,,bible ,,stories ,,and ,,religious     
,,classics    ,,with ,,an ,,introduction
 ,,by ,,anson ,,phelps ,,stokes1 ,,jr4  
,,illustrated ,,by ,,beatrice ,,stevens 
#aijc          ,,introduction    ,there 
never was a time when the demand for    
books for young people was so  great as 
it is to-day or when so much was being  
done to meet the demand4  ,children's   
,counter1 ,boys' ,books1 are signs      
which1 especially at the  ,christmas    
season1 attract the eye in every large  
book shop4 ,tales of  adventure1 manuals
 about various branches of nature study1
 historical  romances1 lives of         
heroes--in fact1 almost every kind of   
book--is to be  found in abundance1     
beautifully illustrated1 attractively   
bound1 well  printed1 all designed and  
written especially for the youth of our 
land4  ,it is indeed an encouraging     
sign4 ,it means that the child of to-day
 is  being introduced to the world's    
best in literature and science and      
history and art in simple and gradual   

ways4    ,in the ,middle ,ages stories  
of the martyrs and legends of the       
,church1  along with some simple form of
 catechetical instruction1 formed the   
basis of a child's mental and religious 
training4 ,later1 during and  after the 
,crusades1 the stories of war and the   
mysteries of the ,east  increased the   
stock in trade for the homes of ,europe2
 but still the  horizon remained a      
narrow one4 ,even the invention of      
printing did not  bring to the young as 
many direct advantages as would         
naturally be  expected4 ,to-day1 when   
,christian missionaries set up a        
printing press in  some distant island  
of the sea1 the first books which they  
print in the  vernacular are almost     
invariably those parts of the ,bible1   
such as the  ,gospels and the stories of
 ,genesis1 which most appeal to the     
young1 and1  what is of special         
importance1 they have the young directly
 and mainly  in mind in their publishing
 work4 ,this was not true a few         

centuries ago4  ,the presses were1      
perhaps naturally and inevitably1 almost
 exclusively  occupied with books for   
the learned world4 ,to be sure1 the     
,legenda  ,aurea1 of which ,i shall     
speak later1 although not intended      
primarily for  children1 proved a great 
boon to them4 ,so did the ,chap ,books  
of ,england4  ,but it was not until the 
middle of the eighteenth century1 when  
,john  ,newbery set up his book shop at 
,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard1 ,london1 that 
any  special attention was given by     
printers to the publication1 in         
attractive form1 of juvenile books4     
,newbery's children's books made him    
famous in his day1 but the world seems  
to have forgotten him4 ,yet he  deserves
 a monument along with sop1 and ,la     
,fontaine1 and ,kate  ,greenaway1 and   
,andersen1 and ,scott and ,henty1 and   
all the other greater  and lesser lights
 who have done so much to gladden the   
heart and enlarge  the mind of childhood
 and youth4    ,but from ,newbery's day 

to this year of our ,lord nineteen      
hundred and  three is a very long jump  
in what we may call the evolution of    
juvenile  literature1 for the           
preparation of reading matter for young 
people seems  now almost to have reached
 its climax4 ,there is one field1       
however1 and  that the one which this   
volume tries to cover1 which strangely  
enough  seems to have been almost       
neglected4 ,of goody-goody ,sunday      
,school  library books of an            
old-fashioned type1 which are insipid   
and lacking  both in virility of thought
 and literary form1 there are1 alas1    
already  too many4 ,what we need is     
something to take their place1 something
 which  will furnish real literature1   
and yet which from subject matter and   
manner of handling is specially adapted 
to what ,i still like to call  ,sunday  
reading1 a phrase which unfortunately   
seems to mean little to  most people    
to-day4 ,bearing this in mind1 it is the
 purpose of this book  to gather        

together1 in attractive form1 such      
religious classics as are  specially    
fitted to interest and uplift young     
people4    ,there is a wide variety in  
so far as subject matter1 source and    
form are concerned1 but a certain unity 
is given to the contents of  the volume 
by the religious note1 which1 whether   
brought prominently  forward or not1 is 
found alike in all the selections4      
,the ,bible has furnished directly or   
indirectly most of the subject  matter  
here used4 ,the biographies of various  
,scripture characters  appear in large  
numbers4 ,adam and ,noah head the list1 
and ,peter and  ,paul bring up the end  
of a procession of worthies whose heroic
 deeds as  the servants of ,jehovah will
 always appeal to the imagination of    
youthful minds4 ,but it is not with     
,bible characters only that this book   
deals4 ,the lives of ,christian saints  
who entered upon their inheritance1     
such as ,christopher and ,sylvester and 
,francis of ,assisi1 also have their    

place1 while yet more prominent are     
stories and poems based on some  ,bible 
incidents4 ,even selections such as     
,hawthorne's ,great ,stone ,face or     
,wordsworth's ,ode to ,duty have their  
roots deep in the ,bible1 for they  can 
be understood and explained only by     
those who know the ,revelation it       
contains4 ,in so far1 then1 as the      
subject matter of the volume is         
concerned1 either it or its inspiration 
can always be traced back to the        
,bible4    ,when we turn from the ,bible
 material which1 as we have seen1       
supplies  both subject and inspiration1 
to the source from which the selections 
in their literary form as here given are
 derived1 we find that the old          
foundations have sufficed for many kinds
 of structure4 ,probably the  source    
from which the editor has drawn most    
largely is the ,golden  ,legend4 ,this  
work1 which was translated into ,english
 and printed by  ,caxton in #adhc1      
although little heard of now1 was for   

several centuries  a household word in  
,christendom4 ,it was the creation of a 
,genoese  ,archbishop1 ,jacobus de      
,voragine1 and dates from about the     
middle of the  thirteenth century4 ,the 
good ,archbishop1 using the ,bible and  
the ,lives  of the ,saints as a basis1  
and as a sharer of the superstitions of 
the  time having unbounded faith in     
every legend of the ,church1 put        
together  in simple form for the        
edification of his flock the various    
stories  about ,jewish and ,christian   
worthies which compose the original     
,legenda  ,aurea4 ,this was translated  
into ,french by one ,jean de ,vignay in 
the  fourteenth century1 and the        
,english version was in turn mainly made
 from  this translation4 ,in the simple1
 sturdy language of ,caxton the book    
became a most popular one1 being often  
read aloud in the ,parish ,churches  of 
,england1 where it helped to familiarize
 the people1 especially the  young1 with
 sacred story as represented by the     

heroes of the ,old  ,testament and the  
saints of the ,church4 ,in ,caxton's    
introduction there  is a quaint sentence
 regarding the name of the book4 ,after 
mentioning  the ,latin title1 he adds   
that is to say in ,englyshe the golden  
legende  for lyke as passeth golde in   
vallwe al other metallys1 soo thys      
legende  exedeth all other bokes4       
,whether the good printer's judgment be 
justified or no1 it is not for us to    
say4 ,it is true1 however1 that  after  
the passing of over six centuries since 
its original production1  the editor of 
this volume in looking for religious    
classics for young  people has made more
 use of it than of any other collection4
 ,all honor1  then1 to the old          
,archbishop of ,genoa and to ,william   
,caxton1 who made  his work accessible  
to the youth of ,england4    ,the only  
other work which deserves any special   
mention as a source for  the contents of
 this volume1 is the ,stories and ,tales
 of ,hans ,christian  ,andersen4 ,if    

ever there was any one who deserved the 
title of the  ,children's ,friend1      
surely this son of a poor ,danish       
shoemaker is the  man4 ,his ,tales have 
been translated into many languages1 and
 because of  their true imagination and 
their simplicity of expression they have
  appealed to all children4 ,ten or more
 of them appear in this volume4  ,they  
are charming and wholesome reading1 and 
their continued popularity  makes us    
realize the truth of these closing lines
 in ,andersen's ,the ,old  ,grave       
,stones3 ,the good and the beautiful    
perish never2 they live  eternally in   
tale and song4    ,the other sources    
from which this collection has been made
 up are so  varied as to require no     
mention aside from that given with each 
title4  ,the ,master ,poets of ,english 
,literature have been freely drawn upon3
  ,byron to tell of the ,destruction of 
,sennacherib1 ,milton to sing of        
,christ's ,nativity1 ,wordsworth to     
meditate aloud on ,duty1 and other great

  writers to emphasize various deep     
truths of life4           99       99   
99       99       99    ,as we turn from
 subject matter and source to form1 we  
again find great  variety4 ,almost every
 kind of literature is represented4 ,the
 early  lengends of the ,jewish people1 
told by the author of the ,legenda      
,aurea  almost in the words of          
,scripture1 bring to young and old alike
 the same  lessons about ,god and ,duty4
 ,the fact that they are legends1 rather
 than  exact history1 does not in any   
way lessen their religious value4 ,then1
  too1 the book contains allegories1    
such as that of the ,pilgrim's          
,progress1 ,christendom's greatest      
religious classic next to the ,bible    
itself1 and those of some of ,andersen's
 ,tales4 ,poetry also is well           
represented1 the selections being in    
large part suggested by ,scripture4     
,there are in addition many stories in  
the ordinary sense of the  word--tales  
which are entirely the fabric of the    

imagination1 but which1  like the       
selections from ,hawthorne1 have some   
great lesson to teach4 ,in  fact1 the   
literary forms represented in this      
volume are almost as  numerous as those 
of the ,bible itself4 ,the latter used  
to be looked upon  merely as a          
storehouse of historic facts and        
devotional songs2 now we  see in it     
,legend1 ,oratory1 ,poetry1 ,allegory1  
,history1 ,proverb and  ,prophecy2 and  
we find that all of these forms are used
 by ,god's servants  to teach ,his truth
 to men4           99       99       99 
99       99    ,sufficient has been     
said1 ,i think1 to show the purpose and 
scope of this  volume and to introduce  
the reader to its contents4 ,it is my   
hope and  belief that the effort of my  
friend1 ,mr4 ,philip ,p4 ,wells1 to make
 this a  collection of religious        
classics in the full meaning of these   
words may  prove successful4 ,my highest
 wish1 however1 is that those who read  
these selections1 with their great      

variety of source and form1 may mark    
the inspiration of thought or incident  
common to them all1 and may find  an    
interest in refreshing what may be an   
old acquaintance with that ,book  of    
,books which gives with classic truth   
the fundamental subject matter  for all 
deep thought and high aspiration4       
,,anson ,,phelps ,,stokes1 ,,jr4        
,,contents    ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,adam  
,,here ,,beginneth ,,the ,,history ,,of 
,,noah    ,,the ,,rainbow    ,,here     
,,followeth ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,abraham 
,,here ,,beginneth ,,the ,,life ,,of    
,,isaac1 ,,with ,,the ,,history ,,of    
,,esau ,,and ,,of ,,jacob    ,,here     
,,beginneth ,,the ,,history ,,of        
,,joseph ,,and ,,his ,,brethren         
,,here ,,next ,,followeth ,,the         
,,history ,,of ,,moses    ,,the ,,burial
 ,,of ,,moses    ,,the ,,history ,,of   
,,joshua    ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,saul 
,,the ,,history ,,of ,,david    ,,the   
,,song ,,of ,,david    ,,the ,,story    
,,of ,a ,,cup ,,of ,,water    ,,the     

,,history ,,of ,,solomon    ,,the       
,,history ,,of ,,rehoboam    ,a ,,little
 ,,maid    ,,here ,,followeth ,,the     
,,history ,,of ,,job    ,,the           
,,destruction ,,of ,,sennacherib        
,,here ,,followeth ,,the ,,history ,,of 
,,tobit    ,,here ,,beginneth ,,the     
,,story ,,of ,,judith    ,,the ,,vision 
,,of ,,belshazzar    ,a ,,christmas     
,,carol    ,,on ,,the ,,morning ,,of    
,,christ',s ,,nativity    ,,the         
,,burning ,,babe    ,a ,,cradle ,,song  
,,easter    ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4     
,,peter ,,the ,,apostle    ,,the ,,life 
,,of ,,st4 ,,paul ,,the ,,apostle       
,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,christopher   
,,the ,,seven ,,sleepers    ,,the ,,life
 ,,of ,,st4 ,,silvester    ,,of ,,st4   
,,austin ,,that ,,brought ,,christendom 
,,to ,,england    ,,edwin ,,and         
,,paulinus    ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4   
,,george1 ,,martyr    ,,the ,,life ,,of 
,,st4 ,,patrick    ,,of ,,st4 ,,francis 
,,song ,,of ,,the ,,emigrants ,,in      
,,bermuda    ,,landing ,,of ,,the       

,,pilgrim ,,fathers ,,in ,,new ,,england
    ,,the ,,pilgrim',s ,,progress       
,,the ,,pilgrim    ,,the ,,great ,,stone
 ,,face    ,,the ,,gentle ,,boy    ,,the
 ,,angel    ,,the ,,red ,,shoes    ,,the
 ,,loveliest ,,rose ,,in ,,the ,,world  
,a ,,vision ,,of ,,the ,,last ,,day     
,,the ,,old ,,gravestone                
,,good-,,for-,,nothing    ,,in ,,the    
,,uttermost ,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,sea    
,,something    ,,the ,,jewish ,,girl    
,,the ,,story ,,of ,a ,,mother    ,,the 
,,little ,,match ,,girl    ,,flowers    
,,without ,,fruit    ,,contentment      
,,the ,,search ,,for ,,peace    ,a      
,,song ,,of ,,praise    ,,the           
,,traveller    ,,true ,,greatness       
,,character ,,of ,a ,,happy ,,life    ,a
 ,,thanksgiving ,,to ,,god ,,for ,,his  
,,house    ,,friends ,,departed    ,,the
 ,,land ,,of ,,dreams    ,,adoration    
,,bible ,,stories ,,and ,,religious     
,,classics          ,,the ,,life ,,of   
,,adam    ,the ,sunday of ,septuagesima 
beginneth the story of the ,bible1 in   

which  is read the legend and story of  
,adam which followeth      ,in the      
beginning ,god made and created heaven  
and earth4 ,the earth was  idle and void
 and covered with darkness4 ,and the    
spirit of ,god was borne  on the waters1
 and ,god said3 ,be made light1 and anon
 light was made4 ,and  ,god saw that    
light was good1 and divided the light   
from darkness1 and  called the light day
 and darkness night4    ,and thus was   
made light with heaven and earth first1 
and even and  morning was made one day4 
,the second day he made the firmament1  
and  divided the waters that were under 
the firmament from them that were       
above1 and called the firmament heaven4 
,the third day were made on the  earth  
herbs and fruits in their kind4 ,the    
fourth day ,god made the sun  and moon  
and stars1 etc4 ,the fifth day he made  
the fishes in the water  and birds in   
the air4 ,the sixth day ,god made the   
beasts on the earth1  every one in his  
kind and gender4 ,and ,god saw that all 

these works were  good and said3 ,make  
we man unto our similitude and image4   
,here spake the  ,father to the ,son and
 ,holy ,ghost1 or else as it were the   
common voice of  three persons1 when it 
was said make we1 and to our1 in plural 
number4  ,man was made to the image of  
,god in his soul4 ,here it is to be     
noted  that he made not only the soul   
with the body1 but he made both body and
  soul4 ,as to the body he made male and
 female4 ,god gave to man the  lordship 
and power upon living beasts4 ,thus in  
six days was heaven and  earth made and 
all the ornation of them4 ,and then he  
made the seventh  day on which he       
rested1 not for that he was weary1 but  
ceased his  operation1 and showed the   
seventh day which he blessed4 ,thus he  
shortly  showed the generations of      
heaven and earth1 for here he determined
 the  works of the six days and the     
seventh day he sanctified and made holy4
  ,god had planted in the beginning     
,paradise a place of desire and delices4

  ,and man was made in the field of     
,damascus2 he was made of the slime of  
the earth4 ,paradise was made the third 
day of creation1 and was beset  with    
herbs1 plants and trees1 and is a place 
of most mirth and joy4 ,in  the midst   
whereof be set two trees1 that is the   
tree of life1 and that  other the tree  
of knowing good and evil4 ,and there is 
a well1 which  casteth out water for to 
water the trees and herbs of ,paradise4 
,this  well is the mother of all waters1
 which well is divided into four parts4 
,one part is called ,phison4 ,this goeth
 about ,inde4 ,the second is called     
,gijon1 otherwise ,nilus1 and that      
runneth about ,ethiopia1 the other two  
be called ,tigris and ,euphrates4       
,tigris runneth toward ,assyria1 and    
,euphrates is called fruitful1 which    
runneth in ,chaldea4 ,these four  floods
 come and spring out of the same well1  
and depart1 and yet in some  place some 
of them meet again4    ,then ,god took  
man from the place of his creation and  

brought him into  ,paradise1 for to work
 there1 not to labor needily1 but in    
delighting and  recreating him1 and that
 he should keep ,paradise4 ,for like as 
,paradise  should refresh him1 so should
 he labor to serve ,god1 and there ,god 
gave  him a commandment4 ,every         
commandment standeth in two things1 in  
doing or  forbidding1 in doing he       
commanded him to eat of all the trees of
  ,paradise1 in forbidding he commanded 
that he should not eat of the tree  of  
the knowledge of good and evil4 ,this   
commandment was given to the  man1 and  
by the man it went to the woman4 ,for   
when the woman was made it  was         
commanded to them both1 and hereto he   
set a pain1 saying3 ,whatsoever  day    
thou eatest thereof thou shalt die by   
death4    ,god said3 ,it is not good a  
man to be alone1 make we to him an      
helper  like to himself for to bring    
forth children4 ,adam supposed that some
  helper to him had been among the      
beasts which had been like to him4      

,therefore ,god brought to ,adam all    
living beasts of the earth and air1 in  
which he understood them of the water   
also1 which with one commandment  all   
came tofore him4 ,they were brought for 
two causes1 one was because  man should 
give to each of them a name1 by which   
they should know that  he should        
dominate over them1 and the second cause
 was because ,adam  should know that    
there was none of them like to him4 ,and
 he named them  in the ,hebrew tongue1  
which was only the language and none    
other at the  beginning4 ,and so none   
being found like unto him1 ,god sent in 
,adam a  lust to sleep1 which was no    
dream1 but as is supposed in an extasy  
or in  a trance2 in which was showed to 
him the celestial court4 ,wherefore when
  he awoke he prophesied of the         
conjunction of ,christ to his church1   
and  of the flood that was to come1 and 
of the doom and destruction of the      
world by fire he knew1 which afterward  
he told to his children4    ,whiles that

 ,adam slept1 ,god took one of his ribs1
 both flesh and bone1  and made that a  
woman1 and set her tofore ,adam4 ,which 
then said3 ,this is  now a bone of my   
bones and flesh of my flesh2 and ,adam  
gave her a name  like as her lord1 and  
said she should be called virago1 which 
is as much  as to say as made of a man1 
and is a name taken of a man4 ,and anon1
 the  name giving1 he prophesied1       
saying3 ,because she is taken of the    
side of  a man1 therefore a man shall   
forsake and leave father and mother and 
abide and be adherent unto his wife1 and
 they shall be two in one flesh2  and   
though they be two persons1 yet in      
matrimony and wedlock they be but  one  
flesh1 and in other things twain4 ,for  
why1 neither of them had power  of his  
own flesh4 ,they were both naked and    
were not ashamed1 for they  stood both  
in the state of innocence4 ,then the    
serpent which was hotter  than any beast
 of the earth and naturally deceivable1 
for he was full  of the devil ,lucifer1 

which was deject and cast out of heaven1
 had great  envy to man that was bodily 
in ,paradise1 and knew well1 if he might
 make  him to trespass and break ,god's 
commandments1 that he should be cast out
  also4    ,yet he was afeard to be     
taken or espied of the man1 he went to  
the  woman1 not so prudent and more     
prone to slide and bow4 ,and in the form
  of the serpent1 for then the serpent  
was erect as a man4 ,bede saith that  he
 chose a serpent having a maiden's cheer
 face1 for like oft apply to  like1 and 
spake by the tongue of the serpent to   
,eve1 and said3 ,why  commanded you ,god
 that ye should not eat of all the trees
 of ,paradise8  ,this he said to find   
occasion to say that he was come for4   
,then the  woman answered and said3 ,ne 
forte moriamur1 lest haply we die1 which
 she  said doubting1 for lightly she was
 flexible to every part4 ,whereunto     
anon he answered3 ,nay in no wise ye    
shall die1 but ,god would not that ye   
should be like him in science1 and      

knowing that when ye eat of this tree   
ye shall be as gods knowing good and    
evil1 he as envious forbade you4  ,and  
anon the woman1 elate in pride and      
willing to be like to ,god1  accorded   
thereto and believed him4 ,the woman saw
 that the tree was fair  to look on1 and
 clean and sweet of savor1 took and ate 
thereof1 and gave  unto ,adam of the    
same1 happily desiring him by fair      
words4 ,but ,adam anon  agreed1 for when
 he saw the woman not dead he supposed  
that ,god had said  that they should die
 to fear them with1 and then ate of the 
fruit  forbidden4 ,and anon their sight 
was opened that they saw their          
nakedness1 and then anon they understood
 that they had trespassed4 ,and  thus   
they knew that they were naked1 and they
 took fig leaves and sewed  them        
together for to cover their members in  
manner of breeches4    ,and anon after1 
they heard the voice of our ,lord ,god  
walking1 and anon  they hied him4 ,our  
,lord called the man and said3 ,adam1   

where art thou8  ,calling him in blaming
 him and not as knowing where he was1   
but as who  said3 ,adam1 see in what    
misery thou art4 ,which answered3 ,i    
have hid me1  ,lord1 for ,i am naked4   
,our ,lord said3 ,who told thee that    
thou wert naked1  but that thou hast    
eaten of the tree forbidden8 ,he then   
not meekly  confessing his trespass1 but
 laid the fault on his wife1 and on him 
as  giver of the woman to him1 and said3
 ,the woman that thou gavest to me as  a
 fellow1 gave to me of the tree1 and ,i 
ate thereof4 ,and then our ,lord  said  
to the woman3 ,why didst thou so8       
,neither she accused herself1 but  laid 
the sin on the serpent1 and privily she 
laid the fault on the maker  of him4    
,the serpent was not demanded1 for he   
did it not of himself1 but  the devil by
 him4    ,and our ,lord1 cursing them1  
began at the serpent1 keeping an order  
and  congruous number of curses4 ,the   
serpent was the first and sinned most1  
for he sinned in three things4 ,the     

woman next and sinned less than he1  but
 more than the man1 for she sinned in   
two things4 ,the man sinned last  and   
least1 for he sinned but in one4 ,the   
serpent had envy1 he lied1 and          
deceived1 for these three he had three  
curses4 ,because he had envy at  the    
excellence of man1 it was said to him3  
,thou shalt go and creep on  thy breast2
 because he lied he is punished in his  
mouth1 when it was  said3 ,thou shalt   
eat earth all the days of thy life4     
,also he took away  his voice and put   
venom in his mouth4 ,and because he     
deceived1 it was  said3 ,i shall put    
enmity between thee and woman1 and thy  
seed and her  seed4 ,she shall break thy
 head1 etc4 ,in two things the woman    
sinned1 in  pride and eating the fruit4 
,because she sinned in pride1 he meeked 
her1  saying3 ,thou shalt be under the  
power of man1 and he shall have lordship
  over thee1 and he shall put thee to   
affliction4 ,now is she subject to a    
man by condition and dread1 which before

 was but subject by love2 and  because  
she sinned in the fruit1 she is punished
 in her fruit1 when it  was said to her3
 ,thou shalt bring forth children in    
sorrow2 in the pain  of sorrow standeth 
the curse1 but in bringing forth of     
children is a  blessing4 ,and so1 in    
punishing1 ,god forgat not to have      
mercy4 ,and  because ,adam sinned but   
only in eating of the fruit1 therefore  
he was  punished in seeking his meat1 as
 it is said to him3 ,accursed be the    
earth in thy work1 that is to say for   
thy work of thy sin1 for which is  made 
that the earth that brought forth good  
and wholesome fruits  plenteously1 from 
henceforth shall bring forth but seldom1
 and also none  without man's labor1 and
 also sometime weeds1 briars1 and thorns
 shall  grow4 ,and he added3 ,thereto   
shalt thou eat herbs of the earth1 as   
who  saith thou shalt be like a beast or
 jument4 ,he cursed the earth because   
the trespass was of the fruit of the    
earth and not of the water4 ,he  added  

thereto to him of labor3 ,in the sweat  
of thy cheer face thou  shalt eat thy   
bread unto the time thou return again   
into the earth2 that  is to say till    
thou die1 for thou art earth1 and into  
earth thou shalt  go again4    ,then    
,adam1 wailing and sorrowing the misery 
that was to come of his  posterity1     
named his wife ,eve1 which is to say1   
mother of all living  folk4 ,then ,god  
made to ,adam and ,eve two leathern     
coats of the skins of  dead beasts1 to  
the end that they bare with them the    
sign of mortality1  and said3 ,lo1 ,adam
 is made as one of us1 knowing good and 
evil1 now lest  he put his hand and take
 of the tree of life and live ever1 as  
who  saith3 beware and cast him out1    
lest he take and eat of the tree of     
life4 ,and so he was cast out of        
,paradise1 and set in the field of      
,damascus where as he was made and taken
 from1 for to work and labor  there4    
,and our ,lord set ,cherubim to keep    
,paradise of delight with a  burning    

sword and pliant1 to the end that none  
should enter there ne  come to the tree 
of life4    ,after then that ,adam was  
cast out of ,paradise and set in the    
world1 he  engendered ,cain1 the        
fifteenth year after he was made1 and   
his sister  ,calmana2 but after another 
fifteen years was ,abel born1 and his   
sister  ,delbora4    ,when ,adam was an 
hundred and thirty years of age1 ,cain  
slew ,abel his  brother4 ,truth it is1  
after many days ,cain and ,abel offered 
sacrifice  and gifts unto ,god4 ,it is  
to be believed that ,adam taught his    
sons to  offer to ,god their tithes and 
first fruits4 ,cain offered fruits1 for 
he  was a ploughman and tiller of earth1
 and ,abel offered milk and the first   
of the lambs1 ,moses saith1 of the      
fattest of the flock4 ,and ,god beheld  
the gifts of ,abel1 for he and his      
sacrifices were acceptable to our       
,lord2 and as to ,cain his sacrifices1  
,god beheld them not1 for they were  not
 to him acceptable1 he offered withies  

and thorns4 ,and as some  doctors say1  
fire came from heaven and lighted the   
sacrifice of ,abel1  and the gifts of   
,cain pleased not our ,lord1 for the    
sacrifice would not  belight nor burn   
clear in the light of ,god4 ,whereof    
,cain had great envy  unto his brother  
,abel1 which arose against him and slew 
him4 ,and our  ,lord said to him3 ,where
 is ,abel thy brother8 ,he answered and 
said3 ,i wot  never1 am ,i keeper of my 
brother8 ,then our ,lord said3 ,what    
hast thou  done8 ,the voice of the blood
 of thy brother crieth to thee from the 
earth1 wherefore thou art cursed1 and   
accursed be the earth that  received the
 blood of thy brother by his mouth of   
thy hands4 ,when thou  shalt work and   
labor the earth it shall bring forth no 
fruit1 but thou  shalt be fugitive1     
vagabond1 and void on the earth4 ,this  
,cain deserved  well to be cursed1      
knowing the pain of the first trespass  
of ,adam1 yet  he added thereto murder  
and slaughter of his brother4    ,then  

,cain1 dreading that beasts should      
devour him1 or if he went forth  he     
should be slain of the men1 or if he    
dwelt with them1 they would slay  him   
for his sin1 damned himself1 and in     
despair said3 ,my wickedness is  more   
than ,i can deserve to have forgiveness1
 whoso find me shall slay  me4 ,this he 
said of dread1 or else wishing1 as who  
said1 would ,god he  would slay me4     
,then our ,lord said3 ,nay not so1 thou 
shalt die1 but not  soon1 for whosoever 
slayeth ,cain shall be punished seven   
sithes more1  for he should deliver him 
from dread1 from labor and misery1 and  
added  that he should be punished       
personally sevenfold more4 ,this        
punition  shall endure to him in pain   
unto the seventh1 ,lameth1 whosomever   
shall  slay ,cain shall loose seven     
vengeances4 ,some hold that his pain    
endured  unto the seventh generation1   
for he committed seven sins4 ,he        
departed  not truly1 he had envy to his 
brother1 he wrought guilefully1 he slew 

his brother falsely1 he denied it1 he   
despaired and damned1 he did no         
penance4 ,and after he went into the    
east1 fugitive and vagabond4 ,cain  knew
 his wife which bare ,enoch1 and he made
 a city and named it ,enoch  after the  
name of his son ,enoch4 ,here it showeth
 well that this time  were many men1    
though their generation be not said1    
whom ,cain called to  his city1 by whose
 help he made it1 whom he induced to    
theft and  robbery4    ,he was the first
 that walled or made cities2 dreading   
them that he  hurted1 for surety he     
brought his people into the towns4 ,then
 ,enoch gat  ,irad1 and ,irad ,mehujael1
 and he gat ,methusael1 and he gat      
,lameth1 which  was the seventh from    
,adam and worst1 for he brought in first
 bigamy4  ,this ,lameth took two wives1 
,adah and ,zilla2 of ,adah he gat ,jabal
 which  found first the craft to make   
folds for shepherds and to change their 
pasture1 and ordained flocks of sheep1  
and departed the sheep from the  goats  

after the quality1 the lambs by         
themselves1 and the older by            
themselves1 and understood the feeding  
of them after the season of the  year4  
,the name of his brother was ,jubal1    
father of singers in the harp  and      
organs1 not of the instruments1 for they
 were found long after1 but  he was the 
finder of music1 that is to say of      
consonants of accord1 such  as shepherds
 use in their delights and sports4 ,and 
forasmuch as he heard  ,adam prophesy of
 two judgments by the fire and water1   
that all things  should be destroyed    
thereby1 and that his craft new found   
should not  perish1 he did do write it  
in two pillars or columns1 one of       
marble1  another of clay of the earth1  
to the end that one should endure       
against  the water1 and that other      
against the fire4 ,josephus saith that  
the  pillar of marble is yet in the land
 of ,syria4 ,of ,zilla he begat         
,tubal-cain1 which found first the craft
 of smithery and working of iron1  and  

made things for war1 and sculptures and 
gravings in metal to the  pleasure of   
the eyes1 which he so working1 ,tubal1  
tofore said1 had  delight in the sound  
of his hammers1 of which he made the    
consonants and  tunes of accord in his  
song4 ,noema1 sister of ,tubal-cain1    
found first  the craft of diverse       
texture4    ,lameth was a shooter1 and  
used to shoot at wild beasts1 for none  
use of  the meat of them1 but only for  
to have the skins for their clothing1   
and  lived so long that he was blind and
 had a child to lead him4 ,and on a     
time by adventure he slew ,cain4 ,for   
,cain was always afeard and hid him     
among bushes and briars1 and the child  
that led ,lameth had supposed it  had   
been some wild beast and directed       
,lameth to shoot thereat1 and so1       
weening to shoot at a beast1 slew ,cain4
 ,and when he knew that he had  slain   
,cain1 he with his bow slew the child1  
and thus he slew them both  to his      
damnation2 therefore as the sin of ,cain

 was punished seven  sithes1 so was the 
sin of ,lameth seventy sithes and seven4
 ,that is to  say1 seventy-seven souls  
that came of ,lameth were perished in   
the deluge  and ,noah's flood2 also his 
wife did him much sorrow1 and           
evil-entreated  him4 ,and he being wroth
 said that he suffered that for his     
double  homicide and manslaughter1 yet  
nevertheless he feared him by pain1     
saying3 ,why will ye slay me8 he shall  
be more and sorer punished that  slayeth
 me1 than he that slew ,cain4           
,josephus said that when ,abel was slain
 and ,cain fled away1 ,adam when he  was
 one hundred and thirty years old       
engendered ,seth like to his            
similitude1 and he to the image of ,god4
 ,this ,seth was a good man1 and he  gat
 ,enos1 and ,enos ,cainan1 and ,cainan  
begot ,malaleel1 and ,malaleel  ,jared1 
and ,jared ,enoch1 and ,enoch           
,methuselah1 and ,methuselah ,lamech1   
and  ,lamech ,noah4 ,and like as in the 
generation of ,cain the seventh was the 

worst1 so in the generation of ,seth the
 seventh was the best1 that was  ,enoch 
whom ,god took and brought him into     
,paradise1 unto the time that he  shall 
come with ,elias for to convert the     
hearts of the fathers into the  sons4   
,and ,adam lived after he had begotten  
,seth eight hundred years1 and          
engendered sons and daughters4 ,some    
hold opinion thirty sons and thirty     
daughters1 and some fifty of that one   
and fifty of that other4 ,we find  no   
certainty of them in the ,bible4 ,but   
all the days of ,adam living here  in   
earth amount to the sum of nine hundred 
and thirty years4 ,and in the  end of   
his life when he should die1 it is said1
 but of none authority1  that he sent   
,seth his son into ,paradise for to     
fetch the oil of mercy1  where he       
received certain grains of the fruit of 
the tree of mercy by an  angel4 ,and    
when he came again he found his father  
,adam yet alive and  told him what he   
had done4 ,and then ,adam laughed first 

and then died4  ,and then he laid the   
grains or kernels under his father's    
tongue and  buried him in the vale of   
,hebron2 and out of his mouth grew three
 trees  of the three grains1 of which   
trees the cross that our ,lord suffered 
his  passion on was made1 by virtue of  
which he gat very mercy1 and was        
brought out of darkness into very light 
of ,heaven4 ,to the which he bring  us  
that liveth and reigneth ,god1 world    
without end4          ,,here ,,beginneth
 ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,noah    ,the    
,first ,sunday in ,sexagesima           
,after that ,adam was dead1 died ,eve   
and was buried by him4 ,at the          
beginning1 in the first age1 the people 
lived long4 ,adam lived nine  hundred   
and thirty years1 and ,methuselah lived 
nine hundred and  sixty-nine years4 ,s4 
,jerome saith that he died the same year
 that the  flood was4 ,then ,noah was   
the tenth from ,adam in the generation  
of ,seth1  in whom the first age was    
ended4 ,the seventy interpreters say    

that this  first age dured two thousand 
two hundred and forty-four years4 ,s4   
,jerome  saith not fully two thousand1  
and ,methodius full two thousand1 etc4  
,noah then was a man perfect and        
righteous and kept ,god's commandment4  
,and when he was five hundred years old1
 he gat ,shem1 ,ham1 and ,japhet4  ,this
 time men began to multiply on the      
earth1 and the children of ,god1  that  
is to say of ,seth1 as religious1 saw   
the daughters of men1 that is  to say of
 ,cain1 and took them to their wives4   
,this time was so much sin  on the      
earth1 wherefore ,god was displeased and
 determined in his  prescience to       
destroy man that he had made1 and said3 
,i shall put man  away that ,i have     
made1 and my spirit shall not abide in  
man for ever1  for he is flesh4 ,as who 
said1 ,i shall not punish man           
perpetually as ,i  do the devil1 for man
 is frail1 and yet ere ,i shall destroy 
him ,i shall  give him space and time of
 repentance and to amend him1 if he     

will4 ,the  time of repentance shall be 
one hundred and twenty years4 ,then     
,noah1  righteous and perfect1 walked   
with ,god1 that is in his laws1 and the 
earth was corrupt by sin and filled4    
,when ,god saw the earth to be corrupt1 
and that every man was corrupt by  sin  
upon the earth1 he said to ,noah3 ,the  
end of all people is come  tofore me    
except them that shall be saved1 and the
 earth is replenished  with their       
wickedness4 ,i shall destroy them with  
the earth1 id est that  is1 with the    
fertility of the earth4 ,make to thee an
 ark of tree1 hewn1  polished1 and      
squared4 ,and make there divers places1 
and lime it with  clay and pitch within 
and without1 that is to wit with glue   
which is so  fervent1 that the timber   
may not be loosed4 ,and thou shalt make 
it three  hundred cubits of length1     
fifty in breadth1 and thirty of height4 
,and  make therein divers distinctions  
of places and chambers and of           
wardrobes4 ,and the ark had a door for  

to enter in and come out1 and a  window 
was made thereon1 which that the        
,hebrews say was of crystal4 ,this  ark 
was on making1 from the beginning that  
,god commanded first to make  it1 one   
hundred and twenty years4 ,in which time
 ,noah oft desired the  people to leave 
their sin1 and how he had spoken with   
,god1 and that he  was commanded to make
 the ship1 for ,god should destroy them 
for their  sin1 but if they left it4    
,and they mocked him and said that he   
raved  and was a fool1 and gave no faith
 to his saying and continued in their   
sin and wickedness4 ,then1 when the ark 
was perfectly made1 ,god bade him  to   
take into it of all the beasts of the   
earth1 and also of the fowls of  the    
air1 of each two1 male and female1 that 
they may live4 ,and also of  all the    
meats of the earth that be comestible1  
that they may serve and  feed thee and  
them4 ,and ,noah did all that our ,lord 
commanded him4 ,then  said our ,lord to 
,noah3 ,enter thou and all thy household

 into the ark1  that is to say thou and 
thy wife and thy three sons and their   
three  wives4 ,i have seen that thou art
 rightful in this generation4 ,of all   
beasts that be clean thou shalt take    
seven1 and of unclean beasts but  only  
two4 ,and of the birds seven and seven1 
male and female1 that they  may be saved
 on the face of the earth4 ,yet after   
seven days ,i shall rain  upon the earth
 forty days and forty nights1 and shall 
destroy all the  substance that ,i made 
on the earth4 ,and ,noah did all things 
that our  ,lord commanded him4    ,he   
was six hundred years old when the flood
 began on the earth4 ,and then  ,noah   
entered in and his sons1 his wife1 and  
the wives of his sons1 all  into the ark
 to eschew the waters of the flood4 ,of 
all the beasts and  the fowls1 and of   
all that moved and had life on earth1   
male and female1  ,noah took in to him  
as our ,lord had bidden4 ,and seven days
 after they  were entered1 the water    
began to increase4 ,the wells of the    

abysms were  broken1 and the cataracts  
of heaven were opened1 that is to say   
the  clouds1 and it rained on the earth 
forty days and forty nights4 ,and the   
ark was elevate and borne upon the      
waters on height above the mountains    
and hills1 for the water was grown      
higher fifteen cubits above all the     
mountains1 that it should purge and wash
 the filth of the air4 ,then was        
consumed all that was on the earth      
living1 man1 woman1 and beast and       
birds4 ,and all that ever bare life1 so 
that nothing abode upon the  earth1 for 
the water was fifteen cubits above the  
highest mountain of  the earth4 ,and    
when ,noah was entered he shut the door 
fast without  forth1 and limed it with  
glue4    ,and so the waters abode       
elevate in height an hundred and fifty  
days from  the day that ,noah entered   
in4 ,and our ,lord then remembered ,noah
 and all  them that were in the ark with
 him1 and also on the beasts and fowls1 
and ceased the waters4 ,and the wells   

and cataracts were closed1 and the      
rains were prohibited1 and forbidden to 
rain no more4 ,the seventh month1  the  
twenty-seventh day of the month1 the ark
 rested on the hills of  ,armenia4 ,the 
tenth month1 of the first day of the    
month1 the tops of the  hills appeared  
first4 ,after these forty days after the
 lessing of the  waters1 ,noah opened   
the window and desired sore to have     
tidings of  ceasing of the flood4 ,and  
sent out a raven for to have tidings1   
and when  he was gone he returned no    
more again1 for peradventure she found  
some  dead carrion of a beast swimming  
on the water1 and lighted thereon to    
feed her and was left there4 ,after this
 he sent out a dove which flew  out1 and
 when she could find no place to rest ne
 set her foot on1 she  returned unto    
,noah and he took her in4 ,yet then were
 not the tops of  the hills bare4 ,and  
seven days after he sent her out again1 
which at  even returned1 bearing a      
branch of an olive tree1 burgeoning1 in 

her  mouth4 ,and after other seven days 
he sent her again1 which came no more   
again4    ,then in the year of ,noah six
 hundred and one1 the first day of the  
month1 ,noah opened the covering of the 
ark and saw that the earth was  dry1 but
 he durst not go out1 but abode the     
commandment of our ,lord4 ,the  second  
month1 the twenty-seventh day of the    
month1 our ,lord said to  ,noah3 ,go out
 of the ark1 thou and thy wife1 thy sons
 and the wives of  thy sons4 ,he        
commanded them to go conjointly out     
which disjointly  entered1 and let go   
out with them all the beasts and fowls  
living1 and  all the reptiles1 every    
each after his kind and gender1 to whom 
our ,lord  said3 ,grow ye and multiply  
upon the earth4 ,then ,noah issued out  
and his  wife1 and his sons with their  
wives1 and all the beasts1 the same day 
a  year after they entered in1 every one
 after his gender4 ,noah then  edified  
an altar to our ,lord and took of all   
the beasts that were clean  and offered 

sacrifice unto our ,lord2 and our ,lord 
smelled the sweetness  of the sacrifice 
and said to ,noah3 ,from henceforth ,i  
shall not curse the  earth for man1 for 
he is prone and ready to fall from the  
beginning of  his youth4 ,i shall no    
more destroy man by such vengeance4 ,and
 then our  ,lord blessed them and said3 
,grow ye and multiply the earth and be  
ye  lords of all the beasts of the      
earth1 of the fowls of the air1 and of  
the fishes4 ,i have given all things to 
you1 but eat no flesh with the  blood4  
,i command you to slay no man1 nor to   
shed no man's blood4 ,i have  made man  
after mine image4 ,whosomever sheddeth  
his brother's blood1 his  blood shall be
 shed4 ,go ye forth and grow and        
multiply and fill the  earth4 ,this said
 our ,lord to ,noah and his sons3 ,lo6  
,i have made a  covenant with you and   
with them that shall come after you1    
that ,i shall  no more bring such a     
flood to slay all people1 and in token  
thereof ,i  have set my rainbow in the  

clouds of heaven1 for who that          
trespasseth ,i  shall do justice        
otherwise on him4 ,noah lived after the 
flood three  hundred and fifty years4   
,from the time of ,adam until after     
,noah's flood1  the time and season was 
alway green and tempered2 and all that  
time men  ate no flesh1 for the herbs   
and fruits were then of great strength  
and  effect1 they were pure and         
nourishing4 ,but after the flood the    
earth was  weaker and brought not forth 
so good fruit1 wherefore flesh was      
ordained  to be eaten4 ,and then ,noah  
began to labor for his livelihood with  
his  sons1 and began to till the earth1 
to destroy briars and thorns and to     
plant vines4 ,and so on a time ,noah had
 drunk so much of the wine that he  was 
drunk1 and lay and slept4 ,ham1 his     
middlest son1 laughed and scorned  his  
father1 and called his brethren to see1 
which rebuked ,ham of his  folly and    
sin4 ,and ,noah awoke1 and when he      
understood how ,ham his son  had scorned

 him1 he cursed him and also his son    
,canaan1 and blessed ,shem  and ,japhet4
 ,all the days of ,noah were nine       
hundred and fifty years and  then he    
died4 ,and after his death his sons     
dealed all the world between  them1     
,shem had all ,asia1 ,ham ,africa1 and  
,japhet all ,europe4 ,thus was it       
departed4 ,asia is the best part and is 
as much as the other two1 and  that is  
in the east4 ,africa is the south part1 
and therein is ,carthage  and many rich 
countries1 therein be blue and black    
men4 ,ham had that to  his part ,africa4
 ,the third part is ,europe which is in 
the north and  west1 therein is ,greece1
 ,rome1 and ,germany4 ,in ,europe       
reigneth now most  the christian law and
 faith1 wherein is many a rich realm4   
,and so was  the world departed to the  
three sons of ,noah4          ,,the     
,,rainbow      ,triumphal arch1 that    
fill'st the sky    ,when storms prepare 
to part1  ,i ask not proud ,philosophy  
,to teach me what thou art4    ,still   

seem1 as to my childhood's sight1    ,a 
midway station given1  ,for happy       
spirits to alight1    ,betwixt the earth
 and heaven4    ,can all that optics    
teach1 unfold    ,thy form to please me 
so1  ,as when ,i dreamt of gems and gold
    ,hid in thy radiant bow8    ,when   
science from creation's face            
,enchantment's veil withdraws1  ,what   
lovely visions yield their place    ,to 
cold material laws6    ,and yet1 fair   
bow1 no fabling dreams1    ,but words of
 the ,most ,high1  ,have told why first 
thy robe of beams    ,was woven in the  
sky4    ,when o'er the green undeluged  
earth    ,heaven's covenant thou didst  
shine1  ,how came the world's gray      
fathers forth    ,to watch thy sacred   
sign6    ,and when its yellow lustre    
smiled    ,o'er mountains yet untrod1   
,each mother held aloft her child    ,to
 bless the bow of ,god4    ,the earth to
 thee her incense yields1    ,the lark  
thy welcome sings1  ,when1 glittering in
 the freshen'd fields1    ,the snowy    

mushroom springs4    ,how glorious is   
thy girdle1 cast    ,o'er mountain1     
tower1 and town1  ,or mirror'd in the   
ocean vast    ,a thousand fathoms down6 
,as fresh in yon horizon dark1    ,as   
young thy beauties seem1  ,as when the  
eagle from the ark    ,first sported in 
thy beam4    ,for1 faithful to its      
sacred page1    ,heaven still rebuilds  
thy span2  ,nor lets the type grow pale 
with age    ,that first spoke peace to  
man4    ,t4 ,,campbell4          ,,here 
,,followeth ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,abraham 
,the ,sunday called ,quinquagesima is   
read in the church the history of the   
holy patriarch ,abraham which was the   
son of ,terah4 ,this ,terah was the     
tenth from ,noah in the generation of   
,shem4 ,japhet had seven sons and ,ham  
four sons4 ,out of the generation of    
,ham ,nimrod came1 which was a wicked   
man and cursed in his works1 and began  
to make the tower of ,babel which  was  
great and high4 ,and at the making of   
this tower1 ,god changed the  languages1

 in such wise that no man understood    
other4 ,for tofore the  building of that
 tower was but one manner speech in all 
the world1 and  there were made         
seventy-two speeches4 ,the tower was    
great1 it was ten  miles about and five 
thousand and eighty-four steps of       
height4 ,this  ,nimrod was the first man
 that found mawmetry and idolatry1 which
 endured  long and yet doth4 ,then ,i   
turn again to ,terah which had three    
sons1  which was ,abram1 ,nahor1 and    
,haran4 ,of ,nahor came ,us1 ,bus1 and  
,batuel4 ,of  ,us came ,job1 of ,bus    
came ,balaam1 and of ,batuel ,rebekah   
and ,laban4 ,of  ,haran came ,lot and   
two daughters1 ,melcha and ,sara4       
,now ,i shall speak of ,abram of whom   
our blessed lady came4 ,he wedded       
,sara1 daughter of his brother ,haran4  
,abram was ever faithful and true1  he  
was sixty-five years old when his father
 died1 for whom he mourned  till our    
,lord comforted him1 which said to      
,abram3 ,abram1 make thee ready  and go 

out of thy land and kindred1 and also   
from the house of thy  father1 and come 
into the land that ,i shall show to     
thee4 ,i shall make  thee grow into much
 people2 ,i shall bless thee and magnify
 thy name1 and  thou shalt be blessed1  
and ,i shall bless them that bless thee1
 and curse  them that curse thee1 and in
 thee shall be blessed all the kindreds 
of  the earth4    ,abram was seventy    
years old when he departed from the land
 of ,haran1 and  he took with him ,sara 
his wife1 and ,lot the son of his       
brother1 and  their meiny company1 and  
his cattle and his substance1 and came  
into  the land of ,canaan1 and came into
 the vale of ,sichem1 in which were ill 
people which were the people of ,canaan4
 ,and our ,lord said to ,abram3 ,i      
shall give to thee this land and to     
thine heirs4 ,then ,abram did raise an  
altar on which he did sacrifice1 and    
blessed and thanked our ,lord4 ,abram   
beheld all the land toward the south1   
and saw the beauty thereof1 and  found  

it like as our ,lord told him4 ,but he  
had not been long in the land  but that 
there fell great hunger therein1        
wherefore he left that country  and went
 into ,egypt and took with him ,sara his
 wife4 ,and as they went by  the way    
,abram said to his wife3 ,i fear and    
dread sore that when we come  to this   
people1 which be lawless1 that they     
shall take thee for thy  beauty and slay
 me1 because they would use thee4       
,wherefore say thou art  my sister1 and 
,i thy brother1 and she agreed thereto4 
,and when they  were come in to that    
country the people saw that she was so  
fair1 and  anon they told the king1     
which anon commanded that she should be 
brought  into his presence4 ,and when   
she was come1 ,god of his good grace so 
purveyed for her1 that no man had power 
to do her villany4 ,wherefore the  king 
was feared that ,god would have taken   
vengeance on him for her1 and  sent for 
,abram and said to him that he should   
take his wife1 and that he  had evil    

done to say1 that she was his sister1   
and so delivered her  again1 and gave   
him gold and silver1 and bade that men  
should worship  him in all his land1 and
 he should freely at his pleasure depart
 with  all his goods4 ,then after this  
,abram took his wife ,sara and went home
  again1 and came unto ,bethel1 and set 
there an altar of stone1 and there  he  
adored and worshipped the name of ,god4 
,his store and beasts began to          
multiply1 and ,lot with his meiny was   
also there4 ,and their beasts began  so 
sore to increase and multiply1 that     
unnethe hardly the country  might       
suffice to their pasture1 in so much    
that rumor and grudging began  to sourde
 and arise between the herdmen of ,abram
 and the herdmen of ,lot4  ,then ,abram 
said to ,lot3 ,lo6 this country is great
 and wide1 ,i pray thee  to choose on   
which hand thou wilt go1 and take it for
 thy meiny and thy  beasts4 ,and let no 
strife be between me and thee1 ne       
between my herdmen  ne thy herdmen4 ,lo6

 behold all the country is tofore thee1 
take which  thou wilt2 if thou go on the
 right side1 ,i shall go on the left    
side1  and if thou take the left1 ,i    
will go on the right side4 ,then ,lot   
beheld  the country and saw a fair plain
 toward flom ,jordan1 which was         
pleasant1  and the flood ran toward     
,sodom and ,gomorrah1 which was like a  
paradise1  and took that part for him4  
,and ,abram took toward the west1 which 
was  beside the people of ,canaan at the
 foot of mount ,mamre4 ,and ,lot dwelled
  in ,sodom4 ,the people of ,sodom were 
worst of all people4    ,our ,lord said 
to ,abram3 ,lift up thine eyes and see  
directly from the  place that thou art  
now in1 from the north to the south1 and
 from the  east to the west4 ,all this  
land that thou seest ,i shall give thee1
 and  to thy seed for evermore4 ,i shall
 make thy seed as powder or dust of the 
earth1 who that may number the dust of  
the earth shall number thy seed4  ,arise
 therefore and walk the land in length  

and in breadth1 for ,i shall  give it to
 thee4 ,abram moved then his tabernacle 
and dwelled in the  valley of ,mamre1   
which is in ,hebron1 and set there his  
tabernacle4 ,it  happened soon after    
that there was a war in that land1 that 
four kings  warred again other five     
kings1 which were of ,sodom1 ,gomorrah  
and other4  ,and the four kings         
overthrew the five and slew them1 and   
spoiled and  took all the substance of  
the country and took also with them ,lot
 and  all his goods4 ,and a man gat away
 from them and came to ,abram1 and told 
him how that ,lot was taken and led     
away4 ,and then anon ,abram did do      
gather his people together1 the number  
of three hundred and eighteen4  ,and    
followed after1 and departed his people 
in two parties because they  should not 
escape4 ,and ,abram smote in among them1
 and slew the kings1  and rescued ,lot  
and all his goods1 and delivered the men
 of ,sodom that  were taken and the     
women4 ,and they of ,sodom came against 

him1 and  ,melchisedech came and met    
with him1 and offered to him bread and  
wine4  ,this ,melchisedech was king and 
priest of ,jerusalem and all the        
country1  and blessed ,abram4 ,and there
 ,abram gave to him the tythes of all he
 had4  ,and the king of ,sodom would    
that ,abram should have had such prey as
 he  took1 but he would not have as much
 as the latchet of a shoe1 and thus  gat
 ,abram much love of all the people4    
,after this our ,lord appeared to ,abram
 in a vision and said3 ,abram1 dread    
thee nothing1 ,i am thy protector1 and  
thy reward and meed shall be  great4    
,abram answered3 ,lord ,god1 what wilt  
thou give me8 ,thou wottest  well ,i    
have no children1 and sith ,i have none 
,i will well that ,eleazar  the son of  
my bailiff be my heir4 ,nay1 said our   
,lord1 he shall not be  thine heir1 but 
he that shall issue and come of thy seed
 shall be thine  heir4 ,our ,lord led   
him out and bade him behold the heaven1 
and number  the stars if thou mayst1 and

 said to him1 so shall thy offspringing 
and  seed be4 ,and ,abram believed it   
and gave faith to our ,lord's words1 and
  it was reputed to him to justice4 ,and
 our ,lord said to him1 ,i am the  ,lord
 that led thee out of the land of ,ur of
 the ,chaldees for to give to  thee this
 land into thy possession4 ,and ,abram  
said3 ,lord1 how shall ,i  know that ,i 
shall possess it8 ,a voice said to      
,abram3 ,thy seed shall be  exiled into 
,egypt by the space of four hundred     
years1 and shall be  there in servitude1
 and after1 ,i shall bring them hither  
again in the  fourth generation4 ,thou  
shalt abide here unto thy good age1 and 
shalt be  buried here1 and go with thy  
fathers in peace4 ,sara was yet without 
child1 and she had a handmaid named     
,hagar1 an ,egyptian1 and she on a day  
said to ,abram her husband3 ,thou seest 
,i may bear no child1 wherefore ,i      
would thou took ,hagar my maid1 that    
thou might get a child which ,i might   
keep and hold for mine4 ,and ten year   

after that ,abram had dwelled in  that  
land1 he took ,hagar1 and anon she      
despised her mistress4 ,then ,sara  said
 to ,abram3 ,thou dost evil4 ,my servant
 now hath me in despite1 ,god  judge    
this between thee and me4 ,to whom      
,abram answered3 ,thine handmaid  is in 
thine hands1 chastise her as it pleaseth
 thee4 ,after this ,sara  chastised     
,hagar and put her to so great          
affliction that she went away2  and as  
she went an angel met with her in the   
wilderness by a well1 and  said3 ,hagar1
 whence comest and whither goest thou8  
,she answered3 ,i flee  away from the   
face of my lady ,sara4 ,to whom the     
angel said1 return again  and submit    
thee by humbleness unto thy lady1 and ,i
 shall multiply thy  seed1 and so much  
people shall come of it that it cannot  
be numbered for  multitude4 ,and he said
 furthermore3 ,thou shalt bear a child  
and shalt  call him ,ishmael4 ,he shall 
be a fierce man1 he shall be against all
 men1  and all men against him4 ,then   

,hagar returned home and served her     
lady1  and soon after this she was      
delivered of ,ishmael4 ,abram was       
eighty-six  years old when ,ishmael was 
born4    ,when ,abram was ninety-nine   
years1 our ,lord appeared to him and    
said3  ,abram1 lo6 ,i am the ,lord      
,almighty1 walk thou before me and be   
perfect1  and ,i shall keep covenant    
between me and thee and shall multiply  
thy  seed greatly4 ,and ,abram fell down
 lowting low to the earth and thanked   
him4 ,then our ,lord said ,i ,,am1 and  
my covenant ,i shall keep to thee1 thou 
shalt be father of much people4 ,thou   
shalt no more be called ,abram1 but     
,abraham1 for ,i have ordained thee     
father of much people4 ,i shall make    
thee to increase most abundantly2 kings 
and princes shall come of thee1  and    
shall stablish my covenant between me   
and thee1 and thy seed in thy           
generations4 ,i shall give to thee and  
to thy seed after thee the land of  thy 
pilgrimage1 all the land of ,canaan1    

into their possession and ,i  shall be  
their ,god4 ,yet said ,god to ,abraham3 
,and thou shalt keep thy  covenant to   
me1 and thine heirs after thee in their 
generations1 and  this shall be the     
covenant that ye shall keep and thine   
heirs after  thee4 ,every child         
masculine that shall be born shall be   
circumcised when  he is eight days old4 
,and see that the men in your generation
 be  circumcised1 begin at thyself and  
thy children4 ,and all that dwell in    
thy kindred1 who of you that shall not  
be circumcised shall be cast and  put   
out for ever from my people1 because he 
obeyeth not my statute and  ordinance4  
,and thy wife ,sara shall be called no  
more ,sara but she shall  be called     
,sarah1 and ,i shall bless her1 and     
shall give to thee a son of  her1 whom  
,i shall bless also4 ,i shall him       
increase into nations1 and  kings of    
peoples shall come of him4 ,abraham fell
 down on his face  toward the earth and 
laughed in his heart1 saying3 ,may it be

 that a  woman of ninety years may bear 
a child8 ,i beseech thee1 ,lord1 that   
,ishmael may live before thee4 ,our     
,lord said to ,abraham1 ,sarah shall    
bring forth a son whom thou shalt name  
,isaac1 and ,i shall keep my  covenant  
to him for evermore1 and to his heirs   
after him4 ,and ,i have  heard thy      
request for ,ishmael also4 ,i shall     
bless him and increase1 and  shall      
multiply his seed into much people1     
twelve dukes shall come of  him4 ,i     
shall keep my covenant to ,isaac1 whom  
,sarah shall bring forth the  next year4
    ,after this on a time1 as ,abraham  
sat beside his house in the vale of     
,mamre in the heat of the day1 and as he
 lift up his eyes1 he saw three  young  
men coming to him1 and anon as he saw   
these three standing by him  he ran to  
them and worshipped one alone2 he saw   
three and worshipped but  one4 ,that    
betokeneth the ,trinity1 and prayed them
 to be harboured with  him1 and took    
water and washed their feet3 and prayed 

them to tarry  under the tree1 and he   
would bring bread to them for to comfort
 them4  ,and they bade him do as he had 
said1 he went and bade ,sarah to make   
three ashy cakes and sent his child for 
a tender fat calf1 which was  sodden and
 boiled4 ,and he served them with butter
 and milk1 and the  calf1 and set it    
tofore them4 ,he stood by them1 and when
 they had eaten  they demanded him3     
,where is ,sarah thy wife8 ,and he said3
 ,yonder in the  tabernacle4 ,and he    
said1 ,i shall go and come again1 and   
,sarah thy wife  shall have a child4    
,and she stood behind the door and heard
 it and  laughed1 and said softly to    
herself3 ,how may it be that ,i should  
bear a  child8 ,she thought it          
impossible4 ,then said our ,lord to     
,abraham3 ,why  laugheth ,sarah thy     
wife1 saying in scorn1 ,shall ,i bear a 
child8 but as ,i  said to thee before1  
,i shall return and come again1 and she 
shall have a  child in that time4 ,and  
he asked ,sarah why she smiled in scorn1

 and she  said she smiled ne laughed    
not1 and our ,lord said1 ,it is not so1 
for  thou laughedst4    ,when they had  
rested ,abraham conveyed them on the    
way4 ,and our ,lord said  to ,abraham3  
,i have not hid from thee what ,i       
purpose to do4 ,the cry of  ,sodom and  
,gomorrah is multiplied and their sin is
 much grievous4 ,i shall  descend and   
see if the sin be so great1 the stench  
thereof cometh to  heaven1 ,i shall take
 vengeance and destroy them4 ,then      
,abraham said3 ,i  hope1 ,lord1 thou    
wilt not destroy the just and righteous 
man with the  wicked sinner4 ,i beseech 
thee1 ,lord1 to spare them4 ,our ,lord  
said3 ,if  there be fifty good and      
righteous men among them1 ,i shall spare
 them4  ,and ,abraham said3 ,good ,lord1
 if there be found forty1 ,i pray thee  
to  spare them4 ,our ,lord said3 ,if    
there be forty1 ,i shall spare them1 and
 so  from forty to thirty and from      
thirty to twenty and from twenty to ten1
  and our ,lord said3 ,if there be found

 ten good men among them1 ,i shall  not 
destroy them4 ,and then our ,lord went  
from ,abraham1 and he returned  home    
again4 ,that same eventide came two     
angels into ,sodom1 and ,lot sat  at his
 gate1 and when he saw them he went and 
worshipped them and  prayed them to come
 and rest in his house1 and abide there 
and wash  their feet4 ,and they said3   
,nay1 we shall abide here in the street1
 and  ,lot constrained them and brought 
them into his house and made a feast to 
them4 ,then said the angels to ,lot3 ,if
 thou have here of thy kindred1  sons or
 daughters1 all them that long to thee1 
lead out of this city1 we  shall destroy
 this place1 for the cry thereof is come
 to our ,lord1 which  hath sent us for  
to destroy them4 ,lot went unto his     
kinsmen and said3  ,arise and take your 
children1 and go out of this city1 for  
our ,lord  shall destroy it4 ,and they  
supposed that he had raved or japed     
jested4  ,and as soon as it was day the 
angels said to ,lot3 ,arise1 and take   

thy  wife and thy two daughters1 and go 
out of this town lest ye perish with    
them4 ,yet he dissimuling1 they took him
 by the hand and his wife and two       
daughters1 because that ,god should     
spare them1 and led them out of the     
city4 ,and there they said to him3 ,save
 thy soul and look not behind thee  lest
 thou perish also1 but save thee in the 
mountain4 ,lot said to them3  ,i beseech
 thee1 my ,lord1 forasmuch as thy       
servant hath found grace  before thee1  
and that thou hast showed thy mercy to  
me1 and that  peradventure ,i might take
 harm on the hill1 that ,i may go into  
the  little city hereby and may be saved
 there4 ,he said to ,lot3 ,i have heard 
thy prayers1 and for thy sake ,i shall  
not subvert this town for which  thou   
hast prayed1 hie thee and save thyself  
there1 for ,i may do nothing  till thou 
be therein4 ,therefore that town is     
called ,zoar4 ,so ,lot went  in to      
,zoar2 and the sun arose1 and our ,lord 
rained from heaven upon  ,sodom and     

,gomorrah sulphur and fire1 and         
subverted the cities and all  the       
dwellers of the towns about that region1
 and all that was there  growing and    
burgeoning4 ,lot's wife turned her and  
looked toward the  cities1 and anon she 
was turned into a statue or image of    
salt1 which  abideth so unto this day4  
,abraham arose in the morning early1 and
 looked  toward the cities1 and saw the 
smoke ascending from the places1 like as
  it had been the light of a furnace4   
,what time our ,lord subverted these    
cities he remembered ,abraham1 and      
delivered ,lot from the vengeance of    
the cities in which he dwelled4 ,then   
,lot ascended from ,zoar and dwelled  in
 the mountain1 and his two daughters    
with him4 ,he dreaded to abide any      
longer in the town1 but dwelled in a    
cave1 he and his two daughters with     
him4    ,abraham departed from thence   
and went southward and dwelled between  
,kadesh and ,shur1 and went a pilgrimage
 to ,gerar4 ,he said that his wife  was 

his sister4 ,abimelech the king of      
,gerar sent for her and took her4  ,god 
came to ,abimelech in his sleep and     
said3 ,thou shalt be dead for the  woman
 that thou hast taken1 she hath an      
husband4 ,abimelech said3 ,lord1  wilt  
thou slay a man ignorant and rightful8  
,she said that she was his  sister1 in  
the simpleness of my heart and cleanness
 of my hands ,i did  this4 ,and ,god    
said to him3 ,i know well that with a   
simple heart thou  didst it1 and        
therefore ,i have kept thee from her1   
now yield the woman  to her husband1 and
 he shall pray for thee1 he is a prophet
 and thou  shalt live4 ,and if thou     
deliver her not1 thou shalt die1 and all
 they  that be in thy house4 ,abimelech 
arose up the same night and called all  
his servants1 and told them all these   
words4 ,all they dreaded sore4 ,also    
,abimelech called ,abraham and said to  
him3 ,what hast thou done to us1  that  
we have trespassed to thee8 ,thou hast  
caused me and my realm to sin  greatly4 

,thou hast done that thou shouldst not  
have done4 ,what sawest  thou for to do 
so8 ,abraham said3 ,i thought that the  
dread of ,god was not  in this place1   
and that ye would slay me for my wife2  
and certainly  otherwise she is also my 
sister1 the daughter of my father but   
not of my  mother1 and ,i have wedded   
her4 ,and after that ,i went from the   
house of  my father1 ,i said to her3    
,wheresomever we go say thou art my     
sister4    ,then ,abimelech took sheep  
and oxen and servants and maidens1 and  
gave to  ,abraham1 and delivered to him 
,sarah his wife1 and said3 ,lo6 the land
 is  here tofore thee1 wheresoever thou 
wilt1 dwell and abide4 ,and he said to  
,sarah3 ,lo6 ,i have given to thy       
brother a thousand pieces of silver1    
this  shall be to thee a veil of thine  
eyes1 and wheresomever thou go1         
remember that thou wert taken4 ,abraham 
prayed for ,abimelech and his  meiny    
company and ,god healed him1 his wife   
and all his servants4 ,our  ,lord then  

visited ,sarah1 and she brought forth a 
son in her old age1  that same time that
 ,god had promised4 ,abraham called his 
son that she  had borne1 ,isaac1 and    
when he was eight days old he           
circumcised him as  ,god had commanded1 
and ,abraham was then an hundred years  
old4 ,then said  ,sarah3 ,who would have
 supposed that ,i should give suck to my
 child1  being so old8 ,i laughed when  
,i heard our ,lord say so1 and all they 
that  shall hear of it may well laugh4  
,the child grew and was weaned1 and     
,abraham made a great feast at the day  
of his weaning4 ,after this1 on a  day  
when ,sarah saw the son of ,hagar her   
handmaid play with her son  ,isaac1 she 
said to ,abraham3 ,cast out this        
handmaid with her son1 the son  of the  
handmaid shall not be heir with my son  
,isaac4 ,abraham took this  word hard   
and grievously for his son4 ,then said  
,god to him3 ,let it not  be hard to    
thee for thy son and handmaid1          
whatsomever ,sarah say to thee  hear her

 voice1 for in ,isaac shall thy seed be 
called4 ,yet shall ,i make  the son of  
the handmaid grow into great people1 for
 he is of thy seed4  ,abraham rose early
 in the morning1 and took bread and a   
bottle of water1  and laid it on her    
shoulder1 and gave to her the child and 
let her go1  which1 when she was        
departed1 erred in the wilderness of    
,beersheba4 ,and  when the water was    
consumed that was in the bottle1 she    
left the child  under a tree that was   
there and went thence as far as a bow   
shot and sat  her down1 and said3 ,i    
shall not see my son die1 and there she 
wept4 ,our  ,lord heard the voice of the
 child1 and an angel called ,hagar      
saying1  ,what doest thou1 ,hagar8 ,be  
not afeard1 our ,lord hath heard the    
voice of  the child from the place which
 he is now in4 ,arise and take the child
  and hold him by the hand1 for ,i shall
 make him to increase into much  people4
 ,god opened her eyes and she saw a pit 
of water1 and anon she  went and filled 

the bottle1 and gave the child to drink1
 and abode with  him1 which grew and    
dwelled in the wilderness1 and became   
there a young  man and an archer1 and   
dwelled also in the desert of ,paran4   
,and his  mother took to him a wife of  
the land of ,egypt4    ,that same time  
said ,abimelech1 and ,phicol the prince 
of his host1 unto  ,abraham3 ,our ,lord 
is with thee in all things that thou    
doest4 ,swear thou  by the ,lord that   
thou grieve not me1 ne them that shall  
come after me1  ne my kindred1 but after
 the mercy that ,i have showed to thee1 
so do to  me and to my land in which    
thou hast dwelled as a stranger4 ,and   
,abraham  said1 ,i shall swear4 ,and he 
blamed ,abimelech for the pit of water  
which  his servants had taken away by   
strength4 ,abimelech answered3 ,i know  
not  who hath done this thing1 and thou 
toldest me not thereof1 and ,i never    
heard thereof till this day4 ,and then  
after this they made covenant  together1
 and promised each to other to be       

friends together4    ,after all these   
things ,god tempted ,abraham1 and said  
to him3 ,abraham1  ,abraham4 ,he        
answered and said3 ,i am here1 and he   
said to him3 ,take thou  thine only son 
that thou lovest1 ,isaac1 and go into   
the land of ,vision  and offer him in   
sacrifice to me upon one of the hills   
that ,i shall show  to thee4 ,then      
,abraham arose in the night1 and made   
ready his ass1 and  took with him two   
young men and ,isaac his son4 ,and when 
they had hewn  and gathered the wood    
together to make sacrifice1 they went to
 the  place that ,god commanded him4    
,the third day after1 he lift up his    
eyes  and saw from afar the place1 and  
he said to his children3 ,abide ye here 
with the ass1 ,i and my son shall go to 
yonder place1 and when we have          
worshipped there we shall return to you4
 ,then he took the wood of the          
sacrifice and laid it on his son ,isaac1
 and he bare in his hands fire  and the 
sword4 ,and as they went both together1 

,isaac said to his father3  ,father     
mine4 ,what wilt thou1 my son8 said     
,abraham1 and he said3 ,lo6 here  is    
fire and wood1 where is the sacrifice   
that shall be offered8 ,abraham         
answered3 ,my son1 ,god shall provide   
for him a sacrifice well enough4  ,they 
went forth and came to the place that   
,god had ordained1 and there  made an   
altar1 and laid the wood thereon1 and   
took ,isaac and set him on  the wood on 
the altar1 and took his sword and would 
have offered him up  to ,god4 ,and lo6  
the angel of ,god cried to him from     
heaven saying3  ,abraham1 ,abraham1     
which answered3 ,i am here1 and he said 
to him3 ,extend  not thy hand upon my   
child1 and do nothing to him1 now ,i    
know that thou  dreadest ,god1 and hast 
not spared thine only son for me4       
,abraham looked  behind him1 and saw    
among the briars a ram fast by the      
horns1 which he  took1 and offered him  
in sacrifice for his son4 ,he called    
that place3  ,the ,lord seeth4 ,the     

angel called ,abraham the second time   
saying3 ,i have  sworn by myself1 saith 
the ,lord1 because thou hast done this  
thing1 and  hast not spared thine only  
son for me1 ,i shall bless thee and     
shall  multiply thy seed as the stars of
 heaven1 and like the gravel that is  on
 the seaside1 thy seed shall possess the
 gates of their enemies1 and  in thy    
seed shall be blessed all the people of 
the earth1 for thou  obeyedst to me4    
,abraham then returned to his servants1 
and went into  ,beersheba and dwelled   
there4 ,sarah lived an hundred and      
twenty-seven  years and died in the city
 of ,arba1 which is ,hebron in the land 
of  ,canaan2 for whom ,abraham made     
sorrow and wept1 and bought of the      
children of ,heth a field1 and buried   
her worshipfully in a double  spelunke4 
,abraham was an old man1 and ,god       
blessed him in all his things4 ,he said 
to the eldest and upperest servant in   
all his house3 ,i charge and  conjure   
thee by the name of ,god of heaven and  

of earth that thou suffer  not my son   
,isaac to take no wife of the daughters 
of ,canaan amongst whom  ,i dwell1 but  
go into the country where my kindred is1
 and take of them a  wife to my son4    
,and the servant answered3 ,if no woman 
there will come  with me into this      
country1 shall ,i bring thy son into    
that country from  whence thou earnest8 
,abraham said3 ,beware that thou lead   
not my son  thither4 ,the ,lord of      
heaven and of earth1 that took me from  
the house of  my father and from the    
place of my nativity1 hath said and     
sworn to me1  saying3 ,to thy seed ,i   
shall give this land4 ,he shall send his
 angel  tofore thee1 and thou shalt take
 there a wife for my son4 ,if no woman  
will come with thee thou shalt not be   
bounden by thine oath1 but in no  wise  
lead my son thither4 ,his servant then  
swore and promised to him  that he would
 so do4    ,he took ten camels of the   
flock of his lord1 and of all his goods 
bare  with him1 and went in to          

,mesopotamia unto the town of ,nahor4   
,and he made  the camels to tarry       
without the town by a pit side at such  
time as the  women be wont to come out  
for to draw water4 ,and there he prayed 
our  ,lord1 saying3 ,lord ,god of my    
lord ,abraham1 ,i beseech thee to help  
me  this day1 and do mercy unto my lord 
,abraham4 ,lo6 ,i stand here nigh by    
the well of water1 and the daughters of 
the dwellers of this town come  hither  
for to draw water1 therefore the maid to
 whom ,i say3 ,set down thy  pot that ,i
 may drink1 and then she set down her   
pot and say3 ,i will give  to thee      
drink1 and to the camels1 that ,i may   
understand thereby that she  be the maid
 that thou hast ordained to thy servant 
,isaac1 and thou  showest thy mercy to  
my lord ,abraham4 ,he had not fully     
finished these  words with himself1 but 
that ,rebekah1 daughter of ,bethuel1 son
 of ,milcah  wife of ,nahor1 brother of 
,abraham1 came out of the town1 having a
 pot on  her shoulder1 which was a right

 fair maid1 and much beauteous and      
unknown to the man4 ,she went down to   
the well and filled her pot with  water 
and returned4 ,the servant of ,abraham  
ran to her and said3 ,i pray  thee to   
give me a little of the water in thy pot
 for to drink4 ,which  said3 ,drink1 my 
lord1 and lightly took the pot from her 
shoulder1 and  held it1 and gave him    
drink4 ,and when he had drunk she said3 
,yet ,i shall  give to thy camels drink1
 and draw water for them till all have  
drunken2  and she poured out the water  
into a vessel that was there for beasts 
to  drink1 and ran to the pit and drew  
water that every one drank his  draught4
 ,he then thought in himself secretly   
that ,god had made him to  have a       
prosperous journey4    ,after they had  
drunk1 he gave her two rings to hang on 
her ears weighing  two shekels1 and as  
many armlets weighing ten shekels1 and  
asked her  whose daughter she was1 and  
if there were any room in her father's  
house  to be lodged4 ,and she answered3 

,i am daughter to ,bethuel1 ,nahor's    
son1  and in my father's house is place 
enough to lodge thee and thy camels1    
and plenty of chaff and hay for them4   
,and the man inclined down to the       
ground and worshipped ,god saying3      
,blessed be the ,lord ,god of my lord   
,abraham1 which hath not taken away his 
mercy ne his truth from my lord1  and   
hath brought me in my journey right into
 the house of my lord's  brother4 ,the  
maid ,rebekah ran and told at home all  
that she had heard4  ,rebekah had a     
brother named ,laban1 which hastily went
 out to the man  where as he was when he
 had seen the rings in his sister's ears
 and her  poinettes or armlets on her   
hands2 and had heard her say all that   
the  man said4 ,he came to the man that 
stood by the well yet1 and said to  him3
 ,come in1 thou blessed of ,god1 why    
standest thou without8 ,i have  made    
ready the house for thee1 and have      
ordained place for thy camels4  ,and    
brought him in1 and strawed his camels1 

and gave them chaff and hay1  and water 
to wash the camels' feet1 and the men's 
feet that came with  him4    ,and they  
set forth bread tofore him1 which said3 
,i shall not eat till ,i  have done mine
 errand and said wherefore ,i am come4  
,and it was answered  to him1 say on1   
and he said3 ,i am servant of ,abraham1 
and ,god hath  blessed and magnified him
 greatly and hath given to him oxen and 
sheep1  silver and gold1 servants men   
and women1 camels and asses4 ,and ,sarah
 his  wife hath brought him forth a son 
in her old age1 and he hath given to    
him all that he had4 ,and my lord hath  
charged and adjured me saying3 ,in  no  
wise let my son ,isaac have no wife of  
the daughters of ,canaan in  whose land 
he dwelleth1 but go unto the house of my
 father and of my  kindred1 and of them 
thou shall take a wife to my son1       
wherefore ,i am  come hither4 ,and told 
all how he prayed ,god of some token1   
and how  ,rebekah did to him1 and in    
conclusion desired to have ,rebekah for 

his  lord ,isaac2 and if he would not1  
that he might depart and go into some   
other place1 on the right side or on the
 left1 to seek a wife for his  lord's   
son4 ,then ,bethuel and ,laban said to  
him3 ,this word is come of  ,god1       
against his will we may nothing do4 ,lo6
 ,rebekah standeth tofore  thee1 take   
her and go forth that she may be wife   
unto the son of thy  lord1 as our ,lord 
hath said4 ,which words when ,abraham's 
servant had  heard1 he fell down to the 
ground and thanked our ,lord1 and anon  
took  forth silver vessels and of gold  
and good clothes and gave them to       
,rebekah for a gift4 ,and to her        
brethren and mother he gave also gifts1 
and anon they made a feast1 and ate and 
were joyful together4 ,on the  morn     
betimes1 the servant of ,abraham arose1 
and desired to depart and  take ,rebekah
 with him and go to his lord4 ,then the 
mother and her  brethren said3 ,let the 
maid abide with us but only ten days1   
and then  take her and go thy way4 ,i   

pray you1 said he1 retain ne let hinder 
me  not1 our ,lord hath addressed my way
 and achieved my errand1 wherefore  let 
me go to my lord4 ,and they said3 ,we   
shall call the maid and know her  will2 
and when she was demanded if she would  
go with that man1 she said3  ,yea1 ,i   
shall go with him4 ,then they let her   
go1 and her nurse with her1  and so she 
departed1 and they said to her3 ,thou   
art our sister1 we pray  ,god that thou 
mayst increase into a thousand thousand1
 and that thy seed  may possess the     
gates of their enemies4 ,then ,rebekah  
and her maidens  ascended upon the      
camels1 and followed the servant of     
,abraham which  hastily returned unto   
his lord4    ,that same time1 when they 
were come1 ,isaac walked by the way     
without  forth and looked up and saw the
 camels coming from far4 ,rebekah espied
  him and demanded of the servant who   
that he was that came in the field      
against them4 ,he answered and said3    
,that is my lord ,isaac1 and anon she   

took her pall or mantle and covered her4
 ,the servant anon told unto his  lord  
,isaac all that he had done2 which      
received her and led her into the       
tabernacle of ,sarah his mother and     
wedded her1 and took her in to his      
wife1 and so much loved her1 that the   
love attempered the sorrow that he  had 
for his mother4 ,abraham after this     
wedded another wife1 by whom he  had    
divers children4 ,abraham gave to ,isaac
 all his possessions1 and to  his other 
children he gave movable goods1 and     
departed the sons of his  concubines    
from his son ,isaac whilst he yet lived4
 ,and all the days of  the life of      
,abraham were one hundred and           
seventy-five years1 and then  died in   
good mind and age1 and ,isaac and       
,ishmael buried him by his wife  ,sarah 
in a double spelunke cave4              
,,here ,,beginneth ,,the ,,life ,,of    
,,isaac    ,,with ,,the ,,history ,,of  
,,esau ,,and ,,of ,,jacob    ,which is  
read in the ,church the ,second ,sunday 

in ,lent      ,isaac was forty years old
 when he wedded ,rebekah and she bare   
him no  children4 ,wherefore he besought
 our ,lord that she might bring forth   
fruit4 ,our ,lord heard his prayer1 and 
she had twain sons at once4 ,the  first 
was rough from the head to the foot1 and
 he was named ,esau2 and  the other was 
named ,jacob4 ,isaac the father was     
sixty years old when  these children    
were born4 ,and after this1 when they   
were grown to  reasonable age1 ,esau    
became a ploughman1 and a tiller of the 
earth1 and  an hunter4 ,and ,jacob was  
simple and dwelled at home with his     
mother4  ,isaac the father loved well   
,esau1 because he ate oft of the venison
 that  ,esau took1 and ,rebekah the     
mother loved ,jacob4    ,jacob on a time
 had made a good pottage1 and ,esau his 
brother had been  an hunting all day and
 came home sore an hungred1 and found   
,jacob having  good pottage1 and prayed 
him to give him some1 for he was weary  
and much  hungry4 ,to whom ,jacob said3 

,if thou wilt sell to me thy patrimony  
and  heritage ,i shall give thee some   
pottage4 ,and ,esau answered1 ,lo6 ,i   
die  for hunger1 what shall avail me    
mine inheritance if ,i die1 and what    
shall profit me my patrimony8 ,i am     
content that thou take it for this      
pottage4 ,jacob then said3 ,swear that  
to me thou shalt never claim it1  and   
that thou art content ,i shall enjoy it1
 and ,esau sware it1 and so  sold away  
his patrimony1 and took the pottage and 
ate it1 and went his  way1 setting      
nothing thereby that he had sold his    
patrimony4 ,this  aforesaid is to bring 
in my matter of the history that is     
read1 for now  followeth the legend as  
it is read in the church4    ,isaac     
began to wax old and his eyes failed and
 dimmed that he might not  clearly see4 
,and on a time he called ,esau his      
oldest son and said to  him3 ,son mine1 
which answered3 ,father1 ,i am here     
ready1 to whom the  father said3 ,behold
 that ,i wax old and know not the day   

that ,i shall die  and depart out of    
this world1 wherefore take thine        
harness1 thy bow and  quiver with       
tackles1 and go forth an hunting1 and   
when thou hast taken  any venison1 make 
to me thereof such manner meat as thou  
knowest that ,i  am wont to eat1 and    
bring it to me that ,i may eat it1 and  
that my soul  may bless thee ere ,i die4
 ,which all these words ,rebekah heard4 
,and ,esau  went forth for to accomplish
 the commandment of his father1 and she 
said  then to ,jacob3 ,i have heard thy 
father say to ,esau1 thy brother3 ,bring
  to me of thy venison1 and make thereof
 meat that ,i may eat1 and that ,i  may 
bless thee tofore our ,lord ere ,i die4 
,now my son1 take heed to my  counsel1  
and go forth to the flock1 and bring to 
me two the best kids  that thou canst   
find1 and ,i shall make of them meat    
such as thy father  shall gladly eat1   
which when thou hast brought to him and 
hast eaten he  may bless thee ere he    
die3 ,to whom ,jacob answered3 ,knowest 

thou not that  my brother is rough and  
hairy and ,i am smooth8 ,if my father   
take me to  him and taste me and feel1  
,i dread me that he shall think that ,i 
mock  him1 and shall give me his curse  
for the blessing4 ,the mother then said 
to him3 ,in me1 said she1 be this curse1
 my son1 nevertheless hear me2 go  to   
the flock and do that ,i have said to   
thee4 ,he went and fetched the  kids and
 delivered them to his mother1 and she  
went and ordained them  into such meat  
as she knew well that his father loved1 
and took the best  clothes that ,esau   
had1 and did them on ,jacob4 ,and the   
skins of the kid  she did about his neck
 and hands there as he was bare1 and    
delivered to  him bread and the pulment 
that she had boiled4 ,and he went to his
 father  and said3 ,father mine1 and he 
answered3 ,i am here2 who art thou1 my  
son8  ,jacob said3 ,i am ,esau1 thy     
first begotten son1 ,i have done as thou
  commandedst me1 arise1 sit and eat of 
the venison of my hunting that thy  soul

 may bless me4 ,then said ,isaac again  
to his son3 ,how mightest thou1  said   
he1 so soon find and take it1 my son8   
,to whom he answered3 ,it was  the will 
of ,god that such thing as ,i desired   
came soon to my hand4 ,isaac  said to   
him3 ,come hither to me1 my son1 that ,i
 may touch and handle  thee1 that ,i may
 prove whether thou be my son ,esau or  
not4 ,he came to  his father1 and when  
he had felt him1 ,isaac said3 ,the voice
 truly is the  voice of ,jacob1 but the 
hands be the hands of ,esau4 ,and he    
knew him not1  for his hands expressed  
the likeness and similitude of the more 
brother4 ,therefore blessing him1 he    
said to him3 ,thou art then my son      
,esau8 ,he answered and said3 ,i am he4 
,then said ,isaac3 ,bring to the meat   
of thine hunting1 my son1 that my soul  
may bless thee2 which he offered  and   
gave to his father1 and also wine4 ,and 
when he had eaten and drunken  a good   
draught of the wine1 he said to ,jacob3 
,come hither to me1 my son1  and kiss   

me2 and he went to him and kissed him4  
,anon as he felt the  sweet savour and  
smell of his clothes1 blessing him he   
said3 ,lo6 the  sweet odour of my son is
 as the odour of a field full of        
flowers1 whom  our ,lord bless4 ,god    
give to thee of the dew of heaven1 and  
of the  fatness of the earth1 abundance 
of wheat1 wine1 and oil1 and the people 
serve thee1 and the tribes worship thee4
 ,be thou lord of thy brethren1  and the
 sons of thy mother shall bow down and  
kneel to thee4 ,whosomever  curseth     
thee1 be he accursed1 and who that      
blesseth thee1 with blessings  be he    
fulfilled4    ,unnethe hardly had ,isaac
 fulfilled these words and ,jacob gone  
out1  when that ,esau came with his meat
 that he had gotten with hunting1       
entered in1 and offered to his father   
saying3 ,arise1 father mine1 and  eat of
 the venison that thy son hath ordained 
for thee1 that thy soul  may bless me4  
,isaac said to him3 ,who art thou8 ,to  
whom he answered1 ,i am  thy first      

begotten son ,esau4 ,isaac then was     
greatly abashed and  astonied1 and      
marvelled more than can be thought      
credible4 ,and then he  was in a trance1
 as the master of histories saith1 in   
which he had  knowledge that ,god would 
that ,jacob should have the blessing4   
,and said  to ,esau3 ,who then was he   
that right now a little tofore thy      
coming  brought to me venison8 ,and ,i  
have eaten of all that he brought to me 
ere  thou camest4 ,i have blessed him1  
and he shall be blessed4 ,when ,esau    
heard these words of his father1 he     
cried with a great cry1 and was sore    
astonied and said3 ,father1 ,i pray thee
 bless me also4 ,to whom he said3  ,thy 
brother germain is come fraudulently1   
and hath received thy  blessing4 ,then  
said ,esau3 ,certainly and justly may   
his name be called  well ,jacob1 for on 
another time tofore this he supplanted  
me of my  patrimony1 and now secondly he
 hath undernome from me my blessing4    
,and  yet then he said to his father3   

,hast thou not reserved to me one       
blessing8 ,isaac answered3 ,i have      
ordained him to be thy lord1 ,i have    
subdued all his brethren to his         
servitude4 ,i have stablished him in    
wheat1 wine and oil4 ,and after this    
what shall ,i do to thee1 my son8 ,to   
whom ,esau said3 ,hast thou not1 father1
 yet one blessing8 ,i beseech thee  to  
bless me4 ,then with a great sighing and
 weeping ,isaac moved said to  him3 ,in 
the fatness of the earth and in the dew 
of heaven shall be thy  blessing1 thou  
shalt live in thy sword1 and shalt serve
 thy brother4  ,then was ,esau          
woebegone1 and hated ,jacob for         
supplanting him of his  blessing that   
his father had blessed him with1 and    
said in his heart3  ,the days of sorrow 
shall come to my father1 for ,i shall   
slay my brother  ,jacob4 ,this was told 
to ,rebekah1 which anon sent for ,jacob 
her son1 and  said to him3 ,lo6 ,esau   
thy brother threateneth to slay thee1   
therefore  now my son hear my voice and 

do as ,i shall counsel4 ,make thee ready
 and  go to my brother in ,aran1 and    
dwell there with him unto the time that 
his anger and fury be overpast1 and his 
indignation ceased1 and that he  forget 
such things that thou hast done to him1 
and then after that ,i  shall send for  
thee1 and bring thee hither again4 ,and 
,rebekah went to  ,isaac her husband and
 said3 ,i am weary of my life because of
 the  daughters of ,heth1 if ,jacob take
 to him a wife of that kindred1 ,i will 
no longer live4 ,isaac then called      
,jacob and blessed him and commanded to 
him saying3 ,i charge thee in no wise to
 take a wife of the kindred of  ,canaan1
 but go and walk into ,mesopotamia of   
,syria1 unto the house of  ,bethuel1    
father of thy mother1 and take to thee  
there a wife of the  daughters of ,laban
 thine uncle4 ,god ,almighty bless thee1
 and make thee  grow and multiply1 that 
thou mayst be increased into tourbes of 
people1  and give to thee the blessings 
of ,abraham1 and to thy seed after thee1

  that thou mayst possess and own the   
land of thy pilgrimage which he  granted
 to thy grandsire4 ,when ,isaac had thus
 said1 and given him leave  to go1 he   
departed anon1 and went into            
,mesopotamia of ,syria to ,laban1  son  
of ,bethuel1 brother of ,rebekah his    
mother4 ,esau seeing that his  father   
had blessed ,jacob and sent him into    
,mesopotamia of ,syria to wed a  wife   
there1 and that after his blessing      
commanded to him saying3 ,take  thou no 
wife of the daughters of ,canaan2 and he
 obeying his father went  into ,syria1  
proving thereby that his father saw not 
gladly the daughters  of ,canaan1 he    
went to ,ishmael1 and took him a wife   
beside them that he  had taken tofore1  
that was ,melech1 daughter of ,ishmael1 
son of ,abraham4    ,then ,jacob        
departed from ,beersheba and went forth 
on his journey toward  ,aran4 ,when he  
came to a certain place after going down
 of the sun and  would rest there all   
night1 he took of the stones that were  

there and  laid under his head and slept
 in the same place4 ,and there he saw in
 his  sleep a ladder standing on the    
earth1 and the upper end thereof touched
  heaven1 and angels of ,god ascending  
and descending upon it1 and our ,lord   
in the midst of the ladder saying to    
him3 ,i am the ,lord ,god of ,abraham   
thy father1 and of ,isaac2 the land on  
which thou sleepest ,i shall give  to   
thee and to thy seed1 and thy seed shall
 be as dust of the earth2  thou shalt   
spread abroad unto the east and unto the
 west1 and north and  south1 and all the
 tribes of the earth shall be blessed in
 thee and in  thy seed4 ,and ,i shall be
 thy keeper wheresoever thou shalt go1  
and shall  bring thee again into this   
land1 and ,i shall not leave till ,i    
have  accomplished all that ,i have     
said4 ,when ,jacob was awaked from his  
sleep  and dreaming1 he said3 ,verily   
,god is in this place1 and ,i wist not  
of  it4 ,and he said dreadingly3 ,how   
terrible is this place1 none other thing

  is here but the house of ,god and the 
gate of heaven4 ,then ,jacob arose      
early and took the stone that lay under 
his head1 and raised it for  witness1   
pouring oil thereon1 and called the name
 of the place ,bethel  which tofore was 
called ,luza4 ,and there he made a vow  
to our ,lord1  saying3 ,if ,god be with 
me and keep me in the way that ,i walk1 
and give  me bread to eat1 and clothes  
to cover me1 and ,i may return          
prosperously  into the house of my      
father1 the ,lord shall be my ,god1 and 
this stone  that ,i have raised in      
witness1 this shall be called the house 
of ,god4  ,and the good of all things   
that thou givest to me1 ,i shall offer  
to thee  the tithes and tenth part4     
,then ,jacob went forth into the east1  
and saw  a pit in a field and three     
flocks of sheep lying by it1 for of that
 pit  were the beasts watered4 ,and the 
mouth thereof was shut and closed with  
a great stone1 for the custom was when  
all the sheep were gathered1 they       

rolled away the stone1 and when they had
 drunken they laid the stone  again at  
the pit mouth4 ,and then he said to the 
shepherds3 ,brethren1  whence are ye8   
,which answered3 ,of ,aran4 ,then he    
asking them said3 ,know  ye not ,laban1 
son of ,nahor8 ,they said3 ,we know him 
well4 ,how fareth he1  said he1 is he   
all whole8 ,he fareth well1 said they2  
and lo6 ,rachel his  daughter cometh    
there with her flock4 ,then said ,jacob3
 ,it is yet far to  even1 it is yet time
 that the flocks be led to drink1 and   
after be  driven to pasture1 which      
answered3 ,we may not so do till all the
 beasts  be gathered1 and then we remove
 the stone from the mouth of the pit and
  water our beasts4 ,and as they talked1
 ,rachel came with the flock of her     
father1 for she kept that time the      
beasts4 ,and when ,jacob saw her and    
knew that she was his erne's uncle's    
daughter1 and that they were his  erne's
 sheep1 he removed the stone from the   
pit's mouth1 and when her  sheep had    

drunken1 he kissed her1 and weeping he  
told her that he was  brother to her    
father and son of ,rebekah4 ,then she   
hied her and told it  to her father1    
which when he understood that ,jacob1   
his sister's son1  was come1 he ran     
against him and1 embracing1 kissed him1 
and led him  into his house4 ,and when  
he had heard the cause of his journey he
 said3  ,thou art my mouth and my flesh4
    ,and when he had been there the     
space of a month1 he demanded ,jacob if 
he  would gladly serve him because he   
was his cousin1 and what hire and       
reward he would have4 ,he had two       
daughters1 the more was named ,leah1 and
  the less was called ,rachel1 but ,leah
 was blear-eyed1 and ,rachel was fair   
of visage and well-favored1 whom ,jacob 
loved1 and said3 ,i shall serve  thee   
for ,rachel thy younger daughter seven  
years4 ,laban answered3 ,it is  better  
that ,i give her to thee than to a      
strange man2 dwell and abide  with me1  
and thou shalt have her4 ,and so ,jacob 

served him for ,rachel  seven years1 and
 him thought it but a little while1     
because of the great  love that he had  
to her4 ,and at the end of seven years1 
,jacob said to  ,laban3 ,give to me my  
wife1 for the time is come that ,i      
should have her4  ,then ,laban called   
all his friends and made a feast for the
 wedding1 and  at night he brought in   
,leah1 the more daughter1 and delivered 
to her an  handmaid named ,zilpah4 ,then
 ,jacob1 when the morning came1 saw that
 it  was ,leah4 ,he said to ,laban her  
father3 ,what hast thou done8 ,have ,i  
not  served thee for ,rachel1 why hast  
thou brought ,leah to me8 ,laban        
answered3 ,it is not the usage ne custom
 of our country to give the  younger    
first to be wedded1 but fulfil and make 
an end of this marriage  this week1 and 
then shall ,i give to thee ,rachel my   
daughter for other  seven years that    
thou shalt serve to me4 ,jacob agreed   
gladly1 and when  that week was passed1 
he wedded ,rachel to his wife4 ,to whom 

,laban her  father gave an handmaid     
named ,bilhah4 ,nevertheless when the   
wedding of  the younger was finished1   
because of the great love that he had to
 her1  him thought that the other seven 
years were but short4    ,and ,jacob    
while he served ,laban had these sons3  
,reuben1 ,simeon1 ,levi1  ,judah1 ,dan1 
,naphtali1 ,gad1 ,asher1 ,issachar1     
,zebulon1 ,joseph4 ,when  ,joseph was   
born1 ,jacob said to ,laban his wives'  
father3 ,give me leave to  depart that  
,i may go in to my country and my land2 
give to me my wives  and children for   
whom ,i have served thee that ,i may go 
hence4 ,thou  knowest what service ,i   
have served thee4 ,laban said to him3 ,i
 have  founden grace in thy sight2 ,i   
know it by experience that ,god hath    
blessed me for thee2 ,i have ordained   
the reward that ,i shall give to  thee4 
,then ,jacob answered3 ,thou knowest how
 ,i have served thee1 and how  much thy 
possession was in my hands4 ,thou hadst 
but little when ,i came  to thee1 and   

now thou art rich1 ,god hath blessed    
thee at mine entry2 it  is now right    
that ,i provide somewhat toward mine    
house4 ,laban said3 ,what  shall ,i give
 to thee8 ,jacob answered3 ,i will      
nothing but that thou do  that ,i       
demand4 ,i shall yet feed and keep thy  
beasts1 and depart asunder  all the     
sheep of divers colors4 ,and all that   
ever shall be of divers  colors and     
spotty1 as well in sheep as in goats1   
let me have them for my  reward and     
meed1 and ,laban granted thereto4 ,then 
at time of departing1  ,laban took them 
of two colors1 and ,jacob them that were
 of one color4  ,thus was ,jacob made   
much rich out of measure1 and had many  
flocks1 and  servants both men and      
women1 camels and asses4    ,after that 
,jacob had heard ,laban's sons say3     
,jacob hath taken all that  was our     
father's from him1 and of his faculty is
 made rich1 he was  abashed and         
understood well by ,laban's looking that
 he was not so  friendly to himward as  

he had been tofore4 ,and also our ,lord 
said to him  that he should return into 
the land of his fathers and to his      
generation1 and that he would be with   
him4 ,he then called ,rachel and  ,leah 
into the field whereas he fed his       
flocks1 and said to them3 ,i see  well  
by your father's visage that he is not  
toward me as he was  yesterday or that  
other day2 forsooth the ,god of my      
father was with me1  and ye know well   
how ,i have served your father with all 
my might and  strength1 but he hath     
deceived me1 and hath changed mine hire 
and meed  ten times1 and yet our ,lord  
hath not suffered him to grieve me4     
,when he  said the beasts of party color
 should be mine1 then all the ewes      
brought  forth lambs of variable colors4
 ,and when he said the contrary they    
brought forth all white4 ,god hath taken
 the substance of your father and  hath 
given it to me4 ,and now ,god hath      
commanded me to depart1 wherefore  make 
you ready and let us depart hence4 ,then

 answered ,rachel and ,leah3  ,shall we 
have nothing else of our father's       
faculty and of the heritage  of his     
house8 ,shall he repute us as strangers1
 and he hath eaten and  sold our goods8 
,sith ,god hath taken the goods of our  
father and hath  given it to us and to  
our children1 wherefore all that ,god   
commanded to  thee1 do it4    ,jacob    
arose and set his children and his wives
 upon his camels1 and went  his way and 
took all his substance1 and flocks1 and 
all that he had  gotten in ,mesopotamia 
and went toward his father ,isaac into  
the land of  ,canaan4 ,that time was    
,laban gone to shear his sheep1 and     
,rachel stole  away the idols of her    
father4 ,jacob would not let ,laban know
 of his  departing1 and when he was     
departed with all that longed to him of 
right1 he came to the mount of ,gilead4 
,it was told to ,laban1 the third  day  
after1 that ,jacob was fled and gone1   
who anon took his brethren and  pursued 
him by the space of seven days and      

overtook him in the mount of  ,gilead4  
,he saw our ,lord in his sleep saying to
 him3 ,beware that thou  speak not      
angrily ne hard words to ,jacob4 ,that  
time ,jacob had set his  tabernacle in  
the hill1 and when he came thither with 
his brethren1 he  said to ,jacob3 ,why  
hast thou done thus to me to take away  
my daughters  as prisoners taken by     
sword8 ,why fleddest thou from me and   
wouldst not  let me have knowledge      
thereof8 ,thou hast not suffered me to  
kiss my sons  and daughters1 thou hast  
done follily4 ,now may ,i do thee harm  
and evil1  but the ,god of thy father   
said to me yesterday3 ,beware that thou 
speak  no hard words against ,jacob4    
,thou desirest to go to the house of thy
  father1 why hast thou stolen my gods8 
,jacob answered3 ,that ,i departed  thee
 not knowing1 ,i dreaded that violently 
thou wouldst have taken from  me thy    
daughters4 ,and where thou reprovest me 
of theft1 whosoever have  stolen thy    
gods let him be slain tofore our        

brethren4 ,seek and what thou  findest  
that is thine1 take with thee4    ,he1  
saying this1 knew not that ,rachel had  
stolen her father's gods4 ,then  ,laban 
entered the tabernacle of ,jacob and    
,leah1 and sought and found  nothing4   
,and when he came into the tabernacle of
 ,rachel1 she hied her  and hid the     
idols under the litter of her camel and 
sat upon it4 ,and he  sought and found  
nought4 ,then said ,rachel3 ,let not my 
lord be wroth for  ,i may not arise to  
thee1 for sickness is fallen to me1 and 
so she  deceived her father4 ,then      
,jacob1 being angry and grudging1 said  
to  ,laban3 ,what is my trespass and    
what have ,i sinned to thee that thou   
hast  pursued me1 and hast searched     
everything8 ,what hast thou now founden 
of  all the substance of thy house8 ,lay
 it forth tofore my brethren and thy    
brethren1 that they judge between me and
 thee4 ,i have served thee twenty  years
 and have been with thee1 thy sheep and 
thy goats were never  barren4 ,i have   

eaten no wethers of thy flock1 nor beast
 hath destroyed  none4 ,i shall make all
 good what was stolen4 ,i prayed        
therefore day and  night1 ,i labored    
both in heat and in cold1 sleep fled    
from mine eyes4  ,thus ,i served thee in
 thy house twenty years1 fourteen for   
thy daughters  and six for thy flocks4  
,thou hast changed mine hire and reward 
ten  times4 ,but if the ,god of my      
father ,abraham and the dread of ,isaac 
had  been with me1 haply thou wouldst   
now have left me naked4 ,our ,lord ,god 
hath beholden mine affliction and the   
labor of mine hands and reproved  thee  
yesterday4 ,laban answered to him3 ,my  
daughters and sons1 and thy  flocks1 and
 all that thou beholdest are thine1 what
 may ,i do to my sons  and nephews8 ,let
 us now be friends1 and make we a fast  
league and  confederacy together4 ,then 
,jacob raised a stone1 and raised it in 
token  of friendship and peace1 and so  
they ate together in friendship1 and    
sware each to other to abide in love    

ever after4 ,and after this ,laban      
arose in the night1 and kissed his      
daughters and sons1 and blessed them1   
and returned into his country4    ,jacob
 went forth in his journey that he had  
taken4 ,angels of ,god met  him1 which  
when he saw1 he said3 ,these be the     
castles of ,god1 and called  that place 
,mahanaim4 ,he sent messengers tofore   
him to ,esau his brother  in the land of
 ,seir1 in the land of ,edom1 and bade  
them say thus to  ,esau3 ,this saith thy
 brother ,jacob3 ,i have dwelled with   
,laban unto this  day1 ,i have oxen and 
asses1 servants both men and women4 ,i  
send now a  legation unto my lord that  
,i may find grace in his sight4 ,these  
messengers returned to ,jacob and said3 
,we came to ,esau thy brother1 and  lo6 
he cometh for to meet thee with four    
hundred men4 ,jacob was sore  afraid    
then1 and divided his company into twain
 turmes two troops1  saying3 ,if ,esau  
come to that one and destroy that1 that 
other shall yet  be saved4 ,then said   

,jacob3 ,o ,god of my father ,abraham1  
and ,god of my  father ,isaac1 ,o ,lord 
that saidst to me1 return into thy land 
and place  of thy nativity1 and saidst  
,i shall do well to thee1 ,i am the     
least in  all thy mercies1 and in thy   
truth that thou hast granted to thy     
servant1  with my staff ,i have gone    
this river of ,jordan1 and now ,i return
 with  two turmes4 ,i beseech the ,lord 
keep me from the hands of my brother    
,esau1 for ,i fear him greatly lest he  
come and smite down the mother with  the
 sons4 ,thou hast said that thou        
shouldest do well to me and shouldest   
spread my seed like unto the gravel of  
the sea1 and that it may not be         
numbered for multitude4 ,then when he   
had slept that night1 he ordained  gifts
 for to send to his brother1 goats two  
hundred1 kids twenty1 sheep  two        
hundred1 and rams twenty2 forty kine and
 twenty bulls1 twenty asses  and ten    
foals of them4 ,and he sent by his      
servants all these beasts2 and  bade    

them say that ,jacob his servant sent to
 him this present and that  he followeth
 after4 ,and ,jacob thought to please   
him with gifts4    ,the night following1
 him thought a man wrestled with him all
 that night  till the morning1 and when 
he saw he might not overcome him1 he    
hurted  the sinew of his thigh that he  
halted thereof1 and said to him3 ,let me
  go and leave me1 for it is in the     
morning4 ,then ,jacob answered3 ,i shall
  not leave thee but if thou bless me4  
,he said to him3 ,what is thy name8  he 
answered3 ,jacob4 ,then he said3 ,nay1  
said he1 thy name shall no more  be     
called ,jacob1 but ,israel1 for if thou 
hast been strong against ,god1  how much
 more shalt thou prevail against men8   
,then ,jacob said to him3  ,what is thy 
name8 tell me4 ,he answered1 ,why       
demandest thou my name1  which is       
marvellous8 ,and he blessed him in the  
same place4 ,jacob called  the name of  
that same place ,penuel1 saying3 ,i have
 seen our ,lord face to  face1 and my   

soul is made safe4 ,and anon as he was  
past ,penuel the sun  arose4 ,he halted 
on his foot1 and therefore the children 
of ,israel eat  no sinews because it    
dried in the thigh of ,jacob4 ,then     
,jacob lifting up  his eyes saw ,esau   
coming and four hundred men with him1   
and divided the  sons of ,leah and of   
,rachel1 and of both their handmaidens1 
and set each  handmaid and their        
children tofore in the first place1     
,leah and her sons  in the second1 and  
,rachel and ,joseph all behind4 ,and he 
going tofore  kneeled down to ground    
and1 worshipping his brother1 approached
 him4  ,esau ran for to meet with his   
brother1 and embraced him1 straining his
  neck1 and weeping kissed him1 and he  
looked forth and saw the women and      
their children1 and said3 ,what been    
these and to whom longen they8 ,jacob   
answered3 ,they be children which ,god  
hath given to me thy servant and  his   
handmaidens1 and their children         
approached and kneeled down1 and  ,leah 

with her children also worshipped him1  
and last of all ,joseph and  ,rachel    
worshipped him4 ,then said ,esau3 ,whose
 been these turmes troops  which ,i have
 met8 ,jacob answered3 ,i have sent them
 to thee1 my lord1  unto the end that ,i
 may stand in thy grace4 ,esau said3 ,i 
have many  myself1 keep these and let   
them be thine4 ,nay1 said ,jacob1 ,i    
pray thee  to take this gift which ,god 
hath sent me that ,i may find grace in  
thy  sight1 for meseemeth ,i see thy    
visage like the visage of ,god2 and     
therefore be thou to me merciful1 and   
take this blessing of me4 ,unnethe      
hardly by compelling he taking it1 said3
 ,let us go together1 ,i shall          
accompany thee and be fellow of thy     
journey4 ,then said ,jacob3 ,thou       
knowest well1 my lord1 that ,i have     
young children and tender1 and sheep    
and oxen1 which1 if ,i over-labored1    
should die all in a day1 wherefore      
please it you1 my lord1 to go tofore1   
and ,i shall follow as ,i may with  my  

children and beasts4 ,esau answered3 ,i 
pray thee then let my fellows  abide and
 accompany thee1 whatsoever need thou   
have4 ,jacob said3 ,it is  no need1 ,i  
need no more but one1 that ,i may stand 
in thy favor1 my lord4  ,and ,esau      
returned then the same way and journey  
that he came into ,seir4  ,and ,jacob   
came to ,succoth and builded there an   
house1 and from thence he  went in to   
,shalem1 the town of ,shechem which is  
in the land of ,canaan1  and bought     
there a part of a field1 in which he    
fixed his tabernacles1  of the sons of  
,hamor father of ,shechem for an hundred
 lambs4 ,and there  he raised an altar1 
and worshipped upon it the strongest    
,god of ,israel4    ,after this our     
,lord appeared to ,jacob and said3      
,arise and go up to  ,bethel and dwell  
there1 and make there an altar to the   
,lord that  appeared to thee in the way 
when thou fleddest from thy brother     
,esau4  ,jacob then called all them of  
his house and said3 ,cast away from you 

all  your strange gods that be among    
you1 and make you clean and change your 
clothes2 arise and let us go into       
,bethel1 and make we there an altar to  
our ,lord that heard me in the day of my
 tribulation1 and was fellow of  my     
journey4 ,then they gave to him all     
their strange gods1 and the gold  that  
hung on their ears1 and he dalf a pit   
behind the city of ,shechem  and threw  
them therein4 ,and when they departed1  
all the countries  thereabout were      
afraid and durst not pursue them4 ,then 
,jacob came to a  place called ,luz     
which is in the land of ,canaan1 and all
 the people with  him1 which otherwise  
is called ,bethel4 ,he edified there an 
altar to our  ,lord1 and named that     
place the ,house of ,god4 ,our ,lord    
appeared to him in  that place when he  
fled from his brother ,esau4 ,that same 
time died  ,deborah1 the nurse of       
,rebekah1 and was buried at the root of 
,bethel  under an oak4 ,our ,lord       
appeared again to ,jacob after that he  

was  returned from ,mesopotamia of      
,syria1 and was come into ,bethel1 and  
blessed him saying3 ,thou shalt no more 
be called ,jacob but ,israel shall  be  
thy name1 and called him ,israel1 and   
said to him3 ,i am ,god ,almighty1  grow
 and multiply1 folks and peoples of     
nations shall come of thee1  kings shall
 come of thy loins4 ,the land that ,i   
gave to ,abraham and ,isaac  ,i shall   
give to thee and thy seed2 and vanished 
from him4    ,he then raised a stone for
 a remembrance in the place where ,god  
spake to  him1 and anointed it with oil1
 calling the name of the place ,bethel4 
,he  went thence and came in veer time  
unto the land that goeth to ,ephrath1   
in which place ,rachel bare a son4 ,and 
the death drawing near1 she named  him  
,benoni1 which is as much to say as the 
son of my sorrow4 ,the father  called   
him ,benjamin1 that is to say the son of
 the right hand4 ,there  ,rachel died   
and was buried in the way toward        
,ephrath1 that is ,bethlehem4  ,jacob   

raised a title upon her tomb2 this is   
the title of the monument of  ,rachel   
unto this present day4 ,jacob went      
thence and came to ,isaac his  father   
into ,mamre the city of ,arbah1 that is 
,hebron1 in which dwelled  ,abraham and 
,isaac4 ,and all the days of ,isaac were
 complete1 which were  an hundred and   
fourscore years1 and he consumed and    
died in good mind1  and ,esau and ,jacob
 his sons buried him4    ,thus endeth   
the history of ,isaac and his two sons  
,esau and ,jacob4          ,,here       
,,beginneth ,,the ,,history ,,of        
,,joseph ,,and ,,his ,,brethren         
,which is read the ,third ,sunday in    
,lent      ,joseph when he was sixteen  
years old began to keep and feed the    
flock  with his brethren1 he being yet a
 child1 and was accompanied with the    
sons of ,bilhah and ,zilpah1 wives of   
his father4 ,joseph complained on his   
brethren1 and accused them to their     
father of the most evil sin4 ,israel    
loved ,joseph above all his sons for as 

much as he had gotten him in his  old   
age1 and made for him a motley coat4    
,his brethren then seeing that  he was  
beloved of his father more than they    
were1 hated him and might  not speak to 
him a peaceable word4 ,it happed on a   
time that ,joseph  dreamed1 and saw a   
sweven dream1 and told it to his        
brethren1 which  caused them to hate him
 yet more4 ,joseph said to his brethren3
 ,hear ye  my dream that ,i had2        
methought that we bound sheaves in the  
field1 and  my sheaf stood up and yours 
standing round about and worshipped my  
sheaf4 ,his brethren answered3 ,shalt   
thou be our king and shall we be        
subject and obey thy commandment8       
,therefore this cause of dreams and of  
these words ministered the more fume of 
hate and envy4 ,joseph saw  another     
sweven and told to his father and       
brethren3 ,methought ,i saw in  my sleep
 the sun1 the moon1 and eleven stars    
worship me4 ,which when his  father and 
his brethren had heard1 the father      

blamed him1 and said3 ,what  may betoken
 this dream that thou sawest8 ,trowest  
thou that ,i1 thy mother  and thy       
brethren1 shall worship thee upon the   
earth8 ,his brethren had  great envy    
hereat4    ,the father thought and      
considered a thing secretly in himself4 
,on a time  when his brethren kept their
 flocks of sheep in ,shechem1 ,israel   
said to  ,joseph3 ,thy brethren feed    
their sheep in ,shechem1 come and ,i    
shall send  thee to them1 which         
answered3 ,i am ready1 and he said3 ,go 
and see if all  things be well and      
prosperous at thy brethren and beasts1  
and come again  and tell me what they   
do4 ,he went from the vale of ,hebron   
and came unto  ,shechem4 ,there a man   
found him erring in the field1 and asked
 him what  he sought1 and he answered3  
,i seek my brethren1 tell me where they 
feed  their flocks4 ,the man said to    
him3 ,they been departed from this      
place1 ,i  heard them say ,let us go in 
to ,dothan4 ,which then when his        

brethren saw  him come from far1 tofore 
he approached to them they thought to   
slay  him1 and spake together saying3   
,lo6 see the dreamer cometh4 ,come and  
let  us slay him and put him into this  
old cistern4 ,and we shall say that     
some wild evil beast hath devoured him1 
and then shall appear what his  dreams  
shall profit him4 ,reuben hearing this1 
thought for to deliver him  from their  
hands1 and said3 ,let us not slay him ne
 shed his blood1 but  keep your hands   
undefouled4 ,this he said1 willing to   
keep him from their  hands and render   
him again to his father4 ,anon then as  
he came they  took off his motley coat1 
and set him into an old cistern that had
 no  water4 ,as they sat for to eat     
bread they saw ,ishmaelites coming from 
,gilead1 and their camels bringing      
spices and raisins into ,egypt4 ,then   
said ,judah to his brethren3 ,what      
should it profit us if we slew our      
brother and shed his blood8 ,it is      
better that he be sold to ,ishmaelites  

and our hands be not defouled1 he is our
 own brother and our flesh4 ,his        
brethren agreed to his words1 and drew  
him out of the cistern1 and sold  him to
 the ,midianitish merchants passing     
forth by to ,ishmaelites for  thirty    
pieces of silver1 which led him into    
,egypt4 ,at this time when he  was sold 
,reuben was not there1 but was in       
another field with his beasts4  ,and    
when he returned and came unto the      
cistern and found not ,joseph1 he  tare 
his clothes for sorrow1 and came to his 
brethren and said3 ,the  child is not   
yonder1 whither shall ,i go to seek him8
 ,he had supposed his  brethren had     
slain him in his absence4 ,they told him
 what they had done1  and took his coat1
 and besprinkled it with the blood of a 
kid which they  slew1 and sent it to    
their father saying3 ,see whether this  
be the coat  of thy son or not1 this we 
have found4 ,which anon as the father   
saw it  said3 ,this is my son's coat1 an
 evil wild beast hath devoured him1 some

  beast hath eaten him2 and rent his    
clothes and did on him a sackcloth1     
bewailing and sorrowing his son a long  
time4 ,all his sons gathered them1      
together for to comfort their father and
 assuage his sorrow1 but he  would take 
no comfort1 but said3 ,i shall descend  
to my son into hell for  to bewail him  
there4 ,and thus1 he abiding in sorrow1 
the ,midianites  carried ,joseph into   
,egypt1 and sold him to ,potiphar1      
eunuch of ,pharaoh1  master of his      
knights4    ,thus was ,joseph led into  
,egypt1 and ,potiphar1 prince of the    
host of  ,pharaoh1 an ,egyptian1 bought 
him of the hands of ,ishmaelites4 ,our  
,lord  ,god was always with ,joseph1 and
 he was wise1 ready1 and prosperous in  
all manner of things4 ,he dwelled in his
 lord's house and pleased so well  his  
lord1 that he stood in his grace that he
 made him upperest and above  all other1
 and betook him the rule and governance 
of all his house1  which well and wisely
 governed the household and all that he 

had charge  of4 ,our ,lord blessed the  
house of ,egypt for ,joseph's sake1 and 
multiplied as well in beasts as in      
fields all his substance4 ,joseph was   
fair of visage and well favored4        
,after many days the lady1 his master's 
wife1 beheld and cast her eyes on       
,joseph1 and tempted him to sin4 ,he    
refused that1 and would not attend ne   
listen to her words1 ne would not       
consent to so sinful a work1 and said   
to her3 ,lo6 hath not my lord delivered 
to me all that he hath in his  house8   
and he knoweth not what he hath1 and    
there is nothing therein but  that it is
 in my power and at my commandment      
except thee1 which art his  wife4 ,how  
may ,i do this evil and sin to my lord8 
,such manner1 or  semblable words1 he   
said daily to her1 and the woman was the
 more  desirous and grievous to the     
young man1 and he always forsook and    
refused the sin4 ,and when the lady saw 
that she was refused1 she cried  and    
called the men of the house and accused 

