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

CAP. VIII.

[verse 10] King Artaxerse to Esdre, prest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, greeting. [verse 11] More benygne I demende also to bene|fetus, comandede to hem that desiren of the folc of Jewis ther owne thingus wil|fulli, and of the prestis, and Leuits, that ben in my reume, to felashipen with thee in to Jerusalem. [verse 12] Thane if any couetten to go with thee, come thei togidere, and go thei forth, as it pleseth to me, and to [verse 13] my seuene frendis counseileris; that thei visite thoo thingus, that ben don after Jude and Jerusalem, kepende the [in the C.] lawe, as thou hast in the lawe of the Lord; [verse 14] and bere thei ȝiftus to the Lord of Irael, the whiche I knewȝ, and the frendis of Jerusalem, and al the gold and siluer,

that were founden in the regioun of Ba|biloine, to the Lord in Jerusalem, with [verse 15] that that is ȝiuen of that folc in the temple of the Lord, of hem that is in Jerusalem; that be gedered this gold and siluer, and to bolis, and wetheris, and lambis, and kidis, and that to these ben [verse 16] couenable; that thei offre ostis to the Lord, vp on the auter of the Lord of hem, that is in Jerusalem. [verse 17] And alle thingus what euere thou wilt with [that A.] thi brethern don, with gold and siluer parforme, for the wil, after the heste of the Lord thi God. [verse 18] And the sacride holi vesselis, that ben ȝiue to thee, to the werkis of the hous of the Lord thi God, that is in Je|rusalem, [verse 19] and othere thingus, what euere to thee wiln helpen to the werkis of the temple of thi God, thou shalt ȝiue of the [verse 20] kingis tresorie, whan thou wilt with thi brethern maken, with gold and siluer; and parforme thou aftir the wil of thi Lord. [verse 21] And I, king Artaxerses, haue co|maundid to the keperis of the tresories of Cirie and of Fenice, that what euere thingus Esdras, prest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, write fore, besili be it ȝiue to hym, vnto an hundrid talentis of [verse 22] siluer, lic maner and of gold; and vnto an hundrid busshelis of whete, and an hundrid vesselis of win, and othere thingis, what euere abounden, with oute taxing. [verse 23] Alle thingus after the lawe of God be don to the heiȝeste God, lest par|auenture rise [arijse AEFH.] vp wrathe in the reume of the king, and of the sone, and of [Om. C.] the sones of hym. [verse 24] To ȝou forsothe is seid, that to alle the prestis, and Leuitus, and holi singeres, and seruauns of the temple, and [verse 25] scribis of this temple, no tribute, ne any other forfending be born to, ne haue any man power to aȝen casten any thing to hem. [verse 26] Thou forsothe, Esdras, aftir the wisdam of God ordeine domesmen and arbitrouris, in al Cirie and Fenice, and alle that the lawe of thi God knewen, [verse 27] teche; that hou fele euere ouerpasse the lawe, bisili be thei punshid, or bi deth,

or bi torment, or also bi multing of monee, or bi seuering awei. [verse 28] And Esdras, scribe, seide, Blessid be the Lord God of oure fadris, that ȝaf this wil in to the herte of the king, to clarifien his hous, [verse 29] that is in Jerusalem; and me hath wrshipid in the siȝte of the king, and counseileris, and his frendis, and of his purprid men. [verse 30] And I am maad stedefast in inwit, after the helping of the Lord oure God; and I gederede of Irael men, that thei shulden steȝen vp togidere with me. [verse 31] And these ben the prouostis, after ther kuntres, and porciounelis [porciounel C pr. m.] prince|hodis of hem, that with me steȝeden vp fro Babiloine, in the reume of Artaxersis. [verse 32] Of the sonus of Fares, Jersomus; of the sonus of Ciameruth, Amenus; of the sonus [verse 33] of Dauid, Accus, the sone of Cecelie; of the sonus of Fares, Zacharie, and with hym ben turned aȝeen an hundrid men [verse 34] and fifti; of the sonus of Ductor, Moabi|lonys, Zaraei, and with hym two hun|drid [verse 35] men and fifti; of the sonus of Sa|cues, Jechonie, Cetheeli, and with hym [verse 36] two hundrid men and fifti; of the sones of Solomosias, Gotholie, and with hym [verse 37] seuenti men; of the sones of Sofocie, Zarias, Micheli, and with hym foure [verse 38] score men; of the sonus of Jobab, Dias, Jeseli, and with hym two hundrid men [verse 39] and twelue; of the sonus of Banie, Sal|imoth, the sone of Josafie, and with hym [verse 40] an hundrid men and sixti; of the sonus of Beer, Zacharias, Bebei, and with hym [verse 41] two hundrid men and eiȝte; of the sones of Azachie, Channes, Acharie, and with [verse 42] hym an hundrid men and ten; of the sonus of Adonicam, hem last, and these ben the namus of hem, Elifalam, the sone of Jebel, and Semeias, and with hym se|uenti men. [verse 43] And I gederede hem to the flod, that is seid Thia and Methati; there wee weren thre daȝis, and I knewȝ hem. [verse 44] And of the sonus of prestis and of Leuitus I fond not there. [verse 45] And I sente to Eleasar, and to Accebam, and Masman, and Malolan, and Enathan, and Samea, and Joribum, Nathan, Ennagan, Zacharie,

