dyd thys ouer myche and wyth some pryde and iustyfyede hym selfe ouermich that his frindis cōceiuidē that he blasphe myde God and preuyd God vnrygffulle And of these two poyntys Iob repentyde in the ende Than Godde foryafe to hym thys lyttle syne and appreuyde hys true sentēce and damnid the errour of his aduersaries Than Iob preied and made sacrifice for his aduersaries and God hearde hym and did mercie to hem And Godde addyde all thyngys duble that Iob hadde And he had xiiii thousande of shepe and. vi thousande of Camellis and a thousāde yokis of oxē and a thousande Femell Asses and seuen sonis iii daughters And Iob lyued vii score yere after hys turmente sygh his sonnis the sōnis of hys sonnis tilto the. iiii generacion Thys proces of Iob shuld styr men to be iuste of lyueyng and to be patient in Aduersitie as Iob was and to be stidfaste in christen feyth and answere wysely and mekely to heretikis and aduersaries of ou◅ fayth as Peter Poule techen and euer be meke and full of charitie and prey for our enimies and loke after mede in heauen and not in earth for our good dedis The Psalter comprehendith al the olde testament and newe and techith playnely the misteries of the Trinitie of Christis Incarnation Passion and Riseyng agayne Stiynge into Heauen and sendyng downe of the Holygoste and preachyng of the Gospell and the commyng of Antichrist the generall dome of Christ and the glorie of chosen men to blis and the peynis of hem that shulen be damnid in Hell And ofte rehersyth the stories of the olde Testament and bryngyth in the kepeyng of Godis hestis and loue of Enimies No boke of the olde Testament is harder to vnderstondyng to vs Latines for our letter discordith mych fro the Hebrwe And many Doctouris taken lyttle heede to the letter but all to the gostly vnderstondyng Well were hym that coulde well vnderstonde the Psalter and kepe it in hys lyueyng and seye it deuoutly and conuicte Iewis thereby For many men that seyne it vndeuoutely and lyuen oute of charitie lyghen foul on hemsylfe to God and blasphemen hym when they crien it full lowde to mennis Earys in the Chyrche Therefore God yeue grace to vs to lyue well in charitie and s◅y it deuoutely and vnderstonde it truely and to teach it openly to christē men and Iewis and bryng hem thereby to oure Christen Feyche and brenyng Charitie The Prouerbis either Parablis of Solomō teachē men to lyue iustly to God and man Ecclesiastes teachith men to forsake and set at nought all goodys in the worlde and to drede God and kepe his hestis The songis of songis teachē mē to set al here herte in the loue of God of here neighbours to do all here busines to bring men to charitie and saluation by good ensample trew preachyng and wylfull sufferyng of peyne and death if nede be Prouerbis speaken mych of wisdome and kepyng of Gods hests in cōmondyng trewe teachyng and in repreuyng false teachyng And prouerbis teachen mych of ryghtfulnes and iuste domis and gouernaūce of punishyng of Adulterie and other falsenessis and cōmenden mych iust Lords and sogets repriuen strōgly wronful Lords rebel sogettis Also Prouerbis teachen derkly the mysteries of Christe and of holy Chirch and teachen mych wisdome and prudēce for the soul and the bodye Therfore Lords and comeners also and namely priestis shulen study well thys boke and rule hemsilfe therby to saluatiō of body of soull Ecclesiastes is a full sotill boke For Solomō speakith in many persons and concludith here intent and sentēce Not in appreuing the sentēce of fleshly men that preisen more bodily goodis and lustis of the body than heauēly goodis likyng of vertuis damnith many errours of mē shewith that al is Uanitie tyll me come to the dred of God keping of his hestis Therfore men moten be wel war how thei vnderstōdē Solo mō in this boke y t thei appreuē none errour damnē no truth for miscōceyuyng of Solomons wordis and the Holigostis wordis in this boke The songis of songis techē derklye the state of y e Sinagoge fro the goyng