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

I. KINGS.

Here bigynneth the prolog of the foure bokis of Kyngis [The prolog of Kyngis. B. A prolog. I. No initial rubric in CFH.] .

THE tunge forsothe of Syrus, and of Caldeis, witnessith to ben anentis the [Om. I.] Ebrewis two and twenti lettris, the whiche of a [Om. I. oo H.] greet parti [part C.] niȝ coostieth to Ebrew; for and thei two and twenti elementis han in the same sown, but in dyuerse printis. Samarytans also the fyue [Om. I.] bokis of Moyses wryten in as feele lettris, oonli in figuris and printis dyuersynge; and it is certeyn Esdras, the scribe and the doctour of the lawe, after Jerusalem takun, and the restorynge of the temple vndur Zorobabel, to han foundun other lettris, the whiche we nowe vsen; whanne vnto that tyme weren the same printis of Samarytanys and of E|brews. Forsothe in the book of Noum|bris this same noumbrynge [noumbre I.] vnder the noumbre of Leuitis and prestis mistili is

shewid; and the name of the Lord Tetra|gramaton in summe Grece volyms vnto this day we han founden with oold let|tris expressyd. But and the Salmys sixe and thretti [threttithe CHI.] , and the hundrid tenthe, and the hundryd enleueth, and the hundrid eiȝtenth [eiȝtene I.] , and the hundrid foure and fourtithe, albeit that thei ben wryten with dyuerse metre, neuerthelater thei ben weuyd [wouen C.] with [of I.] the abece of the same noumbre; and the Lamentaciouns of Je|remye, and the Preier of hym, and for|sothe the Prouerbis of Salomon, in the eend, fro that place in whiche he seith, A strong womman who shal fynde, with the same abicees or markyngis ben noumbrid. Forsothe fyue dowble lettrys ben anentis the Ebrewis, Caph, Men, Nun, Phe, Sade; forsothe other wise thei writen bi thes the bigynningis and the mydils of wordis, other wise the eendis. Wherfore and fyue bokis, Samuel, Ma|lachym, Dabreiamyn, Esdras, Jeremye with Cynoth, that is, his Lamentaciouns, ben eymyd of sum men dowble bookis. What maner wise therfor two and twenti elymentis ben, bi the whiche we wryten Ebrewly al that we speken, and mannus voyce with the bigynnyngis of hem is takun, so two and twenti volyms ben noumbrid, bi the whiche as bi lettris and bigynnyngis the tendre and the ȝit sowk|ynge childhod of the riȝtwise man is tauȝt in the doctrine of God. The first book anentis hem is clepid [callid CEI.] Bresith, which we Genesis seyn; the secounde, Ellesmoth, `the which [that C.] Exodus is clepid [cald I.] ; the thridde is Vagetra, that is Leuytik; the ferth, Vagedaber, `the which [that C.] we cle|pen [cal I.] Noumbre; the fifthe Abdabarym, `the which [that C.] is before notid Deutronomy. Thes ben the fyue bokis of Moyses, `the whiche [that C.] thei clepen [callen I.] proprely Thorath, that is, the lawe. The secounde ordre of the prophetis thei maken, and bigyn|nen fro Jesu [Josue A.] , the sone of Naue, `the which [that C.] anentis hem is seid Josue Bennun.

thens thei vndurweuyden [vnderwouen C.] Sophym, that is, the book of Jugis; and into [in I.] the same thei putten [puttiden I.] in Ruth, for in the days of Jugis don is toold hir storye. The thridde folowith Samuel, the which we seyn the Firste and the Secounde of Rewmys; the ferthe, Malachim, that is, of Kyngis, the which is conteyned in the thridde and the ferthe volym of Rewmys; and mych betere it is to seye Malachym, that is, of Kyngis, thanne Malathot, that is, of Rewmes; forsothe not of many folk he discriueth rewmes, but of oon Yrael puple, that is conteyned in twelue ly|nagis. The fifthe is Ysay; the sixt Je|remye; the seuenthe Ezechiel; the [and the I.] eiȝtith the book of the twelue prophetis, `the which [that C.] anentis hem is clepid [cald I.] Thari|asra. The thridde ordre weeldith Agio|gropha, that ben holi wryten ensaumplis [exsaumplis CE.] . And the first book bigynneth fro Job; the secounde fro Dauyd, the which men holden in fyue dyuysiouns, and in o volym of Psalmys; the thridde is of Sa|lomon, hauynge thre bokis, Prouerbis, that thei clepen [callen I.] Parablis, that is, Mas|loth; the ferthe Ecclesiasten, that is, Coelech; the fifthe is Soonge of Songis, whom thei [we I.] before noten bi title Syras|syrym; the sixte is Danyel; the se|uenthe [seuenthe is I.] Dabreiamyn, that is, the wordis of days, the whiche more nameli we mowen clepe [calle I.] the [Om. I.] Cronycle of al Goddis story, the which book anentis vs is wryten Paralypomynon [in Paralypomynon EI.] the First and the Secounde; the eiȝtthe Esdras, the which and he [the I.] lijk maner, anentis Grekis and Latyns, in two bokis is dyuydid; the nynthe Ester. And so ben maad togidre the bokis of the oold lawe two and twenti, that is, of Moyses fyue, of Pro|phetis eiȝte, of Agiografis, that ben ex|presse exsaumplis to holynesse, nyne; al be it that summe writen Ruth and Synoth among the Agiographis, and thes bookis in her noumbre thei wenen to be to [Om. C.] noumbrid, and bi that to ben of the

oold lawe foure and twenti bookis; the whiche vndre noumbre of foure and twenti eldris the Apocalips [Apocalipsis E.] of Joon bryngith yn, honourynge the loomb, and offrynge her crownes, the cheerys born doun, hem stondynge before the foure beestis eyed before and behynde, that is, biholdynge into that that is passid, and into that that is to comen, and criynge with contynuel voyce, Holy, Holy, Holi, Lord God Almyȝti, that was, and that is, and that is to comen! This prologe of [to I.] Scripturis as an helmyd bigynnynge to al the bokis `the whiche [that C.] fro Ebrewe we han turned into Latyn, may acoorde, that we mowen knowe that what euere thing out of thes is, it is to be put among the Apographase, that is, among tho thingis whos autor is not knowun of al holi chirch. Therfore Sapiens, that comounli is wryten in of Salomon, and of Jesu, the sone of Syrak, and the book of Judith, and Toby, and Pastor, ben not in the canoun. I foond the Fyrst book of Ma|chabeis Ebrewe; the Secounde is Greke, that may be proued of that settynge. The whiche thingis whanne thei so han hem, thou reder, Y biseche thee, ne eyme thou my traueyle the repreuynge of oold men. In the tabernacle of God ech man offreth that he may; other men gold, and siluer, and precious stones; other men bise, and purpur, and cocko [cocce E. cok C. cocke I.] offren, and iacynct. With vs is wel doon, if we offren skynnys and heeris of she geet; and neuerthelater [nerthelatere C.] the Apostle oure more [moste I.] contemptible thingis shewith more nedeful. Wherfor and al the [that BCEFHI.] fayrnesse of the tabernacle, and the distinccioun of the present, and of the chirche to comen, bi eche spicis is couered with skynnys, and with herys; tho that ben fowler thingis letten the brennynge of the sunne, and the harme of wederis. Thanne rede thow first Samuel, and myn [Om. E pr. m.] Malachym, myn forsothe, myn [Om. A.] ; what euere thing forsothe ofter [ouer I.] turnynge and in amend|ynge

more bisili and we han lernyd, and we holden, oure is, oure is. And whanne thou vndurstoondist that bifore hoond thou knewe not, or eyme thou me a remenour, if thou art kynde, or a leeyer bisiden, if thow art vnkynde; al be it that Y haue no conscience to myself, me to haue chaungid eny thing fro Ebrews trewth. Certeyne, if thow ert [be I.] of hard bileue, rede Greke [Grekis CI.] bokis and Latyns, and ley [leye hem I.] togidre with thes litil werkis, `the whiche [that C.] aboue we han out [ouȝte H. not I.] toold; and where euere thow see bitwix [betwe C. bytwen BEFH.] hem|self to [Om. I.] discorde, ask eny of the Ebrews, to whom more thou owist to ȝeue feith, and if oure thingis he stable, I trowe that thou shalt not eyme hym a lyer, for in the same place with me lijk maner he dyuyne. But and ȝow, wymmen ser|uauntis of Crist, Y preye, the whiche anoynten the heed of the Lord, doun syt|tynge with the [Om. I.] moost precyous myrre of bileue, the whiche sechen not the Sa|ueour in sepulcre [the sepulcre I.] , for [fro E pr. m. from I.] whom nowe Crist hath stied vp to the fader, that aȝens the berkynge houndis that aȝens me with wood mouth waxen cruel, and goon about the cytee, and in that demen hem self wyse, if to other they bacbiten, that ȝe aȝen putten the targetis of ȝoure preyers. I, knowynge my lownes, of that sentence euere more Y shal recorde, I seyde, I shal kepe my weyes, that I trespasse not in my tunge; Y haue put to my mouth warde, whanne the synful stood aȝens me; Y bicam dowmbe, and [and I I.] am lowid, and heelde [heuld I.] my pees fro good thingis.

Here endith the prolog of the foure bokis of Kyngis, and nowe bygynneth the first book [Here endith the prolog and bigynneth the firste book of Kingis. E. Here endeth the prolog se now the firste book of Kingis. I. No final rubric in BCFH.] .

[The firste of Kyngis [From B. Here bygynneth the first bok of Kyngis. F. No initial rubric in ACEH.] .] CAP. I.

[verse 1] THERE was a man of Ramathaym of Sophym, of the hil of Effraym, and the name of hym Elchana, the sone of Jero|boam, sone [the sone E pr. m.] of Elyuth, sone of Thau, sone of Suph, Eufrate. [verse 2] And he hadde two wyues; name to the toon Anna, and name to the secounde Phenenna; and there weren of Phenenne sonys; forsothe of Anne there weren noon free children. [verse 3] And that man stiede fro his cytee vp the ordeynd days, for to honour and sacrifie to the Lord of oostis in Sylo. Forsothe there weren the two sonys of Hely, Ophny and Phynees, preestis of the Lord. [verse 4] The day thanne cam, and Elchana offerde, and ȝaf to Phenenne his wijf, and to alle [verse 5] his children and douȝtren [doȝtris CE.] parties; for|sothe to Anne he ȝaf o party drerye, for he louede Anne; forsothe the Lord hadde closid hir wombe. [verse 6] Forsothe hir enemye tourmentide hir, and hugely angwishide, in so mych that she putte to reproue, that the Lord hadde closid hir wombe. [verse 7] And so she dyde bi ech ȝeer, whanne, turn|ynge aȝen the tyme, thei styeden vp into the hows of the Lord; and she so terryde hyr. Forsothe she wepte, and took no meete. [verse 8] Thanne seide to hyr Helchana, hir man, Anna, whi wepist thow, and whi etist thow nouȝt, and for what cause is tourmentid thin herte? Whether am Y not betere to thee than ten sones? [verse 9] Forsothe Anna roos, after that she hadde eetyn in Silo and dronken. And Hely the preest sittynge vpon a litil seete, be|fore the postis of the hows of the Lord, [verse 10] whanne Anna was in bitter [betere A.] inwit, she

[verse 11] preiede the Lord, wepynge largeli; and a vowe she vowide, seiynge, Lord God of oostis, if biholdynge thow see the tour|mentynge of thi seruaunt, and were re|cordid of me, ne forȝetist [forȝeten BCEFH.] thin hoond|maydyn, and ȝyuest to thi seruaunt maal kynde, I shal ȝyue hym to the Lord alle the days of his lijf, and rasour shal not stie vpon his heed. [verse 12] Forsothe it is doon, that whanne she multipliede preiers be|fore the Lord, that Heli weytide hir mouth. [verse 13] Forsothe Anna spak in hir herte, and oonli the lippis of hir weren meued, and the vois of hire was not fulli herd. Heli therfor eymyde hir dronken, [verse 14] and seide to hyr, Howe long shalt thou be dronken? Defye a litil wiȝt the wyn, bi the which thou art dronken. [verse 15] Anna answerynge, Nay, she seith, my lord, for a womman wel mych wretcheful Y am; for wyn and al that may make dronken Y dranke not, but I haue held out my [verse 16] soule in the siȝt of the Lord; ne hoold thou thin handwomman as oon of the douȝtres of Belial, for of the multitude of sorwe and of my mournynge Y haue spokun vnto nowe. [verse 17] Thanne Heli seith to hir, Go in pees, and God of Yrael ȝeue to thee the askynge that thou hast preied hym. [verse 18] And she seide, Wolde God thin handwoman fynde grace in thin eyen. And the womman ȝede into hir weye, and eete; and the cheeris of [in E pr. m.] hir ben not more ouere into dyuerse thingis chaungid. [verse 19] And thei arysen eerly, and anowreden [honouredyn EC.] before the Lord; and ben turned aȝen, and camen into her hows in Ramatha. Forsothe Helchana knewe Anne his wijf; and the Lord is re|cordid of hir. [verse 20] And doon it is after the cercle of dais, Anna conceyuede, and beer a child, and clepide his name Samuel;

forthi that she hadde askid hym of the Lord. [verse 21] Forsothe hir man Helchana stiede vp, and al his hows, for to offre to the Lord a solempne oost, and his vowe. [verse 22] And Anna assendide not; forsothe she seide to hir man, Y shal not goo, to the tyme that the child be wened, and I brynge hym, and he apere [aperide A.] before the siȝt of the Lord, and dwelle there con|tynuely. [verse 23] And Helchana, hir man, seith to hir, Do that is seen to thee good, and dwel to the tyme that thow wene hym; and I preye, that the Lord fulfille his word. Thanne the woman abood, and ȝaf hir sone mylk, to the tyme that he shulde meue hym awey fro the mylk. [verse 24] And she brouȝte hym with hir, after that she hadde wened hym, with thre calues, and thre bushelis of meele, and a vessel of wyn; and she brouȝte him to the hows of the Lord in Sylo. Forsothe the child ȝit was a lytil faunt. [verse 25] And thei slewen a calf, and offreden the child to Hely. [verse 26] And Anna seith, I biseche, my lord, thi soule lyueth; Y am that wom|man, that stood before thee here, prey|inge [verse 27] to the Lord; for this child I preyede, and the Lord hath ȝeuen to me [verse 28] the askynge that I askyde hym; therfor and I haue lent hym to the Lord alle the dais, in the whiche he were lent to the Lord. And there thei honourden the Lord. And Anna honourde, and seith,

CAP. II.

[verse 1] Gladid out is [Om. EFCH.] myn herte in the Lord, and areryd [rerid C.] is myn horn in my God; maad large is my mouth vpon myn ene|myes, for Y am glade in thin [the E pr. m.] ȝyuer of heelth. [verse 2] There is noon holy as is the Lord; forsothe ne there is other with out thee, and there is not strong as our

God. [verse 3] Wole ȝe not multiplie to speke heiȝe thingis, gloriynge; go there a wey oold thingis fro ȝoure mouthe; for the God of sciencis [siencis A.] Lord is, and to hym ben be|fore maad redi thouȝtis. [verse 4] The boowe of stronge men is ouercomen, and feble [feble men E pr. m.] ben gird with strength. [verse 5] The fillid be|fore for looues han leyd hem self, and the hungri ben fulfillid; to the tyme that the bareyn bere wel many, and she that many sones hadde, is feblid. [verse 6] The Lord mortifieth, and quykeneth; bryngith doun to hellis, and aȝen bryngith. [verse 7] The Lord makith pore, and richeth; and [he EC.] mekith, and vndurrerith. [verse 8] He bryngith vp fro powdre the nedye, and fro dryt he heueth vp the pore, that he sitte with princis, and the seet of glorie he holde; of the Lord forsothe ben the vttermoost parties of the erthe, and he hath put vpon hem the world. [verse 9] The feet of his halowis he shal kepe, and vnpyteuous men in derk|nessis shulen waxe stille; for in his owne strength shal not be strengthid a man. [verse 10] The Lord shulen drede the aduersaries of hym, and vpon hem in heuenes he shal thondre; the Lord shal deme the eendis of erthe [the erthe BEFH.] , and he shal ȝyue em|pyre to his kyng, and he shal hieȝ the horn of his Crist. [verse 11] And Helchana wente in Ramatha, into his hows; forsothe the child was seruaunt in the siȝt of the Lord before the face of Hely the preest. [verse 12] Forsothe the sones of Hely the sones of [verse 13] Belial, not knowynge the Lord, ne the office of preestis to the puple; but who so euere hadde offerd the slayn sacrifyce, the child of the preest cam, while the flesh were sothen, and hadde a flesh hook [verse 14] thre tothid in his hoond; and he putte it into the leede, or into the cawdroun, or into the pot, or into the greet panne; and al that the fleshook reryde, the preest

took to hym self; so thei diden to al Irael of men comynge in Silo. [verse 15] Also or [er BCEFH.] that thei brenten the fat, the child of the preest cam, and seide to the offrere, Ȝif to me flesh, that I seethe to the preest; I shal not take forsothe sothen flesh, but rawe. [verse 16] And the offrere seide to hym, Be brent first after the maner to day the talwȝ, and tak to thee as mych as thi soule desireth. The which answerynge seide to hym, Nay, forsothe nowe thow shalt ȝyue; ellis I shal tak bi forse. [verse 17] Therfor the synne of the children was greet wel mych before the Lord; for thei drowen a wey men fro the sacrifice of the Lord. [verse 18] Forsothe Samuel seruede be|fore the face of the Lord, a child gird with a surplesse. [verse 19] And a litil coote his moder made to hym, the which she brouȝt the ordeyned days, stiynge vp with hir man for to offre a solempne oost, and hir vowe. [verse 20] And Hely blesside to Elchana and to his wijf; and he seide to hym, The Lord ȝeelde to thee seed of this womman, for the encrees that thou hast lent to the Lord. And thei wenten into her place. [verse 21] Thanne the Lord visitide Anne, and she conseyuede, and bare thre sones and two douȝtren [doȝtris CE.] . And the child Samuel is magnyfied anentis the Lord. [verse 22] Forsothe Hely was wel oold, and he herde alle thingis that his sones diden in al Yrael, and what maner wise thei slepten with wymmen, the whiche weyt|eden at the dore of the tabernacle. [verse 23] And he seide to hem, Whi doon ȝe siche maner thingis, the which I here werst thingis of al the puple? [verse 24] Wole ȝe not, my sones; it is not good loos that Y here, that ȝe maken to trespas the puple of the Lord. [verse 25] If a man synneth in a man, God may be plesid to him; forsothe if in to the Lord a man

synneth, who shal preye for hym? And thei herden not the voyce of her fader, for God wold sleen hem. [verse 26] Forsothe Sa|muel the child profitide, and wexe; and he pleside both to God and to men. [verse 27] For|sothe there cam a man of God to Heli, and seith to hym, Thes thingis seith the Lord, Whether not apertly Y am shewid to the hows of thi fader, whanne thei weren in Egipt, in the hows of Pharao? [verse 28] And I cheese him of alle the lynagis of Yrael to me in to preest, that he shulde stie vp to myn auter, and brenne to me encense, and beer before me ephot; and I haue ȝouen to the hows of thi fader alle thingis of the sacrifices of the sones of Yrael. [verse 29] Whi with the heele ȝe han throwen awey my slayn sacrifice, and my ȝiftis, that I haue comaundid to be offred in the temple; and more thou hast honourede thi sones than me [men A.] , that ȝe myȝten eete the cheefe thingis of al the sacrifice of Yrael, my puple? [verse 30] Ther|for seith the Lord God of Yrael, Spekynge I haue spoken, that thin hows and the hows of thi fader serue in my siȝt into [vnto BCEFH.] with out ende; forsothe nowe seith the Lord, Awey be that fro me; but who so euere honourith me, Y shal glorifie hym; forsothe who dispisen me, shulen be vn|noble. [verse 31] Loo! the dais comen, and I shal kut of thin arme, and the arme of the hows of thi fadre, that there be not an oold man in thin hows. [verse 32] And thou shalt see thin enemye in the temple, in alle the welsum thingis of Yrael; and there shal not be an oold man in thin hous alle dais. [verse 33] Neuerthelater I shal not doo awey fulli fro thee a man fro myn auter, but that thin eyen faylen, and thi lijf fayle; and a greet parti of thin hows shal die, whanne to mannus age it shal come. [verse 34] Forsothe this shal be the tokne, that is to come to

thi two sonys, Ophny and Phynees, in o day thei shulen die bothe. [verse 35] And I shal rere to me a trewe preest, that after myn herte and soule shal doo; and I shal bilde to hym a trewe hows, and he shal goo before my Crist alle days. [verse 36] Forsothe it is to come, that who so euere abidith [abytt BFH. abit EC.] stil in thin hows, he come that it be preyed for hym, and he offre a silueren peny, and a round kaak of breed, and seye, Lete me, Y biseche, to o preeste [prestis EC.] paarte, that I eete a morsel [mussel CE.] of breed.

CAP. III.

