The .xvii. Chapter.
☞ How vpon Ozias succeadyng kyng nexte in Iuda god toke vengeaunce & smote him with leprie.
AFter in Juda the mighty region,
Next Amazias Ozias gan succede,
Wonder manlye and famous of renoun,
In all his workes full prouident in dede:
And of his knighthode vaiquished as I rede
The Palestines, for all their great puissaūce,
With all Ambie he brought vnto vttraunce.
Builded townes and many a strong citye,
And vnto Egypt he his bondes set,
Made castels besydes the redde see,
And in his conquest whom that euer he met,
Of manly pryde he woulde let:
I meane all tho that were his aduersaries,
To his lordshyp to make them tributaries.
He did his labour also to repare,
Jerusalem after his ruyne,
The walles reared which on y• soyle lay bare
Made newe towers ryght as any lyne,
Fanes of golde their turretes to enlumine,
And to force them, let workmen vndertake,
Square bastiles and bulwarkes to make.
He delited to make freshe gardeynes,
Diuers grayne and herbes for to knowe:
Reioysed to plante sundrye vynes,
To graffe trees and sedes for to sowe.
And straunge fruits maketh thē grow arow
And wt him had his enemyes to encumber,
Thre hundred thousand manly men in nūber.
His noble fame gan to sprede wyde,
And greatly dreade for his prowes:
Wherthrough his hart corrupted with pride,
Because onely of his great riches,
And frowardly he did his busines
For to maligne in estate royall,
Agaynst the lorde whiche is immortall.
To god aboue he gan waxe obstynate,
That by processe full small he did winne:
And sauour caught in his royall estate,
To folow his father in vnthrifty synne,
That grace & vertue from him did twynne,
In most shinyng of his magnificence,
Fortune proudly assayled his excellence.
Cast she would within a little while,
His surquedy and frowarde pride assayle:
And full vnwarely deceyue him and begyle,
To make his power to appall and fayle:
Whan that this kyng toke on the apparayle
Of a bishop of very frowardnes,
And to the temple proudly gan him dresse,
Beyng in purpose on a solemne day,
To take his waye vp to the hye alter,
Falsly vsurpyng whosoeuer sayde nay,
To sacrifyce holdyng the censere,
Tofore the alter that shone of golde so clere,
For whiche offence (the bible sayth the same)
Azarias the bishop did him blame.
Gan withstand him in the face anone,
Fourscore priestes beyng in presence
Of the kynred discended of Aaron,
Whiche forbade him and made resistence,
That with his hande he should put incence
Vpon the aulter against gods lawe,
Him chargyng boldly his presence to wtdraw
But of despite he made them hold their pees,
In payne of death began them manace:
And sodaynly among all the prees,