The Newe Testament dylygently corrected and compared with the Greke by Willyam Tindale, and fynesshed in the yere of our Lorde God A.M.D. & xxxiiij. in the moneth of Nouember.

These are the Epistles ta∣ken oute of the olde testament / which a¦re red in the church after the vse of Sals∣burye vpon certen dayes of the yere.

¶ The fyrst frydayein Aduent / the▪ Epistle.

HErken vnto me•• ye that folowe rygh∣teousnes* 1.1 and seke the lorde. Looke vn¦to the rocke ye were cut oute / and to the caue and pit ye were digged oute. Look vn¦to Abraham youre father and vnto Sara that bare you: how I called him onlye / and blessed him and multiplied him. For the lorde hath compassion on Sion and hath compassion on all that is decayed therin / and will make hir wildernes as paradise / and hir deserte as the garden of the lorde. Ioye and gladnes shalbe founde therin / with thankesgeuynge and the voyce of prayse. Herken vnto me my people / & turne youre eares to me my folke. Ther shall a lawe go oute from me / and my iudgement will I stablishe to be a light vnto nacions. My ryghteousnes is nye / and my salvacyon

shall go oute / and myne armes shall iudge na¦cions / and ylondes shall loke for me & shall tarye after myne arme. Lyfte vp youre eyes to heauen and beholde the erth beneth. For he∣auen shall vanyshe awaye as smoke / and the erthe shall weare awaye as a vesture / and the in habiters therof shall peryshe awaye after the same maner / but my salvacion shall endu∣re euer / & my ryghteousnes shall not perishe. Herken vnto me ye that knowe righteousnes and so let the people that have my lawe in their hertes. Feare not the rebukes of man ne¦ther faynte for their blasphemyes. For wor∣mes shall eate them as a garment / and mo¦thes shall deuoure them as it were woll. But my ryghteousnes shall contynew ever / and my saluacyon from generacion to genera¦cion.

The wensdaye in the seconde weke of Aduēt The epistle.

THus sayth the lorde: I will returne to* 1.2 Syon and will dwell in the myddle of Ierusalem. And Ierusalem shalbe cal¦led the citie of trouth and the hill of the lor∣de Sabaoth and an holy hill. Thus sayth the lorde Sabaoth: yet there shall syt bothe olde men and olde wemen in the stretes of Ierusa¦lem and men with staues in their handes for the multitude of dayes. And the stretes of the citie shalbe filled with boyes and wenches playenge in the stretes therof. Thus sayth the lorde zabaoth / though it seme harde in the eyes of the remmanaūt of this people / shall

it seme harde in myne eyes sayth the lorde za∣baoth. Thus sayth the lorde zabaoth: beholde I will delyuer my people from the eest contre and from the lande of the goynge downe of the sonne / and wyll brynge them that they shall dwell in the myddes of Ierusalem. And they shalbe my people / and I wilbe their God in truthe and righteousnes.

The frydaye next folowynge The Epistle.

THis sayth the lorde: vpō the walles of Ierusalem / I have set kepers which shall never cease / nether by daye ner* 1.3 yet by nyght. And ye that stere vp the remem∣braunce of the lorde / se that ye pause not / ne∣ther let him have rest vntill he have prepa∣red and made Ierusalem gloryous in the erth The lorde hath sworne by his ryght honde and by his stronge arme / that he will not geue thy corne anye moare to be eaten of thyne ene¦myes: and that alyentes shall not drynke thy new wyne wherfore thou hast laboured. But they that made it shall eate it and shall praye the lorde: & they that gathered it / shall drynk it in the courte of my holye temple. Go from gate to gate / and prepare the waye for the people / cast vp gravayle and make the waye hye and clense it of stones / and set vp a baner for the people. Beholde the lorde will make it knowen vnto the endes of the worlde. And saye ye vnto the daughter of Sion: beholde he that is thy sauyoure cometh and his rewarde with him and his worke before him. And they shall be called a people of holynes redemed

of the lorde. And thou shalt be called an haun¦ted citie and not forsaken.

¶ The frydaye in y^•. iii. weke of Advēt. y^e pist.

THere shall come a rodde oute of the stoc¦ke of Iesse / and a braunche shall spryn∣ge oute of his rote. And on him shall* 1.4 lyght the spirite of the lorde: the spirite of wys¦dome and of vnderstondynge / the spirite of co¦uncell and of strength / the spirite of knowled¦ge and of reuerence / and it shall make him sa∣uer of the feare of the lorde. And he shall not iudge after the syght of his eyes: nether shall rebuke after the hearynge of his eares. But he shall iudge the causes of the poore w^t rygh¦teousnes / & shall rebuke with equitie for y^e vm¦ble of y^e erthe. And he shall smyte y^e erth with the rodde of his mouth / & with y^e breth of his lyppes shall sleye the wycked. And righteous¦nes shalbe the gyrdle of his loynes / and fayth¦fullnes the gyrdle of his raynes.

¶ On the wensdaye in the thirde weke of ad∣uent. The Epistle.

THe worde that Esaias the sonne of A∣mos saw in a vision / cōcernynge Iuda and Ierusalem. It shall come to passe* 1.5 in the last dayes that the mount of the hou∣se of the lorde / shalbe set in the tope of the mountaynes / and shalbe lyfte vp above the hilles: and all nacions shall resorte therto. And moche people shall go and save: come and let vs go vp to the hill of the lorde and vnto the house of the God of Iacob: that he maye teache vs his wayes / and that we maye

walke in his pathes. For oute of Sion shall come the lawe / and the worde of God oute of Ierusalem. And he shalbe iudge amonge the hethen and tell manye nacions their fautes▪ and they shall tourne their sweardes into mat¦tockes and their speares into sythes. One na∣cion shall not lyfte vp a swearde agaynst ano¦ther / nether shall they teache to warre anye moare. O house of Iacob come & let vs wal∣ke in the lyght of the lorde.

The wensdaye in the fourthe weke of aduent The Epistle.