[verse 1] Child forsothe Samuel mynystrede to the Lord before Hely, and the sermoun of the Lord was precious; in tho dais was noon opyn visioun. [verse 2] It was maad thann on a day, Heli leye in his place, and his eyen daswiden, and he myȝte not see the lanterne of God, before it were quenchid. [verse 3] Forsoth Samuel slepte in the temple of the Lord, where was the arke of God. [verse 4] And the Lord clepide Samuel; the which answerynge seith, Loo! I. [verse 5] And he ranne to Hely, and seide to hym, Loo! Y; thou hast clepid forsothe me. The which seide, I haue not clepid thee; turn aȝen and sleep. And he ȝede and slept. [verse 6] And the Lord eft leyde to to [Om. BE.] clepe Samuel; and Samuel rysynge ȝede to Heli, and seide, Loo! Y; for thou hast clepid me. The which answeryde, Y haue not clepid thee, sone myn; turn aȝen and sleep. [verse 7] Forsothe Samuel ȝit not knewe the Lord, ne the sermoun of the Lord was openyd to hym. [verse 8] And the Lord leide to, and ȝit clepide Samuel the thridde tyme; the which rysynge ȝede [verse 9] to Hely, and seith, Loo! Y; for thou hast clepid me. Thanne Hely vndur|stood, that the Lord clepide the child; and he seith to Samuel, Go and sleep;

and if herafter he clepe [clepeth CE.] thee, thou shalt seye, Spek, Lord, for thi seruaunt herith. Thanne Samuel wente and slept in his place. [verse 10] And the Lord cam, and stood, and clepide as he clepide the secounde tyme, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel seith, Spek, Lord, for thi seruaunt herith. [verse 11] And the Lord seide to Samuel, Loo! Y doo a word in Yrael, the which who so euere herith, bothe his eeris shulen tyn|clen. [verse 12] In that day I shal arere [reren C.] aȝens Hely alle thingis, the whiche I haue spokun vpon the hows of hym; Y shal bigynne, and fulfille. [verse 13] Forsothe I seide before to hym, that I was to deme his hows without ende for wickidnes; for thi that he knewe his sonys vnworthili to doon, and vndurnam hem not. [verse 14] Therfore Y swore to the hows of Hely, that the wickidnes of hys hows shal not be doon a seeth before [fore BCEFH.] with slayn sacrifices and ȝiftis vnto with out ende. [verse 15] Forsothe Samuel slept vnto the morwe, and he openyde the dorys of the hows of the Lord; and Samuel dredde to shewe the visyoun to Hely. [verse 16] Thanne Hely clepide Samuel, and seide, Samuel, my sone. The which answerynge seith, Y am redy. [verse 17] And he askide hym, What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? Y preye thee, ne hele thou fro me; thes thingis do to thee God, and thes thingis adde, if thou hidist fro me a word of alle the wordis that ben seyd to thee. [verse 18] And Sa|muel shewide to hym alle the wordis, and hidde not fro hym. And he an|swerde, A Lord he is; that good is in his eyen, do he. [verse 19] Forsothe Samuel wexe, and the Lord was with hym, and there felle not into the erthe of alle the wordis of hym. [verse 20] And alle Yrael knewȝ [knee A. kne C pr. m. F.] fro Dan vnto Bersabee, that Samuel was the feith|ful

[trewe E pr. m.] prophet of the Lord. [verse 21] And the Lord addide that he shulde apere in Sylo, for the Lord was shewid to Samuel in Sylo after the word of the Lord; and the word of Samuel felle `into [to BCEH.] al Yrael.

CAP. IV.

[verse 1] And it is doon in tho days Philistien camen togidre into fiȝt; forsothe and Yrael wente out into batayl to meet Phylistien, and he sette tentis bisyde the stoon of help. Forsothe Philistien [verse 2] camen into Aphet, and maden shiltroun [schetrome E passim.] aȝens Yrael. Forsothe, the strijf bigun [gon in E pr. m. begunnen sec. m.] , Yrael turnede backis to the [Om. CE.] Philistiens [Filisteis C passim.] ; and there ben slayn in that strijf pas|mele bi feeldis as foure thowsandys of [verse 3] men; and the puple is turnede aȝen to the tentis. And the more thurȝ birth of Yrael seyden, Whi hath the Lord smyten vs to day before Philistien? Brynge we forth to vs fro Sylo the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord, and come it in the myddil of vs, that it saue vs fro the hoond of oure enemyes. [verse 4] Thanne the puple senten into Sylo, and token thens the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord of oostis, sittynge vpon cherubym. And the two sones of Hely, Ophny and Phynees, weren with the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord. [verse 5] And whanne the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord was comen into the tentis, al Yrael cryede out with a greet crye, and the erth thurȝ sownede. [verse 6] And Philistien herden the voys of the crye, and seiden, Forsothe what is this vois of greet crye in the tentis of Ebrewis? And thei knewen, that the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord was comen into the tentis. [verse 7] And Philistien dredden, seiynge,

God is comen into the tentis; and in|wardly [verse 8] thei weiliden, seiynge, Woo to vs! forsothe there was not so mych gladynge ȝisterday [ȝistai C. ȝistay E.] , ne before ȝistirday [ȝistai C. ȝistay E.] ; woo to vs! who shal kepe vs fro the hoondis [honde BCEFH.] of thes heiȝe goddis? thes ben the goddis that smyten Egipt bi al ven|iaunce in deseert. [verse 9] Takith coumfort, and `be ȝe [beth CE.] men of Philistien, ne serue ȝe to Ebrewis, as thei serueden to vs; takith coumfort, and fiȝtith. [verse 10] Thanne Philystien fouȝten, and Yrael is hewen down, and echon fleeȝ [fleth E.] into his tabernacle; and there is doon a wel greet veniaunce, and there fellen of Yrael thretti thowsandis of foot men. [verse 11] And the arke of God is taken, and the two sones of Hely ben deed, Ophny and Phynees. [verse 12] Forsothe rennynge a man of Beniamyn fro the sheltroun cam into Sylo in that day, rent the clooth, and [verse 13] spreynt [sprengd CE.] with powdre the heed; and whan he was comen, Hely sat vpon the litil seet aȝens the weye abidynge; forsothe his herte was dredynge for the arke of the Lord. Forsothe that man after that he is goon yn, toolde to the cytee, and al the cytee ȝellide. [verse 14] And Hely herde the sown of the crye, and seide, What is this sown of this noyse? And he hiede, and cam, and toold to Hely. [verse 15] Forsothe Hely was of nynty and eiȝt ȝeer, and his eyen dasweden, and he myȝt not se. [verse 16] And he seyde to Hely, Y am that am comen fro the batayl, and Y that haue flowen fro the shiltroun to day. To whom he seith, What is doon, sone myn? [verse 17] Answerynge forsothe he that toold, seith, Yrael hath flowen before the Philistiens, and a greet fallynge is doo in the puple; also and thi two sones been deed, Ophny and Phynees, and the arke of God is takun. [verse 18] And whanne he hadde

nemnyd the arke, he felle fro the litil seet backward biside the dore, and the scullis brokun, he is deed. Forsothe an oold man he was, and of greet age; and he demyde Yrael fourti [forurti A.] ȝeer. [verse 19] His douȝ|tre in lawe forsothe, the wijf of Phynees, was with child, and nyȝ to the berynge; and the messager herde that the arke of God was takun, and hir fader in lawe deed, and hir man, she bowide hir self, and bare child; forsothe there fellen in hir sodeyn sorwis. [verse 20] Forsothe in that mo|ment of her deeth seiden to hir, that stoden about hir, Ne drede thow, for a sone thow hast born. The which an|swerde not to hem, forsothe ne took hede. [verse 21] And she clepide the child Hicaboth, sei|ynge, Translatid is the glorye of the Lord fro Irael, for takun is the ark of God; and for hir fader in lawe and for hir [verse 22] man she seith, Translatid is the glorie of God fro Yrael; forthi that the arke of God was takun.

CAP. V.

[verse 1] Philistien forsothe token the arke of God, and beren it fro the stoon of help into Azoth. [verse 2] And Philistien token the arke of God, and brouȝten it into the temple of Dagon, and setten it beside Dagon. [verse 3] And whanne Azothis weren rysen eerli the tother day, loo! Dagon lay redi in the eerth before the ark of the Lord. And thei token Dagon, and setten it aȝen in his place. [verse 4] And eft, eerly the tother day rysynge, thei fonden Dagon liynge vpon his face in the erthe before the arke of the Lord. Forsothe the heed of Dagon, and the two palmys of his hoondis weren kut awey vpon the [verse 5] thresshwold; forsothe the stok of Dagon aloone lafte in his place. For this cause the preestis of Dagon, and alle that goon into his temple, treden not vpon the thresshwold of Dagon in Azoth vnto the

day that is nowe. [verse 6] Forsothe the hoond of the Lord is greggid vpon the Azothis, and he wastide hem, and he smoot A|zothe and his coostis in the more priue party of the arsis; and the towns and feeldis booyleden out in the mydil of that [the A.] regioun, and myis ben born; and there is doon a greet confusioun of deeth in the cytee. [verse 7] Men forsothe of Azoth seynge siche a maner veniaunce seiden, Dwel not the arke of God of Yrael anentis vs; for hard is his hoond vpon vs, and vpon Dagon oure god. [verse 8] And seendynge thei gedreden to hem self alle the maystris of Philistiens, and seiden, What shulen we doo of the arke of God of Yrael? And Gethey answerden, The arke of God of Yrael be turned about; and thei turn|eden about the arke of God of Yrael. [verse 9] Forsothe hem turnynge it about, the hoond of the Lord of a greet slauȝter wel mych was doon vpon alle the cytees; and he smoot the men of ech cytee fro litil vnto more, and the arsroppis of hem goynge out stonken; and Gethey wenten into counseil, and maden to hem letheren seetis. [verse 10] Thanne thei senten the arke of the Lord into Acharon. And whanne the arke of the Lord was comen into Acharon, Acharonytis cryeden out, sei|ynge, Thei han brouȝt to vs the arke of God of Yrael, that he sle vs and oure puple. [verse 11] Thei senten thanne, and gedriden togidre alle the maystrys of Philistiens; the which seiden, Leeue ȝe the arke of God of Yrael, and be it turned aȝen into his place, and sle it not vs with oure puple. [verse 12] Forsothe dreed of deth was maad in alle the cytees, and moost greuous was greetli the hoond of the Lord. Forsothe the men, that weren not deed, weren smyten in the priuyer party of the arsis, and the ȝellynge of ech cytee stiede vp into heuene.

CAP. VI.

[verse 1] Was thanne the arke of the Lord in the regioun of the Philistiens seuen [verse 2] monethes; and after thes thingis Phi|listiens clepiden the preestis and dyuyn|ours, seiynge, What shal we doon with the arke of God? Shewe ȝe vs, what maner wyse we shulen sende it aȝen `in to [to E.] his place. [verse 3] The whiche seiden, If ȝe senden aȝen the arke of God of Yrael, wole ȝe not leeue it voyde, but that ȝe owen, ȝeldeth to hym for the synne; and thanne ȝe shulen be heelid, and ȝe shulen knowe, whi that his hoond goth not a wey fro ȝow. [verse 4] The whiche seiden, What is that for the trespasse we owen to ȝeeld to it? [verse 5] And thei answerden [answerden to them E pr. v.] , After noumbre of prouyncis of Philistiens fyue golden arsis ȝe shulen make, and fyue golden myis; for o plage was to ȝow alle and to ȝoure maistris. And ȝe shulen make a licnesse of ȝoure arsis, and a licnesse of the myis that han wastid the loond; and ȝe shulen ȝyue to the God of Yrael glorye, if [lest E pr. m.] perauenture he releue his hoond fro ȝou, and fro ȝoure goddis, and fro ȝoure loond. [verse 6] Whi agreggen ȝe ȝoure hertis, as Egipt agreggide, and Pharao his hert? Whether not after he is smyten, thanne he lafte hem, and thei ȝeden a wey? [verse 7] Nowe thanne takith, and makith a newe weyn, and ioyneth two kyen that han calued late, in the weyn, to whom is not put on ȝok; and reclosith her calues at home. [verse 8] And ȝe shulen take the arke of the Lord, and putte in the weyn; and the goldun vessels that ȝe han payed out to it for the trespas, ȝe shulen put in a litle cofre at the side of it; and leeue ȝe it, that it goo. [verse 9] And ȝe shulen biholden, forsothe and if bi the weye of her coostis it stie vp aȝen Bethsames, it

hath doo to ȝou this greet yuel; forsothe if not, we shulen wyte that the hoond of it hath not towchid vs, but by hap it hath fallun. [verse 10] Thanne thei diden this wise; and takynge two kyen that ȝauen calues sowke, thei ioyneden to the wayn; for|sothe the calues of hem thei closiden at home. [verse 11] And thei putten the arke of God vpon the wayn, and the litle coofre that hadde the golden myis, and the licnes of arsis. [verse 12] Forsothe the kyen ȝeden euen ryȝt bi the weye that ledith to Bethsames; and in o weye thei wenten goynge and loowynge, and thei boweden not asyde ne to the ryȝt ne to the left; but and the maystris of Philistyens folweden vnto the teermys of Bethsames. [verse 13] Forsothe Bethsamytis repiden whete in the valey, and rerynge vp the eyen thei seen the arke, and thei ioyeden, whanne thei had|den seen. [verse 14] And the wayn cam into the feeld of Josue Bethsamyte, and stood there. Forsothe a greet stoon was there; and thei heweden [hewyn CE.] the trees of the wayn, and the kien thei putten vpon, the brent sacrifice to the Lord. [verse 15] Forsothe Leuytis putten down the arke of God, and the litil coofre that was biside it, in the which weren the golden vessels; and thei putten vpon the greet stoon. Forsothe Bethsamytis men offreden brent sacrifice, and slewen sacrifices in that day to the Lord. [verse 16] And the fyue maystris of Phi|listiens seen, and ben turned aȝen into Acharon in that day. [verse 17] Forsothe thes ben the golden arsis, the whiche Philistiens for the trespas ȝolden to the Lord; Aȝot oon, Gaza oon, Ashalon oon, Geth oon, [verse 18] Acharon oon; and goldun myis after the noumbre of Philistiens cytees, of the fyue prouyncis, fro wallid cytee vnto toun that was with outen wal, and vnto greet Abel,

vpon the which he putte the ark of the Lord, that was vnto that day in the feeld of Josue Bethsamyte. [verse 19] Forsothe he smoot of the men of Bethsamyte, for that thei hadden seen the arke of the Lord, and he smoot of the puple seuenti men, and fifti thowsandis of the raskeyl. And the puple weyliden, whanne the Lord hadde smyten with a greet veniaunce the comoun puple. [verse 20] And the men of Beth|samyte seiden, Who shal mowe stoond in the siȝt of this holy Lord God, and to whom shal he stye vp fro vs? [verse 21] And thei senten messagerys to the dwellers of Caryathyarym, seiynge, Philistiens han brouȝt aȝen [aȝens A. Om. B.] the arke of the Lord; com|eth doun, and bryngeth it aȝen to ȝow.

CAP. VII.

[verse 1] Thanne the men of Caryathyarym camen, and brouȝten aȝen the arke of the Lord, and beren it into the hows of Amynadab in Gabaa. And thei halweden Eleazer his sone, for he shulde kepe the arke of the Lord. [verse 2] And it is doon, fro what day the arke of the Lord dwellide in Caryathiarym, multiplied ben the days; forsothe nowe was the twentithe ȝeer; and al the hows of Yrael restide after the Lord. [verse 3] Forsothe Samuel seith to al the hows of Yrael, seiynge, If in al ȝoure herte ȝe turnen to the Lord, doth awey alien goddis fro the mydil of ȝow, Ba|alym and Astaroth; and makith redi ȝoure hertis to the Lord, and serueth to hym alone; and he shal delyuere ȝow fro the hond [hoondis A.] of Philistyens. [verse 4] Thanne the sones of Yrael token awey Baalym and Astaroth, and serueden to the Lord alone. [verse 5] Forsothe Samuel seide, Gederith al Yrael in to Masphat, that Y preye the Lord for ȝou. [verse 6] And thei camen togidre in Masphat,

and thei drewen water, and heelden out in the siȝt of the Lord; and thei fastiden in that day, and seiden, To thee we han synned, Lord. And Samuel demyde the sones of Yrael in Masphat. [verse 7] And Phi|listiens herden that the sones of Yrael weren gedryd in Masphat; and the sa|trapis of Philistiens stieden vp to Yrael. The which thing whanne the sones of Yrael hadden herd, thei dredden fro the face of Philistiens. [verse 8] And thei seiden to Samuel, Ne ceese thow for vs to crye to the Lord oure God, that he saue vs fro the hond [hoondis A.] of Philistyens. [verse 9] Forsothe Samuel took o sowkynge loomb, and of|frede it into hool brent sacrifice to the Lord. And Samuel criede to the Lord for Yrael; and the Lord herde hym. [verse 10] Forsothe it is doon, whanne Samuel of|frede brent sacryfice, Philistiens to-goon into batayl aȝens Yrael. Forsothe the Lord thundryde with greet crakkynge in that day vpon the Philistiens, and he feeride hem; and thei ben slayn fro the face of Yrael. [verse 11] And the sones of Yrael goon out fro Masphat, pursueden Phi|listiens, and smyten hem vnto the place that was vndur Bethaar. [verse 12] Forsothe Sa|muel took a [oon BE. OO H.] stoon, and putte it betwix [bytwene BF. betwen E. betwe C.] Masphat and betwix [bytwene BFH. betwen CE.] Sen; and he clep|ide the name of that place The stoon of help. And he seide, Hidir to the Lord hath holpen to vs. [verse 13] And Philistiens ben mekid, and no more ouer thei leiden to that thei camen into the teermys of Yrael. And so is doon the hoond of the Lord vpon Philistyens alle the days of Samuel. [verse 14] And the cytees that the Phi|listiens token fro Yrael, ben ȝolden aȝen to Yrael, fro Accharon vnto Geth and his teermys; and he delyueride Yrael fro the hoond of Philistyens; and pees was bi|twix

[bytwene BFH. betwen E. betwe C.] Yrael and Ammorre. [verse 15] Forsothe Samuel demyde Yrael alle the days of [verse 16] his lijf; and wente bi eche ȝeer enuy|rounynge Bethel, and Galgal, and Mas|phat, and he demyde Yrael in the forseid [verse 17] placis; and turned aȝen in to Ramatha, forsothe there was his hows; and there he demyde Yrael, and he bildide vp there also an auter to the Lord.

CAP. VIII.

[verse 1] Forsothe it is doon whanne Samuel wexe oold, he putte his sones domesmen of Yrael. [verse 2] And the name of his first geten sone was Joel, the name of the secounde Abya, domysmen in Bersabe. [verse 3] And the sones of hym wenten not in his weyes, but boweden aside after aueryce, and thei token ȝiftis, and thei peruert|iden doom. [verse 4] Thann alle the more thurȝ birth of Yrael gedrid, camen to Samuel in Ramatha. [verse 5] And thei seiden to hym, Loo! thou art waxen oold, and thi sones goon not in thi weyes; ordeyn to vs a kyng, that he deme vs, and as alle na|cyouns han. [verse 6] And the word displeside in the eyen of Samuel, forthi that thei had|den seid, Ȝif to vs a kyng, that he deme vs. And Samuel preide to the Lord. [verse 7] Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here the voys of the puple in alle thingis that thei speken to thee; forsothe thei han not throwun a wey thee, but me, lest Y regne vpon hem. [verse 8] Aftir alle her werkis that thei han doo, fro the day that Y ladde hem out of Egipt vnto this day, as thei forsoken me, and serueden to alien goddis, so thei doon also to thee. [verse 9] Nowe thanne here the voyce of hem; neuer|thelater take hem togidre to witnesse; and sey before to hem the riȝt of a kyng,

the which is to regne vpon hem. [verse 10] And so Samuel seide alle the wordis of the Lord to the puple, that askiden of him a kyng; [verse 11] and seith, This shal be the riȝt of a kyng, that is to comaunde to ȝou; ȝoure sonys he shal take, and putte in his charys; and he shal make to hym ryders, and before [verse 12] renners of his long cartis; and he shal ordeyn to hym rewlers of thowsandis, and rewlers of hundridis, and ereres of his feeldis, and repers of cornys, and smythis of aarmys, and of his charis. [verse 13] Forsothe ȝoure douȝtres he shal make to him oynement makers, and fier makers, and clothmakers. [verse 14] Forsothe ȝoure feeldis and vynes and olyues, the best he shal take, and ȝyue to his seruauntis. [verse 15] But and ȝoure cornys, and the rentis of vynes he shal tithe, that he ȝyue to geldyngis and to his seruauntis. [verse 16] Forsothe ȝoure seruauntis and hoondwymmen, and the best ȝonge men and assis he shal take awey, and putte in his werk. [verse 17] Forsothe ȝoure flockis he shal tithe, and ȝe shulen be to him seruauntis. [verse 18] And ȝe shulen crye in that day fro the face of ȝoure kyng, whom ȝe han chosun to ȝow; and the Lord shal not here ȝou in that day, for ȝe han askid to ȝou a kyng. [verse 19] Forsothe the puple wolden not here the vois of Samuel, but seiden, Nay, forsothe a kyng [verse 20] shal be vpon vs; and we forsothe shulen be as other folk of kynde, and oure kyng shal deme vs, and he shal go out before vs, and he shal fiȝt oure batayl for vs. [verse 21] And Samuel herde alle the wordis of the puple, and spak hem in the eeris of the Lord. [verse 22] Forsothe the Lord seide to Sa|muel, Here thow the voys of hem, and set vpon hem a kyng. And Samuel seith to the men of Yrael, Goo ech man into his cytee.

