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

[Heere bigynnith the epystle of saynt Jerom preest of alle the bokes of Goddis storye [From BDEF. Prologus. A. No title in H. In I as in B, adding at the end, that is clepide a prolog.] .] CAP. I.

BROTHER Ambrose, to me thi litel ȝiftis per|fitli berynge, hath brouȝt with and riȝt [most I.] swete lettres, the whiche han shewid sothfastnes of now [newe D. the newe I.] proued feith, fro the bigynnyng of fren|shipes [frenschipe I.] , and newe thingis of [forsothe of A.] olde frenship [frendschepes D.] . Verrei forsothe that frenship is, and thurȝ the glew of Crist cowplid, the which not profit of famylier thing, not presens oonli of bodies, not grasping and trecherous flateryng, but the drede of God and the studies of Goddis scripturys ioynen. We han redde in olde stories, sum men to han vyrounde [enuyrounde BDEFHI.] prouynces, to han gon to new puplis, to han passid the see, that hem whom thei han knowun of bokis, myȝten seen verreli present. So Pictagorax to the filosofers of Memphus [Mem|phies BDEFH. Memphios I.] , so Plato to Egipte, and to Archite Tarentyne [and Tarentyne A.] , and thilk [the I.] brynk of Itali, the which sum tyme was seid Grete Grece, ful traueilousli ȝede; that he that in Athenys was a maister and myȝti, and [Om. A.] whos doctrine the stodies of Achademy perfitli sowneden, wolde be maad a pilgrym and a disciple, more wilnyng [willynge DEH.] other mennus thingis shamfastli to lernen, than his owne vnshamfastli `to prece [beryn D.] forth. Aftirward whil he pursueth fleynge lettres as in al the world, takun of see theues and sold, also to a ful cruel tiraunt pered, led cheytif, boundun, and thral. Neuerthelater for he was a filosofre, he was more than his bier. To Tite Lyuy, wellynge with the [Om. I.] mylk welle of faire speche, we han red, summe noble men to han comen

fro the vtmost [vttermoste BDEFHI.] costis of Spayne and of Fraunse; and whom Rome drow not to his siȝt, `o mannus [a man [thilk BDEFH. the I.] I.] fame fulli ledde. That age hadde a myracle vnherd, and to alle worldis to ben ofte wor|shipid, that thei, gon in so greet a cite, other thing [thingis D.] wold sechen with oute the cite. Apolony, or that [thilk BDEFH. the I.] deuynour, `or [outher BEFH. other D.] as the comunte [comoun F.] spekith, a filosofer [Om. I.] , as Pictagorax disciplis tellen, ȝede into Perses, passid Kaukasoun, Albanus, Scitus, and [Om. BDEFHI.] Massegetos, ȝede thurȝ the most plenteuows kyngdomes of Inde; and at the end, the brodest flode of [Om. I.] Phison passid, come to Bragmanon [Bragmans BDEFHI.] , that Hiearch sittynge in the golden trone, and drynkynge of the welle of Tantali, among [amonges D.] fewe disciplis techynge of kynde, of maners, of course of daies and of sterres [sternes BEF.] , he myȝt heren; fro thens bi Elamytas, Babiloyns, Caldeos, Medos, Assyrios, Parthos, Syros, Phenices, Arabes, Pa|lestyns, turned aȝen to Alisawndre, ȝede to Ethiop, that he myȝt se the maistres of the studies, and the most famows borde of `the sonne in grauel [hem that sonen in trauele I.] . That [Thilk BDEFH.] man fonde ouer al that he miȝte lerne, and that euermore profitynge, euer|more he myȝt be maad better than hym silf. Vpon this `Philostratus wrote most fullich in eiȝt volumes [Om. I.] .

CAP. II.

What shal I speke of men of the world? sith the apostle Poul, the vessel of eleccoun and the maister of Gentilis, the which of conscience of so greet a gest in hym silf spak seiynge, "whe|ther sechen ȝe experyment of hym that spekith in me Crist," after Damask and Arabe enuy|round, ȝede vp to Jerusalem, that he myȝt se Peter, and dwelte [he dwelte I.] with hym fiftene daies; bi this forsothe mysterie of seuene and eiȝt the prechour of Gentilis to comyng was to be en|formyd; and eftsones aftir fourtene ȝeer, takun to hym Barnaba and Tyto, expownede [expounynge D.] with the apostlis the euangeli, lest perauenture in veyn

he shulde renne, or hadde ronnen. The dede of the quyk vois hath [haue A. Om. I.] I not what of hidde in|ward worchyng, and into the eris of the disciple fro the mouth of the autour the vois ouerȝotun strengerli [strongli I.] sowneth. Wherfor and Eschyneus, whan he was exylid into Rodi, and was redde thilk [that I.] orisoun of Demostens, that aȝens hym he hadde, wondrynge alle men and preisynge, si|ȝynge seith [he seith E.] , "what if thilk [that I.] beest ȝe hadden herd tellinge his owne wordis!"

CAP. III.

