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

CAP. III.

[verse 1] Therfore whanne the holy citee was enhabited in al pees, lawis also ȝit weren best kept, for ordynaunce and pite of Onye, prest, and for soulis hauynge in [verse 2] hate yuel thingus, it was maad, that and thei kyngis and princis ledden the place worthi heeist honour, and liȝteneden the [verse 3] temple with grettist ȝiftis; so that Se|leucus, kyng of Asie, ȝaue of his rentis alle spensis perteynynge to the seruice of sacrifices. [verse 4] Forsothe Symont, of the lynage of Beniamyn, ordeynyd prepost of the temple, the prince of prestis aȝein|stondynge hym, strofe for to caste sum wickid thing in the cytee. [verse 5] Bot whan he miȝte not ouercume Onye, he came to Appollonye, sone of Tharsie, that in that tyme was duyk of Celessirie and Fenyce; [verse 6] and tolde to hym the tresorie in Jerusa|lem for to be ful with moneys vnnoum|breable; and commoun plentees, or rich|essis, for to be grete, whiche perteynen not to resoun of sacrifices; forsothe [for G pr. m. bot G sec. m. H.] for to be possible, alle thingus for to falle vndir power of the kyng. [verse 7] And whanne Appollonye hadde tolde to the kyng of moneys that weren born ynne, he sente Heleodore clepid, that was on his needis, with maundementus for to bere out the forsaid money. [verse 8] And anoon Heleodore takynge the [Om. GH.] waye, sothely by fourme as he were to passynge by Celescirie and Fenyce cytees, sothely in trewe thing [thingis GH.] , to parfourmynge the kyngus purpose. [verse 9] Bot when he came to Jerusalem, and benyngly of the heeȝist prest in the [Om. G.] cite was resceyued, he tolde of dom ȝouen of moneys, and opnyde for grace, or cause,

of what thing he came; forsothe he axide `ȝif verrely [verrely ȝif K.] these thingus weren so. [verse 10] Thanne the heeȝist prest shewide, these thingus for to be kept to the lyuelodis of widues, and [verse 11] faderlesse and moderlesse children; sum [sum man G sec. m.] sothely for to be of Hircam Tobye, man ful noble in [and in K.] these thingus, that vn|pitous Symont hadde teelde; forsothe alle the [Om. H.] talentis of syluer for to be foure [verse 12] hundrid, and of gold two hundrid; for|sothe for to be inpossible on al manere, hem for [Om. AGH.] to be disceyued, that bileuyden, or bitoken, to the place and temple, that bi al the world is honourid for his wir|shipyng, and holynesse. [verse 13] And for these thingus `that he [thei H.] hadde in maundementis of the kyng, he saide, in al kynde hem for to be born to the kyng. [verse 14] Forsothe in the day ordeynyde Heleodore entride, to ordeynynge of these thingis; forsothe there was not a [Om. H.] lytil tremblyng by al the citee. [verse 15] Forsothe prestis castiden hem self byfore the auter, with prestis stolys, and ynclepiden fro heuen hym that ȝaue lawe of thingus put in keepyng, that he shulde keepe hem saaf to these that had|den putte hem in keepyng. [verse 16] Nowe for|sothe he that seeȝ the chier of the [Om. H.] heeȝ|ist prest, was woundid in sowle; forsothe the face and colour inchaungid, declaride the ynward sorewe of soule, or ynwitt. [verse 17] Forsothe sum sorewfulnesse was shed about to the man, and hydousnesse of body, by whiche the sorewe of herte was maad [Om. G pr. m.] knowen to men byholdynge. [verse 18] Also other men by gadring to gidre camen out of housis, bysechynge with open bysech|yng, for that that the place was to cum|mynge in to dispit. [verse 19] And wymmen gyrd the brest with heyris, flowiden togidre by streetis; bot and virgynes, that weren closid togidre, runnen fully to Onye; other forsothe to the wallis, summe sothely byheelden by wyndowis. [verse 20] For|sothe alle holdynge forth hondis in to [verse 21] heuen bisouȝten; sothely there was a

