A   And ^note Iosias helde the feast of Easter in Ierusalem vnto the Lorde, ∧ slewe þe; Passeouer the xiiii. daye of the fyrst moneth. He set the Prestes also in ordre (accordynge to theyr dayly courses) beyng arayed in l&obar;ge garm&ebar;tes in the t&ebar;ple of the Lord. And he spake vnto þe; Leuites þe; holy mynysters of Israel, þt; they shulde halowe them selues vnto þe; Lord, to set þe; holy arcke of the Lord, in the house þt; kyng Salomon the sonne of Dauid had buylded, and sayde. Ye shall no more beare þe; Arcke vpon youre shulders. Now serue youre Lorde, ∧ take þe; charge of hys people of Israel, after youre vyllages and youre trybes: accordynge as kynge Dauid þe; kynge of Israel, hath ordened, ∧ accordynge as Salomon hys sonne hath honorably prepared: ye, loke þe; yee al do seruyce in the temple, accordynge to the ordring ∧ distribucyon of þe; principall men which are appoynted out of þe; trybes, to do seruice for þe; chyldren of Israel. ^noteKyll the Passeouer, ∧ prepare offringes for your brethren, ∧ do accordynge to þe; c&obar;maundement of the Lord, which was geuen vnto Moses. And vnto þe; people þt; was fo&ubar;de Iosias gaue .xxx. thousande of shepe, lambes, kyddes, ∧ goates, ∧ thre thousande oxen. These the kynge (of his kyngly liberalite) gaue vnto the people, B   accordynge as he had promised: ∧ to þe; Prestes for þe; Passeouer, he gaue two M. shepe, ∧ an hundreth oxen. Moreouer, Iechonias, ∧ Semeias, ∧ Nathanael brethren, ∧ Hasabias, Iehiel, ∧ Iosabad gaue them to the Passeouer, fyue thousande shepe ∧ fyue hundred bullockes.

And when these thynges were brought to passe, þe; Prestes ∧ the Leuites stode goodly in theyr ordre, ∧ had the vnleuened bred thorow out þe; trybes. And after þe; ordryng of þe; principall men in the trybes, they offered vnto the Lorde in þe; syght of the people accordyng ^note as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses, ∧ so they rosted þe; Easter lambe as accordyng was. As for þe; th&abar;cke offrynges ∧ the other, they dyght them in kettels and pottes, ∧ set them before the people &wt; good wyll, ∧ afterwarde before them selues, and the Prestes. For þe; Preastes offred the fatt, vntyll þe; tyme was expyred, but þe; Leuites prepared for th&ebar;selues ∧ for theyr brethren the chyldren of Aaron. The holy syngers also þe; chyldren of Asaph stode in theyr ordre, accordyng as Dauid deuysed. So dyd Asaph Zachary ∧ Iduthun, whych were appoynted by þe; kynge. Moreouer þe; porters ∧ dore kepers stode by þe; dores ∧ þt; diligently, so þt; none went out of his st&abar;dynge ∧ seruice: for theyr brethren (þe; Leuites) prepared for them. C   Thus were all thynges perfourmed, that belonged to the offerynge of the Lorde. In þt; daye they helde the Passeouer, and offred thankofferynges besyde þe; sacrifyce of the Lorde, accordyng to the comaundement of kyng Iosias.

So the chyldren of Israel whych were then present helde an honorable Passeouer ∧ þe; feast of swete bread .vii. dayes l&obar;ge. Yee soch a Passeouer was not kepte in Israel, from þe; tyme of the Prophet Samuel. And all þe; kynges of Israel helde not soch an Easter, as this which kyng Iosias helde, ∧ the prestes, þe; Leuites, þe; Iewes ∧ all Israel, of all them þt; were at Ierusalem. And in the xviii. yere of þe; raygne of Iosias was this Passeouer kept. And &wt; a parfecte herte dyd kynge Iosias ordre all his workes, before þe; Lord, ∧ the thynges þt; were wrytt&ebar; of hym in tymes past, c&obar;cernyng those that synned ∧ were vngodly agaynst þe; Lord before all people, ∧ that sought not þe; worde of þe; Lord vpon Israel. ^noteAfter al these actes of kyng Iosias, Pharao þe; kyng of Egypte w&ebar;t vp and came towarde Carmis by Euphrates, ∧ Iosias went to mete hym. Then sent the kyng of Egypte vnto Iosias saying: what haue I to do &wt; the, O kyng of Iuda? I am not sent of þe; Lord to fyght agaynst the, for my warre is vpon Euphrates, go thou thy waye home agayne in all þe; haste. And Iosias wolde not turne agayne vpon hys charet, D    but vndertoke to fyght agaynst hym, ∧ herkened not vnto þe; worde of the prophet, which he tolde him out of þe; mouth of God, but pytched a battayll agaynst hym in the felde of Mageddo. And þe; pr&ibar;ces preassed to kyng Iosias. Then sayde þe; kyng vnto his seruauntes. Cary me awaye out of the battayll, for I am sore wounded. And immediatly his seruauntes toke him awaye out of the front of the battayll. Then sat he vp vpon þe; sec&obar;de charett, came to Ierusalem, dyed, ∧ was buryed in his fathers sepulcre. And in al Iewry they mourned for Iosias, yee the rulers also &wt; theyr wyues made lam&ebar;tacion for hym vnto this daye. And this was done euer styll in Israel.

These thynges are wrytten in the boke of þe; storyes of þe; kynges of Iuda, namely, all the actes and worckes of kynge Iosias, his kyngly power ∧ maiesty, his vnderstandyng in the lawe of God, ∧ what he dyd, yee thynges which are not wrytten in the boke

of þe; kynges of Israel ∧ Iuda. ^noteAnd þe; people toke Iechomas the sonne of Iosias and made hym kynge in steade of Iosias his father, when he was .xxxiii. yeare olde. E   And he raygned ouer Israel thre monethes. And the kyng of Egypte put him downe, that he shuld not raygne in Ierusalem, ∧ raysed vp a taxe of þe; people: namely, an .C. tal&ebar;tes of syluer ∧ one talent of golde. The kynge of Egypt also made Ioachim his brother kyng of Iuda ∧ Ierusalem. As for them of þe; kynges co&ubar;cell &wt; the kyng him selfe ∧ Zaraceles his brother, he toke them, ∧ caryed them awaye presoners into Egypt. Fyue ∧ tw&ebar;tie yeare olde was Ioachim, when he was made kyng in þe; l&abar;de of Iuda ∧ Ierusalem, and he dyd euell before the Lord. After this, ^note Nabuchodonosor þe; kyng of Babyl&obar; came vp, ∧ bounde him with b&abar;des of yron, ∧ caryed hym vnto Babylon. Nabuchodonosor also toke all þe; vessels þt; were halowed in þe; t&ebar;ple of þe; Lord, ∧ all the Iewels, ∧ caryed them vnto Babylon, ∧ brought them in to his awne temple at Babylon. Of his vncl&ebar;nes ∧ vngodlynes, it is wrytten &ibar; the boke of þe; actes of þe; kynges. And Ioachim his sonne raygned in his steade. F   He was made kyng beynge .xviii. yeare olde, and raygued but thre monethes ∧ .x. dayes in Ierusalem, ∧ dyd euell before þe; Lord. So after a yeare, Nabuchodonosor sent ∧ caused him to be brought vnto Babylon with þe; holy vessels of the Lord, ∧ made Sedechias hys brother kyng of Iuda ∧ Ierusalem, wh&ebar; he was .xxi. yeare olde: ∧ he raygned .xi. yeare.

And he dyd euell also in the syght of the Lorde, ∧ cared not for þe; wordes þt; were spoken vnto him ^note by the prophet Ieremy at the mouth of þe; Lord. And where he had made an othe vnto kyng Nabuchodonosor, he forswore him selfe, ∧ fel from hym hauyng a styfneck ∧ a hert, ∧ transgressed all þe; statutes and ordynaunces of þe; Lorde God of Israel. The rulers also ∧ heades of the people of þe; Lord dyd moch euell, ∧ became vngodly, more then the Heathen, beynge defyled in all maner of abhominaci&obar;s. Yee ∧ defiled þe; holy t&ebar;ple of þe; Lorde at Ierusalem. And the God of theyr fathers sent his messa&ubar;gers vnto th&ebar;, to turne them backe ∧ to call them agayne from theyr synnes: for he wolde fayne haue spared them for his holy tabernacles sake. G   Neuertheles, they had his messaungers in derysyon: ∧ loke what God spake vnto th&ebar; by hys prophetes, they made but a sporte of it. This drew on so l&obar;ge, tyll þe; Lord was wroth &wt; his people for theyr vngodlynes, ∧ tyll he caused the kynges of the Caldees to come vp, which slew theyr y&obar;ge men &wt; the swerde, yee euen &ibar; the c&obar;passe of their holy t&ebar;ple, ∧ spared no body, nether yonge ner olde, nether mayden ner yonge man: but they were all delyuered into the power of the kynges of the Caldees, ∧ all the holy vessels of the Lorde ∧ the kynges treasures toke they, ∧ caryed them vnto Babylon. ^noteAs for the house of the Lorde, they went vp in to it, ∧ brent it, ∧ brake downe þe; walles of Ierusalem, set fyre vpon her towres, destroyed all her noble buyldinges ∧ brought them to naught, and the people that were not slayne with þe; swerde they caryed vnto Babylon.

