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chorus.
Since Iosues death children of Israell haue our Lord consulted
who shall before them go agaynst the Chananeit, who hath assigned
Iudas for captayne of the warres: & Iudas hath wild Simeon
to take his part, as he will his, & forward they are gone
to gether wt h their forces for to fight wt h Adonibezec
who is kinge of the chiefe citty in chanaan called Bezec
& what successe they'l haue agaynst them shortly shall be knowne
yf you will patience haue a whyle: & so I will be gone

Iudas
The citty Bezec our lord hath now to our hands deliuered
& Adonibezec thou attord(?) as thou hast deserued
shal haue th'extreame parts of thy hands & thy feete cutt off presently
Brunus let yt be done.

Brunus.
yt shall my lord wt h great dexterity

Kinge. Adonibezec.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, seuenty kings haue reliques of my meates vnder my table gathered
haueinge the extreame parts both of their hands & feete off payred.
As I haue done so god hath me repayd.

Iudas.
Now to Hierusalem
let hym be brought, whither I'l go wt h myne Army to besiege them.

chorus.
Kinge Adonibezec at Hierusalem's dead, & in the sword:
Iudas that citty hath destroyed assisted by our lord.
The chananites also he hath put to flight, whose habitation
was in the mountaynes; South, & champayne countryes, & in Hebron
& them that in Sisai, & Ahiman dwelt he ouer threwe
wt h Dabir, Sephaath, Gaza, Ascalon, Accaron, all wc h he slewe.
But afterward the Israelits to Idolatry fell agayne
for wc h our lord deliuered them into the hands of Chusan
Basathaim the kinge of Mesopotamia. And when they had hym serued
eight yeares they cryed vnto our Lord, & he Othoniell raysed
to be their Iudge: who to their hands the foresayd kinge deliuered:
and the land fourty yeares did rest: & Then Othoniel dyed.
After whose death the Israelits agayne to synne did fall
for wc h god eighteene yeares permitted them to lyue in thrall
to Eglon kinge of Moab: But agayne they then repented,
& our lord rays'd them Aod vp by whom Israel presented
to Eglon presents, vnto whom Aod did them deliuer
as he was sittinge all alone wt h in his summer chamber,
whither Aod was admitted for to speake wt h hym in secrecy
& on a sodayne wt h his dagger thrust hym into the belly
wt h such force that the hafte followed the blade into the wound:
where stickinge he yt left, & hym prawllinge vpon the ground
& lockt the chamber dore, & gott out at a posterne gate
& went vnto the Israelits to whom he did relate
his good successe, & caus'd forth wt h a trumpet to be sounded
in the mount Ephraim: & the Israelits wt h hym descended
vnto whom thus he sayd: follow mee, for our lord hath our enemyes
deliuered vp into our hands wt h all their townes & citties
And Moab humbled was beinge wt h the kings death sore amazed:
and eighty yeares after his death the land in quiet rested.
And after Aods death Samgar (who kild wt h a plugh culter
six hundred philysthijmes) was of Israel made Iudge & Ruler:
But since he's also dead, & th'Israelits agayne are fallen
from our Lord god, for wc h our lord hath them lykewyse forsaken,
& them deliuered vp to Iabin the kinge of chanaan
who doth in Asor reigne, & Sisara of his Armye's captayne
who hath neene hundred hooked chariots of yron: & they haue bene
by hym oppressed twenty yeares, & putt vnto much teene
But now they do repent their synne, & cry to god for mercy
& to the prophetesse Debbora go for counsell in their misery
& what comfort they shall receiue from her shall streight be knowne
yf that you will attentyue bee a whyle, so I'l be gone

Israelits
Mother Debbora we sory are that god we haue offended

Debbora.
And for the same by hym you shall from your foes be deliuered
wherefore Barac Abinoems sonne bringe to me streight way hither.
Barac) the god of Israel hath chosen the out for a leader
of th'Israelits: wherefore choose out of Nephthali & Zabulon
ten thousand fightinge men, & go vnto the Torrent Cison
where Sisara the prince of Iabins host shall be deliuered
wt h his whole Armye to thy hands, for so god hath decreed

Barac
If thou'l go wt h mee, I will go, or else I will [not] go

Debbora
I'l go wt h thee in deede, yet would I haue thee to fore know
the victory shall at this tyme not to thee be imputed
for in to the hand of a woman sisara shall be deliuered.