,joseph falsely4 ,when the  lord heard  
this1 anon he gave faith and believed   
his wife1 and being  sore wroth1 set    
,joseph in prison where the prisoners of
 the king were  kept and he was there   
fast set in4 ,our ,lord ,god was with   
,joseph1 and had  mercy on him1 and made
 him in the favor and grace of the chief
 keeper of  the prison1 in so much that 
he delivered to ,joseph the keeping of  
all  the prisoners1 and what he did was 
done1 and the chief jailer was  pleased 
with all4 ,our ,lord was with him and   
directed all his works4    ,after this  
it fell so that two officers of the     
king's trespassed unto  their lord1     
wherefore he was wroth with them and    
commanded them to the  prison whereas   
,joseph was4 ,that one of them was the  
butler1 and that  other the baker2 and  
the keeper betook them to ,joseph to    
keep1 and he  served them4 ,after a     
while that they had been in prison they 
both saw on  one night a dream of which 
they were astoned and abashed1 and when 

,joseph was come in to serve them1 and  
saw them heavy1 he demanded them  why   
they were heavier than they were wont to
 be1 which answered3 ,we have  dreamed  
and there is none to interpret it to us4
 ,joseph said to them3  ,suppose ye that
 ,god may not give me grace to interpret
 it8 ,tell to me  what ye saw in your   
sleep4 ,then the butler told first and  
said3  ,methought ,i saw a vine had     
three branches1 and after they had      
flowered  the grapes were ripe1 and then
 ,i took the cup of ,pharaoh in my hand1
 and  took the grapes and wrang out of  
them wine into the cup that ,i held1    
and presented it to ,pharaoh to drink4  
,joseph answered3 ,the three  branches  
be yet three days1 after which ,pharaoh 
shall remember thy  service and shall   
restore thee into thy foremost office   
and gree1 for to  serve him as thou wert
 wont to do4 ,then ,i pray thee to      
remember me when  thou art at thine     
above1 and be to me so merciful to sue  
unto ,pharaoh  that he take me out of   

this prison1 for ,i was stolen out of   
the land of  ,hebrews and am innocently 
set here in prison4 ,then the master    
baker saw  that he had wisely           
interpreted the butler's dream2 he said3
 ,methought  that ,i had three baskets  
of meat upon my head1 and in that one   
basket  that was highest methought ,i   
bare all the meat of the bakehouse and  
birds came and ate of it4 ,joseph       
answered3 ,this is the interpretation of
  the dream2 the three baskets be three 
days yet to come1 after which  ,pharaoh 
shall smite off thy head and shall hang 
thee on the cross1 and  the birds shall 
tear thy flesh4 ,and the third day after
 this ,pharaoh  made a great feast unto 
his children1 and remembered him1 among 
the  meals1 on the master butler and the
 master baker4 ,he restored his butler  
unto his office1 and to serve him of the
 cup1 and that other was hanged1  that  
the truth of the interpreter was        
believed and proved4  ,notwithstanding  
the master butler in his wealth forgat  

,joseph his  interpreter4    ,two years 
after ,pharaoh saw in his sleep a dream4
 ,him thought he stood  upon the river1 
from which he saw seven oxen ascend to  
the land which  were fair and right fat1
 and were fed in a fat pasture2 he saw  
other  seven come out of the river1 poor
 and lean1 and were fed in places       
plenteous and burgeoning4 ,these        
devoured the other that were so fat and 
fair4 ,herewith he started out of his   
sleep1 and after slept again1 and  saw  
another dream4 ,he saw seven ears of    
corn standing on one stalk1 full  and   
fair of corns1 and as many other ears   
void and smitten with drought1  which   
devoured the beauty of the first seven4 
,in the morning ,pharaoh  awoke and was 
greatly afeard of these dreams1 and sent
 for all  conjectors and diviners of    
,egypt1 and wise men2 and when they were
  gathered he told to them his dream1   
and there was none that could  interpret
 it4 ,then at last the master butler1   
remembering ,joseph1 said3  ,i knowledge

 my sin1 on a time the king being wroth 
with his servants1  sent me and the     
master of the bakers into prison1 where 
we in one night  dreamed both prodigies 
of things coming4 ,and there was a child
 of the  ,hebrews1 servant to the       
jailer1 to whom we told our dreams and  
he  expounded them to us and said what  
should happen2 ,i am restored to mine   
office and that other is hanged on the  
cross4    ,anon1 by the king's          
commandment1 ,joseph was taken out of   
prison and  shaved1 bathed1 and changed 
his clothes1 and brought tofore         
,pharaoh1 to  whom he said3 ,i saw a    
dream which ,i have showed unto wise    
men1 and there  is none that can tell me
 the interpretation thereof4 ,to whom   
,joseph  answered3 ,god shall answer by 
me things prosperous to ,pharaoh4 ,then 
,pharaoh told to him his dreams1 like as
 is tofore written1 of the seven  fat   
oxen and seven lean1 and how the lean   
devoured the fat1 and in  likewise of   
the ears4 ,joseph answered3 ,the king's 

dreams are one thing  which ,god hath   
showed to ,pharaoh4 ,the seven fat oxen 
and the seven ears  full1 betoken seven 
years to come of great plenty and       
commodious1 and  the seven lean oxen1   
and the seven void ears smitten with    
drought1  betoken seven years after them
 of great hunger and scarcity4 ,lo6     
there  shall come first seven years of  
great fertility and plenty in all the   
land of ,egypt1 after whom shall follow 
other seven years of so great           
sterility1 barrenness1 and scarcity1    
that the abundance of the first  shall  
be all forgotten4 ,the great hunger of  
these latter years shall  consume all   
the plenty of the first years4 ,the     
latter dream pertaineth  to the same1   
because ,god would that it should be    
fulfilled4 ,now  therefore let the king 
provide for a man that is wise and      
witty1 that  may command and ordain     
provosts and officers in all places of  
the realm1  that they gather into       
garners and barns the fifth part of all 

the corn  and fruits that shall grow    
these first seven plenteous years that  
be to  come1 and that all this wheat may
 be kept in barns and garners in towns  
and villages1 that it may be made ready 
against the coming of the seven  scarce 
years that shall oppress by hunger all  
,egypt1 to the end that the  people be  
not enfamined4 ,this counsel pleased    
much to ,pharaoh and to all  his        
ministers4 ,then ,pharaoh said to his   
servants3 ,where should we find  such a 
man as this is1 which is fulfilled with 
the spirit of ,god8 ,and  then he said  
to ,joseph3 ,forasmuch as ,god hath     
showed to thee all that  thou hast      
spoken1 trowest thou that we might find 
any wiser than thou  or like to thee8   
,thou shalt be upperest of my house1 and
 to the  commandment of thy mouth all   
people shall obey4 ,i only shall go     
tofore  thee and sit but one seat above 
thee4 ,yet said ,pharaoh to ,joseph3    
,lo6 ,i  have ordained thee above and   
master upon all the land of ,egypt4 ,he 

took  a ring from his hand and gave it  
into his hand1 and clad him with a      
double stole furred with bise2 and a    
golden collar he put about his  neck1   
and made him to ascend upon his chair2  
the second trumpet crying  that all men 
should kneel tofore him1 and that they  
should know him  upperest provost of all
 the land of ,egypt4 ,then said the king
 of ,egypt  to ,joseph3 ,i am ,pharaoh1 
without thy commandment shall no man    
move hand  nor foot in all the land of  
,egypt4 ,he changed his name and called 
him in  the tongue of ,egypt3 ,the      
saviour of the world4 ,he gave to him a 
wife  named ,asenath1 daughter of       
,poti-phera1 priest of ,eliopoleos4     
,joseph went forth then into the land of
 ,egypt4 ,joseph was thirty years  old  
when he stood in the favor and grace of 
,pharaoh4 ,and he went round  about all 
the region of ,egypt4 ,the plenteousness
 and fertility of the  seven years came1
 and sheaves and shocks of corn were    
brought in to the  barns2 all the       

abundance of fruits was laid in every   
town4 ,there was so  great plenty of    
wheat that it might be compared to the  
gravel of the  sea1 and the plenty      
thereof exceedeth measure4 ,joseph had  
two sons by  his wife ere the famine and
 hunger came1 which ,asenath the        
priest's  daughter brought forth1 of    
whom he called the name of the first    
,manasseh1 saying3 ,god hath made me to 
forget all my labors1 and the  house of 
my father hath forgotten me4 ,he called 
the name of the second  son ,ephraim1   
saying3 ,god hath made me to grow in the
 land of my poverty4    ,then passed the
 seven years of plenty and fertility    
that were in ,egypt1  and the seven     
years of scarcity and hunger began to   
come1 which ,joseph  had spoken of      
tofore1 and hunger began to wax and grow
 in the universal  world2 also in all   
the land of ,egypt was hunger and       
scarcity4 ,and when  the people hungered
 they cried to ,pharaoh asking meat1 to 
whom he  answered3 ,go ye to ,joseph1   

and whatsoever he saith to you do ye4   
,daily  grew and increased the hunger in
 all the land4 ,then ,joseph opened the 
barns and garners1 and sold corn to the 
,egyptians1 for the hunger  oppressed   
them sore4 ,all provinces came into     
,egypt for to buy meat to  them1 and to 
eschew the hunger4    ,jacob1 father    
unto ,joseph1 heard tell that corn and  
victuals were sold  in ,egypt1 and said 
to his sons3 ,why be ye negligent8 ,i   
have heard say  that corn is sold in    
,egypt2 go ye thither and buy for us    
that is  necessary and behoveful1 that  
we may live1 and consume not for need4  
,then the ten brethren of ,joseph       
descended into ,egypt for to buy wheat1 
and ,benjamin was left at home with the 
father1 because whatsoever happed  to   
the brethren in their journey4 ,then    
they entered into the land of  ,egypt   
with others for to buy corn4 ,there was 
great famine in the land of  ,canaan1   
and ,joseph was prince in the land of   
,egypt1 also by his  commandment wheat  

was sold unto the people4 ,then when his
 brethren were  come and had adored and 
worshipped him1 he anon knew them1 and  
spake to  them1 as to strangers1 hard   
words1 demanding them saying3 ,whence be
 ye8  ,which answered3 ,of the land of  
,canaan1 and come hither to buy that is 
necessary for us4 ,and though he knew   
his brethren1 yet was he unknown of     
them4 ,he remembered the dreams that he 
sometime had seen1 and told them  and   
said3 ,ye be spies and be come hither   
for to espy the weakest places  of this 
land1 which said to him3 ,it is not so1 
my lord1 but we thy  servants be come   
for to buy victuals4 ,we be all sons to 
one man1 we come  peaceably1 ne we thy  
servants think ne imagine none evil4 ,to
 whom he  answered3 ,it is all          
otherwise1 ye be come for to espy and   
consider the  secretest places of this  
realm4 ,then they said3 ,we are twelve  
brethren1  thy servants1 sons of one man
 in the land of ,canaan1 the youngest is
 at  home with our father1 and that     

other is dead4 ,that is1 said he1 that  
,i  said2 ye be spies4 ,now ,i have of  
you the experience4 ,i swear to you by  
the health of ,pharaoh ye shall not     
depart till that your youngest  brother 
come4 ,send ye one of you for him to    
bring him hither4 ,ye shall  abide in   
fetters in prison till the truth be     
proved whether the things  that ye have 
said be true or false1 else1 by the     
health of ,pharaoh1 ye  be spies4 ,and  
delivered them to be kept three days4   
,the third day they  were brought out of
 prison1 to whom he said3 ,i dread ,god1
 if ye be  peaceable as ye say1 do as ye
 have said1 and ye shall live4 ,let one 
brother be bounden in prison1 and go ye 
your way1 and lead home the  wheat that 
ye have bought into your houses1 and    
bring to me with you  your youngest     
brother1 that ,i may prove your words1  
that ye die not4  ,they did as he said1 
and spake together3 ,we be worthy and   
well deserved  to suffer this1 for we   
have sinned in our brother1 seeing his  

anguish  when he prayed us and we heard 
him not1 therefore this tribulation is  
fallen upon us4 ,of whom ,reuben said3  
,said not ,i to you1 in no wise sin  not
 ye in the child1 and ye would not hear 
me8 ,now his blood is wroken4  ,they    
knew not that ,joseph understood them1  
forasmuch as he spake alway  to them by 
an interpreter4 ,then ,joseph turned him
 a little and wept4  ,after he returned 
to them1 and took ,simeon in their      
presence and bound  him1 and sent him to
 prison1 and commanded to his ministers 
to fill  their sacks with wheat1 and to 
put each man's money in their sacks1 and
  above that to give them meat to spend 
in their way2 which did so4 ,and  they  
took their wheat and laid it on their   
asses and departed on their  way4       
,after1 one of them1 on the way1 opened 
his sack for to give his  beast meat1   
and found his money in the mouth of his 
sack and said to his  brethren3 ,my     
money is given to me again1 lo6 ,i have 
found it in my sack4  ,and they were all

 astonied3 ,what is this that ,god hath 
done to us8 ,then  they came home to    
their father in the land of ,canaan and 
told to him all  things that was fallen 
to them1 saying3 ,the lord of the       
country hath  spoken hard to us and had 
supposed that we been spies of that     
province1  to whom we answered that1 we 
were peaceable people ne were no such   
spies1 and that we were twelve sons     
gotten of one father1 one is dead  and  
the youngest is with our father in the  
land of ,canaan4 ,which then  said to   
us3 ,now shall ,i prove whether ye be   
peaceable or no4 ,ye shall  leave here  
one brother with me1 and lead home that 
is necessary for you1  and go your way  
and see that ye bring with you your     
youngest brother  that ,i may know that 
ye be none espies and that ye may       
receive this  brother that ,i hold in   
prison1 and then forthon what that ye   
will buy ye  shall have license4 ,and   
this said1 each of them poured out the  
wheat1  and every man found his money   

bounden in the mouth of every sack4     
,then  said ,jacob their father3 ,ye    
have made me without children4 ,joseph  
is  gone and lost1 ,simeon is bounden in
 prison1 and ,benjamin ye will take     
away from me1 on me come all these      
evils4 ,to ,reuben answered3 ,slay my   
two sons if ,i bring him not again to   
thee2 deliver him to me in my hand1  and
 ,i shall restore him again to thee4    
,the father said3 ,my son shall not  go 
with you1 his brother is dead and he is 
left now alone1 if any  adversity should
 hap to him in the way that ye go into1 
ye shall lead my  old hairs with sorrow 
to hell4    ,in the meanwhile famine and
 hunger oppressed all the land greatly4 
,and  when the corn that they brought   
from ,egypt was consumed1 ,jacob said to
  his sons3 ,return ye into ,egypt and  
buy for us some meat1 that we may  live4
 ,judah answered3 ,that man said to us1 
under swearing of great  oaths1 that3   
,ye shall not see my face ne come into  
my presence1 but if  ye bring your      

youngest brother with you4 ,therefore if
 thou wilt send him  with us1 we shall  
go together and shall buy for us that   
shall be  necessary1 and if thou wilt   
not we shall not go4 ,the man said as we
 oft  have said to thee1 that if we     
bring him not we shall not see his      
visage4  ,israel said to them3 ,this    
have ye done into my misery1 that ye    
told to  him that ye had another        
brother4 ,and they answered3 ,the man   
demanded of  us by order our progeny1 if
 our father lived1 if we had any        
brother4 ,and  we answered him          
consequently after that he demanded1 we 
wist not what he  would say1 ne that he 
said bring your brother with you4 ,send 
the child  with us that we may go forth 
and live1 and that we ne our children   
die  not for hunger4 ,i shall receive   
thy son1 and require him of my hand4 ,if
  ,i lead him not thither and bring him 
again1 ,i shall be guilty to thee of    
the sin ever after4 ,if there had been  
no delay of this1 we had been  there and

 come again by this time4    ,then      
,israel their father said to them3 ,if  
it be so necessary as ye say1  do ye as 
ye will2 take with you of the best      
fruits of this land in your  vessels1   
and give ye and present to that man     
gifts1 a little raisins1  and honey1    
storax1 stacten1 terebinthe1 and dates1 
and bear with you  double money1 and    
also the same money that ye found in    
your sacks1 lest  there be any error    
therefore2 and take with you ,benjamin1 
your brother4  ,my ,god1 that is        
almighty1 make him pleasant unto you1   
and that ye may  return in safety with  
this your brother and him also that he  
holdeth in  prison2 ,i shall be as a man
 barren therewhiles1 without children4  
,then  the brethren took the gifts and  
double money and ,benjamin1 and went    
forth into ,egypt1 and came and stood   
tofore ,joseph2 whom when he had  seen1 
and ,benjamin1 he commanded to the      
steward of his house that he  should do 
slay sheep and calves and make a feast1 

for these brethren  shall dine with me  
this day4 ,he did as he was commanded   
and brought the  men unto his lord's    
house4    ,then were they all afeard and
 said softly together3 ,because of the  
money  that we had in our sacks we be   
brought in that he take us with the     
default1 and shall by violence bring us 
and our asses into servitude4           
,wherefore they said to the steward of  
the house1 in the gate of the  house ere
 they entered1 saying3 ,we pray thee to 
hear us3 the last time  that we came to 
buy victual1 which when we had bought   
and departed1 and  were on our way1 for 
to give our beasts meat we opened our   
sacks1 and we  found in the mouth of our
 sacks our money that we had paid1 which
 we now  bring again of the same weight1
 and we have more other for to buy to us
  that shall be necessary4 ,it is not in
 our conscience to have it1 we weet     
never who put it in our sacks4 ,he      
answered to him3 ,peace be among you1   
fear ye nothing1 the ,god of your father

 hath given to you the treasure  that ye
 found in your sacks1 for the money that
 ye paid to me ,i have it  ready4 ,and  
then he brought in ,simeon to them1 and 
brought them into the  house1 and washed
 their feet1 and gave meat to their     
asses4 ,they made  ready and ordained   
their gifts and presents against the    
coming of  ,joseph4 ,they heard say that
 they should dine and eat there4        
,then ,joseph entered into the house1   
and they offered to him the gifts1      
holding them in their hands1 and        
worshipped him falling down to the      
ground4 ,and he debonairly saluted them 
and demanded them1 saying3 ,is  your    
father in good health of whom ye told   
me1 liveth he yet8 ,they  answered3 ,thy
 servant our father is in good health   
and liveth yet1 and  kneeled down and   
worshipped him4 ,then1 said he1 casting 
his eyes on his  brother ,benjamin that 
was of one mother1 and said3 ,is this   
your young  brother of whom ye told me8 
,and also said1 ,god be merciful to     

thee1 my  son2 he hied him from         
themward1 for he was moved in all his   
spirits and  wept on his brother1 and   
went into his bedchamber4 ,after this he
 washed  his visage and came out making 
good countenance and commanded to set   
bread on the board1 and after that he   
set his brethren in order1 each  after  
their age1 and ate together1 and ,joseph
 sat and ate with the  ,egyptians4 ,for 
it was not lawful to the ,egyptians to  
eat with the  ,hebrews4 ,and each of    
them were well served1 but ,benjamin had
 the best  part1 and they ate and drank 
so much that they were drunken4    ,then
 ,joseph commanded the steward of his   
house to fill their sacks with  wheat as
 much as they might receive1 and the    
money of the wheat put it  into every   
man's sack1 and take my cup of silver1  
and the money of the  youngest1 and put 
that in his sack4 ,and all this was     
done4 ,and on the  morn betimes they    
were suffered to depart with their      
asses4 ,and when  they were gone out of 

the town and a little on their way1 then
 ,joseph  said to his steward3 ,make    
thee ready and ride after1 and say to   
them3  ,why have ye done evil for good8 
,the cup that my lord is accustomed to  
drink in1 ye have stolen1 ye might not  
do a worse thing4 ,he did as  ,joseph   
had commanded and overtook them1 and    
said to them all by order  like as he   
had charge1 which answered3 ,why saith  
your lord so1 and doth  to us his       
servants such letting8 ,the money that  
we found in our sacks we  brought again 
to thee from the land of ,canaan1 and   
how may it follow  that we should steal 
any gold or silver from the house of thy
 lord8  ,look6 at whom it be found of us
 all thy servants1 let him die4 ,which  
said to them3 ,be it after your         
sentence1 at whom that it ever be found 
he shall be my servant and the others   
shall go free and be not guilty4  ,then 
he hied and set down all their sacks1   
beginning at the oldest unto  the       
youngest1 and at last found the cup in  

the mouth of the sack of  ,benjamin4    
,then they all for sorrow cut and rent  
their clothes1 and laded  their asses   
again1 and returned all into the town   
again4 ,then ,judah  entered first with 
his brethren unto ,joseph and all they  
together fell  down platte to the       
ground4 ,to whom ,joseph said3 ,why have
 ye done thus8  ,know not ye that there 
is no man like to me in the science of  
knowledge8  ,to whom ,judah answered3   
,what shall we answer to thee1 my lord2 
or what  shall we speak or rightfully   
desire8 ,god hath found and remembered  
the  iniquity of us thy servants1 for we
 be all thy servants1 yea1 we and he  at
 whom the cup was found4 ,joseph        
answered3 ,god forbid that ,i should so 
do1 whosoever stole the cup shall be my 
servant1 and go ye your way1 for  ye    
shall be free and go to your father4    
,then ,judah approached near him  and   
spake with a hardy cheer to him and     
said3 ,i beseech thee my lord to  hear  
me thy servant that ,i may say to thine 

audience a word1 and that  thou wilt not
 be wroth to thy servant4 ,thou art next
 to ,pharaoh2 my  lord1 thou demandedst 
first of us thy servants3 ,have ye a    
father or  brother8 ,and we answered to 
thee1 my lord3 ,our father is an old man
 and  we have a brother a young child   
which was born to him in his old age1   
whose brother of the same mother is     
dead1 and he is an only son whom the    
father loveth tenderly4 ,thou saidst to 
us thy servants3 ,bring him hither  to  
me that ,i may see4 ,we told to thee my 
lord for truth3 our father may  not     
forego the child1 if he forego him      
certainly he shall die4 ,and thou       
saidst to us1 thy servants3 ,but if ye  
bring him not with you1 ye shall  no    
more see my visage4 ,then when we came  
to our father and told him all  these   
things1 and our father bade us to return
 and buy more corn4 ,to  whom we said3  
,we may not go thither but if our       
youngest brother go with  us1 for if he 
be absent we dare not approach1 ne come 

to the presence of  the man2 and he     
answered to us3 ,ye know well that my   
wife brought to me  forth but two sons1 
that one went out1 and ye said that wild
 beasts had  devoured him1 and yet ,i   
heard never of him ne he appeared not4  
,if now  ye should take this my son and 
anything happened to him in the way ye  
should bring my hoar hair with sorrow to
 hell4 ,therefore if ,i should  come    
home to my father and bring not the     
child with me1 sith the soul  and health
 of my father dependeth of this child1  
and see that he is not  come with us1 he
 shall die and we thy servants should   
lead his old age  with wailing and      
sorrow to hell4 ,i myself shall be thy  
proper servant  which have received him 
upon my faith and have promised for him1
 saying  to my father3 ,if ,i bring him 
not again ,i shall be guilty of the sin 
to  my father ever after4 ,i shall abide
 and continue thy servant for the  child
 in the ministry and service of thee my 
lord4 ,i may not depart1 the  child     

being absent1 lest ,i be witness of the 
sorrow that my father shall  take4      
,wherefore ,i beseech thee to suffer    
this child to go to his father  and     
receive me into thy service4 ,thus said 
,judah1 with much more2 as  ,josephus1  
,antiquitatum1 rehearseth more          
piteously1 and saith moreover  that the 
cause why he did do hide the cup in     
,benjamin's sack1 was to  know whether  
they loved ,benjamin or hated him as    
they did him1 what time  they sold him  
to the ,ishmaelites4    ,then this      
request made1 ,joseph might no longer   
forbear1 but commanded  them that stood 
by to withdraw them1 and when all men   
were gone out sauf  he and his brethren1
 he began to say to them weeping3 ,i am 
,joseph your  brother1 liveth yet my    
father8 ,the brethren were so afeard    
that they  could not speak ne answer to 
him4 ,then he debonairly said to them3  
,come  hither to me2 and when they came 
near him he said3 ,i am ,joseph your    
brother that ye sold into ,egypt2 be ye 

not afeard nor think not hard  unto you 
that ye sold me into these regions4 ,god
 hath sent me tofore you  into ,egypt   
for your health4 ,it is two years since 
the famine began1 and  yet been five    
years to come in which men may not ear1 
sow1 ne reap4 ,god  hath sent me tofore 
you that ye should be reserved on the   
earth1 and  that ye may have meat to    
live by4 ,it is not by your counsel that
 ,i was  sent hither1 but by the will of
 ,god1 which hath ordained me father of 
,pharaoh1 and lord of all his house1 and
 prince in all the land of ,egypt4  ,hie
 you1 and go to my father1 and say ye to
 him3 ,this word sendeth thee  thy son  
,joseph3 ,god hath made me lord of the  
universal land of ,egypt1  come to me   
lest thou die1 and thou shalt dwell in  
the land of ,goshen4  ,thou shalt be    
next me1 thou and thy sons and the sons 
of thy sons1 and ,i  shall feed thy     
sheep1 thy beasts and all that thou hast
 in possession4  ,yet rest five year to 
come of famine1 therefore come lest thou

 perish1  thy house1 and all that thou  
owest4 ,lo6 your eyes and the eyes of my
  brother ,benjamin see that my mouth   
speaketh these words to you4 ,show ye   
to my father all my glory and all that  
ye have seen in ,egypt4 ,hie ye and     
bring him to me4 ,this said1 he embraced
 his brother ,benjamin about his  neck  
and wept upon each of them4 ,after this 
they durst better speak to  him4 ,anon  
it was told and known all about in the  
,king's hall that  ,joseph's brethren   
were come4 ,and ,pharaoh was joyful and 
glad thereof and  all his household4    
,and ,pharaoh said to ,joseph that he   
should say to his  brethren3 ,lade ye   
your beasts and go into the land of     
,canaan1 and bring  from thence your    
father and kindred1 and come to me1 and 
,i shall give  you all the goods of     
,egypt1 that ye may eat the marrow of   
the earth4  ,command ye also that they  
take carriages of this land of ,egypt1  
for the  carriage of their children and 
wives1 and say to them3 ,take your      

father  and come as soon as ye may1 and 
leave nothing behind you1 for all the   
best things shall be yours4 ,the sons of
 ,israel did as they were  commanded4   
,to whom ,joseph gave carriages after   
the commandment of  ,pharaoh1 and meat  
to eat by the way4 ,he commanded to give
 to every each  two garments4 ,to       
,benjamin he gave three hundred pieces  
of silver1 with  five garments of the   
best1 and also he sent clothing to his  
father1  adding to them ten asses which 
were laden with all riches of ,egypt1   
and  as many asses laden and bearing    
bread and victual to spend by the way4  
,and thus he let his brethren depart    
from him saying3 ,be ye not wroth in    
the way4 ,then they thus departing came 
into the land of ,canaan to their       
father1 and showed all this to their    
father1 and said3 ,joseph thy son       
liveth and he lordeth in all the land of
 ,egypt4    ,when ,jacob heard this he  
awoke as a man had been awaked suddenly 
out of  his sleep1 yet nevertheless he  

believed them not1 and they told to him 
all the order of the matter4 ,when he   
saw the carriage and all that he  had   
sent1 his spirit revived and said3 ,it  
sufficeth to me if ,joseph my  son yet  
live1 ,i shall go and see him ere ,i    
die4 ,then ,israel went forth  with all 
that he had and came to the pit where   
tofore he had sworn to  ,god2 and slew  
there beasts to make sacrifices to the  
,god of ,isaac his  father4 ,he heard   
,god by a vision that same night saying 
to him3 ,jacob1  ,jacob1 to whom he     
answered3 ,i am here all ready4 ,god    
said to him3 ,i am  strongest ,god of   
thy father ,isaac1 dread thee not1 but  
descend down into  ,egypt4 ,i shall make
 thee to grow there into great people4  
,i shall  descend with thee thither1 and
 ,i shall bring thee again when thou    
returnest4 ,joseph soothly shall put his
 hands upon thine eyes4 ,jacob  then    
arose on the morn early1 and his sons   
took him with their children  and wives 
and set them on the carriages that      

,pharaoh had sent to bring  him and all 
that he had into the land of ,canaan4   
,and so came into ,egypt  with all his  
progeny1 sons and children1 etc4        
,these be the names of the sons of      
,israel that entered with him into      
,egypt4 ,the first begotten ,reuben with
 his children four4 ,simeon with his    
seven sons4 ,levi with his three sons4  
,judah and his sons three4 ,issachar    
and his four sons4 ,zebulon and his sons
 three4 ,these were sons of ,leah  that 
,jacob gat in ,mesopotamia1 and ,dinah  
his daughter4 ,all these sons  and      
daughters were thirty-three4 ,gad also  
entered with his children  seven4 ,asher
 with his children five and of his      
children's children two4  ,these were   
sons of ,zilpah1 in number sixteen4 ,the
 sons of ,rachel were  ,joseph and      
,benjamin4 ,joseph had two sons in the  
land of ,egypt by his  wife ,asenath1   
,manasseh and ,ephraim4 ,the sons of    
,benjamin were ten4 ,all  these children
 that came of ,rachel were in number    

fourteen4 ,dan entered  with one son1   
and ,naphtali with four sons4 ,these    
were the children of  ,bilhah2 they were
 in number seven4 ,all the souls that   
were issued of his  seed that entered   
into ,egypt with him1 without the wives 
of his sons1  were sixty-six4 ,the sons 
of ,joseph that were born in ,egypt     
twain4 ,summa  of all the souls of the  
house of ,jacob that entered into ,egypt
 were in  all seventy4    ,jacob sent   
them tofore him ,judah unto ,joseph1 to 
show to him his coming4  ,and he came to
 ,joseph in ,goshen1 and anon ,joseph   
ascended his chariot  and went for to   
meet his father1 and when he saw him1 he
 embraced him  meekly and wept4 ,and his
 father received him joyously and       
embraced also  him4 ,then said the      
father to ,joseph3 ,now shall ,i die    
joyously because ,i  have seen thy      
visage4 ,then said ,joseph to his       
brethren and to all the  house of his   
father3 ,i shall go and ascend to       
,pharaoh and shall say to  him1 that my 

brethren and the house of my father that
 were in the land  of ,canaan be come to
 me1 and be men keeping sheep1 and can  
the manner  well for to keep the flocks 
of sheep1 and that they have brought    
with  them their beasts1 and all that   
ever they had4 ,when he shall call you  
and ask you of what occupation ye be1 ye
 shall say3 ,we be shepherds1 thy       
servants1 from our childhood unto now1  
and our fathers also4 ,this shall  ye   
say that ye may dwell in the land of    
,goshen1 for the ,egyptians have  spite 
unto herdmen of sheep4 ,then ,joseph    
entered tofore ,pharaoh and said  to    
him3 ,my father1 my brethren1 their     
sheep and beasts be come from the  land 
of ,canaan1 and be in the land of       
,goshen4 ,and he brought five of his    
brethren tofore the king1 whom he       
demanded of what occupation they were   
of4 ,they answered3 ,we be keepers of   
sheep1 thy servants1 we and our         
fathers1 we be come to dwell in thy     
land1 for there is no grass for the     

flocks of sheep of us thy servants1 the 
famine is so great in the land  of      
,canaan4 ,we beseech thee that thou     
command us thy servants to dwell in  the
 land of ,goshen4 ,then said the king to
 ,joseph3 ,thy father and thy  brethren 
be come to thee1 the land of ,egypt is  
at thy commandment1 make  thou them to  
dwell in the best place1 and deliver to 
them the land of  ,goshen4 ,and if thou 
know them for conning1 ordain they to be
 masters of  my beasts4 ,after this     
,joseph brought his father in1 and made 
him stand  tofore the king which blessed
 him1 and was demanded of the king how  
old  he was4 ,he answered3 ,the days of 
the pilgrimage of my life be an hundred 
and thirty years1 small and evil1 and   
yet ,i am not come unto the days of  my 
fathers that they have lived4 ,and he   
blessed the king and went out4  ,then   
,joseph gave to his father and brethren 
possession in ,egypt in the  best soil  
of ,rameses like as ,pharaoh had        
commanded1 and there fed them1  giving  

to each of them victual4    ,in all the 
world was scarcity of bread1 and hunger 
and famine oppressed  specially and     
most1 the land of ,egypt and the land of
 ,canaan4 ,of which  lands ,joseph gat  
all the money for selling of wheat1 and 
brought it into  the king's treasury4   
,when all people lacked money1 all      
,egypt came to  ,joseph saying3 ,give us
 bread1 why die we to the lacking money4
 ,to whom  he answered3 ,bring to me    
your beasts and ,i shall give you for   
them  victuals1 if ye have no money3    
which when they brought1 he gave to them
  victuals and food for horses1 sheep1  
oxen and asses1 and sustained them  one 
year for changing of their beasts4 ,then
 came they again the second  year and   
said3 ,we hide not from thee our lord   
that our money is failed  and also our  
beasts be gone1 and there is nothing    
left but our bodies  and our land4 ,why 
then shall we die in thy sight8 ,and we 
ourselves and  also our land shall be   
thine1 buy us into bondship and         

servitude of the  king1 and give us seed
 to sow lest the earth turn into        
wilderness4 ,then  ,joseph bought all   
the land of ,egypt1 every man selling   
his possessions  for the vehement hunger
 that they had4 ,he subdued all unto    
,pharaoh1 and  all his people from the  
last terms of ,egypt unto the utterest  
ends of  the same1 except the land      
longing to the priests1 which was given 
to  them by the king1 to whom were given
 victuals openly out of all the  barns  
and garners1 and therefore they were not
 compelled to sell their  possessions4  
,then said ,joseph to all the peoples3  
,lo1 now ye see and  know that ,pharaoh 
oweth and is in possession of you and of
 your land4  ,take to you seed and sow  
ye the fields that ye may have fruit4   
,the fifth  part thereof ye shall give  
to the king and four parts ,i promise to
 you  to sow1 and for meat to your      
servants and to your children4 ,which   
answered3 ,our health is in thine hand1 
let our lord only behold us and  we     

shall gladly serve the king4 ,from that 
time unto this present day1 in  all the 
land of ,egypt the fifth part is paid to
 the king2 and it is  holden for a law1 
except the land longing to the priests  
which is free  from this condition4     
,then ,israel dwelled in ,egypt in the  
land of ,goshen1 and was in  possession 
thereof4 ,he increased and multiplied   
greatly1 and lived  therein seventeen   
years4 ,and all the years of his life   
were an hundred  and seven and forty    
years4 ,when he understood that the day 
of his death  approached1 he called to  
him his son ,joseph and said to him3 ,if
 ,i may  find so much grace in thy      
sight1 do to me so much mercy as thou   
promise  and swear that thou bury me not
 in ,egypt1 but that ,i may rest with my
  fathers1 and take and carry me from   
this land1 and lay me in the  sepulchre 
of my forefathers4 ,to whom ,joseph     
answered3 ,i shall do that  thou hast   
commanded4 ,then said he3 ,swear to me1 
and so he swore4 ,and  then ,israel     

adored and worshipped our ,lord1 and    
turned him toward his  bed's head4 ,then
 this done1 anon after it was told to   
,joseph that his  father was sick and   
feeble2 who anon took his sons ,manasseh
 and ,ephraim  and came to his father4  
,anon it was told to the father3 ,lo thy
 son  ,joseph cometh to thee1 which then
 was comforted1 and sat up in his bed4  
,and ,joseph entered in1 and ,jacob     
said3 ,almighty ,god appeared to me in  
,luz which is in the land of ,canaan1   
and he blessed me and said3 ,i shall    
increase thee and multiply thee into    
tourbes of peoples1 ,i shall give to    
thee this land and to thy seed after    
thee in sempiternal possession1         
therefore thy two sons that be born to  
thee in this land of ,egypt tofore  ,i  
came hither to thee1 shall be my sons   
,ephraim and ,manasseh1 they shall  be  
reputed to me as ,simeon and ,reuben4   
,the other that thou shalt get  after   
them shall be thine1 and shall be called
 in the name of their  brethren in their

 possessions4 ,then he1 seeing ,joseph's
 sons1 said to  him3 ,who be these      
children8 ,joseph answered3 ,they be my 
sons which ,god  hath given to me in    
this place4 ,bring them hither1 said he1
 to me that ,i  may bless them4         
,israel's eyes were dimmed and might not
 see clearly for  great age4 ,he took   
them to him and kissed them and said to 
,joseph3 ,i am  not defrauded from the  
sight of thee1 and furthermore ,god hath
 showed to  me thy seed4 ,then when     
,joseph took them from his father's lap1
 he  worshipped him kneeling low to the 
earth1 and set ,ephraim on his right    
side1 and on the left side of ,israel1  
and ,manasseh on the right side of  his 
father ,israel1 which took his right    
hand and laid it on the head of         
,ephraim the younger brother1 and his   
left hand on the head of ,manasseh      
which was first born4 ,then ,jacob      
blessed the sons of ,joseph and said3   
,god1 in whose sight walked my fathers  
,abraham and ,isaac1 ,god that hath  fed

 me from my youth unto this present day1
 the angel that hath kept me  from all  
evil bless these children1 and my name  
be called on them1 and  the names of my 
fathers ,abraham and ,isaac1 and grow   
they into multitude  upon earth4 ,then  
,joseph seeing that his father set his  
right hand upon  the head of ,ephraim   
the younger brother took it heavily1 and
 took his  father's hand and would have 
laid it on the head of ,manasseh1 and   
said  to his father2 ,nay father1 it is 
not convenient1 that ye do1 this is the 
first begotten son1 set thy right hand  
on his head4 ,which renied that  and    
would not do so1 but said3 ,i wot1 my   
son1 ,i wot what ,i do1 and this  son   
shall increase into peoples and         
multiply1 but his younger brother  shall
 be greater than he1 and his seed shall 
grow into gentiles1 and  blessed them1  
saying that same time3 ,in thee shall be
 blessed ,israel1  and shall be said3   
,god make thee like to ,ephraim and     
,manasseh4 ,and he  said to ,joseph his 

son3 ,lo6 now ,i die and ,god shall be  
with you1 and  shall reduce and bring   
you again into the land of your fathers2
 and ,i  give to thee one part above thy
 brethren1 which ,i gat and won from the
  hand of the ,amorite with my sword and
 my bow4 ,then ,jacob called his sons   
tofore him and said to them3    ,gather 
ye altogether tofore me1 that ,i may    
show to you things that be to  come1 and
 hear your father ,israel4 ,and there he
 told to each of them his  condition    
singularly4 ,and when he had blessed his
 twelve sons he  commanded them to bury 
him with his fathers in a double        
spelunke which  is in the field of      
,ephron the ,hittite against ,mamre in  
the land of  ,canaan which ,abraham     
bought4 ,and this said he gathered to   
him his feet  and died4 ,which anon as  
,joseph saw1 he fell on his visage and  
kissed  him4 ,he commanded to his       
masters of physic and medicines1 which  
were his  servants1 that they should    
embalm the body of his father with sweet

  spices aromatic2 which was all done1  
and then went they sorrowing him  forty 
days4 ,the ,egyptians wailed him seventy
 days1 and when the wailing  was past1  
,joseph did say to ,pharaoh how he had  
sworn and promised to  bury him in the  
land of ,canaan4 ,to whom ,pharaoh said3
 ,go and bury thy  father like as thou  
hast sworn4 ,which then took his        
father's body and  went1 and with him   
were accompanied all the aged men of    
,pharaoh's house1  and the noblest men  
of birth of all the land of ,egypt1 the 
house of  ,joseph with his brethren1    
without the young children1 flocks and  
beasts1  which they left in the land of 
,goshen4 ,he had in his fellowship      
chariots1 carts and horsemen1 and was a 
great tourbe and company1 and  came over
 ,jordan where as they hallowed the     
exequies by great wailing  seven days   
long4 ,and when they of the country saw 
this plaint and  sorrowing they said3   
,this is a great sorrow to the          
,egyptians4 ,and that  same place is    

named yet the bewailing of ,egypt4 ,the 
children of ,israel  did as they were   
commanded1 and bare him into the land of
 ,canaan1 and  buried him in the double 
spelunke which ,abraham had bought4     
,then when  ,jacob the father was       
buried1 ,joseph with all his fellowship 
returned  into ,egypt4 ,then his        
brethren after the death of their father
 spake  together privily1 and dreading  
that ,joseph would avenge the wrong and 
evil that they had done to him1 came to 
him and said3 ,thy father  commanded us 
ere he died that we should say thus to  
thee3 ,we pray thee  that thou wilt     
forget1 and not remember the sin and    
trespass of thy  brethren1 ne the malice
 that they executed in thee4 ,we beseech
 thee  that thou wilt forgive to thy    
father1 servant of ,god1 this           
wickedness4  ,which when ,joseph heard  
he wept bitterly1 and his brethren came 
to him  kneeling low to the ground and  
worshipped him1 and said1 ,we be thy    
servants4 ,to whom he answered3 ,be ye  

nothing afeard ne dread you not1  ween  
ye that ye may resist ,god's will8 ,ye  
thought to have done to me  evil1 but   
,god hath turned it into good1 and hath 
exalted me as ye see  and know1 that he 
should save much people4 ,be ye nothing 
afeard1 ,i shall  feed you and your     
children4 ,and comforted them with fair 
words1 and  spake friendly and joyously 
to them4 ,and he abode and dwelled still
 in  ,egypt with all the house of his   
father1 and lived an hundred and ten    
years1 and saw the sons of ,ephraim in  
to the third generation4 ,after  these  
things he said to his brethren3 ,after  
my death1 ,god shall visit  you and     
shall do you depart from this land unto 
the land that he  promised to ,abraham1 
,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,when that time     
shall come1 take  my bones and lead them
 with you from this place1 and then     
died4 ,whose  body was embalmed with    
sweet spices and aromatics and laid in a
 chest in  ,egypt4          ,,here      
,,next ,,followeth ,,the ,,history ,,of 

,,moses    ,which is read in-the ,church
 on ,mid-lent ,sunday      ,these be the
 names of the children of ,israel that  
entered into ,egypt  with ,jacob1 and   
each entered with their household and   
meiny4 ,reuben1  ,simeon1 ,levi1 ,judah1
 ,issachar1 ,zebulon1 ,benjamin1 ,dan1  
,naphtali1 ,gad1  and ,asher2 they were 
all in number that entered seventy4     
,joseph was  tofore in ,egypt4 ,and when
 he was dead and all his brethren and   
kindred1  the children of ,israel grew  
and multiplied greatly1 and filled the  
earth4 ,then was there a new king upon  
,egypt which knew nothing of  ,joseph1  
and said to his people3 ,lo6 and see the
 people of ,israel is  great1 and       
stronger than we be1 come and let us    
wisely oppress them1  lest they multiply
 and give us battle and fight with us   
and drive us out  of our land4 ,then he 
ordained provosts and masters over them 
to set them  awork and put them to      
affliction of burdens4 ,they builded to 
,pharaoh two  towns1 ,pithom and        

,raamses4 ,how much more they oppressed 
them1 so much  the more they increased  
and multiplied4 ,the ,egyptians hated   
the children  of ,israel and put them to
 affliction1 scorning and having envy at
 them1  and oppressed bitterly their    
life with hard work and sore labors of  
tile and clay1 and grieved all them in  
such works4 ,then ,pharaoh  commanded to
 his people saying3 ,whatsomever is born
 of males cast ye  into the river1 and  
what of women keep ye them and let ye   
them live4    ,after this was a man of  
the house of ,levi went out and took a  
wife of  his kindred1 which conceived   
and brought forth a son1 and he saw him 
elegant and fair1 and hid him three     
months1 and when he might no longer     
hide him1 took a little crib of rushes  
and wickers and pitched it with  glue   
and pitch1 and put therein the child1   
and set it on the river1 and  let it    
drive down in the stream1 and the sister
 of the child standing  afar1           
considering what should fall thereof4   

,and it happed that same  time1 the     
daughter of king ,pharaoh descended down
 to the river for to  wash her in the   
water1 and her maidens went by the      
brink1 which then1  when she saw the    
little crib or fiscelle she sent one of 
her maidens to  fetch and take it up1   
which so fetched and brought to her1 and
 she saw  therein lying a fair child2   
and she having pity on it said3 ,this is
 one  of the children of the ,hebrews4  
,to whom anon spake the sister of the   
child3 ,wilt thou1 said she1 that ,i go 
and call thee a woman of the  ,hebrews  
that shall and may nourish this child8  
,she answered3 ,go thy way4  ,the maid  
went and called his mother1 to whom     
,pharaoh's daughter said3  ,take this   
child and nourish him to me1 and ,i     
shall give to thee thy meed  and reward4
 ,the mother took her child and         
nourished it1 and when it was  weaned   
and could go she delivered it to the    
daughter of king ,pharaoh1  whom she    
received and adopted instead of a son   

and named him ,moses1  saying that ,i   
took him out of the water4 ,and he there
 grew and waxed a  pretty child4 ,and as
 ,josephus1 ,antiquitatum1 saith3 ,this 
daughter of  ,pharaoh1 which was named  
,termuthe1 loved well ,moses and reputed
 him as  her son by adoption1 and on a  
day brought him to her father1 who for  
his  beauty took him in his arms and    
made much of him1 and set his diadem on 
his head1 wherein was his idol4 ,and    
,moses anon took it1 and cast it  under 
his feet and trod on it1 wherefore the  
king was wroth1 and  demanded of the    
great doctors and magicians what should 
fall of this  child4 ,and they kalked on
 his nativity and said3 ,this is he that
 shall  destroy thy reign and put it    
under foot1 and shall rule and govern   
the  ,hebrews4 ,wherefore the king anon 
decreed that he should be put to death4 
,but others said that ,moses did it of  
childhood and ought not to die          
therefore1 and counselled to make       
thereof a proof1 and so they did4       

,they set tofore him a platter full of  
coals burning1 and a platter full  of   
cherries1 and bade him eat1 and he took 
and put the hot coals in his  mouth and 
burned his tongue1 which letted his     
speech ever after2 and  thus he escaped 
the death4 ,josephus saith that when    
,pharaoh would have  slain him1         
,termuthe1 his daughter1 plucked him    
away and saved him4 ,then  on a time as 
,moses was full grown1 he went to his   
brethren1 and saw the  affliction of    
them1 and a man of ,egypt smiting one of
 the ,hebrews1 his  brethren4 ,and he   
looked hither and thither and saw no    
man4 ,he smote the  ,egyptian and slew  
him and hid him in the sand4 ,and       
another day he went  out and found two  
of the ,hebrews brawling and fighting   
together2 then he  said to him that did 
wrong3 ,why smitest thou thy neighbor8  
which  answered3 ,who hath ordained thee
 prince and judge upon us8 wilt thou    
slay me as thou slewest that other day  
an ,egyptian8 ,moses was afeard and     

said to himself3 ,how is this deed known
 and made open8 ,pharaoh heard  hereof  
and sought ,moses for to slay him1 which
 then fled from his sight  and dwelled  
in the land of ,midian1 and sat there by
 a pit side4 ,the  priest of ,midian had
 seven daughters which came thither for 
to draw  water1 and to fill the vessels 
for to give drink to the flocks of the  
sheep of their father4 ,then came on    
them the herdmen and put them from  it4 
,then rose ,moses and defended the      
maidens and let them water their  sheep1
 which then returned to their father    
,jethro4 ,and he said to them3  ,why    
come ye now earlier than ye were wont to
 do8 ,they said that a man of  ,egypt   
hath delivered us from the hand of the  
herdmen1 and also he drew  water for us 
and gave to the sheep drink4 ,where is  
he1 said he1 why left  ye the man after 
you8 go call him that he may eat some   
bread with us4  ,then ,moses sware that 
he would dwell with him4 ,and he took   
,zipporah one  of his daughters aad     

wedded her to his wife1 which conceived 
and bare  him a son whom he called      
,gershom1 saying3 ,i was a stranger in a
 strange  land4 ,she brought to him     
forth another son whom he named         
,eleazar1  saying3 ,the ,god of my      
father is my helper and hath kept me    
from the  hand of ,pharaoh4    ,long    
time after this died the king of ,egypt1
 and the children of ,israel1  wailing1 
made great sorrow for the oppression of 
their labor1 and cried  unto ,god for   
help4 ,their cry came unto ,god of their
 works1 and ,god heard  their wailing1  
and remembered the promise he made with 
,abraham1 ,isaac1  and ,jacob1 and our  
,lord beheld the children of ,israel and
 knew them4    ,moses fed the sheep of  
,jethro his wife's father4 ,when he had 
brought the  sheep into the innermost   
part of the desert he came unto the     
mount of  ,god1 ,oreb4 ,our ,lord       
appeared to him in flame of fire in the 
midst of a  bush1 and he saw the fire in
 the bush1 and the bush burned not4     

,then  said ,moses1 ,i shall go and see 
this great vision why the bush burneth  
not4 ,our ,lord then beholding that he  
went for to see it1 called him1  being  
in the bush1 and said3 ,moses1 ,moses1  
which answered3 ,i am here4  ,then said 
our ,lord3 ,approach no nearer          
hitherward4 ,take off thy shoon  from   
thy feet1 the place that thou standest  
on is holy ground4 ,and said  also3 ,i  
am ,god of thy fathers1 ,god of         
,abraham1 and ,god of ,isaac1 and ,god  
of ,jacob4 ,moses then hid his face1 and
 durst not look toward ,god4 ,to  whom  
,god said3 ,i have seen the affliction  
of my people in ,egypt1 and ,i  have    
heard their cry of the hardness that    
they suffer in their works1  and ,i     
knowing the sorrow of them am descended 
to deliver them from the  hand of the   
,egyptians1 and shall lead them from    
this land into a good  land and         
spacious1 into a land that floweth milk 
and honey1 unto the  places of          
,canaanites1 ,hittites1 ,amorites1      

,perizzites1 ,hivites and  ,jebusites4  
,the cry of the children of ,israel is  
come to me1 ,i have seen  their         
affliction1 how they be oppressed of the
 ,egyptians4 ,but come to me  and ,i    
shall send thee unto ,pharaoh that thou 
shalt lead the children of  ,israel out 
of ,egypt4 ,then ,moses said to him3    
,who am ,i that shall go to  ,pharaoh   
and lead the children out of ,egypt8 ,to
 whom ,god said3 ,i shall be  with thee1
 and this shall be the sign that ,i send
 thee4 ,when thou shalt  have led out my
 people of ,egypt1 thou shalt offer to  
,god upon this hill4  ,moses said unto  
,god3 ,lo6 if ,i go to the children of  
,israel and say to  them3 ,god of your  
fathers hath sent me to you2 if they    
say3 ,what is his  name8 what shall ,i  
say8 ,our ,lord said to ,moses3 ,i am   
that ,i am4 ,he said3  ,thus shalt thou 
say to the children of ,israel3 ,he that
 is1 sent me to  you1 and yet shalt thou
 say to them3 ,the ,lord ,god of your   
fathers1 ,god  of ,abraham1 ,god of     

,isaac1 and ,god of ,jacob1 hath        
appeared to me saying3  ,this is my name
 for evermore1 and this is my memorial  
from generation to  generation4 ,go and 
gather together the seniors and aged men
 of ,israel1  and say to them3 ,the     
,lord ,god of your fathers hath appeared
 to me1 ,god  of ,abraham1 ,god of      
,isaac1 and ,god of ,jacob1 saying3     
,visiting ,i have  visited you1 and have
 seen all that is fallen in ,egypt1 and 
,i shall lead  you out of the affliction
 of ,egypt into the land of ,canaan1    
,ethei1 etc41  unto the land flowing    
milk and honey1 and they shall hear thy 
voice4  ,thou shalt go and take with    
thee the seniors of ,israel to the king 
of  ,egypt1 and shalt say to him3 ,the  
,lord ,god of the ,hebrews hath called  
us2  we shall go the journey of three   
days in wilderness that we may offer to 
our ,lord ,god4 ,but ,i know well that  
the king of ,egypt shall not suffer  you
 to go but by strong hand4 ,i shall     
stretch out my hand and shall  smite    

,egypt in all my marvels that ,i shall  
do amid among them4 ,after  that he     
shall let you go4 ,i shall then give my 
grace to this people  tofore the        
,egyptians1 and when ye shall go out ye 
shall not depart void1  nor with nought1
 but every woman shall borrow of her    
neighbor1 and of  her hostess1 vessels  
of silver and of gold1 and clothes1 and 
them shall  ye lay on your sons1 and on 
your daughters1 and ye shall rob ,egypt4
 ,then  ,moses answered and said3 ,they 
shall not believe me ne hear my voice1  
but  shall say3 ,god hath not appeared  
to thee4    ,god said then to him3 ,what
 is that thou holdest in thine hand8 ,he
  answered3 ,a rod4 ,our ,lord said3    
,cast it on the ground4 ,he threw it    
down  and it turned into a serpent1     
whereof ,moses was afeard and would have
  fled4 ,our ,lord said to him3 ,put    
forth thy hand and hold him by the tail2
  he stretched forth his hand and held  
him1 and it turned again into a  rod4   
,to this1 that they believe thee1 that  

,i have appeared to thee4 ,and  yet our 
,lord said to him3 ,put thy hand into   
thy bosom1 which1 when he  hath put in1 
and drawn out again1 it was like a      
leper's hand4 ,our ,lord  bade him to   
withdraw it into his bosom again1 and he
 drew it out and it  was then like that 
other flesh4 ,if they hear not thee1 and
 believe by  the first sign and token1  
they shall believe thee by the second4  
,if they  believe none of the two ne    
hear thy voice1 then take water of the  
river  and pour on the dry ground1 and  
whatsoever thou takest and drawest shall
  turn into blood4 ,then ,moses said3 ,i
 pray the ,lord send some other1 for ,i 
am not eloquent1 but have a letting in  
my speech4 ,our ,lord said to him3  ,who
 made the mouth of a man1 or who hath   
made a man dumb or deaf1 seeing  or     
blind1 not ,i8 ,go1 therefore1 ,i shall 
be in thy mouth and shall teach  thee   
what thou shalt say4 ,then said ,moses3 
,i beseech thee ,lord1 said he1  send   
some other whom thou wilt4 ,our ,lord   

was wroth on ,moses and said3  ,aaron   
thy brother deacon1 ,i know that he is  
eloquent1 lo6 he shall come  and meet   
with thee1 and seeing thee he shall be  
glad in his heart4 ,speak  thou to him  
and put my words in his mouth1 and ,i   
shall be in thy mouth  and in his mouth1
 and ,i shall show to you what ye ought 
to do1 and he  shall speak for the      
people1 and shall be thy mouth1 and thou
 shalt be in  such things as pertain to 
,god4 ,take with thee this rod in thine 
hand1 by  which thou shalt do signs and 
marvels4 ,then ,moses went to ,jethro   
his  wife's father1 and said to him1 ,i 
shall go and return to my brethren  into
 ,egypt1 and see if they yet live4 ,to  
whom ,jethro said3 ,go in ,god's  name  
and place4 ,then said our ,lord to      
,moses3 ,go and return into ,egypt1  all
 they be now dead that sought for to    
slay thee4 ,then ,moses took his  wife  
and his sons and set them upon an ass   
and returned in to ,egypt1  bearing the 
rod of ,god in his hand4 ,then our ,lord

 said to ,aaron3 ,go  against ,moses and
 meet with him in desert2 which went for
 to meet with  him unto the mount of    
,god1 and there kissed him4    ,and     
,moses told unto ,aaron all that our    
,lord had said to him for which he  sent
 him1 and all the tokens and signs that 
he bade him do4 ,they came  both        
together and gathered and assembled all 
the seniors and aged men of  the        
children of ,israel4 ,and ,aaron told to
 them all that ,god had said to  ,moses1
 and made the signs and tokens tofore   
the people and the people  believed it4 
,they heard well that our ,lord had     
visited the children of  ,israel1 and   
that he had beholden the affliction of  
them1 wherefore they  fell down low to  
the ground and worshipped our ,lord4    
,after this ,moses and ,aaron went unto 
,pharaoh and said3 ,this saith the      
,lord ,god of ,israel3 ,suffer my people
 to depart that they may sacrifice  to  
me in desert4 ,then said ,pharaoh3 ,who 
is that ,lord that ,i may hear his      

voice and leave ,israel8 ,i know not    
that ,lord1 nor ,i will not leave       
,israel4 ,they said to him3 ,god of the 
,hebrews hath called us that we go  the 
journey of three days in the wilderness 
and sacrifice unto our ,lord  ,god1 lest
 peradventure pestilence or war fall to 
us4 ,the king of ,egypt  said to them3  
,why solicit ye1 ,moses and ,aaron1 the 
people from their  works and labor8 ,go 
ye unto your work4 ,pharaoh also said3  
,the people is  much1 see how they grow 
and multiply1 and yet much more shall do
 if they  rested from their labor4      
,therefore he commanded the same day to 
the  prefects and masters of their works
 saying3 ,in no wise give no more  chaff
 to the people for to make loam and     
clay1 but let them go and  gather       
stubble1 and make them do as much labor 
as they did tofore1 and  lessen it      
nothing4 ,they do now but cry3 ,let us  
go and make sacrifice to  our ,god1 let 
them be oppressed by labor and exercised
 that they attend  not to leasings4     

,then the prefects and masters of their 
work said to  them that ,pharaoh had    
commanded to give them no chaff1 but    
they should  go and gather such as they 
might find1 and that their work should  
not  therefore be minished4 ,then the   
children were disperpled for to gather  
chaff1 and their masters awaited on them
 and bade them3 ,make an end of  your   
work as ye were wont to do when that    
chaff was delivered to you4  ,and thus  
they were put to more affliction1 and   
would make them to make  as many tiles  
as they did tofore4 ,then the upperest  
of the children of  ,israel came to     
,pharaoh and complained saying3 ,why    
puttest thou thy  servants to such      
affliction8 ,he said to them3 ,ye be so 
idle that ye say  ye will go and        
sacrifice to your ,god2 ye shall have no
 chaff given to  you1 yet ye shall work 
your customable work and gather your    
chaff also4    ,then the eldest and the 
upperest among the ,hebrews went to     
,moses and  ,aaron and said3 ,what have 

ye done8 ye have so done that ye have   
made our  odor to stink in the sight of 
,pharaoh1 and have encouraged him to    
slay  us4 ,then ,moses counselled with  
our ,lord how he should do1 and said3   
,lord1 why hast thou sent me hither8    
,for1 sith ,i have spoken to ,pharaoh   
in thy name1 he hath put thy people to  
more affliction than they had  tofore1  
and thou hast not delivered them4 ,our  
,lord said to ,moses3 ,now  thou shalt  
see what ,i shall do to ,pharaoh4 ,by   
strong hand he shall let  you go1 and in
 a boistous he shall cast you from his  
land4    ,yet said our ,lord to ,moses3 
,i am the ,lord ,god that appeared to   
,abraham1  ,isaac1 and ,jacob in my     
might1 and my name is ,adonai1 ,i showed
 to them  not that4 ,i promised and made
 covenant with them that ,i should give 
to  them the land of ,canaan in which   
they dwelled4 ,i now have heard the     
wailing and the tribulations that the   
,egyptians oppress them with1 for  which
 ,i shall deliver and bring them from   

the servitude of the  ,egyptians4 ,moses
 told all these things to the children  
of ,israel1 and  they believed him not  
for the anguish of their spirits that   
they were  in1 and hard labor4 ,then    
said our ,lord to ,moses3 ,go and enter 
in to  ,pharaoh and bid him deliver my  
people of ,israel out of his land4      
,moses  answered3 ,how should ,pharaoh  
hear me when the children of ,israel    
believe  me not8 ,then our ,lord said to
 ,moses and ,aaron that they both should
 go  to ,pharaoh and give him in        
commandment to let the children of      
,israel to  depart4 ,and he said to     
,moses3 ,lo6 ,i have ordained thee to be
 ,god of  ,pharaoh1 and ,aaron thy      
brother shall be thy prophet4 ,thou     
shalt say to  him all that ,i say to    
thee1 and he shall say to ,pharaoh that 
he suffer  the children of ,israel to   
depart from his land4 ,but ,i shall     
enhard his  heart1 and shall multiply my
 signs and tokens in the land of ,egypt1
 and  he shall not hear ne believe you4 

,and ,i shall lead the children of      
,israel my people4 ,and shall show mine 
hand1 and such wonders on ,egypt1  that 
,egyptians shall know that ,i am the    
,lord4 ,moses and ,aaron did as our     
,lord commanded them4 ,moses was eighty 
years old when he came and stood  tofore
 ,pharaoh1 and ,aaron eighty-three years
 when they spake to ,pharaoh4  ,then    
when they were tofore ,pharaoh1 ,aaron  
cast the rod down1 tofore  ,pharaoh1 and
 anon the rod turned into a serpent4    
,then ,pharaoh called his  magicians and
 jugglers and bade them do the same4    
,and they made their  witchcraft and    
invocations and cast down their rods1   
which turned in  likewise into serpents1
 but the rod of ,aaron devoured their   
rods4 ,yet  was the heart of ,pharaoh   
hard and so indurate that he would not  
do as  ,god bade4 ,then said our ,lord  
to ,moses3 ,the heart of ,pharaoh is    
grieved  and will not deliver my people4
 ,go to him to-morn in the morning and  
he  shall come out1 and thou shalt stand

 when he cometh on the bank of the      
river1 and take in thine hand the rod   
that was turned into the serpent1  and  
say to him3 ,the ,lord ,god of the      
,hebrews sendeth me to thee saying3     
,deliver my people that they may offer  
and make sacrifice to me in  desert1 yet
 thou hast no will to hear me4          
,therefore our ,lord said3 ,in  this    
shalt thou know that ,i am the ,lord3   
,lo6 ,i shall smite with the rod  that  
is in my hand the water of the flood1   
and it shall turn into blood2  the      
fishes that be in the water shall die1  
and the ,egyptians shall be  put to     
affliction drinking of it4 ,then said   
our ,lord to ,moses3 ,say thou  to      
,aaron3 ,take this rod and stretch thine
 hand upon all the waters of  ,egypt1   
upon the floods1 rivers1 ponds1 and upon
 all the lakes where any  water is1 in  
that they turn to blood1 that it may be 
a vengeance in all  the land of ,egypt1 
as well in treen vessels as in vessels  
of earth and  stone4    ,moses and      

,aaron did as ,god had commanded them1  
and smote the flood with  the rod tofore
 ,pharaoh and his servants1 which turned
 into blood1 and  the fishes that were  
in the river died1 and the water was    
corrupt4 ,and  the ,egyptians might not 
drink the water1 and all the water of   
,egypt was  turned into blood4 ,and in  
likewise did the enchanters with their  
witchcraft1 and the heart of ,pharaoh   
was so indurate that he would not  let  
the people depart as our ,lord had      
commanded1 but he returned home  for    
this time4 ,the ,egyptians went and     
dolven pits for water all about by  the 
river1 and they found no water to drink 
but all was blood4 ,and this  plague    
endured seven days1 and whatsomever     
water the children of ,israel  took in  
this while was fair and good water4     
,this was the first plague  and         
vengeance4 ,the second was that ,god    
sent frogs so many1 that all the  land  
was full1 the rivers1 the houses1       
chambers1 beds1 that they were          

woebegone1 and these frogs entered into 
their meat1 so many that they  covered  
all the land of ,egypt4 ,then ,pharaoh  
prayed ,moses and ,aaron that  ,god     
would take away these frogs1 and that he
 would go suffer the people  to do      
sacrifice2 and then ,moses asked when he
 would deliver them if the  frogs were  
voided1 and ,pharaoh said3 ,in the morn4
 ,and then ,moses prayed1  and they     
voided all4 ,and when ,pharaoh saw that 
he was quit of them1 he  kept not his   
promise and would not let them depart4  
,the third vengeance  that ,god sent to 
them was a great multitude of hungry    
horse-flies1 as  many as the dust of the
 earth1 which were on men1 and bit them 
and  beasts4 ,and then enchanters said  
then to ,pharaoh3 ,this is the finger of
  ,god4 ,yet would not ,pharaoh let them
 depart4 ,the fourth vengeance was  that
 ,god sent all manner kind of flies and 
lice in such wise that the  universal   
land of ,egypt was full of all manner   
flies and lice1 but in  the land of     

,goshen were none4 ,yet was he so       
indurate that he would not  let them go1
 but would that they should make their  
sacrifice to ,god in  that land4 ,but   
,moses would not so1 but would go three 
days' journey in  desert1 and sacrifice 
to ,god there4 ,pharaoh said3 ,i will   
that ye go into  desert1 but not far1   
and come soon again1 and pray ye for me4
 ,and ,moses  prayed for him to our     
,lord1 and the flies voided that there  
was not one  left4 ,and when they were  
gone ,pharaoh would not keep his        
promise4 ,then  the fifth plague was    
that ,god showed his hand upon the      
fields and upon  the horses1 asses1     
camels1 sheep and oxen1 and was a great 
pestilence on  all the beasts4 ,and ,god
 showed a wonder miracle between the    
possessions  of the ,egyptians and the  
possessions of his people of ,israel1   
for of the  beasts of the children of   
,israel there was not one that perished4
 ,yet  was ,pharaoh so hard-hearted that
 he would not suffer the people to      

depart4 ,the sixth plague was that      
,moses took ashes out of the chimney    
and cast on the land4 ,and anon all the 
people of ,egypt1 as well men as        
beasts1 were full of blotches1 boils1   
and blains and wounds1 and  swellings in
 such wise that the enchanters could ne 
might not stand for  pain tofore        
,pharaoh4 ,yet would not ,pharaoh hear  
them1 nor do as ,god had  commanded4    
,the seventh plague was a hail so great 
that there was never  none like tofore1 
and thunder and fire that it destroyed  
all the grass  and herbs of ,egypt and  
smote down all that was in the field1   
men and  beasts4 ,but in the land of    
,goshen was none heard ne harm done4    
,yet would  not ,pharaoh deliver them4  
,the eighth our ,lord sent to them      
locusts1  which is a manner great fly1  
called in some place an adder-bolte1    
which  bit them and ate up all the corn 
and herbs that was left1 in such wise   
that the people came to ,pharaoh and    
desired him to deliver1 saying that  the

 land perished4 ,then ,pharaoh gave to  
the men license to go and make  their   
sacrifice1 and leave their wives and    
children there still1 till  they came   
again1 but ,moses and ,aaron said they  
must go all1 wherefore he  would not let
 them depart4 ,the ninth plague and     
vengeance was that ,god  sent so great  
darkness upon all the land of ,egypt    
that the darkness was  so great and     
horrible that they were palpable1 and it
 endured three days  and three nights4  
,wheresoever the children of ,israel    
went it was light4    ,then ,pharaoh    
called ,moses and ,aaron and said to    
them3 ,go ye and make  your sacrifice   
unto your ,lord ,god1 and let your sheep
 and beasts only  abide4 ,to whom ,moses
 said3 ,we shall take with us such      
hosties and  sacrifices as we shall     
offer to our ,lord ,god4 ,all our flocks
 and beasts  shall go with us1 there    
shall not remain as much as a nail that 
shall be  necessary in the honor of our 
,lord ,god1 for we know not what we     

shall  offer till we come to the place4 
,pharaoh was so indurate and            
hard-hearted that he would not let them 
go1 and bade ,moses that he  should no  
more come in his sight4 ,for when thou  
comest thou shalt die4  ,moses answered3
 ,be it as thou hast said3 ,i shall no  
more come to thy  presence4 ,and then   
our ,lord said to ,moses3 ,there resteth
 now but one  plague and vengeance1 and 
after that he shall let you go4 ,but    
first say  to all the people that every 
man borrow of his friend1 and woman of  
her  neighbor1 vessels of gold and      
silver1 and clothes2 our ,lord shall    
give  to his people grace and favor to  
borrow of the ,egyptians2 and then gave 
to them a commandment how they should   
depart4 ,and our ,lord said to  ,moses3 
,at midnight ,i shall enter into ,egypt 
and the first-begotten child  and heir  
of all ,egypt shall die1 from the       
first-begotten son of ,pharaoh  that    
sitteth in his throne unto the          
first-begotten son of the handmaid  that

 sitteth at the mill1 and all the       
first-begotten of the beasts4  ,there   
shall be a great cry and clamor in all  
the land of ,egypt in such  wise that   
there was never none like1 ne never     
shall be after1 and among  all the      
children there shall not an hound be    
hurt1 ne woman1 ne beast1  whereby ye   
shall know by what miracle ,god divideth
 the ,egyptian and  ,israel4 ,moses and 
,aaron showed all these signs and       
plagues tofore  ,pharaoh1 and his heart 
was so indurate that he would not let   
them  depart4 ,then when ,moses had said
 to the children how they should do1    
they departed1 and ate their paschal    
lamb1 and all other ceremonies as  be   
expressed in the ,bible1 for a law to   
endure ever among them1 which  the      
children of ,israel obeyed and          
accomplished1 it was so that at         
midnight our ,lord smote and slew every 
first-begotten son throughout all  the  
land of ,egypt1 beginning at the first  
son and heir of ,pharaoh unto  the son  

of the caitiff that lay in prison1 and  
also the first-begotten  of the beasts4 
,pharaoh arose in the night and all his 
servants and all  ,egypt1 and there was 
a great clamor and sorrowful noise and  
cry1 for  there was not a house in all  
,egypt but there lay therein one that   
was  dead4 ,then ,pharaoh did do call   
,moses and ,aaron in the night1 and     
said3  ,arise ye and go your way from my
 people1 ye and the children of ,israel1
  as ye say ye will1 take your sheep and
 beasts with you like as ye  desired1   
and at your departing bless ye me4 ,the 
,egyptians constrained  the children to 
depart and go their way hastily1 saying3
 ,we all shall  die4 ,the children of   
,israel took their meal1 and put it on  
their  shoulders as they were commanded1
 and borrowed vessels of silver and of  
gold1 and much clothing4 ,our ,lord gave
 to them such favor tofore the          
,egyptians that the ,egyptians lent to  
them all that they desired1 and  they   
spoiled and robbed ,egypt4    ,and so   

the children of ,israel departed1 nigh  
the number of six hundred  thousand     
footmen1 besides women and children     
which were innumerable1 and  an huge    
great multitude of beasts of divers     
kinds4 ,the time that the  children of  
,israel had dwelt in ,egypt was four    
hundred years4 ,and so  they departed   
out of ,egypt1 and went not the right   
way by the  ,philistines1 but our ,lord 
led them by the way of desert which is  
by the  ,red ,sea4 ,and the children    
descended out of ,egypt armed4 ,moses   
took with  him the bones of ,joseph for 
he charged them so to do when he died4  
,they  went in the extreme ends of the  
wilderness1 and our ,lord went tofore   
them by day in a column of a cloud1 and 
by night in a column of fire and  was   
their leader and duke2 the pillar of the
 cloud failed never by day1  nor the    
pillar of fire by night tofore the      
people4 ,our ,lord said to  ,moses1 ,i  
shall make his heart so hard that he    
shall follow and pursue  you1 and ,i    

shall be glorified in ,pharaoh1 and in  
all his host1 the  ,egyptians shall know
 that ,i am ,lord4 ,and anon it was told
 to ,pharaoh  that the children of      
,israel fled1 and anon his heart was    
changed1 and  also the heart of his     
servants1 and said3 ,what shall we do1  
shall we  suffer the children to depart 
and no more to serve us8 ,forthwith he  
took  his chariot and all his people    
with him4 ,he took with him six hundred 
chosen chariots1 and all the chariots   
and wains of ,egypt1 and the dukes  of  
all his hosts and he pursued the        
children of ,israel and followed them   
in great pride4 ,and when he approached1
 that the children of ,israel saw  him  
come1 they were sore afraid and cried to
 our ,lord ,god1 and said to  ,moses3   
,was there not sepulchre enough for us  
in ,egypt but that we must  now die in  
wilderness8 ,said we not to thee3 ,go   
from us and let us serve  the           
,egyptians3 ,it had been much better for
 us to have served the  ,egyptians than 

to die here in wilderness4 ,and ,moses  
said to the people3  ,be ye not afraid1 
stand and see ye the great wonders that 
our ,lord shall  do for you this day4   
,the ,egyptians that ye now see1 ye     
shall never see  them after this day4   
,god shall fight for you1 and be ye     
still4 ,our ,lord  said then to ,moses3 
,what criest thou to me8 ,say to the    
children of  ,israel that they go forth4
 ,take thou and raise the rod1 and      
stretch thy  hand upon the sea1 and     
depart it that the children of ,israel  
may go dry  through the middle of it4 ,i
 shall so indurate the heart of ,pharaoh
 that  he shall follow you1 and all the 
,egyptians1 and ,i shall be glorified in
  ,pharaoh1 and in all his host1 his    
carts and horsemen4 ,and the ,egyptians 
shall know that ,i am ,lord when ,i     
shall so be glorified4 ,the angel of    
,god  went tofore the castles of        
,israel1 and another came after in the  
cloud  which stood between them of      
,egypt and the children of ,israel4 ,and

 the  cloud was dark that the host of   
,israel might not come to them of all   
the  night4 ,then ,moses stretched his  
hand upon the sea1 and there came a wind
  blowing in such wise that it waxed    
dry1 and the children of ,israel went   
in through the midst of the ,red ,sea   
all dry foot2 for the water stood up  as
 a wall on the right side and on the    
left side4 ,the ,egyptians then         
pursuing them followed and entered after
 them1 and all the carts1  chariots and 
horsemen1 through the middle of the sea4
 ,and then our ,lord  beheld that the   
children of ,israel were passed over and
 were on the dry  land1 on that other   
side4 ,anon turned the water on them1   
and the wheels  on their carts turned up
 so down1 and drowned all the host of   
,pharaoh1  and sank down into the deep  
of the sea4 ,then said the ,egyptians3  
,let us  flee ,israel2 the ,lord        
fighteth for them against us4 ,and our  
,lord said to  ,moses3 ,stretch out     
thine hand upon the sea1 and let the    

water return  upon the ,egyptians1 and  
upon their chariots and horsemen4 ,and  
so ,moses  stretched out his hand and   
the sea returned in to his first place4 
,and  then the ,egyptians would have    
fled1 but the water came and overflowed 
them in the midst of the flood1 and it  
covered the chariots and  horsemen1 and 
all the host of ,pharaoh1 and there was 
not one saved of  them4 ,and the        
children of ,israel had passed through  
the middle of the  dry sea and came     
a-land4    ,thus delivered our ,lord the
 children of ,israel from the hand of   
the  ,egyptians1 and they saw the       
,egyptians lying dead upon the brinks of
 the  sea4 ,and the people then dreaded 
our ,lord and believed in him1 and to   
,moses his servant4 ,then ,moses and the
 children of ,israel sang this song  to 
our ,lord3 ,cantemus domino magnificatus
 est1 ,let us sing to our ,lord1  he is 
magnified1 he hath overthrown the       
horsemen and carmen in the sea4  ,and   
,miriam the sister of ,aaron1 a         

prophetess1 took a timpane in her  hand1
 and all the women followed her with    
timpanes and chords1 and she  went      
tofore singing ,cantemus domino4 ,then  
,moses brought the children of  ,israel 
from the sea into the desert of ,sur1   
and walked with them three  days and    
three nights and found no water1 and    
came into ,marah1 and the  waters there 
were so bitter that they might not drink
 thereof4 ,then the  people grudged     
against ,moses1 saying3 ,what shall we  
drink8 ,and he cried  unto our ,lord    
which showed to him a tree which he took
 and put into the  waters1 and anon they
 were turned into sweetness4 ,there our 
,lord  ordained commandments and        
judgments1 and there he tempted him     
saying3 ,if  thou hearest the voice of  
thy ,lord-,god1 and that thou do is     
rightful  before him1 and obeyest his   
commandments1 and keep his precepts1 ,i 
shall  not bring none of the languors ne
 sorrows upon thee that ,i did in       
,egypt4  ,i am ,lord thy saviour4 ,then 

the children of ,israel came in to      
,elim1  where as were twelve fountains  
of water1 and seventy palm trees1 and   
they abode by the waters4 ,then from    
thence went all the multitude of the    
children of ,israel into the desert of  
,sin1 which is between ,elim and        
,sinai1 and grudged against ,moses and  
,aaron in that wilderness1 and said3    
,would ,god we had dwelled still in     
,egypt1 whereas we sat and had plenty   
of bread and flesh2 why have ye brought 
us into the desert for to slay  all this
 multitude by hunger8 ,our ,lord said   
then to ,moses3 ,i shall rain  bread to 
you from heaven1 let the people go out  
and gather every day  that ,i may prove 
them whether they walk in my law or not2
 the sixth day  let them gather double  
as much as they gather in one day of the
 other4  ,then said ,moses and ,aaron to
 all the children of ,israel3 ,at even  
ye  shall know that ,god hath brought   
you from the land of ,egypt1 and to-morn
  ye shall see the glory of our ,lord4  

,i have well heard your murmur  against 
our ,lord1 what have ye mused against   
us8 what be we8 and yet  said ,moses2   
,our ,lord shall give you at even flesh 
for to eat and to-morn  bread unto your 
fill1 for as much as ye have murmured   
against him2 what  be we8 ,your murmur  
is not against us but against our ,lord4
 ,as ,aaron  spake to all the company of
 the children of ,israel they beheld    
toward  the wilderness1 and our ,lord   
spake to ,moses in a cloud and said3 ,i 
have  heard the grudgings of the        
children of ,israel2 say to them3 ,at   
even ye  shall eat flesh and to-morn ye 
shall be filled with bread1 and ye shall
  know that ,i am your ,lord ,god4 ,and 
when the even was come there came so    
many curlews that it covered all their  
lodgings1 and on the morn there  lay    
like dew all about in their circuit4    
,which when they saw and came  for to   
gather1 it was small and white like to  
coriander4 ,and they  wondered on it and
 said3 ,mahun1 that is as much to say1  

what is this8 ,to  whom ,moses said3    
,this is the bread that ,god hath sent  
you to eat1 and  ,god commandeth that   
every man should gather as much for     
every head as is  the measure of gomor1 
and let nothing be left till on the     
morn4 ,and the  sixth day gather ye     
double so much1 that is two measures of 
gomor1 and  keep that one measure for   
the ,sabbath1 which ,god hath sanctified
 and  commanded you to hallow it4 ,yet  
some of them brake ,god's commandment1  
and gathered more than they ate and kept
 it till on the morn1 and then  it began
 to putrify and be full of worms4 ,and  
that they kept for the  ,sabbath day was
 good and putrified not4 ,and thus our  
,lord fed the  children of ,israel forty
 years in the desert4 ,and it was called
 ,manna4  ,moses took one gomor thereof 
and put it in the tabernacle for to be  
kept  for a perpetual memory and        
remembrance4    ,then went they forth   
all the multitude of the children of    
,israel1 in the  desert of ,sin in their

 mansions and came1 to ,rephidim1 where 
as they had  no water4 ,then all        
grudging they said to ,moses1 ,give us  
water for to  drink4 ,to whom ,moses    
answered3 ,what grudge ye against me1   
why tempt ye  our ,lord8 ,the people    
thirsted sore for lack and penury of    
water saying3  ,why hast thou brought us
 out of ,egypt for to slay us and our   
children  and beasts8 ,then ,moses cried
 unto our ,lord saying3 ,what shall ,i  
do to  this people8 ,i trow within a    
while they shall stone me to death4     
,then  our ,lord said to ,moses3 ,go    
before the people and take with thee the
  older men and seniors of ,israel1 and 
take the rod that thou smotest with  the
 flood in thy hand1 and ,i shall stand  
tofore upon the stone of ,oreb1  and    
smite thou the stone with the rod and   
the waters shall come out  thereof that 
the people may drink4 ,moses did so     
tofore the seniors of  ,israel and      
called that place ,temptation1 because  
of the grudge of the  children of       

,israel1 and said3 ,is ,god with us or  
not8 ,then came ,amalek  and fought     
against the children of ,israel in      
,rephidim4 ,moses said then  to ,joshua3
 ,choose to thee men1 and go out and    
fight against ,amalek  to-morrow4 ,i    
shall stand on the top of the hill      
having the rod of ,god in  my hand3     
,joshua did as ,moses commanded him1 and
 fought against ,amalek4  ,moses1       
,aaron1 and ,hur ascended into the hill1
 and when ,moses held up  his hands1    
,israel won and overcame their enemies1 
and when he laid them  down then ,amalek
 had the better4 ,the hands of ,moses   
were heavy2 ,aaron  and ,hur took then a
 stone and put it under them1 and they  
sustained his  hands on either side1 and
 so his hands were not weary until the  
going  down of the sun4 ,and so ,joshua 
made ,amalek to flee1 and his people1 by
  strength of his sword4 ,our ,lord said
 to ,moses3 ,write this for a           
remembrance in a book and deliver it to 
the ears of ,joshua2 ,i shall  destroy  

and put away the memory of ,amalek under
 heaven4 ,moses then  edified an altar  
unto our ,lord1 and called there on the 
name of our  ,lord1 saying3 ,the ,lord  
is mine exaltation1 for this is the hand
 only of  ,god1 and the battle and ,god 
shall be against ,amalek from generation
 to  generation4    ,when ,jethro the   
priest of ,midian1 which was cousin of  
,moses1 heard say  what our ,lord had   
done to ,moses and to the children of   
,israel his  people1 he took ,zipporah  
the wife of ,moses1 and his two sons1   
,gershom  and ,eleazar and came with    
them to him into desert1 whom ,moses    
received  with worship and kissed him4  
,and when they were together ,moses told
 him  all what our ,lord had done to    
,pharaoh and to the ,egyptians for      
,israel1  and all the labor that they   
endured and how our ,lord had delivered 
them4  ,jethro was glad for all these   
things1 that ,god had so saved them from
  the hands of the ,egyptians and said3 
,blessed be the ,lord that hath         

delivered you from the hand of the      
,egyptians and of ,pharaoh1 and hath    
saved his people2 now ,i know that he is
 a great ,lord above all gods1  because 
they did so proudly against them4 ,and  
,jethro offered sacrifices  and         
offerings to our ,lord4 ,aaron and all  
the seniors of ,israel came and  eat    
with him tofore our ,lord4 ,the next day
 ,moses sat and judged and  deemed the  
people from morning unto evening1 which1
 when his cousin saw1  he said to him3  
,what doest thou8 ,why sittest thou     
alone and all the  people tarry from the
 morning until evening8 ,to whom ,moses 
answered3 ,the  people came to me       
demanding sentence and the doom of ,god2
 when there is  any debate or difference
 among them they come to me to judge    
them1 and  to show to them the precepts 
and the laws of ,god4 ,then said        
,jethro3 ,thou  dost not well nor       
wisely1 for by folly thou consumest thy 
self1 and the  people with thee2 thou   
dost above thy might1 thou mayst not    

alone  sustain it1 but hear me and do   
there after1 and our ,lord shall be with
  thee4 ,be thou unto the people in     
those things that appertain to ,god1    
that thou tell to them what they should 
do1 and the ceremonies and rites  to    
worship ,god1 and the way by which they 
should go1 and what work they  shall do4
 ,provide of all people wise men and    
dreading ,god1 in whom is  truth1 and   
them that hate avarice and covetise1 and
 ordain of them  tribunes and centurions
 and deans that may in all times judge  
the  people4 ,and if there be of a great
 charge and weight1 let it be referred  
to thee1 and let them judge the small   
things2 it shall be the easier to  thee 
to bear the charge when it is so parted4
 ,if thou do so1 thou shalt  fulfil the 
commandment of ,god1 and sustain his    
precepts1 and the people  shall go home 
to their places in peace4 ,which things 
when ,moses had  heard and understood1  
he did all that he had counselled him1  
and chose  out the strongest and wisest 

people of all ,israel and ordained them 
princes of the people1 tribunes1        
centurions1 quinquagenaries1 and deans1 
which at all times should judge and deem
 the people4 ,and all the great  and    
weighty matters they referred to him1   
deeming and judging the small  causes4  
,and then his cousin departed and went  
into his country4    ,the third month   
after the children of ,israel departed  
out of ,egypt1 that  same day they came 
into the wilderness of ,sinai1 and there
 about the  region of the mount they    
fixed their tents4 ,moses ascended into 
the hill  unto ,god4 ,god called him on 
the hill and said3 ,this shalt thou say 
to  the house of ,jacob and to the      
children of ,israel4 ,ye yourselves have
  seen what ,i have done to the         
,egyptians1 and how ,i have borne you on
 the  wings of eagles and have taken you
 to me4 ,if ye therefore hear my voice  
and keep my covenant1 ye shall be to me 
in the reign of priesthood and  holy    
people4 ,these be the words that thou   

shalt say to the children of  ,israel4  
,moses came down and gathered all the   
most of birth1 and  expounded in them   
all the words that our ,lord had        
commanded him4 ,all the  people         
answered3 ,all that ever our ,lord hath 
said we shall do1    ,when ,moses had   
showed the people the words of our      
,lord1 our ,lord said to  him3 ,now ,i  
shall come to thee in a cloud that the  
people may hear me  speaking to thee1   
that they believe thee ever after4      
,moses went and told  this to the       
people1 and our ,lord bade them to      
sanctify the people this  day and       
to-morrow1 and let them wash their      
clothes1 and be ready the  third day4   
,the third day our ,lord shall descend  
tofore all the people on  the mount of  
,sinai4 ,and ordain to the people the   
marks and terms in the  circuit4 ,and   
say to them3 ,beware that ye ascend not 
on the hill ne touch  the ends of it4   
,whosoever touched the hill shall die by
 death1 there  shall no hand touch him1 

but with stones he shall be oppressed   
and with  casting of them on him he     
shall be tolben2 whether it be man or   
beast1  he shall not live4 ,when thou   
hearest the trump blown then ascend to  
the  hill4 ,moses went down to the      
people and sanctified and hallowed them1
  and when they had washen their clothes
 he said to them3 ,be ye ready at  the  
third day and approach not your wives2  
,when the third day came1 and  the      
morning waxed clear1 they heard thunder 
and lightning and saw a  great cloud    
cover the mount1 and the cry of the     
trump was so shrill that  the people    
were sore afraid4 ,when ,moses had      
brought them forth unto the  root of the
 hill they stood there4 ,all the mount  
of ,sinai smoked1 for so  much as our   
,lord descended on it in fire1 and the  
smoke ascended from  the hill as it had 
been from a furnace4 ,the mount was     
terrible and  dreadful1 and the sound of
 the trump grew a little more and       
continued  longer4 ,moses spake and our 

,lord answered him4 ,our ,lord descended
 upon  the top of the mount of ,sinai1  
even on the top of it1 and called ,moses
  to him1 which when he came said to    
him3 ,go down and charge the people     
that they come not to the terms of the  
hill for to see the ,lord1 for if  they 
do1 much multitude shall perish of them4
 ,the priests that shall  come let them 
be sanctified lest they be smitten down4
 ,and thou and  ,aaron shall ascend the 
hill4 ,all the people and priests let   
them not  pass their bounds lest ,god   
smite them4 ,then ,moses descended and  
told to  the people all that our ,lord  
hath said4 ,after this our ,lord called 
,moses  and said3 ,i am the ,lord ,god  
that brought you out of ,egypt and of   
thraldom4 ,and gave him the ,commandment
 first by speaking and many  ceremonies 
as be rehearsed in the ,bible1 which is 
not requisite to be  written here1 but  
the ten commandments every man is       
bounden to know4 ,and  ere ,moses       
received them written1 he went up into  

the mount of ,sinai1 and  fasted there  
forty days and forty nights ere he      
received them4 ,in which  time he       
commanded him to make many things1 and  
to ordain the laws and  ceremonies which
 now be not had in the new law4 ,and    
also as doctors say1  ,moses learned    
that time all the histories tofore      
written of the making  of heaven and    
earth1 of ,adam1 ,noah1 ,abraham1       
,isaac1 ,jacob1 and of ,joseph  with his
 brethren4 ,and at last delivered to him
 two tables of stone1  both written with
 the hand of ,god1 which follow4        
,the first commandment that ,god        
commanded is this4 ,thou shalt not      
worship  no strange ne diverse gods4    
,the second commandment is this1 that   
thou shalt not take the name of  ,god in
 vain1 that is to say1 thou shalt not   
swear by him for nothing4    ,the third 
commandment is that thou have mind and  
remember that thou  hallow and keep holy
 thy ,sabbath day or ,sunday4 ,these    
three commandments  be written in the   

first table and appertain only to ,god4 
,the fourth commandment is that thou    
shalt honor and worship thy father  and 
mother1 for thou shalt live the longer  
on earth4    ,the fifth commandment is  
that thou shalt slay no man4    ,the    
sixth commandment is1 thou shalt not do 
adultery4    ,the seventh commandment is
 that thou shalt do no theft4    ,the   
eighth commandment is that thou shalt   
not bear false witness against  thy     
neighbor4    ,the ninth commandment is  
that thou shalt not desire the wife of  
thy  neighbor1 nor shalt not covet her  
in thine heart4    ,the tenth           
commandment is that thou shalt not covet
 nothing that is1 or  longeth to1 thy   
neighbor4      ,these be the ten        
commandments of our ,lord1 of which the 
three first  belong to ,god1 and the    
seven other be ordained for our         
neighbors4 ,every  person that hath wit 
and understanding in himself1 and age1  
is bound to  know them and to obey and  
keep these ten commandments aforesaid or

 else  he sinneth deadly4    ,thus      
,moses abode in the hill forty days and 
forty nights and received  of ,almighty 
,god the tables with the commandments   
written with the hand  of ,god2 and also
 received and learned many ceremonies   
and statutes that  ,god ordained1 by    
which the children of ,israel should be 
ruled and  judged4 ,and whiles that     
,moses was thus with our ,lord on the   
mount1 the  children of ,israel saw that
 he tarried and descended not1 and some 
of  them said that he was dead or gone  
away1 and would not return again1 and   
some said nay2 but in conclusion they   
gathered them together against  ,aaron1 
and said to him3 ,make to us some gods  
that may go tofore us1 we  know not what
 is befallen to ,moses4 ,then ,aaron    
said3 ,take the gold that  hangeth in   
the ears of your wives and your         
children1 and bring it to me4  ,the     
people did as he bade1 and brought the  
gold to ,aaron1 which he took  and molt 
it and made thereof a calf4 ,then they  

said3 ,these be thy gods1  ,israel1 that
 brought thee out of the land of ,egypt4
 ,then the people made  an altar tofore 
it1 and made great joy and mirth1 and   
danced and played  tofore the calf1 and 
offered and made sacrifices thereto4    
,our ,lord spake  to ,moses1 saying3 ,go
 hence and descend down1 thy people have
 sinned whom  thou hast brought forth   
from the land of ,egypt4 ,they have soon
 forsaken  and left the way which thou  
hast showed to them4 ,they have made to 
them  a calf blown1 and they have       
worshipped it1 and offered sacrifices   
thereto1 saying3 ,these be thy gods1    
,israel1 that have brought thee out  of 
the land of ,egypt1 ,yet said our ,lord 
to ,moses3 ,i see well that this  people
 is of evil disposition1 suffer me that 
,i may wreak my wrath on  them1 and ,i  
shall destroy them4 ,i shall make thee  
governor of great  people4    ,moses    
then prayed our ,lord ,god saying3 ,why 
art thou wroth1 ,lord1 against  thy     
people that thou hast brought out of the

 land of ,egypt in a great  strength and
 a boisterous hand8 ,i beseech thee1    
,lord1 let not the  ,egyptians say that 
their ,god hath locked them out for to  
slay them in  the mountains4 ,i pray    
thee ,lord that thy wrath may assuage1  
and be thou  pleased and benign upon the
 wickedness of thy people4 ,remember    
,abraham1  ,isaac1 and ,jacob thy       
servants1 to whom thou promisedst and   
swaredst by  thyself saying3 ,i shall   
multiply your seed as the stars of      
heaven1 and  the universal1 land of     
which ,i have spoken ,i shall give to   
your seed1  and ye shall possess and    
have it ever4 ,and with these words our 
,lord was  pleased that he would do no  
harm as he had said unto his people2 and
  ,moses returned from the mount1       
bearing two tables of stone1 written    
both  with the hand of ,god4 ,and the   
scripture that was in the tables were   
the  ten commandments as fore be        
written4 ,joshua hearing the great noise
 of  the children of ,israel said to    

,moses3 ,i trow they fight beneath1     
which  answered and said3 ,it is no cry 
of exhorting men to fight1 ne noise to  
compel me to flee1 but ,i hear the noise
 of singing4 ,when he approached  to    
them he saw the calf and the instruments
 of mirth1 and he was so  wroth that he 
threw down the tables and brake them at 
the foot of the  hill1 and ran and      
caught down the calf that they had made1
 and burnt  and smote it all to powder1 
which he cast into water and gave it to 
drink to the children of ,israel4 ,then 
said ,moses to ,aaron3 ,what hath  this 
people done to thee that thou hast made 
to sin grievously8 ,to whom  he         
answered3 ,let not my lord take none    
indignation at me1 thou knowest  well   
that this people is prone and ready to  
sin4 ,they said to me3 ,make  us gods   
that may go tofore us2 we know not what 
is fallen to this ,moses  that led us   
out of ,egypt4 ,to whom ,i said3 ,who of
 you that hath gold give  it me2 they   
took and gave it to me1 and ,i cast it  

into the fire1 and  thereof came out    
this calf4 ,and then said ,moses3 ,all  
they that be of  ,god's part and have   
not sinned in this calf let them join to
 me2 and the  children of ,levi joined  
to him1 and he bade each man take a     
sword on his  side and take vengeance   
and slay every each his brother1 friend1
 and his  neighbor that have trespassed4
 ,and so the children of ,levi went and 
slew  thirty-three thousand of the      
children of ,israel4 ,and then said     
,moses3 ,ye  have hallowed this day your
 hands unto our ,lord1 and ye shall be  
therefore blessed4 ,the second day      
,moses spake to the people and said3 ,ye
  have committed and done the greatest  
sin that may be4 ,i shall ascend  unto  
our ,lord again1 and shall pray him for 
your sin4 ,then ,moses  ascended again1 
and received afterward two tables again1
 which our ,lord  bade him make4 ,and   
therein our ,lord wrote the             
commandments4 ,and after1  our ,lord    
commanded him to make an ark and a      

tabernacle3 in which ark was  kept three
 things4 ,first the rod with which he   
did marvels1 a pot full  of manna1 and  
the two tables with commandments4 ,and  
then after ,moses  taught them the law2 
how each man should behave him against  
other and  what he should do1 and what  
he should not do1 and departed them into
  twelve tribes1 and commanded that     
every man should bring a rod into the   
,tabernacle4 ,and ,moses wrote each name
 on the rod1 and ,moses shut fast  the  
tabernacle4 ,and on the morn there was  
found one of the rods that  burgeoned   
and bare leaves and fruit1 and was of an
 almond tree4 ,that rod  fell to ,aaron4
    ,and after this1 long time1 the     
children desired to eat flesh and       
remembered of the flesh that they ate in
 ,egypt1 and grudged against  ,moses1   
and would have ordained to them a duke  
for to have returned into  ,egypt4      
,wherefore ,moses was so woe that he    
desired of our ,lord to deliver  him    
from this life1 because he saw them so  

unkind against ,god4 ,then ,god  sent to
 them so great plenty of curlews that   
two days and one night they  flew so    
thick by the ground that they took great
 number1 for they flew  but the height  
of two cubits4 ,and they had so many    
that they dried them  hanging on their  
tabernacles and tents4 ,yet were they   
not content1 but  ever grudging1        
wherefore ,god smote them and took      
vengeance on them by a  great plague and
 many died and were buried there4 ,and  
then from thence  they went into        
,hazeroth and dwelt4 ,after this ,miriam
 and ,aaron1 brother  and sister of     
,moses1 began to speak against ,moses1  
because of his wife  which was of       
,ethiopia1 and said3 ,god hath not      
spoken only by ,moses1  hath he not also
 spoken to us8 ,wherefore our ,lord was 
wroth4 ,moses was  the humblest and the 
meekest man that was in all the world4  
,anon then1  our ,lord said to him1 and 
to ,aaron and to ,miriam3 ,go ye three  
only unto  the tabernacle2 and there our

 ,lord said that there was none like to 
,moses1 to whom he had spoken mouth to  
mouth1 and reproved ,aaron and  ,miriam 
because they spake so to ,moses1 and    
being wroth1 departed from  them1 and   
anon1 ,miriam was smitten and made leper
 and white like snow4  ,and when ,aaron 
beheld her and saw her smitten with     
leprosy1 he said to  ,moses3 ,i beseech 
the ,lord that thou set not the sin on  
us which we have  committed follily1 and
 let not this our sister be as a dead   
woman1 or as  born out of time and cast 
away from her mother1 behold and see1   
half her  flesh is devoured of the      
leprosy4 ,then ,moses cried unto our    
,lord1  saying3 ,i beseech thee ,lord   
that thou heal her2 to whom our ,lord   
said3  ,if her father had spit in her   
face should she not be put to shame and 
rebuke seven days8 ,let her depart out  
of the castles seven days1 and  after   
she shall be called in again4 ,so       
,miriam was shut out of the  castles    
seven days1 and the people removed not  

from the place till she  was called     
again4    ,after this our ,lord         
commanded ,moses to send men into the   
land of ,canaan  that he should give    
them charge for to see and consider the 
goodness  thereof1 and that of every    
tribe he should send some4 ,moses did as
 our  ,lord had commanded1 which went in
 and brought of the fruits with them1   
and they brought a branch with one      
cluster of grapes as much as two men    
might bear between them upon a          
colestaff4 ,when they had seen the      
country  and considered by the space of 
forty days they returned and told the   
commodities of the land1 but some said  
that the people were strong1 and  many  
kings and giants1 in such wise that they
 said it was impregnable  and that the  
people were much stronger than they     
were4 ,wherefore the  people anon were  
afeard1 and murmured against ,moses and 
would return  again into ,egypt4 ,then  
,joshua and ,caleb1 which were two of   
them that had  considered the land1 said

 to the people3 ,why grudge ye and      
wherefore be  ye afraid8 ,we have well  
seen the country1 and it is good to win4
 ,the  country floweth full of milk and 
honey1 be not rebel against ,god1 he    
shall give it us1 be ye not afeard4     
,then all the people cried against      
them1 and when they would have taken    
stones and stoned them1 our ,lord in    
his glory appeared in a cloud upon the  
covering of the tabernacle1 and  said to
 ,moses3 ,this people believeth not the 
signs and wonders that ,i  have showed  
and done to them4 ,i shall destroy them 
all by pestilence1  and ,i shall make   
thee a prince upon people greater and   
stronger than  this is4 ,then prayed    
,moses to our ,lord for the people1 that
 he would  have pity on them and not    
destroy them1 but to have mercy on them 
after  the magnitude of his mercy4 ,and 
our ,lord at his request forgave them4  
,nevertheless our ,lord said that all   
the men that had seen his majesty1  and 
the signs and marvels that he did in    

,egypt1 and in desert1 and have  tempted
 him ten times1 and not obeyed unto his 
voice1 shall not see ne  come into the  
country and land that ,i have promised  
to their fathers1  but ,joshua and      
,caleb1 my servants1 shall enter into   
the land1 and their  seed shall possess 
it4 ,moses told all this unto the       
children and they  wailed and sorrowed  
greatly therefore4    ,after this the   
people removed from thence and came into
 the desert of  ,sin2 and then ,miriam1 
sister of ,moses and ,aaron1 died1 and  
was buried in  the same place4 ,then the
 people lacked water and came and       
grudged  against ,moses1 and yet wished 
they had abided in ,egypt4 ,then ,moses 
and  ,aaron entered into the ,tabernacle
 and fell down to the ground low1 and   
prayed unto our ,lord1 saying3 ,lord    
,god1 hear the clamor of thy people1    
and open to them thy treasure1 a        
fountain of living water1 that they may 
drink and the murmuration of them may   
cease4 ,our ,lord said to him then3     

,take the rod in thy hand1 and thou and 
,aaron thy brother1 assemble and  gather
 the people and speak ye to the stone1  
and it shall give out  water4 ,and when 
the water cometh let all the multitude  
drink and their  beasts4 ,moses then    
took the rod as our ,lord bade1 and     
gathered all the  people tofore the     
stone and said to them3 ,hear ye rebels 
and out of  belief2 trow ye not that we 
may give you water out of this stone8   
,and he  lift up his hand and smote     
between the stone1 and water came and   
flowed  out in the most largest wise1 in
 such wise that the people and beasts   
drank their fill4 ,then said ,god to    
,moses and ,aaron3 ,because ye have not 
believed me and sanctified my name      
tofore the children of ,israel1 and     
given to me the laud1 but have done this
 in your name1 ye shall not  bring this 
people into the land that ,i shall give 
to them4 ,and therefore  this water was 
called the water of contradiction1 where
 the children  grudged against ,god4    

,anon after this1 by ,god's commandment1
 ,moses took ,aaron upon the hill1  and 
despoiled him of his vesture1 and       
clothed therewith his son ,eleazar1  and
 made him upperest bishop for his father
 ,aaron4 ,and there ,aaron died  in the 
top of the hill1 and ,moses descended   
with ,eleazar4 ,and when all  the       
multitude of people saw that ,aaron was 
dead1 they wept and wailed on  him      
thirty days in every tribe and family4  
,after this the people went about the   
land of ,edom1 and began to wax  weary1 
and grudged against our ,lord and       
,moses1 and said yet3 ,why hast  thou   
led us out of the ,land of ,egypt for to
 slay us in this desert and  wilderness8
 ,bread faileth us1 there is no water1  
and our souls abhor and  loathe this    
light meat4 ,for which cause ,god sent  
among them  fiery-serpents1 which bit   
and wounded many of them and slew also4 
,then  they that were hurt came in to   
,moses and said3 ,we have sinned1 for we
  have spoken against our ,lord and     

thee2 pray for us unto ,god that he     
deliver from us these serpents4 ,then   
,moses prayed our ,lord for the  people4
 ,and our ,lord said to him3 ,make a    
serpent of brass and set it up  for a   
sign1 and whosomever be hurt1 and       
looketh thereon and beholdeth  it1 shall
 live and be whole4 ,then ,moses made a 
serpent of brass1 and set  it up for a  
sign1 and when they that were hurt      
beheld it they were made  whole4        
,after this when ,moses had showed to   
them all the laws of our ,lord1 and     
ceremonies1 and had governed them forty 
years1 and that he was an  hundred and  
twenty years old1 he ascended from the  
fields of ,moab upon  the mountain of   
,nebo into the top of ,pisgah against   
,jericho1 and there  our ,lord showed to
 him all the land of ,gilead unto ,dan1 
and the land of  promise from that one  
end unto that other4 ,and then our ,lord
 said to  him3 ,this is the land that ,i
 promised to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and      
,jacob1  saying3 ,i shall give it to thy

 seed4 ,now thou hast seen it with thine
  eyes1 and shalt not enter ne come     
therein4 ,and there in that place died  
,moses1 servant of our ,lord1 as ,god   
commanded1 and was buried in the vale   
of the land of ,moab against ,beth-peor4
 ,and yet never man knew his  sepulchre 
unto this day4 ,moses was an hundred and
 twenty years old when  he died1 his    
eyes never dimmed1 ne his teeth were    
never moved4 ,the  children of ,israel  
wept and mourned for him thirty days in 
the fields of  ,moab4 ,joshua the son of
 ,nun was replenished with the spirit of
 wisdom2  for ,moses set on him his     
hands1 and the children obeyed him as   
our ,lord  had commanded to ,moses4 ,and
 there was never after a prophet in     
,israel  like unto ,moses1 which knew   
and spake to ,god face to face in all   
signs  and tokens that ,god did and     
showed by him in the land of ,egypt to  
,pharaoh and all his servants4          
,,the ,,burial ,,of ,,moses      ,by    
,nebo's lonely mountain1    ,on this    

side ,jordan's wave1  ,in a vale in the 
land of ,moab    ,there lies a lonely   
grave4  ,and no man knows that          
sepulchre1    ,and no man saw it e'er1  
,for the angels of ,god upturned the    
sod1    ,and laid the dead man there4   
,that was the grandest funeral    ,that 
ever passed on earth2  ,but no man heard
 the trampling1    ,or saw the train go 
forth--  ,noiselessly as the daylight   
,comes back when night is done1  ,and   
the crimson streak on ocean's cheek     
,grows into the great sun4              
,noiselessly as the springtime    ,her  
crown of verdure weaves1  ,and all the  
trees on all the hills    ,open their   
thousand leaves2  ,so without sound of  
music1    ,or voice of them that wept1  
,silently down from the mountain's crown
    ,the great procession swept4        
,perchance the bald old eagle1    ,on   
gray ,beth-peor's height1  ,out of his  
lonely eyrie    ,looked on the wondrous 
sight2  ,perchance the lion stalking1   
,still shuns that hallowed spot1  ,for  

beast and bird have seen and heard      
,that which man knoweth not4    ,but    
when the warrior dieth1    ,his comrades
 in the war1  ,with arms reversed and   
muffled drum1    ,follow his funeral    
car2  ,they show the banners taken1     
,they tell his battles won1  ,and after 
him lead his masterless steed1    ,while
 peals the minute gun4    ,amid the     
noblest of the land    ,we lay the sage 
to rest1  ,and give the bard an honored 
place    ,with costly marble drest1  ,in
 the great minster transept1    ,where  
lights like glories fall1  ,and the     
organ rings1 and the sweet choir sings1 
,along the emblazoned wall4    ,this was
 the truest warrior    ,that ever       
buckled sword2  ,this the most gifted   
poet    ,that ever breathed a word4     
,and never earth's philosopher          
,traced with his golden pen  ,on the    
deathless page truths half so sage      
,as he wrote down for men4    ,and had  
he not high honor8--    ,the hillside   
for a pall1  ,to lie in state1 while    

angels wait1    ,with stars for tapers  
tall2  ,and the dark rock-pines1 like   
tossing plumes1    ,over his bier to    
wave1  ,and ,god's own hand in that     
lonely land    ,to lay him in the       
grave1--    ,in that strange grave      
without a name1    ,whence his          
uncoffined clay  ,shall break again1 ,o 
wondrous thought6    ,before the        
judgment day1  ,and stand with glory    
wrapt around    ,on the hills he never  
trod2  ,and speak of the strife1 that   
won our life1    ,with the incarnate son
 of ,god4    ,o lonely grave in ,moab's 
land6    ,o dark ,beth-peor's hill6     
,speak to these curious hearts of ours1 
,and teach them to be still4  ,god hath 
his mysteries of grace1    ,ways that we
 cannot tell2  ,he hides them deep1 like
 the hidden sleep    ,of him ,he loved  
so well4    --,cecil ,frances           
,alexander4          ,,the ,,history    
,,of ,,joshua      ,after ,moses1       
,joshua was duke and leader of the      
children of ,israel1 and  brought them  

into the land of behest1 and did many   
great battles4 ,for  whom ,god showed   
many great marvels and in especial one2 
that was that  the sun stood still at   
his request1 till he had overcome his   
enemies1 by  the space of a day4 ,and   
our ,lord1 when he fought1 sent down    
such  hail-stones that slew more of his 
enemies with the stones than with  man's
 hand4    ,joshua was a noble man and   
governed well ,israel1 and divided the  
land  unto the twelve tribes by lot4    
,and when he was an hundred and ten     
years  old he died4 ,and divers dukes   
after him judged and deemed ,israel1 of 
whom be noble histories1 as of          
,jephthah1 ,gideon1 and ,samson1 which  
,i  pass over unto the histories of the 
kings1 which is read in holy church     
from the first ,sunday after ,trinity   
,sunday1 unto the first ,sunday of      
,august4          ,,the ,,history ,,of  
,,saul    ,the first ,sunday after      
,trinity ,sunday unto the first ,sunday 
of the  month of ,august is read the    

,book of ,kings4      ,this history     
maketh mention that there was a man     
named ,elkanah which had  two wives1    
that one was named ,hannah1 and the name
 of the second  ,peninnah4 ,peninnah had
 children and ,hannah had none but was  
barren4 ,the  good man at such days as  
he was bounden1 went to his city for to 
make  his sacrifice and worship ,god4   
,in this time ,hophni and ,phineas sons 
of  ,eli1 the great priest1 were priests
 of our ,lord4 ,this ,elkanah gave to   
,peninnah at such times as he offered1  
to her sons and daughters1 certain      
parts1 and unto ,hannah he gave but one 
part4 ,peninnah did much sorrow  and    
reproof to ,hannah because she had had  
no children1 and thus did  every year1  
and provoked her to wrath1 but she wept 
for sorrow and ate  no meat4 ,to whom   
,elkanah her husband said3 ,hannah1 why 
weepest thou8 and  wherefore eatest thou
 not8 ,why is thine heart put to        
affliction8 ,am ,i  not better to thee  
than ten sons8 ,then ,hannah arose after

 she had eaten  and drunk in ,shilo and 
went to pray unto our ,lord1 making to  
him a vow  if that she might have a son 
she should offer him to our ,lord4 ,eli 
that  time sat tofore the posts of the  
house of our ,lord4 ,and ,hannah        
besought  and prayed our ,lord1 making  
to him a vow1 if that she might have a  
son  she should offer him to our ,lord4 
,and it was so that she prayed so       
heartily in her thought and mind1 that  
her lips moved not1 wherefore ,eli  bare
 her on hand that she was drunk4 ,and   
she said3 ,nay1 my lord1 ,i am a        
sorrowful woman1 ,i have drunken no wine
 ne drink that may cause me to be       
drunken1 but ,i have made my prayers1   
and cast my soul in the sight of        
,almighty ,god4 ,repute me not as one of
 the daughters of ,belial1 for the      
prayer that ,i have made and spoken yet 
is of the multitude of the  heaviness   
and sorrow of my heart4 ,then ,eli the  
priest said to her3 ,go in  peace1 the  
,god of ,israel give to thee the        

petition of thy heart for that  thou    
hast prayed him4 ,and she said3 ,would  
,god that thy handservant might  find   
grace in thy sight4 ,and so she         
departed1 and on the morn they went     
home again in to ,ramatha4    ,after    
this our ,lord remembered her1 and she  
bare a fair son and named  him ,samuel  
for so much as she asked him of our     
,lord4 ,wherefore ,elkanah1  her        
husband1 went and offered a solemn      
sacrifice and his vow  accomplished1 but
 ,hannah ascended not with him4 ,she    
said to her husband  that she would not 
go till her child were weaned and taken 
from the pap4  ,and after when ,samuel  
was weaned1 and was an infant1 the      
mother took  him1 and three calves and  
three measures of meal1 and a bottle of 
wine1  and brought him unto the house of
 our ,lord in ,shilo and sacrificed that
  calf and offered the child to ,eli1   
and told to ,eli that she was the  woman
 that prayed our ,lord for that child4  
,and there ,hannah worshipped  our ,lord

 and thanked him1 and there made this   
psalm which is one of the  canticles3   
,my heart hath rejoiced in the ,lord1   
and so forth1 all the  remnant of that  
psalm4 ,and then ,elkanah with his wife 
returned home to  his house4 ,after this
 our ,lord visited ,hannah1 and she     
conceived three  sons1 and two          
daughters1 which she brought forth4 ,and
 ,samuel abode in  the house of our     
,lord and was minister in the sight of  
,eli4 ,but the two  sons of ,eli1       
,hophni and ,phineas1 were children of  
,belial1 not knowing  our ,lord1 but did
 great sins against the commandments of 
,god4 ,and our  ,lord sent a prophet to 
,eli because he corrected not his sons1 
and said  he would take the office from 
him and from his house1 and that there  
should not be an old man in his house   
and kindred1 but should die ere  they   
came to man's estate1 and that ,god     
should raise a priest that  should be   
faithful and after his heart4    ,samuel
 served and ministered our ,lord in a   

surplice before ,eli4 ,and on a  time as
 ,eli lay in his bed his eyes were so   
dimmed that he might not see  the       
lantern of ,god till it was quenched and
 put out4 ,samuel slept in the  temple  
of our ,lord whereas the ark of ,god    
was1 and our ,lord called  ,samuel1     
which answered3 ,i am ready1 and ran to 
,eli and said3 ,i am ready1  thou       
callest me4 ,which said3 ,i called thee 
not my son1 return and sleep1  and he   
returned and slept4 ,and our ,lord      
called him the second time1 and  he     
arose and went to ,eli and said3 ,lo6 ,i
 am here1 thou calledst me1  which      
answered3 ,i called thee not1 go thy    
way1 and sleep4 ,samuel knew  not the   
calling of our ,lord yet1 ne there was  
never revelation showed  him tofore4    
,and our ,lord called ,samuel the third 
time1 which arose and  came to ,eli and 
said3 ,i am here1 for thou calledst me4 
,then ,eli  understood that our ,lord   
had called him1 and said to ,samuel3 ,go
 and  sleep1 and if thou be called again

 thou shalt say3 ,speak1 ,lord1 for thy 
servant heareth thee4 ,samuel returned  
and slept in his place1 and our  ,lord  
came and called him3 ,samuel6 ,samuel6  
and ,samuel said3 ,say1 ,lord1  what it 
pleaseth1 for thy servant heareth4 ,and 
then our ,lord said to  ,samuel3 ,lo6 ,i
 make my word to be known in ,israel    
that whoso heareth1 his  ears shall ring
 and sound thereof4 ,in that day ,i     
shall raise against ,eli  that ,i have  
said upon his house4 ,i shall begin and 
accomplish it4 ,i have  given him in    
knowledge that ,i shall judge his house 
for wickedness1  forasmuch as he knoweth
 his sons to do wickedly1 and hath not  
corrected  them4 ,therefore ,i have     
sworn to the house of ,eli that the     
wickedness of  his house shall not be   
made clean with sacrifices ne gifts     
never4    ,samuel slept till on the     
morn1 and then he rose and opened the   
doors of  the house of our ,lord in his 
surplice2 and ,samuel was afeard to show
  this vision unto ,eli4 ,eli called him

 and asked what our ,lord hath said  to 
him and charged him to tell him all3 and
 ,samuel told to him all that  our ,lord
 had said1 and hid nothing from him4    
,and he said3 ,he is our  ,lord1 what it
 pleaseth him1 let him do4 ,samuel grew1
 and our ,lord was  with him in all his 
works4 ,and it was known to all ,israel 
from ,dan to  ,beersheba that ,samuel   
was the true prophet of our ,lord4      
,after this it  was so that the         
,philistines warred against the children
 of ,israel1  against whom there was a  
battle1 and the children of ,israel     
overthrown  and put to flight4          
,wherefore they assembled again1 and    
took with them  the ark of ,god which   
,hophni and ,phineas1 sons of ,eli1     
bare1 and when  they came with a great  
multitude with the ark1 the ,philistines
 were  afraid4 ,notwithstanding they    
fought against them manly and slew      
thirty  thousand footmen of the children
 of ,israel and took the ark of ,god4   
,and  the two sons of ,eli were slain1  

