The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. IX.

[verse 1] Forsothe Abymelech, the sone of Gero|baal, ȝede in to Sichem to the britheren of his modir; and he spak to hem, and to al the kynrede of `the hows of his modir [his modir hous I.] , [verse 2] and seide, Speke ȝe to alle the [Om. IKMOQSb.] men of Sichem, What is betere to ȝou, that seuenti

men, alle the sones of Gerobaal, be lordis of ȝou, whether that o man be lord to ȝou? and also biholde [bihold ȝe plures.] , for [that KX.] Y am ȝoure boon, and ȝoure fleisch. [verse 3] And the britheren of his [Abymalechus I.] modir spaken of hym alle these wordis to alle the men of Sichem; and bowiden [thei bowiden I.] her hertis aftir Abymelech, and seiden, He is oure brother. [verse 4] And thei ȝauen to hym seuenti weiȝtis of siluer [lxx. weiȝtis of silver. In Ebreu it is, lxx. platis of silver. C.] of the tem|ple of Baal Berith; and he hiride to hym therof men pore and hauynge [and hauynge. In Ebreu it is, and vnbolde, ether cowardis. C.] no certeyn dwellynge, and thei sueden hym. [verse 5] And he cam in to `the hows of his fadir [his fadir hous I.] in Ephra, and killide [upon a stoon he killide I.] hise [seuenti men, hise I.] britheren the sones of Gerobaal, `seuenti men, on o stoon [Om. I.] . And Joathan, the leste [ȝungist I.] sone of Gerobaal, lefte [was lefte I text. vnslayn marg.] , and was [Om. I.] hid. [verse 6] Forsothe [And I.] alle the men of Sichem, and alle the meynees of the citee of Mello, weren gadirid to gydere, and thei ȝeden, and maden [thei maden I.] Abymelech kyng, bysidis the ook that stood in Sichem. [verse 7] And whanne this thing was teld to Joathan, he ȝede, and stood in the cop of the hil Garisym, and cried [he cried I.] with `vois reisid [hiȝe vois I.] , and seide, Ȝe men of Sichem, here [hereth I.] me, so that God here ȝou. [verse 8] Trees ȝeden to anoynte a kyng on [upon I.] hem; and tho [thei I.] seiden to the olyue tre, Comaunde thou to vs. [verse 9] Whiche [the whiche I.] answeride, Whether Y may forsake my fatnesse, which [the whiche I.] bothe Goddis and men vsen, and come, that Y be auaunsid among trees? [verse 10] And the trees seiden to the fige tree, Come thou, and take the rewme on [upon I.] vs. [verse 11] Which [the which I.] answeride to hem, Whether Y may forsake my swet|nesse and swetteste [my ful swete I.] fruytis, and go that Y be auaunsid among othere trees? [verse 12] Also `the trees [thei I.] spaken to the vyne, Come thou, and comaunde to vs. [verse 13] Which [the which I.] answeride, Whether Y may forsake my wyn, that gladith God and men, and be auaunsid among othere trees? [verse 14] And alle trees [the trees I.] seiden to the ramne, ether [or ELP. or the I.] theue thorn, Come thou, and be lord on [upon I.] vs. Whiche [the whiche I.] [verse 15] an|sweride

to hem, If ȝe maken me verili kyng to ȝou, come ȝe [Om. ELP.] , and reste [reste ȝe K. resteth I.] vndur my schadewe; sotheli [and I.] , if ȝe nylen [wole not I.] , fier go out of the ramne, and deuoure the ce|dris of the [Om. DGIKMNOQSXb.] Liban. [verse 16] Now therfor if riȝt|fuli [ȝe han riȝtfuli I.] and without synne `ȝe han [Om. I.] maad Abymelech kyng on [upon I.] ȝou, and ȝe [if ȝe DGIKMNOQXb.] han do wel with Jerobaal, and with his hows, and ȝe [ȝif ȝe DGIKMNOQXb.] han ȝolde while to the benefices [manifold wel doyngis I.] of [verse 17] hym, that fauȝt for ȝou, and ȝaf his lijf to [for DKLMNOPQRSXb.] perelis, that he schulde [wolde I.] delyuere ȝou fro [verse 18] the hond of Madian; and ȝe [if ȝe DGKMNOQSXb.] han [haue I.] rise now aȝens the hows of my fadir, and han [ȝe han I.] slayn hyse sones, seuenti men, on [upon I.] o stoon, and `han maad [Om. I.] Abymelech, sone [the sone I.] of his handmayde [concubyne DIKMOQSXb.] , kyng [ȝe han maad kyng I.] on [upon I.] the dwelleris of [verse 19] Sichem, for he is ȝoure brother; therfor [And therfor K.] if ȝe han do riȝtfuli, and with out synne with Gerobaal and his hows, to dai be ȝe glad in Abymelech, and be he glad in ȝou; [verse 20] but if ȝe han do weiwardli, fier go out `of hym [fro Abymalech I. fro him MOXb. from him KS.] , and waste the dwelleris of Sichem, and the citee of Mello; and fier go out of [fro DIMOQSXb. from K.] the men of Sichem, and of [fro I.] the citee of Mello, and deuoure Abymelech. [verse 21] And whanne he [Joathan I.] hadde seide these thingis, he fledde, and ȝede in to Berara, and dwellide [he dwellide I.] there, for drede of Abymelech, his brother. [verse 22] And Abymelech regnede on [upon I.] Israel thre ȝeer. [verse 23] And the Lord sente [the Lord sente, that, is suffride, the worste spi|rit, that is, dis|sencione ethir discord to be rasid bi the wickid spirit bitwixe Aby. and so forth, that bi her wickidnessis disseruinge thei schulden be distried to gidere. Lire here. C.] the worste spirit bitwixe Abymelech and the dwell|eris of Sichem, whiche bigynnen to holde [verse 24] hym [the king I.] abomynable, and to arette the felony of sleyng of seuenti [the seuenti I.] sones of Gerobaal, and the schedyng out of her blood, in to Abymelech her brother, and to [into DIKOQSb.] othere princes of Sichem, that hadden helpid [holpen IKXb. helpen Q. helpin S.] hym. [verse 25] And thei [men of Sichem I.] settiden [setten I.] buyschementis aȝens hym [the king I.] in the hiȝnesse of hillis; and the [Om. I.] while thei abideden [aboden I. abiden M.] `the comyng of hym [his comyng I.] , thei hauntiden theftis, and token preies of men passynge forth [therforth I.] ; and it was [the fier b.]