Sisara.
I heare that Barac ys now gone towards the Torrent Cison
where wt h neene hundred hooked chariots I'l meete wt h hym anone
to try wc h of vs shall away from thence depart wt h victory.
Hee but a handfull hath of men compar'd wt h my huge armye,
wc h I'l go ready make, & that wt h all the speede I can
& not so much as one shall scape wt h lyfe neyther horse nor man

Debbora
Barac) go on This day our lord hath Sisara deliuered
in to thy hands assure thy self by god thou art protected

Sisara
Alas what shall I do? my souldiers are at Baracs sight
so terrifyed that they wt h my chariots are fledd & dare not fight
& fleeinge Barac them pursews: & I was forc't alone
out of my chariot for to leape, & then to gett me gone
devisinge where to hyde my self: & no place I fynde fitter
then here wt h in the tent of Iahel, who ys the wyfe of Heber
for peace there ys betwixt his house & Iabin kinge of Asor
my soueraigne lord: & in good tyme shee's cominge out at dore.

Iahel
Come in my lord, come in: Be not afray'd, here ys no daunger
& I will hyde you wt h a cloake: no place them this ys fitter.

Sisara
I thirsty am, a litle water I pray thee Iahel geue mee

Iahel
Here ys a botle of mylke: drynke there of, & then rest securely

Sisara
Before the dore stand of the Tabernacle, & yf any one come by
& say, ys any man there? Thou shalt vnto hym answeare: No body.

Iahel.
The kinge's now couered wt h a cloake, I wt h this Hammer will
go dryue this nayle into his brayne there wt h hym for to kill.
Now haue I this feate done, & his head to the ground ys fastned
wt h the nayle, & deepe sleepe wt h death the kinge hath now conioyned
Barac come go wt h me, & vnto thee the man I'l shew
whom thou dost seeke: Lo here he ys. wt h this nayle I him slew.

Barac.
Bles be our lord who this day hath Iabin in our sight humbled
& his whole army, & his chariots into our hands deliuered.
Now I'l go bringe this ioyfull newes forth wt h vnto myne army
to comfort them, who wt h great courage haue stoode vnto their enemy.

chorus.
Thus haue you heard Israels successe synce the tyme Iosue dyed
good when they serued god, but bad when they hym disobeyed
for gods assistance ys conditonall: & yf we serue hym faythfully
he will vs help: else leaue vs for a pray vnto our enemy.
as by the Israelits appeares: who haue yet not wt h standinge
from tyme to tyme offended god, & will not yet take warninge
for since they Iabin slew (their leader Barac beinge dead)
Israel agayne in our lords sight hath sin'd & ys deliuered
to the hands of the Madionits, by whom for seuen yeares space
they haue bene sore opprest, & all they had consumed was
both corne, oxen, & sheepe: & still lyke Locusts they do swarme
in euery place, & do vnto the Israelits much harme.
Through wc h affliction they are made theyr Errours for to see
& do agaynst the Madionits for help vnto god cry.
And what successe their suite shall haue will presently be knowne
for god will send to them an Angel to answeare their petition
& in what maner you shall heare if that a whyle you shew
attention as you wonted are, so for a tyme adew.

Gedeon
I in a wyne presse haue bene purginge wheate, my self to hyde
from the cruell madionits in whose sight I durst not abyde
for yf my father Ioas or other Israelits do sow
or plant, or sett, the madionits the same dige vp & mow,
& ech thinge wayst as yt were in the blade as yt vp cometh
& nothinge leeue in Israel that vnto mans lyfe perteyneth
neither sheepe, nor oxe, nor asse, but vtterly all things destroy
for at our welfare they repyne, & in our ruyne ioy
But who comes here? some stranger sure, for hym I do not ken

Angel
The lord our god be wt h the gedeon o most valiant of men

Gedeon.
I thee beseech my lord, yf that our lord be wt h vs, why
are all these euills on vs fallen? why lyue we in this misery?
where are his merueilous workes where of our fathers haue vs told?
sayinge our lord vs out of Ægipt brought, & that he would
vs help, & peaceably vs in the land of chanaan
but he hath vs forsaken & geuen vs vp to the Madian

Angel
Go in thy strength, & Israel thou from Madian shalt deliuer:
know that I haue the sent.

Ged[eon].
Lord be not angry wt h myne answeare
where in shal I Israell deliuer? for of Manasses family
I am the mean'st: & in my fathers house none's lesse then I

Angell.
I will be wt h thee, & thou shalt stryke Madian as 'twere one man

Gedeon.
Yf I haue found grace in thy sight, some signe lett me haue than
that yt ys thou who speakes to mee: & hence do not depart
till I a sacrifice bringe backe to this place where thou art

Angell
I will stay till thou come. Now on that rocke lay downe thy sacrifice
& wt h Tipp of this rod I'l touch yt, & there shall aryse
a fyre out of the rocke, & yt consume wt h out delay

Gedeon
Lo yt all ready flameth vp. What art thou vanisht away
out of my sight? Th'Angell of god I now perceiue yt was.
Alas lord god that I haue seene thy Angell face to face