out of Egypt tylto Christis incarnation and passion And than tho songis teachen the state of Christis chyrch and of the Synagoge in the ende of the worlde and treaten hyghlye of loue to God and neyghbouris also And thys boke is so sotle to vnderstond that Iewis ordeyniden that no man should studye it no but he were of xxx yere and had able wyt to vnderstōd the gostli pryuities of thys boke For some of the boke semith to fleshly mē to sow vnclene loue of lecherie where it tellyth hygh gostly loue and great priuities of Christe and of hys chyrch Therfore men moten be full well ware to conceyue weil the wordis of the Holygoste in thys boke and knowe whan Christ speakyth to the chyrch either to the Synagoge and whā the Sinagog speakith to God and whanne the chyrche speaketh to Chryste And whan God speakyth to Angelis Patriarkis prophets and Apostles whan these persons speaken to y e synagoge eyther to the chyrche either ayen warde The boke of wisdome though it be not a boke of bileue teachith miche rightfulnes preysyth wysdome repreuyth fleshlye men for here false byleue and euyllyuyng and cōmendyth mych iust men sadde in byleue vertuouse liuinge And it toucheth mych of Chrystys incarnacion hys manhede and godhede togither and damneth greatli Idolatrie and false worshypynge of Idolles and false goddis Thoughe Ecclesiasticus be no boke of beleue it teacheth mich wysdome and prudence for Soule and body hath mich y e sentence of prouetbis And cōmaūdyth men to thynke and speake of gods hestis for to dread God and loue hym and euer haue mynde of death of the great dome to kepe men out of synne and in perfecte loue to God and man Also it preisith mych almese and good preier and repreuith greatly extortions and wrong and false othis and false measuris and false weyghtis and al fraude priuie and aparte At the last it cōmendith good men and heriyth God that deliuerith fro all perilis If thys boke be well vnderstōd it is profitable both to gost ly gouernouris and bodily Lordis and Iusticis and Comins also The Prophetis han a general Prolog for all And for I declarid some dell the great Prophets and in partie the smal Prophetis and thyncke sone to make an ende with Godes helpe of the Glose of the smal Prophetis I thynke now to passe ouir wythouten any tariyng The first boke of Machabeis tellith howe greate dystructyon and crueltie Antioke the noble dyd ayen the Iews and how mani thousandis he kyllyd of hem that woldē holde Goddys lawe And brent
ende Also men may know how sore God punished AdaÌ„ Gue for breakyng his coÌ„maundement And how Abel pleased God by feyth meknes and charitie and howe Cayn displesed hym by sinnes specially by enuie hatred and manquellinge Also howe Noe was loued of God and al the worlde outakeÌ„ viii persons was distroyed for synne And howe for pryde and other synnes God departyd many langagis that noman vnderstode other in y â— tour of Babel And howe feythfull and obedyente to God Abraham was that he yede out of hys londe into a straung couÌ„tre was redy to slea his owne son I saac at the wil of God gat therfore myche rewarde of God And howe God distried Sodome Gomorre and other iii. Cities for lecherie and other synnes that tho were sunke downe the dead sea is now where tho greate Cites weren Also howe true and obedieÌ„t to God weren Isaac Iacob Ioseph and howe God kepte hem in al periles All thys processe of Genesis should styr christen men to be feithfull and forto drede and loue God and in all thynges dohys wyll Also in Exodi meÌ„ mai knowe howe God kepte hys symple Puple in Egypte and encreased hem greatly in that londe vnder the persequucion tyrantry of kyng Pharao deliuered hem bi mani miracles punished Pharao hys puple wyth tenne strong vengeaunces and fedde hem meruilousli in desert xl yers where no dwellynge of men was before and made heÌ„ to ouercome the stroÌ„g puple of Amalech After thys God taught heÌ„ wyse gouernaile bitoke to hem the ten coÌ„maundements and other iudiciallis to punyshe