THis sayth the lorde. Children of Sion be glad and reioyse in the lorde youre* 1.6 God. For he hath geuen you a teacher of righteousnes / and wyll make descende vn∣to you the fyrst rayne and the later / as at the beginnynge. And the barnes shalbe full of cor¦ne / and the wyne presses flowe with wyne & oyle. And I will restore you agayne with my great power which I haue sent vnto you / the yeres which the locustes and caterpillers ha¦ue deuoured. And ye shall eate & haue ynough and prayse the name of the lorde youre God / which hath wrought wonders with you. And my people shall not be in shame for euer. And ye shall knowe that I am in the myddes of Israel / and that I am the lorde youre God / & that there is no moo. And my people shall not* 1.7 be in shame for euer. And ye shall knowe y^t I the lorde youre God / dwell in Syon my ho¦lye mounte. And Ierusalem shalbe holye / and there shall no straunger passe thorow there

anye more. And at that daye the mountaynes shall droppe swete wyne / and the hilles shall flowe with mylke / and all the brokes of Iuda shall runne with water. And a fountayne / shall go oute of the house of the lorde and water theryuer of Sittim. Egipt shall goo to ruyne / and Edom shalbe a desert and a wyl∣dernes / which oppressed the chyldren of Isra¦el / and which sheed ynnocent bloude in their lande. And Iuda shall contynew euer / and Ie¦rusalem from generacion to generacion. And I will clense their bloude which I haue not clensed. And the Lorde shall dwell in Sion.

The frydaye in y^e iiii weke of aduēt The Epi¦stle.

SHoute and be glad daughter of Syon* 1.8 for beholde I come and dwell in the myddes of the sayth the lorde. And manye nacions shall cleaue vnto the lorde at that daye and shalbe my people. And I will dwell in the myddle of the / and thou shalt knowe that the lorde Sabaoth hath sent me vnto the. And the lorde shall inheret Iuda which is his parte in the holye grounde / and he shall chose Ierusalem yet agayne. Let all fleshe holde their peace before the lorde: for he is rysen oute of his holye temple.

On saynt Iohn the euangelistes daye The epistle.

HE that feareth God / will do good: & he that kepeth the lawe shall obtaine* 1.9 wisdome: and she will come agaynst him as an honorable mother: as a woman

yet a virgen shall she receaue him. She shall fede him with the brede of lyfe and vnderston¦dynge: & the water of wholsome wysdome she shall geue him to drynke. And she shall evalt him amonge his neyboures: and shall opē his mouthe evē in y^e thyckest of the congregaciō. And she shall fyll him w^t the spirite of wisdo¦me & vnderstondynge / & with the garment of glorye shall apparell him. She shall make him ryche w^t ioye and gladnes and shall enhe∣ret him of an euerlastynge name.

¶ The xii daye. The epistle.

UP and receaue lyght Ierusalem: for thy lyght is come / and the glorye of* 1.10 the lorde is vp ouer the. For beholde / darcknes shall couer the erth / and a thick mist the nacions. But y^• lorde shall ryse as the son∣ne ouer the / & his glorie shalbe sene vpon the And the hethen shall walke in thy lyght / and the kynges in the bryghtnes that is rysen over the. Lyfte vp thyne eyes rounde aboute and se. All these are gathered together and are come vnto the. Thy sonnes shall come fro•••• farre / and thy daughters shalbe euer by thy syde. Then thou shalt se / and shalt have plen¦tye: thyne harte shall wonder and breake oute in ioye / when the multytude of the see are turned to the / and the armyes of the hethen are come vnto the. The aboundaunce of Ca∣mells shall couer the / and the dromadaryes of Madian and Epha shall come all of them from Saba / and brynge golde and frankyn∣sence / & shall preache the prayse of the lorde.

¶ The next sondaye after the .xii. daye The Epistle.

I Will prayse the O lorde / that though thou were angrye with me / yet thyne an¦ger* 1.11 is turned / and thou hast comforte me. Beholde God is my saluacion: I will be bolde therfore and not feare. For the lorde God is my strength and my prayse wherof I synge: and is become my savyoure. And ye shall drawe water in gladnes oute of the wel¦les of saluacion. And ye shall saye in that da∣ye: geue thankes vnto the lorde: call on his na¦me: make his dedes knowen amonge the he∣then: remember that his name is hie. Lyfte vp. Synge vnto the lorde / for he hath done excellentlye / and that is knowen thorow ou∣te all the worlde. Crye and showte thou in∣habiter of Sion / for great amonge you is the holye of Israel.

¶ On Asshe wensdaye the Epistle.

ANd now therfore sayth the lorde. Tur∣ne to me with all youre hartes / in fa∣stinge* 1.12 and lamentacyō. And teare you∣re hartes and not youre garmentes / and turne vnto the lorde youre God. For he is full of mercie and compassion / longe yer he be an∣grye / and great in mercie and repenteth when he is at the poynte to punyshe. Who can tell whether the lorde will turne and have com∣passion and shall leave after him a blessynge? Sacrifice & drynk offerynge vnto y^e lorde you¦re God. Blowe a trompet in Sion / proclayme

fastynge and call a congregacion. Gather the people together / brynge the elders to one pla¦ce / gather the younge children and they that sucke the brestes / together. Let the brydgrome come oute of his chamber and the bryde oute of hir parloure. Let the prestes that mynister vnto the lorde / wepe betwene the porche and the alter / and saye: spare (lorde) thy people & delyver not thyne enheritaunce vnto rebuke that the hethen shuld raygne over thē. Why shuld they saye: amonge the naciōs / where is their god. And the lorde envyed for his lōdes sake and had compassion on his people. And the lorde answered and sayde vnto his people Beholde / I sent you corne / new wyne and oy∣le / that ye shalbe satisfied therwith▪ N••ther will I delyver you anye moare vnto y^e hethen

¶ On the frydaye next folowynge. The Epistle.

