CAP. VII.

Ezechie, king of Juda, rengnide xxix. ȝeer, and dide good bifore God bi alle thingis*. [this thynges β.] whiche his fadir Dauith*. [Om. ζη.] hadde do; he*. [and β.] distroiede hiȝe placis, and al to-brak ymagis, and hewyde doun wodis, and brak the serpent of brasse; for the children of Israel brente ensense to it; and he hopide in God. Therfore of alle the*. [Om. β.] kingis of Juda was noon lyk him aftir him, but neither among these kingis that weren bifore him. And in the xiiij. ȝeer of Ezechie, Senagerib, king of Assiriens, stiȝede to alle wallide citees of Juda, and took tho. Thanne Ezechie ȝaf to hym al the syluer that was founden in Goddis hous, and in the tresouris of the king, for he schulde goo awey, and distrie not Jerusalem neither*. [ne ζ.] Judee; and for Senagerib kepte not couenaunt, Ezechie rebellide aȝens him, in trist of Goddis help. Thanne Senagerib sente Rapsaces with strong oost*. [hond β.] to Jerusalem, to*. [for δ.] blasfeme God, and make the peple ȝelde*. [to ȝelde βζ.] hem to him for dreede. Thanne Ezechie to-rente his clothis for Page  19 sorwe, and was hilid with a sak, and entride into Goddis hous, and sente `the hiȝe prest*. [the prestis β.] and othere eelde men clothid with sakkis to the prophete Isaie, that he schulde preie to God aȝens the blasfemye of Assyriens. And Isaie seide, in Goddis name, that thei schulde not drede of thes wordis of Assiriens, for God schal sende a spirit to*. [in to ζ.] Senacharib, and he schal here a messanger, and he schal turne aȝen into his lond; and God schal caste hym doun bi swerd in his lond; and whanne Senacherib ȝede*. [wente δει.] hoom to defende his lond aȝens the king of Ethiopie, he sente blasfeme lettris to Ezechie, and seide, that his God myȝte not delyuere hym fro his hondis*. [hond δεηι.]. Therfore God counfortide Ezechie bi the*. [his ζ.] prophete Isaie, that he schulde not dreede Senacherib, for Senacherib schal not entre into Jerusalem, neither*. [ne ζ.] sende arwe into it, neither ocupie it, neither*. [ne ζ.] biseege it; but God schal defende and saue Jerusalem, for himself, and for Dauith his seruaunt. And in that nyȝt the aungel of God killede in the tentis of Assiriens an c. thousind and lxxxv. thousind; and*. [Om. δ.] in the morewe tyde Senacherib ȝede into his lond, and his owne sones killiden hym in the temple of his God Nestrach, while he worschipide Nestrach*. [his god Nestarath δει.]. Aftir this*. [this thing δ.] whanne Ezechie was syik to the deeth, Isaie seide `to hym*. [Om. β.] in Goddis name, "Dispose thin hous, for thou schalt diȝe and not lyue." And for Ezechie wepte greetly, God curide him, and made him go into the temple on the thridde day, and encreeside xv. ȝeer to his lijf; and in singne herof God made the sunne go bacward bi ten grees*. [degrees δει.]. Aftir this doinge the king of Babiloyne sente lettris, messengeris*. [by mes|sengeris δει. and messangeris η.], and ȝiftis to Ezechie, and bi pride he schewide alle hise tre|souris and iewelis to the messengeris. Therfor God seide bi Isaie to him, that daies schulen come, and alle thingis in thin*. [this β.] hous schulen be taken awey into Babiloyne. And Ezechie seide, "The word of God is good; oonly pees and treuthe be in my daies." Aftir Ezechie Manasses his sone regnede lv. ȝeer in Jerusalem, and dide gret yuel in Goddis siȝt, and mychel*. [myche δει.] ydolatrie; and the peple of Juda was disceyued of Manasses, that thei diden more yuel than hethene men, whiche God distroiede fro the face of the sones of Israel. And for Manasses dide these worste abomynacouns ouer alle thingis whiche the men of Amereys diden, and he sched ful myche innocent blood, til Jerusalem was fillid til to the mouth, God seide, that*. [Om. δ.] he wolde bringe in yuelis on*. [vp on δει.] Jerusalem and Juda, that, who euere heerith, bothe hise eeris tyngle; and he schal do awey Jerusalem, as tablis on boord ben wont to be don awey, but God*. [Om. β.] schal leue remenauntis of his eritage, and bitake hem*. [Om. δι.] in the hond of her enemyes. Manasses diede, and was buried in the orcherd of his hous; and Amon his sone regnede for hym ij. ȝeer, and dide yuel*. [yuelis ζ.] as his fadir dide, and forsook God, and seruede vnclennesses*. [vnclennesse δεζι.] and ydolis, as his fadir dide, and worschipide thoo. And his seruauntis settiden tresoun to him, and killeden hym in his hous; and the peple of the lond killiden alle men, that hadden conspyrid aȝens the kyng Amon; and for hym thei ordeyneden Josie his sone king to hem. Josie bygan to rengne whanne he was viij.