The Actes of the Apostles, translated into Englyshe metre, and dedicated to the kynges moste excellent maiestye, by Christofer Tye, Doctor in musyke, and one of the gentylmen of hys graces moste honourable chappell, wyth notes to eche chapter, to synge and also to play vpon the lute, very necessarye for studentes after theyr studye, to fyle theyr wyttes, and also for all Christians that cannot synge, to reade the good and Godlye storyes of the lyues of Christ hys Apostles

The Contentes.

STEVEN to aunsvvere, doth not refuse To hys accusers ethe: And doth rebuke the vvycked Iues They do hym stone to deathe.

Meane.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 Then sayde the chefe priest is it〈♫〉〈♫〉 so, Ye men and eke bre-

Tenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 Then sayde the chefe priest is it〈♫〉〈♫〉 so, Ye men and eke bre-

Countertenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 Then sayde the chefe priest is it〈♫〉〈♫〉 so, Ye men and eke bre-

Basse.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 Then sayd the chefe priest is it〈♫〉〈♫〉 so, Ye men and eke bre-

Meane.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 therne, And all ye fathers herke vn∣to,〈♫〉〈♫〉 My words and then dis∣cerne,〈♫〉〈♫〉 Ther dyd appeare to Abra-

Tenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 therne, And all ye fathers herke vn∣to,〈♫〉〈♫〉 My words and then dis∣serne,〈♫〉〈♫〉 Ther dyd appeare to Abra-

Countertenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 therne, And all ye fathers herke vn∣to,〈♫〉〈♫〉 My words and then dis∣serne,〈♫〉〈♫〉 Ther dyd appeare to Abra-

Bassus.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 therne, And all ye fathers herke vn∣to,〈♫〉〈♫〉 My words and then dis∣serne,〈♫〉〈♫〉 Ther dyd appear e to Abra-

Meane.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 ham, The God of great glo∣rye,〈♫〉〈♫〉 before that he〈♫〉〈♫〉 dwelt in Carran,

Tenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 ham, The God of great glo∣rye〈♫〉〈♫〉 before that he dwelt〈♫〉〈♫〉 in Car-

Contertenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 ham, The God of great glo∣rye,〈♫〉〈♫〉 Be fore〈♫〉〈♫〉 that he dwelt in

Bassus.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 ham, The God of great glo∣rye,〈♫〉〈♫〉 Be fore that〈♫〉〈♫〉 he dwelt in Car-

Meane.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 In Me so po ta mye.

Tenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 ran, In Mesopotamye.

THen sayd the chiefe, priest it is so Ye men and eke bretherne: And all ye fathers herken vnto My wordes and then discerne.

There dyd appeare, to Abraham The God of great glorye: Before that he, dwelt in Carran In Mesopotamye.

And sayd to hym, come out of hande From thy kyn and contre: Make hast and come, into the lande Whiche I shal shewe to thee.

Countertenor.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 Carran In Mesopotamye.

Bassus.

〈♫〉〈♫〉 ran, In Mesopotamye.

Out of the lande, then of Caldey Retourned he with spede: The Lords commaundement to obey Dwelt in Carran in dede.

Soone after ye, shall vnderstande As hys father was deade: He brought him then, into the lande Where nowe your lyfe ye leade.

He gaue hym none, inheritaunce Not one fote bredth by name: But promysed, he woulde aduaunce Hym to possesse the same.

Besyde all thys, yet neuerthelesse A promesse he made fre: Unto hys seed, that to possesse When yet no chylde had he.

God without dout, spake on thys wyse Hys seed shoulde dwel and slepe: With straungers, that should them despise And them in bondage kepe.

And so to scourge, them cruellye Foure hundred yeares with rod: But yet those people, soone wyll I Iudge sayth the lyuynge God.

And after that, I wyll them plant To serue me euery where: And then he gaue, hym the couenant Of circumcision there.

And he begat, I sake ryght soone And dyd hym circumcise: At the eyght daye, it was so done And I sake in lykewyse.

