A   The seconde boke of the Prophete ^note Esdras (the s&obar;ne of Saraias, the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Helchia, þe; sonne of Sallum, the s&obar;ne of Sadoc, þe; sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Achia, the s&obar;ne of Phinees, þe; sonne of Hely Amerias, the s&obar;ne of Azarias, þe; sonne of Maraioth, the sonne of Sarahias, the sonne of Uzi, þe; sonne of Boccus, þe; sonne of Abisu, þe; sonne of Phineas, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron, of the trybe of Leui) whych was presoner in the lande of Medes, in the raygne of Artaxerses Kynge of Persia.

^noteAnd the worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying: go thy waye, ∧ shew my people their synfull dedes, and their chyldren their wyckednesses, whych they haue done agaynst me, that they may tell theyr chylders chyldr&ebar; the same: for the synnes of their fathers are increased in them. B   And why? they haue forgotten me, ∧ haue offred vnto straunge goddes. Am not I euen he þt; brought th&ebar; out of the l&abar;de of Egypte, fr&obar; the house of b&obar;dage? But they haue prouoked me vnto wrath, and despysed my councels. Pull thou out then the hearre of thy heade, ∧ cast all euell ouer them, for they haue not bene obedient vnto my lawe.

It is a people without lernynge ∧ nourtoure. How longe shall I forbeare them, vnto whom I haue done so moche good? ^noteMany kynges haue I destroyed for their sakes: ^note Pharao wyth hys seruauntes ∧ all his power haue I smytten downe ∧ slayne: All þe; nacy&obar;s haue I destroyed ∧ roted out before th&ebar;, and in the East haue I brought two landes ∧ people to naught, euen Tyre and Sydon, and haue slayne all their enemyes. Speake thou therfore vnto them, sayinge: Thus sayeth the Lord: ^note I led you thorow the see, ∧ haue geu&ebar; you sure stretes sence the beg&ibar;nyng. ^noteI gaue you Moses to be youre captayne, ∧ Aaron to be the prest: ^note I gaue you lyght &ibar; a pyler of fyre, ∧ greate wonders haue I done amonge you: yet haue ye forgotten me, sayeth the Lorde.

Thus sayth the almyghty Lorde: I gaue you quayles to eate, ∧ tentes for your succoure:

Neuertheles ye murmured, and ascribed not the victory of youre enemyes vnto my name: yee, this same daye do ye yet murmoure. Where are the benefytes, that I haue done for you? When ye were hongrye in the wyldernes, ^note dyd ye not crye vnto me: Why hast þu; brought vs into this wyldernes, to kyll vs? It had bene better for vs, to haue serued þe; Egypci&abar;s, th&ebar; to dye &ibar; this wyldernesse. Then had I pytie vpon youre mournynges, and gaue you m&abar;na to eate: ^note Ye dyd eate angels foode. ^noteWh&ebar; ye were thyrstye, dyd not I hewe the hardstone, &abar;d caused water to flowe therout? For þe; heat I couered you wyth the leaues of the trees C    A good pleasa&ubar;t fat l&abar;d gaue I you: I cast out the Cananites, the Pheresytes ∧ Philystines before you. ^noteWhat shal I do more for you, sayeth the Lorde?

Thus sayth þe; Almyghtye Lorde: ^note Wh&ebar; ye were in the wyldernes, in þe; water of the Amorytes, beynge a thyrst, ∧ blasphemynge my name, I gaue you not fyre for your blasphemyes, but cast a tree &ibar;to þe; water, ∧ made þe; ryuer swete. What shall I do vnto þe;, O, Iacob? Thou Iuda woldest not obeye me. ^noteI wyll turne me to a nother people ∧ vnto those wyl I geue my name, þt; they maye kepe my statutes. Seyng ye haue forsaken me, I wyl forsake you also. Wh&ebar; ye desyre me to be gracyous vnto you, I shall haue no mercy vp&obar; you. ^noteWh&ebar; ye call vp&obar; me, I wyl not heare you. For ye haue defyled youre handes with bloude, &abar;d youre fete are swyft to commyt manslaughter. Ye haue not forsak&ebar; me (in a maner) but your awne selues, sayeth the Lorde.

Thus sayth þe; almyghtye Lorde: haue I not prayed you, as a father hys s&obar;nes, as another her daughters, ∧ as a norsse her y&obar;g babes, þt; ye wolde be my people, &abar;d I shuld be youre God: þt; ye wolde be my chyldren, ∧ I shulde be youre awne fathers? ^noteI gathered you together, as an h&ebar;ne gathereth her chekens vnder her wynges. But now what shall I do vnto you? I shall cast you out fro my face? ^note D   Wh&ebar; ye offre vnto me, I shall turne my face from you: for your solempne feast dayes, youre new moones, &abar;d youre circumcysy&obar;s haue I forsak&ebar;. I sent vnto you my serua&ubar;tes þe; Prophetes, wh&obar; ye haue taken ∧ slayne, and torne theyr bodyes in peces, whose bloude I wyl requyre of youre handes, sayeth the Lorde.

Thus sayeth the Almyghty Lorde: your house must be desolate. I wyll cast you out as the wynde doth þe; strawe: youre chyldr&ebar; shall not be frutefull, for they haue despysed my c&obar;maundement, &abar;d done the thynge þt; is euell before me. Youre houses wyll I geue vnto a people þt; shall come, and ^note they þt; neuer herde me, shall beleue in me: ∧ they vnto whom I neuer shewed tok&ebar;, shall do the th&ibar;ge that I c&obar;maunde th&ebar;. They haue sene no Prophetes, yet shall they call their synnes to remembraunce, and knowledge th&ebar;. I reporte me vnto the grace, þt; I wyll do for þe; people whych is come, whose childr&ebar; reioyse in gladnes: ∧ though they haue not sene me wyth bodely eyes, yet in sprete they beleue the thinge þt; I saye. And nowe brother, beholde what greate worshyppe, ∧ se þe; people þt; c&obar;meth from the East, vnto wh&obar; I wyll geue the duked&obar; ^note of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, of Oseas, Amos, ∧ Micheas, of Ioel, Abdy, Ionas, Naum, &abar;d Abacuc, of Sophony, Aggeus, Zachary, &abar;d Malachi, whych is called also an &abar;gell (or messenger) of the Lorde. ¶ The .ii. Chapter. ¶ The Synagoge fyndeth faute wyth her awne chyldren. The Gentyles are called.

A   Thus sayeth the Lorde: I brought this people out of bondage, I gaue them my commaundem&ebar;tes by my seruauntes the Prophetes, whych they wolde not heare, but despised my counsels. The mother that bare them, sayeth vnto th&ebar;. Go youre waye ye chyldren, for I am a wyddowe ∧ forsaken: I brought you vp wyth gladnesse, but with sorow and heuynes haue I lost you: for ye haue sinned before the Lorde youre God, ∧ done þe; thinge that is euell before him. But what shall I now do vnto you? I am a wyddow ∧ forsaken: go youre waye, O my children, and aske mercy of the Lorde. As for me, O father, I call vp&obar; the for a wytnesse ouer the mother of these chyldren, which wolde not kepe my couenaunt: that thou brynge th&ebar; to confusyon, ∧ their mother to a spoyle, that she beare no more. Let their names be scatred abroade amonge the Heathen, let them be put out of the earth, for they haue thought scorne of my couenaunt.

Wo be vnto the Assur, thou that hydest þe; vnryghtuous by þe;. Thou wycked people, rem&ebar;bre ^note what I dyd vnto Sodome and Gomorre, whose l&abar;de is turned to pytch ∧ asshes. Euen so also wyll I do vnto all th&ebar;, that heare me not, sayeth þe; almyghty Lord. Thus sayeth þe; Lord vnto Esdras: Tell my people, that I wyll geue th&ebar; the kyngdome of Ierusalem, whych I wolde haue geuen vnto Israel. Their glory also will I take vnto me, ∧ geue th&ebar; þe; euerlastynge tabernacles, which I had prepared for those. The tree of lyfe shalbe vnto th&ebar; a swete smell&ibar;ge oyntem&ebar;t: they shall nether laboure nor be weery. Go ye youre waye, ∧ ye shall receaue it. Praye for youre selues a fewe dayes, þt; they maye dwell therin.

B   Nowe is the kyngdome prepared for you, therfore watche. Take heauen &abar;d earth to witnesse for I haue broken the euell in peces, ∧ created the good, for I lyue sayth þe; Lord. Mother embrace thy children, &abar;d brynge them vp with gladnesse: make theyr fete as fast as a pyler, for I haue chosen the, sayeth the Lorde.

And those that be deed wyll I rayse vp agayne from theyr places, and bringe them out of the graues, for I haue knowne my name &ibar; Israell. Feare not thou mother of þe; children, for I haue chosen the, sayeth the Lorde. And for thy helpe I shall sende the my serua&ubar;tes Esay ∧ Ieremy, after whose councell I haue sanctifyed and prepared for the twelue trees with diuerse frutes, and as many welles, flowynge with mylk and hony and seuen mountaynes, wher vpon there growe roses and lylyes, wherin I wyll fyll my children with ioye. Execute iustyce for the wyddowe, be iudge for the fatherles geue to the poore: defende the confortelesse: clothe the naked: heale the wounded ∧ syck: laugh not a lame man to scorne: def&ebar;de the crepel, and let the blynde come &ibar;to the lyght of my clearnes: ^note wheresoeuer thou fyndest the deed, take them, and burye them, and I shall geue þe;, þe; fyrst place in my resurrecci&obar;. Holde styll (O my people) and take thy rest for thy quyetnes is come. C   Feede thy chyldr&ebar;, O thou good norsse, stablysh their fete: As for the seruauntes whom I haue geuen the, there shall not one of them perish, for I wyll seke them from thy nombre: vexe not thy selfe.

For when the daye of trouble and heuynes c&obar;meth, other shall wepe and be sorowfull, but thou shalt be mery and plenteous. The heathen shalbe gelous, but they shalbe able to do nothynge agaynst the, sayth the Lorde. My handes shall couer the, so that thy chyldren shall not se the fyre euerlasting Be ioyfull, O thou mother with thy chyldren, for I will delyuer the, sayth the Lord. Remembre thy deed chyldren, for I shall brynge them out of the earth, ∧ shew mercy vnto them, for I am mercyfull, sayth the Lorde almyghty.

Embrace thy children, vntyll I come, ∧ shew mercy vnto them, for my welles runne ouer, and my grace shall not fayle.

I Esdras receaued a charge of the Lorde vpon the mo&ubar;t Oreb, that I shuld go vnto Israell. But when I came vnto Israell they set me at naught, and depised the comma&ubar;dem&ebar;t of the Lord. And therfore I saye vnto you, O ye heathen that heare and vnderst&abar;de: Loke for youre shepherde, he shall geue you euerlastinge rest, for he is nye at h&abar;d, that shall come in the ende of þe; worlde. Be readye to the rewarde of the kingdome, for the euerlastynge lyght shall shyne vpon you for euermore. Fle the shadowe of thys worlde, receaue the ioyfulnes of youre glory. I testifye my sauyour op&ebar;ly: O, receaue the gyft that is geuen you, and be glad, geuynge th&abar;ckes vnto hym, that hath called you to the heauenly kyngdome.

Aryse vp ∧ stande fast: beholde the nombre of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord, B   which are departed from the shadow of the worlde, and haue receaued gloryous garmentes of the Lorde. Take thy nombre O Sy&obar;, and shut vp thy puryfyed, which haue fulfylled the lawe of the Lorde. The nombre of thy children whom thou longedest for, is fulfylled: beseche the power of the Lorde, that thy people which haue bene called from the begynnynge, maye be halowed.

^noteI Esdras sawe vpon the mount Sion a great people, whom I coulde not nombre and they all praysed the Lorde with songes of thankesgeuynge. And in the myddest of them there was a yonge man of an hye stature, more excellent then all they, and vpon euery one of theyr heades he set a crowne, ∧ was euer higher and higher, which I marueled at greatly. So I asked the a&ubar;gel, and sayd: Syr, what are these? He answered &abar;d saide vnto me: These be they, that haue put of the mortall clothynge and put on the immortall, and haue testyfyed &abar;d knowleged the name of God. Now are they crowned, ∧ receaue the rewarde.

Then sayde I vnto the aungell: what y&obar;ge personne is it, that crowneth them, and geueth them the palmes in theyr handes? So he answered, and sayde vnto me: It is the sonne of God, wh&obar; they haue knowledged in the worlde. Then beganne I greatly to commende them, that stode so styfly for the name of þe; Lorde. And so the a&ubar;gell sayde vnto me: Go thy waye, ∧ tell my people, what maner of thynges ∧ how greate wonders of the Lorde thy God, thou hast seue. ¶ The .iii. Chapter. ¶ The wonderous worckes which God dyd for the people are recyted. Esdras marueleth that God suffreth the Babylonyans to haue rule ouer hys people, whych yet are synners also.

A   In the thyrtye yeare of the fall of the cytie, I was at Babylon, and laye troubled vpon my bed &abar;d my thoughtes came vp ouer my hert: for I sawe the desolacyon of Syon, and the plenteous wealth of th&ebar; that dwelt at Babylon: and my sprete was sore moued, so that I beg&abar;ne to speake fearfull wordes to the most hyest, and sayde: O Lorde, Lorde, thou spakest at the begynnynge, wh&ebar; thou

pl&abar;tedst the earthe (&abar;d that thy selfe alone) and gauest commaundement vnto the people, and a body vnto Adam, which was a creature of thy handes, and hast brethed in hym the breth of lyfe: and so he lyued before the, and thou leddest hym into paradyse, which garden of pleasure thy ryght hande had planted, or euer the earth was made. And vnto him thou gauest commaundem&ebar;t to loue thy waye, which he transgressed, ∧ immedyatly thou appointedest death in h&ibar;, and in his generacyons. Of hym came nacyons, trybes, people and kynredes out of nombre. ^noteAnd euery people walked after their awne will, B   and dyd nyce thynges before the: ∧ as for thy commaundem&ebar;tes, they despysed them.

