them, whose name was Abram. Him thou louedest, and vnto him only thou shewdest thy wyll, and maydest an euerlastinge couenaunt with him, promisinge him, that thou woldest neuer forsake his sede. ^noteAnd vnto him thou gauest Isaac, ^note vnto Isaac also thou gauest Iacob and Esau. ^noteAs for Iacob thou didest chose him, and put backe Esau. And so Iacob became a greate multitude.

C   And it happened that wh&abar; thou leddest his sede out of Egipte, thou broughtest th&ebar; vp to the mount Sion, ^note bowinge downe the heauens, settinge fast the earth, mouynge the grounde, makynge the depthes to shake, and troublynge the worlde: And thy glory wente thorow foure portes of fyre, and earth quakes, and wyndes and colde: that thou mightest geue the lawe vnto the sede of Iacob, and diligence vnto the generaci&obar; of Israel.

And yet tokest thou not awaye from th&ebar; that wicked hert, that thy lawe might brynge forth frute in them. For the first Adam bare a wicked hert, transgressed, and was ouercome, and so be all they þt; are borne of him. ^noteThus remayned weaknes with the lawe in the hert of the people, with the wickednesse of the rote: so that the good departed awaye, and the euell abode still. So the tymes passed awaye, and the yeares were brought to an ende. ^noteThen didest thou rayse the vp a seruaunt called Dauid, whom thou commaundedst to buylde a cite vnto thy name, and to offre vp incense and sacrifice vnto the therin. This was done now many yeares.

D   Then the inhabiters of the cite forsoke the, and in all thinges dyd eu&ebar; as Adam and all his generacions had done: for they also had a wicked hert. And so thou gauest thy cite ouer in to the handes of thine enemies. Are they of Babilon then better and more righteous then thy people, þt; they shal therfore haue the domynion of Sion? For whan I came there, and sawe their vngodlynes, and so greate wickednesse, that it coude not be n&obar;bred: yee whan my soule sawe so many euell doers (in þe; xxx.yeare) my hert fayled me, for I sawe, how thou suffrest them in soch vngodlynes, and sparest þe; wicked doers: but thine owne people hast thou roted out, and preserued thine enemies, ∧ this hast thou not shewed me.

E   I can not perceaue how this happeneth. Do they of Babilon then better, then they of Sion? Or is there eny other people, þt; knoweth the, sauynge the people of Israel? Or what generacion hath so beleued þi; couena&ubar;tes, as Iacob? And yet their rewarde appeareth not, and their labo&highr; hath no frute. For I haue gone here and there thorow the Heith&ebar;, ∧ I se, þt; they be rych ∧ wealthy, ∧ thynke not vpon þi; commaundementes. Weye thou therfore oure wickednesse now in þe; balaunce, and theirs also that dwell in the worlde, and so shal thy name be nowhere founde but in Israel. Or where is there a people vpon earth, þt; hath not synned before the? Or what people hath so kepte thy commaundementes? Thou shalt fynde, that Israel by name hath kepte thy preceptes, but not the other people and Heithen. The IIII. Chapter.

A   And the angell that was sent vnto me (whose name was Vriel) gaue me answere, and sayde: Thy hert hath tak&ebar; to moch vpon it in this worlde, and thou thinkest to comprehende the waye of the Hyest. Then sayde I: yee my lorde. And he answered me, and sayde: I am sent to shewe the thre wayes, and to sett forth thre symilitudes before the: wherof yf thou canst declare me one, I wil shewe the also the waye, that thou desyrest to se, and I shal shewe the from wh&ebar;ce the wicked hert commeth. And I sayde: tell on my LORDE. Then sayde he vnto me: Go thy waye, weye me the weight of the fyre, or measure me the blast of the wynde, or call me agayne the daye that is past. Then answered I and sayde: What man borne is able to do that? Why requyrest thou soch of me? And he sayde vnto me: Yf I shulde axe the, how depe dwellinges are in the see? Or how greate water springes are vpon þe; firmam&ebar;t? Or how greate water sprynges are in the begynnynge of the depe? Or which are the outgoinges of Paradise? Peradu&ebar;ture thou woldest saye vnto me: I neuer wente downe yet in to þe; depe ner hell, nether dyd I euer clymme vp in to heauen. Neuertheles now haue I axed the but onely of fyre and wynde and of the daye, where thorow thou hast trauayled, and from the which thou canst not be separated: and yet canst thou geue me no answere of them.

B   He sayde morouer vnto me: Thine owne thinges, and soch as are growne vp with þe;, canst thou not knowe: how shulde thy vessel then be able to c&obar;prehende the waye of the Hyest, and now outwardly in the corrupte worlde, to vnderst&obar;de the corrupcion þt; is euydent in my sight? Th&ebar; sayde I vnto him: It were better that we were not at all, th&ebar; that we shulde lyue in wickednesse, and to suffre, and not to knowe wherfore. He answered me, and sayde: I w&ebar;te in a wod, and the trees toke soch a deuyce and sayde: ^note Come let vs go, and fight agaynst the see, that it maye departe awaye before vs, and that we maye make vs yet more woddes.

The floudes of the see also in lyke maner toke this deuyce. and sayde: Come, let vs go vp, and fight agaynst the trees of the wodd, that we maye make oure londe the wyder. The thought and deuyce of the wodd was but vayne and nothinge worth, for the fyre came, and consumed the wod: The thought of the floudes of the see came likewyse to naught also, for the sonde stode vp and stopped them.

C   Yf thou were iudge now betwyxte these two, whom woldest thou iustifie, or whom woldest thou c&obar;demne? I answered and sayde: Verely it is a foolish thought that they both haue deuysed. For the grounde is geuen vnto the wod, and the see also hath his place to beare his floudes. Then answered he me ∧ sayde: Thou hast geuen a right iudgment, why iudgest thou not thy self also? For like as the grounde is geuen vnto the wod, and the see to his floudes: ^note euen so they that dwell vpon earth, maye vnderstonde nothinge, but that which is vpon earth: and he that dwelleth aboue the heauens, maye onely vnderst&obar;de the thinges, that are aboue the heauens. Then answered I and sayde: I beseke the (O LORDE) let me haue vnderstondinge: for it was not my mynde to be curious of thy hye thinges, but of soch as we daylie medle withall: namely, wherfore that Israel is blasphemed of the Heithen, and for what cause the people (whom thou euer hast loued) is geuen ouer, to be punyshed of vngodly naci&obar;s. and why the lawe of oure fathers is brought to naught, and the wrytten couenauntes come to none effecte, and we passe awaye out of the worlde as the greshopers, and oure life is a very feare, and we are not worthy to optayne mercy. What wyl he do then vnto his name, which is called vpon ouer vs? Of these thinges haue I axed question.

D   Then answered he me and sayde: The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt maruel, for the worlde hasteth fast to passe awaye, and can not comprehende the thinges, that are promysed for the righteous in tyme to come, ^note for this worlde is full of vnrighteousnes and weaknes.

But as concernynge the thinges wherof thou axest me, I wyl tell the. The euell is sowne, but the destruccion therof is not yet come. Yf the euell now that is sowne, be not turned vpsyde downe, and yf the place where þe; euell is sowne, passe not awaye, then can not the thinge come þt; is sowne with þe; good. For the corne of euell sede hath bene sowne in the hert of man from the begynnynge, and how moch vngodlynes hath he brought vp vnto this tyme? and how moch shal he yet brynge forth, vntyll he come in to the barne?

E   Pondre now by thyself, wh&abar; þe; corne of euell sede is cutt downe, how greate a barne shal it fyll? I answered and sayde: How and wh&abar; shal these thinges come to passe? Wherfore are o&highr; yeares few ∧ euell? And he answered me, say&ebar;ge: Haist not thou to moch vpon the Hyest, for thy haistynes to be aboue him

is but in vayne, thou makest to moch a doo. Dyd not þe; soules also of the righteous axe question of these thinges in their holynes, sayenge: How longe shal I hope of this fashion? Whan commeth the frute of my barne, and my rewarde? And vp&obar; this Ieremiel the archangel gaue them answere, and sayde: ^note Eu&ebar; whan the nombre of the sedes is fylled in you: for he hath weyed the worlde in the balaunce: in measure and nombre hath he measured the tyme, and moueth it not, vntyll the same measure be fulfylled. Then answered I and sayde: O LORDE LORDE, now are we all full of synne, and for oure sake peraduenture it is not, that the barne of the righteous shall not be fylled, because of the synnes of th&ebar; that dwell vpon earth.

F   So he answered me, ∧ sayde: Go þi; waye to a woman with childe, and axe her, when she hath fulfilled hir ix. monethes, yf hir childe&esset;bed maye kepe þe; byrth eny l&obar;ger within her. Th&ebar; sayde I: No LORDE, that can she not. And he sayde vnto me: In hell the secrete places of soules are like þe; preuy chamber of a woman. For like as a woman that trauayleth, maketh haist, whan the tyme ∧ necessite of the byrth is at hande: Eu&ebar; so doth she haist to delyuer it that is commytted vnto her. Loke what thou desyrest to se, it shalbe shewed the from the begynnynge. Then answered I and sayde: Yf I haue founde fauoure in thy sight, and yf it be possible, and yf I be mete therfore, shewe me then, whether there be more to come th&ebar; is past, or more past then is for to come. What is past, I knowe: but what is for to come, I knowe not.

G   And he saide vnto me: Stonde vp vp&obar; þe; right syde, and I shal expounde the symilitude vnto the. So I stode, ∧ beholde, an whote burnynge ou&ebar; wente ouer before me: ∧ it happened þt; whan the flamme was gone by, the smoke had the vpper hande. After this there w&ebar;te ouer before me a watery cloude, and sent downe moch rayne &wt; a storme: ∧ whan the stormy rayne was past, the droppes remayned still. Then sayde he vnto me: like as the rayne is more then the droppes, and as the fyre exceadeth the smoke, euen so þe; measure of the thinges that are past, hath the vpper hande. Then wente the droppes and the smoke aboue: and I prayed and sayde: Maye I lyue (thynkest thou) vntyll that tyme? Or what shall happen in those dayes? He answered me, and sayde: As for the tok&ebar;s wherof thou axest me, I maye tell the of th&ebar; in a parte: but as touchinge ^note þi; life, I maye not shewe the, for I am not sent therfore. The V. Chapter.

A   Neuerthelesse, as concernynge the tokens, mark this: Beholde, the dayes shal come, that they which dwell vpon earth, shalbe tak&ebar; in a greate nombre, ∧ the waye of the trueth shalbe hyd, and the l&obar;de shalbe baren from faith: ^note but iniquyte shal haue the vpper hande, like as thou hast sene now, and as thou hast herde l&obar;ge agoo. And the londe that thou seist now to haue rule, shalt thou shortly se waist. But yf God graunte the to lyue, thou shalt se after þe; thirde trompet, that the Sonne shal sodenly shyne agayne in the night, and the Moone thre tymes in the daye, ∧ bloude shal droppe out of wodd, and the stone shal geue his voyce, and the people shalbe vnquyete: and euen he shal rule, whom they hope not that dwell vpon earth, and the foules shal flyt, and the Sodomitysh see shal cast out his fish, and make a noyse in the night, which many shal not knowe, but they shal all heare the voyce therof.

B   There shalbe a c&obar;fucion also in many places, and the fyre shal be oft sent agayne, and the wylde beastes shal go their waye, ∧ menstruous wemen shal beare monsters, and salt waters shalbe founde in the swete: one frende shal fight agaynst another: then shal all wyt and vnderstandinge be hyd and put asyde in to their secrete places, ∧ shalbe sought of many, and yet not be founde: then shal vnrighteousnes and volupteousnes haue the vpperhande vpon earth. One lande also shal axe another, and saye: Is righteousnes gone thorow the? And it shal saye: No. At the same tyme shal men hope, but nothinge optayne: they shal laboure, but their wayes shall not prospere.

