[ B] them. And ye people gaue hede vnto those thin∣ges whiche Philip spake with one accorde in that they herde and sawe the myracles which he dyd. For vnclene spirites crying with loude voyce, came out of many that were possessed of them. And many taken with palsyes, and many that halted, were healed. And ther was great ioye in that citye. Now there was a cer∣tayne man called Symon, which before tyme in the same citye, vsed wytchecrafte, and be∣wytched the people of Samarie, sayinge that he was a man that coulde do greate thynges. whom they regarded from the lest to the grea∣test, saying: this felowe is the great power of God. And him they set moche by, bicause that of long tyme he had mocked them with sorce∣ry. [ C] But as sone as they byleued Philips prea∣chyng of the kingdom of god, and of the name of Iesu Chryst, they were baptised bothe men and women. Then Symon him selfe bileued also, and was baptised / and continued with Philip, and wondred, beholdyng the myracles and signes whiche were shewed.
✚ When the apostles which were at Ieru∣salem, herde saye that Samaria had receyued the worde of God, they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn̄ / which whē they were come prayed for them that they might receyue ye holy ghost. For as yet he was come on none of them: but they were baptised only in the name of Christ Iesu. Then layde they theyr handes on them, and they receyued the holy ghost. ⊦
When Symon sawe, that thorow layinge on of ye apostles hādes on them, the holy ghost was gyuen: he offered them money sayinge: gyue me also this power, that on whom so e∣uer [ D] I put the handes, he may receyue the holy ghost. Then said Peter vnto him: thy money perysshe with the, bicause thou wenest that the gyfte of God maye be obteyned with mo∣ney. Thou hast neyther parte nor felowshyp in this busynes. For thy herte is not righte in the sight of God. Repent therfore of this thy wyckednes, and praye God that the thought of thyne herte may be forgyuen the. For I per∣ceyue that thou art full of bytter gall, & wrap∣ped in wyckednes.
Then answered Simon and said: praye ye to the Lorde for me, that none of these thyn∣ges whiche ye haue spoken, fall on me. And they when they had testified and preached the worde of the Lorde, returned towarde Ieru∣salem, and preached the gospell in many cities of the Samaritans.
[ E] ✚ Then the aungel of the Lorde spake vn∣to Philip, saying: aryse, & go towarde South, vnto the waye that goeth downe frome Ieru∣salem vnto Gaza, whiche is in the desert. And he arose and wente on. And beholde a man of Ethiopia, which was a chamberlayne, and of greate auctorite with Candace quene of the Ethiopians, & had the rule of all her treasure, came to Ierusalem for to praye. And as he re∣turned home agayne syttyng in his charet, he ••ed Esaie the prophete.
Then the spiryte said vnto Philip: go nere and ioyne thy selfe to yonder charet. And Phi∣lip ran to him, and herd him rede the Prophet Esaie, and sayd: Vnderstandest thou what [ F] thou redest? And he sayd: How can I, onlesse I had a guyde? And he desyred Philip that he wolde come vp & syt with hym. The tenour of the scrypture which he red, was this. He was ledde as a shepe to be slayne, and lyke a lambe domme before his sherer, so opened he not his mouth. Bicause of his humblenes, he was not estemed: who shall declare his generacion? for his lyfe is taken from the erth. The cham∣berlayne answered Philip, and sayd: I praye the, of whome speaketh the Prophete this? of him selfe, or of some other man?
And Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached vnto hym Iesus. And as they went on theyr waye, they came vnto a certeyn water / and the chamber∣layne sayde: Se, here is water / what shal let me to be baptysed? Philip sayd vnto him. Yf thou byleue with all thyne herte, thou mayst. He answered and sayde: I byleue that Iesus [ G] Christ is the sonne of God. And he commaun∣ded the charet to stande styll. And they wente downe both in to the water: both Philip and also the chamberlayne, and he baptised hym. And as sone as thy were come out of the wa∣ter, the sprete of the Lorde caught awaye Phi∣lip, that the chamberlayne sawe him no more. And he went on his way reioysyng: but Phi∣lip was found at Azotus. And he walked tho∣rowe out the countrey, preachynge in theyr ci∣tyes, tyll he came to Cesarea. ⊦