CRye with the throte and spare not. Lyf∣te* 1.13 vp thy voyce as a trompet / and tell my people their offences and the house of Iacob their synnes. For me they seke da∣ye by daye / and will knowe my wayes / as a pe¦ople that doth ryghteousnes / and hath not forsaken the equitie of their God. They seke of me ryghteous iudgementes / and wyll dra∣wenye vnto God. Why have we fasted and thou hast not loked vpon it / have vmbled ou∣re soules / & thou woldest not wyt it. Beholde when ye fast / ye can fynde youre awne lustes / and can call cruellye on all youre detters. Ye fast to lawe and stryve and to smyte with fyst

wyckedlye. Fast not as ye now do / to make youre voyce to be harde vp an hie. Shuld it be soche a maner of fast that I shuld chose / a daye that a man shuld hurte his soule in? Or to bowe downe his heed lyke a bullrushe? Or to sprede sack cloth and asshes vnder him? Shuldest thou call this a fast / and a daye ac∣ceptable vnto the lorde? Or is not this rather y^• fast y^• I have chosen? To lose wycked bōdes & to vnbynde bondylles of oppression? And to let the brused go fre? And that ye shuld brea∣ke all maner yockes? ye and to breake the breed to the hungerye / & to brynge the poore that are harbourlesse vnto house / & whē thou seest a naked / that thou cloth him and y^• thou shuldest w^t drawe thy selfe frō helpinge thyne awne fleshe: Then shuld y^• lyght break oute as dothe y^• daye sprynge / & then health shulde shortlye bud oute. And thy righteousnes shall go before the / and the glorye of the lorde wol∣de come apon the. Then shuldest thou call / & the lorde shuld answer: then shuldest thou crye / and he shall saye / lo here am I. For I the lorde thy God am mercifull▪

¶ On the wensdaye after the fyrst sondaye in lent / the Epistle.

ANd the lorde sayde vnto Moses: come vp to me into the hill / and be there / and* 1.14 I will geue the tables of stone and a lawe and commaundementes / which I have wrytten to teache them. Then Moses rose vp and his mynister Iosue / and Moses went vp into the hill of God / & sayde vnto the elders:

tarye ye here / vntill we come agayne vnto you: & beholde here is Aaron & Hur with you. If anye man have anye matters to do / let him co¦me to them. When Moses was come vp in∣to the mounte / a cloude covered the hill / and the glorye of the Lorde abode vpon mounte Sina / & the Lorde covered it .vi. dayes. And y^• seventh daye he called vnto Moses oute of the cloude. And the fassion of the glorie of y^• Lorde was lyke consuminge fyer on the tope of the hill in the sight of the chyldren of Is∣raell. And Moses went into the mountayne. And Moses was in the mountayne fourtye dayes and fourtye nyghtes.

¶ Another for the same daye. The epistle.

IN those dayes came Elias to Barsabe / that is in Iuda / and lefte his lad there.* 1.15 And he wēt into the wildernes a dayes iorneye / and came & sat vnder a genaper tree / & wysshed to his soule that he myght dye / and sayed: yt is now ynough Lorde / take my sou∣le / for I am not better then my fathers. And as he laye and slepte vnder a genaper tree: be∣holde / an angell touched him / and sayde thus: vp and eate. And he loked vp: and beholde the¦re was at his heed a cake baken on the coles and a cruse of water. And he ate and dranke and layde him doune agayne. And the angell of the Lorde came agayne the seconde tyme and touched him / and sayde: vp and eate: for thou hast a great waye to goo. And he arose and ate and dranke and walked thorow the

strēgth of that meate fourtye dayes and four¦tye nyghtes / even vnto the mounte of God Horeb.

¶ The frydaye next folowinge. The epistle.

THis sayth the Lorde. The soule that sinneth / she shall dye. The sonne shall* 1.16 not beare parte of the fathers wycked∣nes. The ryghteousnes of the ••yght shalbe vpon him / and the wyckednes of the wycked shalbe on him. And yet the wycked if he tur∣ne from all his synnes which he dyd / and ke∣pe all myne ordinaunces / and do iustlie and ryghteouslye / he shall live & not dye. None of the synnes that he hath done shalbe reconed vnto him: In the ryghteousnes that he hath done / he shall lyve. For I desier not the deeth of a synner (sayth the Lorde Iehovah) but ra∣ther that he shuld tourne from his waye / and lyve. And so yf a ryghteous tourne from his ryghteousnes and do wyckednes / and shall do lyke vnto all the abhominacyons whych a wycked doth / shall he lyve? No / none of tho∣se ryghteousnes that he dyd shalbe remem¦bred. But in the wyckednes which he wro∣ught / & in the synne which he dyd / in them shall he dye. But you wyll saye / the waye of the Lorde is not equall. Here I praye you ye house of Israel. Is not my waye equall? If a ryghteous tourne from his ryghte ous∣nes and do wyckedlye / and dye therfore: in the wyckednes which he dyd he shall dye. And when a wycked turneth from his

wyckednes and doth iustlye and ryghteous∣lye / he shall saue his soule: because he feared and turned from all his wyckednes which he dyd / he shall lyue and not dye / sayth the lorde allmyghtie.

¶ The wensdaye after the seconde sondaye in lent. the epistle.

IN the dayes of hester / Merdocheus prayed the lorde / beynge myndfull of* 1.17 all his workes & sayde lorde / lorde kyn∣ge allmyghtie: for in thy power all thynges a¦re put / nether is there anye that can resist thy wyll / if thou have determyned to save Israel. Thou madest heaven and erth / and whatsoe∣uer is contayned within the compasse of hea∣uen: thou art lorde of all / nether is there anye that can resist thy maiestie. Thou knowest all thyng{is} / & wottest y^t it was not of pryde or of spyte / or anye desyer of glorie y^t I dyd not wor¦ship moost proude Amon: for I wolde have been readye / and that gladlye (for the sauynge of Israel) to have kyst even the steppes of his fete. But I feared least I shuld tourne y^• glo∣rye of my God vnto a man / and feared to wor¦shyp anye man saue my God. And now lorde kynge and God of Abraham have mercie on thy people for oure enemyes are mynded to de¦stroye vs & to brynge thyne inheritaunce vt∣terly to naught. Despice not y^• porcion which thou delyueredest for thy selfe oute of Egipt. Heare my prayer & be mercifull vnto the parte and inheritaunce / and tourne oure sorow into Ioye: that we maye lyve and prayse thy name

O lorde / and stoppe not the mouthes of them that prayse the. And all Israell with lyke mynde & prayer / cryed vnto the lorde / because that present death was not farre from them.

