An Abridgeme[n]t of all the Canonical books of the olde Testament written in Sternholds meter by VV. Samuel |
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 | An Abridgeme[n]t of all the Canonical books of the olde Testament |  |
The first book of Esdras.
The first Chapiter.
As spoken was by Ieremy,so Cirus Persia King:
Commaunded Iewes home to return
all suche as were willing.
Their vessels eke he did them giue,
of golde and siluer numbred:
Fiue thousand were they in their tale
and yet therto foure hundred.
The ii. chapiter.
Being so wild as thick as Bees,the Iewes from thence depart:
they go with all their hart.
Fiftie thousand, not many lesse,
of soules to Iuda went:
Zorobabel he was the cheef,
whom Cirus thither sent.
The iii. chapiter.
Come home again into their landthe temple ouerthrowne:
They doo begin to build again,
the trumpets they are blowne.
And sacrifice they dayly make,
the ground woork now is laid:
Some sing, some shout, some weep for ioy
eche one is wel apaid.
The iiii. chapiter.
Dissembling men pretended help,to build they were forbid:
Then letted they all Cirus time,
the building stowely yed.
Darius reignd, to whom they writ,
muche slaundering the Iewes:
Who writ again and did forbid
suche building for to vse.
The v. chapiter.
Eftsoones they build so Prophets wild,the cause was askt and why
They answere made that they had leaue
God let them to deny.
Then wrote their foes vnto the King,
the woork they did detest:
What Cirus wild, that would they doo
to bear they were ful prest.
The vi. chapiter.
Foūd out for trouthe is Cirus graunt,and he dooth it reuiue:
The hindrers of the woork he bids
of life them to depriue.
His house should eke a dunghil be
suche charge he writ again:
Then builded is the temple vp,
and offerings thick are slain.
The vii chapiter.
God made the King Artaxersisso wel Esdras to loue:
That he him sent to Iuda land,
to serue the Lord aboue.
Suche letters eke with him he gaue
as woorthy are to read:
A forren prince, a heathen man,
the God aboue did dread.
The viii. chapiter.
Hundredes now doo flock and comewith Esdras home to go:
The Leuites lackt, he sent for some,
their welth he did them showe.
A fast was cride for aid to God,
they shamde to aske a garde:
So past they foorth so home they came,
their bown aboue was heard.
The ix. chapiter.
In raging wise when Esdras heard,that gentile wiues were kept:
He rent his clothes he tare his beard,
and sorowfully he wept,
When euening came he prayers made
moste humbly vnto God:
To stay his hand to stop his wrath,
to keep away his rod.
The x. chapiter.
Knowledge they gaue to Esdras tho,that sore they did repent:
Their heathen brides for to forgo,
they were right wel content.
The multitude are called vp,
the raigny plague is fore
Iudges are set therfore.
Thus ended is now the first book,
whiche Esdras hath to name:
The second eke is called so,
because he writ the same.
Nœhemiah yet some it call:
because of him it treats,
You shall hear how the building fares,
for all the wicked threats.
whiche Esdras hath to name:
The second eke is called so,
because he writ the same.
Nœhemiah yet some it call:
because of him it treats,
You shall hear how the building fares,
for all the wicked threats.
The second book of Esdras.
The first Chapiter.
Asking for newes from Iury land,Nehemiah astond:
The Cittie rackt and burnt adown
hee shright and lowdly moend.
Him self alone with weeping fast,
he praid to God almight:
His prayer did tend grace for to finde,
in Aasuerus sight.
The ii. Chapiter.
Butler vnto the King he was,and sadly did he wait:
The King him askt and he him tolde,
then pasport had he straight.
When to Hierusalem he came,
he vewd the whole decay:
Then cheerfully went foorth the woork,
he would haue no denay.
The iii. chapiter.
Companies now in order built,eche one he took his place:
the woork went on apace.
Of all estates laid to their hande,
the building to aduaunce:
And last of all the Goldesmiths build
and so doo the merchants.
The iiii. chapiter.
Deadly hate the enemies took,that stil the Iewes did build:
They scornd & mockt, they did conspire,
vnwares to giue them feeld.
Their treason wrought came to the Iewes
so were they prest to fight:
Their foes were blank so souldierlike,
they wrought and wacht by night.
The v. chapiter.
Eche mā cride out, ye dearth was greatthey pledgd their land for bread:
The riche opprest the poor ful sore
of God they had no dread.
It was redrest, Nehemiah
got pardon for the gaged:
He liued without the peoples fee,
all thing was wel eswaged.
The vi. chapiter.
Nehemiah to kil:
They sent for him ful oft with craft,
he went not them vntil.
The Prophetes false would him afraid,
in faith he finisht all:
Some bearing rule had hollowe hartes
I think and euer shall.
The vii. chapiter.
Garded now is Hierusalem,with watche and eke with warde
They are found out that first went vp,
their names are red and heard.
Some were put out their kin forworn,
and some found right in blood:
Bothe riche and poor gaue to the kark,
it came to mickle good.
The viii. chapiter.
Hauing now doon the woork as ought,the law to them is read:
The people wept and mourned sore,
of God they were in dread.
The teachers thē with gladsome woordes
their fearfulnes remooues:
The rulers all came for to hear,
their feast was kept in boothes.
The ix. chapiter.
In fasting and in prayer bothe,with sack clothe mourningly:
The people doo their alien wiues,
forsake moste willingly.
A godly prayer the preestes doo make
Gods wunders to set out:
How merciful he was to them,
though stil they had been stout
The x. chapiter.
Knowne out were now how many wouldand eke therto subscribe:
That they would haue the couenāt kept,
the cheef of euery tribe:
The things are tolde: wherto they swear
to keep with all their hart:
They doo protest with ful consent,
they nil from them depart.
The xi. chapiter.
Lots then were cast in euery ten,one should appointed be:
Hierusalem to make his shrowd,
they did therto agree.
So are they tolde from tribe to tribe,
who did the cittie keep:
in townes as folded sheep.
The xii. chapiter.
Many there were that did return,home with Zorobabel:
Preestes and Leuits their names in course
this Chapter dooth you tel.
And eke how that the wall therto,
they doo it dedicate:
With ranks beset with singing men
with laudes from gate to gate.
The xiii. chapiter.
Now on that day the law was read,that straungers were forbod:
To mixe among the Iewishe sect,
and so from them they yod.
The Saboth day they did not keep,
the ruler it refourmd:
And double men with heathen babes,
with speed suche out he turnd.
Nehemiah thus finisheth,
the second some it call:
Of Esdras now, and Esther next,
in course to you shall fall.
This prouerb heer is true ifound,
the wicked makes his gin:
To catche the iust, but he him self,
is trapt and caught therein.
the second some it call:
Of Esdras now, and Esther next,
in course to you shall fall.
the wicked makes his gin:
To catche the iust, but he him self,
is trapt and caught therein.
| An Abridgeme[n]t of all the Canonical books of the olde Testament | |