teld to Abymelech. [verse 26] Forsothe [And I.] Gaal, `the sone of Obed [Obed sone I.] , cam [he cam I.] with his britheren, and passide in to Siccima; at whos en|tryng the dwelleris of Sichem weren reisid, [verse 27] and ȝeden out `in to [togidre with Gaal into the I.] feeldis, and wastiden vyneris, and `to-traden [al to-traden I.] grapis; and with cumpeneys of syngeris maad [ymaad I.] thei entriden in to `the temple of her God [her goddis temple I.] , and among metis [etyngis I.] and drynkis [drynkyngis I.] thei cursiden Abyma|lech [verse 28] [her kyng I.] , while [while that I.] Gaal, the [Om. plures.] sone of Obed, criede, Who is this [he this I.] Abymelech? And what is Sichem, that we serue hym? Whether he is not the sone of Jerobaal, and made [he hath maad I.] Zebul his seruaunt prince on [upon I.] the men of Emor, fadir [the fadir I.] of Sichem? Whi therfor schulen we serue hym? [verse 29] `Y wolde [Wolde God I.] , that [Om. I.] sum man ȝaf [wolde ȝiue I.] this puple vndur myn hond, that [and DIKOQS.] Y schulde take [do I.] awei Abime|lech fro the myddis [myddis of Sichem I.] . And it was seid to Abymelech, Gadere thou the multitude of oost [an oost I.] , and come thou [thou aȝens Gaal I.] . [verse 30] For whanne the wordis of Gaal, sone [the sone I.] of Obed, weren herd, Zebul, the prynce of the citee, was ful [verse 31] wrooth; and he sente priueli messangeris to Abymelech, and seide [he seide I.] , Lo! Gaal, sone [the sone I.] of Obed, cam [is come I.] in to Siccymam, with hise britheren, and he excitith the citee to fiȝte [verse 32] aȝens thee; therfor rise thou bi niȝt with the puple, which [that I.] is with thee, and be [verse 33] thou hid in the feeld; and first [the first C.] in [into O.] the morewtid, whanne the sunne rysith, falle on [thou upon I.] the citee; forsothe [and I.] whanne he [Gaal I.] goth out with his puple aȝens thee, do thou to hym that that thou maist. [verse 34] Therfor [And so I.] Abyme|lech roos with al his oost bi nyȝt, and set|tide [sette IM.] buyschementis bisidis Siccimam, in foure placis. [verse 35] And Gaal, the sone of Obed, ȝede out, and stood in the entryng of `the ȝate of the citee [citee gate I.] . Forsothe [And I.] Abymelech and al the oost with hym roos fro the place of buyschementis. [verse 36] And whanne Gaal hadde seyn the puple, he seide to Zebul [his priuee enmy I marg.] , Lo! a multitude cometh doun fro the