greatly open greate sinnes And they weren ful bisi to make a costlue tabernacle to the honoure of God by hys bydding teching y â— figured holy chirch vertuis in mens soulis At the last God toke greate veÌ„geauÌ„ce on hem for Idolatry whaÌ„ they forsokeÌ„ the feyth and worshipyng of God and honoreden yeotun caluys by styring of the deuyl And then Moses was a trewe mediatour bytwyx God the synfull puple and seyde thus to God for greate tryst of hys mercie and for ryghtfulnes and greate charitie to y â— puple Either forgiue thou thys trespas to hem eyther do me out of y â— boke in which thou hast wri teÌ„ me And for this deuoute preier greate charitie of Moses God sparid the sinful puple distried not sodeÌ„li al the puple but toke heÌ„ to mercie grace And this proces of Exodie should make meÌ„ cristi in godes helpe to be true in hys loue Eschew his offeÌ„ce w t al here mightes The thyrde boke clepid leuitici teacheth men sacrifices due to God and for synnes of the puple in the tyme of the olde testament and that no man vnworthy shoulde nyghe to the seruise sacrifice of God These sacrifices owne not to be kept now for tho figuriden the passion and the death of Christ and remissioÌ„ of sins by the blâ—…e and merite of Christ in the lawe of grace Also this boke te cheth men to absteine fro wedlocke of nyghe kynne and affinitie wythin the. ii degree and ordeyneth peine of death for Idolatrye and wedynge wythin the. ii degree of coÌ„sanguinity and affinytye At the last thys boke teacheth meÌ„ to kepe Goddes hestes forto loue here neyghboures and to do equitie to hem and werkis of mercye to nedy men and coÌ„mauÌ„deth iuste weightes measures domis and for byddeth strongly Idolatrie and wytchcrafte false coniutinges and telleth prosperiti that shal come to hem that kepen Goddes hestes and vengeaunce peine to hem that breaken Goddes hestes And thys proces of Leuitici shuld make christeÌ„ men aferd to breake Gods hests and ioyful to kepe tho to lyfe deth for reward of God in euerlastynge blysse The fourth boke clepid Numeri tellethe the noumbre of puple ledde out of Egypt both of lewde men and of priestes and of deaâ—…enis and howe God kepte hem loÌ„gein y â— horâ—…yble desert and punyshed hem all by death outake Caleph and Iosue for grutchyng and mistrust to gods word and punished Marie Moses suster wyth lepree for back bytynge of Moses the mild seruauÌ„t of God Also whaÌ„ God would haue distried the puple for grutchyng ayens hym Moses preyed wythe all hys herte for the puple that woulde stone hym to death Also God teacheth there that he that doth any synne by pride shalbe dead And that he that brake the sabat yea by gaderyng of stiks should be stoned of all the puple Also God punished sore Core Dathan and Abiron that weren rebell ayens Moses and Aaron maden discencion in the puple so that the earth opneide deuoured hem with here tabernacles al here cattel and they yeden downe quicke into hell Yet whan the puple grutched ayens Moses and Aaron and would slea them vniustly God kyllâ—…d manie thousandes 〈◊〉 Puple heerefore Moâ—…es bade Aaron prey offer enâ—…ens for the puple and so he ceassed the veÌ„geauÌ„ce Also God techeth ther that priests shuleÌ„ haue y â— first fruits first borne things parte of sacriâ—…ices auâ—…wes offeryngs dekins shoulen haue tythis of y â— puple and yeue her tythis that is y â— tenth part of tithis which thei tokeÌ„ of the puple to y e highhest priest and priests and dekins shulen holde hem apayde wyth here spiritual parte of tythys and offringes and take no possession in y e londe of here brithren For God hym silfe shal be the parte heritag of priests in y e middis of the sonnes of Israel Also for Moses and AaroÌ„ beleuideÌ„ not fully to Gods worde but doureden of his byhestes at the water of aâ—…enseinge God sufferede not hem to enter into the lond of byheste but both wereâ—… deade in desert Also in this boke ben tolde the dwelings of the childreÌ„ of Israel in desert and the batteils that