Begat Iacob, all thys is sure And ryght well knowne of clarkes: Howe that Iacob, by the scripture Begat twelue Patriarkes.

The Patriarks, then in their rage Ioseph to Egypt solde: From all distres, in that viage God dyd hym then with holde.

And gaue hym grace, and great wysdome In Pharos syght the Rynge: Who dyd appoynt, hym in great rome To rule in euery thynge.

Then came a derth, in all the lande Egypt and Canaan: Therof the griefe, coulde not withstande Lackynge the foode of man.

Our fathers in, their scarsyte Hauynge no sustinaunce: In Egypt heard, that corne shoulde be Iacob made puruiaunce.

And first sent out, euen hys sonnes owne The seconde tyme also: To hys brethren, Ioseph was knowne And they eke to Pharo.

Then Ioseph wolde, hys father dere As he had well foresene: And all his kyn, to be brought nere Thre score soules and fyftene.

Ioseph to Egypt descended And our fathers euen them: Whiche died and were, all translated Eche one into Sichem.

And were put in, the sepulcor That Abraham bought fre: For coyne of the, sonnes of Emor In Sichem layd to be.

And when the tyme, of promes drewe Nye which that God had sworne: To Abraham, the people grewe In Egypt that were borne.

Untyll another Kynge arose Whiche not of Iosephe knewe Full craftely, the same dyd glose Our kynred to subdue.

And dyd entreate, our fathers yll And made them cast out playne: Their children yonge, their lyues to spyll That none shoulde there remayne:

And in that tyme, borne was Moyses A fayre childe in Goddes syght: Which in hys fathers, house doutles Thre monthes was fed a ryght.

And then cast on, the water depe The doughter of Pharo: Dyd take hym vp, and dyd hym kepe For her owne sonne also.

He was well sene, in the wysdome Of the Egyptians gyse: Ryght stronge in dedes, he dyd become And in hys wordes ryght wyse.

When he of age, was fourtye yere Then in hys heart dyd dwell: A loue to seke, hys bretherne dere Chyldren of Israell.

And when he sawe, one suffer wronge Euen of hys brethren dere: Hym to defende, he bode not longe As ye shall after here.

He dyd Thegipcian ouerthrow That dyd hys brother smyght: Thinkyng hys brethren, well to know And vnderstande a ryght.

That God the Lord, euen by his hande Their saftye shoulde prepare: Which none of them, dyd vnderstande The storye doth declare.

The next day then, he dyd asspire To stay them in their stryfe: To make them frendes, was his desire In loue to leade their lyfe.

And sayd to them, with wordes right wise Syth eche is others brother: The fonder is, the enterpryse For one to hurt another.

But he that dyd, hys neyghboure wronge Thrust hym away sayinge: Who made thee ruler, vs amonge To rule in euery thynge.

I wel perceyue, thou wylt me kyll As thou dydst yester day: The Egypcian, hys bloude to spyll And so make me away.

At those wordes Moyses, fled anone As he thought best to do: Into the lande, of Madion Where begat sonnes two.

When fourty yeres were past awaye An Angel dyd recorde: In wyldernes, of mounte Sinaye To hym from God the Lorde.

With in a flame, of burnynge fyre Which lyghted in a bushe: And caused Moyses, to drawe nere To see that fyrye flushe.

And as he drue, nye to beholde The voyce of God downe came: Which sayd to him, with wordes ful bolde Thy fathers God I am.

I am the God, of Abraham The Lorde vnto hym sayde: Isacke and Iacobs, God I am Which Moyses sore desmayd

He trembled and, durst not drawe nere Suche feare on hym dyd fall: Then sayd the Lorde, now Moyses here And marke what say I shall.

Put of thy shoese, euen out of hande Let it be done with spede: The grounde wheron, thy fete do stande Is holy grounde in dede.

Ryght perfectlye, I do nowe see The heuynes appere: Of my flocke that, in Egypt be And eke their gronynge chere.

And I am come, them to defend And saue for euer more: Wherefore beholde, I do thee send Into Egypt therfore.