To shewe the soch tokens I haue leue, and yf thou wylt praye agayne, ∧ wepe as now, and fast seuen dayes, thou shalt heare yet greater thinges. Then I awaked, and a fearfulnes wente thorow all my body, ∧ my mynde was feble and carefull, so that I allmost swowned withall. So the angell that was come to talke with me, helde me, comforted me, and sett me vp vpon my fete.

C   And in the seconde night it happened, þt; Salathiel the captayne of the people came vnto me, sayenge: Where hast thou bene? and why is thy countenaunce so heuy? Knowest thou not, þt; Israel is commytted vnto the, in the londe of their captyuyte? Vp then, and eate, and forsake vs not, as the shepherde

that leaueth his flock in the handes of wicked wolues. Then sayde I vnto him: Go thy waye fro me, and come not nye me: ∧ he herde it, and as I sayde, so w&ebar;te he his waye fro me. And so I fasted seuen dayes, mournynge and wepynge, like as Vriell the angell commaunded me. And after seuen dayes it happened, that þe; thoughtes of my hert were very greuous vnto me agayne, ∧ my soule receaued þe; sprete of vnderstandynge, ∧ I beg&abar;ne to talke &wt; the most hyest agayne, and sayde: O LORDE LORDE, of euery wod of þe; earth ∧ of all the trees therof, thou hast chosen þe; one onely vynyarde: and of all londes of the whole worlde thou hast chosen the one pytt: and of all floures of the gro&ubar;de thou hast chosen the one lylie: and of all the depthes of the see thou hast fylled the one ryuer: and of all builded cities thou hast halowed Sion vnto thy self: and of all þe; foules that are created, thou hast named the one doue: and of all the catell þt; are made, thou hast prouyded þe; one shepe: ∧ am&obar;ge all þe; multitudes of folkes thou hast gotten the one people, and vnto this people whom thou louedest, thou gauest a lawe, þt; is proued of all.

D   And now O LORDE, why hast thou geu&ebar; this one people ouer vnto many? ∧ vpon the one rote thou hast prepared other, and why hast thou scatred þi; one onely people amonge many? which treade th&ebar; downe, yee which haue euer withstonde þi; promyses, ∧ neuer beleued þi; couena&ubar;tes? And though thou werest enemye vnto þi; people, yet shuldest thou punysh th&ebar; &wt; thine owne handes. Now wh&abar; I had spok&ebar; these wordes, the angell þt; came to me þe; night afore, was set vnto me, ∧ sayde vnto me: Heare me, ∧ herk&ebar; to þe; thinge þt; I saye, ∧ I shal tell þe; more. And I sayed: Speake on my LORDE. Th&ebar; sayde he vnto me: Thou art sore vexed ∧ troubled for Israels sake. Louest thou þt; people better, then him þt; made them? And I sayde: No LORDE, but of very grefe ∧ c&obar;passion haue I spok&ebar;. For my reynes payne me euery houre, because I wolde haue experience of the waye of the most hyest, and to seke out parte of his iudgment. And he sayde vnto me: that thou mayest not. And I sayde: wherfore LORDE? Where vnto was I borne then? Or why was not my mothers childesbed then my graue? So had I not sene the mysery and trouble of Iacob, and the trauayle of my people of Israel.

E   And he sayde vnto me: N&obar;bre me þe; thinges, þt; are not yet come: gather me together þe; droppes, that are scatred abrode: make me þe; floures grene agayne, þt; are wythered: op&ebar; me the thinge that is closed: and bringe me forth the wyndes, that are shutt vp: Shewe me the ymage of a voyce, and then shal I declare the the thinge, that thou labourest to knowe. And I sayde: O LORDE LORDE, who maye knowe these thinges, but he that hath not his dwellynge &wt; m&ebar;? As for me, I am vnwyse: how maye I th&ebar; speake of these thinges, wherof thou axest me? Th&ebar; sayde he vnto me: like as thou canst do none of these thinges þt; I haue spoken of, Euen so canst thou not fynde out my iudgment, or in the ende the loue that I haue promysed vnto my people. And I sayde: Beholde o LORDE, yet art thou nye vnto them that haue no ende: and what shal they do that haue bene before me, or we that be now, or they that shal come after vs? And he sayde vnto me: I wyll lycken my iudgment vnto a rynge. Like as there is no slacknesse of the last, euen so is there no swiftnesse of the first. So I answered ∧ sayde: Coudest thou not make those (that haue bene made, and that be now, and that are for to come) in one, that thou mightest shewe thy iudgment the sooner?

F   Then answered he me and sayde: The creature maye not haist aboue the maker, nether maye the worlde holde th&ebar; at once, that shalbe created.

And I sayde: How hast thou sayde then vnto thy seruaunt, that thou lyuynge maker hast made the creature lyuynge at once, ∧ the creature bare it? eu&ebar; so might it now also beare them that be present, at once. And he sayde vnto me: Axe the childe&esset;bed of a wom&abar;, and saye vnto her: Yf thou bringest forth childr&ebar;, why doest thou it not together, but one after another? Praye her therfore, to brynge forth ten children at once. And I sayde: she can not, but must do it one after another.

Then sayde he vnto me: Euen so haue I geuen a childe&esset;bed vnto the earth, for those that be sowne vpon it by processe of tyme. For like as a yonge childe maye not brynge forth the thinges that belonge to the aged, euen so haue I ordened the worlde which I made.

G   And I axed and sayde: Seynge thou hast now geu&ebar; me a waye, I wyl speake before þe;: for oure mother of wh&obar; thou hast tolde me, is yet yonge, ∧ now she draweth nye vnto age. He answered me ∧ sayde: Axe a woman that beareth children, ∧ she shal tell the. Saye vnto her: wherfore are not they (whom thou hast now brought forth) like those that were before the, but lesse of stature? And she shal answere the: They þt; be borne in the youth

of str&ebar;gth, are of one fashion: and they that are borne in the tyme of age (whan the childe&esset;bed fayleth) are other wyse. C&obar;sidre now thy self, how that ye are lesse of stature, then those that were before you, and so are they that come after you, lesse then ye, as the creatures which now begynne to be olde, and haue passed ouer the strength of youth. Then sayde I: LORDE I beseke the, yf I haue founde fauoure in thy sight, shewe thy seruaunt, by whom doest thou vyset thy creature? The VI. Chapter.

A   And he sayde vnto me: In the begynnynge whan the grounde was made, before the worlde stode, or euer þe; wyndes blew, before it thondred and lightened, or euer the foundacions of Paradise were layed, before the fayre floures were sene, or euer the moueable powers were stablished, before þe; innumerable multitudes of angels were gathered together, or euer þe; highnesses of þe; ayre were lifted vp, afore þe; measures of the firmament were named, or euer þe; chymneys in Sion were hote, and or the presente yeares were sought out, and or euer the invencions of them þt; now synne, were put asyde, before they were sealed that now gather faith for a treasure: then dyd I c&obar;sidre and pondre all these thinges, and they all were made thorow me, and thorow none other: by me also they be ended, and by none other.

Then answered I and sayde: which shalbe the partynge asunder of the tymes? Or whan shalbe the ende of the first, and the begynnynge of it that foloweth? And he sayde vnto me: From Abrah&abar; vnto Isaac, wh&abar; Iacob ∧ Esau were borne of him, Iacobs hande helde first the hele of Esau: for Esau is the ende of this worlde, and Iacob is the begynnynge of it that foloweth. The hande of man betwixte the hele and the hande. Other question (E&esset;dras) axe thou not.

B   I answered then and sayde: O LORDE LORDE, yf I haue founde fauoure in thy sight, I beseke the, shewe thy seruaunt the ende of thy tok&ebar;s, wherof thou shewdest me parte the last night. So he answered and sayde vnto me: St&obar;de vp vpon thy fete, and heare the perfecte voyce and sounde. There shal come a greate mocion, but þe; place where thou st&obar;dest shal not be moued. And therfore whan thou hearest the wordes, be not afrayed: for of the ende shal the worde and foundacion of þe; earth be vnderstonde. And why? the worde therof trembleth and quaketh, for it knoweth, that it must be chaunged at the ende. And it happened, that wh&abar; I had herde it, I stode vp vpon my fete and herkened: and beholde, there was a voyce þt; spake, and the sounde of it was like the sounde of many waters, and it sayde. Beholde, þe; dayes come, þt; I wyl begynne to drawe nye, and to vyset them that dwell vp&obar; earth, and wyl begynne to make inquysicion of them, what they be þt; haue hurte equyte &wt; vnrighteousnes, and whan the lowe estate of Sion shalbe fulfylled: and whan the worlde, that shal vanish awaye, shalbe ouersealed, then wyl I do these tokens.

C   The bokes shalbe opened before the firmament, and they shal se all together, ∧ the children of a yeare olde shal speake &wt; their voyces: the wom&ebar; with childe shal brynge forth vntymely children of thre or foure monethes olde, and they shall lyue, and be raysed vp: ∧ sod&ebar;ly shal the sowne places appeare as the vnsowne, the full store houses shal sodenly be founde emptie, and the trompett shal geue a sounde, which wh&abar; euery man heareth, they shalbe haistely afrayed. ^noteAt that tyme shall frendes fight one agaynst another like enemies, and the earth shal stonde in feare with them.

The sprynges of the welles shal stonde styll, and in thre houres they shal not renne. Who so euer remayneth from all these thingeu that I haue tolde the, shal escape, and se my saluacion, and the ende of youre worlde. And the men that are receaued, shal se it, they that haue not taisted death fr&obar; their byrth: and the hert of the indwellers shalbe chaunged, and turned in to another meanynge: for euell shalbe put out, and disceate shalbe quenched. As for faith, it shal florish, corrupcion shalbe ouercome: and the trueth, which hath bene so longe without frute, shalbe declared.

D   And it happened whan he talked &wt; me, that I loked demurely vp&obar; him, before wh&obar; I stode, and these wordes sayde he vnto me: I am come to shewe þe;, the tyme of þe; night for to come.

Yf thou wilt praye yet more, and fast seu&ebar; dayes agayne, I shal tel the more thinges, ∧ greater then before: for thy voyce is herde before the Hyest: for why? the Mightie hath sene thy righteous dealynge, he hath sene also thy chastite, which thou hast had euer sence thy youth: and therfore hath he sent me to shewe the all these thinges, and to saye vnto the: Be of good comforte, and feare not, and haist not with þe; tymes that are past to

thynke vayne thinges, and make no haist of the latter tymes.

And it happened after this, þt; I wepte agayne, and fasted seuen dayes in like maner, that I might fulfill the thre wekes, which he tolde me. In the eight night was my hert vexed within me agayne, and I beganne to speake before the Hyest: for my sprete was greatly set on fyre, and my soule was in distresse, and I sayde: O LORDE, thou spakest vnto thy creature from the begynnynge (euen the first daye) and saydest: ^note Let heauen and earth be made, and thy worde was a perfecte worke. And then was there the sprete, and the darcknesses were yet on euery syde, and sylence: there was no mans voyce as yet from the. Then commaundedst thou a fayre light to come forth out of thy treasures, that thy worke might appeare and be sene.

E   Vpon the seconde daye thou maydest the sprete of the firmament, and commaundedst it to parte asunder ∧ to make a deuysion betwixte the waters, that the one parte might remayne aboue, and the other beneth. Vpon the thirde daye thou broughtest to passe, þt; the waters were gathered in the seuenth parte of the earth: Sixe partes hast thou dryed vp, and kepte them, to the int&ebar;t þt; men might sowe and occupie hu&esset;bandrie therin. As soone as thy worde wente forth, the worke was made. For immediatly there was greate innumerable frute, ∧ many dyuerse pleasures ∧ desyres of temptacion, floures of chaungeable coloure and smell, and this was done the thirde daye.