CAP. IX.

[verse 1] And there was a man of Beniamyn, Cys bi name, the sone of Abyel, sone [the sone E pr. v.] of Seor, sone [the sone E pr. v.] of Bethor, sone [the sone E pr. v.] of Aphya, sone [the sone E pr. v.] of the man of Gemyny, stronge bi strength. [verse 2] And ther was to hym a sone, Saul bi name, chosyn and good; and there was not a man of the sones of Israel betere than he; fro the shuldre and aboue he peeryde aboue al the puple. [verse 3] For|sothe the shee assys of Cys, fadre [the fadre E pr. v.] of Saul, weren lost. And Cys seide to Saul his sone, Tak with thee oon of the chil|dren, and rysynge go, and seche the she assis. The which whanne thei hadden [verse 4] passid bi the mount of Effraym, and bi the loond of Saliza, and thei hadden not foundun, thei passiden also bi the loond of Salym, and there was noon; bot and by the loond of Gemyny, and thei founden not. [verse 5] Forsothe whanne thei weren comen into the loond of Suph, and hadden not foundun, Saul seide to his chijld that was with hym, Come, and turne we aȝen; lest perauenture my fadre leeue the she assis, and be bysie for vs. [verse 6] The which seith to hym, Loo! the man of God is in this cytee, a noble man; al that he spekith, with out dout it cometh. Now thanne goo we thidre, if perauenture he shewe to vs of oure weye, for the which we ben comen. [verse 7] And Saul seyde to his child, Loo! we shulen go; what shulen we brynge to the man of God? Breed faylith in oure sackis, and a lepe we han not, that we ȝyuen to the man of God, ne eny other thing. [verse 8] Eft the child answerde to Saul, and seith, Loo! there is founden in myn hoond the feerth part of a sicle of siluer; and ȝyue we to the man of God, that he shewe to vs oure weye. [verse 9] Sumtyme in

Yrael thus spak echon goynge to coun|seyle God, Cometh, and goo we to the seer; forsothe he, that to day is seid a prophet, sumtyme was clepid seer. [verse 10] And Saul seide to his child, Altherbest is thi word; com, go [and go CE.] we. And thei wenten into the cyte, in the which was the man of God. [verse 11] And whanne thei stieden vp the hil of the citee, thei founden children wymmen goynge out to drawe watir, and thei seiden to hem, Whether here is the seer? [verse 12] The which answerynge seiden to hem, Here he is, loo! before thee; hye nowe, forsothe to day he cam into the cytee; for to day is sacrifice of the puple in the heiȝe. [verse 13] Goynge into the cyte anoon ȝe shulen fynde hym, or he stie vp into the hiȝe for to eete; forsothe ne the pu|ple is to eete to the tyme that he come, for he shal blesse to the oost, and there after shulen eete that ben clepid. Nowe thanne stieth vp, for to day ȝe shulen fynde hym. [verse 14] And thei stieden vp into the cytee. And whanne thei wenten in [into A.] the mydil of the cyte, Samuel aperyde go|ynge out metynge to hem, that he stye vp into the heiȝ. [verse 15] Forsothe the Lord hadde toold the litil eer of Samuel before [verse 16] o day, that Saul cam, seiynge, This same our that nowe is to morwe, Y shal seende to thee a man of the loond of Beniamyn, and thow shalt anoynt hym duyk vpon my puple Yrael, and he shal saue my puple fro the hoond of Philistyens; for I haue biholden my puple, forsothe the crye of hem is comen to me. [verse 17] And whanne Samuel hadde beholden Saul, the Lord seide [seith CE.] to hym, Loo! the man that I seide to thee; this shal lordship to my [the E pr. m.] puple. [verse 18] Forsothe Saul neiȝede to Samuel in the mydil of the ȝate, and seith, Shewe to me, Y preye, where is the hows of the seer? [verse 19] And Samuel answerde to Saul, sei|ynge,

Y am the seer; sty vp before me into the heiȝ, that thou eete with me to day, and Y shal leeue thee the morwe|tide, and alle thingis that ben in thin herte Y shal shewe to thee. [verse 20] And of the assis `the which [that C pr. m.] thre days hens thou lostist, ne be thow bysy, for thei ben foundun; and of whom shulen be alle the best thingis of Yrael, whether not to thee, and to al the hows of thi fader? [verse 21] Forsothe Saul answerynge seith, Whe|ther not the sone of Gemyny Y am, of the leest lynage of Yrael, and my kyn|rede the last among alle the meynees of the lynage of Beniamyn? Whi thanne hast thou spoken to me thes [this CEH.] wordis [worde B. woord CE. word FH.] ? [verse 22] And so Samuel takynge Saul, and hys child, brouȝte hem into the hows of thre benchis, and he ȝaf to hem a place in the cheefe [heuyd E.] of hem that weren boden [byden BCF. bedyn EH.] to meet; forsothe there weren as thretti men. [verse 23] And Samuel seide to the cook, Ȝif thow the part that I ȝaf to thee, and co|maundide, that thow shulde lay aside anentis thee. [verse 24] And the cook reryde the shuldre, and putte before Saul. And Sa|muel seide, Loo! that is laft, put before thee, and ete; for of purpos it is kept to thee, whanne Y clepide the puple. And Saul eet with Samuel in that day. [verse 25] And thei wenten down fro the heiȝ into the burȝ town; and he spak with Saul in the solere, and he beddide Saul in the solere, and he slepte [shepte A.] . [verse 26] And whanne eerly thei weren rysen, and nowe the day wexe liȝt, Samuel clepide Saul into the solere, sey|ynge, Ryse, that [thou E pr. m.] Y leeue [schal leeue E pr. m. exp. s. m.] thee. And Saul roos, and bothe thei wenten oute, he, that is, and Samuel. [verse 27] And whanne thei weren goo down in the vttermost parti of the cytee, Samuel seide to Saul, Sey [Seide A.] to the child, that he goo before vs,

and passe forth; forsothe thow stoond stil a litil, while that Y shewe to thee the word of the Lord.

CAP. X.

[verse 1] Samuel forsothe took a `litil brytil [Om. E pr. m.] vessel of oyle, and heelde out on his heed, and he kisside hym, and seith, Loo! the Lord hath anoyntide thee vp on his ery|tage into a prince; and thow shalt de|lyuer his puple fro the hoondis of her enemyes, `the which [that C pr. m.] ben in enuyroun [the enuyroun CE.] of it. And this to thee a tokne, for the Lord hath anoyntide thee into a prince; [verse 2] whanne thow gost to dai fro me, thow shalt fynde two men byside the sepulcre of Rachel, in the coostis of Beniamyn, in the mydday [south E pr. m.] , feermynge [lepynge E pr. m.] greet dichis; and thei shulen seye to thee, The she assis ben foundun, to the whiche to be souȝt thou wentist; and thi fader, the meen while the assis laft, is bisy for ȝow, and seith, What shal Y do of my sone? [verse 3] And whanne thou gost thens, and fer|ther passist, and comest to the ook of Thabor, thre men shulen fynde thee there, stiynge vp to God into Bethel, oon [oon be A.] berynge thre kyddis, and another berynge thre [Om. A.] kakis of breed, and another berynge a galoun of wyn. [verse 4] And whanne thei saluten thee, thei shulen ȝyue to thee two looues, and thow shalt take of [fro E pr. m.] the hoond of hem. [verse 5] After thes thingis thou shalt come into the hil of the Lord, where is the stacioun of Phylistynes; and whanne thow were goon into the cytee, there thow shalt haue metynge a floc [folk A.] of prophetis comynge doun fro the heeȝ, and before hem a sawtrye, and a tymbre, and a trompe, and an harp, and hem propheciynge. [verse 6] And the Spyrit of

the Lord shal leep into thee, and thow shalt prophecye with hem, and thow shalt be chaungid into another man. [verse 7] Whanne thanne alle thes toknes comen to thee, do what euere thingis fyndith thin hoond, for the Lord is with thee. [verse 8] And thow shalt goo doun before me in Galgala; for|sothe Y shal come down to thee, that thow offre an offrynge, and offre pesible slayn sacrificis; seuen days thow shalt abide, to the tyme that Y come to thee, and shewe to thee what thow doo. [verse 9] And so whanne he hadde turned his shuldre, that he ȝede fro Samuel, God with ynne chaungide to hym another herte, and alle thes toknes camen in that day. [verse 10] And thei camen to the forseyd hil, and loo! a com|panye of prophetis metynge to hym; and the Spyryt of the Lord leepe yn vpon hym, and he propheciede in the mydil of hem. [verse 11] Forsothe seynge alle, that knewen hym ȝistyrday [ȝistai C. ȝistay E.] and the thridde day hens, that he was with prophetis, and prophe|cide, seiden togidre, What nowe thing fallith to the sone of Cys? Whether and Saul among the prophetis? [verse 12] And another answerde to the tothir, seiynge, And who is the fadre of hym? Therfor it is turnyd into a prouerbe, Whether and Saul among the prophetis? [verse 13] Forsothe he ceside to pro|phecie, and cam to the heiȝ. [verse 14] And the brother of the fader of Saul saide to hym, and to his child, Whidre `wenten ȝe [hast thou gon E pr. m.] ? The whiche answerde, To seche the she assis; the whiche whanne we hadden not founde, we camen to Samuel. [verse 15] And his fader brother seide to him, Shewe to me what Samuel seide to thee. [verse 16] And Saul seith to his fader [fadris CE.] brothir, He shewide to vs, for the she assis weren founden. Forsothe of the word of the kyngdam he shewide not to hym, the which Samuel spak to hym. [verse 17] And Samuel clepide to|gidre the puple to the Lord in Masphat;

[verse 18] and seith to the sones of Yrael, Thes thingis seith the Lord God of Yrael, Y haue ladde out Yrael fro Egipt, and Y [Om. BCEFH.] haue delyuerde ȝow fro the hoond of Egipciens, and fro the hoond of alle kyngis that tourmentiden ȝow. [verse 19] Forsothe ȝe to day han throwun a wey ȝoure God, the which alone saueth ȝow fro alle yuels, and ȝoure tribulaciouns; and ȝe han seiden, Nay, but a kyng ordeyn vpon vs. Nowe thanne stondith before the Lord bi ȝoure lynagis, and by mey|nees. [verse 20] And Samuel appliede alle the ly|nagis of Yrael, and the lot felle vpon the lynage of Beniamyn. [verse 21] And he apliede the lynage of Beniamyn, and the kyn|redis of hym; and lot felle vpon the kyn|rede of Metry, and cam vnto Saul, the sone of Cys. Thanne thei souȝten hym, and he is not founden there. [verse 22] And thei counseilden after thes thingis the Lord, forsothe [now E pr. m.] whether he were to come thidre. And the Lord answerde, Loo! he is hidde at home. [verse 23] And so thei runnen, and token hym thens; and he stood in the mydil of the puple, and he was heiȝer than al the puple fro the shuldres and aboue. [verse 24] And Samuel seith to al the puple, Certis ȝe seen whom the Lord hath chosun; for there is noon lijk to hym in al the puple. And al the puple criede, and seith, Lyue [verse 25] the kyng! Forsothe Samuel spak to the puple the lawe of the rewme, and wroot in the book, and leyde vp before the Lord. And Samuel laft al the puple, eche [verse 26] into her hows; but and Saul wente into his hows in Gabaath; and wente with hym a paart of the oost, of whom God hadde towchid the hertis. [verse 27] Forsothe the sones of Belial seiden, Whether this shal mowe saue vs? And thei dispysiden hym, and brouȝten not to hym ȝiftis; forsothe he feynde, as thouȝ he herde not.

CAP. XI.

[verse 1] And it is doon as after a moneth, Naas Amonite stiede vp, and bigan to fiȝt aȝens Jabes Galaath. And alle the men of Jabes seiden to Naas, Haue thow vs boundun in pees, and we shulen serue to thee. [verse 2] And Naas Amonyte answerde to hem, In this I shal smyte with ȝou boond of pees, that I drawe out the ryȝt eyen of ȝow alle, and Y put ȝou reproue in al Yrael. [verse 3] And the eldres of Jabes seiden to hym, Graunt to vs seuen days, that we senden messagers to alle the [Om. E.] teermes of Yrael; and if there weren not the which defende vs, we shulen goon out to thee. [verse 4] Thanne messagers camen into Ga|baath of Saul, and speken the wordis, herynge the puple; and al the puple reryde her [his E pr. m.] voys, and wepte. [verse 5] And, loo! Saul cam, folowynge the oxen fro the feeld; and seith, What hath the puple, that he wepith? And thei toolden to hym the wordis of the men of Jabes. [verse 6] And the Spyrit of the Lord leepe into Saul, whanne he hadde herd thes wordis, and the woodnesse of hym wraththid wel mych. [verse 7] And takynge to either oxe he hewȝ into gobetis, and sente into alle the teermys of Yrael, bi the hoond of the messageers, seiynge, Who so euere goth not out, and hath not folwid Saul and Samuel, thus shal be doo to the oxen of hym. Thanne the dreed of the Lord cauȝte the puple, and thei wenten out as o man. [verse 8] And he noumbrede hem in Be|seth [Reseth A.] ; and of the sones of Yrael weren thre hundrid thowsandis; of the men for|sothe of Juda thretti thowsandis. [verse 9] And thei seiden to the messagers that camen, So ȝe shulen seie to the men that ben in Jabes of Galaath, To morwe shal be to ȝow helth, whanne the sunne hetith. Thanne the messagerys camen, and

toolden to the men of Jabes; the whiche [verse 10] weren glad, and seiden, To morwe we shulen goo out to ȝow, and ȝe shulen doo to vs al that shal plese to ȝow. [verse 11] And it is doon, whanne the morwe was comen, Saul sette the puple in thre parties; and he wente into the mydil tentis in the morwetide watche, and he smoot Amon `vnto the tyme [al the while E pr. m.] that the day hetide; for|sothe the tother ben scatrid, so that there weren not laft in hem tweyn togidre. [verse 12] And the puple seith to Samuel, Who is he this, that seide, Saul [the puple A.] shal not regne vpon vs? Ȝif ȝe the men, and we shulen slee hem. [verse 13] And Saul seith, There shal not be slayn eny man in this day, for to day the Lord hath doon helth in Yrael. [verse 14] Forsothe Samuel seide to the puple, Cometh, and goo we into Galgala, and renewe we there the rewme. [verse 15] And al the puple ȝede to Galgala, and thei maden there Saul a kyng before the Lord in Galgala; and thei offreden pesyble slayn sacrifice to the Lord. And Saul gladdide there, and alle the men of Yrael wel mych.

CAP. XII.

[verse 1] Forsothe Samuel seide to alle Yrael, Loo! I haue herd ȝoure voys aftir alle thingis that ȝe han spokun to me, and I [verse 2] haue ordeynd vpon ȝou a kyng; and nowe the kyng goth before ȝow. Forsothe Y haue eeldid, and waxen hoor; forsothe my sones ben with ȝow; also conuer|saunt before ȝou fro my ȝongth vnto this day. [verse 3] Loo! Y am redi; spek ȝe to me before the Lord, and before the crist of hym; whether oxe of eny man Y took, or asse; if eny man Y chalengide; if Y oppresside eny man; if of the hoond of eny man Y took ȝift; and Y shal dispise it to day, and restore to ȝow. [verse 4] And thei

seiden, Thow hast not chalengid vs, ne oppressid, ne takyn eny thing of the hoond of eny man. [verse 5] And he seide to hem, Witnesse is the Lord aȝens ȝow, and witnesse the crist of hym in this day; for ȝe han not founden in myn hoond eny thing. And thei seiden, Wit|nesse. [verse 6] And Samuel seith to the puple, The Lord, that made Moysen and Aaron, and ladde ȝoure fadres fro the loond of [verse 7] Egipt, is nyȝ; now thanne stondith, that in doom I stryue aȝens ȝow before the Lord, of alle the mercyes of the Lord, that he hath done with ȝow, and with ȝoure fadres. [verse 8] What maner wise Jacob wente into Egipt, and ȝoure fadres cri|eden to the Lord; and the Lord sente Moyses and Aaron, and ladde ȝoure fa|dres out of Egipt, and sette hem in this place. [verse 9] The whiche forȝeten of the Lord, her God; and he took hem in the hoond of Cysar [Syȝare E.] , mayster [the mayster E pr. m.] of the knyȝthod of Asor, and in the hoond of Philistiens, and in the hond of the king of Moab; and thei fouȝten aȝens hem. [verse 10] Forsothe aftyrward thei cryeden to the Lord, and seiden, We han synned, for we han for|sakun the Lord, and serueden to Baalym and Astaroth; nowe thanne delyuer vs fro the hoond of oure enemyes, and we shulen serue to thee. [verse 11] And the Lord sente Jeroboal, and Bedan, and Barach, and Jepte, and Samuel; and he delyuerde ȝow fro the hoond of ȝoure enemyes bi enuyroun; and ȝe han dwellid trustily. [verse 12] Forsothe seynge that Naas, the kyng of the sones of Amon, was comen aȝens ȝow, ȝe seiden to me, Nay, but the kyng shal comaunde to vs; whanne the Lord ȝour God shulde regne in ȝow. [verse 13] Nowe thanne ȝoure kyng is redi, whom ȝe han chosen and askid; loo! the Lord hath ȝeuen to ȝow a kyng. [verse 14] If ȝe dreden the Lord, and

serueth to hym, and herith the voys of hym, and whettith not the mouth of the Lord; and ȝe shulen ben, and the kyng that comaundith to ȝow, folowynge the Lord ȝoure God. [verse 15] Forsothe if ȝe heren not the voys of the Lord, but whettith [whetten C.] out the word of hym, the hoond of the Lord shal be vpon ȝow, and vpon ȝoure fadres. [verse 16] But nowe stondith, and seeth this greet thing that the Lord is to doo in ȝoure siȝt. [verse 17] Whether not repynge tyme of whete is to day? Y shal inwardly clepe the Lord, and he shal ȝyue voicis, and reynes; and ȝe shulen wite, and seen, for greet yuel ȝe han doo to ȝow in the siȝt of the Lord, askynge vpon ȝow a kyng. [verse 18] And Samuel criede to the Lord, and the Lord ȝaf voicis and reynes in that day. [verse 19] And al the puple dredde wel mych the Lord and Samuel; and al the puple seide to Samuel, Prey for thi ser|uauntis to the Lord thi God, that we dyen not; forsothe we han addid to alle oure synnes yuel, that we asken to vs a kyng. [verse 20] Forsothe Samuel seide to the pu|ple, Wole ȝe not drede; ȝe han doon alle this yuel; neuerthelater [nerthelatere C passim.] wole ȝe not goo awey fro the bak of the Lord, but serueth to the Lord in al ȝoure herte; [verse 21] and wole ȝe not bowe aside after veyn thingis, that shulen not profyt ȝou, ne shulen delyuer ȝou; for veyn thingis thei ben. [verse 22] And the Lord shal not forsake his puple for his greet name; for the Lord hath sworn to make ȝow to hym a puple. [verse 23] Forsothe God sheelde the synne fro me in the Lord, that I ceese to prey for ȝow; and I shal teche ȝow a riȝt weye and good. [verse 24] Therfor dredith the Lord, and serueth to hym in treuth, and of al ȝoure herte; forsothe ȝe han seen the greet dedis, `the whiche [that C.] he hath doon in ȝow; [verse 25] and if ȝe ben stedfast in malice, and ȝe and ȝoure kyng to gidre shulen perishe.

CAP. XIII.