Ne [No D.] this Y seye, that there be eny thing in me siche, that other thou myȝtist of me here, or woldist lerne; but whether [where BDEFH.] with thi feruour and studie of lernyng, also with outen vs, shulde be proued bi hem silf; a wit able to be tauȝt and with outen techer is preisable. Not what thou fyndist [fynde BDFH. fyndis E sec.m.] , but what thou sechist [seche BDFH.] , we taken heed. Neshe wax and liȝt to formen, ȝhe, if the hondis of the crafti man and of the fourmer cesen, neuertheles with ynne thoruȝ vertu is al what `euere may [euery man F.] be. Poul the apostle at the feet of Gamaliel glorieth hym silf to haue lernyd the lawe of Moyses and the prophetis, that he, armed with spirytual daartis, aftyrward myȝte seie tristily, "forsothe the armes of our kniȝhode ben not fleishli, but myȝti thoruȝ God to the distruccoun of holdis, that we be destruyinge thouȝtis, and al heiȝnes [heyȝenesses D.] reisynge it silf aȝens the kunnyng of God, and chatyuynge al vndir|stondyng for to obeishe to Crist, and redi to vndirȝoken al inobeishaunce." To Tymothe tauȝt in holi lettres fro childhode he wryteth, and enorteth [amonestith D. stireth I.] the [to EFHI.] studie of lessoun, lest he leue of the [Om. I.] grace, the which is ȝouun to hym bi imposicoun of the prestis hond [hondis D.] . To Tite he comaundide, among [that among E.] other vertues of a bishop, whom in short sermoun he depeyntid, that kun|nyng also he leue not of scripturis, "holdynge," he seith, "that [thilk BDEFH.] sermoun, the which is aftir doc|trine trewe sermoun, that he be myȝti to myche styre [sterynge D.] in holsum doctryne, and the withseieris [withsiggers DEFH.] to withstonde."

CAP. IV.

Holi forsothe cherlhed to hym silf alone [Om. I.] pro|fiteth; and [in I.] as myche as he edifieth of desert of lijf the chirche of Crist, so myche he noieth if to the destruyers [distruyer A.] he withstonde not. Malachie the prophete, ȝhe, bi Malachye the Lord, askith prestis the lawe; in so myche the offis of the [Om. BI.] preste is [Om. D.] , askid, to answeren `of the lawe [Om. I.] . And in Deutronomy we reden, "aske thi fadre, and he shal telle thee; thi prestis, and thei shal seie to thee." In the psalm forsothe the [an I.] hundryd and eiȝtetene, "thi iustifiyngis were to me chauntable in the place of my pilgrimage." And in the discripcioun of the riȝtwisman, whan David comparysownede hym to a tree of lijf that is in paradise, among other vertues this he brouȝt forth, "in the lawe of the Lord the wil of hym, and in his lawe he shal thenk dai and nyȝt." Daniel in the ende of the most holi visioun seith riȝtwise men to shyne as sterrys, and vndirstonders [vnderstondynge DI.] , that is, tauȝt men, as the fermament. Thou seest how myche thei ben atwyn, riȝtwise chirlehede and tauȝt ryȝtwisnesse. Other men to sterres, other men to heuene ben comparisoned; al be it that, aftir the trewthe of Ebrew tung, either may be vndurstondun of lerned men. Thus we reden anentis hem, "thilk [tho I.] forsothe that weren tauȝt shulen shyne as the shynyng of the firmament, and thoo [thilk BDEFH.] that techen many men to rightwisnes as sterres into perpetuel [the perpetuel D.] eternytees." Whi is Poul seid the vessel of eleccoun? forsothe for the vessel of the lawe, and of holi scripture [scripturez EFHI.] he was the al|mery. The Faryseus ben stonyed in the doc|tryne of the Lord, and wondren [wondreden A.] in Petre and Joon, how thei kunnen the lawe, sith lettres thei lerneden not [none I.] . What euer forsothe to [of I.] other men excersice and ech dai thenkynge in the lawe was wont to ȝyuen, that to hem the Holi Gost tolde, and after that it is [were A.] writin, "thei weren Goddis tauȝt men," that is, able men to liȝtli be tauȝt of God. Twelue ȝeer the Saueour hadde [hath I.] fulfillid, and in the temple sittynge, ask|ynge of [Om. I.] questiouns of the lawe more techeth,

whil he prudentli [prudenter D.] demaundeth [cherl Petre demaundeth A. askith DI.] . But perauen|ture we seyn chirl Petre, and cherl Joon, of whom either myȝt seyn, "and if I be vnwise in word, neuerthelater not in kunnyng." Chirl [If churl I.] Jon fissher is vntauȝt; and whens that vois, Y prey, "In the first was the word, and the word was anentys God, and God was the word?" Logos in Grece many thingis signifieth, for whi and word it is, and resoun, and noumbre, and chesoun of eech thing, bi the which alle thingis ben that ben; the whiche echoon [enchesoun F.] we vndur|stonden riȝtli in Crist.

CAP. V.

