An Abridgeme[n]t of all the Canonical books of the olde Testament ::

As Dauid waxed olde he had
a maid to keep him warm:
Adoniah did king him self,
he fearing then no harm.
By Nathans meanes was Salomon set,
and crownd in Dauids seat.
The noise once heard they fled for fear,
the head did him entreat.

The ii. chapiter.

Because that Dauid saw by age
that death approched neer:
His sonne he charged God to loue,
and him alone to fear.
As touching Ioab and Semei,
of them he tolde his wil:
Adoniah, Abiathar,
these foure came vnto il.

The iii. chapiter.

Communication had the Lord,
with Salomon the King:

Aske what thou wilt, said God to him,
for wisdome did he ming.
The Lord it likte and gaue it him
and straight it was espied:
Two wemen straue about one childe,
and he the trothe out tried.

The iiii. chapiter.

Declard is then his rulers names
and caters for his boord:
The number of his bread and beef,
that dayly he did foord.
Three thousand prouerbs he did write,
a thousand songs and fiue:
Of beastes and foules, & wormes & fishe
he wrote of them beliue.

The v. chapiter.

Euen at that time the king of Tire,
whiche Hiram hight by name:
He sent to Salomon when he heard,
of his great might and fame.
And then they two did ioyne in league,
the king of him had wood:
And Hiram did receiue again,
corne for his dayly food.

The vi. chapiter.

Fully preparde the king began,
Ierusalem to build:
Ful costly woork he made of it,
and richely he it steld.
Two Cherubs did he make ful gay,
and coured them with golde:
Galaries did he rear also,
and all things as he would.

The vij. chapiter.

Go foorth did Salomon and did build,
him self a goodly place:
And made two pillers wunderful
and cast they were of brasse.
A Sea also, and Lauers great,
with mickle things yet more:
Of golde and siluer vessels gay,
he made therof good store.

The viii. chapiter.

House did Salomon then the Ark,
and set it in his place:
And prayed to God ful meruailously
for many a sundry cace.
He him besought for diuers things,
I would you red them all:
And offered great offerings,
as there perceiue ye shall.

The ix. Chapiter.

In talke was God with Salomon,
and these woords he him tolde
If he and his would keep his law,
be in his house he would.
To Hiram gaue he Citties great,
the heathen tribute paid:
And thrise a yeer burnt sacrifice,
afore the Lord was laid.

The x. chapiter.

Knowledge then had a forren Queen
of Salomons great fame:
And when shee had him proou'd and seen,
shee did confirm the same.
Golde was plentie in that time,
and also precious stones:
And Siluer was so plentie tho,
as in the street are stones.

The xi. chapiter.

Loue did Salomon concubines
whiche caused him to sin:
He serued Gods beside the Lord,
therfore said God to him:
I warned thee but all in vain,
thy kingdome shalbe rent.

He stirred him vp diuers foes,
ere to his graue he went.

The xii. chapiter.

Many men then did flock in one,
Rehoboam to noint:
He answered them so churlishely,
they waid him not a point.
Ieroboam then did they chuse,
and him they made their King:
He made them calues and hil aulters,
and burnt thereon offring.

The xiii. chapiter.

Nothing abasht a Prophet tolde,
the ruine of the aulter:
The King his hand was dryed vp,
and God did heal it after.
The Prophet then he did not keep
but brake the Lord his wil:
As he returnd for his reward,
a Lion did him kil.

The xiiii. chapiter.

Olde was Ahiah when he tolde,
the Queen the kingdoms fall:
And of her Lord and sonne also,
and truthe he tolde her all.

Ieroboam, Rehoboam,
of Iuda and Israel kings:
They died bothe then and their sonnes,
began in their diyngs.

The xv. chapiter.

Plaste was Abiam of Iuda King,
a wicked man in deed:
His sonne Asa destroyd the stues,
when he did him succeed.
Nadab euil in Israel reignd,
and Baasa him did kil:
Ieroboams seed he rooted out,
and ruled the realm at wil.

The xvi. Chapiter.

Quenched was Baasa and his house,
his stock of Zamri slain:
Amry was crownd and Zamri burnt,
him selfe besieged in pain.
When Amri of Thebni had his wil
then ruled he but not wel:
And Ahab his sonne more wicked thē he
who maried Iezabel.

The xvii. chapiter.

Rauens fed Eliah in the drought,
until the riuer was dry:

The drought continued three yeer space,
as he did prophecy.
At Sareptha in a widdowes house,
he lay, and increast her food:
And liued her sonne when he was dead
so turn he did her mood.

The xviii. chapiter.

Searching for grasse Eliah met,
with him that prophets hide
By him the King met Eliah,
so eche the other chide.
The preestes of Ball for all their noise
no fier could obtain:
But Eliah did and causd them kild,
and straight began the raine.

The xix. chapiter.

Uhen Iezabel him vowd to kil,
from whom he fled for fear:
Then fortie dayes with little food
he went as dooth appeer.
At Oreb hil with God he spake,
two Kings he wild him noint:
Elizeus then in his roum,
a Prophet he did point.

The xx. chapiter.

Warre sure did then King Bennadab,
against Samaria twise:
On hil or plain he was destroyd,
it was the Lords deuice.
But when that Israel peace did make
with that vngracious king:
The king had woord to be destroid,
and his realm for that thing.

The xxi. chapiter.

Ahab then sought a vine yard,
of Naboth but in vain:
The wicked Queen hight Iezabel,
that causd him to be slain.
Possession when he went to take,
his death was tolde him iust:
The doges should lick vp bothe their bloodes
to teache them haue suche lust.

The xxii. chapiter.

Boldely so bad the Prophets false,
Rameth besiegd to be:
But Micha did from them discent,
therfore to iayle went he.
As he had said Hahab was slain,
But Iudahs King was saued:
In Crownacles their actes are tolde,
how they them selues behaued.

The third of Kings after this text,
in order ye haue had:
And now the fourth with meeeter like,
to you it shalbe clad.

University of Virginia Library

The third book of the Kings after the Latines, after the Hebrues the first of the Kings.

The first Chapiter.