University of Virginia Library

God.
Iosue) Moyses my seruant's dead: Aryse passe ouer Iordan
& go wt h all the Israelits wt h thee vnto Chanaan:
for euery place where on your foote shall tread, shall be deliuered
to you, as to my seruant moyses here to fore I promysed.
you to resist while thy lyfe lasts, no man shall able bee:
for as wt h Moyses I haue bene, so will I bee wt h thee.
Take courage therefore & be stronge, for thou chanaan land
by lott shall to the Israelits diuide. What I command
therefore obserue, & neyther on the right nor lefte hand go,
that thou may vnderstand all the thinges that thou hast to do.
Let not volume of the law part from thy mouth, but day & night
meditate there in, that thou mayst do all thinges contayned in yt.
I say take courage & be stronge (Iosue) & nothinge feare
for I'l be wt h thee in all things thou goes about, what s'euer.

Iosue.
Princes passe through midst of the campe, & to the people say:
for your selues victualls ready make, for after the third day
Ouer the Riuer Iordan you shall passe, & after go
for to possesse the land, wc h our lord will on you bestow.
You Rubenits, & Gaddits, & you half tribe of manasses
remember the commandment that was geuen you by moyses:
to wit, that you should leaue your wyues, your children & your cattell
in the townes beyond Iordan, & such of you as are able
to fight, should well appoynted go wt h the rest of your brethren
them to assist till our lord haue rest to them also geuen,
& they possesse the land, wc h our lord will to them deliuer.
& then you may returne agayne to your wyues & your childer

Pedro.
What thou commands we'l do, & go whither thou dost send vs willingly
& as to moyses so to thee we will obedient bee.
Only be our lord thy god wt h thee, as he was wt h Moyses
& let them dye that thee gayne say, or any way do displease.

Iosue.
Then let's returne, & ready make all thinges that we may go,
when the discouerers come agayne that we sent vnto Iericho.
the land & citty to discouer who hourly are expected.

Pedro, Roncus, Iair
We ready are for to performe all that we are commanded.

Grizo.
A perfect view both of this land & citty we haue taken
& wt h a terrible feare th'Inhabitants there of are strycken
so that they may be ouercome wt h ease, & quickly conquerd
for sooner will the souldiers flye then fight that are faynt hearted.
But (as yt seemes, though secretly we went) we are suspected
for to be spyes, wherefore in Raabs house (who ys reported
to be a harlot) wee will lodge this night, yf she will let vs,
for her house ys a place of much resort, & least suspicious.

Sopar
Your counsel's good, & here's her house, forth wt h in lett vs go
for after vs there is pursute made by the Kinge of Iericho.

Kinge of Iericho.
I heare some men are hither come from the children of Israell
to spye our land: where we may fynd them out can you not tell?

Lord Drusus.
To Raabs house late yester night they went, (as yts reported)
wherefore my Liege yt's not amisse yf that her house be searched

Kinge of Iericho
Your counsel's good: wt h out delay be gone thither & so doe

Raab.
Alas my frendes here are men cominge to search my house for you
vp to the roofe of the house clymbe, where you shall couered bee
wt h this same stalk of fluxe, syth tyme afords no other remedy.

Lord Drusus.
Ho, who's wt h in? The dore vnbolt, or downe yt shall be broken

Raab.
there's no such neede (my Lord) for loe yt ys already open.

Lord Drusus.
Raab) what strangers are wt h in thy house?

Raab.
My lord not any.

Lord Drusus.
yf yt so proue yt's well. But I will search the truth to try

Raab.
So do my Lord wt h all my heart.

Drus[us].
Here's none that I can fynde.
yet must thou go vnto the kinge wt h me to know his mynde.

Kinge of Iericho.
Raab where are the men that came to the late yester night,
who entred are into this land as spyes for to discouer yt?

Raab.
Two came I do confesse (but whence or what were I knew not)
& when the gate was shuttinge, in the darke agayne went out.
whyther ys vnknowne to mee. yf after them you pursute make
wt h out delay, vndoubtedly you may them ouertake

Kinge of Iericho.
Lord Drusus follow them wt h speede towards the ford of Iordan
& yf you catch them, back to me let them be brought agayne.
that I may hange them vp the one of them agaynst the other
ere they the secrets of our Land to th'Israelits discouer.
for we of them are sore afeard, as you (my lord) do know

Lord Drusus.
Yt's true my liege, wherefore wt h speede I after them will go.