theâ—… hadden ayeâ—…s heathen men and of bâ—…laaÌ„ how he was hyred to cursse Godes puple and howe God coÌ„pelled hym to blesse his puple and to seye propheâ—…i of Christ. And for the puple of Israel dyd fornication 〈◊〉 God bade Moses hang all the priâ—…ces ayens the sune that the stronge vengeaunce of God were turâ—…id awaye fro the pupâ—…e of Israell And for as miche as Phinees the prâ—…ste kylled a Duke of Israel y t dide fornication wyth an heathen womâ—… and dyd thâ—…s for ferueÌ„t loue to Godhe gate of Godeuerlastynge priâ—…hode for hym his scede turnid aweâ—… gods wrath fro y e childreÌ„ of Israel Also there is taught who 〈◊〉 be heire of a maÌ„ â–ª of holi daies â—…crifices offerings made in tho 〈◊〉 which aâ—…ows shuleÌ„ be holdeÌ„ Wâ—… not of bâ—…tels how y â— preis shuleÌ„â—…e parted amonge the puple and what should fall to the prieste howe the lond of bihest should be departed to xii lynages dekenis shoulen haue cities to enhabite in tho and the
moneth at euentide And Iosue seeth an Angel of the lord which angel was prince of goddis oost Also the strōg wallis of Iericho feldene downe at goddis ordenaunce whane priestis braiden wyth seuen trumpis and al the puple cried anhigh in the. vii dai of cumpasyng of the citie And the puple of Israel dystroyed and brent the cittie and al things therein outaken Raab and tho that werene in hir house and outaken golde and syluer and vessel of brasse and Irun whych they haloweden in to the tresorye of the lorde Also for Achior did ayens goddis bydding and toke to him silf a thynge reserued to goddis vse he was stonid brent al hys goods weren brent wyth hym And al this punysheyng was done on hyme for afor this the puple of Israel might not stonde but was ouercūe of here enimyes After thys punyshynge of Achior Iosue toke the citie of Haie and kylled the kynge and all the puple and distryed and brent the citie and honged the kyng thereof in a iebat Than Iosue bilded an auter to God in the hyll of He ball offered theron brent sacrifices and peacible sacrifices wrot the Deutronomie of Moses lawe on stonis And fyrst he blessid the puple of Israel And after thes things he reade the wordes of blissynge and curssing and all thyngs y ◠weren written in the boke of the lawe He lefte nothinge vn touched of these thyngs whych Moses had cōmaunded but he declarede all thynges before all the multytude of Israel to women and to lyttle chyldren and to com◅ings that dwelliden amonge hem Also men of Eabaon feynid◅n hem to be offer cuntre and by thys fraude they gaten of Iosue peace and lyfe of Iosue other prin cis And for this fraude thei and al here successours weren made bond to bryng wodde water to the seruice of the auter of al the multitud of Israel for euer Also Iosue by gods helpe ouercam v. greate Kingis in oo daye made hys Princis treade on the neckis of these Kingis And thā he hōgid these Kingis on v. Iebatis And he ouercame al tho Kyngis here puples ▪ y ◠dwellydē in the londe of bihest that weren xxxi Kyngis departed the londe of biheste to xii linagis of Israell by lot and cities of refuite and cities to Priestes dekenis to dwell in as God commaunded Thys processe of Iosue shulde styr christen men to haue greate triste in God dread no man neither puple as loung as they seruiden tre◅ly almyghty God The vii boke cleped Iudicum tel lith that y ◠puple of Israell was rulid wyth Iudgis either domesemen aftir the death of Iosue somtyme by a womanne Delbora Whan the puple fell to great synnes specialli to Idolatrie God sente aduersaries on hem that turmētiden the Iewes ful sore and kyllidē mani thousandis of hem helden other vnder tribute and great thraldam And whan the puple repentid verely cried to God with al here hert he sent helpe to hē and reisid a iudg that ouercame here enemies reulyd hem well in peace and in goddis lawe This processe of Iudicum shuld stryre christen menne for to flee sinne and loue God that doethe so greate mercie to hem that repenten verely This boke cōprehendith