Second Book Of Kings (2 Samuel)

SECOND BOOK OF KINGS (2 SAMUEL): EXPLANATORY NOTES

ABBREVIATIONS: CA: Gower, Confessio Amantis; CM: Cursor mundi; CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; DBTEL: A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature, ed. Jeffrey; HS: Peter Comestor, Historia Scholastica, cited by book and chapter, followed by Patrologia Latina column in parentheses; K: Kalén-Ohlander edition; MED: Middle English Dictionary; NOAB: New Oxford Annotated Bible; OED: Oxford English Dictionary; OFP: Old French Paraphrase, British Library, MS Egerton 2710, cited by folio and column; Whiting: Whiting, Proverbs, Sentences, and Proverbial Phrases; York: York Plays, ed. Beadle. For other abbreviations, see Textual Notes.

7365–80 The deeply romantic nature of David’s lament, complete with swooning and weeping and wringing of hands, is set in place of David’s elegy given in 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 1:19–27. As Ohlander notes, David’s lament does not fit “with the ideal of the gallant knight,” forcing an anonymous duke to tell him to cease weeping like an old woman (line 7377–78) and to take his anger against their enemies instead: “The whole passage gives a good idea of how the writer has adapted the biblical narrative to his own time and its literary tastes and traditions. Carried away by the felicity of his colourful tale he starts the next stanza in the same popular vein. . . . Needless to say there is nothing of this in the Bible” nor in HS, though OFP 57a–57b contains the same account (with a baron in place of the duke); see “Old French Parallels,” p. 217.

7394 kyng by comyn crye. That is, king by the assent of the common people, or popular acclaim. David is thus doubly anointed: of God, and of the people he will rule. Notably absent from this ideal combination is force of arms, with David’s strength said to be the result of his kingship rather than the other way around. These conditions compare favorably to those presented by Gower in his work (see, especially, his In Praise of Peace).

7398 chefe of his chevalry. See note to line 7250.

7400 Aghaell and Abaghai. Asahel and Abishai are not named in the biblical narrative until 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 2:18.

7444 so wyght a stede. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 2:18 attributes Asahel’s speed not to his steed but to the man himself, calling him “a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.” Either the simile was too unrealistic for the poet’s taste or he simply took the opportunity to introduce yet another element of romantic knighthood to his story.

7445–48 When Abnare saw he sewed so sore / and to his hele wold take no hede . . . he suld gyf hym gold to mede. The Paraphrase-poet makes clear Abner’s concern for the younger warrior, who is taking no care for his own safety in rushing after the more veteran fighter. The details here are more personal than Abner’s reasoning in the Bible: “Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother” (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 2:22). Certainly here in the Paraphrase the sense one gets of Abner is of his chivalrous quality in trying to put off the unfair fight, even offering money to the younger man if he should stop (line 7448).

7559–60 Bot Abnare ay before / was honerd next hymselfe. This detail of the seating arrangements at the feast is not to be found in either the biblical source (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 3:20–21) or in HS (2 Reg. 5 [1327]), but it sets up the coming extrabiblical account of Joab’s envy.

7569 he suld be nare. Joab’s reason for anger is here given as envy: he thought that he was the closest man to David, only to learn that Abner had been given pride of place in his absence. In the Bible (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 3:27 and 30) his cause is specifically given as one of vengeance for his brother Asahel’s death at Abner’s hand. One might speculate that the poet is uncomfortable with David’s subsequent condemnation of Joab for Abner’s death — a condemnation that could be perceived as harsh given the somewhat just cause of fraternal piety.

7613 togh. K (5:89) glosses as “tough, ‘elaborate’ (tale),” noting derivation from OE toh. The MED reveals more nuance, however, listing the specific construction maken hit tough, meaning “to be arrogant or obstinate,” under tough adj.3b. Given the poet’s highlighting of Joab’s envy in this passage (see the explanatory note to line 7569, above), it is this more negative connotation that seems intended here.

7617–20 Bot als men may suppose . . . that he had forto lede. As one might expect, this aside regarding the real reason for Joab’s act — envy — is absent from the Bible, which twice gives his cause as one of simple vengeance for his brother. See the explanatory note to line 7569, above.