Thus became they presoners and bonde men of þe; kynge of Babylon, tyll they were delyuered ∧ raygned for them selues, ^note wh&ebar; þe; wordes of þe; Lorde were fulfylled, whych he promysed them by the mouth of the prophet Ieremy, and tyll the l&abar;de had her rest: namely, all the tyme that it laye wayst, had it rest and quyetnes .lxxvii. yeares. ¶ The .ii. Chapter. ¶ Cyrus geueth lycence to the Iewes to returne to Ierusalem, and restoreth them the vesselles of the t&ebar;ple. After that are there letters sende to Artaxerses, which accuse the Iewes for buyldynge of the cytye: and so is the buyldyng dryuen of vntyll the .ii. yeare of Darius.

A    ^noteNow when kyng Cyrus raigned ouer the Persians, ∧ when þe; Lord wolde perfourme þe; worde that he had promised by the mouth of the prohet Ieremy: the Lord raysed vp þe; sprete of Cyrus, the kynge of Persians, so that he caused thys wrytynge to be proclaymed thorow oute hys whole realme, sayinge: Thus sayeth the kynge of Persians: The Lorde of Israel that hye Lorde hath made me kynge of the lande, and c&obar;maunded me to buylde hym an house at Ierusalem in Iewry. ^note If there be eny now of youre people, the Lord be with hym, and go vp with him to Ierusalem. And all they that dwell rounde aboute that place shall helpe them, whether it be with golde, &wt; syluer, &wt; gyftes, &wt; horses, and necessary catell, ∧ all other thynges that are brought with a fre wyll to the house of the Lorde at Ierusalem.

Then the pryncipall men out of the trybes and vyllages of Iuda and Beniamin stode vp: so dyd the prestes also and the Leuites (whom þe; Lorde had moued) to go vp, and to buylde the house of the Lorde at Ierusalem. And they that were aboute them, helped them with al maner of golde, and syluer, and catell also, and with many liberall gyftes, and thys dyd many one, whose mynde was stered vp ther to. ^note B   Kynge Cyrus also brought forth the vessels and ornamentes that were halowed vnto the Lorde, (whych Nabuchodonosor the kyng of Babylon had caryed awaye from Ierusalem, and consecrated them to hys Idoll ∧ ymage) and delyuered them to Mythrydatus hys treasurer, and by hym they were delyuered

to Salmanasar þe; debite in Iewry. And this was þe; n&obar;bre of them: Two thousand ∧ .iiii.C. syluer boules .xxx. syluer basens .xxx. basens of golde .ii.M. and .iiii.C. vessels of syluer, ∧ a thousande besyde. All þe; vessels of golde ∧ syluer were .v.M.viii.C. ∧ .lx. These were n&obar;bred vnto Salmanasar, ∧ to them þt; were come agayne &wt; hym to Ierusalem out of þe; captyuyte of Babylon. ^noteNow in þe; tyme of kyng Artaxerses þe; kyng of Persia, these men. Balemus and Mitridatus, Sabellius, Rathimus, Balthemus, Semelius the Scribe, and other þt; dwelt in Samaria ∧ in other places vnder þe; domyny&obar; therof, wrote a letter vnto kynge Artaxerses, wherin they c&obar;playned vnto þe; kynge of them in Iewry ∧ Ierusalem. The letter was made after thys maner.

C   Syr, thy serua&ubar;tes Rathimus the story wryter, Sabellius the Scribe, ∧ other iudges of the courte in Celosyria ∧ Phenyces. Be it knowne ∧ manyfest to oure Lorde þe; kyng, þt; the Iewes which are come vp from you vnto vs into þe; rebellious ∧ wycked cytye, begynne to buylde it agayne, ∧ the walles aboute it, ∧ to sett vp the temple a new. Now yf thys cytye ∧ þe; walles therof be set vp agayne, they shall not onely refuse to geue trybutes ∧ taxes, but also rebell vtterly agaynst the kynge. And for so moch as they take thys in h&abar;de now aboute þe; t&ebar;ple, we thought it reason, to thynke no scorne of it, but to shewe it vnto oure Lorde the kyng, ∧ to certyfye hym therof: to thint&ebar;t þt; yf it please the kyng, he may cause it to be sought in þe; bokes of olde: and þu; shalt fynde soche warnynge wrytten, ∧ shalt vnderst&abar;de, þt; thys cytye hath all waye bene rebelyous ∧ dysobedi&ebar;t, þt; it hath subdued kynges ∧ cytyes, ∧ that þe; Iewes whych dwell therin, haue euer bene a rebellyous, obstynate, vnfaythfull, and fyghtynge people, for the which cause this cytie is wasted. Wherfore now we certyfye oure Lorde the kynge, þt; yf thys cytye be buylded ∧ occupyed agayne, ∧ the walles therof set vp a new, þu; canst haue no passage into Celosyria ∧ Phenices.

D   Then wrote the kynge to Rathimus the story wryter, to Balthemus, to Sabellius the Scribe, ∧ to þe; other officiers ∧ dwellers in Syria and Phenices, after thys maner: I haue red the epistle whych þu; sentest vnto me, and haue commaunded to make dilig&ebar;t search, ∧ haue founde, þt; the cytye hath euer resysted kynges, þt; the same people are dysobedient, ∧ haue caused moch warre, ∧ that myghty kynges haue raygned in Ierusal&ebar;, which also haue raysed vp taxes of Syria and Phenices. Wherfore, I haue c&obar;maunded those people, þt; they shall not buylde the cytye, þt; they make no more in it, and þt; they proceade no forther &wt; the buyldynge: for so moch as it myght be the cause of warre, and displeasure vnto kynges.

Now when Rathymus and Sabellius the Scribe, ∧ the rulers in the l&abar;de had red þe; wrytynge of kyng Artaxerses, they gatt them together, ∧ came in all þe; haste to Ierusalem &wt; an hoost of horsm&ebar;, and &wt; moch people of fote, ∧ forbad th&ebar; to buylde. And so they left of from buyldynge of the t&ebar;ple, vnto the sec&obar;d yeare of kynge Darius. ¶ The .iii. Chapter. ¶ Darius maketh a feast. The thre sentences of the thre yonge men, of whych the fyrst is declared.

A   Kynge Darius made a great feast vnto his seruauntes, vnto all hys courte, ∧ to all the officers of Medea and Persia, yee to all þe; devytes and rulers that were vnder hym, from India vnto Ethiopia, an h&ubar;dreth ∧ .xxvii. co&ubar;tres. So when they had eaten ∧ dr&obar;cken beyng satysfyed, and were gone home agayne, Darius the kyng wente into his chambre, layed hym downe to slepe, and so awaked.

Then the thre yonge men, that kepte the kynges personne, ∧ watched hys body, commened amonge them selues, ∧ spake one to another: let euery one of vs saye some thynge, ∧ loke whose sent&ebar;ce is wyser ∧ more excell&ebar;t then the other, vnto hym shall kynge. B   Darius geue greate gyftes, ∧ clothe hym with purple. He shall geue hym vessels of golde to dryncke in, clothes of golde ∧ couerynges: he shall make hym a costely charet ∧ a brydle of golde, he shall geue hym a bonet of whyte sylke, ∧ a cheyne of golde aboute hys neck: yee he shalbe the sec&obar;de ∧ pryncipall next vnto kyng Darius, ∧ that because of his wysdome, and shalbe called the kynges kynsman.

So, euery one wrote his meanyng, sealed it, ∧ layed it vnder þe; kynges pelowe, ∧ sayde: when þe; kyng aryseth, we wyll geue him oure wrytynges, ∧ loke whose worde þe; kynge ∧ hys chefe Lordes iudge to be þe; moost wysely spoken, þe; same shall haue þe; victory. C   One wrote: Wyne is a str&obar;ge thynge. The second wrote: The kyng is stronger. The thyrd wrote: Wemen haue yet more strenghte, but aboue all thynges the trueth beareth awaye þe; victory. Now when the kyng was rysen vp, they toke theyr wrytynges ∧ delyuered them vnto hym, ∧ so he red th&ebar;. Th&ebar; sent he forth to call al his chefe lordes, all þe; debytes ∧ rulers of the c&obar;trees of Medea ∧ Persia. And when they were set downe in þe; co&ubar;cell, þe; wrytynges were red before them. And he c&obar;ma&ubar;ded to call for þe; yonge men, þt; they myght declare theyr meanynges th&ebar; selues by mouth. So when they were sent for, ∧ came in, þe; Kyng sayde vnto them: shewe vs ∧ make vs to vnderstande what þe; thynges are þt; ye haue wrytten.

