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

CAP. XVIII.

[verse 1] To thi seyntes forsothe was most liȝt, and the vois forsothe of these the enemys herden, but the figure thei seȝen not; and [Om. A.] for not and thei bi the same thingus hadden suffrid, thei magnefieden thee. [verse 2] And for biforn hurt thei weren, for thei weren not hurt, graces thei diden to thee; and that ther were difference, thee, God, thei askeden. [verse 3] For the whiche thei hadden to the vnknowe lif ledere, a brennende piler of fyr; and thou ȝeue the sunne, withoute hurting of good her|berewe. [verse 4] Wrthi forsothe thei [thei ben A.] to [Om. E sec. m.] lacken liȝt, and to [Om. E sec. m.] suffrin prisoun of dercnesses, that enclosid kepten thin holi sones; bi whom the vncorupt liȝt of lawe bigan to ben ȝouen to the world. [verse 5] Whan thei

thoȝten to slen the fauntis of riȝtwis men; and oon sone leid out, and deli|uered, and in to the ouerleding of them, thou tooke awei the multitude of sones, and togidere them thou spildist in strong water. [verse 6] That forsothe nyȝt is knowen biforn of [Om. A.] oure fadris, that verreli wit|ende bi what othis thei leeueden, thei shulden ben mor stedefast. [verse 7] Forsothe ther is taken of thi puple helthe, for|sothe of riȝtwis men; of vnriȝtwis men forsothe destroȝing. [verse 8] Forsothe as thou hurtedest oure aduersaries, so and vs sterende, thou magnefiedist. [verse 9] Hidendely forsothe the riȝtwis childer of goode men sacrifieden, and the lawe of ryȝtwisnesse thei disposeden to [into AGH.] acord; lic maner riȝt|wis men goodes and eueles to resceyuen, noble preisingus to the fader of [Om. A.] alle singende. [verse 10] Forsothe the vncouenable vois of enemyes sounede, and wepful weiling of bewepte ȝunge childer was herd. [verse 11] Lic peyne forsothe the seruaunt with the lord is tormentid; and a man of the puple to the king lic thyngis suffrede. [verse 12] Thanne lic maner alle with o name of deth hadden vnnoumbrable deade men, ne the quyke forsothe suffiseden to birien; for o moment the nacioun of hem, that was mor cler, is distroȝed. [verse 13] Of alle for|sothe they not leeuende for the bene|fetes, thanne whan first was the deth of the first goten, thei bihiȝten hemself the puple of God to ben. [verse 14] Whan forsothe quyete silence contenede alle thingus, and the nyȝt in his cours hadde the mene [verse 15] weie, thin almyȝti wrd, Lord, goende out fro heuene, fro the kingus setes cam; [verse 16] an hard ouercomere it is, in to the myd|del lond of deth; leep forth a sharp swerd berende in to thi licned empire; and stondende fulfilde alle thingus with deth,

and vnto heuene ateynede, stondende in the erthe. [verse 17] Thanne anoon the siȝte of euele sweuenes disturbide them, and dredes oncamen vnhopid. [verse 18] And an other elleswher cast forth half on lyue, for what [the what E pr. m.] cause of deth he diede, he shewede. [verse 19] Forsothe the viseouns that disturbeden hem, these thingus biforn warneden, that thei shulden not pershen vnkunnynge, whi thei suffreden eueles. [verse 20] Thanne for|sothe touchede and riȝtwismen the tempt|acioun of deth, and ther is mad of the multitude a stiring in wildernesse; but not longe abod stille thi wrathe. [verse 21] A man forsothe goende withoute blame to preȝen for puples, bringende forth of hys seruyse the sheeld an [of an C pr. m. H.] orisoun, and bi encens preȝing aleggyng, withstod to the wrathe, and ende putte to the nede, shewende for thi seruaunt he is. [verse 22] Forsothe he ouer|cam cumpanys, not in vertue of body, ne in [Om. C.] armure of power; but in wrd hym that ouertrauailede hym, he vndircaste [ouercaste C.] , remembrende the othis of fadris, and tes|tament. [verse 23] Whan forsothe now hipyllmelum thei hadden fallen dead, either vp on other, he stod betwen, and kutte awei the bure, and deuydede that [it that E pr. m.] weie, that to the men on lyue ladde. [verse 24] Forsothe in the clothing of the preest coepe, that he hadde, was al the roundnesse of erthis; and the grete thingus of fadris weren grauen in foure ordres of stones; and thi grete doyng in the [Om. G.] dyademe of hys hed was writen. [verse 25] To these [this E pr. m.] forsothe `he ȝaf stede [wente awei E pr. m.] , that distroȝede [distroȝeden C.] , and these thingus he ful out dredde; forsothe ther was alone suffycyent temptyng of wrathe.