¶ The frydaye next folowynge. The epistle.

AT that tyme Ioseph sayde vnto his brother. Heare I praye you a dreame* 1.18 that I dreamed. Beholde we ware ma∣kynge of sheues in the feld: and se / my sheffe arose and stode vpright / and youre sheues sto¦de rounde aboute & made an obeysance vnto my sheffe. Then sayde his brethren vnto him what shalt thou be oure kynge / or shalt thou raynge ouer vs? And they hated him the mo∣re for his dreame and for his wordes. And he dreamed yet another dreame and tolde it his brethren. And he sayd: beholde / I dreamed yet another dreame / Me thought the sonne and the mone and eleuen starres dyd worship me. And when he had tolde it his father and his brethren / his father rebuked him and sayde vnto him: what meaneth this dreame which thou hast dreamed? shall I come and thy mo¦ther and thy brethren and fall before the on the grounde? And though his brethren hated him: yet his father kept the thynge in mynde. And when his brethren were gone to pasture their fathers shepe at Sichem / Israell sayde to Ioseph: do not thy brethren fede the shepe at Sichem? come that I maye sende y^• to thē And he sayde: here am I. And he sayde: go go∣od sonne and se whether it be well with thy brethren and with the shepe / and brynge me

worde agayne. And he sent him oute of the valeye of hebron for to goo to Sichem. And a man founde him wāderynge in y^e felde & axed him sayenge: what sekest thou? And he sayde / I seke my brethren: tell me I praye y^e / where fe¦de they? And the man sayde: they are departed hēce. For I harde thē saye: let vs go to dothā And when they sawe him a farre of / and yer he drue nye them / they contryved to sle him And they sayd one to another: beholde / this dreamer cometh. But now come & let vs kyll him and cast him into a sand pitte / & saye so∣me cruell beast hath deuoured him / and let vs se wherto his dreames will come. When R••¦ben harde that / he wolde have ryd him oute of their handes / and sayed: let vs not kill him.

And Ruben sayed moreouer / shed no bloude / but cast him into yonder pit y^• is in the wyl∣dernes and laye no hondes vpon him: for he wolde have ryd him oute of their handes and delyuered him to his father agayne.

¶ The wensdaye ••••er the thyrd sondaye in le••••▪ The Epistle.

THus sayth y^e lorde God. Honoure thy* 1.19 father and mother / that thy dayes ma∣ye be prolonged in the lande which thy lorde God geueth the. Thou shalt not kyll. Thou shalt not breake wedlocke. Thou shalt not steale. Thou shalt beare no false wytnes agaynst thy neyboure. Thou shalt not couet thy neyboures house: nether shalt thou couet thy neyboures wyfes / his marsaruaunt / his mayde / his oxe / his asse or ought that is his.

And all the people sawe the thunderinge and the lyghtenynge and the noyes of the horne / and how the moūtayne smoked. And when the people sawe it / they remoued & stode a far∣re of and sayde to Moses: talke thou with vs and we will heare: but let not God talke with vs least we dye. And Moses sayde vnto y^e peo¦ple / feare not. For God is come to proue you and that his feare maye be amōge you / that ye synne not. And the people stode a farre of / and Moses went into the clowde where god was. And y^• lorde sayd vnto moses: thus thou shalt saye vnto the chyldren of Israel. Ye ha¦ue sene how I have talked w^t you oute of he∣uen. Ye shall not make therfore w^t me / Gods of golde: in no wyse shall ye do yt. An alter of ert.) shalt thou make vnto me / & there offer thy burnt offeringes & thy peace offeringes / & thy shepe & thyne oxen. And vnto all places whe∣re I shall put y^e remembraunce of my name / thyther will I come vnto the & blesse the.

¶ The frydaye next folowynge. Epistle.

IN these dayes when there was no wa∣ter for the multitude / they gathered* 1.20 them selves together agaynst Moses & agaynst Aaron. And the people dyd chyde w^t Moses & spake sayēge: wolde god we had pe∣rysshed whē oure brethrē perysshed before the lorde. Why have ye brought y^• cōgregacyō of y^• lorde into this wildernes / y^• bothe we & oure catell shuld dye here? wherfore leed ye vs ou∣te of Egipt to br••ge vs vnto this vngracious place / which no place of seed ner of fygge ner

vynes ner of pome garnardes / nether is there anye water to drynk? And moses and Aaron went from the congregacion vnto the dore of the tabernacle of wytnes / and fell on their faces: and the glorie of the lorde appered vnto thē. And the Lorde spake vnto Moses sayin¦ge: take the staffe / and gather / thou and thy brother Aaron the congregacion to gether / & saye vnto the rock before their eyes / that he geue forth his water. And thou shalt brynge them water oute of the rocke / and shalt geue the compayne drynke / and their bestes also. And Moses tooke the staffe from before the lorde as he commaunded him. And Moses & Aaron gathered the congregacion together before the rocke / and he sayde vnto them / hea∣re ye rebellious / must we fet you water oute of this rocke? And Moses lyfte vp his hand with his staffe and smote the rock two tymes and the water came oute aboundantlye / and the multitude dranke / and their bestes also. And the lorde spake vnto Moses and Aaron / because ye beleued me not / to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel / therfore ye shall not brynge this congregacion into the lande which I have geuen them. This is the water of strife / because y^• childrē of Israel stro¦ue w^t y^• lorde / & he was sanctified vpō them.