Kinge of Iericho.
So do & to my palace I'l returne, & there expect you.

Raab.
Now they are gone, The gates I'l shutt agayne & lock them too.
Here now my frends what cheare wt h you? come downe for they are gone
that sough[t] your lyues. I know the lord will geue to you possession
of this same land, for vpon vs your terrour fallen ys
& vpon all th'Inhabitants of our land & cittyes lykewyse.
we haue heard also that the lord dryed vp the red sea water
at your entringe into yt, & drown'd Pharao there in, after.
& wee know what to the two kinges of th'Amorrheits you haue done
to wit Og kinge of Basan, & Sehon the kinge of Hesebon,
whom you slue: & heareinge these thinges, exceedingly we feared
& at your cominge to this land no spirit in vs remayned.
for your lord god's the god in heauen aboue, & earth be low.
sweare therefore to me by the Lord that you will mercy show
vnto my fathers house, euen as I haue to you shew'd mercy
& vnto me a true signe geue that you will both deliuer mee,
my parents, Brethren, sisters, & all things that they possesse
from death.

Grizo.
Betray vs not, & then let's dye yf we be mercilesse.
to thee, who now such mercy shewes to vs in our great perill

Raab
Downe by a chord out of this window then let you I will.
Now vp the mountaynes go, lest perhaps they meete you returninge
& there lye hyd three dayes, & then you may homeward be goinge

Sopar
Wee shall be quit from this same oath where wt h thou hast vs bound
yf that when we enter this land this purple chord be found
tyed in the window for a signe, where thou hast lett us downe
& in thy house thy parents bee, children, & kynne ech one
hys blood be on our heades that shall be toucht, & ys wt h in yt.
But on his that's not in thy house, & we of this oath quitt.
But yf thou vs betray, & this our talke abroad do vtter
from this oath we'l be free, where wt h thou hast vs bound, here after

Raab.
As you haue sayd, so let yt bee: & so my frendes adew
Now will I hange this purple cord for a signe in the window
& fetch vnto my house my parents, children, & my kynne
that all our lyues may saued bee, as I haue warned byn

Lord Drusus.
we haue sought for these spyes ech way, but of them can not heare
wc h I'l go tell vnto the kinge whom I lefte in greate feare.

Grizo.
Now from the mountayne let's descend, for they that vs pursewed
return'd are) & to Iosue tell all that to vs hath happened
& here we meete hym in good tyme. my lord be of good cheare
for god hath geuen vs this land, & strycken them wt h feare

Iosue
from Setim then we will depart towards the ryuer Iordan,
& when three dayes are past the Heraulds shall make proclamation
in thee midst of the campe: when th'Arke of couenant you shall see
of our lord your god, & the priests of Leuies stocke yt cary,
Ryse you vp then, & follow them that goinge are before.
And betwixt you & th'Arke there shall the space be euer more
euen of two thousand cubits, that afarre of in your sight
yt may be, & you know wc h way to go by followinge of yt.
because you haue not walkt there wt h before: & carefull bee
that you do not approch vnto the Arke, nor come yt nigh.
In the meane while be sanctifyed, for merveylous thinges god will
amongst you do, yf you his lawes & his precepts do fulfill

Populus Israel.
We ready are for to accomplish all that you haue sayd

Iosue
Then let's be gone, for yt's high tyme all thinges were ready made

God
Iosue) this day I will begin t'exalt the before Israell
that they may know here after that I'l bee wt h thee as well
as I in former tyme wt h Moyses was, wherefore command
the priestes that cary the Arke, when they in Iordan come, to stand
still in the ryuer.

