¶ Herod persecuteth the Christen, Kylleth Iames, and putteth Peter in pryson, whom the Lord dely∣uereth by an aungell. The shamful death of Herode.
CAP. XII.
I✚N that tyme Herode the kynge stretched [ A] forth his handes to vexe certayne of the cō¦gregacion. And he kylled Iames the bro∣ther of Iohn̄ with the swerde, and because he sawe that it pleased the Iewes, he proceded further, and toke Peter also. Then were the dayes of swete bred. And when he had caught him, he put him in prison, and delyuered him to .iiij.* 1.1 quaternions of soudiers to be kept, entendinge after Easter to bringe him forthe to the people. Thē was Peter kept in pryson. But prayer was made without ceasynge of ye congregacion, vnto God for him. And when Herode wolde haue brought him oute vnto the people, ye same night slept Peter betwene two souldyers, bounde with two chaynes / and the kepers before the doore, kepte the pryson.
And beholde the aungell of the Lorde was there present, and a lyght shyned in the lodge. And he smote Peter on the syde, and steryd him vp, sayenge: aryse vp quickely. And his cheynes fell of from his handes. And the an∣gell sayde vnto him: gyrde thy selfe and bynde on thy* 1.2 Sandales. And so he dyd. And he sayde vnto him: cast thy mantle about the, & folowe me. And he came oute, and folowed him, and wist not, that it was truthe whiche was done by the aungel, but thought he had [ B] sene a vysyon. When they were past the firste and the seconde watche, they came vnto the yron gate, that ledeth vnto the cytie, whiche openned to theym by the owne accorde. And they went oute and passed thorowe one strete and by and by, the Aungell departed frome hym.
And when Peter was come to hym selfe / he sayde: nowe I knowe of a suretie, that the Lorde hath sent his Aungell, and hathe dely∣uered me out of the hande of Herode, & from all the layenge awayte of the people of the Iewes. ⊦
✚ And as he consydred the thynge, he came [ C] to the house of Mary the mother of one* 1.3 Iohn̄, whiche was called Marke also, where many where gathered togither in prayer. As Peter knocked at the entrey doore, a damsell came forthe to herken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peters voyce, she opened not the entrey for gladnes, but ran in, and tolde howe Peter stode before the entrey. And they sayde vnto her: thou arte mad. And she bare them downe that it was euen so. Then sayde they: it is his Aungell. But Peter continued knockinge: and when they hadde opened the dore, and sawe him, they were astonyed. And he beckened vnto thē with the hande, to hold their peax, and tolde them by what meanes ye Lorde had brought him oute of the pryson. ⊦ And he sayde: goo shewe these thinges vnto Iames, and to the brethren. And he departed and went into an other place.
Assone as it was daye, there was no lytle