Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

[Roboas. Abdyas. Asa. Capitulum tricesimum].

Roboas Salomon his sone regned onliche vppon tweyne [twey, Cx.] lynages, Iuda and Beniamyn, eiȝtene [echten, Cx.; eyȝtetene, γ.] ȝere; so seiþ Iosephus, libro 8^o, capitulo 5^o; and seuentene ȝere as oþer meneþ. [wryten, Cx.] Roboas forsook þe counseille of olde men, and helde [was ruled by, Cx.; huld, γ.] þe counsaille of ȝongelynges. Þat tyme Ieroboam Nabath his sone regnede in Samaria vppon ten lynages of Israel seuentene ȝere; but Iosephus, libro octauo, capitulo 7^o, seiþ þat he regnede two and twenty ȝere. Þis Nabath, for þe pepel schulde not torne hire herte to hire lord Roboam ȝif [whan they wente, Cx.; ȝef a wente, γ.] he wente to do sacrifice [sacrefys, γ.] in Ierusalem, he made tweie calues of [yȝote of gold, γ.] gold to [be] [From α.] worschipped of þe peple in Dan and in Bethel. And so he [this Nabath, Cx.] was cause of mametrie in Israel. Þe contrarinesse [varyaunce, Cx.] in þe acountes [countynge, Cx.] of ȝeres of the kyng of Iuda and of Israel may be determyned by þat þat a partye of þe ȝere is i-take for al [the hoole, Cx.] þe ȝere, oþer for som kynges reigned wiþ hir fadres or [er, β. and Cx.; ar, γ.] þat he [they, Cx.; α, γ.] regnede allone, oþer [or, Cx.] for þe kyngdoms were oþer|whiles

[som ȝeres] [Not in Cx.] wiþ oute kynges, for þe bookes of kynges were i-gadred of dyuers writynges of prophetes, þerefore þe bygynnynges boþe of kynges of Iuda and of þe kynges of Israel beeþ [be, Cx.; buþ, γ.] dyuersliche i-sette, and þerfore suche discorde may nouȝt liȝtliche be determyned: we troweþ [trowe it, Cx.] þat it happeþ by defaute of writers þat beeþ [be, Cx.; buþ, γ.] ofte begyled in nombres and in propre names. Trevisa. For we spekeþ [speke, Cx.] of þe kynges of Iuda and of þe kynges of Israel, here take hede þat þe [lyne or] [In Cx.] of|springe of Iacob his children were [Iacob his children were] from α. and γ.; MS. has Benjamin was; Iacob's childer were called, Cx.] i-cleped þe lynages of Israel; and so þe [lyne or] [In Cx.] ofspringe of Iudas, Iacob is sone, was cleped þe lynage of Iuda; and [MS. inserts of after and.] þe ofspringe of Beniamyn was i-cleped þe lynage of Beniamyn; and so of þe oþere. Dauid and Salomon were kynges of alle þe lynages of Israel, but for Roboas Salomon his sone was harde and sterne, þe ten lynages forsook hym, and made hem [ham, γ.] a kyng by hemself, [hemsilf, β., passim.] and cleped hym þe kyng of Israel, for he was kyng of þe more deel [parte, Cx.] of Israel. Tweye lynages abide [abode, Cx.] wiþ Roboas, þe lynage of Iuda and of Beniamyn, and for þe lynage of Iuda was þe worþier lynage, þe kyng of þese [þeos, γ.] tweie lynages was i-cleped þe kynge of Iuda: and Crist com to [of, Cx. and γ.] þe kynges of Iuda. Iose|phus, libro 8^o, capitulo 5^o. Susac kyng of Egipt [spoylede] [From α., β., and Cx.] and took awey þe schildes [sheldes, Cx.] of gold þat Salamon hadde i-sette in Ierusalem: Roboas sette schildes of bras in hir stede. [stude, γ.] Syn [Susac, Cx. and γ.] wente and sodewed [subdued, Cx.; sudewid, β.] Siria. Abias, Roboas sone, was þe fourþe [feurþe, γ.] kyng of Iuda, and regnede þre ȝere, þat is to men|ynge [say, Cx.] two fulle ȝere and þe þridde del of þe þridde ȝere; and

