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

CAP. IV.

[verse 6] In the regne forsothe of Assueri, he is Artaxerses, in the begynning of his regne, thei writen accusacioun aȝen the [verse 7] dwelleris of Jude and of Jerusalem; and in the daȝis of Artaxerses, Besellam Mitridates wrot, and Thabel, and the tothere that weren in the counseil of hem, to Artaxerses, king of Persis. For|sothe the epistil of accusacioun is writen Cire maner, and it was rad in Cire speche. [verse 8] Reum, Bethlem, and Sansai, scribe, writen oon epistil fro Jerusalem to Artaxerse the king `on this maner [of this matere E pr. m. C sec. m.] ; [verse 9] Reum, Bethlem, and Sansai, scribe, and the tothere counseilourys of hem, Dinaei, Farsarei, Therfalei, Arfasei, Arthuei, Ba|biloynys, Susannathaneis, Daceis, Elam|ytis, [verse 10] and the tothere of the Jentilis, whom translatide the grete and glorious Assennafar, and made them to dwellen in the cites of Samarie, and in othere re|giouns beȝunde the flod, in pes. [verse 11] This is the saumpler of the epistil, that thei senten to hym. To Artaxersi, king, thi seruauns, men that ben beȝunde the flod, greting sein. [verse 12] Be it knowen to the king, for Jewis that steȝeden vp fro thee to vs, camen in to Jerusalem, cite rebel and werst, the whiche thei bilden vp, mak|ende vp the stonene wallis of it, and makende wowis^y. [verse 13] Now thanne be it knowe to the king, for if that cite were bild vp, and the wallis of it enstorid, tri|bute, and pedage, and ȝeris rentus thei shul not ȝiue, and vnto the king this

blame shal come. [verse 14] Wee thanne mynde hauende of the salt, that in the paleis wee eeten, and for the harmys of the king to seen vnleeful wee holden [seyn E pr. m.] , ther|fore wee han sent and told to the king; [verse 15] that thou enserche in the bokis of the stories of thi fadris, and thou shalt finde write in armaries, and knowen, for that [the A.] cite is a rebel cite, and noȝende to kingus and to prouincis [the prouyncis A.] , and batailis ben sterid vp in it of old daȝes; for what thing and that cite is destroȝid. [verse 16] Wee tellen to the king, for if that cite were bild vp, and his wallis enstorid, thou shalt not han possessioun beȝunde the flod. [verse 17] The king sente woord to Reum, Bethlem, and to Sansay, scribe, and to the tothere that weren in the counseil of hem, dwelleris of Samarie, and to the tothere beȝunde the flod, Greetinge, seiende, and pes. [verse 18] The acusacioun, that ȝee senten to vs, [verse 19] openli is rad befor me; and of me it is comaundid, and thei ensercheden, and founden, for that cite of olde daȝes aȝen kingus rebellith, and descenciouns and [verse 20] batailis ben rerid vp in it; for and most stronge kingis weren in Jerusalem, the whiche and [Om. C.] lordshipeden to al the re|gioun that is beȝunde the flod; tribute also, and pedage, and rentis, thei token. [verse 21] Now thanne hereth the sentence, that ȝee forfende `thoo men [to me A. the men H.] , and that cite be not bild vp, to the time if perauenture of me it were comaundid. [verse 22] Seeth, lest necgligentli this be fulfild, and litilmelum growe euel aȝen kingys. [verse 23] And so the saumple of the maundement of Artaxerses, king, is rad befor Reum, Bethlem, and Sansai, scribe, and the counseileris of hem; and thei wenten hastif in to Jerusalem to the Jewis, and thei forfendeden [forfenden A.] them in

power and strengthe. [verse 24] Thanne is laft of the werc of the hous of God in Jeru|salem, and it was not maad vnto the secunde ȝer of the regne of Darii, king of Persis.