y ◠storie of Ruthe that was an heathen woman and lefte hirnacion Idolatri and beleuid in God kept hys law Therefore she was wedid to a noble man of the Iewes and is set in the Genalogie eyther kynrid of oure sauioure Thys stori shulde styr al mē to forsake here synne and serue God truly in all here lyfe for rewarde of heuenlye blysse The fyrst boke of kynges telleth howe the preste Elie and his sonnes weren repreuyd and slayne for they gouerniden euile goddis puple And for here synne necligence the puple dyd myche synne and was ouircomen of heathen men the Arke of God was taken of heathen men and they kylliden many thowsandes of y ◠Iews And how the treue child Samuel was a feithful prophet of the lorde and gouernid wel the puple in goddis seruise ryghtfulnes and did none extorciō nether toke yeftes of anie mā neyther couetid any mās good but did al things in his office iustli bifore God man And whan Samuel was elde he settid hys sonnes Iudgis on Israel And for they bowden after auarice and token yeftes peruertedē dome the puple axeden And Dauid reigned vii yeres in Ebron gate vi sonnes Also Dauid made ◅ych sorowe for the death of Abner whan Ioab had kylled hym bitreason Also Dauid killid Banaa and Rechab that kylliden by treasō Isboseth his enemie Than al Israell came in to Ebrou and anoyntyd Dauid into kynge on Israell And Dauid reygned on Iuda in Ebron bii yers and an halfe And he reigned in Ierusalē xxxiii yere on al Israell and Iuda and was xxx yere elde when he biganne to reygne and reined xl yere After this the noble king Dauid had tweye victoryes of philisteis Than Dauid toke xxx thousaunde mē chosen of Israel to bring to his place the arke of God For reuerence and deuocion Dauid made greate minstrelsie mekid hymsilfe bifore y ◠Arke suffred rebuking of Michole y ◠daughter of Saul therfor Dauid thought to build ā house to y ◠arke of god Thā God telde to Dauid y ◠his son shuld bild his hous the trōe of Dauid shalbe stable w t outē ende and this is filed in Christ. Than Dauid had victorie of many lōdes made tho tributari to Israel And god kept Dauid in al things to which he yedeforth And Dauid did dome rightfulnes to al his puple And he did merci curteci to Miphi boseth son of Ionathas After these things Dauid dwelid at home whā Ioab the ost wēt to batteil dyd aduoutri w t Bersabe y e wife of Uri procured y ◠deth of Urie by treasō Thā God sent Nathā the Prophet to repreue Dauid of his sin he toke mekeli his repreuing knowlechid y ◠he sined ayens God god foryafe y ◠sin but swerde persequutiō went neuer a waie fro his house For God killed y e sōne of Bersabe do sōne of Dauid killed an other And Absalō his sonne roos ayens him and draue hym out of Ierusalem and sought wyth stronge oost to s◅ea him Than dauid yede out of Ierusalem on his feete and stied wyth bare feete into the hyghnes of y ◠hyl of Dliuete and wepte And al hys puple wepte bitterly and dauid mekyd him to God and seide If God seye to me thou pleasest not me I am redie do he y ◠is good bifore hym silfe Than Semei that was of the kyn of Sa◅ dispisid Dauid and clepid hym a manquelar a mā of Belial and a rauenoure of the rewme And he cursside Dauid and castid stones and
subarbis to here shepe and beastes and cities of refuite shouldē be ordeined for hem that shedden bloude vnwylfully not of purpose neyther hatred before goyng And he that is gyltie of maus death shall be slaine wythouten any redemption This processe of Numeri shold stir christē mē forto loue here enimies do good to hem as Moses Aarō diden and to kepe Goddis hesles and shede not mans bloude vniustli The. v. boke clepyd deutronomie is a rehersynge and cōfirmyng of all the law afore going and styreth mē gretly to kepe teach goddes hests and adnothing to tho neither draw awaye any thyng fro tho And first it teacheth that wyse men mighty shoulden be made iudges and deme ryght the pore and the ryche Afterwarde howe the Iewes ouercamē Deon the King of Esebō and token hys londe and all