for he truste [trustede, Cx.; a trust, γ.; triste, β.] in God he [Cx. inserts sholde. A mistake.] ouercom Ieroboam þat fauȝte aȝenst hem, [hym, Cx.] and slowh sixty þowsand. Asa þe riȝt ful, Abias his sone, regnede oon and fourty ȝere, and destroyed [destruyde, γ.] mawmetrie, and clensed þe temple, and slowh þe kyng of Egipt; and at þe laste he hadde a grevous siknesse on his feet, and deyde: he hadde i-putte [ypot, γ.] a prophetes [feet] [Cx.] in þe stokkes, þat hadde i-charged hym for to doo aryȝt. Nadab, Ieroboas his sone, regnede in Israel two ȝere, þat is oo ȝere and somwhat of þat oþer. Hym slowȝ Basa, [Baasa, α.] and regned for [for] after, Cx.] hym foure and twenty ȝere: þis slouȝ Ieheu [Iehen, Cx.] þe prophete. Þat tyme Ieheu, [Ieheia, Cx.] Ananias, and Azarias prophecied in Israel. Egippus Siluius, þe seuenþe [seueþe, γ.] kyng of Latyns, regned foure and twenty ȝere. Asa þe kyng [huyrede, γ.] hirede Benedab þe kyng of Sciria þat [to, Cx. and γ.] let Basa þe kynge, þat hadde i-bulde [y-byld, α.] Rama, fourty forlonges out of Ierusalem, so þat no man myȝte goo out. Brute grenescheeld, Ebrank his eldeste [elþeste, γ.] sone, was kyng of Bretouns twelue ȝere. Capis Siluius, [Silvius, α. and Cx.] þe eiȝtþe [eyȝtenþe, α.; eyȝteþ, γ.] kyng of Latyns, regnede eiȝte and

twenty ȝere, and made Capua. Hela, Baasas [Bases, Cx.] his sone, regnede in Israel two ȝere, þat is oo [hole] [Cx.] ȝere and somwhat of þat oþer. Þat ȝere Zamri slowȝ Hela, and regned for hym seuen dayes; [dawes, γ.] and whan [whan, Cx.] he was dede þe peple was departed, and þe oo partie [one part, Cx.] folowede [folewide, β.] Zamry and þe oþere folowede Tebni. Petrus. Þis strif of the kyngdom indurede [durede, α.] þre ȝere and more; for Zamri bygan to reigne þe oon and twenty [twentyþ, γ.] ȝere of Asa kyng of Iuda, and regned with Tebni foure ȝere, and after Tebni he reigned allone in Israel eiȝte ȝere, and so he regned in al twelve [twel, γ.] ȝere. Leyl, Brut greneschilde his sone, regnede in Bretayne fyue [fif, γ.] and twenty ȝere. Achab, Zamry his sone, regnede in Israel two and twenty ȝere [of Asa kyng of Iuda], [Of Asa kyng of Juda]. These words are wrongly inserted in MS. They appear to have been also in the copy from which α. was made, as there the words [of Asa kyng] are written and then expuncted. They are not in Cx.] and his wif heet Iesabel. Iosephath, Asa his sone, was riȝtful [rightful before, Cx.] to fore God, and regned in Iuda fyue [fif, γ.] and twenty ȝere. In his tyme prophecied Helyas, Michias, and Abdias. Ruthudybras, Leil his son, regnede in Bretayne nyne and þritty ȝere, and bulde þre noble citees, Caunterbury,