Vpon the fourth daye thou c&obar;maundedst that the Sonne shulde geue his shyne, and þe; Moone hir light: the starres didest thou sett in ordre, and gauest them a charge, ^note to do seruyce euen vnto man, that was for to be made. Vp&obar; the fifth daye thou saydest vnto the seuenth parte (where the waters were gathered) that they shulde bringe forth diuerse beastes, foules and fishes. And so it came to passe, that the domme water and without soule, brought forth lyuynge beastes at the commaundement of God, that all people might prayse thy wonderous workes. Then didest thou preserue two soules, þe; one thou calldest Enoch and the other Leuiathan, and didest separate the one from the other: for the seuenth parte (namely, where the water was gathered together) might not holde them both. F   Vnto Enoch thou gauest one parte, which was dryed vp the thirde daye, that he shulde dwell in the same parte, wherin are a thousande hilles. But vnto Leuiath&abar; thou gauest the seuenth parte, namely the moyst, and hast kepte him to deuoure what thou wylt, and whan.

Vpon the sixte daye thou gauest c&obar;maundement vnto the earth, that before the it shulde brynge forth beastes, catell and all þt; crepe, ∧ (besydes this) Adam also, whom thou maydest lorde of all thy creatures: Of him come we all, and the people also, whom thou hast chosen specially vnto thy self. All this haue I sayde now and spoken before the, that I might shewe, how that the worlde is made for oure sakes. As for the other people which also come of Adam, thou hast sayde that they are nothinge, but be like a spetle, and hast lickened the abunda&ubar;ce of them vnto a droppe (that falleth) from the rofe of the house.

And now (O LORDE) the Heith&ebar; which haue euer bene reputed as nothinge, haue beg&obar;ne to be lordes ouer vs, and to deuoure vs: but we thy people (whom thou hast called þi; first borne, thy only begotten, and thy feruent louer) are geuen in to their handes and power. Yf the worlde now be made for oure sakes, why haue we not the inheritaunce in possession with the worlde? How longe shal this endure? The VII. Chapter.

A   And it happened after that I had spoken out these wordes, there was sent vnto me an angell (which had bene by me also the nightes afore) and he sayde vnto me: Vp E&esset;dras, and heare the wordes that I am come to tell the. And I sayde: speake on LORDE my God. Th&ebar; sayde he vnto me: The see is sett in a wyde place, þt; it might be depe and greate: but the intra&ubar;ce is narow and small like a ryuer. For who wolde go in to the see, to loke vpon it, and to rule it? Yf he wente not thorow the narow, how might he come in to the brode?

Item, another. A cite is buylded and sett vpon a brode felde, and is full of all goodes: the intraunce is narow and sodane, like as yf there were a fyre at the right hande, and a depe water at the left, and as it were onely one strate path betwixte th&ebar; both, so small, that there coude but one man go there.

Yf this cite now were geuen to an heyre, ∧ he neuer wente thorow this parlous waye, how wolde he receaue his inherita&ubar;ce? And I sayde: It is so, LORDE. Then sayde he: Euen so is Israel also a porcion. And why? for their sakes haue I made the worlde: ∧ whan Adam tr&abar;sgressed my statutes, then was þe; thinge iudged that was done. Then were þe; intraunces of the worlde made narow, full

of sorow and trauayle: They are but few ∧ euell, full of parels and laboure. For the intraunces of the fore worlde were wyde and sure, and brought immortall frute.

B   Yf they now which are entred in to this worlde, maye not comprehende these strayte and vayne thinges, moch lesse maye they c&obar;prehende and vnderstonde the secrete thinges: Why disquietest thou thy self then, seynge thou art but a corruptible m&abar;? And what woldest thou knowe, where as thou art but mortall? And why hast thou not receaued in to thine hert the thinge that is for to come, but that is present?

^noteTh&ebar; sayde I: O LORDE LORDE, thou hast ordened in thy lawe, that the righteous shulde inheret these thinges, but that the vnfaithfull and vngodly shulde perishe. Neuertheles the righteous shall suffre strayte thinges, and hope for wyde: for they that haue lyued vngodly ∧ suffred strayte thinges, shal not se the wyde.

And he saide vnto me: There is no iudge aboue God, and none that hath vnderstondinge aboue the Hyest. For there be many þt; perish, because they despyse þe; lawe of God that is sett before them. For God hath geuen strayte commaundement to soch as come, that they knowe what they do, and how they shulde lyue: and yf they kepte this, they shulde not be punyshed.

Neuertheles they were not obedient vnto him, but spake agaynst him: ymagined vayne thinges, ∧ purposed to synne, and sayde morouer, that there was no God, ∧ that God regarded it not. His wayes haue they not knowne, his lawe haue they despysed, ∧ denyed his promyses: in his statutes ∧ ordinaunces haue they not bene faithfull ∧ stedfast, and haue not perfourmed his workes.

C   And therfore E&esset;dras, vnto the full, plenty: and to the emptye, emptynesse. Beholde, the tyme shal come, þt; these tokens which I haue tolde the, shal come to passe, ∧ the bryde shall appeare: ∧ the earth þt; now passeth awaye, shalbe shewed: ∧ who so euer is delyuered from þe; foresayde euels, shal se my w&obar;ders. For my sonne Iesus shal be openly declared, &wt; those þt; be &wt; him: ∧ they þt; remayne, shal be mery in foure hundreth yeares.

After these same yeares shall my sonne Christ dye, and all men that haue life: and þe; worlde shalbe turned in to the olde sylence seuen dayes, like as in the fore iudgmentes, so that no man shall remayne. And after seu&ebar; dayes, the worlde that yet awaketh not, shalbe raysed vp, ∧ shal dye corrupte. And the earth shal restore those that haue slepte in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in syl&ebar;ce, and the secrete places shal delyuer those that be committed vnto them. And þe; most hyest shal be openly declared vpon the seate of iudgment, ∧ all misery shal vanysh awaye, and l&obar;ge suffringe shalbe gathered together. But the iudgment shall contynue, þe; trueth shal remayne, and faith shal waxe str&obar;ge, the worke shal folowe, and the rewarde shall be shewed, the righteousnesses shall watch, and the vnrighteousnesses shall beare no rule.

D    ^noteThen sayde I: Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, ∧ Moses for the fathers þt; synned in the wyldernes, ∧ he þt; came after him for Israel, in þe; tyme of Achas and Samuel: and Dauid for þe; destruccion, and Salomon for them that came in to the Sanctuary, ∧ Helias for those that receaued rayne, and for the deed, that he might lyue: and Ezechias for þe; people in the tyme of Sennacherib: ∧ dyuerse other in like maner, which haue prayed for many.

Eu&ebar; so now, seynge þe; corrupte is growne vp, and wickednes increased, and the righteous haue prayed for the vngodly, wherfore shal it not be so now also?

He answered me, and sayde: This present worlde is not þe; ende, there remayneth moch honoure in it, therfore haue they prayed for the weake. But the daye of dome shalbe the ende of this tyme, and þe; begynnynge of the immortalite for to come, wherin all corrupcion vanysheth, all volupteousnes is lowsed, all my&esset;beleue taken awaye, righteousnes growne, and the verite spronge vp. Then shall no man be able to saue him that is destroyed, ner to oppresse him þt; hath gott&ebar; þe; victory. E   I answered th&ebar;, ∧ sayde: This is my first ∧ last sayenge: þt; it had bene better, not to haue geuen the earth vnto Adam: or els whan it was geu&ebar; him, to kepe him that he shulde not synne. For what profit is it for men now in this present tyme to lyue in heuynes, ∧ after death to loke for puny&esset;ment? O thou Ad&abar;, what hast thou done? For though it was thou þt; synned, thou art not fall&ebar; alone, but we all þt; come of the. For what profit is it vnto vs, yf there be promysed vs an immortall tyme, where as we medle &wt; deadly workes? ∧ that there is promysed vs an euerlastinge hope, where as we o&highr; selues are euell ∧ vayne? ∧ þt; there are layed vp for vs dwellynges of health ∧ fredome, where as we haue lyued euell? and that the worshipe of þe; Hyest is kepte to defende them, which

haue led a pacient life, where as we haue walked in þe; most wicked wayes of all? and that there shalbe shewed a paradyse, whose frute endureth for euer, wherin is fredome and medycyne, where as we shal not go in? for we haue walked in vnpleasaunt places: And that the faces of them which haue absteyned, shal shyne aboue the starres, where as oure faces shalbe black and darcke? For whyle we lyued and dyd vnrighteously, we considered not, that we shulde suffre therfore after death?

F   Th&ebar; answered he me, and sayde: This is the consideracion ∧ thought of the battayl, which man hath vpon earth: that yf he be ouercome, he shall suffre as thou hast sayde. But yf he gett the victory, he shall receaue the thinge that I saye. For this is the life, wherof Moses spake vnto the people, whyle he lyued, sayenge: ^note Chose the life, that thou mayest lyue. Neuertheles they beleued him not, nether the prophetes after him, No ner me which haue spoken vnto them, that heuynes shulde not reach vnto them to their destruccion, like as ioye is for to come ouer those, that haue suffred th&ebar; selues to be enfourmed in saluacion.

I answered then ∧ sayde: I knowe LORDE, that the Hyest is mercyfull, in þt; he hath mercy vpon them, which are not yet in the worlde, and vpon those also that walke in his lawe: ^note and that he is pacient and longe sufferinge towarde those that haue synned in their workes: and that he is liberall to geue where as it requyreth: and that he is of greate mercy, for he multiplieth his louynge kyndnesses towarde those that are present, and that are past, and to them which are for to come. For yf he multiplie not his mercies, the worlde shal not be made lyuynge, with those that dwell therin: He geueth also, for yf he gaue not of his goodnesse, that they which haue done euell, might be eased, the ten thousande parte of men shulde not be made lyuynge. And yf the iudge forgaue not those þt; be healed with his worde, and yf he wolde destroye þe; multitude that stryueth, there shulde be very few left in an innumerable multitude. The VIII. Chapter.

A   And he answered me, say&ebar;ge: The most hyest made this worlde for many, but the worlde to come for few. I wyl tell the a symilitude, E&esset;dras: As whan thou axest the earth, it shal saye vnto the, that it geueth moch moulde, wherof erthen vessels are made, but litle of it þt; golde c&obar;meth of.

Euen so is it with the worke of this worlde. ^noteThere be many created, but few shall be preserued. Then answered I ∧ sayde: Then swalowe vp the witt (thou soule) and deuoure the vnderstondinge, for thou art agreed to herken and to geue eare, and wyllinge to prophecie: for thou hast no longer space geuen the, but only to lyue. O LORDE, wilt thou not geue thy seruaunt leue, þt; we maye praye before the, and that thou mayest geue sede vnto oure hert, and buylde oure vnderstondinge, that there maye come frute of it: and that euery one which is corrupte, and beareth the state and place of a man, maye lyue?

For thou art alone, and we all are one workmanshipe of thy handes, like as thou hast sayde, and like as the body is fashioned now in the childe&esset;bed, and thou geuest the membres, and thy creature is preserued in fyre and water: ∧ ix. monethes doth thy worke suffre thy creature, which is fashioned in her: but the thinge that preserueth and it þt; is preserued, shal both be kepte together: ∧ whan tyme is, the childe&esset;bedd delyuereth þe; thinge, that is kepte and growne in her.

B   For thou hast commaunded the brestes to geue mylck vnto the frute, that the thinge which is created and fashioned, maye be norished for a tyme: and then thou disposest and ordrest it with thy mercy, bryngest it vp with thy righteousnes, nurturest it in thy lawe, and refourmest it with thy vnderstondinge, mortifiest it as thy creature, and makest it lyuynge as thy worke. Seinge then that thou destroyest him, which &wt; so greate labours is created and fashioned thorow thy commaundement, thou coudest lyghtly ordene also, that the thinge which is made, might be preserued.