and Mosollamym, hem leders and wise men. [verse 46] And I seide to hem, that thei shulden come to Luddyum, that was at the place of the tresorie. [verse 47] And I sente to them, that thei shulden sei to Luddium, and his brethern, and to hem that weren in the tresorie, that thei shulden sende to vs hem that shulden vse presthod in the hous of the Lord oure God. [verse 48] And thei broȝten to vs, after the stronge hond of the Lord oure God, wise men of the sonus of Mooli, sone of Leuy, sone of Irael, Sebebian, and sonus, and brethern, [verse 49] that weren eiȝtetene; Asbiam, and A|mum, of the sonus of Cananei; and the sonus of hem, twenti men. [verse 50] And of hem that in the temple serueden, the whiche Dauid ȝaf, and thei princis, to the werk|ing to the Leuitus, to the temple, of men seruende, two hundrid and twenti. The [And the C.] namys of alle ben signefied in scripturis. [verse 51] And I vouwede there fasting to ȝunge men, in the siȝte of the Lord, that I shulde sechen of hym good weie to vs, and that weren with vs, of sonus, and bestus, for aspies. [verse 52] Forsothe I shamede to asken of the king foot men and horse men, in felashipe of grace, of keping aȝen oure aduersaries. [verse 53] Forsothe we seiden to the king, For the vertue of the Lord shal be with hem, that inwardli sechen hym in alle efect. [verse 54] And eft we preȝeden the Lord oure God, after these thingis, whom and benigne we hadden; and hol wee ben maad to oure God. [verse 55] And I seuerede of the prouostis of the folc, and of the prestus of the puple, twelue men, and Sedebian, and Affamian, and with hem of ther brethern ten men. [verse 56] And I peisede to hem siluer and gold, and prestis vesselis, of the hous of the Lord oure God, the whiche the king hadde ȝiuen, and his counseileris, and princis, and al Irael. [verse 57] And whan I hadde peisid, I toc talentus of siluer an hundrid and fifti, and siluerene vesselis of an hundrid ta|lentis, and of gold talentus an hundrid, [verse 58] and of goldene vesselis seue score, and brasene vesselis of good metal shinende,

twelue, ȝeldende the licnesse of gold. [verse 59] And I seide to hem, And ȝee ben holi to the Lord, and the vesselis ben holi, and the gold and the seluer is of the auou to the Lord God of oure fadris. [verse 60] Waketh, and kepeth, to the time that ȝee take of the prouostis of the puple, and of the prestis, and of the Leuitis, and princis of the cites of Irael, in Jerusalem, in the priue chaumbre of the hous of oure God. [verse 61] And these prestis and Leuitus, that token gold and siluer, and vesselis, that weren in Jerusalem, broȝten in to the temple of the Lord. [verse 62] And we moueden forth fro the flod of Thia, the twelfthe dai of the firste moneth, for to we ȝiden in to Jeru|salem. [verse 63] And whan the thridde dai was don, the ferthe forsothe dai the peisid gold and siluer is taken in the hous of the Lord oure God, to Marymoth, the [verse 64] sone of Jori, prest; and with hym was Eleasar, the sone of Finees; and ther weren with hem Josabdus, the sone of Jesu, and Medias, and Banny, the sone of a Leuite; at noumbre and weiȝte alle thingus. [verse 65] And the peis of hem is writen in the same hour. [verse 66] Thoo forsothe, that camen fro the caitifte, offriden sacrifise of the Lord of Irael, bolis, twelue for al Irael; wetheres, foure score and sixe; [verse 67] lambis, two and seuenti; get for synne twelue, and for helthe twelue kijn; alle in to the sacrifise of the Lord. [verse 68] And thei eft radden the hestis of the king to the kingis dispensatouris, and to the litle vnder kingus of Choele, and Cirie, and Fenice; and thei wrshipeden the folc and the temple of the Lord. [verse 69] And these thingis ful endid, thei camen to me, seiende, The kinrede of Irael, and the [verse 70] princis, and prestys, and Leuitis, and aliene folkis, and naciouns of the lond, han not seuered ther vnclennesses fro Cananeis, and Etheis, and Fereseis, and Jebuseis, and Moabitis, and Egipcienes, [verse 71] and Idumeis; forsothe thei ben ioyned to