*. [of eiȝte ζ.] ȝeer eeld, and rengnede xxxj. ȝer in Jerusalem; and he dide that that was pleesaunt bifore God, and ȝede bi alle the weies of Dauith his fadir. In the xviij. ȝeer of Josie he hadde besynesse that the temple of God were reparailid; and whanne the book of lawe was red bifore*. [to fore β.] the king, he to-rente hise clothis, and sente solempne messengeris to take counceil at*. [of β.] God for himself and his*. [for his ι.] reume; for he seide, that*. [Om. δζ.] greet veniaunce of God is*. [was ζ.] kynlid aȝens vs, for oure fadris herden not the wordis of this book, to do al that is writen to vs. And God seide bi the prophetesse Olda, the wijf of Sellum, "I schal bringe yuelis on this place, and on the dwelleris thereof*. [theron β.], alle the wordis of the lawe whiche Josie redde, for they for|sooken me, and maden sacrifice to alyen goddis; and for thou, Josiee, herdist the wordis of the book, and thin herte was afeerd, and thou were meekid bifore*. [tofore β. afore δει.] me, and to-rentist thi clothis, and weptist bifore me, therfore thou schalt diȝe in pees, that thin iȝen se not Page  20 alle these yuelis, whiche I schal bringe in on this place." Thanne Josie gaderide to hym alle the olde men of Juda and of Jerusalem, and the king stiȝede into*. [in α.] the temple of God, and alle men of Juda and alle men that dwelliden in Jerusalem, prophetis and prestis, and al the peple styede with hym, and he redde to alle men heeringe alle the wordis of the book of couenaunt*. [couaunt ζ.] of the Lord, that was founden in the hous of the Lord. And the king stood on the grees, and smoot couenaunt*. [couaunt ζ.] bifore the Lord, that thei schulden go aftir the Lord, and kepe alle hise heestis, and witnessingis*. [wyttenessyng β.], and cerymonies, in al the herte and in al the soule, and the peple assentide to the couenaunt*. [couaunt ζ.]. And the king bad the bischop*. [bishopis δ.] and prestis and porters caste out of Goddis temple alle vessels*. [the vessels β.] that weren maad to Baal, and to other ydols; and he brent tho out of Jerusalem, in the valey of Cedron, and bar the dust of tho into Bethel. And he distroide ydolatrours, and the hous*. [housis δει.] of lecchours*. [lecherours η.] that weren in the hous of God; and he distroide auteris and hiȝe placis of ydols, and ymagis, and took out boonys fro*. [of δει.] sepulcris, and brente tho on the autir in Bethel, that seruide to ydolatrie. Also Josie dide awey alle templis of hiȝe placis, that weren in the citee of Samarie, whiche the kingis of Israel hadden maad to terre the Lord to wraththe; and he dide to tho as he hadde do in Bethel, and he killide the prestis of hiȝe placis, whiche prestis weren there ouer the auters, and he brente mennis boonys `on tho*. [of tho αη. of the β. of tho on the δει.] auters. Also*. [And δει.] Josie made the puple to make a solempne pask, and such pask was not maad fro the daies of iugis, and alle kingis of Israel and Juda, as was this pask maad, in the xviij. ȝeer of Josie. And hee dide awey spiritis spekinge in mennis wombis, and false dyuynouris, and*. [Om. β.] figuris of ydols, and vnclennessis, and abomynacyouns, that weren in the lond of Juda and of Jerusalem. No king bifore him*. [Om. ι.] neither aftir him was lyk him, that turned aȝen to God in al his herte, and in al his soule, and in al his vertu, bi al the lawe of Moises. Natheles for the orrible synnes of Juda God turnede not awey fro his strong veniaunce, but seide, that he wolde take awey Juda fro his face, as he dide awey Israel, and that he wolde caste awey the citee Jerusalem*. [of Jerusalem δεζι.] whiche he chees. Therfor Farao Nechao, king of Egipt, killide Josye in Magedo, and Joachas his sone was maad kyng for his fadir; and he rengnede thre monethis in Jerusalem, and dide yuel bifore God bi alle thingis