D   Then beganne þe; fyrst (which had spoken of the strength of wyne) ∧ sayde: O ye men, ^note wyne is maruelous str&obar;ge, ∧ ouerc&obar;meth them þt; dryncke it: it dysceaueth the mynde, ∧ bryngeth both the poore man ∧ the Kyng to dotage ∧ vanyte. Thus doth it also with the bondman ∧ with the fre, with the poore ∧ ryche: it taketh awaye theyr vnderstandyng, and maketh them carelesse and mery, so þt; none of them remembreth any heuynes dett or dewtye: It causeth a man to thyncke also that þe; thynge which he doth, is honest ∧ good: ∧ rem&ebar;breth not þt; he is a kyng, nor þt; he is in auctoryte, ∧ that he ought not do soch thynges. Moreouer, when men are drynckyng, they forgett all frendshyp, all brotherly faythfulnes ∧ loue: but as soone as they are dr&obar;ken, they drawe out þe; swerde ∧ wyll fyght: ∧ when they are layed downe from þe; wyne, ∧ so rysen vp agayne, they cannot tell what they dyd: iudge ye now, is not wyne the strongest? For who wolde els take in hand to do soch thynges? And when he had spoken this, he helde his tonge. ¶ The .iiii. Chapter. ¶ The declaracyon of the .ii. last sentences of the young men, propo&ubar;ded in the Chapter before: of which the last, that is, that verytie beareth the victorye in all thynges, is most commended ∧ alowed. Darius wryteth letters to all þe; rulers vnder hym, that they shulde ayde Zorobabel to the buyldynge of Ierusalem.

A   Then þe; seconde (which had sayde, that the Kynge was str&obar;ger) beganne to speake, saying: O ye men, are not they þe; strongest ∧ most excell&ebar;t, þt; conquere the lande, ∧ the see, ∧ all that is in þe; see, and in the earth? Now is the kynge lorde of all these thynges, ∧ hath domynyon of th&ebar; all: and loke what he commaundeth, it is done. If he sende his m&ebar; forth a warfare, they go, ∧ breake downe hylles, walles ∧ towres. They are slayne, ∧ slaye (other men) them selues, ∧ ouerpasse not the kynges worde. If they get þe; victory, they brynge þe; kyng all þe; spoyle. Lyke wyse, the other þt; medle not with warres ∧ fyghtynge, but tyll the grounde: when they reape, they brynge trybute vnto the kynge. And yf the kynge alone do but c&obar;maunde to kyll, they kyll: yf he c&obar;maunde to forgeue, they forgeue: yf he c&obar;maunde to smyte, they smyte: yf he byd dryue awaye, they dryue awaye: yf he c&obar;maunde to buylde, they buylde: yf he commaunde to breake downe, they breake downe: yf he c&obar;maunde to plante, they plante. The commen people ∧ the rulers are obedient vnto hym. And the kynge in the meane season sytteth hym downe, eateth, and dryncketh, and taketh his rest: then kepe they watch rounde aboute the kynge, ∧ not one of them darre get hym out of þe; waye, B   to do his awne busynes, but must be obedi&ebar;t vnto þe; kynge at a worde. Iudge ye now, O ye men, how shulde not he go farre aboue vnto wh&obar; men are thus obedient? And when he had spoken this, he helde his tonge. The thyrd, whose name was Zorobabel, which had spoken of wemen ∧ of trueth, began to saye after this maner: O ye men, it is not þe; greate kynge, it is not þe; multytude of men, nether is it wyne þt; excelleth: Who is it then þe; hath the lordshyp ouer them? Haue not wemen borne the kynge, and all þe; people that rule those thynges? Haue not wemen borne th&ebar;, and brought them vp, þt; plante the vynes, wherout the wyne c&obar;meth? They make garmentes for all men, they geue honour vnto all men, ∧ without wemen can not men lyue. If they gather golde, ∧ syluer, ∧ all precious thynges, and se a fayre well fauoured woman, they leaue all together, and turne theyr eyes onely vnto the woman, ∧ gape vpon her, ∧ haue more desyre vnto her, then vnto þe; syluer ∧ golde, or any maner of precious thyng. ^note C   A man leaueth his father þt; brought hym vp, leaueth his awne natural countre, ∧ cleaueth vnto the woman: yee he ieopardeth his lyfe with þe; woman, ∧ rem&ebar;breth nether father, ner mother, ner co&ubar;tre. By thys th&ebar; ye must nedes knowe, that wemen haue the domynyon ouer you.

Doth it not greue you? A man taketh his swerde, ∧ goeth hys waye to steale, to kyll, to murther, to sayle vpon the see, and seeth a lyon, and goeth in the darcknes: ∧ when he hath stollen, disceaued and robbed, he bryngeth it vnto his loue. Agayne, a man loueth hys wyfe better then father and mother: yee many one there be, þt; r&ebar;ne out of theyr wyttes, ∧ become bondmen for theyr wyues sakes: many one also haue perished, haue bene slayne, ∧ haue synned because of wemen.

And now beleue me, I knowe a Kynge which is greate in hys power, and all l&abar;des stande in awe of hym, ∧ no man darre laye hande vpon hym: yet dyd I se, that Apame (the daughter of þe; great kyng Bartacus) the kynges concubyne, sat besyde the kynge vpon the ryght hande, ∧ toke of hys crowne from hys head, ∧ set it vpon her awne head, and smote the kyng wyth her left hande, Moreouer, D   the kynge loked vpon her wyth open mouth: yf she laughed vpon hym, he laughed also: but yf she toke any displeasure wyth hym, þe; kynge was fayne to flatter her, ∧ to geue her good wordes, tyll he had gotten her fauour agayne.

O ye men, are not wemen then stronger? Greate is þe; earth, ∧ hye is þe; heauen. Who doth these th&ibar;ges? Then þe; kyng ∧ þe; Pr&ibar;ces loked one vpon another. So he beganne to speake of þe; trueth: O ye men, are not wem&ebar; str&obar;ger? Greate is the earth, hye is the heauen, swyft is þe; course of the sunne, ^note he compaseth the heauen ro&ubar;de aboute, ∧ fetcheth

hys course agayne to hys awne place in one daye, Is he not excell&ebar;t that doth thys? Yee greate is the trueth, ∧ str&obar;ger then all thynges. All the earth calleth vpon þe; trueth, the heauen prayseth it, all workes shake ∧ tr&ebar;ble at it, ∧ &wt; it is no vnryghteous thynge. Wyne is vnryghteous: þe; Kyng is vnryghteous: wemen are vnryghteous: all the chyldren of men are vnryghteous, yee all theyr worckes are vnryghteous, and there is no trueth in them, in theyr vnryghteousnes also shall they be destroyed ∧ perysh. E   As for the trueth, ^note it endureth, ∧ is all waye str&obar;ge: it lyueth and conquereth for euermore worlde without ende.

The trueth accepteth no personnes, it putteth no difference betwixte riche or poore, betwyxte the myghtye or symple, but doth ryght vnto euery man, whether they be euell or good, and all men are louingly dealt &wt; all in þe; workes of it. In þe; iudgem&ebar;t of it there is no vnryghteous thynge, but strength Kyngdom ∧ power ∧ maiestly for euermore. Blessed be the God of trueth.

And with that he helde his t&obar;ge, and all the people cryed, ∧ sayde: Great is þe; trueth, ∧ aboue all. Then sayde þe; kyng vnto hym: Aske what thou wylt, more then is appoynted in þe; wryttynge, and I shall geue it the, for thou art founde wyser then thy companyons: þu; shalt syt next me, and be my kynsman: Then sayde he vnto the kynge: Rem&ebar;bre thy promyse ∧ vowe, which thou hast vowed ∧ promysed (in the daye when thou camest to the Kyngdome) to buylde vp Ierusalem, ∧ to sende agayne all þe; vessels and Iewels, þt; were taken awaye out of Ierusalem: which Cyrus separated, wh&ebar; he offred in Babylon, ∧ wolde sende them agayne. And thy mynde was to buylde vp the t&ebar;ple which þe; Edomytes brent, when Ierusalem was destroyed by þe; Chaldees. F   This onely (O Kyng) is þe; thynge that I requyre, thys is þe; maiesty, which I desyre and ask of the: that thou perfourme the vowe, which thou wyth thyne awne mouth hast made vnto þe; Kynge of heauen.

Then Darius the Kynge stode vp, and kyssed him, ^note ∧ wrote a letter vnto all þe; debytes and shreues, to all the Lordes and nobles, that they shulde c&obar;ueye him forth, and all them þt; wolde go vp with him. He wrote a letter also vnto all þe; Shreues that were in Celosyria and Phenices, and vnto Lybanus, þt; they shuld drawe Cedre trees from Lybanus vnto Ierusalem, to buylde the cytie withall. Moreouer he wrote vnto all þe; Iewes þt; were gone out of hys realme into Iewry because of the fredome, þt; no officier no ruler, nor Shreue, shuld come to theyr dores, and þt; all theyr lande which they had c&obar;quered, shulde be fre ∧ not tributary. And that þe; Edomytes shulde geue ouer þe; cytyes and villages of the Iewes, which they had taken in: yee ∧ that they shulde yearly geue xx. tal&ebar;tes to þe; buyldynge of þe; t&ebar;ple, vntyll the tyme that it were fynyshed, and to the dayly halowyng of the brent offrynges (as it is commaunded) ten tal&ebar;tes yearly also. And þt; all they which come from Babylon to buylde the cytie, shuld haue fre lybertye, they ∧ theyr chyldren, ∧ all the Preastes.