And this I speake now of all men in generall, as thou knowest: but of thy people, for whose sake I am sory: and of thy inheritaunce, for whose cause I mourne: and of Israel, for whom I am wofull: and for Iacob, for whose sake I am greued: therfore begynne I to praye before the, for my self and for them, for I se the fall of vs, euen of vs, that dwell vpon earth. But I haue herde the swiftnes of the iudge, which is to come: therfore heare my voyce, and vnderst&obar;de my wordes, and I shal speake before the.

C   This is the begynnynge of the wordes of E&esset;dras, before he was receaued: O LORDE, thou that dwellest in euerlastyngnesse, whose eyes are lift vp in the ayre, whose stole is exceadinge hye, whose glory and maiesty

maye not be compreh&ebar;ded, before whom the hoostes of heauen stonde with tremblinge, whose kepinge is turned in winde and fyre, whose worde is true, whose talkynge is stedfast, whose commaundement is stronge, whose ordynaunce is fearfull, whose loke dryeth vp the depthes, whose wrath maketh the mountaynes to melt awaye, ∧ whose trueth beareth wytnes: O heare þe; prayer of thy seruaunt, and marck with thine eares the peticion of thy creature.

For whyle I lyue, I wil speake: and so l&obar;ge as I haue vnderstondinge, I will answere. O loke not vp&obar; the synnes of thy people, which serue þe; in the trueth. Haue no respecte vnto the wicked studies of the Heithen, but to the desyre of those that kepe thy testimonies with sorowes. Thinke not vpon those that haue walked faynedly before the, but vpon them, which with wyll haue knowne thy feare.

Let it not be thy wyll to destroye them, which haue had beastly maners, but to loke vpon them that haue clearly taught thy lawe. Take thou no indignacion at them, which are worse then beastes: but loue them, that allwaye put their trust in þi; righteousnes and glory: for we and oure fathers haue all the same sicknes and disease, but because of oure synnes thou shalt be called mercifull.

D   For yf thou hast mercy vpon vs, thou shalt be called mercifull, where as we haue no workes of righteousnes: for þe; righteous which haue layed vp many good workes together, shall out of their dedes receaue rewarde. For what is man, that thou shuldest take displeasure at him? Or what is the corruptible mortall generacion, that thou shuldest be so rough towarde him?

^noteFor of a trueth there is no man amonge them that be borne, but he hath dealt wickedly: and amonge the faithfull there is none, which hath not done amysse. For in this (O LORDE) thy righteousnes ∧ thy goodnes shalbe praysed and declared, yf thou be mercifull vnto them, which are not rych in good workes.

Then answered he me and sayde: Some thinges hast thou spoken a right, and acordinge vnto thy wordes it shal be. For I wil not verely c&obar;sidre the worke of them, which haue synned before death, before the iudgment, before destrucci&obar;, ^note but I wyll reioyse ouer the worke and thought of þe; righteous. I wil remembre also the pilgramege, the holymakynge and the rewarde. Like as I haue spoken now, so shall it come to passe. For as the hu&esset;b&abar;d man soweth moch sede vpon the grounde, and planteth many trees, and yet allwaye the thinge that is sowne or pl&abar;ted is not all kepte safe, nether doth it all take rote: Euen so is it of them that are sowne in the worlde, they shal not all be preserued.

E   I answered then ∧ sayde: Yf I haue founde grace, then let me speake. Like as the husb&abar;de mans sede perisheth, yf it receaue not rayne in due season, or yf there come to moch rayne vpon it: Euen so perisheth man also, which is created with thy handes, and is like vnto thine owne ymage and to thy self, for whose sake thou hast made all thinges, and lickened him vnto the hu&esset;bande mans sede. Be not wroth at vs (O LORDE) but spare thy people, and haue mercy vpon thine owne inheritaunce: O be mercifull vnto thy creature.

Then answered he me and sayde: Thinges present are for the present, and thinges to come for soch as be to come. For thou w&abar;test yet moch, seynge thou mayest loue my creature aboue me: I haue oft times drawne nye vnto the, but neuer to the vnrighteous. In this also thou art maruelous before the Hyest, in that thou hast humbled thy self, as it becommeth the, and hast not regarded thine owne self, þt; thou art had in soch honoure amonge the righteous. F   Therfore shal greate wrechidnes and mysery come vpon them, that in the latter tyme shal dwell in þe; worlde, for they haue walked in greate pryde.

But vnderstonde thou for thy self, and seke out glory for soch as be like the: for vnto you is paradyse opened, the tre of life is pl&abar;ted, the tyme to come is prepared, plenteousnes made ready: a cite is builded for you, and a rest is prepared, yee perfecte goodnes and wy&esset;dome. The rote of euell is marked from you, the weaknes and moth is hyd from you, ∧ into hell flyeth corrupcion in forgetfulnes. Sorowes are vanyshed awaye, and in the ende is shewed the treasure of immortalite. And therfore axe thou no more questions, c&obar;cernynge the multitude of them that perishe. For they haue taken libertie, despysed the Hyest, thought scorne of his lawe, and forsaken his wayes.

G    ^noteMorouer, they haue troden downe his righteous, and sayde in their hert, that there is no God, yee and that wittingly, for they dye. For like as the thinge that I haue spoken of, is made ready for you: Eu&ebar; so is thyrst and payne prepared for them. For it was not his wil that man shulde come to naught: but

they which be created, haue defyled the name of him that made them, and are vnthanfull vnto him, which prepared life for them. And therfore is my iudgment now at hande. These thinges haue I not shewed vnto all men, but vnto few: namely, vnto the, and to soch as be like the.

Then answered I and sayde: Beholde O LORDE, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the tokens, which thou wilt begynne to do at the last: but at what tyme and whan, thou hast not shewed me. The IX. Chapter.

A   He answered me then and saide: Measure thou the tyme diligenly in it self, whan thou seist that one parte of the tokens come to passe, which I haue tolde þe; before: so shalt thou vnderstonde, that it is the very same tyme, wherin the Hyest wil begynne to vysit the worlde, which he made. And wh&abar; there shalbe sene earthquake and vproure of the people in the worlde, then shalt thou well vnderstonde, that the most hyest spake of those thinges, from the dayes that were before the, euen from the beynnynge.

For like as all that is made in the worlde, hath a begynnynge and ende, and the ende is manyfest: Euen so the tymes also of the Hyest haue playne begynnynges in wonders and signes, and the ende in workynge and in tokens. And euery one that shalbe saued, and shall be able to escape by his workes ∧ by faith (wherin ye haue beleued) shall be preserued from the saide parels, and shal se my sauioure in my londe and within my borders, for I haue halowed me from the worlde. Then shall they be in carefulnesse, which now haue abused my waies: and they that haue cast them out despytefully, shall dwell in paynes.

B   For soch as in their life haue receaued benefites, and haue not knowne me, and they that haue abhorred my lawe, whyle they had yet fredome, and whan they had yet open rowme of amendem&ebar;t and conuersion, ∧ vnderstode not. but despysed it: þe; same must knowe it after death in payne. And therfore be thou nomore carefull, how the vngodly shalbe punyshed, ∧ how the righteous shalbe saued, and whose the worlde is, and for whom the worlde, and whan it is. Then answered I and sayde: ^note I haue talked before ∧ now I speake, and wyl speake also herafter, that there be many moo of them which perish, then shal be saued, like as the floude is greater then the droppes.

And he answered me, sayenge: like as the felde is, so is also the sede: as the floures be, so are the colours also: soch as the workman is, soch is also þe; worke: and as the hu&esset;band man is himself, so is his hu&esset;bandrye also, for it was the tyme of the worlde. And whan I prepared for them that are now, or euer the worlde was made, wher in they shulde dwel, then was there no man that withstode me. C   Now whan euery one was, and the maker also in the worlde which is now prepared, and the moneth that ceaseth not, and the lawe which is vnsearcheable, their maners were corrupte. So I considered the worlde, and beholde, there was parell, because of þe; thoughtes that were come in to it. And I sawe, and spared th&ebar; greatly, and haue kepte me a wynebery of the grapes, and a plante from amonge many generacions. Let the multitude perish th&ebar;, which are growne vp in vayne, and let my grape ∧ wynebery be kepte: euen my plante: for with greate laboure haue I made it vp.

Neuertheles yf thou wilt take vpon the yet seuen dayes mo (but thou shalt not fast in them) go thy waye then in to þe; felde of floures, where no house is buylded, and eate onely of the floures of the felde, taist not flesh, drinke no wine, but eate floures onely. Praye vnto the Hyest contynually, so will I come, and talke with the.

D   So I wente my waye and came in to the felde which is called Ardath (like as he commaunded me) and there I sat amonge þe; flonres, and ate of the herbes of the felde, and þe; meate of the same satisfied me. After seuen dayes I sat vpon the grasse, ∧ my hert was vexed within me like as afore: and I opened my mouth, and beganne to talke before the Hyest, and saide: O LORDE, thou þt; shewest thy self vnto vs, ^note thou hast declared and opened thy self vnto oure fathers in the wyldernes, in a place where no man dwelleth, in a baren place, whan they came out of Egipte, and thou spakest, say&ebar;ge: Heare me O Israel, and marke my wordes thou sede of Iacob. Beholde, I sowe my lawe in you, and it shal brynge frute in you, ∧ ye shalbe honoured in it for euer. For oure fathers which receaued the lawe, kepte it not, and obserued not thy ordinaunces and statutes, ∧ the frute of þi; lawe was not declared: for it might not, for why? it was thine. For they that receaued it, perished, ^note because they kepte not þe; thinge that was sowne in them.

E   It is a custome whan the grounde receaueth sede, or the see a shipp, or a vessell meate

and drynke, that, whan it perisheth or is broken wherin a thinge is sowne, or wherin eny thinge is put: the thinges also perishe ∧ are broken, which are sowne or putt therin. But vnto vs it hath not happened so: for we þt; haue receaued the lawe, perish in synne, and oure hert also which receaued the lawe: ^note notwithstondinge the lawe perisheth not, but remayneth in his laboure.

And whan I considered these thinges in my hert after this maner, I loked aboute me with myne eyes, ^note and vpon the right syde I sawe a woman, which mourned sore, made greate lamentacion, and wepte with loude voyce: hir clothes were rent in peces, ∧ she had a&esset;shes vpon hir heade.

F   Th&ebar; let I my thoughtes go, þt; I was in, ∧ turned me vnto her, ∧ sayde: wherfore wepest thou? why art thou so sory ∧ discomforted? And she sayde vnto me: Syr, let me bewayle my self ∧ take yet more sorowe: for I am sore vexed in my mynde, ∧ brought very lowe. And I saide vnto her: what ayleth þe;? Or who hath done eny thinge to þe;? tell me. She sayde: I haue bene vnfrutefull and baren, and haue had an hu&esset;band thirtie yeares. And these xxx. yeares I do nothinge els daye and night and all houres, but make my prayer to þe; Hyest. After thirtie yeares God herde me thy handmayden, loked vpon my misery, considred my trouble, and gaue me a sonne, and I was glad of him, so was my hu&esset;b&abar;d also and all my neghbours, and we gaue greate honoure vnto þe; Mightie. And I norished him with greate trauayle. So whan he grewe vp, ∧ came to the tyme, that he shulde haue a wife, I made a feast. The X. Chapter.

A   And it happened that whan my sonne wente in to his chamber, he fell downe, and dyed: th&ebar; ouethrew we all the lightes, and all my neghbours rose vp to c&obar;forte me. Th&ebar; toke I my rest vnto the sec&obar;de daye at night: ∧ whan they had all rested, þt; they might comforte me, I rested also, and rose vp by night, and fled, and am come hither in to this felde, as thou seist: and am purposed not to come in the cite, but to remayne here, and nether to eate ner drynke, but continually to mourne and to fast, vntill I dye.