Thes thingis tauȝte Plato knewe not; thes thingis Demosteynes the fayre speker wiste not; "I shal lese," he seith, "the wisdom of wise [the wise I.] men, and the prudence of prudent men Y shal reprouen." Verreye [wery A.] wisdom shal spil [leose I.] the fals wisdom, and al be it that the foli of prech|yng be in the cros, neuerthelater Poul spekith wisdom among perfit men; wisdom forsothe not of this world, the which is destruyed, ne of princes of this world; but he spekith wisdom of God in mysterie hid, that God bifore ordeynede bifore worldis. The wisdom of God Crist is; "Crist forsothe is the vertu of God and the wis|dom of God." This wisdom is in mysterie hid, and of the [Om. I.] which the title of the nynthe salm is bifore notid, "for the hid thingis of the sone," in the whiche ben alle the [Om. I.] tresoures [hid tresoures AD.] of wisdom and of the [Om. I.] kunnyng of God hid; and `he that was in mysterie hid, is [the wiche in misterie is hid was I.] bifore ordeyned bifore the worldis; `bifore ordeyned forsothe [Om. I.] and bifore figuryd in lawe [the lawe I.] and prophetis [in prophetis D.] . Wherfore and prophetis [the prophetis I.] weren clepid [calde I.] seers, for thei seien hym, whom other men seien not. "Abraham sawȝ the day of hym, and he was glad." Heuenes weren openyd to Ezechiel, the which weren closid to the synful puple. "Opene," seith Dauid, "myn eiȝen, and I shal biholde the merueilis of thi lawe." The lawe forsothe is spiritual [perpetuel FI.] , and nede it is openynge, that it be vndirstondun, and with opyn face we

biholden the glorie of God. The book in the [Om. I.] Apocalipis is shewid seelid with seuene seelis, which if thou ȝyue to a man kunnynge letteres that he rede, he shal answere thee, I may not, it is forsothe seelid. How feel [manye I.] to [forsoth to D.] dai wenen hem to han knowun letteres, holden the seelid book, and mown not openen, but if he vnlowke [vnlous E.] , that hath the keye of Dauyd, "the which open|eth and no man closith, closith and no man openeth." In the Dedis of the Apostlis the holi geldyng, ȝhe [Om. I.] , the holi man, so [Om. A.] forsoth hym nem|neth [nameth I.] holi writ, whan he shulde rede Isaye the prophete, is askid of Philip, "wenest thou, whe|ther [wher I.] thou vndirstondist thingis that thou re|dest?" and he answeride, "how may I, but ony man had tauȝte me." I that among speke of [to I.] my silf, am not holier than this geldyng, ne more studious, the which from Ethiope, that is, fro the vttermost coostis of the world, come to the tem|ple, forsoke the kyngis halle, and was so greet a louer of Goddis kunnyng and lawe, that in a chare wold reden holy lettres; and ȝit whan he shulde hold the boke, and the wordis of the Lord shulde conseyue in his thenkyng, with tunge shulde turne, with lippis shulde speke, vnknewe hym whom in the book unwitynge he [Om. ABDEFH.] worshipide. Philip com and shewide hym Jhesu, the which closed satte pryue in the lettere. O meruelous vertu of the doctour! the same our bileuede the geldyng, is baptisid, feithful and holi, and a maister is maad of a disciple; more fonde in the desert welle of the chirche, than in [Om. I.] the goldun temple of the synagoge. Thes thingis of me shortli ben fulli writun.

CAP. VI.

Forsothe the epistles streytnes [streȝnes A.] suffryd not lenger this to ben outstrayed, that thow myȝtest vnderstonde thee not mown entre in holi scrip|tures with outen a forgoer and shewynge the stye [paith D.] . I holde my pees of gramariens and re|torikis, filoferis, geometrers, logissians, musis|sians, astronomers, astrologerys, fisissians, whos sciens is ynewȝ, or ful [fully D.] profitable, to deedli men, and in thre partis it is diuidid, in doctrine, re|soun,

