1   And there was a man of Beniamin named Cis, the sonne of Abiel, the sonne of Seor, the sonne of Bechorath, the sonne of Aphia, the sonne of a man of Iemini, valiant in strength. ^note

2   And he had a sonne called Saul, chosen & good: and there was not a man of the children of Israel better then he: from the shoulder and vpward he appeared aboue al the people.

3   And the asses of Cis the father of Saul were lost: and Cis said to Saul his sonne: Take one of the seruants with thee, and rising goe, and seeke the asses. Who when they had passed by mount Ephraim,

4   and by the land of Salisa, and had not found, they passed also through the land of Salim, and they were not: yea and by the Land of Iemini, and found them not.

5   And when they were come into the Land of Suph, Saul saide to the seruant that was with him: Come let vs returne, lest perhaps my father hath let alone the asses, and be careful for vs.

6   Who sayd to him: Behold a man of God is in this citie, a famous man: al that he speaketh, cometh to passe without doubt. now therefore let vs goe thither, if perhaps he may tel vs of our way, for which we are come.

7   And Saul sayd to his seruant: Loe we wil goe: what shal we carie to the man of God? The bread is spent in our males: and present we haue none to geue vnto the man of God, nor any thing els.

8   Agayne the seruant answered Saul and sayd: Behold there is found in my hand the fourth part of a sicle of siluer, let vs geue it to the man of God, that he may tel vs our way.

9   (For in time past in Israel so euery man spake, going to consult God, Come, and let vs goe to the Seer. For he that at this day is called a Prophete, in time past was called ^note a Seer.)

10   And Saul sayd to his seruant: Thy word is very good, come let vs goe. And they went into the citie, wherein the man of God was.

11   And when they went vp the ascent of the citie, they found maides coming forth to draw water, and sayd to them: Is the Seer here?

12   Who answering sayd to them: Here he is. Loe before thee, make hast now: for this day he came into the citie, because this day there is a sacrifice of the people in the excelse.

13   Entring into the citie immediatly

Samuel. Saul. you shal find him, before he goe vp into the excelse to eate. for the people wil not eate til he come: because he wil blesse the Hoste, and afterward they shal eate that are inuited. Now therefore goe vp, because this day you shal finde him.

14   And they went vp into the citie. And when they walked in the middes of the citie, Samuel appeared coming forth against them, to goe vp into the excelse.

15   And our Lord had reueled the eare of Samuel one day before Saul came, saying:

16   This very houre, that now is, to morrow wil I send to thee a man of the Land of Beniamin, and thou shalt annoint him ruler ouer my people of Israel: and he shal saue my people from the hand of the Philistijms: because I haue respected my people, for ^note their crie is come to me.

17   And when Samuel had beheld Saul, our Lord sayde to him: Behold the man, of whom I told thee, this man shal rule ouer my people.

18   And Saul came to Samuel in the middes of the gate, and sayd: Shew me, I pray thee, where is the house of the Seer?

19   And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the Seer, goe vp before me into the excelse, that you may eate with me to day, and I wil dimisse thee in the morning: and al thinges that are in thy hart, wil I tel thee.

20   And concerning the asses, which thou didst lose three dayes agone, be not careful, because they are found. And whose shal be al the best thinges of Israel? not to thee and to al thy fathers house?

21   And Saul answering, sayd: Am not I the sonne of Iemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among al the families of the tribe of Beniamin? Why therfore hast thou spoken this word to me?

22   Samuel therefore taking Saul and his seruant, brought them into the parlour, and gaue them a place in the chiefe rowme of them that were inuited. for there were about thirtie men.

23   And Samuel sayd to the cooke: Geue the portion, which I gaue thee, and commanded that thou shouldest lay it vp apart with thee.

24   And the cooke lifted vp a shoulder, and sette it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold that which hath remayned, sette it before thee, and eate: because of purpose it was kept for thee, when I called the people. And Saul did eate with Samuel that day.

25   And they descended from the excelse into the towne, and he spake with Saul in the toppe of the house and he prepared a bed for Saul in the highest rowme, & he slept.

26   And when they were risen in the morning, and it beganne now to be light, Samuel

Samuel. Saul. called Saul in the high ch&abar;ber, saying: Arise that I may dismisse thee. And Saul arose: and they went both forth: to witte, he and Samuel.

27   And when they came downe in the vttermost part of the citie, Samuel said to Saul: Speake to the seruant that he goe before vs, and passe: but stay thou alitle while, that I may tel thee the word of our Lord.

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