7681–7716 No such census is recorded in this location in the Bible or HS (2 Reg. 6 [1327–28]). It has been moved, apparently, from 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 24. Ohlander observes that “[t]he result of the census described here is with two exceptions the same as that in [OFP]. A slight difference is noticeable as regards Naphtali. In the [Paraphrase (lines 7705–06)] . . . that tribe is simply said to be innumerable, whereas [OFP 60c] reads ‘De Nephtalim mil princes a guerreier. / La gent qu’il meinent nuls nes pot acunter.’ In the [Paraphrase (lines 7709–11)] Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh number six hundred thousand altogether. The OF text says ‘cent vint mil’” (“Old French Parallels,” p. 218). The origin of the numbers provided is, in any case, unknown. The results of the census in both the Vulgate and Septuagint are an Israel numbering 800,000 able-bodied men, and a Judah of 500,000, while a retelling of the census in 1 Chronicles 21:1–6 gives the numbers as 1,100,000 and 470,000, respectively. No further numbers are provided in the Bible, and other potential sources provide no clues for the detailed accounting given here: on the census CM is silent, and Peter Riga’s Aurora and Comestor’s HS give no more than the biblical enumerations.

7693 lygh als levyn. K rightly notes this to be an epitheton ornans (5:55), a line-filling rhetorical epithet that perhaps owes something to the role of the Levites in the priesthood (though the precise connection is unclear). Alternatively, the phrase could be a description of the speed by which the Levites were counted, a usage that may be paralleled in the counting of the people of Zebulon in line 7703.

7741–54 The folke within . . . this sotelty . . . done in dyspytt. The story reported here is an expansion and explanation of the Jebusites’ boast to David in 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 5:6: “Thou shalt not come in hither unless thou take away the blind and the lame that say: David shall not come in hither.” This obscure reference has been subject to much interpretation, the one apparently known to the Paraphrase-poet relating ultimately to the explanation from Josephus (via HS), who explained that even the blind and lame could defend Jerusalem’s walls due to their excellent design. The Jebusites’ ruse, then, is that David’s army will see the blind and lame guarding the walls and despair at the confidence of the inhabitants.

7763–64 Tho that wore maysturs most / had takyn a towr for strengh. That the capture of Jerusalem occurred in two stages — first, the taking of the city itself and, second, the taking of a tower within the city where stalwart defenders had holed up — comes not from the Bible. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 5:6–8 presents the taking of Jerusalem in short fashion, with few details beyond the Jebusites’ boast involving blind men (see note to lines 7741–54, above), and the parallel account of the event in 1 Chronicles 11:4–6 is similarly sparse on details, though it adds in the fact of David’s challenge to his men (see note to lines 7769–88, below). The two-stage scenario may rather owe something to the commonplace of the tower of Sion within Jerusalem. See, for instance, Hali Meithhad, where this tower represents virginity; Millett notes that the description in that text of Sion as “a tower” (tur), follows “the traditional (though inadmissable) etymology of Sion as specula ‘watch-tower’” (Hali Meiþ-had, ed. Millett, p. 26n2/5). The image of Sion as Jerusalem’s tower, however, is no doubt older in origin. Vulgate Psalm 75:3 records that God’s “place” is in Salem, an early name for Jerusalem, while his “home” is Sion, and 1 Chronicles 11:5 comes close to a distinction between the city and the citadel within when it says that “David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David,” i.e., Jerusalem. The longest of Jerusalem’s hills, and the city’s highest point, is thus known as the Mount of Sion, itself able to function metaphorically as the “high tower” from which so much can be seen. Aside from such biblical exegesis, however, one wonders if these depictions of a tower within the city — especially as in the present case, where the tower represents the final stage of defense for the besieged city — owe much to the strands of history and legend surrounding the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. In that famous event, the city was indeed taken in stages, one of the hardest of which was the towerlike Fortress Antonia (see Siege of Jerusalem, ed. Livingston, pp. 4–5). Perhaps the 1099 siege of Jerusalem in the First Crusade might well be of note, too, since while the Romans took the city proper in one massive assault after the walls were breached, the Muslim governor was able to maintain control over the Tower of David, a medieval citadel, until he was granted free leave out of the city by the victorious crusaders.

