A   Alas, howe sytteth the cytie so desolate, þt; somtyme was full of people? Howe is she become lyke a wedowe, ^note which was þe; lady of all nacyons? Howe is she brought vnder trybute, &rhand; that ruled all landes. She wepeth sore in þe; nyght so that the teares runne downe her chekes: for amonge all her louers, there is none that geueth her eny comforte: ^note ye her nexte frendes tr&abar;sgresse agenst her, and are become her enemyes. Iuda is taken presoner, because she was defyled: and for seruynge so many stra&ubar;ge goddes, she dwelleth nowe amonge the Heythen. She fyndeth no rest, all they that persecuted her, toke her, in strayte places wher she coulde not escape. B   The streates of Sion mourne, because no man c&obar;meth nomore to the sol&ebar;pne feastes. All her gates are desolat, her prestes make lam&ebar;taci&obar;, her mayd&ebar;s are carefull: ∧ she her selfe is in great heuynesse. Her enemies haue bene rulers ouer her, and her enemyes haue prospered: because the Lorde hath chastened her for her greate wyckednes: ^note her chyldren are ledde awaye captiue before theyr enemye. All the bewtie of the daughter of Sion is awaye, her princes are become lyke hertes that fynde no pasture. C   They are dryu&ebar; awaye before theyr enemie, so that they haue nomore power.

Nowe doth Ierusalem remembre the tyme of her misery and disobedi&ebar;ce, yee, the ioye and pleasure that she hath had in tymes past seynge her people is brought downe thorow the power of theyr enemye, and there is no man for to helpe her: her enemyes stande lokynge at her, and laugh her Sabbath dayes to scorne. Ierusalem hath synned euer, more and more, therfore is she come in decaye. All they that had her in honoure despyse her: for they haue sene her fylthynes. Yee, she sygheth, and is ashamed of her selfe.

&rhand; Her skyrtes are defyled, she remembred not what wolde folowe: therfore is her fall so wonderfull, and there is no man to c&obar;forte her. D   O Lorde, consydre my trouble, for myne enemye hath the vpperhande. The enemye hath put hys h&abar;de to all the precious thynges that she had, yee, eu&ebar; before her eyes came the Heathen in and out of the S&abar;ctuary: ^note whom thou (neuertheles) hast forbydden to come within thy congregacyon.

^noteAll her people seke theyr breade with heuynes, and loke what precyous thing euery man hath, that geueth he for meate, to saue hys lyfe. Consydre, O Lorde, and se, how vyle I am become. Haue ye no regarde O all ye that go fore by, be holde and se, yf there be eny sorow lyke vnto myne, wherwith the Lorde hath troubled me, in the daye of his fearfull wrath. &club; From aboue hath he sent downe a fyre into my bones and it burneth them cruellye: E   he hath layed a net for my fete and throwen me wyde open: he hath made me desolate, so that I must euer be mournynge. The yocke of my transgressyon is come at the last, with hys h&abar;de hath he taken it vp, and put it aboute my neck. My strength is gone: the Lorde hath delyuered me into those handes, wherout I cannot quyte my selfe. The Lorde hath destroyed all the myghtye men, that were in me He hath proclaymed a feaste, to slaughter all my best men. The Lorde hath troden downe the daughter, of Iuda, lyke as it were in a wyne presse. ^noteTherfore do I wepe, and myne eyes gusshe oute of water: for the comforte that shulde quycken me, is farre fro me.

F   My chyldren are dryuen awaye, for why? the enemy hath gotten the ouerhande.

Syon casteth out her handes, and there is

no man to c&obar;forte her. The Lorde hath laied the enemyes rounde aboute Iacob, and Ierusalem is become abominacyon in the myddest of them. ^noteThe Lorde is ryghtuous, for I haue prouoked his countenaunce vnto anger. O take hede all ye people, and c&obar;sydre my heuinesse. My maydens and my yonge men are led awaye into captiuyte.