He wrote þe; greatnesse also, ∧ c&obar;maunded that þe; holy garment shulde be geuen them, wherin they mynystred: ∧ wrote þt; c&obar;maundementes shulde be geuen to þe; Leuites, vntyll the daye, that the house were finysshed, and Ierusalem buylded vp: ∧ commaunded that all they, that watched the cytye, shulde haue theyr porcyons ∧ wages.

G   He gaue ouer also all the vessels þt; Cyrus had separated from Babylon: and all that Cyrus had geuen in c&obar;maundem&ebar;t, þe; same charged he also, that it shulde be done ∧ sent vnto Ierusal&ebar;. Now when thys yonge man was gone forth, he turned his face towarde Ierusalem, and praysed þe; Kyng of heauen, and sayde: ^note Of the commeth the victory, of the c&obar;meth wysdome and clearnesse, and I am thy serua&ubar;t. Blessed art thou, which hast geuen me wysdome: that wyll I prayse, O Lord, thou God of oure fathers.

And so he toke the letters, ∧ wente vnto Babylon. And when he came there, he tolde thys vnto all his brethren þt; were at Babylon, ∧ they praysed þe; God of theyr fathers, that he had geuen them refreshyng ∧ lyberte to go vp, and to buylde Ierusalem ∧ the temple (wherin the name of the Lord is called vpon) and they reioysed with instrum&ebar;tes and gladnesse seuen dayes longe. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ They that returne to Ierusalem are n&obar;bred. They begynne to laye the foundacyon of the temple, but are lete by the meanes of enemyes: and so is the buyldyng dryuen of by the space of two yeares.

A   After thys were the pryncipall men of all the villages chosen in the trybes and kynredes, that they shuld go with theyr wyues and chyldren, with theyr serua&ubar;tes ∧ maydens, with all theyr catell and substa&ubar;ce. And Darius the Kyng sent with them a thousande horsmen, to c&obar;ueye them safely vnto Ierusalem, and theyr brethren were glad, playeng vpon instrumentes, and syngynge. And these are þe; names of the men, wich wente vp out of the vyllagies, accordyng to the trybes. Of the Prestes, the sonne of Phinehes, the sonne of Aaron: Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, Ioachim the sonne of ^note Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel (of þe; kynred of Dauid, out of the kynred of Phares of the trybe of Iuda) which spake wonderfull thynges vnder Darius

the Kyng of Persia, in þe; sec&obar;de yeare of his raygne in the fyrst moneth of Nisan.

These also are they of Iewry, whych came vp, and turned agayne vnto Ierusalem, out of þe; captyuyte that Nabuchodonosor the Kynge of Babylon had brought vnto Babylon. And euery man sought hys porcyon agayne in Iewry hys cyte, they that came with Zorobabel, and with Iesus, Nehemias, Saraias, Raelias, Elimeus, Emmanius, Mardocheus, Beelserus, Mechpsa, Rochor, Oliorus, Emonias, one of theyr prynces.

And the n&obar;bre of them accordyng to their kynredes and rulers were. The chyldren of Phares, two thousande, an hundreth and lxxii. The chyldr&ebar; of Ares .iii.M. an .C. and lvii. The chyldr&ebar; of Femo, an .C. and .xlii. B   The sonnes of Iesus ∧ Ioabes, a .M.iii.C. ∧ two. The sonnes of Beniu ii.M.iiii.C. ∧ lxx. The sonnes of Choroba .ii.C. ∧ .v. The sonnes of Banica, an .C. and .lxviii. The sonnes of Rebech .iiii.C. and thre. The sonnes of Archad .iiii.C. ∧ .xxvii. The sonnes of Cham .xxxvii. The sonnes of Zoroar .ii.M. and .lxvii. The sonnes of Adinu .iiii.C. and .lxi. The sonnes of Adarectis an .C. and viii. The sonnes of Ciaso ∧ Zelas an .C. and seu&ebar;. The sonnes of Azorec .iiii.C. ∧ .xxxix. The sonnes of Iedarbone, an .C. and .xxxii. The sonnes of Hananias an .C. ∧ .xxx. The sonnes of Asoni .xc. The sonnes of Marsar iiii.C. ∧ .xxii. The sonnes of Zabarus .xcv. The sonnes of Sepholemon an .C. ∧ .xxiii. The sonnes of Nepopas .lv. The sonnes of Hecanatus an .C. and .lviii. The sonnes of Zebethanus an .C. and .xxxii. The sonnes of Crearpatros (whych is called also Enohadics ∧ Modias.) iiii.C. and .xxiii. Of them of Gramos and Gabea an .C. and .xxi. Of them of Besselon and Ceage .lxv. Of them of Bastarus, an .C. ∧ .xxii. Of them of Bechenobes .lv. Of þe; sonnes of Lyptis, there were an .C. and .lv. Of the sonnes of Lab&obar;nus .iii.C. and .lvii. Of the sonnes of Sichem .iii.C. and .lxx. Of the sonnes of Suadon and Elmon .iii.C. and .lxxviii. Of the sonnes of Ericus .ii.M. an .C. ∧ .xlv. The sonnes of Anaas .iii.C. and .lxx.

The prestes: The sonnes of Ieddus: The sonnes of Euther: The sonnes of El Iasib iii.C. ∧ .lxxii. C   The sonnes of Emerus .ii.C. and .lii. The sonnes of Fasurius .iii.C. and lvii. The sonnes of Carea .ii.C. and .xxvii. The Leuytes: The sonnes of Iesus in Caduhel, and Banus, and Serebias, ∧ Edeas, seuentye and foure.

The whole n&obar;bre of these from .xii. yeares was .iii.M.iiii.C. and .lxii. Of the sonnes, daughters ∧ wyues, the whole summe was .iiii.M.ii.C. ∧ .xlii. The sonnes of the Prestes that praysed God in the t&ebar;ple: The sonnes of Asaph, of whome there were an .C. ∧ .xxviii. But the dore kepers were: The chyldren of Esmenus: the chyldren of Aser: the chyldren of Amon: the chyldren of Acuba, Topa: the chyldren of Tobi: an hundred and .xxxix. in all.

The Prestes that serued in the temple: The sonnes of Sel, the sonnes of Gaspha, the sonnes of Tobloch, the sonnes of Caria, the sonnes of Sub, the sonnes of Heliu, the sonnes of Sabana, þe; s&obar;nes of Armacha, the sonnes of Acub, the sonnes of Utha, the sonnes of Cetha, the sonnes of Aggab, the sonnes of Obay, the sonnes of Anani, the sonnes of Canna, the sonnes of Geddu, the sonnes of An, the sonnes of Radin, the sonnes of Desanon, þe; s&obar;nes of Nechoba, the sonnes of Caseba, the sonnes of Goza, the sonnes of Ozul, the sonnes of Sinona, the sonnes of Atra, the sonnes of Hasten, the sonnes of Asiana, the sonnes of Manei, the sonnes of Nasisin, the sonnes of Accua, the sonnes of Agista, the sonnes of Azui, the sonnes of Fauon, þe; s&obar;nes of Phasalon, the sonnes of Meeda, the sonnes of Susa, the sonnes of Cared, the sonnes of Barcus, the sonnes of Sarea, the sonnes of Coesi, the sonnes of Nasit, the sonnes of Agista, the sonnes of Pedon, Salomon his sonnes, the sonnes of Asophot, þe; s&obar;nes of Phazida. the sonnes of Celi, the sonnes of Dedon, the sonnes of Gaddahel, þe; s&obar;nes of Zapheus, the sonnes of Aggia, þe; s&obar;nes of Sacharet. the s&obar;nes of Sabath&ebar;, þe; s&obar;nes of Saroneth, the sonnes of Malsit, the sonnes of Ania, the sonnes of Sasus, the sonnes of Addus, the sonnes of Suba, the sonnes of Enra, the s&obar;nes of Rabotis, þe; s&obar;nes of Phasphat, the sonnes of Malmon. All these ministred in the sanctuary, ∧ were seruauntes of Salomon: euen .iiii.C. ∧ .lxxxii.

D   These folowynge are they, that went vp from Chelmellat Thelarsa (whose Prynces were Carmelam and Careth) ∧ myght not shewe forth theyr cytyes and kynreddes, how they were of Israel: The sonnes of Dalarus, the sonnes of Tuben, the sonnes of Nechodaicus. Of the Prestes that executed þe; offyce of the Presthode, and were not founde: The sonnes of Obia, the sonnes of Achisos, the sonnes of Addin, whych maryed one of the daughters of Phargelen, and were named after hym. The wrytyng of the same kynred was sought in the register of theyr generacyon, but it was not founde: and therfore were they forbydden to execute the office of the presthode. Unto them sayde Nehemias and Astharas, that they shulde haue no porcyon in the Sanctuary, tyll there rose vp an hye Prest, that were well instruct in the playne clearnes and trueth. (Of all Israel) besyde seruauntes

and maydens) there were .xlii.M.iii.C. and .xl. Now were there of serua&ubar;tes and mayd&ebar;s .vii.M.iii.C. ∧ .xxxvi. Of syngynge men &abar;d syngynge women there were two h&ubar;dred, ∧ .xlv. Foure h&ubar;dred and .xxxv Camels. Seuen thousand, ∧ .xxxvi. horses. Two hundred thousande and .xlv. mules. Fyue .M. and .xxv. Asses.