¶. The wensdaye after the iiii. sondaye in lent. The Epistle.

THis sayth the lorde God. Washe & be cleane: put awaye the wyckednes of* 1.21 youre ymaginacions oute of my syght

Cease to do euell and learne to do well. Sto∣dye to do ryghteouslye and helpe the oppres∣sed. Aduenge the fatherlesse and defende the cause of wydowes. Come let vs shew eche his grefe to other and make an atonement sayth the lorde. And so though youre synnes be ly∣ke to purple / they shalbe made as whyt as snow / and though they be as reed as skarlet / they shall be made lyke whyte woll. If ye wyll agree and herken / ye shall eate the best of the lande sayth the lorde God.

¶ Another for the same daye.

THus sayth the lorde. I will sanctifie* 1.22 my name that is defyled amonge the hethen. Which ye have defyled amon∣ge them: that the hethen maye knowe that I am the lorde (sayth the lorde Iehouah) when I am sanctified vpon you in their syght. And I will take you from the hethen / and will ga∣ther you oute from all landes and will bryn∣ge you oute of youre awne contre. And I will poure pure water vpon you / and ye shalbe clen¦sed from all vnclennes / and from all youre ydo¦les. I will clense you. And I will geue you a new harte / and will put a new spirite in you. And will take awaye that stonye harte oute of youre flesshe / & geue you a flesshie heart. And I will put my spirite in you / and will make that ye shall walke in myne ordinaunces and kepe my lawes & do them. And ye shall dwell in the lande which I gaue youre fathers. And ye shalbe my people / and I wilbe youre God. ¶ The frydaye after the iiii sondaye in lent

The epistle.

IN those dayes it chaunsed that the son¦ne of the wyfe of the house was sycke / & the sycknes was so great that there re¦mayned* 1.23 no breth in him. Then she sayde to Helias / what have I to do with the / thou mā of god? Dydest thou come to me / that my syn¦ne shuld be kepte in mynde & to sle my sonne? And he sayde vnto hir / geve me thy sonne / & he tooke him oute of hir lappe and caried him vp into an hie chamber / where he him selfe dwelt / & layde him on the bed. And he called vnto the Lorde & sayde: O Lorde my god / hast thou dealt so cruelly with the wydowe with whome I dwell / as to kyll hir sonne? And he measured the chyld .iii. tymes / & called vnto the Lorde & sayde: Lorde my God / let this chil¦des soule come agayne into him. And the Lor¦de herkened vnto the voyce of Helias / & this chyldes soule came agayne vnto him / and he revived. And Helias toke the chylde and ca∣ried him doune oute of the chamber into the housse / & delyvered him to his mother. And Helias sayd: se / thy sonne is alyve. Then say¦de the woman to Helias: now I knowe that thou arte a man of God / & that the worde of the Lorde is trulye in thy mouth.

¶ The wensdaye after the .v. sondaye in lent The epistle.

AT that tyme the Lorde spake to Mo∣ses sayinge: speake vnto the hole mul∣titude* 1.24 of the chyldren of Israel / & saye

to them: I am the Lorde youre God. Ye shall not steale ner lye / ner deale falsly one with another. Ye shall not swere by my name fals∣lye / y^t thou defyle not the name of thy god: I am the Lorde. Thou shalt not begyle thy ney¦boure with cavillaciōs / ner robbe him violent¦ly: nether shall the workmans laboure abyde with the vntill y^e morninge. Thou shalt not cursse the deffe / ner put a stomblinge blocke before the blinde / but shalt feare thy God. I am the Lorde. Ye shall do none vnryghteous∣nes in iudgemēt. Thou shalt not faver y^• poo¦re ner honoure the myghtie / but shalt iudge thy neyboure ryghteouslye. Thou shalt not go vp & doune a false prevye accusar amonge the people / nether shalt thou helpe to shed y^• bloude of thy neyboure. I am y^e Lorde. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne harte / but shalt in anye wyse rebuke thyne neyboure / y^t thou beare no synne for his sake. Thou shalt not advenge thy selfe ner beare hate in minde agaynst the chyldren of thy people / but shalt love thyne neyboure even as thy selfe. I am the Lorde. Myne ordinaunces shall you kepe / sayth the Lorde almyghtie.

¶ The friday after y^•. v. sonday in lent. y^• pist.

IEremyas sayde: Lorde all y^• forsake y^• / * 1.25 shalbe ashamed. And they y^t departe from the shalbe wrytten in y^• erth. For they have lost the Lorde y^• is the foūtayne of the water of lyfe. Heale me Lorde / & I shalbe whoale: save me Lorde / and I shalbe safe / for thou art he that I prayse. Beholde they saye

vnto me: where is the worde of the lorde? Let it come to passe / and I enforced not to be a she parde that shuld not folowe the: and the daye of destruccion have I not desyred / thou kno∣west. And y^t proceaded oute of my mouth was ryght in thy syght. Be not terryble vnto me lorde: for thou art my trust in y^• euell daye. Let thē y^t persecute me be cōfounded / & let not me be cōfounded. Let their hartes fayle them / and not myne harte fayle. Brynge vpon them an euell daye / & bruse them agayne and agayne.

¶ The wensdaye after palme sondaye The Epistle.