the goodes therin into here owne possession and dyden in like maner to Og y e king of Basā and to hys londe and goodes Forthermore God cōmaundeth men to kepe hys heestes and adde nothynge therto neyther drawe nothing therfro and y ◠they drede and loue God of all here hert and of all here soule and al here strength eschew Idolatrie and serue and worshipe hym alone and that theye teache goddis heestes to here sonnes thyncke on tho hests in howese and wey sleping and wakinge Also God cōmaūdeth hys puple to eschewe weddingis of heathen men womē to here childer lest they be drawne to Idolatri and bihetith mani blessinges to hem and myehe encreasyng of goodes if they kepē truli his cōmaūdemēts ▪ And y ◠strōg vēgeaūce dist◅ng shal come on y ◠Iues if thei don idolatri bē vnobedient to God Also God byddeth hem haue minde that thei weldidē the lond of biheest not for here owne rightfulnes and strength but for the synnes of mē that dwelliden therin for the ooth of God which he made to Abrahame and to other holy men Th◅n God remembreth to h◅m many great sinnes to make hem ware y ◠they trespasse no more but that they dreade God and loue hym in al here herte and soule kepe hys cōmaundementes and s◅ere by hys name and loue pilgrimis either comelingis Efre God bydith hem haue his wordes in here hertes and wyts haue tho for a signe in y ◠h◅ndes bitwixt her iyen y t they teach here sons to bythinke on the wordes of god euer and y t thei write y e wordis of god on y ◠postes yates of her house telleth yeueth his blessyng to hem ▪ if the◅ kepen his heestis and yeueth his cursse to hem if they brea kē his hestes and worshipen alien Goddis Also they shoulen distroye the places wherin heathen men dydden Idolatrie distrie here auters Images wodes and Idolis And they shulen make here sacrifices and offer here tythys and the first frutes and yeftes and auowes in the place whych the lorde hath chosen to hys name and thys was the temple of Ierusalem Also a prophete either a feyner of dreames that stirreth men to do Idolatri shalbe slayne and so shall a frende either citie that doeth Idolatrie ▪ eyther styrreth other men therto Also thou shalt pay tythis of all fruites that growen in the earth of wheete of wyne of oyle and the first borne things of neete and shepe And in the thrid yere y ◠shalt depart another tith of al thinges y t growen to thee and kepe it within thy yates to susteine the dekin pilgrime either comlyng fatherlesse chylde eyther motherlesse and wyde we that bene wythin thy yeates Also in the. vii yere shalbe remission of dette to citisens and kynsmen netheles not to a pylgryme comelynge for he maie be cōpelled to paye Utterly a nedye man and begar shall not be amonge Goddes puple but pore men shoulen not faile in the londe Therefore rychemen shoulen helpe hem wyth loue and helpe hem wylfully in here nede Than God teacheth of three greate solemnities Of paske of the feast of wokes either Pētecoste of the feaste of Tabernacles and that maisters iudges sholen be ordeyned in all yates eyther cities by eche linage to deme y ◠puple bi iuste dō◅ and take not yeftis neyther persons Ferther more God teacheth y ◠who euer is conuict bitweine either thre witnesses that he hath do Idolatri he shal be stoned first bi y ◠witnesses and than by all the puple He that is proude and wol not obeye to the cōmaundemente of the hygh prieste and to the dōe of the iudgis in that thei teachē gods lawe shal be deade Then God teacheth what maner kyng the puple shal make and what shal be his office Afterwarde God teacheth that priestis and dekynys and all that bene of the same linage shoulen not haue parte and herytage wyth the residue puple of Israel For thei shoulen eate the sacrifices of the lorde and the offrings of him and thei sholē take none other thinge of the possession of here britherne For whye God hym selfe is her heritage Ferthermore God for bideth Idolatry and to enquyre cōiureris and to kepe dreamis and chiteryng of byrddis and cōmaūdeth