whiche his fadris hadden do; and this Farao prisonyde him in Reblatha, and took tribute of the lond*. [Lord α.], an c. talentis of syluer, and oo talent of gold; and this Farao made king Elyachym, the sone of Josie, and turnede his name Joachym; and this Farao ledde Joachas in to Egipt; and Joachym dide yuele bifore God bi alle thingis whiche his fadris hadden do. And this Joachym was maad seruaunt thre ȝeer to Nabugodnosor, king of Babilonie, and eft he rebellyde aȝens Nabugodnosor, and God sente theuis of Caldeys, and theuis of Sirie, and theuis of Moab, and theuis of the sones of Amon into Juda, that he schulde distroie it, as he spac bi his prophetis, and specialy for the synnes of Manasses. This Joachym diȝede, and his sone Joakyn rengnide iij. monethis in Jerusalem, and dide*. [he dide ζ.] yuel bifore God, as hise fadris hadden do. In that tyme the seruauntis*. [seruaunt αη.] of Nabugodnosor stiȝede to*. [in to β.] Jerusalem, and biseegeden it. Thanne Nabugodnosor came to Jerusalem to ouercome it, and Joakyn, and his modir, and his seruauntis, and princis, and chaumbirleyns ȝeden out to Nabugodnosor, and he translatide Joakyn and his oost, x. thousind, and many crafty men in to Babiloyne; and took alle the tresouris of Goddis hous, and of the kingis hous, and bet togidere alle the*. [Om. β.] golden vessels, whiche*. [the weche β.] king Salamon hadde maad in the temple. And Nabugodnosor*. [kyng Nabugodonosor δει.] ordeynede Mathanye, the brother of Josie, to be kinge, and clepide hym Sedechie, and he rengnede xj. ȝeer in Jerusalem, and dide yuel bifore God bi alle thingis that Joachym hadde do; for God was wrooth aȝens Jerusalem and Juda, til he castide hem awey fro his face. And Sedechie ȝede awey fro the king of Babilonye, and in the ix. ȝeer of Sadechie Nabugodonosor cam with al his oost, and bisegide Jerusalem til to the*. [Om. β.] xi. ȝeer of Sedechie, Page  21 and thanne the citee was broken, and Sedechie and his warriouris fledden bi nyȝt, and the oost of Caldeys pursuede and took him, and brouȝte him to Nabugodonosor in Reblatha. And Nabugodonosor spac dom with Sedechie, and killide hise sones bifore him, and puttide out his iȝen, and boond him with chaynes, and brouȝte hym in to Babiloyne. Thanne Nabusardan, the prince of the oost, brente Goddis hous, and the kingis hous, and the housis of Jerusalem, and distroiede the wallis*. [wal δ.] of Jerusalem in cumpas; and he translatide into Babiloine the residue puple of Juda, outaken a fewe pore men, vyntilieris and erthetilieris; and he brak alle the brasen vessels and of metal in the temple, and bare the metal into Babilone. Thanne Nabugodonosor made Godolye to be souereyn of the peple left in the*. [Om. β.] lond of Juda, and thanne*. [Om. β.] alle the dukis of knyȝtis camen to Godolie in*. [into ζ.] Maspha, and he made an ooth to hem, that it schulde be wel to hem, if thei wolden serue the king of Babilone. And Ismael, that was of the kingis blood, killide Godolye, and Jewis and Caldeis that weren with him, and al the peple of Juda and the princis of kniȝtis fledden*. [and fledden δεη pr. m. ι.] into Egipte, for*. [fro αη.] drede of Caldeys. At the laste, Euylmeradach, king of Babilone, reiside Joachyn fro presoun, and settide his trone aboue the trones*. [troone δε.] of othir kingis that weren with hym in Babilone; and Joachyn eet euere breed in the kingis siȝt of Babilone, in alle the daies of his lijf. This prosces of Godolie and that sueth is teld largeliere*. [largiere β. more largely ζ.] in the ende of Jeremye than heere in the*. [Om. η.] ende of Kingis. This prosces of the iiij. book of Kingis schulde stire alle men, and namely kingis and lordis, for to hate synne, as*. [and β.] ydolatrie and coueitise, and brekinge of Goddis heestis, for whiche the peple of Israel and the peple of Juda was thus punschid, and conquerid of hethene men, and for to loue vertues and kepinge of Goddis heestis, and distroyinge of opyn sinnes, for whiche manye goode kingis, as Esechie, Josie, and many othere, hadden grete thank and socour of God in manye*. [Om. ζ.] greete perels*. [pe|rel ζ.], and blisse of heuene withouten ende. God for his mercy graunte this blisse to vs! Amen.