1.
Most merciful lorde, by thyne habundant goodnesse
This rightfull man Job, with grete hospitalite,
Of men and women euer kepte in perfite holynesse,
Multiplied with richesse, indued with liberalite;
Thre thousand camelis, vij thousand shepe had he, [ 5]
A thousand Oxen in his habitacion,
An hundred Assis, as the bible makyth mencion.
2.
vij sonnes and thre dowghters by his wyfe also
Trewly begoten had this holy man,
Whiche Sonnes of custome vsed to do [ 10]
Seriatim to festen othir cotidian.
With myrthis most melodius plesantly than
To in-yoye in other and with theire sustryn all,
In augmentacion of perfite loue naturall.
3.
Here, lo, holy Job his Children doth sanctifie, [ 15]
And techeth his sonnes, withoute presumpcion,
To kepe theire festes, and euer god to magnifie,
And wysely to lyue, withoute any detraccion;
And to his doughtres, withouten pryde or ellacion,
Of theire native beaute, he bad them haue respect, [ 20]
How bryght lucyfer for his pryde from heven was derect.
4.
And by cause in grete festynges is ofte tymes sayn
Voluptuose fraylte and ydell loquacite,
His holy Job for all his Children, certeyn,
Lest they therin schuld synne, or offende of symplicite, [ 25]
Here offreth to god and prayth vnto his deyte,
That his oblacion and holocaust myght habond
Ayenst theire synnes if any in them were fownd.
5.
Lo, here the envy of this serpent and Devyll Sathan,
Whan he in erthe had rone in his perembulacion, [ 30]
God axed of hym, or he had considered his man,
And seruant, Job, rightfull in lyveyng by demonstracion,
He answerd and desired power of persecucion,
Of Job his possession and godes that god did hym sende;
And so he did not in Job his handes to entende. [ 35]
6.
Here immediat begynnyth Job his persecucion
His asses and Oxen, as they were in pasturyng,