wretchid abyding of the [Om. H.] multitude meynt, and of the [Om. H.] heeȝist prest ordeyned in strijf, or anguyshe. [verse 22] And these sothely inclepide almiȝti God, that thingus taken in keepyng weren kept in al hoolnesse, to these that hadden putte hem in keepynge. [verse 23] Forsothe Heleodore parfourmyde that [the H.] thing, that he hadde demyde, he presente with his knyȝtis in the same place aboute the tresorie. [verse 24] Bot the spirit of almiȝty God made grete euydence of his shew|yng, so that alle that weren hardye for to obeye to hym, fallyng doun by the [Om. H.] vertu of God, weren `togidre turnyd [conuertid H.] in to vnbyndynge, or vnstrengthe [vnstrenge K.] , and in|ward dreed. [verse 25] Forsothe sum hors apeeride to hem, hauynge a dreedful sitter, ournyd with best hillyngus; and he [he that K.] with feers|nesse, or bire, rushide the former feet to Heleodore; forsothe he that sate on hym, was seen for to haue golden armers. [verse 26] Also other two ȝunge apperiden, faire in vertu, best in glorie, and fair in clothinge, that stoden aboute hym, and on eche sijd scourgiden hym with outen ceesyng, with many woundis betynge. [verse 27] Sodeynly for|sothe Heleodore felle in to erthe, and thei rauyshiden hym shed about with myche derknesse, and castiden hym out, put in a `sadil of beere [beringe sadil GH.] . [verse 28] And this that with many rynners and kniȝtis entride in to the forsaide tresorie, was born, no man berynge help to hym, the opyn vertu of [verse 29] God knowen; and forsothe by Goddis vertu he lay doumbe, and pryued of al hope and helthe. [verse 30] Forsothe these bless|iden the Lord, for he magnyfied his place; and the temple, that a lytil by|fore was ful of dreed and noyse, the Lord almiȝty appeerynge, is fulfillid with ioye and gladnesse. [verse 31] Thanne forsothe sume of Heliodoris frendis preyeden anoon Onye, for to inclepe the Heeȝist, and for to ȝeue lyf to hym, for he was sette in the last spirit. [verse 32] Sothely the

heeȝist prest biholdinge, lest par auenture the kyng supposide eny [Om. H.] malice of Jewis fully done aȝeinus Helyodore, he [and he H.] offride for helthe of the man an helthful sacri|fice. [verse 33] And whan the heeist prest prey|ede, the same ȝunglyngus, clothid in the same clothis, stondynge niȝ to Heliodore, saiden, Do thou thankyngys to Onye, the [Om. H.] prest; for whi for hym the Lord [verse 34] hath ȝouen lyf to thee; thou sothely, scourgid of God, telle to alle men the greete doyngus of God, and power. And these thingis said, thei apperiden not. [verse 35] Helyodore sothely, a sacrifice offrid to God, and grete auowis bihiȝte to hym, that grauntide to hym for to lyue, and doynge thankyngis to Onye, his oost re|sceyued, wente aȝein to the king. [verse 36] So|thely he witnesside to alle men the werkis of grete God, whiche he seeȝ vn|der his eeȝen. [verse 37] Forsothe whan the kyng axide Helyodore, who was able ȝit oonys [verse 38] for to be sente to Jerusalem, he saith, Ȝif thou hast eny enmye, or aspier, or trai|tour, of thi rewme, sende thider, and thou shalt resceyue hym betun, ȝif ne|theles he schal scape; for that in the place is verrely sum vertu of God. [verse 39] For whi he that in heuens hath dwellyng, is visiter and helper of that place; and he smyteth and leesith men cummynge to mysdo. Therfore of Heliodore, and kep|yng of the tresorie, thus the thyng hath hym.