^noteBut in processe of tyme thou broughttest the water floude, vp&obar; those that dwelt in the world, and destroyedst them. And lyke as the death was in Adam, so was þe; water floude also &ibar; these. Neuerthelesse one of them þu; leftest: namely Noe wyth hys housholde, of whome came all ryghteous men. And it happened that wh&ebar; they that dwelt vpon the earth, beganne to multyplye, and had gott&ebar; many chyldren, and were a great people, they beganne to be more vngodly then the fyrst.

Now when they all lyued so wyckedly before the, ^note thou dydest chose the a man fr&obar; amonge them, whose name was Abraham. Hym thou louedst, &abar;d vnto him onely thou shewedst thy wyll, and madest an euerlastynge couenaunt with hym, promysynge hym, that thou woldest neuer forsake his sede. ^noteAnd vnto hym þu; gauest Isaac, ^note vnto Isaac also thou gauest Iacob &abar;d Esau. As for Iacob thou dydest chose hym, and put backe Esau. ^noteAnd so Iacob became a great multytude.

C   And it happened that when thou leddest hys sede out of Egypte, ^note thou broughtest them vp to the mounte Syon, bowyng downe the heau&ebar;s, settyng fast the earth, mouynge the grounde, makyng the depthes to shake, and troublynge the worlde: And thy glory wente thorow foure portes of fyre, ∧ earth quakes, and wyndes, and colde: that thou myghtest geue the lawe vnto þe; sede of Iacob, ∧ dilig&ebar;ce vnto þe; generaci&obar; of Israel

And yet tokest thou not awaye from th&ebar; that wycked hert, þt; thy lawe myght br&ibar;ge forth frute in them. For the fyrst Ad&abar; bare a wycked hert, transgressed, and was ouercome, ∧ so be all they that are borne of him. ^noteThus remayned weaknes with the lawe &ibar; the herte of the people, &wt; the wyckednesse of the rote: so that the good departed awaye and the euell abode styll. So the tymes passed awaye and the yeares were brought to an ende. ^noteThen dydest thou rayse the vp a seruaunt called Dauid, ^note whom thou commaundedst to buylde a cyte vnto thy name, and to offre vp incense and sacryfyce vnto þe; therin. Thys was done now many yeares. Then the inhabyters of the cyte forsoke the and in all thynges dyd euen as Adam and all his generacyons had done: for they also had a wicked herte.

D   And so thou gauest thy cyte ouer into the h&abar;des of thyne enemyes. Are they of Babylon then better &abar;d more righteous then thy people, that they shall therfore haue the domynyon of Syon? For when I came there and sawe theyr vngodlynes, and so greate wyckednesse, that it coulde not be nombred: yee, wh&ebar; my soule sawe so many euel doers (in the thyrtye yeare) my herte fayled me, for I sawe, how thou suffrest them in soch vngodlynes ∧ sparest the wicked doers: but thyne awne people hast thou roted out and preserued thyne enemyes, ∧ thys hast thou not shewed me.

I cannot perceaue how thys happeneth. Do they of Babylon then better, then they of Sy&obar;? Or is there any other people, that knoweth the, sauynge the people of Israel? Or what generacyon hath so beleued thy couenauntes, as Iacob? And yet theyr rewarde appeareth not, &abar;d theyr labour hath no frute. For I haue gone here ∧ there thorow the Heathen, and I se that they be rich and wealthy, and thyncke not vp&obar; thy commaundementes. Weye thou therfore oure wyckednesse now in the bala&ubar;ce, and theirs also that dwell in the worlde, and so shall thy name be no where founde but in Israel. Or where is there a people vp&obar; earthe, that hath not synned before þe;? Or what people hath so kepte thy comm&abar;dementes? Thou shalt finde, that Israel by name hath kepte thy preceptes, but not the other people and Heathen. ¶ The fourth Chapter. ¶ The Angell reproueth Esdras, because he semed to enter into the profounde iudgementes of God.

A   And the Angell that was sent vnto me (whose name was Uriell) gaue me an answere, ∧ sayd: Thy hert hath taken to moch vp&obar; it in thys worlde, ∧ þu; thynckest to compreh&ebar;de the waye of the Hyest. Then said I: Yee, my Lorde. And he answered me, and sayde: I am sent to shewe the thre wayes, and to sett forth thre symylytudes, before the: wherof yf thou canst declare me one, I wyll shewe the also the waye, that thou desyrest to se: and I shall shewe the from whence the wicked herte commeth. And I sayde: Tell on my Lorde. Then sayde he vnto me: Go thy waye, weye me the weyght of the fyre, or measure me the blast of the w&ibar;de, or call me

agayne the daye that is past. Then answered I and sayde: What m&abar; borne is able to do þt;? Why requirest thou soch of me? And he sayde vnto me: If I shulde aske the, how depe dwell&ibar;ges are in þe; see? Or how great water springes are vp&obar; the firmam&ebar;t? Or how great water sprynges are in the beginnynge of the depe? Or which are the out goinges of paradyse? Paradu&ebar;ture thou woldest saye vnto me: I neuer wente downe yet into þe; depe nor hel, nether dyd I euer clyme vp into heauen. Neuerthelesse, now haue I asked the but only of fyre and winde and of the daye, where thorow thou hast trauayled, and from the which thou canst not be separated: and yet canst thou geue me no answere of them.

He sayd moreouer vnto me: Thyne awne thynges, ∧ soch as are growne vp &wt; the, canst thou not knowe: how shuld thy vessel then be able to compreh&ebar;de the waye of the Hyest, and now out wardly in the corrupte worlde, to vnderst&abar;de the corrupci&obar; that is euid&ebar;t in my sight? Then sayd I vnto hym: It were better that we were not at all, then that we shulde lyue in wyckednesse, ∧ to suffre, ∧ not to know wherfore. B   He answered me, ∧ sayd: I wente in a wood, ∧ ^note the trees toke soch a deuyce &abar;d sayd: Come let vs go, and fyght agaynst the see, that it maye departe awaye before vs, and that we maye make vs yet more woddes.

The floudes of the see also in lyke maner toke thys deuyce, &abar;d sayde: Come, let vs go vp, and fyght agaynst the trees of the wodd that we maye make oure lande the wyder. The thought and deuyce of the wodde was but vayne and nothinge worth, for the fyre came and consumed the wodd: The thought of the floudes of the see came lyke wyse to naught also, for the s&abar;de stode vp and stopped them.

If thou were iudge now betwixte these two, whom woldest thou iustifie, or whom woldest thou condemne? I answered ∧ said: Uerely it is a folysh thought that they both haue deuysed. For the grounde is geuen vnto the wodd, ∧ the see also hath hys place to beare his floudes. Then answered he me, &abar;d sayde: Thou hast geuen a ryght iudgement, why iudgest thou not thy self also? For lyke as the ground is geuen vnto the wodd, and the see to his floudes: euen so ^note they þt; dwell vpon earth, may vnderst&abar;de nothinge, but that which is vpon earth: and he that dwelleth aboue the heau&ebar;s, may only vnderst&abar;d the thynges, þt; are aboue the heauens. Then answered I, and sayd: I beseche þe;, O Lord, let me haue vnderstandynge: for it was not my mynde to be curyous of thy hye th&ibar;ges, but of soch as we dayly medle withall, namely, wherfore that Israel is blasphemed of the Heath&ebar;, and for what cause the people (whom thou euer hast loued) is geuen ouer, to be punyshed of vngodly nacyons: ∧ why þe; lawe of our fathers is brought to naught and the written couenauntes come to none effecte, and we passe awaye out of þe; worlde as the greshoppers, &abar;d our lyfe is a very feare, ∧ we are not worthy to optayne mercy. What wil he do then vnto his name, which is called vpon ouer vs? Of these thinges haue I asked question.

C   Then answered he me, ∧ sayd: The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt maruell for the world hasteth fast to passe awaye, ∧ cannot comprehende the thynges, þt; are promysed for the righteous &ibar; tyme to come, for ^note thys worlde is full of vnrighteousnes &abar;d weaknes.

But as concernynge the thinges wherof thou askest me, I will tell the. The euell is sowen, but the destruccion therof is not yet come. Yf the euell now that is sowen, be not turned vpsyde dowen, and yf the place where the euell is sowne, passe not awaye, then c&abar;not the thynge come þt; is sowen &wt; good. For the corne of euell sede hath bene sowen in the hert of man from the begynnyng, and how moch vngodlynes hath he brought vp vnto thys tyme? and how moch shal he yet bryng forth, vntyll he come into the barne.

Pondre now by thy self, wh&ebar; the corne of euell sede is cutt downe, how greate a barne shall it fyll? I answered and sayd, How and wh&ebar; shal these thinges come to passe? Wherfore are our yeares fewe ∧ euell? And he answered me, sayinge: Haste not thou to moch vp&obar; the Hyest, for thy hastynes to be aboue him is but vaine, thou makest to moch a do. Did not the soules also of þe; righteous aske questyon of these thynges in theyr holynes say&ibar;g: ^note How longe shall I hope of thys fashyon? Wh&ebar; c&obar;meth the frute of my barne, and my rewarde? And vp&obar; this Ieremial þe; Arch&abar;gel gaue th&ebar; answere, and sayd: Eu&ebar; wh&ebar; the nombre of the sedes is fylled &ibar; you, for he hath weyed the worlde &ibar; the bala&ubar;ce: in measure and nombre hath he measured þe; tyme, ∧ moueth it not, vntyll the same measure be fulfylled: Then answered I ∧ sayde: O Lord, Lorde, now are we all full of synne, and for our sake paradu&ebar;ture it is not, the barne of the ryghteous shall not be fylled, because of the synnes of them that dwel vpon the earth.

D   So he answered me, ∧ sayd: Go thy waye to a wom&abar; wyth chyld, and aske of her wh&ebar; she hath fulfylled her nyne monethes, yf her childebed maye kepe þe; byrth anyl&obar;ger within her, Then sayde I: No Lord, that can she not. And he sayde vnto me: In hell þe; secret places of soules are lyke the preuy chamber of a woman. For lyke as a woman that

trauayleth, maketh haste, when the tyme ∧ necessyte of the byrth is at hande. Euen so doth she haste to delyuer it that is commytted vnto her. Loke what thou desirest to se, it shalbe shewed the from the begynnynge, Then answered I, and sayde: If I haue founde fauoure in thy syght, and yf it be possyble, and yf I be mete therfore, shewe me then, whether there be more to come then is past, or more past then is for to come. What is past, I knowe: but what is for to come, I knowe not.

And he sayde vnto me: Stande vp vpon the ryght syde, and I shall expounde the symylitude vnto the. So I stode, and behold, an whote burnynge ouen w&ebar;te ouer before me: and it happened that when the flamme was gone by, the smoke had þe; vpper h&abar;de. After thys there went ouer before me a watery cloude, ∧ sent downe moch rayne wyth a storme: ∧ wh&ebar; the stormy rayne was past the droppes remayned styll. Then sayde he vnto me: lyke as the rayne is more then the droppes, and as the fyre exceadeth the smoke, euen so the measure of the thynges that are past, hath the vpperhande. Then wente the droppes and the smoke aboue: &abar;d I prayed &abar;d sayde: May I lyue (thynkest thou) vntyll that tyme? Or what shal happen in those dayes? He answered me, &abar;d sayde: As for the tokens wherof þu; askest me. I maye tell the of them in parte: but as touchynge thy lyfe. I may not shewe the, for I am not sent therfore. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ Esdras and the Angell commen together.

A   Neuerthelesse, as concern&ibar;g the tokens, marke thys: Beholde, the dayes shall come, that they which dwell vpon earthe, shalbe tak&ebar; in a great n&obar;bre, ∧ the waye of the trueth shalbe hyd, and the lande shalbe baren fr&obar; fayth: but ^note iniquyte shall haue the vpperhande, lyke as thou hast sene now, &abar;d as thou hast hearde longe agoo. And the l&abar;de that thou seist now to haue rule, shalt thou shortly se waste. But yf God gra&ubar;te the to lyue, thou shalt se after the thyrd trompet, that þe; sunne shall sod&ebar;ly shyne agayne in the nyght, ∧ the moone thre tymes &ibar; the daye, and bloud shall droppe out of wodd, and the stone shall geue his voyce, ∧ the people shalbe vnquyete: and euen he shall rule, wh&obar; they hope not that dwell vpon earth, and the foules shall flyt, ∧ the Sodomytysh see shal cast out his fish, and make a noyse in the nyght, whych many shal not knowe, but they shal all heare the voyce therof.

There shalbe a confusyon also in many places, ∧ the fyre shalbe oft sent agayne, &abar;d the wylde beastes shall go theyr waye, and menstruous wemen shall beare monsters, ∧ salt waters shalbe founde in the swete: one frende shall fyght aga&ibar;st another: then shal all witt and vnderst&abar;dyng be hyd and put asyde into theyr secrete places, and shalbe sought of many, and yet not be founde: then shall vnryghteousnes and voluptuousnes haue the vpperhande vpon earth. One land also shall aske another, and saye: Is ryghteousnes gone thorow the? And it shal saye No. At the same tyme shall men hope, but nothyng optayne: they shall laboure, but theyr wayes shall not prospere.

To shewe the soche tokens I haue leue, ∧ yf thou wylt praye agayne, ∧ wepe as now and fast seuen dayes, thou shalt heare yet greater thinges. B   Then I a waked, and a fearfulnes wente thorow all my body, and my mynde was feble and carefull, so that I almost sowned withall. So the a&ubar;gel that was come to talke with me, helde me, comforted me, and set me vpon my fete.