I called for my louers (but they begyled me) for my prestes and councellers, but they peryshed: euen whyle they sought for meate, to saue theyr lyues. ^note G   Consydre (O Lord) howe I am troubled, my wombe is disquyeted, my hert turneth about in me, and I am full of heuines because I rebelled stoburnlie. The swearde hurteth me withoute, ∧ within I am like vnto death. They heare my mournyng, but there is none that wyll c&obar;forte me. All myne enemies haue hearde of my trouble and are glad therof, because thou hast done it and thou hast brought forth þe; tyme which þu; calledest, wh&ebar; they also shalbe like vnto me.

Fr&obar; the shall come all their aduersitie thou shalt plucke th&ebar; awaye eu&ebar; as thou hast pluked me, because of all my wikednes. For my sorowe is very greate, ∧ my hert is heuy. ¶ The .ii. Chapter.

A   Alas, ^note howe hath the Lorde darckened the daughter of Syon so sore in hys wrath? As for þe; honour of Israel he hath cast it downe fr&obar; heauen vnto þe; erth. Howe happeneth it, that he remembred not his awne ^note fote stole when he was angre?

The Lorde hath cast downe all the habitatyons of Iacob without any fauour: all þe; stronge places of the daughter Iuda hath he broken in hys wrath, and throwen them downe to the grounde: her kyngdome and her princes hath he suspended. In the wrath of hys indignacyon he hath brok&ebar; all &rhand; the horne of Israel: he hath &wt; drawen his right hande from the enemye: yee, a flame of fyre is kyndled in Iacob, and hath consumed vp all rounde aboute. He hath bent his bowe lyke an enemye, B   he hath fastened hys right h&abar;d as an aduersary: and euerythynge that was pleasaunt to se, he hath smytten it downe. He hath poured out his wrath lyke a fyre, into the tabernacle of the daughter of Syon.

The Lorde is become lyke as it were an enemie, he hath deuoured Israel and all hys palaces: yee, all his strong holdes hath he destroyed, and fylled þe; daughter of Iuda with moche sorowe and heuynesse.

^noteHer tabernacle (which was lyke a garden of pleasure) hath he destroyed: her hye sol&ebar;pne feastes hath he put downe. The Lorde hath brought it so to passe, that the hie sol&ebar;pne feastes and Sabbathes in Sion, are cleane forgotten. In his heuy displeasure hath he made the kynge and prestes to be despised.

The Lorde hath forsaken hys awne aulter, and hath abhorred his awne Sanctuarye, and hath geuen the walles of theyr towres into the handes of the enemye. C   Theyr enemies made a noise in the house of þe; Lord, as it had bene in a solempne feaste daye.

The Lorde thought to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Sion, he spred out his lyne, and drewe not in hys hande, tyll he had destroyed them: Therfore mourne the turrettes and the broken walles together.

Her gates are soncke downe to the gro&ubar;de, her barres are broken and smytten in sonder, ^note her kynge ∧ princes are caried awaye to the Gentyls. They haue nether lawe ner prophetes, ner yet eny visyon fr&obar; the Lorde.

The senatours of the daughter Sion syt vpon the gro&ubar;de in sil&ebar;ce: they haue strawed asshes vpon theyr heades, and gyrded them selues with sack cloth. The maydens of Ierusal&ebar; hange downe theyr heades to the grounde. D   Myne eyes begyne to fayle me thorowe wepyng, ^note my body is disquyeted, my liuer is poured vp&obar; the earth, for þe; greate hurte of my people, seynge the chyldren and babes dyd swowne in the stretes of the cyte.

Euen when they spake to theyr mothers: where is meate and dryncke? for whyle they so sayde, they fell downe in the stretes of the cytie, lyke as they had bene wo&ubar;ded, and some dyed in theyr mothers bosome.

What shall I saye of the, O thou daughter Ierusalem, to whom shall I lycken the? To whom shall I c&obar;pare the. E   O þu; daughter Sion, to comforte the withall? Thy hurte is lyke a mayne see, who maye heale the?

^noteThy prophetes haue loked out vayne and folishe thinges for the, they haue not shewed the of thy wickednes, to kepe the fr&obar; captiuite: but haue ouerladen the, and thorow falshed scatred the abrode. All they that go by the, clappe their handes at the: hissynge and wagginge their heades vp&obar; the daughter Ierusalem, and saye: is this the cyte that men call so fayre: wherin the whole lande reioyseth? All thyne enemies gape vpon þe;: whysperinge and bytinge their teth, saying: let vs deuoure, for the tyme that we loked for, is come: we haue founde and sene it.