7769–88 David’s challenge to his men comes not from 2 Kings (2 Samuel), but from the retelling of the event in 1 Chronicles 11:4–6, though the biblical challenge is for the first man to kill a Jebusite whereas here it is for the first man to enter the besieged tower.

7791 The folke then namyd yt David Towre. See note to lines 7763–64, above.

7835–36 A wyfe bare Absolon / and his suster Thamar. Absalom and Tamar are not mentioned in the list of children born to David in Jerusalem that appears at this point in the Bible (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 5:13–16; so, too, HS 2 Reg. 7 [1329]). Rather, Absalom is mentioned in the earlier list of children born to him in Hebron (3:2–5), briefly told here in lines 7499–7500, and Tamar is named first at 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 13:1, at the beginning of the lengthy sequence involving her and her brother Absalom and half-brother Amnon. Their appearance here in the course of the narrative is surely due to their prominent roles to come.

7917–20 This lesson wyll us lere: / non suld neght howled thyng / Bot thei that have power / grauntyd of Goddes gyfyng. The lesson is vaguely like that which Comestor attributes to Josephus: “Dicit Josephus eum percussum, quia tetigit arcam cum sacerdos non esset” (HS 2 Reg. 9 [1330]). The additional weight given to the exemplum, however, might well be appropriate to the late medieval struggles over the priesthood in the poet’s contemporary surrounds.

8030–36 The treatment of David’s messengers is one that is picked up in a number of contemporary poems, including Siege of Jerusalem (lines 357–74) and The Alliterative Morte Arthure (lines 2330–70).

8105 I wott full well. David does, indeed, know her loneliness full well, his statement a self-incrimination before the very man he has made a cuckold.

8114 his wyfe to glose. The use of the verb glosen here is interesting. The term typically means to gloss something (commonly a text) or to flatter a person, but the implication here is undoubtedly sexual, as if to beget a new meaning. David hopes that Uriah can glose Bathsheba, thus creating the illusion that David’s child is actually Uriah’s. This sexual allusion will remind readers of the several uses of the word in Chaucer, particularly the Wife of Bath’s statement about her fifth husband, that “So wel koude he me glose / Whan that he wolde han my bele chose” (CT III[D]509–10), where the implication is more of performance than mere flattery or coaxing.

8225–32 That David’s response to God’s announcement of punishment is to compose psalms is a detail recorded in neither the Bible at this point nor in HS. It does, as K notes (1:clxxxvii), match OFP 125c. Though there are three psalms that begin Miserere mei Deus (line 8225) — Vulgate Psalms 50, 55, and 56 — the specific psalm referred to here is no doubt the first of these, which is so often used in Church liturgy and music as to be referred to often as simply “the Miserere.” This psalm, the fourth of the so-called penitential psalms, has traditionally been tied to David’s confession of his sin with Bathsheba (see Vulgate Psalm 50:1), an association that appears in even the earliest Greek and Hebrew records and surely functions as the source for its incorporation into the narrative here.

8245–48 He dyde away his garmentes gud, / and in a seke he sett hym down. / He weped . . . and kest powder apon his crown. The specifics of David’s behavior are given in 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 12:16–20 as a refusal to change clothes and the undertaking of a solitary fast. The further details here — a casting away of garments in order to sit in sackcloth and ashes — are traditionally attributed to the scene as a result of the proverbial nature of such a penitential act (see, e.g., Daniel 9:3, Judith 4:15, and Esther 4:1).

8271 fawt of fode. As 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 12:26 relates, the vital lack is not that of food but of water.

8281–83 Anon, the kyng of Amonys . . . His crown. The crown, according to 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 12:30, is not from the head of Ammon but from the (presumably statuary) head of Milcom, the god of the Ammonites (see also 4 Kings [2 Kings] 11:5).

8333–34 Then wysed he all his men away / and bad them spere all as thei yede. That Amnon orders his men to bar the doors behind them as they leave, effectively locking him and his sister into his bedroom, is not biblical. The locking of the doors does, however, add a chilling precognition to Amnon’s plan: he expects that he will resort to rape — a fact confirmed by his awareness, in line 8361, that “all was sperd” for him to take her by force.