Ios[ue].
Brethren in thys you shall know that our Lord
the liuinge god among'st you ys, & of hys owne accord
will in your sight destroy the chananeit, Hetheit, & the gergeseight
to gether wt h the Phereseit, Heveit, Iebuseit, & the Amorrheit.
when the priests that cary our Lords Arke shall sett their feete in Iordan
The water that's beneath shall runne away: & that wc h ran
aboue shall stand vpon a head together (Though at this tyme
beinge haruest Iordan hath his channell fil'd vp to the bryme)
& all the people shall passe through dryfoote. & that beinge done
One man of euery tribe shall on his shoulder take a stone
out of the chanell that yt may be a signe to you here after
that when your children say: what meane these stones? you may make answeare
Waters of Iordan dryed were when our Lords Arke of couenant
passed the same, & these stones were for aye sett for a monument.
And as these shall be sett where you shall campe on the dry land,
So other twelue in Iordan I will place, & they shall stand
in the midst of the chanell where the priests stood that th'Arke caried.
And so soone as the priests on the dry land agayne are entred
returne into yt wonted chanell the water shall agayne
& runne the self same course & way as formerly yt ranne

Populus Israell
We vnderstand you well, & do beleeue all that you sayd

Iosue.
Then let's begon that execution of our designe were made

Kinge of chanaan.
Renowned kinge of th'Amorrheits ys yt true that is reported
that Iordans streames were dryed vp while th'Israelits through passed

King of Amorrheits
Most true mighty kinge of chanaan, where on to thinke I quake
& sore afrayd th'Inhabitants of my land this newes doth make.

Kinge of chanaan
And my hearte fayleth me: & no spirit in me doth remayne
feareinge they'l come into my land: for then we shall be slayne.
what shall we do? whither shall we go? what's our best course to take?
to stay yt's death: & vtter shame our countries to forsake.
By my aduise lett vs retyre agayne into our countreis,
& there remayne vntill we be assaulted by our enemyes.
& in the meane while take aduise, what then ys to be done

Kinge of Amorrheits
Your counsell's good: Let's follow yt, & forth wt h hence be gone

God.
Iosue) make knyues of stones, & there wt h circuncise the children
of Israel the second tyme.

Ios[ue].
I'l do as I am bidden.
for all the fightinge men I know that circumcised were
are in the desert dead, because our lord they would not heare.
But these that were borne in the desert duringe the fourty yeares
they trauelled in the wildernes, & now succeede their fathers,
neuer as yet were circumcis'd, wherefore as god commanded
I'l go, & circumcise them all when knyues I haue prouided
Now are the people circumcis'd, & in the campe haue stay'd
tyll they were hole agayne: & since that tyme their phase haue made,
& eaten of that country corne, since wc h tyme Manna fayled
& they haue vs'd that meate no more, since of that corne they taysted
Who's this that here doth stand wt h a drawne sword hefore myne eyes?
I'l nearer go, & speake to hym. Art thou ours, or our Aduersaryes?

Angelus.
No, but I am a prince of our Lords host, & now come I

Iosue
What to his seruant speakes my Lord? prostrate I will adore thee.

Angelus.
Thy shoes loose of thy feete, for the place where thou stands ys holy

Iosue
I'l do what thou commands wt h out delay, & that most willingly.
I see that Iericho's fens't about, & shutt on euery syde
& no man dare go in nor out, but all wt h in abyde

Angelus.
Behold into thy hands the citty of Iericho I haue geuen
wt h the kinge also of the same, & all the valiant men.
The men of warre once euery day shall go about the citty
six dayes together, & on the seuenth seuen Trumpets vs'd in Iubelee
the priests shall take, & them before the arke of couenant sound,
& that day you about the citty shall seuen days(!) go round.
And when in length, & wt h a broken tune the trumpet shall
sound, all the people shall cry wt h a lowd voyce great & smale,
The Cittie walls shall fall vnto the ground: & then ech body
shall enter at the place where as they stand into the citty
for the citty & the kinge thereof shall to your hands be geuen

Iosue.
Lord I'l be gone & all things do euen as thou hast me bidden.
Now haue you six dayes ech day once gone round about ye citty
Seuen tymes go this seuenth day soundinge your trumpets vs'd in Iubelee.
Now make a shout, for our Lord hath this citty to you deliuered.
Let Raabs lyfe, and all wt h in her house only be spared
because she did the messengers hide, whom thither we had sent.
Kill all the rest man, woman, & child, for that ys gods comandment
Anathema let this citty bee, & all therein contayned
Nothinge there of see that you take but lett all things be burned
except gold, syluer, Brasen vessels, & things of yron thatt bee
all the wc h shall be consecrated vnto our lords treasury.
And he that shall offend in any of the thinges prohibited
hym self, & all that euer he hath, shall be wt h fyre consumed.
Now when the cittizens are all slayne, & all their goods consumed
you yonge men fetch the harlot hither, who's lyues before she saued
Raab because thou mercy shew'd to these yonge men thou shall
haue mercy shew'd to thee, & to thy family great & smalle
as the yonge men assured thee by oath, for we will saue
your lyues, & still you shall inioy your goods, & freedom haue
amongst vs for to dwell. And let that man accursed bee
before our Lord that shall agayne reedifie this citty.
In his first borne ground worke thereof & the fundation let
hym lay: & in last of his children the gates thereof vp sett.
Now Iericho's wunne, go & view Hai, wc h standeth east from Bethell
for I intend at your returne to sett vpon that people:
in the meane while I'l go & view the ruynes of this citty
& at your cominge back agayne in this place you shall haue mee.

