The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

CAPI. IIII.

O Howe is the golde become so dymme? [unspec A] Howe is the goodly colour of it so sore chaunged? and the stones of the Sayntua∣ry thus scatred in the corner of euery strete.

The chyldren of Sion that were alway in honour / and clothed with the most precy∣ous golde: howe are they nowe become lyke the erthen vessels / whiche be made with the potters hande? The dragons geue theyr yonge ones sucke with bare brestes: but the daughter of my people is cruell / and dwel∣leth in the wyldernesse: lyke the Estriches.

The tonges of the suckynge chyldren / cleue to the rofe of theyr mouthes for verye thriste. The yonge chyldren aske breade / but there is no man that geueth it them.

They that were wont to fare delycate∣ly peryshe in the stretes: they that afore were brought vp in purple, make nowe muche of [unspec B] donge. The synne of the daughter of my people is become greater then the wicked¦nes of Sodome / that sodēly was destroyed, and not taken with handes. Her abstey∣ners (or Nazarees) were whyter then the snowe or mylke: theyr colour was fresh, reed as Corall, theyr beautie lyke the Saphyre.

But nowe theyr faces very blacke. In so much, that thou shuldest not knowe them in the stretes. Theyr skynne cleueth to their bones▪ It is withered, & become lyke a drye stocke, They that be slayne with y^• swerd are happyer then such as dye of honger, and peryshe away, samyshynge for the frutes of the felde. The wemen (whiche of na∣ture are pytiefull) haue sodden theyr owne

c••dren with their handes; that they might be theyr meate, in the miserable destruccion of y^• daughter of my peopye. The Lorde hath perfourmed hys heuy wrath: he hath poured out y^• furiousnes of his dyspleasure He hath kyndled a fyre in Siō, which hath consumed the foundacions therof.

Nether the kynges of the earth, nor all inhabetours of the worlde / wolde haue be∣leued that the enemy and aduersarye shulde haue come in at the gates of the Cytie of Ie¦rusalem.

Whiche neuerthelesse is come to passe: [unspec C] for the synne of the Prophetes / and for the wyckednesse of her preestes / that haue shed innocentes bloode within her. So that these blynde men wente stomblynge in the streates, and stayned them selues w^t bloude / whiche els wolde touche no bloudy clothe.

But they cryed vnto euery man? slee the staynynge / awaye / get you hence / touche it not. Yee (sayde they) ye muste be brente / ye must dwell amonge the Gentyles, and byde no longer here. The countenaunce of the Lorde hathe banyshed them / and shall neuer loke more vpon them. For they them selues nether regarded the prestes / nor pity∣ed theyr elders. Wherfore yet oure eyes fayle vs, whyle we loke for vayne helpe: seynge we be euer waytynge vpon a people that can do vs no good. They laye so [unspec D] sharpe wayte for vs that we cannot go safe vpon the stretes: for oure ende is come / our dayes are fulfylled, our ende is here.

Our persecuters are swyfter then the Aegels of the ayre / they folowed vpon vs ouer the mountaynes, and layed wayte for vs in the wyldernesse. ☞ The very breth of our mouthe: euen the anoynted Lorde hym selfe shall be taken in oure synnes / of whom we saye: Under his shadowe we shal be preserued amonge the Heythen. And thou (O daughter Edom) that dwelleste in the lande of Huz, be glad and reioyce: for the cuppe shall come vnto the also, which whan thou suppest of, thou shalte be droncken:

Thy synne is well punyshed, (O thou daugter Sion) he shall not suffre the to be caryed awaye any more. But thy wycked¦nes) O daughter Edom) shall he vyset, and for thy synnes sake, he shall lede the into captyuyte.

Notes

• Gene. x••x. ••
• Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Deut. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• 4. Reg. vi. ••
• Exe••o. ii. a
• Gene. ix. a.
• I••••••. ••ii••. b. Ab••c. ••. b.
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b.