And in the seonde nyght it happened, that Salathiel the captayne of the people came vnto me, saying: Where hast thou bene? and why is thy countenannce so heuy? Knowest thou not, that Israel is commytted vnto þe;, in the lande of theyr captyuite? Up then &abar;d eate, and forsake vs not, as þe; shepherde that leaueth hys flocke in the handes of wycked wolues. Then sayde I vnto hym: Go thy waye fro me, and come not nye me: and he hearde it, &abar;d as I sayd: so w&ebar;te he hys waye fro me. And so I fasted seuen dayes, mournynge and wepynge, lyke as Uriel the a&ubar;gell commaunded me. And after seu&ebar; dayes it happened, that þe; thoughtes of my herte were very greuous unto me agayne, &abar;d my soule receaued þt; sprete of vnderstandynge, and I beg&abar;ne to talke with the moost hiest agayne and sayde: O Lorde, Lorde, of euery wood of the earth &abar;d of all the trees therof, thou hast chosen the one onely vyneyarde: ∧ of all landes of the whole worlde thou hast chosen one pyt: and of all floures of the grounde thou hast chosen the one lylye: and of all the depthes of the see thou hast fylled the one ryuer: &abar;d of all buylded cytyes thou hast holowed Sion vnto thy selfe: &abar;d of all þe; foules that are created, thou hast named the one doue: ∧ of all the catell that are made thou hast prouyded the one shepe, ∧ am&obar;g all the multytudes of folckes thou hast gotten the one people, ∧ unto thys people wh&obar; thou louedest, thou gauest a lawe, that is proued of all.

And now, O Lorde, why hast thou geuen this one people ouer vnto many? and vpon the one rote thou hast prepared other and why hast thou scatred thy one only people amonge many? which treade them downe, yee whych haue euer withstande thy promyses, and neuer beleued thy couenauntes?

And though thou werest enemye vnto thy people, yet shuldest thou punysh them with thyne awne h&abar;des. Now wh&ebar; I had spok&ebar;, these wordes þe; Angel þt; came to me þe; nyght C    afore, was sent vnto me, ∧ sayde vnto me: Heare me, and herken to the thynge that I saye, and I shal tell the more. And I sayde: Speake on my Lorde. Then sayde he vnto me. Thou art sore vexed ∧ troubled for Israels sake. Louest thou that people better then hym that made th&ebar;? And I sayde? No Lorde, but of very grefe ∧ compassyon haue I spoken. For my reynes payne me euery houre, because I wolde haue experi&ebar;ce of þe; waye of the most hyest, &abar;d to seke out parte of hys iudgement. And he sayde vnto me: þt; þu; mayest not. And I sayde: wherfore Lorde? where vnto was I borne then? Or why was not my mothers chyldebed then my graue? So had I not sene þe; mysery ∧ trouble of Iacob, and the trauayle of my people of Israel.

And he sayd vnto me: Nombre the thynges that are not yet come: gather me together the droppes, þt; are scatred abrode: make me the flours grene agayne, þt; are withered: open me the thynge that is closed: and brynge me forth the wyndes, that are shut vp: Shewe me the ymage of a voyce, and then shall I declare the thynge, that thou labourest to knowe. And I sayde: O Lorde, Lorde, who maye knowe these thinges, but he that hath not hys dwellynge with men? As for me, I am vnwyse: how may I then speake of these thynges wher of thou askest me? Then sayde he vnto me: like as þu; canst do none of these thyuges that I haue spok&ebar; of, euen so canst thou not fynde out my iudgement, or in the ende the loue that I haue promysed vnto my people. And I sayd: Beholde, O Lorde, yet art thou nye vnto them that haue no ende: and what shall they do, þt; haue bene before me, or we that be now, or they that shall come after vs? And he sayde vnto me: I wyll lyken my iudgement vnto a rynge. Lyke as there is no slacknesse of þe; last, eu&ebar; so is there no swyftnesse of þe; fyrst. So I answered and sayd: couldest thou not make those (that haue bene made, ∧ be now, and that are for to come) in one, that thou myghtest shewe thy iudgement the sooner? Then answered he me, and sayde: The creature maye not haste aboue þe; maker, nether maye the worlde holde them at once, D   that shalbe created.

And I sayde: How hast thou sayde then vnto thy seruaunte, that thou lyuynge maker, hast made the creature lyuynge at once ∧ the creature bare it? eu&ebar; so myght it now also beare them that be present, at&obar;ce. And he sayde vnto me: Aske the childebed of a woman, ∧ saye vnto her: If thou bryngest forth chyldren, why doest thou it not to gether, but one after another? Praye her therfore, to brynge forth ten children at once. And I sayde: she cannot, but must do it one after another.

Then sayde he unto me: Euen so haue I geu&ebar; a childebed vnto the earth, for those þt; be sowen vp&obar; it by processe of tyme. For lyke as a yonge child maye not bryng forth þe; thynges that belonge to the aged: eu&ebar; so haue I ordened the worlde which I made.

And I asked and sayde: Seyng thou hast now geuen me awaye, I will speake before the: for oure mother of whom thou hast tolde me, is yet yonge, ∧ now she draweth nye vnto age. He answered me, and sayde: Aske a woman that beareth chyldren, ∧ she shall tel þe;. Saye vnto her: wherfore are not they (whom thou hast now brought forth) lyke those that were before þe;, but lesse of stature And she shal answere the: They that be borne in the youth of str&ebar;gth, are of one fasshy&obar; and they that are borne in the tyme of age, (when the chyldebed fayleth) are other wyse. Consydre now thy selfe, how that ye are lesse of stature, then those that were before you, and so are they that come after you, lesse then ye: as the creatures which now begynne to be old, ∧ haue passed ouer þe; str&ebar;gth of youth. Then sayde I: Lorde I beseche þe;, yf I haue founde fauoure in thy syght, shewe thy seruaunt, by whom doest thou viset thy creature? ¶ The .vi. Chapter. ¶ The Angell instructeth Esdras, and geueth hym answere to hys questyons.

A   And he sayde vnto me. In the beginnynge when þe; grounde was made: before the worlde stode, or euer the wyndes blew, before it thondred and lyghtened, or euer þe; foundacy&obar;s of Paradyse were layed, before the fayre floures were sene, or euer the moueable powers were stablysshed, before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together, or euer the hyghnesses of the ayre were lyfted vp, afore þe; measures of the firmament were named, or euer þe; chymneys in Syon were hote, &abar;d or the presente yeares were sought out, and or euer the inu&ebar;cyons of them that now synne, were put asyde, before they were sealed that now gather fayth for a treasure: then dyd I c&obar;sydre and pondre all these thynges, and they all were made thorow me, and thorow none other: by me also they be ended, and by none other. Then answered I ∧ sayd: which shall be þe; partyng asunder of þe; tymes? Or when shalbe the ende of the fyrst, ∧ the begynninge of it þt; foloweth? And he sayd vnto me: From Abraham vnto Isaac, when Iacob and Esau were borne

of hym, Iacobs hande helde fyrst the hele of Esau: for Esau is the ende of thys world and Iacob is the begynnynge of it that foloweth. The hande of man betwixte the hele and the hande. Other questyon (Esdras) aske thou not.

I answered then, ∧ sayd: O Lord, Lord, yf I haue founde fauoure in thy syght, I besech the, shewe thy seruaunt the ende of thy tokens, wherof thou shewdest me parte the last nyght. So he answered &abar;d sayde vnto me: Stande vp vpon thy fete, and heare the perfecte voyce and so&ubar;de. There shall come a greate mocyon, but the place where thou standest shall not be moued. And therfore when thou hearest þe; wordes, be not afraied: for of the ende shall the worde and foundacyon of the earth be vnderst&abar;de. And why? the word therof trembleth and quaketh, for it knoweth, that it must be chaunged at the ende. B   And it happened, þt; wh&ebar; I had hearde it, I stode vp vpon my fete, and herkened: ∧ behold, there was a voyce that spake, and þe; sounde of it was lyke þe; sounde of many waters, and it sayde: Beholde, the dayes come, that I will begynne to drawe nye, ∧ to vyset them that dwell vpon earth, and wil begynne to make inquysicion of them, what they be that haue hurt equyte with vnrighteousnes, and when the lowe estate of Sy&obar; shalbe fulfylled: and when the worlde, that shal vanysh a waye, shalbe ouersealed, then wyll I do these tokens.

The bookes shalbe opened before the firmam&ebar;t, and they shall se all together, ∧ the chyldr&ebar; of a yere olde shal speake with their voyces: the wemen with chylde shall bring forth vntymely childr&ebar; of thre or foure monethes olde, and they shall lyue, and be raysed vp: ∧ sodenly shall the sowen places appeare as the vnsowen, the full store houses shall sodenly be founde emptye, ∧ the trompet shall geue a so&ubar;de, which wh&ebar; euery m&abar; heareth, they shalbe hastely afrayed. ^noteAt þt; tyme shall frendes fyght one agaynst another lyke enemyes, and the earth shall stande in feare with them.

The sprynges of the welles shall stande styll, and in thre houres they shall not r&ebar;ne. Whosoeuer remayneth from all these thinges that I haue told the, shall escape, &abar;d se my saluacyon, and the ende of your worlde And the men that haue receaued, shall se it, they that haue not tasted death from theyr byrth, and the hert of the indwellers shalbe cha&ubar;ged, ∧ turned into another meanynge: for euell shalbe put out, and dysceate shalbe quenched. As for fayth, it shall florysh, corrupcyon shalbe ouercome: ∧ þe; trueth, which hath bene so longe without frute, shalbe declared. And it happened when he talked &wt; me, that I loked demurely vpon hym, before whom I stode, and these wordes sayde he vnto me: I am come to shewe the, the tyme of the nyght for to come.

If thou wilt praye yet more, and fast seuen dayes agayne, I shal tell the more thinges, and greater then before: for thy voyce is heard before the Hyest: for why? þe; myghtye hath sene thy ryghteous dealynge, he hath sene also thy chastite, C   which thou hast had euer sence thy youth: and therfore hath he sent me to shew the all these thynges, &abar;d to saye vnto the: Be of good conforte, and feare not, and haste not with þe; tymes that are past to thyncke vayne thynges, and make not hast of the latter tymes.

And it happened after this, that I wepte agayne, and fasted seuen dayes in lyke maner, þt; I myght fulfyll þe; thre wekes: which he told me. In þe; eyght nyght was my hert vexed with&ibar; me agayne, ∧ I beg&abar;ne to speake before þe; Hyest, for my sprete was greatly sett on fyre, ∧ my soule was &ibar; dystresse, ∧ I sayd? O Lord, thou spakest vnto thy creature fr&obar; the begynnyng (eu&ebar; the fyrst daye) and saydest. ^noteLet heauen ∧ earth be made, and thy worde was a perfecte worcke. And then was there the sprete, and þe; darckenesses were yet on euery syde, and sylence: there was no mans voyce as yet from þe;. Then comma&ubar;dedst þu; a fayre lyght to come forth out of thy treasures, that thy worck myght appeare and be sene.

Upon the seconde daye thou madest the sprete of the firmament, and c&obar;ma&ubar;dedst it to part a sunder, and to make a deuysi&obar; betwixte the waters, that the one part myght remayne aboue: and the other beneth. Up&obar; the thyrde daye thou broughtest to passe, þt; the waters were gathered &ibar; the seu&ebar;th part of þe; earth: Sixe partes hast thou dryed up, and kepte them, to thyntent þt; men myght sowe ∧ occupye husb&abar;drye therin. As soone as thy worde wente forth, the worcke was made. For &ibar;medyatly there was greate innumerable frute, and many dyuerse pleasures ∧ desyres of t&ebar;ptacyon, floures of chaungeable couloure and smell, and this was done the thyrde daye.

^noteUpon the .iiii. daye þu; commaundedst þt; the Sunne shuld geue his shyne, ∧ the moone her lyght: þe; starres dydest thou set in ordre ^note and gauest them a charge: to do seruyce euen vnto man, that was for to be made.

Upon þe; fyft daye thou saydest vnto the seu&ebar;th part (where the ^note waters were gathered) that they shulde brynge forth diuerse beastes, foules and fyshes. And so it came to passe, that the domme water and without soule, brought forth lyuynge beastes, at þe; commaundem&ebar;t of God, that all people myght prayse thy wonderous worckes. Then dydest thou preserue two soules, the

one thou calledst Enoch and the other Leuiathan, &abar;d dydest separate the one fr&obar; the other: for the seu&ebar;th parte (namely, where þe; water was gathered together) myght not holde them bothe. Unto Enoch thou gauest one parte, which was dryed vp the thyrde daye, that he shulde dwell &ibar; the same parte, wherin are a thousand hilles. But vnto Leuiath&abar; thou gauest the seuenth part, namely the moyst, and hast kepte hym to deuoure what thou wylt, and whan. Upon the sixte daye thou gauest commaundem&ebar;t vnto the earth, that before the, it shulde brynge forth beastes, catell, and all that crepe, and (besydes this) Ad&abar; also, wh&obar; thou madest Lorde of all thy creatures, Of hym come we all, ∧ the people also, whom thou hast chosen specially vnto thy selfe. All thys haue I sayde now ∧ spoken before þe;, that I myght shewe how that the worlde is made for oure sakes As for the other people which also come of Ad&abar; thou hast sayd that they are nothyng, but be lyke a spetle, ∧ hast lyckened þe; abo&ubar;da&ubar;ce of them vnto a droppe (that falleth) from the rofe of the house.

And now, O Lorde, the Heathen whych haue euer bene reputed as nothynge, haue beg&obar;ne to be lordes ouer vs, and to deuoure vs: but we thy people (whom thou hast called the fyrst borne, thy only begotten, ∧ thy seruent louer) are geuen into theyr handes and power. Yf the worlde now be made for our sakes, why haue we not the inheritaunce in possession with the worlde? How longe shall thys endure? ¶ The .vii. Chapter. ¶ The Angel sheweth Esdras many thynges to come.

A   And it happened after that I had spoken out these wordes, there was sent vnto me an Angell, which had bene by me also the nightes afore, and he said vnto me: Up Esdras, and heare the wordes þt; I am come to tel the. And I sayd: speake on Lord my God. Then sayd he vnto me. The see is set in a wyde place, that it myght be depe and greate: but the entra&ubar;ce is narow and small lyke a ryuer. For who wolde go &ibar;to the see, to loke vpon it, and to rule it? If he wente not thorow þe; narow, how myght he come into the brode?