Achan
As I alone wt h in the citty lookeinge about mee stoode
I saw amongst the spoyles this cloke of scarlet very good
& these two hundred syluer sicles, wt h goold rule of fifty
wc h thence I taken haue vnseene, & will go hyde them closly
lest that my fact be knowne, for by Iosue yt was forbidden
on payne of death that any thinge should by any man thence be taken

Dipsus
My lord) in Hay the enemyes are but weake & few in number
So that two or three thousand men enow are to go thither
& able will be to destroy & ruyne that same citty.
& yt's in vayne agaynst so weake a foe to trouble many.

Iosue.
Then wt h three thousand fightinge men after your owne direction
go & incounter wt h your foes: & so let's hence be gone.
Alas our souldiers runne away before their enemyes face.
& flyinge are strycken wt h the sword vnto our great disgrace
for sorrow I'l my garments teare, & fall flat on the ground
before th'Arke of our lord, this sight so sore my heart doth wound
Alas lord god why wouldst thou bringe this people ouer Iordan
& vs deliuer to th'Amorrheits hands by them for to be slayne?
would god vpon the further syde of Iordan we had stayed
& not haue seene Israel flie from their foes as men afrayd.
When the chananeits shall there of heare, th'inhabitants of yt country
will vs inviron, & from the earth our names extinguish vtterly.

God.
Iosue aryse: why dost thou lye there flatt vpon the ground?
Israel offended hath, & there's a synne amongst them found:
& they cannot wt h stand their foes whyle that they are polluted.
& I'l no more be wt h you till th'offender be dispatched.
Wherefore cast lots through all your tribes, kinred, howses, & men,
& looke on whom the lot doth fall, let that same man bee taken
& burnt, wt h his substance & wealth because he hath transgressed

Iosue
I will be gone, & all thinges do (lord) as thou hast commanded.
The Lot on Iudas Tribe ys light, & that in Zares family
& Zabdis house vpon Achan who ys the sonne of charmi.
Achan my sonne geue glory to our Lord the god of Israell
& what thy fault hath bene in presence of vs all here tell

Achan
I see no synne's so secret, but yt's knowne to god Almighty
where fore let no man synne in hope yt will concealed bee
I synned haue in deede agaynst our lord: for as I stoode
I saw amongst the spoyles a cloke of scarlett very good
& two hundred syluer sycles wt h a golden rule of fifty
wc h couetously I tooke away from thence & hyd them priuely
wt h in the ground agaynst midst of my tabernacle, where
they yet remayne vnder the earth, where wt h I did them couer.

Iosue
That will I try: Gildas forth wt h go serch the place he named.

Gildas
My lord we haue found all things as Achan to you affirmed.
for testimony where of wee haue brought them wt h vs hither.

Iosue
Take hym & them, his sonnes, & daughters, & all thats his what s'euer
& stone hym, & lett all he hath wt h fyre consumed bee:
& on hym throw a heape of stones to be left for a testimony.
Our lord disturbe the this day Achan, syth thou hast vs disturbed

God
Iosue feare not, for now my fury ys from them auerted.
Take all the multitude of fightinge men, & go to Hay.
The Towne & kinge there of in to thy hands I'l geue this day,
wt h all th'Inhabitants, & the land: & to them thou shalt do
euen as before I did command thee for to do to Iericho.

