A   There was at Babilon an ymage, called Bel: and there were spent vpon him euery daye, xij. cakes, xl. shepe, and sixe greate pottes of wine. Him dyd the kynge worshipe himself, and wente daylie to hono&highr; him: but Daniel worshiped his owne God. And the kynge sayde vnto him: Why dost not thou worshipe Bel? ^note he answered and sayde: Because I maye not worshipe thinges, that be made &wt; hondes, but the lyuynge God, which made heauen and earth, and hath power vpon all flesh. The kynge sayde vnto him: thinkest thou not, þt; Bel is a lyuynge God ? Or seist thou not, how moch he eateth and drynketh euery daye? Daniel smyled, and sayde: O kynge, disceaue not thyselfe: This is but made of claye within, and of metall without, ^note nether eateth he euer eny thinge.

B   Then the kynge was wroth, and called for his prestes, and sayde vnto them: Yf ye tell me not who this is, that eateth vp these expenses, ye shal dye: But yf ye can certifie me, that Bel eateth them, ^note then Daniel shall dye, for he hath spoken blasphemy agaynst Bel. And Daniel sayde vnto the kynge: let it so be, acordinge as thou hast sayde. The prestes of Bel were lxx. besyde their wyues and children. And the kynge wente with Daniel in to the temple of Bel. So Bels prestes sayde: Lo, we wil go out, ∧ set thou þe; meate there (O kynge) ∧ poure in the wyne: then shutt the dore fast, and seale it with thine owne signet: and tomorow when thou commest in, yf thou fyndest not, that Bel hath eaten vp all, we wil suffre death: or els daniel, that hath lyed vpon vs. C   The prestes thought them selues sure ynough, for vnder þe; altare they had made a preuy intraunce, ∧ there wente they in euer, and ate vp what there was.

So when they were gone forth, the kynge set meates before Bel. Now Daniel had c&obar;maunded his seruauntes to bringe a&esset;shes and these he siffted thorow out all the temple, that the kynge might se. Then wente they out, ∧ sparre the dore, sealinge it with þe; kynges signet, and so departed. In þe; night came the prestes with their wyues and children (as they were wonte to do) and ate and dronke vp all. In the mornynge be tymes at the breake of the daye, the kynge arose, ∧ Daniel with him. And the kynge sayde: Daniel, are the seales whole yet? He answered: Yee (o kynge) they be whole. Now as soone as he had opened the dore, the kinge loked vnto þe; altare, and cried with a loude voyce: Greate art thou o Bel, and with the is no disceate. Then laughed Daniel, and helde the kynge, that he shulde not go in, and sayde: Beholde the pauement, marcke well, whose fotesteppes are these? The kynge sayde: I se the fotesteppes of men, women and children.

D   Therfore the kynge was angrie, and toke the prestes, with their wyues and childr&ebar;, ∧ they shewed him þe; preuy dores, where they came in, ∧ ate vp soch thinges as were vpon þe; altare. ^noteFor the which cause þe; kynge slewe them, ∧ delyuered Bel in to Daniels power, which destroyed him and his temple.

And in that same place there was a greate dragon, which they of Babilon worshipped. And þe; kynge sayde vnto Daniel: sayest thou, þt; this is but a god of metall also? lo, he liueth, he eateth ∧ drinketh: so þt; thou c&abar;st not saye, that he is no lyuinge God, therfore worshipe him. Daniel sayde vnto þe; kinge: I wil worshipe the LORDE my God, ^note he is þe; true lyuynge God: as for this, he is not the God of life. But geue me leaue (o kynge) ∧ I shal destroye this dragon without swearde or staff. The kynge sayde: I geue þe; leaue. Then Daniel toke pitch, fatte and hairie woll, and did seyth them together, and made lompes therof: this he put in þe; Drag&obar;s mouth, and so þe; dragon barst in sonder: and Daniel sayde: lo, there is he whom ye worshipped.

E   When they of Babylon herde that, they toke greate indignacion, and gathered them together agaynst the kynge, sayenge: The kynge is become a Iewe also, he hath destroyed Bel, he hath slayne þe; Dragon, and put the prestes to death. So they came to þe; kynge, ∧ sayde: let us haue Daniel, or els we wil destroye the and thine house.