,hophni and ,phineas4 ,and a man of the 
tribe of ,benjamin ran for to tell this 
unto ,eli which sat abiding some        
tidings of the battle4 ,this man1 as    
soon as he entered into the town1  told 
how the field was lost1 the people      
slain1 and how the ark was  taken4 ,and 
there was a great sorrow and cry4       
,and when ,eli heard this cry and       
wailing he demanded what this noise was 
and meant1 and wherefore they so        
sorrowed4 ,then the man hied and came   
and told to ,eli4 ,eli was at that tide 
ninety-eight years old1 and his  eyes   
were waxen blind and might not see1 and 
he said3 ,i am he that came  from the   
battle1 and fled this day from the host4
 ,to whom ,eli said3 ,what  is there    
done1 my son8 ,he answered3 ,the host of
 ,israel is overthrown and  fled tofore 
the ,philistines1 and a great ruin is   
made among the people1  thy two sons be 
slain and the ark of ,god is taken4 ,and
 when ,eli heard  him name the ark of   
,god he fell down backward by the door  

and brake his  neck and there died4 ,he 
was an old man and had judged ,israel   
forty  years4 ,then the ,philistines    
took the ark of ,god and set it in their
  temple of ,dagon1 by their god ,dagon1
 in ,ashdod4 ,on the morn1 the next  day
 early1 when they of ,ashdod came into  
their temple1 they saw their  god ,dagon
 lie on the ground tofore the ark of    
,god upon his face1 and the  head and   
the two hands of ,dagon were cut off4   
,and there abode no more  but the trunk 
only in the place4 ,and ,god showed many
 vengeances to them  of the country as  
long as the ark was with them1 for ,god 
smote them with  sickness1 and wells    
boiled in towns and fields of that      
region1 and there  grew among them so   
many mice1 that they suffered great     
persecution and  confusion in that city4
    ,the people seeing this vengeance   
and plague said3 ,let not the ark of the
  ,god of ,israel abide longer with us1 
for his hand is hard on us and on       
,dagon our god1 and sent for the great  

masters and governors of the            
,philistines1 and when they were        
gathered they said3 ,what shall we do   
with the ark of the ,god of ,israel8    
,and they answered3 ,let it be led all  
about the cities1 and so it was1 and a  
great vengeance and death was had  upon 
all the cities1 and smote every man with
 plague from the most to  the least4    
,and then they sent the ark of ,god into
 ,acheron and when they  of ,acheron saw
 the ark1 they cried saying3 ,they have 
brought the ark of  the ,god of ,israel 
to us1 for to slay us and our people4   
,they cried that  the ark should be sent
 home again1 for much people were dead  
by the  vengeance that was taken on     
them1 and a great howling and wailing   
was  among them4 ,the ark was in the    
region of the ,philistines seven months4
  ,after this they counselled with their
 priests what they should do with  the  
ark1 and it was concluded it should be  
sent home again1 but the  priests said3 
,if ye send it home1 send it not void1  

but what ye owe pay  for your trespass  
and sin1 and then ye shall be healed and
 cured of your  sicknesses4 ,and so they
 ordained after the number of the five  
provinces  of the ,philistines1 five    
pieces of gold and five mice of gold1   
and led  to a wain and put in it two    
wild kine1 which never bear yoke1 and   
said1  ,leave their calves at home and  
take the ark and set it on the wain1 and
  also the vessels and pieces of gold   
that ye have paid for your trespass1    
set them at the side of the ark and let 
them go where they will1 and  thus they 
sent the ark of ,god unto the children  
of ,israel4    ,samuel then governed    
,israel long1 and when he was old he set
 his sons  judges on ,israel1 whose     
names were ,joel and ,abiah4 ,and these 
two his  sons walked not in his ways1   
but declined after covetise and took    
gifts  and perverted justice and doom4  
,then assembled and gathered together   
all  the greatest of birth of the       
children of ,israel1 and came to ,samuel

 and  said3 ,lo6 thou art old and thy   
sons walk not in thy ways1 wherefore    
ordain to us a king that may judge and  
rule us like as all other nations  have4
 ,this displeased much to ,samuel when  
they said1 ,ordain on us a  king4 ,then 
,samuel counselled on this matter with  
our ,lord1 to whom ,god  said3 ,hear the
 voice of the people that speak to thee3
 they have not  cast only thee away1 but
 me1 that ,i should not reign on them1  
for they  do now like as they ever have 
done sith ,i brought them out of ,egypt 
unto  this day2 that is that they have  
served false gods and strange1 and so   
do they to thee4 ,notwithstanding hear  
them1 and tell to them tofore1 the      
right of the king1 and how he shall     
oppress them4    ,samuel told all this  
to the people that demanded to have a   
king1 and  said3 ,this shall be the     
right of a king that shall reign on you4
 ,he  shall take your sons and make them
 his men of war1 and set them in his    
chariots and shall make them his carters

 and riders of his horse in his         
chariots and carts1 and shall ordain of 
them tribunes and centurions1  earers   
and tillers of his fields1 and mowers   
and reapers of his corn1  and he shall  
make them smiths1 and armorers of       
harness and cars1 and he  shall also    
take your daughters and make them his   
unguentaries makers of  perfumes1 and   
ready at his will and pleasure2 he shall
 also take from  you your fields and    
vineyards and the best olives and give  
them to his  servants1 and he shall task
 and dime tithe your corn and sheaves1  
and  the rents of your vineyards he     
shall value for to give to his officers 
and servants1 and shall take from you   
your servants1 both men and women1  and 
set them to his works4 ,and your asses  
and beasts he also shall take  to his   
labor1 your flocks of sheep he shall    
task and take the tenth or  what shall  
please him1 and ye shall be to him      
thrall and servants4 ,and  ye shall cry 
then wishing to flee from the face of   

yaur king1 and our  ,lord shall not hear
 you nor deliver you because ye have    
asked for you a  king4 ,yet for all this
 the people would not hear ,samuel1 but 
said3 ,give  to us a king1 for a king   
shall reign on us1 and we shall be as   
all other  people be4 ,and our king     
shall judge us and go before us1 and he 
shall  fight our battles for us4    ,and
 ,samuel heard all and counselled with  
our ,lord4 ,to whom ,god commanded  to  
ordain to them a king1 and so he did1   
for he took a man of the tribe  of      
,benjamin whose name was ,saul1 a good  
man and chosen1 and there was  not a    
better among all the children of        
,israel1 and he was higher of  stature  
from the shoulder upward than any other 
of all the people4 ,and  ,samuel        
anointed him king upon ,israel1 and said
 to him3 ,our ,lord ,god hath  anointed 
thee upon his heritage and ordained thee
 a prince1 and thou  shalt deliver his  
people from the hands of his enemies    
that be in the  circuit and countries   

about1 and so departed from him4 ,and   
,samuel after  this gathered the people 
together and said3 ,our ,lord saith that
 he hath  brought you from the land of  
,egypt1 and saved you from the hands of 
all  the kings that were your enemies   
and pursued you1 and ye have forsaken   
our ,lord ,god that hath only delivered 
you from all your evil and              
tribulations1 and have said3 ,ordain    
upon us a king4 ,wherefore now stand    
every each in his tribe1 and we shall   
lot who shall be our king4 ,and the  lot
 fell on the tribe of ,benjamin1 and in 
that tribe the lot fell upon  ,saul the 
son of ,kish4 ,and they sought him and  
could not find him1 and it  was told him
 that he was hid in his house at home1  
and the people ran  thither and fetched 
him and set him amidst all the people4  
,and he was  higher than any of all the 
people from the shoulder upward4 ,then  
,samuel  said to the people1 ,now ye see
 and behold whom our ,lord hath chosen1 
for  there is none like him of all the  

people4 ,and then all the people cried3 
,vivat ,rex1 live the king4 ,samuel     
wrote the law of the realm to the       
people in a book1 and put it tofore our 
,lord4 ,thus was ,saul made the  first  
king in ,israel1 and anon had much war1 
for on all sides men warred  on the     
children of ,israel1 and he defended    
them1 and ,saul had divers  battles and 
had victory4    ,samuel came on a time  
to ,saul and said ,god commanded him to 
fight  against ,amalek and that he      
should slay and destroy man1 woman1 and 
child1 ox1 cow1 camel and ass and sheep1
 and spare nothing4 ,then ,saul         
assembled his people and had two hundred
 thousand footmen and twenty  thousand  
men of the tribe of ,judah1 and went    
forth and fought against  ,amalek and   
slew them1 sauf he saved ,agag the ,king
 of ,amalek alive1 and  all other he    
slew1 but he spared the best flocks of  
sheep and of other  beasts1 and also    
good clothes1 and wethers1 and all that 
was good he  spared1 and whatsomever was

 foul he destroyed4 ,and this was showed
 to  ,samuel by our ,lord1 saying3 ,me  
forthinketh that ,i have ordained ,saul 
king upon ,israel1 for he hath forsaken 
me1 and not fulfilled my  commandments4 
,samuel was sorry herefor1 and wailed   
all the night4 ,on the  morn he rose and
 came to ,saul1 and ,saul offered       
sacrifice to our ,lord of  the pillage  
that he had taken4 ,and ,samuel demanded
 of ,saul what noise  that was he heard 
of sheep and beasts1 and he said that   
they were of the  beasts that the people
 had brought from ,amalek to offer unto 
our ,lord1  and the residue were slain4 
,they have spared the best and fattest  
for to  do sacrifice with unto thy ,lord
 ,god4 ,then said ,samuel to ,saul3     
,rememberest thou not that whereas thou 
wert least among the tribes of  ,israel 
thou wert made upperest8 ,and our ,lord 
anointed thee1 and made  thee king4 ,and
 he said to thee3 ,go and slay the      
sinners of ,amalek and  leave none      
alive1 man ne beast2 why hast thou not  

obeyed the commandment  of our ,lord8   
,and hast run to robbery and done evil  
in the sight of ,god8  ,and then said   
,saul to ,samuel3 ,i have taken ,agag1  
king of the ,amalekites1  and brought   
him with me1 but ,i have slain ,amalek4 
,the people have taken  of the sheep and
 beasts of the best for to offer unto   
our ,lord ,god4 ,and  then said ,samuel3
 ,trowest thou that our ,lord would     
rather have sacrifice  and offerings    
than not to obey his commandments8      
,better is obedience  than sacrifice1   
and better it is to take heed to do     
after thy ,lord than  to offer the fat  
kidneys of the wethers4 ,for it is a sin
 to withstand  and to repugn against his
 ,lord like the sin of idolatry4 ,and   
because  thou hast not obeyed our ,lord1
 and cast away his word1 our ,lord hath 
cast thee away that thou shalt not be   
king4 ,then said ,saul to ,samuel3 ,i   
have sinned for ,i have not obeyed the  
word of ,god and thy words1 but  have   
dreaded the people and obeyed to their  

request1 but ,i pray thee to  bear my   
sin and trespass and return with me that
 ,i may worship our  ,lord4 ,and ,samuel
 answered1 ,i shall not return with     
thee4 ,and so ,samuel  departed1 and yet
 ere he departed1 he did do slay caused 
to be slain  ,agag the king4 ,and       
,samuel saw never ,saul after unto his  
death4    ,then our ,lord bade ,samuel  
to go and anoint one of the sons of     
,isai1  otherwise called ,jesse1 to be  
king of ,israel4 ,and so he came into   
,bethlehem unto ,jesse and bade him     
bring his sons tofore him4 ,this ,jesse 
had eight sons1 be brought tofore       
,samuel seven of them1 and ,samuel said 
there was not he that he would have4    
,then he said that there was no  more1  
save one which was youngest and yet a   
child1 and kept sheep in the  field4    
,and ,samuel said3 ,send for him1 for ,i
 shall eat no bread till he  come4 ,and 
so he was sent for and brought4 ,he was 
ruddy and fair of  visage and well      
favored1 and ,samuel arose1 and took an 

horn with oil and  anointed him in the  
middle of his brethren4 ,and forthwith  
the spirit of  our ,lord came directly  
in him that same day and ever after4    
,then ,samuel  departed and came into   
,ramah4 ,and the spirit of our ,lord    
went away from  ,saul and an evil spirit
 oft vexed him4 ,then his servants said 
to him3  ,thou oft art vexed with an    
evil spirit1 it were good to have one   
that  could harp1 to be with thee when  
the spirit vexeth thee1 thou shalt bear 
it the lighter4 ,and he said to his     
servants3 ,provide ye to me such one4   
,and then one said3 ,i saw one of       
,jesse's sons play on a harp1 a fair    
child and strong1 wise in his talking   
and our ,lord is with him4 ,then  ,saul 
sent messages to ,jesse for ,david1 and 
,jesse sent ,david his son  with a      
present of bread1 wine1 and a kid1 to   
,saul4 ,and always when the  evil spirit
 vexed ,saul1 ,david harped tofore him  
and anon he was eased1  and the evil    
spirit went his way4    ,after this the 

,philistines gathered them into great   
hosts to make war  against ,saul and the
 children of ,israel1 and ,saul gathered
 the children  of ,israel together and  
came against them in the vale of        
,terebinthe4 ,the  ,philistines stood   
upon the hill on that other part1 and   
the valley was  between them4 ,and there
 came out of the host of the            
,philistines a great  giant named       
,goliath of ,gath2 he was six cubits    
high and a palm1 and a  helmet of brass 
on his head1 and was clad in a          
habergeon4 ,the weight of  his habergeon
 was of five thousand shekels of weight 
of metal4 ,he had  boots of brass on his
 calves1 and his shoulders were covered 
with plates  of brass4 ,his glaive was  
as a great colestaff1 and there was     
thereon six  shekels of iron1 and his   
squire went tofore him and cried against
 them  of ,israel1 and said they should 
choose a man to fight a singular battle 
against ,goliath1 and if he were        
overcome the ,philistines should be     

servants to ,israel1 and if he prevailed
 and overcame his enemy1 they of        
,israel should serve the ,philistines1  
and thus he did cry forty days  long4   
,saul and the children of ,israel were  
sore afraid4 ,david was at  this time in
 ,bethlehem with his father1 and kept   
sheep1 and three of his  brethren were  
in the host with ,saul4 ,to whom ,jesse 
said3 ,david1 take  this pottage1 ten   
loaves of bread1 and ten cheeses1 and go
 run unto the  host to thy brethren1 and
 see how they do1 and learn how they be 
arrayed4 ,david delivered his sheep to  
one to keep them1 and bare these  things
 unto the host4 ,and when he came       
thither he heard a great cry1 and  he   
demanded after his brethren4 ,and that  
same time came forth that giant         
,goliath and said1 as he had done       
tofore1 and ,david heard him speak4 ,all
  they of ,israel fled for fear of him1 
and ,david demanded what he was1 and  it
 was told him that he was come to       
destroy ,israel1 and also that what  man

 that might slay him1 the king should   
enrich him with great riches1  and      
should give to him his daughter1 and    
shall make the house of his  father     
without tribute4 ,and ,david said3 ,what
 is this uncircumcised that  hath       
despised the host of the ,god of        
,israel8 ,and what reward shall he  have
 that shall slay him8 ,and the people   
said as afore is said4 ,and when  his   
oldest brother heard him speak to the   
people he was wroth with him1  and said3
 ,wherefore art thou come hither and    
hast left the few sheep in  desert4 ,i  
know well thy pride1 thou art come for  
to see the battle4 ,and  ,david said3   
,what have ,i done8 ,is it not as the   
people said8 ,i dare fight  well with   
this giant2 and declined from his       
brother to other of the  people4 ,and   
all this was showed to ,saul1 and ,david
 was brought to him1  and said to ,saul3
 ,i1 thy servant1 shall fight against   
this giant if thou  wilt4 ,and ,saul    
said to him3 ,thou mayst not withstand  

this ,philistine nor  fight against him1
 for thou art but a child2 this giant   
hath been a  fighter from his childhood4
 ,david said to ,saul3 ,i thy servant   
kept my  father's sheep1 and there came 
a lion and a bear and took away a wether
  from the middle of my flock1 and ,i   
pursued after1 and took it again from   
their mouths1 and they arose and would  
have devoured me1 and ,i caught  them by
 the jaws and slew them4 ,i thy servant 
slew the lion and the  bear1 therefore  
this ,philistine uncircumcised shall be 
as one of them4 ,i  shall now go and    
deliver ,israel from this opprobrium and
 shame4 ,how is  this ,philistine       
uncircumcised so hardy as to curse the  
host of the  living ,god8 ,and yet said 
,david3 ,the ,lord that kept me from the
 might of  the lion and from the        
strength of the bear1 he will deliver me
 from the  power of the ,philistine4    
,saul said then to ,david3 ,go1 and our 
,lord be  with thee4    ,saul did do arm
 him with his armor1 and girded his     

sword about him4 ,and  when he was      
armed1 ,david said3 ,i may not ne cannot
 fight thus1 for ,i am  not accustomed  
ne used1 and unarmed him1 and took his  
staff that he had  in his hand1 and     
chose to him five good round stones from
 the brook and  put them in his bag1 and
 took a sling in his hand1 and went     
forth  against the giant4 ,and when     
,goliath saw him come1 he despised him  
and  said3 ,weenest thou that ,i am a   
hound that comest with thy staff to me8 
,and he cursed ,david by his gods1 and  
said to ,david3 ,come hither and ,i     
shall give thy flesh to the fowls of    
heaven and to the beasts of the  earth4 
,david said unto ,goliath3 ,thou comest 
to me with thy sword and  glaive1 and ,i
 come to thee in the name of the ,lord  
,god of the host of  ,israel which thou 
hast this day despised2 and that ,lord  
shall give thee  in my hand1 and ,i     
shall slay thee and smite off thy head4 
,and ,i shall  give this day the bodies 
of the men of war of the ,philistines to

 the  fowls of heaven1 and to the beasts
 of the earth4 ,then ,goliath rose and  
hied toward ,david1 and ,david on that  
other side hied1 and took a stone  and  
laid it in his sling1 and threw it at   
the giant1 and smote him in  the        
forehead in such wise that the stone was
 fixed there1 in that he  fell down on  
his visage4 ,thus prevailed ,david      
against the ,philistine  with his sling 
and stone1 and smote him and slew him4  
,and he had no  sword but he went and   
took ,goliath's own sword and therewith 
smote off  his head4 ,and then the      
,philistines seeing this giant thus     
slain1 fled1  and the ,israelites after 
followed1 and slew many of them1 and    
returned  again and came into the tents1
 pavilions and lodgings of the          
,philistines1 and took all the pillage4 
,david took the head of ,goliath and    
brought it into ,jerusalem1 and his     
arms he brought into his tabernacle4    
,and ,abner brought ,david1 having the  
head of ,goliath in his hand1 tofore    

,saul4 ,and ,saul demanded of him of    
what kindred that he was1 and he said   
that he was son of ,jesse of            
,bethlehem1 and forthwith that same time
 ,jonathan1 the son of ,saul1 loved     
,david as his own soul4 ,saul then would
 not give him license to return to  his 
father1 and ,jonathan and he were       
confederate and swore each of them  to  
be true to other1 for ,jonathan gave his
 coat that he was clad withal1  and all 
his other garments1 unto his sword and  
spear1 unto ,david4 ,and  ,david did all
 that ever ,saul bade him do wisely and 
prudently4 ,and when  he returned from  
the battle1 and ,goliath was slain1 the 
women came out  from every town singing 
with choirs and timpanes against the    
coming of  ,saul with great joy and     
gladness1 saying3 ,saul hath slain a    
thousand and  ,david hath slain ten     
thousand4 ,and this saying displeased   
much to ,saul1  which said3 ,they have  
given to ,david ten thousand and to me  
one  thousand2 what may he more have    

save the realm1 and to be king8 ,for    
this  cause ,saul never loved ,david    
after that day1 ne never looked on him  
friendly but ever sought means afterward
 to destroy ,david1 for he  dreaded that
 ,david should be lord with him1 and put
 him from him4 ,and  ,david was wise and
 kept him well from him4 ,and after this
 he wedded  ,michal1 daughter of ,saul1 
and ,jonathan made oft times peace      
between ,saul  and ,david1 yet ,saul    
kept no promise1 but ever lay in wait to
 slay ,david4  ,and ,jonathan warned    
,david thereof4 ,and ,david gat him a   
company of men of  war to the number of 
four hundred1 and kept him in the       
mountains4    ,and on a time ,david was 
at home with his wife ,michal1 and ,saul
 sent  thither men of war to slay him in
 his house in the morning2 and when     
,michal heard thereof1 she said to      
,david3 ,but if thou save thyself this  
night1 to-morn thou shalt die1 and she  
let him out by a window by which  he    
escaped and saved himself4 ,michal took 

an image and laid in his bed1  and a    
rough skin of a goat on the head of the 
image1 and covered it with  clothes4    
,and on the morn ,saul sent spies for   
,david1 and it was answered  to them    
that he lay sick in his bed4 ,then after
 this sent ,saul  messengers for to see 
,david1 and said to them3 ,bring him to 
me in his  bed that he may be slain4    
,and when the messengers came they found
 a  simulachre or an image in his bed1  
and goats' skins on the head4 ,then     
said ,saul to ,michal his daughter3 ,why
 hast thou mocked me so1 and hast       
suffered mine enemy to flee8 ,and       
,michal answered to ,saul and said3 ,he 
said to me3 ,let me go or ,i shall slay 
thee4    ,david went to ,samuel in ,rama
 and told him all that ,saul had done to
 him4  ,and it was told to ,saul that   
,david was with ,samuel1 and he sent    
thither  messengers to take him4 ,and   
when they came they found them with the 
company of prophets1 and they sat and   
prophesied with them4 ,and he sent      

more4 ,and they did also so4 ,and the   
third time he sent more messengers4     
,and they also prophesied4 ,and then    
,saul being wroth asked where ,samuel   
and ,david were1 and went to them1 and  
he prophesied when he came also1  and   
took off his clothes and was naked all  
that day and night before  ,samuel4     
,david then fled from thence and came to
 ,jonathan and complained  to him       
saying3 ,what have ,i offended that thy 
father seeketh to slay me8  ,jonathan   
was sorry therefore1 for he loved well  
,david4 ,after this ,saul  ever sought  
for to slay ,david4 ,and on a time ,saul
 went into a cave1 and  ,david was      
within the cave1 to whom his squire     
said3 ,now hath ,god brought  thine     
enemy into thine hand2 now go and slay  
him4 ,and ,david said3 ,god  forbid that
 ,i should lay any hand on him1 he is   
anointed4 ,i shall never  hurt ne grieve
 him1 let ,god do his pleasure4 ,and he 
went to ,saul and cut  off a gobet a    
small piece of his mantle and kept it4  

,and when ,saul was  gone out1 soon     
after issued ,david out and cried to    
,saul saying3 ,lo6  ,saul1 ,god hath    
brought thee into my hands4 ,i might    
have slain thee if ,i  had would1 but   
,god forbade that ,i should lay hand on 
thee1 my lord  anointed of ,god4 ,and   
what have ,i offended that thou seekest 
to slay me8  ,who art thou8 said ,saul4 
,art thou not ,david my son8 ,yes1 said 
,david1 ,i  am thy servant1 and kneeled 
down and worshipped him4 ,then said     
,saul3 ,i  have sinned1 and wept and    
also said3 ,thou art rightfuller than ,i
 am1  thou hast done to me good1 and ,i 
have done to thee evil4 ,and thou hast  
well showed to me this day that ,god had
 brought me into thine hand1 and  thou  
hast not slain me4 ,god reward thee for 
this1 that thou hast done to  me2 now   
know ,i well that thou shalt reign in   
,israel4 ,i pray thee to be  friendly to
 my seed1 and destroy not my house1 and 
swear and promise me  that thou take not
 away my name from the house of my      

father2 and ,david  sware and promised  
to ,saul4 ,and then ,saul departed and  
went home1 and  ,david and his people   
went in to surer places4    ,anon after 
this ,samuel died1 and was buried in his
 house in ,rama4 ,and  all ,israel      
bewailed him greatly4 ,then there was a 
rich man in the mount  of ,carmel that  
hight ,nabal1 and on a time he sheared  
and clipped his  sheep1 to whom ,david  
sent certain men1 and bade them say that
 ,david  greeted him well1 and whereas  
aforetimes his shepherds kept his sheep 
in desert1 he never was grevious to     
them1 ne they lost not much as a  sheep 
as long as they were with us1 and that  
he might ask his servants  for they     
could tell1 and that he would now in    
their need send them what  it pleased   
him4 ,nabal answered to the children of 
,david3 ,who is that  ,david8 ,trow ye  
that ,i shall send the meat that ,i have
 made ready for  them that shear my     
sheep and send it to men that ,i know   
not8 ,the men  returned and told to     

,david all that he had said4 ,then said 
,david to his  men3 ,let every man take 
his sword and gird him withal1 and      
,david took  his sword and girt him4    
,and ,david went and four hundred men   
followed  him1 and he left two hundred  
behind him4 ,one of the servants of     
,nabal  told to ,abigail1 ,nabal's wife1
 how that ,david had sent messengers    
from  the desert unto his lord1 and how 
wroth and wayward he was1 and also he   
said that those men were good enough to 
them when they were in desert1  ne never
 perished beast of yours as long as they
 were there4 ,they were a  wall and a   
shield for us both day and night all the
 time that we kept  our flocks there1   
wherefore consider what is to be done4  
,they purpose to  do harm to him and to 
his house1 for he is the son of ,belial 
in such  wise that no man may speak with
 him4 ,then ,abigail hied her and took  
two  hundred loaves of bread1 one       
hundred bottles of wine1 five wethers   
sodden1 and five measures of pottage1   

and one hundred bonds of grapes  dried1 
and two hundred masses of caricares1 and
 laid all this upon  asses1 and said to 
her servants3 ,go ye tofore1 and ,i     
shall follow  after4 ,she told hereof   
nothing to her husband ,nabal4    ,then 
she took an ass and rode after1 and when
 she came to the foot of  the hill1     
,david and his men descended2 to whom   
she ran1 and ,david said3  ,i have for  
naught saved all the beasts of this     
,nabal in desert1 and  there perished   
nothing of his that pertained to him1   
and he hath yielded  evil for good4 ,by 
the living ,god ,i shall not leave as   
much as his alive  as one man4 ,as soon 
as ,abigail saw ,david she descended    
from her ass1 and  fell down tofore     
,david1 upon her visage and worshipped  
him on the earth1  and fell down to his 
feet and said3 ,in me1 said she1 my     
lord1 be this  wickedness1 ,i beseech   
thee that ,i thine handmaiden may speak 
to thine  ears1 and that thou wilt hear 
the words of me thy servant4 ,i pray and

  require thee my lord1 let not thy     
heart be set against this wicked man    
,nabal1 for according to his name he is 
a fool1 and folly is with him4 ,i  thine
 handmaid saw not thy children that thou
 sendedst4 ,now1 therefore1  my lord1   
for the love of ,god and of thy soul1   
suffer not thy hand to  shed no blood1  
and ,i beseech ,god that thine enemies  
may be like ,nabal  and they that would 
thee harm2 and ,i beseech thee to       
receive this  blessing and present which
 ,i thine handmaid have brought to thee1
 my  lord1 and give it to thy men that  
follow thee1 my lord4 ,take away the    
wickedness from me thy servant1 and ,i  
beseech ,god to make to thee1 my  lord1 
a house of truth1 for thou1 my lord1    
shall fight the battles of  our ,lord   
,god2 and let no malice be found in     
thee1 never in all the days  of thy     
life4 ,if ever any man arise against    
thee or would pursue or would  hurt     
thee1 ,i beseech ,god to keep thee4 ,and
 when our ,lord ,god hath  accomplished 

to thee1 my lord1 all that he hath      
spoken good of thee1 and  hath          
constituted thee duke upon ,israel1 let 
this not be in thy thought1  ne scruple 
in thy heart that thou shouldest shed   
blood not guilty1 ne be  thou not now   
avenged4 ,and when our ,lord ,god hath  
done well to thee1 my  lord1 have thou  
remembrance on me thine handmaid1 and do
 well to me4    ,and ,david said to     
,abigail3 ,blessed be ,god of ,israel   
that sent thee this  day to meet me1 and
 blessed be thy speech1 and blessed be  
thou that hast  withdrawn me from       
bloodshedding1 and that ,i avenged me   
not on mine enemy  with mine hand1 else 
by the living ,god of ,israel1 if thou  
hadst not come  unto me1 there should   
not have blyven been left unto ,nabal   
to-morn in  the morning one man4 ,then  
,david received all that she brought and
 said  to her3 ,go peaceably into thine 
house1 lo6 ,i have heard thy voice and  
,i  have honored thy visage2 and so     
,abigail came unto ,nabal1 and ,david   

returned into the place he came from4   
,nabal made a great feast in his  house1
 like the feast of a king1 and the heart
 of ,nabal was jocund2 he  was drunken1 
and ,abigail his wife told to him no    
word till on the morn1  little ne much4 
,on the morn when ,nabal had digested   
the wine1 his wife  told him all these  
words4 ,and his heart was mortified     
within him1 and he  was dead like a     
stone1 for the tenth day after1 our     
,lord smote him and  he died4 ,and when 
,david heard that he was dead1 he said3 
,blessed be the  good ,lord that hath   
judged the cause of mine opprobrium from
 the hand of  ,nabal1 and hath kept me  
his servant from harm1 and our ,lord    
hath yielded  the malice of ,nabal on   
his own head4 ,then ,david sent to      
,abigail for to  have her to his wife1  
and she humbled herself and said she his
 handmaid  was ready to wash the feet of
 his servants4 ,and she arose and took  
with  her five maidens which went afoot 
by her1 and she rode upon an ass1 and   

followed the messengers1 and was made   
wife to ,david4 ,and ,david also took   
another wife called ,ahinoam of         
,jezreel1 and both two were his wives4  
,after this ,saul always sought ,david  
for to slay him4 ,and the people  called
 ,zyphites told to ,saul that ,david was
 hid in the hill of ,hachilah  which was
 on the after part of the wilderness1   
and ,saul took with him  three thousand 
chosen men and followed and sought      
,david4 ,david when he  heard of the    
coming of ,saul went into the place     
whereas ,saul was1 and  when he was     
asleep he took one with him and went    
into the tent where  ,saul slept1 and   
,abner with him and all his people4     
,then said ,abishai to  ,david3 ,god    
hath put thine enemy this day in thine  
hands1 now ,i shall go  and smite him   
through with my spear1 and then after   
that we shall have  no need to dread    
him4 ,and ,david said to ,abishai3 ,slay
 him not2 who may  extend his hand into 
the anointed king of ,god and be        

innocent8 ,and ,david  said yet more3   
,by the living ,god1 but if ,god smite  
him or the days come  that he shall die 
or perish in battle1 ,god be merciful to
 me1 as ,i  shall not lay my hand on him
 that is anointed of our ,lord4 ,now    
take the  spear that standeth at his    
head1 and the cup of water1 and let us  
go4  ,david took the spear and the cup  
and departed thence and there was not   
one that saw them ne awaked1 for they   
slept all4 ,then when ,david was on  the
 hill far from them1 ,david cried to the
 people and to ,abner1 saying3  ,abner1 
shalt not thou answer8 ,and ,abner      
answered3 ,who art thou that  cryest and
 wakest the king8 ,and ,david said to   
,abner3 ,art thou not a man  and there  
is none like thee in ,israel8 why hast  
thou not therefore kept  thy lord the   
king8 ,there is one of the people gone  
in to slay the king  thy lord2 by the   
living ,lord it is not good that ye do1 
but be ye worthy  to die because ye have
 not kept your lord anointed of our     

,lord4 ,now look  and see where the     
king's spear is1 and the cup of water   
that stood at  his head4 ,saul knew the 
voice of ,david and said3 ,is not this  
thy voice1  my son ,david8 ,and ,david  
said3 ,it is my voice1 my lord king4    
,for what  cause dost thou1 my lord1    
pursue me thy servant8 what thing have  
,i done  and what evil have ,i committed
 with my hand8 ,thou seest well ,i might
  have slain thee if ,i would2 ,god     
judge between thee and me4 ,and ,saul   
said3 ,i have sinned1 return1 my son2 ,i
 shall never hereafter do thee  harm ne 
evil1 for thy soul is precious in my    
sight this day4 ,it  appeareth now that 
,i have done follily1 and am ignorant in
 many things4  ,then said ,david3 ,lo6  
here is the spear of the king1 let a    
child come  fetch it1 our ,lord shall   
reward to every man after his justice   
and  faith4 ,our ,lord hath this day    
brought thee into my hands1 and yet ,i  
would not lay mine hand on him that is  
anointed of our ,lord4 ,and like as  thy

 soul is magnified this day in my sight1
 so be my soul magnified in  the sight  
of ,god and deliver me from all anguish4
 ,saul said then to  ,david3 ,blessed be
 thou1 my son ,david4 ,and ,david went  
then his way1 and  ,saul returned home  
again4    ,and ,david said in his heart3
 ,sometime it might hap to me to fall   
and  come into the hands of ,saul1 it is
 better ,i flee from him and save me in 
the land of the ,philistines4 ,and he   
went thence with six hundred men and    
came to ,achish king of ,gath and       
dwelled there4 ,and when ,saul          
understood  that he was with ,achish he 
ceased to seek him4 ,and ,achish        
delivered to  ,david a town to dwell in 
named ,ziklag4    ,after this the       
,philistines gathered and assembled much
 people against  ,israel4 ,and ,saul    
assembled all ,israel and came upon     
,gilboa2 and when  ,saul saw all the    
host of the ,philistines1 his heart     
dreaded and fainted  sore1 he cried for 
to have counsel of our ,lord4 ,and our  

,lord answered  him not1 ne by swevens  
ne by priests1 ne by prophets4 ,then    
said ,saul to  his servants3 ,fetch to  
me a woman having a phiton1 otherwise   
called a  phitoness or a witch4 ,and    
they said that there was such a woman in
  ,endor4 ,saul then changed his habit  
and clothing1 and did on other          
clothing1 and went1 and two men with    
him1 and came to the woman by  night1   
and made her by her craft to raise      
,samuel4 ,and ,samuel said to  ,saul3   
,why hast thou put me from my rest1 for 
to arise8 ,and ,saul said3 ,i  am       
coarted constrained thereto1 for the    
,philistines fight against me1  and ,god
 is gone from me1 and will not hear me1 
neither by prophets1 ne  by swevens     
dreams4 ,and ,samuel said3 ,what askest 
thou of me when ,god is  gone from thee 
and gone unto ,david8 ,god shall do to  
thee as he hath said  to thee by me1 and
 shall cut thy realm from thine hand1   
and shall give  it thy neighbor ,david4 
,for thou hast not obeyed his voice1 ne 

hast not  done his commandment in       
,amalek2 therefore thou shalt lose the  
battle and  ,israel shall be overthrown4
 ,to-morrow thou and thy children shall 
be  with me1 and our ,lord shall suffer 
the children of ,israel to fall in the  
hands of the ,philistines4 ,anon then   
,saul fell down to the earth4 ,the      
words of ,samuel made him afeard and    
there was no strength in him1 for he    
had eaten no bread of all that day1 he  
was greatly troubled4 ,then the         
phitoness desired him to eat1 and she   
slew a paschal lamb that she had1  and  
dighted and set it tofore him1 and      
bread4 ,and when he had eaten he  walked
 with his servants all that night4 ,and 
on the morn the ,philistines  assailed  
,saul and them of ,israel1 and fought a 
great battle1 and the men  of ,israel   
fled from the face of the ,philistines1 
and many of them were  slain in the     
mount of ,gilboa4 ,the ,philistines     
smote in against ,saul and  his sons1   
and slew ,jonathan and ,abinadab1 and   

,melchi-shua1 sons of ,saul4  ,and all  
the burden of the battle was turned on  
,saul1 and the archers  followed him and
 wounded him sore4 ,then said ,saul to  
his squire3 ,pluck  out thy sword and   
slay me1 that these men uncircumcised   
come not and1  scorning1 slay me2 and   
his squire would not for he was greatly 
afeard4  ,then ,saul took his sword and 
slew himself1 which thing when his      
squire  saw1 that is that ,saul was     
dead1 he took his sword and fell on it  
and  was dead with him4 ,thus was ,saul 
dead1 and his three sons and his        
squire1 and all his men that day        
together4 ,then the children of ,israel 
that were thereabouts1 and on that other
 side of ,jordan1 seeing that the  men  
of ,israel fled1 and that ,saul and his 
three sons were dead1 left  their cities
 and fled4 ,the ,philistines came and   
dwelled there1 and the  next day the    
,philistines went for to rifle and      
pillage them that were  dead1 and they  
found ,saul and his three sons lying in 

the hill of  ,gilboa4 ,and they cut off 
the head of ,saul1 and robbed him of his
 armor1  and sent it into the land of   
the ,philistines all about1 that it     
might be  showed in the temple of their 
idols1 and unto the people2 and set up  
his  arms in the temple of ,ashtaroth1  
and hung his body on the wall of        
,bethshan4 ,and when the men that dwelt 
in ,jabesh-,gilead saw what the         
,philistines had done unto ,saul1 all   
the strongest men of them arose and     
went all that night and took down the   
bodies of ,saul and of his sons  from   
the wall of ,bethshan and burned them1  
and took the bones and buried  them in  
the wood of ,jabesh-,gilead and fasted  
seven days4    ,thus endeth the life of 
,saul which was first king upon ,israel1
 and for  disobedience of ,god's        
commandment was slain1 and his heirs    
never reigned  long after4              
,,the ,,history ,,of ,,david    ,here   
followeth how ,david reigned after      
,saul1 and governed ,israel4  ,shortly  

taken out of the ,bible1 the most       
historical matters and but  little      
touched4      ,after the death of ,saul 
,david returned from the journey that he
 had  against ,amalek4 ,for whilst      
,david had been out with ,achish the    
king1 they  of ,amalek had been in      
,ziklag and taken all that was therein  
prisoners1  and robbed and carried away 
with them the two wives of ,david1 and  
had  set fire and burned the town4 ,and 
when ,david came again home and saw the 
town burned he pursued after1 and by the
 conveying of one of them of  ,amalek   
that was left by the way sick1 for to   
have his life he brought  ,david upon   
the host of ,amalek whereas they sat and
 ate and drank4 ,and  ,david smote on   
them with his meiny company and slew    
down all that he  found1 and rescued his
 wives and all the good that they had   
taken1 and  took much more of them4 ,and
 when he was come to ,ziklag1 the third 
day  after there came one from the host 
of ,saul1 and told to ,david how that   

,israel had lost the battle1 and how    
they were fled1 and how ,saul the  king 
and ,jonathan his son were slain4 ,david
 said to the young man that  brought    
these tidings3 ,how knowest thou that   
,saul and ,jonathan be dead8  ,and he   
answered it was so by adventure that ,i 
came upon the mount of  ,gilboa1 and    
,saul rested upon his spear1 and the    
horsemen and the  chariots of the       
,philistines approached to himward1 and 
he looked behind  him and saw me1 and   
called me1 and said to me3 ,who art     
thou8 ,and ,i said  ,i am an ,amalekite1
 and then he said3 ,stand upon me and   
slay me1 for ,i am  full of anguish1 and
 yet my soul is in me4 ,and ,i then     
standing on him  slew him1 knowing well 
that he might not live after the ruin4  
,and ,i took  the diadem from his head1 
and the armylle from his arm1 which ,i  
have  brought hither to thee1 my lord4  
,david took and rent his vestment1 and  
all the men that were with him1 and     
wailed and sorrowed much the death  of  

,saul and ,jonathan and of all the men  
of ,israel1 and fasted that day  till   
even4 ,and ,david said to the young man3
 ,of whence art thou8 ,and he  said3 ,i 
am the son of an ,amalekite4 ,and ,david
 said to him3 ,why dreadedst  thou not  
to put thy hand forth to slay him that  
is anointed of ,god8  ,david called one 
of his men1 and bade him slay him4 ,and 
he smote him and  slew him4 ,and ,david 
said3 ,thy blood be on thy head6 thine  
own mouth hath  spoken against thee1    
saying3 ,i have slain ,saul which was   
king anointed  of our ,lord4    ,david  
sorrowed and bewailed much the death of 
,saul and of ,jonathan4  ,after this    
,david counselled with our ,lord and    
demanded if he should go  in to one of  
the cities of ,judah4 ,and our ,lord    
bade him go1 and he asked  whither1 and 
our ,lord said3 ,into ,hebron4 ,then    
,david took his two wives  and all the  
men that were with him1 every each with 
his household1 and  dwelled in the towns
 of ,hebron4 ,and thither came the men  

of ,judah and  anointed ,david king to  
reign upon the tribe of ,judah4 ,and    
,abner prince  of the host of ,saul1 and
 other servants of ,saul1 took          
,ishbosheth the son  of ,saul1 and led  
him about1 and made him king over       
,israel1 except the  tribe of ,judah4   
,ishbosheth was forty years when he     
began to reign1 and  he reigned two     
years4 ,the house of ,judah only        
followed ,david4 ,after this  it happed 
that ,abner1 prince of the host of      
,ishbosheth1 with certain  men1 went out
 of the castles1 and ,joab with certain 
men of ,david went  also out and ran by 
the piscine pool of ,gibeon4 ,one party 
was on that  one side1 and that other on
 the other4 ,and ,abner said to ,joab3  
,let our  young men play and skirmish   
together1 and ,joab agreed4 ,and there  
rose  twelve of ,benjamin1 of the party 
of ,ishbosheth1 and twelve of the       
children of ,david2 and when they met   
together each took other by the  head1  
and roof their swords into each other's 

sides and were all there  slain4 ,and   
there arose a great battle1 and ,abner  
and his fellowship were  put to flight  
by the men of ,david4    ,and among all 
other there was ,asahel one of the      
brethren of ,joab and was  the swiftest 
runner that might be1 and pursued       
,abner1 and ,abner looked  behind him1  
and bade him decline on the right side  
or on the left side1  and take one of   
the young men and his harness1 and come 
not at me4  ,asahel would not leave him2
 yet ,abner said to him3 ,go from me and
 follow  not me lest ,i be compelled to 
slay thee1 and then ,i may not make my  
peace with ,joab thy brother4 ,which    
would not hear ,abner1 but despised     
him1 and ,abner then turned and slew him
 in the same place1 and anon the  sun   
went down and they withdrew4 ,there were
 slain of the children of  ,david       
nineteen men and of them of ,benjamin   
three hundred and sixty were  slain1 and
 thus there was long strife and         
contention between the house  of ,david 

and the house of ,ishbosheth4 ,after    
this ,abner took a concubine  of ,saul  
and held her1 wherefore ,ishbosheth     
reproved him of it and ,abner  was wroth
 greatly thereof2 and came to ,david and
 made friendship with  him4 ,joab was   
not there when ,abner made his peace    
with ,david2 but when  he knew it he    
came to ,abner with a fair semblant and 
spake fair to him  by dissimulation1 and
 slew him for to avenge the death of    
,asahel his  brother4 ,and when ,david  
heard how ,joab had slain ,abner he     
cursed him1  and bewailed greatly the   
death of ,abner1 and did do bury him    
caused him  to be buried honorably1 and 
,david followed the bier himself4 ,and  
when  ,ishbosheth1 the son of ,saul1    
heard that ,abner was dead1 he was all  
abashed and all ,israel sore troubled4  
,there were two princes of thieves  with
 ,ishbosheth named ,baanah and ,rechab1 
which came on a day in to  ,ishbosheth  
where he lay and slept1 and there they  
slew him1 and took  privily his head and

 brought it in to ,david in ,hebron and 
said3 ,lo1 here  is the head of thine   
enemy ,ishbosheth1 that sought to slay  
thee2 this  day ,god hath given to thee 
my lord vengeance of ,saul and of his   
seed4  ,david answered to them3 ,by the 
living ,god that hath delivered me from 
all anguish1 him that told me that he   
had slain ,saul1 and had thought  to    
have had a reward of me1 ,i did do slay1
 how much more ye that be so  wicked to 
slay him that is not guilty1 in his     
house and upon his bed8  ,shall ,i not  
ask his blood of your hands1 and throw  
you out of this  world8 ,yes1 certainly4
 ,and ,david commanded to his servants  
to slay them1  and so they were slain1  
and cut off their hands and feet1 and   
hung them  on the piscine pool in       
,hebron1 and took the head of           
,ishbosheth and  buried it in the       
sepulchre of ,abner4 ,and then came all 
the tribes of  ,israel to ,david in     
,hebron1 saying3 ,we be thy mouth and   
thy flesh1 when  ,saul lived and was    

king on us and reigned1 thou wert coming
 and going2  and because ,god hath said 
thou shalt reign upon my people and be  
their  governor1 therefore we shall obey
 thee4 ,and all the seniors of ,israel  
came and did homage to ,david in        
,hebron1 and anointed him king over     
them4    ,david was thirty years old    
when he began to reign and he reigned   
forty  years4 ,he reigned in ,hebron    
upon ,judah seven years and six months1 
and  in ,jerusalem he reigned           
thirty-three years upon all ,israel and 
,judah4  ,david then made him a         
dwelling-place in the hill of ,sion in  
,jerusalem4  ,and after this the        
,philistines made war against him1 but  
he oft  overthrew them and slew many of 
them1 and made them tributary to him1   
and after brought the ark of ,god in    
,jerusalem1 and set it in his house4    
,after this yet the ,philistines made   
war again unto him and other kings  were
 aiding and helping them against ,david1
 whom ,david overcame and slew  and put 

under4    ,and on a time when ,joab was 
out with his men of war lying at a siege
  tofore a city1 ,david was at home1 and
 walked in his chamber1 and as he       
looked out at a window he saw a fair    
woman wash her and bain her in her      
chamber1 which stood against his house1 
and demanded of his servants who  she   
was1 and they said she was ,uriah's     
wife4 ,and ,david sent letters to  ,joab
 and bade him to send home to him       
,uriah2 and ,joab sent ,uriah to        
,david1 and ,david demanded how the host
 was ruled1 and after bade him go  home 
to his house and wash his feet4 ,and    
,uriah went thence1 and the king  sent  
to him his dish with meat4 ,uriah would 
not go home1 but lay before  the gate of
 the king's house with other servants of
 the king's4 ,and it  was told to the   
king that ,uriah went not home1 and then
 ,david said to  ,uriah3 ,thou comest   
from a far way1 why goest thou not home8
 ,and ,uriah  said to ,david3 ,the ark  
of ,god and ,israel and ,judah be in the

 pavilions1  and my lord ,joab and the  
servants of thee1 my lord1 lie on the   
ground1  and would ye that ,i should go 
to my house8 ,by thy health and by the  
health of my soul ,i shall not do so4   
,then ,david said to ,uriah1 ,abide     
here then this night1 and to-morrow ,i  
shall deliver thee4 ,uriah abode  there 
that day and the next1 and ,david made  
him eat tofore him and made  him drunk1 
yet for all that he would not go home1  
but lay with the  servants of ,david4   
,then on the morn ,david wrote a letter 
to ,joab1 that  he should set ,uriah in 
the weakest place of the battle and     
where most  jeopardy was1 and that he   
should be left there that he might be   
slain4  ,and ,uriah bare this letter to 
,joab1 and it was so done as ,david had 
written1 and ,uriah was slain in the    
battle4 ,and ,joab sent word to ,david  
how they had fought1 and how ,uriah was 
slain and dead4 ,when ,uriah's wife     
heard that her husband was dead1 she    
mourned and wailed him2 and after  the  

mourning ,david sent for her and wedded 
her1 and she bare him a son4  ,and this 
that ,david had committed on ,uriah     
displeased greatly our ,lord4    ,then  
our ,lord sent ,nathan the prophet unto 
,david1 which1 when he came1  said to   
him3 ,there were two men dwelling in a  
city1 that one rich and  that other     
poor4 ,the rich man had sheep and oxen  
right many1 but the  poor man had but   
one little sheep1 which he bought and   
nourished and  grew with his children1  
eating of his bread and drinking of his 
cup1 and  slept in his bosom4 ,she was  
to him as a daughter4 ,and on a time    
when a  certain pilgrim came to the rich
 man1 he1 sparing his own sheep and oxen
  to make a feast to the pilgrim that   
was come to him1 took the only sheep  of
 the poor man and made meat thereof to  
his guest4 ,david was wroth and  said to
 ,nathan3 ,by the living ,god1 the man  
that hath so done is the  child of      
death1 the man that hath so done shall  
yield therefor four  times double4 ,then

 said ,nathan to ,david3 ,thou art the  
same man that hath  done this thing4    
,this said the ,lord ,god of ,israel3 ,i
 have anointed thee  king upon ,israel1 
and kept thee from the hand of ,saul1   
and ,i have given  to thee an house to  
keep in thine household and wives in thy
 bosom4 ,i  have given to thee the house
 of ,israel and the house of ,judah1 and
 if  these be small things ,i shall add 
and give to thee much more and  greater4
 ,why hast thou therefore despised the  
word of ,god and hast done  evil in the 
sight of our ,lord8 ,thou hast slain    
,uriah with a sword1 and  his wife hast 
thou taken unto thy wife1 and thou hast 
slain him with the  sword of the sons of
 ,ammon4 ,therefore the sword shall not 
go from thy  house1 world without end1  
forasmuch as thou hast despised me and  
hast  taken ,uriah's wife unto thy wife4
 ,this said our ,lord3 ,i shall raise   
evil  against thee1 and shall take thy  
wives in thy sight and give them to thy 
neighbor4 ,thou hast done it privily1   

but ,i shall make this to be done  and  
open in the sight of all ,israel4 ,and  
then said ,david to ,nathan3  ,peccavi6 
,i have sinned against our ,lord4       
,nathan said3 ,our ,lord hath  taken    
away thy sin1 thou shalt not die1 but   
forasmuch as thou hast made  the enemy  
to blaspheme the name of ,god1 therefore
 the son that is born  to thee shall die
 by death4 ,and ,nathan returned to his 
house4 ,and for  this sin ,david made   
this psalm3 ,miserere mei deus ,have    
pity on me1 ,o  ,god61 which is a psalm 
of mercy1 for ,david did great penance  
for these  sins of adultery and also of 
homicide4    ,therefore ,god took away  
this sin1 and forgave it him1 but the   
son that  she brought forth died4 ,and  
after this ,bathsheba1 that had been    
,uriah's  wife1 brought forth another   
son named ,solomon1 which was           
well-beloved of  ,god1 and after ,david1
 ,solomon was king4    ,after this      
,david had much war and trouble and     
anger1 insomuch that on a  time ,amnon1 

oldest son of ,david1 loved ,thamar his 
sister4 ,david knew  hereof1 and was    
right sorry for it1 but he would not    
rebuke his son  ,amnon for it1 for he   
loved him because he was his first      
begotten son4  ,absalom hated ,amnon    
ever after1 and when ,absalom on a time 
did do shear  his sheep he prayed all   
his brethren to come eat with him1 and  
made them  a feast like a king's feast4 
,at which feast he did do slay his      
brother  ,amnon2 and anon it was told to
 the ,king ,david that ,absalom had     
slain all  the king's sons4 ,wherefore  
the king was in great heaviness and     
sorrow1  but anon after it was told him 
that there was no more slain but ,amnon1
  and the other sons came home4 ,and    
,absalom fled into ,geshur1 and was     
there three years1 and durst not come   
home4 ,and after by the moyen of  ,joab 
he was sent for1 and came into          
,jerusalem1 but yet he might not come   
in his father the king's presence1 and  
dwelled there two years1 and  might not 

see the ,king his father4 ,this ,absalom
 was the fairest man that  ever was1 for
 from the sole of his foot unto his head
 there was not a  spot2 he had so much  
hair on his head that it grieved him to 
bear1  wherefore it was shorn off once a
 year1 it weighed two hundred shekels   
of good weight4 ,then when he abode so  
long that he might not come to his      
father's presence he sent for ,joab to  
come speak with him1 and he would  not  
come4 ,he sent again for him and he came
 not4 ,then ,absalom said to  his       
servants3 ,know ye ,joab's field that   
lieth by my field8 ,they said  yea4 ,go 
ye1 said he1 and set fire in the barley 
that is therein1 and  burn it4 ,and     
,joab's servants came and told to ,joab 
that ,absalom had set  fire on his corn4
 ,then ,joab came to ,absalom and said3 
,why hast thou set  fire on my corn6    
,and he said1 ,i have sent twice to     
thee1 praying thee to  come to me that  
,i might send thee to the king1 and that
 thou shouldst  say to him why ,i came  

from ,geshur2 it had been better for me 
for to have  abiden there4 ,i pray thee 
that ,i may come to his presence and see
 his  visage1 and if he remember my     
wickedness let him slay me4 ,joab went  
in  to the ,king and told to him all    
these words4 ,then was ,absalom called1 
and entered in to the king1 and he fell 
down and worshipped the king1  and the  
king kissed him4 ,after this ,absalom   
did do make for himself  chariots and   
horsemen and fifty men for to go before 
him1 and walked  among the tribes of    
,israel2 and greeted and saluted them1  
taking them by  the hand1 and kissed    
them1 by which he gat to him the hearts 
of the  people2 and said to his father  
that he had avowed to make sacrifice to 
,god in ,hebron1 and his father gave him
 leave4 ,and when he was there he       
gathered people to him1 and made himself
 king1 and did do cry that all  men     
should obey and wait on him as king of  
,israel4 ,when ,david heard this  he was
 sore abashed and was fain to flee out  

of ,jerusalem4 ,and ,absalom  came with 
his people and entered into ,jerusalem  
into his father's house1  and after     
pursued his father to depose him4 ,and  
,david ordained his  people and battle  
against him1 and sent ,joab1 prince of  
his host1  against ,absalom1 and divided
 his host into three parts1 and would   
have  gone with them1 but ,joab         
counselled that he should not go to the 
battle  whatsomever happed1 and then    
,david bade them to save his son        
,absalom4    ,and they went forth and   
fought1 and ,absalom with his host was  
overthrown  and put to flight4 ,and as  
,absalom fled upon his mule he came     
under an  oak1 and his hair flew about a
 bough of the tree and held so fast that
  ,absalom hung by his hair1 and the    
mule ran forth4 ,there came one to ,joab
  and told him how that ,absalom hung by
 his hair on a bough of an oak1 and     
,joab said3 ,why hast thou not slain    
him8 ,the man said3 ,god forbid that ,i 
should set hand on the king's son2 ,i   

heard the king say3 keep my son         
,absalom alive and slay him not4 ,then  
,joab went and took three spears1  and  
fixed them in the heart of ,absalom as  
he hung on the tree by his  hair1 and   
yet after this ten young men1 squires of
 ,joab1 ran and slew  him4 ,then ,joab  
trumped and blew the retreat1 and       
retained the people  that they should   
not pursue the people flying4 ,and they 
took the body of  ,absalom and cast it  
in a great pit1 and laid on him a great 
stone4 ,and  when ,david knew that his  
son was slain1 he made great sorrow and 
said3 ,o  my son ,absalom1 my son       
,absalom1 who shall grant to me that ,i 
may die for  thee1 my son ,absalom1     
,absalom my son6 ,it was told to ,joab  
that the king  wept and sorrowed the    
death of his son ,absalom1 and all their
 victory  was turned into sorrow and    
wailing1 insomuch that the people       
eschewed to  enter into the city4 ,then 
,joab entered in to the king and said3  
,thou  hast this day discouraged the    

cheer of all thy servants because they  
have saved thy life1 and the lives of   
thy sons and daughters1 of thy  wives   
and of thy concubines1 thou lovest them 
that hate thee1 and hatest  them that   
love thee1 and showest well this day    
that thou settest little  by thy dukes  
and servants2 and truly ,i know now well
 that if ,absalom had  lived and all we 
thy servants had been slain1 thou       
haddest been pleased4  ,therefore1 arise
 now and come forth and satisfy the     
people2 or else ,i  swear to thee by the
 good lord that there shall not one of  
thy servants  abide with thee till      
to-morrow1 and that shall be worse to   
thee than all  the harms and evils that 
ever yet fell to thee4 ,then ,david the 
king  arose and sat in the gate1 and    
anon it was shown to all the people that
  the king sat in the gate4 ,and then   
all the people came in tofore the  king1
 and they of ,israel that had beerv with
 ,absalom fled into their  tabernacles1 
and after came again unto ,david when   

they knew that ,absalom  was dead4      
,and after1 one ,sheba1 a cursed man1   
rebelled and gathered people against    
,david4 ,against whom ,joab with the    
host of ,david pursued1 and drove him   
unto a city which he besieged1 and by   
the means of a woman of the same  city  
,sheba's head was smitten off and       
delivered to ,joab over the wall1  and  
so the city was saved1 and ,joab        
pleased4 ,after this ,david called      
,joab1 and bade him number the people of
 ,israel1 and so ,joab walked  through  
all the tribes of ,israel1 from ,dan to 
,beersheba1 and over ,jordan  and all   
the country1 and there were founden in  
,israel eight hundred  thousand strong  
men that were able to fight and to draw 
sword1 and of  the tribe of ,judah fifty
 thousand fighting men4 ,and after that 
the  people was numbered1 the heart of  
,david was smitten by our ,lord and was 
heavy1 and said3 ,i have sinned greatly 
in this deed1 but ,i pray the ,lord  to 
take away the wickedness of thy servant1

 for ,i have done follily4  ,david rose 
on the morn early1 and the word of our  
,lord came to ,gad the  prophet saying3 
that he should go to ,david and bid him 
choose one of  three things that he     
should say to him4 ,when ,gad came to   
,david he said  that he should choose   
whether he would have seven years hunger
 in his  land1 or three months he should
 flee his adversaries and enemies1 or to
  have three days' pestilence4 ,of these
 three ,god biddeth thee choose  which  
thou wilt2 now advise thee and conclude 
what ,i shall answer to our  ,lord4     
,david said to ,gad3 ,i am constrained  
to a great thing1 but it is  better for 
me to put me in the hands of our ,lord1 
for his mercy is much  more than in men1
 and so he chose pestilence4    ,then   
our ,lord sent pestilence the time      
constitute1 and there died of the       
people from ,dan to ,beersheba seventy  
thousand men4 ,and when the angel       
extended his hand upon ,jerusalem for to
 destroy it1 our ,lord was  merciful    

upon the affliction1 and said to the    
angel so smiting3 ,it  sufficeth now1   
withdraw thy hand4 ,david said to our   
,lord when he saw the  angel smiting the
 people3 ,i am he that have sinned and  
done wickedly1  what have these sheep   
done8 ,i beseech thee that thy hand turn
 upon me  and upon the house of my      
father4 ,then came ,gad to ,david and   
bade him  make an altar in the same     
place where he saw the angel2 and he    
bought  the place1 and made the altar1  
and offered sacrifices unto our ,lord1  
and  our ,lord was merciful1 and the    
plague ceased in ,israel4    ,david was 
old and feeble and saw that his death   
approached1 and ordained  that his son  
,solomon should reign and be king after 
him4 ,howbeit that  ,adonijah his son   
took on him to be king during ,david's  
life4 ,for which  cause ,bathsheba and  
,nathan came to ,david1 and tofore them 
he said that  ,solomon should be king1  
and ordained that he should be set on   
his mule  by his prophets ,nathan1      

,zadok the priest and ,benaiah1 and     
brought in to  ,sion4 ,and there ,zadok 
the priest and ,nathan the prophet      
anointed him  king upon ,israel and blew
 in a trump and said3 ,live the ,king   
,solomon4  ,and from thence they brought
 him into ,jerusalem and set him upon   
his  father's seat in his father's      
throne1 and ,david worshipped him in his
  bed1 and said3 ,blessed be the ,lord  
,god of ,israel that hath suffered me   
to see my son in my throne and seat ,and
 then ,adonijah and all they that  were 
with him were afeared1 and dreading     
,solomon ran away1 and so ceased        
,adonijah4 ,the days of ,david          
approached fast that he should die1 and 
did  do call ,solomon before him1 and   
there he commanded him to keep the      
commandments of our ,lord and walk in   
his ways1 and to observe his            
ceremonies1 his precepts and his        
judgments1 as it is written in the law  
of ,moses1 and said3 ,our ,lord confirm 
thee in thy reign1 and send to thee     

wisdom to rule it well4 ,and when ,david
 had thus counselled and  commanded him 
to do justice and keep ,god's law1 he   
blessed him and died1  and was buried   
with his fathers4 ,this ,david was an   
holy man and made the  holy psalter1    
which is an holy book and is contained  
therein the old law  and the new law4   
,he was a great prophet1 for he         
prophesied the coming of  ,christ1 his  
nativity1 his passion1 and resurrection1
 and also his  ascension1 and was great 
with ,god1 yet ,god would not suffer him
 to build  a temple for him1 for he had 
shed man's blood4 ,but ,god said to him1
 his  son that should reign after him   
should be a man peaceable1 and he should
  build the temple to ,god4 ,and when   
,david had reigned forty years king of  
,jerusalem1 over ,judah and ,israel1 he 
died in good mind1 and was buried  with 
his fathers in the city of ,david4      
,,the ,,song ,,of ,,david      ,he sang 
of ,god1 the mighty source  ,of all     
things1 the stupendous force    ,on     

which all strength depends2  ,from whose
 right arm1 beneath whose eyes1  ,all   
period1 power1 and enterprise           
,commences1 reigns1 and ends4    ,the   
world1 the clustering spheres he made1  
,the glorious light1 the soothing shade1
    ,dale1 champaign1 grove1 and hill3  
,the multitudinous abyss1  ,where       
secrecy remains in bliss1    ,and wisdom
 hides her skill4    ,tell them1 ,i     
,,am1 ,jehovah said  ,to ,moses3 while  
,earth heard in dread1    ,and1 smitten 
to the heart1  ,at once1 above1 beneath1
 around1  ,all ,nature1 without voice or
 sound1    ,replied1 ,o ,lord1 ,,thou   
,,art4    --,c4 ,smart          ,,the   
,,story ,,of ,a ,,cup ,,of ,,water      
,,by ,,theodore ,t4 ,,munger    ,from   
,lamps and ,paths1 by courtesy of       
,houghton1 ,mifflin  ,co4    ,be noble6 
and the nobleness that lies  ,in other  
men1 sleeping1 but never dead1  ,will   
rise in majesty to meet thine own4      
--,james ,russell ,lowell3 ,sonnet ,,iv 
,restore to ,god his due in tithe and   

time3    ,a tithe purloined cankers the 
whole estate4  ,sundays observe3 think1 
when the bells do chime1    ',tis       
angels' music2 therefore come not late4 
,god there deals blessings4 ,if a king  
did so1  ,who would not haste1 nay give1
 to see the show8    --,george ,herbert 
,o ,lord1 that lends me life1  ,lend me 
a heart replete with thankfulness6      
--,king ,henry ,,vi41 ,part ,,ii42 i4 ,i
    ,and ,david longed1 and said1 ,oh   
that one would give me drink of the     
water of the well of ,bethlehem1 that is
 at the gate6 ,and the three brake      
through the host of the ,philistines1   
and drew water out of the well of       
,bethlehem1 that was by the gate1 and   
took it and brought it to ,david3  but  
,david would not drink of it1 but poured
 it out to the ,lord1 and  said1 ,my    
,god forbid it me1 that ,i should do    
this thing3 shall ,i drink  the blood of
 these men that have put their lives in 
jeopardy8 for with  the jeopardy of     
their lives they brought it4 ,therefore 

he would not  drink it4--,i ,chronicles 
xi4 #ag-ai      ,if any of my young     
friends ask why ,i have read this       
long-time-ago  ,bible-story as a text   
for a sermon to-day1 ,i will not only   
answer1 but  thank them for the         
question2 for nothing helps a speaker at
 the start so  much as a straight1      
intelligent question4 ,i have read this 
story from  the ,chronicles1 because ,i 
want to connect this beautiful occasion 
with  some beautiful thing in the       
,bible2 for beautiful things go         
together4    ,my main object and desire 
in this service is to have everything   
beautiful and pure and high4 ,for ,i    
know how well you will remember this    
day in after years2 ,i know how every   
feature and incident is imprinting      
itself upon your minds2 ,i know how1    
twenty and forty years hence1 when  we  
older ones will be dead and gone1 and   
you will be scattered far and  wide1    
some in the great cities--,new ,york1   
,chicago1 ,st4 ,louis--some in          

,california1 and some further off       
still--,i know how1 on quiet ,june      
,sundays years hence1 you will recall   
this ,festival of ,flowers in ,north    
,adams4 ,you may be in some of the great
 cities1 or on the broad prairies1  or  
among the park-like forests of the      
,sierra1 or in ,puget ,sound1 but you   
will never forget this day4 ,these      
familiar walls2 this pulpit and font    
and chancel decked with flowers2 this   
service1 made for you and in  part by   
you--you will never forget it4 ,and     
because you will always  remember it1 ,i
 want to have it throughout just as     
beautiful1 just as  pure and inspiring1 
as possible4 ,the flowers will do their 
part2 they  never fail to speak sweet1  
pure words to us4 ,your ,superintendent 
always  does his part well1 and ,i hope 
you will all thank him in your hearts1  
if  not in words1 for his faithful and  
laborious interest in you4 ,and your    
teachers and others who have brought    
together this wealth of beauty1  this   

glory of color and perfume1 this tribute
 of sweetness from  mountain-side and   
field and garden--they have done well2  
and you will  remember it all years     
hence1 and when far away1 and perhaps   
some tears  will start for the days that
 are no more4    ,but this occasion     
would not be complete to my mind if     
there were not  linked with it some     
noble and inspiring trutn4 ,i want to   
make all these  flowers and this music  
the setting of a truth1 like a diamond  
set round  with emeralds1 or an opal    
with pearls4 ,you have brought the      
pearls and  the emeralds2 ,i must bring 
a diamond or an opal to set in the midst
 of  them4 ,i am very sure that ,i have 
one in this old story--a diamond very   
brilliant if we brush away the old      
,hebrew dust1 and cut away the sides    
and let in a little more light upon it4 
,i am not sure1 however1 but ,i  ought  
to call it a pearl rather than a        
diamond2 for there is a chaste  and     
gentle modesty about it that reminds one

 of the soft lustre of a  pearl rather  
than of the flashing splendor of a      
diamond4 ,st4 ,john1 in  naming the     
precious stones that make the foundation
 of the heavenly  city1 omits the       
diamond--and for some good reason1 ,i   
suspect--while the  twelve gates were   
all pearls4 ,now1 ,i think ,david stood 
very near one of  those gates of pearl  
at the time of this story4 ,to my mind1 
it is nearly  the most beautiful in all 
this ,book2 and ,i know you will listen 
while ,i  tell it more fully4    ,i have
 this impression of ,david--that if you 
had seen him when he was  young1 you    
would have thought him the most glorious
 human being you had  ever looked on4   
,he was one of those persons who        
fascinate all who come  near them4 ,he  
bound everybody to him in a wonderful   
way4 ,they not only  liked him1 but they
 became absorbed in him1 and were ready 
to obey  him1 and serve him1 and to give
 themselves up to him in every way      
possible4 ,i am not at all surprised    

that ,saul's son and daughter and  ,saul
 himself fell in love with1 and could   
hardly live without1 him4 ,it  was so   
all along2 and even after he became an  
old man everybody was  fascinated by    
him--even his old uncles--and stood     
ready to do his  bidding and consult his
 wishes4    ,it was somewhat so with    
,richard ,coeur de ,lion and ,napoleon  
and ,mary  ,stuart and ,alexander and   
,julius ,csar2 but the personal         
fascination of  none of these persons   
was so great as that of ,david4 ,in some
 respects he  was no greater than some  
of these2 but he had a broader and more 
lovable  nature than any of them1 for he
 had what not one of them had in        
anything  like the same degree--a great 
and noble generosity4 ,david deserved   
all  the love that was lavished upon    
him1 because--let men love him ever so  
much--he loved more in return4    ,there
 was not apparently1 at this early time 
of his life1 one grain of  selfishness  
about him4 ,you know that the word      

chivalry was not used  till about a     
thousand years back1 while ,david lived 
almost three times  as long ago2 but he 
was one of the most chivalrous men that 
ever  lived4 ,by chivalry ,i mean a     
union of honor1 purity1 religion1       
nobleness1  bravery1 and devotion to a  
cause or person4 ,david excited this    
chivalric  devotion in others because he
 had so much of it in himself4 ,and here
 ,i  will stop a moment just to say that
 if you want to awaken any feeling  in  
another toward yourself1 you must first 
have it in yourself4 ,i think  there is 
a very general notion that in order to  
awaken admiration and  love and regard  
in others one must have a fine          
appearance4 ,there is a  great deal of  
misplaced faith in fine clothes and     
bright eyes and clear  complexions and  
pretty features2 but ,i have yet to     
learn that these ever  win genuine love 
and admiration4 ,and so far as ,i have  
observed1 a true  sentiment only grows  
out of a corresponding sentiment2       

feeling comes  from feeling2 in short1  
others come at last to feel toward us   
just about  as we feel toward them4 ,and
 ,i never knew a person1 young or old1  
to show  a kind1 generous1 hearty       
disposition to others who was not       
surrounded by  friends4 ,and ,i have    
seen--,i know not how many--selfish and 
unobliging  and unsympathetic persons go
 friendless all their days in spite of  
wealth and fine appearance4 ,now1 put   
this away in your memory to think  of   
hereafter4    ,it was ,david's          
great-heartedness that bound others to  
him4 ,at the time  of this story he was 
a sort of outlaw1 driven without any    
good reason  from the court of ,saul4   
,but he was a man of too much spirit to 
allow  himself to be tamely killed1 and 
he loved ,saul and his family too well  
to actually make war upon him1 and he   
was too good a patriot to give  trouble 
to his country--a pretty hard place he  
had to fill1 ,i can assure  you4 ,but he
 was equal to it1 and simply bided his  

time1 drawing off into  the wild and    
rocky regions where he could hide and   
also protect himself4  ,but he was not a
 man whom people would leave alone4 ,the
 magnetic power  that was in him drew   
kindred spirits1 and some that were not 
kindred who  found it pleasanter to     
follow a chief in the wilds than to live
 in the  dull quiet of their homes4 ,but
 the greater part of them were brave1   
generous1 devoted souls1 who had come to
 the conclusion that to live  with      
,david and fight his battles and share  
his fortunes was more  enjoyable than to
 plod along under ,saul and his petty   
tyrannies4 ,there  were1 in particular1 
eleven men of the tribe of              
,gad--mountaineers--fierce  as lions and
 swift as roes1 terrible men in battle1 
and full of devotion  to ,david4 ,in    
this way he got together quite a little 
army1 which he used  to defend the      
borders from the ,philistines1 who were 
a thieving set1 and  also to defend     
himself in case ,saul troubled him4 ,it 

was not exactly the  best sort of a life
 for a man to live2 and had not ,david  
been a person  of very high principles1 
his followers would have been a band of 
robbers  living on the country4 ,but    
,david prevented that1 and made them as 
useful  as was possible4 ,his           
headquarters were at the cave of        
,adullam1 or what  is now called        
,engedi4 ,while here1 the ,philistines  
came on a foraging  expedition as far as
 ,bethlehem1 and with so large a force  
that ,david and  his few followers were 
shut up in their fortress--for how long 
we do not  know--probably for some days4
 ,it was very dull and wearisome        
business1  imprisoned in a rocky defile 
and unable to do anything1 while the    
,philistines were stealing the harvests 
that grew on the very spot where  he had
 spent his boyhood4    ,it was then that
 what has always seemed to me a very    
touching and  beautiful trait of        
,david's character showed itself1 and   
that is--a  feeling of homesickness4    

,now1 there is very little respect to be
 had  for a person who is not capable of
 homesickness4 ,to give up to it may be 
weak1 but to be incapable of it is a bad
 sign4 ,but in ,david it took a  very   
poetic form4 ,close by was the home     
where he was born4 ,there1 in           
,bethlehem1 he had passed the dreamy    
years of his childhood and youth  amid  
the love of his parents and brothers1   
whom he now had with him2  there he fed 
his sheep and sang to his harp2 and     
there1 morning and  evening1 he gathered
 with others about the well--the        
meeting-place of  his companions--loved 
with all the passionate energy of his   
nature1 and  still loved in spite of the
 troublous times that had come upon him4
 ,as  ,david broods over these memories1
 he longs with a yearning1 homesick     
feeling for ,bethlehem and its well4    
,and1 like a poet as he was1 he         
conceives that if he could but drink of 
its water1 it would relieve this        
feverish unrest and longing for the     

past4 ,it was a very natural feeling4   
,you are too young to know what it      
means2 but we who are older think of    
these little things in a strange1       
yearning way4 ,it is the little things  
of childhood that we long for--to lie   
under the roof on which we heard  the   
rain patter years and years ago2 to     
gather fruit in the old orchard2  to    
fish in the same streams2 to sit on the 
same rock1 or under the same  elm or    
maple1 and see the sun go down behind   
the same old hills2 to  drink from the  
same spring that refreshed us in summer 
days that will  not come again--you are 
too young for this1 but we who are older
 know  well how ,david felt4 ,he was not
 a man to hide his feelings1 and so he  
uttered his longing for the water of the
 well by the gate of ,bethlehem4  ,his  
words are overheard2 and three of these 
terrible followers of  his--fierce as   
lions and fleet as deer--took their     
swords and fought  their way through the
 ,philistines1 slaying we know not how  

many1 and  brought back some of the     
water4 ,it was enough for them that     
,david  wanted it4    ,now1 some people 
would say that it was very foolish and  
sentimental of  ,david to be indulging  
in such a whim1 and still more foolish  
in these  men to gratify it at the risk 
of their lives2 but ,i think there is a 
better way of looking at it4 ,if ,david 
had required them to procure the  water 
at the risk of their lives1 it would    
have been very wrong2 but the  whole    
thing was unknown to him till the water 
was brought4 ,i prefer to  regard it as 
an act of splendid heroism1 prompted by 
chivalric devotion1  and ,i will not    
stop to consider whether or not it was  
sensible and  prudent4 ,and ,i want to  
say to you that whenever you see or hear
 of an  action that has these qualities 
of heroism and generosity and devotion1 
it is well to admire and praise it1     
whether it will bear the test of  cold  
reason or not4 ,i hope your hearts will 
never get to be so dry and  hard that   

they will not beat responsive to brave  
and noble deeds1 even  if they are not  
exactly prudent4    ,but ,david took    
even a higher view of this brave and    
tender act of his  lion-faced1          
deer-footed followers4 ,it awoke his    
religious feelings2 for  our sense of   
what is noble and generous and brave    
lies very close to  our religious       
sensibilities4 ,the whole event passes1 
in ,david's mind1  into the field of    
religion2 and so what does he do8 ,drink
 the water1 and  praise his three mighty
 warriors1 and bid them never again run 
such  risks to gratify his chance       
wishes8 ,no4 ,david looks a great deal  
further  into the matter than this4 ,the
 act seemed to him to have a religious  
character2 its devotion was so complete 
and unselfish that it became  sacred4   
,he felt what ,i have just said--that a 
brave and devoted act that  incurs      
danger is almost if not quite a         
religious act4 ,and so he treats  it in 
a religious way4 ,he is anxious to      

separate it from himself1  although done
 for him1 and get it into a service done
 for ,god2 and he  may have thought that
 he had himself been a little selfish4  
,to his mind  it would have been a mean 
and low repayment to these men to drink 
their  water with loud praises of their 
valor4 ,they had done a ,godlike deed1  
and so he will transfer it to ,god1 and 
make it an act as between them  and     
,god4 ,i do not know that those         
lion-faced1 deer-footed warriors        
understood or appreciated his treatment 
of their act2 but ,david himself  very  
well knew what he was about1 and you can
 see that he acted in a  very high and  
true way4 ,he will not drink the water1 
but pours it out  unto the ,lord1 and   
lets it sink into the ground unused1    
and1 because  unused1 a sort of         
sacrifice and offering to ,god4 ,water  
got with such  valor and risk was not   
for man1 but for ,god4 ,much less was it
 right to  use it to gratify a dreamy   
whim that had in it perhaps just a touch

 of  selfishness4 ,the bravery and      
danger had made the water sacred1 and so
  he will make a sacred use of it4      
,if any one thinks that ,david was      
carried away by sentimentality1 or that 
he was overscrupulous1 one has only to  
recall how1 when actually in  want1 he  
took the consecrated bread from the     
,tabernacle at ,nob1 and ate  it and    
gave it to his followers4 ,his strong   
common-sense told him that  even        
consecrated bread was not too good for  
hungry men2 but that same  fine         
common-sense told him that water        
procured at the risk of life1 when  not 
actually wanted1 had become sacred1 and 
had better be turned into a  sort of    
prayer and offering to ,god than        
wantonly drunk4    ,and now1 having the 
story well in mind1 ,i will close by    
drawing out from  it one or two lessons 
that seem to me very practical4         
,suppose we were to ask1 ,who acted in  
the noblest way--the three strong  men  
who got the water1 or ,david1 who made a

 sacrifice or libation of it8  ,it does 
not take us long to answer4 ,the real   
greatness of the whole  affair was with 
the three men1 though ,david put a      
beautiful meaning upon  it1 and exalted 
it to its true place4 ,their act was    
very brave and  lofty2 but ,david       
crowned it with its highest grace by    
carrying it on  into religion--that is1 
by setting it before ,god4    ,i see a  
great many people who are living worthy 
lives1 doing a great  many kind acts and
 rendering beautiful services1 but do   
not take ,god  into their thoughts1 nor 
render their services as unto ,him4 ,i  
think  everybody must see that this act 
of these lion-faced men was more        
complete when ,david took it before ,god
 than as rendered for himself4  ,why1 it
 might take long to tell2 but1 briefly1 
it was because the  nameless grace of   
religion has been added to it1 and      
because it was  connected with that     
great1 dear ,name that hallows          
everything brought  under it4    ,many  

of you have brought here offerings of   
flowers1 sweet and fit for  this day and
 place and purpose4 ,some may have      
brought them simply with  the thought of
 helping out the occasion1 or to please 
your teacher1 or  because it is         
beautiful in itself to heap up beauty in
 this large way2  but if1 as you worked 
here yesterday1 or brought your flowers 
to-day1  your thoughts silently rose to 
,god1 saying1 ,these are for ,thy       
altars--this glory of tint and perfume  
is not for us1 but for  ,thee--then1 ,i 
think1 every poet1 every person of fine 
feeling1 every  true thinker1 would say 
that the latter is more beautiful than  
the  former4 ,i hate to see a life that 
does not take hold of ,god2 ,i hate to  
see fine acts and brave lives and noble 
dispositions and generous  emotions that
 do not reach up into a sense of ,god2  
,i hate to see  persons--and ,i see a   
great many such nowadays--striving after
 beautiful  lives and true sentiments   
and large thoughts without ever a word  

of  prayer1 or thought of ,god1 or      
anything to show they love and venerate 
,christ4 ,i hate to see it1 both because
 they might rise so much higher  and    
because at last it fails2 for ,god must 
enter into every thought and  sentiment 
and purpose in order to make it genuine1
 and truly beautiful1  and altogether   
right4 ,that ,god may be in your        
thoughts2 that you may  learn to confess
 ,him in all your ways1 to serve and    
fear and know and  love him--this is the
 wish with which ,i greet you to-day1   
and the prayer  that ,i offer in your   
behalf4    ,i found1 the other day1 some
 lines by ,faber--a ,catholic poet--so  
beautifully giving this last thought of 
our sermon that ,i will read them  to   
you3    ,oh ,god6 who wert my           
childhood's love1    ,my boyhood's pure 
delight1  ,a presence felt the livelong 
day1    ,a welcome fear at night1    ,i 
know not what ,i thought of ,thee2      
,what picture ,i had made  ,of that     
,eternal ,majesty    ,to whom my        

childhood prayed4    ,with age ,thou    
grewest more divine1    ,more glorious  
than before2  ,i feared ,thee with a    
deeper fear1    ,because ,i loved ,thee 
more4    ,thou broadenest out with every
 year    ,each breath of life to meet4  
,i scarce can think ,thou art the same1 
,thou art so much more sweet4           
,father6 what hast ,thou grown to now8  
,a joy all joys above1  ,something more 
sacred than a fear1    ,more tender than
 a love4    ,with gentle swiftness lead 
me on1    ,dear ,god6 to see ,thy face2 
,and meanwhile in my narrow heart1      
,oh1 make ,thyself more space4          
,,the ,,history ,,of ,,solomon          
,after ,david1 reigned ,solomon his son1
 which was in the beginning a good  man 
and walked in the ways and laws of ,god4
 ,and all the kings about him  made     
peace with him and was king confirmed1  
obeyed and peaceable in his  possession1
 and according to his father's          
commandment did justice4 ,first  on     
,joab that had been prince of his       

father's host1 because he slew two  good
 men by treason and guile1 that was     
,abner the son of ,ner1 and ,amasa  the 
son of ,ithra4 ,and ,joab was afeard and
 dreaded ,solomon1 and fled into  the   
,tabernacle of our ,lord and held the   
end of the altar4 ,and ,solomon  sent   
,benaiah and slew him there1 and after  
buried him in his house in  desert4 ,and
 after this on a night as he lay in his 
bed after he had  sacrificed to our     
,lord in ,gibeon1 our ,lord appeared to 
him in his sleep  saying to him3 ,ask   
and demand what thou wilt that ,i may   
give to thee4  ,and ,solomon said3      
,lord1 thou hast done to my father great
 mercy2 because  he walked in thy ways  
in truth1 justice1 and a rightful heart1
 thou hast  always kept for him thy     
great mercy1 and hast given to him a son
 sitting  upon this throne as it is this
 day4 ,and now ,lord thou hast made me  
thy  servant to reign for my father     
,david4 ,i am a little child and know   
not  my going out and entering in1 and  

,i thy servant am set in the middle of  
the people that thou hast chosen which  
be infinite1 and may not be  numbered   
for multitude2 therefore ,lord give to  
me thy servant a heart  docile and      
taught in wisdom that may judge thy     
people1 and discern  between good and   
evil4 ,who may judge this people1 thy   
people that be so  many8 ,this request  
and demand pleased much unto ,god that  
,solomon had  asked such a thing4 ,and  
,god said to ,solomon3 ,because thou    
hast required  and asked this and hast  
not asked long life1 ne riches1 ne the  
souls of  thine enemies1 but hast asked 
sapience and wisdom to discern doom and 
judgment1 ,i have given to thee after   
thy desire and request1 and ,i have     
given to thee a wise heart and          
understanding insomuch that there was   
never none such tofore1 ne never after  
shall be4 ,and also those things  that  
thou hast not asked ,i have given also  
to thee1 that is to say  riches and     
glory1 that no man shall be like to thee

 among all the kings  that shall be     
after thy days4 ,if thou walk in my ways
 and keep my  precepts and observe my   
commandments as thy father walked1 ,i   
shall make  thy days long4 ,after this  
,solomon awoke and came to ,jerusalem1  
and stood  tofore the ,ark of our ,lord 
and offered sacrifices and victims unto 
our  ,lord1 and made a great feast unto 
all his servants and household4 ,then   
came tofore him two women1 of which that
 one said3 ,i beseech thee my  lord hear
 me2 this woman and ,i dwelled together 
in one house1 and ,i was  delivered of a
 child in my cubicle sleeping room1 and 
the third day  after she bare a child1  
and was also delivered1 and we were     
together  and none other in the house   
but we twain1 and it was so that this   
woman's son was dead in the night2 for  
she sleeping1 overlaid and  oppressed   
him1 and she arose in the darkest of the
 night privily1 and  took my son from   
the side of me thy servant and laid him 
by her1 and her  son that was dead she  

laid by me4 ,when ,i arose in the       
morning for to  give milk to my son it  
appeared dead1 whom ,i took beholding   
him  diligently in the clear light1     
understood well anon that it was not my 
son that ,i had borne4 ,the other woman 
answered and said3 ,it was not so  as   
thou sayest1 but my son liveth and thine
 is dead4 ,and contrary that  other     
said3 ,thou liest3 my son liveth and    
thine is dead4 ,thus in this  wise they 
strove tofore the king4 ,then the king  
said3 ,this woman saith  my son liveth  
and thine is dead1 and this answereth   
,nay1 but thy son is  dead1 and mine    
liveth4 ,then the king said3 ,bring to  
me here a sword4  ,when they had brought
 forth a sword the king said3 ,divide   
ye1 said he1  the living child in two   
parts1 and give that one half to that   
one1 and  that other half to that other4
 ,then said the woman that was mother of
  the living child to the king1 for all 
her members and bowels were moved  upon 
her son3 ,i beseech and pray thee1 my   

lord1 give to her the child  alive1 and 
slay him not1 and contrary said that    
other woman3 ,let it not  be given to me
 ne to thee1 but let it be divided4 ,the
 king then answered  and said3 ,give the
 living child to this woman1 and let it 
not be slain2  this is verily the       
mother4 ,all ,israel heard how wisely   
the king had  given this sentence and   
dreaded him1 seeing that the wisdom of  
,god was  in him in deeming of rightful 
dooms4    ,after this ,solomon sent his 
messengers to divers kings for cedar    
trees  and for workmen1 for to make and 
build a temple unto our ,lord4 ,solomon 
was rich and glorious1 and all the      
realms from the river of the ends of    
the ,philistines unto the end of ,egypt 
were accorded with him1 and  offered to 
him gifts and to serve him all the days 
of his life4 ,solomon  had daily for the
 meat of his household thirty measures1 
named chores1  of corn1 and sixty of    
meal1 ten fat oxen1 and twenty oxen of  
pasture and  an hundred wethers1 without

 venison that was taken1 as harts1      
goats1  bubals1 and other flying fowls  
and birds4 ,he obtained all the region  
that was from ,tiphsa unto ,azza1 and   
had peace with all the kings of all  the
 realms that were in every part round   
about him4 ,in that time ,israel  and   
,judah dwelled without fear and dread1  
every each under his vine and  fig tree 
from ,dan unto ,beersheba4    ,solomon  
had forty thousand racks for the horses 
of his carts1 chariots  and cars1 and   
twelve thousand for horses to ride on1  
by which prefects  brought necessary    
things for the table of ,king ,solomon1 
with great  diligence in their time4    
,god gave to ,solomon much wisdom and   
prudence in  his heart1 like to the     
gravel that is in the sea-side1 and the 
sapience  and wisdom of ,solomon passed 
and went tofore the sapience of all them
 of  the ,orient and of ,egypt1 and he  
was the wisest of all men1 and so he was
  named4 ,he spake three thousand       
parables1 and five thousand songs1 and  

disputed upon all manner trees and      
virtue of them1 from the cedar that  is 
in ,lebanon unto the hissop that groweth
 on the wall1 and discerned  the        
properties of beasts1 fowls1 reptiles   
and fishes1 and there came  people from 
all regions of the world for to hear the
 wisdom of ,solomon1    ,and ,solomon   
sent letters to ,hiram1 king of ,tyre1  
for to have his men to  cut cedar trees 
with his servants1 and he would yield to
 them their hire  and meed1 and let him 
wit how that he would build and edify a 
temple to  our ,lord4 ,and ,hiram sent  
to him that he should have all that he  
desired1  and sent to him cedar trees   
and other wood4 ,and ,solomon sent to   
him corn  in great number1 and ,solomon 
and ,hiram confederated them together in
  love and friendship4 ,solomon chose   
out workmen of all ,israel the number   
of thirty thousand men of whom he sent  
to ,lebanon ten thousand every  month1  
and when ten thousand went the others   
came home1 and so two  months were they 

at home1 and ,adonias was overseer and  
commander on  them4 ,solomon had seventy
 thousand men that did nothing but bear 
stone  and mortar and other things to   
the edifying of the temple1 and were    
bearers of burdens only1 and he had     
eighty thousand of hewers of stone  and 
masons in the mountain1 without the     
prefects and masters1 which were  three 
thousand three hundred that did nothing 
but command and oversee  them that      
wrought4 ,solomon commanded the workmen 
to make square stones1  great and       
precious1 for to lay in the foundament1 
which the masons of  ,israel and masons 
of ,hiram hewed1 and the carpenters made
 ready the  timber4    ,then began      
,solomon the temple to our ,lord1 in the
 fourth year of his  reign he began to  
build the temple4 ,the house that he    
builded had  seventy cubits in length1  
and twenty cubits in breadth1 and thirty
 in  height1 and the porch tofore the   
temple was twenty cubits long after the 
measure of the breadth of the temple1   

and had ten cubits of breadth  tofore   
the face of the temple1 and for to write
 the curiosity and work  of the temple1 
and the necessaries1 the tables and cost
 that was done in  gold1 silver and     
latten1 it passeth my cunning to express
 and ,english  them4 ,ye that be clerks 
may see it in the ,second ,book of      
,kings and the  ,second ,book of        
,paralipomenon4 ,it is wonder to hear   
the costs and  expenses that was made in
 that temple1 but ,i pass over4 ,it was 
on making  seven years1 and his palace  
was thirteen years ere it was finished4 
,he  made in the temple an altar of pure
 gold1 and a table to set on the  loaves
 of proposition of gold1 five           
candlesticks of gold on the right  side 
and five on the left side1 and many     
other things1 and took all the  vessels 
of gold and silver that his father      
,david had sanctified and  hallowed1 and
 brought them into the treasury of the  
house of our ,lord4  ,after this he     
assembled all the noblest and greatest  

of birth of them of  ,israel1 with the  
princes of the tribes and dukes of the  
families1 for to  bring the ,ark of ,god
 from the city of ,david1 ,sion1 into   
the temple4 ,and  the priests and       
,levites took the ,ark and bare it and  
all the vessels of  the sanctuary that  
were in the tabernacle4 ,king ,solomon1 
with all the  multitude of the children 
that were there1 went tofore the ,ark   
and  offered sheep and oxen without     
estimation and number4    ,and the      
priests set the ,ark in the house of our
 ,lord in the oracle of  the temple1 in 
sancta sanctorum1 under the wings of    
cherubim4 ,in the ark  was nothing but  
the two tables of ,moses of stone which 
,moses had put in4  ,and then ,solomon  
blessed our ,lord tofore all the people1
 and thanked him  that he had suffered  
him to make an house unto his name1 and 
besought  our ,lord that he whosomever  
prayed our ,lord for any petition in    
that  temple1 that he of his mercy would
 hear him and be merciful to him4 ,and  

our ,lord appeared to him when the      
edifice was accomplished perfectly1  and
 said to ,solomon3 ,i have heard thy    
prayer and thine oration that thou  hast
 prayed tofore me4 ,i have sanctified   
and hallowed this house that  thou hast 
edified for to put my name therein for  
evermore1 and my eyes  and heart shall  
be thereon always4 ,and if thou walk    
before me like as  thy father walked in 
the simplicity of heart and in equity1  
and wilt do  all that ,i have commanded 
thee1 and keep my judgments and laws1 ,i
 shall  set the throne of thy reign upon
 ,israel evermore1 like as ,i have said 
to  thy father ,david1 saying3 ,there   
shall not be taken away a man of thy    
generation from the reign and seat of   
,israel4 ,if ye avert and turn from  me1
 ye and your sons1 not following ne     
keeping my commandments and  ceremonies 
that ,i have showed tofore you1 but go  
and worship strange  gods1 and honor    
them1 ,i shall cast away ,israel from   
the face of the  earth that ,i have     

given to them1 and the temple that ,i   
have hallowed to  my name1 ,i shall cast
 it away from my sight4 ,and it shall be
 a fable and  proverb1 and thy house an 
example shall be to all people2 every   
man that  shall go thereby shall be     
abashed and astonied1 and shall say3    
,why hath  ,god done thus to this land  
and to thy house8 ,and they shall       
answer3 ,for  they have forsaken their  
,lord ,god that brought them out of the 
land of  ,egypt1 and have followed      
strange gods1 and them adored and       
worshipped1  and therefore ,god hath    
brought on them all this evil3 here may 
every man  take ensample how perilous   
and dreadful it is to break the         
commandment  of ,god4    ,twenty years  
after that ,solomon had edified the     
temple of ,god and his  house1 and      
finished it perfectly1 ,hiram the king  
of ,tyre went for to see  towns that    
,solomon had given to him1 and they     
pleased him not4 ,hiram had  sent to    
,king ,solomon an hundred and twenty    

besants of gold1 which he had  spent on 
the temple and his house1 and on the    
wall of ,jerusalem and  other towns and 
places that he had made4 ,solomon was   
rich and glorious  that the fame ran1 of
 his sapience and wisdom and of his     
building and  dispense in his house1    
through the world1 insomuch that the    
queen of  ,sheba came from far countries
 to see him and to tempt him in demands 
and  questions4 ,and she came into      
,jerusalem with much people and riches1 
with  camels charged with aromatics and 
gold infinite4 ,and she came and spake  
to ,king ,solomon all that ever she had 
in her heart4 ,and ,solomon taught  her 
in all that ever she purposed tofore    
him4 ,she could say nothing but  that   
the king answered to her1 there was     
nothing hid from him4 ,the queen  of    
,sheba then seeing all the wisdom of    
,solomon1 the house that he had         
builded1 and the meat and service of his
 table1 the habitacles of his  servants1
 the order of the ministers1 their      

clothing and array1 his  butlers and    
officers1 and the sacrifices that he    
offered in the house of  our ,lord1 when
 she saw all these things1 she had no   
spirit to answer1  but she said to ,king
 ,solomon3 ,the word is true that ,i    
heard in my land1  of thy words and thy 
wisdom1 and ,i believed not them that   
told it to me1  unto the time that ,i   
myself came and have seen it with mine  
eyes1 and ,i  have now well seen and    
proved that the half was not told to me4
 ,thy  sapience is more1 and thy works  
also1 than the tidings that ,i heard4   
,blessed be thy servants1 and blessed be
 these that stand always tofore  thee   
and hear thy sapience and wisdom1 and   
thy ,lord ,god be blessed whom  thou    
hast pleased1 and hath set thee upon the
 throne of ,israel1 for so  much as ,god
 of ,israel loveth thee and hath        
ordained thee a king for to  do         
righteousness and justice4 ,she gave    
then to the king an hundred and  twenty 
besants of gold1 many aromatics1 and    

gems precious4 ,there were  never seen  
tofore so many aromatics ne so sweet    
odors smelling as the  queen of ,sheba  
gave to ,king ,solomon4    ,king        
,solomon gave to the queen of ,sheba all
 that ever she desired and  demanded of 
him1 and after returned into her country
 and land4 ,the  weight of pure gold    
that was offered every year to ,solomon 
was six  hundred and sixty-six talents  
of gold1 except that that the merchants 
offered1 and all they that sold1 and all
 the kings of ,arabia and dukes  of that
 land4 ,solomon made two hundred shields
 of the purest gold and  set them in the
 house of ,lebanon2 he made him also a  
throne of ivory  which was great and was
 clad with gold1 which had six grees or 
steps1  which was richly wrought with   
two lions of gold holding the seat      
above1  and twelve small lions standing 
upon the steps1 on every each twain1    
here and there4 ,there was never such a 
work in no realm4 ,and all the  vessels 
that ,king ,solomon drank of were of    

gold1 and the ceiling of the  house of  
,lebanon in which his shields of gold   
were in was of the most  pure gold4     
,silver was of no price in the days of  
,king ,solomon1 for the  navy of the    
king1 with the navy of ,hiram1 went in  
three years once into  ,tarsis and      
brought them thence gold and silver1    
teeth of elephants and  great riches4   
,the ,king ,solomon was magnified above 
all the kings of the  world in riches   
and wisdom1 and all the world desired to
 see the cheer  and visage of ,solomon1 
and to hear his wisdom that ,god had    
given to him4  ,every man brought to him
 gifts1 vessels of gold and silver1     
clothes and  armor for war1 aromatics1  
horses and mules every year4 ,solomon   
gathered  together chariots and         
horsemen2 he had a thousand four hundred
 chariots  and cars1 and twelve thousand
 horsemen1 and were lodged in small     
cities  and towns about ,jerusalem by   
the king4 ,there was as great abundance 
and  plenty of gold and silver in those 

days in ,jerusalem as stones or         
sycamores that grow in the field1 and   
horses were brought to him from  ,egypt 
and ,chao4 ,what shall ,i all day write 
of the riches1 glory and  magnificence  
of ,king ,solomon8 ,it was so great that
 it cannot be  expressed1 for there was 
never none like to him1 ne never shall  
none  come after him like unto him4 ,he 
made the book of the parables           
containing thirty-one chapters1 the book
 of the ,canticles1 the book of         
,ecclesiastes1 containing twelve        
chapters1 and the book of ,sapience     
containing nineteen chapters4 ,this     
,king ,solomon loved overmuch women1    
and specially strange women of other    
sects2 as ,king ,pharaoh's daughters    
and many other of the gentiles4 ,he had 
seven hundred wives which were as       
queens1 and three hundred concubines1   
and these women turned his heart4  ,for 
when he was old he so doted and loved   
them that they made him honor  their    
strange gods1 and worshipped ,ashtareth1

 ,chemosh and ,moloch1 idols  of        
,zidonia1 of ,moabites1 and ,ammonites1 
and made to them ,tabernacles for  to   
please his wives and concubines1        
wherefore ,god was wroth with him1  and 
said to him3 ,because thou hast not     
observed my precepts and my             
commandments that ,i commanded thee1 ,i 
shall cut thy kingdom and divide  it and
 give it to thy servant but not in thy  
day1 ,i shall not do it for  love that  
,i had to ,david thy father2 but from   
the hand of thy son ,i  shall cut it but
 not all1 ,i shall reserve to him one   
tribe for ,david's  love1 and ,jerusalem
 that ,i have chosen4 ,and after this   
divers kings  became adversaries to     
,solomon1 and was never in peace after4 
,it is said1 but ,i find it not in the  
,bible1 that ,solomon repented him  much
 of this sin of idolatry and did much   
penance therefor1 for he let  him be    
drawn through ,jerusalem and beat       
himself with rods and scourges1  that   
the blood flowed in the sight of all the

 people4 ,he reigned upon  all ,israel  
in ,jerusalem forty years1 and died and 
was buried with his  fathers in the city
 of ,david1 and ,rehoboam his son       
reigned after him4          ,,the       
,,history ,,of ,,rehoboam      ,after   
,solomon1 reigned his son ,rehoboam4 ,he
 came to ,sichem and thither  came all  
the people for to ordain him king4      
,jeroboam and all the  multitude of     
,israel spake to ,rehoboam1 and said3   
,thy father set on us an  hard yoke and 
great impositions1 now thou hast not so 
much need1  therefore less it and minish
 it1 and ease us of the great and hard  
burden and we shall serve thee4         
,rehoboam answered and said3 ,go ye and 
come again the third day and ye shall   
have an answer4 ,when the people  was   
departed1 ,rehoboam made a counsel of   
the seniors and old men that  had       
assisted his father ,solomon whiles he  
lived1 and said to them3 ,what  say ye8 
and counsel me that ,i may answer to the
 people1 which said to  ,rohoboam3 ,if  

thou wilt obey and agree to this people1
 and agree to their  petition1 and speak
 fair and friendly to them1 they shall  
serve thee  always4 ,but ,rehoboam      
forsook the counsel of the old men1 and 
called the  young men that were of his  
age1 and asked of them counsel4 ,and the
 young  men that had been nourished with
 him bade him say to the people in this 
wise3 ,is not my finger greater than the
 back of my father8 ,if my father  hath 
laid on you a heavy burden1 ,i shall add
 and put more to your  burden2 my father
 beat you with scourges1 and ,i shall   
beat you with  scorpions4 ,the third day
 after1 ,jeroboam and all the people    
came to  ,rehoboam to have their answer1
 and ,rehoboam left the counsel of the  
old  men1 and said to them like as the  
young men had counselled him4 ,and anon 
the people of ,israel forsook ,rehoboam1
 and of twelve tribes1 there abode  with
 him no more but the tribe of ,judah and
 ,benjamin4 ,and the other ten  tribes  
departed and made ,jeroboam their king1 

and never returned unto  the house of   
,david after unto this day4 ,and thus   
for sin of ,solomon1 and  because       
,rehoboam would not do after the counsel
 of the old men1 but was  counselled by 
young men1 the ten tribes of ,israel    
forsook him1 and  departed from         
,jerusalem1 and served ,jeroboam1 and   
ordained him king upon  ,israel4 ,anon  
after this1 ,jeroboam fell to idolatry  
and great division  was ever after      
between the kings of ,judah and the     
kings of ,israel4 ,and  so reigned      
divers kings each after other in        
,jerusalem after ,rehoboam1  and in     
,israel after ,jeroboam4 ,and here ,i   
leave all the history and make  an end  
of the book of ,kings for this time1    
etc4 ,for ye that list to know  how     
every king reigned after other1 ye may  
find it in the first chapter  of ,saint 
,matthew which is read on ,christmas day
 in the morning before ,te  ,deum1 which
 is the genealogy of our ,lady4         
,a ,,little ,,maid    ,,by ,,theodore   

,t4 ,,munger    ,from ,lamps and ,paths1
 by courtesy of ,houghton1 ,mifflin     
,co4    ,in old days we read of angels  
who came and took men by the hand1 and  
led  them away from the city of         
,destruction4 ,we see no white-robed    
angels  now2 yet men are led away from  
threatening destruction3 a hand is put  
into theirs1 and they are gently guided 
toward a bright and calm land1  so that 
they look no more backward2 and the hand
 may be that of a little                
child4--,,george ,,eliot    ,as aromatic
 plants bestow  ,no spicy fragrance     
while they grow1  ,but crushed1 or      
trodden to the ground1  ,diffuse their  
balmy sweets around4    --,,goldsmith3  
,the ,captivity    ,now ,naaman1 captain
 of the host of the king of ,syria1 was 
a great man  with his master1 and       
honorable1 because by him the ,lord had 
given  deliverance unto ,syria3 he was  
also a mighty man in valor1 but he was a
  leper4 ,and the ,syrians had gone out 
by companies1 and had brought away      

captive out of the land of ,israel a    
little maid2 and she waited on          
,naaman's wife4 ,and she said unto her  
mistress4 ,would ,god my lord were  with
 the prophet that is in ,samaria6 for he
 would recover him of his  leprosy4--#b 
,,kings v4 #a-c      ,i think upon the  
whole that old stories are better than  
new ones2 ,i  mean1 stories of old      
times4 ,it is perhaps because only the  
very best are  remembered while the     
poorer ones are forgotten1 so that those
 which have  come down to us through    
past ages are the choice ones selected  
from a  great number that pleased people
 for a while1 but not well nor long     
enough to get fixed in their minds4     
,of all old stories1 ,i hardly know a   
better one than this of ,naaman and  the
 little maid from ,samaria4 ,it is full 
of human nature2 that is1 it  shows that
 people acted and felt three thousand   
years ago just as they  do now3 they    
were kind and sympathetic1 and proud and
 grateful and  covetous and deceitful1  

just as people are nowadays4 ,and the   
story has a  fine romantic setting2 that
 is1 its incidents take hold of our     
fancy and  charm us2--a little girl     
stolen in war and carried to a foreign  
country  and put into the house of a    
great general1 who falls very ill and is
  cured in a wonderful way1 and so on4  
,i think it will please us all to  hear 
it over again4    ,syria and ,israel    
stood to each other very much like      
,germany and  ,switzerland4 ,one was a  
great1 rich country1 with fine rivers   
like the  ,rhine and ,danube1 and a     
capital city so beautiful that it was   
called  the eye of the ,east2 while     
,israel was a small country1 full of    
mountains1 and with only one small river
 that ran nearly dry in summer4  ,to    
tell the truth1 ,syria looked down on   
,israel1 and--what is  worse--often made
 war on it4 ,in those days war was even 
more cruel and  senseless than it is    
now2 for it was not confined to the     
armies that  fought and captured one    

another1 but extended to women and      
children1 who  were often seized1       
carried away from their homes into the  
country of the  enemy1 and made slaves4 
,it is bad and senseless enough for men 
to stand  up and stab one another as    
they used to in old times1 or shoot one 
another as they do now2 but to carry a  
mother away from her children1 or  take 
a little girl away from her home and    
playmates and make a slave of  her1 is  
something worse4 ,but it was often done 
in those ancient days1 as  you will     
learn when you read history1 and the    
story of the siege of  ,troy1 which     
sprang out of stealing a beautiful      
woman4    ,there were frequent wars     
between ,syria and ,israel4 ,israel had 
once  conquered ,syria1 and ,syria had  
broken away1 and so it went on back and 
forth1 year after year4 ,when our story 
begins1 ,naaman1 a great general1  had  
delivered his country from ,israel1 and 
brought home with him a  little ,hebrew 
girl1 who was so beautiful and sweet in 

her ways that he  gave her to his wife  
on his return from the war4 ,a strange  
present1 you  say1 but it proved a very 
valuable one4 ,it seems to us very      
cruel4 ,one  would think that if ,naaman
 and his wife loved this little         
girl--and ,i am  sure they did--they    
would have sent her back to her home1   
for she must  have had a heartbreaking  
time of it at first2 but people were not
 kind  in that way in those days4 ,yes1 
,i am sure they loved her and were kind 
to her1 for the simple reason that she  
evidently loved them2 and ,i am  also   
sure that the reason they loved her was 
that they could not help  it1 as we     
shall see further on4    ,not long after
 the war1 ,naaman was attacked with a   
disease so dreadful  and repulsive that 
,i cannot describe it to you4 ,let us be
 thankful that  leprosy is unknown here4
 ,it is not only incurable1 but as it   
goes on it  becomes so terrible that one
 cannot stay at home with his family1   
but  must go out and live alone1 or with

 other lepers1 and wait for death1      
which often does not happen for years4  
,it was a sad time for the great        
,naaman when he discovered that it had  
seized him4 ,he felt well and  strong1  
but the fearful signs made it sure4 ,it 
was a sadder time when he  told his     
wife2 for both knew that the day would  
soon come when they  could no longer    
stay together at home1 and that he must 
leave beautiful  ,damascus1 and give up 
his place in the army1 and go off into  
the  mountains and live alone1 or with  
others like himself4 ,the saddest       
feature of all was that there was no    
hope3 all this was sure to take  place4 
,if you have ever been in a house where 
some one is very ill and  likely to die1
 or some terrible accident has occurred1
 you have felt  what a gloom overhangs  
it1 and have been glad to escape from it
 and get  out under the open sky4 ,but  
our little ,hebrew girl could not       
escape4 ,she  must stay through it all1 
and wait on ,naaman's wife1 and see her 

weep  and ,naaman's strong face grow    
sadder every day4 ,now ,i think we shall
  begin to see what a rare1 noble1 sweet
 child this was that we are  talking    
about4 ,what a pity that we do not know 
her name--for she is a  nameless child6 
,i would like to call her ,anna if ,i   
had any right to  leave off the ,h that 
the ,hebrews put before and after this  
beautiful  name4 ,and ,i should not     
change it by turning the a at the close 
into  ie1 as so many young people--and  
older ones1 too1 who ought to know      
better--are in the habit of doing2 for  
,i never could understand why  girls    
with so noble names as ,anna and ,mary  
and ,helen and ,margaret and  ,caroline 
should change them into the weak and    
silly forms that we hear  every day4    
,this change1 which usually shortens the
 name and ends it with  an ie1 is called
 a diminutive1 which1 according to      
,worcester1 means  a thing little of its
 kind1 and so may well enough be used in
 the  nursery2 but that grown women     

should use it seems to me foolish and   
even  ignoble1 and ,i often fear it may 
indicate a lack of fine sentiment4 ,we  
do not know the name of our little      
maiden1 but we can safely imagine her   
appearance for two reasons3 we know her 
circumstances and her character4  ,is it
 not quite sure that when ,naaman       
selected from his captives a  little    
girl to wait on his wife1 he would take 
the most beautiful one8  ,when we make  
presents to those we love1 we always get
 the best we can4  ,now we can go a step
 further1 and ask what made her         
beautiful in such a  way that ,naaman   
thought she would please his wife4 ,it  
must have been  her sweet and amiable   
expression2 and that came from her      
character1 for  nothing else can make   
beauty of this sort4 ,and so we picture 
her with  black1 wavy hair and soft1    
dark eyes1 with red cheeks glowing      
through an  olive-colored skin1 lips    
like a pomegranate1 a sweet1 patient1   
loving  expression1 and a voice gentle  

and low and full of sympathy and        
readiness4 ,i am very sure about her    
voice and expression1 because ,i know   
her character4 ,i never have seen any   
one with a loving and helpful  spirit   
who had not a gentle voice and a sweet  
expression4 ,i think she  must have been
 about twelve years old2 for if she had 
been younger she  would not have known  
all about ,elisha1 and if older she     
would not have  been called a little    
maid4    ,when the trouble came upon    
,naaman's family1 she felt it           
grievously1 and  was more attentive and 
gentle in her services than ever4 ,just 
here she  showed the beauty of her      
character4 ,she had been cruelly        
wronged--stolen  away from her country  
and home1 and made a slave without hope 
of ever  seeing them again--and so might
 naturally feel revengeful1 and say that
  ,naaman's leprosy was a punishment for
 the wrong he had done her4 ,but        
instead she pitied him1 and in her      
sympathy with his sufferings forgot  her

 own4 ,so1 as she brooded on the        
trouble1 she happened to remember one   
day that ,elisha had cured people who   
were very ill1 and done many  wonderful 
things1 and she said to her mistress1   
,would ,god my lord were  with the      
prophet that is in ,samaria6 for he     
would recover him of his  leprosy4      
,probably ,naaman's wife questioned her 
closely about ,elisha1  and got at all  
she knew about him1 and so heard about  
the child that  fell sick among the     
reapers1 and the poor widow whose two   
sons were to  be sold as slaves1 and the
 mantle of ,elijah1 that ,elisha had    
caught upon  the banks of the ,jordan1  
with which he smote the waters4 ,at any 
rate1  she heard enough to awaken some  
hope1 and so told her husband what our  
little maid had said4 ,when people are  
hopelessly ill1 they are willing  to try
 anything2 a drowning man will catch at 
a straw1 and ,naaman caught  at this    
little straw of hope that the wind of   
war had blown across his  path4 ,he     

thought it over and said to himself1 ,it
 is my only chance2 no  one here can do 
anything for me4 ,i will go down to     
,samaria and find  ,elisha4 ,i have     
often heard that the prophets there did 
wonderful things2  if what the little   
maid says of the boy among the reapers  
is true1  perhaps ,elisha can cure me4  
,and so he went2 but it was very        
humiliating4 ,he thought of ,israel and 
the little city of ,samaria and the     
,jordan in a scornful way1 comparing    
them with his splendid ,damascus1 and   
its green1 beautiful plain1 thirty miles
 wide1 and the great river  ,abana1 that
 gushed from the side of the mountain1  
and flowed through and  all about the   
city1 making the whole country one vast 
garden4 ,he  despised1 too1 the people  
of ,israel4 ,they were rude and poor and
  ignorant1 while his own people were   
rich and cultivated4 ,perhaps he had    
borne himself proudly when he was at war
 there2 and now to go back and  ask     
favors--to ask for himself what he could

 not get at home--was  humiliating      
indeed4 ,but he made the best of it2 and
 to cover his pride  and make it seem as
 though he were not asking favors1 he   
took with him  an immense amount of     
silver and gold1 and ten suits of       
raiment--perhaps  of linen damask1 that 
was first made in ,damascus4    ,i shall
 not follow the story further1 except to
 say that because ,naaman  went in such 
a proud spirit1 ,elisha used every means
 to make him humble4  ,he seemed to be  
anxious to send ,naaman home1 not only a
 well1 but a  better man1 and to teach  
him that there were other things to be  
thought  of than great rivers1 and fine 
cities1 and temples of ,rimmon4         
,especially he wanted to teach him that 
the one1 true ,god could make a  small1 
rough nation greater and stronger than  
one that worshipped idols4  ,naaman went
 home cured of his leprosy1 with some   
earth to make an altar  of1 and all his 
gold and silver and fine garments1      
except what the  foolish ,gehazi got    

from him by lying4 ,how ,naaman proposed
 to act when he  should get home and be 
forced to go with the king into the     
temple of  ,rimmon1 you will find       
discussed in the second chapter of the  
second part  of ,school ,days at ,rugby4
 ,my opinion is that ,elisha told him he
 must  settle that matter with his own  
conscience2 but ,i can imagine that when
  he had worshipped ,god before the     
altar built of the earth brought from   
the ,jordan1 and then went into the     
temple of ,rimmon and did what the  king
 did1 his conscience must have troubled 
him4    ,but ,i care a great deal more  
for our little maid than for ,naaman4 ,i
  wonder what became of her4 ,if ,naaman
 did what he ought1 he sent her back  to
 her home1 and gave her all the gold and
 silver he had offered to  ,elisha4 ,i  
am quite inclined to believe this for   
several reasons4 ,naaman  was a         
reasonable man4 ,when he was told to go 
and wash himself seven  times in        
,jordan1 he was surprised and angry1    

because it was so  different from what  
he had expected1 and because he thought 
it was an  insult to his own great      
rivers4 ,but when his servants reminded 
him that  it was just as easy to do a   
little thing as a great thing1 he saw   
the  wisdom of it1 and let good sense   
triumph over pride4 ,he was also a      
generous man1 as the gifts he offered to
 ,elisha show4 ,and he was              
conscientious1 or he would not have     
asked ,elisha about bowing down in  the 
temple of ,rimmon as a part of his duty 
to the king4 ,all through he  showed    
himself grateful4 ,yes2 ,i think he went
 back to ,syria not only  with the flesh
 of a little child1 but with a child's  
heart4 ,and  because he was reasonable  
and generous and conscientious and      
grateful1  he did not forget the little 
maid who was at the bottom of the whole 
affair4 ,he owed quite as much to her as
 to ,elisha2 for people who start  good 
enterprises deserve more praise and     
reward than those who carry  them out4  