Then let I my meditacions and thoughtes fall, that I was in, and spake to her in displeasure: Thou foolish woman, seist thou not oure heuynes and mournynge, and what happeneth vnto vs? how Sion o&highr; mother is all wofull and sory, and how she is cleane brought downe and in misery? seinge we be all now in heuynes, ∧ make oure mone (for we be all soroufull.) As for the heuynes that thou takest, it is but for one sonne. Demaunde the earth, and she shal tell the, that it is she which ought (by reason) to mourne, for the fall of so many that growe vpon her. For from the begynnynge all men are borne of her, ∧ other shal come: and beholde, they walke allmost all into destruccion, and many of them shalbe roted out.

Who shulde then (by reason) make more mournynge, then she, that hath lost so greate a multitude? and not thou, which art sory but for one. But yf thou woldest saye vnto me: My mournynge is not like the mournynge of the earth, for I haue lost the frute of my body, which I bare with heuynes: as for the earth, acordinge to the ordynaunce of þe; earth onely, so that many are gone awaye in her, as it is come to passe: B   Then saye I vnto the: like as thou hast borne with trauayle ∧ sorowe, euen so the earth also from the begynnynge geueth hir frute vnto man, for him þt; made her. And therfore witholde thy sorowe and heuynes by thy self, and loke what happeneth vnto þe;, beare it str&obar;gly. ^noteFor yf thou iudgest the marck ∧ ende of God to be righteous and good, and receauest his councell in tyme, thou shalt be commended therin. Go thy waye then in to the cite to thy husbande.

And she sayde vnto me: that wyll I not do, I will not go in to the cite, but heare will I dye. So I commoned more with her, and sayde: Do not so, but be co&ubar;celed, and folowe me: for how many falles hath Sion? Be of good comforte because of the sorowe of Ierusalem. For thou seist that oure Sanctuary is layed waist, oure aulter broken, oure temple destroyed, oure playenge of instrumentes and synginge layed downe, the thankesgeuynge put to sylence, o&highr; myrth is vanished awaye, the light of oure candelstick is quenched, þe; Arke of the couenaunt is tak&ebar; from vs, all oure holy thinges are defyled, and the name that is called vpon ouer vs, is dishonoured, oure children are put to shame, oure prestes are brent, oure Leuites are caried awaye in to captiuyte, oure virgins are defyled, and oure wyues rauyshed, oure righteous men spoyled, and oure childr&ebar; destroyed, oure yonge men are brought in b&obar;dage, and oure str&obar;ge worthies are become weake: and Sion (which seale is þe; greatest of all) is lowsed vp from hir worshipe: for she is deliuered in to the handes of them that hate vs.

C   And therfore shake of þi; greate heuynes,

and putt awaye the multitude of sorowes: that the Mightie maye be mercyfull vnto the, and that the Hyest maye geue the rest from þi; laboure and trauayle. And it happened, that whan I was talkynge with her, hir face dyd shyne ∧ glyster, so that I was afraied of her, and mused what it might be. And immediatly she cast out a greate voyce, very fearfull, so that þe; earth shoke at the noyse of the woman: and I loked, and beholde, the woman appeared vnto me nomore: but there was a cite buylded, and a place was shewed from the grounde and foundacion.

Then was I afrayed, and cried with loude voyce, and sayde: ^note where is Vriel the angell, which came to me at the first? For he hath caused me to come in many consideracions and hye thoughtes, and myne ende is turned to corrupcion, and my prayer to rebuke. And as I was speakynge these wordes, he came vnto me, and loked vpon me, and I laye as one that had bene deed, and myne vnderstandinge was altered, and he toke me by the right hande, and comforted me, and set me vp vpon my fete, and sayde vnto me: what ayleth the? and why is thine vnderstandinge vexed? and the vnderstondinge of thy hert, and wherfore art thou sory? And I sayde: Because thou hast forsaken me: and I haue done acordynge vnto thy wordes, ^note I wente in to the felde, and there haue I sene thinges, that I am not able to expresse. D   He saide vnto me: St&obar;de vp and be manly, and I shal geue the exortacion.

Then sayde I: Speake on to me my LORDE, forsake me not, lest I dye in vayne: for I haue sene that I knewe not, ∧ herde that I do not knowe. Or shall my vnderstondynge be disceaued, and my mynde? But now I beseke the, that thou wilt shewe thy seruaunt of this w&obar;der. He answered me th&ebar; and sayde: heare me, and I shall enfourme the, and tell the wherfore thou art afrayed, for the Hyest hath opened many secrete thynges vnto the.

He hath sene that thy waye is right, and that thou takest sorowe continually for thy people, and makest greate lamentacion for Sion: and therfore vnderstonde the vision which thou sawest a litle whyle agoo after this maner: Thou sawest a woman mournynge, and thou hast comforted her: Neuertheles now seist thou the licknes of the woman nomore, but thou thoughtest there was a cite buylded: and like as she tolde the of the fall of her sonne, so is this the answere: The woman whom thou sawest, is Sion: and where as she tolde the, that she hath bene thirtie yeares vnfrutefull and baren, those are the xxx. yeares, wherin there was no offeringe made in her.

But after xxx. yeares Salomon buylded her, and offred, and then bare the baren a sonne. And where as she tolde the, that she norished him with laboure, that was the dwellynge of Ierusalem. E   But where as the sonne dyed in hir chamber, that is the fall of Ierusalem. And thou sawest hir lickenesse, how she mourned for hir sonne: and what els happened vnto her, I haue shewed þe;. And now God seyth, that thou art sory in thy mynde, and suffrest from þi; hert for her: and so hath he shewed the hir clearnesse, and the fayrnes of hir bewtye.

And therfore I bad the remayne in the felde, where no house is buylded. For I knew þt; the Hyest wolde shew this vnto the, therfore I commaunded the to go into the felde, where no foundacion ner buyldinge is. For in the place where the Hyest wyll shewe his cite, there shall be no mans buyldinge. And therfore feare not, and let not thine hert be afrayed, but go thy waye in, and se the glorious and fayre buyldinge, and how greate it is, and how greate thou thinkest it after the measure of thine eyes, ∧ then shalt thou heare as moch as thine eares maye compreh&ebar;de. For thou art blessed aboue many other, and art called with the Hyest, as þe; few. But tomorow at night thou shalt remayne here, and so shal þe; Hyest shewe the visions of hye thinges, which he wyll do vnto them that dwell vpon earth in þe; last dayes. So I slepte the same night like as he c&obar;maunded me. The XI. Chapter.

A   Then sawe I a dreame: and beholde, there came vp from þe; see an Aegle, which had xij. wynges and thre heades: And I sawe, and beholde, he spred his wynges ouer all the earth, and all the wyndes of the ayre blew in them, and so they were put together agayne. And I behelde, and out of his fethers there grew other litle contrary fethers: the heades rested, the head in the myddest was greater then the other, yet rested it with the residue.

Morouer I sawe, that the Aegle flew &wt; his wynges, and raigned vpon earth, ∧ ouer all them that dwell vpon the earth: and I sawe þt; all thinges vnder heauen were subiecte vnto him, and no man spake against him, no not one creature vpon earth. I sawe also that the Aegle stode vp vpon his clawes, ∧

gaue a sounde &wt; his fethers, ∧ a voyce say&ebar;ge after this maner: watch not all together, slepe euery m&abar; in his owne place, ∧ watch for a tyme, but let the heades be preserued at the last. Neuertheles I sawe, þt; the voyce wente not out of his heades, but from the myddest of his body. B   And I nombred his c&obar;trary fethers, ∧ beholde, there were eight of them. And I loked, ∧ beholde, vpon the right syde there arose one fether, ∧ raigned ouer all the earth. And it happened, þt; whan it raigned, the ende of it came, ∧ the place therof appeared no more. So the nexte folowinge stode vp, ∧ raigned, ∧ had a greate tyme: ∧ it happened, þt; whan it raigned, the ende of it came also like as the first, so that it appeared nomore.

Then came there a voyce vnto it, ∧ sayde: Heare thou þt; hast kepte in the earth so l&obar;ge, this I saye vnto the, before thou begynnest to appeare nomore: There shal none after þe; atteyne vnto thy tyme. Then arose the thirde, ∧ raigned as the other afore, ∧ appeared nomore also. So w&ebar;te it with all the residue one after another, so þt; euery one raigned, ∧ th&ebar; appeared nomore. Th&ebar; I loked, ∧ beholde, in processe of tyme the fethers þt; folowed were set vp vp&obar; the right syde, þt; they might rule also: and some of th&ebar; ruled, but within a while they appeared nomore: for some of th&ebar; were set vp, but ruled not. C   After this I loked, ∧ beholde, þe; xij. fethers appeared nomore, and the two wynges: ∧ there was nomore vpon the Aegles body, but two heades that rested, ∧ sixe fethers. Then sawe I also, þt; the sixe fethers were parted in two, ∧ remayned vnder the heade, þt; was vpon the right syde, for the foure c&obar;tynued in their place. So I loked, and beholde, they that were vnder the wynges, thought to set vp them selues, and to haue the rule. Then was there one set vp, but shortly it appeared nomore, and the seconde were sooner awaye then the first. And I behelde, and lo, the two thought also by th&ebar; selues to raigne: ∧ wh&abar; they so thought, beholde, there waked one of the heades that were at rest, namely, it that was in the myddest, for that was the greater of the two heades. And then I sawe, that the two heades were fylled with him, and the heade was turned with them þt; were by him, ∧ ate vp þe; two vnder wynges, þt; wolde haue raigned.

D   But this heade put þe; whole earth in feare, and bare rule in it, ouer all those þt; dwelt vpon earth with moch laboure, and he had the gouernaunce of the worlde, ouer all the foules that haue bene. After this I loked, and beholde, the heade that was in the middest, sodenly appeared nomore, like as þe; wynges: then came the two heades, which ruled vpon earth, ∧ ouer those that dwelt therin. And I behelde, ∧ lo, the heade vpon the right side, deuoured it that was vpon the left syde. And I herde a voyce, which sayde vnto me: loke before the, and considre the thinge that thou seist. Then I sawe, and beholde, as it were a lyon that roareth, rennynge haistely out of þe; wod, and he sent out a mans voybe vnto the Aegle, and sayde: Heare thou, I wyl talke with the, and the Hyest shal saye vnto the: Is it not thou that hast the victory of the foure beastes, whom I made to raigne vpon earth and in my worlde, and that þe; ende of their times might come thorow th&ebar;?

E   And the fourth came, and ouerwanne all the beastes that were past, and had power ouer the worlde with greate fearfulnes, and ouer the whole compasse of the earth &wt; the most wicked laboure, and so longe time dwelt he vpon the earth with disceate, ∧ the earth hast thou iudged not with trueth. For thou hast troubled the meke, thou hast hurte the peaceable and quyete, thou hast loued lyers, and destroyed the dwellynges of them that brought forth frute, and hast cast downe the walles of soch as dyd the no harme. Therfore is thy wrongeous dealynge and blasphemy come vp vnto the Hyest, and thy pryde vnto the Mightie. The Hyest also hath loked vp&obar; the proude tymes, and beholde, they are ended, and their abhominacions are fulfilled. And therfore appeare nomore thou Aegle, and thy horrible wynges, and thy wicked fethers, and thy vngracious heades, and thy synfull clawes, and all thy vayne body: that the earth maye be refreshed, and come agayne to herself, whan she is deliuered from thy violence, and that she maye hope for þe; iudgment and mercy of him that made her. The XII. Chapter.