the doȝtris of hem, and thei and ther sonis; and the holi sed is [and A.] mengd to|gidere to the hethene folc of the lond; and parceneres weren the prouostus and maistir iugis of this wickednesse, fro the begynnyng of that reume. [verse 72] And anon as I herde these thingis, I cutte the clothis, and the sacrid cote, and to-terende the heris of the hed, and the berd, I sat so|rewende, and dreri. [verse 73] And ther camen to me as fele as euere weren thanne moued in the woord of the Lord God of Irael, me weilende vp on this [the H.] wicke|nesse [wickidnes AH.] ; and I sat soreweful vnto the euentid sacrifise. [verse 74] And risende fro fast|ing, hauende the clothis cut, miche knelende, and strecchende out the hondis [verse 75] to the Lord, I seide, Lord, I am con|foundid, and I am adrad befor thi face. [verse 76] Forsothe oure synnes ben multiplied vp on oure hedis, and oure wickednessis ben [verse 77] enhauncid vnto heuene; for fro the time of oure fadris we ben in gret synne vn to this day. [verse 78] And for oure synnes, and of oure fadris we ben taken, with oure brethern, and with oure prestus, and kingus of the lond, in to swerd, and cai|tifte, and in to prei, with confusion, vn to the dai that is now. [verse 79] And now hou myche is, that falleth to vs the merci of thee, Lord God; lef to vs a roote and a [verse 80] name, in to the place of thin halewing, to vnkoueren oure ȝiuere of liȝt in the hous of the Lord oure God, to ȝiue to vs mete in the time of oure seruage. [verse 81] And whan wee seruen, wee ben not forsaken of the Lord oure God; but he sette vs in grace, puttende to vs kingus of Persis to ȝiue mete, [verse 82] and to clarifien the temple of the Lord oure God, and to edefie the desertis of Sion, and to ȝiue to vs stablenesse in Jude and Jerusalem. [verse 83] And now what sei wee, Lord, hauende these thingus? We han ouyr passid thin hestis, `the whiche [that C pr. m.] thou ȝeue in to the hondis of thi childer, pro|fetus, [verse 84] seiende, For the lond, in the

whiche ȝee wenten in, to welden his eri|tage, is a defoulid lond with filthes of the [Om. A.] hethene men of the lond, and the vnclennessis of hem han fulfild it al in his vnclennesse. [verse 85] And now ȝoure doȝtris ȝee shul not ioyne to ther sonus, and ther doȝtris ȝee shul not take to ȝoure sonus; [verse 86] and ȝee shul not seche to han pes with hem alle time, that comende aboue ȝee ete the beste thingus of the lond, and the eritage ȝee delen to ȝoure sonus, in to the during aboue time. [verse 87] And thoo thingus that fallen to vs, alle ben do for oure shrewde werkis, and oure grete synnes. [verse 88] And thou hast ȝiue to vs such a roote, and eft wee ben turned aȝeen to ouer passe thi laweful thingis, that the vn|clennessis [vnclennes A.] of the hethene folc of this lond weren mengd. [verse 89] Whether thou shalt not wrathen to vs, to leesen vs, for to the roote be forsaken, and oure sed? [verse 90] Lord God of Irael, thou art sothfast; forsothe the roote is forsaken, vnto the dai that is now. [verse 91] Lo! now we ben in thi siȝte in oure wickenessis [wickidnessis A et H passim.] ; forsothe it is not ȝit to stonde befor thee in these thingus. [verse 92] And whan honourende Esdras knou|lechede, wepende, falle [fallid AEFH.] doun to the erthe befor the temple, ben gedered beforn hym of Jerusalem a ful gret cumpanye, men, and wemmen, and ȝunge men, and ȝunge wymmen; forsothe the weping was gret in that multitude. [verse 93] And whan Jechonias, the sone of Jeeli, of the sonus of Irael, hadde cried, Esdras seide, Wee han synned aȝen the Lord, that wee han sett with vs in to matrimoyne hethene wymmen, of the Jentilis of the lond. [verse 94] And now who so euere is ouer al Irael in these thingus, be ther to vs an oth of the Lord, to putten awei alle oure wiues, that of the hethene ben, with ther sonus; [verse 95] as to thee is demed of the more, aftir the lawe of the Lord. Risende [Arijsynge AEFH.] vp, sheu [verse 96] out; to thee forsothe abideth this nede, and wee ben with thee; do manli. [verse 97] And risende [Arijsynge AEFH.] vp Esdras, he made the princis

off prestis, and the Leuitus, and al Irael, to swere to don aftir these alle these thingis; and thei sworen.