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

An offring great at Salomō made,
what likte, God bad him craue:
Long life nor welth, ne wrathful wrath
he cared not to haue.
But wisdome askt, God did him graunt
and welth with honour fraught:
The store of Golde and costly things,
were out of Egipt brought.

The ii. chapiter.

Build would he now to God an house,
as leaue was to him let:
His woork men tolde, and also how
more to them he did get.
Of letters sent to king of Tire,
and eke their whole contents:
And how with like he sent again,
wherto the king consents.

The iii. chapiter.

Cause did now this Salomon King
the house of God to build:

On threshing floure that Dauid bought
whiche stood in Moriah feeld.
Eche porche & house the length & bredth.
the cherubs with their wings:
The vale of silk and pillers bothe,
this chapter to you mings.

The iiii. chapiter.

Deuisde of brasse an aulter was,
and eke a molten sea:
With Oxen for to bear it vp,
eche quarter three to stay.
Candlesticks, cauldrons, tables ten,
with beesoms and fleshe hooks:
And other things as he may see
who so the Chapters looks.

The v. chapiter.

Eche thing that Dauid had bequest
to God by dedication:
Is put into the temple then,
after a solemn fashion.
The Ark and that that was therin,
is brought therto also:
The singing men and instruments
ful plesantly did blowe.

The vi. chapiter.

Faith made the King to God to pray,
when he his flock had blest:
With armes spred out and bowed knees,
thus made he his request.
That when the people did offend,
and for their sinne were strook:
If in that place they praid to him,
that he would on them look.

The vii. chapiter.

God likte his prayer then so wel,
that fire so down he sent
And burned vp the sacrifice,
his glory was present.
And graunt he did the Kings request
to him conditionally:
If he and his would walke vpright,
els would he all destroy.

The viii. chapiter.

How Salomon Citties did make
this chapter dooth you tel:
And how he brought his wife to home,
in house where shee should dwel
The offrings that he offred then,
are eke vnto you tolde:
And how he sent his men in ships,
to Opher fetching golde.

The ix. chapiter.

In fame his name was spred abrode,
wherby of Saba Queen:
Came him to see, who praisd him muche
when shee his state had seen.
His yeerly rentes how long he rulde
his treasure and his grace:
His riches, and his seeking to
the ending of his race.

The x. chapiter.

Knowing his death his sonne did reigne
called Rehoboam:
Who beeing rulde by counsel euil
muche trouble therby came.
For then the people did rebel,
and chose another hed:
Ten tribes did shrink away from him
whom Ieroboam led.

The xi. chapiter.

Leese did the King his labour then
his army beeing prest:
And Citties strong with speed he made
to keep his land in rest.
Rehoboam of whom we speak
did marry many wiues.

Then foorth is tolde what they him bare,
and eke how many liues.

The xii. chapiter.

Made is the kingdome sure & strong,
from God they all declinde
God sent them foes for to inuade,
for breaking of his minde.
A Prophet tolde them of their faults
to God they did conuert:
He turnd his wrath, the King had peace,
and so hee did depart.

The xiii. chapiter.

Now when his sonne calld Abiah
succeeded in his place:
Then made he war with Israel,
telling to them the cace.
He put his trust in God alone,
Ieroboam had the woorst.
He dide a death vnknowne to vs,
as one that was acurst.

The xiiii. chapiter.

Of Abiahs death this chapter telles,
and eke of Asas reign:
What peace he had how God he sarud
destroying Idols vain.

Also what prayers he made to God
when warres to him was sent:
And how the Lord gaue him the spoile
in Cittie and in tent.

The xv. chapiter.

Prophesy did a Prophet then,
to Asa him to bolde:
Bothe he and his did swear and vow
Gods law to keep and holde.
The contrary should die the death,
that would not God obay:
He put his mother from her seat,
and burnt her Idoll gay.

The xvi. chapiter.

Quarelling wise the Israel King,
built Rama in the way:
And Asa golde to Bennadab sent
Baasahs rage to stay.
A Prophet did rebuke the fact,
to prison was he sent:
The King is sick and phisick seeks
more then th'omnipotent.

The xvii. chapiter.

Right wel Iehosophat did rule
succeeding Aass reign:

With seruing God in perfet hart,
it turned to his gain.
His Lords he sent to teache the flock
whole Iuda thorowe out:
His Citties mand, his gard was great,
of thousands round about.

The xviii. chapiter.

So ioynd with Ahab peace he made,
then with the Israel king:
Whose Prophetes all did tel a lie,
but Micha truthe did bring.
In prison he is cast therfore
the Kings to battaile wentt
Iehosaphat he scaped hard,
but Ahabs life was spent.

The xix. chapiter.

Then was the King of Iuda shent,
for ayding in that feeld:
But then to Gods almightie law
he did make his to yeeld.
As ruler cheef of bothe thestates,
of clergie and of lay:
To vnder heds he gaue a charge,
that there remaines for ay.