and vse. I shal com to the lesse craftys, and which not oonly with tung, but with [Om. F.] honde [hondis D. honden F.] ben mynystrid; erthe tilyers, masouns, smythes of metallis, and hewers of trees, also wulle grai|thers and fullers, and other that forgen dyuerse purtynauncis to [of I.] howsis, and fowle litle werkis, mowe not be, with outen a techer, that that [Om. D.] thei coueyten. Lechis bihoten [biholden I.] that that is of lechis, forgers treten forgeable thingis; the craft oneli of scripturys is the which alle chalengen to hem pasemel [parselmel I.] . "We writen pasemel [parselmel I.] poyet sawes, of tauȝt and of untauȝt." This craft of scripturys the olde chaterynge damme, this the dotid olde man, this the sofistre ful of wordis, this alle pre|sumen, to-teren [treten F.] , techen or thei lernen. Other, with the brow born down, weiynge greet [gretere I.] wordis, among ȝong wymmen philosofien of holi lettres. Other lernen of wymmen that is shame that that [Om. BDI.] thei techen men; and whether this be litle, with a maner liȝtnes of wordis, ȝee and hardynes, shewen out to other, that thei vndurstonden not. I holde my pees of lijk to me, the which thouȝ [ȝif D. thof E. therof H. Om. I.] perauenture comen after seculer lettris to holi scripturis, and with a feir sermoun deliten the eeris of the puple, what euere thei seiyn [siggen DEF. seyen HI.] , thei wenen it be the lawe of God, ne thei dedeynen to know what the prophetis, what the [Om. B.] apostlis feleden [folweden F.] ; but to her owne cense shapen [schapende D.] vncouen|able witnesse [witnessis BEFHI.] , as thouȝ it were greet, and not vicyous maner of seiyng, to depraue sentensis, and to drawe at ther wil holi writ repugnynge. As thouȝ we had not red the bokys drawun out of Omere, and of Virgile, and not so also and Maronem we mowe seyn cristen with outen Crist, for he wroot, "Now turneth aȝen and the mayden, turnun aȝen Saturnus rewmes, nowe the newe kynrede is sent down fro the heiȝe heuene," and the fadre spekinge to the sone, "sone, my strengthes, my greet power aloon;" and after, the wordis of the Sauyour in the cros, "siche thingis he ȝaue hauynge mynde, and ficchid [woundid D.] he dwelt." Childishe ben thes thingis, and like to the [Om. I.] pley of childeren pleiynge in the sercle, to teche that thou knowist not; ȝhe, and

that I speke with indignacoun, foli is that not forsothe to knowe that thou knowist not.

CAP. VII.

It is leueful to se, that `the storie of [Om. EFI.] Genesis `be ful knowin [is ful opyn BDEFHI.] , in the which of the creature [creatour HI.] of the world, of [and I.] the [Om. I.] bigynnyng of mankynde, of the deuysioun of the erthe, of the confusioun of tungis and of folkis, and of descendyng of the folk of Ebrew vnto Egipt, and vnto the goyng out is writun. Exodus is open with the ten plagis, with the [Om. D.] ten hestis, with mystik [the mistik I.] , and with Goddis preceptis. Prest is the book of Leuy, in the which alle sacrifyces, ȝhe, and al|most alle silablis, and the clothis of Aron, and the hole ordre of Leuy, enspiren heuenli sacra|mentis. Numeri forsothe, whether thei con|teynen not the `mysteries of al the [Om. I.] hole craft of noumbrarie, and of prophecie [the prophecie BDEFHI.] of Balaam, and of the two and fourti mansiouns thurȝ wilder|nes? Deutronomy forsothe the secounde lawe, and the prefiguracoun of the lawe of the euan|gelie, hath he not so thilk [tho I.] thingis, that ben ra|ther [bifore I.] , that neuertheles [neuere the lattere I.] alle thingis ben newe of the olde? Hider to Moyses, `hider to [Om. B.] Penta|teuchon, that is, the fyue bokis, with the which fyue wordis the apostle glorieth hym silf wilne [willeth D. to wilne I.] to speke in the chirche. Job, the sawmpler [ensampler F.] of pacience, the which whethir not mysteries with his word knytteth? In proos he bigynneth, in verse he goth forthe, in word a fote, that is, in meke word, he is endid; and he determyneth alle the lawes of dialatik, in proposicoun, assump|coun [in assumpcion I.] , confirmacioun, conclusioun. Ech wordis in it ben ful of wittis; and, that I holde my pees of other, the resurreccoun of bodies so pro|fecieth [prophecie I.] , that no man of that, othere more open, or more slyly, myȝt wryte. "I wote," he seith, "that [Om. I.] my forbier [forbigger BDEFH. biere I.] lyueth, and in the last dai Y

am to aryse [rise I.] fro the erthe; and eftsones I shal be enuyround with my fel [skyn I.] , and in my flehs [self I.] Y shal se God, my Saueour, whom Y my silf am to se, and myn eiȝen ben to biholden, and noon othere. This is myn hope put vp into [in BDEFHI.] my bosum." Y shal com to Jhesu of Naue, the which berith the figure of the Lord, not oonli in gestis [gestis or in werkis I.] , but also in name. He passith Jordan, the rewmes of enemyes turneth vpsedoun, he de|uydeth the erthe to the puple ouercomer, and [that I.] bi alle cytees, villagis, hillis, and [Om. BDEFHI.] flodis, rennynge watres, and the nyȝ coostis he discriuede of the chirche, and of the [Om. I.] heuenli Jerusalem the spi|ritual rewmes. In the book of Juges [Domes I.] how feel princes of the puple, so feel figurys there ben. Ruth Moabites fulfillith the prophecie of Ysaie seiynge, "Lord, sende out the lomb, the lord|shiper of erthe, fro the stoon of desert to the mownt of the dowȝter of Syon." Samuel shewith the old lawe don awey in Heli deed, and in the slaȝter of Saul. Forsothe in Sadok and Dauid ben witnessid the sacramentis of the new presthod, and of new [the newe BDEFHI.] empyre. Malachym, that is, the thrid and the ferthe book of Kynges, discryueth the rewme of Juda, and the rewme of Israel, fro Salomon to Jecony, and fro Jeroboam, sone of Nabath, vnto Osee, the which was led into Asyries. If thow biholdist the storye, the wordis ben symple; if in the lettres thow bi|holdist the preuey witt, the fewnesse of the chirche, and the batails [bataile BDFH.] of eretikis aȝens the chirche, ben told. The twelue prophetis, togidre artid [ben artide I.] into the narewnes [narownessis BEH.] of o [one BDEFH.] volym, myche othere than sowneth in the lettre bifore figuren. Osee often nemneth Effraym, Samary, Joseph, Jez|rael, and the fornycary wijf, and the sonis of for|nycacoun, and the auowtres closid in the bed of the husbond to setten myche tyme wydow, and vndir the [Om. I.] mornyng cloth of the husbond to abide the comyng aȝen to hir. Joel, the sone of Pha|tuel, discryueth the lond of the twelue lynagis wastid thurȝ the wort worm, bruk, locuste, thurȝ [and thorou BDEFHI.] rust wastynge; and after the outturnyng of the rather [formere I.] puple, the Holi Gost shed out vpon the seruauntis of God and hond maydenes, that is,