,so1 when he reached home and met his   
wife and children--why1  it was almost  
like coming back from the dead6--his    
first thought must  have been of the    
little maid4 ,we can imagine the great  
,naaman taking her  in his arms with    
tears1 and saying1 ,what can ,i do for  
you1 my little  maid8 ,tell me what you 
most want1 and ,i will give it to you1  
even if it  is the half of my           
possessions4 ,we know that ,eastern     
princes often said  such things when    
their fancy or their gratitude was      
deeply stirred2 they  gave full course  
to all their feelings1 good and bad4    
,perhaps she had  become fond of        
,naaman's wife1 and would like to stay  
with her4 ,perhaps  they told her they  
would adopt her1 and clothe her with    
rich damask and  jewels of gold and     
silver4 ,but ,i doubt if she was a child
 who cared more  for such things than   
for her parents and her home4 ,and as   
she heard the  story of ,naaman's cure1 
and of ,elisha and the ,jordan1 her mind

 went back  to her native land and to   
her home1 and a great longing filled her
  heart to see it again1 and to live the
 old life with her parents and  brothers
 and sisters4 ,the ,jews do not easily  
forget their country nor  their         
families2 and this little maid was a    
true ,jewess4 ,it might be a  fine thing
 to live in a palace and wear jewels1   
but she would rather go  home1 and tend 
the sheep and goats1 and pick the       
grapes1 and go to the  fountain for     
water4 ,perhaps she had lived on the    
slope of ,hermon1 where  the dew fell   
heavily every night1 and the brooks ran 
full all summer2  for ,naaman's march   
home led near it4    ,we found her in   
,damascus a slave2 but we will leave her
 at home among  the vines and flowers   
and kids1 with father and mother and    
mates1 for  sh'e was a child who lived  
in her affections rather than in her    
ambitions4    ,the chief thing she      
teaches us is the beauty and blessedness
 of  returning good for evil4 ,long     

before ,christ's day she was ,christ's  
own  child2 for she loved her enemies1  
and prayed for those who had  persecuted
 her4          ,,here ,,followeth ,,the 
,,history ,,of ,,job    ,read on the    
first ,sunday of ,september      ,there 
was a man in the land of ,uz named ,job1
 and this man was simple1  rightful and 
dreading ,god1 and going from all evil4 
,he had seven sons  and three daughters1
 and his possession was seven thousand  
sheep1 three  thousand camels1 five     
hundred yoke of oxen1 five hundred      
asses1 and his  family and household    
passing much and great4 ,he was a great 
man and rich  among all the men of the  
orient4 ,and his sons went daily each to
 other  house making great feasts1 ever 
each one as his day came1 and they sent 
for their three sisters for to eat and  
drink with them4 ,when they had  thus   
feasted each other1 ,job sent to them   
and blessed and sanctified  them1 and   
rising every day early1 he offered      
sacrifices for them all1  saying3 ,lest 

my children sin and bless not ,god in   
their hearts4 ,and thus  did ,job every 
day4    ,on a day when the sons of ,god 
were tofore our ,lord1 ,satan came and  
was  among them1 to whom our ,lord said3
 ,whence comest thou8 ,which answered1  
,i  have gone round about the earth and 
through walked it4 ,our ,lord said to   
him3 ,hast thou not considered my       
servant ,job1 that there is none like   
unto him in the earth1 a man simple1    
rightful1 dreading ,god1 and going  from
 evil8 ,to whom ,satan answered3 ,doth  
,job dread ,god idly8 ,if so were  that 
thou overthrewest him1 his house and all
 his substance round about1  he should  
soon forsake thee4 ,thou hast blest the 
work of his hands1 and  his possession  
is increased much in the earth1 but     
stretch out thy hand  a little1 and     
touch all that he hath in possession1   
and he shall soon  grudge and not bless 
thee4 ,then said our ,lord to ,satan3   
,lo6 all that  which he owneth and hath 
in possession1 ,i will it be in thy hand

 and  power1 but on his person ne body  
set not thy hand4 ,satan departed and   
went from the face of our ,lord4 ,on a  
day as his sons and daughters ate1  and 
drank wine1 in the house of the oldest  
brother1 there came a  messenger to ,job
 which said3 ,the oxen eared in the     
plough and the ass  pastured in the     
pasture by them1 and the men of ,sabea  
ran on them1 and  smote thy servants1   
and slew them with sword1 and ,i only   
escaped for to  come and to show it to  
thee4 ,and whiles he spake came another 
and said3  ,the fire of ,god fell down  
from heaven and hath burned thy sheep   
and  servants and consumed them1 and ,i 
only escaped for to come and show it  to
 thee4 ,and yet whiles he spake came    
another and said3 ,the ,chaldees  made  
three hosts and have enveigled thy      
camels and taken them1 and have  slain  
thy servants with sword1 and ,i only    
escaped for to bring thee  word4 ,and   
yet he speaking another entered in and  
said3 ,thy sons and  daughters1 drinking

 wine in the house of thy first begotten
 son1  suddenly came a vehement wind    
from the region of desert and smote the 
four corners of the house1 which falling
 oppressed thy children1 and  they be   
all dead1 and ,i only fled for to tell  
it to thee4 ,then ,job  arose1 and cut  
his coat1 and did do shave his head1 and
 falling down to  the ground1 worshipped
 and adored ,god1 saying3 ,i am come out
 naked from  the womb of my mother and  
naked shall return again thereto4 ,our  
,lord  hath given and our ,lord hath    
taken away1 as it hath pleased our      
,lord1 so  it is done1 the name of our  
,lord be blessed4 ,in all these things  
,job  sinned not with his lips1 ne spake
 nothing follily against our ,lord1 but 
took it all patiently4    ,after this it
 was so that on a certain day when the  
children of ,god  stood tofore our      
,lord1 ,satan came and stood among them1
 and ,god said to  him3 ,whence comest  
thou8 ,to whom ,satan answered3 ,i have 
gone round the  earth1 and walked       

through it4 ,and ,god said to ,satan1   
,hast thou not  considered my servant   
,job that there is no man like him in   
the earth1 a  man simple1 rightful1     
dreading ,god1 and going from evil1 and 
yet  retaining his innocency8 ,thou hast
 moved me against him that ,i should    
put him to affliction without cause4 ,to
 whom ,satan said3 ,skin for skin1  and 
all that ever a man hath he shall give  
for his soul4 ,nevertheless1  stretch   
thine hand and touch his mouth and his  
flesh1 and thou shalt see  that he shall
 not bless thee4 ,then said ,god to     
,satan3 ,i will well that  his body be  
in thine hand1 but save his soul and his
 life4 ,then ,satan  departed from the  
face of our ,lord and smote ,job with   
the worst blotches  and blains from the 
plant of his foot1 unto the top of his  
head1 which  was made like a lazar leper
 and was cast out and sat on the        
dunghill4  ,then came his wife to him   
and said3 ,yet thou abidest in thy      
simpleness1  forsake thy ,god and bless 

him no more1 and go die4 ,then ,job said
 to her3  ,thou hast spoken like a      
foolish woman2 if we have received and  
taken  good things of the hand of our   
,lord1 why shall we not sustain and     
suffer  evil things8 ,in all these      
things ,job sinned not with his lips4   
,then  three men that were friends of   
,job1 hearing what harm was happed and  
come to ,job1 came ever each one from   
his place to him1 that one was  named   
,eliphas the ,temanite1 another ,bildad 
the ,shuhite1 and the third1  ,zophar   
,naamathite4 ,and when they saw him from
 far they knew him not1 and  crying they
 wept4 ,they came for to comfort him1   
and when they considered  his misery    
they tare their clothes and cast dust on
 their heads1 and sat  by him seven days
 and seven nights1 and no man spake to  
him a word1  seeing his sorrow4 ,then   
after that ,job and they talked and     
spake  together of his sorrow and       
misery1 of which ,s4 ,gregory hath made 
a great  book called3 ,the morals of ,s4

 ,gregory1 which is a noble book and a  
great  work4    ,but ,i pass over all   
the matters and return unto the end1 how
 ,god  restored ,job again to           
prosperity4 ,it was so that when these  
three  friends of ,job had been long    
with ,job1 and had said many things each
 of  them to ,job1 and ,job again to    
them1 our ,lord was wroth with these    
three  men and said to them3 ,ye have   
not spoken rightfully1 as my servant    
,job  hath spoken4 ,take ye therefore   
seven bulls and seven wethers and go to 
my servant ,job and offer ye sacrifice  
for you4 ,job my servant shall pray  for
 you4 ,i shall receive his prayer and   
shall take his visage4 ,they went  forth
 and did as our ,lord commanded them4   
,and our ,lord beheld the visage  of    
,job1 and saw his penance when he prayed
 for his friends4 ,and our ,lord  added 
to ,job double of all that ,job had     
possessed4 ,all his brethren came  to   
him1 and all his sisters1 and all they  
that tofore had known him1 and  ate with

 him in his house1 and moved their heads
 upon him1 and comforted  him upon all  
the evil that ,god had sent to him4 ,and
 each of them gave  him a sheep and a   
gold ring for his ears4 ,our ,lord      
blessed more ,job in  his last days than
 he did in the beginning4 ,and he had   
then after  fourteen thousand sheep1 six
 thousand camels1 one thousand yoke of  
oxen1  one thousand asses4 ,and he had  
seven sons and three daughters4 ,and the
  first daughter's name was ,jemima1 the
 second ,kezia1 and the third           
,keren-happuch4 ,there was nowhere found
 in the world so fair women as  were the
 daughters of ,job4 ,their father ,job  
gave to them heritage among  their      
brethren1 and thus ,job by his patience 
gat so much love of ,god1  that he was  
restored double of all his losses4 ,and 
,job lived after1 one  hundred and forty
 years1 and saw his sons and the sons of
 his sons unto  the fourth generation1  
and died an old man1 and full of days4  
,,the ,,destruction ,,of ,,sennacherib  

,the ,assyrian came down like the wolf  
on the fold1  ,and his cohorts were     
gleaming in purple and gold1  ,and the  
sheen of their spears was like stars on 
the sea1  ,when the blue wave rolls     
nightly on deep ,galilee4    ,like the  
leaves of the forest when summer is     
green1  ,that host with their banners at
 sunset were seen2  ,like the leaves of 
the forest when autumn hath blown1      
,that host on the morrow lay wither'd   
and strown4    ,for the ,angel of ,death
 spread his wings on the blast1  ,and   
breathed in the face of the foe as he   
pass'd2  ,and the eyes of the sleepers  
wax'd deadly and chill1  ,and their     
hearts but once heaved1 and forever grew
 still4    ,and there lay the steed with
 his nostril all wide1  ,but through it 
there roll'd not the breath of his      
pride3  ,and the foam of his gasping lay
 white on the turf1  ,and cold as the   
spray of the rock-beating surf4    ,and 
there lay the rider1 distorted and pale1
  ,with the dew on his brow1 and the    

rust on his mail2  ,and the tents were  
all silent1 the banners alone1  ,the    
lances unlifted1 the trumpet unblown4   
,and the widows of ,ashur are loud in   
their wail1  ,and the idols are broke in
 the temple of ,baal1  ,and the might of
 the ,gentile1 unsmote by the sword1    
,hath melted like snow in the glance of 
the ,lord6    --,lord ,byron            
,,here ,,followeth ,,the ,,history ,,of 
,,tobit    ,which is read the third     
,sunday of ,september      ,tobit of the
 tribe and of the city of ,nephthali1   
which is in the  overparts of ,galilee  
upon ,aser1 after the way that leadeth  
men westward1  having on his left side  
the city of ,sepheth1 was taken in the  
days of  ,salmanazar1 ,king of the      
,assyrians1 and put in captivity1 yet he
 forsook  not the way of truth1 but all 
that he had or could get he departed    
daily  with his brethren of his kindred 
which were prisoners with him4 ,and     
howbeit that he was youngest in all the 
tribe of ,nephthali yet did he  nothing 

childishly4 ,also when all other went   
unto the golden calves that  ,jeroboam1 
,king of ,israel1 had made1 this ,tobit 
only fled the fellowship  of them all1  
and went to ,jerusalem into the temple  
of our ,lord4 ,and  there he adored and 
worshipped the ,lord ,god of ,israel1   
offering truly  his first fruits and    
tithes insomuch that in the third year  
he  ministered unto proselytes and      
strangers all the tithe4 ,such things   
and  other like to these he observed    
while he was a child1 and when he came  
to age and was a man he took a wife     
named ,anna1 of his tribe1 and begat  on
 her a son1 naming after his own name   
,tobias1 whom from his childhood  he    
taught to dread ,god and abstain him    
from all sin4 ,then after when he  was  
brought by captiviy with his wife and   
his son into the city of  ,nineveh with 
all his tribe1 and when all ate of the  
meats of the  ,gentiles and ,paynims1   
this ,tobit kept his soul clean and was 
never  defouled in the meats of them4   

,and because he remembered our ,lord in 
all  his heart1 ,god gave him grace to  
be in the favor of ,salmanazar the king 
which gave to him power to go where he  
would4 ,having liberty to do what  he   
would1 he went then to all them in      
captivity and gave to them  warnings of 
health4 ,when he came on a time in      
,rages1 city of the ,jews1  he had such 
gifts as he had been honored with of the
 king1 ten besants  of silver4 ,and when
 he saw one ,gabael being needy which   
was of his  tribe1 he lent him the said 
weight of silver upon his obligation4   
,long  time after this when ,salmanazar 
the king was dead1 ,sennacherib his son 
reigned for him1 and hated1 and loved   
not1 the children of ,israel4 ,and      
,tobit went unto all his kindred and    
comforted them1 and divided to every    
each of them as he might of his         
faculties and goods4    ,he fed the     
hungry and gave to the naked clothes1   
and diligently he  buried the dead men  
and them that were slain4 ,after this   

when  ,sennacherib returned1 fleeing the
 plague from the ,jewry1 that ,god had  
sent him for his blasphemy1 and he1     
being wroth1 slew many of the  children 
of ,israel1 and ,tobit always buried the
 bodies of them1 which  was told to the 
king1 which commanded to slay him1 and  
took away all his  substance4 ,tobit    
then with his wife and his son hid him  
and fled away  all naked1 for many loved
 him well4 ,after this1 forty-five days1
 the  sons of the king slew the king1   
and then returned ,tobit unto his house1
  and all his faculties and goods were  
restored to him again4 ,after this  on a
 high festival day of our ,lord when    
that ,tobit had a good dinner in  his   
house1 he said to his son3 ,go and fetch
 to us some of our tribe  dreading ,god1
 that they may come and eat with us4    
,and he went forth and  anon he returned
 telling to his father that one of the  
children of  ,israel was slain and lay  
dead in the street4 ,and anon he leapt  
out of  his house1 leaving his meat1 and

 fasting came to the1 body1 took it and 
bare it in to his house privily1 that he
 might secretly bury it when the  sun   
went down4 ,and when he had hid the     
corpse1 he ate his meat with  wailing   
and dread1 remembering that word that   
our ,lord said by ,amos the  prophet3   
,the day of your feast shall be turned  
into lamentation and  wailing4 ,and when
 the sun was gone down he went and      
buried him4 ,all his  neighbors reproved
 and chid him1 saying for this cause    
they were  commanded to be slain1 and   
unnethe hardly thou escapedst the       
commandment of death1 and yet thou      
buriest dead men4 ,but ,tobit1 more     
dreading ,god than the king1 took up the
 bodies of dead men and hid them  in his
 house1 and at midnight he buried them4 
,it happed on a day after this that when
 he was weary of burying dead  men1 he  
came home and laid him down by a wall   
and slept4 ,and he became  blind4 ,this 
temptation suffered ,god to fall to him1
 that it should be an  example to them  

that shall come after him of his        
patience1 like as it  was of holy ,job4 
,for from his infancy he dreaded ever   
,god and kept his  precepts and was not 
grudging against ,god for his blindness1
 but he  abode immovable in the dread of
 ,god1 giving and rendering thankings to
  ,god all the days of his life4 ,for   
like as ,job was assailed so was ,tobit 
assailed of his kinsmen1 scorning him   
and saying to him3 ,where is now  thy   
hope and reward for which thou gavest   
thy alms and madest  sepulchres8 ,tobit 
blamed them for such words1 saying to   
them3 ,in no wise  say ye not so1 for we
 be the sons of holy men1 and we abide  
that life  that ,god shall give to them 
that never shall change their faith from
  him4 ,anna his wife went daily to the 
work of weaving1 and got by the  labor  
of her hands their livelihood as much as
 she might4 ,whereof on a  day she gat a
 kid and brought it home4 ,when ,tobit  
heard the voice of the  kid bleating1 he
 said3 ,see that it be not stolen1 yield

 it again to the  owner1 for it is not  
lawful for us to eat ne touch anything  
that is  stolen4 ,to that his wife all  
angry answered3 ,now manifestly and     
openly  is thine hope made vain1 and thy
 alms lost4 ,and thus with such and like
  words she chid him4 ,then ,tobit began
 to sigh and began to pray our ,lord    
with tears saying3 ,o ,lord1 thou art   
rightful1 and all thy dooms be true1    
and all thy ways be mercy1 truth1 and   
righteousness4 ,and now1 ,lord1         
remember me1 and take now no vengeance  
of my sins1 ne remember not my          
trespasses1 ne the sins of my fathers4  
,for'we have not obeyed thy             
commandments1 therefore we be betaken in
 to direption1 captivity1 death1        
fables1 and into reproof and shame to   
all nations in which thou hast          
dispersed us4 ,and now1 ,lord1 great be 
thy judgments1 for we have not  done    
according to thy precepts1 ne have not  
walked well tofore thee4 ,and  now1     
,lord1 do to me after thy will1 and     

command my spirit to be received  in    
peace1 it is more expedient to me to die
 than to live4    ,the same day it      
happed that ,sara1 daughter of ,raguel  
in the city of  ,medes1 that she was    
rebuked and heard reproof of one of the 
handmaidens  of her father4 ,for she had
 been given to seven men1 and a devil   
named  ,asmodeus slew them as soon as   
they would have gone to her2 therefore  
the  maid reproved her saying3 ,we shall
 never see son ne daughter of thee on   
the earth1 thou slayer of thy husbands4 
,wilt thou slay me as thou hast  slain  
seven men8 ,with this voice and rebuke  
she went up in the upperest  cubicle of 
the house4 ,and three days and three    
nights she ate not1 ne  drank not1 but  
was continually in prayers beseeching   
,god for to deliver  her from this      
reproof and shame4 ,and on the third    
day1 when she had  accomplished her     
prayer1 blessing our ,lord she said3    
,blessed be thy  name1 ,god of our      
fathers1 for when thou art wroth thou   

shalt do mercy  and in a time of        
tribulation thou forgivest sins to them 
that call to  thee4 ,unto thee1 ,lord1  
,i convert my visage1 and unto thee ,i  
address mine  eyes4 ,i ask and require  
thee that thou assoil me from the bond  
of the  reproof and shame1 or certainly 
upon the earth keep me4 ,thou knowest   
well1 ,lord1 that ,i never desired man1 
but ,i have kept clean my soul4 ,i      
never meddled me with players1 ne never 
had part of them that walk in           
lightness4 ,i consented for to take an  
husband with thy dread4 ,or ,i was      
unworthy to them or haply they were     
unworthy to me1 or haply thou hast      
conserved and kept me for some other    
man4 ,thy counsel is not in man's       
power4 ,this knoweth every man that     
worshippeth thee1 for the life of him   
if it be in probation shall be crowned1 
and if it be in tribulation it  shall be
 delivered1 and if it be in correction1 
it shall be lawful to  come to mercy4   
,thou hast none delectation in our      

perdition1 for after  tempest thou      
makest tranquillity1 and after weeping  
and shedding of  tears thou bringest in 
exultation and joy4 ,thy name1 ,god of  
,israel1 be  blessed1 world without end4
    ,in that same time were the prayers 
of them both heard in the sight of  the 
glory of the high ,god4 ,and the holy   
angel of ,god1 ,raphael1 was sent  to   
heal them both4 ,of whom in one time    
were the prayers recited in the  sight  
of our ,lord ,god4 ,then when ,tobit    
supposed his prayers to be heard  that  
he might die1 he called to him his son  
,tobias1 and said to him3  ,hear1 my    
son1 the words of my mouth1 and set them
 in thy heart as a  fundament4 ,when    
,god shall take away my soul1 bury my   
body1 and thou  shalt worship thy mother
 all the days of her life1 thou owest to
  remember what and how many perils she 
hath suffered for thee in her  womb4    
,when she shall have accomplished the   
time of her life1 bury her by  me4 ,all 
the days of thy life have ,god in thy   

mind1 and beware that thou  never       
consent to sin1 ne to disobey ne break  
the commandments of ,god4 ,of  thy      
substance do alms1 and turn never thy   
face from any poor man1 so do  that ,god
 turn not his face from thee4 ,as much  
as thou mayst1 be  merciful1 if thou    
have much good give abundantly1 if thou 
have but  little1 yet study to give and 
to depart thereof gladly1 for thou      
makest  to thee thereof good treasure   
and meed in the day of necessity1 for   
alms  delivereth a man from all sin and 
from death1 and suffereth not his soul  
to go in to darkness4 ,alms is a great  
sikerness surety tofore the high  ,god  
unto all them that do it4 ,beware1 my   
son1 keep thee from all  uncleanness1   
and suffer not thyself to know that sin2
 and suffer never  pride to have        
domination in thy wit1 ne in thy word1  
that sin was the  beginning of all      
perdition4 ,whosomever work to thee any 
thing1 anon  yield to him his meed and  
hire1 let never the hire of thy servant 

ne  meed of thy mercenary remain in no  
wise with thee4 ,that thou hatest to  be
 done to thee of other1 see that thou   
never do to an other4 ,eat thy  bread   
with the hungry and needy1 and cover the
 naked with thy clothes4  ,ordain thy   
bread and wine upon the sepulture of a  
righteous man1 but eat  it not ne drink 
it with sinners4 ,ask and demand counsel
 of a wise man4  ,always and in every   
time bless ,god and desire of him that  
he address thy  ways1 and let all thy   
counsels abide in him4 ,i tell to thee1 
my son1  that when thou wert a little   
child ,i lent to ,gabael ten besants of 
silver1 dwelling in ,rages the city of  
,medes1 upon an obligation1 which ,i    
have by me4 ,and therefore spere search 
and ask how thou mayst go to  him1 and  
thou shalt receive of him the said      
weight of silver and restore  to him his
 obligation4 ,dread thou not1 my son2   
though we lead a poor  life1 we shall   
have much good if we dread ,god and go  
from sin and do  well4 ,then young      

,tobias answered to his father3 ,all    
that thou hast  commanded me ,i shall   
do1 father2 but how ,i shall get this   
money ,i wot  never2 he knoweth not me1 
ne ,i know not him2 what token shall ,i 
give  him8 ,and also ,i know not the way
 thither4 ,then his father answered to  
him and said3 ,i have his obligation by 
me1 which when thou shewest him1  anon  
he shall pay thee4 ,but go now first and
 seek for thee some true  man1 that for 
his hire shall go with thee whiles ,i   
live1 that thou mayst  receive it4      
,then ,tobias went forth and found a    
fair young man girt up and ready for  to
 walk1 and not knowing that it was the  
angel of ,god1 saluted him and  said3   
,from whence have we thee1 good young   
man8 ,and he answered3 ,of the  children
 of ,israel4 ,and ,tobias said to him3  
,knowest thou the way that  leadeth one 
into the region of ,medes8 ,to whom he  
answered3 ,i know it  well1 and all the 
journeys ,i have oft walked and have    
dwelled with  ,gabael our brother which 

dwelled in ,rages the city of ,medes1   
which  standeth in the hill of          
,ecbathanis4 ,to whom ,tobias said3 ,i  
pray thee  tary here a while till ,i    
have told this to my father4 ,then      
,tobias went  in to his father and told 
to him all these things1 whereon his    
father  marvelled and prayed him that he
 should bring him in4 ,then the angel   
came in and saluted the old ,tobit and  
said3 ,joy be to thee always4 ,and      
,tobit said3 ,what joy shall be to me   
that sit in darkness1 and see not  the  
light of heaven4 ,to whom the youngling 
said3 ,be of strong belief2 it  shall   
not be long but of ,god thou shalt be   
cured and healed4 ,then said  ,tobit to 
him3 ,mayst thou lead my son unto       
,gabael in ,rages city of ,medes1  and  
when thou comest again ,i shall restore 
to thee thy meed4 ,and the  angel said3 
,i shall lead him thither and bring him 
again to thee4 ,to  whom ,tobit said3 ,i
 pray thee to tell me of what house or  
of what kindred  art thou4 ,to whom     

,raphael the angel said3 ,thou needest  
not to ask the  kindred of him that     
shall go with thy son1 but lest haply ,i
 should not  deliver him to thee again3 
,i am ,azarias son of great ,ananias4   
,tobit  answered3 ,thou art of a great  
kindred1 but ,i pray thee be not wroth1 
though ,i would know thy kindred4 ,the  
angel said to him3 ,i shall safely  lead
 thy son thither1 and safely bring him  
and render him to thee again4  ,tobit   
then answered saying3 ,well mote ye     
walk1 and our ,lord be in your  journey1
 and his angel fellowship with you4     
,then1 when all was ready  that they    
should have with them by the way1 young 
,tobias took leave of  his father and   
mother1 and bade them farewell4 ,when   
they should depart  the mother began to 
weep and say3 ,thou has taken away and  
sent from us  the staff of our old age1 
would ,god that thilke that money had   
never  been for which thou hast sent    
him1 our poverty sufficeth enough to us 
that we might have seen our son4 ,tobit 

said to her3 ,weep not1 our son  shall  
come safely again and thine eyes shall  
see him4 ,i believe that the  good angel
 of ,god hath fellowship with him1 and  
shall dispose all  things that shall be 
needful to him1 and that he shall return
 again to  us with joy4 ,with this the  
mother ceased of her weeping and was    
still4    ,then young ,tobias went forth
 and an hound followed him4 ,and the    
first  mansion stay that they made was  
by the river of ,tigris1 and ,tobias    
went out for to wash his feet1 and there
 came a great fish for to devour  him1  
whom ,tobias fearing cried out with a   
great voice3 ,lord1 he cometh  on me1   
and the angel said to him3 ,take him by 
the fin and draw him to  thee4 ,and so  
he did and drew him out of the water to 
the dry land4 ,then  said the angel to  
him3 ,open the fish and take to thee the
 heart1 the  gall1 and the milt1 and    
keep them by thee2 they be profitable   
and  necessary for medicines4 ,and when 
he had done so he roasted of the fish1  

and took it with them for to eat by the 
way1 and the remnant they  salted1 that 
it might suffice them till they came    
into the city of  ,rages4 ,then ,tobias 
demanded of the angel and said3 ,i pray 
thee1 ,azarias1  brother1 to tell me    
whereto these be good that thou hast    
bidden me keep4  ,and the angel answered
 and said3 ,if thou take a little of his
 heart and  put it on the coals1 the    
smoke and fume thereof driveth away all 
manner  kind of devils1 be it from man  
or from woman1 in such wise that he     
shall  no more come to them4 ,and       
,tobias said3 ,where wilt thou that we  
shall  abide8 ,and he answered and said3
 ,hereby is a man named ,raguel1 a man  
nigh to thy kindred and tribe1 and he   
hath a daughter named ,sara1 he  hath   
neither son ne daughter more than her4  
,thou shalt owe all his  substance1 for 
thee behoveth to take her to thy wife4  
,then ,toby answered  and said3 ,i have 
heard say that she hath been given to   
seven men1 and  they be dead1 and ,i    

have heard that a devil slayeth them4 ,i
 dread  therefore that it might hap so  
to me1 and ,i that am an only son to my 
father and mother1 ,i should depose     
their old age with heaviness and  sorrow
 to hell4 ,then ,raphael the angel said 
to him3 ,hear me1 and ,i shall  show    
thee wherewith thou mayst prevail       
against that devil2 these that  took    
their wedlock in such wise that they    
exclude ,god from them and  their mind1 
the devil hath power upon them4 ,thou   
therefore when thou  shalt take a wife1 
and enterest into her cubicle1 be thou  
continent by  the space of three days   
from her1 and thou shalt do nothing but 
be in  prayers with her3 and that same  
night put the heart of the fish on the  
fire1 and that shall put away the devil1
 and after the third night thou  shalt  
take the virgin with dread of ,god1 that
 thou mayst follow the  blessing of     
,abraham in his seed4 ,then they went   
and entered into  ,raguel's house1 and  
,raguel received them joyously1 and     

,raguel1 beholding  well ,tobias1 said  
to ,anna his wife3 ,how like is this    
young man unto my  cousin6 ,and when he 
had so said he asked them3 ,whence be   
ye1 young men  my brethren8 ,and they   
said3 ,of the tribe of ,nephthalim1 of  
the captivity  of ,nineveh4 ,raguel said
 to them3 ,know ye ,tobit my brother8   
,which said3  ,we know him well4 ,when  
,raguel had spoken much good of him1 the
 angel  said to ,raguel3 ,tobit of whom 
thou demandest is father of this young  
man4 ,and then went ,raguel1 and with   
weeping eyes kissed him1 and weeping    
upon his neck said3 ,the blessing of    
,god be to thee1 my son1 for thou art   
son of a blessed and good man4 ,and     
,anna his wife and ,sara his daughter   
wept also4    ,and after they had       
spoken1 ,raguel commanded to slay a     
wether1 and make  ready a feast4 ,when  
he then should bid them sit down to     
dinner1 ,tobias  said3 ,i shall not eat 
here this day ne drink but if thou first
 grant to  me my petition1 and promise  

to me to give me ,sara thy daughter4    
,which  when ,raguel heard he was       
astonied and abashed1 knowing what had  
fallen  to seven men that tofore had    
wedded her1 and dreaded lest it might   
happen to this young man in likewise4   
,and when he held his peace and  would  
give him none answer the angel said to  
him3 ,be not afeard to give  thy        
daughter to this man dreading ,god1 for 
to him thy daughter is  ordained to be  
his wife1 therefore none other may have 
her4 ,then said  ,raguel3 ,i doubt not  
,god hath admitted my prayers and tears 
in his sight1  and ,i believe that      
therefore he hath made you to come to me
 that these  may be joined in one       
kindred after the law of ,moses1 and now
 have no  doubt but ,i shall give her to
 thee4 ,and he taking the right hand of 
his  daughter delivered it to ,tobias   
saying3 ,god of ,abraham1 ,god of       
,isaac1  and ,god of ,jacob be with you1
 and he conjoin you together and fulfil 
his  blessing in you4 ,and took a       

charter and wrote the conscription of   
the  wedlock4 ,and after this they ate1 
blessing our ,lord ,god4 ,raguel called 
to him ,anna his wife and bade her to   
make ready another cubicle4 ,and she    
brought ,sara her daughter therein1 and 
she wept1 to whom her mother  said3 ,be 
thou strong of heart1 my daughter1 our  
,lord of heaven give to  thee joy for   
the heaviness that thou hast suffered4  
,after they had  supped1 they led the   
young man to her4 ,tobias remembered the
 words of  the angel1 and took out of   
his bag part of the heart of the fish1  
and  laid it on burning coals4 ,then    
,raphael the angel took the devil and   
bound him in the upperest desert of     
,egypt4 ,then ,tobias exhorted the      
virgin and said to her3 ,arise1 ,sara1  
and let us pray to ,god this day1  and  
to-morrow1 and after to-morrow1 for     
these three nights we be joined  to     
,god4 ,and after the third night we     
shall be in our wedlock4 ,we be  soothly
 the children of saints1 and we may not 

so join together as  people do that know
 not ,god4 ,then they both arising      
prayed together  instantly that health  
might be given to them4 ,tobias said3   
,lord ,god of  our fathers1 heaven and  
earth1 sea1 wells1 and floods1 and all  
creatures  that be in them1 bless thee4 
,thou madest ,adam of the slime of the  
earth1  and gavest to him for an help   
,eve1 and now1 ,lord1 thou knowest that 
,i  take my sister to wife1 only for the
 love of posterity1 in which thy  name  
be blessed world without end4 ,then said
 ,sara3 ,have mercy on us1  ,lord1 have 
mercy1 and let us wax old both together 
in health4 ,and after  this the cocks   
began to crow1 at which time ,raguel    
commanded his  servants to come to him1 
and they together went for to make and  
delve a  sepulchre4 ,he said3 ,lest     
haply it happen to him as it hath happed
 to  the seven men that wedded her4     
,when they had made ready the foss and  
pit1 ,raguel returned to his wife and   
said to her3 ,send one of thy           

handmaidens1 and let her see if he be   
dead1 that he may be buried ere it  be  
light day4 ,and she sent forth one of   
her servants1 which entered into  the   
cubicle and found them both safe and    
whole1 and sleeping together1  and she  
returned and brought good tidings4 ,and 
,raguel and ,anna blessed  our ,lord    
,god and said3 ,we bless thee1 ,lord    
,god of ,israel1 that it hath  not      
happed to us as we supposed2 thou hast  
done to us thy mercy1 and  thou hast    
excluded from us our enemy pursuing us1 
thou hast done mercy  on two only       
children4 ,make them1 ,lord1 to bless   
thee to full1 and to  offer to thee     
sacrifice of praising and of their      
health1 that the  university of peoples 
may know that thou art ,god only in the 
universal  earth4    ,anon then ,raguel 
commanded his servants to fill again the
 pit that they  had made ere it waxed   
light1 and bade his wife to ordain a    
feast1 and  make all ready that were    
necessary to meat4 ,he did do slay two  

fat kine  and four wethers1 and to      
ordain meat for all his neighbors and   
friends1  and ,raguel desired and       
adjured ,tobias that he should abide    
with him two  weeks4 ,of all that ever  
,raguel had in possession of goods he   
gave half  part to ,tobias1 and made to 
him a writing that the other half part  
he  should have after the death of him  
and his wife4 ,then ,tobias called the  
angel to him1 which he trowed had been a
 man1 and said to him3 ,azarias1        
brother1 ,i pray thee to take heed to my
 words2 if ,i make myself servant  to   
thee ,i shall not be worthy to satisfy  
thy providence4 ,nevertheless ,i  pray  
thee to take to thee the beasts and     
servants and go to ,gabael in  ,rages   
the city of ,medes1 and render to him   
his obligation1 and receive  of them the
 money and pray him to come to my       
wedding4 ,thou knowest  thyself that my 
father numbereth the days of my being   
out1 and if ,i  tarry more his soul     
shall be heavy1 and certainly thou seest

 how ,raguel  hath adjured me1 whose    
desire ,i may not despise4 ,then        
,raphael1 taking  four of the servants  
of ,raguel and two camels1 went to      
,rages the city of  ,medes1 and there   
finding ,gabael1 gave to him his        
obligation and received  all the money1 
and told to him of ,tobias1 son of      
,tobit1 all that was  done1 and made him
 come with him to the wedding4 ,when    
then he entered  the house of ,raguel1  
he found ,tobias sitting at meat1 and   
came to him  and kissed him1 and ,gabael
 wept and blessed ,god saying3 ,god of  
,israel  bless thee1 for thou art son of
 the best man and just1 dreading ,god   
and  doing alms1 and the blessing be    
said upon thy wife and your parents1 and
  that you may see the sons of your sons
 unto the third and fourth  generation1 
and your seed be blessed of the ,god of 
,israel1 which  reigneth in secula      
seculorum forever4 ,and when all had    
said ,amen1 they  went to the feast4    
,and with the dread of ,god they        

exercised the feast of  their weddings4 
,whiles that ,tobias tarried because of 
his marriage1 his  father ,tobit began  
to be heavy saying3 ,trowest thou       
wherefore my son  tarrieth and why he is
 holden there8 ,trowest thou that       
,gabael be dead1  and no man is there   
that shall give him his money8    ,he   
began to be sorry and heavy greatly1    
both he and ,anna his wife with  him1   
and began both to weep because at the   
day set he came not home4 ,his  mother  
therefore wept with unmeasurable tears1 
and said3 ,alas1 my son1  wherefore sent
 we thee to go this pilgrimage8 ,the    
light of our eyes1 the  staff of our    
age1 the solace of our life1 the hope of
 our posterity1 all  these only having  
in thee1 we ought not to have let thee  
go from us4 ,to  whom ,tobit said3 ,be  
still and trouble thee not1 our son is  
safe enough1  the man is true and       
faithful enough with whom we sent him4  
,she might in  no wise be comforted1 but
 every day she went and looked and      

espied the  way that he should come if  
she might see him come from far4 ,then  
,raguel  said to ,tobias his son-in-law3
 ,abide here with me1 and ,i shall send 
messengers of thy health and welfare to 
,tobit thy father4 ,to whom ,tobias     
said3 ,i know well that my father and my
 mother accompt the days1 and the       
spirit is in great pain within them4    
,raguel prayed him with many words1  but
 ,tobias would in no wise grant him4    
,then he delivered to him ,sara his     
daughter1 and half part of all his      
substance in servants1 men and women1   
in beasts1 camels1 in kine and much     
money4 ,and safe and joyful he let  him 
depart from him1 saying3 ,the angel of  
,god that is holy be in your  journey1  
and bring you home whole and sound1 and 
that ye may find all  things well and   
rightful about your father and mother1  
and that mine  eyes may see your sons   
ere ,i die4 ,and the father and mother  
taking  their daughter kissed her and   
let her depart1 warning her to worship  

her  husband's father and mother1 love  
her husband1 to rule well the meiny     
retinue1 to govern the house and to keep
 herself irreprehensible1 that  is to   
say1 without reproof4    ,when they thus
 returned and departed1 they came to    
,charram1 which is the  half way to     
,nineveh1 the thirteenth day4 ,then said
 the angel to ,tobias3  ,tobias1        
brother1 thou knowest how thou hast left
 thy father1 if it  please thee we will 
go tofore and let thy family come softly
 after1 with  thy wife and with thy     
beasts4 ,this pleased well to ,tobias2  
and then said  ,raphael to ,tobias3     
,take with thee of the gall of the fish1
 it shall be  necessary4 ,tobias took of
 the gall and went forth tofore4 ,anna  
his  mother sat every day by the way in 
the top of the hill1 from whence she    
might see him come from far1 and whilst 
she sat there and looked after  his     
coming1 she saw afar and knew her son   
coming1 and running home she  told to   
her husband saying3 ,lo6 thy son cometh4

 ,raphael then said to  young ,tobias3  
,anon as thou enterest in to the house  
adore thy ,lord ,god1  and giving to him
 thankings1 go to thy father and kiss   
him4 ,and anon  then anoint his eyes    
with the gall of the fish that thou     
bearest with  thee1 thou shalt well know
 that his eyes shall be opened1 and thy 
father  shall see the light of heaven   
and shall joy in thy sight4 ,then ran   
the  dog that followed him and had been 
with him in the way1 and came home as  a
 messenger1 fawning and making joy with 
his tail4 ,and the blind father  arose  
and began offending his feet to run to  
meet his son1 giving to him  his hand1  
and so taking1 kissed him with his wife1
 and began to weep for  joy4 ,when then 
they had worshipped ,god and thanked    
him1 they sat down  together4 ,then     
,tobias taking the gall of the fish     
anointed his father's  eyes1 and abode  
as it had been half an hour1 and the    
slime of his eyes  began to fall away   
like as it had been the white of an egg1

 which ,tobias  took and drew from his  
father's eyes1 and anon he received     
sight4 ,and  they glorified ,god1 that  
is to wit he and his wife and all they  
that  knew him4    ,then said ,tobit the
 father3 ,i bless thee1 ,lord ,god of   
,israel1 for thou  hast chastised me1   
and thou hast saved me1 and1 lo6 ,i see 
,tobias my son4  ,after these seven days
 ,sara the wife of his son came and     
entered in with  all the family1 and the
 beasts whole and sound1 camels and much
 money of  his wife's1 and also the     
money that he had received of ,gabael4  
,and he  told to his father and mother  
all the benefits of ,god that was done  
to  him by the man that led him4 ,then  
came ,achiacharus and ,nasbas1 cousins  
of ,tobias1 joying and thanking ,god of 
all the goods that ,god had showed  to  
him4 ,and seven days they ate together  
making feast1 and were glad  with great 
joy4 ,then old ,tobit call his son      
,tobias to him1 and said3  ,what may we 
give to this holy man that cometh with  

thee8 ,then ,tobias  answering said to  
his father3 ,father1 what meed may we   
give to him1 or  what may be worthy to  
him for his benefits8 ,he led me out and
 hath  brought me whole again1 he       
received the money of ,gabael2 he did me
 have  my wife and he put away the devil
 from her2 he hath made joy to my       
parents1 and saved myself from devouring
 of the fish1 and hath made thee  see   
the light of heaven1 and by him we be   
replenished with all goods2  what may we
 then worthily give to him8 ,wherefore  
,i pray thee1 father1  that thou pray   
him if he vouchsafe to take the half of 
all that ,i have4  ,then the father and 
the son calling him took him apart and  
began to pray  him that he would        
vouchsafe to take half the part of all  
the goods that  they had brought4 ,then 
said he to them privily3 ,bless ye ,god 
of heaven  and before all living people 
knowledge ye him1 for he hath done to   
you  his mercy4 ,forsooth to hide the   
sacrament of the king it is good1 but   

for to show the works of ,god and to    
knowledge them it is worshipful4        
,oration and prayer is good1 with       
fasting and alms1 and more than to set  
up treasures of gold4 ,for alms         
delivereth from death1 and it is she    
that  purgeth sins and maketh a man to  
find everlasting life4 ,who that do sin 
and wickedness they be enemies of his   
soul4 ,i show to you therefore the      
truth and ,i shall not hide from you the
 secret word4 ,when thou prayedst  with 
tears and didst bury the dead men and   
leftest thy dinner and  hiddest dead men
 by the day in thine house1 and in the  
night thou  buriedst them1 ,i offered   
thy prayer unto ,god4 ,and forasmuch as 
thou wert  accepted tofore ,god1 it was 
necessary1 thou being tempted1 that he  
should prove thee4 ,and now hath our    
,lord sent me for to cure thee1 and     
,sara the wife of thy son ,i have       
delivered from the devil4 ,i am soothly 
,raphael the angel1 one of the seven    
which stand tofore our ,lord ,god4      

,when they heard this they were         
troubled1 and trembling fell down on    
their faces upon the ground4 ,the angel 
said to them3 ,peace be to you1  dread  
you not4 ,forsooth ,i was with you by   
the will of ,god1 him alway  bless ye   
and sing ye to him1 ,i was seen of you  
to eat and drink1 but ,i  use meat and  
drink invisible1 which of men may not be
 seen4 ,it is now  therefore time that  
,i return to him which sent me4 ,ye     
alway bless ,god  and tell ye all his   
marvels4 ,and when he had said this he  
was taken away  from the sight of them1 
and after that they might no more see   
him4 ,then  they fell down flat on their
 faces by the space of three hours and  
blessed ,god1 and arising up they told  
all the marvels of him4    ,then the    
older ,tobit opening his mouth blessed  
our ,lord and said3 ,great  art thou1   
,lord1 evermore1 and thy reign is in to 
all worlds1 for thou  scourgest and     
savest1 thou leadest to hell and        
bringest again1 and there  is none that 

may flee thy hand4 ,knowledge and       
confess you to the ,lord1  ye children  
of ,israel1 and in the sight of         
,gentiles praise ye him4  ,therefore he 
hath disperpled scattered you among     
,gentiles that know  him not1 that ye   
tell his marvels1 and make them to be   
known4 ,for there  is none other ,god   
,almighty but he2 he hath chastised us  
for our  wickedness and he shall save us
 for his mercy4 ,take heed and see      
therefore what he hath done to us1 and  
with fear and dread1 knowledge ye  to   
him1 and exalt him king of all worlds in
 your works4 ,i soothly in the  land of 
my captivity shall knowledge to him1 for
 he hath showed his  majesty into the   
sinful people4 ,confess ye therefore    
sinners1 and do ye  justice tofore our  
,lord by believing that he shall do to  
you his mercy1  aye soothly1 and my soul
 shall be glad in him4 ,all ye chosen of
 ,god1  bless ye him and make ye days of
 gladness and knowledge ye to him4      
,jerusalem city of ,god1 our ,lord hath 

chastised thee in the works of his      
hands1 confess thou to our ,lord in his 
good things and bless thou the  ,god of 
worlds that he may re-edify in thee his 
tabernacle1 and that he  may call again 
to thee all prisoners and them that be  
in captivity and  that thou joy in omnia
 secula seculorum4 ,thou shalt shine    
with a bright  light1 and all the ends  
of the earth shall worship thee4        
,nations shall  come to thee from far1  
and bringing gifts shall worship in thee
 our  ,lord1 and shall have thy land    
into sanctification4 ,they shall call in
  thee a great name1 they shall be      
cursed that shall despise thee1 and     
they all shall be condemned that        
blaspheme thee4 ,blessed be they that   
edify thee1 thou shalt be joyful in thy 
sons1 for all shall be blessed1  and    
shall be gathered together unto our     
,lord4 ,blessed be they that love  thee 
and that joy upon thy peace4 ,my soul1  
bless thou our ,lord1 for he  hath      
delivered ,jerusalem his city4 ,i shall 

be blessed if there be left  of my seed 
for to see the clearness of ,jerusalem4 
,the gates of ,jerusalem  shall be      
edified of sapphire and emerald1 and all
 the circuit of his  walls of precious  
stone2 all the streets thereof shall be 
paved with  white stone and clean2 and  
,alleluia shall be sung by the ways     
thereof4  ,blessed be the ,lord that    
hath exalted it that it may be his      
kingdom in  secula seculorum1 ,amen4    
,and thus ,tobit finished these words4  
,and ,tobit  lived after he had received
 his sight forty-two years1 and saw the 
sons  of his nephews1 that is1 the sons 
of the sons of his son young ,tobias4   
,and when he had lived one hundred and  
two years he died1 and was  honorably   
buried in the city of ,nineveh4    ,he  
was fifty-six years old when he lost his
 sight1 and when he was sixty  years old
 he received his sight again4 ,the      
residue of his life was in  joy1 and    
with good profit of the dread of ,god he
 departed in peace4 ,in  the hour of his

 death he called to him ,tobias his son1
 and seven of his  young sons1 his      
nephews1 and said to them3 ,the         
destruction of ,nineveh is  nigh1 the   
word of ,god shall not pass1 and our    
brethren that be  disperpled scattered  
from the land of ,israel shall return   
thither  again4 ,all the land thereof   
shall be fulfilled with desert1 and the 
house that is burnt therein shall be    
re-edified1 and thither shall  return   
all people dreading ,god4 ,and ,gentiles
 shall leave their idols and  shall come
 in ,jerusalem and shall dwell1 therein1
 and all the kings of  the earth shall  
joy in her1 worshipping the king of     
,israel4 ,hear ye  therefore1 my sons1  
me your father1 serve ye ,god in truth  
and seek ye  that ye do that may be     
pleasing to him1 and command ye to your 
sons that  they do righteousness and    
alms1 that they may remember ,god and   
bless him  in all time in truth and in  
all their virtue4 ,now therefore1 my    
sons1  hear me and dwell ye no longer   

here1 but whensoever your mother shall  
die1 bury her by me and from then       
forthon dress ye your steps that ye  go 
hence1 ,i see well that wickedness shall
 make an end of it4 ,it was so  then    
after the death of his mother1 ,tobias  
went from ,nineveh with his  wife and   
his sons1 and the sons of his sons1 and 
returned unto his  wife's father and    
mother1 whom they found in good health  
and good age1  and took the cure and    
charge of them1 and were with them unto 
their  death1 and closed their eyes4    
,and ,tobias received all the heritage  
of  the house of ,raguel and saw the    
sons of his sons unto the fifth         
generation4 ,and when he had complished 
ninety-nine years he died in the  dread 
of ,god1 and with joy they buried him4  
,all his cognation kindred  and all his 
generation offspring abode in good life 
and in holy  conversation1 and in such  
wise as they were acceptable as well to 
,god as  to men1 and to all dwelling on 
the earth4          ,,here ,,beginneth  

,,the ,,story ,,of ,,judith    ,which is
 read the last ,sunday of ,october      
,arpaxhad1 king of the ,medes1 subdued  
into his empire many peoples and        
edified a mighty city1 which he named   
,ecbatane1 and made it with stones      
squared1 and polished them4 ,the walls  
thereof were of height seventy  cubits1 
and of breadth thirty cubits1 and the   
towers thereof were an  hundred cubits  
high4 ,and he glorified himself as he   
that was mighty in  puissance and in the
 glory of his host and of his chariots4 
,nebuchadnezzar then in the twelfth year
 of his reign1 which was king of  the   
,assyrians1 and reigned in the city of  
,nineveh1 fought against  ,arphaxad and 
took him in the field1 whereof          
,nebuchadnezzar was exalted  and        
enhanced himself1 and sent unto all     
regions about and unto ,jerusalem  till 
the ,mounts of ,ethiopia1 for to obey   
and hold of him4 ,which all  gainsaid   
him with one will1 and without worship  
sent home his messengers  void1 and set 

nought by him4 ,then ,nebuchadnezzar1   
having them at great  indignation1 swore
 by his reign and by his throne that he 
would avenge  him on them all1 and      
thereupon called all his dukes1 princes1
 and men of  war1 and held a counsel in 
which was decreed that he should subdue 
all  the world unto his empire4 ,and    
thereupon he ordained ,holofernes prince
  of his knighthood1 and bade him go    
forth1 and in especial against them     
that had despised his empire2 and bade  
him spare no realm ne town but  subdue  
all to him4 ,then ,holofernes assembled 
dukes and masters of the  strength of   
,nebuchadnezzar1 and numbered one       
hundred and twenty thousand  footmen1   
and horsemen shooters twelve thousand4  
,and tofore them he  commanded to go a  
multitude of innumerable camels laden   
with such things  as were needful to the
 host1 as victual1 gold and silver1 much
 that was  taken out of the treasury of 
the kings4 ,and so went to many realms  
which  he subdued2 and occupied a great 

part of the orient till he came         
approaching the land of ,israel4 ,and   
when the children of ,israel heard      
thereof they dreaded sore lest he should
 come among them into ,jerusalem  and   
destroy the temple1 for ,nebuchadnezzar 
had commanded that he should  extinct   
all the gods of the earth1 and that no  
god should be named ne  worshipped but  
he himself1 of all the nations that     
,holofernes should  subdue4             
,eliachim1 then priest in ,israel1 wrote
 unto all them in the mountains  that   
they should keep the strait ways of the 
mountains1 and so the  children of      
,israel did as the priest had ordained4 
,then ,eliachim1 the  priest1 went about
 all ,israel and said to them3 ,know ye 
that ,god hath  heard your prayers1 if  
ye abide and continue in your prayers   
and  fastings in the sight of ,god4     
,remember ye of ,moses1 the servant of  
,god1  which overthrew ,amalek trusting 
in his strength1 and in his power1 in   
his host1 in his helmets1 in his        

chariots1 and in his horsemen2 not      
fighting with iron1 but with praying of 
holy prayers4 ,in like wise shall  it be
 with all the enemies of ,israel if ye  
persevere in this work that  ye have    
begun4 ,with this exhortation they      
continued praying ,god4 ,they           
persevered in the sight of ,god1 and    
also they that offered to our ,lord     
were clad with sackcloth1 and had ashes 
on their heads1 and with all  their     
heart they prayed ,god to visit his     
people ,israel4 ,it was told to         
,holofernes prince of the knighthood of 
the ,assyrians that the children  of    
,israel made them ready to resist him1  
and had closed the ways of the          
mountains1 and he was burned in overmuch
 fury in great ire4 ,he called  all the 
princes of ,moab and dukes of ,ammon and
 said to them3 ,say ye to  me1 what     
people is this that besiege the         
mountains1 or what or how many  cities  
have they8 ,and what is their virtue1   
and what multitude is of  them8 ,or who 

is king of their knighthood8 ,then      
,achior1 duke of all of  them of ,ammon1
 answering said3 ,if thou deignest to   
hear me ,i shall tell  thee truth of    
this people that dwelleth in the        
mountains1 and there  shall not issue   
out of my mouth one false word4 ,this   
people dwelled  first in ,mesopotamia1  
and was of the progeny of the ,chaldees1
 but would  not dwell there for they    
would not follow the gods of their      
fathers that  were in the land of       
,chaldees1 and going and leaving the    
ceremonies of  their fathers1 which was 
in the multitude of many gods1 they     
honored  one1 ,god of heaven1 which     
commanded them to go thence that they   
should  dwell in ,canaan4 ,then after   
was there much hunger1 that they        
descended  into ,egypt1 and there abode 
four hundred years1 and multiplied that 
they might not be numbered4 ,when the   
king of ,egypt grieved them in his      
buildings1 bearing clay tiles1 and      
subdued them1 they cried to their       

,lord1 and he smote the land of ,egypt  
with divers plagues4 ,when they of      
,egypt had cast them out from them1 the 
plagues ceased from them and then  they 
would have taken them again and would   
have called them to their  service1 and 
they fleeing1 their ,god opened the sea 
to them that they  went through         
dry-foot1 in which the innumerable host 
of the ,egyptians  pursuing them were   
drowned1 that there was not one of them 
saved for to  tell to them that came    
after them4 ,they passed thus the ,red  
,sea1 and he  fed them with manna forty 
years1 and made bitter waters sweet1 and
 gave  them water out of a stone4 ,and  
wheresoever this people entered without 
bow or arrow1 shield or sword1 their    
,god fought for them1 and there is  no  
man may prevail against this people but 
when they departed from the  culture and
 honor of their ,god4 ,and as oft as    
they have departed from  their ,god and 
worshipped other strange gods1 so oft   
have they been  overcome with their     

enemies4 ,and when they repent and come 
to the  knowledge of their sin1 and cry 
their ,god mercy1 they be restored      
again1  and their ,god giveth to them   
virtue to resist their enemies4 ,they   
have  overthrown ,cananeum the king1    
,jebusee1 ,pheresee1 ,eneum1 ,etheum and
  ,amoreum1 and all the mighty men in   
,esebon1 and have taken their lands  and
 cities and possess them1 and shall1 as 
long as they please their  ,god4 ,their 
,god hateth wickedness1 for tofore this 
time when they went  from the laws that 
their ,god gave to them1 he suffered    
them to be taken  of many nations into  
captivity1 and were disperpled4 ,and now
 late they  be come again and possess   
,jerusalem wherein is sancta sanctorum1 
and be  come over these mountains       
whereas some of them dwell4 ,now        
therefore1 my  lord1 see and search if  
there be any wickedness of them in the  
sight of  their ,god1 and then let us go
 to them1 for their ,god shall give them
  into thy hands and they shall be      

subdued under the yoke of thy power4    
,and when ,achior had said thus1 all the
 great men about ,holofernes were  angry
 and had thought for to have slain him1 
saying each to other3 ,who  is this that
 may make the children of ,israel resist
 the king  ,nebuchadnezzar and his army 
and host8 ,men cowards and without might
 and  without any wisdom of war4        
,therefore that ,achior may know that he
 saith  not true1 let us ascend the     
mountains1 and when the mighty men of   
them  be taken let him be slain with    
them1 that all men may know that        
,nebuchadnezzar is god of the earth1 and
 that there is none other but he4  ,then
 when they ceased to speak1 ,holofernes 
having indignation said to  ,achior3    
,because thou hast prophesied to us of  
the children of ,israel  saying1 that   
their ,god defend them1 ,i shall show to
 thee that there is  no god but         
,nebuchadnezzar1 for whom we have       
overcome them all and slain  them as one
 man1 then shalt thou die with them by  

the sword of the  ,assyrians1 and all   
,israel shall be put into ruin and      
perdition1 and then  shall be known that
 ,nebuchadnezzar is lord of all the     
earth1 and the  sword of my knighthood  
shall pass through thy sides4 ,and thou 
shalt  depart hence and go to them1 and 
shalt not die unto the time that ,i have
  them and thee4 ,and when ,i have slain
 them with my sword thou shalt in  like 
wise be slain with like vengeance4      
,after this ,holofernes commanded  his  
servants to take ,achior1 and lead him  
to ,bethulia and to put him in  the     
hands of them of ,israel4 ,and so they  
took ,achior and ascended the           
mountains1 against whom came out men of 
war4 ,then the servants of  ,holofernes 
turned aside and bound ,achior to a tree
 hands and feet with  cords1 and left   
him and so returned to their lord4 ,then
 the sons of  ,israel coming down from  
,bethulia loosed and unbound him1 and   
brought him  to ,bethulia1 and he being 
set amid the people was demanded what he

 was1  and why he was so sore there     
bounden4 ,and he told to them all the   
matter  like as it is aforesaid1 and how
 ,holofernes had commanded him to be    
delivered unto them of ,israel4 ,then   
all the people fell down on to their    
faces worshipping ,god1 and with great  
lamentation and weeping1 with one  will 
made their prayers unto our ,lord ,god  
of heaven1 and that he would  behold the
 pride of them1 and to the meekness of  
them of ,israel1 and to  take heed to   
the faces of his hallows and show to    
them his grace and not  forsake them1   
and prayed ,god to have mercy on them   
and defend them from  their enemies4    
,and on that other side1 ,holofernes    
commanded his hosts to  go up and assail
 ,bethulia1 and so went up1 of footmen  
one hundred and  twenty thousand1 and   
twelve thousand horsemen1 and besieged  
the town1  and took their water from    
them1 insomuch that they that were in   
the town  were in great penury of water1
 for in all the town was not water      

enough  for one day1 and such as they   
had was given to the people by measure4 
,then all the people young and old came 
to ,ozias which was their prince1  with 
,charmis and ,gothoniel1 all with one   
voice crying3 ,god the ,lord deem       
between us and thee1 for thou hast done 
to us evil what thou spakest not        
peaceably with ,assyrians1 for now we   
shall be delivered into the hands  of   
them4 ,it is better for us to live in   
captivity under ,holofernes and  live1  
than to die here for thirst1 and see our
 wives and children die  before our     
eyes4 ,and when they had made this      
piteous crying and yelling1  they went  
all to their church1 and there a long   
while prayed and cried  unto ,god       
knowledging their sins and wickedness1  
meekly beseeching him to  show his grace
 and pity on them4 ,then at last ,ozias 
arose up1 and said  to the people3 ,let 
us abide yet five days1 and if ,god send
 us no rescue  ne help us not in that   
time that we may give glory to his name1

 else we  shall do as ye have said4 ,and
 when that ,judith heard thereof1 which 
was  a widow and a blessed woman1 and   
was left widow three years and six      
months4    ,after that ,manasses her    
husband died1 anon she went into the    
overest  part of her house in which she 
made a privy bed1 which she and her     
servants closed1 and having on her body 
a hair hair cloth1 had fasted  all the  
days of her life save ,sabbaths and new 
moons1 and the feasts of  the house of  
,israel4 ,she was a fair woman and her  
husband had left her  much riches1 with 
plentiful meiny1 and possessions of     
droves of oxen and  flocks of sheep1 and
 she was a famous woman and dreaded ,god
 greatly4 ,and  when she had heard that 
,ozias had said1 that the fifth day the 
city  should be given over if ,god      
helped them not1 she sent for the       
priests  ,chambris and ,charmis and said
 to them3 ,what is this word in which   
,ozias  hath consented that the city    
should be delivered to the ,assyrians if

  within five days there come no help to
 us8 ,and who be ye that tempt the      
,lord ,god8 ,this word is not to stir   
,god to mercy but rather to arouse      
wrath and woodness4 ,ye have set a time 
of mercy doing by ,god1 and in  your    
doom ye have ordained a day to him4 ,o  
good ,lord1 how patient is he1  let us  
ask him for forgiveness with weeping    
tears2 he shall not threaten  as a man1 
ne inflame in wrath as a son of a man1  
therefore meek we our  souls to him and 
in a contrite spirit and meeked1 serve  
we to him1 and  say we weeping to ,god1 
that after his will he show to us his   
mercy1 and  as our heart is troubled in 
the pride of them1 so also of our       
humbleness  and meekness let us be      
joyful4 ,for we have not followed the   
sin of our  fathers that forsook their  
,god and worshipped strange gods1       
wherefore  they were given and be taken 
into hideous and great vengeance1 into  
sword1 ravin1 and into confusion to     
their enemies2 we forsooth know no      

other god but him4 ,abide we meekly the 
comfort of him1 and he shall keep  us   
from our enemies and he shall make all  
gentiles that arise against  him1 and   
shall make them without worship the     
,lord our ,god4 ,and now ye  brethren1  
ye that be priests1 on whom hangeth the 
life of the people of  ,god1 pray ye    
unto ,almighty ,god that he make me     
steadfast in the purpose  that ,i have  
proposed4 ,ye shall stand at the gate   
and ,i shall go out with  my handmaid4  
,and pray ye the ,lord that he steadfast
 make my soul1 and do  ye nothing till  
,i come again4    ,and then ,judith went
 into her oratory1 and arrayed her with 
her precious  clothing and adornments1  
and took unto her handmaid certain      
victuals  such as she might lawfully    
eat1 and when she had made her prayers  
unto  ,god she departed in her most     
noble array toward the gate1 whereas    
,ozias  and the priests abode her1 and  
when they saw her they marvelled of her 
beauty4 ,notwithstanding they let her   

go1 saying3 ,god of our fathers give    
thee grace and strengthen all the       
counsel of thine heart with his virtue  
and glory to ,jerusalem1 and be thy name
 in the number of saints and of         
righteous men4 ,and they all that were  
there said3 ,amen1 and1 fiat6 fiat6  let
 it be done4 ,then she praising god     
passed through the gate1 and her        
handmaid with her4 ,and when she came   
down the hill1 about the springing  of  
the day1 anon the spies of the          
,assyrians took her saying3 ,whence     
comest thou1 or whither goest thou8 ,the
 which answered3 ,i am a daughter  of   
the ,hebrews and flee from them1 knowing
 that they shall be taken by  you1 and  
come to ,holofernes for to tell him     
their privities1 and ,i shall  show him 
by what entry he may win them1 in such  
wise as one man of his  host shall not  
perish4 ,and the men that heard these   
words beheld her  visage and wondered of
 her beauty1 saying to her3 ,thou hast  
saved thy  life because thou hast       

founden such counsel1 come therefore to 
our ,lord1  for when thou shalt stand in
 his sight he shall accept thee4 ,and   
they  led her to the tabernacle of      
,holofernes4 ,and when she came before  
him  anon ,holofernes was caught by his 
eyes1 and his tyrant knights said to    
him3 ,who despised the people of ,jews  
that have so fair women1 that not  for  
them of right we ought to fight against 
them8 ,and so ,judith seeing            
,holofernes sitting in his canape that  
was of purple1 of gold1 smaragdos  and  
precious stones within woven1 and when  
she had seen his face she  honored him1 
falling down herself unto the earth4    
,and the servants of  ,holofernes took  
her up1 he so commanding4 ,then         
,holofernes said to her3  ,be thou not  
afeard ne dread thee not4 ,i never      
grieved ne noyed man that  would serve  
,nebuchadnezzar4 ,thy people soothly1 if
 they had not despised  me1 ,i had not  
raised my people ne strength against    
them4 ,now tell to me  the cause why    

thou wentest from them1 and that it hath
 pleased thee to  come to us4 ,and      
,judith said3 ,take the words of thine  
handmaid1 and if  thou follow them1 a   
perfect thing ,god shall do with thee4  
,forsooth  ,nebuchadnezzar is the living
 king of the earth1 and thou hast his   
power  for to chastise all people1 for  
men only serve not him1 but also the    
beasts of the field obey to him1 his    
might is known over all4 ,and the       
children of ,israel shall be yielded to 
thee1 for their ,god is angry with  them
 for their wickedness4 ,they be         
enfamined and lack bread and water1     
they be constrained to eat their horse  
and beasts1 and to take such holy       
things as be forbidden in their law1 as 
wheat1 wine1 and oil1 all these  things 
,god hath showed to me4 ,and they       
purpose to waste such things as  they   
ought not touch1 and therefore and for  
their sins they shall be put  in the    
hands of their enemies1 and our ,lord   
hath showed me these things  to tell    

thee4 ,and ,i thine handmaid shall      
worship ,god1 and shall go out  and pray
 him1 and come in and tell thee what he 
shall say to me1 in such  wise that ,i  
shall bring thee through the middle of  
,jerusalem1 and thou  shalt have all the
 people of ,israel under thee1 as the   
sheep be under  the shepherd1 insomuch  
there shall not an hound burk against   
thee4 ,and  because these things be said
 to me by the providence of ,god1 and   
that  ,god is wroth with them1 ,i am    
sent to tell thee these things4         
,forsooth1 all these words pleased much 
to ,holofernes1 and to his people1  and 
they marvelled of the wisdom of her4    
,and one said to another4 ,there  is not
 such a woman upon earth in sight1 in   
fairness1 and in wit of  words4 ,and    
,holofernes said to her3 ,god hath done 
well that he hath sent  thee hither for 
to let me have knowledge1 and if thy    
,god do to me these  things he shall be 
my ,god1 and thou and thy name shall be 
great in the  house of ,nebuchadnezzar4 

,then commanded ,holofernes her to go in
 where  his treasure lay1 and to abide  
there1 and to give to her meat from his 
feast1 to whom she said that she might  
not eat of his meat1 but that she  had  
brought meat with her for to eat4 ,then 
,holofernes said3 ,when that  meat      
faileth what shall we give to thee to   
eat8 ,and ,judith said that she  should 
not spend all till ,god shall do in my  
hands those things that ,i  have        
thought4 ,and the servants led her into 
his tabernacle1 and she  desired that   
she might go out in the night and before
 day to pray1 and  come in again4 ,and  
the lord commanded his cubiculers that  
she should go  and come at her pleasure 
three days during4 ,and she went out    
into the  valley of ,bethulia and       
baptized her in the water of the well4  
,and she  stretched her hands up to the 
,god of ,israel1 praying the good ,lord 
that  he would govern her way for to    
deliver his people2 and thus she did    
unto  the fourth day4 ,then ,holofernes 

made a great feast1 and sent a man of   
his1 named ,bagoas1 for to entreat      
,judith to come eat and drink with him4 
,and ,judith said3 ,what am ,i that     
should gainsay my lord's desire4 ,i am  
at  his commandment1 whatsomever he will
 that ,i do1 ,i shall do1 and please    
him all the days of my life4 ,and she   
rose and adorned herself with her  rich 
and precious clothes1 and went in and   
stood before ,holofernes1 and           
,holofernes' heart was pierced with her 
beauty1 and he said to her3 ,sit  down  
and drink in joy1 for thou hast found   
grace before me4 ,judith said3  ,i shall
 drink my lord1 for my life is magnified
 this day before all the  days of my    
life4 ,and she ate and drank such as her
 handmaid had ordained  for her4 ,and   
,holofernes was merry and drank so much 
wine that he never  drank so much in one
 day in all his life1 and was drunken4  
,and at even1  when it was night1       
,holofernes went into his bed1 and      
,bagoas brought  ,judith in to his      

chamber and closed the door4 ,and when  
,judith was alone  in the chamber1 and  
,holofernes lay and slept in overmuch   
drunkenness1  ,judith said to her       
handmaid that she should stand without  
forth before  the door of the privy     
chamber and wait about1 and ,judith     
stood before  the bed praying with tears
 and with moving of her lips secretly1  
saying3  ,o ,lord ,god of ,israel1      
conform me in this hour to the works of 
my hands1  that thou raise up the city  
of ,jerusalem as thou hast promised1 and
 that  ,i may perform this that ,i have 
thought to do4 ,and when she had thus   
said1 she went to the pillar that was at
 his bed's head1 and took his  sword and
 loosed it1 and when she had drawn it   
out1 she took his hair in  her hand and 
said3 ,confirm me ,god of ,israel in    
this hour1 and smote  twice in the neck 
and cut off his head1 and left the body 
lie still1 and  took the head and       
wrapped it in the canape and delivered  
it to her maid1  and bade her to put it 

in her scrip1 and they two went out     
after their  usage to pray4 ,and they   
passed the tents1 and going about the   
valley  came to the gate of the city1   
and ,judith said to the keepers of the  
walls3 ,open the gates1 for ,god is with
 us that hath done great virtue in      
,israel4 ,and anon when they heard her  
call1 they called the priests of  the   
city1 and they came running for they had
 supposed no more to have  seen her1 and
 lighting lights all went about her4    
,she then entered in and stood up in a  
high place and commanded silence1  and  
said3 ,praise ye the ,lord ,god that    
forsaketh not men hoping in him2  and in
 me his handwoman1 hath fulfilled his   
mercy that he promised to  the house of 
,israel1 and hath slain in my hand the  
enemy of his people  this night4 ,and   
then she brought forth the head of      
,holofernes and showed  it to them1     
saying3 ,lo6 here the head of           
,holofernes1 prince of the  chivalry of 
,assyrians1 and lo6 the canape of him in

 which he lay in his  drunkenhood1 where
 our ,lord hath smitten him by the hand 
of a woman4  ,forsooth ,god liveth1 for 
his angel kept me hence going1 there    
abiding1  and from thence hither        
returning1 and the ,lord hath not       
suffered me1 his  handwoman1 to be      
defouled1 but without pollution of sin  
hath called me  again to you joying in  
his victory1 in my escaping and in your 
deliverance4 ,knowledge ye him all for  
good1 for his mercy is  everlasting1    
world without end4 ,and all they1       
honoring our ,lord1 said to  her3 ,the  
,lord bless thee in his virtue1 for by  
thee he hath brought our  enemies to    
naught4 ,then ,ozias1 the prince of the 
people1 said to her3  ,blessed be thou  
of the high ,god before all women upon  
earth1 and blessed  be the ,lord that   
made heaven and earth1 that hath        
addressed thee in the  wounds of the    
head of the prince of our enemies4      
,after this ,judith bade  that the head 
should be hanged up on the walls1 and at

 the sun rising  every man in his arms  
issue out upon your enemies1 and when   
their spies  shall see you1 they shall  
run into the tent of their prince1 to   
raise  him and to make him ready to     
fight1 and when his lords shall see him 
dead1 they shall be smitten with so     
great dread and fear that they shall    
flee1 whom ye then shall pursue1 and    
,god shall bring them and tread  them   
under your feet4 ,then ,achior seeing   
the virtue of the ,god of  ,israel1 left
 his old heathen's customs and believed 
in ,god1 and put  himself to the people 
of ,israel1 and all the succession of   
his kindred  unto this day4 ,then at the
 springing of the day they hung the head
 of  ,holofernes on the walls1 and every
 man took his arms and went out with    
great noise1 which thing seeing1 the    
spies ran together to the  tabernacle of
 ,holofernes1 and came making noise for 
to make him to  arise1 and that he      
should awake1 but no man was so hardy to
 knock or  enter into his privy chamber4

 ,but when the dukes and leaders of     
thousands came1 and other1 they said to 
the privy chamberlains3 ,go and  awake  
your lord1 for the mice be gone out of  
their caves and be ready to  call us to 
battle4 ,then ,bagoas went into his     
privy chamber and stood  before the     
curtain1 and clapped his hands together4
 ,and when he  perceived no moving of   
him1 he drew the curtain and seeing the 
dead body  of ,holofernes1 without head1
 lying in his blood1 cried with great   
voice1  weeping and rending his clothes1
 and went in to the tabernacle of       
,judith  and found her not1 and started 
out to the people and said3 ,a woman of 
the ,hebrews hath made confusion in the 
house of ,nebuchadnezzar1 she hath      
slain ,holofernes1 and he is dead1 and  
she hath his head with her4    ,and when
 the princes and captains of the        
,assyrians heard this1 anon they  rent  
their clothes1 and intolerable dread    
fell on them1 and were sore  troubled in
 their wits and made a horrible cry in  

their tents4 ,and when  all the host had
 heard how ,holofernes was beheaded1    
counsel and mind  flew from them1 and   
with great trembling for succor began to
 flee1 in  such wise that none would    
speak with other1 but with their heads  
bowed  down fled for to escape from the 
,hebrews1 whom they saw armed coming    
upon them1 and departed fleeing by      
fields and ways of hills and valleys4   
,and the sons of ,israel1 seeing them   
fleeing1 following them1 crying with    
trumps and shouting after them1 and slew
 and smote down all them that  they     
overtook4 ,and ,ozias sent forth unto   
all the cities and regions of  ,israel1 
and they sent after all the young men   
and valiant to pursue them  by sword1   
and so they did unto the uttermost      
coasts of ,israel4 ,the other  men      
soothly1 that were in ,bethulia1 went in
 to the tents of the  ,assyrians1 and   
took all the prey that the ,assyrians   
had left1 and when  the men had pursued 
them were returned1 they took all their 

beasts and  all the movable goods and   
things that they had left1 so much that 
every  man from the most to the least   
were made rich by the prey that they    
took4 ,then ,joachim the high bishop of 
,jerusalem came unto ,bethulia1 with    
all the priests1 for to see ,judith1 and
 when she came tofore them all1  they   
blessed her with one voice1 saying3     
,thou glory of ,jerusalem1 thou         
gladness of ,israel1 thou the worship   
doing of our people1 thou didst  manly1 
and thy heart is comforted because thou 
lovedst chastity and  knewest no man    
after the death of thy husband1 and     
therefore the hand of  ,god hath        
comforted thee4 ,and therefore thou     
shalt be blessed world  without end1 and
 all the people said3 ,fiat6 fiat6 be it
 done1 be it  done4 ,certainly the      
spoils of the ,assyrians were unnethe   
gathered and  assembled together in     
thirty days1 of the people of ,israel1  
but all the  proper riches that were    
appertaining to ,holofernes and could be

 found  that had been his1 they were    
given to ,judith as well gold1 silver1  
gems1  clothes1 as all other            
appurtenances to household2 and all was 
delivered  to her of the people1 and the
 folks1 with women and maidens1 joyed in
  organs and harps4 ,then ,judith sang  
this song unto ,god saying3 ,begin ye   
in timbrels1 sing ye to the ,lord in    
cymbals1 mannerly sing to him a new     
psalm4 ,fully joy ye1 and inwardly call 
ye his name1 and so forth4 ,and  for    
this great miracle and victory all the  
people came to ,jerusalem for  to give  
laud1 honor1 and worship unto our ,lord 
,god4 ,and after they were  purified    
they offered sacrifices1 vows1 and      
behests unto ,god1 and the  joy of this 
victory was solemnized during three     
months1 and after that1  each went home 
again into his own city and house1 and  
,judith returned  into ,bethulia1 and   
was made more great and clear to all men
 of the land  of ,israel4 ,she was      
joined to the virtue of chastity1 so    

that she knew no  man all the days of   
her life after the death of ,manasses1  
her husband1  and dwelled in the house  
of her husband an hundred and five      
years1 and  she left her demoiselle     
free4 ,after this she died and is buried
 in  ,bethulia and all the people       
bewailed her seven days4 ,during her    
life  after this journey was no trouble 
among the ,jews1 and the day of this    
victory of the ,hebrews was accepted for
 a feastful day1 and hallowed of  the   
,jews and numbered among their feasts   
unto this day4          ,,the ,,vision  
,,of ,,belshazzar      ,the ,king was on
 his throne1    ,the ,satraps throng'd  
the hall2  ,a thousand bright lamps     
shone    ,o'er that high festival4  ,a  
thousand cups of gold1    ,in ,judah    
deem'd divine--  ,jehovah's vessels hold
    ,the godless ,heathen's wine4    ,in
 that same hour and hall    ,the fingers
 of a ,hand  ,came forth against the    
wall1    ,and wrote as if on sand3  ,the
 fingers of a man2--    ,a solitary hand

  ,along the letters ran1    ,and traced
 them like a wand4    ,the monarch saw1 
and shook1    ,and bade no more rejoice2
  ,all bloodless wax'd his look1    ,and
 tremulous his voice3--  ,let the men of
 lore appear1    ,the wisest of the     
earth1  ,and expound the words of fear1 
,which mar our royal mirth4             
,chaldea's seers are good1    ,but here 
they have no skill2  ,and the unknown   
letters stood    ,untold and awful      
still4  ,and ,babel's men of age    ,are
 wise and deep in lore2  ,but now they  
were not sage1    ,they saw--but knew no
 more4    ,a ,captive in the land1    ,a
 stranger and a youth1  ,he heard the   
king's command1    ,he saw that         
writing's truth2  ,the lamps around were
 bright1    ,the prophecy in view2  ,he 
read it on that night1--    ,the morrow 
proved it true6    ,belshazzar's grave  
is made1    ,his kingdom pass'd away1   
,he1 in the balance weigh'd1    ,is     
light and worthless clay2  ,the shroud1 
his robe of state2    ,his canopy1 the  

stone3  ,the ,mede is at his gate6      
,the ,persian on his throne6    --,lord 
,byron          ,a ,,christmas ,,carol  
,as ,joseph was a-walking1    ,he heard 
an angel sing1  ,this night shall be the
 birth-time    ,of ,christ1 the heavenly
 king4    ,he neither shall be born     
,in housen nor in hall1  ,nor in the    
place of paradise1    ,but in an ox's   
stall4    ,he neither shall be clothed  
,in purple nor in pall1  ,but in the    
fair white linen    ,that usen babies   
all4    ,he neither shall be rocked     
,in silver nor in gold1  ,but in a      
wooden manger    ,that resteth on the   
mould4    ,as ,joseph was a-walking1    
,there did an angel sing1  ,and ,mary's 
child at midnight    ,was born to be our
 king4    ,then be ye glad1 good people1
    ,this night of all the year1  ,and  
light ye up your candles1    ,for his   
star it shineth clear4          ,,on    
,,the ,,morning ,,of ,,christ',s        
,,nativity      ,this is the month1 and 
this the happy morn  ,wherein the ,son  

of heav'n's eternal king  ,of wedded    
,maid1 and ,virgin ,mother born1  ,our  
great redemption from above did bring2  
,for so the holy sages once did sing1   
,that ,he our deadly forfeit should     
release1  ,and with ,his ,father work us
 a perpetual peace4    ,that glorious   
,form1 that ,light unsufferable1  ,and  
that far-beaming blaze of ,majesty      
,wherewith ,he wont at ,heav'n's high   
council-table  ,to sit the midst of     
,trinal ,unity1  ,he laid aside2 and    
here with us to be1  ,forsook the courts
 of everlasting day1  ,and chose with us
 a darksome house of mortal clay4       
,say1 heav'nly ,muse1 shall not thy     
sacred vein  ,afford a present to the   
,infant ,god8  ,hast thou no verse1 no  
hymn1 or solemn strain1  ,to welcome    
,him to this ,his new abode1  ,now while
 the heav'n by the sun's team untrod1   
,hath took no print of the approaching  
light1  ,and all the spangled host keep 
watch in squadrons bright8    ,see how  
from far1 upon the eastern road  ,the   

star-led wizards haste with odors sweet3
  ,o run1 prevent them with thy humble  
ode1  ,and lay it lowly at ,his blessd  
feet2  ,have thou the honor first thy   
,lord to greet1  ,and join thy voice    
unto the angel quire1  ,from out ,his   
secret altar touch'd with hallow'd fire4
      ,,the ,,hymn    ,it was the winter
 wild  ,while the heav'n-born ,child    
,all meanly wrapt in the rude manger    
lies2  ,nature in awe to ,him  ,had     
doff'd her gaudy trim1  ,with her great 
,master so to sympathize3  ,it was no   
season then for her  ,to wanton with the
 sun1 her lusty paramour4    ,only with 
speeches fair  ,she woos the gentle air 
,to hide her guilty front with innocent 
snow1  ,and on her naked shame1         
,pollute with sinful blame1  ,the       
saintly veil of maiden white to throw1  
,confounded that her ,maker's eyes      
,should look so near upon her foul      
deformities4    ,but ,he1 her fears to  
cease1  ,sent down the meek-ey'd ,peace2
  ,she crown'd with olive-green1 came   

softly sliding  ,down through the       
turning sphere1  ,his ready harbinger1  
,with turtle wing the amorous clouds    
dividing2  ,and waving wide her myrtle  
wand1  ,she strikes a universal peace   
through sea and land4    ,no war1 or    
battle's sound  ,was heard the world    
around3  ,the idle spear and shield were
 high up hung1  ,the hooked chariot     
stood  ,unstain'd with hostile blood1   
,the trumpet spake not to the armed     
throng1  ,and kings sat still with awful
 eye1  ,as if they surely knew their    
sov'reign ,lord was by4    ,but peaceful
 was the night1  ,wherein the ,prince of
 ,light  ,his reign of peace upon the   
earth began3  ,the winds1 with wonder   
whist1  ,smoothly the waters kist1      
,whispering new joys to the mild ocean1 
,who now hath quite forgot to rave1     
,while birds of calm sit brooding on the
 charmed wave4    ,the stars with deep  
amaze1  ,stand fix'd in steadfast gaze1 
,bending one way their precious         
influence1  ,and will not take their    

flight1  ,for all the morning light1    
,or ,lucifer that often warn'd them     
thence2  ,but in their glimmering orbs  
did glow1  ,until their ,lord ,himself  
bespake1 and bid them go1    ,and though
 the shady gloom  ,had given day her    
room1  ,the sun himself withheld his    
wonted speed1  ,and hid his head for    
shame1  ,as his inferior flame  ,the    
new-enlighten'd world no more should    
need2  ,he saw a greater ,sun appear    
,than his bright throne1 or burning     
axle-tree1 could bear4    ,the shepherds
 on the lawn1  ,or ere the point of     
dawn1  ,sate simply chatting in a rustic
 row2  ,full little thought they then   
,that the mighty ,pan  ,was kindly come 
to live with them below2  ,perhaps their
 loves1 or else their sheep1  ,was all  
that did their silly thoughts so busy   
keep4    ,when such music sweet  ,their 
hearts and ears did greet1  ,as never   
was by mortal finger strook1  ,divinely 
warbled voice  ,answering the stringd   
noise1  ,as all their souls in blissful 

rapture took3  ,the air1 such pleasure  
loth to lose1  ,with thousand echoes    
still prolongs each heavenly close4     
,nature that heard such sound1  ,beneath
 the hollow round  ,of ,cynthia's seat1 
the airy region thrilling1  ,now was    
almost won  ,to think her part was done1
  ,and that her reign had here its last 
fulfilling2  ,she knew such harmony     
alone  ,could hold all heav'n and earth 
in happier union4    ,at last surrounds 
their sight  ,a globe of circular light1
  ,that with long beams the shamefac'd  
night array'd2  ,the helmd ,cherubim1   
,and sworded ,seraphim1  ,are seen in   
glittering ranks with wings display'd1  
,harping in loud and solemn quire1      
,with unexpressive notes to ,heaven's   
new-born ,heir4    ,such music 7as 'tis 
said7  ,before was never made1  ,but    
when of old the ,sons of ,morning sung1 
,while the ,creator great  ,his         
constellations set1  ,and the           
well-balanc'd world on hinges hung1     
,and cast the dark foundations deep1    

,and bid the welt'ring waves their oozy 
channel keep4    ,ring out1 ye crystal  
spheres1  ,once bless our human ears1   
,if ye have power to touch our senses   
so2  ,and let your silver chime  ,move  
in melodious time1  ,and let the bass of
 ,heav'n's deep organ blow2  ,and with  
your ninefold harmony  ,make up full    
consort to th' angelic symphony4    ,for
 if such holy song  ,inwrap our fancy   
long1  ,time will run back1 and fetch   
the age of gold1  ,and speckled ,vanity 
,will sicken soon and die1  ,and leprous
 ,sin will melt from earthly mould  ,and
 ,hell itself will pass away1  ,and     
leave her dolorous mansions to the      
peering day4    ,yea1 ,truth and        
,justice then  ,will down return to men1
  ,orb'd in a rainbow2 and1 like glories
 wearing1  ,mercy will set between1     
,throned in celestial sheen1  ,with     
radiant feet the tissued clouds down    
steering3  ,and ,heav'n1 as at some     
festival1  ,will open wide the gates of 
her high palace hall4    ,but wisest    

,fate says1 ,no4  ,this must not yet be 
so1  ,the ,babe yet lies in smiling     
infancy1  ,that on the bitter cross     
,must redeem our loss2  ,so both himself
 and us to glorify2  ,yet first to those
 ychain'd in sleep1  ,the wakeful trump 
of doom must thunder through the deep1  
,with such a horrid clang  ,as on ,mount
 ,sinai rang1  ,while the red fire and  
smouldering clouds out-brake3  ,the aged
 ,earth aghast1  ,with terror of that   
blast1  ,shall from the surface to the  
centre shake2  ,when at the world's last
 sessin1  ,the dreadful ,judge in middle
 air shall spread his throne4    ,and   
then at last our bliss  ,full and       
perfect is1  ,but now begins2 for from  
this happy day  ,the old ,dragon under  
ground  ,in straiter limits bound1  ,not
 half so far casts his usurped sway1    
,and wroth to see his kingdom fail1     
,swinges the scaly horror of his folded 
tail4    ,the oracles are dumb1  ,no    
voice or hideous hum  ,runs thro' the   
arched roof in words deceiving4  ,apollo

 from his shrine  ,can no more divine1  
,with hollow shriek the steep of        
,delphos leaving4  ,no nightly trance or
 breathd spell  ,inspires the pale-ey'd 
priest from the prophetic cell4    ,the 
lonely mountains o'er1  ,and the        
resounding shore1  ,a voice of weeping  
heard1 and loud lament2  ,from haunted  
spring and dale  ,edg'd with poplar     
pale1  ,the parting ,genius is with     
sighing sent2  ,with flow'r-inwoven     
tresses torn  ,the ,nymphs in twilight  
shade of tangled thickets mourn4    ,in 
consecrated earth1  ,and on the holy    
hearth1  ,the ,lars1 and ,lemures moan  
with midnight plaint2  ,in urns1 and    
altars round1  ,a drear and dying sound 
,affrights the ,flamens at their service
 quaint2  ,and the chill marble seems to
 sweat1  ,while each peculiar ,power    
forgoes his wonted seat4    ,peor and   
,balim  ,forsake their temples dim1     
,with that twice-batter'd god of        
,palestine2  ,and moond ,ashtaroth1     
,heaven's queen and mother both1  ,now  

sits not girt with tapers' holy shine2  
,the ,lybic ,hammon shrinks his horn4   
,in vain the ,tyrian maids their wounded
 ,thammuz mourn4    ,and sullen ,moloch 
fled1  ,hath left in shadows dread  ,his
 burning idol all of blackest hue2  ,in 
vain with cymbals' ring  ,they call the 
grisly king1  ,in dismal dance about the
 furnace blue3  ,the brutish gods of    
,nile as fast1  ,isis and ,orus1 and the
 dog ,anubis haste4    ,nor is ,osiris  
seen  ,in ,memphian grove or green1     
,trampling the unshow'r'd grass with    
lowings loud3  ,nor can he be at rest   
,within his sacred chest1  ,naught but  
profoundest hell can be his shroud2  ,in
 vain with timbrell'd anthems dark  ,the
 sable-stold sorcerers bear his         
worship'd ark4    ,he feels from ,juda's
 land  ,the dreaded infant's hand1  ,the
 rays of ,bethlehem blind his dusky eyn2
  ,not all the gods beside1  ,longer    
dare abide1  ,not ,typhon huge ending in
 snaky twine3  ,our ,babe1 to show his  
,godhead true1  ,can in his swaddling   

bands control the damnd crew4    ,so1   
when the sun in bed  ,curtain'd with    
cloudy red  ,pillows his chin upon an   
orient wave1  ,the flocking shadows pale
  ,troop to the infernal jail1  ,each   
fetter'd ghost slips to his several     
grave2  ,and the yellow-skirted fays    
,fly after the night-steeds1 leaving    
their moon-loved maze4    ,but see1 the 
,virgin blest  ,hath laid her ,babe to  
rest2  ,time is1 our tedious song should
 here have ending3  ,heaven's           
youngest-teemd star  ,hath fix'd her    
polish'd car1  ,her sleeping ,lord with 
handmaid lamp attending3  ,and all about
 the courtly stable  ,bright-harness'd  
angels sit in order serviceable4        
--,j4 ,milton          ,,the ,,burning  
,,babe      ,as ,i in hoary winter's    
night stood shivering in the snow1      
,surprised ,i was with sudden heat1     
which made my heart to glow2  ,and      
lifting up a fearful eye to view what   
fire was near1  ,a pretty babe1 all     
burning bright1 did in the air appear2  

,who1 scorchd with excessive heat1 such 
floods of tears did shed1  ,as though   
his floods should quench his flames     
which with his       tears were fed3--  
,alas6 quoth ,he1 but newly born1 in    
fiery heats ,i fry1  ,yet none approach 
to warm their hearts or feel my fire but
 ,i6  ,my faultless breast the furnace  
is1 the fuel wounding thorns2  ,love is 
the fire1 and sighs the smoke1 the ashes
 shame and scorns2  ,the fuel ,justice  
layeth on1 and ,mercy blows the coals1  
,the metal in this furnace wrought are  
men's defild souls1  ,for which1 as now 
on fire ,i am1 to work them to their    
good1  ,so will ,i melt into a bath to  
wash them in my blood4--  ,with this ,he
 vanish'd out of sight1 and swiftly     
shrunk away2  ,and straight ,i called   
unto mind that it was ,christmasday4    
--,r4 ,southwell          ,a ,,cradle   
,,song4      ,hush6 my dear1 lie still  
and slumber2  ,holy angels guard thy    
bed6  ,heavenly blessings without number
  ,gently falling on thy head4          

,sleep1 my babe2 thy food and raiment1  
,house and home1 thy friends provide1   
,all without thy care or payment  ,all  
thy wants are well supplied4    ,how    
much better thou'rt attended  ,than the 
,son of ,god could be1  ,when from      
heaven ,he descended1  ,and became a    
child like thee6    ,soft and easy is   
thy cradle2  ,coarse and hard thy       
,saviour lay3  ,when his birthplace was 
a stable1  ,and his softest bed was hay4
    ,see the kindly shepherds round him1
  ,telling wonders from the sky6  ,where
 they sought him1 there they found him1 
,with his ,virgin-,mother by4    ,see   
the lovely babe a-dressing3  ,lovely    
infant1 how he smiled6  ,when he wept1  
the mother's blessing  ,soothed and     
hush'd the holy child4    ,lo1 he       
slumbers in his manger1  ,where the     
hornd oxen fed2  --,peace1 my darling6  
here's no danger6  ,here's no ox a-near 
thy bed6    --,may'st thou live to know 
and fear him1  ,trust and love him all  
thy days3  ,then go dwell forever near  

him2  ,see his face1 and sing his       
praise4    ,i could give thee thousand  
kisses1  ,hoping what ,i most desire3   
,not a mother's fondest wishes  ,can to 
greater joys aspire4    --,i4 ,watts    
,,easter      ,i got me flowers to straw
 ,thy way1  ,i got me boughs off many a 
tree2  ,but ,thou wast up by break of   
day1  ,and brought'st ,thy sweets along 
with ,thee4    ,the sun arising in the  
,east1  ,though he give light1 and th'  
,east perfume1  ,if they should offer to
 contest  ,with ,thy arising1 they      
presume4    ,can there be any day but   
this1  ,though many suns to shine       
endeavor8  ,we count three hundred1 but 
we miss3  ,there is but one1 and that   
one ever4    --,george ,herbert         
,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,peter ,,the   
,,apostle      ,st4 ,peter the apostle  
among all other1 and above all other1   
was of most  fervent and burning love1  
for he would have known the traitor that
  should betray our ,lord ,jesu ,christ1
 as ,st4 ,austin saith3 ,if he had known

  him he would have torn him with his   
teeth1 and therefore our ,lord would    
not name him to him1 for as ,chrysostom1
 saith3 ,if he had named him1  ,peter   
had arisen and all to-torn him4 ,peter  
went upon the sea2 he was  chosen of    
,god to be at his transfiguration1 and  
raised a maid from death  to life2 he   
found the stater or piece of money in   
the fish's mouth2 he  received of our   
,lord the keys of the kingdom of heaven2
 he took the  charge to feed the sheep  
of ,jesu ,christ4 ,he converted at a    
,whitsuntide  three thousand men1 he    
healed ,claude with ,john1 and then     
converted five  thousand men2 he said to
 ,ananias and ,saphira their death      
before2 he  healed neas of the palsy2 he
 raised ,tabitha2 he baptized ,cornelia2
 with  the shadow of his body he healed 
sick men2 he was put in prison by       
,herod1 but by the angel of our ,lord he
 was delivered4 ,what his meat was  and 
his clothing1 the book of ,st4 ,clement 
witnesseth1 for he said3 ,bread  only   

with olives1 and seldom with worts1 is  
mine usage1 and ,i have such  clothing  
as thou seest1 a coat and a mantle1 and 
when ,i have that1 ,i  demand no more4  
,it is said for certain that he bare    
always a sudary in  his bosom1 with     
which he wiped the tears that ran from  
his eyes2 for  when he remembered the   
sweet presence of our ,lord1 for the    
great love  that he had to him he might 
not forbear weeping4 ,and also when he  
remembered that he had renied him1 he   
wept abundantly great plenty of  tears1 
in such wise that he was so accustomed  
to weep that his face was  burned with  
tears as it seemed1 like as ,clement    
saith4 ,and saith also  that in the     
night when he heard the cock crow he    
would weep customably4  ,and after that 
it is read in ,historia ,ecclesiastica  
that1 when ,st4  ,peter's wife was led  
to her passion1 he had great joy and    
called her by  her proper name1 and said
 to her3 ,my wife1 remember thee of our 
,lord4    ,on a time when ,st4 ,peter   

had sent two of his disciples for to    
preach the  faith of ,jesu ,christ1 and 
when they had gone twenty days' journey1
 one  of them died1 and that other then 
returned to ,st4 ,peter and told him    
what had happened1 some say that it was 
,st4 ,marcial that so died1 and  some   
say it was ,st4 ,maternus1 and others   
say that it was ,st4 ,frank4 ,then  ,st4
 ,peter gave to him his staff and       
commanded that he should return to  his 
fellow1 and lay it upon him1 which he so
 did1 then he which had been  forty days
 dead1 anon arose all living4    ,that  
time ,simon the enchanter was in        
,jerusalem1 and he said he was first    
truth1 and affirmed that who that would 
believe in him he would make  them      
perpetual4 ,and he also said that       
nothing to him was impossible4 ,it  is  
read in the book of ,st4 ,clement that  
he said that he should be  worshipped of
 all men as ,god1 and that he might do  
all that he would4  ,and he said yet    
more3 ,when my mother ,rachel commanded 

me that ,i should  go reap corn in the  
field1 and saw the sickle ready to reap 
with1 ,i  commanded the sickle to reap  
by itself alone1 and it reaped ten times
  more than any other4 ,and yet he added
 hereto more1 after ,jerome1 and  said3 
,i am the ,word of ,god1 ,i am the ,holy
 ,ghost1 ,i am ,almighty1 ,i am all     
that is of ,god4 ,he made serpents of   
brass to move1 and made the images  of  
iron and of stone to laugh1 and dogs to 
sing1 and as ,st4 ,linus saith1  he     
would dispute with ,st4 ,peter and show1
 at a day assigned1 that he was  ,god4  
,and ,peter came to the place where the 
strife should be1 and said to  them that
 were there3 ,peace to you brethren that
 love truth4 ,to whom  ,simon said3 ,we 
have none need of thy peace1 for if     
peace and concord  were made1 we should 
not profit to find the truth1 for       
thieves have  peace among them4 ,and    
therefore desire no peace but battle1   
for when two  men fight and one is      
overcome then is it peace4 ,then said   

,peter3 ,why  dreadest thou to hear of  
peace8 ,of sins grow battles1 where is  
no sin  there is peace2 in disputing is 
truth found1 and in works righteousness4
  ,then said ,simon3 ,it is not as thou 
sayest1 but ,i shall show to thee the   
power of my dignity1 that anon thou     
shalt adore me2 ,i am first truth1  and 
may flee by the air2 ,i can make new    
trees and turn stones into  bread2      
endure in the fire without hurting2 and 
all that ,i will ,i may do4  ,st4 ,peter
 disputed against all these1 and        
disclosed all his malefices4  ,then     
,simon ,magus1 seeing that he might not 
resist ,peter1 cast all his  books into 
the sea1 lest ,st4 ,peter should prove  
him a magician1 by his  books1 and went 
to ,rome where he was had and reputed as
 a god4 ,and when  ,peter knew that1 he 
followed and came to ,rome4 ,the fourth 
year of  ,claudius the emperor1 ,peter  
came to ,rome1 and sat there twenty-five
  years1 and ordained two bishops as his
 helpers1 ,linus and ,cletus1 one       

within the walls1 and that other        
without4 ,he entended much to preaching 
of the ,word of ,god1 by which he       
converted much people to the faith of   
,christ1 and healed many sick men1 and  
in his preaching always he praised  and 
preferred chastity4 ,he converted four  
concubines1 of ,agrippa the  provost1 so
 that they would no more come to him1   
wherefore the provost  sought occasion  
against ,peter4    ,after this1 our     
,lord appeared to ,st4 ,peter1 saying to
 him3 ,simon ,magus  and ,nero purpose  
against thee1 dread thee not1 for ,i am 
with thee1 and  shall give to thee the  
solace of my servant ,paul1 which       
to-morn shall  come in to ,rome4 ,then  
,peter1 knowing that he should not long 
abide here1  assembled all his brethren1
 and took ,clement by the hand and      
ordained  him a bishop1 and made him to 
sit in his own seat4 ,after this1 as our
  ,lord had said tofore1 ,paul came to  
,rome1 and with ,peter began to preach  
the faith of ,christ4    ,simon ,magus  

was so much beloved of ,nero that he    
weened that he had been  the keeper of  
his life1 of his health1 and of all the 
city4 ,on a day1 as  ,leo the pope      
saith1 as he stood tofore ,nero1        
suddenly his visage  changed1 now old   
and now young1 which1 when ,nero saw1 he
 supposed that  he had been the son of  
,god4 ,then said ,simon ,magus to ,nero3
 ,because that  thou shalt know me to be
 the very son of ,god1 command my head  
to be  smitten off and ,i shall arise   
again the third day4 ,then ,nero        
commanded  to his brother to smite off  
his head1 and when he supposed to have  
beheaded ,simon1 he beheaded a ram4     
,simon1 by his art magic went away      
unhurt1 and gathered together the       
members of the ram1 and hid him three   
days4 ,the blood of the ram abode and   
congealed4 ,the third day he came  and  
showed him to ,nero1 saying3 ,command my
 blood to be washed away1 for  lo ,i am 
he that was beheaded1 and as ,i promised
 ,i have risen again the  third day4    

,whom ,nero seeing1 was abashed and     
trowed verily that he had  been the son 
of ,god4 ,all this saith ,leo4 ,sometime
 also1 when he was with  ,nero secretly 
within his conclave1 the devil in his   
likeness spake  without to the people4  
,then the ,romans had him in such       
worship that they  made to him an image1
 and wrote above1 this title3 ,to ,simon
 the holy  ,god4 ,peter and ,paul       
entered to ,nero and discovered all the 
enchantments  and malefices of ,simon   
,magus1 and ,peter added thereto1 seeing
 that like  as in ,christ be two        
substances that is of ,god and man1 so  
are in this  magician two substances1   
that is of man and of the devil4 ,then  
said  ,simon ,magus1 as ,st4 ,marcelle  
and ,leo witness1 lest ,i should suffer 
any  longer this enemy1 ,i shall command
 my angels that they shall avenge me  on
 him4 ,to whom ,peter said3 ,i dread    
nothing thine angels1 but they  dread   
me4 ,nero said3 ,dreadest thou not      
,simon1 that by certain things          

affirmeth his godhead8 ,to whom ,peter  
said3 ,if dignity or godhead be in  him 
let him tell now what ,i think or what  
,i do1 which thought ,i shall  first    
tell to thee1 that he shall not mow lie 
what ,i think4 ,to whom ,nero  said3    
,come hither and say what thou thinkest4
 ,then ,peter went to him and  said to  
him secretly3 ,command some man to bring
 to me a barley-loaf1 and  deliver it to
 me privily4 ,when it was taken to him1 
he blessed it1 and  hid it under his    
sleeve1 and then said he3 ,now ,simon   
say what ,i think1  and have said and   
done4 ,simon answered3 ,let ,peter say  
what ,i think4  ,peter answered3 ,what  
,simon thinketh that ,i know1 ,i shall  
do it when he  hath thought4 ,then      
,simon having indignation1 cried aloud3 
,i command that  dogs come and devour   
him4 ,and suddenly there appeared great 
dogs and  made an assault against       
,peter4 ,he gave to them of the bread   
that he had  blessed1 and suddenly he   
made them to flee4 ,then said ,peter to 

,nero3 ,lo6  ,i have showed you what he 
thought against me1 not in words but in 
deeds1  for where he promised angels to 
come against me he brought dogs1 thereby
  he showeth that he hath none angels   
but dogs4 ,then said ,simon3 ,hear ye1  
,peter and ,paul2 if ,i may not grieve  
you here1 ye shall come where me it     
shall behove to judge you4 ,i shall     
spare you here4 ,hc ,leo4 ,then ,simon  
,magus1 as ,hegesippus and ,linus say1  
elate in pride avaunted him that he  can
 raise dead men to life4 ,and it happed 
that there was a young man  dead1 and   
then ,nero let call ,peter and ,simon1  
and all gave sentence by  the will of   
,simon that he should be slain that     
might not arise the dead  man to life4  
,simon then1 as he made his incantations
 upon the dead body1  he was seen move  
his head of them that stood by2 then all
 they cried for  to stone ,peter4 ,peter
 unnethe getting silence said3 ,if the  
dead body  live1 let him arise1 walk and
 speak1 else know ye that it is a       

fantasy  that the head of the dead man  
moveth4 ,let ,simon be taken from the   
bed4  ,and the body abode immovable4    
,peter standing afar making his prayer  
cried to the dead body1 saying3 ,young  
man1 arise in the name of ,jesu  ,christ
 of ,nazareth crucified1 and anon1 he   
arose living1 and walked4  ,then1 when  
the people would have stoned ,simon     
,magus1 ,peter said3 ,he is  in pain    
enough1 knowing him to be overcome in   
his heart2 our master hath  taught us   
for to do good for evil4 ,then said     
,simon to ,peter and ,paul3  ,yet is it 
not come to you that ye desire1 for ye  
be not worthy to have  martyrdom1 the   
which answered3 ,that is1 that we desire
 to have1 to thee  shall never be well1 
for thou liest all that thou sayest4    
,then as ,marcel saith3 ,simon went to  
the house of ,marcel and bound there  a 
great black dog at the door of the      
house1 and said3 ,now ,i shall see if   
,peter1 which is accustomed to come     
hither1 shall come1 and if he come  this

 dog shall strangle him4 ,and a little  
after that1 ,peter and ,paul  went      
thither1 and anon ,peter made the sign  
of the cross and unbound the  hound1 and
 the hound was as tame and meek as a    
lamb1 and pursued none  but ,simon1 and 
went to him and took and cast him to the
 ground under  him1 and would have      
strangled him4 ,and then ran ,peter to  
him and cried  upon the hound that he   
should not do him any harm4 ,and anon   
the hound  left and touched not his     
body1 but he all torent and tare his    
gown in  such wise that he was almost   
naked4 ,then all the people1 and        
especially  children1 ran with the hound
 upon him and hunted and chased him out 
of  the town as he had been a wolf4     
,then for the reproof and shame he durst
  not come in to the town of all a whole
 year after4 ,then ,marcel that was     
disciple of ,simon ,magus1 seeing these 
great miracles1 came to ,peter1 and  was
 from then forthon his disciple4    ,and
 after1 at the end of the year1 ,simon  

returned and was received again  into   
the amity of ,nero4 ,and then1 as ,leo  
saith1 this ,simon ,magus  assembled the
 people and showed to them how he had   
been angered of the  ,galileans1 and    
therefore he said that he would leave   
the city which he  was wont to defend   
and keep1 and set a day in which he     
would ascend into  heaven1 for he       
deigned no more to dwell in the earth4  
,then on the day  that he had           
stablished1 like as he had said1 he went
 up to an high  tower1 which was on the 
capitol1 and there being crowned with   
laurel1  threw himself out from place to
 place1 and began to fly in the air4    
,then  said ,st4 ,paul to ,st4 ,peter3  
,it appertaineth to me to pray1 and to  
thee  for to command4 ,then said ,nero3 
,this man is very ,god1 and ye be two   
traitors4 ,then said ,st4 ,peter to ,st4
 ,paul3 ,paul1 brother1 lift up thine   
head and see how ,simon flyeth4 ,then   
,st4 ,paul said to ,st4 ,peter when he  
saw him fly so high3 ,peter1 why        

tarriest thou8 perform that thou hast   
begun1 ,god now calleth us4 ,then said  
,peter3 ,i charge and conjure you       
angels of ,sathanas1 which bear him in  
the air1 by the name of our ,lord  ,jesu
 ,christ1 that ye bear ne sustain him no
 more1 but let him fall to  the earth4  
,and anon they let him fall to the      
ground and brake his neck  and head1 and
 he died there forthwith4 ,and when     
,nero heard say that  ,simon was dead1  
and that he had lost such a man1 he was 
sorrowful1 and  said to the apostles3   
,ye have done this in despite of me1 and
 therefore  ,i shall destroy you by     
right evil example4 ,hc ,leo4 ,then he  
delivered  them to ,paulin1 which was a 
much noble man1 and ,paulin delivered   
them to  ,mamertin under the keeping of 
two knights1 ,processe and ,martinian1  
whom  ,st4 ,peter converted to the      
faith4 ,and they then opened the prison 
and  let them all go out that would go1 
wherefore1 after the passion of the     
apostles1 ,paulin1 when he knew that    

they were ,christian1 beheaded both     
,processe and ,martinian4    ,the       
brethren then1 when the prison was      
opened1 prayed ,peter to go  thence1 and
 he would not1 but at the last he being 
overcome by their  prayers went away4   
,and when he came to the gate1 as1 ,leo 
witnesseth1  which is called ,sancta    
,maria ad passus1 he met ,jesu ,christ  
coming  against him1 and ,peter said to 
him3 ,lord1 whither goest thou8 ,and he 
said to him3 ,i go to ,rome for to be   
crucified again1 and ,peter demanded    
him3 ,lord1 shalt thou be crucified     
again8 ,and he said3 ,yea1 and ,peter   
said then3 ,lord1 ,i shall return again 
then for to be crucified with  thee4    
,this said1 our ,lord ascended into     
heaven1 ,peter beholding it1  which wept
 sore4 ,and when ,peter understood that 
our ,lord had said to him  of his       
passion1 he returned1 and when he came  
to his brethren1 he told  to them what  
our ,lord had said4 ,and anon he was    
taken of the ministers  of ,nero and was

 delivered to the provost ,agrippa1 then
 was his face as  clear as the sun1 as  
it is said4 ,then ,agrippa said to him3 
,thou art he  that glorifiest in the    
people1 and in women1 that thou         
departest from  the bed of their        
husbands4 ,whom the apostle blamed1 and 
said to him that  he glorified in the   
cross of the ,lord ,jesu ,christ4 ,then 
,peter was  commanded to be crucified as
 a stranger1 and because that ,paul was 
a  citizen of ,rome it was commanded    
that his head should be smitten off4    
,and of this sentence given against     
them1 ,st4 ,dionysius in an epistle to  
,timothy saith in this wise3 ,o my      
brother ,timothy1 if thou hadst seen the
  agonies of the end of them thou       
shouldst have failed for heaviness and  
sorrow4 ,who should not weep that hour  
when the commandment of the  sentence   
was given against them1 that ,peter     
should be crucified and ,paul  be       
beheaded8 ,thou shouldst then have seen 
the turbes of the ,jews and of  the     

paynims that smote them and spit in     
their visages4 ,and when the  horrible  
time came of their end that they were   
departed that one from  that other1 they
 bound the pillars of the world1 but    
that was not  without wailing and       
weeping of the brethren4 ,then said ,st4
 ,paul to ,st4  ,peter3 ,peace be with  
thee that are foundement of the church  
and pastor  of the sheep and lambs of   
our ,lord4 ,peter then said to ,paul3   
,go thou in  peace1 preacher of good    
manners1 mediator1 leader1 and solace of
  rightful people4 ,and when they were  
withdrawn far from other ,i followed  my
 master4 ,they were not both slain in   
one street4 ,this saith ,st4            
,dionysius1 and as ,leo the pope and    
,marcel witness1 when ,peter came to    
the cross1 he said3 ,when my ,lord      
descended from heaven to the earth he   
was put on the cross right up1 but me   
whom it pleaseth him to call from  the  
earth to heaven1 my cross shall show my 
head to the earth and  address my feet  

to heaven1 for ,i am not worthy to be   
put on the cross  like as my ,lord was1 
therefore turn my cross and crucify me  
my head  downward4 ,then they turned the
 cross1 and fastened his feet upward and
  the head downward4 ,then the people   
were angry against ,nero and the        
provost1 and would have slain them      
because they made ,st4 ,peter so to     
die2 but he required them that they     
should not let his passion1 and as  ,leo
 witnesseth1 our ,lord opened the eyes  
of them that were there1 and  wept so   
that1 they saw the angels with crowns of
 roses and of lilies  standing by ,peter
 that was on the cross with the angels4 
,and then ,peter received a book of our 
,lord1 wherein he learned the words     
that he said4 ,then as ,hegesippus      
saith3 ,peter said thus3 ,lord1 ,i have 
desired much to follow thee1 but to be  
crucified upright ,i have not  usurped1 
thou art always rightful1 high and      
sovereign1 and we be sons of  the first 
man which have the head inclined to the 

earth1 of whom the  fall signifieth the 
form of the generation human4 ,also we  
be born that  we be seen inclined to the
 earth by effect1 and the condition is  
changed  for the world weeneth that such
 thing is good1 which is evil and bad4  
,lord1 thou art all things to me1 and   
nothing is to me but thou only1 ,i      
yield to thee thankings with all the    
spirit of which ,i live1 by which ,i    
understand1 and by whom ,i call thee4   
,and when ,st4 ,peter saw that the  good
 ,christian men saw his glory1 in       
yielding thankings to ,god and          
commending good people to him1 he       
rendered up his spirit4 ,then ,marcel   
and ,apuleius his brother1 that were his
 disciples1 took off the body  from the 
cross when he was dead1 and anointed it 
with much precious  ointment1 and buried
 him honorably4 ,isidore saith in the   
book of the  nativity and death of      
saints thus3 ,peter1 after that he had  
governed  ,antioch1 he founded a church 
under ,claudius the emperor1 he went to 

,rome  against ,simon ,magus1 there he  
preached the gospel twenty-five years   
and  held the bishopric1 and thirty-six 
years after the passion of our ,lord  he
 was crucified by ,nero turned the head 
downward1 for he would be so  crucified3
 ,hc ,isidorus4    ,that same day ,peter
 and ,paul appeared to ,st4 ,dionysius1 
as he saith in  his foresaid epistle in 
these words3 ,understand the miracle and
 see the  prodigy1 my brother ,timothy1 
of the day of the martyrdom of them1 for
 ,i  was ready in the time of departing 
of them4 ,after their death ,i saw  them
 together1 hand in hand1 entering the   
gates of the city1 and clad  with       
clothes of light1 and arrayed with      
crowns of clearness and light4  ,hc     
,dionysius4    ,nero was not unpunished 
for their death and other great sins and
  tyrannies that he committed1 for he   
slew himself with his own hand1  which  
tyrannies were overlong to tell1 but    
shortly ,i shall rehearse here  some4   
,he slew his master ,seneca because he  

was afraid of him when he  went to      
school4 ,also ,nero slew his mother4    
,then for his pleasure he set  ,rome    
afire1 which burned seven days and seven
 nights1 and was in a high  tower and   
enjoyed him to see so great a flame of  
fire1 and sang merrily4  ,he slew the   
senators of ,rome to see what sorrow and
 lamentation their  wives would make4   
,he fished with nets of gold thread1 and
 the garment  that he had worn one day  
he would never wear it ne see it after4 
,then  the ,romans seeing his woodness  
madness1 assailed him and pursued him   
unto without the city1 and when he saw  
he might not escape them1 he took  a    
stake and sharped it with his teeth1 and
 therewith stuck himself  through the   
body and so slew himself4 ,in another   
place it is read that  he was devoured  
of wolves4 ,then the ,romans returned   
and found the frog1  and threw it out of
 the city and there burned it4    ,in   
the time of ,st4 ,cornelius the pope1   
,greeks stole away the bodies of  the   

apostles ,peter and ,paul1 but the      
devils that were in the idols were      
constrained by the divine virtue of     
,god1 and cried and said3 ,ye men of    
,rome1 succor hastily your gods which be
 stolen from you2 for which thing  the  
good ,christian people understood that  
they were the bodies of ,peter  and     
,paul4 ,and the ,paynims had supposed   
that it had been their gods4 ,then      
assembled great number of ,christian men
 and of ,paynims also1 and pursued  so  
long the ,greeks that they doubted to   
have been slain1 and threw the  bodies  
in a pit at the catacombs1 but afterward
 they were drawn out by  ,christian men4
 ,st4 ,gregory saith that the great     
force of thunder and  lightning that    
came from heaven made them so afraid    
that they departed  each from other1 and
 so left the bodies of the apostles at  
the catacombs  in a pit1 but they       
doubted which bones were ,peter's and   
which ,paul's1  wherefore the good      
,christian men put them to prayers and  

fastings1 and  it was answered them from
 heaven that the great bones longed to  
the  preacher1 and the less to the      
fisher1 and so were departed1 and the   
bones were put in the church of him that
 it was dedicate of4 ,and others  say   
that ,silvester the pope would hallow   
the churches and took all the  bones    
together1 and departed them by weight1  
great and small1 and put  that one-half 
in one church1 and that other half in   
that other4    ,and ,st4 ,gregory       
recounteth in his dialogues that1 in the
 church of ,st4  ,peter1 where his bones
 rest1 was a man of great holiness and  
of meekness  named ,gentian1 and there  
came a maid into the church which was   
cripple1  and drew her body and legs    
after her with her hands1 and when she  
had  long required and prayed ,st4      
,peter for health1 he appeared to her in
 a  vision1 and said to her3 ,go to     
,gentian1 my servant1 and he shall      
restore  thy health4 ,then began she to 
creep here and there through the church1

  and inquired who was ,gentian1 and    
suddenly it happed that he came to her  
that him sought1 and she said to him3   
,the holy apostle ,st4 ,peter sent me   
to thee that thou shouldest make me     
whole and deliver me from my  disease1  
and he answered3 ,if thou be sent to me 
from him1 arise thou  anon and go on thy
 feet4 ,and he took her by the hand and 
anon she was  all whole1 in such wise as
 she felt nothing of her grief nor      
malady1 and  then she thanked ,god and  
,st4 ,peter4    ,and in the same book   
,st4 ,gregory saith when that a holy    
priest was come  to the end of his life1
 he began to cry in great gladness3 ,ye 
be  welcome1 my lords1 ye be welcome    
that ye vouchsafe to come to so little  
and poor a servant1 and he said3 ,i     
shall come and thank you4 ,then they    
that stood by demanded who they were    
that he spake to1 and he said to  them  
wondering3 ,have ye not seen the blessed
 apostles ,peter and ,paul8  and as he  
cried again1 his blessed soul departed  

from the flesh4    ,some have doubt     
whether ,peter and ,paul suffered death 
in one day1 for  some say it was the    
same one day1 but one a year after the  
other4 ,and  ,jerome and all the ,saints
 that treat of this matter accord that  
it was  on one day and one year1 and so 
is it contained in an epistle of ,denis1
  and ,leo the pope saith the same in a 
sermon1 saying3 ,we suppose but that  it
 was not done without cause that they   
suffered in one day and in one  place   
the sentence of the tyrant1 and they    
suffered death in one time1  to the end 
that they should go together to ,jesu   
,christ1 and both under  one persecutor 
to the end that equal cruelty should    
strain that one and  that other4 ,the   
day for their merit1 the place for their
 glory1 and the  persecution overcome by
 virtue4    ,though they suffered both  
death in one day and in one hour1 yet it
 was  not in one place but in diverse   
within ,rome1 and hereof saith a        
versifier in this wise3 ,ense coronatus 