that no ◅ytch neither enchaūter be that mē take not coūcel at hem y e han spirites in cloos neither at ◅alse diuiners nether axe of dead mē y e truth Also god sh◅l reise a prophete of her brethrē y e is Christ y ◠sauioure he y ◠heareth not his words shal be pu nished A prophet that wil speke by pride in y e name of god y t thing that god bade not him either by y e name of other gods shal be slaine Also v◅ cities of refuite either of fraunchise shullen be that he that sleeth a man not by hatred but ayens hys wyll be saued And he that sleeth a man by hatered and byfore castinge shal be slain wythoute mercie either raūsom He that is cōuicte to haue seide false wytnes ayens his brother shal haue the same peyne to whych hys brother shuld be put if he had be gil tie Also priests shoulē cōfort hē that gone to iust batteil to haue truste in god drede not here enimies And y e ◅erdful mē they that han newil bil ded an house eyther newly plante◅ a vine or new◅ wedid a wyfe not vsed hyr go not to batteil And first warriers shulē profer peace to a city And if y e citie yelde it self mē therin shulē lyue vnder tribute else al men therin shoulen be slayne And this is vnderstōdē of tho cities y t bē not yeuun into possessiō to y e puple of Israel And ther is told the departyng of preyes what trees shoulē be kit downe in the bysegyng Also God teacheth what shalbe done whanne a mā is founden slaine and the slear is vnknowē A child rebel to the father and mother that yeueth himselfe to glotonye lecheti◅
and eschewe Idolatrie glotonnye and couetyse and to be patient in tribulation go neuer a waye fro the loue and dreade of God Thoughe the Seene of Clarkis eyther generalle gaderynge of clergie hath taken the boke of Iudith among the nombre of holy scriptures netheles it is not of the cannon eyther feyth of the bible anentis Hebruis For they recey uen not the Autorytie of thys boke Nethelesse it was wryttē in Caldee langage and it is nounbryd among stories as Ierom witnesseth on the prologe But nethelesse thys boke cōmendith Chastitie and Abstinēce penaūce and wydewhod of Iudith and her loue which she hade to delyuer Godds puple fro here enimies and to kepe the fayth and worshypynge of God amonge hys puple Also thys boke cōmendyth thefeyth and trueth of Achior that was conuertyd to Goddis lawe by myracle and sleayng of Holofernes by y e hōdys of the wyddow Iudyth Than Iudyth repreuide pryestys for they temptidē God and consentydē to de liuer the Citie to enymies if Godde sente not helpe to hem wythin Fyue dayes And good Priestis token mekelie thys repreuing of a womā and she taught hem how thei shouldē do penaunce for this trespace and comfortide the puple for to truste in Godde and abyde hys mercye and helpe at hys owne wyll Us nedyth not to excuse Iudyth for leasyngys and treason to Holofernes but we moune fauourablye excuse her fro deadly synne in thys dornge for the great loue y t she had to Gods puple and to sl◅ Holofernes a blasphemer of God and dystrier of his lawe and puple And iustlye Godde toke thys vēgeaūce on Holofernes for his sin harinis done to Gods puple and which he purposid to doi◅ he might liue lōg Of this proces proud war riers shuldē drede God that made proude Holofernes to be slayne of a womā al hys great oost scatteryd destryed And christē mē shuldē be comfortyde greatlye for to haue full tryst to God and in his helpe that so myghttylly delyuered his puple fro so greate an enimie and strong oost wythouten perishyng of hys puple And sythen Iudyth hadde so greate preysynge for her doynge that was medlid w t many synnis mych more preysynge shulē they haue in heauen w touten end y t putten forth hem silfe to be martirid for Gods cause with true meanis of patiēce of chatitie The boke of Hester tellith first howe the Quene Uasti was forsaken for hyr pryde and was departid from the mariage of Kynge Assuerus And howe Hester for her meknes beautye and Goddis grace was made quene in the styd of vasti Also y e trewe