E   Their heades also ∧ the rulers in the tribes, when they came to Ierusalem, ∧ wolde buylde and set vp the t&ebar;ple of God agayne in his place, they gaue (after their abylitye, vnto the temple, to the treasure ∧ to the seruice of the Sanctuary .xii.M. poundes of golde, fyue thousande of syluer, and an hundred prestes garmentes. And so dwelt the Prestes and the Leuytes, ∧ the people that went out to Ierusalem, and in the countre there about, the syngers also ∧ the porters, euery one of Israell in his awne lande.

^noteSo when the seuenth moneth came, and when the chyldren of Israel, were euery m&abar; at his busynes, they came all wyth one consent into the courte, whyche was before the East dore. And there stode Iesua the sonne of Iosedec and his brethren the Prestes, &abar;d Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and hys brethren, settyng vp an aulter, to offre br&ebar;t sacrifyces vpon it, as it is wrytten in the lawe of Moses.

There came people also of other co&ubar;trees, and the Heathen out of all l&abar;des to set vp þe; aulter in his place, and offred sacrifyces &abar;d brent offrynges vnto the Lorde in the mornynge. And so they helde the feast of tabernacles, ^note as it is commaunded in the lawe. And dayly offred they as accordynge was, and made þe; sacrifyces appoynted, þe; offrynges also of the Sabbathes ∧ of the new mones, and all holy feastes. ^noteAnd al they that vowed offrynges vnto the Lorde, beganne at the newe mone of the .vii. moneth to offre vnto God, for the temple of the Lorde was not yet buylded. And they gaue vnto þe; Masons and Carpenters, money, meate, ∧ drinke with chearfulnesse. F   Unto them of Sidon also and Tyre they gaue carres, that they shulde cary Cedre trees fr&obar; Libanus to be ioystes ∧ beames, &abar;d that they shulde make shyppes in the hauen of Ioppe, accordynge as it was appoynted ∧ ordeyned by Cyrus kynge of the Persians.

And in the seconde yeare they came into þe; temple of God at Ierusalem. ^noteIn the sec&obar;d moneth beg&abar;ne Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec and their brethren the Prestes and Leuites, and al they that were come vnto Ierusal&ebar; out of the captiuite of Babyl&obar;, ∧ layed the fo&ubar;dacion of the temple, in the new mone of the second moneth in þe; sec&obar;d yeare þt; they were come into Iewry ∧ Ierusal&ebar;. And they appoynted þe; Leuytes (þt; were aboue .xx. yeare old) vnto þe; seruice of þe; Lord: so Iesua ∧ his sonnes and his brethr&ebar;, al the Leuites stode together, ∧ perfourmed the lawe and ordynaunce in the house of the Lorde.

And the Prestes stode, ∧ had their garm&ebar;tes ∧ trompettes, and the Leuytes the sonnes of Asaph had Cymbals, geuynge thankes and prayses vnto the Lorde, according ^note as Dauid the kynge of Israell had ordeyned. And the song þt; they dyd singe vnto the Lorde, was after this maner. ^noteO syng vnto the Lorde, for he is gracious, ∧ his goodnes vp&obar; Israel endureth for euer. G   And all þe; people blew out with trompettes, and song with loude voyce, praysing the Lorde together in þe; rearing vp of the house of þe; Lorde. ^noteThere came also from among the Prestes and Leuytes the rulers ∧ elders, accordyng to the tribes and kinredes (soch as had sene the house afore) to the buyldyng of thys t&ebar;ple with great crye and great mournyng, many also with trompettes, &abar;d great ioye: In so moch, that the trompettes might not well be hearde for the wepynge and mournyng. For the comm&ebar; people blewe goodly vpon the trompettes.

^noteThen came the enemyes of the tribes of Iuda and Beniamin, to knowe what that trompettyng and noyse of shawmes might be. And they perceaued þt; it was they which were come agayne out of captiuyte, ∧ wold buylde the temple vp a new vnto the Lord God of Israel. So they went to Zorobabel and Iesua, &abar;d to the rulers of the vyllages, and sayd vnto th&ebar;. Shall we buylde wyth you also? For we lyke wise, haue heard your Lorde, and we walke after the same maner, from the dayes of Asbazareth the kynge of Assiria, which brought vs hyther. Then Zorobabell and Iesua and þe; rulers of the vyllages of Israell sayde vnto them. It is not mete, that ye shuld buyld the temple of our God &wt; vs: we our selues alone wyll buylde vnto the Lorde, lyke ^note as Cyrus the Kynge of the Persians hath commaunded vs.

But the Heathen in the lande layed them selues agaynst those þt; were in Iewry, helde vp þe; buylding from th&ebar;, layed wayte vpon them preuely, stopped such as brought any thynge to them, forbad them to buylde, and hyndered those that made th&ebar; passage, that the buyldyng shuld not be fynished: &abar;d this continued so longe as kynge Cyrus lyued: and so they put of the buyldyng for the space of two yeares, vntyl the raygne of kyng Darius. ¶ The .vi. Chapter. ¶ Aggeus and Zachary prophecye. They buylde the temple without let or hynderaunce, by the commaundement of Darius.

A   Not withstandynge in þe; sec&obar;de yeare of þe; raygne of Darius, ^note Aggeus ∧ Zachary the sonne of Addo prophecyed vpon them in Iewry and Ierusal&ebar;, in the name of the God of Israell. ^noteThen Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec stode vp, and beganne to buylde the house of the Lorde at Ierusalem, wh&ebar; the Prophetes of the Lord helped them. At the same tyme came Sysennes the vnder Shreue in Syria and Phenices, wyth the landelordes &abar;d hys companyons, and sayd vnto th&ebar;: Who hath bydden and commaunded you to buylde the house, to make the rofe and al other thinges agayne? And who are the woorcke m&ebar;, that buyld them? Neuerthelesse the elders of the Iewes had soch grace of þe; Lorde, that they wolde not be let (though they were prouoked therto) but buylded on styl, vnto the tyme that kynge Darius were certifyed therof, and an answere receaued from hym. The letter that these men sent vnto kynge Darius, was after this maner.

Sysennes the vnder Shreue in Syria ∧ Phenyces, and the landlordes wyth theyr companyons, which are head rulers in Syria and Phenyces, sende their salutaci&obar; vnto Darius the kynge. We certifye the lorde the kyng, þt; we came into þe; lande of Iewry, and went to Ierusal&ebar;: where we founde th&ebar; buylding the great house of God ∧ the temple, with great costely fre stone and &wt; goodly tymbre for þe; walles: yee they make great haste with the worcke, ∧ helpe one another, and it goeth forth prosperously in their h&abar;des, and with great dilygence and worshyp is it made. B   Then asked we the elders, who had c&obar;maunded them to make vp the house and the buyldinge, &abar;d this we dyd, to the intent that we myght certifye the perfectly, ∧ wryte vnto the, the names of those that were the rulers of the worke. So they gaue vs this answere: we are the seruauntes of the Lorde, which made heauen and earth: &abar;d as for this house ^note it hath bene buylded and set vp afore tyme by the great ∧ myghtie kyng of Israel. But when our fathers prouoked God vnto wrath, and synned agaynste the God of Israell, ^note he gaue them ouer into the power of Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babilon, the kynge of the Caldees, whych brake downe the house ∧ brent it, ∧ caryed awaye the people presoners vnto Babylon. ^noteNeuertheles in the fyrst yeare that kynge Cyrus raygned at Babil&obar;, Cyrus þe; k&ibar;g wrote and commaunded to buylde vp thys house agayne: and al the ornamentes that Nabuchodonosor caryed awaye from Ierusalem vnto Babylon, and appropriated vnto his awne temple: these brought Cyrus forth agayne, ∧ delyuered them to Zorobabel and to Salmanasar the vnder Shreue, c&obar;ma&ubar;dyng them þt; they shulde brynge those same ornam&ebar;tes agayne to Ierusal&ebar; into þe; t&ebar;ple and to begynne fr&obar; þt; tyme forth, to buylde the temple agayne in his awne place. Then Salmanasar layed þe; fo&ubar;daci&obar; of þe; Lordes house at Ierusalem, &abar;d euer sence haue they buylded, ∧ yet is it not ended. C   And therfore O kynge, yf thou thinckest it good, let it be sought in the Lybraryes ∧ rolles of kynge Cyrus: yf it be fo&ubar;de then, that it is done &wt; the councell ∧ consent of kynge Cyrus, and yf oure lorde þe; kynge be so mynded, let hym wryte vnto vs therof.