Item another: A cyte is buylded and set vpon a brode felde, and is full of all goodes the entraunce is narow ∧ sodayne, lyke as yf there were a fyre at the ryght h&abar;d, and a depe water at the left and as it were onely one strayte path betwixte th&ebar; both, so smal that there coulde but one man go there.

Yf thys cyte now were geu&ebar; to an heyre, ∧ he neuer w&ebar;te thorow the parelous waye, how wolde he receaue his enherita&ubar;ce? And I sayde: It is so Lorde, Then sayd he: Eu&ebar; so is Israel also a porcion. And why? for their sakes haue I made the worlde: ∧ wh&ebar; Adam transgressed my statutes, then was the thyng iudged þt; was done. Then were the entraunces of the worlde made narow, ful of sorow ∧ trauayle. They are but few ∧ euell, full of parels and laboure. For the entraunces of the fore worlde were wyde and sure, and brought immortall frute.

If they now which are entred into thys worlde, maye not c&obar;prehende these strayte and vayne thinges, moch lesse maye they c&obar;prehende and vnderstande the secrete thynges: Why disquietest thou thy self th&ebar;, seing thou art but a corruptible man? And what woldest thou knowe, where as thou art but mortall? And why hast thou not receaued into thyne herte the thyng that is for to come, but that is present?

B   Then sayd I: O Lord Lord, ^note thou hast ordeyned &ibar; thy lawe, þt; the ryghteous shuld inheret these thynges, but that þe; vnfaythfull and vngodly shulde peryshe. Neuerthelesse, the righteous shall suffre strayte thinges, and hope for wyde: for they that haue lyued vngodly and suffred strayte thynges shall not se the wyde.

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

Neuerthelesse, they were not obedient vnto hym, but spake agaynst hym: ymagyned vayne thynges, and purposed to synne, and sayd moreouer, that there was no God, and that God regarded it not. Hys wayes haue they not knowne, his lawe haue they despysed, and denyed hys promyses: in hys statutes ∧ ordyna&ubar;ces haue they not bene faythfull and stedfast, and haue not perfourmed hys worckes.

And therfore Esdras: vnto the full, plenty: and to the emptye, emptynesse. Beholde the tyme shall come, that these tok&ebar;s which I haue tolde the, shall come to passe, &abar;d the bryde shal appeare, and the earth that now passeth awaye, shalbe shewed: and whosoeuer is delyuered fr&obar; the forsayde euels, shall se my wonders. For my sonne Iesus shalbe openly declared, with those that be with h&ibar;: ∧ they that remayne, shall be mery in foure hundred yeares.

After these same yeares shall my sonne Chryst dye, ∧ all men that haue lyfe, and þe; worlde shalbe turned into the olde syl&ebar;ce seuen dayes, lyke as in the fore iudgementes, so þt; no man shall remayne. And after seuen

dayes, the world that yet a waked not, shalbe raysed vp, and shall dye corrupte. And þe; earth shall restore those þt; haue slepte in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in sil&ebar;ce, and the secrete place shal delyuer those þt; be commytted vnto th&ebar;. C   And the most hyest shall be openly declared vpon þe; seate of iudgem&ebar;t, and all mysery shall vanysh awaye, ∧ longe suffryng shalbe gathered together. But the iudgem&ebar;t shall c&obar;tinue, the treuth shall remayne, and fayth shal waxe strong, the worcke shall folowe, ∧ the rewarde shalbe shewed: the ryghteousnes shall watch, ∧ the vnryghteousnesses shall beare no rule.

Then sayde I: ^note Abraham prayed fyrst for the Sodomytes, ^note ∧ Moses for þe; fathers that sinned in the wyldernes, &abar;d he that came after hym for Israel, in þe; tyme of Achas and Samuel: and ^note Dauid for the destruccyon ^note and Salomon for them that came into the Sanctuary, ^note and helyas for those þt; receaued rayne, ∧ for þe; deed, that he myght lyue, and Ezechias for the people in the tyme of Sennacheryb: and diuerse other &ibar; lyke maner, which haue prayed for many.

Euen so now, seyng the corrupte is growne vp, ∧ wyckednes increased, and the ryghteous haue prayed for the vngodly, wherfore shall it not be so now also?

He answered me, and sayd: Thys present world is not the ende, there remaineth moch honoure in it, therfore haue they prayed for the weake. But the daye of dome shalbe the ende of thys tyme, and the begynning of the immortalite for to come, wherin all corrupcyon vanyshed, all volupteousnes is loused all mysbeleue taken awaye, ryghteousnes growne, and the veryte spronge vp. Then shall no man be able to saue hym that is destroyed, ner to opresse hym þt; hath gotten þe; victory. I answered then, and sayd: This is my first and last say&ibar;g: þt; it had bene better, not to haue geuen the earthe vnto Ad&abar;: or els when it was geuen hym, to kepe hym þt; he shuld not synne. For what profit is it for men now in thys present tyme to lyue in heuynes, ∧ after death to loke for punyshm&ebar;t. O thou Adam, what hast thou done? For though it was thou that synned, þu; art not fallen alone, but we all that come of þe;. For what profit is it vnto vs, yf there be promysed vs an immortall tyme, where as we medle wyth deadly worckes? and that there is promised vs an euerlastyng hope, where as our selues are euel ∧ vayne, and þt; there are layed vp for vs dwellynges of health ∧ fredome, where as we haue lyued euell, ∧ þt; the worshyppe of the Hyest is kepte to defende them, which haue led a pacyent lyfe, where as we haue walcked in the most wycked wayes of all? And that there shalbe shewed a paradyse, whose frute endureth for euer, wherin is fredome and medycyne, where as we shall not go in? for we haue walcked in vnpleasaunt places: And that the faces of them, D   which haue absteyned, shall shyne aboue the starres, where as oure faces shalbe black and darcke? For whyle we lyued ∧ dyd vnryghteously, we consydered not that we shuld suffre therfore after deeth?

Then answered he me, and sayde: Thys is the consyderacion &abar;d thought of the battayle, which man hath vpon earth: that yf he be ouercome, he shall suffre as thou hast sayde. But yf he gett the victory, he shall receaue the thynge that I saye. For thys is þe; lyfe, wherof Moses spake vnto the people, whyle he lyued, sayinge: ^note Chose the lyfe, that þu; mayest lyue. Neuertheles, they beleued hym not, nether þe; prophetes after hym. No ner me which haue spoken vnto them þe; heuynes shulde not reach vnto them to theyr destruccyon, lyke as ioye is for to come ouer those that haue suffred them selues to be enfourmed in saluacyon.

I answered then, &abar;d sayde: I knowe Lorde, that the Hyest is mercyfull, in that he hath mercy vpon them, whych are not yet in the worlde, and vpon those also that walcke in his lawe: and that ^note he is pacient and l&obar;ge sufferynge towarde those that haue synned in theyr worckes, and that he is liberall to geue where as it requyreth: and that he is of great mercy, for he multyplied hys lou&ibar;ge kyndnesse towarde those that are present and that are past, &abar;d to them whych are for to come. For yf he multiplye not hys mercyes, the worlde shall not be made lyuynge, wyth those that dwell therin. He geueth also, for yf he gaue not of hys goodnes, that they whych haue done euell, myght be eased from theyr wyckednes, the ten thousande parte of men shulde not be made lyuynge. And yf the iudge forgaue not those that be healed &wt; hys worde, ∧ yf he wold destroye þe; multytude that stryueth, there shulde be very fewe left in an innumerable multytude. ¶ The .viii. Chapter. ¶ Esdras prayeth God rather to loke vpon hys awne mercye, then on the synnes of the people.

A   And he answered me, sayinge. The most Hyest made thys worlde for many, but the worlde to come for fewe. I will tell the a symylitude, Esdras: As when thou askest the earth, it shall saye vnto þe;, that it geueth moch moulde, where of earthen vessels are made, but litle of it that golde commeth of. Eu&ebar; so is it with the worcke of thys world. ^noteThere be many created, but fewe shall be preserued. Then answered I and sayde: The swalowe vp the wytt (thou soule) and deuoure the

vnderstandyng, for thou art argreed to herken and to geue eare, and wyllynge to prophecie: for thou hast no l&obar;ger space geuen þe;, but onely to lyue. O Lord, wilt thou not geue thy serua&ubar;t leaue, that we maye praye before the, and that thou mayest geue sede vnto oure herte, ∧ buylde oure vnderst&abar;dyng, that there maye come frute of it: ∧ that euery one which is corrupte, and beareth þe; state and place of a man, maye lyue?

For thou art alone, ∧ we all are one worckmanshype of thy h&abar;des, lyke as thou hast sayd, and lyke as the body is fashioned now in the mothers w&obar;be, ∧ thou geuest the m&ebar;bres, and thy creature is preserued in fyre &abar;d water: ∧ .ix. monethes doth thy worke suffre thy creature, which is fashioned in her: but the thing that preserued, and it that is preserued, shal both be kepte together: and wh&ebar; tyme is, the wombe delyuereth the thynge that is kepte and growne in her.

For thou hast commaunded þe; brestes to geue mylck vnto the frute, that the thynge which is created and fassioned, maye be norished for a tyme: and then thou dysposest ∧ ordrest it with thy mercy, bryngest it vp &wt; thy ryghteousnes, nurturest it in thy law, ∧ refourmest it with thy vnderstanding, mortifiest it as thy creature, ∧ makest it lyu&ibar;ge as thy worcke. Seynge then that thou destroyedst h&ibar;, which with so great labours is created and fashyoned thorowe thy commaundem&ebar;t, thou couldest lyghtly ordeyne, also, that the thinge which is made, myght be preserued.

B   And this I speake now of all men in generall: as þu; knowest: but of thy people: for whose sake I am sory: and of thy inherita&ubar;ce: for whose cause I mourne: and of Israel, for whom I am wofull: and for Iacob, for whose sake I am greued, therfore begynne I to praye before the, for my selfe ∧ for th&ebar;, for I se the fall of vs, euen of vs, that dwell vpon earth. But I haue herde the swyftnes of the iudge, which is to come: therfore heare my voyce, and vnderstande my wordes, and I shall speake before the.

This is the begynninge of the wordes of Esdras, before he was receaued: O Lorde, thou that dwellest in euerlastingnesse, whose eyes are lyft vp &ibar; the ayre, whose stoole is exceading hye, whose glory ∧ maiesty maye not be comprehended, before whom the Hostes of heauen stande with tremblyng, whose kepinge is turned in wynde ∧ fyre, whose worde is true, whose talckynge is stedfast, whose commaundement is stronge, whose ordinaunce is fearfull, whose loke drieth vp the depthes, whose wrath maketh the moutaynes to melt awaye, and whose trueth beareth wytnes: O heare the prayer of thy seruaunt, and marck with thyne eares the peticion of thy creature.

For whyle I lyue, I wyll speake, and so longe as I haue vnderstandyng, I wyll answere. O loke not vpon the synnes of thy people, whych serue in the trueth. Haue no respecte vnto the wicked studies of the Heathen, but to the desire of those that kepe thy testymonyes wyth sorowes. Thyncke not vp&obar; those that haue walked faynedly before the, but vpon them, which with will haue knowne thy feare.

Let it not be thy wyll to destroye them, which haue had beastly maners, but to loke vp&obar; th&ebar; that haue clearly taught thy lawe. Take thou no indignaci&obar; at th&ebar;, which are worse then beastes: but loue them, that all waye put theyr trust in thy ryghteousnes ∧ glory: for we ∧ oure fathers haue all the same sycknes and dysease, but because of oure synnes thou shalt be called mercyfull.

For yf thou hast mercy vpon vs, þu; shalt be called mercyfull, where as we haue no worckes of ryghteousnes: for þe; ryghteous whych haue layed vp many good worckes together, shal out of theyr dedes receaue rewarde. C   For what is m&abar;, that thou shuldest take displeasure at him? Or what is the corruptible mortall generaci&obar;, that thou shuldest be so rough towarde hym?

^noteFor of a truthe there is no man am&obar;ge them that be borne, but he hath dealt wyekedly: and am&obar;ge the faythfull there is none, which hath not done amysse. For in thys (O Lord) thy ryghteousnes and thy goodnes shalbe praysed and declared, yf thou be mercyfull vnto them, which are not rych in good worckes.

Then answered he me and sayde: Some thynges hast thou spok&ebar; a ryght, and according vnto thy wordes it shall be. For I wil not verely consydre the worckes of them, which haue synned before death, before the iudgement, before destruccion, but ^note I wyll reioyse ouer the worcke and thought of the ryghteous. I will rem&ebar;bre also the pylgremage, the holy makynge and the rewarde. Lyke as I haue spoken now, so shall it come to passe. For as the husbande man soweth moche sede vpon the gro&ubar;de, and planteth many trees, and yet alwaye the thinge that is sowne or planted is not all kepte safe, nether doth it all take rote: Eu&ebar; so is it of th&ebar; that are sowne in the worlde, they shall not all be preserued.

I answered then and sayde: If I haue founde grace, th&ebar; let me speake. Like as the husbande mans sede perisheth, yf it receaue not rayne in due season, or yf there come to moch rayne vp&obar; it: Euen so perysheth man also, which is created with thy handes, and is lyke vnto thyne awne ymage and to thy selfe, for whose sake thou hast made all thinges,

and lykened hym vnto the husbande mans sede. Be not wroth at vs, O Lorde, but spare thy people, and haue mercy vpon thyne awne inherytaunce: O be mercyfull vnto thy creature.

D   Then answered he me ∧ sayde. Thynges present are for the present, and thinges to come for soch as be to come. For thou lackest yet moch, seynge þu; mayest loue my creature aboue me: I haue oft tymes drawne nye vnto the, but neuer to the vnryghteous. In this also thou art maruelous before þe; hyest in that thou hast humbled thy selfe, as it becommeth the, and hast not regarded thyne awne selfe, that thou art had in soch honoure am&obar;ge þe; ryghteous. Therfore shal great wrechednes and misery come vpon th&ebar;, that in the latter tyme shall dwell in the worlde because they haue walcked in greate pryde.