ESaias sayde / lorde / who beleueth oure* 1.26 sayinge / & the arme of y^e lorde / to whome is it opened? He came vp as a sparow be¦fore him / & as a rote oute of a drye lande. The¦re was nether fassyon or bewtie on him. And when we looked on him / there was no godly∣nes y^t we shuld lust after him. He was despi∣sed & cast oute of mennes cōpanye / & one that had soffered sorowe / & had experynce of infir∣mitie: & we were as one that had hid his face from him. He was so despisable / that we este¦med him not. Truly he tooke vpon him oure deseases / & bare oure sorowes. And yet we coun¦ted him plaged / & beaten & humbled of God. He was wounded for oure transgression / and brused for oure iniquities. The correcciō that brought vs peace was on him / & with his stry¦pes we were healed. And we went astraye as shepe / and turned euery man his waye: and the lorde put on him the wyckednes of vs all

He soffered wronge & was euell entreated / & yet opened not his mouth: he was as a shepe ledde to be slayne: & as a lambe before his s••e¦••er / he was domme & opened not his mouth. By y^e reason of y^e afflyccion / he was not este∣med: & yet his generaciō who can nōbre? Whē he is taken from y^e erth of lyuynge mē: for my peoples transgression he was plaged. He put his sepulchre w^t the wycked / & with y^e ryche in his deth: because he dyd none iniquitie / ne∣ther was gyle founde in his mouth. And yet the lorde determyned to bruse him w^t infirmi∣ties. His soule gevynge hir selfe for trangres∣sion / he shall se seed of longe cōtinuaunce / and the will of y^e lorde shall prospere in his hande Because of y^e laboure of his soule / he shall se & be satisfied. With his knowledge / he beyn∣ge iust / shall iustifie my saruauntes & that a great nōbre: & he shall beare their iniquities. Therfore I will geue him his parte in many & the spoyle of y^• ryche he shall deuyde: becau¦se he gaue his soule to death / & was nombred with the trespasers / & he bare the synne of ma¦ny / and made intercession for transgressors.

¶ On good frydaye the Epistle.

ANd the lorde spake vnto Moses & Aa∣rō* 1.27 in y^• lōde of Egipt sayinge: This mo¦neth shalbe youre chefe moneth: euen y^e fyrst moneth of the yere shall it be vnto you. Speake ye vnto all y^e felowshipe of Israel say¦inge: y^t they take the tēth daye of this moneth to euery housholde / a shepe. Yf y^• housholde be to few for a shepe / then let him & his neybou¦res

that is next vnto his house / take accordyn¦ge to the nombre of soules / and counte vnto a shepe accordynge to euery mannes eatynge. A shepe without spot & a male of one yere ol∣de shall it be / & from amonge the lambes & the gotes shall ye take yt. And ye shall kepe him in warde vntill y^e .xiiii. daye of y^e same moneth And euery man of y^e multitude of Israel shall kyll him aboute euē. And they shall take of y^• bloude & stryck it on y^e .ii. syde postes & on the vpper dore post of y^e houses / wherin they eate him. And they shall eate the fleshe the same nyght / roste w^t fyer / & with vnlevēded breade & with foure erbes they shall eate it. Se y^• ye eate not therof sodē in water / but rost w^t fyer: both heed / fete & purtenaunce together. And se that ye let nothynge of it remayne / vnto the mornynge: if ought remayne / burne it w^t fyer. Of this maner shall ye eate it: with youre loy¦nes gyrded / & shoes on youre fete / & youre sta∣ues in youre handes. And ye shall eate it in hast / for it is the lorde passeouer.

¶ The last sondaye after trynyte sondaye. The Epistle.

BEholde / the dayes will come sayth the lorde / y^• I will sterevp vnto Dauid a* 1.28 ryghteous braunche / & he shall raigne a kynge / & shalbe wyse / & shall do equitie & iustice in the erth. And in his dayes Iuda shal be safe / & Israel shall dwell without feare. And this is the name that they shall call him the lorde oure righteousnes. Wherfore the da¦yes will come sayth y^e lorde / that they shall

saye no more / y^• lorde lyueth y^• brought y^e chil¦dren of Israel oute of y^• lande of Egipt. But the lorde lyueth which delyuered & brought y^e seed of y^• house of Israel / oute of the lande of the north and from all landes whether I thrust them. And they shall dwell in their aw¦ne lande sayth the lorde God allmyghtie.

¶ On the wensdaye in the ember wek afore Mighelmas.

THus sayth y^e lorde God / beholde y^• da∣yes will come sayth the lorde / that the earer shall ouertake y^e reper & treader of* 1.29 grapes y^e sower of seed. And y^e mountaynes shall drope swetnes / & the hilles shalbe hera∣ble. And I will turne y^e captiuite of my people Israel: & they shall buylde the cities that are fallen in dekeye / and shall in habyt them / and shall plant vynes and drynke wyne / & shall make gardens & eate the frute of them. And I will plant them their awne land / and they shall not be anye more plucked oute of their lande which I have geuen them / sayth the lorde thy God.

¶ The frydaye in the Ember weke before Mighelmas. The Epistle.

TVrne Israel vnto the lorde thy God:* 1.30 For thou art fallen for thy wyckednes¦ses sake. Take wordes with you and turne vnto the lorde. And saye vnto him: re∣myt all wyckednes and geue thynges / and we will paye the openly that we have promy¦sed with oure lyppes. Assur shall not saue vs / nether will we ryde on horsses: nether will we

saye to y^e workes of oure awne handes / ye are oure Godes / for thou hast compassion on the frendlesse. I will heale their obedience & will love thē of myne awne accorde: for my wrath is ceased from them. I wilbe as dew to Isra∣el / & he shall florisshe as a lylee / & stretch oute his rotes as Libanon. His braūches shall run¦ne oute / & as an olive tree shall his glorie be / & his savoure as Libanō. They that shall tur¦ne & syt in his shadow / shall lyve with corne / & florisshe as vynes. His renoune shalbe as the wyne of Libanon. Ephraim / what have ye anye moare to do with ydoles? I have hea∣led him and loked on him. I wilbe as a great fyrre tre / and of me shall thy frute be founde. Who is wyse to vnderstonde these thinges & hath wyt to perceave them? For the wayes of the Lorde are strayght / and the righteous shall walke in them: but the wycked shall stomble in them.

¶ Herafter foloweth the Epistles of the sayntes which are also taken oute of the olde Testament.

¶ On saynt Nicolas daye. The pistle.

