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CHAP. XI.
1 The visiō of an egle coming forthe of the sea, and of her feathers. 37 Of alyon coming out of the forest.
1 THen saw I a dreame, and beholde, there came vp from the sea an egle, whiche had twelue feathered wings & thre heads
2 And I sawe & beholde, she spred her wings ouer all the earth, and all the windes of the ayre blewe on her, and gathered them sel∣ues.
3 And I behelde, & out of her feathers grew out other contrarie feathers, and they be∣came litle feathers and smale.
4 But her heads remayne still!, and the head in the middes was greater then the other heads, yet rested it with them.
5 Moreouer, I sawe that the egle flewe with his feathers and reigned vpō earth & ouer them that dwelt therein.
6 And I sawe that all thinges vnder heauen were subiect vnto her, and noman spake against her, no not one creature vpō earth.
7 I sawe also that the egle stode vp vpō her clawes, and spake to her feathers, saying,
8 Watche not all together: slepe euerie one in his owne place, and watch by course.
9 But let the heads be preserued for the last.
10 Neuertheles, I sawe that the voyce went not out of her heads, but from, the myddes of her bodie.
11 Then I nombred her contrarie feathers, and beholde, there were eight of them.
12 And I loked, and behòlde vpon the ryght side there arose one feather, and reygne ouer all the earth.
13 And when it had reigned, the end of it ca∣me, & the place therof appeared no more. So the next stode vp, and reigned: it conti∣nued a long time.
14 And when it had reigned, the end of it ca∣me also, and as the firste, so it appeared no more.
15 Then there came a voyce vnto it, and said,
16 Heare thou that hast kept the earthe so long: this I say vnto thee, before thou be∣ginnest to appeare no more,
17 There shal none after thee atteyne vnto thy time, nether to the halfe thereof.
18 Then arose the thirde and reygned as the other afore, and it appeared no more also.
19 So came it to all the others one after ano ther, so that euerie one reigned, and then appeared no more.
20 Then I loked, and beholde in processe of time the feathers that followed, stode vp on the right side, that they might rule also, and some of them ruled, but within a while they appeared no more.
21 For some of thē were set vp, but ruled not
22 After this I loked and beholde, the twel∣ue feathers appeared no more, northe two wings.
23 And there was no more vppon the egles bodie, but two heades that rested and six wings.
24 Then sawe I also that thou winges deui∣ded them selues from the six, and remained vnder the head, that was vpō the right side: for the foure continued in their place.
25 So I loked, and beholde, the vnderwings thoght to set vp them selues, and to haue the rule.
26 Then was there one set vp, but shortely it appeared no more.
27 And the second were soner gone then the first.
28 Then I behelde, & lo, the two that remai∣ned, thoght also in them selues to reigne.
29 And when they so thoght, beholde, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, which was in the middes: for that was grea∣ter then the two.
30 And then I sawe, that the two heads were ioyned therewith.
31 And behold, the head was turned with thē that were with it, and did eate vp the two vnderwings that wolde haue reigned.
32 But this head put the whole earth in feare & bare rule in it, ouer all those that dwelt vpon the earth with muche labour, and it had the gouernance of the world, more thē all the wings that had bene.
33 After this I loked, and beholde, the head that was in the middes, suddenly appeared no more, as did the wings.
34 But the two heads remained, whiche also ruled likewise vpon earth, and ouer those that dwelt therein.
35 And I behelde, and lothe head vppon the right side deuoured that was vpon the left side.
36 ¶ Then I heard a voyce whiche said vnto me, Loke before thee, & consider the thing that thou seest.
37 So I sawe, and beholde as it were alyon that roareth, rénning hastely out of the wood: and I sawe that he sent out a mans voyce vnto the egle, and spake, and said,
38 Heare thou, I wil talke with thee, and the moste High shal say vnto thee.
39 Art not thou that that of the foure beasts remainest, whome I made to reigne in my world, that by them the end of times might come,
40 And the fourth is come, and hathe ouer∣come all the beasts that were past, & hathe power ouer the worlde with great fearful∣nes, and ouer the whole compasse of the earth with moste wicked oppressions, and that dwelleth so long time in all the world with disceite?
41 For thou hast not iudged the earth with trueth.
42 Seing thou hast troubled the meke, thou hast hurt the peaceable, & thou hast loued lyers, and destroied the dwellings of them that broght forth frute, and had cast downe the walles of suche as did thee no harme.
43 Therefore is thy wrongfull dealing come