But vnderstand thou for thy selfe, and seke out glory for soch as be lyke the: for vnto you is paradyse opened, the tre of lyfe is planted, the tyme to come is prepared, plenteousnes made ready, a cytie is buylded for you, ∧ a rest is prepared, yee perfecte goodnes and wysdome. The rote of euell is marcked from you, þe; weaknes, and moth is hyd fr&obar; you, ∧ into hell flyeth corrupcion in forgetfulnes. Sorowes are vanyshed awaye, and in the ende is shewed the treasure of immortalite. And therfore aske thou nomore questions concernynge the multitude of th&ebar; that perishe. For they haue taken libertye: despysed the hyest, thought scorne of his lawe, and forsaken his wayes.

Moreouer, they haue troden downe hys ryghteous, and ^note sayde in theyr herte, that there is no God, yee and that wyttingly, for they dye. For lyke as the thynge that I haue spoken of, is made ready for you: Eu&ebar; so is thyrst ∧ payne prepared for them. For it was not hys wyll that man shulde come to naught, but they which be created haue defyled the name of hym that made them, and are vnth&abar;ckfull vnto hym, which prepared lyfe for them. And therfore is my iudgem&ebar;t now at hand. These thinges haue I not shewed vnto all men, but vnto fewe, namely vnto the, and to soch as be lyke the.

Then answered I and sayd: Beholde O Lorde, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the tokens, which thou wylt begyn to do at the last: but at what tyme ∧ when, thou hast not shewed me. ¶ The .ix. Chapter. ¶ Esdras hath visyons shewed vnto hym.

A   He answered me then and sayd: Measure thou þe; tyme dilig&ebar;tly in it selfe, when thou seyst that one parte of the tokens come to passe, whych I haue tolde þe; before: so shalt thou vnderstande, that it is the very same tyme, wherin the Hyest will begynne to vyset the worlde, which he made. And wh&ebar; there shalbe sene earth quake and vproare of the people &ibar; the worlde, th&ebar; shalt thou well vnderstande, that the most hyest spake of those thynges, from the dayes that were before the, euen from the begynnynge.

For lyke as all that is made in the world hath a begynnyng and ende, and the ende is manyfest: Eu&ebar; so the tymes also of þe; Hyest haue playne begynnynges in wonders and sygnes, and the ende in worckyng and in tokens. And euery one that shalbe saued, and shall be able to escape by hys worckes and by faith, wherin ye haue beleued, shall be preserued from the sayde parels, and shal se my sauyoure in my lande, and wythin my borders, for I haue halowed me fr&obar; the world. Th&ebar; shal they be in carefulnesse, which now haue abused my wayes: and they þt; haue cast th&ebar; oute despitefully, shall dwell in paynes.

For soch as in theyr lyfe haue receaued benefytes, and haue not knowne me, ∧ they that haue abhorred my lawe, whyle they had yet fredome, and wh&ebar; they had yet open leysure of amendement and c&obar;uersyon, and vnderstode not, but despysed it: þe; same must knowe it after death in paine. And therfore be thou nomore carefull, how the vngodly shalbe punished, ∧ how the ryghteous shalbe saued, and whose the worlde is, ∧ for wh&obar; the worlde, and when it is. B   Then answered I and sayde: ^note I haue talcked before ∧ now I speake, &abar;d will speake also her after, that there be many moo of them whych perysh, th&ebar; shalbe saued, lyke as the floude is greater then the droppes.

And he answered me, sayinge: lyke as the felde is, so is also the sede: as the floures be, so are the coulours also: soch as the worckman is, soch is also the worcke: and as the husband m&abar; is hym selfe, so is hys husbrandrye also, for it was the tyme of the worlde. And when I prepared for them that are now, or euer the worlde was made, where in they shulde dwell, then was there no man that wythstode me. Now when euery one was, and the maker also in the worlde which is now prepared, and the moneth that ceaseth not, and the lawe whych is vnsearcheable, theyr maners were corrupte. So I consydred the worlde, ∧ beholde, there was parell, because of the thoughtes that were come in to it. And I saw, and spared them greatly, and haue kepte me a wynebery of the grapes, and a plante from amonge many generacyons. Let the multitude perysh then, whych are growne vp in vayne, and lett my grape and wynebery be kepte: euen my plante: for wyth greate laboure haue I made it vp.

Neuertheles, yf thou wylt take vpon the yet seuen dayes mo (but thou shalt not fast in them) goo thy waye then into the felde of floures, where no house is buylded, and eate onely of the floures of þe; felde, taste not flesh, dryncke no wyne, but eate floures onely. Praye vnto the Hyest continually, so wyll I come, and talke with the.

C   So I went my waye and came into the felde which is called Ardath (lyke as he c&obar;maunded me) and there I sat amonge the floures, ∧ dyd eate of the herbes of the felde, and the meate of þe; same satisfied me. After seuen dayes I sat vpon the grasse, and my herte was vexed within me lyke as afore: ∧ I opened my mouth, and beganne to talke before the Hyest, and sayde: O Lorde, thou that shewest thy selfe vnto vs, ^note thou hast declared and opened thy selfe vnto oure fathers in the wyldernes, in a place where noman dwelleth, in a baren place, when they came out of Egypt, and thou spakest, sayinge: Heare me O Israel, and marke my wordes thou sede of Iacob: Beholde, I sowe my lawe in you, and it shall brynge frute in you ∧ ye shalbe honoured in it for euer. For oure fathers which receaued þe; lawe, kept it not and obserued not thy ordinaunces and statutes, and the frute of thy lawe was not declared: for it myght not, for why? it was thyne. ^noteFor they that receaued it, perished, because they kepte not the thynge that was sowne in them.

It is a custome when the grounde receaueth sede, or the see a ship, or a vessell meate and drincke, that wh&ebar; it perisheth or is broken wherin a thing is sowen, or wherin eny thynge is put: D   the thynges also perishe and are broken, which are sowen or put therin. But vnto vs it hath not happened so: for we that haue receaued the lawe, perish in synne ∧ oure herte whych also receaued the lawe: notwithst&abar;dyng ^note the lawe perysheth not, but remayneth in his laboure.

And when I consydered these thinges in my herte after thys maner, I loked aboute me with myne eyes, and vpon the right syde ^note I sawe a woman, which mourned sore, made greate lam&ebar;tacyon, and wepte with loude voyce: her clothes were rent in peces, and she had asshes vpon her heade.

Then let I my thoughtes go, that I was in, and turned me vnto her, and sayd. wherfore wepest thou? why art thou so sory and discomforted? And she sayde vnto me. Syr, lett me be wayle my self and take yet more sorow: for I am sore vexed in my mynde, ∧ brought very lowe. And I sayde vnto her: what ayleth þe;? Or who hath done eny thing to þe;? tell me. She sayde: I haue bene vnfrutefull and baren, and haue had an husband thyrtie yeares. And these .xxx. yeares I do nothynge els daye and nyght ∧ all houres, but make my prayer to þe; hyest. After thyrtie yeares God herde me thy handmayden, loked vpon my misery, consydred my trouble, and gaue me a sonne, and I was glad of him, so was my husb&abar;d also ∧ all my neyghbours, ∧ we gaue greate honoure vnto the Myghtie. And I noryshed hym with great trauayle. So when he grewe vp, and came to þe; tyme, that he shuld haue a wyfe, I made a feast. ¶ The .x. Chapter. ¶ Esdras and the woman that appeareth vnto hym commen together.

A   And it happened that when my sonne wente into hys chamber he fell downe, and dyed: then ouerthrew we all þe; lyghtes, and all my neyghbours rose vp to comforte me. Then toke I my rest vnto the seconde daye at nyght: and wh&ebar; they had all rested, that they might comforte me, I rested and also rose vp by nyght, and fled, ∧ am come hyther in to thys felde, as thou seyst: and am purposed not to come in the citye, but to remayne here, and nether to eate ner dryncke, but continually to mourne and to fast, vntyll I dye.

Then let I my meditacions ∧ thoughtes fall, that I was in, ∧ spake to her in displeasure: Thou foolysh woman, seyst thou not oure heuynes and mournyng, ∧ what happeneth vnto vs? how Syon oure mother is all wofull and sory, and how she is cleane brought downe and in mysery? seyng we be all now in heuynes, ∧ make oure mone (for we be all soroufull.) As for þe; heuynes that thou takest, it is but for one sonne. Dema&ubar;de the earth, ∧ she shall tell the, that it is she which ought (by reason) to mourne, for the fall of so many that growe vpon her. For from the begynnynge all m&ebar; are borne of hir, and other shall come: ∧ beholde, they walke all most all in to destruccion, and many of them shalbe roted out.

Who shulde then (by reason) make more mournynge, then she, that hath lost so great a multitude? ∧ not thou, which art sory, but for one. But yf thou woldest saye vnto me: My mournynge is not lyke the mourninge of the earth, for I haue lost the frute of my body, which I bare &wt; heuynes: but þe; earth is accordinge to the maner of the earth, and the present multitude goeth againe into her as it is come to passe. Then saye I vnto the: lyke as thou hast borne with trauayle ∧ sorowe, eu&ebar; so þe; earth also fr&obar; the begynnyng geueth her frute vnto man, for hym þt; made her. And therfore with holde thy sorowe and heuynes by thy selfe ^note ∧ loke what happeneth vnto the, beare it strongly. For yf thou iudgest the marcke and ende of God to

be ryghteous and good, ∧ receauest his co&ubar;cell in tyme, þu; shalt be c&obar;mended therin. Go thy waye then into the cytie to thy husb&abar;de.

B   And she sayde vnto me: that wyll I not do, I wyll not go in to the cytye, but heare will I dye. So I commened more with her and sayde: Do not so, but be counceled, and folowe me: for how many falles hath Sy&obar;? Be of good comforte because of the sorowe of Ierusalem. For thou seyst that our Sanctuary is layed waste, oure aulter broken, oure temple destroyed, oure playenge of instrumentes and syngyne layed downe, the th&abar;kesgeuynge put to sylence, our myrth is vanyshed awaye, the lyght of oure candelstick is qu&ebar;ched, the arcke of the couenaunt is taken from vs, all oure holy thynges are defyled, and the name that is called vpon ouer vs, is dishonoured: oure childr&ebar; are put to shame, oure prestes are brent, oure Leuites are caried awaye into captiuite, our virgins are defyled, and oure wyues rauished, oure ryghteous m&ebar; spoyled, and oure chyldren destroyed, oure yonge men are brought in bondage, and oure stronge worthyes are become weake: and Sy&obar; (which seale is the greatest of all) is lowsed vp from her worshyp: for she is delyuered into the handes of them that hate vs.

And therfore shake of thy great heuynes, and put awaye the multitude of sorowes: þt; the myghtye maye be mercyfull vnto the, ∧ that the Hyest maye geue the rest from thy laboure and trauaile. And it happened, that when I was talkyng with her, her face dyd shyne and glyster, so that I was afrayed of her, and mused what it myght be. And immedyatly she cast oute a greate voyce, very fearfull, so that the earth shoke at the noyse of the woman: and I loked, and beholde, the wom&abar;, appeared vnto me nomore: but there was a citie builded, ∧ a place was shewed from the grounde and foundacyon.

C   Then was I afrayed, and cryed wyth loude voyce, and sayde: where is Uriel the angell, ^note which came to me at the fyrst? For he hath caused me to come in many consideracyons and hye thoughtes, and myne ende is turned to corrupci&obar;, and my prayer to rebuke. And as I was speakynge these wordes, he came vnto me, and loked vpon me, ∧ I laye as one that had bene deed, and myne vnderstanding was altered, and he toke me by the ryght hande, and c&obar;forted me, and set me vpon my fete, and sayde vnto me: what ayleth the? and why is thine vnderst&abar;ding vexed? and the vnderstanding of thy herte, ∧ wherfore art thou sory? And I sayd: Because thou hast forsak&ebar; me: and I haue done ^note accordinge vnto thy wordes, I wente into the felde, and there haue I sene thynges that I am not able to expresse. He sayde vnto me: Stande vp and be manly, and I shal geue the exhortacion.

Thene sayd I: speake vnto me my Lord forsake me not, lest I dye in vayne: for I haue sene that I knewe not, and herde that I do not knowe. Or shal my vnderstandinge be disceaued, ∧ my mynde? But now I beseche the, that thou wylt shewe thy serua&ubar;t of this w&obar;der. He answered me then ∧ sayd: heare me, and I shall enfourme the, and tell the wherfore thou art afrayed, for the hyest hath opened many secrete thinges vnto the

He hath sene that thy waye is ryght, and that thou takest sorowe c&obar;tinually for thy people, and makest greate lamentacyon for Syon: and therfore vnderstande the vision which thou sawest a lytle whyle agoo after this maner: Thou sawest a woman mourninge, and thou hast comforted her: Neuertheles now seyst thou the lykenes of þe; wom&abar; nomore, but thou thoughtest there was a citie buylded: and like as she tolde þe; of the fall of her sonne, so is this the answere: The woman whom thou sawest, is Syon, and where as she tolde the, that she hath bene thyrtye yeares vnfrutefull and bar&ebar;, those are the .xxx. yeares, wherin there was no offerynge made in her.

D   But after .xxx. yeares Salom&obar; buylded her, ∧ offred, and then bare the bar&ebar; a sonne. And where as she tolde þe;: that she noryshed hym with laboure, that was the dwellynge of Ierusalem. But where as she tolde the þt; her sonne dyed wh&abar; she came into her chamber, that is the fall of Ierusalem. And thou sawest her lykenesse, how she mourned for her sonne: and what els happened vnto her, I haue shewed þe;. And now God seyth, that thou art sory in thy mynde, and suffrest fr&obar; thy herte for her, ∧ so hath he shewed the her clearnesse, and the fayrnes of her bewtye.