[verse 1] A sone of o ȝeer was Saul whanne he began to regne; forsothe two ȝeer he regnede vpon Irael. [verse 2] And Saul chees to hym thre thowsandis of Yrael, and there weren `in Machynas [in to engines E pr. m.] with Saul two thow|sandis [thousende C.] , in the hil of Bethel; forsothe a thowsand with Jonatha in Gabaa Benia|myn; forsothe the tother puple he sente aȝen echon into her tabernaclis. [verse 3] And Jo|nathas smoot the stacioun of Philistiens, that was in Gabaa. The which thing whanne Philistyens hadden herd, Saul criede with a trompe in al the loond, seiynge, Heren the Ebrewis. [verse 4] And al Yrael herde siche a maner loos, Saul hath smyten the stacioun of Philistiens; and Yrael areride him aȝens the Philis|tiens; thanne the puple criede after Saul in Galgala. [verse 5] And Philistiens ben gedrid to fiȝt aȝens Yrael; thretti thousandis of charys, and sexe thousandis of horsmen, and the tother comoun, as mych grauel that is in brenk of the see; and thei stiynge vp setten tentis `in Machynas [in to engines E pr. m.] , at the este of Bethauen. [verse 6] The which thing whanne the men of Yrael hadden seen, hem seluen in streit set, forsothe the puple was tourmentid, and thei hidden [hadden B.] hem self in dennys, and in hidils, in stonys forsothe, and in dichis, and in cysternes. [verse 7] Forsothe Hebrewis passiden Jordan [Sic codd. omnes.] , the loond of Gad, and of Galaad. And whanne ȝit Saul was in Galgala, al the puple is feerd that [and ABFH.] folwide hym. [verse 8] And he abood Samuel seuen days `after the couenaunt [aftyr Samuel plesid E pr. m.] , and Samuel cam not in Galgala; and the [al the E pr. m.] puple is slyden fro hym. [verse 9] Thanne seith Saul, Bryngith to me brent sacrifice and

pesible [pesible thyngus E pr. m.] ; and he offrede brent sacrifice. [verse 10] And whanne offrynge he hadde fulfillid the brent sacrifice, loo! Samuel cam; and Saul wente out to mete hym, for to salute hym. [verse 11] And Samuel spak to hym, What hast thou doon? Saul answerde, For I sawȝ that the puple shulde slyde awey fro me, and thou cam not after the couenauntid [desirid E pr. m.] dais; forsothe the Philistyens weren gedryd into Machy|nas [fiȝtys E pr. m.] ; [verse 12] Y seide, Nowe Philistiens shulen come to me in Galgala, and the face of the Lord I haue not plesid; thurȝ nede constreined Y haue offrid [Om. A.] brent sacry|fice [verse 13] to the Lord. And Samuel seide to Saul, Folily thow hast doon, ne thou hast kept the heestis of the Lord thi God, the whiche he hath comaundid to thee; the which thing if thou haddist not doon, riȝt nowe the Lord hadde maad redi thi kyngdom vpon Yrael into with|outen [verse 14] ende; but thi kyngdom shal no more ryse togidre. Thanne the Lord souȝte a man after his herte; and the Lord hath comaundid to hym, that he were a duyk vpon his puple, forthi that thou hast not kept the thingis that the Lord comaundide. [verse 15] Forsothe Samuel roos, and stiede vp fro Galgalis in Gabaa of Beniamyn; and the tother puple stieden vp after Saul, metynge to the puple that ouercamen hem; comynge fro Galgala in Gabaa, in the hil of Beniamyn. And Saul noumbrede the puple, that weren foundun with hym as sixe hundryd men. [verse 16] And Saul, and Jonathas his sone, and the puple that was foundun with hem, was in Gabaa of Beniamyn; forsothe Philistiens seeten togidre `into aspijs [into aspies E pr. m. in Machinas sec. m. correxit eadem manus in to aspies.] , for to fiȝten. [verse 17] And there wenten out for to fiȝte fro the tentys of Philistiens thre cumpanyes; o cumpanye wente aȝens the weye of Effraym to the loond of Saul;

[verse 18] forsothe another wente bi the weye of Betheron; forsothe the thridde turnede hem to the weye of the teerme in [of E pr. m.] the loond of Saba, `stondynge nyȝ to the [of the heȝe E pr. m.] valey of Seboym aȝens the deseert. [verse 19] For|sothe there was not an yren smith foundun in al the loond of Yrael; for|sothe Philistiens shunneden, lest perauen|ture the Hebrews maden swerd or speer. [verse 20] Thanne al Yrael descendide to Philistiym, that echon sharpe his shaar, and diggyng [verse 21] yren, and axe, and purgyng hook; for eggys of the sharis, and of diggynge [the diggynge CE.] yrens, and of forkis, and of the axis weren blunt, vnto a prik to menden. [verse 22] And whanne the day of the batayl was comen, there is not founden swerd and speer in hoond of the [al the CE.] puple that was with Saul and Jonatha, out takun Saul, and Jonatha hys sone. [verse 23] Forsothe the stacioun of Philistym [Filisteys C.] wente out, for to stye ouer into aspijs to fiȝt.

CAP. XIV.

[verse 1] And it felle on a day, that Jonathas, the sone of Saul, seide to the ȝong man his squyer, Com, and goo we to the sta|cioun of Philistyens, that is biȝonde that place; to his fader forsothe that same thing he shewide not. [verse 2] Forsothe Saul dwellide in the vttermoost parti of Ga|baa, vndur a poomgarnet tree, that was in `the feeld of Gabaa [Magron E pr. m.] ; and there was a puple with hym as of sexe hundred men. [verse 3] And Achias, the sone of Achitob, the brother of Ychabod, the sone of Phynees, that was comen of Hely, the preest of the Lord in Silo, beere the prestis coope; but and the puple knewe not whider Jona|thas was goon. [verse 4] Forsothe there weren bytwixe [bytween BFH. between E. betwe C. pass.] the stiyngis vp, bi the whiche

Jonathas enforside to goo to the sta|cyouns of Philistiens, heiȝe stonys on either side, and as in maner of teeth litle rochis hens and thens before brokun; name to the oon Boosez, and to the [verse 5] tother the name Sene; o litil roche ful heeȝ at the north aȝens Machynas [the aspies E pr. m.] to fiȝten, and another at the south aȝens Gabaa. [verse 6] Jonathas forsothe seide to the ȝong man his squyer, Come, and passe we to the stacioun of thes vncercumci|dide, if perauenture the Lord do for vs; for it is not to the Lord hard to saue, or in many or in fewe. [verse 7] And his squyer seide to hym, Do alle thingis that plesen to thin inwit; go whider thow coueytist, I shal be with thee where euere thou wolt. [verse 8] And Jonathan seith, Loo! we goon to thes men; and whanne we aperen to [verse 9] hem, if this maner thei speken to vs, Dwel ȝe, to the tyme that we comen to ȝou; stonde [and stonde E pr. m.] we [ȝe E pr. m.] in oure [ȝoure E pr. m.] place, ne stye we vp to hem. [verse 10] Forsothe if thei seyn, Stye ȝe vp to vs; stye we vp, for the Lord hath takun hem in oure hoondis; this shal be to vs a tokne. [verse 11] And so either [he E pr. m.] aperide to the stacioun of Philistiens; and Philistiens seiden, Loo! the He|brewis goon out fro the caues, in the whiche thei weren hid. [verse 12] And the men speken fro the stacioun to Jonathan and to his squyer, and seiden, Stieth vp to vs, and we shulen shewe ȝou a thing. And Jonathas seith to his squier, Stie we, folwe me; forsothe the Lord hath taken hem into the hoondis of Yrael. [verse 13] Forsothe Jonathas styede crepynge with hoondis and feet, and his squyer after hym; and whanne thei hadden seen the face of Jonathan, other fellen before Jonathan, other his squyer slowȝ, folowynge hym. [verse 14] And the first veniaunce is doon, the which smoot Jonathas and the squyer of

hym as of twenti thousand [Om. B sec. m.] men, in the half party of an akir that a peyre of oxen in a day is wont to ere. [verse 15] And a myracle is doon in the tentis, bi the feeldys, but and al the puple of the sta|cioun of hem that weren at robbynge, wexe astonyed, and the tentis ben dis|turblid; and it felle as a myracle fro God. [verse 16] And the weyters of Saul, that weren in Gabaa of Beniamyn, bihelden, and, loo! a multitude throwun doun, and hidir and thider down fleynge. [verse 17] And Saul seith to the puple that weren with hym, Enserchith, and lokith, who ȝede awey fro vs. And whanne thei hadden souȝt, it is founden not [Om. ABFH.] to be neeȝ Jona|thas and his squyer. [verse 18] And Saul seith to Achyam, Applye the arke of `the Lord [God B.] ; forsothe the arke of God was there in that day with the sonys of Israel. [verse 19] And whanne Saul spak to the preest, greet noyse is out sprongen in the tentis of Philistyen; and it wexe litilmele, and cleerliker it sownyde. And Saul seith to the preest, Withdrawe thin hoond. [verse 20] Thanne Saul and the puple that was with hym criede togidre; and thei camen to the place of the strijf, and, loo! the swerd of echon was turned to his neiȝbour, and a greet slauȝter wel mych. [verse 21] But and the Hebrewis that weren with Philistiens ȝistirday [ȝistai CE.] and bi|fore ȝisterdai, and [thei A.] stieden vp with hem in the tentis, ben turned for to ben with Yrael, that weren with Saul and Jonatha. [verse 22] Forsothe alle the [Om. A.] Iraelitis, the whiche hadden hid hem silf in the hil of Effraym, herynge that Philistiens weren flowen, felawshipten hem seluen with hern [theiris C.] in the batayl, and weren with Saul as twenti thousandis of men. [verse 23] And the Lord sauyde Irael in [and in E.] that day. Forsothe the fiȝt camen

vnto Bethauen. [verse 24] And men of Yrael ben felawshipt to hem seluen in that day; forsothe Saul swore to the puple, sey|ynge, Cursid be [Om. BCEFH.] the man that etith breed vnto euen, to the tyme that I be vengid of myn enemyes. [verse 25] And al the puple eete no breed. And alle the comouns of the loond camen into a [Om. ABFH.] wast wody place, in the which was hony on the face of the feeld. [verse 26] And so al the puple wente into the place of heiȝe trees, and there apperide flowyng hony; and no man appliede the hond [hony ABFH.] to his mouth; for|sothe the puple dredde the ooth. [verse 27] For|sothe Jonathas herde not, whanne his fadre swore to the puple; and he strauȝt out the cop of the ȝeerde, that he hadde in the hoond, and he wette into the hony combe; and he turnede his hoond to his mouth, and the eyen of hym ben liȝtned. [verse 28] And answerynge oon of the puple seith, Thi fader hath constreynyd the puple with ooth, seiynge, Cursid be [Om. BCEFH.] the man that etith breed to day. Forsothe the puple faylide. [verse 29] And Jonathas seide, My father hath disturblid the loond; ȝoure self han seen, for myn eyen ben liȝtned, forthi that Y taastide a litil of this hony; [verse 30] myche more if the puple hadde eeten of the preiȝe of her enemyes, that thei foonden; whether not more veniaunce hadde be doo in Philistees [the Philistees BCEFH.] ? [verse 31] Thanne thei smyten in that day the Philistees [Phistees A.] fro the place of engynes vnto Hailon. [verse 32] Doun weried is the puple wel miche; and turned to the praye, took sheep, and oxen, and calues, and slewen in the lond; and the puple eete with blood. [verse 33] And thei toolden to Saul, seiynge, that the puple hadde synned to the Lord, etynge with blood. The which seith, Ȝe han tres|passide; turneth to me ryȝt nowe a greet

stoon. [verse 34] And Saul seide, Beth ȝe scatered into the comouns, and seye [seith BEFH.] ȝe to hem, that echon brynge to me his oxe and wether; and sleeth vpon it, and etith, and ȝe shulen not synne to the Lord, etynge with blood. And so al the puple brouȝte echon an oxe in his hoond vnto nyȝt, and thei slowen there. [verse 35] And Saul bildide vp an auter to the Lord; and thanne first he bigan to bilde an auter to the Lord. [verse 36] And Saul seide, Falle we vpon the Philistyens bi nyȝt, and waste we hem vnto the morwetide liȝt; ne leeue we of hem a man. And the puple seide, Al that good is seen to thee in thin eyen, do. And the preest seith, Neiȝ we hider to God. [verse 37] And Saul coun|seylide the Lord, seiynge, Whether shal Y pursue Philistiym, if thou taake hem into the hoondis of Yrael? And he an|swerde not to hym in that day. [verse 38] And Saul seide, Aplieth hidir alle the corners of the puple, and witith, and seeth, bi whom fallith this synne to day. [verse 39] The Lord the saueour of Yrael lyueth; for if bi Jonathan my sone it is doon, with out aȝen drawynge he shal die. To the which no man aȝen seide to hym of al the puple. [verse 40] And he seide to al Yrael, Be ȝe seuerd into o parti, and Y with Jona|than my sone shal be in o parti. And the puple answerde to Saul, That good is seen in thin eyen, do. [verse 41] And Saul seide to the Lord God of Irael, Lord God of Yrael, ȝyue dom, what is, that thou an|swerst not to thi seruaunt to day? If in me, or in Jonathan my sone, is this wickidnes, ȝyf shewynge; and if this wickidnes is in thi puple, ȝif holynes. And Jonathas and Saul ben [is BCEFH.] taken; for|sothe the puple ȝede out. [verse 42] And Saul seith, Leyeth lot betwix [betwen BEFH. betwe C.] me and Jonathan my sone. [verse 43] And Jonathas is taken. Forsothe

Saul seide to Jonathan, Shewe to me what thow hast doon. And Jonathas shewide to hym, and seith, Taastynge Y tastide in the cop of the ȝeerd that was in myn hoond a litil of hony, and loo! Y dye. [verse 44] And Saul seith, Thes thingis do to me God, and thes thingis adde, for bi deeth thou shalt dye, Jonathas. [verse 45] And the puple seide to Saul, Thanne whether Jonathas shulde dye, that hath doo this greet helth in Yrael? that is felony; the Lord lyueth, oon heer of the heed of hym shal not fal into the erthe, for with God he hath wrouȝt to day. Thanne the puple delyuerd Jonathan, that he diede not. [verse 46] And Saul wente a wey, and pur|suede not Philistiym; forsothe Philisteis wenten a wey into her placis. [verse 47] And, the rewme stablid vpon Yrael, Saul fauȝt bi enuyroun aȝens alle his enemyes, aȝens Moab, and the sones of Amon, and Edom, and the kyngis of Saba, and the Philis|teis; and whidir euer [eue A.] he turnede hym silf, he venkusede. [verse 48] And, the oost gedrid, he smoot Amalech, and he [Om. CE.] delyuerde Yrael fro the hoond of his wastours. [verse 49] Ther [that A.] weren forsothe the sones of Saul, Jonathas, and Jesuy, and Melchisona; names of his two [Om. A.] douȝters [douȝtren BFH.] , name of the first goten Merob, and name of the lasse Mycol. [verse 50] And name of the wijf of Saul Achy|noem, the douȝter of Achymaas; and the name of the prince of his chiualrye Ab|ner, the sone of Ner, cosyn germeyn of Saul. [verse 51] Forsothe Cys was the fader of Saul, and Ner, the fader of Abner, the sone of Abyel. [verse 52] Forsothe there was strong batail aȝens Philisties alle the days of Saul; wherfor whom euere Saul sawȝ a strong man and able to bateil, he felaw|shipide him to him silf.

CAP. XV.

[verse 1] And Samuel seide to Saul, The Lord sente me, that I anoynte thee into kyng vpon his puple Yrael; nowe thanne here the voys of the Lord. [verse 2] Thes thingis seith the Lord of oostis, I haue remembrid alle thingis that Amalech dide to Yrael; what maner wyse he withstood to hym in the weye, whanne he shulde stye vp fro Egipt. [verse 3] Nowe thanne go, and smyte Amalech, and destruy alle the thingis of hym; ne spare thou to hym, ne coueyt thou eny thing of his [this B.] thingis; but sle fro man vnto womman, and litil child, and soukynge, oxe, and sheep, and camel, and asse. [verse 4] And so Saul comaundide to the puple, and noumbrede hem as loombs two hundrid thousandis of foot men, and ten thow|sandis of the men of Juda. [verse 5] And whanne Saul was comen vnto the cyte of Ama|lech, he leyde out aspies in the streem. [verse 6] And Saul seide to Cynee, Goth hens, goth a wey, and departith fro Amalech, lest perauenture I enwrappe thee with hem; forsothe thou didist mercy with alle the sones of Yrael, whanne thei sti|eden vp fro Egipt. And Cynee wente a wey fro the mydil of Amalech. [verse 7] And Saul smoot Amalech fro Euila, to the tyme that he cam to Sur, that is fro the regioun of Egipt. [verse 8] And he took Agage, the kyng of Amalech, on lyue; forsothe al the comoun he slewȝ in the mouth of swerd. [verse 9] And Saul sparide, and the puple, to Agag, and to the best flockis of sheep, and of drouys, and to clothis, and to wetheris, and to alle thingis that weren fayre; ne thei wolden scatere hem; for|sothe what thing was foul and reprouable that thei destruyden. [verse 10] Forsothe the word of the Lord is doon to Samuel, seiynge,

[verse 11] It othinkith me, that I haue ordeyned Saul a kyng; for he hath forsokyn me, and my wordis he hath not fulfillid in dede. And Samuel is sory, and cryede to the Lord al nyȝt. [verse 12] And whanne fro niȝt Samuel was rysen that he go to Saul eerli, it is toold to Samuel, for Saul was comen into Carmeel, and hadde arerid to hym an out shynynge tokne of victory in maner of a bow, and turned was passid, and goon doun into Galgala. Thanne Samuel cam to Saul, and Saul offred brent sacrifice to the Lord of the cheef of the preiys, that he brouȝte fro Ama|lech. [verse 13] And while Samuel was comen to Saul, Saul seide to hym, Thou blessid of [bi E pr. m.] the Lord, Y haue [ha C.] fulfillid the word of the Lord. [verse 14] And Samuel seide, And what is this voys of flockis that rengith in myn eeris, and of droues that I here? [verse 15] And Saul seith, Fro Amalech men han brouȝt thes thingis, forsothe the puple sparede to the betre sheep and drouys, for thei shulden be offrid to the Lord thi God; the tother forsothe we slewen. [verse 16] And Samuel seide to Saul, Suffre me, and I shal shewe to thee what thingis the Lord hath spoken to me to nyȝt. And he seid to hym, Spek. [verse 17] And Samuel seith, Whether not, whanne thou were a litil child in thin owne [ownth E.] eyen, and thou art maad heed in the lynage of Yrael, and the Lord anoyntide thee into kyng vpon [verse 18] Yrael; and the Lord sente thee into the weye, and seith, Go, and sle the synful men of Amalech, and thou shalt fiȝt aȝens hem vnto the slauȝter of hem. [verse 19] Whi thanne hast thow not herd the voys of the Lord, but turnedist to the preye, and didist yuel in the eyen of the Lord? [verse 20] And Saul seith to Samuel, If I haue herd the voys of the Lord, and haue

goon in the weye bi the which the Lord sente me, and haue brouȝt Agag, the kyng of Amalech, and Amalech Y slewe. [verse 21] Forsothe the puple took of the praye, sheep and oxen, the cheef of hem that ben slayn, that thei offren to the Lord her God in Galgalis. [verse 22] And Samuel seith, Whether wole the Lord brent sacrifices or slayn offryngis, and not more that it be obeishid to the voice of the Lord? Forsothe betre is obeishaunce than slayn sacrificis, and to take heed more than to [verse 23] offre the fatnes of wetheris; for as synne of denyynge bi deuelis is to repugne, and as hidows trespas of mawmetrye to wiln not assent. Forthi thanne that thow hast throwen aweye the word of the Lord, the Lord hath throwen awey thee, that thow be not kyng. [verse 24] And Saul seide to Samuel, Y haue synned, for [and B.] I haue broken the word of the Lord, and thi wordis, dredynge the puple and obeish|ynge [verse 25] to the voyce of hem; but nowe, Y biseche, bere my synne, and turne aȝen with me, that I honoure the Lord. [verse 26] And Samuel seith to Saul, Y shal not turne aȝen with thee, for thow hast throwen a wey the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath throwen a wey thee, that thow be not kyng vpon Irael. [verse 27] And Samuel turnede forto goo awey; forsothe he cauȝte the cop of the mantil of hym, the which also is rent. [verse 28] And Samuel seide to hym, The Lord hath kyt the kyngdam of Yrael fro thee to day, and hath takyn [verse 29] it to thi neiȝbore beter than thow; for|sothe to the ouercomer in Yrael he shal not spare, and thurȝ a thenkynge he shal not be bowid; forsothe ne a man he is that he do othenkynge. [verse 30] And he seith, Y haue synned; bot nowe honour me [Om. A.] before the eldren of my puple, and be|fore

Yrael; turne aȝen with me, that I honour the Lord thi God. [verse 31] Thanne Sa|muel, turned aȝen, folwide Saul, and Saul honourede the Lord. [verse 32] And Samuel seide, Bringith to me Agag, the king of Ama|lech. And offrid is to him Agag alther|fattest tremblynge. And Agag seide, So whether `not seuereth [ne seuere E pr. m.] bitter deth? [verse 33] And Samuel seith, As thi swerd hath maad wymmen withouten free children, so thi moder shal be with out free children among wymmen. And Samuel hewide [hewȝ E.] hym into gobbetis before the Lord in Galgalis. [verse 34] Forsothe Samuel ȝede into Ra|matha; forsothe Saul stiede vp into his hows in Gabaa. [verse 35] And Saul sawȝ no more Samuel vnto the day of his deth; neuer|thelater Samuel weilide Saul, for it othouȝt [othorȝt A.] the Lord, that he hadde or|deynyd Saul kyng vpon Irael.

CAP. XVI.