BEholde an excellent Preste which in* 1.31 his dayes pleased God / & was founde righteous / & in tyme of wrath made an atonement: Lyke to him there is not founde / that kept the lawe of the moost hyest. And he was in covenaunt with him / & in his flesshe he wrote the covenaunt / & in tyme of tempta∣cyon

he was foūde faythfull. Therfore he ma¦de him a covenaunt with an oth / that nacions shuld be blessed in his syght / & that he shuld be multiplied as y^• dust of the erth. He knew him in his blessinges & gave him an inheri∣taunce. And he kept him thorow his mercie / that he founde grace in the eyes of God. An everlastinge covenaūt dyd he make him / & ga¦ve him the office of y^e hie preste. He made him happie in glorye. In fayth & in his softenes / he made him holy / & chose him oute of all flesshe.

¶ On the concepciō of oure ladye. The pist.

AS a vyne / so brought I forth a savoure* 1.32 of swetnesse. And my flowres are the frute of glorie & riches. I am y^e mother of bewtifull love & of feare / & of greatnes and of holye hope. In me is all grace of lyfe & tru¦the. And in me is all hope of lyfe & vertue. Co¦me vnto me all y^• desyer me / & be fylled with the frutes that springe of me. For my sprite is sweter then honye or honye combe. The re∣membreunce of me is for ever & ever. They that eate me / shall honger the moare / and they that drinke me / shall thurst the more. He that herkeneth to me / shall not be ashamed / and he that worketh by my coūcell / shall not synne. And they that bringe into lyght / shall have eternall lyfe.

¶ On candlemas daye. The epistle.

BEholde / I sende my messenger which* 1.33 shall prepare the waye before me. And sodenly shall the Lorde whome ye seke / come vnto his temple / & the messenger of the

couenaunt whome ye desyer. Beholde / he com¦meth sayth the lorde Sabaoth. Who shall en¦dure in the daye of his commynge / or who shall stonde to beholde him? For he is as try∣inge fyer and as the erbe that fullers scoure withall. And he shall syt tryenge and purgyn¦ge syluer / and shall purifie the sonnes of leui / and shall fyne them as gold and syluer. And they shall brynge offerynge vnto the lorde of ryghteousnes. And the sacrifice of Iuda and of Ierusalem shalbe delycious vnto the lorde as in the olde tyme and in the yeres that were at the begynnynge.

¶ On the Annunciacion of oure ladye which is oure layde daye in lent / the Epistle.

ANd the lorde spake to Achas sayenge.* 1.34 Axe y^e a signe of the lorde thy God / frō alowe beneth / or from an hie aboue. But Achas answered I will not a ye / nether wyll tempte the lorde. Wherfore the lorde sayde: Herken ye of y^e house of Dauid: Is it so small a thynge for you / to be greuous to men / but y^• ye shuld also be paynfull vnto God? neuerthe later yet y^• lorde / he will geue you a signe. Be∣holde a vyrgyn shalbe w^t child / & shall beare a sonne / and shall call his name Emanuel. He shall eate butter & honye / y^t he maye have vn∣derstōdynge to refuse y^• euell & to chose y^e good

¶ On saynt Philip & Iacobs daye. y^e epistle.

THen shall y^e ryghteous stonde w^t great constance agaynst them y^t vexed them and toke awaye that they had laboured* 1.35 for. When the wycked shall se that they shal

be troubled with horrible feare / and shall wō∣der at the soden & vnloked for victorye / & shall saye in them selues / repentynge & sorowynge for anguyshe of hert. These be they which we sometyme mocked and iested on. We were ou¦te of oure wyttes and thought their lyuynge madnes / and their ende to be without honoure But beholde / how they are counted amonge the children of God / and have their inheryta∣unce amonge the sayntes.

¶ On the Nativite of. S. Ihon baptistes da∣ye. The Epistle.

THus sayth the lorde. Herkē ye yles vn¦to me / and geue hede ye people that are* 1.36 afarre. The lorde called me out of the wombe and made mencion of my name / when I was in my mothers bowelles. And he made my mouth lyke a sharp swerde. In the shado¦we he led me with his hande. And he made me as an excellent arow / and hid in his quy∣ver. And he sayd to me: thou art my saruaunt O Israel / in whome I wilbe glorified. And I sayde: I laboure in vayne and spende my strength for nought / and vnproffytably. How be yt my cause I commyt to the lorde and my trauayle vnto my God. And now sayth y^• lor∣de that formed me in the wombe / to be his sar¦uaūt and to tourne Iacob vnto him. Beholde I have made the a lyght / that thou shuldest be saluacion / euen vnto the ende of the worlde kynges shall se / and rulers shall stande vp & shall worship / because of the lorde which is faythfull / & the holye of Israel hath chosen y^•

¶ On the visitacion of oure layde the epistle.

I Am the floure of y^e felde / & lylyes of the valeyes. As y^• lylye amōge the thornes* 1.37 so is my loue amonge y^e daughters. As the appletre amonge the trees of y^• wood so is my beloued amonge the sonnes / in his sha∣dow was my desyet to syt / for his frute was swete to my mouth. He brought me into his wyne seller: and his behauer to mewarde was louely. Beholde my beloued sayde to me: vp & hast my loue / my doue / my bewtifull & co¦me / for now is wynter gone & rayne departed & past. The floures apere in oure contre & the tyme is come to cut y^• vynes. The voyce of y^e turtle doue is harde in oure lande. The fygge tre hath brought forth hir fygges / & the vyne blossoms geue a sauoure. Vp hast my loue / my doue / in the holes of the rocke and secret pla∣ces of the walles. Shew me thy face and let me here thy voyce / for thy voyce is swete and thy fassyon bewtifull.

¶ On saynt Marye Magdalens daye The Epistle.