And therfore I bad the remayne in þe; felde where no house is builded. For I knew that the Hyest wolde shew this vnto the, therfore I commaunded the to goo into the felde, where no foundacion ner buyldinge is. For in the place where the Hyest wyll shew hys citye, there shall be no mans buylding. And therfore feare not, and let not thyne hert be afrayed, but go thy waye in, and se the glorious and fayre buyldinge, and how greate it is, and how greate thou thinckest it after the measure of thine eyes, and th&ebar; shalt thou heare as moch as thine eares maye comprehende. For þu; art blessed aboue many other, and art called with the Hyest, as the fewe. But tomorow at nyght thou shalt remayne here, and so shall the Hyest shewe the visy&obar;s of hye thynges, which he wyll do vnto th&ebar;, that dwell vp&obar; earth in the last dayes. So I slepte the same nyght lyke as he commaunded me.

¶ The .xi. Chapter. ¶ In this Chapter and in the .ii. next ensuynge, he entreateth of certen vysyons and of the interpretacyons therof.

A   Then sawe I a dreame: and beholde, there came vp from the see an Aegle which had .xii. wynges and thre heades: And I sawe, and beholde, he spred hys wynges ouer all the earth, and all the wyndes of the ayre blew in th&ebar;, and so they were put together agayne. And I behelde, ∧ out of hys fethers there grew other lytle c&obar;trary fethers: the heades rested, the head in the myddest was greater then the other, yet rested it with the residue.

Moreouer I sawe, that the Aegle flew &wt; hys wynges, and raygned vpon earth, and ouer all them that dwell vp&obar; the earth: and I sawe that all thinges vnder heauen were subiecte vnto hym, ∧ no man spake against hym, no not one creature vp&obar; earth. I sawe also that the Aegle stode vp vpon hys clawes, ∧ gaue a so&ubar;de with his fethers, and a voyce sayinge after this maner: watch not all together, slepe euery man in hys awne place, and watch for a tyme, but let the heades be preserued at the last. Neuertheles I sawe, that the voyce wente not oute of hys heades, but from the myddest of hys body. And I nombred hys c&obar;trary fethers, and beholde, there were eyght of them. And I loked, and beholde vpon the ryght syde there arose one fether, ∧ raygned ouer all þe; earth. And it happened, that when it raygned the ende of it came, and the place therof appeared nomore. So the nexte folowynge stode vp, B   and raygned, and had greate tyme: and it happened, that when it raygned, the ende of it came also lyke as the fyrst, so that it appeared nomore.

Then came there a voyce vnto it, ∧ sayd Heare thou that hast kepte in þe; earth so longe, thys I saye vnto the, before thou begynnest to appeare nomore: There shall none after the atteyne vnto thy tyme. Then arose the thyrd, and raygned as the other afore, ∧ appeared nomore also. So went it with all the residue one after another, so that euery one raygned, and then appeared nomore. Then I loked, and beholde, in processe of tyme þe; fethers that folowed were set vp vpon the ryght syde, that they myght rule also: ∧ some of th&ebar; ruled, but within a whyle they appeared nomore: for some of th&ebar; were set vp, but ruled not. After this I loked, and beholde the .xii. fethers appeared nomore, and the two wynges: ∧ there was nomore vpon þe; Aegles body, but two heades that rested, and syxe fethers. Th&ebar; sawe I also, that the syxe fethers were parted in two, and remained vnder the head, that was vp&obar; the ryght syde, for the foure continued in theyr place. C   So I loked, ∧ behold, they that were vnder the wynges, thought to set vp th&ebar; selues, ∧ to haue the rule. Then was there one set vp but shortly it appeared nomore, ∧ the sec&obar;de was sooner awaye then the fyrst. And I behelde ∧ lo, þe; two thought also by th&ebar; selues to raygne: ∧ when they so thought, beholde, there waked one of the heades that were at rest, namely, it that was in the myddest, for that was the greater of þe; two heades. And th&ebar; I sawe, that the two heades were filled with him, and þe; head was turned wyth th&ebar; that were by hym, and dyd eate vp the two vnder wynges, that wolde haue raygned.

But this head put þe; whole earth in feare, ∧ bare rule in it, ouer all those þt; dwelt vpon earth &wt; moch laboure, and he had þe; gouerna&ubar;ce of the worlde, ouer all the foules that haue bene. After this I loked, ∧ beholde, the head that was in þe; myddest sodenly appeare nomore, lyke as þe; wynges: then came the two heades, which ruled vpon earth, ∧ ouer those þt; dwelt therin. And I behelde, ∧ lo, the head vpon the ryght syde, deuoured it that was vpon þe; left syde. And I herde a voyce, which sayde vnto me: loke before þe;, and consydre the thyng that thou seyst. Th&ebar; I sawe and beholde, as it were a ly&obar; þt; roareth, rennynge hastely out of the wod, ∧ he sent out a m&abar;s voyce vnto the Aegle, ∧ sayd: Heare thou, I will talke with the, ∧ the Hyest shal saye vnto þe;: Is it not thou þt; hast þe; victory of the foure beastes, whom I made to raygne vpon earth ∧ in my worlde, and þt; the ende of theyr tymes myght come thorow th&ebar;?

D   And the fourth came, and ouerwanne all the beastes that were past, and had power ouer the worlde with great fearfulnes, and ouer the whole c&obar;passe of the earth with the most wicked laboure, ∧ so longe time dwelt he vpon the earth with disceate, ∧ the earth hast thou iudged not with trueth. For thou hast troubled the meke, thou hast hurte the peaceable ∧ quyete, thou hast loued lyers, ∧ destroyed þe; dwellinges of th&ebar; that brought forth frute, and hast cast downe the walles of soch as dyd the no harme. Therfore is thy wrongeous dealyng and blasphemye come vp vnto the Hyest, and thy pryde vnto the myghty. The Hyest also hath loked vpon þe; proude tymes, and beholde, they are ended, and theyr abhominaci&obar;s are fulfylled. And therfore appeare nomore thou Aegle, ∧ thy horrible wynges, and thy wycked fethers, ∧ thy vngracious heades, and thy sinfull clawes, and all thy vayne body: that the earth maye be refreshed, and come agayne to her selfe, wh&abar; she is delyuered from thy violence, and that she maye hope for the iudgem&ebar;t and mercy of hym that made her. ¶ The .xii. Chapter.

A   And it happened when the Ly&obar; spake these wordes vnto þe; Aegle, I sawe, ∧ beholde, the head that afore had the vpperhand, appeared nomore: nether dyd þe; foure wynges appeare any more, that came to him, and were set vp to raygne: and their kyngdome was small and full of vproure. And I saw, and beholde, they appeared nomore, and the whole body of the Aegle was br&ebar;t, and the earth was in greate feare. Th&ebar; awaked I out of the tra&ubar;ce of my mynde, ∧ from greate feare, ∧ sayde vnto my sprete: Lo, this hast thou geuen me in that thou searchest out þe; wayes of the Hyest: lo, yet am I weery in my mynde, ∧ very weake in my sprete, and lytle str&ebar;gth is there in me, for þe; greate feare þt; I receaued this nyght. Therfore wyll I now beseche the Hyest, that he wyll c&obar;forte me vnto the ende: and I sayde, Lorde Lorde, yf I haue founde grace before thy syght, and yf I am iustified with the before many other, and yf my prayer be come vp before thy face, comforte me th&ebar;, and shewe me thy seruaunt thy interpretacion and playne differ&ebar;ce of thys horrible syght, that thou mayest perfectly c&obar;forte my soule: for thou hast iudged me worthy, to shew me the last of tymes.

And he sayde vnto me: thys is the interpretacyon of thys syght. The Aegle whom thou sawest come vp fr&obar; the see, is the kyngdome ^note which was sene in the visyon of thy brother Daniel, but it was not expounded vnto hym, for now I declare it vnto þe;. B   Beholde, þe; dayes come, that there shall ryse vp a kyngdome vpon earth, and it shalbe feared aboue all the Kyngdomes that were before it. In þe; same Kyngdome shal .xii. Kynges raygne, one after another. For the sec&obar;de shall begynne to raygne, and shall haue more tyme then the other twelue: and thys do the twelue wynges signifie, which thou sawest. As for þe; voyce that spake, and that thou sawest go out from the heades, but not from the body, it betokeneth, that after the tyme of þe; Kyngdome there shal aryse great stryuynges, and it shall stande in parell of fallyng: neuertheles it shall not yet fall, but shalbe set into his begynnyng. And þe; eyght vnderwynges whych thou sawest h&abar;ge vnto the wynges of hym, be token, that in him there shall aryse eyght kynges, whose tyme shalbe but small, and theyr yeares swyft, ∧ two of th&ebar; shall beare. But when the myddest tyme commeth, there shalbe foure kepte in the tyme, wh&ebar; his tyme begynneth to come þt; it maye be ended, but two shalbe kepte vnto the ende.

C   And where as thou sawest thre heades restynge, this is the interpretacy&obar;: In his last shall the Hyest rayse vp thre kyngdomes, ∧ call many agayne into th&ebar;, ∧ they shall haue the dominion of the earth, and of those that dwell therin, &wt; moch labour aboue all those that were before th&ebar;. Therfore are they called þe; heades of the Aegle: for it is they that shall brynge forth hys wyckednes agayne, and that shal perfourme and fynish his last. And where as þu; sawest, that þe; greate head appeared nomore, it signifieth, that one of them shall dye vpon his bed, and yet &wt; payne, for the two that remayne, shalbe slayne with the swerde. For the swerde of the one shall deuoure the other, but at þe; last shall he fall thorow the swerde hym selfe.

And where as þu; sawest two vnderwynges vpon the head that is on the ryght syde, it signyfieth that it is they,, whome þe; Hyest hath kepte vnto theyr ende: thys is a small kyngdome, and full of trouble. The Lyon wh&obar; thou sawest rysinge vp out of þe; wodd, and roarynge, and speakynge vnto the Aegle, ∧ rebukynge him for hys vnryghteousnesse, is the wynde, which þe; Hyest hath kepte for them, ∧ for theyr wyckednesse vnto the ende: he shall reproue th&ebar;, and r&ebar;te them asunder before them. For he shall set th&ebar; lyuynge before the iudgement, D   and shall rebuke them: for the residue of my people shall he deliuer with trouble those that be preserued ouer myne endes: and he shall make the ioyfull vntyll the commyng of the daye of iudgement, wherof I haue spoken vnto the fr&obar; the begynnynge. This is the dreame þt; thou sawest, ∧ thys is the interpretacyon. Thou onely hast bene mete to knowe the secrete of the Hyest.

Therfore write all these thynges þt; thou hast sene in a boke, and hyde th&ebar;, and teach th&ebar; the wyse &ibar; the people, whose hertes thou knowest maye comprehende and kepe these secretes. But wayte þu; here thy selfe yet seuen dayes moo, that it maye be shewed the, whatsoeuer it pleaseth the Hyest to declare vnto the, and with that he went his waye.

And when all the people perceaued, that the seuen dayes were past, and I not come agayne into the cytie, they gathered th&ebar; all together from the least vnto þe; most, and came vnto me, and sayde: what haue we offended the? ∧ what euell haue we done agaynst the, that thou forsakest vs, and syttest here in thys place? For of all people thou onely art left vs, as a grape of the vyne, and as a candell in a darcke place, ∧ as an hau&ebar; ∧ ship preserued from the t&ebar;pest. Haue we not els aduersite ynough, but thou must forsake vs Were it not better for vs, that we had bene brent wyth Syon? For we are not better, then they that dyed there: and they wepte &wt; loude voyce. Th&ebar; answered I them ∧ sayd: Be of good comforte O Israell, and be not heuy thou house of Iacob: for þe; Hyest hath

you in remembra&ubar;ce, and the mightye hath not forgott&ebar; you in temptacion. As for me, I haue not forsak&ebar; you, nether am I departed from you, but am come into thys place to praye, because of the mysery of Israell: þt; I myght seke mercy for the lowe estate of youre S&abar;ctuary. And now go youre waye home euery m&abar;, and after these dayes wyll I come vnto you. So the people went their waye in the cytye, lyke as I comma&ubar;ded them: but I remained styll in the felde seuen dayes, as the Angell bad me, and dyd eate onely of the floures of the felde, and had my meate of the herbes in those dayes. ¶ The .xiii. Chapter.

A   And it happened after the seuen daies, that I dreamed a dreame by nyght. And beholde, there arose a wynde from the see, that it moued all the floudes therof. And I loked, ∧ beholde, the m&abar; was strong and increased wyth the cloudes of heauen. and wh&ebar; he turned his countena&ubar;ce to consider, all the thinges tr&ebar;bled that were sene vnder hym: and wh&ebar; the voyce went out of hys mouth, all they brent that herde hym, lyke as the earth when it feleth the fyre.

After these I sawe, ∧ beholde, there was gathered together a multitude of m&ebar; out of nombre from the foure wyndes of the heauen, to fyghte agaynst the man, that came oute from the see. And I loked, and beholde he graued hym selfe a greate mountayne, ∧ flew vp vpon it. But I wolde haue sene the border or place, wherout the hyll was grauen, and I coulde not.

I sawe after these, that all they which came to fyght agaynst him, were sore afrayed and yet durst they fight. Neuertheles, when he sawe the fearsnesse and viol&ebar;ce of the people, he nether lyft vp his h&abar;de ner helde swerde, ner eny weap&ebar;: but onely (As I sawe) he sent out of hys mouth as it had bene a blast of fyre, and out of hys lyppes the wynde of the flamme: and out of his tonge he cast out sparkes and stormes, ∧ they were all myxte together: the blast of fyre, the wynde of the flammes, and the greate storme, ∧ fell with a russhe vpon the people, which was prepared to fyght and brent them vp euerychoue: so that of the innumerable multitude there was nothynge sene, but onely dust ∧ smoke. When I saw this, I was afrayed.