[verse 1] And the Lord seide to Samuel, How long thow weilist Saul, whanne Y haue throwun hym a ferre, that he regne not vpon Irael; fil thin horn with oyle, and come, that Y sende thee to Ysaye Beth|lamyte; forsothe Y haue purueyd in the sonys of hym a kyng to me. [verse 2] And Sa|muel seith, Howe shal Y goo? forsothe Saul shal here, and he shal slee me. And the Lord seith, A calf of the droue thow shalt take in thin hoond, and sey, To offre to the Lord Y am comen. [verse 3] And thou shalt clepe Ysaye to the slayn sacri|fice, and I shal shewe to thee what thou doo; and thou shalt anoynt whom euer Y shal shewe to thee. [verse 4] Thanne Samuel dide, as the Lord spak to hym; and he cam into Bethleem, and the eldrys of the cytee aȝen comynge to hym wondriden, and seiden, Whether pesible is thin yn|comynge? [verse 5] And he seith, Pesible; to offre to the Lord Y am comen; be ȝe halowid, and cometh with me, that I offre. Thanne

he halowid Ysaye, and hys sones, and clepide hem to the sacrifice. [verse 6] And whanne thei weren comen yn, he sawȝ Elyab, and seith, Nowe before the Lord is the crist of hym. [verse 7] And the Lord seide to Samuel, Ne behold thou the cheere of hym, ne the heiȝte of his stature; for Y haue throwun hym aweye, ne aftir the lokynge of men Y deme; forsothe a man seeth tho thingis that ben opyn, forsothe the Lord lokith the herte. [verse 8] And Ysaye clepide Amynadab, and brouȝte hym be|fore Samuel; the which seide, Ne this the Lord hath chosun. [verse 9] Forsothe Ysaye brouȝte forth Sama; of whom he seith, Also this the Lord hath not chosun. [verse 10] And so Ysaye brouȝte forth his seuen sones before Samuel; and Samuel seith to Ysaye, The Lord hath not chosen of thes. [verse 11] And Samuel seide to Ysaye, Whe|ther nowe fulfillid ben the sones? The which answerde, Ȝit another there is, a litil child, and fedith sheep. And Samuel seith to Ysaye, Send, and bryng forth hym; forsothe ne we shulen sitte, before that he come hidir. [verse 12] Thanne he sente, and brouȝte hym forth; forsothe he was rodi [brown E pr. m.] , and fayr in siȝt, and sembli [semely CEH.] in face. And the Lord seith, Rise, and anoynt [anoyntide A.] hym; forsothe he it is. [verse 13] Thanne Samuel took an horn of oyle, and an|oyntide hym in the myddis of the bri|theren of hym; and the Spirit of the Lord is ful sent into Dauyd fro that day and therafter. And Samuel rysynge wente into Ramatha. [verse 14] And so the Spyrit of the Lord wente awey fro Saul, and the shrewid spyrit fro the Lord `shook hym [waggide hym out E pr. m.] . [verse 15] And the seruauntis of Saul seiden to hym, Loo! the yuel spiryt of the Lord [verse 16] shakith [out waggeth E pr. m.] thee; comaunde the lord oure kyng, and thi seruauntis that before thee ben, sechen a man kunnynge to pleye

with harpe, that whanne the yuel spyrit of the Lord takith [take EFH.] thee, he pleye with his hoond, and liȝter [liȝtliere CE.] thou bere. [verse 17] And Saul seith to his seruauntis, Purueieth to me sum man wel harpynge, and bryngith hym to me. [verse 18] And answerynge oon of the children seith, Loo! I sawȝ the sone of Ysaye Bethlemyte, kunnynge to harpe, and moost myȝti bi strength, a man curaiows in batayl, and wyse [a wyse E orig.] in wordis, and a fayre man; and the Lord is with hym. [verse 19] Thanne Saul sente mes|sagers to Ysaye, seiynge, Send to me Dauith thi sone, the which is in the lesewis. [verse 20] And so Ysay took an asse ful of loouys, and a galoun of wyn, and o kyd of the she geet; and he sente bi the hoond of Dauid his sone to Saul. [verse 21] And Dauid cam to Saul, and stood before hym; and he louyde hym ful mych, and is made a squyer of hym. [verse 22] And Saul sente to Ysaye, seiynge, Stoond Dauyd in my siȝt, forsothe he hath foundun grace in myn eyen. [verse 23] Thanne whanne euere the yuel spyrit of the Lord cauȝte Saul, Dauid took an harp, and smoot with hys hoond, and Saul was refourmyd, and liȝter he hadde; forsothe the yuel spiryt wente a wey fro hym.

CAP. XVII.

[verse 1] Forsothe Philisteis gedrynge her cum|panyes into batayl camen to gidre in Socoth of Judee, and thei setten tentis betwix [bitwene BFH. betwen E. betwe C. in E pr. m.] Socoth and Azecha, in the coostis of Domyn. [verse 2] Forsothe Saul and the men of Yrael gedrid camen in the valey of Therebynt, and dressiden sheltroun to fiȝt aȝens the Phylisteis. [verse 3] And Philisteis stoden vpon the hil on this partye, and Irael stood vpon an hil, and on the tother perty a valey that was bitwix [bytwene BEFH. betwe C.] hem. [verse 4] And

a bastard man wente out fro the tentis of Philistiens, Goliath of Geth bi name, [verse 5] in heiȝte of sexe cubitis and a span; and a stelyn helm vpon his heed; and he was clothid with a maylid hawberioun; for|sothe the weiȝt of his hawberioun was of [verse 6] fyue thousand siclys of steel; and stelyn legharneis he hadde in the hipis, and a stelyn sheeld couerde the shuldris of hym. [verse 7] The shaft of his speer was as the beem of websters; forsothe that yren of his speer hadde sexe hundrid siclis of yren; and his squyer wente before him. [verse 8] And stondinge he criede aȝens [childre CE.] the cum|panyes of Israel, and he seide to hem, Whi ben ȝe comyn redi to batail? Whe|ther Y am not a Philistee, and ȝe the seruauntis of Saul? Chesith of ȝou a man, and come he doun to a synguler [verse 9] strijf; if he may fiȝt with me, and smytith me, we shulen be to ȝou ser|uauntis; forsothe if Y shal haue the maystrye, and smyte hym, ȝe shulen be seruauntis, and serue to vs. [verse 10] And the Philistee seide, I haue ȝeue reproof to the cumpanyes of Yrael to day; ȝyueth to me a man, and go he yn with me a synguler strijf. [verse 11] Forsothe Saul herynge and alle the Yraelitis the wordis of this maner Philistee, thei weren stonyed, and dradden ful mych. [verse 12] Forsothe Dauyd was the sone of an Effratee man, of the which it is aboue seid, of Bethlem Juda, to whom the name was Ysaye, the which hadde eiȝt sonys; and he was a man in the days of Saul olde, and of greet age amonge men. [verse 13] Forsothe the thre more sonys of hym wenten after Saul into batayl; and the names of the thre sonys of hym, that wenten to batayl, Heliab, the first goten, and the secounde, Amynadab, forsothe the thridde,

Samma. [verse 14] Forsothe Dauyd was the leest. Thanne the thre more folwynge Saul, [verse 15] Dauyd wente, and turnede aȝen fro Saul, for to fede the flok of his fadre in Beth|leem. [verse 16] Forsothe the Philistee cam forth eerli, and at euen `stondynge repreuyde the children [childre CE.] of Yrael [and stood E pr. m.] fourti days. [verse 17] For|sothe Ysaye seide to Dauyd his sone, Tak to thi bretheren powned corn, of the mesure of ephi, and thes ten loouys, and renne into the tentis to thi britheren; [verse 18] and ten chesis thes thou shalt bere to the tribune; and thi britheren thou shalt visite, if thei ryȝt doon, and with whom thei ben ordeynyd, lern. [verse 19] Forsothe Saul, and thei, and alle the sonys of Yrael in the valey of Therebynt fouȝten aȝens Philisteis. [verse 20] And so Dauid roos eerli, and commendide the flok to the keper, and chargyd ȝeed, as Ysay comaundide to hym; and cam to the place of Magala, and to the oost, that, goon out to fiȝt, criede out in the strijf. [verse 21] Forsothe Irael hadde dressid sheltroun; but and aȝens hem Philisteis weren redy. [verse 22] Thanne Dauid leuynge the vessels, the whiche he brouȝte, vndre the hoond of a keper at the fardels, he ran to the place of the strijf, and he askide, if alle thingis riȝt weren doon anentys his britheren. [verse 23] And whanne ȝit he spak to hem, aperyde that [the ilke E pr. m. the F.] bastard man, Goliath bi name, Phi|listee of Geth, stiynge fro the tentis of Philisteis; and hym spekynge thes same wordis, Dauyd herde. [verse 24] Forsothe alle the Ysraelitis whanne thei hadden seen the man, thei flowen fro his face, dredynge hym greetli. [verse 25] And echon of Irael seide to other, Whether thou hast seen this man that styeth vp? forsothe to ȝyue reprofe to Yrael he stieth vp; therfor the man

that smytith hym, the kyng shal make riche with greet ricchessis; and his douȝ|ter he shal ȝyue to hym, and the hows of his fadre he shal make with out tri|bute in Yrael. [verse 26] And Dauid seide [seith BCEFH.] to the men that stoden with hym, seiynge, What shal it be ȝouun [ȝeue BH. ȝiue C. ȝiuen E.] to the man that smytith this Philistee, and bereth awey reprofe fro Irael? forsothe who is he [Om. A.] this Philistee vncircumcidid, the which reproueth the shiltrouns of the God lyu|ynge? [verse 27] Forsothe the puple toolde to hym the same word, seiynge, Thes thingis shulen be ȝeue to the man that smitith hym. [verse 28] The which thing whanne Heliab, his more brother, hadde herd, hym spek|ynge with other, is wrooth aȝens Dauid, and seith, Whi art thou comen, and whi hast thow forsaken thes [thos B. thoo CE sec. m. thulke E. pr. m.] fewe sheep in deseert? I haue knowen thi pride, and the shrewidnesse of thin herte; for that thou myȝtist se the bateil, thou art comen doun. [verse 29] And Dauid seith [seide CE.] , What haue I doon? [verse 30] Whether is it not a word? And he bowide a syde a litil fro hym to an other; and he seide the same word, and the puple answerde to hym word as bi|fore. [verse 31] Forsothe the wordis that Dauid spak, ben herd, and toold in the siȝt of Saul. [verse 32] To whom whanne he was brouȝt, he spak to hym, Ne falle [falle thou B.] not doun the herte of eny man in hym, and thi ser|uaunt shal goo, and fiȝt aȝen the Philistee. [verse 33] And Saul seith to Dauid, Thou mayst not withstoond to this Philistee, ne fiȝte aȝens hym, for a child thou art; for|sothe this man is a fiȝter fro his ȝongth. [verse 34] And Dauid seide to Saul, Thi seruaunt fedde the flok of his fader, and there cam a lioun or a beere, and took a wether [verse 35] fro the mydil of the flok; I pursuede hem, and smoot, and delyuerde fro the

mouth of hem; and thei rysen aȝens me, and I cauȝte the chaul of hem, and straunglide, and slowȝ hem. [verse 36] Forsothe and a lioun and a beere slewe Y thi ser|uaunt; therfore shal be and this Philistee vncircumcidid as oon of thes. Now Y shal goo, and take a wey the shenship of the puple; for who is this Philistee vncircumcidid, that is hardy to myssey to the oost of the lyuynge God? [verse 37] And Dauid seith, The Lord that hath dely|uerd me fro the mouth of the lioun, and fro the hoond of the beere, he shal de|lyuer me fro the hoond of this Philistee. Forsothe Saul seide to Dauid, Go, and the Lord be with thee. [verse 38] And Saul clothide Dauid with his clothis, and putte on a stelen helm vpon his heed, and clothide hym with an hawberioun. [verse 39] Thanne Dauid gyrd with his swerd vpon his clothinge, began to asaye if armyd he myȝte goo; forsothe he hadde not the custome. And Dauid seide to Saul, I may not thus goo, for and [in B.] vse I haue not. And he putte doun tho thingis, [verse 40] and he took his staf, that euermore he hadde in hondis. And he cheese to hym fyue moost cleer stonus of the streem; and he putte hem into the sheepherdis scrip that he hadde with hym; and he took a slynge in hoond, and ȝeed forth aȝens the Philystee. [verse 41] Forsothe the Phi|listee ȝeed, comynge and neiȝynge aȝens Dauyd; and his squyer before hym. [verse 42] And whanne the Philistee hadde inwardly be|holden hym, and seen Dauyd, he de|spiside hym; forsothe he was a ȝong man, rodi [broun E pr. m.] , and fayre in siȝt. [verse 43] And the Philistee seide to Dauyd, Whethir I am [ham A.] a dog, that thou comest to me with a staf? And the Philistee curside Dauid in [verse 44] his goddis; and seide to Dauyd, Com to me, and Y shal ȝeue thi flesh to the

fowlis of heuene, and to the beestis of the erthe. [verse 45] Forsothe Dauid seide to the Philistee, Thou comest to me with swerd, speer, and sheeld; forsothe Y come to thee in the name of the Lord God of oostis, God of the cumpanyes of Irael, to whom thou hast reprouyd to day. [verse 46] And the Lord shal ȝeue thee in myn hoond, and I shal smyte thee, and take awey thin heed fro thee; and I shal ȝyue the careyns of the tentis of Philisteis to day to the fowlis of heuene, and to the beestis of the erthe; that al the erthe [verse 47] wyte, for the Lord God is in Yrael, and al this chirche knewe, for not in swerd ne in speer saueth the Lord; forsothe of hym is the batayl, and he shal take ȝou in to oure hoondis. [verse 48] Thanne whanne the Philistee was rysen, and cam, and neiȝede aȝens Dauid, Dauid hyede, and aȝen cam to the fiȝt forn aȝens of the Philistee. [verse 49] And he putte his hoond into the scrip, and took a stoon, and leyde in the slynge, and, berynge it about, he smoot hym in the foreheed; and the stoon is piȝt in the forhed of hym, and he felle into his face vpon the erthe. [verse 50] And Dauid hadde the maystrie aȝens the Philistee in slynge and stoon, and the smyten Philistee he slewȝ. And whanne Dauid hadde no swerd [verse 51] in the hoond, he ran, and stood vpon the Philistee, and took his swerd, and drewȝ it out of his sheeth; and he slewȝ hym, and girde of his heed. Forsothe seynge the Philisteis that the strengest of hem was deed, thei flowen. [verse 52] And rysynge the men of Yrael, and of Juda criden out, and pursueden the Philisteis, for to the while that thei camen into the valey, and vnto the ȝate of Acharon. And there fellen woundid of the Philisteis, in the weye of Sarym, and vnto Geth, and vnto Acha|ron.

[verse 53] And the sonis of Yrael turnynge aȝen, after that thei hadden pursued the Philisteis, thei asseilden the tentis of hem. [verse 54] Forsothe Dauyd takynge the heed of the Philistee, brouȝte it into Jerusa|lem; forsothe the armys of hym he putte in his tabernacle. [verse 55] Forsothe that tyme that Saul sawȝ Dauyd goynge out aȝens the Philistee, he seith to Abner, the prynce of his chyualrie, Abner, of what stok descendide this ȝong man? And Abner seide, Lyueth thi soule, kyng, I knewȝ not. [verse 56] And the kyng seith, Ask thou, whos sone is [be BCEFH.] this child. [verse 57] And whanne Dauyd was comen aȝen, the Philistee smyten, Abner took hym, and brouȝte hym yn before Saul, hauynge in the hoond the heed of the Philistee. [verse 58] And Saul seith to hym, Of what progenye art thou, O thou ȝong man? And Dauid seide, The sone of thi seruaunt, Ysaye Bethlemyte, Y am.

CAP. XVIII.

[verse 1] And it is doon, whanne he hadde endid to speke to Saul, the soule of Jonathas is glewid to gidre to the soul of Dauid, and Jonathas louyde hym as his owne lijf. [verse 2] And Saul took hym in that day, and grauntide not to hym, that he turne aȝen into the hows of his fadre. [verse 3] Forsothe Jonathas and Dauid wenten into the [Om. BCEFH.] couenaunt of pees; forsothe he louyde [verse 4] hym as his lijf; forwhi Jonathas spuylide hym self the coote, that he was clothid, and ȝaf it to Dauid, and his other clothis, vnto [into A.] his `bowe and swerd [swerd and his bowe E pr. m.] , and vnto the knyȝtis girdil. [verse 5] Forsothe Dauyd wente out to alle thingis, what euere Saul sente

him, and wiseli he gouernde [dide E pr. m.] hym self [sel E sec. m.] ; and Saul putte hym vpon men of batayl, and he was acceptid in the eyen of al the puple, and moost in the siȝt of the ser|uauntis of Saul. [verse 6] Forsothe whanne Dauid turnede aȝen, the Philistee smyten, and beer the heed of hym into Jerusalem, the wymmen wenten out fro alle the cytees of Yrael, syngynge, and dauncis ledynge, into aȝencomynge of Saul the kyng, in tymbers of gladnes, and in trumpis. [verse 7] And the wymmen songen before, pleiynge, and seyynge, Saul hath smyten a thousand, and Dauyd ten thowsandis. [verse 8] And Saul is wrooth ful mych, and this word dis|pleside in the eyen of hym; and seide, Thei han ȝouun to Dauid ten thousandis, and to me a thousand thei han ȝouun; what to hym is more ouere but oneli the rewme? [verse 9] Thanne not with riȝt eyen Saul bihelde Dauid, fro that day and therafter. [verse 10] Forsothe after the tother day the yuel spiryt of God aseilide Saul, and he straungeli spak in the myddis of his hows. Forsothe Dauid harpide with his hoond, as bi eche days; and Saul heelde [verse 11] a speer, and kest it, wenynge that he myȝt pitche to gidre Dauid with the wal; and Dauyd bowide a side fro the face of hym the secounde tyme. [verse 12] And Saul dredde Dauid, forthi that the Lord was with hym, and fro hym goon awey. [verse 13] Thanne Saul moued hym a wey fro hym, and made hym a leder vpon a thousand men; and he wente out and cam yn in the siȝt of the puple. [verse 14] Forsothe in alle his weyes Dauid wiseli dide, and the [verse 15] Lord was with hym; and so Saul sawȝ that he was wel mych wiys, and began to shunne hym. [verse 16] Forsothe al Yrael and Juda louyde Dauyd; forsothe he ȝede

yn and ȝede out before hem. [verse 17] And Saul seide to Dauid, Loo! my more douȝter Merob, hir Y shal ȝeue to thee a wijf; oneli be a strong man, and fiȝt the bateils of the Lord. Forsothe Saul trowide, sei|ynge, Be not myn hoond in hym, but be vpon hym the hoond of Philisteis. [verse 18] For|sothe Dauyd seide to Saul, Who am Y, or what is my lijf, or the kynrede of my fadre in Irael, that Y be maad the sone in lawe of the kyng? [verse 19] It is doon forsothe the tyme whanne Merob, the douȝter of Saul, shulde be ȝeuen to Dauid, ȝeuen is Hadriel Molatite wijf. [verse 20] Forsothe Dauyd louyd Mychol, the tother douȝter of Saul; and it is toold to Saul, and it pleside to hym. [verse 21] And Saul seide, Y shal ȝyue hir to hym, that it be maad to hym into sclaundre, and be vpon hym the hoond of Philisteis. Thanne seide Saul to Dauyd, In two thingis thow shalt be my sone in lawe to day. [verse 22] And Saul co|maundide to his seruauntis, Spek ȝe to Dauith [day A.] pryuely fro me, seiynge, Loo! thou plesist to the kyng, and alle the seruauntis of hym louen thee; now thanne be thow the sone in lawe of the kyng. [verse 23] And the seruauntis of Saul speken in the eeris of Dauid alle thes wordis. And Dauid seith, Whether litil it seme to ȝow to be the [Om. B.] sone in lawe of the kyng? Forsothe Y am a pore man, and a thinne. [verse 24] And the seruauntis of Saul toolden aȝen, seiynge, Sich maner wordis spak Dauid. [verse 25] Forsothe Saul seide, Thus spekith to Dauid, The kyng nedith no [not E sup. ras.] sposeilis, but oonli an hundrid tersis of Philisteis, that veniaunce be doon of the enemyes of the kyng. Forsothe Saul thouȝte to betray Dauid into the hoondis of Philisteis. [verse 26] And whanne his seruauntis hadden aȝen toold to Dauid the wordis that Saul hadde seid, the word pleside

in the eyen of Dauyd, that he were maad the sone in lawe of the kyng. [verse 27] And after a fewe days Dauyd rysynge wente into Acharon, with the men that with hym weren, and smoot of the Philisteis two hundrid men; and brouȝte the ȝerdis of hem, and noumbride hem to the kyng, that he were the sone in lawe of the kyng. And so Saul ȝaf to hym Mychol, his douȝter, wijf. [verse 28] And Saul sawȝ, and vndurstood, that the Lord was with Dauid. [verse 29] Forsothe Mychol, the douȝter of Saul, louid hym, and Saul began more to drede Dauyd; and Saul is maad the ene|mye of Dauyd alle days. [verse 30] And the princis of Philisteis wenten out; forsothe fro the bigynnynge of the goynge out of hem Dauyd wiselyer beer hym self than alle the men of Saul; and solempne is maad the name of hym ful myche.

CAP. XIX.