Angell
Peace be wt h thee: Gedeon be not afrayd: Thou shalt not dye
Baals Altar that's thy fathers thou shalt go & rayse vp presently
& cut the Groue about yt downe, & buyld to thy lord god
an other Altar on the rocke, where I touch't wt h my rodd
thy sacrifice before, & on a pyle of woode beinge made
of the groue wc h thou shalt cutt downe, thy holocaust shall be layde

Gedeon
Lord I will do what thou commands: This night ten men I'l take
vnto me, & the groue cut downe, & a new altar make
to the when Baalls Altar's destroyd. But this as I dyd say
I must do in the night, for I dare not do yt in the day
because I feare my fathers house & the men of the citty
who worshippers are of Baal, & much inclined to Idolatry
where fore about this busines I will go & gett yt done
now while the night ys darke: so shall we bee hindred of none

Marco
Come fellow cittizens let's go & adore early this morninge
our great god Baal so shall we haue better successe in ech thinge
we take in hand all the day after. Alas what's this I see
The groue's cutt downe, Baals Altar's spoyl'd, & all turnd topsy toruy.

Rullus
And worse then that I here espy an other Altar builded
& on yt there's a holocaust layd. Who hath vs thus abused?

Tripho
I'l go & make inquiry for the Author of this deede

Marco.
So do: but quickly come agayne. for sorrow my heart doth bleede

Tripho
Neighbours I credibly am inform'd that this foule act was done
by Gedeon Ioas sonne.

Rull[us].
By whom? Gedeon our neighbours sonne?
Ioas thy sonne fetch forth that he may dy: for so he shall
because he hath cutt downe the groue, & spoyld th'Altar of Baal.

Ioas
will you reuenge Baals quarell, & for hym fight? Let that man dy
before to morrow light apparent be, that ys his aduersary.
yf Baal be god, reuenge hym self on hym that rays'd his Altar

Marco
Let his name be Ieroboall for euer more here after
because Ioas did say: Reuenge hym self on hym that raysed
his Altar. But syth Gedeon ys the man that vs thus serued
all Madian let's go call together, & Amalec & th'East people
wt h out delay, & our selues in the vayle in campe of Iezraell

God
Gedeon take courage for wt h my spirit I haue the reuested

Gedeon
Lord yf thou wilt by my hand saue Israel as thou hast promised
I will this fleece of woole lay on the flore, & yf there bee
dew found on the fleece only, & all the ground els be drye
I shall know that by my hand thou wilt Israel deliuer
so for a tyme I'l hence go, & then backe agayne come hither.
I see the ground ys dry, I will go wringe the fleece of woole
to try yf yt be wett: Lo yt hath fild a vessell full
of dew: Let not thy fury lord wt h me offended bee
yf seekeinge a signe in the fleece I once agayne do tempt thee.
Let the ground now be wett wt h dew, & the fleece only dry
that I may know whether Israell shall by me deliuered bee.
Behold the ground ys wett, & the fleece dry: I see right well
that thou my lord & god by my hand wilt deliuer Israell.
wherefore I'l go forth wt h & call my souldiers all together
that I may take a view both of their persons & their number.
my men now mustered are, & they are two & thirty thousand

God
Gedeon thy men are many, & therefore madian to their hand
shall not be geuen vp lest Israel should agaynst me glory
& say by our owne force from madian we deliuered bee.
Wherefore in hearinge of them all go & make proclamation
that such as fearefull bee & timorous may back agayne be gone

Gedeon.
Lord I'l be gone & to them say as thou dost me command
Twenty two thousand are return'd, & there stay but ten thousand

God
Gedeon the multitud's yet great: go lead them to the waters
& such as water lapp lyke dogs continue them still for souldiers
The rest that kneelinge drynke lyke men, let them dismissed bee

Gedeon
Lord I'l be gone forth wt h agayne & do as thou hast bidden mee
Those Lord that water lapt lyke dogs are but only three hundred

God
In those three hundred men you shall from madian be deliuered
by mee: Let all the rest returne agayne into their place

Gedeon
wt h that three hundred lord then I'l march on euen as thou sayes

God
Gedeon aryse.

Ged[eon].
Here lord.

God.
Now downe to madian streight be gone
whyle yt's yet night, for to thee yt's deliuer'd. But yf alone
thou be afrayd to go, Let thy seruant phara go wt h thee.
And when that thou shalt heare them speake, thy hand shall strengthned bee
& thou shalt better courage haue to sett vpon thyne enemyes
who now doth scattered lye below the hill downe in the valleys

Gedeon.
Vpon thy word lord I'l be gone wt h phara only wt h mee
to Madians campe, & listen what they say this same night secretly.
Now are we come to the part of the campe where the watch lyeth:
Harke one ys talkeinge to an other: Let's marke the tale he telleth

Sulcus
Neighbour I had a dreame, & there in methought I did see
rowlinge to madians campe as yt were a harth loafe of barly
& when yt to the tabernacle came yt threwe yt downe
flatt to the earth. what thinke you there of ys th'interpretation?

