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

As God him bad he spareth not
but plainly dooth he tel:
That down should go the kingdoms bothe
of Iuda and Israel.
This was the cause Idolatrie,
that foully they did vse.

For whiche the power of forren folke,
should them and theirs abuse.

The ii. Chapiter.

Because the mightie men did spoile,
the poor of house and feeld:
He telleth them God would them plagin
their foes should make them yeeld.
They wantonly did mock and skorne,
the preachers that did preache:
He that of wine would preache to them,
he best of all did teache.

The iii. Chapiter.

Cry out he dooth against the heds,
that did the people spoile
And sayth their cry it should be heard,
when they should haue the foile.
Their Prophets did for money preache,
the rulers built in blood:
Their glorious state shuld therfore down
in Gods displeasing mood.

The iiii. Chapiter.

Deuine he dooth that Christe his Churche
shall floorishe ouer all:
And that far of to serue the Lord,
one shall another call.

Their worldly cares & warlike minde,
shall quite be laid aside:
Though some conspire their ouerthrow,
it shall not so betide.

The v. chapiter.

Ere that they should attain this peace,
muche troubles should they haue:
Hierusalem with all her power,
her self shee should not saue.
But Bethlehem Ephraita,
that little was in sight,
A Captain foorth should bring to them,
of endles power and might.

The vi. Chapiter.

For them what God had doon he telth,
therby them to prouoke,
That righteousnes they might embrace,
and were an humble yoke.
False weightes & mesures they did vse,
the people to deceiue:
Therfore the poyson of their frutes,
with labour lost should leaue.

The vii. Chapiter.

Greatly now dooth he mourn, because
so few did fear the Lord:

No trust in freend could then be found,
their liues were to vntoward.
But yet he wilth the foes to stop,
to rage against his flock:
Affirming God to keep his graunt,
to Abram and his stock.

FINIS.

The minde of Michah you haue heard,
a tale ful plain he tolde:
Now Nahum speaks to Niniuie,
a Prophet sharp and bolde.

University of Virginia Library

The Prophecy of Michah.