A Woman of power and verite / if a man coulde fynde: y^• valew of hir were farre* 1.38 a boue perlee. The harte of hir husbād trusteth in hir / y^• he nedeth not spoyles. She rendereth him good & not euell all y^• dayes of hir lyfe. She sought woll & flax & did as hir handes serued hir. She is lyk a marchaūtes ship y^• bryngeth hir vitayles from farre. She ryseth yer daye and geueth meate to hir hous∣hold / & fode to hir maydens. She consydred a

grounde ond bought yt / and of the frute of hir handes planted a vyne. She gyrde hir loynes with strength & couraged hir armes. She per ceaued that hir huswyfrye was proffitable / & therfore dyd not put oute hir candle by nyght She set hir fyngers to the spyndle / and hir handes caught holde on the dystaffe. She ope¦ned hir hand to the poore / and strethed oute hir handes to the nedye. She feared not least the colde of snowe shuld hurt hir house / for all hir housholde were doble clothed. She ma¦de hir gaye ornamentes / of byce and purple was hir apparell. Hir husband was had in ho¦noure in the gates / as he sat with the elders of the lande. She made linen and solde it / and delyuered agyrdell to the merchaunt. Strēgth and glorye were hir rayment / and she laughed in the later dayes. She opened hir mouth with wysdome / and the lawe of ryghte ousnes was on hir tonge. She had an eye to hir housholde and eate not breed ydlye. Hir children arose and blessed hir / and hir husband commended hir. Manye daughters have done excellentlye but thou hast passed them all. Fauoure is a de ceauable thynge / and bewtie is vanytie. But a woman that feareth God / she shalbe pray∣sed. Geue hir of the frute of hir handes / and let hir workes prayse hir in the gates.

¶ On the assumpcion of oure layde. y^• epistle

IN all those thinges I sought rest: and in some mannes inheritaunce wolde ha¦ue* 1.39 dwelt. Then the creator of all thyn∣ge commaunded and sayde vnto me: & he that

created me dyd set my tabernacle at rest and sayd vnto me / dwell in Iacob and have thyne inheritaunce in Israel / and rote thy selfe amō¦ge myne elect. From the begynnynge and be∣fore the worlde was I created / and vnto the worlde to come / will I not cease: and before him have I mynistred in the holye habitacion And soin Sihon was Isettled / & in the holye citie lykwyse I rested / and in Ierusalem was my power. And I roted my selfe in an honou¦rable people / which are the lordes parte / and he their inheritaunce: and amonge the multi∣tude of sayntes I helde me fast. As a Cedar tree was I lyfte vp in libanon / and as a Cy∣pers tree in mounte Hermon. As a palme tree was I exalted in Cades / and as roseplantes in Iericho. As a bewtifull olyue tree in the fel¦des / and and as a plantayne tree was I exal∣ted vpon the waters. In y^e stretes I gaue an odoure as synamon & balme y^e smelleth well / & gaue an odoure of swetnes as perfect myrre.

¶ On the Natiuite of oure ladye.

The Epistle as is a fore on the concepcion of oure ladye. Ecclesiastici. xxiiii.

¶ On saynt Mathewes daye the apostle the Epistle.

THe symylitude of the faces of the fou∣re beastes: the face of a man and the fa¦ce* 1.40 of a lyon on the ryght hand of y^• fou¦re of them. And the face of an egle aboue thē foure. And their faces and their wynges stret ched oute aboue an hie. Eche had two wynge coupled together and two that couered their

bodyes. And they went all strayght forwarde And whether they had lust to go / thether they went / and turned not back agayne in their go¦ynge. And the symylytude of the bestes and the fassyon of them was as burnynge coles offyer and as fyer brandes / walkynge bet∣wene the beastes. And the fyer dyd shyne / and oute of the fyer proceaded lyghtenynge. And the beastes ranne & returned after y^e fassyon of lyghtenynge.

¶ On saynt luke

The Epistle as is aboue on S. Mathewes daye the Apostle. Eze. i.

¶ On. S. katheryns daye The Epistle.

LOrde / I dyd lyfte vp my prayer vpon* 1.41 the erth / and besought to be delyuered from death. I called vpon the lorde y^e father of my lorde / that he shuld not leaue me helplesse in the daye of my trybulacion / and in the daye of the proude man. I praysed thy name perpetually / and honoured it with con∣fession / and my prayer was harde. And thou sauedest me that I perisshed not / and delyue∣redest me oute of the tyme of vnryghteous¦nes. Therfore will I confesse and prayse the / and will blesse the name of the Lorde

¶ Here ende the pistles of the olde Testament.

Notes

• * 1.1

  esa. lj.
• * 1.2

  zach. viij.
• * 1.3

  esa. lxij.
• * 1.4

  esa. xj.
• * 1.5

  esa. ij.
• * 1.6

  Ieel. ij.
• * 1.7

  Ioes. iij.
• * 1.8

  zacha. ii.
• * 1.9

  ecclesiasti ci. xv.
• * 1.10

  esa. lx.
• * 1.11

  esaic. xii.
• * 1.12

  ioel. ii.
• * 1.13

  esa. lviii.
• * 1.14

  exodi. xxiiij.
• * 1.15

  iii. regum ••xix.
• * 1.16

  ••ze. xviii
• * 1.17

  hester. xiii
• * 1.18

  genesis .xxxvii.
• * 1.19

  exodi. xx
• * 1.20

  nume. xx
• * 1.21

  esaie .i.
• * 1.22

  ezechiel .xxxvi.
• * 1.23

  iii. regum ••vii.
• * 1.24

  leui. xix.
• * 1.25

  iere. xvi••.
• * 1.26

  esaie. liii.
• * 1.27

  exodi. xij
• * 1.28

  ieremias .xxxiii.
• * 1.29

  amos .ix.
• * 1.30

  oze. xiii.
• * 1.31

  cccl. xliiii
• * 1.32

  ecclesiastici. xxiiii.
• * 1.33

  mala. iii.
• * 1.34

  esaie. vii.
• * 1.35

  sapi. v.
• * 1.36

  esa. xlix.
• * 1.37

  cuntic. ii.
• * 1.38

  prouerbi. xxxi.
• * 1.39

  ecclesiasté xxiiij.
• * 1.40

  ezechie. f.
• * 1.41

  ecclesia. li