,paulus1 cruce ,petrus1 eodem--,sub     
duce1 luce1 loco1 dux ,nero1 ,roma      
locus4 ,that is to say1 ,paul crowned   
with the sword1 and ,peter had the cross
 reversed1 the place was the city  of   
,rome4 ,and howbeit that they suffered  
death in one day1 yet ,st4  ,gregory    
ordained that that day specially should 
be the solemnity of ,st4  ,peter1 and   
the next day commemoration of ,st4      
,paul1 for the church of ,st4  ,peter   
was hallowed that same day1 and also    
forasmuch as he was more in  dignity1   
and first in conversion1 and held the   
principality at ,rome4          ,,the   
,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,paul ,,the ,,apostle
      ,st4 ,paul the apostle1 after his 
conversion1 suffered many persecutions1 
the which the blessed ,hilary rehearseth
 shortly1 saying3 ,paul the  ,apostle   
was beaten with rods at ,philippi1 he   
was put in prison1 and by  the feet fast
 set in stocks1 he was stoned in        
,lystra4 ,in ,iconia and  ,thessalonica 
he was pursued of wicked people4 ,in    

,ephesus he was  delivered to wild      
beasts4 ,in ,damascus he was let by a   
lepe down of the  wall4 ,in ,jerusalem  
he was arrested1 beaten1 bound1 and     
awaited to be  slain4 ,in ,csarea he was
 inclosed and defamed4 ,sailing toward  
,italy he  was in peril of death1 and   
from thence he came to ,rome and was    
judged  under ,nero1 and there finished 
his life4 ,this saith ,st4 ,hilary3     
,paul  took upon him to be apostle among
 the ,gentiles4 ,in ,lystra was a       
contract  which he lost and redressed4  
,a young man that fell out of a window  
and  died1 he raised to life1 and did   
many other miracles4 ,at the ,isle of   
,melita a serpent bit his hand1 and     
hurted him not1 and he threw it into    
the fire4 ,it is said that all they that
 came of the progeny and lineage  of    
that man that then harbored ,paul may in
 no wise be hurt of no  venemous beasts1
 wherefore when their children be born  
they put serpents  in their cradles for 
to prove if they be verily their        

children or no4 ,in  some place it is   
said that ,paul is less than ,peter1    
otherwhile more1  and sometimes equal   
and like1 for in dignity he is less1 in 
preaching  greater1 and in holiness they
 be equal4 ,haymo saith that ,paul1 from
 the  cock-crow until the hour of five1 
he labored with his hands1 and after    
entended to preaching1 and that endured 
almost to night1 the residue of  the    
time was for to eat1 sleep1 and for     
prayer1 which was necessary4 ,he  came  
to ,rome when ,nero was not fully       
confirmed in the empire1 and ,nero      
hearing that there was disputing and    
questions made between ,paul and the    
,jews1 he1 recking not much thereof1    
suffered ,paul to go where he would1    
and preach freely4 ,jeronimus saith in  
his book1 ,de viris illustribus1  that  
the thirty-sixth year after the ,passion
 of our ,lord1 the second  year of      
,nero1 ,st4 ,paul was sent to ,rome     
bound1 and two years he was in  free    
keeping and disputed against the ,jews1 

and after1 he was let go by  ,nero1 and 
preached the gospel in the west parts4  
,and the fourteenth year  of ,nero1 the 
same year and day that ,peter was       
crucified1 his head was  smitten off4   
,hc ,jeronimus4 ,the wisdom and religion
 of him was published  over all1 and was
 reputed marvellous4 ,he gat to him many
 friends in the  emperor's house and    
converted them to the faith of ,christ1 
and some of  his writings were recited  
and read tofore the emperor1 and of all 
men  marvellously commended1 and the    
senate understood of him by things of   
authority4    ,it happed on a day that  
,paul preached about evensong time in a 
loft1 a  young man named ,patroclus1    
butler of ,nero1 and with him           
well-beloved1  went for to see the      
multitude of people1 and the better for 
to hear  ,paul he went up into a window1
 and there sleeping1 fell down and died1
  which when ,nero heard he was much    
sorry and heavy therefor1 and anon      
ordered another in his office4 ,paul    

knowing hereof by the ,holy ,ghost1     
said to them standing by him that they  
should go and bring to him  ,patroclus1 
which was dead1 and that the emperor    
loved so much4 ,whom when  he was       
brought1 he raised to life and sent him 
with his fellows to the  emperor1 whom  
the emperor knew for dead1 and1 while he
 made lamentation  for him1 it was told 
to the emperor that ,patroclus was come 
to the gate4  ,and when he heard that   
,patroclus was alive he much marvelled1 
and  commanded that he should come in4  
,to whom ,nero said3 ,patroclus1 livest 
thou8 ,and he said3 ,yea1 emperor1 ,i   
live2 and ,nero said3 ,who hath made    
thee to live again8 ,and he said3 ,the  
,lord ,jesu ,christ1 king of all        
worlds4 ,then ,nero being wroth said3   
,then shall he reign ever and resolve   
all the royaumes of the world8 ,to whom 
,patroclus said3 ,yea1 certainly1       
emperor2 then ,nero gave to him a       
buffet1 saying3 ,therefore thou servest 
him1 and he said3 ,yea1 verily1 ,i serve

 him that hath raised me from  death to 
life4 ,then five of the ministers of    
,nero1 that assisted him1  said to him3 
,o emperor1 why smitest thou this young 
man1 truly and  wisely answering to     
thee8 ,trust verily we serve that same  
,king ,almighty4  ,and when ,nero heard 
that he put them in prison1 for strongly
 to torment  them1 whom he much had     
loved4 ,then he made to inquire and to  
take all  ,christian men1 and without   
examination made them to be tormented   
with  overgreat torments4 ,then was     
,paul among others bound and brought    
tofore  ,nero1 to whom ,nero said3 ,o   
thou man1 servant of the great ,king1   
bound  tofore me1 why withdrawest thou  
my knights and drawest them to thee8 ,to
  whom ,paul said3 ,not only from thy   
corner ,i have gathered knights1 but    
also ,i gather from the universal world 
to my ,lord1 to whom our king  giveth   
such gifts that never shall fail1 and   
granteth that they shall be  excluded   
from all indigence and need2 and if thou

 wilt be to him  subject1 thou shalt be 
safe1 for he is of so great power that  
he shall  come and judge all the world1 
and destroy the figure thereof by fire4 
,and when ,nero heard that he should    
destroy the figure of the world by      
fire1 he commanded that all the         
,christian men should be burned by fire1
  and ,paul to be beheaded1 as he that  
is guilty against his majesty4 ,and  so 
great a multitude of ,christian people  
were slain then1 that the  people of    
,rome brake up his palace and cried and 
moved sedition against  him1 saying3    
,csar1 amend thy manners and attemper   
thy commandments1 for  these be our     
people that thou destroyest1 and defend 
the empire of ,rome4  ,the emperor then 
dreading the noise of the people1       
changed his decree  and edict that no   
man should touch ne hurt no ,christian  
man till the  emperor had otherwise     
ordained1 wherefore ,paul was brought   
again tofore  ,nero1 whom as soon as    
,nero saw1 he cried and said3 ,take away

 this wicked  man and behead him1 and   
suffer him no longer to live upon the   
earth4 ,to  whom ,paul said3 ,nero1 ,i  
shall suffer a little while1 but ,i     
shall live  eternally with my ,lord     
,jesu ,christ4 ,nero said3 ,smite off   
his head1 that  he may understand me    
stronger than his king1 that when he is 
overcome we  may see whether he may live
 after4 ,to whom ,paul said3 ,to the end
 that  thou know me to live             
everlastingly1 when my head shall be    
smitten off1 ,i  shall appear to thee   
living1 and then thou mayst know that   
,christ is ,god  of life and of death4  
,and when he had said this he was led to
 the place  of his martyrdom1 and as he 
was led1 the three knights that led him 
said  to him3 ,tell to us1 ,paul1 who is
 he your king that ye love so much that 
for his love ye had liefer die than     
live1 and what reward shall ye have     
therefor8 ,then ,paul preached to them  
of the kingdom of heaven and of the     
pain of hell1 in such wise that he      

converted them to the faith1 and they   
prayed him to go freely whither he      
would4 ,god forbid1 brethren1 said he1  
that ,i should flee1 ,i am not fugitive1
 but the lawful knight of ,christ4  ,i  
know well that from this transitory life
 ,i shall go to everlasting  life4 ,as  
soon as ,i shall be beheaded1 true men  
shall take away my body2  mark ye well  
the place1 and come thither to-morrow1  
and ye shall find by  my sepulchre two  
men1 ,luke and ,titus1 praying4 ,to whom
 when ye shall  tell for what cause ,i  
have sent you to them1 they shall       
baptize you and  make you heirs of the  
kingdom of heaven4    ,and whiles they  
thus spake together1 ,nero sent two     
knights to look if he  were slain and   
beheaded or no1 and when thus ,st4 ,paul
 would have  converted them1 they said3 
,when thou art dead and risest again1   
then we  shall believe1 now come forth  
and receive that thou hast deserved4    
,and  as he was led to the place of his 
passion in the gate of ,hostence1 a     

noble woman named ,plautilla1 a disciple
 of ,paul1 who after another name  was  
called ,lemobia1 for haply she had two  
names1 met there with ,paul1  which     
weeping1 commended her to his prayers4  
,to whom ,paul said3  ,farewell1        
,plautilla1 daughter of everlasting     
health1 lend to me thy veil  or         
keverchief with which thou coverest thy 
head1 that ,i may bind mine  eyes       
therewith1 and afterward ,i shall       
restore it to thee again4 ,and when  she
 had delivered it to him1 the butchers  
scorned her1 saying3 ,why hast  thou    
delivered to this enchanter so precious 
a cloth for to lose it8  ,then1 when he 
came to the place of his passion1 he    
turned him toward the  east1 holding his
 hands up to heaven right long1 with    
tears praying in  his own language and  
thanking our ,lord2 and after that bade 
his brethren  farewell1 and bound his   
eyes himself with the keverchief of     
,plautilla1  and kneeling down on both  
knees1 stretched forth his neck1 and so 

was  beheaded4 ,and as soon as the head 
was from the body1 it said3 ,jesus      
,christus6 which had been to him so     
sweet in his life4 ,it is said that he  
named ,jesus or ,christus1 or both1     
fifty times4 ,from his wound sprang out 
milk into the clothes of the knight1 and
 afterward flowed out blood4 ,in  the   
air was a great shining light1 and from 
the body came a much sweet  odor4       
,dionysius1 in an epistle to ,timothy1  
saith of the death of ,paul thus3 ,in   
that hour full of heaviness1 my         
well-beloved brother1 the butcher1      
saying3 ,paul1 make ready thy neck2 then
 blessed ,paul looked up into  heaven   
marking his forehead and his breast with
 the sign of the cross1  and then said  
anon3 ,my ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 into thy
 hands ,i commend my  spirit1 etc4 ,and 
then without heaviness and compulsion he
 stretched  forth his neck and received 
the crown of martyrdom1 the butcher so  
smiting off his head4 ,the blessed      
martyr ,paul took the keverchief1 and   

unbound his eyes1 and gathered up his   
own blood1 and put it therein and       
delivered to the woman1 ,then the       
butcher returned1 and ,plautilla met him
  and demanded him1 saying3 ,where hast 
thou left my master8 ,the knight        
answered3 ,he lieth without the town    
with one of his fellows1 and his  visage
 is covered with thy keverchief1 and she
 answered and said3 ,i have  now seen   
,peter and ,paul enter into the city    
clad with right noble  vestments1 and   
also they had right fair crowns upon    
their heads1 more  clear and more       
shining than the sun1 and hath brought  
again my  keverchief all bloody which he
 hath delivered me4 ,for which thing and
  work many believed in our ,lord and   
were baptized4 ,and this is that ,st4   
,dionysius saith4 ,and when ,nero heard 
say this thing he doubted him1 and      
began to speak of all these things with 
his philosophers and with his  friends2 
and as they spake together of this      
matter1 ,paul came in1 and  the gates   

shut1 and stood tofore ,csar and said3  
,csar1 here is tofore  thee ,paul the   
knight of the king perdurable1 and not  
vanquished4 ,now  believe then certainly
 that ,i am not dead but alive1 but     
thou1 caitiff1  thou shalt die of an    
evil death1 because thou hast slain the 
servants  of ,god4 ,and when he had said
 thus he vanished away4 ,and ,nero1 what
 for  dread and what for anger1 he was  
nigh out of his wit1 and wist not what  
to do4 ,then by the counsel of his      
friends he unbound ,patroclus and       
,barnabas and let them go where they    
would4    ,and the other knights1       
,longinus1 master of the knights1 and   
,accestus1  came on the morn to the     
sepulchre of ,paul1 and there they found
 two men  praying1 that were ,luke and  
,titus1 and between them was ,paul4 ,and
 when  ,luke and ,titus saw them they   
were abashed and began to flee1 and anon
  ,paul vanished away1 and the knights  
cried after them and said3 ,we come  not
 to grieve you1 but know ye for truth   

that we come for to be baptized  of you1
 like as ,paul hath said whom we saw now
 praying with you4 ,when  they heard    
that they returned and baptized them    
with great joy4 ,the head  of ,st4 ,paul
 was cast in a valley1 and for the      
multitude of other heads  of men that   
were slain and thrown there1 it could   
not be known which it  was4             
,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,christopher   
,christopher tofore his baptism was     
named ,reprobus1 but afterward he was   
named ,christopher1 which is as much to 
say as bearing ,christ4  ,christopher   
was of the lineage of the ,canaanites1  
and he was of a right  great stature1   
and had a terrible and fearful cheer and
 countenance4 ,and  he was twelve cubits
 of length1 and as it is read in some   
histories  that1 when he served and     
dwelled with the king of ,canaan1 it    
came in his  mind that he would seek the
 greatest prince that was in the world1 
and  him would he serve and obey4 ,and  
so far he went that he came to a right  

great king1 of whom the renomee         
generally was that he was the greatest  
of the world4 ,and when the king saw    
him1 he received him into his  service1 
and made him to dwell in his court4     
,upon a time a minstrel sang  tofore him
 a song in which he named oft the devil1
 and the king1 which  was a ,christian  
man1 when he heard him name the devil1  
made anon the  sign of the cross in his 
visage4 ,and when ,christopher saw that1
 he had  great marvel what sign it was1 
and wherefore the king made it1 and he  
demanded of him4 ,and because the king  
would not say1 he said3 ,if thou  tell  
me not1 ,i shall no longer dwell with   
thee1 and then the king told  to him1   
saying3 ,alway when ,i hear the devil   
named1 ,i fear that he  should have     
power over me1 and ,i garnish me with   
this sign that he  grieve not ne annoy  
me4 ,then ,christopher said to him3     
,doubtest thou the  devil that he hurt  
thee not8 ,then is the devil more mighty
 and greater  than thou art4 ,i am then 

deceived of my hope and purpose1 for ,i 
had  supposed ,i had found the most     
mighty and the most greatest ,lord of   
the  world1 but ,i commend thee to ,god1
 for ,i will go seek him for to be my   
,lord1 and ,i his servant4 ,and then    
departed from this king1 and hasted  him
 for to seek the devil4    ,and as he   
went by a great desert1 he saw a great  
company of knights1 of  which a knight  
cruel and horrible came to him and      
demanded whither he  went1 and          
,christopher answered to him and said3  
,i go seek the devil for  to be my      
master4 ,and he said3 ,i am he that thou
 seekest4 ,and then  ,christopher was   
glad1 and bound him to be his servant   
perpetual1 and  took him for his master 
and ,lord4 ,and as they went together by
 a common  way1 they found there a      
cross1 erect and standing4 ,and anon as 
the devil  saw the cross he was afeard  
and fled1 and left the right way1 and   
brought ,christopher about by a sharp   
desert4 ,and after1 when they were  past

 the cross1 he brought him to the       
highway that they had left4 ,and  when  
,christopher saw that1 he marvelled1 and
 demanded whereof he  doubted1 and had  
left the high and fair way1 and had gone
 so far about  by so aspre a desert4    
,and the devil would not tell him in no 
wise4 ,then  ,christopher said to him3  
,if thou wilt not tell me1 ,i shall anon
 depart  from thee1 and shall serve thee
 no more4 ,wherefor the devil was       
constrained to tell him1 and said3      
,there was a man called ,christ which   
was hanged on the cross1 and when ,i see
 his sign ,i am sore afraid1 and  flee  
from it wheresoever ,i see it4 ,to whom 
,christopher said3 ,then he is  greater1
 and more mightier than thou1 when thou 
art afraid of his sign1  and ,i see well
 that ,i have labored in vain1 when ,i  
have not founden the  greatest ,lord of 
the world4 ,and ,i will serve thee no   
longer1 go thy way  then1 for ,i will go
 seek ,christ4 ,and when he had long    
sought and  demanded where he should    

find ,christ1 at last he came into a    
great  desert1 to an hermit that dwelt  
there1 and this hermit preached to him  
of ,jesu ,christ and informed him in the
 faith diligently1 and said to  him3    
,this king whom thou desirest to serve1 
requireth the service that  thou must   
oft fast4 ,and ,christopher said to him3
 ,require of me some  other thing1 and  
,i shall do it1 for that which thou     
requirest ,i may not  do4 ,and the      
hermit said3 ,thou must then wake and   
make many prayers4 ,and  ,christopher   
said to him3 ,i wot not what it is2 ,i  
may do no such thing4  ,and then the    
hermit said to him3 ,knowest thou such a
 river1 in which  many be perished and  
lost8 ,to whom ,christopher said3 ,i    
know it well4  ,then said the hermit3   
,because thou art noble and high of     
stature and  strong in thy members1 thou
 shalt be resident by that river1 and   
thou  shalt bear over all them that     
shall pass there1 which shall be a thing
  right convenable to our ,lord ,jesu   

,christ whom thou desirest to serve1    
and ,i hope he shall show himself to    
thee4 ,then said ,christopher3  ,certes1
 this service may ,i well do1 and ,i    
promise to him for to do it4  ,then went
 ,christopher to this river1 and made   
there his habitacle for  him1 and bare a
 great pole in his hand instead of a    
staff1 by which he  sustained him in the
 water1 and bare over all manner of     
people without  ceasing4 ,and there he  
abode1 thus doing1 many days4 ,and in a 
time1 as he  slept in his lodge1 he     
heard the voice of a child which called 
him and  said3 ,christopher1 come out   
and bear me over4 ,then he awoke and    
went  out1 but he found no man4 ,and    
when he was again in his house1 he heard
  the same voice and he ran ,out and    
found nobody4 ,the third time he was    
called and came thither1 and found a    
child beside the rivage of the  river1  
which prayed him goodly to bear him over
 the water4 ,and then  ,christopher lift
 up the child on his shoulders1 and took

 his staff1 and  entered into the river 
for to pass4 ,and the water of the river
 arose and  swelled more and more3 and  
the child was heavy as lead1 and alway  
as he  went further the water increased 
and grew more1 and the child more and   
more waxed heavy1 insomuch that         
,christopher had great anguish and was  
afeard to be drowned4 ,and when he was  
escaped with great pain1 and  passed the
 water1 and set the child aground1 he   
said to the child3  ,child1 thou hast   
put me in great peril2 thou weighest    
almost as ,i had  all the world upon me1
 ,i might bear no greater burden4 ,and  
the child  answered3 ,christopher1      
marvel thee nothing1 for thou hast not  
only borne  all the world upon thee1 but
 thou hast borne him that created and   
made  all the world1 upon thy shoulders4
 ,i am ,jesu ,christ the king1 to whom  
thou servest in this work4 ,and because 
that thou know that ,i say to be  the   
truth1 set thy staff in the earth by thy
 house1 and thou shalt see  to-morn that

 it shall bear flowers and fruit1 and   
anon he vanished from  his eyes4 ,and   
then ,christopher set his staff in the  
earth1 and when he  arose on the morn1  
he found his staff like a palmier       
bearing flowers1  leaves and dates4     
,and then ,christopher went into the    
city of ,lycia1 and understood not      
their language4 ,then he prayed our     
,lord that he might understand them1    
and so he did4 ,and as he was in this   
prayer1 the judges supposed that he  had
 been a fool1 and left him there4 ,and  
then when ,christopher  understood the  
language1 he covered his visage and went
 to the place  where they martyred      
,christian men1 and comforted them in   
our ,lord4 ,and  then the judges smote  
him in the face1 and ,christopher said  
to them3 ,if  ,i were not ,christian ,i 
should avenge mine injury4 ,and then    
,christopher  pitched his rod in the    
earth1 and prayed to our ,lord that for 
to convert  the people it might bear    
flowers and fruit1 and anon it did so4  

,and then  he converted eight thousand  
men4 ,and then the king sent two knights
 for  to fetch him to the king1 and they
 found him praying1 and durst not tell  
to him so4 ,and anon after1 the king    
sent as many more1 and they anon set    
them down for to pray with him4 ,and    
when ,christopher arose1 he said to     
them3 ,what seek ye8 ,and when they saw 
him in the visage they said to  him3    
,the king hath sent us1 that we should  
lead thee bound unto him4  ,and         
,christopher said to them3 ,if ,i would1
 ye should not lead me to him1  bound ne
 unbound4 ,and they said to him3 ,if    
thou wilt go thy way1 go  quit1 where   
thou wilt4 ,and we shall say to the king
 that we have not  found thee4 ,it shall
 not be so1 said he1 but ,i shall go    
with you4 ,and  then he converted them  
in the faith1 and commanded them that   
they should  bind his hands behind his  
back1 and lead him so bound to the king4
 ,and  when the king saw him he was     
afeard and fell down off the seat1 and  

his  servants lifted him up and releved 
him again4 ,and then the king inquired  
his name and his country2 and           
,christopher said to him3 ,tofore or ,i 
was  baptized ,i was named ,reprobus1   
and after1 ,i am ,christopher2 tofore   
baptism1 a ,canaanite1 now1 a ,christian
 man4 ,to whom the king said3 ,thou     
hast a foolish name1 that is to wit of  
,christ crucified1 which could not  help
 himself1 ne may not profit to thee4    
,how therefore1 thou cursed  ,canaanite1
 why wilt thou not do sacrifice to our  
gods8 ,to whom  ,christopher said3 ,thou
 art rightfully called ,dagnus1 for thou
 art the  death of the world1 and fellow
 of the devil1 and thy gods be made with
  the hands of men4 ,and the king said  
to him3 ,thou wert nourished among  wild
 beasts1 and therefore thou mayst not   
say but wild language1 and  words       
unknown to men4 ,and if thou wilt now do
 sacrifice to the gods ,i  shall give to
 thee great gifts and great honors1 and 
if not1 ,i shall  destroy thee and      

consume thee by great pains and         
torments4 ,but1 for all  this1 he would 
in no wise do sacrifice1 wherefore he   
was sent in to  prison1 and the king did
 do behead the other knights that he had
 sent  for him1 whom he had converted4  
,after this ,christopher was brought    
tofore the king1 and the king  commanded
 that he should be beaten with rods of  
iron1 and that there  should be set upon
 his head a cross of iron red hot and   
burning1 and  then after1 he did do make
 a siege or a stool of iron1 and made   
,christopher to be bounden thereon1 and 
after1 to set fire under it1 and  cast  
therein pitch4 ,but the siege or settle 
melted like wax1 and  ,christopher      
issued out without any harm or hurt4    
,and when the king saw  that1 he        
commanded that he should be bound to a  
strong stake1 and that  he should be    
through-shotten with arrows with forty  
knights archers4 ,but  none of the      
knights might attain him1 for the arrows
 hung in the air  about1 nigh him1      

without touching4 ,then the king weened 
that he had been  through-shotten with  
the arrows of the knights1 and addressed
 him for to  go to him4 ,and one of the 
arrows returned suddenly from the air   
and  smote him in the eye1 and blinded  
him4 ,to whom ,christopher said3        
,tyrant1  ,i shall die to-morn1 make a  
little clay1 with my blood tempered1 and
  anoint therewith thine eye1 and thou  
shalt receive health4 ,then by the      
commandment of the king he was led for  
to be beheaded1 and then1 there  made he
 his orison1 and his head was smitten   
off1 and so suffered  martyrdom4 ,and   
the king then took a little of his blood
 and laid it on  his eye1 and said3 ,in 
the name of ,god and of ,st4            
,christopher6 and was  anon healed4     
,then the king believed in ,god1 and    
gave commandment that  if any person    
blamed ,god or ,st4 ,christopher1 he    
should anon be slain  with the sword4   
,ambrose saith in his preface thus1 of  
this holy martyr3 ,lord1 thou hast      

given to ,christopher so great plenty of
 virtues1 and such grace of  doctrine1  
that he called from the error of        
,paynims forty-eight thousand  men1 to  
the honor of ,christian faith1 by his   
shining miracles4 ,and with  this1 he   
being strained and bounden in a seat of 
iron1 and great fire  put under1 doubted
 nothing the heat4 ,and all a whole day 
during1 stood  bounden to a stake1 yet  
might not be through-pierced with arrows
 of all  the knights4 ,and with that1   
one of the arrows smote out the eye of  
the  tyrant1 to whom the blood of the   
holy martyr re-established his sight1   
and enlumined him in taking away the    
blindness of his body1 and gat of  the  
,christian mind and pardon1 and he also 
gat of thee by prayer power  to put away
 sickness and sores from them that      
remember his passion and  figure4 ,then 
let us pray to ,st4 ,christopher that he
 pray for us1 etc4          ,,the       
,,seven ,,sleepers      ,the seven      
sleepers were born in the city of       

,ephesus4 ,and when ,decius the  emperor
 came into ,ephesus for the persecution 
of ,christian men1 he  commanded to     
edify the temples in the middle of the  
city1 so that all  should come with him 
to do sacrifice to the idols1 and did do
 seek all  the ,christian people1 and   
bind them for to make them to do        
sacrifice1 or  else to put them to      
death2 in such wise that every man was  
afeard of the  pains that he promised1  
that the friend forsook his friend1 and 
the son  renied his father1 and the     
father the son4 ,and then in this city  
were  founden seven ,christian men1 that
 is to wit1 ,maximian1 ,malchus1        
,marcianus1 ,denis1 ,john1 ,serapion1   
and ,constantine4 ,and when they saw    
this1 they had much sorrow1 and because 
they were the first in the  palace that 
despised the sacrifices1 they hid them  
in their houses1 and  were in fastings  
and in prayers4 ,and then they were     
accused tofore  ,decius1 and came       
thither1 and were found very ,christian 

men4 ,then was  given to them space for 
to repent them1 unto the coming again of
 ,decius4  ,and in the meanwhile they   
dispended their patrimony in alms to the
 poor  people2 and assembled them       
together1 and took counsel1 and went to 
the  mount of ,celion1 and there        
ordained to be more secretly1 and there 
hid  them long time4 ,and one of them   
administered and served them always4    
,and when he went into the city1 he     
clothed him in the habit of a beggar4   
,when ,decius was come again1 he        
commanded that they should be fetched1  
and then ,malchus1 which was their      
servant and ministered to them meat  and
 drink1 returned in great dread to his  
fellows1 and told and showed  to them   
the great fury and woodness of them1 and
 then were they sore  afraid4 ,and      
,malchus set tofore them the loaves of  
bread that he had  brought1 so that they
 were comforted of the meat1 and were   
more strong  for to suffer torments4    
,and when they had taken their refection

 and sat  in weeping and wailings1      
suddenly1 as ,god would1 they slept1 and
 when it  came on the morn they were    
sought and could not be found4          
,wherefore  ,decius was sorrowful       
because he had lost such young men4 ,and
 then they  were accused that they were 
hid in the mount of ,celion1 and had    
given  their goods to poor men1 and yet 
abode in their purpose4 ,and then       
commanded ,decius that their kindred    
should come to him1 and menaced them  to
 the death if they said not of them all 
that they knew4 ,and they  accused them1
 and complained that they had dispended 
all their riches4  ,then ,decius thought
 what he should do with them1 and1 as   
our ,lord would1  he inclosed the mouth 
of the cave wherein they were with      
stones1 to the  end that they should die
 therein for hunger and fault of meat4  
,then the  ministers and two ,christian 
men1 ,theodorus and ,rufinus1 wrote     
their  martyrdom and laid it subtlely   
among the stones4 ,and when ,decius was 

dead1 and all that generation1 three    
hundred and sixty-two years after1  and 
the thirtieth year of ,theodosius the   
emperor1 when the heresy was of  them   
that denied the resurrection of dead    
bodies1 and began to grow2  ,theodosius1
 then the most ,christian emperor1 being
 sorrowful that the  faith of our ,lord 
was so felonously demened1 for anger and
 heaviness he  clad him in hair and wept
 every day in a secret place1 and led a 
full  holy life1 which ,god1 merciful   
and piteous1 seeing1 would comfort them 
that were sorrowful and weeping1 and    
give to them esperance and hope of  the 
resurrection of dead men1 and opened the
 precious treasure of his  pity1 and    
raised the foresaid martyrs in this     
manner following4    ,he put in the will
 of a burgess of ,ephesus that he would 
make in that  mountain1 which was desert
 and aspre1 a stable for his pasturers  
and  herdmen4 ,and it happed that of    
adventure the masons1 that made the said
  stable1 opened this cave4 ,and then   

these holy saints1 that were within1    
awoke and were raised and intersalued   
each other1 and had supposed  verily    
that they had slept but one night only1 
and remembered of the  heaviness that   
they had the day tofore4 ,and then      
,malchus1 which  ministered to them1    
said what ,decius had ordained of them1 
for he said3  ,we have been sought1 like
 as ,i said to you yesterday1 for to do 
sacrifice to the idols1 that is it that 
the emperor desireth of us4 ,and  then  
,maximian answered3 ,god our ,lord      
knoweth that we shall never  sacrifice1 
and comforted his fellows4 ,he commanded
 to ,malchus to go and  buy bread in the
 city1 and bade him bring more that he  
did yesterday1  and also to inquire and 
demand what the emperor had commanded to
 do4 ,and  then ,malchus took five      
shillings1 and issued out of the cave1  
and when  he saw the masons and the     
stones tofore the cave1 he began to     
bless him1  and was much amarvelled4    
,but he thought little on the stones1   

for he  thought on other things4 ,then  
came he all doubtful to the gates of the
  city1 and was all amarvelled4 ,for he 
saw the sign of the cross about the     
gate1 and then1 without tarrying1 he    
went to that other gate of the  city1   
and found there also the sign of the    
cross thereon1 and then he  had great   
marvel1 for upon every gate he saw set  
up the sign of the  cross2 and therewith
 the city was garnished4 ,and then he   
blessed him and  returned to the first  
gate1 and weened he had dreamed2 and    
after he  advised and comforted himself 
and covered his visage and entered into 
the city4 ,and when he came to the      
sellers of bread1 and heard the men     
speak of ,god1 yet then was he more     
abashed1 and said3 ,what is this1 that  
no man yesterday durst name ,jesu       
,christ1 and now every man confesseth   
him to be ,christian8 ,i trow this is   
not the city of ,ephesus1 for it is  all
 otherwise builded4 ,it is some other   
city1 ,i wot not what4    ,and when he  

demanded and heard verily that it was   
,ephesus1 he supposed  that he had      
erred1 and thought verily to go again to
 his fellows1 and  then went to them    
that sold bread4 ,and when he showed his
 money the  sellers marvelled1 and said 
that one to that other1 that this young 
man  had found some old treasure4 ,and  
when ,malchus saw them talk together1   
he doubted not that they would lead him 
to the emperor1 and was sore  afeard1   
and prayed them to let him go1 and keep 
both money and bread1  but they held    
him1 and said to him3 ,of whence art    
thou8 ,for thou hast  found treasure of 
old emperors1 show it to us1 and we     
shall be fellows  with thee and keep it 
secret4 ,and ,malchus was so afeard that
 he wist not  what to say to them for   
dread4 ,and when they saw that he spake 
not they  put a cord about his neck1 and
 drew him through the city unto the     
middle  thereof4 ,and tidings were had  
all about in the city that a young man  
had  found ancient treasure1 in such    

wise that all they of the city assembled
  about him1 and he confessed there that
 he had found no treasure4 ,and he      
beheld them all1 but he could know no   
man there of his kindred ne  lineage1   
which he had verily supposed that they  
had lived1 but found  none1 wherefore he
 stood as he had been from himself1 in  
the middle of  the city4 ,and when ,st4 
,martin the bishop1 and ,antipater the  
consul1  which were new come into this  
city1 heard of this thing they sent for 
him1 that they should bring him wisely  
to them1 and his money with him4  ,and  
when he was brought to the church he    
weened well he should have been  led to 
the ,emperor ,decius4 ,and then the     
bishop and the consul marvelled  of the 
money1 and they demanded him where he   
had found this treasure  unknown4 ,and  
he answered that he had nothing founden1
 but it was come to  him of his kindred 
and patrimony1 and they demanded of him 
of what city  he was4 ,i wot well that  
,i am of this city1 if this be the city 

of  ,ephesus4 ,and the judge said to    
him3 ,let thy kindred come and witness  
for  thee4 ,and he named them1 but none 
knew them4 ,and they said that he       
feigned1 for to escape from them in some
 manner4 ,and then said the  judge3 ,how
 may we believe thee that this money is 
come to thee of thy  friends1 when it   
appeareth in the scripture that it is   
more than three  hundred and seventy-two
 years sith it was made and forged1 and 
is of the  first days of ,decius the    
emperor1 and it resembleth nothing to   
our  money2 and how may it come from thy
 lineage so long since1 and thou art    
young1 and wouldst deceive the wise and 
ancient men of this city of  ,ephesus8  
,and therefore ,i command that thou be  
demened after the law till  thou hast   
confessed where thou hast found this    
money4 ,then ,malchus  kneeled down     
tofore them and said3 ,for ,god's sake1 
lords1 say ye to me  that ,i shall      
demand you1 and ,i shall tell to you all
 that ,i have in my  heart4 ,decius the 

emperor that was in this city1 where is 
he8 ,and the  bishop said to him there  
is no such at this day in the world that
 is  named ,decius1 he was emperor many 
years since4 ,and ,malchus said3 ,sire1 
hereof ,i am greatly abashed and no man 
believeth me1 for ,i wot well that  we  
fled for fear of ,decius the emperor1   
and ,i saw him1 that yesterday he       
entered into this city1 if this be the  
city of ,ephesus4 ,then the bishop      
thought in himself1 and said to the     
judge that1 this is a vision that  our  
,lord will have showed by this young    
man4 ,then said the young man3  ,follow 
ye me1 and ,i shall show to you my      
fellows which be in the mount  of       
,celion1 and believe ye them4 ,this know
 ,i well1 that we fled from the  face of
 the ,emperor ,decius4 ,and then they   
went with him1 and a great  multitude of
 the people of the city with them4 ,and 
,malchus entered first  into the cave to
 his fellows1 and the bishop next after 
him4 ,and there  found they among the   

stones the letters sealed with two seals
 of silver4  ,and then the bishop called
 them that were come thither1 and read  
them  tofore them all1 so that they that
 heard it were all abashed and          
amarvelled4 ,and they saw the saints    
sitting in the cave1 and their  visages 
like unto roses flowering1 and they1    
kneeling down1 glorified  ,god4 ,and    
anon the bishop and the judge sent to   
,theodosius the emperor1  praying him   
that he would come anon for to see the  
marvels of our ,lord  that he had late  
showed4 ,and anon he arose up from the  
ground1 and took  off the sack in which 
he wept1 and glorified our ,lord4 ,and  
came from  ,constantinople to ,ephesus1 
and all they came against him1 and      
ascended  in to the mountain with him   
together1 unto the saints in to the     
cave4    ,and as soon as the blessed    
saints of our ,lord saw the emperor     
come1  their visages shone like to the  
sun4 ,and the emperor entered then1 and 
glorified our ,lord and embraced them1  

weeping upon each of them1 and  said3 ,i
 see you now like as ,i should see our  
,lord raising ,lazarus4 ,and  then      
,maximian said to him3 ,believe us1 for 
forsooth our ,lord hath raised  us      
tofore the day of the great             
resurrection4 ,and to the end that thou 
believe firmly the resurrection of the  
dead people1 verily we be raised  as ye 
here see1 and live4 ,and in like wise as
 the child is in the womb  of his mother
 without feeling harm or hurt1 in the   
same wise we have  been living and      
sleeping in lying here without feeling  
of anything4 ,and  when they had said   
all this1 they inclined their heads to  
the earth1 and  rendered their spirits  
at the command of our ,lord ,jesu       
,christ1 and so  died4 ,then the emperor
 arose1 and fell on them1 weeping       
strongly1 and  embraced them1 and kissed
 them debonairly4 ,and then he commanded
 to make  precious sepulchres of gold   
and silver1 and to bury their bodies    
therein4 ,and in the same night they    

appeared to the emperor1 and said to    
him that he should suffer them to lie on
 the earth like as they had lain  tofore
 till that time that our ,lord had      
raised them1 unto the time that  they   
should rise again4 ,then commanded the  
emperor that the place should  be       
adorned nobly and richly with precious  
stones1 and all the bishops  that would 
confess the resurrection should be      
assoiled4 ,it is in doubt  of that which
 is said that they slept three hundred  
and sixty-two years1  for they were     
raised the year of our ,lord four       
hundred and  seventy-eight1 and ,decius 
reigned but one year and three months1  
and  that was in the year of our ,lord  
two hundred and seventy1 and so they    
slept but two hundred and eight years4  
,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,silvester4    
,silvester was son of one ,justa and was
 learned and taught of a priest  named  
,cyrinus1 which did marvellously great  
alms and made hospitalities4  ,it happed
 that he received a ,christian man into 

his house named ,timothy1  who no man   
would receive for the persecution of    
tyrants1 wherefore the  said ,timothy   
suffered death and passion after that   
year while he  preached justly the faith
 of ,jesu ,christ4 ,it was so that the  
prefect  ,tarquinius supposed that      
,timothy had had great plenty of riches1
 which  he demanded of ,silvester1      
threatening him to the death but if he  
delivered them to him4 ,and when he     
found certainly that ,timothy had no    
great riches1 he commanded to ,st4      
,silvester to make sacrifice to the     
idols1 and if he did not he would make  
him suffer divers torments4 ,st4        
,silvester answered3 ,false1 evil man1  
thou shalt die this night1 and  shalt   
have torments that ever shall endure1   
and thou shalt know1 whether  thou wilt 
or not1 that he whom we worship is very 
,god4 ,then ,st4  ,silvester was put in 
prison1 and the provost went to dinner4 
,now it  happed that as he ate1 a bone  
of a fish turned in his throat and stuck

  fast1 so that he could neither have it
 down ne up1 and at midnight died  like 
as ,st4 ,silvester had said1 and then   
,st4 ,silvester was delivered out  of   
prison4 ,he was so gracious that all    
,christian men and ,paynims loved  him1 
for he was fair like an angel to look   
on1 a fair speaker1 whole of  body1 holy
 in work1 good in counsel1 patient and  
charitable1 and firmly  established in  
the faith4 ,he had in writing the names 
of all the widows  and orphans that were
 poor1 and to them he administered their
 necessity4  ,he had a custom to fast   
all ,fridays and ,saturdays4 ,and it was
 so that  ,melchiades1 the bishop of    
,rome1 died1 and all the people chose   
,st4  ,silvester for to be the high     
,bishop of ,rome1 which sore against his
 will  was made pope4 ,he instituted for
 to be fasted ,wednesday1 ,friday1 and  
,saturday1 and the ,thursday for to be  
hallowed as ,sunday4    ,now it happed  
that the ,emperor ,constantine did do   
slay all the ,christian  men over all   

where he could find them1 and for this  
cause ,st4 ,silvester  fled out of the  
town with his clerks1 and hid him in a  
mountain4 ,and for  the cruelty of      
,constantine ,god sent him such a       
sickness that he became  lazar and      
measel1 and by the counsel of his       
physicians he got three  thousand young 
children for to have cut their throats1 
for to have their  blood in a bath all  
hot1 and thereby he might be healed of  
his measelry4  ,and when he should      
ascend into his chariot for to go to the
 place where  he should be bathed1 the  
mothers of the children came crying and 
braying  for sorrow of their children1  
and when he understood that they were   
mothers of the children1 he had great   
pity on them and said to his  knights   
and them that were about him3 ,the      
dignity of the empire of ,rome  is      
brought forth of the fountain of pity1  
the which hath stablished by  decree    
that who that slayeth a child in battle 
shall have his head  smitten off1 then  

should it be great cruelty to us for to 
do to ours  such thing as we defend to  
strange nations1 for so should cruelty  
surmount us4 ,it is better that we leave
 cruelty and that pity surmount  us1 and
 therefore me seemeth better to save the
 lives of these  innocents1 than by     
their death ,i should have again my     
health1 of the  which we be not yet     
certain4 ,ne we may recover nothing for 
to slay them1  for if so were that ,i   
should thereby have health1 that should 
be a cruel  health that should be bought
 with the death of so many innocents4   
,then  he commanded to render and       
deliver again to the mothers their      
children1  and gave to every each of    
them a good gift1 and thus made them    
return to  their houses with great joy1 
from whence they departed with great    
sorrow1 and he himself returned again in
 his chariot unto his palace4  ,now it  
happed that the night after ,st4 ,peter 
and ,st4 ,paul appeared to  this        
,emperor ,constantine1 saying to him3   

,because thou hast had horror to  shed  
and spill the blood of innocents1 our   
,lord ,jesu ,christ hath had  pity on   
thee1 and commandeth thee to send unto  
such a mountain where  ,silvester is hid
 with his clerks1 and say to him that   
thou comest for to  be baptized of him  
and thou shalt be healed of thy malady4 
,and when he  was awaked he did do call 
his knights and commanded them to go to 
that  mountain and bring the ,pope      
,silvester to him courteously and fair1 
for  to speak with him4 ,when ,st4      
,silvester saw from far the knights come
 to  him1 he supposed they sought him   
for to be martyred1 and began to say  to
 his clerks that they should be firm and
 stable in the faith for to  suffer     
martyrdom4 ,when the knights came to him
 they said to him much  courteously that
 ,constantine sent for him1 and prayed  
him that he would  come and speak with  
him4 ,and forthwith he came1 and when   
they had  intersaluted each other1      
,constantine told to him his vision4    

,and when  ,silvester demanded of him   
what men they were that so appeared to  
him1  the emperor wist not ne could not 
name them4 ,st4 ,silvester opened a book
  wherein the images of ,st4 ,peter and 
,st4 ,paul were portrayed1 and  demanded
 of him if they were like unto them4    
,then ,constantine anon knew  them and  
said that he had seen them in his sleep4
 ,then ,st4 ,silvester  preached to him 
the faith of ,jesu ,christ1 and baptized
 him2 and when he  was baptized1 a great
 light descended upon him so that he    
said that he  had seen ,jesu ,christ1   
and was healed forthwith of his         
measelry4 ,and then  he ordained seven  
laws unto holy church1 the first was    
that all the city  should worship ,jesu 
,christ as very ,god1 the second thing  
was that  whosoever should say any      
villany of ,jesu ,christ he should be   
punished1  the third1 whosomever should 
do villany to ,christian men1 he should 
lose  half his goods4 ,the fourth1 that 
the ,bishop of ,rome should be chief of 

all holy church1 like as the emperor is 
chief of all the world4 ,the  fifth1    
that who that had done or should do     
trespass and fled to the  church1 that  
he should be kept there free from all   
injury4 ,the sixth1  that no man should 
edify any churches without license of   
holy church and  consent of the bishop4 
,the seventh1 that the dime and tenth   
part of the  possessions should be given
 to the church4    ,after this the      
emperor came to ,st4 ,peter's church and
 confessed meekly  all his sins tofore  
all people1 and what wrong he had done  
to ,christian  men1 and made to dig and 
cast out to make the foundements for the
  churches1 and bare on his shoulders   
twelve hods or baskets full of  earth4  
,when ,helen1 the mother of             
,constantine1 dwelling in ,bethany1     
heard  say that the emperor was become  
,christian1 she sent to him a letter1 in
  which she praised much her son of this
 that he had renounced the false  idols1
 but she blamed him much that he had    

renounced the law of the  ,jews1 and    
worshipped a man crucified4 ,then       
,constantine remanded to his  mother    
that she should assemble the greatest   
masters of the ,jews1 and he  should    
assemble the greatest masters of the    
,christian men1 to the end  that they   
might dispute and know which was the    
truest law4 ,then ,helen  assembled     
twelve masters which she brought with   
her1 which were the  wisest that they   
might find in that law1 and ,st4        
,silvester and his  clerks were of that 
other party4 ,then the emperor ordained 
two ,paynims1  ,gentiles1 to be their   
judges1 of whom that one was named      
,crato1 and that  other ,zenophilus1    
which were proved wise and expert1 and  
they to give  the sentence1 and be judge
 of the disputation4 ,then began one of 
the  masters of the ,jews for to        
maintain and dispute his law1 and ,st4  
,silvester and his clerks answered to   
his disputation1 and to them all1       
always concluding them by ,scripture4   

,the judges which were true and  just1  
held more of the party of ,st4          
,silvester than of the ,jews4 ,then     
said one of the masters of the ,jews    
named ,zambry1 ,i marvel1 said he1  that
 ye be so wise and incline you to their 
words1 let us leave all  these words and
 go we to the effect of the deeds4 ,then
 he did do come  caused to come a cruel 
bull1 and said a word in his ear1 and   
anon the  bull died4 ,then the people   
were all against ,silvester4 ,then said 
,silvester1 believe not thou that he    
hath named in the ear the name of  ,jesu
 ,christ1 but the name of some devil1   
know ye verily it is no great  strength 
to slay a bull1 for a man1 or a lion1 or
 a serpent may well  slay him1 but it is
 great virtue to raise him again to     
life1 then if he  may not raise him it  
is by the devil4 ,and if he may raise   
him again to  life1 ,i shall believe    
that he is dead by the power of ,god4   
,and when the  judges heard this1 they  
said to ,zambry1 that had slain the     

bull1 that he  should raise him again4  
,then he answered that if ,silvester    
might raise  him in the name of ,jesus  
of ,galilee his master1 then he would   
believe in  him1 and thereto bound them 
all the ,jews that were there4 ,and ,st4
  ,silvester first made his orisons and 
prayers to our ,lord1 and sith came  to 
the bull and said to him in his ear3    
,thou cursed creature that art  entered 
into this bull and hast slain him1 go   
out in the name of ,jesu  ,christ1 in   
whose name ,i command thee bull1 arise  
thou up and go thou  with the other     
beasts debonairly1 and anon the bull    
arose and went forth  softly4 ,then the 
queen and the judges1 which were        
,paynims1 were  converted to the faith4 
,in this time it happed that there was  
at ,rome a dragon in a pit1 which  every
 day slew with his breath more than     
three hundred men4 ,then came  the      
bishops of the idols unto the emperor   
and said unto him3 ,o thou most  holy   
emperor1 sith the time that thou hast   

received ,christian faith the  dragon   
which is in yonder foss or pit slayeth  
every day with his breath  more than    
three hundred men4 ,then sent the       
emperor for ,st4 ,silvester and  asked  
counsel of him of this matter4 ,st4     
,silvester answered that by the  might  
of ,god he promised to make him cease of
 his hurt and blessure of  this people4 
,then ,st4 ,silvester put himself to    
prayer1 and ,st4 ,peter  appeared to him
 and said3 ,go surely to the dragon and 
the two priests  that be with thee take 
in thy company1 and when thou shalt come
 to him  thou shalt say to him in this  
manner3 ,our ,lord ,jesu ,christ which  
was  born of the ,virgin ,mary1         
crucified1 buried and arose1 and now    
sitteth on  the right side of the       
,father1 this is he that shall come to  
deem and  judge the living and the dead1
 ,i command thee ,sathanas that thou    
abide  him in this place till he come4  
,then thou shalt bind his mouth with a  
thread1 and seal it with thy seal1      

wherein is the imprint of the cross4    
,then thou and the two priests shall    
come to me whole and safe1 and such     
bread as ,i shall make ready for you ye 
shall eat4 ,thus as ,st4 ,peter had     
said1 ,st4 ,silvester did4 ,and when he 
came to the pit1 he descended down  one 
hundred and fifty steps1 bearing with   
him two lanterns1 and found  the dragon1
 and said the words that ,st4 ,peter had
 said to him1 and bound  his mouth with 
the thread1 and sealed it1 and after    
returned1 and as he  came upward again  
he met with two enchanters which        
followed him for to  see if he          
descended1 which were almost dead of the
 stench of the dragon1  whom he brought 
with him whole and sound1 which anon    
were baptized1 with  a great multitude  
of people with them4 ,thus was the city 
of ,rome  delivered from double death1  
that was from the culture and           
worshipping  of false idols1 and from   
the venom of the dragon4 ,at the last   
when ,st4  ,silvester approached toward 

his death1 he called to him the clergy  
and  admonished them to have charity1   
and that they should diligently govern  
their churches1 and keep their flock    
from the wolves4 ,and after the year  of
 the incarnation of our ,lord three     
hundred and twenty1 he departed out  of 
this world and slept in our ,lord1 etc4 
,,of ,,st4 ,,austin ,,that ,,brought    
,,christendom ,,to ,,england      ,st4  
,austin was a holy monk and sent in to  
,england1 to preach the faith  of our   
,lord ,jesu ,christ1 by ,st4 ,gregory1  
then being pope of ,rome4 ,the  which   
had a great zeal and love unto ,england1
 as is rehearsed all along  in his      
legend1 how that he saw children of     
,england in the market of ,rome  for to 
be sold1 which were fair of visage1 for 
which cause he demanded  license and    
obtained to go into ,england for to     
convert the people  thereof to          
,christian faith4 ,and he being on the  
way the pope died and he  was chosen    
pope1 and was countermanded and came    

again to ,rome4 ,and  after1 when he was
 sacred into the papacy1 he remembered  
the realm of  ,england1 and sent ,st4   
,austin1 as head and chief1 and other   
holy monks  and priests with him1 to the
 number of forty persons1 unto the realm
 of  ,england4 ,and as they came toward 
,england they came in the province of   
,anjou1 purposing to have rested all    
night at a place called ,pounte1 say  a 
mile from the city and river of         
,ligerim1 but the women scorned and     
were so noyous to them that they drove  
them out of the town1 and they  came    
unto a fair broad elm1 and purposed to  
have rested there that  night1 but one  
of the women which was more cruel than  
the other purposed  to drive them       
thence1 and came so nigh them that they 
might not rest  there that night4 ,and  
then ,st4 ,austin took his staff for to 
remove from  that place1 and suddenly   
his staff sprang out of his hand with a 
great  violence1 the space of three     
furlongs thence1 and there sticked fast 

in  the earth4 ,and when ,st4 ,austin   
came to his staff and pulled it out of  
the earth1 incontinent by the might of  
our ,lord1 sourded and sprang  there a  
fair well or fountain of clear water    
which refreshed him well  and all his   
fellowship4 ,and about that well they   
rested all that night1  and they that   
dwelled thereby saw all that night over 
that place a great  light coming from   
heaven which covered all that place     
where these holy  men lay4 ,and on the  
morn ,st4 ,austin wrote in the earth    
with his staff  beside the well these   
words following3 ,here had ,austin1 the 
servant of  the servants of ,god1       
hospitality1 whom ,st4 ,gregory the pope
 hath sent to  convert ,england4    ,on 
the morn when the holy men were         
departed1 the dwellers of the coasts    
thereby which saw the light in the night
 tofore1 came thither and found  there a
 fair well1 of the which they marvelled 
greatly4 ,and when they  saw the        
scripture written in the earth they were

 greatly abashed because  of their      
unkindness1 and repented them full sore 
of that they had mocked  them the day   
before4 ,and after1 they edified there a
 fair church in the  same place in the  
worship of ,st4 ,austin1 the which the  
bishop of ,anjou  hallowed4 ,and to the 
hallowing thereof came so great         
multitude of people  that they trod the 
corn in the fields down all plain1 like 
unto a floor  clean swept1 for there was
 no sparing of it4 ,notwithstanding1 at 
the  time of reaping1 that ground so    
trodden bare more corn and better than  
any other fields beside1 not trodden1   
did4 ,and the high altar of that  church
 standeth over the place where ,st4     
,austin wrote with his staff by  the    
well1 and yet unto this day may no woman
 come in to that church4 ,but  there was
 a noble woman that said that she was   
not guilty in offending  ,st4 ,austin1  
and took a taper in her hand and went   
for to offer it in the  said church2 but
 the sentence of ,almighty ,god may not 

be revoked1 for as  soon as she entered 
the church her bowels and sinews began  
to shrink and  she fell down dead in    
ensample of all other women2 whereby we 
may  understand that injury done against
 a saint displeaseth greatly ,almighty  
,god4    ,and from thence ,st4 ,austin  
and his fellowship came into ,england   
and  arrived in the isle of ,thanet in  
,east ,kent1 and king ,ethelbert reigned
  that time in ,kent1 which was a noble 
man and a mighty4 ,to whom ,st4  ,austin
 sent1 showing the intent of his coming 
from the court of ,rome1  and said that 
he had brought to him right joyful and  
pleasant tidings1  and said that if he  
would obey and do after his preaching   
that he should  have everlasting joy in 
the bliss of heaven1 and should reign   
with  ,almighty ,god in his kingdom4    
,and then ,king ,ethelbert hearing this1
  commanded that they should abide and  
tarry in the same isle1 and that  all   
things should be ministered to them that
 were necessary1 unto the  time that he 

were otherwise advised4 ,and soon after1
 the king came to  them in the same     
isle1 and he being in the field1 ,st4   
,austin with his  fellowship came and   
spake with him1 having tofore them the  
sign of the  cross1 singing by the way  
the litany1 beseeching ,god devoutly to 
strengthen them and help4 ,and the king 
received him and his fellowship1  and in
 the same place ,st4 ,austin preached a 
glorious sermon1 and  declared to the   
king the ,christian faith openly and the
 great merit and  avail that should come
 thereof in time coming4 ,and when he   
had ended his  sermon the king said to  
him3 ,your promises be full fair that ye
 bring1  but because they be new and    
have not been heard here before1 we may 
not  yet give consent thereto2          
nevertheless1 because ye be come as     
pilgrims  from far countries1 we will   
not be grevious ne hard to you1 but we  
will  receive you meekly and minister to
 you such things as be necessary1       
neither we will forbid you1 but as many 

as ye can convert to your faith  and    
religion by your preaching ye shall have
 license to baptize them1  and to       
accompany them to your law4 ,and then   
the king gave to them a  mansion in the 
city of ,dorobernence1 which now is     
called ,canterbury4 ,and  when they drew
 nigh the city they came in with a cross
 of silver1 and  with procession singing
 the litany1 praying ,almighty ,god of  
succor and  help that he would take away
 his wrath from the city and to inflame 
the  hearts of the people to receive his
 doctrine4 ,and then ,st4 ,austin and   
his fellowship began to preach there the
 word of ,god1 and about there in  the  
province1 and such people as were well  
disposed anon were converted1  and      
followed this holy man4 ,and by the holy
 conversation and miracles  that they   
did much people were converted and great
 fame arose in the  country4 ,and when  
it came to the king's ear1 anon he came 
to the  presence of ,st4 ,austin and    
desired him to preach again1 and then   

the  word of ,god so inflamed him1 that 
incontinent1 as soon as the sermon was  
ended1 the king fell down to the feet of
 ,st4 ,austin and said  sorrowfully3    
,alas6 woe is me1 that ,i have erred so 
long and know not of  him that thou     
speakest of1 thy promises be so         
delectable that ,i think it  all too    
long till ,i be christened1 wherefore1  
holy father1 ,i require  thee to        
minister to me the sacrament of baptism4
 ,and then ,st4 ,austin1  seeing the    
great meekness and obedience of the king
 that he had to be  christened1 he took 
him up with weeping tears and baptized  
him with all  his household and meiny1  
and informed them diligently in the     
,christian  faith with great joy and    
gladness4 ,and when all this was done   
,st4  ,austin1 desiring the health of   
the people of ,england1 went forth on   
foot  to ,york2 and when he came nigh to
 the city there met him a blind man     
which said to him3 ,o thou holy ,austin1
 help me that am full needy4 ,to  whom  

,st4 ,austin said3 ,i have no silver1   
but such as ,i have ,i give thee2  in   
the name of ,jesu ,christ arise and be  
all whole1 and with that word he        
received his sight and believed in our  
,lord and was baptized4 ,and upon       
,christmas day he baptized1 in the river
 named ,swale1 ten thousand men  without
 women and children1 and there was a    
great multitude of people  resorting to 
the said river1 which was so deep that  
no man might pass  over on foot1 and yet
 by miracle of our ,lord there was      
neither man1  woman1 ne child drowned1  
but they that were sick were made whole 
both in  body and in soul4 ,and in the  
same place they builded a church in the 
worship of ,god and ,st4 ,austin4 ,and  
when ,st4 ,austin had preached the      
faith to the people and had confirmed   
them steadfastly therein1 he  returned  
again from ,york1 and by the way he met 
a leper asking help1 and  when ,st4     
,austin had said these words to him3 ,in
 the name of ,jesu ,christ  be thou     

cleansed from all thy leprosy1 anon all 
his filth fell away1 and  a fair new    
skin appeared on his body so that he    
seemed all a new man4    ,also as ,st4  
,austin came into ,oxfordshire to a town
 that is called  ,compton to preach the 
word of ,god1 to whom the curate said3  
,holy father1  the lord of this lordship
 hath been ofttimes warned of me to pay 
his  tithes to ,god1 and yet he         
withholdeth them1 and therefore ,i have 
cursed  him1 and ,i find him the more   
obstinate4 ,to whom ,st4 ,austin said3  
,son1  why payest thou not thy tithes to
 ,god and to the church8 ,knowest thou  
not that the tithes be not thine but    
belong to ,god8 ,and then the knight    
said to him3 ,i know well that ,i till  
the ground1 wherefore ,i ought as  well 
to have the tenth sheaf as the ninth1   
and when ,st4 ,austin could not  turn   
the knight's entent1 then he departed   
from him and went to mass4  ,and ere he 
began he charged that all they that were
 accursed should go  out of the church1 

and then rose a dead body and went out  
in to the  churchyard with a white cloth
 on his head1 and stood still there till
  the mass was done4 ,and then ,st4     
,austin went to him and demanded him    
what he was1 and he answered and said3  
,i was sometime lord of this town1  and 
because ,i would not pay my tithes to my
 curate he accursed me1 and  so ,i died 
and went to hell4 ,and then ,st4 ,austin
 bade bring him to the  place where his 
curate was buried1 and then the carrion 
brought him  thither to the grave1 and  
because that all men should know that   
life and  death be in the power of ,god1
 ,st4 ,austin said3 ,i command thee in  
the  name of ,god to arise1 for we have 
need of thee1 and then he arose anon1   
and stood before all the people4 ,to    
whom ,st4 ,austin said3 ,thou knowest   
well that our ,lord is merciful1 and ,i 
demand thee1 brother1 if thou  knowest  
this man8 and he said3 ,yea1 would ,god 
that ,i had never known  him1 for he was
 a withholder of his tithes1 and in all 

his life an1 evil  doer1 thou knowest   
that our ,lord is merciful1 and as long 
as the pains  of hell endure let us also
 be merciful to all ,christians4 ,and   
then ,st4  ,austin delivered to the     
curate a rod1 and there the knight      
kneeling on  his knees was assoiled1 and
 then he commanded him to go again to   
his  grave1 and there to abide till the 
day of doom2 and he entered anon into   
his grave and forthwith fell to ashes   
and powder4 ,and then ,st4 ,austin  said
 to the priest3 ,how long hast thou lain
 here8 and he said a hundred  and fifty 
years2 and then he asked how it stood   
with him1 and he said3  ,well1 holy     
father1 for ,i am in everlasting bliss2 
and then said ,st4  ,austin3 ,wilt thou 
that ,i pray to ,almighty ,god that thou
 abide here with  us to confirm the     
hearts of men in very belief8 ,and then 
he said3 ,nay1  holy father1 for ,i am  
in a place of rest2 and then said ,st4  
,austin3 ,go  in peace1 and pray for me 
and for all holy church1 and he then    

entered  again into his grave1 and anon 
the body was turned to earth4 ,of this  
sight the lord was sore afeard1 and came
 all quaking to ,st4 ,austin and  to his
 curate1 and demanded forgiveness of his
 trespass1 and promised to  make amends 
and ever after to pay his tithes and to 
follow the doctrine  of ,st4 ,austin4   
,after this ,st4 ,austin entered into   
,dorsetshire1 and came in to a town     
whereas were wicked people who refused  
his doctrine and preaching  utterly and 
drove him out of the town1 casting on   
him the tails of  thornbacks1 or like   
fishes1 wherefore he besought ,almighty 
,god to show  his judgment on them1 and 
,god sent to them a shameful token1 for 
the  children that were born after in   
that place had tails1 as it is said1    
till they had repented them4 ,it is said
 commonly that this fell at  ,strood in 
,kent1 but blessed be ,god at this day  
is no such deformity4  ,item in another 
place there were certain people which   
would in no wise  give faith to his     

preaching ne his doctrine1 but scorned  
and mocked him1  wherefore ,god took    
such vengeance that they burned with    
fire invisible1  so that their skin was 
red as blood1 and suffered so great pain
 that  they were constrained to come and
 ask forgiveness of ,st4 ,austin1 and   
then he prayed ,god for them that they  
might be acceptable to him and  receive 
baptism and that he would release their 
pain1 and then he  christened them and  
that burning heat was quenched and they 
were made  perfectly whole1 and felt    
never after more thereof4 ,on a time1 as
 ,st4  ,austin was in his prayers1 our  
,lord appeared to him1 and comforting   
him  with a gentle and familiar speech1 
said3 ,o thou my good servant and  true1
 be thou comforted and do manly1 for ,i 
thy ,lord ,god am with thee in  all     
thine affection1 and mine ears be open  
to thy prayers1 and for whom  thou      
demandest any petition thou shalt have  
thy desire1 and the gate of  everlasting
 life is open to thee1 where thou shalt 

joy with me without  end4 ,and in that  
same place where our ,lord said these   
words he fixed his  staff into the      
ground1 and a well of clear water       
sourded and sprang up  in that same     
place1 the which well is called ,cerne1 
and it is in the  country of ,dorset1   
whereas now is builded a fair abbey1 and
 is named  ,cerne after the well4 ,and  
the church is builded in the same place 
whereas our ,lord appeared to ,st4      
,austin4 ,also in the same country was a
  young man that was lame1 dumb1 and    
deaf1 and by the prayers of ,st4        
,austin he was made whole1 and then soon
 after he was dissolute and  wanton1 and
 noyed and grieved the people with      
jangling and talking in  the church4    
,and then ,god sent to him his old      
infirmity again1 because of  his        
misguiding1 and at the last he fell to  
repentance1 and asked ,god  forgiveness 
and ,st4 ,austin4 ,and ,st4 ,austin     
prayed for him and he was  made whole   
again the second time1 and after that he

 continued in good  and virtuous living 
to his life's end4    ,and after this   
,st4 ,austin1 full of virtues1 departed 
out of this world  unto our ,lord ,god1 
and lieth buried at ,canterbury in the  
abbey that he  founded there in the     
worship and rule1 whereas our ,lord ,god
 showeth yet  daily many miracles4 ,and 
the third day before the nativity of our
 ,lady  is hallowed the translation of  
,st4 ,austin4 ,in which night a citizen 
of  ,canterbury1 being that time at     
,winchester1 saw heaven open over the   
church of ,st4 ,austin1 and a burning   
ladder shining full bright1 and  angels 
coming down to the same church4 ,and    
then him thought that the  church had   
burned of the great light and brightness
 that came down on  the ladder1 and     
marvelled greatly what this should mean1
 for he knew  nothing of the translation
 of ,st4 ,austin2 and when he knew the  
truth1  that on that time the body of   
the glorious saint was translated1 he   
gave  laud and thankings to almighty    

,god1 and we may verily know by that    
evident vision that it is an holy and   
devout place2 and as it is said  that of
 old time1 ancient holy men that used to
 come thither would at  the entry of it 
do off their hosen and shoes and durst  
not presume to go  into that holy       
monastery but barefoot1 because so many 
holy saints be  there shrined and       
buried4 ,and ,god hath showed so many   
miracles in that  holy place for his    
blessed saint1 ,st4 ,austin1 that if ,i 
should write  them here it should occupy
 a great book4          ,,edwin ,,and   
,,paulinus    ,the ,conversion of       
,northumbria      ,the black-hair'd     
gaunt ,paulinus    ,by ruddy ,edwin     
stood3--  ,bow down1 ,o king of ,deira1 
,before the blessed ,rood6  ,cast out   
thy heathen idols1    ,and worship      
,christ our ,lord4  --,but ,edwin look'd
 and ponder'd1    ,and answer'd not a   
word4    ,again the gaunt ,paulinus     
,to ruddy ,edwin spake3  ,god offers    
life immortal    ,for his dear ,son's   

own sake6  ,wilt thou not hear his      
message1    ,who bears the keys and     
sword8  --,but ,edwin look'd and        
ponder'd1    ,and answer'd not a word4  
,rose then a sage old warrior2    ,was  
five-score winters old2  ,whose beard   
from chin to girdle    ,like one long   
snow-wreath roll'd3--  ,at ,yule-time in
 our chamber    ,we sit in warmth and   
light1  ,while cold and howling round us
    ,lies the black land of ,night4     
,athwart the room a sparrow    ,darts   
from the open door3  ,within the happy  
hearth-light    ,one red flash--and no  
more6  ,we see it come from darkness1   
,and into darkness go3--  ,so is our    
life1 ,king ,edwin6    ,alas1 that it is
 so6    ,but if this pale ,paulinus     
,have somewhat more to tell2  ,some news
 of ,whence and ,whither1    ,and where 
the soul will dwell2--  ,if on that     
outer darkness    ,the sun of hope may  
shine2--  ,he makes life worth the      
living6    ,i take his ,god for mine6   
,so spake the wise old warrior2    ,and 

all about him cried3  ,paulinus' ,god   
hath conquer'd6    ,and he shall be our 
guide3--  ,for he makes life worth      
living    ,who brings this message      
plain1  ,when our brief days are over1  
,that we shall live again4    --,unknown
          ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,st4       
,,george ,,martyr      ,st4 ,george was 
a knight and born in ,cappadocia4 ,on a 
time he came in to  the province of     
,libya1 to a city which is said ,silene4
 ,and by this city  was a stagne or a   
pond like a sea1 wherein was a dragon   
which envenomed  all the country4 ,and  
on a time the people were assembled for 
to slay  him1 and when they saw him they
 fled4 ,and when he came nigh the city  
he  venomed the people with his breath1 
and therefore the people of the city    
gave to him every day two sheep for to  
feed him1 because he should do no  harm 
to the people1 and when the sheep failed
 there was taken a man and  a sheep4    
,then was an ordinance made in the town 
that there should be  taken the children

 and young people of them of the town by
 lot1 and  every each one as it fell1   
were he gentle or poor1 should be       
delivered  when the lot fell on him or  
her4 ,so it happed that many of them of 
the  town were then delivered1 insomuch 
that the lot fell upon the king's       
daughter1 whereof the king was sorry1   
and said unto the people3 ,for the  love
 of the gods take gold and silver and   
all that ,i have1 and let me  have my   
daughter4 ,they said3 ,how sir6 ye have 
made and ordained the law1  and our     
children be now dead1 and ye would do   
the contrary4 ,your  daughter shall be  
given1 or else we shall burn you and    
your house4    ,when the king saw he    
might no more do1 he began to weep1 and 
said to  his daughter3 ,now shall ,i    
never see thine espousals4 ,then        
returned he to  the people ami demanded 
eight days' respite1 and they granted it
 to him4  ,and when the eight days were 
passed they came to him and said3 ,thou 
seest that the city perisheth3 ,then did

 the king do array his daughter  like as
 she should be wedded1 and embraced her1
 kissed her and gave her  his           
benediction1 and after1 led her to the  
place where the dragon was4    ,when she
 was there ,st4 ,george passed by1 and  
when he saw the lady he  demanded the   
lady what she made there and she said3  
,go ye your way fair  young man1 that ye
 perish not also4 ,then said he3 ,tell  
to me what have  and why weep ye1 and   
doubt ye of nothing4 ,when she saw that 
he would  know1 she said to him how she 
was delivered to the dragon4 ,then said 
,st4  ,george3 ,fair daughter1 doubt ye 
no thing hereof for ,i shall help thee  
in  the name of ,jesu ,christ4 ,she     
said3 ,for ,god's sake1 good knight1 go 
your  way1 and abide not with me1 for ye
 may not deliver me4 ,thus as they      
spake together the dragon appeared and  
came running to them1 and ,st4  ,george 
was upon his horse1 and drew out his    
sword and garnished him with  the sign  
of the cross1 and rode hardily against  

the dragon which came  toward him1 and  
smote him with his spear and hurt him   
sore and threw him  to the ground4 ,and 
after said to the maid3 ,deliver to me  
your girdle1  and bind it about the neck
 of the dragon and be not afeard4 ,when 
she had  done so the dragon followed her
 as it had been a meek beast and        
debonair4 ,then she led him into the    
city1 and the people fled by  mountains 
and valleys1 and said3 ,alas6 alas6 we  
shall be all dead4 ,then  ,st4 ,george  
said to them3 ,ne doubt ye no thing1    
without more1 believe ye  in ,god1 ,jesu
 ,christ1 and do ye to be baptized and  
,i shall slay the  dragon4 ,then the    
king was baptized and all his people1   
and ,st4 ,george  slew the dragon and   
smote off his head1 and commanded that  
he should be  thrown in the fields1 and 
they took four carts with oxen that drew
 him  out of the city4    ,then were    
there well fifteen thousand men         
baptized1 without women and  children1  
and the king did do make a church there 

of our ,lady and of ,st4  ,george1 in   
the which yet sourdeth a fountain of    
living water1 which  healeth sick people
 that drink thereof4 ,after this the    
king offered to  ,st4 ,george as much   
money as there might be numbered1 but he
 refused all  and commanded that it     
should be given to poor people for      
,god's sake2 and  enjoined the king four
 things1 that is1 that he should have   
charge of  the churches1 and that he    
should honor the priests and hear their 
service diligently1 and that he should  
have pity on the poor people1 and       
after1 kissed the king and departed4    
,now it happed that in the time of      
,diocletian and ,maximian1 which were   
emperors1 was so great persecution of   
,christian men that within a month  were
 martyred well twenty-two thousand1 and 
therefore they had so great  dread that 
some renied and forsook ,god and did    
sacrifice to the idols4  ,when ,st4     
,george saw this1 he left the habit of a
 knight and sold all  that he had1 and  

gave it to the poor1 and took the habit 
of a ,christian  man1 and went into the 
middle of the ,paynims and began to cry3
 ,all the  gods of the ,paynims and     
,gentiles be devils1 my ,god made the   
heavens and  is very ,god4 ,then said   
the provost to him3 ,of what presumption
 cometh  this to thee1 that thou sayest 
that our gods be devils8 ,and say to us 
what thou art and what is thy name4 ,he 
answered anon and said3 ,i am  named    
,george1 ,i am a gentleman1 a knight of 
,cappadocia1 and have left  all for to  
serve the ,god of heaven4 ,then the     
provost enforced himself to  draw him   
unto his faith by fair words1 and when  
he might not bring him  thereto he did  
do raise him on a gibbet2 and so must   
beat him with great  staves and broches 
of iron1 that his body was all tobroken 
in pieces4  ,and after he did do take   
brands of iron and join them to his     
sides1 and  his bowels which then       
appeared he did do frot with salt1 and  
so sent him  into prison1 but our ,lord 

appeared to him the same night with     
great  light and comforted him much     
sweetly4 ,and by this great consolation 
he  took to him so good heart that he   
doubted no torment that they might  make
 him suffer4 ,then1 when ,dacian the    
provost saw that he might not  surmount 
him1 he called his enchanter and said to
 him3 ,i see that these  ,christian     
people doubt not our torments4 ,the     
enchanter bound himself1  upon his head 
to be smitten off1 if he overcame not   
his crafts4 ,then he  did take strong   
venom and meddled it with wine1 and made
 invocation of  the names of his false  
gods1 and gave it to ,st4 ,george to    
drink4 ,st4  ,george took it and made   
the sign of the cross on it1 and anon   
drank it  without grieving him any      
thing4 ,then the enchanter made it more 
stronger  than it was tofore of venom1  
and gave it him to drink1 and it grieved
  him nothing4 ,when the enchanter saw  
that1 he kneeled down at the feet of    
,st4 ,george and prayed him that he     

would make him ,christian4 ,and when    
,dacian knew that he was become         
,christian he made to smite off his     
head4  ,and after1 on the morn1 he made 
,st4 ,george to be set between two      
wheels1  which were full of swords1     
sharp and cutting on both sides1 but    
anon the  wheels were broken and ,st4   
,george escaped without hurt4 ,and then 
commanded ,dacian that they should put  
him in a caldron full of molten  lead1  
and when ,st4 ,george entered therein1  
by the virtue of our ,lord it  seemed   
that he was in a bath well at ease4     
,then ,dacian seeing this began  to     
assuage his ire1 and to flatter him by  
fair words1 and said to him3  ,george1  
the patience of our gods is over great  
unto thee which hast  blasphemed them1  
and done to them great despite1 then    
fair1 and right  sweet son1 ,i pray thee
 that thou return to our law and make   
sacrifice to  the idols1 and leave thy  
folly1 and ,i shall enhance thee to     
great honor  and worship4 ,then began   

,st4 ,george to smile1 and said to him3 
,wherefore  saidst thou not to me thus  
at the beginning8 ,i am ready to do as  
thou  sayest4 ,then was ,dacian glad and
 made to cry over all the town that all 
the people should assemble for to see   
,george make sacrifice which so  much   
had striven there against4 ,then was the
 city arrayed and feast  kept throughout
 all the town1 and all came to the      
temple for to see him4    ,when ,st4    
,george was on his knees1 and they      
supposed that he would have  worshipped 
the idols1 he prayed our ,lord ,god of  
heaven that he would  destroy the temple
 and the idol in the honor of his name1 
for to make  the people to be converted4
 ,and anon the fire descended from      
heaven and  burned the temple1 and the  
idols1 and their priests1 and sith the  
earth  opened and swallowed all the     
cinders and ashes that were left4 ,then 
,dacian made him to be brought tofore   
him1 and said to him3 ,what be the  evil
 deeds that thou hast done1 and also    

great untruth8 ,then said to him  ,st4  
,george3 ,ah1 sir1 believe it not1 but  
come with me and see how ,i  shall      
sacrifice4 ,then said ,dacian to him3 ,i
 see well thy fraud and thy  barat1 thou
 wilt make the earth to swallow me1 like
 as thou hast the  temple and my gods4  
,then said ,st4 ,george3 ,o caitiff1    
tell me how may thy  gods help thee when
 they may not help themselves6 ,then was
 ,dacian so  angry that he said to his  
wife3 ,i shall die for anger if ,i may  
not  surmount and overcome this man4    
,then said she to him3 ,evil and cruel  
tyrant6 ne seest thou not the great     
virtue of the ,christian people8 ,i     
said to thee well that thou shouldst not
 do to them any harm1 for their  ,god   
fighteth for them1 and know thou well   
that ,i will become ,christian4  ,then  
was ,dacian much abashed and said to    
her3 ,wilt thou be ,christian8  ,then he
 took her by the hair1 and did do beat  
her cruelly4 ,then demanded  she of ,st4
 ,george3 ,what may ,i become because ,i

 am not christened8 ,then  answered the 
blessed ,george3 ,doubt thee nothing1   
fair daughter1 for thou  shalt be       
baptized in thy blood4 ,then began she  
to worship our ,lord ,jesu  ,christ1 and
 so she died and went to heaven4 ,on the
 morn ,dacian gave his  sentence that   
,st4 ,george should be drawn through all
 the city1 and  after1 his head should  
be smitten off4 ,then made he his prayer
 to our  ,lord that all they that       
desired any boon might get it of our    
,lord ,god in  his name1 and a voice    
came from heaven which said that it     
which he had  desired was granted2 and  
after he had made his orison his head   
was  smitten off1 about the year of our 
,lord two hundred and eighty-seven4     
,when ,dacian went homeward from the    
place where he was beheaded toward  his 
palace1 fire fell down from heaven upon 
him and burned him and all  his         
servants4    ,gregory of ,tours telleth 
that there were some that bare certain  
relics  of ,st4 ,george1 and came into a

 certain oratory in a hospital1 and on  
the  morning when they should depart    
they could not move the door till they  
had left there part of their relics4 ,it
 is also found in the history of        
,antioch1 that when the ,christian men  
went oversea to conquer ,jerusalem1     
that one1 a right fair young man1       
appeared to a priest of the host and    
counselled him that he should bear with 
him a little of the relics of  ,st4     
,george1 for he was conductor of the    
battle1 and so he did so much  that he  
had some4 ,and when it was so that they 
had assieged ,jerusalem  and durst not  
mount ne go up on the walls for the     
quarrels and defence  of the ,saracens1 
they saw appertly ,st4 ,george which had
 white arms with  a red cross1 that went
 up tofore them on the walls1 and they  
followed  him1 and so was ,jerusalem    
taken by his help4 ,and between         
,jerusalem and  port ,jaffa1 by a town  
called ,ramys1 is a chapel of ,st4      
,george which is  now desolate and      

uncovered1 and therein dwell ,christian 
,greeks4 ,and in  the said chapel lieth 
the body of ,st4 ,george1 but not the   
head4 ,and  there lie his father and    
mother and his uncle1 not in the chapel 
but  under the wall of the chapel2 and  
the keepers will not suffer pilgrims  to
 come therein1 but if they pay two      
ducats1 and therefore come but few      
therein1 but offer without the chapel at
 an altar4 ,and there is seven  years   
and seven lents of pardon2 and the body 
of ,st4 ,george lieth in the  middle of 
the quire or choir of the said chapel1  
and in his tomb is an  hole that a man  
may put in his hand4 ,and when a        
,saracen1 being mad1 is  brought        
thither1 and if he put his head in the  
hole he shall anon be  made perfectly   
whole1 and have his wit again4    ,this 
blessed and holy martyr ,st4 ,george is 
patron of the realm of  ,england and the
 cry of men of war4 ,in the worship of  
whom is founded the  noble order of the 
,garter1 and also a noble college in the

 castle of  ,windsor by kings of        
,england1 in which college is the heart 
of ,st4  ,george1 which ,sigismund1 the 
emperor of ,almayne1 brought and gave   
for a  great and a precious relic to    
,king ,harry the ,fifth4          ,,the 
,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,patrick      ,st4   
,patrick was born in ,britain1 which is 
called ,england1 and was  learned at    
,rome and there flourished in virtues2  
and after departed out  of the parts of 
,italy1 where he had long dwelled1 and  
came home into his  country in ,wales   
named ,pendyac1 and entered into a fair 
and joyous  country called the valley   
,rosine4 ,to whom the angel of ,god     
appeared and  said3 ,o ,patrick1 this   
see ne bishopric ,god hath not provided 
to thee1  but unto one not yet born1 but
 shall thirty years hereafter be born1  
and  so he left that country and sailed 
over into ,ireland4 ,and as ,higden     
saith in ,polycronicon the fourth book1 
the twenty-fourth chapter1 that  ,st4   
,patrick's father was named ,caprum1    

which was a priest and a deacon's  son  
which was called ,fodum4 ,and ,st4      
,patrick's mother was named  ,conchessa1
 ,martin's sister of ,france4 ,in his   
baptism he was named  ,sucate1 and ,st4 
,germain called him ,magonius1 and      
,celestinus the pope  named him         
,patrick4 ,that is as much to say as    
father of the citizens4    ,st4 ,patrick
 on a day as he preached a sermon of the
 patience and  sufferance of the passion
 of our ,lord ,jesu ,christ to the king 
of the  country1 he leaned upon his     
crook or cross1 and it happed by        
adventure  that he set the end of the   
crook1 or his staff1 upon the king's    
foot1  and pierced his foot with the    
pike1 which was sharp beneath4 ,the king
  had supposed that ,st4 ,patrick had   
done it wittingly1 for to move him the  
sooner to patience and to the faith of  
,god1 but when ,st4 ,patrick  perceived 
it he was much abashed1 and by his      
prayers he healed the king4  ,and       
furthermore he impetred and gat grace of

 our ,lord that no venomous  beast might
 live in all the country1 and yet unto  
this day is no  venomous beast in all   
,ireland4    ,after it happed on a time 
that a man of that country stole a      
sheep1  which belonged to his neighbor1 
whereupon ,st4 ,patrick admonested the  
people that whomsoever had taken it     
should deliver it again within seven    
days4 ,when all the people were         
assembled within the church1 and the man
  which had stolen it made no semblant  
to render ne deliver again this  sheep1 
then ,st4 ,patrick commanded1 by the    
virtue of ,god1 that the sheep  should  
bleat and cry in the belly of him that  
had eaten it1 and so  happed it that1 in
 the presence of all the people1 the    
sheep cried and  bleated in the belly of
 him that had stolen it4 ,and the man   
that was  culpable repented him of his  
trespass1 and the others from then      
forthon  kept them from stealing of     
sheep from any other man4    ,also ,st4 
,patrick was wont for to worship and do 

reverence unto all the  crosses devoutly
 that he might see1 but on a time tofore
 the sepulchre  of a ,paynim stood a    
fair cross1 which he passed and went    
forth by as he  had not seen it1 and he 
was demanded of his fellows why he saw  
not that  cross4 ,and then he prayed to 
,god he said for to know whose it was1  
and  he said he heard a voice under the 
earth saying3 ,thou sawest it not       
because ,i am a ,paynim that am buried  
here1 and am unworthy that the sign  of 
the cross should stand there1 wherefore 
he made the sign of the cross  to be    
taken thence4 ,on a time as ,st4        
,patrick preached in ,ireland the  faith
 of ,jesu ,christ1 and did but little   
profit by his predication1 for  he could
 not convert the evil1 rude and wild    
people1 he prayed to our  ,lord ,jesu   
,christ that he would show them some    
sign openly1 fearful and  ghastful1 by  
which they might be converted and be    
repentant of their  sins4 ,then1 by the 
commandment of ,god1 ,st4 ,patrick made 

in the earth a  great circle with his   
staff1 and anon the earth after the     
quantity of  the circle opened and there
 appeared a great pit and a deep1 and   
,st4  ,patrick by the revelation of ,god
 understood that there was a place of   
purgatory1 in to which whomsoever       
entered therein he should never have    
other penance ne feel none other pain1  
and there was showed to him that  many  
should enter which should never return  
ne come again4 ,and they that  should   
return should abide but from one morn to
 another1 and no more1  and many entered
 that came not again4 ,as touching this 
pit or hole which  is named ,st4        
,patrick's purgatory1 some hold opinion 
that the second  ,patrick1 which was an 
abbot and no bishop1 that ,god showed to
 him this  place of purgatory2 but      
certainly such a place there is in      
,ireland  wherein many men have been1   
and yet daily go in and come again1 and 
some  have had there marvellous visions 
and seen grisly and horrible pains1 of  

whom there be books made as of ,tundale 
and others4 ,then this holy man  ,st4   
,patrick1 the bishop1 lived till he was 
one hundred and twenty-two  years old1  
and was the first that was bishop in    
,ireland1 and died in  ,aurelius        
,ambrose's time that was king of        
,britain4 ,in his time was the  ,abbot  
,columba1 otherwise named ,colinkillus1 
and ,st4 ,bride whom ,st4  ,patrick     
professed and veiled1 and she over-lived
 him forty years4 ,all  these three holy
 saints were buried in ,ulster1 in the  
city of ,dunence1  as it were in a cave 
with three chambers4 ,their bodies were 
found at the  first coming of ,king     
,john1 ,king ,harry the second's son1   
into ,ireland4  ,upon whose tombs these 
verses following were written3 ,hic     
jacent in ,duno  qui tumulo tumulantur  
in uno1 ,brigida1 ,patricius atque      
,columba pius1  which is for to say in  
,english3 ,in ,duno these three be      
buried all in one  sepulchre3 ,bride1   
,patrick1 and ,columba the mild4    ,men

 say that this holy bishop1 ,st4        
,patrick1 did three great things4 ,one  
is that he drove with his staff all the 
venomous beasts out of ,ireland4  ,the  
second1 that he had grant of our ,lord  
,god that none ,irish man shall  abide  
the coming of ,antichrist4 ,the third   
wonder is read of his  purgatory1 which 
is more referred to the less ,st4       
,patrick1 the ,abbot4  ,and this holy   
abbot1 because he found the people of   
that land rebel1 he  went out of        
,ireland and came in to ,england in the 
,abbey of ,glastonbury1  where he died  
on a ,st4 ,bartholomew's day4 ,he       
flourished about the year  of our ,lord 
eight hundred and fifty4          ,,of  
,,saint ,,francis    ,,how ,,he         
,,received ,,the ,,counsel ,,of ,,st4   
,,clare ,,and ,,of ,,brother            
,,silvester1 ,,and  ,,how ,,he          
,,preached ,,unto ,,the ,,birds         
,the humble servant of ,christ1 ,st4    
,francis1 a short while after his       
conversion1 having already gathered     

together many companions and  received  
them into the order1 fell into deep     
thought and much doubting  as to what he
 ought to do3 whether to give himself   
wholly unto prayer1  or some time also  
unto preaching3 and on this matter he   
much desired to  learn the will of ,god4
 ,and for that the holy humility that   
was in him  suffered him not to trust   
over much in himself nor in his own     
prayers1  he thought to search out the  
will of ,god through the prayers of     
others3  wherefore he called ,brother   
,masseo1 and bespake him thus3 ,go unto 
,sister ,clare and tell her on my       
behalf1 that she with certain of her    
most spiritual companions1 should pray  
devoutly unto ,god1 that it may  please 
,him to show me which of the twain is   
the better3 whether to give  myself to  
preaching or wholly unto prayer4 ,and   
then go unto ,brother  ,silvester and   
tell the like to him4 ,this was that    
,brother ,silvester who  when he was in 
the world had seen a cross of gold      

proceeding from the  mouth of ,st4      
,francis1 the which reached even unto   
heaven and the arms  thereof unto the   
ends of the world1 and this ,brother    
,silvester was of  so great devotion and
 so great sanctity1 that whatsoe'er he  
asked of ,god  was granted him1 and     
oftentimes he spake with ,god2 wherefore
 ,st4 ,francis  had a great devotion    
unto him4    ,so ,brother ,masseo       
departed1 and according to the bidding  
of ,st4 ,francis  carried his message   
first unto ,st4 ,clare and then unto    
,brother  ,silvester4 ,who1 when he had 
heard thereof1 forthwith fell on his    
knees  in prayer1 and as he prayed      
received answer from ,god1 and turned to
  ,brother ,masseo1 and bespake him     
thus3 ,thus saith the ,lord3 ,say unto  
,brother ,francis that ,god has not     
called him to this estate for himself   
alone1 but to the end that he may gain  
fruit of souls1 and that many  through  
him may be saved4 ,with this reply      
,brother ,masseo returned to  ,st4      

,clare to learn what she had received of
 ,god1 and she answered that  ,god had  
sent to her and her companions the same 
reply as ,he had given to  ,brother     
,silvester4 ,whereat ,brother ,masseo   
hied him back again to ,st4  ,francis2  
and ,st4 ,francis received him with     
exceeding great love1 washing  his feet 
and making ready for him the meal1 and  
after he had eaten1 ,st4  ,francis      
called ,brother ,masseo into the wood2  
and there kneeled down  before him and  
drew back his hood1 stretching out his  
arms in the shape  of a cross1 and asked
 him3 ,what has my ,lord ,jesu ,christ  
commanded that  ,i should do8 ,replied  
,brother ,masseo3 ,as unto ,brother     
,silvester1 so  likewise unto ,sister   
,clare and her sisters1 has ,christ made
 answer and  revealed3 that it is ,his  
will that thou go throughout the world  
to  preach1 since ,he hath chosen thee  
not for thyself alone1 but also for  the
 salvation of others4 ,and then ,st4    
,francis1 when he had heard this  answer

 and known thereby the will of ,jesu    
,christ1 rose up with fervor  exceeding 
great1 and said3 ,let us be going in the
 name of ,god2 and he  took for his     
companions ,brother ,masseo and ,brother
 ,agnolo1 holy men4 ,and  setting forth 
with fervent zeal of spirit1 taking no  
thought for road or  way1 they came unto
 a little town that was called          
,savurniano1 and ,st4  ,francis set     
himself to preach1 but first he bade the
 swallows that were  twittering keep    
silence till such time as he had done   
the preaching2 and  the swallows were   
obedient to his word1 and he preached   
there with such  fervor that all the men
 and women of that town minded through  
their  devotion to come after him and   
leave the town1 but ,st4 ,francis       
suffered  them not1 saying3 ,make not   
ill haste nor leave your homes2 and ,i  
will  ordain for you what ye should do  
for the salvation of your souls3 and    
therewith he resolved to found the third
 ,order1 for the salvation of all  the  

world4    ,and so leaving them much     
comforted and with minds firm set on    
penitence1  he departed thence and came 
unto a place between ,cannaio and       
,bevagno4  ,and as with great fervor he 
was going on the way1 he lifted up his  
eyes  and beheld some trees hard by the 
road whereon sat a great company of     
birds well-nigh without number2 whereat 
,st4 ,francis marvelled1 and said  to   
his companions3 ,ye shall wait for me   
here upon the way and ,i will go  to    
preach unto my little sisters1 the      
birds4 ,and he went unto the  field and 
began to preach unto the birds that were
 on the ground2 and  immediately those  
that were on the trees flew down to him1
 and they all  of them remained still   
and quiet together1 until ,st4 ,francis 
made an end  of preaching3 and not even 
then did they depart1 until he had given
 them  his blessing4 ,and according to  
what ,brother ,masseo afterward related 
unto ,robert ,jacques da ,massa1 ,st4   
,francis went among them touching them  

with his cloak1 howbeit none moved from 
out his place4 ,the sermon that  ,st4   
,francis preached unto them was after   
this fashion3 ,my little  sisters1 the  
birds1 much bounden are ye unto ,god1   
your ,creator1 and  always in every     
place ought ye to praise ,him1 for that 
,he hath given you  liberty to fly about
 everywhere1 and hath also given you    
double and  triple raiment2 moreover1   
,he preserved your seed in the ark of   
,noah1  that your race might not perish 
out of the world2 still more are ye     
beholden to ,him for the element of the 
air which he had appointed for  you2    
beyond all this1 ye sow not1 neither do 
you reap2 and ,god feedeth  you1 and    
giveth you the streams and fountains for
 your drink2 the  mountains and the     
valleys for your refuge and the high    
trees whereon to  make your nests2 and  
because ye know not how to spin or sew1 
,god  clotheth you1 you and your        
children2 wherefore your ,creator loveth
 you  much1 seeing that ,he hath        

bestowed on you so many benefits2 and   
therefore1 my little sisters1 beware of 
the sin of ingratitude1 and  study      
always to give praises unto ,god4       
,whenas ,st4 ,francis spake these  words
 to them1 those birds began all of them 
to open their beaks1 and  stretch their 
necks1 and spread their wings1 and      
reverently bend their  heads down to the
 ground1 and by their acts and by their 
songs to show  that the holy ,father    
gave them joy exceeding great4 ,and ,st4
 ,francis  rejoiced with them1 and was  
glad1 and marvelled much at so great a  
company of birds and their most         
beautiful diversity and their good heed 
and sweet friendliness1 for the which   
cause he devoutly praised their         
,creator in them4 ,at the last1 having  
ended the preaching1 ,st4 ,francis  made
 over them the sign of the cross1 and   
gave them leave to go away2  and thereby
 all the birds with wondrous singing    
rose up in the air2 and  then1 in the   
fashion of the cross that ,st4 ,francis 

had made over them1  divided themselves 
into four parts2 and the one part flew  
toward the  ,east1 and the other toward 
the ,west1 and the other toward the     
,south1 and  the fourth toward the      
,north1 and each flight went on its way 
singing  wondrous songs2 signifying     
thereby that even as ,st4 ,francis1 the 
standard-bearer of the ,cross of        
,christ1 had preached unto them1 and    
made  over them the sign of the cross1  
after the pattern of which they         
separated themselves unto the four parts
 of the world3 even so the  preaching of
 the ,cross of ,christ1 renewed by ,st4 
,francis1 would be  carried by him and  
the brothers throughout the world2 the  
which  brothers1 after the fashion of   
the birds1 possessing nothing of their  
own in this world1 commit their lives   
wholly unto the providence of ,god4     
,,how ,,st4 ,,francis ,,converted ,,the 
,,fierce ,,wolf ,,of ,,agobio    ,what  
time ,st4 ,francis abode in the city of 
,agobio1 there appeared in the  country 

of ,agobio an exceeding great wolf1     
terrible and fierce1 the  which not only
 devoured animals1 but also men1        
insomuch that all the  city folk stood  
in great fear1 sith ofttimes he came    
near to the city1  and all men when they
 went out arrayed them in arms as it    
were for the  battle1 and yet withal    
they might not avail to defend them     
against him  whensoe'er any chanced on  
him alone2 for fear of this wolf they   
were  come to such a pass that none     
durst go forth of that place4 ,for the  
which matter1 ,st4 ,francis having      
compassion on the people of that land1  
wished to go forth unto that wolf1      
albeit the townsfolk all gave counsel   
against it3 and making the sign of the  
most holy cross he went forth  from that
 place with his companions1 putting all 
his trust in ,god4 ,and  the others     
misdoubting to go further1 ,st4 ,francis
 took the road to the  place where the  
wolf lay4 ,and lo6 in the sight of many 
of the townsfolk  that had come out to  

see this miracle1 the said wolf made at 
,st4 ,francis  with open mouth3 and     
coming up to him1 ,st4 ,francis made    
over him the  sign of the most holy     
cross1 and called him to him1 and       
bespake him  thus3 ,come hither1 brother
 wolf3 ,i command thee in the name of   
,christ  that thou do no harm1 nor to me
 nor to any one4 ,o wondrous thing6     
,whenas ,st4 ,francis had made the sign 
of the cross1 right so the  terrible    
wolf shut his jaws and stayed his       
running3 and when he was  bid1 came     
gently as a lamb and lay him down at the
 feet of ,st4 ,francis4  ,thereat ,st4  
,francis thus bespake him3 ,brother     
wolf1 much harm hast thou  wrought in   
these parts and done grievous ill1      
spoiling and slaying the  creatures of  
,god1 without ,his leave3 and not alone 
hast thou slain and  devoured the brute 
beasts1 but hast dared to slay men1 made
 in the image  of ,god2 for the which   
cause thou art deserving of the gibbet  
as a thief  and a most base murderer2   

and all men cry out and murmur against  
thee  and all this land is thine enemy4 
,but ,i would fain1 brother wolf1 make  
peace between thee and these2 so that   
thou mayest no more offend them1  and   
they may forgive thee all thy past      
offences1 and nor men nor dogs  pursue  
thee any more4 ,at these words the wolf 
with movements of body1  tail1 and eyes1
 and by the bending of his head1 gave   
sign of his assent  to what ,st4        
,francis said1 and of his will to abide 
therby4 ,then spake  ,st4 ,francis      
again3 ,brother wolf1 sith it pleaseth  
thee to make and hold  this peace1 ,i   
promise thee that ,i will see to it that
 the folk of this  place give thee food 
alway so long as thou shalt live1 so    
that thou  suffer not hunger any more2  
for that ,i wot well that through hunger
 hast  thou wrought all this ill4 ,but  
sith ,i win for thee this grace1 ,i     
will1  brother wolf1 that thou promise  
me to do none hurt to any more1 be he   
man or beast2 dost promise me this8 ,and

 the wolf gave clear token by  the      
bowing of his head that he promised4    
,then quoth ,st4 ,francis3  ,brother    
wolf1 ,i will that thou plight me troth 
for this promise1 that  ,i may trust    
thee full well4 ,and ,st4 ,francis      
stretching forth his hand  to take      
pledge of his troth1 the wolf lifted up 
his right paw before him  and laid it   
gently on the hand of ,st4 ,francis1    
giving thereby such sign  of good faith 
as he was able4 ,then quoth ,st4        
,francis3 ,brother wolf1 ,i  bid thee in
 the name of ,jesu ,christ come now with
 me1 nothing doubting1  and let us go   
stablish this peace in ,god's name4 ,and
 the wolf obedient  set forth with him1 
in fashion as a gentle lamb2 whereat the
 townsfolk  made mighty marvel1         
beholding4 ,and straightway the bruit of
 it was  spread through all the city1 so
 that all the people1 men-folk and      
women-folk1 great and small1 young and  
old1 gat them to the market place  for  
to see the wolf with ,st4 ,francis4     

,and the people being gathered all      
together1 ,st4 ,francis rose up to      
preach1 avizing them among other matters
 how for their sins ,god suffered  such 
things to be1 and pestilences also3 and 
how far more parlous is the  flame of   
hell1 the which must vex the damned     
eternally1 than is the fury  of the wolf
 that can but slay the body2 how much   
then should men fear  the jaws of hell1 
when such a multitude stands sore adread
 of the jaws  of one so small a beast8  
,then turn ye1 beloved1 unto ,god1 and  
work out a  fit repentance for your     
sins2 and ,god will set you free from   
the wolf in  this present time1 and in  
time to come from out the fires of hell4
 ,and  done the preaching1 ,st4 ,francis
 said3 ,give ear1 my brothers3 brother  
wolf1 who standeth here before ye1 hath 
promised me and plighted troth  to make 
his peace with you1 and to offend no    
more in any thing2 and do  ye promise   
him to give him every day whate'er he   
needs3 and ,i am made  his surety unto  

you that he will keep this pact of peace
 right  steadfastly4 ,then promised all 
the folk with one accord to give him    
food abidingly4 ,then quoth ,st4        
,francis to the wolf before them all3   
,and  thou1 brother wolf1 dost thou make
 promise to keep firm this pact of      
peace1 that thou offend not man nor     
beast nor any creature8 ,and the  wolf  
knelt him down and bowed his head3 and  
with gentle movements of his  body1     
tail1 and eyes1 gave sign as best he    
could that he would keep  their pact    
entire4 ,quoth ,st4 ,francis3 ,brother  
wolf1 ,i wish that as thou  hast pledged
 me thy faith to this promise without   
the gate1 even so  shouldest thou pledge
 me thy faith to thy promise before all 
the people1  and that thou play me not  
false for my promise1 and the surety    
that ,i  have given for thee4 ,then the 
wolf lifting up his right paw1 laid it  
in  the hand of ,st4 ,francis4          
,therewith1 this act1 and the others set
 forth  above1 wrought such great joy   

and marvel in all the people1 both      
through  devotion to the saint1 and     
through the newness of the miracle1 and 
through the peace with the wolf1 that   
all began to lift up their voices  unto 
heaven praising and blessing ,god1 that 
had sent ,st4 ,francis unto  them1 who  
by his merits had set them free from the
 jaws of the cruel  beast4 ,and         
thereafter this same wolf lived two     
years in ,agobio2 and went  like a tame 
beast in and out the houses1 from door  
to door1 without  doing hurt to any or  
any doing hurt to him1 and was          
courteously  nourished by the people2   
and as he passed thuswise through the   
country  and the houses1 never did any  
dog bark behind him4 ,at length1 after a
  two years' space1 brother wolf died of
 old age3 whereat the townsfolk  sorely 
grieved1 sith marking him pass so gently
 through the city1 they  minded them the
 better of the virtue and the sanctity  
of ,st4 ,francis4      ,,how ,,st4      
,,francis ,,tamed ,,the ,,wild          

,,turtle-,,doves    ,it befell on a day 
that a certain young man had caught many
  turtle-doves3 and as he was carrying  
them for sale1 ,st4 ,francis1 who had   
ever a tender pity for gentle creatures1
 met him1 and looking on those          
turtle-doves with pitying eyes1 said to 
the youth3 ,i pray thee give  them me1  
that birds so gentle1 unto which the    
,scripture likeneth chaste  and humble  
and faithful souls1 may not fall into   
the hands of cruel men  that would kill 
them4 ,forthwith1 inspired of ,god1 he  
gave them all to  ,st4 ,francis2 and he 
receiving them into his bosom1 began to 
speak  tenderly unto them3 ,o my        
sisters1 simple-minded turtle-doves1    
innocent  and chaste1 why have ye let   
yourselves be caught8 ,now would ,i fain
  deliver you from death and make you   
nests1 that ye may be fruitful and      
multiply1 according to the commandments 
of your ,creator4 ,and ,st4  ,francis   
went and made nests for them all3 and   
they abiding therein1  began to lay     

their eggs and hatch them before the    
eyes of the brothers3  and so tame were 
they1 they dwelt with ,st4 ,francis and 
all the other  brothers as though they  
had been fowls that had always fed from 
their  hands1 and never did they go away
 until ,st4 ,francis with his blessing  
gave them leave to go4 ,and to the young
 man who had given them to him1  ,st4   
,francis said3 ,my little son1 thou wilt
 yet be a brother in this  ,order and do
 precious service unto ,jesu ,christ4   
,and so it came to pass2  for the said  
youth became a brother and lived in the 
,order in great  sanctity4              
,,song ,,of ,,the ,,emigrants ,,in      
,,bermuda      ,where the remote        
,bermudas ride  ,in the ocean's bosom   
unespied1  ,from a small boat that row'd
 along  ,the listening winds received   
this song3  ,what should we do but sing 
,his praise  ,that led us through the   
watery maze  ,where ,he the huge        
sea-monsters wracks  ,that lift the deep
 upon their backs1  ,unto an isle so    

long unknown1  ,and yet far kinder than 
our own8  ,he lands us on a grassy      
stage1  ,safe from the storms1 and      
prelate's rage3  ,he gave us this       
eternal spring  ,which here enamels     
everything1  ,and sends the fowls to us 
in care  ,on daily visits through the   
air4  ,he hangs in shades the orange    
bright  ,like golden lamps in a green   
night1  ,and does in the pomegranates   
close  ,jewels more rich than ,ormus    
shows3  ,he makes the figs our mouths to
 meet1  ,and throws the melons at our   
feet2  ,but apples plants of such a     
price1  ,no tree could ever bear them   
twice6  ,with cedars chosen by his hand 
,from ,lebanon he stores the land2  ,and
 makes the hollow seas that roar        
,proclaim the ambergris on shore4  ,he  
cast 7of which we rather boast7  ,the   
,gospel's pearl upon our coast2  ,and in
 these rocks for us did frame  ,a temple
 where to sound ,his name4  ,o let our  
voice ,his praise exalt  ,till it arrive
 at ,heaven's vault1  ,which then       

perhaps rebounding may  ,echo beyond the
 ,mexique bay6  --,thus sung they in the
 ,english boat  ,a holy and a cheerful  
note3  ,and all the way1 to guide their 
chime1  ,with falling oars they kept the
 time4    --,a4 ,marvell                
,,landing ,,of ,,the ,,pilgrim ,,fathers
 ,,in ,,new ,,england      ,the breaking
 waves dash'd high    ,on a stern and   
rock-bound coast1  ,and the woods       
against a stormy sky    ,their giant    
branches toss'd2    ,and the heavy night
 hung dark    ,the hills and waters     
o'er1  ,when a band of exiles moor'd    
their bark    ,on the wild ,new ,england
 shore4    ,not as the conqueror comes1 
,they1 the true-hearted1 came2  ,not    
with the roll of the stirring drums1    
,and the trumpet that sings of fame2    
,not as the flying come1    ,in silence 
and in fear2--  ,they shook the depths  
of the desert gloom    ,with their hymns
 of lofty cheer4    ,amidst the storm   
they sang1    ,and the stars heard and  
the sea2  ,and the sounding aisles of   

the dim woods rang    ,to the anthem of 
the free6    ,the ocean eagle soar'd    
,from his nest by the white wave's foam2
  ,and the rocking pines of the forest  
roar'd--    ,this was their welcome     
home6    ,there were men with hoary hair
    ,amidst that pilgrim band2--  ,why  
had they come to wither there1    ,away 
from their childhood's land8    ,there  
was woman's fearless eye1    ,lit by her
 deep love's truth2  ,there was         
manhood's brow serenely high1    ,and   
the fiery heart of youth4    ,what      
sought they thus afar8--    ,bright     
jewels of the mine8  ,the wealth of     
seas1 the spoils of war8--    ,they     
sought a faith's pure shrine6    ,ay1   
call it holy ground1    ,the soil where 
first they trod4  ,they have left       
unstain'd what there they found--       
,freedom to worship ,god4    --,felicia 
,browne ,hemans          ,,the          
,,pilgrim',s ,,progress    ,,in ,,the   
,,similitude ,,of ,a ,,dream      ,as ,i
 walked through the wilderness of this  

world1 ,i lighted on a certain  place   
where was a den1 and laid me down in    
that place to sleep2 and as ,i  slept1  
,i dreamed a dream4 ,i dreamed1 and     
behold1 ,i saw a man clothed  with rags 
standing in a certain place1 with his   
face from his own house1  a book in his 
hand1 and a great burden upon his back4 
,i looked1 and saw  him open the book   
and read therein2 and as he read he wept
 and trembled2  and not being able      
longer to contain1 he brake out with a  
lamentable  cry1 saying1 ,what shall ,i 
do8    ,in this plight1 therefore1 he   
went home1 and restrained himself as    
long  as he could1 that his wife and    
children should not perceive his        
distress2 but he could not be silent    
long1 because that his trouble          
increased4 ,wherefore at length he brake
 his mind to his wife and  children2 and
 thus he began to talk to them3 ,o my   
dear wife1 said he1  and you the        
children of my bowels1 ,i1 your dear    
friend1 am in myself  undone by reason  

of a burden that lieth hard upon me2    
moreover1 ,i am  certainly informed that
 this our city will be burned with fire 
from  heaven2 in which fearful          
overthrow1 both myself1 with thee1 my   
wife1 and  you1 my sweet-babes1 shall   
miserably come to ruin1 except 7the     
which  yet ,i see not7 some way of      
escape can be found whereby we may be   
delivered4    ,at this his relations    
were sore amazed2 not for that they     
believed that  what he said to them was 
true1 but because they thought that some
 frenzy  distemper had got into his     
head2 therefore1 it drawing toward      
night1 and  they hoping that sleep might
 settle his brains1 with all haste they 
got  him to bed4 ,but the night was as  
troublesome to him as the day2          
wherefore1 instead of sleeping1 he spent
 it in sighs and tears4 ,so when  the   
morning was come1 they would know how he
 did4 ,he told them1 ,worse  and worse3 
he also set to talking to them again2   
but they began to be  hardened4 ,they   

also thought to drive away his distemper
 by harsh and  surly carriage to him2   
sometimes they would deride1 sometimes  
they would  chide1 and sometimes they   
would quite neglect him4 ,wherefore he  
began to  retire himself to his chamber 
to pray for and pity them1 and also to  
condole his own misery2 he would also   
walk solitarily in the fields1          
sometimes reading and sometimes praying2
 and thus for some days he spent  his   
time4    ,now ,i saw1 upon a time1 when 
he was walking in the fields1 that he   
was1  as he was wont1 reading in his    
book1 and greatly distressed in his     
mind2  and as he read1 he burst out1 as 
he had done before1 crying1 ,what shall 
,i do to be saved8    ,i saw also that  
he looked this way1 and that way1 as if 
he would run2  yet he stood still1      
because1 as ,i perceived1 he could not  
tell which  way to go4 ,i looked then1  
and saw a man named ,evangelist coming  
to him1  and he asked1 ,wherefore dost  
thou cry8    ,he answered1 ,sir1 ,i     

perceive1 by the book in my hand1 that  
,i am  condemned to die1 and after that 
to come to judgment2 and ,i find that ,i
  am not willing to do the first1 nor   
able to do the second4    ,then said    
,evangelist1 ,why not willing to die1   
since this life is  attended with so    
many evils8 ,the man answered1 ,because 
,i fear that  this burden that is upon  
my back will sink me lower than the     
grave and ,i  shall fall into ,tophet4  
,and1 sir1 if ,i be not fit to go to    
prison1 ,i am  not fit to go to         
judgment1 and from thence to execution2 
and the  thoughts of these things make  
me cry4    ,then said ,evangelist1 ,if  
this be thy condition1 why standest thou
  still8 ,he answered1 ,because ,i know 
not whither to go4 ,then he gave  him a 
parchment roll1 and there was written   
within1 ,flee from the wrath  to come4  
,the man therefore read it and looking  
upon ,evangelist very carefully1  said1 
,whither must ,i fly8 ,then said        
,evangelist1 pointing with his  finger  

over a very wide field1 ,do you see     
yonder wicket-gate8 ,the man  said1 ,no4
 ,then said the other1 ,do you see      
yonder shining light8 ,he  said1 ,i     
think ,i do4 ,then said ,evangelist1    
,keep that light in your  eye1 and go up
 directly thereto1 so shalt thou see the
 gate2 at which1  when thou knockest1 it
 shall be told thee what thou shalt do4 
,so ,i saw  in my dream that the man    
began to run4 ,now he had not run far   
from his  own door when his wife and    
children1 perceiving it1 began to cry   
after  him to return2 but the man put   
his fingers in his ears1 and ran on1    
crying1 ,life6 life6 eternal life6 ,so  
he looked not behind him2 but  fled     
toward the middle of the plain4    ,the 
neighbors also came out to see him run2 
and as he ran some mocked1  others      
threatened1 and some cried after him to 
return2 and among those  that did so1   
there were two that resolved to fetch   
him back by force4  ,the name of the one
 was ,obstinate1 and the name of the    

other ,pliable4  ,now by this time the  
man was got a good distance from them2  
but however  they were resolved to      
pursue him1 which they did1 and in a    
little time  they overtook him4 ,then   
said the man1 ,neighbors1 wherefore are 
ye  come8 ,they said1 ,to persuade you  
to go back with us4 ,but he said1  ,that
 can by no means be2 you dwell1 said he1
 in the ,city of  ,destruction1 the     
place also where ,i was born3 ,i see it 
to be so2 and  dying there1 sooner or   
later you will sink lower than the      
grave1 into a  place that burns with    
fire and brimstone3 be content1 good    
neighbors1  and go along with me4       
,what6 said ,obstinate1 and leave our   
friends and comforts behind us8    ,yes1
 said ,christian1 for that was his name1
 because that all which you  forsake is 
not worthy to be compared with a little 
of that ,i am seeking  to enjoy2 and if 
you will go along with me1 and hold it1 
you shall fare  as ,i myself2 for there1
 where ,i go1 is enough and to spare4   

,come away1  and prove my words4        
,obst4 ,what are the things you seek1   
since you leave all the world to  find  
them8    ,chr4 ,i seek an inheritance   
incorruptible1 undefiled1 and that      
fadeth  not away2 and it is laid up in  
heaven1 and safe there1 to be bestowed  
at  the time appointed1 on them that    
diligently seek it4 ,read it so1 if you 
will1 in my book4    ,tush1 said        
,obstinate1 away with your book2 will   
you go back with us or  no8    ,no1 not 
,i1 said the other1 because ,i have laid
 my hand to the plow4    ,obst4 ,come   
then1 neighbor ,pliable1 let us turn    
again1 and go home  without him2 there  
is a company of these crazy-headed      
coxcombs1 that  when they take a fancy  
by the end1 are wiser in their own eyes 
than  seven men that can render a       
reason4    ,pli4 ,then said ,pliable1   
,don't revile2 if what the good         
,christian says  is true1 the things he 
looks after are better than ours2 my    
heart  inclines to go with my neighbor4 

,obst4 ,what6 more fools still8 ,be     
ruled by me and go back2 who knows      
whither such a brain-sick fellow will   
lead you8 ,go back1 go back1 and be     
wise4    ,chr4 ,come with me1 neighbor  
,pliable2 there are such things to be   
had  which ,i spoke of1 and many more   
glories beside4 ,if you believe not me1 
read here in this book2 and for the     
truth of what is expressed therein1     
behold1 all is confirmed by the blood of
 him that made it4    ,pli4 ,well1      
neighbor ,obstinate1 said ,pliable1 ,i  
begin to come to a  point2 ,i intend to 
go along with this good man1 and to cast
 in my lot  with him3 but1 my good      
companion1 do you know the way to this  
desired  place8    ,chr4 ,i am directed 
by a man1 whose name is ,evangelist1 to 
speed me to  a little gate that is      
before us1 where we shall receive       
instruction  about the way4    ,pli4    
,come then1 good neighbor1 let us be    
going4    ,then they went both together4
    ,obst4 ,and ,i will go back to my   

place1 said ,obstinate4 ,i will be no   
companion of such misled1 fantastical   
fellows4    ,now ,i saw in my dream1    
that when ,obstinate was gone back1     
,christian and  ,pliable went talking   
over the plain1 and thus they began     
their  discourse4    ,chr4 ,come1       
neighbor ,pliable1 how do you do8 ,i am 
glad you are  persuaded to go along with
 me4 ,had even ,obstinate himself but   
felt what  ,i have felt of the powers   
and terrors of what is yet unseen1 he   
would  not thus lightly have given us   
the back4    ,pli4 ,come1 neighbor      
,christian1 since there are none but us 
two here1  tell me now further1 what the
 things are1 and how to be enjoyed1     
whither  we are going4    ,chr4 ,i can  
better conceive of them with my mind1   
than speak of them  with my tongue3 but 
yet since you are desirous to know1 ,i  
will read them  in my book4    ,pli4    
,and do you think that the words of your
 book are certainly true8    ,chr4 ,yes1
 verily2 for it was made by him that    

cannot lie4    ,pit4 ,well said2 what   
things are they8    ,chr4 ,there is an  
endless kingdom to be inhabited1 and    
everlasting life  to be given us1 that  
we may inhabit that kingdom forever4    
,pli4 ,well said2 and what else8        
,chr4 ,there are crowns of glory to be  
given us2 and garments that will  make  
us shine like the sun in the firmament  
of heaven4    ,pli4 ,this is excellent3 
and what else8    ,chr4 ,there shall be 
no more crying nor sorrow1 for he that  
is owner of  the place will wipe all    
tears from our eyes4    ,pli4 ,and what 
company shall we have there8    ,chr4   
,there we shall be with seraphims and   
cherubims2 creatures that  will dazzle  
your eyes to look on them4 ,there also  
you shall meet with  thousands and ten  
thousands that have gone before us to   
that holy place2  none of them are      
hurtful1 but loving and holy2 every one 
walking in the  sight of ,god1 and      
standing in his presence with acceptance
 forever4 ,in a  word1 there we shall   

see the elders with their golden crowns2
 there we  shall see the holy virgins   
with their golden harps2 there we shall 
see  men that by the world were cut in  
pieces1 burned in flames1 eaten of      
beasts1 drowned in the sea for the love 
they bare to the ,lord of the  place2   
all well and clothed with immortality as
 with a garment4    ,pli4 ,the hearing  
of this is enough to ravish one's heart4
 ,but are  these things to be enjoyed8  
,how shall we get to be sharers thereof8
    ,chr4 ,the ,lord1 the governor of   
the country1 hath recorded that in this 
book2 the substance of which is1 ,if we 
be truly willing to have it1 he  will   
bestow it upon us freely4    ,pli4      
,well1 my good companion1 glad am ,i to 
hear of these things3 come  on1 let us  
mend our pace4    ,chr4 ,i cannot go so 
fast as ,i would1 by reason of this     
burden that is  on my back4    ,now ,i  
saw in my dream1 that just as they had  
ended this talk1 they drew  nigh to a   
very miry slough that was in the midst  

of the plain3 and they1  being heedless1
 did both fall suddenly into the bog4   
,the name of the  slough was ,despond4  
,here1 therefore1 they wallowed for a   
time1 being  grievously bedaubed with   
dirt2 and ,christian1 because of the    
burden that  was on his back1 began to  
sink in the mire4    ,pli4 ,then said   
,pliable1 ,ah1 neighbor ,christian1     
where are you now8    ,chr4 ,truly1 said
 ,christian1 ,i do not know4    ,pli4   
,at this ,pliable began to be offended1 
and angrily said to his  fellow1 ,is    
this the happiness you have told me all 
this while of8 ,if we  have such ill    
speed at our first setting out1 what may
 we expect between  this and our        
journey's end8 ,may ,i get out again    
with my life1 you shall  possess the    
brave country alone for me4 ,and with   
that he gave a  desperate struggle or   
two1 and got out of the mire on that    
side of the  slough which was next to   
his own house3 so away he went1 and     
,christian  saw him no more4            