^noteTh&ebar; commaunded kyng Darius, to seke in the Lybraryes: &abar;d so at Egbathanis in a lytle cytie in Medea there was fo&ubar;de soche a wrytynge: In the first yeare of the raygne of Cyrus, the same kynge Cyrus comma&ubar;ded that the house of the Lorde at Ierusal&ebar; shuld be buylded agayne (and odoures to be made there continually vnto þe; Lord) whose heyght shalbe .x. cubites, and the bredeth, thre score cubites, &abar;d foure square with thre hewen stones, with a loft of tymbre of the same countre, yee with a new loft, and the expenses therof to be geuen of the house of kynge Cyrus. And the ornam&ebar;tes of golde and syluer, that Nabuchodonosor toke out of the house of the Lorde at Ierusal&ebar;, shalbe set agayne in the temple at Ierusal&ebar;, where they were a fore. Sysennes also the vndershreue in Syria and Phenices, the Princes and their companyons, ∧ the other that be heade rulers in Syria ∧ Phenices, shall not medle nor haue any th&ibar;g to do with þt; place.

D   I Cyrus haue commaunded also, þt; they shal buylde the house of þe; Lorde whole vp &abar;d haue ordeyned them, to helpe those that become out of captiuyte: tyl the house of the Lorde be finished: &abar;d out of the trybute and taxing that is yearly raysed vp in Syria ∧ Phenices, diligently to geue them a certayne summe to the offeringe of the Lord; ∧ the same to be delyuered vnto Zorobabel the offycer, that he ther withal maye ordeyne ox&ebar;, rammes, lambes, and corne, salt, wyne and oyle, and that c&obar;tinually euery yeare: after the expences ^note which the Prestes that be at Ierusal&ebar;, shew to be made dayly: thys shall be geuen vnto them without delaye, þt; they maye offer sacrifyces dayly to þe; hyest God, for the kynge and for his seruauntes, and to praye for theyr lyues. Let it be proclaymed also on euery side, that whosoeuer breaketh or despyseth this c&obar;maundem&ebar;t of the king, shalbe hanged vpon a galows (made of his awne good) &abar;d all his goodes shalbe seasoned vnto þe; king. The Lord therfore (whose name is there called vpon) rote out and destroye all the kynges &abar;d people, that vndertake by viol&ebar;ce to hinder þe; same, or to deale

vncurteously with the house of the Lord at Ierusalem. I Darius the kinge haue ordeyned, that these thynges shalbe done with al dilygence. ¶ The .vii. Chapter. ¶ The temple is fyuished and dedycate: and the feast of vuleuended breade is holden.

A   Then Sysennes the vndershreues in Celosyria, and Phenices, and the other Landlordes wyth their conpanyons, obeyed the thinges þt; kynge Darius had ordeyned, and were dilygent in þe; holy worckes, and were felowe helpers with the olde rulers of the Iewes. And so the worcke of the Sanctuary wente forth and prospered, when Aggeus &abar;d Zachary prophecyed. And they perfourmed all thinges thorow þe; c&obar;maundement of the Lorde God of Israel, and after the deuyce of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerses kynges of Persia.

B   And thus was our house fynished vnto þe; xxiii. daye of the moneth Adder, in the .vi. yeare of kynge Darius. And the chyldr&ebar; of Israel the prestes and the Leuites, and the other that were come out of captyuyte, and soche as were ioyned vnto them, dyd accordynge as it is written in the boke of Moses And in the dedicacion of the temple: they offred an h&ubar;dred oxen, two hundred rammes, foure hundred lambes, ∧ twelue goates, for the synnes of all þe; people of Israell, after þe; nombre of the trybes of Israel. C   The prestes also ∧ the Leuites stode arayed in theyr prestly garm&ebar;tes, after the trybes, ouer all the worckes of the Lorde God of Israell accordinge to the boke of Moses, and the porters by all the dores.

And the chyldren of Israel (with those þt; were come out of captiuyte) helde the passeouer the fourtene daye of the fyrst moneth, when the prestes and the Leuites were sanctifyed. They þt; came out of captyuite, were not all sanctifyed together: but the Leuites were all sanctifyed together, and so al they that came out of captiuyte, killed the easter lambe, for theyr brethren, for the prestes &abar;d for them selues. D   And the chyldren of Israel that came out of captyuyte, ∧ escaped from al the abhominacions of þe; Heathen, sought the Lorde, and kepte the feast of vnleuened bread seuen dayes longe, eatynge and drynkynge and were mery before the Lord: that the Lorde had turned the deuyce of þe; kynge of Assyria, and c&obar;forted their handes to the worckes of the Lorde God of Israell. ¶ The .viii. Chapter. ¶ Esdras causeth the people to assemble and come together, and then readeth them the lawe. They kepe the feaste of Tabernacles.

A   And after hym ^note when Artaxerses the kyng of the Persians raygned, there wente vnto hym Esdras the sonne of Sarayas, the s&obar;ne of Azarias, the sonne of Helchiah, the sonne of Sallum, the sonne of Sadoch, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Amarias, the sonne of Azarias, the s&obar;ne of Boccus, the s&obar;ne of Abysu, the sonne of Phineas, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the fyrst preste. This Esdras wente vp from Babylon (for he had good vnderstandynge in the lawe of Moses, that was geu&ebar; of the Lorde God of Israel, to be taught &abar;d done in dede.) And the kynge fauoured him and dyd him great worshyppe and honoure after all hys desyres. There went vp wyth hym also certayne of the chyldr&ebar; of Israel, of the prestes, of the Leuites, of the singers, porters and minystres of the temple at Ierusalem.

In the seu&ebar;th yeare of the raygne of kinge Artaxerses, &ibar; the fyueth moneth, that is in the seuenth yeare of the raygne, they w&ebar;t from Babylon in the new moone of the .v. moneth, ∧ came the hye waye to Ierusalem after his comma&ubar;dement, lyke as the Lord had prospered theyr iourney. For in these Esdras gat great instruccion, that he shulde leaue none of the thynges behinde, which are in the lawe and commaundementes of God. And he taught whole Israel all righousnes and iudgement.

Then came the Secretaries of kyng Artaxerses, &abar;d delyuered the wrytynges (that were come fr&obar; Artaxerses the kynge) to Esdras þe; preste ∧ reder of the lawe of þe; Lorde: And thys is the copye of the letter: Kynge Artaxerses sendeth his gretynge vnto Esdras the preste and reder of the lawe of the Lorde. Of frendshype and good wyl I haue ordeyned and charged, yf there be eny of the Iewes, of the prestes ∧ Leuytes in my realme, which desyreth and is cont&ebar;t to go with the vnto Ierusalem, þt; he maye do it. B   Therfore, yf eny be mynded to beare the c&obar;pany, let them come together, and go with þe; (lyke as I am content and my seuen frendes, my councelers) to se what they do at Ierusal&ebar; and in Iewry, ∧ kepe the thynges according as thou hast in the lawe of the Lorde: &abar;d to brynge the gyftes vnto God the Lorde of Israel, that I ∧ my frendes haue promysed to Ierusalem, ∧ all the syluer &abar;d golde that is in the countre of Babylon, vnto the Lord to Ierusalem, with the thyng that is geuen for the people in the Lordes temple at Ierusalem. Yee, that the same syluer and golde maye be gathered, and oxen, rammes, shepe and goates and other that belonge to these thynges: and that they maye offer sacrifyces vnto the Lorde, vpon the aulter of their Lorde, which is at Ierusalem.

And whatsoeuer thou and thy brethren wyll do with the syluer &abar;d golde, that do after thy mynde, accordynge to þe; c&obar;maundement

of the Lord thy God, ∧ lykewise, with the holy vessels that are geuen the, for þe; seruyce of the house of þe; Lord thy God: ∧ other thinges whatsoeuer is necessary for þe; to the worcke of the temple, that shalbe geuen the of þe; k&ibar;ges treasure ∧ loke what thou &wt; thy brethren wyll do with the golde &abar;d syluer, that do after the wyll of the Lorde. And I kynge Artaxerses haue comma&ubar;ded the kepers of the treasures in Syria and Phenyces, that whatsoeuer Esdras the preste and reader of the lawe of the Lorde doth wryte, it shalbe geu&ebar; hym: tyll an hundred tal&ebar;tes of syluer, &abar;d of golde in lyke maner. Of corne also an hundred measures, &abar;d tyll an h&ubar;dred vessels of wyne, ∧ other pleteous thynges without nombre. Let all thinges be done after the lawe of the hyest God, that the wrath of God aryse not in the realme of the kynge, and of his sonnes. I comma&ubar;de you also, þt; ye requyre no taxe ner trybute of the prestes, Leuytes, syngers, and ministers of the temple, ner of the writers: ∧ that no m&abar; haue auctorite to medle eny thyng against th&ebar;. C   As for the (O Esdras) set thou iudges &abar;d arbytrers in the whole lande of Syria ∧ Phenices, after the wysdome of God: and learne all soch as are ignora&ubar;t in the lawe of God thy Lorde, and let all them that offende agaynst the lawe, be punyshed: whether it be with death, with payne, to be condemned in money, or to be banished.