vpon an hundrid and twenty names of bileuers, and the sunne shynynge like a reynbow held [ȝott I.] oute in the comune etyng place of Syon, the whiche hundrid and twenti, fro oon vnto fyftene, arawe [an arowe I.] and bi encrees arysynge, maken oute the noumbre of the fyftene grees, the whiche in the Sawter ben mystili conteyned. Amos, shepherd [a shepherd E.] and cherl, and wel knowynge the beries of busshis, may not be openyd in fewe wordes. Who for|sothe worthili [worthierly D.] may shew out the thre and foure wickidnessis of Damask, of Gaze, of [and of I.] Tyry, of Ydume, of the sones of Amon, and of Moab, and, in [Om. H.] the seuenth [seuenty A. seuente BE. seuene D. sentence F.] and eiȝte degre, of Juda and of Israel? This spekith [spekis D.] to the fatt kien, that ben in the mownt of Samarie, and witnessith the more hows and the lesse to fallen. He seeth the maker of the locust, and the Lord stondynge vpon the dawbed wal and the adamauntyn, and the appel croke drawynge tourmentis to synful men, and hunger in the erthe, not hunger of bred, ne thrist of water, but of heryng of [Om. A sec. m. BDEFH.] the word of God. Abdias, that is as myche to seie as the seruaunt of the Lord, ful thundreth aȝens Edom, and the blodi and erthli [the ertheli I.] brother; also the euermore enemye of the brother Jacob, he smytith with a goostli dart. Jonas, the moost fayre culuer, in his shipbreche bifore figurynge the passioun of the Lord, clepith [calleth I.] aȝen the world to penaunce, and, vndir name of Nynyue, tellith helthe to Gentils. Micheas of [and A.] Moraschym, the witheire of Crist, tellith the wastyng of a [the BDEFHI.] dowȝ|ter of a priue thef, and he settith bisegyng aȝens hire, for she smote the cheke bone of the iuge of Israel. Naum, coumfortour of the world, blameth the citee of blodis, and after his turnyng awey spekith, "Loo, vpon the hillis the fete of the euangelisynge and tellynge pees." Abacuc, a strong wristeler and a [Om. BDFH.] sharp, stondith vpon his waard, and ficcheth a weie of grees vpon the strengthe, that Crijst in cros [the crosse BEFI.] he biholde [behelde DI.] , and seie [sayth D.] , "The glorie of hym coueride [curith D.] heuenes [heuene E.] , and [Om. H.] of hys preisyng ful is the erthe; his shynyng shal be as liȝt, and hornes in his hondis, there his strengthe is hid." Sophonyas, the wayter and the knower of the priuetees [preuete D.] of