,wherefore ,christian was left to tumble
 in the ,slough of ,despond alone3  but 
still he endeavored to struggle to that 
side of the slough that was  furthest   
from his own house1 and next to the     
wicket-gate2 the which he  did1 but     
could not get out because of the burden 
that was upon his back3  but ,i beheld  
in my dream1 that a man came to him1    
whose name was ,help1  and asked him1   
,what he did there8    ,chr4 ,sir1 said 
,christian1 ,i was bid to go this way by
 a man called  ,evangelist1 who directed
 me also to yonder gate1 that ,i might  
escape the  wrath to come4 ,and as ,i   
was going thither ,i fell in here4      
,help4 ,but why did not you look for the
 steps8    ,chr4 ,fear followed me so   
hard1 that ,i fled the next way1 and    
fell in4    ,help4 ,then said he1 ,give 
me thine hand2 so he gave him his hand1 
and  he drew him out1 and he set him    
upon sound ground1 and bid him go on his
  way4    ,then ,i stepped to him that  
plucked him out1 and said1 ,sir1        

wherefore1  since over this place is the
 way from the ,city of ,destruction to  
yonder  gate1 is it1 that this plat is  
not mended1 that poor travellers might  
go  thither with more security8 ,and he 
said unto me1 ,this miry slough is  such
 a place as cannot be mended3 it is the 
descent whither the scum and  filth that
 attends conviction for sin doth        
continually run1 and  therefore it is   
called the ,slough of ,despond2 for     
still as the sinner  is awakened about  
his lost condition1 there arise in his  
soul many  fears and doubts1 and        
discouraging apprehensions1 which all of
 them get  together1 and settle in this 
place3 and this is the reason of the    
badness of this ground4    ,it is not   
the pleasure of the ,king that this     
place should remain so  bad4 ,his       
laborers also have1 by the direction of 
his ,majesty's  surveyors1 been for     
above these sixteen hundred years       
employed about  this patch of ground1 if
 perhaps it might have been mended3 yea1

 and to  my knowledge1 said he1 here    
have been swallowed up at least twenty  
thousand cart-loads1 yea1 millions1 of  
wholesome instructions1 that have  at   
all seasons been brought from all places
 of the ,king's dominions--and  they    
that can tell1 say1 they are the best   
materials to make good ground  of the   
place--if so be it might have been      
mended2 but it is the ,slough  of       
,despond still1 and so will be when they
 have done what they can4    ,true1     
there are1 by the direction of the      
,lawgiver1 certain good and  substantial
 steps1 placed even through the very    
midst of this slough2  but at such time 
as this place doth much spew out its    
filth1 as it doth  against change of    
weather1 these steps are hardly seen2 or
 if they be1  men1 through the dizziness
 of their heads1 step beside1 and then  
they  are bemired to purpose1           
notwithstanding the steps be there2 but 
the  ground is good when they are once  
in at the gate4    ,now ,i saw in my    

dream1 that by this time ,pliable was   
got home to his  house4 ,so his         
neighbors came to visit him2 and some of
 them called him  wise man for coming   
back1 and some called him fool for      
hazarding  himself with ,christian2     
others again did mock at his            
cowardliness2  saying1 ,surely1 since   
you began to venture1 ,i would not have 
been so  base to have given out for a   
few difficulties3 so ,pliable sat       
sneaking  among them4 ,but at last he   
got more confidence1 and then they all  
turned  their tales1 and began to deride
 poor ,christian behind his back4 ,and  
thus much concerning ,pliable4    ,so1  
in the process of time1 ,christian got  
up to the gate4 ,now1 over the  gate    
there was written1 ,knock1 and it shall 
be opened unto you4    ,he knocked1     
therefore1 more than once or twice1     
saying1      ,may ,i now enter here8    
,will he within    ,open to sorry me1   
though ,i have been    ,an undeserving  
rebel8 ,then shall ,i    ,not fail to   

sing his lasting praise on high4    ,at 
last there came a grave person to the   
gate1 named ,goodwill1 who asked  who   
was there1 and whence he came1 and what 
he would have4    ,chr4 ,here is a poor 
burdened sinner4 ,i come from the ,city 
of  ,destruction1 but am going to ,mount
 ,zion1 that ,i may be delivered from   
the wrath to come3 ,i would1 therefore1 
sir1 since ,i am informed that by  this 
gate is the way thither1 know if you are
 willing to let me in4    ,good4 ,i am  
willing with all my heart1 said he2 and 
with that he opened  the gate4    ,so   
when ,christian was stepping in1 the    
other gave him a pull4 ,then said       
,christian1 ,what means that8 ,the other
 told him1 ,a little distance from  this
 gate there is erected a strong castle1 
of which ,beelzebub is the  captain2    
from thence both he and they that are   
with him shoot arrows at  those who come
 up to this gate1 if haply they may die 
before they can  enter it4 ,then said   
,christian1 ,i rejoice and tremble4     

,now ,i saw in my dream1 that the       
highway which ,christian was to go was  
fenced on either side with a wall1 and  
that wall was called ,salvation4  ,up   
this way therefore did burdened         
,christian run1 but not without great   
difficulty1 because of the load on his  
back4    ,he ran thus till he came at a 
place somewhat ascending2 and upon that 
place stood a cross1 and a little below1
 in the bottom1 a sepulchre4 ,so  ,i saw
 in my dream1 that just as ,christian   
came up with the cross1 his  burden     
loosed from off his shoulders1 and fell 
from off his back1 and  began to tumble1
 and so continued to do till it came to 
the mouth of the  sepulchre1 where it   
fell in1 and ,i saw it no more4    ,then
 was ,christian glad and lightsome1 and 
said with a merry heart1 ,he  hath given
 me rest by his sorrow1 and life by his 
death4 ,then he stood  still awhile to  
look and wonder2 for it was very        
surprising to him that  the sight of the
 cross should thus ease him of his      

burden4 ,he looked  therefore1 and      
looked again1 even till the springs that
 were in his head  sent the waters down 
his cheeks4 ,now as he stood looking and
 weeping1  behold1 three ,shining ,ones 
came to him1 and saluted him with ,peace
 be  to thee4 ,so the first said to him1
 ,thy sins be forgiven thee2 the  second
 stripped him of his rags1 and clothed  
him with change of raiment2  the third  
also set a mark on his forehead1 and    
gave him a roll with a  seal upon it1   
which he bid him look on as he ran1 and 
that he should  give it in at the       
celestial gate2 so they went their way4 
,then ,christian gave three leaps for   
joy1 and went on singing3      ,thus far
 did ,i come laden with my sin2    ,nor 
could aught ease the grief that ,i was  
in1    ,till ,i came hither2 what a     
place is this6    ,must here be the     
beginning of my bliss8    ,must here the
 burden fall from off my back8    ,must 
here the strings that bound it to me    
crack8    ,blest cross6 blest sepulchre6

 blest rather be    ,the man that there 
was put to shame for me4    ,i saw then 
in my dream1 that he went on thus1 even 
until he came at the  bottom1 where he  
saw1 a little out of the way1 three men 
fast asleep1  with fetters upon their   
heels4 ,the name of the one was ,simple1
 of  another ,sloth1 and of the third   
,presumption4    ,christian then1 seeing
 them lie in this case1 went to them1 if
  peradventure he might awake them1 and 
cried1 ,you are like them that  sleep on
 the top of a mast1 for the ,dead ,sea  
is under you1 a gulf that  hath no      
bottom3 awake1 therefore1 and come away2
 be willing also1 and ,i  will help you 
off with your irons4 ,he also told them1
 ,if he that goeth  about like a roaring
 lion1 comes by1 you will certainly     
become a prey to  his teeth4 ,with that 
they looked upon him1 and began to reply
 in this  sort3 ,simple said1 ,i see no 
danger2 ,sloth said1 ,yet a little more 
sleep2 and ,presumption said1 ,every tub
 must stand upon its own bottom4    ,and

 so they lay down to sleep again1 and   
,christian went on his way4    ,yet was 
he troubled to think1 that men in that  
danger should so little  esteem the     
kindness of him that so freely offered  
to help them1 both by  awakening of     
them1 counselling of them1 and          
proffering to help them off  with their 
irons4 ,and as he was troubled          
thereabout1 he espied two men  come     
tumbling over the wall on the left hand 
of the narrow way2 and they  made up    
apace to him4 ,the name of the one was  
,formalist1 and the name of  the other  
,hypocrisy4 ,so1 as ,i said1 they drew  
up unto him1 who thus  entered with him 
into discourse4    ,chr4 ,gentlemen1    
whence came you1 and whither do you go8 
,form4 and ,hyp4 ,we were born in the   
land of ,vain-glory1 and are  going for 
praise to ,mount ,zion4    ,chr4 ,why   
came you not in at the gate which       
standeth at the beginning  of the way8  
,know ye not that it is written1 that he
 that cometh not in  by the door1 but   

climbeth up some other way1 the same is 
a thief and a  robber8    ,they said1   
that to go to the gate for entrance was 
by all their  countrymen counted too far
 about2 and that therefore their usual  
way was  to make a short cut of it1 and 
to climb over the wall as they had done4
    ,chr4 ,but will it not be counted a 
trespass against the ,lord of the  city1
 whither we are bound1 thus to violate  
his revealed will8    ,they told him1   
that as for that1 he needed not to      
trouble his head  thereabout3 for what  
they did they had custom for1 and could 
produce1 if  need were1 testimony that  
would witness it1 for more than a       
thousand  years4    ,but1 said          
,christian1 will your practice stand a  
trial at law8    ,they told him1 that   
custom1 it being of so long standing as 
above a  thousand years1 would1         
doubtless1 now be admitted as a thing   
legal by an  impartial judge4 ,and      
besides1 said they1 if we get into the  
way1 what  matter is it which way we get

 in8 ,if we are in1 we are in3 thou art 
but  in the way1 who1 as we perceive1   
came in at the gate3 and we also are in 
the way1 that came tumbling over the    
wall3 wherein now is thy condition      
better than ours8    ,chr4 ,i walk by   
the rule of my ,master3 you walk by the 
rude working of  your fancies4 ,you are 
counted thieves already by the ,lord of 
the way3  therefore ,i doubt you will   
not be found true men at the end of the 
way4  ,you come in by yourselves1       
without his direction1 and shall go out 
by  yourselves1 without his mercy4      
,to this they made him but little       
answer2 only they bid him look to       
himself4 ,then ,i saw that they went on 
every man in his way1 without much      
conference one with another2 save that  
these two men told ,christian1  that as 
to laws and ordinances1 they doubted not
 but that they should as                
conscientiously do them as he4          
,therefore1 said they1 we see not       
wherein  thou differest from us1 but by 

the coat that is on thy back1 which was1
  as we trow1 given thee by some of thy 
neighbors1 to hide the shame of  thy    
nakedness4    ,chr4 ,by laws and        
ordinances you will not be saved1 since 
you came not  in by the door4 ,and as   
for this coat that is on my back1 it was
 given me  by the ,lord of the place    
whither ,i go2 and that1 as you say1 to 
cover my  nakedness with4 ,and ,i take  
it as a token of his kindness to me2 for
 ,i  had nothing but rags before4 ,and1 
besides1 thus ,i comfort myself as ,i   
go4 ,surely1 think ,i1 when ,i come to  
the gate of the city1 the ,lord  thereof
 will know me for good1 since ,i have   
his coat on my back2 a coat  that he    
gave me freely in the day that he       
stripped me of my rags4 ,i  have1       
moreover1 a mark in my forehead1 of     
which perhaps you have taken  no notice1
 which one of my lord's most intimate   
associates fixed there  in the day that 
my burden fell off my shoulders4 ,i will
 tell you1  moreover1 that ,i had then  

given me a roll sealed1 to comfort me by
  reading as ,i go in the way2 ,i was   
also bid to give it in at the  celestial
 gate1 in token of my certain going in  
after it2 all which  things ,i doubt you
 want1 and want them because you came   
not in at the  gate4    ,to these things
 they gave him no answer2 only they     
looked upon each  other1 and laughed4   
,then ,i saw that they went on all1 save
 that  ,christian kept before1 who had  
no more talk but with himself1 and that 
sometimes sighingly1 and sometimes      
comfortably2 also he would be often     
reading in the roll that one of the     
,shining ,ones gave him1 by which he    
was refreshed4    ,i beheld1 then1 that 
they all went on till they came to the  
foot of the  hill ,difficulty1 at the   
bottom of which there was a string4     
,there were  also in the same place two 
other ways besides that which came      
straight  from the gate2 one turned to  
the left hand and the other to the      
right1  at the bottom of the hill2 but  

the narrow way lay right up the hill1   
and  the name of the going up the side  
of the hill is called ,difficulty4      
,christian now went to the spring2 and  
drank thereof to refresh himself1  and  
then began to go up the hill1 saying3   
,the hill1 though high1 ,i covet to     
ascend2    ,the difficulty will not me  
offend2    ,for ,i perceive the way to  
life lies here4    ,come1 pluck up      
heart1 let's neither faint nor fear4    
,better1 though difficult1 the right way
 to go1    ,than wrong1 though easy1    
where the end is woe4    ,the other two 
also came to the foot of the hill4 ,but 
when they saw the  hill was steep and   
high1 and that there were two other ways
 to go2 and  supposing also that these  
two ways might meet again with that up  
which  ,christian went on the other side
 of the hill2 therefore they were       
resolved to go in those ways4 ,now the  
name of one of those ways was  ,danger1 
and the name of the other ,destruction4 
,so the one took the way  which is      

called ,danger1 which led him into a    
great wood2 and the other  took directly
 up the way to ,destruction1 which led  
him into a wide  field1 full of dark    
mountains1 where he stumbled and fell1  
and rose no  more4    ,i looked then    
after ,christian1 to see him go up the  
hill1 where ,i  perceived he fell from  
running to going1 and from going to     
clambering  upon his hands and his      
knees1 because of the steepness of the  
place4 ,now  about midway to the top of 
the hill was a pleasant arbor1 made by  
the  ,lord of the hill for the          
refreshment of weary travellers4        
,thither1  therefore1 ,christian got1   
where also he sat down to rest him2 then
 he  pulled his roll out of his bosom1  
and read therein to his comfort2 he     
also now began afresh to take a review  
of the coat or garment that was  given  
him as he stood by the cross4 ,thus     
pleasing himself awhile1 he at  last    
fell into a slumber1 and thence into a  
fast sleep1 which detained  him in that 

place until it was almost night2 and in 
his sleep his roll  fell out of his     
hand4 ,now as he was sleeping1 there    
came one to him1 and  awaked him1       
saying1 ,go to the ant1 thou sluggard2  
consider her ways1  and be wise4 ,and   
with that ,christian suddenly started   
up1 and sped him  on his way1 and went  
apace till he came to the top of the    
hill4    ,now1 when he was got up to the
 top of the hill1 there came two men    
running to meet him amain2 the name of  
the one was ,timorous1 and of the  other
 ,mistrust3 to whom ,christian said1    
,sirs1 what's the matter8 you run  the  
wrong way4 ,timorous answered1 that they
 were going to the ,city of  ,zion1 and 
had got up that difficult place3 but1   
said he1 the further we  go the more    
danger we meet with2 wherefore we       
turned1 and are going back  again4      
,yes1 said ,mistrust1 for just before us
 lie a couple of lions in the  way1     
whether sleeping or waking we know not1 
and we could not think1 if  we came     

within reach1 but they would presently  
pull us to pieces4    ,chr4 ,then said  
,christian1 you make me afraid2 but     
whither shall ,i fly  to be safe8 ,if ,i
 go back to my own country1 that is     
prepared for fire  and brimstone1 and ,i
 shall certainly perish there2 if ,i can
 get to the  ,celestial ,city1 ,i am    
sure to be in safety there3 ,i must     
venture4 ,to go  back is nothing but    
death2 to go forward is fear of death   
and life  everlasting beyond it4 ,i will
 yet go forward4 ,so ,mistrust and      
,timorous  run down the hill1 and       
,christian went on his way4 ,but        
thinking again of  what he heard from   
the man1 he felt in his bosom for his   
roll1 that he  might read therein and be
 comforted2 but he felt and found it    
not4 ,then  was ,christian in great     
distress1 and knew not what to do2 for  
he wanted  that which used to relieve   
him1 and that which should have been his
 pass  into the ,celestial ,city4 ,here1
 therefore1 he began to be much         

perplexed1  and knew not what to do4 ,at
 last he bethought himself that he had  
slept  in the arbor that is on the side 
of the hill2 and falling down upon his  
knees1 he asked ,god forgiveness for    
that his foolish act1 and then went     
back to look for his roll4 ,but all the 
way he went back1 who can  sufficiently 
set forth the sorrow of ,christian's    
heart8 ,sometimes he  sighed1 sometimes 
he wept1 and oftentimes he chid himself 
for being so  foolish to fall asleep in 
that place1 which was erected only for a
  little refreshment from his weariness4
 ,thus1 therefore1 he went back1        
carefully looking on this side and on   
that1 all the way as he went1 if        
happily he might find his roll that had 
been his comfort so many times  in his  
journey4 ,he went thus till he came     
within sight of the arbor  where he sat 
and slept2 but that sight renewed his   
sorrow the more1 by  bringing again even
 afresh1 his evil of sleeping unto his  
mind4 ,thus1  therefore1 he now went on1

 bewailing his sinful sleep1 saying1    
,oh1  wretched man that ,i am1 that ,i  
should sleep in the daytime6 that ,i    
should sleep in the midst of difficulty6
 that ,i should so indulge the  flesh as
 to use that rest for ease to my flesh  
which the ,lord of the  hill hath       
erected only for the relief of the      
spirits of pilgrims6 ,how  many steps   
have ,i taken in vain6 ,thus it happened
 to ,israel3 for their  sin they were   
sent back again by the way of the ,red  
,sea2 and ,i am made  to tread those    
steps with sorrow1 which ,i might have  
trod with delight  had it not been for  
this sinful sleep4 ,how far might ,i    
have been on my  way by this time6 ,i am
 made to tread those steps thrice over1 
which ,i  needed not to have trod but   
once3 yea1 also now ,i am like to be    
benighted1 for the day is almost spent4 
,oh1 that ,i had not slept6    ,now by  
this time he was come to arbor again1   
where for awhile he sat  down and wept2 
but at last as ,christian would have it1

 looking  sorrowfully down under the    
settle1 there he espied his roll1 the   
which  he with trembling and haste      
catched up1 and put it into his bosom4  
,but  who can tell how joyful this man  
was when he had gotten his roll again8  
,for this roll was the assurance of his 
life1 and acceptance at the  desired    
haven4 ,therefore he laid it up in his  
bosom1 gave thanks to ,god  for         
directing his eye to the place where it 
lay1 and with joy and tears  betook     
himself again to his journy4 ,but oh1   
how nimbly now did he go up  the rest of
 the hill6 ,yet1 before he got up1 the  
sun went down upon  ,christian2 and this
 made him again recall the vanity of his
 sleeping to  his remembrance2 and thus 
he again began to condole with himself3 
,o thou  sinful sleep6 how for thy sake 
am ,i like to be benighted in my        
journey6  ,i must walk without the sun1 
darkness must cover the path of my feet1
  and ,i must hear the noise of the     
doleful creatures1 because of my sinful 

sleep6 ,now also he remembered the story
 that ,mistrust and ,timorous told  him1
 of how they were frighted with the     
sight of the lions4 ,then said          
,christian to himself again1 ,these     
beasts range in the night for their     
prey1 and if they should meet with me in
 the dark1 how should ,i shift  them8   
how should ,i escape being by them torn 
in pieces8 ,thus he went on  his way4   
,but while he was thus bewailing his    
unhappy miscarriage1 he  lift up his    
eyes1 and behold there was a very       
stately palace before him1  the name of 
which was ,beautiful1 and it stood just 
by the highway side4    ,so ,i saw in my
 dream1 that he made haste1 and went    
forward1 that if  possible he might get 
lodging there4 ,now before he had gone  
far he  entered into a very narrow      
passage1 which was about a furlong off  
the  ,porter's lodge2 and looking very  
narrowly before him as he went1 he      
espied two lions in the way4 ,now1      
thought he1 ,i see the dangers that     

,mistrust and ,timorous were driven back
 by4 7,the lions were chained1 but  he  
saw not the chains47 ,then he was       
afraid1 and thought also himself to  go 
back after them2 for he thought nothing 
but death was before him4 ,but  the     
,porter at the lodge1 whose name is     
,watchful1 perceiving that  ,christian  
made a halt1 as if he would go back1    
cried unto him1 saying1  ,is thy        
strength so small8 ,fear not the lions1 
for they are chained1 and  are placed   
there for trial of faith where it is1   
and for discovery of  those that have   
none2 keep in the midst of the path and 
no hurt shall  come unto thee4    ,then 
,i saw that he went on trembling for    
fear of the lions2 but taking  good heed
 to the directions of the ,porter1 he   
heard them roar but they  did him no    
harm4 ,then he clapped his hands and    
went on till he came and  stood before  
the gate where the ,porter was4 ,then   
said ,christian to the  ,porter1 ,sir1  
what house is this8 and may ,i lodge    

here to-night8 ,the  ,porter answered1  
,this house was built by the ,lord of   
the hill1 and he  built it for the      
relief and security of pilgrims4 ,the   
,porter also asked  whence he was1 and  
whither he was going4    ,chr4 ,i am    
come from the ,city of ,destruction1 and
 am going to ,mount  ,zion2 but because 
the sun is now set1 ,i desire1 if ,i    
may1 to lodge here  to-night4    ,port4 
,what is your name8    ,chr4 ,my name is
 now ,christian1 but my name at the     
first was ,graceless2  ,i came of the   
race of ,japheth1 whom ,god will        
persuade to dwell in the  tents of      
,shem4    ,port4 ,but how doth it happen
 that you come so late8 ,the sun is set4
    ,chr4 ,i had been here sooner1 but  
that1 wretched man as ,i am1 ,i slept   
in the arbor that stands on the         
hillside4 ,nay1 ,i had1 notwithstanding 
that1 been here much sooner1 but that in
 my sleep ,i lost my evidence1  and came
 without it to the brow of the hill2 and
 then feeling for it1  and finding it   

not1 ,i was forced with sorrow of heart 
to go back to the  place where ,i slept 
my sleep1 where ,i found it2 and now ,i 
am come4    ,port4 ,well1 ,i will call  
out one of the virgins of this place1   
who  will1 if she likes your talk1 bring
 you in to the rest of the family1      
according to the rules of the house4 ,so
 ,watchful1 the ,porter1 rang a  bell1  
at the sound of which came out of the   
door of the house a grave  and beautiful
 damsel1 named ,discretion1 and asked   
why she was called4    ,the ,porter     
answered1 ,this man is on a journey from
 the ,city of  ,destruction to ,mount   
,zion1 but being weary and benighted1 he
 asked me if  he might lodge here       
to-night2 so ,i told him ,i would call  
for thee1 who1  after discourse had with
 him1 mayest do as seemeth thee good1   
even  according to the law of the house4
    ,then she asked him whence he was1  
and whither he was going2 and he told   
her4 ,she asked him also how he got into
 the way2 and he told her4 ,then  she   

asked him what he had seen and met with 
in the way1 and he told her4  ,and at   
last she asked his name4 ,so he said1   
,it is ,christian2 and ,i have  so much 
the more a desire to lodge here         
to-night1 because1 by what ,i  perceive1
 this place was built by the ,lord of   
the hill for the relief  and security of
 pilgrims4 ,so she smiled1 but the water
 stood in her  eyes2 and after a little 
pause she said1 ,i will call forth two  
or three  more of the family4 ,so she   
ran to the door1 and called out         
,prudence1  ,piety1 and ,charity1 who1  
after a little more discourse with him1 
had him  into the family2 and many of   
them meeting him at the threshold of the
  house1 said1 ,come in1 thou blessed of
 the ,lord2 this house was built by  the
 ,lord of the hill on purpose to        
entertain such pilgrims in4 ,then he    
bowed his head1 and followed them into  
the house4 ,so when he was come in  and 
sat down1 they gave him something to    
drink1 and consented together  that1    

until supper was ready1 some of them    
should have some particular  discourse  
with ,christian1 for the best           
improvement of time2 and they  appointed
 ,piety1 ,prudence1 and ,charity1 to    
discourse with him4    ,now ,i saw in my
 dream1 that thus they sat talking      
together until supper  was ready4 ,so   
when they had made ready they sat down  
to meat4 ,now the  table was furnished  
with fat things1 and wine that was well 
refined2 and  all their talk at the     
table was about the ,lord of the hill2  
as namely1  what he had done1 and       
wherefore he did what he did1 and why he
 had  builded that house2 and by what   
they said1 ,i perceived that he had been
  a great warrior1 and had fought with  
and slain him that had the power of     
death1 but not without great danger to  
himself1 which made me love him  the    
more4    ,for1 as they said1 and as ,i  
believe1 said ,christian1 he did it with
 the  loss of much blood4 ,but that     
which put the glory of grace into all he

  did1 was1 that he did it out of pure  
love to this country4 ,and besides1     
there was some of them of the household 
that said they had been and  spoke with 
him since he did die on the cross2 and  
they have attested1  that they had it   
from his own lips1 that he is such a    
lover of poor  pilgrims1 that the like  
is not to be found from the east to the 
west4  ,they1 moreover1 gave an instance
 of what they affirmed1 and that was1 he
  had stripped himself of his glory that
 he might do this for the poor2  and    
that they had heard him say and affirm1 
that he would not dwell in  the mountain
 of ,zion alone4 ,they said1 moreover1  
that he had made many  pilgrims princes1
 though by nature they were beggars     
born1 and their  original had been the  
dunghill4    ,thus they discoursed      
together till late at night3 and after  
they had  committed themselves to their 
,lord for protection1 they betook       
themselves to rest4 ,the pilgrim they   
laid in a large upper chamber1  whose   

window opened toward the sunrising4 ,the
 name of the chamber was  ,peace1 where 
he slept till break of day1 and then he 
awoke and sang3      ,where am ,i now8  
,is this the love and care    ,of       
,jesus1 for the men that pilgrims are1  
,thus to provide that ,i should be      
forgiven1    ,and dwell already the next
 door to heaven8    ,so in the morning  
they all got up2 and after some more    
discourse1 they  told him that he should
 not depart till they had showed him the
  rarities of that place4 ,and first    
they had him into the study1 where  they
 showed him records of the greatest     
antiquity2 in which1 as ,i  remember my 
dream1 they showed him the pedigree of  
the ,lord of the hill1  that he was the 
,son of the ,ancient of days1 and came  
by that eternal  generation4 ,here also 
was more fully recorded the acts that he
 had done1  and the names of many       
hundreds that he had taken into his     
service2 and  how he had placed them in 
such habitations1 that could neither by 

length  of days1 nor decays of nature1  
be dissolved4    ,then they read to him 
some of the worthy acts that some of his
 servants  had done2 as how they had    
subdued kingdoms1 wrought righteousness1
  obtained promises1 stopped the mouths 
of lions1 quenched the violence of      
fire1 escaped the edge of the sword1 out
 of weakness were made strong1  waxed   
valiant in fight1 and turned to flight  
the armies of the aliens4    ,then they 
read again another part of the records  
of the house1 where it  was shown how   
willing their ,lord was to receive into 
his favor any1 even  any1 though they in
 time past had offered great affronts to
 his person  and proceedings4 ,here also
 were several other histories of many   
other  famous things1 of all which      
,christian had a view2 as of things both
  ancient and modern1 together with     
prophecies and predictions of things    
that have their certain accomplishment1 
both to the dread and amazement  of     
enemies1 and the comfort and solace of  

pilgrims4    ,the next day they took    
him1 and had him into the armory1 where 
they  showed him all manner of furniture
 which their ,lord had provided for     
pilgrims1 as sword1 shield1 helmet1     
breastplate1 all-prayer1 and shoes  that
 would not wear out4 ,and there was here
 enough of this to harness  out as many 
men for the service of their ,lord as   
there be stars in  heaven for multitude4
    ,they also showed him some of the   
engines with which some of his servants 
had done wonderful things4 ,they showed 
him ,moses' rod2 the hammer and  nail   
with which ,jael slew ,sisera2 the      
pitchers1 trumpets1 and lamps1  too1    
with which ,gideon put to flight the    
armies of ,midian4 ,then they  showed   
him the ox's goad wherewith ,shamgar    
slew six hundred men4 ,they  showed him 
also the jaw-bone with which ,samson did
 such mighty feats4  ,they showed him1  
moreover1 the sling and stone with which
 ,david slew  ,goliath of ,gath1 and the
 sword also with which their ,lord will 

kill the  ,man of ,sin1 in the day that 
he shall rise up to the prey4 ,they     
showed  him besides many excellent      
things1 with which ,christian was much  
delighted4 ,this done1 they went to     
their rest again4    ,then ,i saw in my 
dream1 that on the morrow he got up to  
go forward1 but  they desired him to    
stay till the next day also2 and then1  
said they1 we  will1 if the day be      
clear1 show you the ,delectable         
,mountains2 which1  they said1 would yet
 further add to his comfort1 because    
they were  nearer the desired haven than
 the place where at present he was2 so  
he  consented and stayed4 ,when the     
morning was up1 they had him to the top 
of the house1 and bid him look south4   
,so he did1 and behold1 at a great      
distance1 he saw a most pleasant1       
mountainous country1 beautified with    
woods1 vineyards1 fruit of all sorts1   
flowers also1 with springs and          
fountains1 very delectable to behold4   
,then he asked the name of the  country4

 ,they said it was ,immanuel's ,land2   
and it is as common1 said  they1 as this
 hill is1 to and for all the pilgrims4  
,and when thou comest  there1 from      
thence1 said they1 thou mayest see to   
the gate of the  ,celestial ,city1 as   
the shepherds that live there will make 
appear4    ,now he bethought himself of 
setting forward1 and they were willing  
he  should4 ,but first1 said they1 let  
us go again into the armory4 ,so they   
did1 and when he came there they        
harnessed him from head to foot with    
what was of proof1 lest perhaps he      
should meet with assaults in the way4   
,he being therefore thus accoutred1     
walked out with his friends to the      
gate2 and there he asked the ,porter if 
he saw any pilgrim pass by4 ,then  the  
,porter answered1 ,yes4    ,chr4 ,pray1 
did you know him8 said he4    ,port4 ,i 
asked his name1 and he told me it was   
,faithful4    ,chr4 ,oh1 said           
,christian1 ,i know him2 he is my       
townsman1 my dear  neighbor2 he comes   

from the place where ,i was born4 ,how  
far do you think  he may be before8     
,port4 ,he is got by this time below the
 hill4    ,chr4 ,well1 said ,christian1 
good ,porter1 the ,lord be with thee1   
and add  to thy blessings much increase 
for the kindness thou hast shown to me4 
,then he began to go forward2 but       
,discretion1 ,piety1 ,chanty1 and       
,prudence would accompany him down to   
the foot of the hill4 ,so they went  on 
together1 reiterating their former      
discourses1 till they came to go  down  
the hill4 ,then said ,christian1 ,as it 
was difficult coming up1 so1  so far as 
,i can see1 it is dangerous going down4 
,yes1 said ,prudence1 so  it is2 for it 
is a hard matter for a man to go down   
into the ,valley of  ,humiliation1 as   
thou art now1 and to catch no slip by   
the way2  therefore1 said they1 are we  
come out to accompany thee down the     
hill4  ,so he began to go down1 but very
 warily2 yet he caught a slip or two4   
,then ,i saw in my dream1 that these    

good companions1 when ,christian was    
got down to the bottom of the hill1 gave
 him a loaf of bread1 a bottle  of wine1
 and a cluster of raisins2 and then he  
went his way4    ,but now1 in this      
,valley of ,humiliation1 poor ,christian
 was hard put to  it2 for he had gone   
but a little way before he espied a foul
 fiend  coming over the field to meet   
him3 his name is ,apollyon4 ,then did   
,christian begin to be afraid1 and to   
cast in his mind whether to go  back1 or
 to stand his ground4 ,but he considered
 again that he had no  armor for his    
back1 and therefore thought that to turn
 the back to him  might give him greater
 advantage with ease to pierce him with 
his darts2  therefore he resolved to    
venture1 and stand his ground2 for1     
thought he1  had ,i no more in mine eye 
than the saving of my life1 it would be 
the  best way to stand4    ,so he went  
on1 and ,apollyon met him4 ,now the     
monster was hideous to  behold2 he was  
clothed with scales like a fish1 and    

they are his pride2  he had wings like a
 dragon1 and feet like a bear1 and out  
of his belly  came fire and smoke2 and  
his mouth was as the mouth of a lion4   
,when he  came up to ,christian he      
beheld him with a disdainful            
countenance1 and  thus began to question
 with him4    ,apollyon4 ,whence come   
you1 and whither are you bound8    ,chr4
 ,i am come from the ,city of           
,destruction1 which is the place of all 
evil1 and ,i am going to the city of    
,zion4    ,apol4 ,by this ,i perceive   
that thou art one of my subjects2 for   
all  that country is mine1 and ,i am the
 prince and god of it4 ,how is it1      
then1 that thou hast run away from thy  
king8 ,were it not that ,i hope  thou   
mayst do me more service1 ,i would      
strike thee now at one blow to  the     
ground4    ,chr4 ,i was1 indeed1 born in
 your dominions1 but your service was   
hard1  and your wages such as a man     
could not live on3 for the wages of sin 
is  death2 therefore when ,i was come to

 years1 ,i did1 as other considerate    
persons do1 look out1 if perhaps ,i     
might mend myself4    ,apol4 ,there is  
no prince that will thus lightly lose   
his subjects1  neither will ,i as yet   
lose thee2 but since thou complainest of
 thy  service and wages1 be content to  
go back1 and what our country will      
afford ,i do here promise to give thee4 
,chr4 ,but ,i have let myself to        
another1 even to the ,king of princes2  
and how can ,i with fairness go back    
with thee8    ,apol4 ,thou hast done in 
this according to the proverb1 changed a
 bad  for worse2 but it is ordinary for 
those that have professed themselves    
his servants1 after awhile to give him  
the slip1 and return again to me4  ,do  
thou so too1 and all shall be well4     
,chr4 ,i have given him my faith1 and   
sworn my allegiance to him2 how  then   
can ,i go back from this1 and not be    
hanged as a traitor8    ,apol4 ,thou    
didst the same to me1 and yet ,i am     
willing to pass by all1  if now thou    

wilt yet turn again and go back4        
,chr4 ,what ,i promised thee was in my  
nonage2 and besides1 ,i count that  the 
,prince1 under whose banner now ,i      
stand1 is able to absolve me1 yea1  and 
to pardon also what ,i did as to my     
compliance with thee4 ,and  besides1 ,o 
thou destroying ,apollyon1 to speak     
truth1 ,i like his service1  his wages1 
his servants1 his government1 his       
company1 and country1  better than      
thine2 therefore leave off to persuade  
me further2 ,i am his  servant1 and ,i  
will follow him4    ,apol4 ,consider    
again1 when thou art in cool blood1 what
 thou art like  to meet with in the way 
that thou goest4 ,thou knowest that for 
the most  part his servants come to an  
ill end1 because they are transgressors 
against me and my ways4 ,how many of    
them have been put to shameful  deaths6 
,and besides1 thou countest est his     
service better than mine2  whereas he   
never came yet from the place where he  
is1 to deliver any  that serve him out  

of my hands2 but as for me1 how many    
times1 as all  the world very well      
knows1 have ,i delivered1 either by     
power or fraud1  those that have        
faithfully served me1 from him and his1 
though taken by  them4 ,and so ,i will  
deliver thee4    ,chr4 ,his forbearing  
at present to deliver them1 is on       
purpose to try  their love1 whether they
 will cleave to him to the end2 and as  
for the  ill end thou sayest they come  
to1 that is most glorious in their      
account4 ,for1 for the present          
deliverance1 they do not much expect it2
  for they stay for their glory2 and    
then they shall have it1 when their     
,prince comes in his1 and the glory of  
the angels4    ,apol4 ,thou hast already
 been unfaithful in thy service to him2 
and how  dost thou think to receive     
wages of him4    ,chr4 ,wherein1 ,o     
,apollyon1 have ,i been unfaithful to   
him8    ,apol4 ,thou didst faint at the 
first setting out1 when thou wast almost
  choked in the ,gulf of ,despond4 ,thou

 didst attempt wrong ways to be rid  of 
thy burden1 whereas thou shouldst have  
stayed till thy ,prince had  taken it   
off4 ,thou didst sinfully sleep1 and    
lose thy choice things4  ,thou wast     
almost persuaded to go back at the sight
 of the lions4 ,and  when thou talkest  
of thy journey1 and of what thou hast   
seen and heard1  thou art inwardly      
desirous of vain-glory in all that thou 
sayest or  doest4    ,chr4 ,all this is 
true1 and much more which thou hast left
 out2 but  the ,prince whom ,i serve and
 honor is merciful and ready to forgive4
 ,but  besides1 these infirmities       
possessed me in thy country2 for there  
,i  sucked them in1 and ,i have groaned 
under them1 been sorry for them1 and    
have obtained pardon of my ,prince4     
,apol4 ,then ,apollyon broke out into a 
grievous rage1 saying1 ,i am an  enemy  
to this ,prince2 ,i hate his person1 his
 laws1 and people2 ,i am come  out on   
purpose to withstand thee4    ,chr4     
,apollyon1 beware what you do1 for ,i am

 in the king's highway1 the  way of     
holiness2 therefore take heed to        
yourself4    ,then ,apollyon straddled  
quite over the whole breadth of the way1
 and  said1 ,i am void of fear in this  
matter4 ,prepare thyself to die2 for ,i 
swear by my infernal den1 that thou     
shalt go no further2 here will ,i  spill
 thy soul4 ,and with that he threw a    
naming dart at his breast3 but          
,christian had a shield in his hand1    
with which he caught it1 and so         
prevented the danger of that4    ,then  
did ,christian draw1 for he saw it was  
time to bestir him2 and  ,apollyon as   
fast made at him1 throwing darts as     
thick as hail2 by the  which1           
notwithstanding all that ,christian     
could do to avoid it1 ,apollyon  wounded
 him in his head1 his hand1 and foot4   
,this made ,christian give a  little    
back3 ,apollyon1 therefore1 followed his
 work amain1 and ,christian  again took 
courage1 and resisted as manfully as he 
could4 ,this sore  combat lasted for    

about half a day1 even till ,christian  
was almost quite  spent4 ,for you must  
know1 that ,christian1 by reason of his 
wounds1 must  needs grow weaker and     
weaker4    ,then1 ,apollyon1 espying his
 opportunity1 began to gather up close  
to  ,christian1 wrestling with him1 gave
 him a dreadful fall2 and with that     
,christian's sword flew out of his hand4
 ,then said ,apollyon1 ,i am sure of    
thee now4 ,and with that he had almost  
pressed him to death2 so that           
,christian began to despair of life4    
,but1 as ,god would have it1 while      
,apollyon was fetching his last blow1   
thereby to make a full end of this  good
 man1 ,christian nimbly reached out his 
hand for his sword1 and  caught it1     
saying1 ,rejoice not against me1 ,o mine
 enemy2 when ,i fall ,i  shall arise2   
and with that gave him a deadly thrust1 
which made him give  back1 as one that  
had received his mortal wound4          
,christian perceiving  that1 made at him
 again1 saying1 ,nay1 in all these      

things we are more  than conquerors     
through him that loved us4 ,and with    
that ,apollyon spread  forth his        
dragon's wings1 and sped him away1 that 
,christian saw him no  more4    ,in this
 combat no man can imagine1 unless he   
had seen and heard as ,i  did1 what     
yelling and hideous roaring ,apollyon   
made all the time of the  fight2 he     
spake like a dragon3 and on the other   
side1 what sighs and  groans burst from 
,christian's heart4 ,i never saw him all
 the while give  so much as one pleasant
 look1 till he perceived he had wounded 
,apollyon  with his two-edged sword2    
then1 indeed1 he did smile1 and look    
upward2  but it was the dreadfulest     
fight that ,i ever saw4    ,so when the 
battle was over1 ,christian said1 ,i    
will here give thanks to  him that hath 
delivered me out of the mouth of the    
lion2 to him that did  help me against  
,apollyon4 ,and so he did1 saying3      
,great ,beelzebub1 the captain of this  
fiend1    ,design'd my ruin2 therefore  

to this end    ,he sent him harness'd   
out1 and he with rage1    ,that hellish 
was1 did fiercely me engage3    ,but    
blessed ,michael helped me1 and ,i1     
,by dint of sword1 did quickly make him 
fly4    ,therefore to him let me give   
lasting praise1    ,and thank and bless 
his holy name always4    ,then there    
came to him a hand1 with some of the    
leaves of the tree of  life1 the which  
,christian took and applied to the      
wounds that he had  received in the     
battle1 and was healed immediately4 ,he 
also sat down in  that place to eat     
bread1 and to drink of the bottle that  
was given to  him a little before2 so   
being refreshed1 he addressed himself to
 his  journey1 with his sword drawn in  
his hand2 for1 he said1 ,i know not but 
some other enemy may be at hand4 ,but he
 met with no other affront from         
,apollyon quite through the valley4     
,now at the end of this valley was      
another1 called the ,valley of the      
,shadow of ,death2 and ,christian must  

needs go through it1 because the way  to
 the ,celestial ,city lay through the   
midst of it4 ,now this valley is a  very
 solitary place2 the prophet ,jeremiah  
thus describes it3 ,a  wilderness1 a    
land of deserts and pits1 a land of     
drought1 and of the  shadow of death1 a 
land that no man 7but a ,christian7     
passeth through1  and where no man      
dwelt4    ,now here ,christian was worse
 put to it than in his fight with       
,apollyon1  as by the sequel you shall  
see4    ,i saw then in my dream1 that   
when ,christian was got to the borders  
of  the ,shadow of ,death1 there met him
 two men1 children of them that  brought
 up an evil report of the good          
land--making haste to go back--to  whom 
,christian spake as follows3    ,chr4   
,whither are you going8    ,men4 ,they  
said1 ,back1 back1 and we would have you
 do so too1 if either  life or peace is 
prized by you4    ,why1 what's the      
matter8 said ,christian4    ,men4       
,matter8 said they2 we were going that  

way as you are going1 and  went as far  
as we durst3 and indeed we were almost  
past coming back2 for  had we gone a    
little further1 we had not been here to 
bring the news to  thee4    ,but what   
have you met with8 said ,christian4     
,men4 ,why1 we were almost in the       
,valley of the ,shadow of ,death1 but   
that by good hap we looked before us1   
and saw the danger before we came  to   
it4    ,but what have you seen8 said    
,christian4    ,men4 ,seen6 why the     
valley itself1 which is as dark as      
pitch3 we also  saw there the           
hobgoblins1 satyrs1 and dragons of the  
pit2 we heard also  in that valley a    
continual howling and yelling1 as of a  
people under  unutterable misery1 who   
there sat bound in affliction and irons2
 and  over that valley hangs the        
discouraging clouds of confusion3 death 
also  doth always spread his wings over 
it4 ,in a word1 it is every whit        
dreadful1 being utterly without order4  
,then1 said ,christian1 ,i perceive not 

yet1 by what you have said1 but  that   
this is my way to the desired haven4    
,men4 ,be it thy way1 we will not choose
 it for ours4    ,so they parted1 and   
,christian went on his way1 but still   
with his sword  drawn in his hand1 for  
fear lest he should be assaulted4    ,i 
saw then in my dream1 so far as this    
valley reached1 there was on the  right 
hand a very deep ditch2 that ditch is   
it1 into which the blind  have led the  
blind in all ages1 and have both there  
miserably perished4  ,again1 behold1 on 
the left hand there was a very dangerous
 quag1 into  which1 if even a good man  
falls1 he finds no bottom for his foot  
to  stand on3 into that quag ,king      
,david once did fall1 and had no doubt  
therein been smothered1 had not he that 
is able plucked him out4    ,the pathway
 was here also exceeding narrow1 and    
therefore good ,christian  was the more 
put to it2 for when he sought1 in the   
dark1 to shun the  ditch on the one     
hand1 he was ready to tip over into the 

mire on the  other3 also1 when he sought
 to escape the mire1 without great      
carefulness he would be ready to fall   
into the ditch4 ,thus he went on1  and  
,i heard him here sigh bitterly2 for    
beside the danger mentioned  above1 the 
pathway was here so dark1 that ofttimes1
 when he lifted up  his foot to go      
forward1 he knew not where or upon what 
he should set it  next4    ,about the   
midst of this valley ,i perceived the   
mouth of hell to be1 and  it stood also 
hard by the wayside4 ,now1 thought      
,christian1 what shall ,i  do8 ,and ever
 and anon the flame and smoke would come
 out in such  abundance1 with sparks and
 hideous noises 7things that cared not  
for  ,christian's sword1 as did         
,apollyon before71 that he was forced to
 put up  his sword1 and betake himself  
to another weapon1 called ,all-prayer2  
so  he cried1 in my hearing1 ,o ,lord1  
,i beseech thee1 deliver my soul4 ,thus 
he went on a great while1 yet still the 
flames would be reaching toward  him2   

also he heard doleful voices1 and       
rushings to and fro1 so that  sometimes 
he thought he should be torn in pieces1 
or trodden down like  mire in the       
streets4 ,this frightful sight was seen1
 and these dreadful  noises were heard  
by him for several miles together3 and  
coming to a  place where he thought he  
heard a company of fiends coming forward
 to  meet him1 he stopped1 and began to 
muse what he had best to do4  ,sometimes
 he had half a thought to go back2 then1
 again1 he thought he  might be half way
 through the valley4 ,he remembered1    
also1 how he had  already vanquished    
many a danger2 and that the danger of   
going back  might be much more than for 
to go forward4 ,so he resolved to go on3
 yet  the fiends seemed to come nearer  
and nearer4 ,but when they were come    
even almost at him1 he cried out with a 
most vehement voice1 ,i will walk  in   
the strength of the ,lord ,god4 ,so they
 gave back1 and came no further4    ,one
 thing ,i would not let slip4 ,i took   

notice that now poor ,christian  was so 
confounded that he did not know his own 
voice2 and thus ,i  perceived it4 ,just 
when he was come over against the mouth 
of the  burning pit1 one of the wicked  
ones got behind him1 and stepped up     
softly to him1 and whisperingly         
suggested many grievous blasphemies to  
him1 which he verily thought had        
proceeded from his own mind4 ,this put  
,christian more to it than anything that
 he met with before1 even to  think that
 he should now blaspheme him that he    
loved so much before4 ,yet  if he could 
have helped it1 he would not have done  
it2 but he had not  the discretion      
either to stop his ears1 or to know from
 whence these  blasphemies came4        
,when ,christian had travelled in this  
disconsolate condition some             
considerable time1 he thought he heard  
the voice of a man1 as going  before    
him1 saying1 ,though ,i walk through the
 ,valley of the ,shadow of  ,death1 ,i  
will fear no evil1 for thou art with me4

    ,then was he glad1 and that for     
these reasons3    ,first1 ,because he   
gathered from thence1 that some who     
feared ,god were in  this valley as well
 as himself4    ,secondly1 ,for that he 
perceived ,god was with them1 though in 
that dark  and dismal state4 ,and why   
not1 thought he1 with me8 though by     
reason of  the impediment that attends  
this place1 ,i cannot perceive it4      
,thirdly1 ,for that he hoped1 could he  
overtake them1 to have company by  and  
by4 ,so he went on1 and called to him   
that was before2 but he knew  not what  
to answer1 for that he also thought     
himself to be alone4 ,and by  and by the
 day broke3 then said ,christian1 ,he   
hath turned the shadow of  death into   
the morning4    ,now morning being come1
 he looked back1 not out of desire to   
return1  but to see1 by the light of the
 day1 what hazards he had gone through  
in  the dark4 ,so he saw more perfectly 
the ditch that was on the one hand1  and
 the quag that was on the other2 also   

how narrow the way was which  led       
between them both4 ,also now he saw the 
hobgoblins1 and satyrs1 and  dragons of 
the pit1 but all afar off2 for after    
break of day they came  not nigh1 yet   
they were discovered to him according to
 that which is  written1 ,he discovereth
 deep things out of darkness1 and       
bringeth out  to light the shadow of    
death4    ,now was ,christian much      
affected with this deliverance from all 
the  dangers of his solitary way2 which 
dangers1 though he feared them much     
before1 yet he saw them more clearly    
now1 because the light of the day  made 
them conspicuous to him4 ,and about this
 time the sun was rising1  and this was 
another mercy to ,christian2 for you    
must note1 that though  the first part  
of the ,valley of the ,shadow of ,death 
was dangerous1 yet  this second part1   
which he was yet to go1 was1 if         
possible1 far more  dangerous2 for1 from
 the place where he now stood1 even to  
the end of  the valley1 the way was all 

along set so full of snares1 traps1     
gins1  and nets here1 and so full of    
pits1 pitfalls1 deep holes1 and         
shelvings  down there1 that had it now  
been dark1 as it was when he came the   
first  part of the way1 had he had a    
thousand souls1 they had in reason been 
cast away2 but1 as ,i said1 just now the
 sun was rising4 ,then said he1  ,his   
candle shineth on my head1 and by his   
light ,i go through darkness4    ,in    
this light1 therefore1 he came to the   
end of the valley4 ,now ,i saw  in my   
dream1 that at the end of the valley lay
 blood1 bones1 ashes1 and  mangled      
bodies of men1 even of pilgrims that had
 gone this way formerly2  and while ,i  
was musing what should be the reason1 ,i
 espied a little  before me a cave1     
where two giants1 ,pope and ,pagan1     
dwelt in old time2  by whose power and  
tyranny the men1 whose bones1 blood1    
ashes1 etc41 lay  there1 were cruelly   
put to death4 ,but by this place        
,christian went  without much danger1   

whereat ,i somewhat wondered2 but ,i    
have learned  since1 that ,pagan has    
been dead many a day2 and as for the    
other1 though  he be yet alive1 he is1  
by reason of age1 and also of the many  
shrewd  brushes that he met with in his 
younger days1 grown so crazy and stiff  
in his joints1 that he can now do little
 more than sit in his cave's  mouth1    
grinning at pilgrims as they go by1 and 
biting his nails because  he cannot come
 at them4    ,so ,i saw that ,christian 
went on his way2 yet1 at the sight of   
the old  man that sat at the mouth of   
the cave1 he could not tell what to     
think1  especially because he spoke to  
him1 though he could not go after him1  
saying1 ,you will never mend till more  
of you be burned4 ,but he held his      
peace1 and set a good face on it1 and so
 went by1 and catched no hurt4  ,then   
sang ,christian3      ,oh1 world of     
wonders 7,i can say no less71    ,that  
,i should be preserved in that distress 
,that ,i have met with here6 ,oh1       

blessed be    ,that hand that from it   
hath deliver'd me6    ,dangers in       
darkness1 heaven1 hell1 and sin1    ,did
 compass me1 while ,i this vale was in2 
,yea1 snares1 and pits1 and traps1 and  
nets did lie    ,my path about1 that    
worthless1 silly ,i    ,might have been 
catch'd1 entangled1 and cast down1      
,but since ,i live1 let ,jesus wear the 
crown4    ,now as ,christian went on his
 way1 he came to a little ascent1 which 
was  cast up on purpose that pilgrims   
might see before them2 up there1        
therefore1 ,christian went2 and looking 
forward1 he saw ,faithful before  him   
upon his journey4 ,then said ,christian 
aloud1 ,ho1 ho2 so-ho2 stay1  and ,i    
will be your companion4 ,at that        
,faithful looked behind him2 to  whom   
,christian cried again1 ,stay1 stay1    
till ,i come up to you4 ,but  ,faithful 
answered1 ,no1 ,i am upon my life1 and  
the avenger of blood is  behind me4     
,at this ,christian was somewhat moved1 
and putting to all his strength1  he    

quickly got up with ,faithful1 and did  
also overrun him2 so the last  was      
first4 ,then did ,christian             
vain-gloriously smile1 because he had   
gotten the start of his brother2 but not
 taking good heed to his feet1  he      
suddenly stumbled and fell1 and could   
not rise again until ,faithful  came up 
to help him4    ,then ,i saw in my      
dream1 they went very lovingly on       
together1 and had  sweet discourse of   
all things that had happened to them in 
their  pilgrimage4    ,then ,i saw in my
 dream1 that when they were got out of  
the wilderness1  they presently saw a   
town before them1 and the name of that  
town is  ,vanity2 and at the town there 
is a fair kept1 called ,vanity ,fair4   
,it is  kept all the year long4 ,it     
beareth the name of ,vanity ,fair       
because the  town where it is kept is   
lighter than vanity1 and also1 because  
all that  is there sold1 or that cometh 
thither1 is vanity2 as is the saying of 
the wise1 ,all that cometh is vanity4   

,this fair is no new erected business1  
but a thing of ancient standing4 ,i     
will show you the original of it4       
,almost five thousand years ago there   
were pilgrims walking to the  ,celestial
 ,city1 as these two honest persons are2
 and ,beelzebub1  ,apollyon1 and        
,legion1 with their companions1         
perceiving by the path that  the        
pilgrims made1 that their way to the    
city lay through this town of  ,vanity1 
they contrived here to set up a fair2 a 
fair wherein should be  sold all sorts  
of vanity1 and that it should last all  
the year long4  ,therefore at this fair 
are all such merchandise sold as houses1
 lands1  trades1 places1 honors1        
preferments1 titles1 countries1         
kingdoms1 lusts1  pleasures2 and        
delights of all sorts1 such as harlots1 
wives1 husbands1  children1 masters1    
servants1 lives1 blood1 bodies1 souls1  
silver1 gold1  pearls1 precious stones1 
and what not4    ,and moreover1 at this 
fair there are at all times to be seen  

jugglings1  cheats1 games1 plays1 fools1
 apes1 knaves1 and rogues1 and that of  
every  kind4    ,here are to be seen1   
too1 and that for nothing1 thefts1      
murders1  adulteries1 false-swearers1   
and that of a blood-red color4    ,and  
as1 in other fairs of less moment1 there
 are the several rows and  streets under
 their proper names1 where such and such
 wares are vended3  so here likewise you
 have the proper places1 rows1 streets1 
namely1  countries and kingdoms1 where  
the wares of this fair are soonest to be
  found4 ,here is the ,britain ,row1 the
 ,french ,row1 the ,italian ,row1 the   
,spanish ,row1 the ,german ,row1 where  
several sorts of vanities are to be     
sold4 ,but as in other fairs some one   
commodity is as the chief of all  the   
fair1 so the ware of ,rome and her      
merchandise is greatly promoted in  this
 fair2 only our ,english nation1 with   
some others1 have taken a  dislike      
thereat4    ,now1 as ,i said1 the way to
 the ,celestial ,city lies just through 

this  town where this lusty fair is     
kept2 and he that would go to the city1 
and yet not go through this town1 must  
needs go out of the world4 ,the  ,prince
 of princes himself1 when here1 went    
through this town to his own  country1  
and that upon a fair-day1 too2 yea1 and 
as ,i think1 it was  ,beelzebub1 the    
chief lord of this fair1 that invited   
him to buy of his  vanities1 yea1 would 
have made him lord of the fair1 would he
 but have  done him reverence as he went
 through the town4 ,yea1 because he was 
such  a person of honor ,beelzebub had  
him from street to street1 and showed   
him all the kingdoms of the world in a  
little time1 that he might1 if          
possible1 allure that ,blessed ,one to  
cheapen and buy some of his  vanities2  
but he had no mind to the merchandise1  
and therefore left the  town without    
laying out so much as one farthing upon 
these vanities4  ,this fair1 therefore1 
is an ancient thing of long standing1   
and a very  great fair4    ,now these   

pilgrims1 as ,i said1 must needs go     
through this fair4 ,well1 so  they did2 
but1 behold1 even as they entered into  
the fair1 all the  people in the fair   
were moved1 and the town itself1 as it  
were1 in a  hubbub about them1 and that 
for several reasons3 ,for1    ,first1   
,the pilgrims were clothed with such    
kind of raiment as was  diverse from the
 raiment of any that traded in that     
fair4 ,the people1  therefore1 of the   
fair made a great gazing upon them2 some
 said they  were fools2 some they were  
bedlams2 and some they were outlandish  
men4    ,secondly1 ,and as they wondered
 at their apparel1 so they did likewise 
at  their speech2 for few could         
understand what they said4 ,they        
naturally  spoke the language of        
,canaan2 but they that kept the fair    
were the men  of this world4 ,so that   
from one end of the fair to the other   
they seemed  barbarians each to the     
other4    ,thirdly1 ,but that which did 
not a little amuse the merchandisers    

was1  that these pilgrims set very light
 by all their wares4 ,they cared not so 
much as to look upon them2 and if they  
called upon them to buy1 they  would put
 their fingers in their ears1 and cry1  
,turn away mine eyes  from beholding    
vanity1 and look upward1 signifying that
 their trade and  traffic was in heaven4
    ,one chanced mockingly1 beholding   
the carriage of the men1 to say unto    
them1 ,what will ye buy8 ,but they      
looking gravely upon him1 said1 ,we  buy
 the truth4 ,at that1 there was an      
occasion taken to despise the men  the  
more2 some mocking1 some taunting1 some 
speaking reproachfully1 and  some       
calling upon others to smite them4 ,at  
last things came to a hubbub  and great 
stir in the fair1 insomuch that all     
order was confounded4 ,now  was word    
presently brought to the great one of   
the fair1 who quickly  came down1 and   
deputed some of his most trusty friends 
to take those men  into examination     
about whom the fair was almost          

overturned4 ,so the men  were brought to
 examination2 and they that sat upon    
them asked whence  they came1 whither   
they went1 and what they did there in   
such an unusual  garb4 ,the men told    
them that they were pilgrims and        
strangers in the  world1 and that they  
were going to their own country1 which  
was the  heavenly ,jerusalem2 and that  
they had given no occasion to the men of
  the town1 nor yet to the              
merchandisers1 thus to abuse them1 and  
to let  them in their journey1 except it
 was for that when one asked them what  
they would buy1 they said they would buy
 the truth4 ,but they that were         
appointed to examine them did not       
believe them to be any other than       
bedlams and mad1 or else such as came to
 put all things into a confusion  in the
 fair4 ,therefore they took them and    
beat them1 and besmeared them  with     
dirt1 and then put them into the cage1  
that they might be made a  spectacle to 
all the men of the fair4 ,there1        

therefore1 they lay for  some time1 and 
were made the objects of any man's      
sport1 or malice1 or  revenge2 the great
 one of the fair laughing still at all  
that befell  them4 ,but the men being   
patient1 and not rendering railing for  
railing1  but contrariwise blessing1 and
 giving good words for bad1 and kindness
  for injuries done1 some men in the    
fair that were more observing and  less 
prejudiced than the rest1 began to check
 and blame the baser  sort for their    
continual abuses done by them to the    
men4 ,they1  therefore1 in angry manner1
 let fly at them again1 counting them as
 bad  as the men in the cage1 and       
telling them that they seemed           
confederates  and should be made        
partakers of their misfortunes4 ,the    
others replied1  that1 for aught they   
could see1 the men were quiet and sober1
 and  intended nobody any harm2 and that
 there were many that traded in their   
fair that were more worthy to be put    
into the cage1 yea1 and pillory  too1   

than were the men that they had abused4 
,thus1 after divers words  had passed on
 both sides--the men behaving themselves
 all the while very  wisely and soberly 
before them--they fell to some blows    
among  themselves1 and did harm one to  
another4 ,then were these two poor men  
brought before their examiners again1   
and there charged as being guilty  of   
the late hubbub that had been in the    
fair4 ,so they beat them  pitifully1 and
 hanged irons upon them1 and led them in
 chains up and  down the fair1 for an   
example and terror to others1 lest any  
should  speak in their behalf1 or join  
themselves unto them4 ,but ,christian   
and  ,faithful behaved themselves yet   
more wisely1 and received the ignominy  
and shame that was cast upon them with  
so much meekness and patience1  that it 
won to their side--though but few in    
comparison of the  rest--several of the 
men in the fair4 ,this put the other    
party yet into  a greater rage1 insomuch
 that they concluded the death of these 

two men4  ,wherefore they threatened    
that neither cage nor irons should serve
 their  turn1 but that they should die  
for the abuse they had done1 and for    
deluding the men of the fair4    ,then  
were they remanded to the cage again    
until further order should be  taken    
with them4 ,so they put them in1 and    
made them fast in the stocks4    ,here1 
therefore1 they called again to mind    
what they had heard from  their faithful
 friend ,evangelist1 and were the more  
confirmed in their  way and sufferings1 
by what he told them would happen to    
them4 ,they also  now comforted each    
other1 that whose lot it was to suffer1 
even he  should have the best of it2    
therefore each man secretly wished that 
he  might have that preferment4 ,but    
committing themselves to the all-wise   
disposal of him that ruleth all things1 
with much content they abode in  the    
condition in which they were until they 
should be otherwise disposed  of4       
,then a convenient time being appointed1

 they brought them forth to their       
trial1 in order to their condemnation4  
,when the time was come1 they were      
brought before their enemies1 and       
arraigned4 ,the judge's name was ,lord  
,hate-good2 their indictment was one and
 the same in substance1 though  somewhat
 varying in form2 the contents whereof  
was this3 ,that they were  enemies to1  
and disturbers of1 the trade2 that they 
had made commotions  and divisions in   
the town1 and had won a party to their  
own most  dangerous opinions1 in        
contempt of the law of their prince4    
,then ,faithful began to answer1 that he
 had only set himself against that      
which had set itself against ,him that  
is higher than the highest4 ,and1  said 
he1 as for disturbance1 ,i make none1   
being myself a man of peace3  the       
parties that were won to us1 were won by
 beholding our truth and  innocence1 and
 they are only turned from the worse to 
the better4 ,and as  to the king you    
talk of1 since he is ,beelzebub1 the    

enemy of our ,lord1 ,i  defy him and all
 his angels4    ,then proclamation was  
made1 that they that had aught to say   
for their  lord the king against the    
prisoner at the bar1 should forthwith   
appear1  and give in their evidence4 ,so
 there came in three witnesses1 to wit1 
,envy1 ,superstition1 and ,pickthank4   
,they were then asked1 if they knew  the
 prisoner at the bar2 and what they had 
to say for their lord the  king against 
him4    ,then stood forth ,envy1 and    
said to this effect3 ,my lord1 ,i have  
known  this man a long time1 and will   
attest upon oath before this honorable  
bench1 that he is--    ,judge4          
,hold--give him his oath4    ,so they   
sware him4 ,then he said1 ,my lord1 this
 man1 notwithstanding his  plausible    
name1 is one of the vilest men in our   
country2 he neither  regardeth prince   
nor people1 law nor custom1 but doeth   
all that he can  to possess all men with
 certain of his disloyal notions1 which 
he in the  general calls principles of  

faith and holiness4 ,and in particular1 
,i  heard him once myself affirm1 that  
,christianity and the customs of our    
town of ,vanity were diametrically      
opposite1 and could not be reconciled4  
,by which saying1 my lord1 he doth at   
once not only condemn all our  laudable 
doings1 but us in the doing of them4    
,then did the judge say to him1 ,hast   
thou any more to say8    ,envy4 ,my     
lord1 ,i could say much more1 only ,i   
would not be tedious to  the court4 ,yet
 if need be1 when the other gentlemen   
have given in their  evidence1 rather   
than anything shall be wanting that will
 despatch him1  ,i will enlarge my      
testimony against him4 ,so he was bid to
 stand by4    ,then they called         
,superstition1 and bid him look upon the
 prisoner at the  bar4 ,they also asked1
 what he could say for their lord the   
king against  him4 ,then they sware him2
 so he began3    ,super4 ,my lord1 ,i   
have no great acquaintance with this    
man1 nor do ,i  desire to have further  

knowledge of him4 ,however1 this ,i     
know1 that he  is a very pestilent      
fellow1 from some discourse ,i had with 
him1 the  other day1 in this town2 for  
then1 talking with him1 ,i heard him    
say1  that our religion was naught1 and 
such by which a man could by no means   
please ,god4 ,which saying of his1 my   
lord1 your lordship very well knows     
what necessarily thence will follow1 to 
wit1 that we still do worship in  vain1 
are yet in our sins1 and finally shall  
be damned3 and this is that  which ,i   
have to say4    ,then was ,pickthank    
sworn1 and bid say what he knew in      
behalf of their  lord the king against  
the prisoner at the bar4    ,pick4 ,my  
lord1 and you gentlemen all1 this fellow
 ,i have known of a  long time1 and have
 heard him speak things that ought not  
to be spoken2  for he hath railed on our
 noble prince ,beelzebub1 and hath      
spoken  contemptibly of his honorable   
friends1 whose names are1 the ,lord ,old
  ,man1 the ,lord ,carnal ,delight1 the 

,lord ,luxurious1 the ,lord ,desire of  
,vain ,glory1 my old ,lord ,lechery1    
,sir ,having ,greedy1 with all the rest 
of  our nobility2 and he hath said1     
moreover1 that if all men were of his   
mind1 if possible1 there is not one of  
these noblemen should have any  longer a
 being in this town4 ,besides1 he hath  
not been afraid to rail on  you1 my     
lord1 who are now appointed to be his   
judge1 calling you an  ungodly villain1 
with many other suchlike vilifying      
terms1 with which he  hath bespattered  
most of the gentry of our town4    ,when
 this ,pickthank had told his tale1 the 
judge directed his speech to  the       
prisoner at the bar1 saying1 ,thou      
runagate1 heretic1 and traitor1  hast   
thou heard what these honest gentlemen  
have witnessed against thee8    ,faith4 
,may ,i speak a few words in my own     
defence8    ,judge4 ,sirrah1 sirrah1    
thou deservest to live no longer1 but to
 be  slain immediately upon the place2  
yet that all men may see our  gentleness

 toward thee1 let us hear what thou hast
 to say4    ,faith4 #a4 ,i say1 then1 in
 answer to what ,mr4 ,envy hath spoken1 
,i never  said aught but this1 that what
 rule1 or laws1 or customs1 or people1  
were flat against the word of ,god1 are 
diametrically opposite to               
,christianity4 ,if ,i have said amiss in
 this1 convince me of my error1  and ,i 
am ready here before you to make my     
recantation4    #b4 ,as to the second1  
to wit1 ,mr4 ,superstition1 and his     
charge against  me1 ,i said only this1  
that in the worship of ,god there is    
required a  divine faith2 but there can 
be no divine faith without a divine     
revelation of the will of ,god4         
,therefore1 whatever is thrust into the 
worship of ,god1 that is not agreeable  
to divine revelation1 cannot be  done   
but by a human faith1 which faith will  
not be profitable to eternal  life4     
#c4 ,as to what ,mr4 ,pickthank has     
said1 ,i say--avoiding terms1 as that ,i
  am said to rail1 and the like--that   

the prince of this town1 with all  the  
rabblement1 his attendants1 by this     
gentleman named1 are more fit  for a    
being in hell than in this town and     
country4 ,and so the ,lord have  mercy  
upon me4    ,then the judge called to   
the jury--who all this while stood by to
 hear  and observe--,gentlemen of the   
jury1 you see this man about whom so    
great  an uproar hath been made in this 
town2 you have also heard what these    
worthy gentlemen have witnessed against 
him2 also you have heard his  reply and 
confession3 it lieth now in your breast 
to hang him1 or save  his life2 but yet 
,i think meet to instruct you in our    
law4    ,there was an act made in the   
days of ,pharaoh the ,great1 servant to 
our  prince1 that1 lest those of a      
contrary religion should multiply1 and  
grow too strong for him1 their males    
should be thrown into the river4  ,there
 was also an act made in the day of     
,nebuchadnezzar the ,great1  another of 
his servants1 that whoever would not    

fall down and worship  his golden image1
 should be thrown into a fiery furnace4 
,there was also  an act made in the days
 of ,darius1 that whoso for some time   
called upon  any ,god but him1 should be
 cast into the lions' den4 ,now1 the    
substance  of these laws this rebel has 
broken1 not only in thought--which is   
not  to be borne--but also in word and  
deed2 which must1 therefore1 needs be   
intolerable4    ,for that of ,pharaoh1  
his law was made upon a supposition1 to 
prevent  mischief1 no crime being yet   
apparent2 but here is a crime apparent4 
,for  the second and third1 you see he  
disputeth against our religion2 and for 
the treason that he hath confessed1 he  
deserveth to die the death4    ,then    
went the jury out1 whose names were ,mr4
 ,blindman1 ,mr4 ,no-good1 ,mr4         
,malice1 ,mr4 ,lovelust1 ,mr4           
,liveloose1 ,mr4 ,heady1 ,mr4           
,high-mind1 ,mr4  ,enmity1 ,mr4 ,liar1  
,mr4 ,cruelty1 ,mr4 ,hatelight1 and ,mr4
 ,implacable2 who  everyone gave in his 

private verdict against him among       
themselves1 and  afterward unanimously  
concluded to bring him in guilty before 
the judge4  ,and first among themselves1
 ,mr4 ,blindman1 the foreman1 said1 ,i  
see  clearly that this man is a heretic4
 ,then said ,mr4 ,no-good1 ,away with   
such a fellow from the earth4 ,ay1 said 
,mr4 ,malice1 for ,i hate the very      
looks of him4 ,then said ,mr4 ,lovelust1
 ,i could never endure him4 ,nor ,i1    
said ,mr4 ,liveloose1 for he would      
always be condemning my way4 ,hang him1 
hang him1 said ,mr4 ,heady4 ,a sorry    
scrub1 said ,mr4 ,high-mind4 ,my heart  
riseth against him1 said ,mr4 ,enmity4  
,he is a rogue1 said ,mr4 ,liar4        
,hanging is too good for him1 said ,mr4 
,cruelty4 ,let us despatch him out  of  
the way1 said ,mr4 ,hatelight4 ,then    
said ,mr4 ,implacable1 ,might ,i have   
all the world given me1 ,i could not be 
reconciled to him2 therefore1 let  us   
forthwith bring him in guilty of death4 
,and so they did2 therefore he was      

presently condemned to be had from the  
place where he was1 to the place from   
whence he came1 and there to be  put to 
the most cruel death that could be      
invented4    ,they1 therefore1 brought  
him out1 to do with him according to    
their law3  and first they scourged him1
 then they buffeted him1 then they      
lanced  his flesh with knives2 after    
that they stoned him with stones2 then  
pricked him with their swords2 and last 
of all1 they burned him to ashes  at the
 stake4 ,thus came ,faithful to his end4
    ,now ,i saw that there stood behind 
the multitude a chariot and a couple  of
 horses1 waiting for ,faithful1 who1 so 
soon as his adversaries had  despatched 
him1 was taken up into it1 and          
straightway was carried up  through the 
clouds with sound of trumpet1 the       
nearest way to the  celestial gate4     
,but as for ,christian1 he had some     
respite1 and was remanded back to       
prison2 so he there remained for a      
space4 ,but he who overrules all        

things1 having the power of their rage  
in his own hand1 so wrought it  about1  
that ,christian for that time escaped   
them1 and went his way4    ,and as he   
went he sang1 saying3      ,well1       
,faithful1 thou hast faithfully profest 
,unto thy ,lord1 with whom thou shall be
 blest1    ,when faithless ones1 with   
all their vain delights1    ,are crying 
out under their hellish plights2        
,sing1 ,faithful1 sing1 and let thy name
 survive1    ,for though they killed    
thee1 thou art yet alive4    ,now ,i saw
 in my dream that ,christian went not   
forth alone2 for there was  one whose   
name was ,hopeful--being so made by the 
beholding of ,christian  and ,faithful  
in their words and behavior1 in their   
sufferings at the  fair--who joined     
himself unto him1 and entering into a   
brotherly  covenant1 told him that he   
would be his companion4 ,thus one died  
to bear  testimony to the truth1 and    
another rises out of his ashes to be a  
companion with ,christian in his        

pilgrimage4 ,this ,hopeful also told    
,christian1 that there were many more of
 the men in the fair that would  take   
their time and follow after4    ,i saw  
then that they went on their way to a   
pleasant river1 which ,david  the king  
called the river of ,god1 but ,john1 the
 river of the water of  life4 ,now their
 way lay just upon the bank of this     
river2 here1  therefore1 ,christian and 
his companion walked with great delight2
 they  drank also of the water of the   
river1 which was pleasant and enlivening
  to their weary spirits4 ,besides1 on  
the banks of this river1 on either      
side1 were green trees1 with all manner 
of fruit2 and the leaves they  ate to   
prevent surfeits1 and other diseases    
that are incident to those  who heat    
their blood by travel4 ,on either side  
of the river was also a  meadow1        
curiously beautified with lilies2 and it
 was green all the year  long4 ,in this 
meadow they lay down and slept1 for here
 they might lie  down safely4 ,when they

 awoke1 they gathered again of the fruit
 of the  trees1 and drank again of the  
water of the river1 and then lay down   
again to sleep4 ,thus they did several  
days and nights4 ,then they sang3       
,behold ye how these crystal streams do 
glide1    ,to comfort pilgrims by the   
highway-side1    ,the meadows green1    
besides their fragrant smell1    ,yield 
dainties for them2 and he who can tell  
,what pleasant fruit1 yea1 leaves1 these
 trees do yield1    ,will soon sell all1
 that he may buy this field4    ,so when
 they were disposed to go on--for they  
were not as yet at their  journey's     
end--they ate and drank1 and departed4  
,now ,i beheld in my dream1 that they   
had not journeyed far1 but the river    
and the way for a time parted1 at which 
they were not a little sorry2  yet they 
durst not go out of the way4 ,now the   
way from the river was  rough1 and their
 feet tender by reason of their travels2
 so the souls of  the pilgrims were much
 discouraged because of the way4        

,wherefore still  as they went on1 they 
wished for a better way4 ,now a little  
before them1  there was on the left hand
 of the road a meadow1 and a stile to go
 over  into it1 and that meadow is      
called ,by-path ,meadow4 ,then said     
,christian  to his fellow1 ,if this     
meadow lieth along by our wayside1 let's
 go over  into it4 ,then he went to the 
stile to see1 and behold a path lay     
along  by the way on the other side of  
the fence4 ,it is according to my wish1 
said ,christian2 here is the easiest    
going2 come1 good ,hopeful1 and let  us 
go over4    ,hope4 ,but1 how if this    
path should lead us out of the way8     
,that is not likely1 said the other4    
,look1 doth it not go along by the      
wayside8 ,so ,hopeful1 being persuaded  
by his fellow1 went after him over  the 
stile4 ,when they were gone over1 and   
were got into the path1 they  found it  
very easy for their feet2 and withal1   
they looking before them1  espied a man 
walking as they did1 and his name was   

,vain ,confidence2 so  they called after
 him1 and asked him whither that way    
led4 ,he said1 ,to  the celestial gate4 
,look1 said ,christian1 did not ,i tell 
you so8 by this  you may see we are     
right4 ,so they followed1 and he went   
before them4 ,but  behold the night came
 on1 and it grew very dark2 so that they
 that were  behind lost the sight of him
 that went before4    ,he therefore that
 went before--,vain ,confidence by      
name--not seeing the  way before him1   
fell into a deep pit1 which was on      
purpose there made1  by the prince of   
those grounds1 to catch vainglorious    
fools withal1 and  was dashed in pieces 
with his fall4    ,now ,christian and   
his fellow heard him fall4 ,so they     
called to know the  matter1 but there   
was none to answer1 only they heard a   
groaning4 ,then  said ,hopeful1 ,where  
are we now8 ,then was his fellow silent1
 as  mistrusting that he had led him out
 of the way2 and now it began to  rain1 
and thunder and lighten in a most       

dreadful manner1 and the water  rose    
amain4    ,then ,hopeful groaned in     
himself1 saying1 ,oh that ,i had kept on
 my way6    ,chr4 ,who could have       
thought that this path should have led  
us out of  the way8    ,hope4 ,i was    
afraid on it at the very first1 and     
therefore gave you  that gentle caution4
 ,i would have spoken plainer1 but that 
you are older  than ,i4    ,chr4 ,good  
brother1 be not offended2 ,i am sorry ,i
 have brought thee out  of the way1 and 
that ,i have put thee into such imminent
 danger4 ,pray1 my  brother1 forgive me2
 ,i did not do it of an evil intent4    
,hope4 ,be comforted1 my brother1 for ,i
 forgive thee2 and believe1 too1  that  
this shall be for our good4    ,chr4 ,i 
am glad ,i have with me a merciful      
brother2 but we must not  stand here2   
let us try to go back again4    ,hope4  
,but1 good brother1 let me go before4   
,chr3 ,no1 if you please1 let me go     
first1 that if there be any danger1  ,i 
may be first therein1 because by my     

means we are both gone out of the  way4 
,no1 said ,hopeful1 you shall not go    
first1 for your mind being troubled  may
 lead you out of the way again4 ,then1  
for their encouragement1 they  heard the
 voice of one saying1 ,let thine heart  
be toward the highway1  even the way    
that thou wentest2 turn again4 ,but by  
this time the waters  were greatly      
risen1 by reason of which the way of    
going back was very  dangerous4 7,then  
,i thought that it is easier going out  
of the way when  we are in1 than going  
in when we are out47 ,yet they          
adventured to go  back2 but it was so   
dark1 and the flood was so high1 that in
 their going  back they had like to have
 drowned nine or ten times4    ,neither 
could they1 with all the skill they had1
 get again to the stile  that night4    
,wherefore at last1 lighting under a    
little shelter1 they sat  down there    
until the day brake2 but1 being weary1  
they fell asleep4 ,now  there was1 not  
far from the place they lay1 a castle1  

called ,doubting  ,castle1 the owner    
whereof was ,giant ,despair1 and it was 
in his grounds  they now were sleeping3 
wherefore he1 getting up in the morning 
early1  and walking up and down in his  
fields1 caught ,christian and ,hopeful  
asleep in his grounds4 ,then with a grim
 and surly voice he bid them  awake1 and
 asked them whence they were1 and what  
they did in his  grounds4 ,they told him
 they were pilgrims1 and that they had  
lost their  way4 ,then said the ,giant1 
,you have this night trespassed on me by
  trampling in and lying on my grounds1 
and therefore you must go along  with   
me4 ,so they were forced to go1 because 
he was stronger than they4  ,they also  
had but little to say1 for they knew    
themselves in a fault4  ,the ,giant1    
therefore1 drove them before him1 and   
put them into his  castle1 in a very    
dark dungeon1 nasty1 and stinking to the
 spirits of  these two men4 ,here1 then1
 they lay from ,wednesday morning till  
,saturday  night1 without one bit of    

bread1 drop of drink1 or light1 or any  
to ask  how they did2 they were1        
therefore1 here in evil case1 and were  
far from  friends and acquaintance4 ,now
 in this place ,christian had double    
sorrow1  because it was through his     
unadvised counsel that they were brought
 into  this distress4    ,now ,giant    
,despair had a wife and her name was    
,diffidence3 so when he  was gone to bed
 he told his wife what he had done1 to  
wit1 that he had  taken a couple of     
prisoners1 and cast them into his       
dungeon for  trespassing on his grounds4
 ,then he asked her also what he had    
best to  do further with them4 ,so she  
asked him what they were1 whence they   
came1  and whither they were bound1 and 
he told her4 ,then she counselled him1  
that when he arose in the morning he    
should beat them without mercy4 ,so     
when he arose1 he getteth him a grievous
 crabtree cudgel1 and goes down  into   
the dungeon to them1 and there first    
falls to rating of them as if  they were

 dogs1 although they never gave him a   
word of distaste4 ,then he  falls upon  
them1 and beats them fearfully1 in such 
sort that they were  not able to help   
themselves1 or to turn them upon the    
floor4 ,this done1  he withdraws and    
leaves them there to condole their      
misery1 and to mourn  under their       
distress3 so all that day they spent    
their time in nothing  but sighs and    
bitter lamentations4 ,the next night    
she1 talking with her  husband further  
about them1 and understanding that they 
were yet alive1  did advise him to      
counsel them to make away with          
themselves4 ,so when  morning was come1 
he goes to them in a surly manner1 as   
before1 and  perceiving them to be very 
sore with the stripes that he had given 
them  the day before1 he told them1 that
 since they were never like to come  out
 of that place1 their only way would be 
forthwith to make an end of  themselves1
 either with a knife1 halter1 or poison3
 for why1 said he1  should you choose to

 live1 seeing it is attended with so    
much  bitterness8 ,but they desired him 
to let them go4 ,with that he looked    
ugly upon them1 and rushing to them1 had
 doubtless made an end of them  himself1
 but that he fell into one of his       
fits--for he sometimes in  sunshiny     
weather fell into fits--and lost for a  
time the use of his  hands2 wherefore he
 withdrew1 and left them as before to   
consider what  to do4 ,then did the     
prisoners consult between themselves1   
whether it  were best to take his       
counsel or no2 and thus they began to   
discourse4    ,brother1 said ,christian1
 what shall we do8 ,the life that we now
 live is  miserable4 ,for my part1 ,i   
know not whether it is best to live     
thus1 or  to die out of hand4 ,my soul  
chooseth strangling rather than life1   
and  the grave is more easy for me than 
this dungeon4 ,shall we be ruled by  the
 ,giant8    ,hope4 ,indeed our present  
condition is dreadful1 and death would  
be far  more welcome to me than thus    

forever to abide2 but yet let us        
consider1  the ,lord of the country to  
which we are going hath said1 ,thou     
shalt do  no murder1 no1 not to another 
man's person1 much more then are we     
forbidden to take his counsel to kill   
ourselves4 ,besides1 he that kills      
another1 can but commit murder upon his 
body2 but for one to kill  himself1 is  
to kill body and soul at once4 ,and1    
moreover1 my brother1  thou talkest of  
ease in the grave1 but hast thou        
forgotten the hell  whither for certain 
the murderers go8 for no murderer hath  
eternal  life1 etc4 ,and let us consider
 again1 that all the law is not in the  
hand of ,giant ,despair2 others1 so far 
as ,i can understand1 have been  taken  
by him as well as we1 and yet have      
escaped out of his hands4 ,who  knows   
but that ,god1 who made the world1 may  
cause that ,giant ,despair may  die2 or 
that at some time or other he may forget
 to lock us in2 or but  he may1 in a    
short time1 have another of his fits    

before us1 and he may  lose the use of  
his limbs8 ,and if ever that should come
 to pass again1  for my part1 ,i am     
resolved to pluck up the heart of a man1
 and to try my  utmost to get from under
 his hand4 ,i was a fool that ,i did not
 try to do  it before4 ,but however1 my 
brother1 let us be patient1 and endure  
awhile2 the time may come that may give 
us a happy release2 but let us  not be  
our own murderers4 ,with these words    
,hopeful at present did  moderate the   
mind of his brother2 so they continued  
together in the dark  that day1 in their
 sad and doleful condition4    ,well1   
toward evening the ,giant goes down into
 the dungeon again1 to see  if his      
prisoners had taken his counsel4 ,but   
when he came there he found  them alive2
 and truly alive was all2 for now1 what 
for want of bread and  water1 and by    
reason of the wounds they received when 
he beat them1 they  could do little but 
breathe4 ,but ,i say he found them      
alive2 at which he  fell into a grievous

 rage1 and told them1 that seeing they  
had disobeyed  his counsel1 it should be
 worse with them than if they had never 
been  born4    ,at this they trembled   
greatly1 and ,i think that ,christian   
fell into a  swoon2 but coming a little 
to himself again1 they renewed their    
discourse about the ,giant's counsel1   
and whether yet they had best take  it  
or no4 ,now ,christian again seemed for 
doing it2 but ,hopeful made his  second 
reply as followeth3    ,my brother1 said
 he1 rememberest thou not how valiant   
thou hast been  heretofore8 ,apollyon   
could not crush thee1 nor could all that
 thou didst  hear1 or see1 or feel1 in  
the ,valley of the ,shadow of ,death4   
,what  hardship1 terror1 and amazement1 
hast thou already gone through6 and  art
 thou now nothing but fears8 ,thou seest
 that ,i am in the dungeon with  thee1 a
 far weaker man by nature than thou art4
 ,also this ,giant hath  wounded me as  
well as thee1 and also cut off the bread
 and water from my  mouth1 and with thee

 ,i mourn without the light4 ,but let us
 exercise a  little more patience4      
,remember how thou playedst the man at  
,vanity ,fair1  and wast neither afraid 
of the chain nor cage1 nor yet of bloody
 death2  wherefore let us--at least to  
avoid the shame that it becomes not a   
,christian to be found in--bear up with 
patience as well as we can4    ,now     
night being come again1 and the ,giant  
and his wife in bed1 she asked  him     
concerning the prisoners1 and if they   
had taken his counsel2 to  which he     
replied1 ,they are sturdy rogues2 they  
choose rather to bear all  hardships    
than to make away with themselves4 ,then
 said she1 ,take them  into the         
castle-yard to-morrow1 and show them the
 bones and skulls of  those that thou   
hast already despatched1 and make them  
believe1 ere a  week comes to an end1   
thou wilt tear them in pieces1 as thou  
hast done  their fellows before them4   
,so when the morning was come1 the      
,giant goes to them again1 and takes    

them into the castle-yard1 and shows    
them as his wife had bidden him4        
,these1 said he1 were pilgrims1 as you  
are1 once1 and they trespassed on  my   
grounds as you have done2 and when ,i   
thought fit ,i tore them in  pieces1 and
 so within ten days ,i will do you2 go1 
get you down to your  den again4 ,and   
with that he beat them all the way      
thither4 ,they lay1  therefore1 all day 
on ,saturday in a lamentable case1 as   
before4 ,now when  night was come1 and  
when ,mrs4 ,diffidence and her husband1 
the ,giant1  were got to bed1 they began
 to renew their discourse of their      
prisoners2  and withal the old ,giant   
wondered that he could neither by his   
blows nor  counsel bring them to an end4
 ,and with that his wife replied1 ,i    
fear1  said she1 that they live in hopes
 that some will come to relieve them2   
or that they have picklocks about them1 
by the means of which they hope  to     
escape4 ,and sayest thou so1 my dear8   
said the ,giant2 ,i will therefore      

search them in the morning4    ,well1 on
 ,saturday1 about midnight1 they began  
to pray1 and continued in  prayer till  
almost break of day4    ,now1 a little  
before it was day1 good ,christian1 as  
one half amazed1  broke out into this   
passionate speech3 ,what a fool1 quoth  
he1 am ,i1 to  lie in a stinking        
dungeon1 when ,i may as well walk at    
liberty6 ,i have a  key in my bosom1    
called ,promise1 that will1 ,i am       
persuaded1 open any  lock in ,doubting  
,castle4 ,then said ,hopeful1 ,that's   
good news2 good  brother1 pluck it out  
of thy bosom1 and try4    ,then         
,christian pulled it out of his bosom1  
and began to try at the  dungeon door1  
whose bolt1 as he turned the key1 gave  
back1 and the door  flew open with ease1
 and ,christian and ,hopeful both came  
out4 ,then he  went to the outward door 
that leads into the castle-yard1 and    
with his  key opened that door also4    
,after that he went to the iron gate1   
for that  must be opened too1 but that  

lock went desperately hard1 yet the key 
did  open it4 ,then they thrust open the
 gate to make their escape with speed2  
but that gate as it opened1 made such a 
creaking that it waked ,giant  ,despair1
 who hastily rising to pursue his       
prisoners1 felt his limbs to  fail2 for 
his fits took him again1 so that he     
could by no means go after  them4 ,then 
they went on1 and came to the ,king's   
highway again1 and so  were safe1       
because they were out of his            
jurisdiction4    ,now1 when they were   
gone over the stile1 they began to      
contrive with  themselves what they     
should do at that stile1 to prevent     
those that  shall come after from       
falling into the hands of ,giant        
,despair4 ,so they  consented to erect  
there a pillar1 and to engrave upon the 
side thereof  this sentence3 ,over this 
stile is the way to ,doubting ,castle1  
which is  kept by ,giant ,despair1 who  
despiseth the ,king of the ,celestial   
,country1  and seeks to destroy1 his    

holy pilgrims4 ,many1 therefore1 that   
followed  after1 read what was written1 
and escaped the danger4 ,this done1 they
  sang as follows3      ,out of the way 
we went1 and then we found    ,what     
'twas to tread upon forbidden ground2   
,and let them that come after have a    
care1    ,lest they for trespassing1 his
 pris'ners are1    ,whose castle's      
,doubting1 and whose name's ,despair4   
,they then went till they came to the   
,delectable ,mountains1 which  mountains
 belong to the ,lord of that hill of    
which we have spoken  before4 ,so they  
went up to the mountains1 to behold the 
gardens and  orchards1 the vineyards and
 fountains of water2 where also they    
drank  and washed themselves1 and did   
freely eat of the vineyards4 ,now there 
were on the tops of these mountains     
shepherds feeding their flocks1 and     
they stood by the highway-side4 ,the    
pilgrims1 therefore1 went to them1  and 
leaning upon their staffs--as is common 
with weary pilgrims when  they stand to 

talk with any by the way--they asked1   
,whose ,delectable  ,mountains are      
these1 and whose be the sheep that feed 
upon them8    ,shep4 ,these mountains   
are ,immanuel's ,land1 and they are     
within sight  of his city2 and the sheep
 also are his1 and he laid down his life
 for  them4    ,chr4 ,is this the way to
 the ,celestial ,city8    ,shep4 ,you   
are just in your way4    ,chr4 ,how far 
is it thither8    ,shep4 ,too far for   
any but those who shall get thither1    
indeed4    ,chr4 ,is the way safe1 or   
dangerous8    ,shep4 ,safe for those for
 whom it is to be safe2 but             
transgressors  shall fall therein4      
,chr4 ,is there in this place any relief
 for pilgrims that are weary and  faint 
in the way8    ,shep4 ,the ,lord of     
these mountains hath given us a charge  
not to be  forgetful to entertain       
strangers2 therefore1 the good of the   
place is  before you4    ,i saw also in 
my dream1 that when the ,shepherds      
perceived that they  were wayfaring men1

 they also put questions to them1 to    
which they made  answer as in other     
places1 as1 ,whence came you8 and1 ,how 
got you into  the way8 and1 ,by what    
means have you persevered therein8 for  
but few of  them that begin to come     
hither1 do show their faces on these    
mountains4  ,but when the ,shepherds    
heard their answers1 being pleased      
therewith1  they looked very lovingly   
upon them1 and said1 ,welcome to the    
,delectable  ,mountains4    ,the        
shepherds1 ,i say1 whose names were     
,knowledge1 ,experience1 ,watchful1  and
 ,sincere1 took them by the hand1 and   
had them to their tents1 and  made them 
partake of what was ready at present4   
,they said1 moreover1 ,we  would that   
you should stay here awhile1 to be      
acquainted with us1 and  yet more to    
solace yourselves with the good of these
 ,delectable  ,mountains4 ,they then    
told them that they were content to     
stay4 ,so they  went to rest that night1
 because it was very late4    ,then ,i  

saw in my dream1 that in the morning the
 ,shepherds called up  ,christian and   
,hopeful to walk with them upon the     
,mountains4 ,so they went  forth with   
them1 and walked awhile1 having a       
pleasant prospect on every  side4 ,then 
said the ,shepherds one to another1     
,shall we show these  pilgrims some     
wonders8 ,so when they had concluded to 
do it1 they had  them first to the top  
of a hill1 called ,error1 which was very
 steep on  the furthest side1 and bid   
them look down to the bottom4 ,so       
,christian  and ,hopeful looked down1   
and saw at the bottom several men dashed
 all  to pieces by a fall they had from 
the top4 ,then said ,christian1 ,what   
meaneth this8 ,the ,shepherds answered1 
,have you not heard of them that  were  
made to err1 by hearkening to ,hymeneus 
and ,philetus1 as concerning  the faith 
of the resurrection of the body8 ,they  
answered1 ,yes4 ,then said  the         
,shepherds1 ,those that you see dashed  
in pieces at the bottom of this         

mountain are they2 and they have        
continued to this day unburied1 as you  
see1 for an example to others to take   
heed how they clamber too high1 or  how 
they come too near the brink of this    
mountain4    ,then ,i saw that they had 
them to the top of another mountain1 and
 the  name of that is ,caution1 and bid 
them look afar off2 which1 when they    
did1 they perceived1 as they thought1   
several men walking up and down  among  
the tombs that were there2 and they     
perceived that the men were  blind1     
because they stumbled sometimes upon the
 tombs1 and because they  could not get 
out from among them4 ,then said         
,christian1 ,what means this8    ,the   
,shepherds then answered1 ,did you not  
see a little below these  mountains a   
stile that led into a meadow1 on the    
left hand of this way8  ,they answered1 
,yes4 ,then said the ,shepherds1 ,from  
that stile there goes  a path that leads
 directly to ,doubting ,castle1 which is
 kept by ,giant  ,despair2 and these    

men1 pointing to them among the tombs1  
came once on  pilgrimage1 as you do now1
 even until they came to that same      
stile4 ,and  because the right way was  
rough in that place1 they chose to go   
out of  it into that meadow1 and there  
were taken by ,giant ,despair1 and cast 
into ,doubting ,castle1 where1 after    
they had awhile been kept in the        
dungeon1 he at last did put out their   
eyes1 and led them among those  tombs1  
where he has left them to wander to this
 very day1 that the  saying of the wise 
man might be fulfilled1 ,he that        
wandereth out of the  way of            
understanding shall remain in the       
congregation of the dead4 ,then         
,christian and ,hopeful looked one upon 
another1 with tears gushing out1  but   
yet said nothing to the ,shepherds4     
,then ,i saw in my dream1 that the      
,shepherds had them to another place in 
a bottom1 where was a door on the side  
of a hill2 and they opened the  door1   
and bid them look in4 ,they looked in1  

therefore1 and saw that  within it was  
very dark and smoky2 they also thought  
that they heard  there a rumbling noise1
 as of fire1 and a cry of some          
tormented1 and  they smelled the scent  
of brimstone4 ,then said ,christian1    
,what means  this8 ,the ,shepherds told 
them1 ,this is a by-way to hell1 a way  
that  hypocrites go in at2 namely1 such 
as sell their birthright1 with ,esau2   
such as sell their ,master1 with ,judas2
 such as blaspheme the gospel1  with    
,alexander2 and that lie and dissemble1 
with ,ananias and ,sapphira  his wife4  
,then said ,hopeful to the ,shepherds1  
,i perceive that these had on them1     
even every one1 a show of pilgrimage1 as
 we have now2 had they not8    ,shep4   
,yes1 and held it a long time too4      
,hope4 ,how far might they go on in     
pilgrimage in their day1 since they1    
notwithstanding1 were thus miserably    
cast away8    ,shep4 ,some further1 and 
some not so far as these mountains4     
,then said the pilgrims one to another1 

,we have need to cry to the ,strong  for
 strength4    ,shep4 ,ay1 and you will  
have need to use it1 when you have it   
too4    ,by this time the pilgrims had a
 desire to go forward1 and the          
,shepherds  a desire they should2 so    
they walked together toward the end of  
the  mountains4 ,then said the          
,shepherds one to another1 ,let us here 
show the  pilgrims the gate of the      
,celestial ,city1 if they have skill to 
look  through our perspective-glass4    
,the pilgrims then lovingly accepted the
  motion2 so they had them to the top of
 a high hill1 called ,clear1 and  gave  
them the glass to look4    ,then they   
tried to look2 but the remembrance of   
that last thing that the  ,shepherds had
 shown them made their hands shake1 by  
means of which  impediment they could   
not look steadily through the glass2 yet
 they  thought they saw something like  
the gate1 and also some of the glory of 
the place4 ,thus they went away and     
sang3      ,thus by the ,shepherds      

secrets are reveal'd    ,which from all 
other men are kept conceal'd3    ,come  
to the ,shepherds1 then1 if you would   
see    ,things deep1 things hid1 and    
that mysterious be4    ,when they were  
about to depart1 one of the ,shepherds  
gave them a note of  the way4 ,another  
of them bid them beware of the          
,flatterer4 ,the third bid  them take   
heed that they sleep not upon ,enchanted
 ,ground4 ,and the fourth  bid them ,god
 speed4    ,they went then till they    
came at a place where they saw a way put
 itself  into their way1 and seeming    
withal to lie as straight as the way    
which  they should go2 and here they    
knew not which of the two to take1 for  
both seemed straight before them2       
therefore1 here they stood still to     
consider4 ,and as they were thinking    
about the way1 behold1 a man black  of  
flesh1 but covered with a very light    
robe1 vame to them1 and asked  them why 
they stood there4 ,they answered1 they  
were going to the  ,celestial ,city1 but

 knew not which of these ways to take4  
,follow me1  said the man2 it is thither
 that ,i am going4 ,so they followed him
 in the  way that but now came into the 
road1 which by degrees turned1 and      
turned  them so from the city that they 
desired to go to1 that in a little time 
their faces were turned from it2 yet    
they followed him4 ,but by and by1      
before they were aware1 he led them both
 within the compass of a net1 in  which 
they were both so entangled that they   
knew not what to do2 and  with that the 
white robe fell off the black man's     
back4 ,then they saw  where they were4  
,wherefore there they lay crying some   
time1 for they  could not get themselves
 out4    ,then said ,christian to his   
fellow1 ,now do ,i see myself in an     
error4 ,did  not the ,shepherds bid us  
beware of the ,flatterer8 ,as is the    
saying of  the wise man1 so we have     
found it this day3 ,a man that          
flattereth his  neighbor spreadeth a net
 for his feet4    ,hope4 ,they also gave

 us a note of directions about the way1 
for our  more sure finding thereof2 but 
therein we have also forgotten to read1 
and not kept ourselves from the paths of
 the destroyer4 ,here ,david was  wiser 
than we1 for1 saith he1 ,concerning the 
works of men1 by the word  of thy lips  
,i have kept me from the paths of the   
destroyer4 ,thus they  lay bewailing    
themselves in the net4 ,at last they    
espied a ,shining ,one  coming toward   
them with a whip of small cords in his  
hand4 ,when he was  come to the place   
where they were1 he asked them whence   
they came1 and  what they did there4    
,they told him that they were poor      
pilgrims going to  ,zion1 but were led  
out of their way by a black man clothed 
in white1 who  bid us1 said they1 follow
 him1 for he was going thither too4     
,then said  he with a whip1 ,it         
,flatterer1 a false apostle1 that hath  
transformed  himself into an angel of   
light4 ,so he rent the net1 and let the 
men out4  ,then said he to them1 ,follow

 me1 that ,i may set you in your way    
again4  ,so he led them back to the way 
which they had left to follow the       
,flatterer4 ,then he asked them1 saying1
 ,where did you lie the last night8     
,they said1 ,with the ,shepherds upon   
the ,delectable ,mountains4 ,he asked   
them if they had not a note of          
directions for the way4 ,they answered1 
,yes4 ,but did you not1 said he1 when   
you were at a stand1 pluck out and  read
 your note8 ,they answered1 ,no4 ,he    
asked them1 ,why8 ,they said they       
forgot4 ,he asked1 moreover1 if the     
,shepherds did not bid them beware of   
the ,flatterer4 ,they answered1 ,yes2   
but we did not imagine1 said they1  this
 fine-spoken man had been he4    ,then  
,i saw in my dream1 that he commanded   
them to lie down2 which when  they did1 
he chastised them sore1 to teach them   
the good way wherein  they should walk2 
and as he chastised them1 he said1 ,as  
many as ,i love  ,i rebuke and chasten2 
be zealous1 therefore1 and repent4 ,this

 done1 he  bids them go on their way1   
and take good heed to the other         
directions of  the ,shepherds4 ,so they 
thanked him for all his kindness1 and   
went softly  along the right way1       
singing3      ,come hither1 you that    
walk along the way1    ,see how the     
pilgrims fare that go astray3    ,they  
catched are in an entangled net1        
',cause they good counsel lightly did   
forget4    ',tis true they rescued were2
 but yet1 you see1    ,they're scourg'd 
to boot3 let this your caution be4      
,now1 after awhile1 they perceived afar 
off one coming softly and alone1  all   
along the highway to meet them4 ,then   
said ,christian to his fellow1  ,yonder 
is a man with his back toward ,zion1 and
 he is coming to meet us4    ,hope4 ,i  
see him2 let us take heed to ourselves  
now lest he should  prove a flatterer   
also4 ,so he drew nearer and nearer1 and
 at last came  up to them4 ,his name was
 ,atheist1 and he asked them whither    
they were  going4    ,chr4 ,we are going

 to the ,mount ,zion4    ,then ,atheist 
fell into a very great laughter4        
,chr4 ,what's the meaning of your       
laughter8    ,atheist4 ,i laugh to see  
what ignorant persons you are1 to take  
upon  you so tedious a journey1 and yet 
are like to have nothing but your       
travel for your pains4    ,chr4 ,why    
man1 do you think we shall not be       
received8    ,atheist4 ,received6 ,there
 is no such place as you dream of in all
 this  world4    ,chr4 ,but there is in 
the world to come4    ,atheist4 ,when ,i
 was at home in my own country1 ,i heard
 as you now  affirm1 and from that      
hearing went out to see1 and have been  
seeking  this city these twenty years1  
but find no more of it than ,i did the  
first day ,i set out4    ,chr4 ,we have 
both heard1 and believe1 that there is  
such a place to be  found4    ,atheist4 
,had not ,i1 when at home1 believed1 ,i 
had not come thus far to  seek2 but     
finding none--and yet ,i should had     
there been such a place to  be found1   

for ,i have gone to seek it further than
 you--,i am going back  again1 and will 
seek to refresh myself with the things  
that ,i then cast  away for hopes of    
that which ,i now see is not4    ,then  
said ,christian to ,hopeful his         
companion1 ,is it true which this man   
hath said8    ,hope4 ,take heed1 he is  
one of the flatterers4 ,remember what it
 hath  cost us once already for         
hearkening to such kind fellows4 ,what8 
no ,mount  ,zion8 ,did we not see from  
the ,delectable ,mountains the gate of  
the city8  ,also1 are we not now to walk
 by faith8 ,let us go on1 lest the man  
with  the whip overtake us again4 ,you  
should have taught me that lesson1 which
  ,i will round you in the ears withal3 
,cease1 my son1 to hear the  instruction
 that causeth to err from the words of  
knowledge4 ,i say1 my  brother1 cease to
 hear him1 and let us believe to the    
saving of the  soul4    ,chr4 ,my       
brother1 ,i did not put the question to 
thee1 for that ,i  doubted of the truth 

of our belief myself1 but to prove thee1
 and to  fetch from thee a fruit of the 
honesty of thy heart4 ,as for this man1 
,i  know that he is blinded by the god  
of this world4 ,let thee and me go on1  
knowing that we have belief of the      
truth1 and no lie is of the truth4      
,hope4 ,now do ,i rejoice in hope of the
 glory of ,god4 ,so they turned  away   
from the man1 and he1 laughing at them1 
went his way4    ,i then saw in my dream
 that they went on until they came into 
a certain  country1 whose air naturally 
tended to make one drowsy1 if he came a 
stranger into it4 ,and here ,hopeful    
began to be very dull1 and heavy to     
sleep2 wherefore he said unto           
,christian3 ,i do now begin to grow so  
drowsy that ,i can scarcely hold open   
mine eyes2 let us lie down and take  one
 nap4    ,by no means1 said the other1  
lest sleeping we never awake more4      
,hope4 ,why1 my brother8 sleep is sweet 
to the laboring man2 we may be          
refreshed if we take a nap4    ,chr4 ,do

 you not remember that one of the       
,shepherds bid us to beware of  the     
,enchanted ,ground8 ,he meant by that1  
that we should beware of  sleeping3     
wherefore1 let us not sleep as others   
do1 but let us watch  and be sober4     
,hope4 ,i acknowledge myself in a fault2
 and had ,i been here alone1 ,i  had by 
sleeping run the danger of death4 ,i see
 it is true that the wise  man saith1   
,two are better than one4 ,hitherto hath
 thy company been my  mercy2 and thou   
shalt have a good reward for thy labor4 
,now then1 said ,christian1 to prevent  
drowsiness in this place1 let us  fall  
into good discourse4    ,with all my    
heart1 said the other4    ,now ,i saw in
 my dream1 that the pilgrims were got   
over the ,enchanted  ,ground1 and       
entering into the country of ,beulah2   
whose air was very  sweet and pleasant2 
the way lying directly through it1 they 
solaced  themselves there for a season4 
,yea1 here they heard continually the   
singing of birds1 and saw every day the 

flowers appear in the earth1 and  heard 
the voice of the turtle in the land4 ,in
 this country the sun  shineth night and
 day2 wherefore this was beyond the     
,valley of the  ,shadow of ,death1 and  
also out of the reach of ,giant         
,despair2 neither  could they from this 
place so much as see ,doubting ,castle4 
,here they  were within sight of the    
city they were going to2 also here met  
them  some of the inhabitants thereof2  
for in this land the ,shining ,ones     
commonly walked1 because it was upon the
 borders of heaven4 ,in this land  also 
the contract between the ,bride and the 
,bridegroom was renewed2 yea1  here1 as 
the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride1
 so doth their ,god  rejoice over them4 
,here they had no want of corn and wine2
 for in this  place they met with       
abundance of what they had sought for in
 all their  pilgrimages4 ,here they     
heard voices from out of the city1 loud 
voices1  saying1 ,say ye to the daughter
 of ,zion1 ,behold thy salvation cometh6