Iosue.
I'l go this night, & thirty thousand chosen men take wt h mee
& some of them in ambushments I'l lay behynd the citty
& I my self wt h others will go on the other syde,
& when they issue out we'l flee euen as before we did
till they pursueinge vs be forward drawne farre from the citty,
& then we will wt h all our force returne vpon them fiercely.
This is my resolution, wc h I'l put in execution
so soone as to the campe I come, whither now I will be going

God.
Iosue lifte vp the sheelde that's in thy hand agaynst the citty
for th'enemyes now are all gone out, & I'l deliuer yt to thee

Gildas
My lord now of twelue thousand men that were in Hai inhabitinge
none but the kinge ys left alyue, whom here to you I bringe.

Iosue
yf all be slayne my hand & shield I will hold vp no longer
but geue god thankes, who of our enemyes hath made such a slaughter.
A Gibbet now erect, & lett the kinge there on be hanged:
let then the cattell; & pray you got amongst you be diuided,
then burne the citty, & all there in, & make 't a heape for euer
& hurle the kinges corpes downe where you in to the citty enter
& there on a great heape of stones lay, that yt may be knowne
vnto them that shall vs succeede. & so let's hence be gone.

Gorgias
Though th'Amorrheit, Hetheit, chananeit, pherezeit, Heueit & ye Iebuseit
conspired are agaynst Iosue, & th'Israelits to fight,
yet we that do in Gabaon dwell, & know Iosues proceedinge
agaynst Iericho & Hai haue longe bene wt h our selues diuisinge
how for to saue our lyues, & frendship wt h them still continue:
& after longe debateinge of the mater thys was the issue:
Rent Bottels of wyne we wt h vs brought, wc h we agayne haue sewed
& olde shoes for a shew of oldnes wc h wt h speckes are clowted
& old clothes put vpon our backes, & bread that's hard & mouldy
for our provision by the way we in our sachells cary
to the intent that we may make the Israelits to thinke
that we came farre our selues wt h them in frendship for to lynke.
Wc h we will now attempt for this way Iosue here ys cominge.
From a farre country we are come my gratious lord desyreinge
wt h you to make a peace

Ios[ue]
Perhaps you do dwell in ye country
that's due to vs by lott, & we can not wt h you haue amity.

Gorgias.
We all thy seruants are.

Ios[ue].
Who are you & whence came you hither?

Gorgias
We from a very farre country came, & hearinge of the slaughter
made by the lord your god, when Pharao & his host were drowned:
& how Sehon & Og two kings of th'Amorrheits were destroyed
The Auntients & Inhabitants of our land vnto vs thus dyd say:
Take wt h you victualls for to serue you for a very longe way,
& meete them, & say: we your seruants are: let's make a peace:
see this bread wc h was softe, when forth we came, now's hard for oldnes
And these same Bottels wc h were new, when wt h wyne they were filled
as you may well perceiue wt h age are bursen & dissolued.
Our clothes are also worne threede bare, & shoes consumed quite,
wc h shewes we haue come farre, & may persuade you vs to credit

Iosue
We credit you, & wt h you'l make peace, & you shall not be slayne

princes of Israell
As the Lord lyues we'l geue you leaue amongst vs to remayne.

Gorgias et ceteri.
We geue you harty thankes: & we'l be all at your command.

Iosue.
princes now forward let vs march to Gabaon out of hand.
Gabaon ys now in sight: but we'l not stryke them wt h the sworde
because you princes sware to them in the name of our lord,
to saue their lyues, for they were Gabaonits whom we did heare

Populus Israel
princes what did you meane vnto this people for to sweare?

princes of Israell
We sware in deed to them, wherefore they may not now be touched
but shall inioy their lyues, lest against vs gods wrath be kindled
yf we should be forsworne. But yet let them lyue in this maner:
They & their ofspringe shall for vs cut woode, & cary water

Iosue.
You Gabionits what was the cause that you vs thus deceiued
& sayd, that in a country farre remote from vs you dwelled.
where as amydst vs you do lyue, as we haue vnderstoode?
For this in your stocke there shall neuer fayle hewers of woode,
& water caryers to gods house.

Gab[aonits].
We thy seruants did heare
that the lord thy god promise made to Moyses to deliuer
our land to you, & all th'Inhabitants there of would destroy:
wc h terrour made vs this diuise, our lyues for to inioy.
And now we are in thy hands, do wt h vs as thou thinkes good.

