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

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:

In numbers great to Iuda land,
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 land
the 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 Artaxersis
so 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 come
with 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

Suche as offend they graunt to mend,
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.

University of Virginia Library

The first book of Esdras.

The first Chapiter.