  ,behold1 ,his reward is with him6     
,here all the inhabitants of the        
country called them the holy people1 the
 redeemed of the ,lord1 sought  out1    
etc4    ,now1 as they walked in this    
land1 they had more rejoicing than in   
parts  more remote from the kingdom to  
which they are bound2 and drawing near  
to the city1 they had yet a more perfect
 view thereof4 ,it was builded of       
pearls and precious stones1 also the    
streets thereof were paved with  gold2  
so that1 by reason of the natural glory 
of the city1 and the  reflection of the 
sunbeams upon it1 ,christian with desire
 fell sick2  ,hopeful also had a fit or 
two of the same disease3 wherefore here 
they  lay by it awhile1 crying out      
because of their pangs1 ,if you see my  
,beloved1 tell him that ,i am sick of   
love4    ,but1 being a little           
strengthened1 and better able to bear   
their  sickness1 they walked on their   
way1 and came yet nearer and nearer1    
where were orchards1 vineyards1 and     

gardens1 and their gates opened into    
the highway4 ,now1 as they came up to   
these places behold the gardener  stood 
in the way2 to whom the pilgrims said1  
,whose goodly vineyards and  gardens are
 these8 ,he answered1 ,they are the     
,king's1 and are planted  here for his  
own delights1 and also for the solace of
 pilgrims4 ,so the  gardener had them   
into the vineyards1 and bid them refresh
 themselves  with the dainties4 ,he also
 showed them there the ,king's walks and
 the  arbors where he delighteth to be3 
and here they tarried and slept4        
,now1 ,i beheld in my dream that they   
talked more in their sleep at this  time
 than ever they did in all their        
journey1 and being in a muse            
thereabout1 the gardener said even to   
me1 ,wherefore musest thou at the       
matter3 it is the nature of the fruit of
 the grapes of these vineyards  to go   
down so sweetly as to cause the lips of 
them that are asleep to  speak4    ,so  
,i saw that when they awoke they        

addressed themselves to go up to the    
city4 ,but1 as ,i said1 the reflection  
of the sun upon the city--for the  city 
was pure gold--was so extremely glorious
 that they could not as yet  with open  
face behold it1 but through an          
instrument made for that  purpose4 ,so  
,i saw1 that as they went on1 there met 
them two men in  raiment that shone like
 gold1 also their faces shone as the    
light4    ,these men asked the pilgrims 
whence they came2 and they told them4   
,they  also asked them where they had   
lodged1 what difficulties and dangers1  
what comforts and pleasures1 they had   
met in the way2 and they told  them4    
,then said the men that met them1 ,you  
have but two difficulties  more to meet 
with1 and then you are in the city4     
,christian then and his companion asked 
the men to go along with them3 so  they 
told them that they would3 ,but1 said   
they1 you must obtain it by  your own   
faith4 ,so ,i saw in my dream that they 
went on together till  they came in     

sight of the gate4    ,now ,i further   
saw1 that between them and the gate was 
a river3 but there  was no bridge to go 
over2 and the river was very deep4 ,at  
the sight  therefore of this river the  
pilgrims were much stunned2 but the men 
that  went with them said1 ,you must go 
through or you cannot come at the  gate4
    ,the pilgrims then began to inquire 
if there was no other way to the  gate4 
,to which they answered1 ,yes2 but there
 hath not any1 save two1 to  wit1 ,enoch
 and ,elijah1 been permitted to tread   
that path since the  foundation of the  
world1 nor shall until the last trumpet 
shall sound4  ,the pilgrims then1       
especially ,christian1 began to despond 
in their  minds1 and looked this way and
 that1 but no way could be found by them
  by which they might escape the river4 
,then they asked the men if the  waters 
were all of a depth4 ,they said1 ,no2   
yet they could not help them  in that   
case2 for1 said they1 you shall find it 
deeper or shallower as  you believe in  

the ,king of the place4    ,they then   
addressed themselves to the water1 and  
entering1 ,christian  began to sink1 and
 crying out to his good friend ,hopeful1
 he said1 ,i  sink in deep waters2 the  
billows go over my head1 all his waves  
go over  me4    ,then said the other1   
,be of good cheer1 my brother3 ,i feel  
the bottom1  and it is good4 ,then said 
,christian1 ,ah1 my friend1 the sorrows 
of  death have compassed me about1 ,i   
shall not see the land that flows with  
milk and honey4 ,and with that a great  
darkness and horror fell upon           
,christian1 so that he could not see    
before him4 ,also here he in a great    
measure lost his senses1 so that he     
could neither remember nor orderly  talk
 of any of those sweet refreshments that
 he had met with in the way  of his     
pilgrimage4 ,but all the words that he  
spoke still tended to  discover that he 
had horror of mind1 and heart-fears that
 he should die  in that river1 and never
 obtain entrance in at the gate4 ,here  

also1 as  they that stood by perceived1 
he was much in the troublesome thoughts 
of  the sins that he had committed1 both
 since and before he began to be a      
pilgrim4 ,it was also observed1 that he 
was troubled with apparitions of        
hobgoblins and evil spirits2 for ever   
and anon he would intimate so much  by  
words4    ,hopeful therefore here had   
much ado to keep his brother's head     
above  water2 yea1 sometimes he would be
 quite gone down1 and then1 ere awhile1 
he would rise up again half dead4       
,hopeful also would endeavor to comfort 
him1 saying1 ,brother1 ,i see the gate1 
and men standing by to receive us2  but 
,christian would answer1 ,it is you1 it 
is you they wait for2 you have  been    
hopeful ever since ,i knew you4 ,and so 
have you1 said he to  ,christian4 ,ah1  
brother6 said he1 surely if ,i was      
right1 he would now  arise to help me2  
but for my sins he hath brought me into 
the snare1 and  hath left me4 ,then said
 ,hopeful1 ,my brother1 you have quite  

forgot the  text where it is said of the
 wicked1 ,there are no bands in their   
death1  but their strength is firm2 they
 are not troubled as other men1 neither 
are they plagued like other men4 ,these 
troubles and distresses that you  go    
through in these waters1 are no sign    
that ,god hath forsaken you2 but  are   
sent to try you1 whether you will call  
to mind that which heretofore  you have 
received of his goodness1 and live upon 
him in your distresses4    ,then ,i saw 
in my dream1 that ,christian was in a   
muse awhile4 ,to whom  also ,hopeful    
added these words1 ,be of good cheer1   
,jesus ,christ maketh  thee whole4 ,and 
with that ,christian brake out with a   
loud voice1 ,oh1 ,i  see him again2 and 
he tells me ,when thou passest through  
the waters1 ,i  shall be with thee2 and 
through the rivers1 they shall not      
overflow  thee4 ,then they both took    
courage1 and the enemy was1 after that1 
as  still as a stone1 until they were   
gone over4 ,christian1 therefore1       

presently found ground to stand upon1   
and so it followed that the rest  of the
 river was but shallow4 ,thus they got  
over4    ,now upon the bank of the      
river1 on the other side1 they saw the  
two  shining men again1 who there waited
 for them4 ,wherefore being come out  of
 the river1 they saluted them1 saying1  
,we are ministering spirits1  sent forth
 to minister for those that shall be    
heirs of salvation4 ,thus  they went    
along toward the gate4    ,now you must 
note1 that the city stood upon a mighty 
hill2 but the  pilgrims went up that    
hill with ease1 because they had these  
two men to  lead them up by the arms3   
they had likewise left their mortal     
garments  behind them in the river2 for 
though they went in with them1 they came
  out without them4 ,they therefore went
 up here with much agility and  speed1  
though the foundation upon which the    
city was framed was higher  than the    
clouds2 they therefore went up through  
the regions of the air1  sweetly talking

 as they went1 being comforted because  
they safely got  over the river1 and had
 such glorious companions to attend     
them4    ,the talk that they had with   
the ,shining ,ones was about the glory  
of the  place2 who told them that the   
beauty and glory of it was              
inexpressible4  ,there1 said they1 is   
the ,mount ,zion1 the heavenly          
,jerusalem1 the  innumerable company of 
angels1 and the spirits of just men made
  perfect4 ,you are going now1 said     
they1 to the paradise of ,god1 where    
you shall see the tree of life1 and eat 
of the never fading fruits  thereof3 and
 when you come there you shall have     
white robes given you1  and your walk   
and talk shall be every day with the    
,king1 even all the  days of eternity4  
,there you shall not see again such     
things as you saw  when you were in the 
lower region upon the earth2 to wit1    
sorrow1  sickness1 affliction1 and      
death2 ,for the former things are passed
  away4 ,you are going now to ,abraham1 

to ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 and to the       
prophets1 men that ,god hath taken away 
from the evil to come1 and that  are now
 resting upon their beds1 each one      
walking in his  righteousness4 ,the men 
then asked1 ,what must we do in the holy
 place8  ,to whom it was answered1 ,you 
must there receive the comfort of all   
your  toil1 and have joy for all your   
sorrow2 you must reap what you have     
sown1 even the fruit of all your        
prayers1 and tears1 and sufferings for  
the ,king by the way4 ,in that place you
 must wear crowns of gold1 and  enjoy   
the perpetual sight and vision of the   
,holy ,one2 for there you  shall see him
 as he is4 ,there also you shall serve  
him continually with  praise1 with      
shouting and thanksgiving1 whom you     
desired to serve in the  world1 though  
with much difficulty1 because of the    
infirmity of your  flesh4 ,there your   
eyes shall be delighted with seeing1 and
 your ears  with hearing the pleasant   
voice of the ,mighty ,one4 ,there you   

shall enjoy  your friends again that are
 gone hither before you2 and there you  
shall  with joy receive even every one  
that follows into the holy place after  
you4 ,there also you shall be clothed   
with glory and majesty1 and put in  an  
equipage fit to ride out with the ,king 
of ,glory4 ,when he shall come  with    
sound of trumpet in the clouds1 as upon 
the wings of the wind1 you  shall come  
with him2 and when he shall sit upon the
 throne of judgment1  you shall sit by  
him2 yea1 and when he shall pass        
sentence upon all the  workers of       
iniquity1 let them be angels or men1 you
 also shall have a  voice in that       
judgment1 because they were his and your
 enemies4 ,also1  when he shall again   
return to the city1 you shall go too    
with sound of  trumpet1 and be ever with
 him4    ,now1 while they were thus     
drawing toward the gate1 behold a       
company of  the heavenly host came out  
to meet them2 to whom it was said by the
  other two ,shining ,ones1 ,these are  

the men that have loved our ,lord1 when 
they were in the world1 and that have   
left all for his holy name2 and he  has 
sent us to fetch them1 and we have      
brought them thus far on their  desired 
journey1 that they may go in and look   
their ,redeemer in the face  with joy4  
,then the heavenly host gave a great    
shout1 saying1 ,blessed  are they that  
are called to the marriage supper of the
 ,lamb4 ,there came  out also at this   
time to meet them several of the ,king's
 trumpeters1  clothed in white and      
shining raiment1 who with melodious     
voices and  loud1 made even the heavens 
to echo with their sound4 ,these        
trumpeters  saluted ,christian and his  
fellow with ten thousand welcomes from  
the  world2 and this they did with      
shouting and sound of trumpet4    ,this 
done1 they compassed them round on every
 side2 some went before1  some behind1  
and some on the right hand1 and some on 
the left--as it  were to guard them     
through the upper regions--continually  

sounding as  they went1 with melodious  
noise1 in notes on high2 so that the    
very  sight was to them that could      
behold it as if heaven itself was come  
down  to meet them4 ,thus therefore they
 walked on together2 and1 as they       
walked1 ever and anon these trumpeters1 
even with joyful sound1 would1  by      
mixing their music with looks and       
gestures1 still signify to  ,christian1 
and his brother1 how welcome they were  
into their company1  and with what      
gladness they came to meet them4 ,and   
now were these two  men1 as it were1 in 
heaven1 before they came at it1 being   
swallowed up  with the sight of angels1 
and with hearing of their melodious     
notes4  ,here also they had the city    
itself in view2 and thought they heard  
all  the bells therein to ring1 to      
welcome them thereto4 ,but1 above all1  
the  warm and joyful thoughts that they 
had about their own dwelling there  with
 such company1 and that for ever and    
ever1 oh1 by what tongue or pen  can    

their glorious joy be expressed6--,thus 
they came up to the gate4    ,now when  
they were come up to the gate1 there was
 written over it in  letters of gold1   
,,blessed ,,are ,,they ,,that ,,do ,,his
 ,,commandments1 ,,that ,,they  ,,may   
,,have ,,right ,,to ,,the ,,tree ,,of   
,,life1 ,,and ,,may ,,enter ,,in        
,,through ,,the ,,gates  ,,into ,,the   
,,city4    ,then ,i saw in my dream that
 the shining men bid them call at the   
gate3  the which when they did1 some    
from above looked over the gate1 to wit1
  ,enoch1 ,moses1 and ,elijah1 etc41 to 
whom it was said1 ,these pilgrims are   
come from the ,city of ,destruction1 for
 the love that they bear to the  ,king  
of this place3 and then the pilgrims    
gave in unto them each man his          
certificate1 which they had received in 
the beginning2 those1 therefore1  were  
carried in to the ,king1 who1 when he   
had read them1 said1 ,where are  the    
men8 ,to whom it was answered1 ,they are
 standing without the gate4  ,the ,king 

then commanded to open the gate1 ,that  
the righteous nation1  said he1 that    
keepeth truth may enter in4    ,now ,i  
saw in my dream that these two men went 
in at the gate2 and lo6 as  they        
entered1 they were transfigured2 and    
they had raiment put on that  shone like
 gold4 ,there were also that met them   
with harps and crowns1  and gave them to
 them3 the harps to praise withal1 and  
the crowns in  token of honor4 ,then ,i 
heard in my dream that all the bells in 
the city  rang again for joy1 and that  
it was said unto them1 ,,enter ,,ye     
,,into ,,the  ,,joy ,,of ,,our ,,lord4  
,i also heard the men themselves1 that  
they sang with a  loud voice1 saying1   
,,blessing1 ,,and ,,honor1 ,,and        
,,glory1 ,,and ,,power1 ,,be ,,unto     
,,him ,,that ,,sitteth ,,upon ,,the     
,,throne1 ,,and ,,unto ,,the ,,lamb1    
,,for ,,ever ,,and ,,ever4    ,now1 just
 as the gates were opened to let in the 
men1 ,i looked in after  them1 and      
behold the city shone like the sun2 the 

streets also were  paved with gold2 and 
in them walked many men1 with crowns on 
their  heads1 palms in their hands1 and 
golden harps1 to sing praises withal4   
,they were also of them that had wings1 
and they answered one another  without  
intermission1 saying1 ,holy1 holy1 holy1
 is the ,lord4 ,and after  that they    
shut up the gates3 which1 when ,i had   
seen1 ,i wished myself  among them4     
,now while ,i was gazing upon all these 
things1 ,i turned my head to look  back1
 and saw ,ignorance come up to the river
 side2 but he soon got over1  and that  
without half the difficulty which the   
other two men met with4  ,for it        
happened that there was then in the     
place one ,vain-hope1 a  ferry-man1 that
 with his boat helped him over2 so he1  
as the others ,i  saw1 did ascend the   
hill1 to come up to the gate2 only he   
came alone2  neither did any meet him   
with the least encouragement4 ,when he  
was come  up to the gate1 he looked up  
to the writing that was above1 and then 

began to knock1 supposing that entrance 
should have been quickly  administered  
to him2 but he was asked by the men that
 looked over the  top of the gate1      
,whence came you8 and what would you    
have8 ,he answered1  ,i have ate and    
drank in the presence of the ,king1 and 
he has taught in  our streets4 ,then    
they asked him for his certificate1 that
 they might go  in and show it to the   
,king3 so he fumbled in his bosom for   
one1 and  found none4 ,then said they1  
,have you none8 but the man answered    
never a  word4 ,so they told the ,king1 
but he would not come down to see him1  
but  commanded the two ,shining ,ones1  
that conducted ,christian and ,hopeful  
to  the city1 to go out1 and take       
,ignorance1 and bind him1 hand and foot1
  and have him away4 ,then they took him
 up1 and carried him through the  air1  
to the door that ,i saw in the side of  
the hill1 and put him in  there4 ,then  
,i saw that there was a way to hell1    
even from the gate of  heaven1 as well  

as from the ,city of ,destruction4 ,so  
,i awoke1 and behold  it was a dream4   
,,the ,,pilgrim      ,who would true    
valor see    ,let him come hither6  ,one
 here will constant be1    ,come wind1  
come weather2  ,there's no              
discouragement    ,shall make him once  
relent  ,his first-avow'd intent    ,to 
be a ,pilgrim4    ,whoso beset him round
    ,with dismal stories1  ,do but      
themselves confound2    ,his strength   
the more is4  ,no lion can him fright2  
,he'll with a giant fight2  ,but he will
 have a right    ,to be a ,pilgrim4     
,nor enemy1 nor fiend1    ,can daunt his
 spirit2  ,he knows he at the end       
,shall ,life inherit3--  ,then1 fancies1
 fly away2    ,he'll not fear what men  
say2  ,he'll labor1 night and day1      
,to be a ,pilgrim4    --,j4 ,bunyan     
,,the ,,great ,,stone ,,face    ,by     
,nathaniel ,hawthorne      ,one         
afternoon1 when the sun was going down1 
a mother and her little boy  sat at the 
door of their cottage1 talking about the

 ,great ,stone ,face4  ,they had but to 
lift their eyes1 and there it was       
plainly to be seen1  though miles away1 
with the sunshine brightening all its   
features4    ,and what was the ,great   
,stone ,face8    ,embosomed among a     
family of lofty mountains1 there was a  
valley so  spacious that it contained   
many thousand inhabitants4 ,some of     
these good  people dwelt in log huts1   
with the black forest all around them1  
on the  steep and difficult hillsides4  
,others had their homes in comfortable  
farmhouses1 and cultivated the rich soil
 on the gentle slopes or level  surfaces
 of the valley4 ,others1 again1 were    
congregated into populous  villages1    
where some wild1 highland rivulet1      
tumbling down from its  birthplace in   
the upper mountain region1 had been     
caught and tamed by  human cunning1 and 
compelled to turn the machinery of      
cotton factories4  ,the inhabitants of  
this valley1 in short1 were numerous1   
and of many  modes of life4 ,but all of 

them1 grown people and children1 had a  
kind of  familiarity with the ,great    
,stone ,face1 although some possessed   
the gift  of distinguishing this grand  
natural phenomenon more perfectly than  
many  of their neighbors4    ,the ,great
 ,stone ,face1 then1 was a work of      
,nature in her mood of majestic         
playfulness1 formed on the perpendicular
 side of a mountain by some  immense    
rocks1 which had been thrown together in
 such a position as1  when viewed at a  
proper distance1 precisely to resemble  
the features of  the human countenance4 
,it seemed as if an enormous giant1 or a
 ,titan1  had sculptured his own        
likeness on the precipice4 ,there was   
the broad  arch of the forehead1 a      
hundred feet in height2 the nose1 with  
its long  bridge2 and the vast lips1    
which1 if they could have spoken1 would 
have  rolled their thunder accents from 
one end of the valley to the other4     
,true it is1 that if the spectator      
approached too near1 he lost the        

outline of the gigantic visage1 and     
could discern only a heap of  ponderous 
and gigantic rocks1 piled in chaotic    
ruin one upon another4  ,retracing his  
steps1 however1 the wondrous features   
would again be seen2  and the further he
 withdrew from them1 the more like a    
human face1 with  all its original      
divinity intact1 did they appear2 until1
 as it grew dim  in the distance1 with  
the clouds and glorified vapor of the   
mountains  clustering about it1 the     
,great ,stone ,face seemed positively to
 be alive4    ,it was a happy lot for   
children to grow up to manhood or       
womanhood with  the ,great ,stone ,face 
before their eyes1 for all the features 
were noble1  and the expression was at  
once grand and sweet1 as if it were the 
glow  of a vast1 warm heart1 that       
embraced all mankind in its affections1 
and  had room for more4 ,it was an      
education only to look at it4 ,according
 to  the belief of many people1 the     
valley owed much of its fertility to    

this  benign aspect that was continually
 beaming over it1 illuminating the      
clouds1 and infusing its tenderness into
 the sunshine4    ,as we began with     
saying1 a mother and her little boy sat 
at their  cottage-door1 gazing at the   
,great ,stone ,face1 and talking about  
it4 ,the  child's name was ,ernest4     
,mother1 said he1 while the ,titanic    
visage smiled on him1 ,i wish that  it  
could speak1 for it looks so very kindly
 that its voice must needs be  pleasant4
 ,if ,i were to see a man with such a   
face1 ,i should love him  dearly4    ,if
 an old prophecy should come to pass1   
answered his mother1 we may  see a man1 
some time or other1 with exactly such a 
face as that4    ,what prophecy do you  
mean1 dear mother8 eagerly inquired     
,ernest4 ,pray  tell me all about it6   
,so his mother told him a story that her
 own mother had told to her1 when  she  
herself was younger than little ,ernest2
 a story1 not of things that  were past1
 but of what was yet to come2 a story1  

nevertheless1 so very  old1 that even   
the ,indians1 who formerly inhabited    
this valley1 had  heard it from their   
forefathers1 to whom1 as they affirmed1 
it had been  murmured by the mountain   
streams1 and whispered by the wind among
 the  tree-tops4 ,the purport was1 that1
 at some future day1 a child should be  
born hereabouts1 who was destined to    
become the greatest and noblest         
personage of his time1 and whose        
countenance1 in manhood1 should bear an 
exact resemblance to the ,great ,stone  
,face4 ,not a few old-fashioned  people1
 and young ones likewise1 in the ardor  
of their hopes1 still  cherished an     
enduring faith in this old prophecy4    
,but others1 who had  seen more of the  
world1 had watched and waited till they 
were weary1 and  had beheld no man with 
such a face1 nor any man that proved to 
be much  greater or nobler than his     
neighbors1 concluded it to be nothing   
but an  idle tale4 ,at all events1 the  
great man of the prophecy had not yet   

appeared4    ,o mother1 dear mother6    
cried ,ernest1 clapping his hands above 
his  head1 ,i do hope that ,i shall live
 to see him6    ,his mother was an      
affectionate and thoughtful woman1 and  
felt that it  was wisest not to         
discourage the generous hopes of her    
little boy4 ,so  she only said to him1  
,perhaps you may4    ,and ,ernest never 
forgot the story that his mother told   
him4 ,it was  always in his mind1       
whenever he looked upon the ,great      
,stone ,face4 ,he  spent his childhood  
in the log-cottage where he was born1   
and was  dutiful to his mother1 and     
helpful to her in many things1 assisting
 her  much with his little hands1 and   
more with his loving heart4 ,in this    
manner1 from a happy yet often pensive  
child1 he grew up to be a mild1  quiet1 
unobtrusive boy1 and sun-browned with   
labor in the fields1 but  with more     
intelligence brightening his aspect than
 is seen in many lads  who have been    
taught at famous schools4 ,yet ,ernest  

had had no teacher1  save only that the 
,great ,stone ,face became one to him4  
,when the toil of  the day was over1 he 
would gaze at it for hours1 until he    
began to  imagine that those vast       
features recognized him1 and gave him a 
smile of  kindness and encouragement1   
responsive to his own look of           
veneration4 ,we  must not take upon us  
to affirm that this was a mistake1      
although the  ,face may have looked no  
more kindly at ,ernest than at all the  
world  besides4 ,but the secret was1    
that the boy's tender and confiding     
simplicity discerned what other people  
could not see2 and thus the love1  which
 was meant for all1 became his peculiar 
portion4    ,about this time1 there went
 a rumor throughout the valley1 that the
  great man1 foretold from ages ago1 who
 was to bear a resemblance to the       
,great ,stone ,face1 had appeared at    
last4 ,it seems that1 many years        
before1 a young man had migrated from   
the valley and settled at a  distant    

seaport1 where1 after getting together a
 little money1 he had  set up as a      
shopkeeper4 ,his name--but ,i could     
never learn whether it was  his real    
one1 or a nickname that had grown out of
 his habits and success  in life--was   
,gathergold4 ,being shrewd and active1  
and endowed by  ,providence with that   
inscrutable faculty which develops      
itself in what  the world calls luck1 he
 became an exceedingly rich merchant1   
and owner  of a whole fleet of          
bulky-bottomed ships4 ,all the countries
 of the globe  appeared to join hands   
for the mere purpose of adding heap     
after heap  to the mountainous          
accumulation of this one man's wealth4  
,the cold  regions of the north1 almost 
within the gloom and shadow of the      
,arctic  ,circle1 sent him their tribute
 in the shape of furs2 hot ,africa      
sifted  for him the golden sands of her 
rivers1 and gathered up the ivory tusks 
of her great elephants out of the       
forests2 the ,east came bringing him    

the rich shawls1 and spices1 and teas1  
and the effulgence of diamonds1  and the
 gleaming purity of large pearls4 ,the  
ocean1 not to be behindhand  with the   
earth1 yielded up her mighty whales1    
that ,mr4 ,gathergold might  sell their 
oil1 and make a profit on it4 ,be the   
original commodity what  it might1 it   
was gold within his grasp4 ,it might be 
said of him1 as of  ,midas in the fable1
 that whatever he touched with his      
finger immediately  glistened1 and grew 
yellow1 and was changed at once into    
sterling metal1  or1 which suited him   
still better1 into piles of coin4 ,and1 
when ,mr4  ,gathergold had become so    
very rich that it would have taken him a
  hundred years only to count his       
wealth1 he bethought himself of his     
native valley1 and resolved to go back  
thither1 and end his days where  he was 
born4 ,with this purpose in view1 he    
sent a skilful architect to  build him  
such a palace as should be fit for a man
 of his vast wealth to  live in4    ,as 

,i have said above1 it had already been 
rumored in the valley that ,mr4         
,gathergold had turned out to be the    
prophetic personage so long and  vainly 
looked for1 and that his visage was the 
perfect and undeniable  similitude of   
the ,great ,stone ,face4 ,people were   
the more ready to  believe that this    
must needs be the fact1 when they beheld
 the splendid  edifice that rose1 as if 
by enchantment1 on the site of his      
father's old  weather-beaten farmhouse4 
,the exterior was of marble1 so         
dazzingly white  that it seemed as      
though the whole structure might melt   
away in the  sunshine1 like those       
humbler ones which ,mr4 ,gathergold1 in 
his young  play-days1 before his fingers
 were gifted with the touch of          
transmutation1 had been accustomed to   
build of snow4 ,it had a richly         
ornamented portico1 supported by tall   
pillars1 beneath which was a lofty      
door1 studded with silver knobs1 and    
made of a kind of variegated wood  that 

had been brought from beyond the sea4   
,the windows1 from the floor  to the    
ceiling of each stately apartment1 were 
composed1 respectively1  of but one     
enormous pane of glass1 so transparently
 pure that it was  said to be a finer   
medium than even the vacant atmosphere4 
,hardly  anybody had been permitted to  
see the interior of this palace2 but it 
was reported1 and with good semblance of
 truth1 to be far more gorgeous  than   
the outside1 insomuch that whatever was 
iron or brass in other  houses was      
silver or gold in this2 and ,mr4        
,gathergold's bedchamber1  especially1  
made such a glittering appearance that  
no ordinary man would  have been able to
 close his eyes there4 ,but1 on the     
other hand1 ,mr4  ,gathergold was now so
 inured to wealth1 that perhaps he could
 not have  closed his eyes unless where 
the gleam of it was certain to find its 
way  beneath his eyelids4    ,in due    
time1 the mansion was finished2 next    
came the upholsterers1 with  magnificent

 furniture2 then1 a whole troop of black
 and white servants1  the harbingers of 
,mr4 ,gathergold1 who1 in his own       
majestic person1 was  expected to arrive
 at sunset4 ,our friend ,ernest1        
meanwhile1 had been  deeply stirred by  
the idea that the great man1 the noble  
man1 the man of  prophecy1 after so many
 ages of delay1 was at length to be made
 manifest  to his native valley4 ,he    
knew1 boy as he was1 that there were a  
thousand  ways in which ,mr4            
,gathergold1 with his vast wealth1 might
 transform  himself into an angel of    
beneficence1 and assume a control over  
human  affairs as wide and benignant as 
the smile of the ,great ,stone ,face4   
,full  of faith and hope1 ,ernest       
doubted not that what the people said   
was  true1 and that now he was to behold
 the living likeness of those  wondrous 
features on the mountain side4 ,while   
the boy was still gazing  up the valley1
 and fancying1 as he always did1 that   
the ,great ,stone ,face  returned his   

gaze and looked kindly at him1 the      
rumbling of wheels was  heard1          
approaching swiftly along the winding   
road4    ,here he comes6 cried a group  
of people who were assembled to witness 
the arrival4 ,here comes the great ,mr4 
,gathergold6    ,a carriage1 drawn by   
four horses1 dashed round the turn of   
the road4  ,within it1 thrust partly out
 of the window1 appeared the physiognomy
 of  a little old man1 with a skin as   
yellow as if his own ,midas-hand had    
transmuted it4 ,he had a low forehead1  
small1 sharp eyes1 puckered about  with 
innumerable wrinkles1 and very thin     
lips1 which he made still  thinner by   
pressing them forcibly together4    ,the
 very image of the ,great ,stone ,face6 
shouted the people4 ,sure  enough1 the  
old prophecy is true2 and here we have  
the great man come1  at last6    ,and1  
what greatly perplexed ,ernest1 they    
seemed actually to believe that  here   
was the likeness which they spoke of4   
,by the roadside there chanced  to be an

 old beggar-woman and two little        
beggar-children1 stragglers  from some  
far-off region1 who1 as the carriage    
rolled onward1 held out  their hands and
 lifted up their doleful voices1 most   
piteously  beseeching charity4 ,a yellow
 claw--the very same that had clawed    
together so much wealth--poked itself   
out of the coach window1 and  dropped   
some copper coins upon the ground2 so   
that1 though the great  man's name seems
 to have been ,gathergold1 he might just
 as suitably have  been nicknamed       
,scattercopper4 ,still1 nevertheless1   
with an earnest  shout1 and evidently   
with as much good faith as ever1 the    
people  bellowed--    ,he is the very   
image of the ,great ,stone ,face6       
,but ,ernest turned sadly from the      
wrinkled shrewdness of that sordid      
visage1 and gazed up the valley1 where1 
amid a gathering mist1 gilded by  the   
last sunbeams1 he could still           
distinguish those glorious features     
which had impressed themselves into his 

soul4 ,their aspect cheered him4  ,what 
did the benign lips seem to say8    ,he 
will come6 ,fear not1 ,ernest2 the man  
will come6    ,the years went on1 and   
,ernest ceased to be a boy4 ,he had     
grown to be a  young man now4 ,he       
attracted little notice from the other  
inhabitants of  the valley2 for they saw
 nothing remarkable in his way of life1 
save  that1 when the labor of the day   
was over1 he still loved to go apart and
  gaze and meditate upon the ,great     
,stone ,face4 ,according to their idea  
of  the matter1 it was a folly1 indeed1 
but pardonable1 inasmuch as ,ernest  was
 industrious1 kind1 and neighborly1 and 
neglected no duty for the  sake of      
indulging this idle habit4 ,they knew   
not that the ,great ,stone  ,face had   
become a teacher to him1 and that the   
sentiment which was  expressed in it    
would enlarge the young man's heart1 and
 fill it with  wider and deeper         
sympathies than other hearts4 ,they knew
 not that thence  would come a better   

wisdom than could be learned from books1
 and a  better life than could be molded
 on the defaced example of other human  
lives4 ,neither did ,ernest know that   
the thoughts and affections which  came 
to him so naturally1 in the fields and  
at the fireside1 and  wherever he       
communed with himself1 were of a higher 
tone than those  which all men shared   
with him4 ,a simple soul--simple as when
 his mother  first taught him the old   
prophecy--he beheld the marvellous      
features  beaming adown the valley1 and 
still wondered that their human         
counterpart was so long in making his   
appearance4    ,by this time poor ,mr4  
,gathergold was dead and buried2 and the
 oddest  part of the matter was1 that   
his wealth1 which was the body and      
spirit  of his existence1 had           
disappeared before his death1 leaving   
nothing of  him but a living skeleton1  
covered over with a wrinkled1 yellow    
skin4  ,since the melting away of his   
gold1 it had been very generally        

conceded  that there was no such        
striking resemblance1 after all1 between
 the  ignoble features of the ruined    
merchant and that majestic face upon the
  mountain-side4 ,so the people ceased  
to honor him during his lifetime1  and  
quietly consigned him to forgetfulness  
after his decease4 ,once in a  while1 it
 is true1 his memory was brought up in  
connection with the  magnificent palace 
which he had built1 and which had long  
ago been  turned into a hotel for the   
accommodation of strangers1 multitudes  
of  whom came1 every summer1 to visit   
that famous natural curiosity1 the      
,great ,stone ,face4 ,thus1 ,mr1        
,gathergold being discredited and thrown
 into  the shade1 the man of prophecy   
was yet to come4    ,it so happened that
 a native-born son of the valley1 many  
years before1  had enlisted as a        
soldier1 and1 after a great deal of hard
 fighting1 had  now become an           
illustrious commander4 ,whatever he may 
be called in  history1 he was known in  

camps and on the battle-field under the 
nickname of ,old ,blood-and-,thunder4   
,this war-worn veteran1 being now       
infirm with age and wounds1 and weary of
 the turmoil of a military life1  and of
 the roll of the drum and the clangor of
 the trumpet1 that had so  long been    
ringing in his ears1 had lately         
signified a purpose of  returning to his
 native valley1 hoping to find repose   
where he  remembered to have left it4   
,the inhabitants1 his old neighbors and 
their  grown-up children1 were resolved 
to welcome the renowned warrior with a  
salute of cannon and a public dinner2   
and all the more enthusiastically1  it  
being affirmed that now1 at last1 the   
likeness of the ,great ,stone  ,face had
 actually appeared4 ,an aid-de-camp of  
,old ,blood-and-,thunder1  travelling   
through the valley1 was said to have    
been struck with the  resemblance4      
,moreover the schoolmates and early     
acquaintances of the  general were ready
 to testify1 on oath1 that1 to the best 

of their  recollection1 the aforesaid   
general had been exceedingly like the   
majestic image1 even when a boy1 only   
that the idea had never occurred  to    
them at that period4 ,great1 therefore1 
was the excitement throughout  the      
valley2 and many people1 who had never  
once thought of glancing at  the ,great 
,stone ,face for years before1 now spent
 their time in gazing at  it1 for the   
sake of knowing exactly how ,general    
,blood-and-,thunder  looked4    ,on the 
day of the great festival1 ,ernest1 with
 all the other people of  the valley1   
left their work1 and proceeded to the   
spot where the sylvan  banquet was      
prepared4 ,as he approached1 the loud   
voice of the ,rev4 ,dr4  ,battleblast   
was heard1 beseeching a blessing on the 
good things set  before them1 and on the
 distinguished friend of peace in whose 
honor  they were assembled4 ,the tables 
were arranged in a cleared space of the 
woods1 shut in by the surrounding trees1
 except where a vista opened  eastward1 

and afforded a distant view of the      
,great ,stone ,face4 ,over the          
general's chair1 which was a relic from 
the home of ,washington1 there  was an  
arch of verdant boughs1 with the laurel 
profusely intermixed1 and  surmounted by
 his country's banner1 beneath which he 
had won his  victories4 ,our friend     
,ernest raised himself on his tiptoes1  
in hopes to  get a glimpse of the       
celebrated guest2 but there was a mighty
 crowd  about the tables anxious to hear
 the toasts and speeches1 and to catch  
any word that might fall from the       
general in reply2 and a volunteer       
company1 doing duty as a guard1 pricked 
ruthlessly with their bayonets  at any  
particularly quiet person among the     
throng4 ,so ,ernest1 being of  an       
unobtrusive character1 was thrust quite 
into the background1 where he  could see
 no more of ,old ,blood-and-,thunder's  
physiognomy than if it had  been still  
blazing on the battle-field4 ,to console
 himself1 he turned  toward the ,great  

,stone ,face1 which1 like a faithful and
 long-remembered  friend1 looked back   
and smiled upon him through the vista of
 the forest4  ,meantime1 however1 he    
could overhear the remarks of various   
individuals1  who were comparing the    
features of the hero with the face on   
the distant  mountain-side4    ',tis the
 same face1 to a hair6 cried one man1   
cutting a caper for joy4    ,wonderfully
 like1 that's a fact6 responded another4
    ,like6 why1 ,i call it ,old         
,blood-and-,thunder himself1 in a       
monstrous  looking-glass6 cried a third4
 ,and why not8 ,he's the greatest man of
  this or any other age1 beyond a doubt4
    ,and then all three of the speakers 
gave a great shout1 which  communicated 
electricity to the crowd1 and called    
forth a roar from a  thousand voices1   
that went reverberating for miles among 
the mountains1  until you might have    
supposed that the ,great ,stone ,face   
had poured its  thunder-breath into the 
cry4 ,all these comments1 and this vast 

enthusiasm1 served the more to interest 
our friend2 nor did he think of         
questioning that now1 at length1 the    
mountain-visage had found its human     
counterpart4 ,it is true1 ,ernest had   
imagined that this long-looked-for      
personage would appear in the character 
of a man of peace1 uttering  wisdom1 and
 doing good1 and making people happy4   
,but1 taking an habitual  breadth of    
view1 with all his simplicity1 he       
contended that ,providence  should      
choose its own method of blessing       
mankind1 and could conceive  that this  
great end might be effected even by a   
warrior and a bloody  sword1 should     
inscrutable wisdom see fit to order     
matters so4    ,the general6 the        
general6 was now the cry4 ,hush6        
silence6 ,old  ,blood-and-,thunder's    
going to make a speech4    ,even so2    
for1 the cloth being removed1 the       
general's health had been  drunk amid   
shouts of applause1 and he now stood    
upon his feet to thank  the company4    

,ernest saw him4 ,there he was1 over the
 shoulders of the  crowd1 from the two  
glittering epaulets and embroidered     
collar upward1  beneath the arch of     
green boughs with intertwined laurel1   
and the banner  drooping as if to shade 
his brow6 ,and there1 too1 visible in   
the same  glance1 through the vista of  
the forest1 appeared the ,great ,stone  
,face6  ,and was there1 indeed1 such a  
resemblance as the crowd had testified8 
,alas1 ,ernest could not recognize it6  
,he beheld a war-worn and               
weather-beaten countenance1 full of     
energy1 and expressive of an iron  will2
 but the gentle wisdom1 the deep1 broad1
 tender sympathies1 were  altogether    
wanting in ,old ,blood-and ,thunder's   
visage2 and even if the  ,great ,stone  
,face had assumed his look of stern     
command1 the milder  traits would still 
have tempered it4    ,this is not the   
man of prophecy1 sighed ,ernest1 to     
himself1 as he made  his way out of the 
throng4 ,and must the world wait longer 

yet8    ,the mists had congregated about
 the distant mountain-side1 and there   
were seen the grand and awful features  
of the ,great ,stone ,face1 awful  but  
benignant1 as if a mighty angel were    
sitting among the hills1 and  enrobing  
himself in a cloud-vesture of gold and  
purple4 ,as he looked1  ,ernest could   
hardly believe but that a smile beamed  
over the whole  visage1 with a radiance 
still brightening1 although without     
motion of  the lips4 ,it was probably   
the effect of the western sunshine1     
melting  through the thinly diffused    
vapors that had swept between him and   
the  object that he gazed at4 ,but--as  
it always did--the aspect of his        
marvellous friend made ,ernest as       
hopeful as if he had never hoped in     
vain4    ,fear not1 ,ernest1 said his   
heart1 even as if the ,great ,face were 
whispering him--fear not1 ,ernest2 he   
will come4    ,more years sped swiftly  
and tranquilly away4 ,ernest still dwelt
 in his  native valley1 and was now a   

man of middle age4 ,by imperceptible    
degrees1 he had become known among the  
people4 ,now1 as heretofore1 he  labored
 for his bread1 and was the same        
simple-hearted man that he had  always  
been4 ,but he had thought and felt so   
much1 he had given so many  of the best 
hours of his life to unworldly hopes for
 some great good to  mankind1 that it   
seemed as though he had been talking    
with the angels1  and had imbibed a     
portion of their wisdom unawares4 ,it   
was visible in  the calm and            
well-considered beneficence of his daily
 life1 the quiet  stream of which had   
made a wide green margin all along its  
course4 ,not a  day passed by1 that the 
world was not the better because this   
man1  humble as he was1 had lived4 ,he  
never stepped aside from his own path1  
yet would always reach a blessing to his
 neighbor4 ,almost involuntarily1  too1 
he had become a preacher4 ,the pure and 
high simplicity of his  thought1 which1 
as one of its manifestations1 took shape

 in the good  deeds that dropped        
silently from his hand1 flowed also     
forth in speech4  ,he uttered truths    
that wrought upon and molded the lives  
of those who  heard him4 ,his auditors1 
it may be1 never suspected that ,ernest1
 their  own neighbor and familiar       
friend1 was more than an ordinary man2  
least  of all did ,ernest himself       
suspect it2 but1 inevitably as the      
murmur of a  rivulet1 came thoughts out 
of his mouth that no other human lips   
had  spoken4    ,when the people's minds
 had had a little time to cool1 they    
were ready  enough to acknowledge their 
mistake in imagining a similarity       
between  ,general ,blood-and-,thunder's 
truculent physiognomy and the benign    
visage  on the mountain-side4 ,but now1 
again1 there were reports and many      
paragraphs in the newspapers1 affirming 
that the likeness of the ,great  ,stone 
,face had appeared upon the broad       
shoulders of a certain eminent          
statesman4 ,he1 like ,mr4 ,gathergold   

and ,old ,blood-and-,thunder1 was a     
native of the valley1 but had left it in
 his early days1 and taken up  the      
trades of law and politics4 ,instead of 
the rich man's wealth and the  warrior's
 sword1 he had but a tongue1 and it was 
mightier than both  together4 ,so       
wonderfully eloquent was he1 that       
whatever he might choose  to say1 his   
auditors had no choice but to believe   
him2 wrong looked like  right1 and right
 like wrong2 for when it pleased him1 he
 could make a  kind of illuminated fog  
with his mere breath1 and obscure the   
natural  daylight with it4 ,his tongue1 
indeed1 was a magic instrument3         
sometimes  it rumbled like the thunder2 
sometimes it warbled like the sweetest  
music4 ,it was the blast of war--the    
song of peace2 and it seemed to have  a 
heart in it1 when there was no such     
matter4 ,in good truth1 he was a        
wondrous man2 and when his tongue had   
acquired him all other imaginable       
success1--when it had been heard in     

halls of state1 and in the courts of    
princes and potentates--after it had    
made him known all over the world1  even
 as a voice crying from shore to        
shore--it finally persuaded his         
countrymen to select him for the        
,presidency4 ,before this time--indeed1 
as soon as he began to grow             
celebrated--his admirers had found out  
the  resemblance between him and the    
,great ,stone ,face2 and so much were   
they  struck by it1 that throughout the 
country this distinguished gentleman    
was known by the name of ,old ,stony    
,phiz4 ,the phrase was considered as    
giving a highly favorable aspect to his 
political prospects2 for1 as is         
likewise the case with the ,popedom1    
nobody ever becomes ,president  without 
taking a name other than his own4       
,while his friends were doing their best
 to make him ,president1 ,old ,stony    
,phiz1 as he was called1 set out on a   
visit to the valley where he was  born4 
,of course1 he had no other object than 

to shake hands with his                 
fellow-citizens1 and neither thought nor
 cared about any effect which  his      
progress through the country might have 
upon the election4  ,magnificent        
preparations were made to receive the   
illustrious statesman2  a cavalcade of  
horsemen set forth to meet him at the   
boundary line of  the ,state1 and all   
the people left their business and      
gathered along the  wayside to see him  
pass4 ,among these was ,ernest4 ,though 
more than once  disappointed1 as we have
 seen1 he had such a hopeful and        
confiding  nature1 that he was always   
ready to believe in whatever seemed     
beautiful  and good4 ,he kept his heart 
continually open1 and thus was sure to  
catch  the blessing from on high1 when  
it should come4 ,so now again1 as       
buoyantly as ever1 he went forth to     
behold the likeness of the ,great       
,stone ,face4    ,the cavalcade came    
prancing along the road1 with a great   
clattering of  hoofs and a mighty cloud 

of dust1 which rose up so dense and high
 that  the visage of the mountain-side  
was completely hidden from ,ernest's    
eyes4 ,all the great men of the         
neighborhood were there on horseback3   
militia officers1 in uniform2 the member
 of ,congress2 the sheriff of the       
county2 the editors of newspapers2 and  
many a farmer1 too1 had mounted  his    
patient steed1 with his ,sunday coat    
upon his back4 ,it really was a  very   
brilliant spectacle1 especially as there
 were numerous banners  flaunting over  
the cavalcade1 on some of which were    
gorgeous portraits  of the illustrious  
statesman and the ,great ,stone ,face1  
smiling  familiarly at one another1 like
 two brothers4 ,if the pictures were to 
be  trusted1 the mutual resemblance1 it 
must be confessed1 was marvellous4  ,we 
must not forget to mention that there   
was a band of music1 which made  the    
echoes of the mountains ring and        
reverberate with the loud triumph  of   
its strains2 so that airy and           

soul-thrilling melodies broke out among 
all the heights and hollows1 as if every
 nook of his native valley had  found a 
voice1 to welcome the distinguished     
guest4 ,but the grandest  effect was    
when the far-off mountain precipice     
flung back the music2 for  then the     
,great ,stone ,face itself seemed to be 
swelling the triumphant  chorus1 in     
acknowledgment that1 at length1 the man 
of prophecy was come4    ,all this while
 the people were throwing up their hats 
and shouting1 with  enthusiasm so       
contagious that the heart of ,ernest    
kindled up1 and he  likewise threw up   
his hat1 and shouted1 as loudly as the  
loudest1 ,huzza  for the great man6     
,huzza for ,old ,stony ,phiz6 ,but as   
yet he had not seen  him4    ,here he   
is1 now6 cried those who stood near     
,ernest4 ,there6 ,there6  ,look at ,old 
,stony ,phiz and then at the ,old ,man  
of the ,mountain1 and see  if they are  
not as like as two twin-brothers6    ,in
 the midst of all this gallant array1   

came an open barouche1 drawn by  four   
white horses2 and in the barouche1 with 
his massive head uncovered1  sat the    
illustrious statesman1 ,old ,stony ,phiz
 himself4    ,confess it1 said one of   
,ernest's neighbors to him1 the ,great  
,stone  ,face has met its match at last6
    ,now1 it must be owned that1 at his 
first glimpse of the countenance  which 
was bowing and smiling from the         
barouche1 ,ernest did fancy that  there 
was a resemblance between it and the old
 familiar face upon the  mountain-side4 
,the brow1 with its massive depth and   
loftiness1 and all  the other features1 
indeed1 were boldly and strongly hewn1  
as if in  emulation of a more than      
heroic1 of a ,titanic model4 ,but the   
sublimity  and stateliness1 the grand   
expression of a divine sympathy1 that   
illuminated the mountain visage1 and    
etherealized its ponderous granite      
substance into spirit1 might here be    
sought in vain4 ,something had been     
originally left out1 or had departed4   

,and therefore the marvellously  gifted 
statesman had always a weary gloom in   
the deep caverns of his  eyes1 as of a  
child that has outgrown its playthings1 
or a man of mighty  faculties and little
 aims1 whose life1 with all its high    
performances1  was vague and empty1     
because no high purpose had endowed it  
with  reality4    ,still1 ,ernest's     
neighbor was thrusting his elbow into   
his side1 and  pressing him for an      
answer4    ,confess6 confess6 ,is not he
 the very picture of your ,old ,man of  
the  ,mountain8    ,no6 said ,ernest1   
bluntly1 ,i see little or no likeness4  
,then so much the worse for the ,great  
,stone ,face6 answered his  neighbor2   
and again he set up a shout for ,old    
,stony ,phiz4    ,but ,ernest turned    
away1 melancholy1 and almost despondent3
 for this was  the saddest of his       
disappointments1 to behold a man who    
might have  fulfilled the prophecy1 and 
had not willed to do so4 ,meantime1 the 
cavalcade1 the banners1 the music1 and  

the barouches swept past him1  with the 
vociferous crowd in the rear1 leaving   
the dust to settle down1  and the ,great
 ,stone ,face to be revealed again1 with
 the grandeur that it  had worn for     
untold centuries4    ,lo1 here ,i am1   
,ernest6 the benign lips seemed to say4 
,i have waited  longer than thou1 and am
 not yet weary4 ,fear not2 the man will 
come4    ,the years hurried onward1     
treading in their haste on one another's
  heels4 ,and now they began to bring   
white hairs1 and scatter them over  the 
head of ,ernest2 they made reverend     
wrinkles across his forehead1 and       
furrows in his cheeks4 ,he was an aged  
man4 ,but not in vain had he grown  old3
 more than the white hairs on his head  
were the sage thoughts in his  mind2 his
 wrinkles and furrows were inscriptions 
that ,time had graved1  and in which he 
had written legends of wisdom that had  
been tested by  the tenor of a life4    
,and ,ernest had ceased to be obscure4  
,unsought for1  undesired1 had come the 

fame which so many seek1 and made him   
known in  the great world1 beyond the   
limits of the valiey in which he had    
dwelt  so quietly4 ,college professors1 
and even the active men of cities1 came 
from far to see and converse with       
,ernest2 for the report had gone abroad 
that this simple husbandman had ideas   
unlike those of other men1 not  gained  
from books1 but of a higher tone--a     
tranquil and familiar  majesty1 as if he
 had been talking with the angels as his
 daily friends4  ,whether it were sage1 
statesman1 or philanthropist1 ,ernest   
received  these visitors with the gentle
 sincerity that had characterized him   
from  boyhood1 and spoke freely with    
them of whatever came uppermost1 or lay 
deepest in his heart or their own4      
,while they talked together1 his face   
would kindle1 unawares1 and shine upon  
them1 as with a mild evening  light4    
,pensive with the fulness of such       
discourse1 his guests took leave  and   
went their way2 and passing up the      

valley1 paused to look at the  ,great   
,stone ,face1 imagining that they had   
seen its likeness in a human            
countenance1 but could not remember     
where4    ,while ,ernest had been       
growing up and growing old1 a bountiful 
,providence  had granted a new poet to  
this earth4 ,he1 likewise1 was a native 
of the  valley1 but had spent the       
greater part of his life at a distance  
from  that romantic region1 pouring out 
his sweet music amid the bustle and  din
 of cities4 ,often1 however1 did the    
mountains which had been  familiar to   
him in his childhood lift their snowy   
peaks into the clear  atmosphere of his 
poetry4 ,neither was the ,great ,stone  
,face forgotten1  for the poet had      
celebrated it in an ode1 which was grand
 enough to have  been uttered by its own
 majestic lips4 ,this man of genius1 we 
may say1  had come down from heaven with
 wonderful endowments4 ,if he sang of a 
mountain1 the eyes of all mankind beheld
 a mightier grandeur reposing on  its   

breast1 or soaring to its summit1 than  
had before been seen there4  ,if his    
theme were a lovely lake1 a celestial   
smile had now been thrown  over it1 to  
gleam forever on its surface4 ,if it    
were the vast old sea1  even the deep   
immensity of its dread bosom seemed to  
swell the higher1  as if moved by the   
emotions of the song4 ,thus the world   
assumed another  and a better aspect    
from the hour that the poet blessed it  
with his  happy eyes4 ,the ,creator had 
bestowed him1 as the last best touch to 
his  own handiwork4 ,creation was not   
finished till the poet came to          
interpret1 and so complete it4    ,the  
effect was no less high and beautiful1  
when his human brethren were  the       
subject of his verse4 ,the man or woman1
 sordid with the common dust  of life1  
who crossed his daily path1 and the     
little child who played in  it1 were    
glorified if he beheld them in his mood 
of poetic faith4 ,he  showed the golden 
links of the great chain that           

intertwined them with an  angelic       
kindred2 he brought out the hidden      
traits of a celestial birth  that made  
them worthy of such kin4 ,some1 indeed1 
there were1 who  thought to show the    
soundness of their judgment by affirming
 that all  the beauty and dignity of the
 natural world existed only in the      
poet's  fancy4 ,let such men speak for  
themselves1 who undoubtedly appear to   
have  been spawned forth by ,nature with
 a contemptuous bitterness2 she having  
plastered them up out of her refuse     
stuff1 after all the swine were  made4  
,as respects all things else1 the poet's
 ideal was the truest  truth4    ,the   
songs of this poet found their way to   
,ernest4 ,he read them after his        
customary toil1 seated on the bench     
before his cottage-door1 where for  such
 a length of time he had filled his     
repose with thought1 by gazing  at the  
,great ,stone ,face4 ,and now as he read
 stanzas that caused the soul  to thrill
 within him1 he lifted his eyes to the  

vast countenance beaming  on him so     
benignantly4    ,o majestic friend1 he  
murmured1 addressing the ,great ,stone  
,face1 is  not this man worthy to       
resemble thee8    ,the ,face seemed to  
smile1 but answered not a word4    ,now 
it happened that the poet1 though he    
dwelt so far away1 had not only  heard  
of ,ernest1 but had meditated much upon 
his character1 until he  deemed nothing 
so desirable as to meet this man1 whose 
untaught wisdom  walked hand in hand    
with the noble simplicity of his life4  
,one summer  morning1 therefore1 he took
 passage by the railroad1 and1 in the   
decline  of the afternoon1 alighted from
 the cars at no great distance from     
,ernest's cottage4 ,the great hotel1    
which had formerly been the palace of   
,mr4 ,gathergold1 was close at hand1 but
 the poet1 with his carpet-bag on  his  
arm1 inquired at once where ,ernest     
dwelt1 and was resolved to be  accepted 
as his guest4    ,approaching the door1 
he there found the good old man1 holding

 a volume  in his hand1 which           
alternately he read1 and then1 with a   
finger between  the leaves1 looked      
lovingly at the ,great ,stone ,face4    
,good evening1 said the poet4 ,can you  
give a traveller a night's  lodging8    
,willingly1 answered ,ernest2 and then  
he added1 smiling1 ,methinks ,i  never  
saw the ,great ,stone ,face look so     
hospitably at a stranger4    ,the poet  
sat down on the bench beside him1 and he
 and ,ernest talked  together4 ,often   
had the poet held intercourse with the  
wittiest and the  wisest1 but never     
before with a man like ,ernest1 whose   
thoughts and  feelings gushed up with   
such a natural freedom1 and who made    
great  truths so familiar by his simple 
utterance of them4 ,angels1 as had been 
so often said1 seemed to have wrought   
with him at his labor in the  fields2   
angels seemed to have sat with him by   
the fireside2 and1  dwelling with angels
 as friend with friends1 he had imbibed 
the  sublimity of their ideas1 and      

imbued it with the sweet and lowly charm
  of household words4 ,so thought the   
poet4 ,and ,ernest1 on the other hand1  
was moved and agitated by the living    
images which the poet flung out of  his 
mind1 and which peopled all the air     
about the cottage-door with  shapes of  
beauty1 both gay and pensive4 ,the      
sympathies of these two men  instructed 
them with a profounder sense than either
 could have attained  alone4 ,their     
minds accorded into one strain1 and made
 delightful music  which neither of them
 could have claimed as all his own1 nor 
distinguished his own share from the    
other's4 ,they led one another1 as  it  
were1 into a high pavilion of their     
thoughts1 so remote1 and hitherto  so   
dim1 that they had never entered it     
before1 and so beautiful that  they     
desired to be there always4    ,as      
,ernest listened to the poet1 he        
imagined that the ,great ,stone ,face   
was bending forward to listen too4 ,he  
gazed earnestly into the poet's  glowing

 eyes4    ,who are you1 my strangely    
gifted guest8 he said4    ,the poet laid
 his finger on the volume that ,ernest  
had been reading4    ,you have read     
these poems1 said he4 ,you know me1     
then--for ,i wrote  them4    ,again1 and
 still more earnestly than before1      
,ernest examined the poet's  features2  
then turned toward the ,great ,stone    
,face2 then back1 with an  uncertain    
aspect1 to his guest4 ,but his          
countenance fell2 he shook his  head1   
and sighed4    ,wherefore are you sad8  
inquired the poet4    ,because1 replied 
,ernest1 all through life ,i have       
awaited the  fulfilment of a prophecy2  
and1 when ,i read these poems1 ,i hoped 
that it  might be fulfilled in you4     
,you hoped1 answered the poet1 faintly  
smiling1 to find in me the  likeness of 
the ,great ,stone ,face4 ,and you are   
disappointed1 as formerly  with ,mr4    
,gathergold1 and ,old                   
,blood-and-,thunder1 and ,old ,stony    
,phiz4  ,yes1 ,ernest1 it is my doom4   

,you must add my name to the illustrious
  three1 and record another failure of  
your hopes4 ,for--in shame and  sadness 
do ,i speak it1 ,ernest--,i am not      
worthy to be typified by yonder  benign 
and majestic image4    ,and why8 asked  
,ernest4 ,he pointed to the volume4 ,are
 not those  thoughts divine8    ,they   
have a strain of the ,divinity1 replied 
the poet4 ,you can hear in  them the    
far-off echo of a heavenly song4 ,but my
 life1 dear ,ernest1 has  not           
corresponded with my thought4 ,i have   
had grand dreams1 but they have  been   
only dreams1 because ,i have lived--and 
that1 too1 by my own  choice--among poor
 and mean realities4 ,sometimes         
even--shall ,i dare to  say it8--,i lack
 faith in the grandeur1 the beauty1 and 
the goodness1  which my own works are   
said to have made more evident in nature
 and in  human life4 ,why1 then1 pure   
seeker of the good and true1 shouldst   
thou  hope to find me1 in yonder image  
of the divine8    ,the poet spoke sadly1

 and his eyes were dim with tears4 ,so1 
likewise1  were those of ,ernest4    ,at
 the hour of sunset1 as had long been   
his frequent custom1 ,ernest was  to    
discourse to an assemblage of the       
neighboring inhabitants in the open     
air4 ,he and the poet1 arm in arm1 still
 talking together as they went  along1  
proceeded to the spot4 ,it was a small  
nook among the hills1 with  a gray      
precipice behind1 the stern front of    
which was relieved by the  pleasant     
foliage of many creeping plants1 that   
made a tapestry for the  naked rock1 by 
hanging their festoons from all its     
rugged angles4 ,at a  small elevation   
above the ground1 set in a rich         
framework of verdure1  there appeared a 
niche1 spacious enough to admit a human 
figure1 with  freedom for such gestures 
as spontaneously ascompany earnest      
thought and  genuine emotion4 ,into this
 natural pulpit ,ernest ascended1 and   
threw a  look of familiar kindness      
around upon his audience4 ,they stood1  

or sat1  or reclined upon the grass1 as 
seemed good to each1 with the departing 
sunshine falling obliquely over them1   
and mingling its subdued  cheerfulness  
with the solemnity of a grove of ancient
 trees1 beneath and  amid the boughs of 
which the golden rays were constrained  
to pass4 ,in  another direction was seen
 the ,great ,stone ,face1 with the same 
cheer1  combined with the same          
solemnity1 in its benignant aspect4     
,ernest began to speak1 giving to the   
people of what was in his heart and     
mind4 ,his words had power1 because they
 accorded with his thoughts2 and  his   
thoughts had reality and depth1 because 
they harmonized with the  life which he 
had always lived4 ,it was not mere      
breath that this  preacher uttered2 they
 were the words of life1 because a life 
of good  deeds and holy love was melted 
into them4 ,pearls1 pure and rich1 had  
been dissolved into this precious       
draught4 ,the poet1 as he listened1     
felt that the being and character of    

,ernest were a nobler strain of  poetry 
than he had ever written4 ,his eyes     
glistening with tears1 he  gazed        
reverentially at the venerable man1 and 
said within himself that  never was     
there an aspect so worthy of a prophet  
and a sage as that  mild1 sweet1        
thoughtful countenance1 with the glory  
of white hair  diffused about it4 ,at a 
distance1 but distinctly to be seen1    
high up in  the golden light of the     
setting sun1 appeared the ,great ,stone 
,face1 with  hoary mists around it1 like
 the white hairs around the brow of     
,ernest4  ,its look of grand beneficence
 seemed to embrace the world4    ,at    
that moment1 in sympathy with a thought 
which he was about to utter1  the face  
of ,ernest assumed a grandeur of        
expression1 so imbued with  benevolence1
 that the poet1 by an irresistible      
impulse1 threw his arms  aloft1 and     
shouted3    ,behold6 ,behold6 ,ernest is
 himself the likeness of the ,great     
,stone  ,face6    ,then all the people  

looked1 and saw that what the           
deep-sighted poet said  was true4 ,the  
prophecy was fulfilled4 ,but ,ernest1   
having finished what  he had to say1    
took the poet's arm1 and walked slowly  
homeward1 still  hoping that some wiser 
and better man than himself would by and
 by  appear1 bearing a resemblance to   
the ,,great ,,stone ,,face4             
,,the ,,gentle ,,boy    ,by ,,nathaniel 
,,hawthorne      ,in the course of the  
year #afef1 several of the people called
 ,quakers1  led1 as they professed1 by  
the inward movement of the spirit1 made 
their  appearance in ,new ,england4     
,their reputation1 as holders of mystic 
and  pernicious principles1 having      
spread before them1 the ,puritans early 
endeavored to banish1 and to prevent the
 further intrusion of the rising  sect4 
,but the measures by which it was       
intended to purge the land of  heresy1  
though more than sufficiently vigorous1 
were entirely  unsuccessful4 ,the       
,quakers1 esteeming persecution as a    

divine call to the  post of danger1 laid
 claim to a holy courage1 unknown to the
 ,puritans  themselves1 who had shunned 
the cross1 by providing for the         
peaceable  exercise of their religion in
 a distant wilderness4 ,though it was   
the  singular fact1 that every nation of
 the earth rejected the wandering       
enthusiasts who practiced peace toward  
all men1 the place of greatest          
uneasiness and peril1 and therefore1 in 
their eyes1 the most eligible1  was the 
province of ,massachusetts ,bay4    ,the
 fines1 imprisonments1 and stripes1     
liberally distributed by our  pious     
forefathers1 the popular antipathy1 so  
strong that it endured  nearly a hundred
 years after actual persecution had     
ceased1 were  attractions as powerful   
for the ,quakers as peace1 honor1 and   
reward  would have been for the         
wordly-minded4 ,every ,european vessel  
brought new  cargoes of the sect1 eager 
to testify against the oppression which 
they  hoped to share2 and1 when         

shipmasters were restrained by heavy    
fines  from affording them passage1 they
 made long and circuitous journeys      
through the ,indian country1 and        
appeared in the province as if conveyed 
by a supernatural power4 ,their         
enthusiasm1 heightened almost to madness
  by the treatment which they received1 
produced actions contrary to the  rules 
of decency1 as well as of rational      
religion1 and presented a  singular     
contrast to the calm and staid          
deportment of their sectarian           
successors of the present day4 ,the     
command of the spirit1 inaudible  except
 to the soul1 and not to be controverted
 on grounds of human  wisdom1 was made a
 plea for most indecorous exhibitions1  
which1  abstractedly considered1 well   
deserved the moderate chastisement of   
the  rod4 ,these extravagances1 and the 
persecution which was at once their     
cause and consequence1 continued to     
increase1 till1 in the year #afei1  the 
government of ,massachusetts ,bay       

indulged two members of the ,quaker     
sect with the crown of martyrdom4    ,an
 indelible stain of blood is upon the   
hands of all who consented to  this act1
 but a large share of the awful         
responsibility must rest upon  the      
person then at the head of the          
government4 ,he was a man of narrow     
mind and imperfect education1 and his   
uncompromising bigotry was made  hot and
 mischievous by violent and hasty       
passions2 he exerted his  influence     
indecorously and unjustifiably to       
compass the death of the  enthusiasts2  
and his whole conduct1 in respect to    
them1 was marked by  brutal cruelty4    
,the ,quakers1 whose revengeful feelings
 were not less deep because they  were  
inactive1 remembered this man and his   
associates1 in after times4  ,the       
historian of the sect affirms that1 by  
the wrath of ,heaven1 a blight  fell    
upon the land in the vicinity of the    
bloody town of ,boston1 so  that no     
wheat would grow there2 and he takes his

 stand1 as it were1  among the graves of
 the ancient persecutors1 and           
triumphantly recounts  the judgments    
that overtook them1 in old age or at the
 parting hour4 ,he  tells us that they  
died suddenly1 and violently1 and in    
madness2 but  nothing can exceed the    
bitter mockery with which he records the
  loathsome disease1 and death by       
rottenness1 of the fierce and cruel     
governor4    ,on the evening of the     
autumn day1 that had witnessed the      
martyrdom of  two men of the ,quaker    
persuasion1 a ,puritan settler was      
returning from  the metropolis to the   
neighboring country town in which he    
resided4 ,the  air was cool1 the sky    
clear1 and the lingering twilight was   
made  brighter by the rays of a young   
moon1 which had now nearly reached the  
verge of the horizon4 ,the traveller1 a 
man of middle age1 wrapped in a  gray   
frieze cloak1 quickened his pace when he
 had reached the outskirts  of the town1
 for a gloomy extent of nearly four     

miles lay between him  and his home4    
,the low1 straw-thatched houses were    
scattered at  considerable intervals    
along the road1 and the country having  
been  settled but about thirty years1   
the tracts of original forest still bore
  no small proportion to the cultivated 
ground4 ,the autumn wind wandered  among
 the branches1 whirling away the leaves 
from all except the  pine-trees1 and    
moaning as if it lamented the desolation
 of which it was  the instrument4 ,the  
road had penetrated the mass of woods   
that lay  nearest to the town1 and was  
just emerging into an open space1 when  
the  traveller's ears were saluted by a 
sound more mournful than even that of   
the wind4 ,it was like the wailing of   
some one in distress1 and it seemed  to 
proceed from beneath a tall and lonely  
fir-tree1 in the centre of a  cleared1  
but uninclosed and uncultivated field4  
,the ,puritan could not  but remember   
that this was the very spot which had   
been made accursed a  few hours before  

by the execution of the ,quakers1 whose 
bodies had been  thrown together into   
one hasty grave1 beneath the tree on    
which they  suffered4 ,he struggled1    
however1 against the superstitious fears
 which  belonged to the age1 and        
compelled himself to pause and listen4  
,the voice is most likely mortal1 nor   
have ,i cause to tremble if it be       
otherwise1 thought he1 straining his    
eyes through the dim moonlight4         
,methinks it is like the wailing of a   
child2 some infant1 it may be1  which   
has strayed from its mother1 and chanced
 upon this place of death4  ,for the    
ease of mine own conscience1 ,i must    
search this matter out4    ,he therefore
 left the path1 and walked somewhat     
fearfully across the  field4 ,though now
 so desolate1 its soil was pressed down 
and trampled by  the thousand footsteps 
of those who had witnessed the spectacle
 of that  day1 all of whom had now      
retired1 leaving the dead to their      
loneliness4  ,the traveller at length   

reached the fir-tree1 which from the    
middle  upward was covered with living  
branches1 although a scaffold had been  
erected beneath1 and other preparations 
made for the work of death4  ,under this
 unhappy tree1 which in after times was 
believed to drop  poison with its dew1  
sat the one solitary mourner for        
innocent blood4 ,it  was a slender and  
light-clad little boy1 who leaned his   
face upon a  hillock of fresh-turned and
 half-frozen earth1 and wailed bitterly1
 yet  in a suppressed tone1 as if his   
grief might receive the punishment of   
crime4 ,the ,puritan1 whose approach had
 been unperceived1 laid his hand  upon  
the child's shoulder1 and addressed him 
compassionately4    ,you have chosen a  
dreary lodging1 my poor boy1 and no     
wonder that you  weep1 said he4 ,but dry
 your eyes1 and tell me where your      
mother  dwells4 ,i promise you if the   
journey be not too far1 ,i will leave   
you in  her arms to-night4    ,the boy  
had hushed his wailing at once1 and     

turned his face upward to  the stranger4
 ,it was a pale1 bright-eyed            
countenance1 certainly not more  than   
six years old1 but sorrow1 fear1 and    
want had destroyed much of its          
infantile expression4 ,the ,puritan1    
seeing the boy's frightened gaze1 and   
feeling that he trembled under his hand1
 endeavored to reassure him4    ,nay1 if
 ,i intended to do you harm1 little lad1
 the readiest way were  to leave you    
here4 ,what6 you do not fear to sit     
beneath the gallows on a  new-made      
grave1 and yet you tremble at a friend's
 touch4 ,take heart1  child1 and tell me
 what is your name1 and where is your   
home6    ,friend1 replied the little    
boy1 in a sweet1 though faltering voice1
  they call me ,ilbrahim1 and my home is
 here4    ,the pale1 spiritual face1 the
 eyes that seemed to mingle with the    
moonlight1 the sweet airy voice1 and the
 outlandish name almost made the        
,puritan believe that the boy was in    
truth a being which had sprung up  out  

of the grave on which he sat4 ,but      
perceiving that the apparition  stood   
the test of a short mental prayer1 and  
remembering that the arm  which he had  
touched was life-like1 he adopted a more
 rational  supposition4 ,the poor child 
is stricken in his intellect1 thought   
he1  but verily his words are fearful1  
in a place like this4 ,he then spoke    
soothingly1 intending to humor the boy's
 fantasy4    ,your home will scarce be  
comfortable1 ,ilbrahim1 this cold autumn
 night1  and ,i fear you are ill        
provided with food4 ,i am hastening to a
 warm  supper and bed1 and if you will  
go with me1 you shall share them6    ,i 
thank thee1 friend1 but though ,i be    
hungry1 and shivering with cold1  thou  
wilt not give me food nor lodging1      
replied the boy1 in the quiet  tone     
which despair had taught him1 even so   
young4 ,my father was of the  people    
whom all men hate4 ,they have laid him  
under this heap of earth1  and here is  
my home4    ,the ,puritan1 who had laid 

hold of little ,ilbrahim's hand1        
relinquished  it as if he were touching 
a loathsome reptile4 ,but he possessed a
  compassionate heart1 which not even   
religious prejudice could harden  into  
stone4    ,god forbid that ,i should    
leave this child to perish1 though he   
comes of  the accursed sect1 said he to 
himself4 ,do we not all spring from an  
evil root8 ,are we not all in darkness  
till the light doth shine upon us8  ,he 
shall not perish1 neither in body1 nor1 
if prayer and instruction may  avail for
 him1 in soul4 ,he then spoke aloud and 
kindly to ,ilbrahim1 who  had again hid 
his face in the cold earth of the grave4
 ,was every door  in the land shut      
against you1 my child1 that you have    
wandered to this  unhallowed spot8      
,they drove me forth from the prison    
when they took my father thence1  said  
the boy1 and ,i stood afar off1 watching
 the crowd of people2 and  when they    
were gone1 ,i came hither1 and found    
only this grave4 ,i knew  that my father

 was sleeping here1 and ,i said1 ,this  
shall be my home4    ,no1 child1 no2 not
 while ,i have a roof over my head1 or a
 morsel to  share with you6 exclaimed   
the ,puritan1 whose sympathies were now 
fully  excited4 ,rise up and come with  
me1 and fear not any harm4    ,the boy  
wept afresh1 and clung to the heap of   
earth1 as if the cold  heart beneath it 
were warmer to him than any in a living 
breast4 ,the  traveller1 however1       
continued to entreat him tenderly1 and  
seeming to  acquire some degree of      
confidence1 he at length arose4 ,but his
 slender  limbs tottered with weakness1 
his little head grew dizzy1 and he      
leaned  against the tree of death for   
support4    ,my poor boy1 are you so    
feeble8 said the ,puritan4 ,when did you
 taste  food last8    ,i ate of bread   
and water with my father in the prison1 
replied  ,ilbrahim1 but they brought him
 none neither yesterday nor to-day1     
saying that he had eaten enough to bear 
him to his journey's end4  ,trouble not 

thyself for my hunger1 kind friend1 for 
,i have lacked food  many times ere now4
    ,the traveller took the child in his
 arms and wrapped his cloak about  him1 
while his heart stirred with shame and  
anger against the gratuitous  cruelty of
 the instruments in this persecution4   
,in the awakened warmth  of his         
feelings1 he resolved that1 at whatever 
risk1 he would not  forsake the poor    
little defenceless being whom ,heaven   
had confided to  his care4 ,with this   
determination1 he left the accursed     
field1 and  resumed the homeward path   
from which the wailing of the boy had   
called  him4 ,the light and motionless  
burden scarcely impeded his progress1   
and  he soon beheld the fire rays from  
the windows of the cottage which he1 a  
native of a distant clime1 had built in 
the ,western wilderness4 ,it was        
surrounded by a considerable extent of  
cultivated ground1 and the  dwelling was
 situated in the nook of a wood-covered 
hill1 whither it  seemed to have crept  

for protection4    ,look up1 child1 said
 the ,puritan to ,ilbrahim1 whose faint 
head had  sunk upon his shoulder1 there 
is our home4    ,at the word home1 a    
thrill passed through the child's frame1
 but he  continued silent4 ,a few       
moments brought them to the             
cottage-door1 at  which the owner       
knocked2 for at that early period1 when 
savages were  wandering everywhere among
 the settlers1 bolt and bar were        
indispensable  to the security of a     
dwelling4 ,the summons was answered by a
  bond-servant1 a coarse-clad and       
dull-featured piece of humanity1 who1   
after ascertaining that his master was  
the applicant1 undid the door1  and held
 a flaring pine-knot torch to light him 
in4 ,further back in the  passageway1   
the red blaze discovered a matronly     
woman1 but no little  crowd of children 
came bounding forth to greet their      
father's return4 ,as  the ,puritan      
entered1 he thrust aside his cloak1 and 
displayed ,ilbrahim's  face to the      

female4    ,dorothy1 here is a little   
outcast whom ,providence hath put into  
our  hands1 observed he4 ,be kind to    
him1 even as if he were of those dear   
ones who have departed from us4    ,what
 pale and bright-eyed little boy is     
this1 ,tobias8 she inquired4  ,is he one
 whom the wilderness folk have ravished 
from some ,christian  mother8    ,no1   
,dorothy1 this poor child is no captive 
from the wilderness1 he  replied4 ,the  
heathen savage would have given him to  
eat of his scanty  morsel1 and to drink 
of his birchen cup2 but ,christian men1 
alas6 had  cast him out to die4    ,then
 he told her how he had found him       
beneath the gallows1 upon his  father's 
grave2 and how his heart had prompted   
him1 like the speaking of  an inward    
voice1 to take the little outcast home1 
and be kind unto him4  ,he acknowledged 
his resolution to feed and clothe him1  
as if he were his  own child1 and to    
afford him the instruction which should 
counteract the  pernicious errors       

hitherto instilled into his infant mind4
 ,dorothy was  gifted with even a       
quicker tenderness than her husband1 and
 she approved  of all his doings and    
intentions4    ,have you a mother1 dear 
child8 she inquired4    ,the tears burst
 forth from his full heart1 as he       
attempted to reply2 but  ,dorothy at    
length understood that he had a mother1 
who1 like the rest of  her sect1 was a  
persecuted wanderer4 ,she had been taken
 from the prison  a short time before1  
carried into the uninhabited wilderness1
 and left  to perish there by hunger or 
wild beasts4 ,this was no uncommon      
method of  disposing of the ,quakers1   
and they were accustomed to boast1 that 
the  inhabitants of the desert were more
 hospitable to them than civilized  man4
    ,fear not1 little boy1 you shall not
 need a mother1 and a kind one1  said   
,dorothy1 when she had gathered this    
information4 ,dry your tears1           
,ilbrahim1 and be my child1 as ,i will  
be your mother4    ,the good woman      

prepared the little bed1 from which her 
own children had  successively been     
borne to another resting-place4 ,before 
,ilbrahim would  consent to occupy it1  
he knelt down1 and as ,dorothy listened 
to his  simple and affecting prayer1 she
 marvelled how the parents that had     
taught it to him could have been judged 
worthy of death4 ,when the boy  had     
fallen asleep1 she bent over his pale   
and spiritual countenance1  pressed a   
kiss upon his white brow1 drew the      
bedclothes up about his  neck1 and went 
away with a pensive gladness in her     
heart4    ,tobias ,pearson was not among
 the earliest emigrants from the old    
country4 ,he had remained in ,england   
during the first years of the civil     
war1 in which he had borne some share as
 a cornet of dragoons1 under  ,cromwell4
 ,but when the ambitious designs of his 
leader began to develop  themselves1 he 
quitted the army of the ,parliament1 and
 sought a refuge  from the strife1 which
 was no longer holy1 among the people of

 his  persuasion in the colony of       
,massachusetts4 ,a more worldly         
consideration  had perhaps an influence 
in drawing him thither2 for ,new        
,england offered  advantages to men of  
unprosperous fortunes1 as well as to    
dissatisfied  religionists1 and ,pearson
 had hitherto found it difficult to     
provide for  a wife and increasing      
family4 ,to this supposed impurity of   
motive1 the  more bigoted ,puritans were
 inclined to impute the removal by death
 of  all the children1 for whose earthly
 good the father had been               
over-thoughtful4 ,they had left their   
native country blooming like roses1  and
 like roses they had perished in a      
foreign soil4 ,those expounders of  the 
ways of ,providence1 who had thus judged
 their brother1 and  attributed his     
domestic sorrows to his sin1 were not   
more charitable  when they saw him and  
,dorothy endeavoring to fill up the void
 in their  hearts by the adoption of an 
infant of the accursed sect4 ,nor did   

they  fail to communicate their         
disapprobation to ,tobias2 but the      
latter1 in  reply1 merely pointed at the
 little1 quiet1 lovely boy1 whose       
appearance  and deportment were indeed  
as powerful arguments as could possibly 
have  been adduced in his own favor4    
,even his beauty1 however1 and his      
winning  manners1 sometimes produced an 
effect ultimately unfavorable2 for the  
bigots1 when the outer surfaces of their
 iron hearts had been softened  and     
again grew hard1 affirmed that no merely
 natural cause could have so  worked    
upon them4    ,their antipathy to the   
poor infant was also increased by the   
ill success  of divers theological      
discussions1 in which it was attempted  
to convince  him of the errors of his   
sect4 ,ilbrahim1 it is true1 was not a  
skilful  controversialist2 but the      
feeling of his religion was strong as   
instinct  in him1 and he could neither  
be enticed nor driven from the faith    
which  his father had died for4 ,the    

odium of this stubbornness was shared in
 a  great measure by the child's        
protectors1 insomuch that ,tobias and   
,dorothy very shortly began to          
experience a most bitter species of     
persecution1 in the cold regards of many
 a friend whom they had valued4  ,the   
common people manifested their opinions 
more openly4 ,pearson was a  man of some
 consideration1 being a representative  
to the ,general ,court1  and an approved
 lieutenant in the trainbands2 yet      
within a week after  his adoption of    
,ilbrahim1 he had been both hissed and  
hooted4 ,once1  also1 when walking      
through a solitary piece of woods1 he   
heard a loud  voice from some invisible 
speaker2 and it cried1 ,what shall be   
done to  the backslider8 ,lo6 the       
scourge is knotted for him1 even the    
whip of  nine cords1 and every cord     
three knots6 ,these insults irritated   
,pearson's temper for the moment2 they  
entered also into his heart1 and  became
 imperceptible but powerful workers     

toward an end which his most  secret    
thought had not yet whispered4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,on the second ,sabbath after ,ilbrahim 
became a member of their family1        
,pearson and his wife deemed it proper  
that he should appear with them at      
public worship4 ,they had anticipated   
some opposition to this measure  from   
the boy1 but he prepared himself in     
silence1 and at the appointed  hour was 
clad in the new mourning suit which     
,dorothy had wrought for  him4 ,as the  
parish was then1 and during many        
subsequent years1  unprovided with a    
bell1 the signal for the commencement of
 religious  exercises was the beat of a 
drum4 ,at the first sound of that       
martial  call to the place of holy and  
quiet thoughts1 ,tobias and ,dorothy set
  forth1 each holding a hand of little  
,ilbrahim1 like two parents linked      
together by the infant of their love4   
,on their path through the leafless     
woods1 they were overtaken by many      

persons of their acquaintance1 all of   
whom avoided them1 and passed by on the 
other side2 but a severer trial  awaited
 their constancy when they had descended
 the hill1 and drew near  the pine-built
 and undecorated house of prayer4       
,around the door1 from  which the       
drummer still sent forth his thundering 
summons1 was drawn up  a formidable     
phalanx1 including several of the oldest
 members of the  congregation1 many of  
the middle aged1 and nearly all the     
younger males4  ,pearson found it       
difficult to sustain their united and   
disapproving  gaze2 but ,dorothy1 whose 
mind was differently circumstanced1     
merely drew  the boy closer to her1 and 
faltered not in her approach4 ,as they  
entered  the door1 they overheard the   
muttered sentiments of the assemblage1  
and  when the reviling voices of the    
little children smote ,ilbrahim's ear1  
he  wept4    ,the interior aspect of the
 meeting-house was rude4 ,the low       
ceiling1 the  unplastered walls1 the    

naked woodwork1 and the undraperied     
pulpit  offered nothing to excite the   
devotion1 which1 without such external  
aids1 often remains latent in the heart4
 ,the floor of the building was         
occupied by rows of long1 cushionless   
benches1 supplying the place of  pews1  
and the broad aisle formed a sexual     
division1 impassable except by  children
 beneath a certain age4    ,pearson and 
,dorothy separated at the door of the   
meeting-house1 and  ,ilbrahim1 being    
within the years of infancy1 was        
retained under the care  of the latter4 
,the wrinkled beldams involved          
themselves in their rusty  cloaks as he 
passed by2 even the mild-featured       
maidens seemed to dread  contamination2 
and many a stern old man arose1 and     
turned his repulsive  and unheavenly    
countenance upon the gentle boy1 as if  
the sanctuary  were polluted by his     
presence4 ,he was a sweet infant of the 
skies1 that  had strayed away from his  
home1 and all the inhabitants of this   

miserable world closed up their impure  
hearts against him1 drew back  their    
earth-soiled garments from his touch1   
and said1 ,we are holier  than thou4    
,ilbrahim1 seated by the side of his    
adopted mother1 and retaining fast  hold
 of her hand1 assumed a grave and       
decorous demeanor1 such as might  befit 
a person of matured taste and           
understanding1 who should find  himself 
in a temple dedicated to some worship   
which he did not  recognize1 but felt   
himself bound to respect4 ,the exercises
 had not yet  commenced1 however1 when  
the boy's attention was arrested by an  
event1  apparently of trifling interest4
 ,a woman1 having her face muffled in a 
hood1 and a cloak drawn completely about
 her form1 advanced slowly up  the broad
 aisle1 and took a place upon the       
foremost bench4 ,ilbrahim's  faint color
 varied1 his nerves fluttered1 he was   
unable to turn his eyes  from the       
muffled female4    ,when the preliminary
 prayer and hymn were over1 the minister

 arose1 and  having turned the          
hour-glass which stood by the great     
,bible1 commenced  his discourse4 ,he   
was now well stricken in years1 a man of
 pale1 thin  countenance1 and his gray  
hairs were closely covered by a black   
velvet  skull cap4 ,in his younger days 
he had practically learned the meaning  
of  persecution from ,archbishop ,laud1 
and he was not now disposed to forget   
the lesson against which he had murmured
 then4 ,introducing the  often-discussed
 subject of the ,quakers1 he gave a     
history of that sect1  and a description
 of their tenets1 in which error        
predominated1 and  prejudice distorted  
the aspect of what was true4 ,he        
adverted to the  recent measures in the 
province1 and cautioned his hearers of  
weaker  parts against calling in        
question the just severity which        
,god-fearing  magistrates had at length 
been compelled to exercise4 ,he spoke of
 the  danger of pity1 in some cases a   
commendable and ,christian virtue1 but  

inapplicable to this pernicious sect4   
,he observed that such was their        
devilish obstinacy in error1 that even  
the little children1 the sucking  babes1
 were hardened and desperate heretics4  
,he affirmed that no man1  without      
,heaven's especial warrant1 should      
attempt their conversion1 lest  while he
 lent his hand to draw them from the    
slough1 he should himself  be           
precipitated into its lowest depths4    
,the sands of the second hour were      
principally in the lower half of the    
glass when the sermon concluded4 ,an    
approving murmur followed1 and the      
clergyman1 having given out a hymn1 took
 his seat with much                     
self-congratulation1 and endeavored to  
read the effect of his eloquence  in the
 visages of the people4 ,but while      
voices from all parts of the  house were
 tuning themselves to sing1 a scene     
occurred1 which1 though  not very       
unusual at that period in the province1 
happened to be without  precedent in    

this parish4    ,the muffled female1 who
 had hitherto sat motionless in the     
front rank  of the audience1 now arose1 
and with slow1 stately1 and unwavering  
step  ascended the pulpit stairs4 ,the  
quiverings of incipient harmony were    
hushed1 and the divine sat in speechless
 and almost terrified  astonishment1    
while she undid the door1 and stood up  
in the sacred desk  from which his      
maledictions had just been thundered4   
,she then divested  herself of the cloak
 and hood1 and appeared in a most       
singular array4 ,a  shapeless robe of   
sackcloth was girded about her waist    
with a knotted  cord2 her raven hair    
fell down upon her shoulders1 and its   
blackness was  defiled by pale streaks  
of ashes1 which she had strewn upon her 
head4  ,her eyebrows1 dark and strongly 
defined1 added to the deathly whiteness 
of a countenance1 which1 emaciated with 
want1 and wild with enthusiasm  and     
strange sorrows1 retained no trace of   
earlier beauty4 ,this figure  stood     

gazing earnestly on the audience1 and   
there was no sound1 nor any  movement1  
except a faint shuddering which every   
man observed in his  neighbor1 but was  
scarcely conscious of in himself4 ,at   
length1 when her  fit of inspiration    
came1 she spoke1 for the first few      
moments in a low  voice and not         
invariably distinct utterance4 ,her     
discourse gave evidence  of an          
imagination hopelessly entangled with   
her reason2 it was a vague  and         
incomprehensible rhapsody1 which1       
however1 seemed to spread its own       
atmosphere round the hearer's soul1 and 
to move his feelings by some  influence 
unconnected with the words4 ,as she     
proceeded1 beautiful but  shadowy images
 would sometimes be seen1 like bright   
things moving in a  turbid river2 or a  
strong and singularly shaped idea leaped
 forth1 and  seized at once on the      
understanding or the heart4 ,but the    
course of her  unearthly eloquence soon 
led her to the persecutions of her sect1

 and  from thence the step was short to 
her own peculiar sorrows4 ,she was      
naturally a woman of mighty passions1   
and hatred and revenge now wrapped      
themselves in the garb of piety2 the    
character of her speech was  changed1   
her images became distinct though wild1 
and her denunciations  had an almost    
hellish bitterness4    ,the governor and
 his mighty men1 she said1 have gathered
 together1  taking counsel among        
themselves and saying1 ',what shall we  
do unto this  people--even unto the     
people that have come into this land to 
put our  iniquity to the blush8' ,and   
lo6 the ,devil entereth into the        
council-chamber1 like a lame man of low 
stature and gravely apparelled1  with a 
dark and twisted countenance1 and a     
bright1 downcast eye4 ,and he  standeth 
up among the rulers2 yea1 he goeth to   
and fro1 whispering to  each2 and every 
man lends his ear1 for his word is1     
',slay1 slay6' ,but ,i  say unto ye1    
,woe to them that slay6 ,woe to them    

that shed the blood of  saints6 ,woe to 
them that have slain the husband1 and   
cast forth the  child1 the tender       
infant1 to wander homeless1 and hungry1 
and cold1 till  he die2 and have saved  
the mother alive1 in the cruelty of     
their tender  mercies6 ,woe to them in  
their lifetime1 cursed are they in the  
delight  and pleasure of their hearts6  
,woe to them in their death-hour1       
whether  it come swiftly with blood and 
violence1 or after long and lingering   
pain6 ,woe1 in the dark house1 in the   
rottenness of the grave1 when the       
children's children shall revile the    
ashes of the fathers6 ,woe1 woe1  woe1  
at the judgment1 when all the persecuted
 and all the slain in this  bloody land1
 and the father1 the mother1 and the    
child shall await them  in a day that   
they cannot escape6 ,seed of the faith1 
seed of the faith1  ye whose hearts are 
moving with a power that ye know not1   
arise1 wash  your hands of this innocent
 blood6 ,lift your voices1 chosen ones1 

cry  aloud1 and call down a woe and a   
judgment with me6    ,having thus given 
vent to the flood of malignity which she
 mistook for  inspiration1 the speaker  
was silent4 ,her voice was succeeded by 
the  hysteric shrieks of several women1 
but the feelings of the audience        
generally had not been drawn onward in  
the current with her own4 ,they         
remained stupefied1 stranded as it were1
 in the midst of a torrent1  which      
deafened them by its roaring1 but might 
not move them by its  violence4 ,the    
clergyman1 who could not hitherto have  
ejected the usurper  of his pulpit      
otherwise than by bodily force1 now     
addressed her in the  tone of just      
indignation and legitimate authority4   
,get you down1 woman1 from the holy     
place which you profane1 he said4  ,is  
it to the ,lord's house that you came to
 pour forth the foulness of  your heart1
 and the inspiration of the ,devil8 ,get
 you down1 and remember  that the       
sentence of death is on you1 yea1 and   

shall be executed1 were  it but for this
 day's work6    ,i go1 friend1 ,i go1   
for the voice hath had its utterance1   
replied  she1 in a depressed and even   
mild tone4 ,i have done my mission unto 
thee and to thy people4 ,reward me with 
stripes1 imprisonment1 or death1  as ye 
shall be permitted4    ,the weakness of 
exhausted passion caused her steps to   
totter as she  descended the pulpit     
stairs4 ,the people1 in the meanwhile1  
were stirring  to and fro on the floor  
of the house1 whispering among          
themselves1 and  glancing toward the    
intruder4 ,many of them now recognized  
her as the  woman who had assaulted the 
governor with frightful language1 as he 
passed by the window of her prison2 they
 knew1 also1 that she was  adjudged to  
suffer death1 and had been preserved    
only by an involuntary  banishment into 
the wilderness4 ,the new outrage1 by    
which she had  provoked her fate1 seemed
 to render further lenity impossible2   
and a  gentleman in military dress1 with

 a stout man of inferior rank1 drew     
toward the door of the meeting-house1   
and awaited her approach4 ,scarcely  did
 her feet press the floor1 however1 when
 an unexpected scene  occurred4 ,in that
 moment of her peril1 when every eye    
frowned with  death1 a little timid boy 
pressed forth1 and threw his arms round 
his  mother4    ,i am here1 mother1 it  
is ,i1 and ,i will go with thee to      
prison1 he  exclaimed4    ,she gazed at 
him with a doubtful and almost          
frightened expression1 for  she knew    
that the boy had been cast out to       
perish1 and she had not hoped  to see   
his face again4 ,she feared1 perhaps1   
that it was but one of the  happy       
visions1 with which her excited fancy   
had often deceived her1 in  the solitude
 of the desert or in prison4 ,but when  
she felt his hand warm  within her own1 
and heard his little eloquence of       
childish love1 she  began to know that  
she was yet a mother4    ,blessed art   
thou1 my son1 she sobbed4 ,my heart was 

withered2 yea1  dead with thee and with 
thy father2 and now it leaps as in the  
first  moment when ,i pressed thee to my
 bosom4    ,she kneeled down and        
embraced him again and again1 while the 
joy that  could find no words expressed 
itself in broken accents1 like the      
bubbles  gushing up to vanish at the    
surface of a deep fountain4 ,the sorrows
 of  past years1 and the darker peril   
that was nigh1 cast not a shadow on the 
brightness of that fleeting moment4     
,soon1 however1 the spectators saw a    
change upon her face1 as the            
consciousness of her sad estate         
returned1  and grief supplied the fount 
of tears which joy had opened4 ,by the  
words  she uttered1 it would seem that  
the indulgence of natural love had given
  her mind a momentary sense of its     
errors1 and made her know how far she   
had strayed from duty1 in following the 
dictates of a wild fanaticism4    ,in a 
doleful hour art thou returned to me1   
poor boy1 she said1 for  thy mother's   

path has gone darkening onward1 till now
 the end is death4  ,son1 son1 ,i have  
borne thee in my arms when my limbs were
 tottering1 and  ,i have fed thee with  
the food that ,i was fainting for2 yet  
,i have ill  performed a mother's part  
by thee in life1 and now ,i leave thee  
no  inheritance but woe and shame4 ,thou
 wilt go seeking through the world1  and
 find all hearts closed against thee1   
and their sweet affections  turned to   
bitterness for my sake4 ,my child1 my   
child1 how many a pang  awaits thy      
gentle spirit and ,i the cause of all6  
,she hid her face on ,ilbrahim's head1  
and her long raven hair1 discolored     
with the ashes of her mourning1 fell    
down about him like a veil4 ,a low  and 
interrupted moan was the voice of her   
heart's anguish1 and it did  not fail to
 move the sympathies of many who mistook
 their involuntary  virtue for a sin4   
,sobs were audible in the female section
 of the house1  and every man who was a 
father drew his hand across his eyes4   

,tobias  ,pearson was agitated and      
uneasy1 but a certain feeling like the  
consciousness of guilt oppressed him1 so
 that he could not go forth and  offer  
himself as the protector of the child4  
,dorothy1 however1 had  watched her     
husband's eye4 ,her mind was free from  
the influence that had  begun to work on
 his1 and she drew near the ,quaker     
woman1 and addressed  her in the hearing
 of all the congregation4    ,stranger1 
trust this boy to me1 and ,i will be his
 mother1 she said1  taking ,ilbrahim's  
hand4 ,providence has signally marked   
out my husband  to protect him1 and he  
has fed at our table and lodged under   
our roof1  now many days1 till our      
hearts have grown very strongly unto    
him4 ,leave  the tender child with us1  
and be at ease concerning his welfare4  
,the ,quaker rose from the ground1 but  
drew the boy closer to her1 while  she  
gazed earnestly in ,dorothy's face4 ,her
 mild1 but saddened features1  and neat 
matronly attire harmonized together1 and

 were like a verse of  fireside poetry4 
,her very aspect proved that she was    
blameless1 so far  as mortal could be   
so1 in respect to ,god and man2 while   
the enthusiast1  in her robe of         
sackcloth and girdle of knotted cord1   
had as evidently  violated the duties of
 the present life and the future1 by    
fixing her  attention wholly on the     
latter4 ,the two females1 as they held  
each a  hand of ,ilbrahim1 formed a     
practical allegory2 it was rational     
piety and  unbridled fanaticism         
contending for the empire of a young    
heart4    ,thou art not of our people1  
said the ,quaker1 mournfully4    ,no1 we
 are not of your people1 replied        
,dorothy1 with mildness1 but we  are    
,christians1 looking upward to the same 
,heaven with you4 ,doubt not  that your 
boy shall meet you there1 if there be a 
blessing on our tender  and prayerful   
guidance of him4 ,thither1 ,i trust1 my 
own children have  gone before me1 for  
,i also have been a mother2 ,i am no    

longer so1 she  added1 in a faltering   
tone1 and your son will have all my     
care4    ,but will ye lead him in the   
path which his parents have trodden8    
demanded the ,quaker4 ,can ye teach him 
the enlightened faith which his  father 
has died for1 and for which ,i1 even ,i1
 am soon to become an  unworthy martyr8 
,the boy has been baptized in blood2    
will ye keep the  mark fresh and ruddy  
upon his forehead8    ,i will not       
deceive you1 answered ,dorothy4 ,if your
 child become our  child1 we must breed 
him up in the instruction which ,heaven 
has imparted  to us2 we must pray for   
him the prayers of our own faith2 we    
must do  toward him according to the    
dictates of our own consciences1 and not
 of  yours4 ,were we to act otherwise1  
we should abuse your trust1 even in     
complying with your wishes4    ,the     
mother looked down upon her boy with a  
troubled countenance1 and  then turned  
her eyes upward to ,heaven4 ,she seemed 
to pray internally1  and the contention 

of her soul was evident4    ,friend1 she
 said at length to ,dorothy1 ,i doubt   
not that my son shall  receive all      
earthly tenderness at thy hands4 ,nay1  
,i will believe that  even thy imperfect
 lights may guide him to a better world2
 for surely  thou art on the path       
thither4 ,but thou hast spoken of a     
husband4 ,doth he  stand here among this
 multitude of people8 ,let him come     
forth1 for ,i  must know to whom ,i     
commit this most precious trust4    ,she
 turned her face upon the male auditors1
 and after a momentary delay1  ,tobias  
,pearson came forth from among them4    
,the ,quaker saw the dress  which marked
 his military rank1 and shook her head2 
but then she noted  the hesitating air1 
the eyes that struggled with her own1   
and were  vanquished2 the color that    
went and came1 and could find no        
resting-place4 ,as she gazed1 an        
unmirthful smile spread over her        
features1 like sunshine that grows      
melancholy in some desolate spot4  ,her 

lips moved inaudibly1 but at length she 
spake4    ,i hear it1 ,i hear it4 ,the  
voice speaketh within me and saith1     
',leave  thy child1 ,catharine1 for his 
place is here1 and go hence1 for ,i have
  other work for thee4 ,break the bonds 
of natural affection1 martyr thy  love1 
and know that in all these things       
eternal wisdom hath its ends4' ,i  go1  
friends1 ,i go4 ,take ye my boy1 my     
precious jewel4 ,i go hence1  trusting  
that all shall be well1 and that even   
for his infant hands  there is a labor  
in the vineyard4    ,she knelt down and 
whispered to ,ilbrahim1 who at first    
struggled and  clung to his mother1 with
 sobs and tears1 but remained passive   
when she  had kissed his cheek and      
arisen from the ground4 ,having held her
 hands  over his head in mental prayer1 
she was ready to depart4    ,farewell1  
friends in mine extremity1 she said to  
,pearson and his wife2  the good deed ye
 have done me is a treasure laid up in  
,heaven1 to be  returned a thousand-fold

 hereafter4 ,and farewell ye1 mine      
enemies1 to  whom it is not permitted to
 harm so much as a hair of my head1 nor 
to  stay my footsteps even for a moment4
 ,the day is coming when ye shall  call 
upon me to witness for ye to this one   
sin uncommitted1 and ,i will  rise up   
and answer4    ,she turned her steps    
toward the door1 and the men1 who had   
stationed  themselves to guard it1      
withdrew1 and suffered her to pass4 ,a  
general  sentiment of pity overcame the 
virulence of religious hatred4          
,sanctified by her love and her         
affliction1 she went forth1 and all the 
people gazed after her till she had     
journeyed up the hill1 and was lost     
behind its brow4 ,she went1 the apostle 
of her own unquiet heart1 to  renew the 
wanderings of past years4 ,for her voice
 had been already heard  in many lands  
of ,christendom2 and she had pined in   
the cells of a  ,catholic ,inquisition  
before she felt the lash and lay in the 
dungeons of  the ,puritans4 ,her mission

 had extended also to the followers of  
the  ,prophet1 and from them she had    
received the courtesy and kindness which
  all the contending sects of our purer 
religion united to deny her4 ,her       
husband and herself had resided many    
months in ,turkey1 where even the       
,sultan's countenance was gracious to   
them2 in that pagan land1 too1 was      
,ilbrahim's birthplace1 and his         
,oriental name was a mark of gratitude  
for  the good deeds of an unbeliever4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,when ,pearson and his wife had thus    
acquired all the rights over ,ilbrahim  
that could be delegated1 their affection
 for him became1 like the memory  of    
their native land1 or their mild sorrow 
for the dead1 a piece of the  immovable 
furniture of their hearts4 ,the boy1    
also1 after a week or two  of mental    
disquiet1 began to gratify his          
protectors1 by many inadvertent  proofs 
that he considered them as parents1 and 
their house as home4  ,before the winter

 snows were melted1 the persecuted      
infant1 the little  wanderer from a     
remote and heathen country1 seemed      
native in the ,new  ,england cottage1   
and inseparable from the warmth and     
security of its  hearth4 ,under the     
influence of kind treatment1 and in the 
consciousness  that he was loved1       
,ilbrahim's demeanor lost a premature   
manliness which  had resulted from his  
earlier situation2 he became more       
childlike1 and  his natural character   
displayed itself with freedom4 ,it was  
in many  respects a beautiful one1 yet  
the disordered imaginations of both his 
father and mother had perhaps propagated
 a certain unhealthiness in the  mind of
 the boy4 ,in his general state1        
,ilbrahim would derive enjoyment  from  
the most trifling events1 and from every
 object about him2 he  seemed to        
discover rich treasures of happiness1 by
 a faculty analogous  to that of the    
witch-hazel1 which points to hidden gold
 where all is  barren to the eye4 ,his  

airy gayety1 coming to him from a       
thousand  sources1 communicated itself  
to the family1 and ,ilbrahim was like a 
domesticated sunbeam1 brightening moody 
countenances1 and chasing away  the     
gloom from the dark corners of the      
cottage4    ,on the other hand1 as the  
susceptibility of pleasure is also that 
of  pain1 the exuberant cheerfulness of 
the boy's prevailing temper  sometimes  
yielded to moments of deep depression4  
,his sorrows could not  always be       
followed up to their original source1   
but most frequently they  appeared to   
flow1 though ,ilbrahim was young to be  
sad for such a cause1  from wounded     
love4 ,the flightiness of his mirth     
rendered him often  guilty of offences  
against the decorum of a ,puritan       
household1 and on  these occasions he   
did not invariably escape rebuke4 ,but  
the slightest  word of real bitterness1 
which he was infallible in              
distinguishing from  pretended anger1   
seemed to sink into his heart and poison

 all his  enjoyments1 till he became    
sensible that he was entirely forgiven4 
,of  the malice which generally         
accompanies a superfluity of            
sensitiveness1  ,ilbrahim was altogether
 destitute2 when trodden upon1 he would 
not turn2  when wounded1 he could but   
die4 ,his mind was wanting in the       
stamina for  self-support2 it was a     
plant that would twine beautifully round
  something stronger than itself1 but if
 repulsed1 or torn away1 it had no      
choice but to wither on the ground4     
,dorothy's acuteness taught her that    
severity would crush the spirit of the  
child1 and she nurtured him with  the   
gentle care of one who handles a        
butterfly4 ,her husband manifested  an  
equal affection1 although it grew daily 
less productive of familiar  caresses4  
,the feelings of the neighboring people1
 in regard to the ,quaker infant  and   
his protectors1 had not undergone a     
favorable change1 in spite of  the      
momentary triumph which the desolate    

mother had obtained over their          
sympathies4 ,the scorn and bitterness1  
of which he was the object1 were  very  
grievous to ,ilbrahim1 especially when  
any circumstance made him  sensible that
 the children1 his equals in age1       
partook of the enmity of  their parents4
 ,his tender and social nature had      
already overflowed in  attachments to   
everything about him1 and still there   
was a residue of  unappropriated love1  
which he yearned to bestow upon the     
little ones who  were taught to hate    
him4 ,as the warm days of spring came   
on1 ,ilbrahim  was accustomed to remain 
for hours silent and inactive within    
hearing  of the children's voices at    
their play2 yet1 with his usual delicacy
 of  feeling1 he avoided their notice1  
and would flee and hide himself from    
the smallest individual among them4     
,chance1 however1 at length seemed to   
open a medium of communication between  
his heart and theirs2 it was by  means  
of a boy about two years older than     

,ilbrahim1 who was injured by a  fall   
from a tree in the vicinity of          
,pearson's habitation4 ,as the          
sufferer's own home was at some         
distance1 ,dorothy willingly received   
him  under her roof1 and became his     
tender and careful nurse4    ,ilbrahim  
was the unconscious possessor of much   
skill in physiognomy1 and  it would have
 deterred him1 in other circumstances1  
from attempting to  make a friend of    
this boy4 ,the countenance of the latter
 immediately  impressed a beholder      
disagreeably1 but it required some      
examination to  discover that the cause 
was a very slight distortion of the     
mouth1 and  the irregular1 broken line  
and near approach of the eyebrows4      
,analogous1  perhaps1 to these trifling 
deformities was an almost imperceptible 
twist  of every joint1 and the uneven   
prominence of the breast2 forming a     
body1  regular in its general outline1  
but faulty in almost all its details4   
,the disposition of the boy was sullen  

and reserved1 and the village           
schoolmaster stigmatized him as obtuse  
in intellect2 although1 at a  later     
period of life1 he evinced ambition and 
very peculiar talents4 ,but  whatever   
might be his personal or moral          
irregularities1 ,ilbrahim's heart       
seized upon1 and clung to him1 from the 
moment that he was brought  wounded into
 the cottage2 the child of persecution  
seemed to compare  his own fate with    
that of the sufferer1 and to feel that  
even different  modes of misfortune had 
created a sort of relationship between  
them4  ,food1 rest1 and the fresh air1  
for which he languished1 were neglected2
  he nestled continually by the bedside 
of the little stranger1 and1 with  a    
fond jealousy1 endeavored to be the     
medium of all the cares that were       
bestowed upon him4 ,as the boy became   
convalescent1 ,ilbrahim contrived  games
 suitable to his situation1 or amused   
him by a faculty which he had  perhaps  
breathed in with the air of his barbaric

 birthplace4 ,it was that  of reciting  
imaginary adventures1 on the spur of the
 moment1 and  apparently in             
inexhaustible succession4 ,his tales    
were of course  monstrous1 disjointed1  
and without aim2 but they were curious  
on account  of a vein of human          
tenderness which ran through them all1  
and was like a  sweet1 familiar face1   
encountered in the midst of wild and    
unearthly  scenery4 ,the auditor paid   
much attention to these romances1 and   
sometimes interrupted them by brief     
remarks upon the incidents1  displaying 
shrewdness above his years1 mingled with
 a moral obliquity  which grated very   
harshly against ,ilbrahim's instinctive 
rectitude4  ,nothing1 however1 could    
arrest the progress of the latter's     
affection1  and there were many proofs  
that it met with a response from the    
dark and  stubborn nature on which it   
was lavished4 ,the boy's parents at     
length  removed him1 to complete his    
cure under their own roof4    ,ilbrahim 

did not visit his new friend after his  
departure2 but he made  anxious and     
continual inquiries respecting him1 and 
informed himself of  the day when he was
 to reappear among his playmates4 ,on a 
pleasant  summer afternoon1 the children
 of the neighborhood had assembled in   
the  little forest-crowned amphitheatre 
behind the meeting-house1 and the       
recovering invalid was there1 leaning on
 a staff4 ,the glee of a score of       
untainted bosoms was heard in light and 
airy voices1 which danced among  the    
trees like sunshine become audible2 the 
grown men of this weary  world1 as they 
journeyed by the spot1 marvelled why    
life1 beginning in  such brightness1    
should proceed in gloom2 and their      
hearts1 or their  imaginations1 answered
 them and said1 that the bliss of       
childhood gushes  from its innocence4   
,but it happened that an unexpected     
addition was made  to the heavenly      
little band4 ,it was ,ilbrahim1 who came
 toward the  children with a look of    

sweet confidence on his fair and        
spiritual face1  as if1 having          
manifested his love to one of them1 he  
had no longer to  fear a repulse from   
their society4 ,a hush came over their  
mirth the  moment they beheld him1 and  
they stood whispering to each other     
while he  drew nigh2 but1 all at once1  
the devil of their fathers entered into 
the  unbreeched fanatics1 and sending up
 a fierce1 shrill cry1 they rushed  upon
 the poor ,quaker child4 ,in an instant1
 he was the centre of a brood  of       
baby-fiends1 who lifted sticks against  
him1 pelted him with stones1  and       
displayed an instinct of destruction far
 more loathsome than the                
blood-thirstiness of manhood4    ,the   
invalid1 in the meanwhile1 stood apart  
from the tumult1 crying out  with a loud
 voice1 ,fear not1 ,ilbrahim1 come      
hither and take my hand2  and his       
unhappy friend endeavored to obey him4  
,after watching the  victim's struggling
 approach with a calm smile and         

unabashed eye1 the  foul-hearted little 
villain lifted his staff1 and struck    
,ilbrahim on the  mouth1 so forcibly    
that the blood issued in a stream4 ,the 
poor child's  arms had been raised to   
guard his head from the storm of blows2 
but now  he dropped them at once4 ,his  
persecutors beat him down1 trampled upon
  him1 dragged him by his long1 fair    
locks1 and ,ilbrahim was on the point   
of becoming as veritable a martyr as    
ever entered bleeding into heaven4  ,the
 uproar1 however1 attracted the notice  
of a few neighbors1 who put  themselves 
to the trouble of rescuing the little   
heretic1 and of  conveying him to       
,pearson's door4    ,ilbrahim's bodily  
harm was severe1 but long and careful   
nursing  accomplished his recovery2 the 
injury done to his sensitive spirit was 
more serious1 though not so visible4    
,its signs were principally of a        
negative character1 and to be discovered
 only by those who had  previously known
 him4 ,his gait was thenceforth slow1   

even1 and unvaried  by the sudden bursts
 of sprightlier motion1 which had once  
corresponded  to his overflowing        
gladness2 his countenance was heavier1  
and its former  play of expression1 the 
dance of sunshine reflected from moving 
water1  was destroyed by the cloud over 
his existence2 his notice was attracted 
in a far less degree by passing events1 
and he appeared to find greater         
difficulty in comprehending what was new
 to him1 than at a happier  period4 ,a  
stranger1 founding his judgment upon    
these circumstances1  would have said   
that the dulness of the child's         
intellect widely  contradicted the      
promise of his features2 but the secret 
was in the  direction of ,ilbrahim's    
thoughts1 which were brooding within him
 when  they should naturally have been  
wandering abroad4 ,an attempt of        
,dorothy  to revive his former          
sportiveness was the single occasion on 
which his  quiet demeanor yielded to a  
violent display of grief2 he burst into 

passionate weeping1 and ran and hid     
himself1 for his heart had become so    
miserably sore that even the hand of    
kindness tortured it like fire4         
,sometimes1 at night and probably in his
 dreams1 he was heard to cry1  ,mother6 
mother6 as if her place1 which a        
stranger had supplied while  ,ilbrahim  
was happy1 admitted of no substitute in 
his extreme affliction4  ,perhaps1 among
 the many life-weary wretches then upon 
the earth1 there  was not one who       
combined innocence and misery like this 
poor1  broken-hearted infant1 so soon   
the victim of his own heavenly nature4  
,while this melancholy change had taken 
place in ,ilbrahim1 one of an  earlier  
origin and of different character had   
come to its perfection in  his adopted  
father4 ,the incident with which this   
tale commences found  ,pearson in a     
state of religious dulness1 yet mentally
 disquieted1 and  longing for a more    
fervid faith than he possessed4 ,the    
first effect of  his kindness to        

,ilbrahim was to produce a softened     
feeling1 and  incipient love for the    
child's whole sect2 but joined to this1 
and  resulting perhaps from             
self-suspicion1 was a proud and         
ostentatious  contempt of their tenets  
and practical extravagances4 ,in the    
course of  much thought1 however1 for   
the subject struggled irresistibly into 
his  mind1 the foolishness of the       
doctrine began to be less evident1 and  
the  points which had particularly      
offended his reason assumed another     
aspect1 or vanished entirely away4 ,the 
work within him appeared to go on  even 
while he slept1 and that which had been 
a doubt1 when he laid down  to rest1    
would often hold the place of a truth1  
confirmed by some  forgotten            
demonstration1 when he recalled his     
thoughts in the morning4  ,but while he 
was thus becoming assimilated to the    
enthusiasts1 his  contempt1 in no wise  
decreasing toward them1 grew very fierce
 against  himself2 he imagined1 also1   

that every face of his acquaintance wore
 a  sneer1 and that every word addressed
 to him was a gibe4 ,such was his  state
 of mind at the period of ,ilbrahim's   
misfortune2 and the emotions  consequent
 upon that event completed the change1  
of which the child had  been the        
original instrument4    ,in the         
meantime1 neither the fierceness of the 
persecutors1 nor the  infatuation of    
their victims1 had decreased4 ,the      
dungeons were never  empty2 the streets 
of almost every village echoed daily    
with a lash2 the  life of a woman1 whose
 mild and ,christian spirit no cruelty  
could  imbitter1 had been sacrificed2   
and more innocent blood was yet to      
pollute the hands that were so often    
raised in prayer4 ,early after the      
,restoration1 the ,english ,quakers     
represented to ,charles ,,ii4 that a    
vein  of blood was open in his          
dominions2 but though the displeasure of
 the  voluptuous king was roused1 his   
interference was not prompt4 ,and now   

the  tale must stride forward over many 
months1 leaving ,pearson to encounter   
ignominy and misfortune2 his wife to a  
firm endurance of a thousand  sorrows2  
poor ,ilbrahim to pine and droop like a 
cankered rosebud2 his  mother to wander 
on a mistaken errand1 neglectful of the 
holiest trust  which can be committed to
 a woman4           99       99       99
       99       99    ,a winter evening1
 a night of storm1 had darkened over    
,pearson's  habitation1 and there were  
no cheerful faces to drive the gloom    
from his  broad hearth4 ,the fire1 it is
 true1 sent forth a glowing heat and a  
ruddy light1 and large logs1 dripping   
with half-melted snow1 lay ready  to be 
cast upon the embers4 ,but the apartment
 was saddened in its aspect  by the     
absence of much of the homely wealth    
which had once adorned it2  for the     
exaction of repeated fines1 and his own 
neglect of temporal  affairs1 had       
greatly impoverished the owner4 ,and    
with the furniture of  peace1 the       

implements of war had likewise          
disappeared2 the sword was  broken1 the 
helm and cuirass were cast away forever2
 the soldier had  done with battles1 and
 might not lift so much as his naked    
hand to guard  his head4 ,but the ,holy 
,book remained1 and the table on which  
it rested  was drawn before the fire1   
while two of the persecuted sect sought 
comfort from its pages4    ,he who      
listened1 while the other read1 was the 
master of the house1 now  emaciated in  
form1 and altered as to the expression  
and healthiness of  his countenance2 for
 his mind had dwelt too long among      
visionary  thoughts1 and his body had   
been worn by imprisonment and stripes4  
,the  hale and weather-beaten old man1  
who sat beside him1 had sustained less  
injury from a far longer course of the  
same mode of life4 ,in person he  was   
tall and dignified1 and1 which alone    
would have made him hateful to  the     
,puritans1 his gray locks fell from     
beneath the broad-brimmed hat1  and     

rested on his shoulders4 ,as the old man
 read the sacred page1 the  snow drifted
 against the windows1 or eddied in at   
the crevices of the  door1 while a blast
 kept laughing in the chimney1 and the  
blaze leaped  fiercely up to seek it4   
,and sometimes1 when the wind struck the
 hill at  a certain angle1 and swept    
down by the cottage across the wintry   
plain1  its voice was the most doleful  
that can be conceived2 it came as if the
  ,past were speaking1 as if the ,dead  
had contributed each a whisper1 as if   
the ,desolation of ,ages were breathed  
in that one lamenting sound4    ,the    
,quaker at length closed the book1      
retaining however his hand between  the 
pages which he had been reading1 while  
he looked steadfastly at  ,pearson4 ,the
 attitude and features of the latter    
might have indicated  the endurance of  
bodily pain2 he leaned his forehead on  
his hands1 his  teeth were firmly       
closed1 and his frame was tremulous at  
intervals with  a nervous agitation4    

,friend ,tobias1 inquired the old man1  
compassionately1 hast thou found  no    
comfort in these many blessed passages  
of ,scripture8    ,thy voice has fallen 
on my ear like a sound afar off and     
indistinct1  replied ,pearson1 without  
lifting his eyes4 ,yea1 and when ,i have
  hearkened carefully1 the words seemed 
cold and lifeless1 and intended  for    
another and a lesser grief than mine4   
,remove the book1 he added1 in  a tone  
of sullen bitterness4 ,i have no part in
 its consolations1 and  they do but fret
 my sorrow the more4    ,nay1 feeble    
brother1 be not as one who hath never   
known the light1  said the elder        
,quaker1 earnestly1 but with mildness4  
,art thou he that  wouldst be content to
 give all1 and endure all1 for          
conscience' sake2  desiring even        
peculiar trials1 that thy faith might be
 purified1 and thy  heart weaned from   
worldly desires8 ,and wilt thou sink    
beneath an  affliction which happens    
alike to them that have their portion   

here  below1 and to them that lay up    
treasure in heaven8 ,faint not1 for thy 
burden is yet light4    ,it is heavy6   
,it is heavier than ,i can bear6        
exclaimed ,pearson1 with  the impatience
 of a variable spirit4 ,from my youth   
upward ,i have been a  man marked out   
for wrath2 and year by year1 yea1 day   
after day1 ,i have  endured sorrows1    
such as others know not in their        
lifetime4 ,and now ,i  speak not of the 
love that has been turned to hatred1 the
 honor to  ignominy1 the ease and       
plentifulness of all things to danger1  
want1 and  nakedness4 ,all this ,i could
 have borne1 and counted myself blessed4
 ,but  when my heart was desolate with  
many losses1 ,i fixed it upon the child 
of a stranger1 and he became dearer to  
me than all my buried ones2 and  now he 
too must die1 as if my love were poison4
 ,verily1 ,i am an  accursed man1 and ,i
 will lay me down in the dust1 and lift 
up my head no  more4    ,thou sinnest1  
brother1 but it is not for me to rebuke 

thee2 for ,i also  have had my hours of 
darkness1 wherein ,i have murmured      
against the  cross1 said the old        
,quaker4 ,he continued1 perhaps in the  
hope of  distracting his companion's    
thoughts from his own sorrows4 ,even of 
late  was the light obscured within me1 
when the men of blood had banished me   
on pain of death1 and the constables led
 me onward from village to  village1    
toward the wilderness4 ,a strong and    
cruel hand was wielding the  knotted    
cords2 they sunk deep into the flesh1   
and thou mightst have  tracked every    
reel and totter of my footsteps by the  
blood that  followed4 ,as we went on--  
,have ,i not borne all this2 and have ,i
 murmured8 interrupted ,pearson1        
impatiently4    ,nay1 friend1 but hear  
me1 continued the other4 ,as we         
journeyed on1  night darkened on our    
path1 so that no man could see the rage 
of the  persecutors1 or the constancy of
 my endurance1 though ,heaven forbid    
that  ,i should glory therein4 ,the     

lights began to glimmer in the cottage  
windows1 and ,i could discern the       
inmates as they gathered in comfort and 
security1 every man with his wife and   
children by their own evening  hearth4  
,at length we came to a tract of fertile
 land2 in the dim light1  the forest was
 not visible around it2 and behold6     
there was a  straw-thatched dwelling1   
which bore the very aspect of my home1  
far over  the wild ocean1 far in our own
 ,england4 ,then came bitter thoughts   
upon  me2 yea1 remembrances that were   
like death to my soul4 ,the happiness of
  my early days was painted to me2 the  
disquiet of my manhood1 the altered     
faith of my declining years4 ,i         
remembered how ,i had been moved to go  
forth a wanderer1 when my daughter1 the 
youngest1 the dearest of my  flock1 lay 
on her dying bed1 and--    ,couldst thou
 obey the command at such a moment8     
exclaimed ,pearson1  shuddering4        
,yea1 yea1 replied the old man1         
hurriedly4 ,i was kneeling by her       

bedside when the voice spoke loud within
 me2 but immediately ,i rose1 and  took 
my staff1 and gat me gone4 ,o1 that it  
were permitted me to forget  her woful  
look1 when ,i thus withdrew my arm1 and 
left her journeying  through the dark   
valley alone6 for her soul was faint1   
and she had  leaned upon my prayers4    
,now in that night of horror ,i was     
assailed by  the thought that ,i had    
been an erring ,christian1 and a cruel  
parent2  yea1 even my daughter1 with her
 pale1 dying features1 seemed to stand  
by  me and whisper1 ',father1 you are   
deceived2 go home and shelter your gray 
head4' ,o ,thou1 to whom ,i have looked 
in my furthest wanderings1  continued   
the ,quaker1 raising his agitated eyes  
to ,heaven1 inflict not  upon the       
bloodiest of our persecutors the        
unmitigated agony of my soul1  when ,i  
believed that all ,i had done and       
suffered for thee was at the            
instigation of a mocking fiend6 ,but ,i 
yielded not2 ,i knelt down and  wrestled

 with the tempter1 while the scourge bit
 more fiercely into the  flesh4 ,my     
prayer was heard1 and ,i went on in     
peace and joy toward the  wilderness4   
,the old man1 though his fanaticism had 
generally all the calmness of  reason1  
was deeply moved while reciting this    
tale2 and his unwonted  emotion seemed  
to rebuke and keep down that of his     
companion4 ,they sat  in silence1 with  
their faces to the fire1 imagining      
perhaps1 in its red  embers1 new scenes 
of persecution yet to be encountered4   
,the snow still  drifted hard against   
the windows1 and sometimes1 as the blaze
 of the  logs had gradually sunk1 came  
down the spacious chimney and hissed    
upon  the hearth4 ,a cautious footstep  
might now and then be heard in a        
neighboring apartment1 and the sound    
invariably drew the eyes of both        
,quakers to the door which led thither4 
,when a fierce and riotous gust of  wind
 had led his thoughts1 by a natural     
association1 to homeless  travellers on 

such a night1 ,pearson resumed the      
conversation4    ,i have well-nigh sunk 
under my own share of this trial1       
observed he1  sighing heavily2 yet ,i   
would that it might be doubled to me1 if
 so the  child's mother could be spared4
 ,her wounds have been deep and many1   
but  this will be the sorest of all4    
,fear not for ,catharine1 replied the   
old ,quaker1 for ,i know that  valiant  
woman1 and have seen how she can bear   
the cross4 ,a mother's  heart1 indeed1  
is strong in her1 and may seem to       
contend mightily with  her faith2 but   
soon she will stand up and give thanks  
that her son has  been thus early an    
accepted sacrifice4 ,the boy hath done  
his work1 and  she will feel that he is 
taken hence in kindness both to him and 
her4  ,blessed1 blessed are they that   
with so little suffering can enter into 
peace6    ,the fitful rush of the wind  
was now disturbed by a portentous sound2
 it  was a quick and heavy knocking at  
the outer door4 ,pearson's wan          

countenance grew paler1 for many a visit
 of persecution had taught him  what to 
dread2 the old man1 on the other hand1  
stood up erect1 and his  glance was firm
 as that of the tried soldier who awaits
 his enemy4    ,the men of blood have   
come to seek me1 he observed1 with      
calmness4  ,they have heard how ,i was  
moved to return from banishment2 and now
 am ,i  to be led to prison1 and thence 
to death4 ,it is an end ,i have long    
looked for4 ,i will open unto them1 lest
 they say1 ',lo1 he feareth6'    ,nay1  
,i will present myself before them1 said
 ,pearson1 with recovered  fortitude4   
,it may be that they seek me alone1 and 
know not that thou  abidest with me4    
,let us go boldly1 both one and the     
other1 rejoined his companion4 ,it  is  
not fitting that thou or ,i should      
shrink4    ,they therefore proceeded    
through the entry to the door1 which    
they  opened1 bidding the applicant1    
,come in1 in ,god's name6 ,a furious    
blast  of wind drove the storm into     

their faces1 and extinguished the lamp2 
they had barely time to discern a       
figure1 so white from head to foot  with
 the drifted snow1 that it seemed like  
,winter's self1 come in human  shape to 
seek refuge from its own desolation4    
,enter1 friend1 and do thy errand1 be it
 what it may1 said ,pearson4 ,it  must  
needs be pressing1 since thou comest on 
such a bitter night4    ,peace be with  
this household1 said the stranger1 when 
they stood on  the floor of the inner   
apartment4    ,pearson started1 the     
elder ,quaker stirred the slumbering    
embers of the  fire1 till they sent up a
 clear and lofty blaze2 it was a female 
voice  that had spoken2 it was a female 
form that shone out1 cold and wintry1   
in that comfortable light4              
,catharine1 blessed woman1 exclaimed the
 old man1 art thou come to  this        
darkened land again8 art thou come to   
bear a valiant testimony as  in former  
years8 ,the scourge hath not prevailed  
against thee1 and from  the dungeon hast

 thou come forth triumphant2 but        
strengthen1 strengthen  now thy heart1  
,catharine1 for ,heaven will prove thee 
yet this once1 ere  thou go to thy      
reward4    ,rejoice1 friends6 she       
replied4 ,thou who hast long been of our
 people1  and thou whom a little child  
hath led to us1 rejoice6 ,lo6 ,i come1  
the  messenger of glad tidings1 for the 
day of persecution is overpast4 ,the    
heart of the king1 even ,charles1 hath  
been moved in gentleness toward  us1 and
 he hath sent forth his letters to stay 
the hands of the men of  blood4 ,a      
ship's company of our friends hath      
arrived at yonder town1 and  ,i also    
sailed joyfully among them4    ,as      
,catharine spoke1 her eyes were roaming 
about the room1 in search of  him for   
whose sake security was dear to her4    
,pearson made a silent  appeal to the   
old man1 nor did the latter shrink from 
the painful task  assigned him4         
,sister1 he began1 in a softened yet    
perfectly calm tone1 thou tellest  us of