A   And it happened wh&abar; þe; Ly&obar; spake these wordes vnto þe; Aegle, ^note þe; heade þt; afore had þe; vpperh&abar;de, appeared nomore: nether dyd þe; foure wynges appeare eny more, þt; came to h&ibar;, ∧ were sett vp to raigne, ∧ their kyngdome was small ∧ full of vproure.

And I sawe, ∧ beholde, they appeared nomore, ∧ þe; whole body of þe; Aegle was br&ebar;t, ∧ the earth was in greate feare. Then awaked I out of the traunce of my mynde, and from greate feare, and sayde vnto my sprete: Lo, this hast thou geuen me, in þt; thou searchest out the wayes of the Hyest: lo, yet am I weary in my minde, and very weake in my sprete,

and litle str&ebar;gth is there in me, for the greate feare that I receaued this night. Therfore wil I now beseke the Hyest, þt; he wyl comforte me vnto the ende, ∧ I sayde: B   LORDE LORDE yf I haue founde grace before thy sight, and yf I am iustified with þe; before many other, ∧ yf my prayer be come vp before thy face, c&obar;forte me then, and shew me thy seruaunt the interpretacion ∧ playne differ&ebar;ce of this horrible sight, that thou mayest perfectly c&obar;forte my soule: for thou hast iudged me worthy, to shew me þe; last of tymes.

And he sayde vnto me: this is the interpretacion of this sight, The Aegle whom thou sawest come vp from the see, is the kingdome which was sene in the vision of thy brother Daniel, ^note but it was no expounded vnto him, for now I declare it vnto the.

Beholde, the dayes come, that there shal ryse vp a kyngdome vp&obar; earth, and it shal be feared aboue all the kyngdomes þt; were before it. In the same kyngdome shal xij. kynges raigne, one after another. For the sec&obar;de shal begynne to raigne, and shal haue more tyme th&ebar; the other, ∧ this do þe; xij. wynges signifie, which thou sawest. C   As for the voyce that spake, and that thou sawest go out from the heades but not from þe; body, it betokeneth, that after the tyme of that kyngdome there shall aryse greate stryuynges, and it shal stonde in parell of fallynge: neuertheles it shal not yet fall, bot shal be set in to his beginnynge. And þe; eight vnderwynges which thou sawest h&abar;ge vnto þe; wynges of h&ibar;, betok&ebar;, þt; in h&ibar; there shal aryse eight kynges, whose tyme shalbe but small, ∧ their yeares swift, ∧ two of them shal beare. But whan the middest tyme commeth, there shal be foure kepte in the tyme, whan his tyme begynneth to come that it maye be ended, but two shal be kepte vnto þe; ende.

And where as thou sawest thre heades restynge, this is the interpretacion: In his last shal the Hyest rayse vp thre kyngdomes, and call many agayne in to th&ebar;, ∧ they shal haue the dominion of the earth, and of those that dwell therin, with moch labo&highr; aboue all those þt; were before th&ebar;. Therfore are they called þe; heades of the Aegle: for it is they þt; shal bringe forth his wickednes agayne, ∧ þt; shal perfourme ∧ fynish his last. And where as thou sawest, that þe; greate heade appeared nomore, it signifieth, that one of them shal dye vp&obar; his bed, ∧ yet with payne, for the two that remayne, shalbe slayne with the swerde. For the swerde of the one shal deuoure the other, but at the last shal he fall thorow the swerde himself.

D   And where as thou sawest two vnderwinges vpon the heade that is on the right syde, it signifieth, that it is they, wh&obar; the Hyest hath kepte vnto their ende: this is a small kyngdome, ∧ full of trouble. The Lyon wh&obar; thou sawest rysinge vp out of the wodd and roaringe, and speakinge vnto the Aegle, and rebukynge him for his vnrighteousnesse, is the wynde, which the Hyest hath kepte for them and for their wickednesse vnto the ende: he shal reproue them, and rente them asunder before them. For he shal sett them lyuynge before the iudgment, and shal rebuke them: for the residue of my people shal he delyuer with trouble, those þt; be preserued ouer myne endes: and he shal make them ioyfull vntyll the commynge of the daye of iudgment, wherof I haue spoken vnto the from the begynnynge. This is the dreame that thou sawest, and this is the interpretacion. Thou only hast bene mete to knowe the secrete of the Hyest.

Therfore wryte all these thinges þt; thou hast sene in a boke, and hyde them, and teach th&ebar; the wyse in the people, whose hertes thou knowest maye compreh&ebar;de and kepe these secretes. But wayte thou here þi; self yet seuen dayes moo, that it maye be shewed the, what so euer it pleaseth the Hyest to declare vnto the, and with that he wente his waye.

E   And whan all the people perceaued, þt; the seuen dayes were past, ∧ I not come agayne in to þe; cite, they gathered them all together from the least vnto the most, ∧ came vnto me, and sayde: what haue we offended the? and what euell haue we done agaynst the, þt; thou forsakest vs, ∧ syttest here in this place? For of all people thou only art left vs, as a grape of the vyne, and as a candell in a darcke place, and as an hauen ∧ shippe preserued from þe; t&ebar;pest. Haue we not els aduersite ynough, but thou must forsake vs? Were it not better for vs, that we had bene brent with Sion? For we are no better, then they þt; dyed there: and they wepte &wt; loude voyce. Then answered I th&ebar; ∧ sayde: Be of good c&obar;forte O Israel, ∧ be not heuy thou house of Iacob: for þe; Hyest hath you in rem&ebar;bra&ubar;ce, ∧ þe; Mightie hath not forgott&ebar; you in t&ebar;taci&obar;. As for me, I haue not forsak&ebar; you, nether am I departed from you: but am come in to this place to praye, because of þe; mysery of Israel, that I might seke mercy for þe; lowe estate of yo&highr; S&abar;ctuary. And now go yo&highr; waye home euery m&abar;, and after these dayes wyl I come vnto you. So the people w&ebar;te their waye in to the cite,

like as I commaunded them: but I remayned still in the felde seuen dayes, as þe; angell bad me, and I ate onely of the floures of the felde, and had my meate of the herbes in those dayes. The XIII. Chapter.

A   And it happened after the seu&ebar; dayes, þt; I dreamed a dreame by night. And beholde, there arose a wynde from the see, that it moued all the floudes therof. And I loked, and beholde, the man was stronge and increased with the cloudes of heauen: and whan he turned his countenaunce to c&obar;sider, all the thinges trembled that were sene vnder him: and whan the voyce wente out of his mouth, all they brent that herde him, like as the earth whan it feleth the fyre.

After these I sawe, ∧ beholde, there was gathered together a multitude of m&ebar; out of nombre from the foure wyndes of the heau&ebar;, to fight agaynst þe; man, that came out from þe; see. And I loked, ∧ beholde, he graued him self a greate mo&ubar;tayne, and flew vp vpon it. But I wolde haue sene the border or place, wherout the hill was grauen, ∧ I coude not.

I sawe after these, þt; all they which came to fight agaynst him, were sore afrayed, and yet durst they fight. Neuertheles whan he sawe the fearsnesse and violence of the people, he nether lift vp his hande ner helde swerde, ner eny weapen: but onely (as I sawe) he sent out of his mouth as it had bene a blast of fyre, and out of his lippes þe; wynde of the flamme: and out of his t&obar;ge he cast out sparkes and stormes, and they were all myxte together: the blast of fyre, the wynde of the fl&abar;mes, and þe; greate storme, ∧ fell with a russhe vpon þe; people, which was prepared to fight ∧ br&ebar;t th&ebar; vp euerychone: so that of the innumerable multitude there was nothinge sene, but onely dust ∧ smoke. Whan I sawe this, I was afrayed.

B   Afterwarde sawe I the same man come downe from the mountayne, and callinge vnto him another peaceable people: and there came moch people vnto him: some were glad some were sory, some of them were bounde, so that they were caried and brought forth.

Then was I sick thorow greate feare, and I awaked, and sayde: thou hast shewed þi; seruaunt all þi; w&obar;ders fr&obar; þe; begynnynge, ∧ hast counted me worthy, þt; thou mightest receaue my prayer: shewe me now yet the interpretacion of this dreame. For thus I c&obar;sidre in my vnderstandinge: Wo vnto them that shal be left in those dayes, ∧ moch more wo vnto th&ebar; that are not left behynde: for they that were not left, were in heuynes.

Now vnderstonde I þe; thinges that are layed vp in the latter dayes, which shal happen vnto them, and to those that are not left behynde. Therfore are they come in to greate parells, and many necessities, like as these dreames declare. Yet is it easier, þt; he which suffreth hurte, come in these, then to passe awaye as a cloude out of the worlde, and now to se þe; thinges þt; shal happen in þe; last.

C   Then answered he me, and sayde: The interpretacion of the sight shall I shewe the, and I will open vnto the, the thinge þt; thou hast requyred. For thou hast spoken of them that are left behynde, and this is the interpretacion. He that taketh awaye the parell in that tyme, hath kepte himself. They that be fallen in to harme, are soch as haue workes ∧ faith vnto the Most mightie. Knowe this therfore, that they which be left behynde, are more blessed, then they that be deed. This is the meanynge of the vision. Where as thou sawest a man commynge vp from the depe of the see, þe; same is he whom God the Hyest hath kepte a greate season, which by his owne self shall delyuer his creature, ∧ he shal ordre th&ebar; that are left behynde. And where as thou sawest, þt; out of his mouth there came a blast of wynde, fyre ∧ storme, ∧ how þt; he lift vp nether swerde ner weapen, but þt; the ru&esset;shinge in of him destroyed the whole multitude, þt; came to fight agaynst him: it signifieth, that the dayes come, whan God wyll delyuer th&ebar; þt; are vpon earth, ∧ in a traunce of mynde shall he come vpon th&ebar;, þt; dwell in the earth. And one shal vndertake to fight agaynst another, one cite agaynst another, one place agaynst another, ^note one people agaynst another, ∧ one realme agaynst another. D   Whan this commeth to passe, then shal the tokens come, that I shewed the before: and th&ebar; shal my sonne be declared, wh&obar; thou sawest clymme vp as a m&abar;. And whan all þe; people heare his voyce, euery man shal in their owne l&obar;de leaue the battayll, þt; they haue one agaynst another, and an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as they that be willinge to come and to ouercome him by fightinge. But he shal st&obar;de vpon the toppe of the mount Sion. Neuertheles Sion shall come, ∧ shall be shewed, beynge prepared ∧ buylded for all men, like as thou sawest the hill grauen forth without eny h&abar;des. But my sonne shal rebuke the people þt; are come for their wickednes, with the tempest, and for their euell ymaginacions: and

their paynes wherwith they shal be punyshed, are lickened vnto the flamme: and without eny laboure shal he destroye them, euen by the lawe, which is c&obar;pared vnto the fyre.

E   And where as thou sawest, that he gathered another peaceable people vnto h&ibar;: those are the ten trybes, which were caried awaye presoners out of their owne londe, in the tyme of Oseas the kynge, ^note whom Salmanasar the kinge of Assiria toke presoner, and caried them ouer þe; water, and so came they in to another londe.

But they gaue them this councell, þt; they shulde leaue the multitude of the Heith&ebar;, and to go forth in to a farther countre, where neuer mankynde dwelt: that they might there kepe their statutes, which they neuer kepte in their owne lande. And so they entred in at the narow passages of the water of Euphrates, ^note and God shewed tokens for th&ebar;, and helde styll the floude tyll they were passed ouer: for thorow that countre there was a greate waye, namely of a yeare and an half iourney, for the same region is called Asareth. Then dwelt they there vnto the latter tyme: and when they come forth agayne, þe; Hyest shall holde styll the sprynges of the streame agayne, that they maye go thorow, therfore sawest thou the multitude with peace. And they that be left behynde of thy people, are those that be founde within my border. Now whan he destroyeth the multitude that is gathered together, he shal def&ebar;de his people that remayne, and then shal he shew them greate wonders.