[verse 1] Saul spak to Jonathan, his sone, and to alle his seruauntis, that thei shulden slee Dauid; forsothe Jonathas, the sone of Saul, louid Dauyd mych. [verse 2] Jonathas shewide to Dauid, seiynge, Saul, my fader, sechith to slee thee, wherfor keep the wel; Y biseche [biseche thee E pr. m.] , dwel; and thou shalt dwel priueli, and be hyd. [verse 3] Forsothe Y goynge out shal stoond biside my fadre in the feeld, where euer he were; and I shal spek of thee to my fadre, and what euere thing Y shal see, Y shal telle to thee. [verse 4] Thanne Jonathas spak good thingis of Dauid to Saul, his fader, and seide to hym, Ne synne thou, kyng, into thi ser|uaunt Dauid, for he hath not synned to thee, and the werkis of hym ben goode [verse 5] to thee mych; and he hath put his lijf

in thin hoond, and smooth the Philistee. And the Lord hath doo greet helth [liȝt E pr. m.] to al Yrael; thou hast seen and gladidist; whi thanne synnest thou in the giltles blood, sleynge Dauyd, that is with out blame? [verse 6] The which thing whanne Saul hadde herd, pleside bi the voys of Jo|nathe, swore, The Lord lyueth, for he shal not be slayn. [verse 7] And so Jonathas cle|pide Dauid, and shewide to hym alle thes wordis. And Jonathas brouȝte yn Dauid to Saul, and he was before hym, as he was ȝistirday and the thridde day before. [verse 8] Forsothe eft is moued batayl; and Dauyd goon out fauȝt aȝens [aȝens the DEF.] Philisteis [Philistee CE.] , and he smoot hem bi a greet veniaunce, and thei flowen fro the face of hym. [verse 9] And the yuel spirit of the Lord is doon in Saul; forsothe he sat in his hows, and helde a spere; for|sothe Dauid harpid in his hoond. [verse 10] And Saul enforside to fitche to gidre with a spere Dauid in [and A.] the wal; and Dauid bowide a side fro the face of Saul; forsothe the speer, the wound pryued, is born into the wal; and Dauid fleȝe, and is saued that nyȝt. [verse 11] Thanne Saul sente his cruel ser|uauntis the nyȝt into the hows of Dauid, that thei myȝten kepe hym, and sleen in the morwe. The which thing whanne Mychol, his wijf, hadde toold to Dauide, seiynge, But if thou saue thee this nyȝt, [verse 12] to morwe thou shalt die; she putte hym down bi the wyndowe. Forsothe he ȝede a wey, and fleiȝe, and is sauid. [verse 13] Forsothe Michol took an ymage, and putte it vpon the bed, and an heery skyn of the she geet she putte vpon the heed of it, and couerde it with clothis. [verse 14] Forsothe Saul sente seruauntis that shulden taak Dauyd, and it is answerd, that he was sike.

[verse 15] And eft Saul sente messagers, that thei seen Dauid, seiynge, Brynge [bryngith B.] ȝe hym to me in the bed, that he be slayn. [verse 16] And whanne the messagers weren comen, it is foundun a simulacre vpon the bed, and skynnys of she geet at the heed of it. [verse 17] And Saul seide to Mychol, Whi hast thou thus bigilid me, and hast laft myn enemye, that he flee? And Mychol an|swerde to Saul, For he spak to me, sei|ynge, Let me goon, ellis Y shal slee thee. [verse 18] Forsothe Dauid fleynge is sauyd; and he cam to Samuel in Ramatha, and he toolde to hym alle thingis that Saul dide to hym; and he and Samuel wenten a wey, and dwelten in Naioth. [verse 19] Forsothe it is toold to Saul of seieres, Loo! Dauyd in Naioth in Ramatha. [verse 20] Thanne Saul sente catchepollis forto take Dauid; the whiche whanne thei hadden seen the companye of prophetis propheciynge, and Samuel stondynge vpon hem, the Spirit of the Lord is doon in hem, and also thei bigunnen to prophecien. [verse 21] The whiche whanne was toold to Saul, he sente and other messagers; also thei propheciden. And eft Saul sente the thridde messa|geris [massageris A.] , the whiche and thei propheciden. [verse 22] And Saul, wrooth with wrathfulnes, he ȝede also into Ramatha; and he cam vnto the greet cistern that is in Sochoth, and askide, and seide, In what place ben Sa|muel and Dauid? And it is seyd to hym, Loo! in Naioth thei ben in Ramatha. [verse 23] And he ȝede into Naioth in Ramatha; and [and it A.] is doon also vpon hym the Spirit of the Lord; and goynge yn he wente, and propheciede, for to he cam in Naioth in Ramatha. [verse 24] And also he spuylide hym self his clothis, and propheciede with other before Samuel, and he propheciede

nakid al that day and nyȝt. Wherof ȝede out a prouerbe, Whether and Saul among the prophetis?

CAP. XX.

[verse 1] Forsothe Dauid fleiȝ fro Naioth, that is in Ramatha, and comynge spak before Jonatha, What haue I doon, what haue I doon? what is my wickidnes, and what my synne into thi fader, for he sechith my lijf? [verse 2] The which seide to hym, A wey be it fro thee, thou shalt not die, forsothe ne my fader shal [schulde E.] do eny thing greet or litil, but before he shewe to me; thanne this word oonli my fader hath heelid fro me, forsothe this shal not be. [verse 3] And eft he swore to Dauid. And he seith, Sotheli thi fadre woot, that I haue foundun grace in thin eyen, and he shal seye, Jonathas wite not this, lest perauenture he be sory; but also the Lord lyueth, and lyueth thi soule, for in o degree oonli, that I so seye, Y and deeth ben dyuydid. [verse 4] And Jonathas seith to Dauid, What euere thing thi soule seith to me, I shal doo to thee. [verse 5] And Dauid seide to Jona|than, Loo! kalendis ben to morwe, and I of maner am wont to sitte biside the kyng to eete; leete me thanne, that I be hid in the feeld vnto the euen of the thridde day. [verse 6] And if biholdynge thi fader aske me, thou shalt answere to hym, Dauid preide me for to goo swiftly into Bethlem, his citee, for solempne slayn sacrifices ben there to alle the men of his lynage. [verse 7] And if he seye, Wel, pees shal be to thi seruaunt; forsothe if he were wrooth, wite thou, that fulfillid is the

malice of hym. [verse 8] Do thanne mercy vnto thi seruaunt, for thow hast maad me thi seruaunt to goo in couenaunt of pees of the Lord with thee; forsothe if in me is eny wickidnes, thou sle me, and ne lede thou me into thi fader. [verse 9] And Jonathas seith, God sheelde this fro me, forsothe ne it may be doon, that if certeynli I knowe to be fulfillid the malice of my fadre aȝens thee, Y telle not to thee. [verse 10] And Dauid answerde to Jonathas, Who shal telle aȝen to me, if eny thing per|auenture thi fader shal answere to thee hard of me? [verse 11] And Jonathas seide [seith CE.] to Dauid, Come, and goo we out into the feelde. And whanne bothe weren goon [verse 12] into the feelde, Jonathas seith to Dauid, Lord God of Yrael, if I serche [aserche E. enserche C.] the sen|tence of my fader to morwe, or other morwe, and eny thing of good were vpon Dauid, and anoon sende not to thee, and [verse 13] make knowun to thee, this God doo to Jonatha, and thes thingis adde. For|sothe if the malice of my fader dwelle stedfastly aȝens thee, Y shal telle thin eer, and leete thee, that thou go in pees; and the Lord be with thee, as he was with my fader. [verse 14] And if Y shal lyue, thou do to me the mercies of the Lord; for|sothe [verse 15] if I shal dye, thou shalt not do awey thi mercy fro myn hows vnto with outen eende; othere if I shal not doo, whanne the Lord shal drawe out bi the rotis the enemyes of Dauid, echon fro the erthe, do he awey Jonathan fro his hows, and seche the Lord fro [Dauyd fro E pr. m.] the hoond of the enemyes `of Dauid [Om. E pr. m.] . [verse 16] Thanne Jonathas couenauntide a couenaunt of pees with the hows of Dauid, and the Lord souȝte [souȝte Dauyd E pr. m.] fro the hoond of the ene|myes `of Dauid [Om. E pr. m.] . [verse 17] And Jonathas addide to myche bynde Dauid bi ooth, forthi that

he louide hym; forsothe as his lijf, so he louyde hym. [verse 18] And Jonathas seide to hym, [verse 19] To morwe ben kalendis, and thou shalt ben askid after; forsothe thi syttynge schal be askid after vnto after to morwe. Thanne thou shalt come doun hastily, and come into the place, where thou art to be hid in the day, whanne it is leueful to worche; and thou shalt sitte biside the stoon, to whom name is Ezel. [verse 20] And Y shal sende thre arowis biside it, and shal throwe as hauntynge me to a prik. [verse 21] Forsothe and Y shal sende a child, sei|ynge to hym, Go, and bryng to me the arowis. [verse 22] If I seye to the child, Loo! the arowis ben with ynne thee, tak hem; com thou to me, for pees is to thee, and no thing is of yuel, lyueth the Lord. Forsothe if thus Y shal speke to the child, Loo! the arowis ben beȝonde thee; goo in pees, for the Lord hath laft thee [Om. ABH.] . [verse 23] Of the word forsothe that we han spokun, Y and thou, the Lord be bitwix [bytwene BFH. betwen E. betwe C.] me and thee vnto with outen eende. [verse 24] Thanne Dauid is hid in the feelde; and the ka|lendis camen, and the kyng sat to eete breed. [verse 25] And whanne the kyng hadde sit|ten vpon his chayer after the consuetude, that was beside the wal, Jonathas roos, and sat, and Abner on the side of Saul, and voyde aperyde the place of Dauid. [verse 26] And Saul spak not eny thing in that day; forsothe he thouȝte, that perauenture was comen to hym, that he was not cleen ne purified. [verse 27] And whanne the secounde day after the kalendis hadde liȝtid, eft aperide void the place of Dauid. And Saul seide to Jonathas his sone, Why cometh not the sone of Ysaye, ne ȝisterday [ȝistai CE.] , ne `to day for [for to day AB. to day C.] to eete? [verse 28] And Jonathas an|swerde to Saul, He preide me enteerly, [verse 29] that he myȝte goo into Bethleem; and

seith, Lete me, for solempne sacrifice is yn my citee; oon of my britheren hath [han ABFH.] clepid me; nowe thanne if Y haue foundun grace in thin eyen, Y shal goo soone, and se my britheren; for this cause he cam not to the bord of the kyng. [verse 30] Forsothe Saul, wrooth aȝens Jona|than, seide to hym, Thou sone of a wom|man wilfuli catchinge a man, whether I knowe not, that thou louest the sone of Ysay into thi [thyn owne E pr. m.] confusioun, and into the confusyoun of thi shenful moder? [verse 31] For|sothe alle the days in whiche the sone of Ysay shal lyue vpon the erthe, shal not be stable thou ne thi rewme; and so nowe send, and bryng hym to me, for the sone of deeth he is. [verse 32] Forsothe Jona|thas answerynge to Saul his fader seith, Whi shal he dye? what hath he doon? [verse 33] And Saul cauȝte a speer forto smyte hym, and Jonathas vndurstood, that it was fulli termyned of his fader, that Dauyd shulde be slayn. [verse 34] Thanne Jona|thas roos fro the bord in wraththe of woodnes, and eete not breed in the se|counde day of kalendis; forsothe he sorowide vpon Dauid, forthi that his fader hadde shent hym. [verse 35] And whanne the morwetide hadde liȝtid, Jonathas cam into the feeld, after the couenaunt [desyr E pr. m.] of Dauid, and a litil child with him. [verse 36] And he seith to his child, Go, and bryng to me the arowis that I threwe. And whanne the child hadde runnen, he threwe an other arowe ouer the child. [verse 37] And so the child cam to the place of the dartis [darte CE.] that Jonathas sente; and Jonathas criede bihynde the bak of the child, and seith, Loo! there is not the arowe, but biȝonde thee. [verse 38] And Jonathas criede eft bihynde the bak of the child, seiynge, Hiȝe swiftli, ne stoond thou. Thanne the child of Jonathas georide the arowis,

[verse 39] and brouȝte to his lord, and what shulde be doo vtterly he knewe not; forsothe oonli Jonathas and Dauyd knewen the thing. [verse 40] Thanne Jonathas ȝaf his aarmis to the child, and seyde to hym, Go, and bere into the cytee. [verse 41] And whanne the child was goon, Dauid roos fro the place that bowith to the south; and fallynge redi into the erthe, honourde the thridde tyme, and kissynge hem seluen either othir, thei wepten togidre; forsothe Dauid more largeli. [verse 42] Thanne Jonathas seide to Dauid, Go in pees; what euer thing we han sworn bothe in the name of the Lord, seiynge, The Lord be bitwix [bytwene BFH. betwe C. betwen EF.] me and thee, and bitwix [bytwene BFH. betwe C. betwen EF.] my seed and thi seed vnto with outen eende. [verse 43] And Dauid roos, and wente a wey, but and Jonathas wente into the cytee.

CAP. XXI.

[verse 1] Dauid forsothe cam into Nobe to Achy|malech the preest; and Achymalech was astonyed, forthi that Dauid was comen; and he roos aȝens hym [Om. E pr. m.] , and seide to hym, Whi thou alone, and no man is with thee? [verse 2] And Dauid seith to Achy|malech the preest, The kyng comaundide to me a word, and seide, No man knowe the thing, for the whych thou art sent fro me, and what maner heestis I haue ȝouen [ȝifyn E.] to thee; for and to the children I haue ordeynd also `into that [hym E pr. m.] and that [verse 3] place; nowe thanne if eny thing thou hast at hoond, or fyue looues, ȝif to me, or what euer thou fyndist. [verse 4] And answerynge the preest to Dauid seith to hym, I haue not leeuyd loouys at hoond, but oonli hooli breed; if cleen be the children [childre BEFH. childer C.] , moost fro wymmen, eete thei. [verse 5] And Dauyd answerde to the preest, and seide to hym, Forsothe and if of wymmen it is

askid, we han conteyned vs fro ȝisterday [ȝistai CE.] and before ȝisterday [ȝistai CE.] , whanne we wenten out, and the vessels of the children [childre BEFH. childer C.] weren holy; forsothe [if forsothe E pr. m.] this weye is po|lute, but and it to day shal be halowid in the vessels. [verse 6] Thanne the preest ȝaf to hym halwid breed, forsothe ne there was breed, but oonly loouys of proposicioun, the whiche weren born a wey fro the face [place B sec. m.] of the Lord, that there ben set hoot loouys. [verse 7] Forsothe there was ther [Om. A.] a maner man of the seruauntis of Saul in that day with ynne in the tabernacle of the Lord; this fedde the mulis of Saul; and the name of hym Doech Ydume, moost myȝti of the sheepherdis of Saul. [verse 8] Forsothe Dauyd seide to Achymalech, If thou hast here at hoond speer, or swerd, ȝif to me; for my swerd and myn aarmys Y took not with me; forsothe the word of the kyng constreynede me. [verse 9] And the preest seyde, Loo! heere the swerd of Goliath Philistee, whom thou smoot [smyte CE.] in the valey of Therebynt, it is wrappid with a pal after the preestis coope; if this thou wolt take, tak; forsothe ne here is othere with outen it. And Dauid seith, There is not another lijk to this, ȝif to me it. [verse 10] And so Dauid roos, and fleiȝ in that day fro the face of Saul, and cam to Achis, the kyng of Geth. [verse 11] And the seruauntis of Achis seiden to hym, whanne thei seen Dauid, Whether not this is Dauid, kyng [the kyng E pr. m.] of the loond? Whether not to this sungen bi dauncys seiynge, Saul smoot o thousand, and Dauid ten thousandis? [verse 12] Forsothe Dauid putte thes wordis in his herte, and dredde ful mych fro the face of Achis, the kyng of Geth. [verse 13] And he chaungyde hys mouth before Achis, and he hurlide hidir and thider bitwix [bytwene BFH. betwen E. betwe C.] the hoondis of hem, and he aȝen [aȝeynst B. aȝenst E.] put into

the doris of the ȝate, and his spotils floweden doun into the beerd. [verse 14] And Achis seith to his seruauntis, Han ȝe seen a woode man? whi han ȝe brouȝt hym to me? whether faylen to ȝou woode men? whi han ȝe brouȝt hym yn, that he wexe woode, me present? Letith hym goon hens, lest he goo into myn hows.

CAP. XXII.

[verse 1] Dauid thanne ȝeed thens, and fleiȝ into the spelunk of Odallam; the which thing whanne the britheren of hym hadden herd, and al the hows of his fadre, thei camen doun to hym thidir. [verse 2] And camen to gidre to hym alle that weren in angwish set, and oppressid for other mennus monee, and for bitter inwit; and he is maad the prince of hem, and there weren with hym as foure hundrid men. [verse 3] And Dauid wente thens into Masphat, that is of Moab; and seide to the kyng of Moab, Dwelle, Y preye, my fader and my moder with ȝow, to the tyme that Y wite what God doo to me. [verse 4] And he laft hem before the face of the kyng of Moab; and thei dwelten anentis hym alle days, in the whiche Dauid was in strong socour. [verse 5] And Gad, the prophet, seide to Dauid, Wole thow not dwelle in the place of strong socour; weend forth, and goo into the loond of Juda. And Dauid wente, and cam into the wijlde wode of Areth. [verse 6] And Saul herde, that Dauyd ap|peryde, and men that with hym weren. Forsothe Saul whanne he dwelt in Gabaa, and was in the wode that is in Rama, a speer in hoond holdynge, and alle his [verse 7] seruauntis stoden about hym, he seith to his seruauntis that stoden nyȝ to hym, Herith me nowe, the sones of Gemyny; whethir to alle ȝou the sone of Ysay shal ȝyue feeldis and vynes, and alle ȝou shal make lederys of thousandis and

leders of hundredis? [verse 8] For ȝe alle han sworn togidre aȝens me, and there is not that aȝen telle to me; moost whanne and my sone hath ioyned couenaunt of pees with the sone of Ysay; there is not that sorwith my while of ȝou, ne that telle to me, forthi that my sone hath reride my seruaunt aȝens [aȝeynst BH. aȝen C.] me, weytynge to me vnto to [Om. AH.] day. [verse 9] Forsothe answerynge Doech Ydume, that stood nyȝ, and was the fyrst amonge the seruauntis of Saul, I sawȝ, he seith, the sone of Ysay in Nobe, at Achimalech, the sone of Achitob, the [verse 10] preest; the which counseilede the Lord for hym, and ȝaf meetis to hym, but and the swerd of Goliath Philistee he ȝaf to hym. [verse 11] Thanne the kyng sente to cleepe Achymalech, the sone of Achitob, the preest, and al the hows of his fader, of the prestys that waren in Nobe; the whiche alle to the kyng ben comen. [verse 12] And Saul seith to Achymalech, Here, thou sone of Achitob. The which an|swerde, I am prest [preest A.] , lord. [verse 13] And Saul seide to hym, Whi han ȝe sworn togidre aȝens me, thou, and the sone of Ysay, and thou hast ȝeuen to hym loouys and a swerd, and thou hast counseild for hym the Lord, that he ryse aȝens me, dwel|lynge a spye vnto to day? [verse 14] And Achyma|lech answerynge to the kyng seith, And who in alle thi seruauntis trewe as Dauid, and the sone in lawe of the kyng, and goynge at thin heest, and gloryous in thin hows? [verse 15] Whether to day I haue begun for hym to counseil the Lord? A wey be that fro me, ne trowe the kyng aȝens his seruaunt sich a maner thing in al the hows of my fader; forsothe thi seruaunt wiste not eny thing vpon this nede, othere litil or greet. [verse 16] And the kyng seide, Bi deth shal dye, Achymalech, thou, and al

the hows of thi fader. [verse 17] And the kyng seith to the outgoers in his nedis, that stooden about hym, Turneth, and sleeth the preestis of the Lord, for the hoond of hem is with Dauid; wytynge that he was flowen, and thei sheweden not to me. Forsothe the seruauntis of the kyng wolden not strecche out her hoond into the preestis of the Lord. [verse 18] And the kyng seith to Doech, Turn thou, and fal into the preestis of the Lord. And Doech Ydume turnede, felle into the preestis, and hewȝ doun fyue and eiȝtith [eiȝtety CE.] men in that day, clothid with surplees. [verse 19] Also he smoot Nobee, the citee of preestis, in mouth of swerd, men and wymmen, litil children and sowkynge, and oxe, and asse, and sheep, in mouth of swerd. [verse 20] For|sothe oon ascapynge, sone of Achyma|lech, the sone of Achitob, whos name [verse 21] was Abiathar, fleeȝ to Dauid, and toolde to hym, that Saul hadde slayn the prestis of the Lord. [verse 22] And Dauid seith to Abia|thar, Forsothe I wist in that day, that whanne there was Doech Ydume, with out dout he wold telle to Saul; I am gilti of alle the soulis of thi fader. [verse 23] Dwel with me, ne drede thou; if eny man sechith [shal seche A.] my lijf, shal seche and thi lijf, and with me thou shalt be kept.

CAP. XXIII.