the Lord, herith a cry fro the ȝaat of fisshes, and ȝellynge fro the secound, and contricoun fro litle hillis; he tellith also the crie of weilynge to the dwellers of Pile; for al the puple of Cha|naan helde his pees togidre, and echon ben dis|parpulid, that weren inlappid with siluer. Ag|geus, solempne and glad, the whiche sewe [seweth D.] in teres that he repe in ioy, edifieth [edifie O.] the temple dis|truyed, and ledith in God the fadre spekinge, "Ȝit and [Om. I.] a [O E.] litle while and Y shal moue to gider heuene and erthe, the see and the drye, and I shal moue al folk, and the desyred shal com to al folk." Zachary, mynde [meued I.] of his Lord, manyfold in profesie, Jhesus clothid with fowle clothes, and the stoon of seuene eiȝen, and the goldun candilstik with as feel [many I.] lanternes as eiȝen, and two olyues fro the left syde of the lawmpe he biholdith, and fro the riȝt side; that after the reed horsis specked [spleckid E.] whith [and whiȝte I.] , and scatered plowes [chartes D.] of fowre horsis [hors BDEFHI.] of Effraym, and the hors of Jeru|salem, he prophecie [prophecyeth D.] the pore kyng, and preche [prechith D.] the kyng sittynge vpon the colt, sone of the she asse vsed to ȝok. Malachi, apertlich and in [into I.] the ende of alle prophetis, of the castyng out of Is|rael and the clepyng [wepyng H. callyng I.] of Gentilis seith, "Wil is not to me in ȝow, seith the Lord of oostis, and ȝift shal I not take of ȝoure honde [hondis D.] ; fro [forsothe fro BEFHI.] the sunne arysyng [risyng I.] vnto the goyng down greet is my name in Gentilis, and a clene offryng is sacrified, and offrid to my name in alle places [place BDEFHI.] ." Ysaie, Jeremye, Ezechiel, and Danyel, who may other vndirstond or expown? Of whom the first is not seyn to me to [Om. D.] weuen prophecie, but euangelie. The secounde knyttith the note ȝerde, and the pot a [of a fire F.] fier fro the face of the north, and the leparde spuylide his colours, and the foure fold abice in dyuerse metres. The thrid hath bigynnyngis and ende with so feel derknessis enuolued, that, as anentis the Ebrewis, thilk [tho I.] partis with the bigynnyng of Genesis shulde not be rad bifore thretti wynter. The ferthe forsothe, the which and the laste among the foure pro|phetis, knower of tymes, a [Om. D.] louer of stories of al the world, feer bifore tellith the stoon before kit of the hil with outen hondis, and al rewmes

subuertynge, with a clere sermoun. Dauid, oure Symphonydes, Pyndarie, and Alcheus [Acheus A.] , Flaccus, and Catullus, and Serenus, precheth Crist with the harp, and in the ten `cordid sawtri [cordis of the psautrie H.] arereth [reiseth I.] vp the ariser [riser I.] fro [of B.] helle [the helle D sec. m. hellis I.] . Salomon, the pesible and the ful loued of the Lord, mendith maneres, techith kynde, ioyneth Crist and the chirche, and the swete bryde song singith of the holi brydalis. Hester, in [is a I.] figure of the chirche, delyuerith the puple fro peril, and, Aman, that [Om. I.] is as myche to sey as wyckidnes, slawn, she sendith partis of the feest, and a solempne day into the after geten. Perlipomynon, that is, the book of the olde in|strument, recapitulatour, word bregger [brynger A.] , is suche and so myche, that who so euere with outen it wole [wyll E.] prowdli take to hym kunnynge of scrip|tures, scorne he hym silf; forsothe be alle names `o rewe [arewe D. on rowe I.] , and ioynters of wordis, outlaft [outtake D.] stories in the boke of Kyngis ben towched, and questiouns vnnoumbrable of the euaungelye ben maad open. Esdras and Neemy, helper, that is to sey, and coumfortour fro the Lord, ben artyd [arettide I.] in o volume, enstoren the temple, the walles of the citee maken out, and al that [Om. B.] congregacoun of the puple aȝengoynge into her cuntre, and the discripcoun of prestis, of deknes, of Israel, and of men takun fro hethenes to the ryte of Jewis, and the deuydid werkis of walles and of toures bi singuler meynes, bryngen forth other thyng in the rynde, and in [Om. B.] the mergh other thing withholden. Seest thow me for the loue of scrip|turys rauyshid to haue passid the maner of a pistle, and ȝit not haue fillid [fulfellid D.] that I wolde? We han herd oonlich, what we mowe know, what coueyten, and forsothe that we mowe sey, "my soule coueytide to desire thi justyfyyngis in al tyme." Forthermore that of Socrates is ful|fyllid in vs, "this oonli Y knowe [knewȝ I.] that Y knowe not." I shal towche and shortly the newe tes|tament. Mathew, Mark, Luke, and Joon, the foure hors plowes [plow D. plowȝ E.] of the Lord, and the verrey cherubyn, that is to sey, plente of kunnyng, thoruȝ out al the bodi ben iȝed, sparklis shynen out, liȝtes hidir and thidir rennen, han riȝt feet and streychynge into heiȝe [the hyeȝe H. heiȝte I.] , rigges fethered, and