F   Then sayde I: O LORDE LORDE, shew me this: wherfore haue I sene the man commynge vp from the depe of the see?

And he sayde vnto me: Like as thou c&abar;st nether seke out ner knowe these thinges that are in the depe of the see, euen so maiest thou not se my sonne, or those that be with him, but in the tyme of the daye. This is the interpretacion of the dreame which thou sawest, therfore thou onely art here lightened: for thou hast forsaken thine owne lawe, and applied thy diligence vnto myne, and sought it. ^noteThy life hast thou ordred in wy&esset;dome, and hast called vnderstondinge thy mother, and therfore haue I shewed the þe; treasure of the Hyest. After thre dayes I wil shew the more, and talke with the at more large, yee heuy and wonderous thinges wyl I declare vnto the.

Then wente I forth in to þe; felde, geuynge prayse and thankes greatly vnto God, because of his wonders which he dyd in tyme, and because he gouerneth the same, and soch as is in tyme, and there I satt thre dayes. The XIIII. Chapter.

A   Vpon the thirde daye I satt vnder an oke tre, then came there a voyce vnto me out of the bush, ∧ sayde: E&esset;dras, E&esset;dras. And I sayde: here I am LORDE, and stode vp vpon my fete. ^noteTh&ebar; spake he vnto me: In the bush dyd I appeare vnto Moses, ∧ talked &wt; him, wh&abar; my people serued in Egipte, and I sent him, and led my people out of Egipte, ∧ brought him vp&obar; þe; mount Sion, where I helde him by me a longe season, and tolde him my wonderous workes, and shewed him þe; secretes of the tymes, and the ende, and commaunded him, say&ebar;ge: These wordes shalt thou declare, ∧ not hyde th&ebar;. And now I saye vnto the, that thou laye vp in thine hert the dreames that thou hast sene, and the interpretacions which I haue shewed the: for thou shalt be receaued of all, thou shal be turned and remayne &wt; my councell, and with soch as be like the, vntyll þe; tymes be ended. For the worlde hath lost his youth, and the tymes begynne to waxe olde. For the tyme is deuyded in to twolue partes, and ten partes of it are gone all ready, and half of the tenth parte: yet remayneth there that, which is after þe; half of þe; tenth parte.

B   Therfore prepare and ordre thy house, and refourme thy people: comforte soch of them as be in trouble: and tell now of the destruccion: let go from the mortall thoughtes: cast awaye the burthens of man: put of the weake nature: laye vp in some place þe; thoughtes that are most heuy vnto the, and haist the to flyt from these tymes: for soch euell ∧ wickednesse as thou hast now sene happ&ebar;, shal they do yet moch worse. For the weaker that the worlde and the tyme is, ^note the more shal synne ∧ wickednesse increase, in them that dwell vp&obar; earth. For the trueth is fled farre awaye, ∧ lesynge is hard at hande. For now haisteth the vision to come, that thou hast sene.

Then answered I and sayde: Beholde LORDE, I wyl go as thou hast commaunded me, and refourme the people which are present. But they þt; shal be borne afterwarde, who wyl exhorte or rebuke th&ebar;? C   Thus the worlde is set in darcknes, and they þt; dwel therin, are without light: for thy lawe is kyndled, because no man knoweth the thinges that are done of the, or that shalbe done. Yf I haue fo&ubar;de grace before the, sende the holy goost in to me, and I shall wryte all that hath bene done in the worlde sens the begynnynge,

which was wrytten in thy lawe, that men maye fynde the path, and that they which wyl lyue in the latter dayes, maye lyue.

And he answered me, say&ebar;ge: Go þi; waye, gather thy people together, ∧ saye vnto th&ebar;, that they seke the not for xl. dayes, but loke thou gather the many boxe trees, and take with the Sarea, Dabria, Selemia, Echanus and Asial, these fyue, which are ready to wryte swiftly, and come hither, and I shal light a c&abar;dle of vnderst&obar;dinge in thine hert, which shal not be put out, tyll the thinges be perfourmed which thou shalt begynne to wryte. And then shalt thou declare some thinges openly vnto the perfecte, and some thinges shalt thou shew secretly vnto þe; wyse. Tomorow this houre shalt thou begynne to wryte.

D   Then w&ebar;te I forth (as he comma&ubar;ded me) and gathered all þe; people together, and sayde: Heare these wordes o Israel: Oure fathers from the begynnynge were straunges in Egipte, from wh&ebar;ce they were delyuered, and receaued the lawe of life, ^note which they kepte not, which ye also haue tr&abar;sgressed after th&ebar;. Then was this londe and the londe of Sion parted am&obar;ge you by the lot to possesse. But yo&highr; fathers and ye yo&highr; selues also haue done vnrighteousnes, ∧ haue not kepte the wayes which the Hyest c&obar;maunded you. And for so moch as he is a righteous iudge, he toke from you in tyme the thinge that had geuen you. And now are ye here and yo&highr; brethren am&obar;ge you. Therfore yf so be that ye wil subdue yo&highr; owne vnderstandinge, and refourme youre hert, ye shal be kepte aliue, ∧ after death shal ye opteyne mercy. For after death shall the iudgment come, whan we shal lyue agayne: and then shal the names of the righteous be manifest, and þe; names of the vngodly with their workes shalbe declared. Let no m&abar; therfore come now vnto me, ner axe eny question at me these xl. dayes.

E   So I toke the fyue men (as he commaunded me) and we wente in to the felde, and remayned there. The next daye a voyce called me say&ebar;ge: ^note E&esset;dras, Open thy mouth, ∧ drynke that I geue the. Th&ebar; opened I my mouth, ∧ beholde, he reached me a full cuppe, which was full of water, but the colo&highr; of it was like fyre. And I toke it and dranke. And wh&abar; I had dronken it, my hert had vnderstondinge, and wy&esset;dome grew in my brest: for my sprete was kepte in remembraunce, and my mouth was opened and shut nomore. The Hyest gaue vnderstondinge vnto the fyue men, þt; they wrote þe; hye th&ibar;ges of the night, which they vnderstode not. But in the night they ate bred: as for me, I spake in the daye, and helde not my tonge by night. In xl. dayes, they wrote two hundreth ∧ foure bokes.

And it happened wh&abar; the xl. dayes were fulfilled, that the Hyest spake, sayenge: The first that thou hast wrytt&ebar;, speake openly, þt; the worthy and vnworthy maye rede it. But kepe þe; lxx. last, þt; thou mayest shew it onely to soch as be wyse amonge thy people. For in them is the sprynge of vnderst&obar;dinge, the fountayne of wy&esset;dome, and the streame of knowlege. And I dyd so. The XV. Chapter.

A   Beholde, speake thou in the eares of my people the wordes of prophecie, which I wyll put in þi; mouth, saieth the LORDE: and cause them to be wrytten in a letter, for it is the trueth. Feare not the ymaginaci&obar;s against þe;, let not þe; vnfaithfulnes of them trouble the, that speake agaynst the. For all the vnfaithfull shal dye in their vnfaithfulnes. Beholde saieth the LORDE, I wil brynge plages vpon the worlde: þe; swerde, honger, death and destruccion, for wickednes hath the vpper hande in all þe; earth, and their shamefull workes are fulfilled.

B   Therfore saieth the LORDE: I wil holde my tonge nomore vnto their wickednesse, which they do so vngodly: nether wil I suffre them in the thinges, that they deale withall so wickedly. ^noteBeholde, the innocent bloude of the troubled crieth vnto me, and the soules of the righteous complayne c&obar;tynually: and therfore (saieth the LORDE) I wil surely au&ebar;ge, and receaue vnto me all the innoc&ebar;t bloude from amonge them.

^noteBeholde, my people, is led as a flock of shepe to be slayne, I wil not suffre them now to dwel in Egipte, but wyl brynge them out with a mightie hande and a stretched out arme, and smyte it with plages as afore, and wyl destroye all the londe off it. Egipte shal mourne, and the foundacions of it shalbe smytten with the plage and punyshment, þt; God shal brynge vpon it.

C   They that tyll þe; gro&ubar;de, shal mourne, for their sedes shal be destroyed thorow the blastinge and hale, and an horrible starre. Wo worth þe; worlde and them that dwell therin, for þe; swerde ∧ their destrucci&obar; draweth nye: ∧ one people shal st&obar;de vp to fight against another, ∧ swerdes in their h&abar;des. For m&ebar; shalbe vnstedfast, and some shal do violence vnto other: they shal not regarde their kynge and prynces, the wayes of their doinges and h&abar;delinges in their power. A man shal desyre to go in to the cite, ∧ shal not be able. For because

of their pryde þe; cities shalbe brought in feare, þe; houses shal shake, and men shalbe afrayed. A man shal haue no pitie vpon his neghboure, but one shal prouoke another vnto battayll, to spoyle their goodes because of the honger of bred, and because of the greate trouble.

D   Beholde, I gather ∧ call together all the kynges of þe; earth which are from the vprysinge, from the south, from the east and Libanus to turne vnto them, and restore the thinges that they haue geu&ebar; them. Like as they do yet this daye vnto my chosen, so wil I do also, and rec&obar;pense th&ebar; in their bosome. Thus sayeth þe; LORDE God: My right hande shal not spare þe; synners, and my swerde shal not ceasse ouer them, that shed the innoc&ebar;t bloude vpon earth. The feare is gone out fr&obar; his wrath, and hath c&obar;sumed the foundacions of the earth, and the synners like the strawe that is kindled. Wo worth them that synne, and kepe not my commaundementes, saieth the LORDE. I wil not spare them. Go youre waye ye children from violence, defyle not my Sanctuary: for the LORDE knoweth all th&ebar; that synne agaynst him, and therfore delyuereth he them vnto death and destrucci&obar;: For now are the plages come vpon the worlde, ∧ ye shal remayne in th&ebar;. For God shal not delyuer you, because ye haue synned agaynst him.

E   Beholde, an horrible vision commeth fr&obar; the east, where generacions of Dragons shal come out, and the people of the Arabes with many charettes, and the multitude of them shalbe as the wynde vp&obar; earth, that all they which heare them ragynge in their wrath, maye feare and be afrayed: and as the wylde bores out of þe; wod, so shal they go out, and with greate power shal they come, and stonde fightinge with th&ebar;, and shal waist the porcion of the londe of the Assirians.

And then shal the Dragons haue the vpper hande, not remembringe their byrth, and shal turne aboute swearinge together in greate power, to persecute them. But these shalbe afrayed, and kepe sylence at their power, and shal fle: and one out of the londe of the Assirians shal besege th&ebar;, and consume one of th&ebar;, and in their hoost shal be feare and drede, and strife amonge their kynges.

F   Beholde cloudes from the east, and from the north vnto the south, and they are very horrible to loke vpon, full of wrath and storme. They shal smyte one vpon another, and they shal smyte at þe; greate starre vpon earth and their starre, and the bloude shalbe from the swerde vnto the bely, and the smoke of m&abar; vnto þe; Camels lytter: And there shalbe greate fearfulnes and tremblinge vp&obar; earth, and they that se the wrath, shal be afrayed, and a tremblinge shal come vpon them.

And then shal there come greate raynes from þe; south and from the north, and parte from the west, and from the stormy wynde from the east, and shal shutt them vp agayne, ∧ the cloude which he raysed vp in wrath, and the starre to cause feare towarde þe; east and west wynde, shalbe destroyed, ∧ the greate cloudes shalbe lift vp, and þe; mightie cloudes full of wrath, and the starre, that they maye make all the earth afrayed and th&ebar; þt; dwell therin, and that they maye poure out ouer all places an horrible starre, fyre and hale and flyenge swerdes, and many waters: þt; all feldes maye be full, and all ryuers, ∧ they shal breake downe the cities ∧ walles, mountaynes ∧ hylles, all trees, wod, and the grasse of the medowes, and all their frute. And they shal go stedfast vnto Babilon, and make her afrayed, they shal come to her and besege her: the starre and all wrath shal they poure out vpon her.