Then sayde Esdras the wryter. ^noteBlessed be þe; God of our fathers, that hath geu&ebar; so good a mynde and wyll into the hert of þe; kynge, to magnifye his house that is at Ierusalem, &abar;d hath made me to be accepted in the syght of the kyng, of his councell, of hys frendes ∧ of his nobles. And so I was stedfast in my mynde, accordyng as þe; Lord my God helped me, ∧ I chose out men of Israel to go vp with me. ^noteAnd these are þe; heades, (after their kynredes ∧ houses of theyr fathers) that went vp with me from Babylon, out of the kingdome of Artaxerses: Of the sonnes of Phares, Gersonius. Of þe; sonnes of Siemarith, Amenus. Of the sonnes of Dauid Accus, the sonne of Cecilia.

Of the sonnes of Phares, Zachary: ∧ with him there turned agayne an h&ubar;dred ∧ fyftie men. Of the sonnes of the captaine of Moabylon, Zaraei, ∧ with him .ii.C. &abar;d .l. m&ebar;. Of the sonnes of Zachnes, Iechonias Zecholy, ∧ with hym two h&ubar;dred and fyftie men. Of the sonnes of Salamaassias, Gotholye, &abar;d lxx. with him. Of the sonnes of Zaphacia, Zarias Mihely, &abar;d wyth hym foure score. Of the sonnes of Iob, Abdias Ieheli, and with hym two hundred and twelue men. Of the sonnes of Bania, Salimoth þe; s&obar;nes of Iosaphia, and wyth hym an hundred and thre score m&ebar;. Of þe; sonnes of Beer, Zachari Behei, &abar;d wyth hym two hundred ∧ .viii. men. Of the s&obar;nes of Esead, Iohannes Ezech&abar;, ∧ with him an hundred and tenne men. Of þe; sonnes of Adonicam those that were þe; last, and these are theyr names, Eliphalam the sonne of Gebel &abar;d Semeias, and with hym lxx. men. All these called I together by the water Thia, where we pitched oure tentes thre dayes, and there I mustered them.

D    ^noteAs for the sonnes of the prestes ∧ Leuites, I founde none there. Then sent I vnto Eleazer, and Eccelom, and Masm&abar;, ∧ Malobam, and Enaathan, &abar;d Samea, ∧ Ioribimathan, Eunagan, Zachari, Mosollam&ubar; (these were the leaders and men of experi&ebar;ce) and I sent them worde, that they shulde come vnto Loddeus, which was by the place of the treasury, ∧ comma&ubar;ded them that they shulde speake vnto Loddeus &abar;d to hys brethren and to those that were in the treasury, to sende vs soch men, as myght execute the prestes offyce in the house of the Lorde our God. And with the myghtie h&abar;de of our Lorde God, they brought vnto vs men of good experience, from amonge the s&obar;nes of Moolius the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel, Sebebeiam and the sonnes and hys brethr&ebar; Asbin ∧ Anin, of whome there were .xviii. From amonge the chyldren of the sonnes of Cananeus, and their sonnes were xx. men. And of them that serued in the temple, whom Dauid had ordeyned, ∧ the principal men that ministred for the worcke vnto the Leuytes in the temple two hundred and twentye men, whose names are all tokened vp in wrytynge.

^noteThen comma&ubar;ded I a fastynge vnto the yonge men before the Lorde, that I myght desyre of hym a prosperous iourney and a good waye for vs, yee for vs, for oure chyldren and for the catell, because of the layenges a wayte, and I durst not requyre of the kyng men of horse and of fote, to c&obar;ueye vs safely agaynst our enemies, for we had said vnto the kynge, that the power of the Lord our God shulde be with them, that seke him with theyr whole hert. And therfore we besought God our Lorde earnestly because of these thynges, ∧ he was mercyfull vnto vs, and hearde our prayer. And I separated fr&obar; amonge the rulers of the people, and fr&obar; the prestes of the temple .xii. m&ebar; and Sebeia ∧ Asania, and ten men of theyr brethr&ebar; wyth them. And I weyed them the golde and the syluer and all the prestly ornamentes of the house of our God, whych the kyng, and hys councell, and his Princes, and whole Israel had geu&ebar;. And when I had weyed it, I gaue them an hundred and fyfty tal&ebar;tes in siluer, and an h&ubar;dred tal&ebar;tes of syluer vessell, an hundred tal&ebar;tes of golde, and of golden vessell seuen tymes twentye, and vessels of

other metal (yee, of good metal) twelue glisterynge as the golde, and saide vnto them: ye are holy vnto the Lorde, and the vessels are holy, and the gold and the syluer is promysed vnto the Lorde God of oure fathers. Be dyligent now and kepe it, vntyll the tyme that ye deliuer it to the rulers of the people, to the prestes, E   to the Leuites, and to the principall men of the cities of Israel in Ierusalem, and in the chambre of the house of oure God.

^noteSo, the prestes and the Leuites which receaued of me the golde, the syluer and the vessell, brought it into Ierusal&ebar; into þe; temple of þe; Lorde. And from the ryuer of Thia we bracke vp the twelueth daye of the first moneth, tyll we came to Ierusal&ebar;. And wh&ebar; the thyrde daye was past, they weyed gold, and siluer was delyuered in the house of the Lorde the fourth daye, vnto Marimoth the sonne of Ior the preste, and wyth hym was Eleazar the sonne of Phineas, ∧ with them were Iosabdus þe; sonnes of Iesnet, Medias and the sonne of Banus, and certayne of the Leuites to the nombre and to the wayght: ∧ the wayght of them was written vp the same tyme. As for those that were come out of captiuyte, they offred sacryfice vnto þe; Lord the God of Israel: euen twelue oxen for all Israel .lxxxvi. rammes lxxii. shepe .xii. goates for sinne, twelue kyne for a th&abar;koffring, all to the sacrifyce of the Lord. And þe; kynges commissi&obar; delyuered they vnto the stewardes and debytes of the kyng, and to the vndershreues in Celosyria and Phenices.

^noteNowe, when these thynges were done, the rulers came vnto me, and sayd: The generacy&obar; of Israel, the Princes, the Prestes, and Leuytes, the straunge people ∧ indwellers of the lande, haue not put awaye theyr vnclennesse, from the Cananites, Hethytes Pheresytes, from the Moabites, Egipci&abar;s, and Edomytes. For both they ∧ theyr sonnes haue myngled th&ebar; selues with þe; daughters of them, and the holy sede is mixte with the outlandysh Heathen, ∧ sens the begynnynge of their raygne haue the rulers ∧ heades bene partetakers of theyr wyckednesse.

F    ^noteAs soone as I had hearde these thinges, immediatly I rente my holy garmentes, ∧ pulled out the heare of my head ∧ my beerd, and sat me downe sorowfull and heuy. So all they that were moued thorow the word of the God of Israell, came vnto me: ∧ I sat still, full of heuynesse vntyl the euenyng sacrifyce. Then stode I vp from fastynge, hauyng rente clothes ∧ the holy garment, kneled downe vpon my knees, helde out my h&abar;des vnto þe; Lorde, and sayd: O Lorde, I am confo&ubar;ded and ashamed before thy face, for our synnes are become many vpon our heades, and our wyckednesses are exalted vnto the heauen: for syns the tyme of our fathers we are in great synne vnto thys daye. And for the synnes of vs and oure fathers, we &wt; our brethren and with our prestes haue bene delyuered vnto the kinges of the earth, into the swerd, and into captiuyte, and became a spoyle with confusion and shame vnto this daye. And now, O Lorde God, how greate is the mercy that we haue gotten of the: in þt; thou hast left vs a rote and a name in þe; place of thy Sanctuary, to discouer oure lyght in the house of þe; Lord our God, ∧ hast geu&ebar; vs meat at all tymes of our mynistracyon. And when we were in captiuyte, we were not forsak&ebar; of the Lord our God: but he made the kynges of Persia gracyous ∧ fauourable vnto vs, so that they gaue vs vytayles and meate, yee and leaue to buylde vp þe; temple of our Lorde God agayne, to repayre the wasted places of Sy&obar;, and to dwell in Iewry and Ierusalem. And now, O Lord, what shall we saye hauynge all these thynges in possessyon? G   For we haue broken thy commaundementes, which thou gauest vnto vs by the h&abar;des of thy seruauntes þe; prophetes, sayinge: The lande that ye go vnto and that is geuen you for an heritage to haue in possessy&obar;, is defyled with the vncl&ebar;nes and fylthynes of the Heathen, ∧ with their abhominacy&obar; haue they poluted it all together. Therfore, shall ye not ioyne your daughters, vnto theyr sonnes, ner mary youre s&obar;nes vnto their daughters. Moreouer, ye shall neuer seke to make peace with them þt; ye maye increase ∧ eate the best in the land, and that ye maye deuyde the inherita&ubar;ce of the lande vnto youre chyldr&ebar; for euermore. As for the thyng that now happeneth vnto vs it commeth all for our wycked worckes and great sinnes yet hast thou geu&ebar; vs soch a rote, þt; we are come agayne into our awne lande, ∧ we are so wycked that we haue broken thy statutes ∧ commaundem&ebar;tes agayne, and myngled oure selues with the vncl&ebar;nes of the outlandish Heathen. O Lord, art thou angrie with vs? wylt thou rote vs cleane out? that our rote &abar;d name remayne nomore? O Lord God of Israel thou art true for our rote endureth yet vnto thys pres&ebar;te daye. And beholde, now are we before them our sinnes, now can we not st&abar;de before the in them.