F   The Lorde hath fulfylled the thinge, that he was purposed to do: and perfourmed that he had deuised longe a go: he hath destroyed, and not spared. He hath caused thine aduersarye triumphe ouer the, and set vp the horne of thyne enemie. ^noteLet thyne herte crye vnto the Lorde, O thou cytie of the daughter Sion: let thy teares runne downne lyke a ryuer daye and nyght, rest not, and let not the aple of thyne eye leaue of. Stande vp and make thy praier in the fyrst watch of the nyght, poure oute thyne hert lyke water before the Lorde. lyft vp thyne handes, for the

lyues of thy yonge chyldren, that dye of honger in the stretes. Beholde, O Lorde, and consydre, why hast thou gathered me vp so cleane? Shall þe; wemen then eate their awne frute, euen chyldr&ebar; of a spanne longe? Shall the prestes and prophetes be slayne thus in the Sanctuary of the Lorde? Yonge and olde lye behynde the stretes vpon the grounde, my maydens and yonge men are slayne with the swearde: whom thou in the daye of thy wrathfull indignacion hast put to death: yee, euen thou hast put them to death, ∧ not spared them. My neyghboures that are rounde about me, hast thou called, as it were to a feast daye: so þt; in the daye of the Lordes wrath none escaped, nether was eny left behynde. Those that I haue brought ∧ noryshed, hath myne enemy destroyed. ¶ The .iii. Chapter.

A   I am the m&abar;, that (thorowe the rodd of hys wrath) haue experience of misery. He droue me forth, and led me: yee, into darckenesse, but not into lyght. Agaynst me onely he turneth hys hande, and layeth it euer vpon me.

My fleshe and my skynne hath he made olde, ∧ my bones hath he brused. He hath buylded rounde aboute me, and closed me in with gall and trauayle. He hath sett me in darckenes, as they that be deed for euer.

He hath so hedged me in, that I cannot get out, and hath layed heuy lynckes vpon me. Though I crye and call pyteously, yet heareth he not my prayer. He hath stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones, and made my pathes croked.

B   He layeth wayte for me lyke a Beare, and as a lyon in a hole. He hath marred my wayes, and brok&ebar; me in peces, he hath layed me waste altogether. He hath bent hys bowe, ∧ made me as it were a marck to shut at:The arowes of his quyuer hath he shot euen into myne reynes. ^noteI am laughed to scorne of all my people, they make songes vpon me all the daye longe. He hath fylled me with bitternes, and geuen me wormwod to dryncke. He hath smitten my teth in peces with stones, and rolled me in þe; dust.

C   He hath put my soule out of rest, I forget all good thynges. I thought in my selfe: I am vndone, there is no hope for me in the Lorde. O remembre yet my misery and my trouble, the wormwod and the gall.

Yee, thou shalt remembre them, for my soule melteth awaye in me. Whyle I consydre these thynges in my herte, I get a hope agayne. Namely, it is of the Lordes mercyes that we are not, vtterly consumed. For trulye hys pytefull compassion hath not ceassed. Newe mercyes shall the Lorde shewe vpon the, erly, yee in the daye sprynge, (O Lorde) greate is thy faythfulnesse.

^noteThe Lorde is my porcyon, sayeth my soule, therfore wyll I hope in him. O how good is the Lorde vnto them, that put theyr trust in hym, and to þe; soule that seketh after hym? The good man with stylnes and pacience tarieth, for the health of the Lorde.

D   O howe good is it for a man, to take the yock vpon him from his youth vp. He sytteth alone, he holdeth hym still, and dwelleth quyetly by him selfe. He laieth hys face vpon the earth, yf (percase) there happen to be eny hope. He offreth his cheke to the smyter, he wyll be content with reproues.

For the Lorde wyll not forsake for euer, ^note but though he punyshe hym: yet according to the multitude of his mercyes, he receaueth to grace agayne:For he doth not plage ∧ cast out the children of men from his herte.

To treade all the presoners of the earth vnder his fete. To moue the iudgement of man before the most hyghest.

To condempne a man in hys cause. The Lorde hath not pleasure in soche thynges.

E   What is he then that saieth: there shulde somthinge be done without the Lordes commaundement. Out of the mouth of the moost hyghest goeth not euell and good?

Wherfore then murmureth the lyuynge man? let him murmure at his awne synne.

^noteLet vs loke, well vp&obar; our awne wayes and remembre oure selues, and turne againe to the Lorde. Let vs lyfte vp oure hertes with oure handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen. We haue bene dissemblers, and haue offended, wylt thou therfore not be intreaded? Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath, and persecuted vs, thou hast slayne vs without any fauoure. ^noteThou hast hyd thy selfe in a cloude, þt; oure prayer shuld not go thorowe. Thou hast made vs out castes, and to be despysed amonge the people. All oure enemyes gape vpon vs.

Feare and pytt is come vpon vs, yee, deceyte and destruccion. ^noteWhole ryuers of water gushe oute of myne eyes, for the greate hurte of my people.

Myne eyes runne, and cannot ceasse, for there is no rest. O Lorde, when wylt thou loke downe from heauen, and consydre?

Myne eye breaketh my herte: because of all the daughters of my cyte. Myne enemies hunted me out sharpely, lyke a byrde, yee, and that without a cause. They haue put downe my life into a pytt, ∧ they haue cast stones vpon me. They poured water vpon my heade, then thought I: nowe am I vndone. I called vpon thy name, O Lord, out of þe; depe pyt. Thou hast herde my voyce: and hast not turned awaye thyne eares fro my syghthynge and cryenge. Thou hast enclyned thy selfe vnto me, when I called

vpon the, and haste sayde: feare not. Thou (O Lorde) hast mayntened the cause of my soule, and hast redemed my lyfe. G   O Lorde þu; hast sene my blasphemers, take thou my cause vpon the. Thou hast well consydred howe they go aboute to do me harme, ∧ that all their co&ubar;cels are agaynst me. Thou hast heard their despytefull wordes (O Lorde) yee, and all theyr ymaginacy&obar;s agaynst me.

The lyppes of myne enemyes, and theyr deuices that they take agaynst me, all þe; daye l&obar;ge. Thou seyst also theyr syttinge downe, and theyr rysinge vp: they make theyr songes of nothynge but of me. Rewarde them (O Lorde) accordynge to the worckes of theyr handes, Geue them an obstinate herte: euen thy curse. Persecute them (O Lorde) with thyne indignacyon, and rote th&ebar; out from vnder the heauen. ¶ The .iiij. Chapter.

A   O how is the golde become so dymme? Howe is the goodly coloure of it so sore chaunged? and the stones of the Sanctuary thus scatred in the corner of euery strete. The chyldren of Syon that were alwaye in honoure, and clothed with the most precyous golde: howe are they nowe become lyke the erthen vessels which be made with the potters hande? The dragons geue theyr yong ones suck with bare brestes: but the daughter of my people is cruell, and dwelleth in the wylderness:e lyke the Estriches. The tonges of the suckynge chyldren, cleue to the rofe of theyr mouthes for very thyrst. The yonge children aske bread, but there is no m&abar; that geueth it th&ebar;. They that were wonte to fare delycatly, peryshe in the streates: they that afore were brought vp in purple, make nowe moche of donge. The synne of the daughter of my people is become greater th&ebar; B    ^note the wyckednes of Sodome, that sodenly was destroyed, and not taken with handes.

Her absteyners (or Nazarees) were whyter then the snowe or mylke: theyr coloure was fresshe, reade as Corall, theyr bewtye lyke the Saphyre. But nowe theyr faces very blacke. In so moche, that thou shuldest not knowe them in the streates. ^noteTheyr skynne cleueth to theyr bones, It is withered and become lyke a drye stocke. They that be slayne with the sweard are happyer then soche as dye of honger, and peryshe awaye, famyshynge for the frutes of the felde.