holden hem to gidre ouer al fleynge, and to hem siluen ben thurȝ out pleitid, and as a wheel with ynne a wheel ben turned, and gon whidre euer the breeth of the Holi Goost hem perfitly ledith. Poul the apostle writith to seuene chirches; the eiȝt forsothe to Ebrewis [the Hebrewis BDEFHI.] of summe men out of the [Om. I.] noumbre is put. Tymothe he enfourmeth, and Tite; Philomon he preieth for the seruaunt fugitife, vpon the whiche I wene beter to be stil, than to few thingis write. The Actes of the [Om. I.] Apostlis forsothe nakid [the nakid I.] storye semen to sownen, and to weuen the childhood of the waxynge chirche; and for [Om. A.] we knowen the wryter of hem Luke to ben a phisisian, whos preysyng is in the euangelie, we taken hede there with alle his wordis to ben medecyn of the langwissynge soule. James, Petre, Joon, Jude [and Jude I.] , seuene epistlis maden as wel mistik [mistiliche D.] as [Om. AD.] redi, and short togidre, and long; short in wordis, long in sentencis, that he be seldom, that not wexeth [waxe I.] blynd in the redyng of hem. The Apocalips of Joon so fele hath sacramentis, how fele wordis. Litle Y haue seid, and for the desert of the volym, al the preysyng is the lower; in euery [euereche BDEFHI.] wordis manyfold vnderstondyngis sitten hid. I prey thee, dere brother, among these thingis to lyuen, these thingis to thenken, noon othre thingis [thing BEFHI.] to knowun, and no thing ellis to sechen. Semeth it not to thee now here in erthis a dwellyng place of [in B.] heuenli kyngdom? I wole [wille BDEF.] not, that thou be offendid in holi scripturis thurȝ symple|nes, and as thurȝ foulnes of wordis, the whiche, or [other BDFH.] thurȝ the vice of the [Om. I.] vndoers, or of verrey purpose, ben so spokun, that the liȝtloker thei myȝten enfourme a [an I.] churlishe [churliche BDEFHI.] cumpany; and that [Om. D.] in oon and the [in the DH.] same sentence other wise the tauȝt, othre wise the vntauȝt myȝten fele. I am not so lustsum and dul, that I shulde bi|hote thes thingis me to know, and the fruytis of hem to gadere [gidere AFI. gyther B. geder D.] in the erthe, whos rotis ben ficchid [stykyd D.] in heuene; but I knowelech to wiln, but I professe me to enforse, I profer me to the sitter; forsakynge mayster [the maister I.] Y [and I I.] bihote a leder, "to the asker me ȝyueth, to the knocker me openeth, the seker fyndith;" lerne we in erthis whos

nyng to vs dwellith in heuene. I shal take thee with met hondis aȝens othre, and that I heelde out sum what vncouenably that be of the [Om. H.] bol|nyng of Ermagore, what euer thou shulde [schuldist BDI.] seek with thee, I shal enforse to kunne.

CAP. VIII.

Thou hast here the moost louyd brother of thee Eusebi, the which dowblid to me the grace of thi lettres [lettre E.] , tellynge the honestee of thi ma|ners, the dispisyng of the world, the feith of frenship, the loue of Crist; for prudence and fayrnes of speche also with outen hym thilke [the I.] epistle tolde bifore. Hye, Y preye thee, and the corde of the boot dwellynge in the see rather kut of, than vnbynd; no man to renounse the world, wel may selle thingis that he hath dis|pisid for to selle. What euer into thi costagis of thin thow takest, cownte it for wynnyng; in

olde maner it is seid, to an auerowse man lack|ith, as wel that that [Om. D.] he hath, as that that [Om. D.] he hath not; to hym that bileueth al the world of richessis is, forsothe, an vnfeithful man, ȝhe, nedith an half peny. So lyue we, as no thing hauynge and alle thingis holdynge in posses|sioun; lyuelod and clothing ben richessis of cristen men. If thow hast in thi power thi thing, selle; if thow hast not, cast a wey; to hym that takith a wey thi coote, the mantil is to be laft. And [Om. I.] but thow euermore makynge aȝen moru fro moru, and drawynge day fro day, sleȝli fote [and fote BDEFHI.] bi fote thow sille thi litle possessiouns, hath [has I.] not Crist wherof his pore men he [to F.] fede? Al he hath ȝyuen to God, that offride hym silf. The apostlis oonli forsoken the boot and the nettis; the widwe putte two mytis [minutis I.] into the tresorye of God, and it is put bifore the richessis of Cressi. Liȝtli he dispisith alle thingis, the whiche hym silf euermore [euere I.] thenkith to be to dien.

CAP. IX.

I haue takun desired epistlis of my man De|siderie, the which, thurȝ a maner bifore kun|nynge of thingis that ben to com, with Danyel is fallun the name of hym, preiynge, that I shulde take to [of I.] the erys of ourne the fyue bokis of Moyses translatid fro Ebrewe speche into [in D.] Latyn tung. Certeyn a perylous werk, open to the berkyngis of backbyters, that seyn [siggen BDEFH.] me to [Om. D.] forgen new thingis for olde into the stranglyng of the seuenti interpretours, so wit as wyn prou|ing; sith Y ful oft haue witnessid me to offre in the tabernacle of God for a liȝt [litel I.] porcoun thingis that I may, ne [no D.] the [Om. B.] richessis [recches B sup. ras. EFHI.] of an othre man to be defowlid with the porenes of othre. The which thing that I shulde dore don [that don E.] , me styryde the studie of Orygen, the which to olde transla|cioun mengide the translacoun of Theodocioun, with astericho, that is, with the signe of a `sterre [asterye AD.] , whan he makith clere the thingis that weren to