8343–60 The biblical account of Tamar’s reaction to Amnon’s desires (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 13:12–13) is substantially different. There, Tamar complains that it would be shameful for Amnon to rape her, especially when they can, as only half-siblings, rightfully marry (a practice only later forbidden it seems; see Leviticus 18:9). Tamar therefore suggests that Amnon present his suit to David. We get none of this in the Paraphrase, however, where the poet omits any chance whatsoever of a proper union between the half-siblings and instead presents a deeply frightened but nevertheless remarkably calm Tamar chastising Amnon in the manner of a preacher or confessor, advising him to throw the intent of his heart to Heaven, to ask God’s forgiveness for such evil thoughts. She says, too, that she would rather lose her inheritance and be exiled from her homeland than to have sex with him. Tamar’s simultaneous roles as victim and counselor, and her resolute determination to remain a virgin no matter the cost, no doubt owe much to hagiographical traditions, where such behavior is often the norm with many female saints and martyrs.

8393 So all this stryfe was haldyn styll. Following HS 2 Reg. 14 (1335), the Paraphrase-poet omits a substantial subtext to the biblical account of this story: David’s knowledge. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 13:21 makes clear that David learns about the rape almost immediately, yet he does nothing to punish Amnon. The poet, we might assume, is not satisfied with the rather soiled image of David thus painted, and so he falls silent on the question of David’s knowledge (indeed, he does not even indicate that David learns about the tragedy after Amnon’s murder).

8439 Jessor with the kyng of Cirre. That Talmai, king of Geshur, is also thereby king of Syria is an association not made at this point in the Bible or in HS. We later learn that Geshur is an Aramean kingdom (see 2 Kings [2 Samuel 15:8]), but not the identification of Aram with Syria.

8440 his syb man on his moyder syde. Absalom’s kinship with Talmai, the king of Geshur — Talmai is his grandfather through Absalom’s mother Maacah — is not mentioned at this point of the Bible but earlier, at 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 3:3.

8493–94 Then ware thei frendes fast, / the kyng and Absolon. According to 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 14:24 David ordered Joab to retrieve Absalom to Jerusalem and to “let him return into his house” but “let him not see my face.” While these biblical facts are followed in HS (2 Reg. 14 [1336]), the Paraphrase-poet again seems at pains to clear away any stain on David’s reputation in this sordid family affair.

8497–8504 DBTEL observes that of all the potential responses to Absalom and his life, medieval writers seem most preoccupied with his beauty; thus “Absalom’s name appears frequently in the interminable lists of Ubi sunt? poems, a popular poetic form emphasizing the transitoriness of life and the fragility of beauty” (p. 12). This concentration on Absalom’s physical appearance, especially his luxurious hair, led to Absalom becoming “a type of feminine beauty.” Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than in Chaucer’s Prologue to The Legend of Good Women (F.249, G.203), where Absalom is the first name listed in his balade cataloguing beautiful women (see also his characteri-zation of Absolon in The Miller’s Tale).

8501 Of twenty libri wegh was his hare. This weight corresponds to OFP 67d (“vint livres”), whereas both 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 14:26 and HS 2 Reg. 14 (1336) give the weight as two hundred shekels (Ohlander, “Old French Parallels,” p. 218). Two hundred shekels, according to Josephus (Jewish Antiquities 7.8.5), would equate to five pounds.

8507–08 and he ware oght greved, / then was he fell os fyre. In these two lines the poet alludes to the whole of 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 14:28–33, which describes how Absalom, after living two years in Jerusalem under a sort of house arrest (see note to lines 8493–94), summons Joab to argue his case before the king. When Joab twice fails to come to Absalom, Absalom orders his servants to set fire to Joab’s fields. The conflagration stirs Joab’s attention, and he at last manages to reconcile Absalom and David.

8517 be faur yeres ware past. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 15:7 reads forty years in the Hebrew and the Vulgate, whereas the Paraphrase follows the Septuagint and Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 7.9.1, in reading four years. HS 2 Reg. 15 (1337) notes the discrepancy, and Ohlander observes that OFP parallels the Paraphrase here, too (“Old French Parallels,” p. 218).

8546 knyght, swyer, knave, and page. There is, of course, no biblical parallel for such a list, which is clearly medieval.