[verse 1] And men toolden to Dauid, seiynge, Loo! Phylisteis fiȝten aȝens Seyla, and struyen the floris of cornys. [verse 2] Thanne Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, Whe|ther I shal goo, and smyte thes Philisteis? And the Lord seith to Dauid, Go, and thou shalt smyte Philisteis, and [Om. ABH.] saue Seylam. [verse 3] And men seiden, that weren with Dauid, to hym, Loo! we here beynge in Juda dreden; myche more if we goon into

Seilam aȝens the companyes of Philisteis. [verse 4] Eft thanne Dauid counseilde the Lord; the which answerynge seith to hym, Ryse, and go into Seilam; forsothe I shal take the Philisteis in thin hoond. [verse 5] Thanne wente Dauid and his men into Seilam, and fauȝt aȝens the Philisteis; and droue a wey the beestis of hem, and smoot hem with a greet veniaunce; and Dauid sauyde the dwellers of Seilam. [verse 6] Forsothe that tyme, the which Abiathar, the sone of Achymalech, fleeȝ, he de|scendide to Dauid into Seylam, hauynge with hym the preestis coope. [verse 7] Forsothe it is toold to Saul, that Dauid was comen into Seylam; and Saul seith, The Lord hath taken hym into myn hoondis, and closid is goon into the cytee, in the which ben ȝatis and lockis. [verse 8] And Saul comaund|ide to al the puple, that to the fiȝt thei shulden descende to Seilam, and bisege Dauid and his men. [verse 9] The which thing whanne Dauid aȝen knewe, for Saul made redy to hym priueli yuel, he seide to Abiathar, the preest, Clothe thee the [with the A pr. m.] preestis coope. [verse 10] And Dauid seith, Lord God of Yrael, thi seruaunt hath herd the fame, that Saul hath disposid to come to Seyla, that he turne vpsedoun for me the [verse 11] cyte; if the men of Seyla shulen take me into his hoondis, and if Saul shal come doun, as thi seruaunt hath herd, Lord God of Yrael, shewe to thi seruaunt? And the Lord seith, He shal come doun. [verse 12] And Dauid eft seyde, If the men of Seila shu|len take me, and the men that ben with me, into the hoondis of Saul? And the Lord seide, Thei shulen take. [verse 13] Thanne Dauid roos, and his men, as sex hundrid; and, goon out fro Seyla, hidir and thi|der weren vagaunt vncerteyn. And it is toold to Saul, that Dauid hadde flowen fro Seila, and was sauid; for what skyl he laft to goon out. [verse 14] Forsothe Dauid

dwellide in deseert, in moost defensable placis, and abood [bode BFH. bod C. boid E.] in the hil of wildirnes of Ziph, in the derk [thicke E pr. m.] hil; neuerthelater [nerthelater C passim.] Saul souȝte hym alle days, and the Lord took hym not into the hoondis of hym. [verse 15] And Dauid sawȝ, that Saul was goon out, for to seche his lijf. Forsothe Dauid was in the deseert of Ziph, in a wode. [verse 16] And Jonathas, the sone of Saul, roos, and wente to Dauid into the wode, and coum|fourtide the hoondis of hym in God. [verse 17] And he seide to hym, Ne drede thou; forsothe ne the hoond of Saul my fader shal fynde thee, and thou shalt regne vpon Yrael, and I shal be to thee the secounde; but and Saul my fader woot this. [verse 18] Thanne either smoot couenaunt of pees before the Lord. And Dauid abood [boode BF. bod C. bood EH.] in the wode; forsothe Jonathas turnede aȝen [aȝeen C. aeen E.] into his hows. [verse 19] Forsothe Zipheis stieden vp to Saul in Gabaa, seiynge, Loo! whether not Dauid lurkith anentis vs in moost siker placys of a wode, in the hil of Achille, that is at the riȝt party of deseert? [verse 20] Nowe thanne, as thi soule hath desyrid for to come doun, com doun; forsothe `our shal be [he schal ben oure E pr. m.] , that we taken hym into the hoondis of the kyng. [verse 21] And Saul seide, Blessid be [Om. BCEFH.] ȝe of the Lord, for ȝe han sorewid my while. [verse 22] Goth thanne, I praye, and more bisily makith redy be|forn, and slelyer doth, and weitith swiftly the place, where be the foot of hym, or who sawȝ hym there, where ȝe han seid; forsothe he aȝen thenkith of me, that I felli aspye hym. [verse 23] Biholdith, and seeth alle the hidils of hym, in whiche he is hid, and turneth to me at certeyn thing, that I goo with ȝou; that if also into the erthe he hide hym self, I shal thurȝ serche hym in alle the thousandis of Juda. [verse 24] And thei rysynge wenten into Ziph before Saul. Forsothe Dauid and

his men weren in the deseert of Maon, in the wijld feeldis, at the riȝt side of Jesymith. [verse 25] Thanne Saul wente and his felawis to seche hym, and it is toold to Dauid; and anoon he wente doun to a stoon, and abood in the deseert of Maon; the whiche thinge whanne Saul had herde, he pursuede Dauith in the de|serte of Maon. [verse 26] And Saul wente and his men at the side of the hil on the o par|tye; forsothe Dauid and his men weren in the side of the hil on the tother party; wherfor Dauid dispeyryde hym self to mowe askaap fro the face of Saul. And so Saul and his men in maner of a coroun girdiden Dauid and his men, for to take hem. [verse 27] And a messager cam to Saul, seiynge, Hyȝe, and come, for the Philisteis han held hem seluen vpon the loond. [verse 28] Thanne Saul turnede aȝen, cesynge to pursue Da|uid; and he wente into the aȝen comynge of the Philisteis. For that thei clepen that place the Dyuydynge Stoone.

CAP. XXIV.

[verse 1] Thanne Dauid stiede vp thens, and dwelte in moost siker placis of Engaddi. [verse 2] And whanne Saul was turned aȝen, after that he hadde pursued the Philisteis, thei toolden to hym, seiynge, Loo! Dauid is in the deseert of Engaddi. [verse 3] Thanne Saul, takynge to thre thousandis of chosen men of al Yrael, wente to aserche Dauid and his men, vpon moost heiȝ rochis, that oneli to wijlde capretis ben thurȝ weyes. [verse 4] And he cam to the fooldys of sheep, the which offrede hemself to the weye goer. And a spelunk [spelunk or denne A pr. m.] was there, the which Saul wente yn, that he purge the wombe; forsothe Dauid and his men lurkeden in the innere [nyȝ ABFH.] parti of the denne. [verse 5] And the seruauntis of Dauyd seiden to hym, Loo!

the day of which the Lord spak to thee, I shal take to thee thin enemy, that thou doo to hym as it plesith in thin eyen. Thanne Dauid roos, and kyttide [kytt BFH. kitte E. cutte C.] of the hemme of the mantil of Saul stilly [stilleli CE.] . [verse 6] After thes thingis the herte of Dauid smoot hym, forthi that he hadde kut a wey the hemme of the mantil of Saul. [verse 7] And he seide to his men, Merciful be to me the Lord, that I doo not this thing to my lord, the crist of the Lord, that I putte myn hoond into hym, for the crist of the Lord he is. The Lord lyueth, for but the Lord smyte hym, other the day of hym come, that he dye, other comynge doun into batayl perish, merciful be to me the Lord, that I putte not myn hoond into the crist of the Lord. [verse 8] And Dauid brak togidre his men with thes wordis, and suffrede hem not, that thei rysen into Saul; forsothe Saul rysynge fro the denne, wente in the weye begun. [verse 9] Forsothe Dauid roos after hym, and wente out of the denne, and criede after the bak of Saul, seiynge, My lord kyng! And Saul beheelde bihynde hym; and Dauyd bowynge hym self redi into the erthe honourede. [verse 10] And he seide to Saul, Whi herist thou wordis of men spekynge, Dauid sechith yuel aȝens thee? [verse 11] Loo! to dai thin eyen seen, that the Lord took thee in myn hoond in the denne, and I thouȝt for to slee thee, but myn eye sparide to thee; forsothe I seide, I shal not stretche out myn hoond in my lord, `for the [that is E pr. m.] crist of the Lord he is. [verse 12] But more ouere, fader myn, se, and know the hemme of thi mantil in myn hoond, for whanne I kut the coope [cop E.] of thi man|til, I wold not stretch out myn hoond into thee; inwardly tak hede, and se, for there is not in myn hoond euel ne wick|idnes, ne I haue synned in thee; forsothe

thou aspyist my lijf, that thou doo it awey. [verse 13] The Lord deme bitwix [bytwene BFH passim. betwen E passim. betwe C passim.] me and thee, and the Lord wreke me on thee; [verse 14] forsothe myn hoond be not in thee, as in the oold prouerbe it is seid, Fro vn|piteuous men goth out vnpiteuousnesse; myn hoond forsothe be not in thee. [verse 15] Whom pursuyst thou, kyng of Yrael? whom pursuist thou? A deed dog thou pursuist, and a quyk flyȝe. [verse 16] The Lord be domesman, and the Lord deme bitwix me and thee, and see, and deme my cause, and delyuere me fro thin hoond. [verse 17] Forsothe whanne Dauid hadde ful eendid spekynge siche maner wordis to Saul, Saul seide, Whether this is thi voys, sone myn Dauyd? And Saul reryde vp a voys, and wepte. [verse 18] And to Dauid he seide, More riȝtwise thou art than Y; forsothe thou hast ȝoldun to me gode thingis; forsothe I haue ȝoldun aȝen to thee yuel thingis. [verse 19] And thow hast shewid to me to day, what goode thingis thou hast doo to me, what maner wise the Lord took me in thin hoond, and thou slewȝ not me. [verse 20] For|sothe who, whanne he fyndith his enemy, leeueth hym in a good weie? But the Lord ȝeelde to thee this while, for that, that to day thou hast wrouȝt in me. [verse 21] And `now, for [these thyngis E pr. m.] I knowe, that moost certeynli thou art to regne, and to haue in thin [verse 22] hoond the kyngdom of Yrael, swere to me in the Lord, that thou do not a wey my seed after me, ne doo a wey my name fro the hows of my fader. [verse 23] And Dauid swore to Saul. Thanne Saul wente into his hows, and Dauid and his men stieden vp to more sykyr placis.

CAP. XXV.

[verse 1] Samuel forsothe diede; and al Yrael is gaderid, and biweilide [weylden BFH. weiledyn CE.] hym [Om. BCEFH.] ful myche, and biryeden hym in his hows in Ra|matha. And Dauid risynge wente doun

into the deseert of Pharan. [verse 2] Forsothe there was a maner man in the wilder|nesse of Maon, and the possessioun of hym was [Om. BCEFH.] in Carmele, and that man ful myche greet, and there weren to hym sheep thre thousandis, and a thousand goot; and it felle that his flok shulde be clippid in Carmele. [verse 3] Forsothe the name of that man was Naabal, and the name of his wijf Abigail; and that womman was moost wyis and feyr, forsothe hir man hard and werst and malicious; for|sothe he was of the kynrede of Caleph. [verse 4] Whanne thanne Dauid in deseert hadde [verse 5] herd, that Naabal clippide his flok, he sente ten ȝonge men, and seide to hem, Stieth vp into Carmele, and ȝe shulen come to Naabal, and ȝe shulen salute [verse 6] hym in my name pesibly; and thus ȝe shulen seye, Pees be to my britheren and to thee, and pees to thin [her A.] hows, and to alle, what euere thingis thou hast, be pees; of many ȝeeris be thou maad saaf, thou, and thin hows, and alle thin. [verse 7] I haue herd that thi sheepherdis clippiden thi flockis, that weren with vs in deseert; neuere to hem we weren heuy, ne eny tyme faylide to hem eny thing of the flok, al the tyme that thei weren with vs [verse 8] in Carmele; ask thi children [childre BEFH. childer C.] , and thei shulen shewe to thee. Nowe thanne fynden thi children [childre BEFH. childer C.] grace in thin eyen; in a good day forsothe we ben comen to thee; what euere thing thin hoond fynd|ith [fynde BCEFH.] , ȝif to thi seruauntis, and to thi sone Dauid. [verse 9] And whanne the children [childre E. childer C.] of Dauid weren comen, thei speken to Naa|bal alle thes wordis in the name of Dauid, and helden her pees. [verse 10] Forsothe Naabal, answerynge to the children [childre E. childer C.] of Dauid, seith, Who is Dauid? and who is

the sone of Ysay? To day han sprungun yn seruauntis that fleen her lordis. [verse 11] Shal I thanne take my loouys, and my watris, and flesh of beestis, that I haue slayn to my clippers, and ȝife to men, whom I knowe not whennus thei ben? [verse 12] And so the children [childre E. childer C.] of Dauid wenten aȝen bi her weye; and aȝen turned thei camen aȝen, and toolden to hym alle the wordis that Naabal hadde seid. [verse 13] Thanne Dauid seith to his children, Echon be gyrd with his swerd. And echon ben gird with her swerdis, and Dauid is gird with his swerd; and there folweden Dauid as foure hundrid men, forsothe two hun|dryd abiden stil at the fardels. [verse 14] Forsothe to Abigail, the wijf of Naabal, oon of hir children toold, seyynge, Loo! Dauid sente messagers fro deseert, for thei wol|den blesse to oure lord, and he with [verse 15] stoode hem; these men weren good ynow [a nowȝ CE.] `to vs [Om. A.] , and not heuy, ne eny thing that eny tyme perishid al the tyme we [that we E sec. m.] [verse 16] han dwellid with hem in deseert; for a wal thei weren to vs, as wel in nyȝt as in day, alle days the whiche we fedden flockis anentis hem. [verse 17] Wherfor behold, and bithenk, what thou doo; for deter|myned is the malice aȝens thi man, and aȝens thin hows; and he is the sone of Belial, so that no man may speke to him. [verse 18] Thanne Abigail hiȝede, and took two hundryd loouys, and two botels of wyn, and fyue wetheris sothen, and fyue bus|shellis of brayid corn, and an hundrid busshellis of dryed grape, and two hun|drid peyse of dryed figis; and she putte [verse 19] vpon the assis, and seide to hir children, Gooth before me; loo! after the bak Y shal folwe ȝou. To Naabal forsothe hir man she shewide it not. [verse 20] Whanne thanne she was goon vpon the asse, and cam

doun at the roote of the hil, Dauid and his men camen doun into aȝen metynge of hyre; to whom and she aȝen cam. [verse 21] And Dauid seith, Verreili in veyn I haue kept alle thingis that of this man weren in deseert, and there perishid not eny thing of alle thingis that to hym per|teyneden [pertenen C.] , and he hath ȝoldun to me yuel for good. [verse 22] Thes thingis do the Lord to the enemyes of Dauid, and thes thingis adde, if Y shal leeue of alle thingis that to hym pertenen vnto the morwe tide a pisser to the wal. [verse 23] Forsothe whanne Abigail hadde seen Dauid, she hiȝede, and wente doun of the asse, and felle doun before Dauid vpon hir face, and honourde vpon the erthe. [verse 24] And she felle at the feet of hym, and seyde, My lord, in me be this wickidnes; speke, Y biseche, thin hoondseruaunt in thin eeris, [verse 25] and here the wordis of thi seruaunt; ne put, Y preye, my lord kyng, his herte vpon this [his AFH.] wickid [wicke C.] man Naabal, for after his name he is a fool, and foli is with hym; forsothe I, thin hoond womman, sawȝ not thi children [childre BEFH passim. childer C passim.] , whom, my lord, thou sentist. [verse 26] Now thann, my lord, lyueth the Lord and lyueth thi soule, that hath defendid thee, that thou cam not into blood, and hath sauyd thin hoond to thee; and now as Naabal thin enemyes ben maad, and that sechen to my lord yuel. [verse 27] Wherfor tak this blessynge, that thin hoond womman hath brouȝt to thee, my lord, and ȝyue to the children that folowen thee, my lord. [verse 28] Do awey the wickydnes of thi seruaunt; forsothe the Lord makynge shal make to thee, my lord, a trewe hows, for the batayls of the Lord, my lord, thou fiȝtist; malice thanne be there not founden in thee alle the days of thi lijf. [verse 29] Forsothe if there arise any tyme a man pursuynge thee,

and sechynge thi lijf, the lijf of my lord shal be kept, as in a litil knytche of lyu|ynge men, anentis the Lord thi God; forsothe the lijf of thin enemyes shal be turned about as in the birre, and the cercle of a slynge. [verse 30] Whanne thanne [Om. A.] the Lord shal do to thee, my lord, alle thes gode thingis, that he hath spokyn of thee, and settith thee a duyk vpon Yrael, [verse 31] this shal not be to thee, my lord, into ȝoxynge and into scripil of herte, that thou hast shed giltlesse blood, or thi self thou hast vengid. And whanne the Lord shal wel doo to thee, my lord, thow shalt recorde of thin hoond womman, and thou shalt wel doo to hir. [verse 32] And Dauid seide to Abigayl, Blissid be [Om. BCEFH.] the Lord God of Yrael, that sente thee to day into myn aȝencomynge, and blessid thi [the ABFH.] speche; [verse 33] and blessid thou art [Om. BCEFH.] , that hast defendid me, that I ȝede not to day to the blood, [verse 34] and vengide me bi myn hoond; ellis the Lord God of Yrael lyueth, that hath de|fendide me, that Y dide not yuel to thee, but soone thow haddist comen into aȝen|comynge to me, there shulde not [Om. AFH.] han laft to Naabal vnto the morwetide liȝt a pisser to the wal. [verse 35] Thanne Dauid took of the hoond of hir alle thingis that she brouȝte to hym; and he seide to hir, Go in pees into thin hows; loo! I haue herd thi voys, and honourde thi face. [verse 36] For|sothe Abigail cam to Naabal; and loo! there was to hym a feest in his hows, as a feest of a kyng; and the herte of Naa|bal myri, forsothe he was drunken ful myche; and she shewide not to hym word litil or greet vnto the morwe. [verse 37] For|sothe eerli, whanne Naabal [he E orig.] hadde defied the wyn, his wijf shewide to him thes wordis; and the herte of hym with yn forth is deed [deadyd BF. deadid E. dedid H.] , and he is maad as a stoone. [verse 38] And whanne ten days weren passid, the

Lord smoot Naabal, and he is deed. [verse 39] The which thing whanne Dauid hadde herd, Naabal deed, he seith, Blissid is [Om. BCEFH.] the Lord, that hath vengid the cause of my reproof fro the hoond of Naabal, and his seruaunt hath kept fro yuel, and the malice of Naabal the Lord hath ȝolden into his heed. Than Dauid sente, and spak to Abigail, that he take hir to hym into wijf. [verse 40] And the children of Dauid camen to Abigail into Carmele, and speken to hir, seiynge, Dauid sente vs to thee, that he take thee into wijf to hym. [verse 41] The which arysynge honourde redi into the erthe, and seith, Loo! thi seruaunt be in to an hond womman, that she wasshe the feet of the seruauntis of my lord. [verse 42] And Abigail hiȝede, and roos, and stiede vpon the asse; and fyue child|wymmen, hir feet folowers, wenten with hir, and she folowide the messagers of Dauid, and is maad to hym a wijf. [verse 43] But and Dauid took Achynoem fro Jezrael, [verse 44] and either was the wijf of hym; forsothe Saul ȝaf Mychol his douȝter, the wijf of Dauid, to Phalti, the sone of Lays, that was of Gallym.

CAP. XXVI.

[verse 1] And Ziphei camen to Saul in Gabaa, seiynge, Loo! Dauid is hid in the hil of Achille, the which is fro aȝens of the wildernesse. [verse 2] And Saul roos, and cam doun into the deseert of Ziph, and with hym thre thousandis of men of the chosun of Yrael, that he seche Dauid in the de|seert of Ziph. [verse 3] And Saul sette tentis in Gabaa of Achille, that was fro aȝens of the wildernesse in the weye. Forsothe Dauid dwellide in deseert. Forsothe seynge that Saul was comen after hym [verse 4] into deseert, he sente aspies, and lernyde moost certeynli, that thidre he was comyn. [verse 5] And Dauyd roos pryueli, and

cam to [into E pr. m.] the place where Saul was. And whanne he hadde seen the place, in the whiche Saul slepte, and Abner, the sone of Ner, prince of his chiualrye, and Saul slepynge in the tent, and the tother [verse 6] comouns bi the enuyroun of hym, Dauid seith to Achymalech, Ethee, and to Abi|say, the sone of Saruye, the brother of Joab, seiynge, Who shal come doun with me to Saul into the tentis? And Abisai seide, Y shal goo doun with thee. [verse 7] Thanne Dauid and Abisai camen to the puple the nyȝt, and founden Saul liynge, and slep|ynge in the tent, and a speer piȝt at his heed in the erthe; forsothe Abner and the puple slepynge in the enuyroun of hym. [verse 8] And Abisai seide to Dauid, God hath closid to dai thin enemye into thin hoondis; now thanne I shal stike hym with a speer in the erthe oonys, and the secounde shal be no nede. [verse 9] And Dauid seide to Abisai, Thou shalt not sle hym, forsothe who shal stretche his hoond into the crist of the Lord, and shal be inno|cent? [verse 10] And Dauid seide, The Lord lyuith, for but the Lord smyte hym, other the day of hym come that he die, other into [verse 11] batail comynge doun he perisshe; merci|ful be to me the Lord, that I stretche not out myn hoond into the crist of the Lord; now thanne tak the speer, that is at his heed, and the cup of water, and go wee. [verse 12] Dauid took the speer, and the cup of water, that was at the heed of Saul, and thei wenten awey, and there was not eny man that sawȝ, and vndurstood, and awook, but alle thei slepten; for the sleep of the Lord felle vpon hem. [verse 13] And whanne Dauid was goon fro aȝens, and stood in the cop of the hil fro a fer, and there was a greet myddil valey bitwix [bytwene BF. betwen E. betwe C.] [verse 14] hem, Dauid criede to the puple, and to Abner, the sone of Ner, seiynge, Whe|ther, Abner, thou shalt not answere?