B   After warde sawe I the same man come downe from the mo&ubar;tayne, and callyng vnto hym another peaceable people: and there came moche people vnto h&ibar;: some were glad some were sory, some of them were bounde, so that they were caried and brought forth.

Then was I syck thorow greate feare, and I awaked, and sayde: thou hast shewed thy seruaunt all thy wonders from the beginnyng, and hast counted me worthy, that thou mightest receaue my prayer, shewe me now yet the interpretacion of this dreame. For thus I considre in my vnderstandyng: Wo vnto th&ebar; that shal be left &ibar; those dayes &abar;d moch more wo vnto th&ebar; that are not left behynde: for they that were not left, were in heuynes.

Now vnderstande I the thinges that are layed vp in the latter dayes which shal happ&ebar; vnto them, and to those that are not left behinde. Therfore are they come into great parelles, and many necessities, lyke as these dreames declare. Yet is it easier, þt; he which suffreth hurte, come in these, then to passe awaye as a cloude out of þe; worlde, ∧ now to se the thynges that shall happen in the last.

Then answered he me, ∧ sayde. The interpretacion of the syght shall I shewe the, and I will open vnto the, the thinge þt; thou hast required. For thou hast spok&ebar; of them that are left behynde, and thys is the interpretacion. He that taketh awaye the parell in that tyme, hath kept him self. They that be fallen into harme, are soch as haue workes and fayth vnto þe; Most myghtie. Knowe this therfore, that they which be left behinde are more blessed, th&ebar; they that be deed This is the meanynge of the vysy&obar;. Where as thou sawest a man comminge vp from þe; depe of the see, the same is he whom God the Hyest hath kepte a greate season, which by his awne selfe shal delyuer his creature, and he shal ordre th&ebar; that are left behinde. And where as þu; sawest, that oute of hys mouth there came a blast of wynde, fyre ∧ storme, and how that he lyft vp nether swerde nor weapen, but that the rushynge in of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to fyght aga&ibar;st him: it signifieth, that þe; dayes come, wh&abar; God will delyuer them that are vpon earth, C   and in a traunce of mynde shall he come vpon them, that dwell in the earth. And one shall vndertake to fyght agaynst another, one cyte against another, one place agaynst another ^note one people agaynst another, and one realme against another. Wh&ebar; this commeth to passe, th&ebar; shall the tokens come, that I shewed the before: and th&ebar; shal my s&obar;ne be declared, wh&obar; thou sawest clime vp as a man. And when all the people beare hys voyce, euery man shall in their awne lande leaue the battayll that they haue one agaynst another, ∧ an innumerable multytude shalbe gathered together, as they that be wyllinge to come, ∧ to ouercome him by fyghting. But he shall st&abar;de vp&obar; the toppe of the mount Syon. Neuerthelesse Syon shall come, and shalbe shewed, beynge prepared and buylded for all men, lyke as thou sawest the hyll grau&ebar; forth without any h&abar;des.

But my sonne shal rebuke the people þt; are come, for their wickednes, with the tempest, and for theyr euell ymaginacions: and theyr paines wherwith they shalbe punyshed, are lyckened vnto the flamme: and with out any laboure, shall he destroye th&ebar;, euen by the lawe, which is compared vnto the fyre.

And where as thou sawest, that he gathered another peaceable people vnto him: those are þe; ten tribes which were caried awaye presoners out of their awne lande, ^note in the tyme of Oseas the kyng, whom Salmanasar the kynge of Assyria toke presoner, and caryed them ouer the water, ∧ so came they into another lande.

But they gaue them thys councell, that they shulde leaue the multitude of the Heathen, and to go forth into a farther countre, where neuer mankynde dwelt: that they myght there kepe their statutes, which they neuer kepte in theyr awne l&abar;de. And so they entred in at the narow passages of þe; water of Euphrates, D   and God shewed tokens for them, ^note and helde styll the floude tyll they were passed ouer: for thorow þe; co&ubar;tre there was a greate waye, namely of a yeare and a halfe iourney, for the same regyon is called Asareth. Th&ebar; dwelt they there vnto þe; latter tyme: and wh&ebar; they come forth agayne, the Hyest shall holde styl the springes of the streame agayne, that they may go thorow, therfore sawest thou þe; multitude with peace. And they that be left behynde of thy people, are those that be founde within my border. Now wh&ebar; he destroyeth the multytude that is gathered together, he shal def&ebar;de his people that remayne, and th&ebar; shall he shew them greate wonders.

Then sayde I: O Lord, Lorde, shewe me this, wherfore haue I sene the m&abar; comming vp from the depe of the see? And he sayd vnto me: Like as thou c&abar;st nether seke out nor knowe these thynges that are in the depe of the see, euen so mayest thou not se my sonne, or those that be with hym, but &ibar; the tyme of the daye. Thys is the interpretacyon of the dreame whych þu; sawest, therfore thou onely art here lyghtened: for thou hast forsak&ebar; thyne awne lawe, and applyed thy diligence vnto myne, and sought it. ^noteThy lyfe hast thou ordred in wysdome, ∧ ^note hast called vnderstandyng thy mother and therfore haue I shewed the, the treasure of the Hyest. After thre dayes I wyll shew the more, ∧ talke with þe; at more large, yee heuy and wonderous thynges wyll I declare vnto the.

Then w&ebar;t I forth into the felde, geuyng prayse ∧ thankes greatly vnto God, because of hys w&obar;ders which he dyd in tyme, and because he gouerneth the same, and soche as is in tyme, and there I satt thre dayes. ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter. ¶ God appeareth vnto Esdras in the bush, and sheweth hym what he shall do.

A   Vp&obar; the thyrd daye I sat vnder anoke tree, then came there a voyce vnto me out of the bush, ∧ sayde: Esdras, Esdras? And I sayde: here am I Lorde, and stode vp vpon my fete. Then spake he vnto me: ^note In the bush dyd I appeare vnto Moses, ∧ talked with hym wh&ebar; my people serued &ibar; Egypte, and I sent hym, and led my people out of Egypte, and brought him vpon the mount Syon, where I helde him by me a longe season, and tolde hym my wonderous worckes, and shewed hym the secretes of the tymes and the ende, and comma&ubar;ded hym, saying: These wordes shalt thou declare, ∧ not hyde them. And now I saye vnto the, that thou laye vp in thine herte the dreames that thou hast sene, and þe; interpretacy&obar;s whych I haue shewed the: for þu; shalt be receaued of all, thou shalt be turned and remayne with my co&ubar;cel, and with soch as be lyke the, vntyll the tymes be ended. For þe; worlde hath lost his youth, and the tymes beg&ibar;ne to waxe olde. For the tyme is deuided into twelue partes, and ten partes of it are gone all ready, and half of þe; tenth parte: yet remayneth there þt; which is after the half of the tenth parte.

B   Therfore, prepare and ordre thy house, and refourme thy people: comforte soch of them as be &ibar; trouble: and tell now of the destrucci&obar;: let go from the mortall thoughtes: cast awaye the burthens of man: put of the weake nature: laye vp in some places the thoughtes that are most heuy vnto the, and haste the to flye from these tymes: for soch euel and wyckednesse as thou hast now sene happ&ebar;, shall they do yet moch worsse. ^noteFor the weaker that the worlde &abar;d the tyme is, the more shall synne and wickednesse increase in them that dwell vpon earth. For the trueth is fled farre awaye, ∧ lesynge is hard at hande. For now hasteth the vision to come that thou hast sene.

Then answered I before the, and sayde: Beholde Lord, I wyll go as thou hast comma&ubar;ded me, and refourme the people which are present. But they that shall be borne after warde, who wyll exhorte or rebuke them? Thus the worlde is set in darcknes: ∧ they that dwell therin, are without lyght: for thy lawe is kyndled, because no m&abar; knoweth the th&ibar;ges that are done of the, or that shalbe done. If I haue founde grace before the, s&ebar;de the holy goost into me, and I shall wryte all that hath bene done in the worlde sens the begynnyng, which was written in thy lawe, that m&ebar; maye fynde the path, and that they which will lyue in þe; latter dayes, maye lyue.

And he answered me, sayinge: God thy waye, gather the people together, and saye vnto them, that they seke þe; not for fourtye dayes, but loke thou gather þe; many boxe trees, ∧ take with the Sarea, Dabria, Selemia, Ecanus and Asiel, these fyue, whych are ready to wryte swyftly, ∧ come hyther, and I shall lyght a candle of vnderst&abar;dynge in thyne hert, which shall not be put out, tyll the thynges be perfourmed which thou shalt begynne to wryte. And th&ebar; shalt thou declare some thynges openly vnto the perfecte, and some thynges shalt thou shew secretly vnto the wyse. Tomorow this houre shalt thou begynne to wryte.

C   Then wente I forth (as he commaunded me) and gathered all the people together, and sayde: Heare these wordes O Israel, Oure fathers at þe; begynnynge were stra&ubar;gers in Egypte, from whence they were delyuered, ∧ receaued the lawe of lyfe ^note which they kepte not, which ye also haue transgressed after them. Then was thys lande ∧ the lande of Syon parted amonge you by lott to possesse. But your fathers ∧ ye your selues also haue done vnryghteousnes, and haue not kepte the wayes which the Hyest commaunded you. And for so moch as he is a ryghteous iudge, he toke from you in tyme þe; thynge þt; he had geuen you. And now are ye here ∧ youre brethren amonge you. Therfore yf so be that ye wyll subdue your awne vnderstandyng, and refourme youre herte, ye shall be kepte alyue, ∧ after death shall ye opteyne mercy. For after death shall the iudgem&ebar;t come, when we shall lyue agayne: and then shall the names of the ryghteous be manyfest, and the workes of the vngodly shall be declared. Let no man therfore come now vnto me, ner aske eny questyon at me these fourtye dayes.

D   So I toke the fyue men (as he c&obar;ma&ubar;ded me) and we wente in to the felde, ∧ remayned there. The next daye a voyce called me sayinge: Esdras ^note open thy mouth, ∧ dryncke þt; I geue the. Then opened I my mouth, ∧ beholde, he reached me a full cuppe, which was full as it were with water, but the coulour of it was lyke fyre. And I toke it and drancke. And when I had droncken it, my hert had vnderst&abar;dyng, ∧ wysdome grewe in my brest: for my sprete was kepte in rem&ebar;braunce, and my mouth was opened and shut nomore. The Hyest gaue vnderst&abar;dynge vnto the fyue men, that they wrote the hye thynges of þe; nyght, which they vnderstode not. But in the nyght they dyd eate bred: as for me, I spake in the daye ∧ helde not my tonge by nyght. In .xl. dayes, they wrote two hundred and foure bokes.

And it happened when the fourtye dayes were fulfylled, that þe; Hyest spake, saying: The fyrst that thou hast wrytten, speake op&ebar;ly, þt; the worthy ∧ vnworthy maye rede it. But kepe the .lxx. last, that thou mayest shew it onely to soch as be wyse am&obar;ge thy people. For in them is þe; sprynge of vnderstandynge, the fountayne of wysdome, and the streame of knowledge. And I dyd so. ¶ The .xv. Chapter. ¶ The punyshment that euell people shal haue, which God commaundeth Esdras to shew vnto them.

A   Beholde, speake thou in the eares of my people the wordes of prophecie, which I wyll put in thy mouth, sayeth the Lorde: and cause th&ebar; to be wrytten in a letter, for it is the trueth. Feare not the ymaginacyons agaynst the, Let not þe; vnfaythfulnes of them trouble the, that speake agaynst the. For all the vnfaythfull shall dye in theyr vnfaythfulnes. Beholde sayeth the Lorde, I wyll brynge plages vpon the worlde, the swerde, honger, death and destruccion, for wyckednes hath the vpper hand in all the earth, and theyr shamefull workes are fulfylled.

Therfore sayeth the Lorde: I wyll holde my tonge nomore vnto theyr wyckednesse, whych they do so vngodly: nether wyll I suffre them in the thynges, that they deale with all so wyckedly. Beholde ^note þe; innocent bloud of the troubled cryeth vnto me, ∧ the soules of the ryghteous complayne contynually: and therfore (sayeth þe; Lord) I wyll surely auenge, ∧ receaue vnto me all the innocent bloude from amonge them.

^noteBeholde, my people, is led as a flock of shepe to be slayne, I wyll not suffre them now to dwell in Egypte, but wyll brynge them out with a myghtye h&abar;d ∧ a stretched out arme, ∧ smyte it with plages as afore and wyll destroye all þe; lande of it. Egypte shall mourne, and the foundacy&obar;s of it shalbe smytten with the plage and punyshm&ebar;t, that God shall brynge vpon it.

B   They that tyll the grounde, shall mourne: for theyr sedes shall be destroyed thorow the blastynge and hayle, and an horrible starre. Wo worth the worlde and them that dwell therin, for the swerde and theyr destruccyon draweth nye, and one people shall stande vp to fyght agaynst another, and swerdes in theyr h&abar;des. For men shall be vnstedfast, ∧ some shall do vyolence vnto other: they shall not regarde theyr kyng and prynces, the wayes of theyr doynges and handelynges in theyr power. A man shall desyre to go into the cytye, and shall not be able. For because of theyr pryde the cytyes shalbe brought in feare, the houses shal shake, and men shalbe afrayed. A man

shall haue no pytye vpon hys neyghbour, but one shall prouoke another vnto battayll to spoyle theyr goodes because of the honger of bred, and because of the greate trouble.

D   Beholde, I gather and call together all the kynges of the earth which are from the vprysing, from the South, from the East and Lybanus to turne vnto them, ∧ restore the thynges þt; they haue geuen them. Lyke as they do yet thys daye vnto my chosen, so wyll I do also, ∧ rec&obar;pense them in theyr bosome. Thus sayeth the Lord God: my ryght h&abar;d shall not spare the synners, ∧ my swerde shall not ceasse ouer them, that shed the innoc&ebar;t bloud vpon earth. The feare is gone out from hys wrath, ∧ hath consumed the foundacy&obar;s of þe; earth, ∧ the synners lyke the straw þt; is kyndled. Wo worth them that synne, ∧ kepe not my c&obar;maundem&ebar;tes, sayeth the Lorde. I wyll not spare them, Go youre waye ye chyldren from violence defyle not my S&abar;ctuary: for the Lord knoweth all them that synne agaynst hym, ∧ therfore delyuered he them vnto death and destruccyon: For now are the plages come vpon þe; worlde, ∧ ye shall remayne in them. For God shall not delyuer you, because ye haue synned agaynst hym.