The xx. chapiter.

When woord came of a mightie hoste,
whole Iuda to destroy:
He prayers made a Prophet said,
they should not them anoy.
The hoste was slain the spoile was great
yet as before he fel:
Therof being tolde the lines doo lead,
and of his end doo tel.

The xxi. chapiter.

As this King had ended his reign,
Iehoram had his place:
His brethern slain he did mar all
in going Ahabs race:
O look his end what blood him wan,
a Prophet did him chide:
Troubled wt warres & sicknes straunge
moste wretchedly he dide.

The xxii. chapiter.

Beeing without a King they tooke,
Ahaziahu by name:
His mothers wil he so perfourmd,
as did bring to him blame.
Iehu him slue whiche beeing noisd,
Athalia it heard:
The kingly stock shee kild to reign,
but Ioas scaped hard.

The xxiii. chapiter.

Cunningly is he crowned King
Athalia shee is slain:
Ball is burst his preestes are kild
true seruice plaste again.
The officers set in comely wise,
the hie preest did this deed:
The King is seen and set in seat,
all things did wel proceed.

The xxiiii. chapiter.

Deny did none but eche did giue
the temple to repair
The preestes were slack it would not serue
the King had godly care.
Iehoiada dead he fel from faith,
and Zachari he slue:
He foild in warres and sick is slain
his seruantes were vntrue.

The xxv. chapiter.

Edom is put now to his flight,
the traytors eke are kild:
The King did trust in multitudes
he turnd as he was wild:
He fel from God, he was rebukte
Amaziahu he hight.

He mended not, his Cittie spoild,
and kild he was in flight.

The xxvi. chapiter.

Faln a sleep his heire dooth reign
Vsias was his name:
He reigned wel til pride him took,
then lost he all his fame.
To Churche he yed incence to make
a Leaper home he went:
He dwelt alone, his sonne did rule
to buriall so he went.

The xxvij. chapiter.

God set in place his sonne Iotham,
who reigned rightfully:
Saue that to churche he would not go,
his folke liu'de wickedly
The Ammonites he ouercame,
Golde with wheat they him gaue:
In peace and rest to graue he went,
so writ of him ye haue.

The xxviii. chapiter.

Heire to Iotham was Ahaz King,
the false way he did take:
The Assire and the Israel head,
they made his kingdome shake.

Yet captains were returnd again
his realm was throughly vext:
The more he felt the woorse he delt,
a better ruled next.

The xxjx. chapiter.

In royall state Hezekia,
obtayned now the crown:
The temple clensd he did erect,
that was before put down.
Oblations, and sacrifice,
and offrings that were great:
So hee and his thus serued God
thus setled he his seat.

The xxx. chapiter.

Knowledge was giuē by letters sent,
the paske for to be kept:
Some laught, some mockt, & some came vp
thus were the people hept.
Together as one a fortnight space,
the paskal Lamb was eaten:
And if the King had not stept in,
some had of God been beaten.

The xxxi. chapiter.

Look what became conuerted men
was doon as men reuiude:

They burst their Gods & found their preestes
who liued of things were tithd:
Such heaps were giuen that they might wait
wholy vpon their charge:
Their wiues and sonnes were cared for,
they had all things at large.

The xxxii. chapiter.

Multitudes of souldiours came,
then out of Assur land:
An Angel did destroy the hoste,
God took the thing in hand.
Then Iuda King his hart was great,
but sicknes did him tame:
More yeeres he had, he liued riche,
and died in great fame.

The xxxiii. chapiter.

Not wel, but euil, Manasses reignd,
vntil that he was bound:
Then prayers he made and did repent
and fauour streight he found.
Restored home he made away,
the Idols that were vain:
His sonne rulde il, his men him flue,
and for it were they slain.

The xxxiiii. chapiter.

Of Iosias how wel he rulde,
heer now to you is tolde:
He sought for God and trimd his house
his zeale was nothing colde.
The law was found and he it heard,
he rent his cote in sunder:
As he was wild, he serued God
so did likewise a number.

The xxxv. chapiter.

Passeouer was then held and kept,
Iosias so it bad:
From Samuels dayes before that time
the like had not been had.
He needs would fight with Egipt King
yet Necho him forbad:
So slain he was and buriall made,
his flock with mourning clad.

The xxxvi. chapiter.

Quite quenched was the law of God
King after King it foild:
Some were put down, some captiue led
their temple eke was spoild.
They warned, mockt, to Babilon,
so were they led as sheep:
At seuentie yeeres they did return,
so Cirus thought it meet.

Thus ended are the Chronicles.
two books they doo contain:
The Iewes in one compile them bothe,
to long, we make them twain.
VVhen Esdras came from Babilon,
the kingly acts destroyd:
He pend these writs of breef rehearse,
no man hath them anoid.

University of Virginia Library

The second book of the Chronicles.

The first Chapiter: