A   It pleased Dari&us; to set ouer his kingdome an .C. and .xx. Lordes, whyche shulde be in all hys kyngdome about. Aboue these he set thre Prynces (of whom Daniel was one) that the Lordes myght geue accomptes vnto them, and the kynge to be vndiseased.

But Daniel exceaded all these Prynces and Lordes, for the sprete of God was plenteous in him: so that the kynge was mynded to set hym ouer the whole realme. Wherfore the Princes and Lordes sought, to pycke out in Daniel some quarell agaynst the kyngdome: yet coulde they fynde none occasyon ner faute vpon hym. For whyche was so faythfull, that there was no blame ner dishonesty founde in hym.

B   Then sayde these men: we wyll get no quarell agaynst thys Daniel, excepte it be in the lawe of hys God. Upon this, wente the prynces ∧ Lordes together vnto the kinge, ∧ sayde thus vnto hym: kynge Darius, God saue thy lyfe for euer. All the greate estates of the realme: as the Prynces, Dukes, Senatours and Iudges, are determed to put oute a commaundement of the kynge, ∧ to make a sure statute: namely, þt; whoso desyreth any peticyon, ether of any God or man (within this .xxx. dayes) excepte it be onely of the, O kynge: the same person may be cast into the Lyons denne. Wherfore, O kyng, confyrme thou this statute, and make a wrytinge: that the thing which the Medes and Perses haue ordeyned be not altered ner broken.

C   So Darius made the wrytinge, and c&obar;fyrmed it. Nowe when Daniel vnderstode þt; the wrytinge was made, he wente into hys house: and þe; windowes of his wall towarde Ierusal&ebar; stode op&ebar;. There kneled he downe vpon hys knees, thre tymes a daye: there he made hys peticyon, and praysed hys God, lyke as hys maner was to do afore tyme.

Then these men made searche, and founde Daniel makynge hys peticyon, ∧ prayinge vnto hys God. So they came to the kynge, ∧ spake before him concernynge his comma&ubar;dement, sayinge: O kyng, hast thou not subscribed the statute, þt; within .xxx. dayes who so requyreth his peticion of any God or man but onely of thy selfe, O kynge: he shalbe cast into the denne of the Lyons? The kynge answered,

and sayde: yee, it is true. It must be as a lawe of the Medes ∧ Perses, that maye not be broken.

D   Then answered they, and sayde vnto the kynge: Daniel one of the presoners of Iuda O kyng, regardeth nether the, ner thy statute, that thou hast made, but maketh his peticyon thre tymes a daye. When the kynge hearde these wordes, he was sore greued, and wolde haue excused Daniel, to delyuer hym, and put of the matter, vnto þe; Sunne went downe, to þe; intent that he myght saue hym:

These men perceauyng the kynges mynde, sayde vnto him: knowe this (O kynge) þt; the lawe of the Medes and Perses is, that þe; commaundement ∧ statute which the kynge maketh, maye not be altered. ^noteThen þe; king bad them brynge Daniel, and they cast hym into the Lyons denne.

The kynge also spake vnto Daniel, and sayde: thy God, whom thou alwaye seruest, eu&ebar; he shall defende the. And there was brought a stone, and layed vpon the hole of þe; denne: this the kyng sealed with his awne rynge, and with the sygnet of hys prynces: E   that the kynges c&obar;maundement concernynge Daniel, shulde not be broken.

So the kynge wente into hys palace, and eate no meate þt; nyght nether was there any mynstrelsy brought in before hym, nether coulde he take any slepe. But by tymes in the mornynge at the breake of the daye, þe; kynge arose, and wente in all haste vnto the denne of the Lyons.

Nowe as he came nye vnto the denne, he cried with a piteous voyce vnto Daniel: yee, the kynge spake, and sayde vnto Daniel: O Daniel, thou seruaunt of the lyuinge God, is not thy God (whom thou alwaye seruest) able to delyuer the from the lyons? Daniel sayde vnto the kinge. O kyng, God saue thy lyfe for euer. ^note F   My God hath sent his angell ^note which hath shut the lyons mouthes, so that they might not hurte me. For why? mine vngyltynesse is founde out before hym. And as for the, O kynge, I neuer offended the.

Then was the kynge exceadinge glad, ∧ comma&ubar;ded to take Daniel out of the denne, So Daniel was brought out of the denne, and no maner of hurte was fo&ubar;de vpon him. For he put hys trust in hys God. And as for those men which had accused Daniel, þe; kyng, commaunded to brynge them, and to cast th&ebar; in the Lyons denne: them, theyr chyldren and theyr wyues. ^noteSo the Lyons had the mastry of them, and brake all theyr bones asonder, or euer they came at the grounde.

G    ^noteAfter thys, wrote kynge Darius vnto all people, kynreddes, and t&ubar;ges, that dwelt in all landes: peace be multiplyed with you. My commaundement is, in all my dominyon and kyngdome, that men feare and stande in awe of Daniels God.

^noteFor he is the lyuynge God, which abydeth euer: hys kyngdome shall not fayle, and his power is euerlastinge. ^noteIt is he that delyuereth, and saueth: he doth wonders and maruelous worckes, in heauen and in earth: he hath preserued Daniel from the power of the Ly&obar;s. This Daniel prospered in the reygne of Darius and Cyrus of Persia.

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