^noteAnd wh&ebar; Esdras with this prayer had knowledged the synne, wepyng, and lyenge flatt vpon the grounde before the t&ebar;ple, there gathered vnto hym fr&obar; Ierusal&ebar; a great multytude of men and wemen, of yong men and maydens, for there was a very greate wepynge ∧ mourn&ibar;ge in the congregacyon. So wh&ebar; Iechonias the sonne of Ieheli one of the chyldr&ebar; of Israell cryed, he sayd vnto Esdras: we haue synned against the Lorde,

because we haue maried outlandish wemen of the Heathen. Now art þu; ouer all Israel. We wyll sweare an othe therfore vnto the Lorde, þt; we shall put awaye all our wyues which we haue taken of the Heathen, wyth theyr chyldr&ebar;: lyke as it is appoynted þe; by oure fore elders. Stande vp then, op&ebar; thou it, ∧ declare it playnely vnto vs, accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde: for þt; matter bel&obar;geth vnto the, and we wyll helpe the, quyte thy selfe manly. So Esdras arose, and toke an othe of the rulers of the prestes, &abar;d of the Leuytes, and of Israell, to do after these thynges: and they sware. ¶ The .ix. Chapter. ¶ After Esdras had reade the lawe, the people put awaye theyr straunge wyues: and then returneth euery man meryly vnto hys awne dwellynge.

A   Then Esdras stode vp from the court of the temple without, and wente into the chamber of Ionathas the sonne of Nasabus, and remayned there, &abar;d dyd eate no meate, nor dronke drynke, for the multitude of the wyckednes of the people. ^note And there was made a proclamacion in all Iewry and at Ierusal&ebar;, for all soch as were gathered at Ierusal&ebar; out of captiuite, that whosoeuer came not to Ierusalem within two or thre dayes (accordynge to the iudgem&ebar;t of the olde lordes of þe; councel) his goodes shulde be taken from hym, and be excluded from the congregacion of the captiuite. And in thre dayes were all they of the trybe of Iuda ∧ Beniamin gathered together at Ierusalem, the tw&ebar;tyeth daye of the nynth moneth. And the whole multitude sat tremblyng in the courte of the temple, for it was winter. So Esdras arose vp, and said vnto th&ebar;: ye haue done vnrighteously, in that ye haue taken outlandishe wyues to mariage and so to increase the synnes of Israel. And nowe knowledge the same, and geue prayse vnto the Lorde God of our fathers, &abar;d perfourme his wyll, departynge from the Heathen of the lande, and from the outlandyshe wyues. B   Then cryed the whole multitude &wt; loude voyce, and sayd: lyke as thou hast spoken, so wyll we do: but for so moch as þe; people are many, and the wynter here, we may not stande without the house: agayne, thys worcke is not a thynge, that can be finished in a daye or two, for we be many that haue synned in these thynges. Ordeyne therfore that the rulers of the multytude and they þt; dwell with vs, and as many as haue outl&abar;dyshe wyues, the prestes also and iudges of euery place maye st&abar;de in the tyme appoynted, tyll they swage the wrath of the Lorde in thys busynes.

Then Ionathas the sonne of Ezely, and Ozias and Thec&abar; receaued þe; charge of this matter, &abar;d Bozoramus, and Leius, ∧ Sabatheus helpeth them therto. After this, all they stode vp that were come out of captyuite. And Esdras the preste chose vnto him the principall men from am&obar;ge the fathers accordyng to their names, ∧ in the new mone of the tenth moneth they sat together, to exam&ebar; this matter. And so the matter was a determyng (concernyng the men that had C    outlandysh wyues) vntyl the new mone of the fyrst moneth. And of þe; prestes that had myxte th&ebar; selues with outlandyshe wyues, there were founde. ^noteOf the sonnes of Iesu the sonne of Iosedec and his brethren, Mazeas, Eleazar, Ioribus ∧ Ioadeus, whyche offred th&ebar; selues to put awaye their wyues, and to offre a ramme for theyr ignoraunce. And of the sonnes of Semmeri, Masseas, ∧ Esses, and Ieelech Azarias. Of the sonnes of Fosera, Limosias, Hismaen, Nathanea, Iussio, Ieddus, and Talsas. And of the Leuytes Iosabdus, Semeis, and Colnis, Caletas, Facteas, Colnas, and Elionas. Of þe; syngers of the Sanctuary, Eliarib, Zackarus. Of the porters, Sallumus &abar;d Tolbanes. And of Israel, of the children of Foro, Osi, and Remias, and Geddias, and Melchias, Michelus, Eleazarus, Iemmebias ∧ Bannas. And the childr&ebar; of Iolam&abar;, Chanias, Zachari, Ieizrelus, Ioddius, Erimoth and Elias. And of þe; sonnes of Iathoim, Eliadas, Liasamus, and Zochias, Larimoth, Sabdis, and Tebedias. D   And of the sonnes of Zebes, Iohannes, Amanias, Zabdias, and Emmeus. And of þe; s&obar;nes of Bannus, Ol&abar;mus, Maluchus, Ieddus, Iasub, Asabus, ∧ Ierimoth. And of þe; sonnes of Addin, Naatus, and Moosias, and Caleus, &abar;d Raanas Maasuas, Mathathias, Besel, Bannus, ∧ Manasses.

And of the sonnes of Naue, Nones, Aseas, Melchias, Sameas, Sim&obar;, Beniamin Malchus &abar;d Marras. And of the sonnes of Asom, Carianeus, Mathathias, Bannus, Eliphalach, Manasses, Semei. Of the sonnes of Bannus, Ieremy, Moodias, Abramas, Iohel, Baneas, Peliaas, Iona, Marimoth, Eliasib, Mathaneus, Eliasis, Ozias, Dielus, Semedius, Zambris, ∧ Ioseph. Of the sonnes of Nobeus, Idelus, Mathathias, Sabadus, Zecheda, Sedmi, Iesseus, and Baneas. All these had taken outl&abar;dish wemen to mariage, ∧ they put them awaye with theyr chyldren. E   The prestes and Leuites, and all they that were of Israell, dwelt at Ierusal&ebar; and thorowout all the lande, in the new moone of the seuenth moneth, and the chyldren of Israell were in their dwellynges. And the whole multitude came together vpon the floore at the East syde of þe; holy port of the t&ebar;ple. And they spake vnto Esdras the hye preste &abar;d reader, þt; he wolde bringe the lawe of Moses, which was geu&ebar;

of the Lorde God of Israel. So Esdras þe; hye Prest brought þe; lawe vnto the whole multitude, to m&abar; ∧ wom&abar;, ∧ to all Prestes, that they might heare the lawe, ^note in þe; new mone of the .vii. moneth. And he red in the flore that is before þe; holy porte of the temple, from the mornyng early vnto the euenyng, before men and wem&ebar;. And they applyed their mynde all vnto the lawe.

F   And Esdras þe; Prest ∧ reader of the lawe stode vp vp&obar; a pulpit of wood, which was made therfore: ∧ vp&obar; his ryght h&abar;de there stode by h&ibar; Mathathias, Samus, Ananias, Azarias, Urias, Ozechias: and Balsamus: Upon hys lefte hand stode Faldeus, Misael, Malachias, Abuscas, Sabus, Nabadias ∧ Zachary. Th&ebar; toke Esdras þe; boke before the whole multitude, for he was the pryncipall, &abar;d had in most honour of them all. And when he had red out the lawe, they stode all strayght vpon their fete. So Esdras praysed þe; Lord þe; moost hye God, the Almyghty God of Hostes. And all þe; people answered: Am&ebar;: ∧ helde vp their h&abar;des, fell downe flat vpon þe; earth, ∧ praysed the Lord. And Iesus, Beneas, Sarebias, Iaddimus, Accubus, Sabbatheus, Calithes, Azarias, Ioradus, Ananias, ∧ Philias the Leuites lyft their h&abar;des vpwarde, ∧ bowed their faces to þe; grounde, ∧ praysed þe; Lord: Those were they whych taught þe; lawe of the Lord, ∧ red the lawe of the Lord, in the c&obar;gregacyon: ∧ euery man set them before that vnderstode the lawe. G   Th&ebar; spake Atharates vnto Esdras the hye Prest ∧ reder, ∧ to the Leuites that taught the multytude, saying: This daye is holy vnto the Lorde: ∧ all they that had hearde the lawe, wepte So Esdras sayde: ^note Departe youre waye then, ∧ eate the best, ∧ drinke the swetest, ∧ sende gyftes vnto them that haue noth&ibar;g: for thys daye is holy vnto þe; Lord, ∧ be not ye sory, for the Lorde wyll bring you to honoure. Then wente they their waye euerychone, and dyd eate and drinke, ∧ were mery, and sent rewardes vnto them that had nothing, that they also myght eate wyth gladnesse: for they were excedingly reioysed, thorow the wordes that were red vnto them in the lawe: And so they were all gathered together at Ierusalem to holde the feast, accordyng to the couenaunt of the Lorde God of Israel. The ende of the thirde booke of Esdras.

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