^noteThe wemen (which of nature are pytiefull) haue sodden theyr awne childr&ebar; with theyr handes, that they might be their meate in the miserable destruccyon of the daughter of my people. ^noteThe Lorde hath perfourmed hys heuy wrath: he hath poured oute the furiousnes of hys displeasure. He hath kyndled a fyre in Syon, which hath consumed the foundacyons therof.

Nether the kynges of the earth, ner all þe; inhabitours of the worlde, wolde haue beleued that the enemy and aduersary shuld haue come in at the gates of the cytie of Ierusalem. C   Which neuerthelesse is come to passe for the synne of her prophetes, and for the wickednes of her prestes: that haue shed ^note innocentes bloude within her. So that the blynde men wente stomblynge in the streates, and stayned them selues with bloude. They wolde in no wyse touche there garmentes. But they cried vnto euery man flee the staynynge, awaye, gett you hence, touche it not. Yee, they fleade and remoued from them yee, they haue sayde amonge the hethen they shall nomore dwell in this cytie.

The countenaunce of the Lorde hath banyshed them, and shall neuer loke more vp&obar; them. For they them selues nether regarded the prestes, nor pytied theyr elders.

Wherfore yet oure eyes fayle vs, whyle we loke for vayne helpe: seynge we be euer waytyng vpon a people, that can do vs no good. D   They laye so sharpe wayte for vs that we cannot go safe vpon the stretes: for oure ende is come, oure dayes are fulfylled, oure ende is here. ^noteOure persecuters are swyfter then the Aegles of the ayre, they folowed vpon vs ouer the mountaynes and layed wayte for vs in the wyldernesse.

&rhand; The very ^note breth of oure mouth: euen the anoynted Lorde hymselfe was taken in ther nett of whom we saye: Under hys shadowe we shalbe preserued amonge the Heythen. And thou (O daughter Edom) that dwellest in the lande of Huz, be glad and reioyce: for the cuppe shall come vnto the also, whych whan thou suppest of, thou shalt be droncken. Thy synnes is well punyshed, (O thou daughter Syon) he shall not suffre the to be caryed awaye eny more. But thy wyckednes (O daughter Ed&obar;) shall he vyset, and for thy synnes sake, he shall lede the into captyuite. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ The prayer of Ieremy.

A   Call to remembraunce (O Lorde) what we haue suffred, consydre, and se oure confusion. Oure enheritaunce is turned to the stra&ubar;gers and oure houses to the aleauntes. We are become carefull and fatherles, and oure mothers are as the wyddowes. We are fayne to dryncke oure awne water for money, and oure awne wod must we bye with money. Oure neckes are vnder persecucion, we are weery, and haue no rest.

B   Afore tyme we yelded oure selues to the Egypcians, and nowe to the Assyrians, only that we myght haue bred ynough. ^noteOure fathers (which now are gone) haue synned, ∧

we must beare theyr wyckednes. Seruauntes haue the rule of vs, and no man delyuereth vs out of their h&abar;des. We must get oure lyuynge with þe; parell of oure lyues, because of the drouth of the wyldernes.

Oure skynne is as it had bene brent in an ouen, for very sore honger. The wyues are raueshed in Syon, and the maydens in the cyties of Iuda. The princes are hanged vp with the hande of the enemies, they haue not spared þe; olde sage men, they haue tak&ebar; yonge mennes lyues from th&ebar;, ∧ the boyes are hanged vp vpon trees. The elders sytt nomore vnder the gates, and the yonge men vse nomore playenge of musycke. The ioye of oure herte is gone, D   oure mery queer is turned into mournynge. The garlande of oure heade is fallen: alas, that euer we synned so sore.

Therfore, oure herte is full of heuynes, ∧ oure eyes dymme: because of the hyll of Si&obar;, that is destroyed. In so moch, that the foxes runne vpon it. But thou, O Lorde, that remaynest for euermore, and thy seate worlde without ende: wherfore wylt thou styll forget vs, and forsake vs so longe? ^noteO Lorde turne thou vs vnto the, and so shall we be turned. Renue oure dayes as in olde tymes, for thou hast banyshed vs nowe longe ynough, and hast bene sore displeased at vs. ¶ The ende of the lamentacyons of Ieremy.

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