E   Beholde, an horryble vysyon commeth from the East, where generacy&obar;s of Dragons shall come out, and þe; people of þe; Arabes with many charettes, and þe; multytude of them shalbe as þe; wynde vpon earth, that all they which heare them ragynge in theyr wrath, maye feare and be afrayed, and as the wylde bores oute of the wod, so shall they go out, and wyth greate power shall they come, and st&abar;de fyghtynge wyth them and shall waste the porcyon of the lande of the Assyrians.

And then shall the Drag&obar;s haue the vpper hande, not rem&ebar;brynge theyr byrth, and shall turne aboute swearynge together in greate power, to persecute them. But these shalbe afrayed, ∧ kepe syl&ebar;ce at theyr power and shall fle: and one out of the lande of the Assyrians shal besege them, ∧ consume one of them, ∧ in theyr hoost shall be feare and drede, and stryfe amonge theyr kynges.

F   Beholde cloudes from þe; East, and from the North vnto the South, and they are very horryble to loke vpon, full of wrath ∧ storme. They shall smyte one vpon another, ∧ they shall smyte at the greate starre vpon earth and theyr starre, and the bloude shalbe from the swerde vnto the bely, and the smoke of man vnto the Camels lytter: And there shalbe great fearfulnes ∧ tremblyng vpon earth, and they þt; se the wrath, shal be afrayed, and a tremblynge shall come vpon them.

And then shall there come greate raynes from the South, ∧ from the North, ∧ parte from the West, and from the stormy wynde from the East, ∧ shall shut them vp agayne and þe; cloude whych he raysed vp in wrath, ∧ the starre to cause feare towarde the East ∧ West wynde, shalbe destroyed: ∧ the great cloudes shalbe lyft vp, ∧ the myghtye cloudes full of wrath, and the starre, that they maye make all the earth afrayed and them that dwell therin, ∧ that they maye poure oute ouer all places an horryble starre, fyre and hayle, and flyenge swerdes, ∧ many waters: that all feldes maye be full, and all ryuers, ∧ they shall breake downe the cytyes and walles, mountaynes ∧ hylles, all trees, wood, ∧ the grasse of þe; medowes, ∧ all theyr frute. And they shall go stedfast vnto Babylon, and make her afrayed, they shall come to her ∧ besege her: þe; starre ∧ all wrath shall they poure out vpon her.

G   Then shall the dust ∧ smoke go vp vnto the heauen, and all they that be aboute her, shall bewayle her: ∧ they that remayne vnder her, shall do seruyce vnto them that haue put her in feare? And thou Asia þt; confortest thy selfe also vpon þe; hope of Babylon, and art a worshyp of her personne: Wo be vnto the thou wretch, because þu; hast made thy selfe lyke vnto her, and hast deckte thy daughters in whordome, that they myght triumphe ∧ please thy louers, whych haue allwaye desyred to committe whordome &wt; the: thou hast folowed the abhominable cytye in all her worckes and inu&ebar;cyons.

Therfore sayeth God: I wyll sende plages vpon þe;, wyddowhode, pouerte, honger, warres, and pestylence, to waste thy houses with destruccyon, ∧ death, and the glorye of thy power shallbe dryed vp as a floure, when the heate ryseth that is sent ouer the: Thou shalt be syck as a poore wyfe þt; is plaged ∧ beaten of wemen: so that the myghtie and louer shall not be able to receaue the. Wolde I so hate þe; sayeth þe; Lord? If thou haddest not alwaye slayne my chosen, exaltinge þe; stroke of thy h&abar;des, and sayde ouer theyr death, when þu; wast dr&obar;cken: sett forth the bewtye of thy countenaunce.

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

H   Lyke as thou hast done vnto my chosen (sayeth þe; Lorde) euen so shall God do vnto the, and shall delyuer þe; into the plage. Thy chyldren shall dye of h&obar;ger, and thou shalt fall thorow the swerde. Thy cytyes shalbe broken downe, ∧ all thyne shall perish with the swerde in the feld. They that be in the mountaynes shall dye of honger, and eate their awne flesh, ∧ drincke their awne bloud for very h&obar;ger of bred and thyrst of water.

Thou vnhappie shalt come thorow the see, and receaue plages agayne.

In the passage they shall cast downe the slayne cytye, and shall rote out one parte of thy lande, and consume the porcion of glorye. They shall treade the downe lyke stubble, and they shall be thy fyre, and shall consume the: thy cyties and thy l&abar;de, thy wood and thy frutefull trees shall they burne vp with the fyre. Thy chyldren shall they cary awaye captyue, and loke what thou hast, they shall spoyle it, and marre the bewtye of thy face. ¶ The .xvi. Chapter. ¶ The Heathen shall be punyshed.

A   Wo be vnto the Babylon ∧ Asia, wo be vnto the Egypt and Syria: gyrde your selues with clothes of sack ∧ hearre, and mourne youre chyldren, be sory, for your destruccyon is at hand. A swerde is sent vpon you, and who wyll turne it back? A fyre is kyndled amonge you, ∧ who wyll quench it? Plages are sent vnto you, and what is he that wyll dryue them awaye? Maye eny man dryue awaye an hongrie lyon in the wod? Or maye eny man quench the fyre in stubble, whan it hath begonne to burne? Maye one turne agayne the arowe, that is shot of a str&obar;g archer. The myghtye Lord sendeth þe; plages, ∧ what is he þt; wyll dryue th&ebar; awaye? The fyre is kyndled and gone forth in his wrath, ∧ what is he that wyll quench it? He shall cast lyghteninges, and who shall not feare? He shall thonder, ∧ who shall not be afrayed: The Lord shall threaten, ∧ who shall not vtterly be beaten to poulder at his presence? The earth quaketh, ∧ the foundacions therof: the see aryseth vp with waues from the depe, and the floudes of it are vnquiete ∧ the fyshes therof also before the Lorde, and before the glory of his power. For stronge is his ryght hand that holdeth þe; bowe, his arowes that he shoteth, are sharpe, and shall not mysse, when they begynne to be shot into the endes of the worlde.

B   Beholde, the plages are sent, ∧ shall not turne agayne, tyll they come vpon earth. The fyre is kyndled, ∧ shall not be put oute tyll it consume þe; foundaci&obar;s of þe; earth. Lyke as an arowe which is shot of a myghtye archer, returneth not backwarde: euen so the plages þt; shall be sent vpon earth, shall not turne agayne. Wo is me, wo is me, who will deliuer me in those dayes? The beginninge of sorowes ∧ greate mourninge: the beginninge of darth and greate death, the beginninge of warres, and þe; powers shall stand in feare: the beginninge of euels, and they shall tremble euery one. What shall I do in these thinges, when þe; plages come? Beholde, h&obar;ger ∧ plage, trouble ∧ anguysh are sent, as scourges for amendement. But for all these th&ibar;ges they shall not turne fr&obar; their wyckednesse, ner be all waye myndefull of the scourges.

C   Beholde, vitayles shalbe so good cheape vpon earth, that they shall thinke them selues to be in good case: and euen then shall myschefe growe vpon earth, warres, darth and great disquietnes. For many of them that dwell vpon earth shall perish of h&obar;ger, and þe; other that escape the honger, shall the swerde destroye: ∧ the deed shalbe cast oute as donge, ∧ there shalbe no man to conforte them. For the earth shalbe wasted, and þe; cyties shalbe cast downe: there shalbe no man left to tyll the earth ∧ to sowe it. The trees shall geue frute, and who shall plucke them of ∧ gather them? The grapes shall be rype, ∧ who shall treade them? For all places shalbe desolate of men, so þt; one man shall desyre to se another, or to heare his voyce. For of one whole cytie there shalbe ten left, and two in the felde, which shall hyde them selues in the thycke busshes, and in þe; clyfes of stones: lyke as when there remayne thre or foure olyues vpon þe; olyue tre, or as wh&ebar; a vineyarde is gathered, there are left some grapes, of them that diligently sought thorow the vineyarde.

D   Euen so in those dayes there shalbe thre or foure left, for them þt; search their houses with the swerde. And the earth shalbe left waste, and þe; feldes therof shall waxe olde: and her wayes and all her pathes shall growe full of thornes, because no man shall trauayle there thorow. The daughters shall mourne, hauing no brydegromes: the wemen make lam&ebar;tacyon, hauing no husbandes, their daughters shall mourne, hauing no helpe of their brydegrome. In the warres shall they be destroyed, and their husb&abar;des shall perish of h&obar;ger. O ye serua&ubar;tes of the Lorde, heare these thynges, and marck them. Beholde, þe; worde of the Lorde, O receaue it: beholde, the plages draw nye, ∧ are not slack in tari&ebar;ge. Lyke as a trauaylinge woman, which after þe; .ix. moneth bringeth forth a sonne, when þe; houre of the byrth is come, an houre two or thre a fore that the paynes come vpon her body, and when the chylde commeth to the byrth, they tary not the twynckling of an eye. Euen so shall not the plages be slack to come vpon earth, and the worlde shall mourne, and sorowes shall come vpon it on euery syde.

E   O my people, heare my worde, make you redy to the battayll: and in all euell be euen as pylgrems vpon earth. ^noteHe that selleth, lett hym be as he that flyeth his waye: and he that byeth as one that will lese. Whoso

occupieth marchaundies, as he that wynneth not: ∧ he that buyldeth, as he that shall not dwell therin: he þt; soweth, as one that shall not reape: he þt; twysteth the vyneyarde, as he þt; shall not gather the grapes: they that mary, as they þt; shall get no chyldren: and they that mary not: as the wyddowes: and therfore ^note they that laboure, labour in vayne. For straungers shal reape theyr frutes, ∧ spoyle their goodes, ouerthrowe their houses, ∧ take their chyldren captyue, for in captyuyte ∧ honger shall they get chyldren. And they that occupie theyr marchaundies with robbery, how longe decke they theyr cyties, theyr houses, theyr possessi&obar;s, ∧ personnes? þe; more wyll I punysh th&ebar; for theyr synnes, sayeth the Lord. Lyke as an whore enuyeth an honest woman, so shall ryghteousnes hate inyquyte, when she decketh her selfe, and shall accuse her to her face, when he c&obar;meth that defendeth, which shall make inquisycyon for all synne vpon earth. And therfore be not ye lyke therunto, ner to the worckes therof: for or euer it be l&obar;ge, iniquite shalbe taken awaye out of the earth, and ryghteousnes shall raygne amonge you.

F   Let not the synner saye, that he hath not synned: for coles of fyre shall burne vp&obar; his head, which sayeth before þe; Lord God and his glory: I haue not synned. Beholde, the Lord knoweth all þe; worckes of men, theyr ymaginacyons, theyr thoughtes and theyr hertes. ^noteFor he spake but þe; worde: lett the earth be made, and it was made: lett þe; heauen be made, and it was made. In his worde were the starres made, ∧ he knoweth the n&obar;bre of them. He searcheth the grounde of the depe, and the treasures therof: he hath measured the see, and what it conteyneth. He hath shut þe; see in þe; myddest of þe; waters, ∧ with his worde hath he hanged the earth vpon þe; waters. He spredeth out the heauen lyke a vawte, vpon þe; waters hath he founded it. In þe; deserte ∧ drye wyldernes hath he made sprynges of water, and poles vpon the toppe of þe; mountaynes, that þe; floudes myght poure downe from the stony rockes to water the earth. He made man, ∧ put his herte in the myddest of the body, and gaue hym breth, lyfe and vnderst&abar;dyng, yee and the sprete of þe; Almyghtye God, which made all thynges, and hath searched þe; ground of all the secretes of the earth.

G   He knoweth youre ymaginacyons ∧ inuency&obar;s, and what ye thynke when ye synne, and wolde hyde youre synnes. Therfore hath the Lorde searched and sought out all your worckes, ∧ he shall bewraye you all. And when your synnes are brought forth, ye shalbe ashamed before m&ebar;, ∧ youre awne synnes shalbe youre accusers in that daye. What wyll ye do? Or how wyll yee hyde your synnes before God and his Aungels? Beholde, God him selfe is the iudge, feare him, leaue of from youre synnes, and forget youre vnryghteousnesses, ∧ medle nomore with th&ebar;: so shall God leade you forth, and delyuer you from all trouble For beholde, the heate of a great multytude is kyndled ouer you, ∧ they shall take awaye certayne of you, ∧ fede þe; ydle with Idols: ∧ they that consent vnto them, shalbe had in dirysyon laughed to scorne, ∧ troden vnder fote.

H   For vnto the places there shalbe a place, and in the next cyties a greate insurreccyon vpon those that feare þe; Lorde. They shall be lyke mad men, they shall spare no man: they shall spoyle and waste soch as feare the Lord, theyr goodes shall they take fr&obar; th&ebar;, and shutte them out of theyr houses. Then shal it be knowne who are my chos&ebar;, ∧ they shalbe tryed as the golde in the fyre. Heare O ye my beloued, sayth þe; Lorde: beholde, the dayes of trouble are at h&abar;de, but I wyll deliuer you from þe; same. Be not ye afrayed dispayre not, for God is youre captayne.

Whoso kepeth my commaundementes and preceptes (sayeth the Lorde God) let not your synnes weye you downe, and lett not youre vnrighteousnesse be lyft vp. Wo be vnto them that are subdued vnto theyr synnes, and tangled in theyr wyckednesse: lyke as a felde is hedged in with busshes, and the path therof couered with thornes, þt; no man maye trauayle thorow: and so is he taken, and cast in the fyre, and brent. The ende of the ,iiii, boke of Esdras,

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