8657–60 Bot aftur sone, os men may rede, / this grome . . . Be David dome . . . lost his lyf, yf yt ware late. Though David refuses to react to Shimei’s insults at this time, and he will later swear not to kill Shimei (see 2 Kings [2 Samuel] 19:18–23), his dying words, it seems, are to instruct his son and heir Solomon to at last be avenged upon him (see 3 Kings [1 Kings] 2:8–9, 36–46).

8687–88 That Natan told before / bud unto end be broght. Though HS 2 Reg. 16 (1338) does not make this association, the poet follows the tradition that identifies the “neighbor” of Nathan’s pronouncement in 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 12:11 as Absalom, whose family comes from a neighboring land (see Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 7.9.5).

8717 Take me ten thowsand men of myght. This does not match the number as given in the Bible or in HS, both of which record 12,000. A parallel can be found, as K notes (1:clxxxvii), in OFP; and Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 7.9.6 also puts the number at 10,000.

8783–84 Ne thei dowt no dele / for gune ne grett ingyne. The poet’s depiction of siege warfare is once again anachronistically medieval.

8787 Faur barons wuned ther besyde. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 17:27 gives three aides, naming all three. That there were four men, barons all, corresponds to OFP 70a (Ohlander, “Old French Parallels,” pp. 218–19).

8792 faur thowsand. The size of David’s army is not given in the Bible. The Paraphrase here fits with Josephus’ description of the size (Jewish Antiquities 7.10.1), but it conflicts with HS 2 Reg. 18 (1339), which reports that it is seven thousand strong. It is difficult to know whether this is firm evidence of the poet’s direct use of Josephus or simply a scribal error in which the numeral for four has been introduced by scribal eye-skip from line 8787.

8828 I hope thei held all that thei hette. A rare interjection on the part of the poet, who seems swept up in the narrative himself.

8849–50 The wynd heyved up his hare on hyght / so that yt cached into a tre. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 18:9 says only that Absalom’s head was caught in the branches of an oak, but the Paraphrase follows a very old tradition (see, e.g., Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 7.10.2), building on the description of Absalom in 14:26, that he was caught by his hair.

8851 His sted. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 18:9 places Absalom upon a mule, a detail supported by HS 2 Reg. 17 (1339). Both the Paraphrase and OFP (70c) place him upon the far more knightly horse (Ohlander, “Old French Parallels,” p. 219).

8859–60 He bede a boy fyfty schylyng / to sla hym. The payment is in accordance with OFP 70d (Ohlander, “Old French Parallels,” p. 219) and Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 7.10.2. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 18:11 places the price at “ten sicles [shekels] of silver and a belt.”

8879–80 And hedyd was Amon / for Thamar. The recollection of Absalom’s beheading of his half-brother for Tamar’s rape effectively sums up Absalom’s life.

8943 A bryg full wysly have thei wroyt. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 19:18 gives no impression of a bridge. Indeed, the Vulgate explicitly refers to David crossing a ford in the Jordan. The Septuagint refers to a ferry built by the Benjaminites that carries the king across the river. The Paraphrase here follows HS 2 Reg. 18 (1340), which is itself probably derived from Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 7.2, who describes a crossing made on a bridge of boats.

8971 Joab wold full fayn have hym aflayd. In 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 19:21 and HS 2 Reg. 18 it is Joab’s brother Abishai who desires to wreak vengeance upon Shimei; the alteration here might be the result of the poet’s efforts to simplify the biblical narrative by streamlining characters whenever possible.

9025–26 Syr Cyba, that I of ayre sayd, / was lord of Myfbosett land. Ohlander was the first to realize that the Paraphrase-poet is here guilty of “a remarkable confusion of persons” (“Old French Parallels,” p. 221). The present man, who rebels against David’s rule, is Sheba, the son of Bochri, a Benjaminite (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 20:1). The earlier man with whom the poet has mingled Sheba’s identity (first noted at line 2621) is Ziba, a man who was first a servant of Saul and later became the steward of Mephibosheth (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 9:2–13). The Bible is clear in delineating the identities of the two men, as are HS and OFP. The poet’s confusion is no doubt the result of their names being both very similar in Latin (Siba and Seba) and identical in Old French (Siba).