Bembo.
No other thinge at all but Gedeons sword there by ys signifyed:
for the Lord hath Madian, & all their campe to hym deliuered

Gedeon
This dreame wt h yt interpretation doth geue me good content
gods name be prays'd. Now let's be gone to Israels campe incontinent:
Israell aryse, for our lord hath madian to vs deliuered.
Now haue I (as you know) my host into three parts diuided:
& both you & the rest shall empty pitchers wt h you cary
& lamps & trumpets in your hands, & I your guyde will bee.
An do you as I do: & when you heare my Trumpet sound,
sound also yours, & crye about the campe to gether round:
To our lord & to Gedeon: & where the watch ys we'l begin
to enter first: & so soone as you shall be all wt h in
into three seuerall places go, & as you there stand round
about the campe, your pitchers clapp, & Trumpetts sound
that in your right hands are, when that your pitchers broken bee.
& then houldinge your lampes in your lefte hands, together cry
The sword of our lord & of Gedeon, & what will there of follow
referre to god, who promysed hath the victory vnto you.

Israelits
The sword of our Lord & of Gedeon: To our Lord & to Gedeon

Madian
Alas for wo, what shall we do? we shall be slayne ech one

Israelits
The sword of our lord & of Gedeon: To our Lord & to Gedeon

Gedeon
Lo they haue murdred one an other: & some are fledd & gone:
lets them pursew wt h shouts & cryes: to our Lord & to Gedeon
The sword of our lord & of Gedeon: to our lord & to Gedeon

chorus
Gedeon pursewed hath his foes beyond the Riuer Iordane
& there of Madian are a hundred twenty thousand slayne
& fiftene thousand did escape but since haue bene surprised
on the east syde of Nobe, when that they no mischaunce suspected
Amongst whom were two kings of madian. They also ouerthrew
the men of Soccoth, & th'Ancients there of in peeces drew
wt h thornes because they would not them releeue, when they pursewed
the madionittes: And phanuels Tower for the same cause they ruyned
Since wc h tyme madian neuer could their neckes lift vp agayne
so that Israel for fourty yeares in quietnes did remayne
till Gedeons death: But then they fell agayne vnto Idolatry
& wt h Baal they a couenant made that he their god should bee
forgettinge quite how our lord had them from their foes deliuered
& Ierobaals sonne Abimalech, whom he by a concubin had
did of his mothers brethren (who in sichem dwelt) craue ayd
& they gaue hym a mighty masse of money, where wt h he hyred
a company of needy men, & vacabonds, who hym followed
& to his fathers house he went & murdred all his brethren
Ierobaals sonnes vpon one stone, in number seuenty men
only Ioatham the yongst by hydinge of hym self escaped
& afterward the men of sichem Abimalech kinge created:
wc h when Ioatham had heard he sayd vnto the men of Sichem
yf you haue dealt well wt h me & the rest of Gedeons children
then in Abimalech reioyce this day, & hee in you
but yf iniustly you haue dealt wt h vs, let fyre issue
from hym & th'inhabitants consume of Sichem & of Mello
& from them both for to consume Abimalech let fyre go.
wc h thinges when he had to them sayd he lefte them there to gether
& into Bera fledde for feare of Abimalech his Brother.
But god remorse of conscience to the Sichemits suggested
in so much that they shortly after Abimalech detested
for murderinge of Ierobaal Gedeons sonnes: & Gaal the sonne
of Obed did conspyre his ouerthrow: yet in conclusion
Abimalech Mello their confederats & citty wholly waysted
& on them to reuenge hym self the more, salt in yt sowed.
wc h done he went to Thebes & yt besieged wt h his Army
& there in was a Tower to wc h th'inhabitants fledd for safty
vnder wc h when Abimelech came, There was aboue a woman
who hurlinge a peece of a mylstone downe did breake his brayne
but beinge not kild out right, hee forthwt h cald to hym his squyre
& that he would draw out his sword & kill hym, did desyre
lest yt perhaps be sayd (quoth he) I was slayne by a woman
So god repayd Abimalechs yll wc h he before had done
As Sichemitts also both wt h death, & the losse of their towne
& so the curse of Ioatham Gedeons sonne vpon them fell
when that Abimalech had three yeares bene ruler ouer Israell.
& Thola hym succed'd, who three & twenty yeares did sitt
as Iudge: & next to hym twenty two yeare sate Iair the Galaadite
after whose death the Israelits agayne fell to Idolatry
for wc h into the philisthijmes hands they now committed bee
by whom they are oppressed sore, & eightene yeares haue beene
as well they haue deseru'd by reason of their heynous synne
And how longe they shall thus afflicted be as yet's not knowne
but you shall vnderstand in tyme. So hence I will be gone.