Iosue.
Your lyues we'l saue, but you & yours shall euer lyue in seruitude
to vs & ours for this your fraude, as I before dyd say.
& so to Gabaon we'l be gone, & here no longer stay.

Adonisedec kinge of Hierusalem.
I hearinge how that Iosue hath Iiricho & hai subuerted,
& that the Gabaonits haue them selues wt h Israel confedered,
do waxe afrayd: for Gabaon ys a great & princely citty,
& all their men of warre corragious are, valyant, & lusty
wherefore I haue sent messengers to Oham the kinge of Hebron
& to pharan of Ierimoth kinge, & Dabir kinge of Eglon
& to Iaphia kinge of Lachis to will them to come hither
& bringe ayd wt h them that we may our forces ioyne together
& go agaynst the Gabaonits, who are from vs revolted
to Iosue, & they now are cominge euen as I could haue wished
Renowned kings I am right glad that you are come vnto mee

Oham kinge of Hebron.
And Adonisedec great kinge of Hierusalem glad are wee
to see your highnes in good health: And we haue brought our Armyes
alonge wt h vs to ioyne wt h yours agaynst our comon enemyes
the Gabaonits, who are from vs to th'Israelits reuolted

Kinge Adonisedec
Thankes worthy Kings, then we'l be gone that Gabaon were besieged
ere th'Israelits come them to help, who now in Galgal bee

pharan kinge of Ierimoth et ceteri.
Your counsel's good march on my liege & we'l go wt h your maiesty

Gorgias
My lord by all the Amorrheit kinges that in the mountaynes dwell
Gabaon besieged ys, & they do craue the help of Israel
wherefore come quickly vp, & from their enemyes them deliuer

God.
Iosue feare not, but to them go, and I will make the conquerer

Iosue
Thankes gratious lord, frend I will go alonge to Gabaon wt h thee
& all the valiant men of warre in Israell I'l take wt h mee.
Souldiers you see your enemyes flee before your face away
hoatly pursue them, & wt h ease many of them kill you may.
Thou sunne agaynst Gabaon moue not vntill the people on
theyr enemyes be reuengd, Nor Moone agaynst valley of Ailon

Pedro
My lord yt seemes the sunne stoode still in the mydst of ye heauen
& for the space of one whole day to go downe did not hasten
So that before this tyme there hath not bene so longe a day
for our lord fightinge for vs dyd voyce of a man obay
& slewe mo of our enemyes wt h hayle stones that fell from heauen
then wt h the sword we & the rest of th'Israelits haue strooken.
And the fyue kings my lord that fled, are all found in a caue
wt h in the citty of maceda hidd their lyues to saue.

Iosue
Go bid the souldiers in the mouth there of great stones to putt,
& sett industrious men to looke to them beinge there in shutt:
& let the rest pursue their foes, & kill them as they flee.
But see that none presume to enter into any towne or citty
the wc h our lord deliuered hath into our hand, & so
be gone: & I'l lyke wyse myself vnto maceda go.
Now our host's to maceda come both saffe & the full number
& there's not one that dare so much as once agaynst vs mutter.
The mouth now of the caue go open, & bringe the kings vnto mee.

Iair a prince of Israel et ceteri,
Yt shall be done my lord & here agayne expect vs presently.

Iosue
Princes of Israel sett your feete on the necks of these kinges.
feare not, take courage, & be stronge for yt's our lord that brings
your foes thus low, & thus will we wt h all our enemyes doe
agaynst whom you shall fight, wherefore dreede not, but forth wt h go
& see the fyue kinges on fyue seuerall gibbetts hanged bee
till night, then cast their bodyes into the caue where hyd they lye
& on the mouth thereof lay weighty stones: when this ys done
wt h the rest of our enemyes we will fight, so let's be gone