9137 A lady. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 20:16 identifies her as a “wise woman.”

9187 Natan the prophett. In both the Bible (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 21:1) and HS (2 Reg. 20 [1342]) David receives his answer directly from God. Whether the poet derives this unique detail from another unknown source, or makes the alteration for other reasons — perhaps to reinforce the necessity of the priesthood, for instance — is unknown.

9189 Duke Josue. Joshua first made contact with the people of Gibeon in Joshua 9:3–27.

9222 gud wone. 2 Kings [2 Samuel] 21:6–9 specifies that only seven of Saul’s male heirs were handed over to the Gibeonites, a detail repeated in HS.

9233–34 Diligam te, Domine, / this salme he sett and sayd yt fast. This is Vulgate Psalm 17. Both HS 2 Reg. 21 (1343) and OFP 74b provide the Latin title.

9258 fyfty milia rekynd ryght. This number is tenfold shy of both the Bible (2 Kings [2 Samuel] 24:9) and HS (2 Reg. 23 [1345]), both of which record 500,000. A parallel, as K notes once again (1:clxxxviii), is OFP.

9273–76 HS 2 Reg. 23 (1346) and OFP 75a both follow 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 24:13 in giving the choice between seven years of famine, three months of war, or three days of pestilence. The Paraphrase-poet has the choice between seven years of war, three years of famine, and three days of pestilence. I know of no source for this change.

9319–24 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 24:18 labels the site of David’s altar only as the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. HS 2 Reg. 23 (1346) follows Josephus (Jewish Antiquities 7.13.4) in making the further association of the site with the hill whereupon Abraham offered up his son Isaac. The final connection of the location with Mount Calvary is found in the French tradition; e.g., OFP 75b (Ohlander, “Old French Parallels,” pp. 221–22).

9337–9625 The poet subsumes the final events of David’s reign, which are told in the first chapters of 3 Kings (1 Kings) into his paraphrase of 2 Kings (2 Samuel). This makes a clear and logical sense, and actually follows the division of books in Josephus’ Jewish Antiquities 7–8, though whether the poet would have access to this fact is subject to question. See also the explanatory note to lines 9469–9618, below.

9386 Naomy. According to all known sources, this should be Benaiah the son of Joiada, as it is in OFP 76c.

9422 well that is named Wyon. That Gihon was a principal source of water for Jerusalem is a detail found in 2 Chronicles 32:30.

9469–9618 The death of David, in which he names his son Solomon as his sole heir and entrusts his care to the lords of the land, is greatly expanded from its biblical source, 3 Kings (1 Kings) 1–2. Both its displacement to the end of 2 Kings and its expansion to this very medieval, feudal setting, is in accordance with OFP (Ohlander, “Old French Parallels,” p. 222).

9611 Begynnyng, myddes, and ende. The poet clearly thinks of his presentation of the life of David as a narrative unit, a tale of the triumphs and woes of kingship.

SECOND BOOK OF KINGS (2 SAMUEL): TEXTUAL NOTES

Second Book Of Kings (2 Samuel)

by: Michael Livingston (Editor)