 ,his love1 manifested in temporal good2
 and now must we speak to  thee of that 
selfsame love1 displayed in chastenings4
 ,hitherto1  ,catharine1 thou hast been 
as one journeying in a darksome and     
difficult  path1 and leading an infant  
by the hand2 fain wouldst thou have     
looked  heavenward continually1 but     
still the cares of that little child    
have  drawn thine eyes and thy          
affections to the earth4 ,sister6 go on 
rejoicing1 for his tottering footsteps  
shall impede thine own no more4    ,but 
the unhappy mother was not thus to be   
consoled2 she shook like a  leaf1 she   
turned white as the very snow that hung 
drifted into her hair4  ,the firm old   
man extended his hand and held her up1  
keeping his eye upon  hers1 as if to    
repress any outbreak of passion4    ,i  
am a woman1 ,i am but a woman2 will ,he 
try me above my strength8 said          
,catharine very quickly1 and almost in a
 whisper4 ,i have been wounded  sore2 ,i
 have suffered much2 many things in the 

body1 many in the mind2  crucified in   
myself1 and in them that were dearest to
 me4 ,surely1 added  she1 with a long   
shudder1 ,he hath spared me in this one 
thing4 ,she  broke forth with sudden and
 irrepressible violence1 ,tell me1 man  
of  cold heart1 what has ,god done to   
me8 ,hath he cast me down1 never to rise
  again8 ,hath he crushed my very heart 
in his hand8 ,and thou1 to whom ,i      
committed my child1 how hast thou       
fulfilled thy trust8 ,give me back the  
boy1 well1 sound1 alive1 alive2 or earth
 and ,heaven shall avenge me6    ,the   
agonized shriek of ,catharine was       
answered by the faint1 the very  faint  
voice of a child4    ,on this day it had
 become evident to ,pearson1 to his aged
 guest1 and to  ,dorothy that           
,ilbrahim's brief and troubled          
pilgrimage drew near its  close4 ,the   
two former would willingly have remained
 by him1 to make use  of the prayers and
 pious discourses which they deemed     
appropriate to the  time1 and which1 if 

they be impotent as to the departing    
traveller's  reception in the world     
whither it goes1 may at least sustain   
him in  bidding adieu to earth4 ,but    
though ,ilbrahim uttered no complaint1  
he was  disturbed by the faces that     
looked upon him2 so that ,dorothy's     
entreaties1 and their own conviction    
that the child's feet might tread       
heaven's pavement and not soil it1 had  
induced the two ,quakers to  remove4    
,ilbrahim then closed his eyes and grew 
calm1 and1 except for now  and then a   
kind and low word to his nurse1 might   
have been thought to  slumber4 ,as      
nightfall came on1 however1 and the     
storm began to rise1  something seemed  
to trouble the repose of the boy's mind1
 and to render  his sense of hearing    
active and acute4 ,if a passing wind    
lingered to  shake the casement1 he     
strove to turn his head toward it2 if   
the door  jarred to and fro upon its    
hinges1 he looked long and anxiously    
thitherward2 if the heavy voice of the  

old man1 as he read the  ,scriptures1   
rose but a little higher1 the child     
almost held his dying  breath to listen2
 if a snowdrift swept by the cottage1   
with a sound like  the trailing of a    
garment1 ,ilbrahim seemed to watch that 
some visitant  should enter4    ,but1   
after a little time1 he relinquished    
whatever secret hope had  agitated him1 
and1 with one low1 complaining whisper1 
turned his cheek  upon the pillow4 ,he  
then addressed ,dorothy with his usual  
sweetness1 and  besought her to draw    
near him2 she did so1 and ,ilbrahim took
 her hand in  both of his1 grasping it  
with a gentle pressure1 as if to assure 
himself  that he retained it4 ,at       
intervals1 and without disturbing the   
repose of  his countenance1 a very faint
 trembling passed over him from head to 
foot1 as if a mild but somewhat cool    
wind had breathed upon him1 and  made   
him shiver4 ,as the boy thus led her by 
the hand1 in his quiet  progress over   
the borders of eternity1 ,dorothy almost

 imagined that she  could discern the   
near1 though dim delightfulness of the  
home he was  about to reach2 she would  
not have enticed the little wanderer    
back1  though she bemoaned herself that 
she must leave him and return4 ,but just
  when ,ilbrahim's feet were pressing on
 the soil of ,paradise1 he heard a      
voice behind him1 and it recalled him a 
few1 few paces of the weary path  which 
he had travelled4 ,as ,dorothy looked   
upon his features1 she  perceived that  
their placid expression was again       
disturbed2 her own  thoughts had been so
 wrapped in him1 that all sounds of the 
storm1 and  of human speech1 were lost  
to her2 but when ,catharine's shriek    
pierced  through the room1 the boy      
strove to raise himself4    ,friend1 she
 is come6 ,open unto her6 cried he4     
,in a moment1 his mother was kneeling by
 the bedside2 she drew ,ilbrahim  to her
 bosom1 and he nestled there1 with no   
violence of joy1 but  contentedly1 as if
 he were hushing himself to sleep4 ,he  

looked into her  face1 and1 reading its 
agony1 said1 with feeble earnestness1   
,mourn not1  dearest mother4 ,i am happy
 now4 ,and with these words1 the gentle 
boy  was dead4           99       99    
99       99       99    ,the king's     
mandate to stay the ,new ,england       
persecutors was effectual in  preventing
 further martyrdoms2 but the colonial   
authorities1 trusting in  the remoteness
 of their situation1 and perhaps in the 
supposed  instability of the royal      
government1 shortly renewed their       
severities in  all other respects4      
,catharine's fanaticism had become      
wilder by the  sundering of all human   
ties2 and wherever a scourge was lifted1
 there  was she to receive the blow2 and
 whenever a dungeon was unbarred1       
thither she came1 to cast herself upon  
the floor4 ,but in process of  time1 a  
more ,christian spirit--a spirit of     
forbearance1 though not of  cordiality  
or approbation--began to pervade the    
land in regard to the  persecuted sect4 

,and then1 when the rigid old ,pilgrims 
eyed her rather  in pity than in wrath2 
when the matrons fed her with the       
fragments of  their children's food1 and
 offered her a lodging on a hard and    
lowly  bed2 when no little crowd of     
schoolboys left their sports to cast    
stones  after the roving                
enthusiast--then did ,catharine return  
to ,pearson's  dwelling1 and made that  
her home4    ,as if ,ilbrahim's         
sweetness yet lingered round his ashes1 
as if his  gentle spirit came down from 
heaven to teach his parent a true       
religion1  her fierce and vindictive    
nature was softened by the same griefs  
which  had once irritated it4 ,when the 
course of years had made the features of
  the unobtrusive mourner familiar in   
the settlement1 she became a subject  of
 not deep1 but general interest2 a being
 on whom the otherwise  superfluous     
sympathies of all might be bestowed4    
,every one spoke of her  with that      
degree of pity which it is pleasant to  

experience1 every one  was ready to do  
her the little kindnesses1 which are not
 costly1 yet  manifest good-will2 and   
when at last she died1 a long train of  
her once  bitter persecutors followed   
her1 with decent sadness and tears that 
were  not painful1 to her place by      
,ilbrahim's green and sunken grave4     
,,the ,,angel    ,by ,,hans ,,christian 
,,andersen      ,whenever a good child  
dies1 an angel from heaven comes down to
 earth1  and takes the dead child in his
 arms1 spreads out his great white      
wings1  and flies away over all the     
places the child has loved1 and picks   
quite  a handful of flowers1 which he   
carries up to the ,almighty1 that they  
may  bloom in heaven more brightly than 
on earth4 ,and the ,father presses all  
the flowers to ,his heart2 but ,he      
kisses the flower that pleases him      
best1 and the flower is then endowed    
with a voice1 and can join in the  great
 chorus of praise6    ,see--this is what
 an angel said1 as he carried a dead    

child up to  heaven1 and the child      
heard1 as if in a dream1 and they went  
on over the  regions of home where the  
little child had played1 and they came  
through  gardens with beautiful         
flowers--which of these shall we take   
with us to  plant in heaven8 asked the  
angel4    ,now there stood near them a  
slender1 beautiful rose bush2 but a     
wicked  hand had broken the stem1 so    
that all the branches1 covered with     
half-opened buds1 were hanging drooping 
around1 quite withered4    ,the poor    
rose bush6 said the child4 ,take it1    
that it may bloom up  yonder4    ,and   
the angel took it1 and kissed the child1
 and the little one half  opened his    
eyes4 ,they plucked some of the rich    
flowers1 but also took  with them the   
despised buttercup and the wild pansy4  
,now we have flowers1 said the child4   
,and the angel nodded1 but he did not   
yet fly upward to heaven4 ,it was  night
 and quite silent4 ,they remained in the
 great city2 they floated  about there  

in a small street1 where lay whole heaps
 of straw1 ashes1  and sweepings1 for it
 had been removal-day4 ,there lay       
fragments of  plates1 bits of plaster1  
rags1 and old hats1 and all this did not
 look  well4 ,and the angel pointed amid
 all this confusion to a few fragments  
of a flower-pot1 and to a lump of earth 
which had fallen out1 and which  was    
kept together by the roots of a great   
dried field flower1 which was  of no    
use1 and had therefore been thrown out  
into the street4    ,we will take that  
with us1 said the angel4 ,i will tell   
you why1 as we  fly onward4    ,down    
yonder in the narrow lane1 in the low   
cellar1 lived a poor sick  boy2 from his
 childhood he had been bedridden4 ,when 
he was at his best  he could go up and  
down the room a few times1 leaning on   
crutches2 that  was the utmost he could 
do4 ,for a few days in summer the       
sunbeams would  penetrate for a few     
hours to the ground of the cellar1 and  
when the poor  boy sat there and the sun

 shone on him1 and he looked at the red 
blood  in his three fingers1 as he held 
them up before his face1 he would say1  
',yes1 to-day he has been out4' ,he knew
 the forest with its beautiful  vernal  
green only from the fact that the       
neighbor's son brought him the  first   
green branch of a beech-tree1 and he    
held that up over his head1  and dreamed
 he was in the beech wood where the sun 
shone and the birds  sang4 ,on a spring 
day the neighbor's boy also brought him 
field flowers1  and among these was1 by 
chance1 one to which the root was       
hanging2 and  so it was planted in a    
flower-pot1 and placed by the bed1 close
 to the  window4 ,and the flower had    
been planted by a fortunate hand2 and it
  grew1 threw out new shoots1 and bore  
flowers every year4 ,it became as a     
splendid flower-garden to the sickly    
boy--his little treasure here on  earth4
 ,he watered it1 and tended it1 and took
 care that it had the  benefit of every 
ray of sunlight1 down to the last that  

struggled in  through the narrow window2
 and the flower itself was woven into   
his  dreams1 for it grew for him and    
gladdened his eyes1 and spread its      
fragrance about him2 and toward it he   
turned in death when the ,father  called
 him4 ,he has now been with the         
,almighty for a year2 for a year the    
flower has stood forgotten in the       
window1 and is withered2 and thus1 at   
the removal1 it has been thrown out into
 the dust of the street4 ,and  this is  
the flower1 the poor withered flower1   
which we have taken into  our nosegay2  
for this flower has given more joy than 
the richest flower  in a ,queen's       
garden6    ,but how do you know all     
this8 asked the child which the angel   
was  carrying to heaven4    ,i know it1 
said the angel1 for ,i myself was that  
little boy who  walked on crutches6 ,i  
know my flower well6    ,and the child  
opened his eyes and looked into the     
glorious1 happy face  of the angel2 and 
at the same moment they entered the     

regions where  there is peace and joy4  
,and the ,father pressed the dead child 
to ,his  bosom1 and then it received    
wings like the angel1 and flew hand in  
hand  with him4 ,and the ,almighty      
pressed all the flowers to ,his heart2  
but ,he  kissed the dry withered field  
flower1 and it received a voice and sang
  with all the angels hovering          
around--some near1 and some in wider    
circles1 and some in infinite distance1 
but all equally happy4 ,and they  all   
sang1 little and great1 the good happy  
child1 and the poor field  flower that  
had lain there withered1 thrown among   
the dust1 in the  rubbish of the        
removal-day1 in the narrow1 dark lane4  
,,the ,,red ,,shoes    ,by ,,hans       
,,christian ,,andersen      ,there once 
was a little girl2 a very nice pretty   
little girl4 ,but in  summer she had to 
go barefoot1 because she was poor1 and  
in winter she  wore thick wooden shoes1 
so that her little instep became quite  
red1  altogether red4    ,in the middle 

of the village lived an old shoemaker's 
wife2 she sat1 and  sewed1 as well as   
she could1 a pair of little shoes1 of   
old strips of  red cloth2 they were     
clumsy enough1 but well meant1 and the  
little girl  was to have them4 ,the     
little girl's name was ,karen4    ,on   
the day when her mother was buried she  
received the red shoes and  wore them   
for the first time4 ,they were certainly
 not suited for  mourning2 but she had  
no others1 and therefore thrust her     
little bare  feet into them and walked  
behind the plain deal coffin4           
,suddenly a great carriage came by1 and 
in the carriage sat an old lady2  she   
looked at the little girl and felt pity 
for her and said to the  clergyman3     
,give me the little girl and ,i will    
provide for her4    ,karen thought this 
was for the sake of the shoes2 but the  
old lady  declared they were hideous2   
and they were burned4 ,but ,karen       
herself was  clothed neatly and         
properly3 she was taught to read and to 

sew1 and the  people said she was       
agreeable4 ,but her mirror said1 ,you   
are much more  than agreeable2 you are  
beautiful4    ,once the ,queen travelled
 through the country1 and had her little
  daughter with her2 and the daughter   
was a ,princess4 ,and the people        
flocked toward the castle1 and ,karen   
too was among them2 and the little      
,princess stood in a fine white dress at
 a window1 and let herself be  gazed at4
 ,she had neither train nor golden      
crown1 but she wore splendid  red       
morocco shoes2 they were certainly far  
handsomer than those the  shoemaker's   
wife had made for little ,karen4        
,nothing in the world can  compare with 
red shoes6    ,now ,karen was old enough
 to be confirmed3 new clothes were made 
for her1  and she was to have new shoes4
 ,the rich shoemaker in the town took   
the  measure of her little feet2 this   
was done in his own house1 in his       
little room1 and there stood great glass
 cases with neat shoes and  shining     

boots4 ,it had quite a charming         
appearance1 but the old lady  could not 
see well1 and therefore took no pleasure
 in it4 ,among the  shoes stood a red   
pair1 just like those which the princess
 had worn4 ,how  beautiful they were6   
,the shoemaker also said they had been  
made for a  ,count's child1 but they had
 not fitted4    ,that must be patent    
leather1 observed the old lady1 the     
shoes shine  so6    ,yes1 they shine6   
replied ,karen2 and they fitted her1 and
 were bought4  ,but the old lady did not
 know that they were red2 for she would 
never  have allowed ,karen to go to the 
confirmation in red shoes2 and that is  
what ,karen did4    ,every one was      
looking at her shoes4 ,and when she went
 across the church  porch1 toward the   
door of the choir1 it seemed to her as  
if the old  pictures on the tombstones1 
the portraits of clergymen and          
clergymen's  wives1 in their stiff      
collars and long black garments1 fixed  
their eyes  upon her red shoes4 ,and she

 thought of her shoes only1 when the    
priest  laid his hand upon her head and 
spoke holy words4 ,and the organ pealed 
solemnly1 the children sang with their  
fresh sweet voices1 and the old         
preceptor sang too2 but ,karen thought  
only of her red shoes4    ,in the       
afternoon the old lady was informed by  
everyone that the shoes  were red2 and  
she said it was naughty and unsuitable1 
and that when  ,karen went to church in 
future1 she should always go in black   
shoes1  even if they were old4    ,next 
,sunday was sacrament ,sunday4 ,and     
,karen looked at the black shoes1  and  
looked at the red ones--looked at them  
again--and put on the red  ones4    ,the
 sun shone gloriously2 ,karen and the   
old lady went along the footpath        
through the fields1 and it was rather   
dusty4    ,by the church door stood an  
old invalid soldier with a crutch and a 
long  beard2 the beard was rather red   
than white1 for it was red altogether2  
and he bowed down almost to the ground1 

and asked the old lady if he  might dust
 her shoes4 ,and ,karen also stretched  
out her little foot4    ,look1 what     
pretty dancing shoes6 said the old      
soldier4 ,fit so  tightly when you      
dance6    ,and he tapped the soles with 
his hand4 ,and the old lady gave the    
soldier  an alms1 and went into the     
church with ,karen4    ,and every one in
 the church looked at ,karen's red      
shoes1 and all the  pictures looked at  
them4 ,and while ,karen knelt in the    
church she only  thought of her red     
shoes2 and she forgot to sing her psalm1
 and forgot  to say her prayer4    ,now 
all the people went out of church1 and  
the old lady stepped into her  carriage4
 ,karen lifted up her foot to step in   
too2 then the old soldier  said3        
,look1 what beautiful dancing shoes6    
,and ,karen could not resist3 she was   
obliged to dance a few steps2 and  when 
she once began1 her legs went on        
dancing4 ,it was just as though the     
shoes had obtained power over her4 ,she 

danced round the corner of the          
church--she could not help it2 the      
coachman was obliged to run behind  her 
and seize her2 he lifted her into the   
carriage1 but her feet went on  dancing1
 so that she kicked the good old lady   
violently4 ,at last they  took off her  
shoes1 and her legs became quiet4    ,at
 home the shoes were put away in a      
cupboard2 but ,karen could not  resist  
looking at them4    ,now the old lady   
became very ill1 and it was said she    
would not recover4  ,she had to be      
nursed1 and waited on3 and this was no  
one's duty so much  as ,karen's4 ,but   
there was to be a great ball in the     
town1 and ,karen was  invited4 ,she     
looked at the old lady who could not    
recover2 she looked  at the red shoes1  
and thought there would be no harm in   
it4 ,she put on  the shoes1 and that she
 might very well do2 but they went to   
the ball  and began to dance4    ,but   
when she wished to go to the right hand1
 the shoes danced to the  left1 and when

 she wanted to go upstairs the shoes    
danced downward1 down  into the street  
and out at the town gate4 ,she danced1  
and was obliged to  dance1 till she     
danced straight out into the dark wood4 
,there was something glistening up among
 the trees1 and she thought it  was the 
moon1 for she saw a face4 ,but it was   
the old soldier with the  red beard3 he 
sat and nodded1 and said3    ,look1 what
 beautiful dancing-shoes6    ,then she  
was frightened1 and wanted to throw away
 the red shoes2 but  they clung fast to 
her4 ,and she tore off her stockings2   
but the shoes  had grown fast to her    
feet4 ,and she danced and was compelled 
to go  dancing over field and meadow1 in
 rain and sunshine1 by night and by     
day2 but it was most dreadful at night4 
,she danced out into the open           
churchyard2 but the dead there do not   
dance2 they have far better things to   
do4 ,she wished to sit down on the  poor
 man's grave1 where the bitter fern     
grows2 but there was no peace  nor rest 

for her4 ,and when she danced toward the
 open church door1 she  saw there an    
angel in long white garments1 with wings
 that reached from  his shoulders to his
 feet2 his countenance was serious and  
stern1 and  in his hand he held a sword 
that was broad and gleaming4    ,thou   
shalt dance6 he said--dance on thy red  
shoes1 till thou art pale  and cold1 and
 till thy body shrivels to a skeleton4  
,thou shalt dance  from door to door1   
and where proud1 haughty children dwell1
 shalt thou  knock1 that they may hear  
thee1 and be afraid of thee6 ,thou shalt
 dance1  dance6    ,mercy6 cried ,karen4
    ,but she did not hear what the angel
 answered1 for the shoes carried her    
away--carried her through the door on to
 the field1 over stock and  stone1 and  
she was always obliged to dance4    ,one
 morning she danced past a door which   
she knew well4 ,there was a  sound of   
psalm-singing within1 and a coffin was  
carried out1 adorned  with flowers4     
,then she knew that the old lady was    

dead1 and she felt  that she was        
deserted by all1 and condemned by the   
angel of heaven4    ,she danced1 and was
 compelled to dance--to dance in the    
dark night4 ,the  shoes carried her on  
over thorn and brier2 she scratched     
herself till  she bled2 she danced away 
across the heath to a little lonely     
house4  ,here she knew the executioner  
dwelt2 and she tapped with her fingers  
on  the panes1 and called3    ,come out1
 come out6 ,i cannot come in for ,i must
 dance6    ,and the executioner said3   
,you probably don't know who ,i am8 ,i  
cut off the bad people's heads  with my 
axe1 and mark how my axe rings6    ,do  
not strike off my head1 said ,karen1 for
 if you do ,i cannot repent  of my sin4 
,but strike off my feet with the red    
shoes6    ,and then she confessed all   
her sin1 and the executioner cut off her
 feet  with the red shoes2 but the shoes
 danced away with the little feet over  
the fields and into the deep forest4    
,and he cut her a pair of wooden feet1  

with crutches1 and taught her a  psalm1 
which the criminals always sing2 and she
 kissed the hand that had  held the axe1
 and went away across the heath4    ,now
 ,i have suffered pain enough for the   
red shoes1 said she4 ,now ,i  will go   
into the church1 that they may see me4  
,and she went quickly toward the church 
door1 but when she came there the  red  
shoes danced before her1 so that she was
 frightened1 and turned  back4    ,the  
whole week through she was sorrowful1   
and wept many bitter tears2  but when   
,sunday came she said3    ,now ,i have  
suffered and striven enough6 ,i think   
that ,i am just as good  as many of     
those who sit in the church and carry   
their heads high4    ,and then she went 
boldly on2 but she did not get further  
than the  churchyard gate before she saw
 the red shoes dancing along before her2
  then she was seized with terror1 and  
turned back1 and repented of her  sin   
right heartily4    ,and she went to the 
parsonage1 and begged to be taken there 

as a  servant4 ,she promised to be      
industrious1 and to do all she could2   
she  did not care for wages1 and only   
wished to be under a roof and with good 
people4 ,the clergyman's wife pitied    
her1 and took her into her service4     
,and she was industrious and thoughtful4
 ,silently she sat and listened  when in
 the evening the pastor read the ,bible 
aloud4 ,all the little ones  were very  
fond of her2 but when they spoke of     
dress and splendor and  beauty1 she     
would shake her head4    ,next ,sunday  
they all went to church1 and she was    
asked if she wished to  go too1 but she 
looked sadly1 with tears in her eyes1 at
 her crutches4  ,and then the others    
went to hear ,god's word2 but she went  
alone into her  little room1 which was  
only large enough to contain her bed and
 a chair4  ,and here she sat with her   
hymn-book2 and as she read it with a    
pious  mind1 the wind bore the notes of 
the organ over to her from the church2  
and she lifted up her face1 wet with    

tears1 and said3    ,o ,lord1 help me6  
,then the sun shone so brightly2 and    
before her stood the angel in the  white
 garments1 the same as she had seen that
 night at the church door4  ,but he no  
longer grasped the sharp sword2 he held 
a green branch covered  with roses2 and 
he touched the ceiling1 and it rose up  
high1 and  wherever he touched it a     
golden star gleamed forth2 and he       
touched the  walls1 and they spread     
forth widely1 and she saw the organ     
which was  pealing its rich sounds2 and 
she saw the old pictures of clergymen   
and  their wives2 and the congregation  
sat in the decorated seats1 and sang    
from their hymn-books4 ,the church had  
come to the poor girl in her  narrow    
room1 or her chamber had become a       
church4 ,she sat in the chair  with the 
rest of the clergyman's people2 and when
 they had finished the  psalm1 and      
looked up1 they nodded and said3        
,that was right that you came here1     
,karen4    ,it was mercy6 said she4     

,and the organ sounded its glorious     
notes2 and the children's voices        
singing in the chorus sounded sweet and 
lovely2 the clear sunshine  streamed so 
warm through the window upon the chair  
in which ,karen sat2  and her heart     
became so filled with sunshine1 peace1  
and joy1 that it  broke4 ,her soul flew 
on the sunbeams to heaven2 and there was
 nobody who  asked after the ,,red      
,,shoes4          ,,the ,,lovliest      
,,rose ,,in ,,the ,,world    ,by ,,hans 
,,christian ,,andersen      ,once there 
reigned a ,queen1 in whose garden were  
found the most glorious  flowers at all 
seasons and from all the lands in the   
world2 but  especially she loved roses1 
and therefore she possessed the most    
various  kinds of this flower1 from the 
wild dog-rose1 with the apple-scented   
green leaves1 to the most splendid      
,provence rose4 ,they grew against the  
earth walls1 wound themselves round     
pillars and window-frames1 into the     
passages1 and all along the ceiling in  

all the halls4 ,and the roses were      
various in fragrance1 form1 and color4  
,but care and sorrow dwelt in these     
halls3 the ,queen lay upon a sick-bed1  
and the doctors declared that she must  
die4    ,there is still one thing that  
can serve her1 said the wisest of them4 
,bring her the loveliest rose in the    
world1 the one which is the  expression 
of the brightest and purest love2 for if
 that is brought  before her eyes ere   
they close1 she will not die4    ,and   
young and old came from every side with 
roses1 the loveliest that  bloomed in   
each garden2 but they were not the right
 sort4 ,the flower was  to be brought   
out of the garden of ,love2 but what    
rose was it there that  expressed the   
highest and purest love8    ,and the    
poets sang of the loveliest rose in the 
world1 and each one  named his own2 and 
intelligence was sent far round the land
 to every  heart that beat with love1 to
 every class and condition1 and to every
  age4    ,no one has till now named the

 flower1 said the wise man4 ,no one has 
pointed out the place where it bloomed  
in its splendor4 ,they are not the      
roses from the coffin of ,romeo and     
,juliet1 or from the ,walburg's grave1  
though these roses will be ever fragrant
 in song4 ,they are not the roses  that 
sprouted forth from ,winkelried's       
blood-stained lances1 from the  blood   
that flows in a sacred cause from the   
breast of the hero who dies  for his    
country2 though no death is sweeter than
 this1 and no rose  redder than the     
blood that flows then4 ,nor is it that  
wondrous flower1  to cherish which man  
devotes1 in a quiet chamber1 many a     
sleepless  night1 and much of his fresh 
life--the magic flower of science4    ,i
 know where it blooms1 said a happy     
mother1 who came with her pretty  child 
to the bedside of the ,queen4 ,i know   
where the loveliest rose of  the world  
is found6 ,the rose that is the         
expression of the highest and  purest   
love springs from the blooming cheeks of

 my sweet child when1  strengthened by  
sleep1 it opens its eyes and smiles at  
me with all its  affection6    ,lovely  
is this rose2 but there is still a      
lovelier1 said the wise man4    ,yes1 a 
far lovelier one1 said one of the women4
 ,i have seen it1 and a  loftier1 purer 
rose does not bloom4 ,i saw it on the   
cheeks of the  ,queen4 ,she had taken   
off her golden crown1 and in the long   
dreary night  she was carrying her sick 
child in her arms3 she wept1 kissed it1 
and  prayed for her child as a mother   
prays in the hour of her anguish4       
,holy and wonderful in its might is the 
white rose of grief2 but it is  not the 
one we seek4    ,no1 the loveliest rose 
of the world ,i saw at the altar of the 
,lord1  said the good old ,bishop4 ,i   
saw it shine as if an angel's face had  
appeared4 ,the young maidens went to the
 ,lord's ,table1 and renewed the        
promise made at their baptism1 and roses
 were blushing1 and pale roses  shining 
on their fresh cheeks4 ,a young girl    

stood there2 she looked with  all the   
purity and love of her young spirit up  
to heaven3 that was the  expression of  
the highest and purest love4    ,may she
 be blessed1 said the wise man2 but not 
one of you has yet  named to me the     
loveliest rose of the world4    ,then   
there came into the room a child1 the   
,queen's little son4 ,tears  stood in   
his eyes and glistened on his cheeks2 he
 carried a great open  book1 and the    
binding was of velvet1 with great silver
 clasps4    ,mother6 cried the boy1 only
 hear what ,i have read4    ,and the    
child sat by the bedside1 and read from 
the book of ,him who  suffered death on 
the cross to save men1 and even those   
who were not yet  born4    ,greater love
 there is not--    ,and a roseate hue   
spread over the cheeks of the ,queen1   
and her eyes  gleamed1 for she saw that 
from the leaves of the book there       
bloomed the  loveliest rose1 that sprang
 from the blood of ,christ shed on the  
cross4    ,i see it6 she said3 he who   

beholds this1 the loveliest rose on     
earth1  shall never die4          ,a    
,,vision ,,of ,,the ,,last ,,day    ,by 
,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen      ,of  
all the days of our life the greatest   
and most solemn is the day on  which we 
die4 ,hast thou ever tried to realize   
that most sure1 most  portentous hour1  
the last hour we shall spend on earth8  
,there was a certain man1 an upholder of
 truth and justice1 a ,christian  man   
and orthodox1 so the world esteemed him4
 ,and1 in sooth1 it may be  that some   
good thing was found in him1 since in   
sleep1 amid the visions  of the night1  
it pleased the ,father of spirits to    
reveal him to himself1  making manifest 
to him what he was in truth1 namely1 one
 of those who  trust in themselves that 
they are righteous and despise others4  
,he went to rest1 secure that his       
accounts were right with all men1 that  
he had paid his dues and wrought good   
works that day2 of the secret  pride of 
his heart1 of the harsh words that had  

passed his lips1 he took  no account at 
all4 ,and so he slept1 and in his sleep 
,death stood by his  bedside1 a glorious
 ,angel1 strong1 spotless1 beautiful1   
but unlike every  other angel1 stern1   
unsmiling1 pitiless of aspect4    ,thine
 hour is come1 and thou must follow me6 
spake ,death4 ,and ,death's  cold finger
 touched the man's feet1 whereupon they 
became like ice1 then  touched his      
forehead1 then his heart4 ,and the chain
 that bound the  immortal soul to clay  
was riven asunder1 and the soul was free
 to follow  the ,angel of ,death4       
,but during those brief seconds1 while  
yet that awful touch thrilled  through  
feet1 and head1 and heart1 there passed 
over the dying man1 as  in great1       
heaving1 ocean waves1 the recollection  
of all that he had  wrought and felt in 
his whole life2 just as one shuddering  
glance into a  whirlpool suffices to    
reveal in thought rapid as lightning1   
the entire  unfathomable depth2 just as 
in one momentary glance at the starry   

heavens we can conceive the infinite    
multitude of that glorious host of      
unknown orbs4    ,in such a retrospect  
the terrified sinner shrinks back into  
himself1 and  finding there no stay by  
which to cling1 must feel shrinking into
  infinite nothingness2 while the devout
 soul raises its thoughts to the        
,almighty1 yielding itself up to ,him in
 childlike trust1 and praying1  ,thy    
will be done in me6    ,but this man had
 not the childlike mind1 neither did he 
tremble like the  sinner2 his thoughts  
were still the self-praising thoughts in
 which he  had fallen asleep4 ,his path1
 he believed1 must lead straight        
heavenward1  and ,mercy1 the promised   
,mercy1 would open to him the gates4    
,and1 in his dream1 the ,soul followed  
the ,angel of ,death1 though not        
without first casting one wistful glance
 at the couch where lay1 in its  white  
shroud1 the lifeless image of clay1     
still1 as it were1 bearing the  impress 
of the soul's own individuality4 ,and   

now they hovered through  the air1 now  
glided along the ground4 ,was it a vast 
decorated hall they  were passing       
through1 or a forest8 ,it seemed hard to
 tell2 ,nature1 it  appeared1 was       
formally set out for show1 as in the    
artificial old ,french  gardens1 and    
amid its strange1 carefully arranged    
scenes1 passed and  repassed troops of  
men and women1 all clad as for a        
masquerade4    ,such is human life6 said
 the ,angel of ,death4    ,the figures  
seemed more or less disguised2 those who
 swept by in the  glories of velvet and 
gold were not all among the noblest or  
most  dignified-looking1 neither were   
all those who wore the garb of poverty  
insignificant or vulgar4 ,it was a      
strange masquerade6 ,but most strange   
it was to see how one and all carefully 
concealed under their clothing          
something they would not have others    
perceive1 but in vain1 for each was     
bent upon discovering his neighbor's    
secret1 and they tore and snatched  at  

one another till1 now here1 now there1  
some part of an animal was  revealed4   
,in one was found the grinning head of  
an ape1 in another the  cloven foot of a
 goat1 in a third the poison-fang of a  
snake1 in a  fourth the clammy fin of a 
fish4    ,all had in them some token of 
the animal--the animal which is fast    
rooted in human nature1 and which here  
was seen struggling to burst  forth4    
,and1 however closely a man might hold  
his garment over it1 the  others would  
never rest till they had rent the hiding
 veil1 and all kept  crying out1 ,look  
here6 look now6 here he is6 there she   
is6--and every  one mockingly laid bare 
his fellow's shame4    ,and what was the
 animal in me8 inquired the disembodied 
,soul2 and the  ,angel of ,death pointed
 to a haughty form1 around whose head   
shone a  bright1 widespread glory of    
rainbow-colored rays1 but at whose heart
  might be seen lurking1 half-hidden1   
the feet of the peacock2 the glory  was1
 in fact1 merely the peacock's gaudy    

tail4    ,and as they passed on1 large1 
foul-looking birds shrieked out from the
  boughs of the trees2 with clear1      
intelligible1 though harsh1 human       
voices they shrieked1 ,thou that walkest
 with ,death1 dost remember me8  ,all   
the evil thoughts and desires that had  
nestled within him from his  birth until
 his death now called after him1        
,rememberest thou me8    ,and the ,soul 
shuddered1 recognizing the voices2 it   
could not deny  knowledge of the evil   
thoughts and desires that were now      
rising up in  witness against it4    ,in
 our flesh1 in our evil nature1 dwelleth
 no good thing1 cried the  ,soul2 but1  
at least1 thoughts never with me ripened
 into actions2 the  world has not seen  
the evil fruit4 ,and the ,soul hurried  
on to get free  from the accusing       
voices2 but the great black fowls swept 
in circles  round1 and screamed out     
their scandalous words louder and       
louder1 as  though they would be heard  
all over the world4 ,and the ,soul fled 

from  them like the hunted stag1 and at 
every step stumbled against sharp  flint
 stones that lay in the path4 ,how came 
these sharp stones here8  ,they look    
like mere withered leaves lying on the  
ground4    ,every stone is for some     
incautious word thou hast spoken1 which 
lay as  a stumbling-block in thy        
neighbor's path1 which wounded thy      
neighbor's  heart far more sorely and   
deeply than these sharp flints now wound
 thy  feet4    ,alas6 ,i never once     
thought of that1 sighed the ,soul4      
,and those words of the gospel rang     
through the air1 ,judge not1 that ye  be
 not judged4    ,we have all sinned1    
said the ,soul1 recovering from its     
momentary  self-abasement4 ,i have kept 
the ,law and the ,gospel1 ,i have done  
what ,i  could1 ,i am not as others are6
    ,and in his dream this man now stood
 at the gates of heaven1 and the  ,angel
 who guarded the entrance inquired1 ,who
 art thou8 ,tell me thy  faith1 and show
 it to me in thy works4    ,i have      

faithfully kept the ,commandments1 ,i   
have humbled myself in the  eyes of the 
world1 ,i have preserved myself free    
from the pollution of  intercourse with 
sinners1 ,i have hated and persecuted   
evil1 and those  who practice it1 and ,i
 would do so still1 yea1 with fire and  
sword1 had  ,i the power4    ,then thou 
art one of ,mohammed's followers8 said  
the ,angel4    ,i8 a                    
,mohammedan8--never6    ',he who strikes
 with the sword shall perish by the     
sword1' thus spake  the ,son2 ,his      
religion thou knowest not4 ,it may be   
that thou art one of  the children of   
,israel1 whose maxim is1 ',an eye for an
 eye1 a tooth for  a tooth'--art thou   
such8    ,i am a ,christian4    ,i see  
it not in thy faith or in thine actions4
 ,the law of ,christ is the  law of     
forgiveness1 love1 and mercy4    ,mercy6
 ,the gracious echo of that sweet word  
thrilled through infinite  space1 the   
gates of heaven opened1 and the ,soul   
hovered toward the  realms of endless   

bliss4    ,but the flood of light that  
streamed forth from within was so       
dazzlingly  bright1 so transcendently   
white and pure1 that the ,soul shrank   
back as  from a two-edged sword1 and the
 hymns and harp-tones of ,angels mingled
  in such exquisite celestial harmony as
 the earthly mind has not power  either 
to conceive or to endure4 ,and the ,soul
 trembled and bowed itself  deeper and  
deeper1 and the heavenly light          
penetrated it through and  through1 and 
it felt to the quick1 as it had never   
truly felt before1  the burden of its   
own pride1 cruelty1 and sin4    ,what ,i
 have done of good in the world1 that   
did ,i because ,i could not  otherwise1 
but the evil that ,i did--that was of   
myself6    ,the confession was wrung    
from him2 more and more the man felt    
dazzled  and overpowered by the pure    
light of heaven2 he seemed falling into 
a  measureless abyss1 the abyss of his  
own nakedness and unworthiness4  ,shrunk
 into himself1 humbled1 cast out1 unripe

 for the kingdom of  heaven1 shuddering 
at the thought of the just and holy     
,god--hardly dared  he to gasp out1     
,mercy6    ,and the face of the ,angel  
at the portal was turned toward him in  
softening pity4 ,mercy is for them who  
implore it1 not claim it2 there  is     
,mercy also for thee4 ,turn thee1 child 
of man1 turn thee back the way  thou    
camest to thy clayey tabernacle2 in pity
 is it given thee to dwell  in dust yet 
a little while4 ,be no longer righteous 
in thine own eyes1  copy ,him who with  
patience endured the contradiction of   
sinners1 strive  and pray that thou     
mayest become poor in spirit1 and so    
mayest thou yet  inherit the ,kingdom4  
,holy1 loving1 glorious forever shalt   
thou be1 ,o1 erring human  spirit6--thus
 rang the chorus of ,angels4 ,and again 
overpowered by those  transcendent      
melodies1 dazzled and blinded by that   
excess of purest  light1 the ,soul again
 shrank back into itself4 ,it seemed to 
be falling  an infinite depth2 the      

celestial music grew fainter and        
fainter1 till  common earthly sights and
 sounds dispelled the vision4 ,the rays 
of the  early morning sun falling full  
on his face1 the cheerful crow of the   
vigilant cock1 called the sleeper up to 
pray4    ,inexpressibly humbled1 yet    
thankful1 he arose and knelt beside his 
bed4  ,thou1 who hast shown me to       
myself1 help me now1 that ,i may not    
only do  justly1 but love mercy1 and    
walk humbly with my ,god4 ,thou1 who    
hast  convicted me of sin1 now purify   
me1 strengthen me1 that1 though ever    
unworthy of ,thy presence1 ,i may yet1  
supported by ,thy ,love1 dare to  ascend
 into ,thine ever lasting light6    ,the
 ,vision was his2 be the lesson1 the    
prayer1 also ours4          ,,the ,,old 
,,gravestone    ,by ,,hans ,,christian  
,,andersen      ,in one of our small    
trading towns1 at that time of year when
 folk say  ,the evenings grow long1 a   
whole family was assembled together4    
,the air  was still mild and warm2 the  

lamp was lighted1 the long curtains hung
  down before the windows1 and bright   
moonlight prevailed without4 ,they  were
 talking about a big old stone that lay 
down in the yard1 close by  the kitchen 
door1 where the servants often placed   
the kitchen utensils1  after they had   
been cleaned1 to dry in the sun1 and    
where the children  were fond of        
playing2 it was1 in fact1 an old        
gravestone4    ,yes1 said the master of 
the house1 ,i believe it comes from the 
old  ruined convent chapel2 pulpit and  
gravestones1 with all their epitaphs1   
were sold2 my late father bought several
 of these2 the others were  broken into 
paving-stones1 but this one was left    
unused1 lying in the  yard4    ,it is   
easy to know it for a gravestone1 said  
the eldest of the  children4 ,you can   
still see on it an mountain-sides and a 
piece of an  angel1 but the inscription 
is almost quite worn out1 except the    
name  ',preben1' and a capital ',s' a   
little further on1 and underneath it    

',martha1' but it is impossible to make 
out any more1 and that you can  only    
read after if has been raining1 or when 
we have washed it4    ,why1 then1 it    
must be the gravestone of ,preben ,swan 
and his wife6  exclaimed an old man1 who
 by his age might appear the grandfather
 of  everybody in the room4 ,to be sure1
 they were among the last that were     
buried in the old convent               
churchyard--the grand old couple6       
,everybody  knew them1 everybody loved  
them2 they were like king and queen in  
the  town4 ,folk said they had more than
 a barrelful of gold1 and yet they  went
 about simply clad1 in the coarsest     
cloth1 only their linen was  always of  
dazzling whiteness4 ,yes1 that was a    
charming old pair1 ,preben  and ,martha4
 ,one was always so glad to see them1   
sitting together on the  bench at the   
top of their stone staircase1 under the 
old lime-tree's  shade4 ,they were so   
good to the poor6 they feasted them1    
clothed them1  and there was good sense 

and a true ,christian spirit in all     
their  benevolence4    ,the wife died   
first2 ,i remember the day quite well2  
,i was then a little  boy1 and went with
 my father to see old ,preben3 the old  
man was so  grieved1 he cried like a    
child4 ,the corpse still lay in her     
bedroom1  close to the chamber where we 
sat2 she looked as if she had just      
fallen  asleep4 ,and the old man told my
 father how he should now be so lonely1 
and how many years1 they had spent      
together1 and how they had first made   
acquaintance and came to love each      
other4 ,as ,i said before1 ,i was a     
child1 but it moved me strangely to     
listen to the old man1 and watch how  he
 grew more animated as he went on       
speaking1 a faint color coming into  his
 cheeks as he talked of their youthful  
days1 how pretty she had been1  how many
 little innocent tricks he had played1  
in order to meet her4 ,and  when he     
spoke of his wedding-day his eyes quite 
sparkled2 he seemed to  be living his   

happy time over again--and all the while
 she was lying  dead in the next        
chamber1 an old lady1 and he was an old 
man--ah1 how  time passes6 ,i was a     
child then1 and now ,i am as old as     
,preben ,swan4  ,yes1 time and change   
come to all4 ,i remember as well as     
possible the  funeral-day1 and ,preben  
,swan following the coffin4 ,they had   
had their  gravestone carved with names 
and inscriptions1 all except the dates  
of  their death1 some years before2 that
 same evening the stone was taken to    
the grave1 and put into its place4 ,the 
next year the grave had to be  reopened1
 and old ,preben rejoined his wife4     
,they did not turn out to be  so rich as
 people had fancied1 and what they did  
leave went to distant  relations very   
far off4 ,the old wooden house1 with the
 bench at the top  of the high stone    
staircase under the lime-tree1 was      
ordered to be  pulled down1 for it was  
too ruinous to stand any longer4 ,and   
afterward1  when the convent chapel and 

cemetery were destroyed1 the gravestone 
of  ,preben and ,martha was sold1 like  
others1 to whomsoever chose to buy it4  
,and so now it lies in the yard for the 
little ones to roll over1 and to  make a
 shelf for the kitchen pots and pans4   
,and the paved street now  covers the   
resting-place of old ,preben and his    
wife1 and nobody thinks  of them any    
more4    ,and the old man who related   
all this shook his head sadly4          
,forgotten6  ,all things are forgotten6 
,and the rest began to speak of other   
matters2 but the youngest boy1 a  child 
with large1 grave eyes1 crept up on a   
chair behind the curtains1  and looked  
out into the yard1 where the moon shone 
brightly on the big  stone that before  
had seemed to him flat and uninteresting
 enough1 but  now had become to him like
 a page of a large-sized story-book4    
,for all  that the boy had heard        
concerning ,preben and his wife1 the    
stone seemed  to contain within it2 and 
he looked first at the stone1 and then  

at the  brilliant moon1 which looked to 
him like a bright kind face looking down
  through the pure still air upon the   
earth4    ,forgotten6 all shall be      
forgotten6 these words came to his ears 
from  the room2 but at that very moment 
an invisible angel kissed the boy's     
forehead and softly whispered1 ,keep the
 seed carefully1 keep it till  the time 
for ripening4 ,through thee1 child as   
thou art1 shall the  half-erased        
inscription1 the crumbling gravestone1  
stand out in clear1  legible characters 
for generations to come6 ,through thee  
shall the old  couple again walk        
arm-in-arm through the ancient gateways1
 and sit with  smiling faces on the     
bench under the lime tree1 greeting rich
 and poor4  ,the good and the beautiful 
perish never2 they live eternally in    
tale and  song4                         
,,good-,,for-,,nothing    ,by ,,hans    
,,christian ,,andersen      ,the sheriff
 stood at the open window2 he wore      
ruffles1 and a dainty  breastpin        

decorated the front of his shirt2 he was
 neatly shaven1 and a  tiny little strip
 of sticking-plaster covered the little 
cut he had  given himself during the    
process4 ,well1 my little man8 quoth he4
    ,the little man was no other than   
the laundress's son1 who respectfully   
took off his cap in passing4 ,his cap   
was broken in the rim1 and adapted  to  
be put into the pocket on occasion2 his 
clothes were poor1 but clean1  and very 
neatly mended1 and he wore heavy wooden 
shoes4 ,he stood still  when the sheriff
 spoke1 as respectfully as though he    
stood before the  king4    ,ah1 you're a
 good boy1 a well-behaved boy6 said the 
sheriff4 ,and so  your mother is washing
 down at the river2 she isn't good for  
much4 ,and  you're going to her1 ,i see4
 ,ah1 poor child6--well1 you may go4    
,and the boy passed on1 still holding   
his cap in his hand1 while the wind     
tossed to and fro his waves of yellow   
hair4 ,he went through the street1  down
 a little alley to the brook1 where his 

mother stood in the water1  at her      
washing-stool1 beating the heavy linen4 
,the water-mill's sluices  were opened1 
and the current was strong2 the         
washing-stool was nearly  carried away  
by it1 and the laundress had hard work  
to strive against  it4    ,i am very    
near taking a voyage1 she said1 and it  
is so cold out in  the water2 for six   
hours have ,i been standing here4 ,have 
you anything  for me8--and the boy drew 
forth a phial1 which his mother put to  
her  lips4 ,ah1 that is as good as warm 
meat1 and it is not so dear4 ,o1 the    
water is so cold--but if my strength    
will but last me out to bring you  up   
honestly1 my sweet child6    ,at that   
moment approached an elderly woman1     
poorly clad1 blind of one  eye1 lame on 
one leg1 and with her hair brushed into 
one large curl to  hide the blind       
eye--but in vain1 the defect was only   
the more  conspicuous4 ,this was ,lame  
,maren1 as the neighbors called her1 a  
friend of the washerwoman's4 ,poor      

thing1 slaving and toiling away in  the 
cold water6 it is hard that you should  
be called names--for ,maren  had        
overheard the sheriff speaking to the   
child about his own mother--  hard that 
your boy should be told you are         
good-for-nothing4    ,what6 did the     
sheriff really say so1 child8 said the  
,laundress1 and  her lips quivered4 ,so 
you have a mother who is                
good-for-nothing6  ,perhaps he is right1
 only he should not say so to the       
child--but ,i must  not complain1 for   
good things have come to me from that   
house4    ,why yes1 you were in service 
there once1 when the sheriff's parents  
were alive1 many years since4 ,there is 
a grand dinner at the sheriff's  to-day1
 went on ,maren2 it would have been put 
off1 though1 had not  everything been   
prepared4 ,i heard it from the porter4  
,news came in a  letter1 an hour ago1   
that the sheriff's younger brother1 at  
,copenhagen1  is dead4    ,dead6        
repeated the ,laundress1 and she turned 

as white as a corpse4    ,what do you   
care about it8 said ,maren4 ,to be sure1
 you must have  known him1 since you    
served in the house4    ,is he dead8 he 
was the best1 the kindest of creatures6 
indeed1 there  are not many like him1   
and the tears rolled down her cheeks4   
,o1 the  world is turning round1 ,i feel
 so ill6 and she clung to the           
washing-stool for support4    ,you are  
ill1 indeed6 cried ,maren4 ,take care1  
the stool will overturn4  ,i had better 
get you home at once4    ,but the linen8
    ,i will look after that--only lean  
on me4 ,the boy can stay here and  watch
 it till ,i come back and wash what is  
left2 it is not much4    ,the poor      
laundress's limbs trembled under her4 ,i
 have stood too long in  the cold water2
 ,i have had no food since yesterday4   
,o1 my poor child6  and she wept4       
,the boy cried too1 as he sat alone     
beside the brook1 watching the wet      
linen4 ,slowly the two women made their 
way up the little alley and  through the

 street1 past the sheriff's house4 ,just
 as she reached her  humble home1 the   
laundress fell down on the              
paving-stones1 fainting4  ,she was      
carried upstairs and put to bed4 ,kind  
,maren hastened to prepare  a cup of    
warm ale--that was the best medicine in 
this case1 she  thought--and then went  
back to the brook and did the best she  
could with  the linen4    ,in the       
evening she was again in the laundress's
 miserable room4 ,she had  begged from  
the sheriff's cook a few roasted        
potatoes and a little bit  of bacon1 for
 the sick woman4 ,maren and the boy     
feasted upon these1 but  the patient was
 satisfied with the smell of them--that1
 she declared1  was very nourishing4    
,supper over1 the boy went to bed1 lying
 crosswise at his mother's feet1  with a
 coverlet made of old carpet-ends1 blue 
and red1 sewed together4    ,the        
,laundress now felt a little better2 the
 warm ale had strengthened  her1 the    
smell of the meat had done her good4    

,now1 you good soul1 said she to ,maren1
 ,i will tell you all about it1  while  
the boy is asleep4 ,that he is already2 
look at him1 how sweetly he  looks with 
his eyes closed2 he little thinks how   
his mother has  suffered4 ,may he never 
feel the like6 ,well1 ,i was in service 
with the  sheriff's parents when their  
youngest son1 the student1 came home2 ,i
 was  a wild young thing then1 but      
honest--that ,i must say for myself4    
,and the  student was so pleasant and   
merry1 a better youth never lived4 ,he  
was a  son of the house1 ,i only a      
servant1 but we became sweethearts--all 
in  honor and honesty--and he told his  
mother that he loved me2 she was like   
an angel in his eyes1 so wise1 kind1 and
 loving6 ,and he went away1 but  his    
gold ring of betrothal was on my finger4
 ,when he was really gone1 my  mistress 
called me in to speak to her2 so grave1 
yet so kind she looked1  so wisely she  
spoke1 like an angel1 indeed4 ,she      
showed me what a gulf of  difference in 

tastes1 habits1 arid mind lay between   
her son and me4 ',he  sees you now to be
 good-hearted and pretty1 but will you  
always be the  same in his eyes8 ,you   
have not been educated as he has been2  
intellectually you cannot rise to his   
level4 ,i honor the poor1' she          
continued1 'and ,i know that in the     
kingdom of heaven many a poor man  will 
sit in a higher seat than the rich2 but 
that is no reason for  breaking the     
ranks in this world1 and you two1 left  
to yourselves1 would  drive your        
carriage full tilt against all obstacles
 till it toppled over  with you both4 ,i
 know that a good honest handicraftsman1
 ,erik1 the  glove-maker1 has been your 
suitor2 he is a widower without         
children1 he  is well off2 think whether
 you cannot be content with him4' ,every
 word  my mistress spoke went like a    
knife through my heart1 but ,i knew she 
was  right2 ,i kissed her hand1 and shed
 such bitter tears6 ,but bitterer tears 
still came when ,i went into my chamber 

and lay upon my bed4 ,o1 the long1      
dreary night that followed6 ,our ,lord  
alone knows what ,i suffered4 ,not  till
 ,i went to church on ,sunday did a     
light break upon my darkness4 ,it       
seemed providential that as ,i came out 
of church ,i met ,erik the  glove-maker4
 ,there were no more doubts in my mind2 
he was a good man1  and of my own rank4 
,i went straight to him1 took his hand1 
and asked1  ',art thou still in the same
 mind toward me8'--',yes1 and ,i shall  
never be  otherwise minded1' he         
replied4--',dost thou care to have a    
girl who likes  and honors thee1 but    
does not love thee8'--',i believe love  
will come1'  he said1 and so he took my 
hand4 ,i went home to my mistress2 the  
gold  ring that her son had given to me1
 that ,i wore all day next my heart1    
and on my finger at night in bed1 ,i now
 drew forth2 ,i kissed it till my  mouth
 bled1 ,i gave it to my mistress1 and   
said that next week the bans  would be  
read for me and the glove-maker4 ,my    

mistress took me in her  arms and kissed
 me2 she did not tell me ,i was         
good-for-nothing2 ,i was  good for      
something then1 it seems1 before ,i had 
known so much trouble4  ,the wedding was
 at ,candlemastide1 and our first year  
all went well2 my  husband had          
apprentices1 and you1 ,maren1 helped me 
in the housework4    ,o1 and you were   
such a good mistress6 exclaimed ,maren4 
,never shall ,i  forget how kind you and
 your husband were to me4    ,ah1 you   
were with us during our good times6 ,we 
had no children then4  ,the student ,i  
never saw again--yes1 once ,i saw him1  
but he did not see  me4 ,he came to his 
mother's funeral2 ,i saw him standing by
 her grave1  looking so sad1 so ashy    
pale--but all for his mother's sake4    
,when  afterward his father died1 he was
 abroad and did not come to the         
funeral4 ,nor has he been here since2 he
 is a lawyer1 that ,i know1 and he  has 
never married4 ,but he thought no more  
of me1 and had he seen me1 he  would    

certainly have never recognized me1 so  
ugly as ,i am now4 ,and it is  right it 
should be so4    ,then she went on to   
speak of the bitter days of adversity1  
when troubles  had come upon them in a  
flood4 ,they had five hundred           
rix-dollars1 and as  in their street a  
house could be bought for two hundred1  
it was  considered a good investment to 
buy it1 take it down1 and build it anew4
  ,the house was bought2 masons and     
carpenters made an estimate that one    
thousand and twenty rix-dollars more    
would be required4 ,erik arranged to    
borrow this sum from ,copenhagen1 but   
the ship that was to bring him the      
money was lost1 and the money with it4  
,it was just then that my sweet  boy1   
who lies sleeping here1 was born4 ,then 
his father fell sick2 for               
three-quarters of a year ,i had to dress
 and undress him every day4 ,we  went on
 borrowing and borrowing2 all our things
 had to be sold1 one by  one2 at last   
,erik died4 ,since then ,i have toiled  

and moiled for the  boy's sake1 have    
gone out cleaning and washing1 done     
coarse work or  fine1 whichever ,i could
 get2 but ,i do everything worse and    
worse2 my  strength will never return   
any more2 it is our ,lord's will6 ,he   
will take  me away1 and find better     
provision for my boy4    ,she fell      
asleep4 ,in the morning she seemed      
better1 and fancied she was  strong     
enough to go to her work again4 ,but no 
sooner did she feel the  cold water than
 a shivering seized her1 she felt about 
convulsively with  her hands1 tried to  
step forward1 and fell down4 ,her head  
lay on the  dry bank1 but her feet were 
in the water of the brook1 her wooden   
shoes  were carried away by the stream4 
,here she was found by ,maren4    ,a    
message had been taken to her lodging   
that the sheriff wanted her1 had        
something to say to her4 ,it was too    
late2 the poor washerwoman was dead4    
,the letter that had brought the sheriff
 news of his brother's death also  gave 

an abstract of his will2 among other    
bequests he had left six  hundred       
rix-dollars to the glove-maker's widow1 
who had formerly served  his parents4   
,there was some love-nonsense between my
 brother and her1  quoth the sheriff4   
,it is all as well she is out of the    
way2 now it will  all come to the boy1  
and ,i shall apprentice him to honest   
folk who will  make him a good workman4 
,for whatever the sheriff might do1 were
 it  ever so kind an action1 he always  
spoke harshly and unkindly4 ,so he now  
called the boy to him1 promised to      
provide for him1 and told him it was  a 
good thing his mother was dead2 she was 
good-for-nothing6    ,she was buried in 
the paupers' churchyard4 ,maren planted 
a little  rose-tree over the grave2 the 
boy stood by her side the while4    ,my 
darling mother6 he sighed1 as the tears 
streamed down from his  eyes4 ,it was   
not true that she was good-for-nothing6 
,no1 indeed6 cried her old friend1      
looking up to heaven4 ,let the world    

say she was good-for-nothing2 our ,lord 
in his heavenly kingdom will not  say   
so4          ,,in ,,the ,,uttermost     
,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,sea    ,by ,,hans  
,,christian ,,andersen      ,some large 
ships were sent up toward the ,north    
,pole1 for the purpose of  discovering  
the boundaries of land and sea1 and of  
trying how far men  could make their    
way4    ,a year and a day had elapsed2  
amid mist and ice had they1 with great  
difficulty1 steered further and further2
 the winter had now begun2 the  sun had 
set1 one long night would continue      
during many1 many weeks4 ,one  unbroken 
plain of ice spread around them2 the    
ships were all fast moored  to it2 the  
snow lay about in heaps1 and had even   
shaped itself into  cubiform houses1    
some as big as our barrows1 some only   
just large enough  for two or three men 
to find shelter within4 ,darkness they  
could not  complain of1 for the         
,northern ,lights--,nature's            
fireworks--now red1 now  blue1 flashed  

unceasingly1 and the snow glistened so  
brightly4    ,at times when it was      
brightest came troops of the natives1   
strange-looking figures1 clad in hairy  
skins1 and with sledges made out  of    
hard fragments of ice2 they brought     
skins to exchange1 which the  sailors   
were only too glad to use as warm       
carpets inside their snow  houses1 and  
as beds whereon they could rest under   
their snowy tents1  while outside       
prevailed an intensity of cold such as  
we never experience  during our severest
 winters4 ,but the sailors remembered   
that at home it  was still autumn2 and  
they thought of the warm sunbeams and   
the leaves  still clinging to the trees 
in varied glories of crimson and gold4  
,their  watches told them it was        
evening1 and time for rest1 and in one  
of the  snow houses two sailors had     
already lain down to sleep2 the youngest
 of  these two had with him his best    
home-treasure1 the ,bible that his      
grandmother had given him at parting4   

,every night it lay under his  pillow2  
he had known its contents from          
childhood1 and every day he read  a     
portion2 and often as he lay on his     
couch1 he recalled to mind those  holy  
words of comfort1 ,if ,i should take the
 wings of the morning1 and  remain in   
the uttermost parts of the sea1 even    
there should ,thy hand  lead me1 and    
,thy right hand should hold me4         
,these sublime words of faith were on   
his lips as he closed his eyes1  when   
sleep came to him1 and dreams with      
sleep--busy1 swift-winged  dreams1      
proving that though the body may rest1  
the soul must ever be  awake4 ,first he 
seemed to hear the melodies of songs    
dear to him in his  home2 a mild summer 
breeze seemed to breathe upon him1 and a
 light shone  upon his couch1 as though 
the snowy dome above him had become     
transparent2 he lifted his head1 and    
behold6 the dazzling white light  was   
not the white of a snow wall1 it came   
from the large wings of an  angel       

stooping over him1 an angel with eyes   
beaming with love4 ,the  angel's form   
seemed to spring from the pages of the  
,bible1 as from the  pitcher of a       
lily-blossom2 he extended his arms1 and 
lo6 the narrow  walls of the snow-hut   
sank back like a mist melting before the
 daylight4  ,once again the green       
meadows and autumnal-tinted woods of the
 sailor's  home lay around him1 bathed  
in quiet sunshine2 the stork's nest was 
empty1 but the apples still clung to the
 wild apple-tree2 though leaves  had    
fallen1 the red hips glistened1 and the 
blackbird whistled in the  little green 
cage that hung in the lowly window of   
his childhood's home2  the blackbird    
whistled the tune he had taught him1 and
 the old  grandmother wound chickweed   
about the bars of the cage1 as her      
grandson  had been wont to do4 ,and the 
smith's pretty young daughter stood     
drawing  water from the well1 and as she
 nodded to the grandmother1 the latter  
beckoned to her1 and held up a letter to

 show her1 a letter that had  come that 
morning from the cold northern lands1   
from the ,north ,pole  itself1 where the
 old woman's grandson now was--safe     
under ,god's  protecting hand4 ,and the 
two women1 old and young1 laughed and   
wept by  turns--and he the while1 the   
young sailor whose body was sleeping    
amid  ice and snow1 his spirit roaming  
in the world of dreams1 under the       
angel's wings1 saw and heard it all1 and
 laughed and wept with them4 ,and  from 
the letter these words were read aloud1 
,even in the uttermost  parts of the    
sea1 ,his right hand shall hold me fast3
 and a sweet1  solemn music was wafted  
round him1 and the angel drooped his    
wings2 like  a soft protecting veil they
 fell closer over the sleeper4    ,the  
dream was ended2 all was darkness in the
 little snow-hut1 but the  ,bible lay   
under the sailor's head1 faith and hope 
abode in his heart4  ,god was with him1 
and his home was with him1 even in the  
uttermost  parts of the sea4            

,,something    ,by ,,hans ,,christian   
,,andersen      ,i will be ,something1  
declared the eldest of five brothers2 ,i
 will be  of use in the world2 be it    
ever so humble a position that ,i may   
hold1  let me be but useful1 and that   
will be ,something4 ,i will make bricks2
  folk cannot do without them1 so ,i    
shall at least do ,something4           
,something very little1 though1 replied 
the second brother4 ,why1 it is  as good
 as nothing6 it is work that might be   
done by a machine4 ,better  be a mason1 
as ,i intend to be4 ,then one belongs to
 a guild1 becomes a  citizen1 has a     
banner of one's own4 ,nay1 if all things
 go well1 ,i may  become a master1 and  
have apprentices and workmen under me4  
,that will be  ,something6    ,it will  
be nothing at all then1 ,i can tell you 
that6 rejoined the  third4 ,think how   
many different ranks there are in a town
 far above  that of a master-mason4 ,you
 may be an honest sort of a man1 but you
 will  never be a gentleman2 gentle and 

simple2 those are the two grand         
divisions1 and you will always be one of
 the 'simple4' ,well1 ,i know  better   
than that4 ,i will be an architect2 ,i  
will be one of the thinkers1  the       
artists2 ,i will raise myself to the    
aristocracy of intellect4 ,i may  have  
to begin from the very lowest grade2 ,i 
may begin as a carpenter's  boy1 and run
 about with a paper-cap on my head1 to  
fetch ale for the  workmen2 ,i may not  
enjoy it1 but ,i shall try to imagine it
 is only a  masquerade4 ',to-morrow1' ,i
 shall say1 ',i will go my own way1 and 
others  shall not come near me4' ,yes1  
,i shall go to the ,academy1 learn to   
draw1  and be called an architect4 ,that
 will be ,something6 ,i may get a title1
  perhaps2 and ,i shall build and build1
 as others before me have done4  ,yes1  
that will be ,something6    ,but it is  
,something that ,i care nothing about1  
said the fourth4 ,i  should not care to 
go on1 on1 in the beaten track1 to be a 
mere copyist2  ,i will be a genius1     

cleverer than all of you put together2  
,i will create  a new style1 provide    
ideas for buildings suited to the       
climate and  materials of our country1  
suited to our national character1 and   
the  requirements of the age4    ,but   
supposing the climate and the materials 
don't agree1 suggested the  fifth1 how  
will you get on then1 if they won't     
co-operate8 ,as for our  national       
character1 to be following out that in  
architecture will be  sheer affectation1
 and the requirements of modern         
civilization will  drive you perfectly  
mad4 ,i see you will none of you ever be
 anything1  though of course you won't  
believe me4 ,but do as you please1 ,i   
shall not  be like you4 ,i shall reason 
over what you execute2 there is         
something  ridiculous in everything2 ,i 
shall find it out1 show you yeur        
faults--that will be ,something6    ,and
 he kept his word2 and folk said of this
 fifth brother1 ,there is  something in 
him1 certainly2 he has plenty of brains6

 but he does  nothing4 ,but he was      
content1 he was ,something4    ,but what
 became of the five brothers8 ,we will  
hear the whole4    ,the eldest brother1 
the brickmaker1 found that every brick  
he turned out  whole yielded him a tiny 
copper coin--only copper--but a great   
many of  these small coins1 added       
together1 could be converted into a     
bright  silver dollar1 and through the  
power of this1 wheresoever he knocked1  
whether at baker's1 butcher's1 or       
tailor's1 the door flew open1 and he    
received what he wanted4 ,such was the  
virtue of his bricks2 some1 of  course1 
got broken before they were finished1   
but a use was found even  for these4    
,for up by the trench would poor ,mother
 ,margaret fain build  herself a little 
house1 if she might2 she took all the   
broken bricks1  ay1 and she got a few   
whole ones besides1 for a good heart had
 the  eldest brother1 though only a     
brickmaker4 ,the poor thing built her   
house  with her own hands2 it was very  

narrow1 its one window was all on one   
side1 the door was too low1 and the     
thatch on the roof might have been  laid
 on better1 but it gave her shelter and 
a home1 and could be seen  far over the 
sea1 which sometimes burst over the     
trench in its might1  and sprinkled a   
salt shower over the little house1 which
 kept its place  there years after he   
who made the bricks was dead and gone4  
,as for the second brother1 he learned  
to build after another fashion1 as  he  
had resolved4 ,when he was out of his   
apprenticeship1 he buckled on  his      
knapsack and started1 singing as he     
went1 on his travels4 ,he came  home    
again1 and became a master in his native
 town2 he built1 house  after house1 a  
whole street of houses2 there they      
stood1 looked well1  and were a credit  
to the town2 and these houses soon built
 him a little  house for himself4 ,how8 
,ask the houses1 and they will give you 
no  answer2 but the people will answer  
you and say1 ,why1 of course1 the       

street built him his house6 ,it was     
small enough1 and had only a clay       
floor1 but when he and his bride danced 
over it1 the floor grew as  smooth as if
 it had been polished1 and from every   
stone in the wall  sprung a flower1 that
 looked as gay as the costliest         
tapestry4 ,it was a  pretty house and a 
happy wedded pair4 ,the banner of the   
,masons' ,guild  waved outside1 and     
workmen and apprentices shouted ,hurra6 
,yes1 that  was ,something6 and at last 
he died--that1 too1 was ,something6     
,next comes the architect1 the third    
brother4 ,he began as a carpenter's     
apprentice1 and ran about the town on   
errands1 wearing a paper-cap2 but  he   
studied industriously at the ,academy1  
and rose steadily upward4 ,if  the      
street full of houses had built a house 
for his brother the mason1  the street  
took its name from the architect2 the   
handsomest house in the  whole street   
was his--that was ,something1 and he was
 ,something6 ,his  children were        

gentlemen1 and could boast of their     
birth2 and when he  died1 his widow was 
a widow of condition--that is           
,something--and his  name stood on the  
corner of the street1 and was in        
everybody's  lips--that is ,something1  
too6    ,now for the genius1 the fourth 
brother1 who wanted to invent something 
new1 something original4 ,somehow the   
ground gave way beneath his feet2  he   
fell and broke his neck4 ,but he had a  
splendid funeral1 with music  and       
banners1 and flowery paragraphs in the  
newspapers2 and three  eulogiums were   
pronounced over him1 each longer than   
the last1 and this  would have pleased  
him mightily1 for he loved speechifying 
of all  things4 ,a monument was erected 
over his grave1 only one story high--but
  that is ,something6    ,so now he was 
dead1 as well as his three elder        
brothers2 the youngest1  the critic1    
outlived them all1 and that was as it   
should be1 for thus he  had the last    
word1 which to him was a matter of the  

greatest importance4  ,he had plenty of 
brains1 folk said4 ,now his hour had    
struck1 he died1  and his soul sought   
the gates of heaven4 ,there it stood    
side by side  with another soul--old    
,mother ,margaret from the trenches4    
,it is for the sake of contrast1 ,i     
suppose1 that ,i and this miserable     
soul should wait here together1 thought 
the critic4 ,well now1 who are  you1 my 
good woman8 he inquired4    ,and the old
 woman replied1 with as much respect as 
though ,st4 ,peter  himself were        
addressing her--in fact1 she took him   
for ,st4 ,peter1 he  gave himself such  
grand airs--,i am a poor old soul1 ,i   
have no family1 ,i  am only old         
,margaret from the house near the       
trenches4    ,well1 and what have you   
done down below8    ,i have done as good
 as nothing in the world6 nothing       
whatever6 ,it will  be mercy1 indeed1 if
 such as ,i am suffered to pass through 
this gate4    ,and how did you leave the
 world8 inquired the critic1 carelessly4

 ,he  must talk about something2 it     
wearied him to stand there1 waiting4    
,well1 ,i can hardly tell how ,i left   
it2 ,i have been sickly enough during   
these last few years1 and could not well
 bear to creep out of bed at all  during
 the cold weather4 ,it has been a severe
 winter1 but now that is  all past4 ,for
 a few days1 as your highness must know1
 the wind was quite  still1 but it was  
bitterly cold2 the ice lay over the     
water as far as  one could see4 ,all the
 people in the town were out on the ice2
 there was  dancing1 and music1 and     
feasting1 and sledge-racing1 ,i fancy2  
,i could  hear something of it all as ,i
 lay in my poor little chamber4 ,and    
when it  was getting toward evening1 the
 moon was up1 but was not yet very      
bright2 ,i looked from my bed through   
the window1 and ,i saw how there  rose  
up over the sea a strange white cloud2  
,i lay and watched it1  watched the     
black dot in it1 which grew bigger and  
bigger1 and then ,i  knew what it       

foreboded2 that sign is not often seen1 
but ,i am old and  experienced4 ,i knew 
it1 and ,i shivered with horror4 ,twice 
before in my  life have ,i seen that    
sign1 and ,i knew that there would be a 
terrible  storm and a spring flood2 it  
would burst over the poor things on the 
ice1 who were drinking and dancing and  
merry-making4 ,young and old1 the  whole
 town was out on the ice2 who was to    
warn them1 if no one saw it1  or no one 
knew what ,i knew8 ,i felt so terrified1
 ,i felt all alive1 as ,i  had not felt 
for years6 ,i got out of bed1 forced the
 window open2 ,i  could see the folk    
running and dancing over the ice2 ,i    
could see the  gay-colored flags1 ,i    
could hear the boys shout ',hurra6' and 
the girls  and lads a-singing4 ,all were
 so merry2 and all the time the white   
cloud  with its black speck rose higher 
and higher6 ,i screamed as loud as ,i   
could2 but no one heard me1 ,i was too  
far off4 ,soon would the storm  break   
loose1 the ice would break in pieces1   

and all that crowd would  sink and      
drown4 ,hear me they could not2 get out 
to them ,i could not2  what was to be   
done8 ,then our ,lord sent me a good    
thought2 ,i could set  fire to my bed2  
better let my house be burned to the    
ground than that so  many should        
miserably perish4 ,so ,i kindled a      
light2 ,i saw the red flame  mount up2  
,i got out at the door1 but then ,i fell
 down2 ,i lay there1 ,i  could not get  
up again4 ,but the flames burst out     
through the window and  over the roof2  
they saw it down below1 and they all ran
 as fast as they  could to help me2 the 
poor old crone they believed would be   
burned2  there was not one who did not  
come to help me4 ,i heard them come1 and
 ,i  heard1 too1 such a rustling in the 
air1 and then a thundering as of  heavy 
cannon-shots1 for the spring-flood was  
loosening the ice1 and it  all broke up4
 ,but the folk were all come off it to  
the trenches1 where  the sparks were    
flying about me2 ,i had them all safe4  

,but ,i could not  bear the cold and the
 fright1 and that is how ,i have come up
 here4 ,can  the gates of heaven be     
opened to such a poor old creature as   
,i8 ,i have  no house now at the        
trenches2 where can ,i go1 if they      
refuse me here8    ,then the gates      
opened1 and the ,angel bade poor        
,margaret enter4 ,as she  passed the    
threshold1 she dropped a blade of       
straw--straw from her  bed--that bed    
which she had set alight to save the    
people on the ice1  and lo6 it had      
changed into gold6 dazzling gold6 yet   
flexible withal1  and twisting into     
various forms4    ,look1 that was what  
yonder poor woman brought1 said the     
,angel4 ,but  what dost thou bring8     
,truly1 ,i know well that thou hast done
 nothing1  not even made bricks4 ,it is 
a pity thou canst not go back again to  
fetch  at least one brick--not that it  
is good for anything when it is made1   
no1 but because anything1 the very      
least1 done with a good will1 is        

,something4 ,but thou mayst not go back1
 and ,i can do nothing for thee4        
,then poor ,margaret pleaded for him    
thus3 ,his brother gave me all the      
bricks and broken bits wherewith ,i     
built my poor little house--that was  a 
great kindness toward a poor old soul   
like me6 ,may not all those bits  and   
fragments1 put together1 be reckoned as 
one brick for him8 ,it will  be an act  
of mercy2 he needs it1 and this is the  
home of mercy4    ,to thy brother1 whom 
thou didst despise1 said the ,angel1 to 
him whose  calling1 in respect of       
worldly honor1 was the lowest1 shalt    
thou owe  this mite of heavenly coin4   
,thou shalt not be sent away2 thou shalt
  have leave to stand here without1 and 
think over thy manner of life  down     
below4 ,but within thou canst not enter1
 until thou hast done  something that is
 good--,something6    ,i fancy ,i could 
have expressed that better1 thought the 
critic2 but he  did not say it aloud1   
and that was already--,something6       

,,the ,,jewish ,,girl    ,by ,,hans     
,,christian ,,andersen      ,there was  
in the charity-school among the other   
children a little ,jewish  girl1 so     
clever and good2 the best1 in fact1 of  
them all2 but one of the  lessons she   
could not attend--the one when religion 
was taught1 for this  was a ,christian  
school4    ,then she held her geography 
book before her to learn from it1 or she
 did  her sum2 but the lesson was       
quickly learned1 the sum was soon done2 
the  book might be there open before    
her1 but she did not read1 she was      
listening2 and the teacher soon noticed 
that she was attending more  intently1  
even1 than any of the rest4    ,read    
your book1 the teacher urged1 mildly and
 earnestly2 but she  looked at him with 
her black sparkling eyes1 and when he   
put questions  to her also1 she knew    
more than all the others4 ,she had      
listened1  understood1 and kept his     
words4    ,her father was a poor honest 
man1 and when first he brought her to   

the  school1 he had made the stipulation
 that she should not be taught the      
,christian faith4 ,to let her go away   
during the ,scripture lesson might1     
however1 have given offence1 and raised 
thoughts of various kinds in the  minds 
of the other children1 and so she       
stayed2 but this could not go on  any   
longer4    ,the teacher went to her     
father1 and told him that either he must
 take  his daughter away from the       
school1 or consent to her becoming a    
,christian4    ,i cannot bear to see    
those burning eyes1 that yearning1 that 
thirst of  the soul1 as it were1 after  
the words of the gospel1 said the       
teacher4    ,and the father burst into  
tears4 ,i know but little myself of our 
own  religion1 but her mother was a     
daughter of ,israel1 of strong and firm 
faith1 and on her dying bed ,i made a   
vow that our child should never  receive
 ,christian baptism2 that vow ,i must   
keep2 it is to me as a  convenant with  
,god4    ,and the little ,jewish girl   

was taken away from the school of the   
,christians4    ,years rolled by4    ,in
 one of the smallest towns of ,jutland  
served as maid in a plain  burgher's    
house a poor girl of the ,mosaic faith2 
this was ,sarah4 ,her  hair was black as
 ebony1 her eyes dark1 and yet brilliant
 and full of  light1 such as you see    
among the daughters of the ,east2 and   
the  expression in the countenance of   
the grown-up girl was still that of the 
child who sat on the school-room bench1 
listening with thoughtful and  wistful  
eye4    ,each ,sunday sounded from the  
church the pealing of the organ to the  
song  of the congregation1 and the tones
 floated over the street1 into the      
house1 where the ,jewish girl attended  
to her work1 diligent and faithful  in  
her calling4 ,remember the ,sabbath day 
to keep it holy1 this was her  law2 but 
her ,sabbath was a day of labor to the  
,christians1 and only in  her heart     
could she keep it holy2 and that was not
 enough for her4 ,but  when the thought 

arose in her soul1 ,what matters it     
before ,god about  days and hours8 and  
on the ,sunday of the ,christians her   
hour of  devotion remained undisturbed4 
,if1 then1 the organ's peal and the     
psalm-tunes reached over to her1 where  
she stood in the kitchen1 even  this    
became a quiet and consecrated spot4    
,she would read then the  treasure and  
peculiar property of her people1 the    
,old ,testament1 and  this alone2 for   
she kept deep in her heart what her     
father had told the  teacher and herself
 when she was taken from the school--the
 vow made to  her dying mother1 that    
,sarah should not be baptized1 not      
forsake the  faith of her fathers4 ,the 
,new ,testament was1 and should remain  
forever1  a sealed book to her2 and yet 
she knew much of it2 it shone to her    
through the recollections of childhood4 
,one evening she sat in a corner of the 
parlor1 and heard her master  reading   
aloud4 ,she might listen1 she thought1  
for this was not the  gospel2 nay6 'twas

 out of an old story-book he read3 she  
might stay4 ,and  he read of a          
,hungarian knight1 taken captive by a   
,turkish pasha1 who had  him yoked with 
oxen to the plow2 and he was driven with
 lashes1 and had  to suffer pain and    
ignominy beyond endurance4    ,but at   
home the knight's wife sold all her     
jewels1 and mortgaged castle  and lands1
 and his friends contributed large sums1
 for enormous was the  ransom demanded2 
still it was raised1 and he was         
delivered out of  thraldom and disgrace4
 ,sick and suffering1 he came to his    
home4 ,but  soon resounded far and near 
the summons to war against the foe of   
,christianity4 ,the sick man heard the  
call1 and had neither peace nor  rest   
any longer2 he was placed on his        
charger2 the blood came again to  his   
cheeks1 his strength seemed to return1  
and he rode forth to victory4  ,the very
 pasha who had him yoked to the plow1   
and made him suffer pain  and scorn1    
became his captive4 ,he was carried home

 to the castle  dungeon1 but before his 
first hour there had elapsed the knight 
came1  and asked the prisoner1 ,what    
dost thou think awaiteth thee8    ,i    
know1 said the ,turk2 retribution4      
,yes1 the ,christian's retribution1 said
 the knight4 ,christ taught us  to      
forgive our enemies1 to love our        
fellow-men4 ,god is love6 ,depart in    
peace to thy home and thy dear ones1 and
 be gentle and good to those who        
suffer4    ,then the prisoner burst into
 tears4    ,how could ,i believe such a 
thing could be possible8 ,torments and  
sufferings ,i looked forward to as a    
certainty1 and ,i took poison1 which    
must kill me2 within a few hours ,i     
shall die4 ,there is no remedy4 ,but    
before ,i die make known to me the faith
 that embraces such an amount of  love  
and mercy2 it is great and divine6 ,in  
it let me die2 let me die a  ,christian6
 and his prayer was granted4    ,this   
was the legend1 the history which was   
read2 they all listened to it  with     

attention1 but deepest sank it into the 
heart of her who sat alone  in the      
corner--the servant maid--,sarah1 the   
,jewess4 ,heavy tears stood in  her     
black sparkling eyes while she sat here1
 as once on the  school-bench1 and felt 
the greatness of the gospel4 ,the tears 
rolled  down her cheeks4    ,let not my 
child become a ,christian6 were the     
mother's last words on  her dying bed1  
and they rang through her soul with     
those of the law1  ,honor thy father and
 thy mother6    ,still ,i have not been 
baptized6 they call me 'the ,jewess'2   
the  neighbors' boys did so1 hooting at 
me last ,sunday as ,i stood outside the 
open church door1 and looked in where   
the altar-lights burned and the         
congregation sang4 ,ever since my       
school-days1 up to this hour--even      
though ,i have tried to close my eyes   
against it--a power from  ,christianity 
has like a sunbeam shone into my heart4 
,but1 my mother1 ,i  will not give thee 
sorrow in thy grave6 ,i will not betray 

the vow my  father made to thee2 ,i will
 not read the ,christian's ,bible4 ,have
 not ,i  the ,god of my fathers8 ,on    
,him let me rest my head6    ,and years 
rolled by4    ,the husband died1 the    
wife was left behind in hard plight4    
,now she could  no longer afford to have
 a maid2 but ,sarah did not forsake the 
widow2  she became her help in distress1
 and kept the household together2 she   
worked till late in the night1 and got  
bread for the house by the labor  of her
 hands4 ,there were no near relatives to
 help a family where the  mother grew   
weaker each day1 lingering for months on
 a bed of sickness4  ,sarah1 gentle and 
pious1 watched1 nursed1 and worked1 and 
became the  blessing of the poor home4  
,there lies the ,bible1 said the        
invalid2 read to me this wearisome      
evening2 ,i sadly want to hear ,god's   
word4    ,and ,sarah bowed her head2 she
 folded her hands round the ,bible1     
which  she opened1 and read aloud to the
 sick woman2 now and again the tears    

welled forth1 but her eyes shone        
clearer1 even as the darkness cleared   
from her soul4 ,mother1 thy child shall 
not receive the baptism of the          
,christians1 shall not be named in their
 communion2 in this we will be  united  
here on earth1 but above this there     
is--is a greater unity--even  in ,god4  
',he goes with us beyond the grave'2    
',it is ,he who pours water  upon him   
that is thirsty1 and floods upon the dry
 ground4' ,i understand  it6 ,i do not  
know myself how ,i came to it6 through  
,him it is--in  ,him--,christ6    ,and  
she trembled as she named the holy name2
 a baptism of fire streamed  through    
her1 stronger than her frame could bear1
 and she bent down1 more  powerless even
 than she by whom she watched4    ,poor 
,sarah6 they said2 she is worn out with 
labor and watching4    ,they took her to
 the hospital for the poor2 there she   
died2 thence she  was borne to her      
grave2 not to the ,christians'          
graveyard2 that was not  the place for  

the ,jewish girl3 no1 outside1 by the   
wall1 her grave was  dug4    ,and ,god's
 sun1 which shone upon the graves of the
 ,christians1 shines  also upon that of 
the ,jewish girl2 and the hymns which   
are sung by the  graves of the          
,christians resound by her grave beyond 
the wall2 thither1  too1 reaches the    
promise3 ,there is resurrection in      
,christ1 in ,him1 the  ,saviour1 who    
said to his disciples1 ',john truly     
baptized with water2 but  ye shall be   
baptized with the ,holy ,ghost4'        
,,the ,,story ,,of ,a ,,mother    ,by   
,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen      ,a   
mother sat by her little child3 she was 
very sorrowful1 and feared  that it     
would die4 ,its little face was pale1   
and its eyes were closed4  ,the child   
drew its breath with difficulty1 and    
sometimes so deeply as if  it were      
sighing2 and then the mother looked more
 sorrowfully than before  on the little 
creature4    ,then there was a knock at 
the door1 and a poor old man came in1   

wrapped  up in something that looked    
like a great horse-cloth1 for that keeps
  warm2 and he required it1 for it was  
cold winter4 ,without1 everything  was  
covered with ice and snow1 and the wind 
blew so sharply that it cut  one's face4
    ,and as the old man trembled with   
cold1 and the child was quiet for a     
moment1 the mother went and put some    
beer on the stove in a little pot1  to  
warm it for him4 ,the old man sat down  
and rocked the cradle1 and the  mother  
seated herself on an old chair by him1  
looked at her sick child  that drew its 
breath so painfully1 and seized the     
little hand4    ,you think ,i shall keep
 it1 do you not8 she asked4 ,the good   
,god will  not take it from me6    ,and 
the old man--he was ,death--nodded in   
such a strange way1 that it  might just 
as well mean yes as no4 ,and the mother 
cast down her  eyes1 and tears rolled   
down her cheeks4 ,her head became heavy3
 for three  days and three nights she   
had not closed her eyes2 and now she    

slept1  but only for a minute2 then she 
started up and shivered with cold4      
,what is that8 she asked1 and looked    
round on all sides2 but the old  man was
 gone1 and her little child was gone2 he
 had taken it with him4  ,and there in  
the corner the old clock was humming and
 whirring2 the  heavy leaden weight ran 
down to the floor--plump6--and the clock
  stopped4    ,but the poor mother      
rushed out of the house crying for her  
child4    ,out in the snow sat a woman  
in long black garments1 and she said1   
,death  has been with you in your room2 
,i saw him hasten away with your child3 
he strides faster than the wind1 and    
never brings back what he has taken     
away4    ,only tell me which way he has 
gone1 said the mother4 ,tell me the way1
  and ,i will find him4    ,i know him1 
said the woman in the black garments2   
but before ,i tell  you1 you must sing  
me all the songs that you have sung to  
your child4 ,i  love those songs2 ,i    
have heard them before4 ,i am ,night1   

and ,i saw your  tears when you sang    
them4    ,i will sing them all1 all6    
said the mother4 ,but do not detain me1 
that ,i may overtake him1 and find my   
child4    ,but ,night sat dumb and      
still4 ,then the mother wrung her hands1
 and sang  and wept4 ,and there were    
many songs1 but yet more tears1 and then
 ,night  said1 ,go to the right into the
 dark fir wood2 for ,i saw ,death take  
that  path with your little child4      
,deep in the forest there was a cross   
road1 and she did not know which  way to
 take4 ,there stood a ,blackthorn ,bush1
 with not a leaf nor a  blossom upon it2
 for it was in the cold winter time1 and
 icicles hung  from the twigs4    ,have 
you not seen ,death go by1 with my      
little child8    ,yes1 replied the      
,bush1 but ,i shall not tell you which  
way he went  unless you warm me on your 
bosom4 ,i'm freezing to death here2 ,i'm
  turning to ice4    ,and she pressed   
the ,blackthorn ,bush to her bosom1     
quite close1 that it  might be well     

warmed4 ,and the thorns pierced into her
 flesh1 and her  blood oozed out in     
great drops4 ,but the ,blackthorn shot  
out fresh green  leaves1 and blossomed  
in the dark winter night3 so warm is the
 heart of  a sorrowing mother6 ,and the 
,blackthorn ,bush told her the way that 
she  should go4    ,then she came to a  
great ,lake1 on which there were neither
 ships nor  boat4 ,the ,lake was not    
frozen enough to carry her1 nor         
sufficiently open  to allow her to wade 
through1 and yet she must cross it if   
she was to  find her child4 ,then she   
laid herself down to drink the ,lake2   
and that  was impossible for any one to 
do4 ,but the sorrowing mother thought   
that  perhaps a miracle might be        
wrought4    ,no1 that can never succeed1
 said the ,lake4 ,let us rather see how 
we  can agree4 ,i'm fond of collecting  
pearls1 and your eyes are the two       
clearest ,i have ever seen3 if you will 
weep them out into me ,i will  carry you
 over into the great greenhouse1 where  

,death lives and  cultivates flowers and
 trees2 each of these is a human life4  
,oh1 what would ,i not give to get my   
child6 said the afflicted mother2  and  
she wept yet more1 and her eyes fell    
into the depths of the ,lake1  and      
became two costly pearls4 ,but the ,lake
 lifted her up1 as if she sat  in a     
swing1 and she was wafted to the        
opposite shore1 where stood a  wonderful
 house1 miles in length4 ,one could not 
tell if it was a  mountain containing   
forests and caves1 or a place that had  
been built4  ,but the poor mother could 
not see it1 for she had wept her eyes   
out4    ,where shall ,i find ,death1 who
 went away with my little child8 she    
asked4    ,he has not arrived here yet1 
said an old gray-haired ,woman1 who was 
going about and watching the hothouse of
 ,death4 ,how have you found your  way  
here1 and who helped you8    ,the good  
,god has helped me1 she replied4 ,he is 
merciful1 and you will  be merciful too4
 ,where shall ,i find my little child8  

,i do not know it1 said the old ,woman1 
and you cannot see4 ,many  flowers and  
trees have faded this night1 and ,death 
will soon come and  transplant them4    
,you know very well that every human    
being has his tree  of life1 or his     
flower of life1 just as each is         
arranged4 ,they look  like other plants1
 but their hearts beat4 ,children's     
hearts can beat  too4 ,think of this4   
,perhaps you may recognize the beating  
of your  child's heart4 ,but what will  
you give me if ,i tell you what more you
  must do8    ,i have nothing more to   
give1 said the afflicted mother4 ,but ,i
 will go  for you to the ends of the    
earth4    ,i have nothing for you to do 
there1 said the old ,woman1 but you can 
give me your long black hair4 ,you must 
know yourself that it is  beautiful1 and
 it pleases me4 ,you can take my white  
hair for it1 and  that is always        
something4    ,do you ask for nothing   
more8 asked she4 ,i will give you that  
gladly4  ,and she gave her beautiful    

hair1 and received in exchange the old  
,woman's white hair4    ,and then they  
went into the great hothouse of ,death1 
where flowers and  trees were growing   
marvellously intertwined4 ,there stood  
the fine  hyacinths under glass bells1  
some quite fresh1 others somewhat       
sickly2  water snakes were twining about
 them1 and black crabs clung tightly to 
the stalks4 ,there stood gallant        
palm-trees1 oaks1 and plantains1 and    
parsley and blooming thyme4 ,each tree  
and flower had its name2 each was  a    
human life3 the people were still alive1
 one in ,china1 another in  ,greenland1 
scattered about in the world4 ,there    
were great trees thrust  into little    
pots1 so that they stood quite crowded1 
and were nearly  bursting the pots2     
there was also many a little weakly     
flower in rich  earth1 with moss round  
about it1 cared for and tended4 ,but the
 sorrowful  mother bent down over all   
the smallest plants1 and heard the human
 heart  beating in each1 and out of     

millions she recognized that of her     
child4    ,that is it6 she cried1 and   
stretched out her hands over a little   
crocus flower1 which hung down quite    
sick and pale4    ,do not touch the     
flower1 said the old dame2 but place    
yourself here2  and when ,death         
comes--,i expect him every minute--then 
don't let him pull  up the plant1 but   
threaten him that you will do the same  
to the other  plants2 then he'll be     
frightened4 ,he has to account for them 
all2 not  one may be pulled up till he  
receives commission from ,heaven4       
,and all at once there was an icy cold  
rush through the hall1 and the  blind   
mother felt that ,death was arriving4   
,how did you find your way hither8 said 
he4 ,how have you been able to  come    
quicker than ,i8    ,i am a mother1 she 
answered4    ,and ,death stretched out  
his long hands toward the little        
delicate  flower2 but she kept her hands
 tight about it1 and held it fast2 and  
yet  she was full of anxious care lest  

he should touch one of the leaves4      
,then ,death breathed upon her hands1   
and she felt that his breath was  colder
 than the icy wind2 and her hands sank  
down powerless4    ,you can do nothing  
against me1 said ,death4    ,but the    
merciful ,god can1 she replied4    ,i   
only do what ,he commands1 said ,death4 
,i am his gardener4 ,i take all  his    
trees and flowers1 and transplant them  
into the great ,paradise  gardens1 in   
the unknown land4 ,but how they will    
flourish there1 and how  it is there1 ,i
 may not tell you4    ,give me back my  
child1 said the mother2 and she implored
 and wept4 ,all  at once she grasped two
 pretty flowers with her two hands1 and 
called to  ,death1 ,i'll tear off all   
your flowers1 for ,i am in despair4     
,do not touch them1 said ,death4 ,you   
say you are so unhappy1 and now  you    
would make another mother just as       
unhappy6    ,another mother8 said the   
poor woman2 and she let the flowers go4 
,there are your eyes for you1 said      

,death4 ,i have fished them up out of   
the ,lake2 they gleamed up quite        
brightly4 ,i did not know that they were
  yours4 ,take them back--they are      
clearer now than before--and then look  
down into the deep well close by4 ,i    
will tell you the names of the two      
flowers you wanted to pull up1 and you  
will see what you were about to         
frustrate and destroy4    ,and she      
looked down into the well1 and it was a 
happiness to see how one  of them became
 a blessing to the world1 how much joy  
and gladness she  diffused around her4  
,and the woman looked at the life of the
 other1 and  it was made up of care and 
poverty1 misery and woe4    ,both are   
the will of ,god1 said ,death4    ,which
 of them is the flower of misfortune1   
and which the blessed one8  she asked4  
,that ,i may not tell you1 answered     
,death2 but this much you shall  hear1  
that one of these two flowers is that of
 your child4 ,it was the  fate of your  
child that you saw--the future of your  

own child4    ,then the mother screamed 
aloud for terror4    ,which of them     
belongs to my child8 ,tell me that4     
,release the innocent  child6 ,let my   
child free from all that misery6 ,rather
 carry it away6  ,carry it into ,god's  
kingdom6 ,forget my tears1 forget my    
entreaties1 and  all that ,i have done6 
,i do not understand you1 said ,death4  
,will you have your child back1  or     
shall ,i carry it to that place that you
 know not8    ,then the mother wrung her
 hands1 and fell on her knees1 and      
prayed to  the good ,god4    ,hear me   
not when ,i pray against ,thy will1     
which is at all times the  best6 ,hear  
me not6 hear me not6 ,and she let her   
head sink down on her  bosom4    ,and   
,death went away with her child into the
 unknown land4          ,,the ,,little  
,,match ,,girl    ,by ,,hans ,,christian
 ,,andersen      ,it was terribly cold2 
it snowed and was already almost dark1  
and evening  came on1 the last evening  
of the year4 ,in the cold and gloom a   

poor  little girl1 bareheaded and       
barefoot1 was walking through the       
streets4  ,when she left her own house  
she certainly had had slippers on2 but  
of  what use were they8 ,they were very 
big slippers1 and her mother had used   
them till then1 so big were they4 ,the  
little maid lost them as she  slipped   
across the road1 where two carriages    
were rattling by terribly  fast4 ,one   
slipper was not to be found again1 and a
 boy had seized the  other1 and run away
 with it4 ,he thought he could use it   
very well as a  cradle1 some day when he
 had children of his own4 ,so now the   
little girl  went with her little naked 
feet1 which were quite red and blue with
 the  cold4 ,in an old apron she carried
 a number of matches1 and a bundle of   
them in her hand4 ,no one had bought    
anything of her all day1 and no one  had
 given her a farthing4    ,shivering    
with cold and hunger she crept along1 a 
picture of misery1  poor little girl6   
,the snowflakes covered her long fair   

hair1 which fell  in pretty curls over  
her neck2 but she did not think of that 
now4 ,in all  the windows lights were   
shining1 and there was a glorious smell 
of  roast goose1 for it was ,new ,year's
 ,eve4 ,yes1 she thought of that6    ,in
 a corner formed by two houses1 one of  
which projected beyond the  other1 she  
sat down1 cowering4 ,she had drawn up   
her little feet1 but she  was still     
colder1 and she did not dare to go home1
 for she had sold no  matches1 and did  
not bring a farthing of money4 ,from her
 father she  would certainly receive a  
beating1 and besides1 it was cold at    
home1 for  they had nothing over them   
but a roof through which the wind       
whistled1  though the largest rents had 
been stopped with straw and rags4       
,her little hands were almost benumbed  
with the cold4 ,ah1 a match might  do   
her good1 if she could only draw one    
from the bundle1 and rub it  against the
 wall1 and warm her hands at it4 ,she   
drew one out4 ,r-r-atch6  how it        

spluttered and burned6 ,it was a warm   
bright flame1 like a little  candle1    
when she held her hands over it2 it was 
a wonderful little  light6 ,it really   
seemed to the little girl as if she sat 
before a great  polished stove1 with    
bright brass feet and a brass cover4    
,how the fire  burned6 how comfortable  
it was6 but the little flame went out1  
the stove  vanished1 and she had only   
the remains of the burned match in her  
hand4    ,a second was rubbed against   
the wall4 ,it burned up1 and when the   
light  fell upon the wall it became     
transparent like a thin veil1 and she   
could  see through it into the room4 ,on
 the table a snow-white cloth was       
spread2 upon it stood a shining dinner  
service2 the roast goose smoked         
gloriously1 stuffed with apples and     
dried plums4 ,and what was still more   
splendid to behold1 the goose hopped    
down from the dish1 and waddled  along  
the floor1 with a knife and fork in its 
breast1 to the little  girl4 ,then the  

match went out1 and only the thick1     
damp1 cold wall was  before her4 ,she   
lighted another match4 ,then she was    
sitting under a  beautiful ,christmas   
tree2 it was greater and more ornamented
 than the  one she had seen through the 
glass door at the rich merchant's4      
,thousands of candles burned upon the   
green branches1 and colored  pictures   
like those in the print shops looked    
down upon them4 ,the little  girl       
stretched forth her hand toward them2   
then the match went out4 ,the           
,christmas lights mounted higher4 ,she  
saw them now as stars in the sky3  one  
of them fell down1 forming a long line  
of fire4    ,now some one is dying1     
thought the little girl1 for her old    
grandmother1 the only person who had    
loved her1 and who was now dead1  had   
told her that when a star fell down a   
soul mounted up to ,god4    ,she rubbed 
another match against the wall2 it      
became bright again1 and  in the        
brightness the old grandmother stood    

clear and shining1 mild and  lovely4    
,grandmother6 cried the child1 ,o6 take 
me with you6 ,i know you will go  when  
the match is burned out4 ,you will      
vanish like the warm fire1 the  warm    
food1 and the great1 glorious ,christmas
 tree6    ,and she hastily rubbed the   
whole bundle of matches1 for she wished 
to  hold her grandmother fast4 ,and the 
matches burned with such a glow that  it
 became brighter than in the middle of  
the day2 grandmother had never  been so 
large or so beautiful4 ,she took the    
little girl in her arms1 and  both flew 
in brightness and joy above the earth1  
very1 very high1 and up  there was      
neither cold1 nor hunger1 nor care--they
 were with ,god4    ,but in the corner1 
leaning against the wall1 sat the poor  
girl with red  cheeks and smiling mouth1
 frozen to death on the last evening of 
the ,old  ,year4 ,the ,new ,year's sun  
rose upon a little corpse6 ,the child   
sat there1  stiff and cold1 with the    
matches1 of which one bundle was burned4

 ,she  wanted to warm herself1 the      
people said4 ,no one imagined what a    
beautiful thing she had seen1 and in    
what glory she had gone in with her     
grandmother to the ,new ,year's ,day4   
,,flowers ,,without ,,fruit      ,prune 
thou thy words2 the thoughts control    
,that o'er thee swell and throng3--     
,they will condense within thy soul1    
,and change to purpose strong4    ,but  
he who lets his feelings run    ,in soft
 luxurious flow1  ,shrinks when hard    
service must be done1    ,and faints at 
every woe4    ,faith's meanest deed more
 favor bears1    ,where hearts and wills
 are weigh'd1  ,than brightest          
transports1 choicest prayers1    ,which 
bloom their hour1 and fade4    --,j4 ,h4
 ,newman          ,,contentment      ,my
 mind to me a kingdom is2    ,such      
perfect joy therein ,i find1  ,as far   
exceeds all earthly bliss    ,that world
 affords1 or grows by kind3  ,though    
much ,i want what most men have1  ,yet  
doth my mind forbid me crave4           

,content ,i live--this is my stay2    ,i
 seek no more than may suffice3  ,i     
press to bear no haughty sway2          
,look--what ,i lack1 my mind supplies6  
,lo6 thus ,i triumph like a king1       
,content with that my mind doth bring4  
,i see how plenty surfeits oft1     ,and
 hasty climbers soonest fall2  ,i see   
how those that sit aloft     ,mishap    
doth threaten most of all2  ,these get  
with toil1 and keep with fear3  ,such   
cares my mind could never bear4    ,i   
laugh not at another's loss2     ,i     
grudge not at another's gain2  ,no      
worldly wave my mind can toss2     ,i   
brook that is another's pain4  ,i fear  
no foe3 ,i scorn no friend3  ,i dread no
 death3 ,i fear no end4    ,some have   
too much1 yet still they crave2     ,i  
little have1 yet seek no more3  ,they   
are but poor1 though much they have1    
,and ,i am rich1 with little store4     
,they poor1 ,i rich3 they beg1 ,i give3 
,they lack1 ,i lend3 they pine1 ,i live4
    ,i wish but what ,i have at will3   

,i wander not to seek for more3  ,i like
 the plain2 ,i climb no hill3     ,in   
greatest storm ,i sit on shore1  ,and   
laugh at those that toil in vain1  ,to  
get what must be lost again4  --,this is
 my choice2 for why8--,i find  ,no      
wealth is like a quiet mind4            
--,unknown          ,,the ,,search ,,for
 ,,peace      ,sweet ,peace1 where dost 
thou dwell8 ,i humbly crave1      ,let  
me once know4    ,i sought thee in a    
secret cave1      ,and ask'd1 if ,peace 
were there8  ,a hollow wind did seem to 
answer1 ,no3--      ,go seek elsewhere4 
,i did2 and going did a rainbow note3   
,surely1 thought ,i1    ,this is the    
lace of ,peace's coat3      ,i will     
search out the matter4  ,but while ,i   
look'd1 the clouds immediately      ,did
 break and scatter4    ,then went ,i to 
a garden1 and did spy      ,a gallant   
flower1    ,the ,crown ,imperial3 ,sure1
 said ,i1      ,peace at the root must  
dwell4  ,but when ,i digg'd1 ,i saw a   
worm devour      ,what show'd so well4  

,at length ,i met a reverend good old   
man3      ,whom when for ,peace    ,i   
did demand1 he thus began3      ,there  
was a ,prince of old  ,at ,salem dwelt1 
who lived with good increase      ,of   
flock and fold4    ,he sweetly lived2   
yet sweetness did not save      ,his    
life from foes4    ,but after death1 out
 of his grave      ,there sprang twelve 
stalks of wheat3  ,which many wondering 
at1 got some of those      ,to plant and
 set4    ,it prosper'd strangely1 and   
did soon disperse      ,through all the 
earth3    ,for they that taste it do    
rehearse1      ,that virtue lies        
therein2  ,a secret virtue1 bringing    
peace and mirth    ,by flight of sin4   
,take of this grain1 which in my garden 
grows1      ,and grows for you2    ,make
 bread of it3--and that repose      ,and
 peace1 which everywhere  ,with so much 
earnestness you do pursue1      ,is only
 there4    --,g4 ,herbert          ,a   
,,song ,,of ,,praise      ,to ,god1 ye  
choir above1 begin    ,a hymn so loud   

and strong  ,that all the universe may  
hear    ,and join the grateful song4    
,praise ,him1 thou sun1 ,who dwells     
unseen    ,amidst transcendent light1   
,where thy refulgent orb would seem     
,a spot1 as dark as night4    ,thou     
silver moon1 'ye host of stars1    ,the 
universal song  ,through the serene and 
silent night    ,to listening worlds    
prolong4    ,sing ,him1 ye distant      
worlds and suns1    ,from whence no     
travelling ray  ,hath yet to us1 through
 ages past1    ,had time to make its    
way4    ,assist1 ye raging storms1 and  
bear    ,on rapid wings ,his praise1    
,from north to south1 from east to west1
    ,through heaven1 and earth1 and     
seas4    ,exert your voice1 ye furious  
fires    ,that rend the watery cloud1   
,and thunder to this nether world       
,your ,maker's words aloud4    ,ye works
 of ,god1 that dwell unknown    ,beneath
 the rolling main2  ,ye birds1 that sing
 among the groves1    ,and sweep the    
azure plain2    ,ye stately hills1 that 

rear your heads1    ,and towering pierce
 the sky2  ,ye clouds1 that with an     
awful pace    ,majestic roll on high2   
,ye insects small1 to which one leaf    
,within its narrow sides  ,a vast       
extended world displays1    ,and        
spacious realms provides2    ,ye race1  
still less than these1 with which       
,the stagnant water teems1  ,to which   
one drop1 however small1    ,a boundless
 ocean seems2    ,whate'er ye are1      
where'er ye dwell1    ,ye creatures     
great or small1  ,adore the wisdom1     
praise the power1    ,that made and     
governs all4    --,p4 ,skelton          
,,the ,,traveller      ,how are thy     
servants blest1 ,o ,lord6    ,how sure  
is their defence6  ,eternal wisdom is   
their guide1    ,their help1            
,omnipotence4    ,in foreign realms1 and
 lands remote1    ,supported by ,thy    
care1  ,through burning climes ,i pass'd
 unhurt1    ,and breathed in tainted    
air4    ,thy mercy sweeten'd every soil1
    ,made every region please2  ,the    

hoary ,alpine hills it warm'd1    ,and  
smoothed the ,tyrrhene seas4    ,think1 
,o my soul1 devoutly think1    ,how1    
with affrighted eyes1  ,thou saw'st the 
wide-extended deep    ,in all its       
horrors rise4    ,confusion dwelt in    
every face1    ,and fear in every heart2
  ,when waves on waves1 and gulfs on    
gulfs1    ,o'ercame the pilot's art4    
,yet then from all my griefs1 ,o ,lord1 
,thy mercy set me free2  ,whilst1 in the
 confidence of prayer1    ,my soul took 
hold on ,thee4    ,for though in        
dreadful whirls we hung    ,high on the 
broken wave1  ,i knew ,thou wert not    
slow to hear1    ,nor impotent to save4 
--,the storm was laid2 the winds        
retired1    ,obedient to ,thy will2     
,the sea that roar'd at ,thy command1   
,at ,thy command was still4    --,j4    
,addison          ,,true ,,greatness    
,the fairest action of our human life   
,is scorning to revenge an injury3  ,for
 who forgives without a further strife  
,his adversary's heart to him doth tie3 

,and 'tis a firmer conquest truly said  
,to win the heart1 than overthrow the   
head4    ,if we a worthy enemy do find1 
,to yield to worth1 it must be nobly    
done3--  ,but if of baser metal be his  
mind1    ,in base revenge there is no   
honor won4  ,who would a worthy courage 
overthrow8    ,and who would wrestle    
with a worthless foe8    ,we say our    
hearts are great1 and cannot yield2     
,because they cannot yield1 it proves   
them poor3  ,great hearts are task'd    
beyond their power but seld3    ,the    
weakest lion will the loudest roar4     
,truth's school for certain does this   
same allow1    ,high-heartedness doth   
sometimes teach to bow4    --,lady ,e4  
,carew          ,,character ,,of ,a     
,,happy ,,life      ,how happy is he    
born and taught    ,that serveth not    
another's will2  ,whose armor is his    
honest thought1    ,and simple truth his
 utmost skill6    ,whose passions not   
his masters are1    ,whose soul is still
 prepared for death1  ,not tied unto the

 world with care    ,of public fame1 or 
private breath2    ,who envies none that
 chance doth raise    ,or vice2 who     
never understood  ,how deepest wounds   
are given by praise2    ,nor rules of   
state1 but rules of good2    ,who hath  
his life from rumors freed2    ,whose   
conscience is his strong retreat2       
,whose state can neither flatterers     
feed1    ,nor ruin make accusers great2 
,who ,god doth late and early pray      
,more of ,his grace than gifts to lend2 
,and entertains the harmless day        
,with a well-chosen book or friend2     
--,this man is freed from servile bands 
,of hope to rise1 or fear to fall2      
,lord of himself1 though not of lands2  
,and having nothing1 yet hath all4      
--,sir ,h4 ,wotton          ,a          
,,thanksgiving ,,to ,,god1 ,,for ,,his  
,,house      ,lord1 thou hast given me a
 cell1    ,wherein to dwell2  ,a little 
house1 whose humble roof    ,is         
weather-proof2  ,under the spars of     
which ,i lie    ,both soft and dry2     

,where thou1 my chamber for to ward1    
,hast set a guard  ,of harmless         
thoughts1 to watch and keep    ,me1     
while ,i sleep4  ,low is my porch1 as is
 my fate3    ,both void of state2  ,and 
yet the threshold of my door    ,is worn
 by th' poor1  ,who thither come1 and   
freely get    ,good words1 or meat4     
,like as my parlor1 so my hall     ,and 
kitchen's small2  ,a little buttery1 and
 therein     ,a little bin1  ,which     
keeps my little loaf of bread           
,unchipt1 unflead2  ,some brittle sticks
 of thorn or briar     ,make me a fire1 
,close by whose living coal ,i sit1     
,and glow like it4  ,lord1 ,i confess   
too1 when ,i dine1     ,the pulse is    
thine1  ,and all those other bits that  
be     ,there placed by thee2  ,the     
worts1 the purslain1 and the mess       
,of water-cress1  ,which of thy kindness
 thou hast sent2     ,and my content    
,makes those1 and my beloved beet1      
,to be more sweet4  ',tis thou that     
crown'st my glittering hearth     ,with 

guiltless mirth1  ,and giv'st me        
wassail-bowls to drink1     ,spiced to  
the brink4  ,lord1 'tis thy             
plenty-dropping hand     ,that soils my 
land1  ,and giv'st me1 for my bushel    
sown1     ,twice ten for one2  ,thou    
mak'st my teeming hen to lay    ,her egg
 each day2  ,besides my healthful ewes  
to bear    ,me twins each year2  ,the   
while the conduits of my kine    ,run   
cream1 for wine3  ,all these1 and       
better1 thou dost send    ,me--to this  
end1  ,that ,i should render1 for my    
part1    ,a thankful heart4    --,r4    
,herrick          ,,friends ,,departed  
,they are all gone into the world of    
light6    ,and ,i alone sit lingering   
here6  ,their very memory is fair and   
bright1    ,and my sad thoughts doth    
clear4    ,it glows and glitters in my  
cloudy breast    ,like stars upon some  
gloomy grove1  ,or those faint beams in 
which this hill is drest    ,after the  
,sun's remove4    ,i see them walking in
 an air of glory1    ,whose light doth  

trample on my days2  ,my days1 which are
 at best but dull and hoary1    ,mere   
glimmerings and decays4    ,o holy hope6
 and high humility6    ,high as the     
,heavens above6  ,these are your walks1 
and you have show'd them me1    ,to     
kindle my cold love4    ,dear1 beauteous
 ,death2 the jewel of the just6         
,shining nowhere but in the dark2  ,what
 mysteries do lie beyond thy dust1      
,could man outlook that mark6    ,he    
that hath found some fledged birdes nest
 may know    ,at first sight if the bird
 be flown2  ,but what fair dell or grove
 he sings in now1    ,that is to him    
unknown4    ,and yet1 as ,angels in some
 brighter dreams    ,call to the soul   
when man doth sleep1  ,so some strange  
thoughts transcend our wonted themes1   
,and into glory peep4    --,h4 ,vaughan 
,,the ,,land ,,of ,,dreams      ,awake1 
awake1 my little boy6  ,thou wast thy   
mother's only joy2  ,why dost thou weep 
in thy gentle sleep8  ,o wake6 thy      
father does thee keep4    --,o what land

 is the ,land of ,dreams8  ,what are its
 mountains1 and what are its streams8   
,o father6 ,i saw my mother there       
,among the lilies by waters fair4       
,among the lambs1 clothed in white1     
,she walk'd with her ,thomas in sweet   
delight3  ,i wept for joy2 like a dove  
,i mourn3--  ,o when shall ,i again     
return6    --,dear child6 ,i also by    
pleasant streams  ,have wander'd all    
night in the ,land of ,dreams3--  ,but1 
though calm and warm the waters wide1   
,i could not get to the other side4     
--,father1 ,o father6 what do we here1  
,in this land of unbelief and fear8--   
,the ,land of ,dreams is better far1    
,above the light of the morning star4   
--,w4 ,blake          ,,adoration       
,sweet is the dew that falls betimes1   
,and drops upon the leafy limes2        
,sweet ,hermon's fragrant air3  ,sweet  
is the lily's silver bell1  ,and sweet  
the wakeful tapers smell    ,that watch 
for early prayer4    ,sweet the young   
nurse1 with love intense1  ,which smiles

 o'er sleeping innocence2    ,sweet when
 the lost arrive2  ,sweet the musician's
 ardor beats1  ,while his vague mind's  
in quest of sweets1    ,the choicest    
flowers to hive4    ,strong is the horse
 upon his speed2  ,strong in pursuit the
 rapid glede1    ,which makes at once   
his game3  ,strong the tall ostrich on  
the ground2  ,strong through the        
turbulent profound    ,shoots xiphias to
 his aim4    ,strong is the lion--like a
 coal  ,his eyeball--like a bastion's   
mole    ,his chest against the foes3    
,strong the gier-eagle on his sail2     
,strong against tide the enormous whale 
,emerges as he goes4    ,but stronger   
still1 in earth and air1  ,and in sea1  
the man of prayer1    ,and far beneath  
the tide3  ,and in the seat to ,faith   
assign'd1  ,where ask is1 have2 where   
seek is1 find2    ,where knock is1 open 
wide4    --,c4 ,smart