Nuncius
Synce the fyue kings were slayne the citty of maceda's taken
& the kinge & th Inhabitants there of Iosue hath strycken
in the edge of the sword, & spared not so much as one
as wt h the kinge of Iericho, & th'Inhabitants he had done.
The citty of lebna our lord hath also to hym deliuered
where no remaynes he left but both the kinge & people killed.
Lachis he lykewyse hath destroy'd, & euery soule there in
hath slayne, & saw the citty walls pul'd downe before his eyne.
where Horam kinge of Gazer, who came wt h ayde vnto Lachis
he ouerthrew, & vnto death put all the people lykwyse.
Eglon & Hebron in lyke maner he raz'd hath to the ground
& put vnto the sword all the soules that in them he found.
Dabir he also taken hath, & all the country waysted
about the same, & neyther kinge nor people there he spared.
Briefly Iosue hath in the sword strucken all the hilly country,
South, & champayne, Asedoth, wt h their kinges & not spar'd any,
But euery thinge that breath'd hath slayne & put vnto the sword
from Cadesbarne to Gaza as he bidden was by our Lord
who for hym fought: & now he ys wt h Israel returned
agayne to Galgal, where before he wt h his campe remayned.
But there he's not lyke to continue longe tyme in peace & quietnes
for potent enemyes yet he hath, who raysinge are new forces
intendinge hym t'invade, as yf you will but shew attention,
you wt h your eyes & eares shall see & heare: so I'l be gone.

Iabin kinge of Asor
Hearinge what th'Israelits haue done vnto our neighbouringe countryes
& fearinge lest they will to vs be no lesse cruell enemyes
all myne owne forces I will rayse, & streight agaynst them go
& moue other kings, whose daunger ys no lesse then myne to do so.
Wherefore to Iabab I will send, who ys the kinge of Madon
& to the kinge of Acsaph, & vnto the kinge of Semeron
& to the kings that in the mountayns dwell vpon the north,
& to them also that inhabit on the south syde of cemeroth,
& in the lands of Dor, & to the chananit, & the Amorrheit,
& also to the Hetheit, pherezeit, Iebuseit, & the Heveit
& will them that wt h all their forces they will forth wt h come
& ioyne their power to myne, & meete me at waters of Merom
where we agaynst Israell will fight, as yt stands vs vpon.
& syth that daunger's in delay, I will forthwt h be gone.

Iosue
I heare that Iabin kinge of Asor assemblede hath together
new forces, wc h as many are as the sea sandes in number
wt h a passinge great multitude of chariotts & of horses
intendinge for to sett vpon our wearyed & smale forces.

God
Iosue be not afrayd of them, for tomorrow this same houre
I'l them into thy hands deliuer, & subiect to thy power
in the sight of all Israel, who shall there at admyre:
Their horses thou shalt houghsinew, & their chariots burne wt h fyre

Iosue
Thankes my lord god. Vpon thy worde I'l go wt h my whole army
& meete them at waters of merom, & sett vpon them sodaynly.

Nuncius
Now hath our lord all these great kings wt h their countreys & people
deliuered vp into the hands of the children of Israell
who haue their c[h]ariots burnt wt h fyre, & theyr horses houghsinewed
& euery soule stricken in the sword, as our Lord hath commanded
And Asor, wc h of all the kingdoms once held the principality
wt h Iabin that was kinge there of, he hath destroyed vtterly
& all the countrys round about that tooke his part, euen as
by moyses god's true Seruant he before commaunded was.
And all the pray the Israelits amongst them selues diuidyd
when that the citties were destroyd, & all the people killed
And Iosue nothinge did omitt, not so much as one word
of all that moyses had before commaunded from our lord.
And a great tyme yt was that Iosue did wt h these kings fight
for not one citty yielded yt self, sauinge only the Hetheit
who dyd in Gabaon dwell: for our lord had the rest forsaken
for their enormious sinnes, & would not yieald till they were stryken
& therefore did no mercy fynde, but wholly were destroyed
& now their lands to th'Israelits by Iosue are deliuered
to be possest accordinge to their tribes, & peaceablely
they do inioy the same, & are resisted by no enemy.
The number of the kings that in the foresayd warres slayne bee
by moyses & by Iosue do amount to thirty three.
Where of two were by moyses slayne, kings of Basan & Hesebon.
By Iosue thirty one, the kings of Iericho, Hai, & Hebron,
Hierusalem, Ierimoth, Lachis, Eglon, Dabir Herma, Gazer
Adullam, Gader, Hered, lebna, Bethel, Aphec, Opher,
Maceda, Taphua, Saron, Asor, Acsaph, Thenac, Madon
Mageddo, Iachanan, Dor, Galgal, Thersa, cades & Semeron.
These countryes gott by seuen yeares warres by Iosue are diuided
Now amongst neene tribes & a halff, & other lands yet not conquered
wc h god hath promis'd for to geue vnto their hands here after
for moyses did to two tribes & a halff portions deliuer
on th'East syde Iordan ere he dyed. But no part ys allotted
vnto the Leuits in the land: only to them's assigned
citties & suburbs to dwell in, & for feedinge their cattell,
& sacrifices & the victimes of the god of Israell.
And peace they now inioy, as God to Abraham had promised
when from his natyue soyle by his commandment he departed.
So that god hath his promisse kept, for no more generall warre
here after they shall haue, though diuerse tribes may haue particular
What more ys to be sayd or done, Iosue hym self will shew,
who wt h the princes here of Israell comes: wherefore adew.