from: The Middle English Metrical Paraphrase of the Old Testament 2011

	LIBER SECUNDUS REGUM.
[DAVID KILLS THE MESSENGER WHO HAD KILLED SAUL (1:1–15)]
7325 7330 7335 7340 7345 7350 7355	611. In the Fyrst Boke of Kynges herd have we how Saul was fyrst crowned kyng, And how he dyed on Gylboy with his ost outrayd, old and yyng. Now in the Secund sall we see of David and of his doyng. In Cesilla then sojornd he, and of that werke wyst he nothyng. Tyll aftur, on the thryd day, then come a messynger, And swylke saws con he say that chaunged all his chere. 612. “Ser,” he sayd, “be mery, I rede, for gud thynges sall I tell thee. Kyng Saul thin enmy is dede; I saw hym sloyn and his suns thre.” Then David hert wex hevy as lede. He sayd, “How wott thou yt suld so be?” He sayd, “From Jews in the same sted; the certan seygne that sall thou see. Hymself he wold have slayn, so was he stede in nede. And for he had no mayn, he prayd me do that dede. 613. “I wyst hyt was his awn desyre; to beyre hym thrugh I was full bownne And have here that I have to hyre: hys bees of gold and his gud crownne. I wott thou sal be lord and syre and rewle the reme, both towre and town.” Then David loked on hym with yre and sayd, “Thou sall have waryson. He was enoynted kyng, that thou dyde swylke dyspytte.” Withowt more doyng hys hede he dyde of smytt.	(t-note) Gilboa defeated Ziklag deed knew; (t-note) Until afterwards such news did he tell his (David’s) mood be happy, I counsel [you] your slain; sons; (t-note) David’s heart grew; lead; (t-note) know place; (t-note) clear indication [of]; (t-note) placed in desperation because; strength deed knew it; own; (t-note) run him through; entirely ready what I earned as wages armlet; good know; sire; (t-note) rule the realm; (t-note) anger a reward an anointed so disparage head he did cut off
[DAVID MOURNS SAUL AND JONATHAN (1:16–27)]
7360 7365 7370 7375 7380	614. Full oft he syghtyd and sayd, “Alas!” that ever Kyng Saul suld ende so, Bot more for gentyll Jonatas. When he yt wyst, then was he woe, For trewer luf in werld ne was then ever was betwyx them two. Therfor slyke care in hert he has ne he wyst in werld what he myght do. He swouned, als he wold swelt, and weped and wrang his hend: Lang with swylke doyles he delt. No man myght hym amend 615. Tyll at the last a duke hym dyght to bryng his bale in bettur guyse. He says, “Yt is no semly syght men forto werke on swylke a wyse. Yt is well fayrrer forto fyght and venge us on our yll enmyse. So suld acord to ylka knyght; with wepyng sall never wrschepe ryse. Yt falys wemen of eld to wepe, when thei have wrang, And knyghtes to fyght in feld ther foys with fors to fang.”	he (David) sighed; (t-note) noble Jonathan knew [for certain] there was not; (t-note) such sorrow [that] he knows not as if; die; (see note) wept and wrung his hands; (t-note) sorrows he dealt cure made present his woe in a better manner; (t-note) in such a way much better evil enemies agree to each from weeping; honor befits old women field foes with force to catch; (t-note)
[DAVID ANOINTED KING OF JUDAH (2:1–4)]
7385 7390 7395 7400	616. Then sayd thei so on ylka syde and cachyd myrth so them amell. He trowed ther tayles in that tyde and prayd to God that He wold them tell Whore hym ware best to beld and byd. And Goddes prophett bad hym go dwell In Ebron, a cety long and wyd, with chosyn chylder of Israel. The kynred of Juda thor chose hym forto ther kyng All way well or wo to lyfe at his ledyng. 617. Now wex David a man of myght when he was kyng by comyn crye. The pure and rych he rewled ryght, aftur ther werkyng was worthy. Hys cosyn Joab, a gentyll knyt, made he chefe of his chevalry And next hym his two brether, that heyght Aghaell and Abaghai. Ay the eldyst of Ebrew held he of the most counsell, Qwyll all he trest for trew and wold not fayntly fayle.	between believed their tales Where it were best for him to live and remain; (t-note) Hebron, a city (t-note) kindred of Judah there; their; (t-note) weal or woe grew common assent; (see note) ruled fairly noble (see note) brothers, who were called Asahel and Abishai; (see note) Always Whom; trusted for loyalty fail for weakness
[ISHBOSHETH’S RIVAL CLAIM TO KINGSHIP (2:8–10)]