And Abner answerynge seith, Who art thou that criest, and vnrestist the kyng? [verse 15] And Dauid seith to Abner, Whether ert thou not a man, and who other lijk thee in Yrael? whi thanne hast thou not kept thi lord the kyng? Forsothe there wente yn a man of the folk, for he wolde [verse 16] sleye thi [the ABFH.] lord the [the ABFH.] kyng; it is not good, this that thou hast doo; the Lord lyuith, for sonys of deeth ȝe ben, for ȝe han not kept ȝoure lord, crist of the Lord. Now thanne se, where be the speer of the kyng, and where be the cup of water, that weren at the heed of hym. [verse 17] Forsothe Saul knewe the voys of Dauid, and seide, Whether is this thi vois, my sone Dauid? And Dauid seith, My vois, my lord kyng. [verse 18] And he seith, For what cause pursueth my lord his seruaunt? What haue I doo, or what yuel is in myn hoond? [verse 19] Nowe thanne here, I preye, my lord kyng, wordis of thi seruaunt; if the Lord stirith thee aȝens me, sacrifice be smellid; forsothe if the sones of men, cursid be thei in the siȝt of the Lord, that han throwun me out to day, that I dwelle not in the heritage of the Lord, seiynge, Go, and serue to alien goddis. [verse 20] And now be not shed out my blood in the erthe before the Lord; for the kyng of Yrael is goon out that he seche a quyk fliȝe, as a partritch is pursued in hillis. [verse 21] And Saul seith, Y haue synned; turne aȝen, my sone Dauid, namore forsothe I shal mysdoo to thee, forthi that my lijf was precious in thin eyen to day; forsothe it semeth that folili I haue doo, and many thingis to myche I haue vnknowen. [verse 22] And Dauid answerynge seith, Loo! the speer of the kyng, go oon of the chil|dren [childre BEFH passim. childer C passim.] of the kyng, and take it; forsothe the Lord shal ȝeeld to ech man after his [verse 23] riȝtwisnes and feith; forsothe the Lord

hath takun thee to day into myn hoond, and I wold not stretche out myn hoond [verse 24] in the crist of the Lord; and as thi lijf is maad greet to day in myn eyen, so my lijf be maad greet in the eyen of the Lord, and delyuer he me fro al angwish. [verse 25] Thanne Saul seith to Dauid, Blessid thou, sone myn Dauid; forsothe and doynge thou shalt doo, and myȝti thou shalt mowe. Thanne Dauid wente into his weye, and Saul turnede aȝen into his place.

CAP. XXVII.

[verse 1] And Dauid seith in his herte, Sum|tyme on a day I shal falle in the hoond of Saul; whether is it not beter, that I flee, and be sauid in the lond [hoond AB.] of Phi|listeis, that Saul dispeire, and ceese to seche me in alle the coostis of Yrael; thanne flee we the hoondis of hym. [verse 2] And Dauid roos, and wente, he and sexe [the sexe BCEFH.] hun|dryd men with hym, to Achis, the sone of Maoth, the kyng of Geth. [verse 3] And Dauid dwellide with Achis in Geth, he, and his men, and his hows; Dauid, and his two wyues, Achynoem Jezralite, and Abigail, the wijf of Naabal Carmele. [verse 4] And it is toold to Saul, that Dauid was flowen into Geth; and he addide no more for to seche hym. [verse 5] Forsothe Dauid seide to Achis, If I haue founden grace in thin eyen, a place be ȝouun to me in oon of the citees of this regioun, that I dwelle there; for|sothe whi thi seruaunt dwellith in the citee of the kyng with thee? [verse 6] And so Achis ȝaf to hym in that day Sichelech, for the which cause Sichelech is maad of the kyngis of Juda vnto this day. [verse 7] For|sothe the noumbre of the dais, in the whiche Dauid dwellide in the regioun of Philisteis, was of foure monethis. [verse 8] And Dauid stiede vp, and his men, and brouȝten prayes of Gethsury, and of Gethry, and of Amalachitis; forsothe

thes hethen dwelliden in the loond bi oold tyme citees of Sur, vnto the loond of Egipt. [verse 9] And Dauid smoot al the loond of hem, and he lafte not a lyuynge man and womman; and takynge sheep, and oxen, and assis, and camelis, and clothis, he turnede aȝen, and cam to Achis. [verse 10] For|sothe Achis seide to hym, In whom felle thou on to dai? Dauid answerde, Aȝens the south of Jude, and aȝens the south of Yranyel, and aȝens the south of Ceny. [verse 11] Man and womman Dauid lafte not on lyue, ne brouȝte into Geth, seiynge, Lest perauenture thei speken aȝens vs. These thingis dide Dauid, and this was the dom of hym, alle the [Om. BCEFH.] dais `the whiche [that C.] he dwellide in the regioun of Philisteis. [verse 12] Thanne Achis leuyde to Dauid, seiynge, Forsothe manye yuels he hath wrouȝte aȝens his puple Yrael, therfor a seruaunt he shal be to me for euere more.

CAP. XXVIII.

[verse 1] In tho dais forsothe it is doon, Phi|listeis gadreden her companyes, that thei weren redi before aȝens Yrael at batail. And Achis seide to Dauid, Witynge now wite thou, for with me thou shalt goon out in the tentis, thou and thi men. [verse 2] And Dauid seide to Achis, Now thou shalt knowe what thi seruaunt is to doo. And Achis seith to Dauid, And I shal putte thee keper of myn heed alle dais. [verse 3] For|sothe Samuel is deed, and al Yrael bi|weilide [weylyde BH. weilede E. weylyden F.] hym, and biryede hym in Ra|matha, his [in his E pr. m.] cytee. And Saul took a wey the dyuynours and clepers of deuels fro the loond, and slewȝ hem that hadden chaarmers [chaarmes A.] of deuels in the wombe. [verse 4] And Philisteis ben gadrid, and camen, and setten tentis in Siccymam; forsothe and Saul gadrede al Yrael, and cam into

Gelboe. [verse 5] And Saul sawȝ the tentis of Philisteis, and dradde, and his herte quauyde [quakide H.] ful myche. [verse 6] And he counseilde the Lord; and he answerde hym not, ne bi prestis, ne bi sweuens [swenes C.] , ne bi pro|phetis. [verse 7] And Saul seide to his seruauntis, Sechith to me a womman hauynge a charmynge goost; and I shal goo to hir, and aske bi hir. And his seruauntis seiden to hym, There is a womman hauynge a dyuynynge spirite in Endore. [verse 8] Thanne he chaungide his abite, and is clothid with othere clothis; and he ȝede, and two men with hym; and thei camen to the womman bi nyȝt. And he seith, Dyuyne to me in a chaarmynge spyrite, and rere to me whom Y shal seye to thee. [verse 9] And the womman seith to hym, Loo! thou hast knowen how greet [myche E pr. m.] thingis Saul dide, and what maner wyse he hath putte out dyuynours, and clepers of deuels fro the loond; whi thanne weytist thou to my lijf, that I be slayn? [verse 10] And Saul swore to hyre in the Lord, seiynge, The Lord lyuith; for there shal not come to thee eny thing of yuel for this thing. [verse 11] And the womman seide to him, Whom shal I rere to thee? The which seith, Rere to me Samuel. [verse 12] For|sothe whanne the womman hadde seen Samuel, she cryede with a greet voys, and seide to Saul, Whi hast thou putte this to me? forsothe thou ert Saul. [verse 13] And the kyng seide to hyr, Wole thou not drede; what hast thou seen? And the womman seith to Saul, I sawȝ goddis stiynge vp fro the erthe. [verse 14] And he seith to hir, What maner is the fourm of hym? The which seith, An oold man stiede vp, and he is clothid with a mantil. And Saul vndurstood that it was Samuel; and he bowide hym self vpon his face in the erthe, and honourde. [verse 15] Forsothe Sa|muel seide to Saul, Whi hast thou vn|restid

me, that I be rerid? And Saul seith, I am artid to myche; forsothe Philisteis fiȝten aȝens me, and God is goon a wey fro me, and wol not here me, ne bi the hoond of prophetis, ne bi sweuens; therfor I haue clepid thee, that thou shewe to me what I shal doo. [verse 16] And Samuel seith, What askist thou me, sith God hath goon a wey fro thee, and goon to thin enemye? [verse 17] Forsothe the Lord shal doo to thee as he spak in myn hoond, and he shal kut thi kyngdam fro thin hoond, and ȝyue it to thi neiȝbor Dauid; [verse 18] for thou hast not obeishid to the vois of the Lord, ne thou didist the wraththe of his woodnes in Amalech. Therfor that that thou suffrist the Lord hath doo to [verse 19] thee to day; and the Lord also shal ȝeue Irael with thee in the hoond of Philisteis. Forsothe to morwe thou and thi sones shal be with me; but and the Lord shal take the tentis of Yrael in the hoond of Philisteis. [verse 20] And Saul anoon felle straȝt into the erthe; he dradde forsothe the wordis of Samuel, and miȝt was not in hym, for he hadde not eten breed al that dai and al niȝt. [verse 21] And so that wom|man wente yn to Saul, and saith; forsothe he was disturblid greetli; and she seide to hym, Loo! thin hoond womman hath obeishid to thi vois, and I haue put my lijf in myn hoond, and I haue herd thi wordis, that thou speek to me. [verse 22] Now thanne here thou the vois of thin hoond womman, and I shal putte before thee a morsel [mussel E.] of breed, and etynge thou wexe hool, and mowe goon the weye. [verse 23] The which forsoke, and seith, I shal not ete. Forsothe his seruauntis and the womman constreyneden; and at the last, the vois of hem herd, he roos fro the erthe, and sat vpon the bedde. [verse 24] Forsothe that wom|man hadde a foddred calf in the hows, and she hiȝede, and slewȝ it; and takynge

floure she mengide it, and boke [booc E. boc C.] therf [verse 25] looues; and putte before Saul and his seruauntis, the which whanne thei had|den eten, risen, and wenten thurȝ out al that [the AC pr. m.] nyȝt.

CAP. XXIX.

[verse 1] Thanne alle the companyes of Phi|listeis ben gadred in Aphech, but and Irael sette tentis vpon the welle that was in Jezrael. [verse 2] Forsothe and the maistris of Philisteis wenten in hundredis and thou|sandis; forsothe Dauid and his men weren in the last companye with Achis. [verse 3] And the princis of Philisteis seiden to Achis, What to hem self wolen thes Ebrews? And Achis seith to the princys of Philisteis, Whether knowe ȝe not Da|uid, that was seruaunt to Saul, kyng of Irael? and is anentis me manye days or ȝeeris, and I founde not in hym eny thing, fro the dai that he ouer fleiȝ to me vnto this dai. [verse 4] Forsothe the princis of Philisteis ben wrooth aȝens hym, and seiden to hym, The man turne aȝen, and sitt in his place, in the which I haue sett hym, and dessende he not with vs into batail, lest he be maad to vs aduersarye, whanne we bigynnen to fiȝte; forsothe what maner wise other wise he shal mowe plese his lord, but in oure heedis? [verse 5] Whether is not this Dauid, to whom thei syngen in dauncis, seiynge, Saul hath smyten in his thousandis, and Dauid in his ten thousandis? [verse 6] Thanne Achis clepide Dauid, and seide to hym, The Lord lyueth; for riȝt thou ert, and good in my siȝt, and thi goynge out and thin incomynge with me is in the tentis, and I haue not founden in thee eny thing of yuel, fro the dai that thou cam to me vnto this dai; but to the maistris thou plesist not. [verse 7] Turn thanne aȝen, and go in pees, and offend thou not the eyen of the

maistris of Philisteis. [verse 8] And Dauid seid to Achis, Forsothe what haue I doo, and what hast thou founden in me thi ser|uaunt, fro the dai that I was in thi siȝt vnto this dai, that I come not, and [in ABFH.] fiȝt aȝens the enemyes of my lord the kyng? [verse 9] Forsothe Achis answerynge spak to Da|uid, I woot for thou art good, and in myn eyen as the aungel of God; but the princis of Philisteis seiden, He shal not stie vp with vs into batail. [verse 10] Therfor rise eerli, thou, and thi seruauntis that camen with thee; and whanne fro niȝt ȝe shulen rise, and it bigynneth to `liȝte day [dai liȝten CE.] , gooth. [verse 11] And so Dauid roos fro niȝt, he and his men, that he miȝt goo forth eerli to the loond of Philisteis, and turne aȝen; for|sothe Philisteis stieden vp into Jezrael.

CAP. XXX.

[verse 1] Whanne Dauid and his men weren comen into Sichelech the thridde dai, Amalechites maden a bure fro the south partie into Sichelech; and thei smyten Sichelech, and thei brenten it with fier. [verse 2] And caitifis thei ladden wymmen fro it, fro the leest vnto the greet; and thei slewen not eny man, but ladden with hem, and wenten her weye. [verse 3] Thanne whanne Dauid was comen, and his men, to the citee, and thei founden it brent with fier, and her wyues, and her sonys, [verse 4] and douȝtris [douȝtren BFH.] to be ladde caitifes [caytyfe FH.] , Da|uid and the puple that was with hym rereden vp her voices, and weiliden, to the tyme that teeris faileden in hem. [verse 5] Forsothe and the two wyues of Dauid weren ladde caitife, Achynoem Jezraelite, and Abigail, the wijf of Naabal of Car|mele. [verse 6] And Dauid sorowide greetli; for|sothe al the puple wold stoone hym, for bitter was the lyif of eche man vpon her sones and douȝtres. Forsothe Dauid is

coumfortid in the Lord his God. [verse 7] And he seith to Abiathar, the preest, the sone of Achimalech, Aplie to me the preestis coope. And Abiathar apliede to Dauid [verse 8] the preestis coope; and Dauid counseilde the Lord, seiynge, Shal I pursue, or naye, these theues, and take hem? And the Lord seide to hym, Pursue; forsothe out of dout thou shalt take hem, and shake out the praye. [verse 9] Thanne Dauid wente, he and sexe hundred men that weren with hym, and camen to the streem of Besor; and summe wery stoden stille. [verse 10] Forsothe Dauid pursuede, he and foure hundrid men; for there stoden stille two hun|dred, that weri myȝten not goon ouere the streem of Besor. [verse 11] And thei founden an Egipcien man in the feeld, and thei brouȝten hym to Dauid; and thei ȝeuen hym breed for to eete, and drynke water; [verse 12] but and the relif of a weiȝt of dried figis, and two bundels of dried grapis. The whiche thingis whanne he hadde eten, the spiryt of hym is turned aȝen, and he is refresshid; forsothe he hadde not eten breed, ne drunken water thre dais and thre niȝtes. [verse 13] And so Dauid seide to hym, Whos ert thou, or whens and whidir gost thou? The which seith, An Egip|cien child I am, and the seruaunt of an Amalechite man; forsothe my lord laft me, for I bigan to sikynyn [seeke A. seeken BEF. syken H.] the thridde dai hens. [verse 14] Forsothe we wenten out of the south coost of Cerethi, and aȝens Judam, and to the south of Caleph, and Sichilich we han brent vp with fier. [verse 15] And Dauid seide to hym, Maist thou lede me to this cumpanye? The which seith, Sweer to me bi God, that thou shalt not slee me, and not take me into the hoondis of my lord; and I shal lede thee to this companye. And Dauid swore to hym. [verse 16] The which whanne he hadde ladde hym,

loo! thei seeten vpon the face of al the erthe, etinge and drinkynge, and as ha|lowynge a feest dai, for al the pray and spoilis that thei token fro the loond of Philisteis, and fro the loond of Juda. [verse 17] And Dauid smoot hem fro euen `unto euen [Om. A.] of the tother dai, and there scap|ide not of hem eny man, but foure hun|drid ȝonge men, that stieden vp [bi A.] camelis, and flowen. [verse 18] Forsothe Dauid delyuerde alle thingis that Amalachitis token, and [verse 19] his two wyues he dilyuerde; ne there failide eny man fro litil vnto miche, as wel of sonys as of douȝtris [douȝtren BFH.] , and of spoilys; and what eure thingis thei had|den [verse 20] robbid, alle Dauid brouȝte aȝen; and took all the flockis and drouys, and droue before his face. And thei seiden, This is the praye of Dauid. [verse 21] Forsothe Dauid cam to the two hundrid men, that wery stoden stille, and myȝten not folowe Dauid; and he hadde comaundid hem to sitte stille biside the streem of Besor; the whiche wenten out to mete Dauid, and the puple that was with hym. For|sothe Dauyd comynge nyȝ to the puple, salutede hem pesibli. [verse 22] And o man an|swerynge, werst and wickid of the men that weren with Dauid, seide, For thei camen not with vs, we shulen not ȝyue to hem eny thing of the praye, that we han delyuerde, but suffice to echon his wijf and sonis; the whiche whanne thei han takun, goo thei a weye. [verse 23] Forsothe Dauid seide, Not so ȝe shulen doo, bri|theren myn, of these thingis that the Lord hath taken to vs, and hath kepte vs, and hath [Om. CEFH.] ȝeuen the theuys, that breken out aȝens vs, into oure hoondis, [verse 24] ne eny man shal here vs vpon this word. Forsothe euen part shal be of the goynge down to batail, and of the abidynge stille at the fardels; and lijk maner thei shulen

departe. [verse 25] And this is maad fro that day, and there aftir a statute, and a decree, and as a lawe in Yrael vnto this day. [verse 26] Thanne Dauid cam into Sichelech, and sente ȝiftis of the praye to the eldris of Juda, his neiȝbours, seiynge, Takith bless|ynge of the praye of the enemyes of the [verse 27] Lord; to hem that weren in Bethel, and that in Ramoth, at the south, and that in [verse 28] Gether, and that in Aroer, and that in [verse 29] Sephamoth, and that in Eschama, and that in Rethala, and that in the citees of Hierameli, and that in the citees of Ceny, [verse 30] and that in Arama, and that in Lautua|saam, [verse 31] and that in Athech, and that in Ebron, and to other, that weren in thes places, in the whiche Dauid hadde dwellid and his men.

CAP. XXXI.

[verse 1] Forsothe Philisteis fouȝten aȝens Irael, and the men of Yrael flowen before the face of Philisteis, and thei slayn fellen in the hyl of Gelboe. [verse 2] And Philisteis fallen into Saul, and into [Om. E pr. m.] the sonys of hym, and thei smyten Jonathan, and Amy|nadab, and Melchisue, the sonys of Saul. [verse 3] And al the charge of the batayl is turned into Saul; and there folweden hym men sheters, and he is woundid hydowsly of the archers. [verse 4] And Saul seide to his squyer, Drawe out thi swerd, and smyit me, lest perauenture thes vncircumcidid men [Om. CEFH.] comen, and sleen me, scornynge to me. And his squier wolde not; forsothe he was agaist with to mych gaistnes; and so Saul cauȝte his swerd, and felle vpon it. [verse 5] The which thing whanne his squyer hadde seen, that is, that Saul was deed, also he felle on his swerd, and is deed with hym. [verse 6] Thanne Saul is deed, and his three sonys, and his squyer, and

alle his men in that dai togidir. [verse 7] For|sothe seynge the sonys of Yrael, that weren biȝonde the valey, and beȝonde Jordan, that the men of Yrael hadden flowen, and that Saul was deed, and his sones [sone ABCEF.] , thei laften her citees, and flowen; and Philisteis camen, and dwelliden there. [verse 8] Forsothe the tother dai doon, Philisteis camen for to spoyl out the slayn men, and thei fonden Saul, and his thre sones, liggynge [liynge EFH. liende C.] in the hil of Gelboe; and thei girden of the heed of Saul, and thei spoileden hym out of the aarmys. And thei senten into the loond of Philisteis bi enuyroun, that it were toold in the temple of mawmettis, and in puplis. [verse 10] And thei setten his aarmys in the temple of As|charoth; forsothe the bodi of hym thei hengen in the wal of Bethsan. [verse 11] The which thing whanne the dwellers of Jabes Galaad hadden herd, alle thingis [verse 12] that Philisteis hadden doo to Saul, alle the moost stronge men rysen, and wenten al nyȝt, and token the careyns of Saul, and the careyns of his sonis fro the wal of Bethsan; and the men of Jabes Ga|laad camen, and brenten hem with fier. [verse 13] And thei token the boonys of hem, and biryeden in the wode of Jabes, and fast|iden seuen days.

Here endith the first book of Kyngis, and now bigynneth the secounde [Here eendith the first boke of Kyngus, and bigynneth the secounde. B. Explicit liber primus Regum. Here endith the firste book of Kingis, and bigynneth the secounde. E. No final rubric in CH.] .