G   Then shal the dust and smoke go vp vnto the heauen, and all they that be aboute her, shal bewayle her: and they that remayne vnder her, shal do seruyce vnto them that haue put her in feare. And thou Asia þt; c&obar;fortest thyself also vp&obar; the hope of Babilon, and art a worshipe of hir personne: Wo be vnto the thou wretch, because thou hast made thyself like vnto her, ∧ hast decte þi; daughters &ibar; whordome, that they might tryumphe and please thy louers, which haue allwaye desyred to c&obar;mytte whordome &wt; the: thou hast folowed the abhominable cite in all hir workes and invencions.

Therfore sayeth God: I wyl sende plages vpon the, wyddowhode, pouerte, h&obar;ger, warres, and pestilence, to waist thy houses with destruccion and death, and the glory of thy power shal be dryed vp as a floure, whan þe; heate aryseth þt; is sent ouer the. Thou shalt be sick as a poore wife that is plaged ∧ beat&ebar; of wemen: so þt; the mightie and louers shal not be able to receaue the. Wolde I so hate the saieth the LORDE? Yf thou haddest not allwaye slayne my chosen, exaltinge the stroke of thy handes, and sayde ouer their death, whan thou wast dronk&ebar;: set forth the betwye of thy countenaunce.

The rewarde of thy whordome shalbe recompensed the in thy bosome, therfore shalt thou receaue ^note rewarde.

H   Like as thou hast done vnto my chosen (sayeth the LORDE) euen so shal God do vnto the, and shal delyuer the in to the plage. Thy childr&ebar; shal dye of honger, ∧ thou shalt fall thorow þe; swerde. Thy cities shalbe broken downe, ∧ all thine shal perish &wt; the swerde in þe; felde. They þt; be in þe; mo&ubar;taynes shal dye of honger, ∧ eate their owne flesh, ∧ drinke their owne bloude for very h&obar;ger of bred ∧ thyrst of water. Thou vnhappie shalt come thorow the see, ∧ receaue plages agayne.

In the passage they shall cast downe the slayne cite, ∧ shal rote out one parte of þi; londe, ∧ c&obar;sume the porcion of thy glory. They shal treade the downe like stuble, ∧ they shalbe thy fyre and shal consume the: thy cities and thy londe, thy wod ∧ thy frutefull trees shal they burne vp with the fyre. Thy children shal they cary awaye captyue, and loke what thou hast, they shal spoyle it, and marre the bewtie of thy face. The XVI. Chapter.

A   Wo vnto the Babilon ∧ Asia, wo vnto þe; Egipte ∧ Syria: gyrde yo&highr; selues &wt; clothes of sack ∧ hayre, and mourne for youre childr&ebar;, be sory, for yo&highr; destruccion is at honde. A swerde is sent vpon you, ∧ who wil turne it back? A fyre is kyndled am&obar;ge you, ∧ who wil quench it? Plages are sent vnto you, ∧ what is he that wil dryue them awaye? Maye eny man dryue awaye an h&obar;grie lyon in the wod? Or maye eny m&abar; quench the fyre in the stubble, whan it hath begonne to burne? Maye one turne agayne the arowe, þt; is shot of a stronge archer? The mightie LORDE sendeth the plages, ∧ what is he that wil dryue them awaye? The fyre is kyndled ∧ gone forth in his wrath, ∧ what is he that will quench it? He shall cast lightenynges, ∧ who shal not feare? He shal thonder, and who shall not be afrayed? The LORDE shal threaten, ∧ who shal not vtterly be beaten to poulder at his presence? The earth quaketh, ∧ the foundacions therof: þe; see aryseth vp &wt; wawes from the depe, and the floudes of it are vnquyete, ∧ the fishes therof also before the LORDE, ∧ before the glory of his power. For stronge is his right hande that holdeth the bowe, his arowes that he shuteth, are sharpe, ∧ shall not mysse, whan they begynne to be shot in to þe; endes of the worlde.

B   Beholde, þe; plages are sent, ∧ shal not turne agayne, tyll they come vpon earth. The fyre is kyndled, ∧ shall not be put out, tyll it consume the foundacions of the earth. Like as an arowe which is shot of a mightie archer, returneth not bacwarde, euen so þe; plages þt; shal be sent vpon earth, shal not turne agayne. Wo is me, wo is me, who wyl delyuer me in those dayes? The begynnynge of sorowes ∧ greate mourninge: the begynnynge of derth ∧ greate death: the begynnynge of warres, ∧ the powers shal stonde in feare: the begynnynge of euels, ∧ they shal tremble euery one. What shal I do in these thinges, whan the plages come? Beholde, h&obar;ger and plage, trouble ∧ anguysh are sent, as scourges for amendement. But for all these thinges they shal not turne fr&obar; their wickednesses, ner be allwaye myndefull of þe; scourges.

C   Beholde, vitayles shalbe so good cheape vpon earth, þt; they shal thinke themselues to be in good case: and euen then shal myschefe growe vp&obar; earth, warres, derth ∧ greate disquietnes. For many of them that dwell vp&obar; earth shall perish of h&obar;ger, ∧ the other that escape the honger, shal the swerde destroye: ∧ the deed shalbe cast out as donge, ∧ there shalbe no man to c&obar;forte them. For þe; earth shalbe waisted, ∧ the cities shalbe cast downe: there shalbe no man left to tyll þe; earth ∧ to sowe it. The trees shal geue frute, ∧ who shal plucke th&ebar; of ∧ gather them? The grapes shal be ripe, ∧ who shal treade th&ebar;? For all places shalbe desolate of m&ebar;, so that one man shal desyre to se another, or to heare his voyce. For of one whole cite there shalbe ten left, ∧ two in the felde, which shall hyde th&ebar; selues in the thicke bu&esset;shes, ∧ in the clyffes of stones: like as whan there remayne thre or foure olyues vpon the olyue tre, or as whan a vynyarde is gathered, there are left some grapes, of them that dilig&ebar;tly sought thorow the vynyarde.

D   Euen so in those dayes there shalbe thre or foure left, for th&ebar; þt; search their houses &wt; the swerde. And the earth shalbe left waist, ∧ the feldes therof shall waxe olde: and hir wayes and all hir pathes shal growe full of thornes, because no man shal trauayle there thorow. The daughters shal mourne, hauinge no brydegromes: the wemen shal make lamentacion, hauynge no hu&esset;bandes, their daughters shal mourne, hauinge no helpe of their brydegrome. In the warres shall they be destroyed, ∧ their hu&esset;bandes shal perish of honger. O ye seruauntes of the LORDE, heare these thinges, ∧ marck th&ebar;. Beholde, the worde of the LORDE, O receaue it: beholde, the plages drawe nye, ∧ are not slack in tarienge. Like as a trauaylinge woman, which after þe; ix. moneth br&ibar;geth forth a sonne, whan the houre of the byrth is come, an

houre two or thre afore that the paynes come vp&obar; hir body, ∧ whan the childe c&obar;meth to the byrth, they tary not the twincklynge of an eye: Eu&ebar; so shall not þe; plages be slack to come vpon earth, ∧ the worlde shal mourne, ∧ sorowes shal come vp&obar; it on euery syde.

E   O my people, heare my worde, make you redy to the battayll: ∧ in all euell be euen as pylgrems vpon earth. He þt; selleth, let him be as he that flyeth his waye: ∧ he þt; byeth, as one that wil lese. ^noteWho so occupieth marcha&ubar;dies, as he that wynneth not: ∧ he that buyldeth, as he that shall not dwell therin: he that soweth, as one þt; shal not reape: he that twysteth the vynyarde, as he that shal not gather the grapes: they that mary, as they that shall get no children: ∧ they þt; mary not, as the wyddowes: ^note ∧ therfore they þt; laboure, labo&highr; in vayne. For straungers shall reape their frutes, ∧ spoyle their goodes, ouerthrowe their houses, ∧ take their childr&ebar; captyue, for in captiuyte ∧ honger shal they get children. And they that occupie their marchaundies &wt; robbery, how longe decke they their cities, their houses, their possessions ∧ personnes? the more wil I punysh them for their synnes, sayeth the LORDE. Like as an whore enuyeth an honest woman, so shall righteousnes hate iniquyte, whan she decketh hir self, and shall accuse her to hir face, whan he c&obar;meth that defendeth, which shal make inquysici&obar; for all synne vp&obar; earth. And therfore be not ye like there vnto, ner to the workes therof: for or euer it be longe, iniquite shalbe taken awaye out of the earth, and righteousnes shal raigne amonge you.

F   Let not the synner saye, that he hath not synned: for coles of fyre shal burne vpon his heade, which saieth before the LORDE God ∧ his glory: I haue not synned. Beholde, the LORDE knoweth all þe; workes of men, their ymaginacions, their thoughtes ∧ their hertes. ^noteFor he spake but the worde: let the earth be made, ∧ it was made: let the heau&ebar; be made, ∧ it was made. In his worde were þe; starres made, ∧ he knoweth the nombre of them. He searcheth the grounde of the depe, ∧ the treasures therof: he hath measured the see, ∧ what it conteyneth. He hath shut the see in the myddest of the waters, and &wt; his worde hath he hanged the earth vpon the waters. He spredeth out the heauen like a vowte, vpon the waters hath he founded it. In the deserte and drye wyldernes hath he made sprynges of water, and poles vp&obar; the toppe of the mountaynes, þt; the floudes might poure downe from þe; stony rockes to water the earth. He made man, and put his hert in the myddest of þe; body, and gaue him breth, life and vnderstandinge, yee and the sprete of þe; Allmightie God, which made all thinges, and hath searched the gro&ubar;de of all the secretes of the earth.

G   He knoweth youre ymaginacions ∧ inu&ebar;cions, and what ye thynke whan ye synne, ∧ wolde hyde youre synnes. Therfore hath þe; LORDE searched and sought out all yo&highr; workes, and he shal bewraye you all. And whan yo&highr; synnes are brought forth, ye shalbe ashamed before men, and youre owne synnes shalbe youre accusers in that daye. What wil ye do? Or how will ye hyde youre synnes before God and his angels? Beholde, God himself is the iudge, feare him, leaue of from youre synnes, and forget youre vnrighteousnesses, and medle nomore with them: so shal God lede you forth, and delyuer you from all trouble. For beholde, the heate of a greate multitude is kyndled ouer you, and they shal take awaye certayne of you, and fede the ydle &wt; Idols: and they that c&obar;sent vnto them, shalbe had in derision, laughed to scorne, ∧ trodden vnder fote.

For vnto the places there shalbe a place, and in the next cities a greate insurreccion vpon those that feare þe; LORDE. H   They shalbe like mad men, they shall spare no man: they shall spoyle and waist soch as feare the LORDE, their goodes shall they take from them, and shute them out of their houses. Then shall it be knowne who are my chosen, ∧ they shalbe tryed as the golde in the fyre. Heare O ye my beloued, saieth the LORDE: beholde, the dayes of trouble are at honde, but I wil delyuer you from the same. Be not ye afraied, dispayre not, for God is youre captayne.

Who so kepeth my c&obar;maundementes and preceptes (sayeth the LORDE God) let not youre synnes weye you downe, ∧ let not youre vnrighteousnesses be lift vp. Wo be vnto th&ebar; that are subdued vnto their synnes, and tangled in their wickednesses: like as a felde is hedged in with bu&esset;shes, and the path therof couered with thornes, þt; no man maye trauayle thorow: and so is he taken, and cast in the fyre, and brent. The ende of the IIII. boke of E&esset;dras.

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