Mardochee the father in lawe of adoption of thys woman Hester taught hyr to loue God and kepe his law And she was ful meke and obedyen◅e to Mardochee yea whā she was quene as to hyr father in lawe Than Aman of the kynryde of Agag cōspyred bi subtyle malice to dystrye all the puple of Iewis in the lond of Assuerus and had graūt of the Kynge at hys owne wyll and the daye of dystriynge and of sleaing of y e Iewis was publishid through all the rewme Than Mardochee and the Iewis dydden greate Penaunce and n aden greate Sorowe and prayden Godde of helpe in that greate nede And Mardochee sent to Hester that she shulde do the same and go to the Kynge in peryle of her lyfe and to axe grace of hym and reuokynge of letteris powre graūtid to Aman the enimie of Iewes And After mich fasting penaūce and pryer Hester betoke hyr selfe to Goddis dysposytyon and to perylle of here death and entryd to the Kyng yea ayens the lawe of the lond whan she was not clepyd to axe mercye and helpe of the Kynge for her selfe and all her puple And Godde turned the fiersenes and the cruelty of the King to mekenes mercie and benygnitie ayens Hester and y e puple of Iews And than he reuokyd y e powr graūtyd to Aman and let hange hym as he had purposyd to haue hongeyd the trewe Mardochee and yafe general powr to Ieues to slea all her enimies in hys Empyre After these thyngis the Kyng enhaunsyd Mardochee and made hym greatest next the Kyng and yafe greate franches and honour to the Iewes This storie of Hester shoulde styre men to be trewe to Godde and to hys Lawe and put awaye Pride and Enuye and euer tryste in God in all perylis and Tyrauntis shoulden be aferde to conspyre ayens Gods seruauntis le◅te God take vengeaunce on hem as he dydde on thys manne Aman that hadde conspired the death and generall dystriynge of Iewis The boke of Iob is full subtyle in vnderstondyng For Iob arguith ayens hys enimies y t wolden bryng hym out of chrysten feyth and cōclu dyth mani errouris that suen of here false byleue and opynyon And Iob affirmyth not that allis south that he speakyth ayens hys aduersaries but concludyth hem in here false byleue that mani errours suen therof And for I haue declaryde in partye in the glose howe harde sentencis of Iob shuldē be vnderstandē therfore I passe ouyr lyghtlye nowe Fyrste thys boke telllyth the kynne of Iob and hys rychesses and holye lyfe of hym and of his chyldren And afterwarde it tellyth what trybulatyon befell to Iob in his cattel in his chil dren and in hys owne body how patiently he suff◅yd this and thanckyd Godde in al hys dyseases That his wife whom the Dyuill reseruid as a specyall instrumente to hym to diseyue Iob by hys wyfe as he disceyued Adame by Eue counsellynge hym to blaspheme God and therby dye And Iob reprehendid hyr folye and sayd If we han receiuid goods of Goddis hande why suffer we not euillis that is peynes And in all these thyngys Iob synnyd not in hys lyppys Than suyth the dysputynge bytwyxt Iob and hys frindys almost tilto the ende of the boke Iob helde strongely the trueth of Christen feyth and specially of risyng ayene of bodys at domies daye And his frēdis seyden many truthis and medlidē falsnes and euer purposyden an euyll ende and falsed For they helden that mede is yeuen onely in thys lyfe for good werkys and that no man is punnyshed here no but for synnys passed And as a man is punished more then an other in thys lyfe so he hath synnyd more than a nother man lesse punished But al this is false as Iob priueth and Godde confyrmyth in the ende For why reward of Good dedis is mych more in the lyfe comynge thā in present lyfe And a vertuouse man is punnyshed here for to haue mede in heauen And cōmonlye a iuste man hathe more trybulacion in this lyfe than a wycked man As it is open of Chryst y t suffrid here much dysease of tiraūtis y ◠han mich prosperitte in this lyfe And therfore Iob telde hys good dedes opēly to cōfort him selfe ayens dyspeyre to whyche hys fryndes wolden brynge hyme But Iob