hillis. To whom he [Zebul I.] answeride, Thou seest the schadewis of hillis as the `heedis of men [mennus heedis I.] , and thou art disseyued bi this errour. [verse 37] And eft Gaal seide, Lo! a puple [multitude G.] cometh doun fro the myddis of erthe [the erthe CIU.] , `that is, fro the hiȝnesse of hillis [Om. I.] , and o cumpeny cometh bi the weie that biholdith the ook. [verse 38] To whom Zebul seide, Where is now thi [the X.] mouth [mouth of boost I.] , bi which thou spekist, Who is Abymelech [he this Abymelech I.] , that we serue hym? Whether this is not the puple, whom thou dis|pisidist? Go thou out, and fiȝte aȝens hym. [verse 39] Therfor [Thanne I.] Gaal ȝede [ȝede out I.] , while the puple of Sichen abood [abood in the citee I.] ; and he fauȝt aȝens Aby|melech [Abymelech that ouercame Gaal I.] . [verse 40] Which [and I.] pursuede Gaal [him I.] fleynge, and constreynede [constreynede him IKM.] to go [fle I.] in to the citee; and ful many of his [the I.] part [partie of Gaal I.] felde doun `til to [vnto I.] the ȝate of the citee. [verse 41] And Abymelech sat in Ranna; sotheli [and I.] Zebul puttide [putte IM.] Gaal and hise felowis out of the citee [citee of Sichem I.] , and suf|fride [he suffride hem I.] not to dwelle ther ynne. [verse 42] Therfor in the dai suynge the puple ȝede out in to the feeld; and whanne this thing was teld [verse 43] to Abymelech, he took his oost, and de|partide `in to [it in I.] thre cumpenyes, and settide [he sette I.] buyschementis in the feeldis; and he siȝ that the puple [puple of Gaal I.] ȝede out of the citee, and [verse 44] he roos, and felde on [upon I.] hem with his cum|peny, and enpugnyde [ensegide hem I.] and bisegide [fauȝte aȝens I.] the citee. Sothely [And I.] twei cumpenyes ȝeden aboute opynli bi the feeld, and pursueden aduersaries [her aduersaries I.] . [verse 45] Certis [And I.] Abymelech fauȝt aȝens the [that I.] citee in [Om. I.] al that dai, which [the which I.] he took, whanne the dwelleris [dwelleris therof I.] weren slayn, and that citee was destried, so that he [Abymalech I.] spreynte [sprengid KX.] abrood salt ther ynne. [verse 46] And whanne thei, that dwelliden in the tour of Sichem, hadde herd this, thei entriden in to the temple of her god Berith, where thei [bi avowis makyng thei I.] hadden maad boond of pees with hym; and of that [that ydole I.] the [Om. C.] place took name [the name I.] , which [the which K.] place was ful strong. [verse 47] And Aby|melech

herde the [that I.] men of the tour of Si|chem [verse 48] gaderid [weren gaderid I.] to gidere, and he stiede [stiede up I.] in to the hil Selmon [of Selmon GIKMNOSX.] with al his puple; and with an axe takun he kittide [kitte I.] doun [adoun KX.] a boow of a tre, and he bar it, put on [upon I.] the [his I.] schuldur, and seide [he seide I.] to felowis [his felowis I.] , Do ȝe [ȝe anoon I.] this thing, which [that I.] ȝe seen me do. [verse 49] Ther|for [Thanne I.] with [a I.] strijf thei kittiden doun [adoun I.] bowis of the [Om. I.] trees, and sueden the duyk; whiche [the whiche I.] cumpassiden [cumpassiden the tour I.] and brenten `the tour [it up I.] ; and so it was doon, that with smooke and fier a thousynde of [Om. I.] men weren slayn, men togidere [Om. I.] and wymmen [wymmen togidre I.] , of the dwelleris of the tour of Sichem. [verse 50] Forsothe [And I.] Aby|melech wente forth fro thennus, and cam to the citee [citees MOX.] of Thebes, which [the which I.] he cum|passide, and bisegide with an oost. [verse 51] For|sothe [And I.] the tour was hiȝ in the myddis of the citee, to which [whom I.] men togidere [Om. I.] and wymmen fledden [fledden togidre I.] , and alle the princes of the citee, while the ȝate was closid strong|lieste [ful strongly I.] ; and thei [men I.] stoden on [upon I.] the roof of the tour bi toretis. [verse 52] And Abymelech cam bi|sidis the tour, and fauȝt strongli [strongli aȝens it I.] , and he neiȝede to [nyȝ I.] the dore, and enforside [enforside him I.] to putte [verse 53] fier vndur [vndur it I.] ; and lo! o [a plures.] womman castide [threwe doun I.] fro aboue a gobet of a mylnestoon [mylle stoon I.] , and hurtlide [she hurlide it I.] to `the heed of Abymelech [Abyme|lech heed I.] , and brak [it brak I.] his brayn [his brayn; in Ebreu it is his nol, for if sche hadde broke the brayn, he hadde be deed anoon. Lire here. C.] . [verse 54] And he clepide soone [anoon I.] his squyer, and seide to hym, Drawe out thi swerd [swerd anoon I.] , and sle me, lest perauenture it be seid, that Y am slan of a womman. Which [The which I.] performede [fulfillide I.] `the comaundementis [his hestis I.] , [verse 55] and `killide Abymelech [slewȝ him I.] ; and whanne he [Abymalech I.] was deed, alle men of Israel that weren with hym turneden aȝen to her seetis [placis I.] . [verse 56] And God ȝeldide to Abymelech the yuel that he dide aȝens his fadir, for he killide hise seuenti britheren. [verse 57] Also that thing [yuel I.] was ȝoldun to men of Sichem, which [that I.] thei wrouȝten, and the curs of Joathan, sone [the sone I.] of Jerobaal, cam on [upon I.] hem.