litle, and with obelo, that is, with signe [the signe BDEFHI.] of an arow, whan he any wast thing [thingus BDEFHI.] distroieth and scrapith a wey, al his werk markynge [derkyng D.] ; and moost tho [thilk BDEFH.] thingis the whiche the autoryte of the apostlis and of the euangelistis openyde; in the which many thingis we reden of the olde testament, the [Om. H.] whiche ben not had in oure bokis; as is that, "fro Egipt I clepid [calde I.] my sone;" and, "for he [that he I.] shal be clepid [cald I.] Nazare;" and, "men shal [schullen BDEFHI.] seen, in whom thei han pungid;" and, "flodis shal [schullen HI.] flowe of his womb quyk watres;" and, "thingis [thes thingis I.] that nether eiȝe seiȝ, ne eere herde, ne in to the herte of man stiede, that God greithid to hem that hym louen;" and many othre thingis, the whiche desyren propre ordre. Aske we [thou I.] thanne [Om. I.] hem, where thes thingis ben wrytun; and whanne thei mown [mai I.] not seye, of the bokis of Ebrewe brynge we forthe. The first witnes is in Osee, the secounde in Ysaye, the thrid in Zacharye, the ferthe in Pro|uerbis, the fifte as wel in Ysaye; the whiche many men vnknowynge folwen the deceyuyngis of scripturys, whos autor is vnknowun, and setten bifore, Spanyshe songes vpon deed men, or of noresses vpon ther children, autentik bokis. The cause [causes BDEFHI.] of the errour is not myn to expown. Jewis seyn, that it is don with wise counsel, lest [that lest D.] Ptholome herier of o God, also as anentis the Ebrewis shulde of take dowble Godhede; the whiche moost therfor thei diden, for he was knowen [vnknowun A.] to falle into the techyng of Plato. Wherfore wher euere holi wrytt witnessith ony holi thing of the Fadre, and the Sone, and the Holy Goost, or [outher BEFH.] othre wyse thei vndiden, or al|gatis helden ther pees, that thei myȝten do aseth to the kyng, and that thei opened not the priuete of the bileue. And I not who, the first auctour, thurȝ his lesyng maad out seuenti sellis at Alysawndre, in the whiche thei deuydide the same thingis [thinge E.] shulde wryte; sith [since I.] Aresteus, of the same Ptholome chefe counseylour, and keper of bokis, and myche tyme aftir Josaphus, not [no BDEFH. noon I.] suche thinge tolden, but wryten hem, gadrid to

gider in o [one BDEFH.] chirche, to han spokin togider, and not to haue prophecied. It is another to be a prophet, and an other to ben an vndoer of lan|gage; there the spiryt seith bifore thingis that ben to comen, here teching and plente of wordis, thingis that he vndurstondith translateth. But perauenture Tullyus is to be wenyd enblowid with the spirit of retorik, to haue translatid the boke that is seid Economyk of Zenofontes, and the boke that is seid the [Om. BDFHI.] Pictagore of Plato, and the boke that is seid Prothesifontes of Demos|tynes; other the Holi Gost wenyde witnessis of the same bokis othre wise bi the seuenti vn|doers of tungis, othre wise bi the apostlis, that that [Om. DI.] thei helden ther pees, thes han liȝid to ben writun. What thanne? dampne we the olde? nay, but after the studies [studie D.] of the rather [forthere I.] men, in the hous of the Lord we traueilen that that [Om. D.] we may. Thei han [Om. A.] undon scripturis before the coming of Crist; and that that [Om. DF.] thei wisten not, thei han spokin with doutous sentence [sen|tensis BDEFHI.] , we after the passioun and the resurreccoun of hym not oonli profesie, but storye wrytun. Othre weys forsothe thingis seen, other wise thingis herd ben told; that we beter vndirstonden, beter we tellen. Here than, thou enemye, herkyn, thow backbiter; I dampe not, I reprehende not the seuenti, but trustily I putte bifore the apostlis to alle tho [thilk BDEFH.] ; bi the mowthe of these to me Crist sowneth, whom before the prophetis amonge spiritual ȝiftis Y rede sett, amonge the [Om. I.] which the vndoers of tungis holden fulli the last degre. Wherto art thou tourmentid with enuy? what [wherto I.] sterist thow vnwise mennus willis aȝens me? if where Y seme to thee erre [to erre E.] in the [Om. BD.] translating, aske the Ebrewis, conseil the maystrys of dyuerse citees; that thei han of Crist, thi bokis han not. It is another, if the witnessis vsurped of the apostlis after proueden aȝen hem seluen, and the Latyn saumplers [saumples A.] ben more amendid than Grekis, Grekis than Ebrews. But thes aȝenus the en|uyows. Now, ful dere Desidery, I preye thee, for that [Om. EI.] thou hast maad me to vndergon so greet werk [a werk I.] , and to take the bigynnyng of Genesis,

helpe thow with preiers, that I mowe thurȝ the same spyryt, thurȝ which [the wiche I.] the bokis ben wrytun, translaten hem into Latyn sermown.

`Here endith the Prologis [Here endith the prolog of Genesis and other bookis. D. Heere endith the prolog, now bigynneth Genesis. FI. No rubric in BFH. Erased in E.] .