This is Moyses, to whome they sayde Who made the here a ruler: The same God sent, to them for ayde To rule and eke delyuer.

Euen by the handes, of the Angell Which in the bushe dyd lyght: The same brought them, out passing well And shewed straunge thinges in syght.

In Egypt wonders, dyd appere And in the red see flete: In wildernes, men saw thinges clere Full fortye yeres complete.

This is Moyses, the whiche dyd tell And also make report: To the children, of Israell These wordes of much comfort.

A Prophete shall, the Lorde for ye Rayse vp ryght good and iust Euen of your brethren, lyke to me Hym shall ye heare and trust.

And in the congregacion Thys Moyses was doutles: And hearde the voyce, of God alone Euen in the wyldernes.

Whiche then dyd talke, assuredlye With thangel of the Lorde: Upon mounte Sinay, certaynlye Our fathers doth recorde:

The worde of lyfe, receyued he To geue to vs was sent: Our fathers wolde, in no wyse be To hym obedient.

But thrust him from, them with despyght Their heartes turned echeone: Into Egypt, to go with myght And sayde vnto Aron.

Make gods for vs, both more and les For we can not discus: What is become, of thys Moyses That from Egypt brought vs.

To make a Calfe, thys was their choice And offred sacrifyce: Unto the same, and dyd reioyce In that their owne deuyce.

Then turned God, from them trulye And gaue them vp with thretes: To worship starres, wyth in the skye Foresayde of the prophetes.

O ye the house, of Israell Gaue me your Sacrifyces: Meate offeryngs fortye yeres to tell Wyth in the wildernes.

Soone dyd ye take, and not defarre The tabernacle than: Of Moloch ye, and eke the starre Of your great God Remphan.

Fygures to whome, oft ye dyd vow And worship them eche one: Wherfore I will, translate all you Beyond great Babylon.

The tabernacle, our fathers had Within the wildernes: As he appoynted and them bad Speakyng vnto Moyses.

That he shuld make, it according As he before dyd see: The which our fathers receyuynge Brought in with Iosue.

Into the lande, of the gentyls Whiche God draue out and chyd: Before our fathers as exyls. Tyll the tyme of Dauid.

Whiche fauour found, with God y^e Lorde Desyrynge then that he: Myght synde an house, of mete accorde For Iacobs God to be.

An house for hym, buylt Salomon But yet the hyest I ken: Dwelthe not in temples, made of stone Wrought by the hands of men.

As he declareth, by hys wrst The Prophet sayinge this: Heauen is my seat, where on I sit The earth my fote stole is.

What house then wyll, ye me behest Sayth God tell you I shall: Whiche is the place, then of my rest Hath not my hande made all.

Ye styffe neckte all, both least and most With heartes and ears ye seke: Styll to resist, the holy Ghost As dyd your fathers eke.

The prophetes all, your fathers lore Nedes persecute them must: And eke slew them, which taught before The commynge of the iust.

Whose murtherers, and traytours now Ye are and to them knit: The Angels gaue, the lawe to you▪ And ye haue not kept it.

When they hearde thys, great was their grefe Their heartes did cleaue in two: Gnashynge on hym, euen with their tethe And knewe not what to do:

He was ful of, the holy ghost Hys eyes to heauen dyd stande: Which sawe the glory, of the Lorde And Christ on hys ryght hande.

And sayde beholde, the heauens I se Appeare for my lyuelod: And eke the sonne, of man to be At the ryght hande of God.

Then they cryde out, with rorynge voyce And stopt their eares and brethe: Thus in their rage, they toke their choyce And stoned hym to deathe

The witnesses, their clothes downe layde Then at a mans fete euen: Whose name was Saule, which then as∣sayde With them to stone good Steuen.

Which cryde and sayd, Lord Christ Iesu Receyue my sprite thys daye: He kneled downe, all thys is trew And on thys wyse dyd saye.

Laye not thys synne, Lord to their charge Thus he dyd call and clepe: Of that their synne, them to discharge And so he fell a slepe.