Wynchestre, and Schaftisbury. [Scheftesbury, γ.] Carpentus Siluius, þe nynþe kyng of Latyns, regnede among þe Latyns þrittene ȝere. Ochasias, Achab his sone, regnede in Israel two ȝere, and hadde no sone; but his broþer Ierom [Ioram, Cx.] regnede viij. ȝere after hym, anon [unto, Cx.] to þe secounde ȝere of Ioram þe kyng, and regnede after þat allone foure ȝere. Ioram, Iosephath kyng of Iuda [Ioram.] his sone, regnede eiȝte ȝere. In his eiȝtteþe ȝere Edom wente away for he [they, Cx.; α, γ.] wolde nouȝt be vnder Iuda, and ordeyned hem a kyng of here owne; and Helyas was i-rauisched in to Paradys. Þe tenþe kyng of Latyns, Tiberius Siluius, Carpentus his sone, regnede among þe Latyns [Latyns, viii. yere. Of him . . . Cx.] [þe] [þe] not in Cx.] eiȝte ȝere. Of hym þe ryuer Tyber hadde þat name, þat heet raþer Albula. [Achazias.] Achazias, þat [otherwyse called, Cx.] heet Azarias also, [Not in Cx.] Ioram his sone, regnede in Iuda oo ȝere. Matheu rekeneþ nouȝt þis Achazias, noþer [ne, Cx.] his sone Ioas, noþer his sone Amazias, in þe genologie [genealogye, Cx.; genelogy, γ.] of Crist, by cause of hir [vicious and] [Sic in Cx.] wicked lyuynge. Iehu, anoynt of Helyseus his childe vppon Israel, slowȝ Achasias [Achazias, α.] kyng of Iuda, and Ioram kyng of Israel, and his moder Iezebel, and Achab his [Acabs, β.] seuenty sones, and Azarias kyng of Iuda, and [Not in Cx. nor γ.] his

[two and] [two and] not in MS., supplied from α. and γ.; xlii., Cx.] fourty sones, and alle Baal his preostes, and reg|nede eiȝte and twenty ȝere. Athalia, kyng Azarias his moder, was Achab his douȝter, and regnede in Iuda sixe ȝere, and slowȝ [Athalia.] alle þe kynges children of Ioram his hous, outake [except, Cx.] Ioas, Aza|rias his sone: ffor Achasias his suster, þat was Ioaide þe preost his wif, took awey þat childe, and hydde [hudde, γ.] hym, and nor|sched [norysshed, Cx.] hym priueliche sixe ȝere in þe dekenes chambres wiþ ynne þe temple. Þe enlevenþe kyng of Latyns, Agrippa Siluius, regnede among þe Latyns. Ioas, Achazias his sone, regnede in Iuda fourty ȝere, and renewed þe temple. Bladud, Ruthu|dibras his sone, regnede in Bretayne twenty ȝere. Gaufridus et Alfridus telleþ [writen, Cx.] þat he by craft of [ofe, Cx.] nygromancie made þe citee Caerbadun, þat is Baþe, and made þerynne [þerynne] þe, Cx.] hote bathes. ℞. Noþeles Willelmus Malmesbury seiþ þat Iulius Cesar brouȝte vp þilke [þulke, γ.] bathes, but [bote ytrowe, γ.] I trowe it nouȝt, as it is i-seide raþer in þe firste book, capitulo de vrbibus. Ioathas, Iehu his sone, regnede in Israel seuentene ȝere. In his tyme Helyseus [Helyȝeus, Cx.] þe preost [prophete, Cx.] deide, and was i-buried in Sabasten, þat is Samaria. Whan þis Eliseus [Helyȝeus, Cx.] was i-bore in Galgalis, oon of þe goldene

calues þat Ieroboas hadde i-made [ymad, γ.] lowede [ful scharpliche]; [Not in Cx.] and whan þat was i-herde [yhurd, γ.] [in sharp wyse], [Sic in Cx.] a preost of Ieru|salem seide, "Now is a prophete i-bore [born, Cx.] þat schal destroye [destruye, γ.] al þe mawmetrie in [of, Cx.] Israel:" and Zacharias, Ioaide þe bis|shop his sone, was i-stened [stoned, Cx.] to deþe of kyng Ioas bytwene þe auȝter [aulter, Cx.] and þe temple. Oure Lord in þe gospel clepeþ hym Barachias his sone, by cause of his myldenesse and goodnesse: Barachias is to menynge [as moche to saye as, Cx.] Goddis owne blessed sone. Leyr, [Leyth, Cx.] Bladud his sone, regned in Bretayne sixty ȝere, and bulde Leycetre vppon þe ryuer Sarray, [soray, α. and Cx.; Sorai, γ.] and gat þre douȝtres, so seiþ þe Brittisshe book. Ioas, Ioatas þe kyng of Israel his sone, regnede in Israel seuentene ȝere. Þe twelfþe kyng of Latyns, Aremulus Siluius, regnede among þe Latyns nyntene [nyȝentene, γ.] ȝere.