Iosue
Princes you see that quietly this land we do possesse
& that all things performed are, wc h god did say to Moyses.
And though there many nations bee remayninge yet vnconquered
yet courage take, for by our lord to you they'l be deliuered
in their due tyme, wc h in one yeare he suffred not to bee,
lest the land became wildernes, & wild beasts therein multiply,
& you deuour: But he'l by little & litle your foes expell
& then the land wholly deliuer to the children of Israell.
for hither to he hath fought for you, & so he will do still
yf you do his precepts obey & commandments fulfill.
wherefore decline neyther to the right nor left hand lest after
that you into the gentils, wc h amongst you shall be, enter
you sweare in the name of their gods, & them serue & adore.
But cleeue to our lord god euen as you haue done here tofore
vntill this day, & our lord will away take in your sight
your strongest foes, & none shall able be wt h you to fight
One of you shall pursue a thousand of your greatest enemyes
because our lord hym self will fight for you as he did promise.
But yf you cleeue to th'errour of these nations yt do dwell
amongst you and mary & ioyne amity wt h them, I fore tell
you now that our lord will not them destroy, but they shall bee
a pit, a snare, a stake, a stumblinge blocke before your eye,
till you be taken from this excellent land, & all destroyed:
wherefore see that you do obserue all that god hath commanded.
Behold this day into the way of all flesh I shall go,
& god hath all effected that he promised for to do
to you, & no word lefte vndone. Beyond the ryuer Iordan
your fathers dwelt, & he them brought to the land of chanaan
He Ægipt strooke wt h many plagues, & pharao wt h hys army
he in the red sea drownd, & through yt made you pass wt h safty
Through all the wildernesse he was your guyde, & when you came
to th'Amorrheits land he in the sword did make you wine ye same
The kinge of Moab wt h you fought & Balaam cald to curse you
but god made hym to blesse you, & that land he ouerthrew.
All this beyond Iordan he dyd, & then he brought you to
this land wherein you are wc h doth wt h mylke & hony flow
& gaue you many citties that wt h your hands were not buylded,
& olyue trees, & vinyards that wt h your hands were not planted.
Now therefore serue our lord wt h a true heart & perfect mynde
& let hym no false gods (worke of your hands) amongst you fynde
Yt's in your Choyce whether you will serue our lord who hath preserud
you hitherto, or the gods in mesopotania your fathers serued
or the gods of ye Amorrheits, amongst whom you now dwell
But I & all my house will serue our lord the god of Israell

populus Israel
God forbyd that we should our lord leaue, & to strange gods swarue
syth he hath done so much for vs. we will our lord god serue.

Iosue
Then witnesses you are, that you your selues our lord haue chosen
for to serue hym.

Pop[ulus].
witnesse.

Ios[ue].
Your pact twixt god & you now's writen
in this same volume: & for you this stone shall be a testimony
that yt hath heard all that our lord hath spoken to you by mee.
lest perhaps you hereafter shall lye & deny the same
vnto our lord wc h I haue sayd vnto you in hys name.
And so I bid you all farewell, for neuer more here after
shall I before you go. after my death my words remember

Nuntius
Iosue the sonne of Nun gods seruant now ys dead & buryed
when he vnto the yeares was come of ten aboue a hundred
& his corps ys interd in his possession in Thamnasare
And dead & buryed also ys in Gabatha Eleazar
& Iosephs bones wc h th'Israelits wt h them from Ægipt caryed
in Sichem buryed are, as at his death he had commanded.
But who now after Iosues death shall be ye peoples leader
They wt h our lord consulting are, & shall be knowne here after.