[Here bigynneth the firste book of Esdre [From HIM. The firste book of Esdras. ENP. Of Esdre Book. o. No initial rubric in the other MSS.] .] CAP. I.
[verse 1] IN the firste ȝeer of Cirus, kyng of Persis, that the word of the Lord bi the mouth of Jeremye schulde be fillid [ful|fillid INS.] , the Lord reiside the spirit of Cyrus, kyng of Persis; and he pupplischide a vois in al his rewme, ȝe, bi the [Om. A sec. m. S.] scripture [writyng INS.] , and [he sente and I. he sente out hise lettris and S.] seide, [verse 2] Cirus, the kyng of Persis, seith these thingis, The Lord God of heuene ȝaf [hath ȝoue INS.] to me alle the rewmes of erthe, and he co|maundide [he comaundide S.] to me, that Y schulde bilde to hym an hows in Jerusalem, which [that INS.] is in Judee [Juda INS.] . [verse 3] Who is among ȝou of al his pu|ple [peple, that hath wille to help this byldyng S.] ? his God be with hym; stie [and stye S.] he [he up INS.] in to Jerusalem, which [that INS.] is in Judee [Juda NS.] , and bilde he the hows of the Lord God of Israel; he is God, which is in Jerusalem. [verse 4] And [helpful to his peple, and S.] alle othere [the othere C.] men, `that dwellen [Om. INS.] where euere [euere thei dwellen INS.] in alle places, helpe [helpe thei INS.] hym [hym that bildith I. him that wold bylde the house of the Lord S.] ; the [Om. IN.] men of her place helpe [helpe thei INS.] in [with INS.] siluer, and gold, and catel [with catel INS.] , and scheep, outakun [outakin or ouer S.] that that thei offren wilfulli to the temple of God, which [that INS.] is in Jerusalem. [verse 5] And [And thanne I. Om. N. And whanne the king had ȝoue this coumfort to the peple S.] the [Om. INS.] princis of fadris [the fadris INS.] of Juda and of Benia|myn risiden [resen up I. risiden up NS.] , and the preestis, and de|kenes [the dekenes S.] , and ech man whos spirit God reiside, for to stie [stie up INS.] to [to Jeru|salem for to IN. in to Jerusalem for to S.] bilde the temple of the Lord, that was in Jerusalem. [verse 6] And alle men that weren `in cumpas [in cumpas aboute IN. dwelling bi cumpas about Jerusalem S.] helpiden the hondis of hem [hem that bildiden the temple S.] , in [with INS.] vesselis of siluer, and of gold, `in catel [with her substaunce INS.] , in [with INS. and ELO.] purtenaunce of houshold, and in [with INS.] alle [Om. BCISVW.] werk beestis, outakun [withoute I. outakin or ouer S.] these thingis which thei of|friden bi fre [her fre INS.] wille. [verse 7] Forsothe [And INS.] kyng Cyrus brouȝte forth the vessels of the temple of