7405 7410 7415 7420 7425	618. We told before, and not full ferre, how Kyng Saul was feld in feyld. At home was left Duke Abnarre his land and his welth to weld So that none suld with maystry marre Ysboset, Saul sun unweld. He and that duke yll angerd arre that David so was broyght to beld. Thei hard how he was kyng of the kynred of Juda; That toyght them herd hethyng and kest betwen them twa 619. How thei myght turne all that entent, and thus thei ordand them omell: Thei sembled all to ther assent that with Saul ware wunt to dwell. That Ysbosett then have thei hent and made hym kyng of Israel; And forto marre so have thei ment Kyng David and his force to fell. When Joab herd of tho and of ther purpase playn, He and his breyther two grathed them thor agayn.	and not very far away; (t-note) killed on the battlefield; (t-note) Abner hold; (t-note) harm; (t-note) Ishbosheth, Saul’s helpless son comfort they thought a great shame debated; two among themselves assembled; their agreement wont summoned (t-note) to harm; intention (t-note) those prepared themselves against that
[JOAB AND ABNER FIGHT FOR THEIR KINGS (2:12–17)]
7430 7435 7440	620. Duke Joab hath for David heyght to feyght on feld and not to flee. Duke Abnarre says for Ysbotsett in batell sall he byde and bee. Bot both ther men, when thei ware mett, ware Ebrews and of on cuntree. Therfor to were wyll thei not lett tyll that thei wytt who sall wyn degré. Ful fersly then thei fyght. Bot to tell at the last: Abnare was put to flyght, and Joab fowled fast.	promised fight on the field; (t-note) remain and endure their war; go know fiercely (t-note) Joab [and his army] followed
[ABNER KILLS ASAHEL; THE FIGHT IS BROKEN OFF (2:18–3:5)]
7445 7450 7455 7460 7465 7470 7475 7480 7485 7490 7495 7500	621. And als thei persewede thore, ware mony dede withowtyn drede. Bot Aghaell was ay before, for thore hade he so wyght a stede. When Abnare saw he sewed so sore and to his hele wold take no hede, He prayd hym to persew no more, and he suld gyf hym gold to mede. Therfor he wold not lett, ne for his spekyng spare. And Abnare on hym sett and thrugh his brest hym bare. 622. When Joab saw that sory syght: his brother lyg dede on the land, Then dyde he all his mayn and myght to venge his ded with hert and hand. And by that was yt nere the nyght, and no tyme to be traveland. Duke Abanare toke a hyll on hyght and gatt a strengh in forto stand. And then for peyce he prayd to Joab and his men. “We werke all wrang,” he sayd. “That sall ye clerly kene. 623. “Joab,” he sayd, “full well I knaw a feller knyght may no man fynde. With Phylysteyns to fyght thee aw, and with paynyms that thei ben pynd. Bot we that lyf all by a law and all are Ebrews of on kynd Ylkon to bryng other a daw, we suld have God more in our mynd. Both cosyns and kynred ar sembled on ayder syde. The mo that thus ar dede, the more tene sall us be tyde. 624. “I prayd thi brother of peyce when he persewed me with envy. Bot for my saws he wold not sesse and fell so thrugh his awn foly. So myght fall the same messe thiself to suffur or perchaunce I. Therfor yt is fayrest forto sese, and ylk man kepe his cumpany.” Qwen Joab saw certayn he sayd reson and ryght, Hee turned his men agayn and rested thore that nyght. 625. Bot on the morn thei morwnd omell for folke that thei fand fallyn in feld. Thei beyred the body of Aghaell with all the wrschep that thei myght weld. When Kyng David herd how yt fell that Aghael was schent on feld, His tene in hert no tong myght tell, for he was all way hym to beld. Kyng David had in Ebron sex wyfes with hym to go, And sere suns: Absolon, Adony, and other moo.	pursued there ever in front of them strong a horse; (see note) pursued so hard; (see note) safety; heed asked for reward But for that; cease speaking pause beset bore [his spear] through his breast laying dead strength avenge his death traveling peace (t-note) realize; (t-note) (t-note) keener you ought pagans; be put to pain by one law one Each one; bring the other a day (kill) assembled on either sorrowful advice; cease own folly blow (t-note) each; (t-note) (t-note) mourned together (t-note) buried honor killed on the field grief comfort; (t-note) many sons: Absalom Adonijah
[ABNER TURNS AGAINST ISHBOSHETH (3:6–21)]
7505 7510 7515 7520 7525 7530 7535 7540 7545 7550 7555 7560	626. Sone aftur this then fell debate betwyx Ysboset and Abnare, For he had takyn a leman latt that with Saul before con fare. He sayd yt fell not for his astate to use wemen that with kynges ware. Abnare in hert then con hym hatt, that chalenged hym fore swylk a chare. He says, “Evyn als I broyght the folke to wun hym wyth, So sall I sett ther toyght and turne them to David.” 627. And sone unto the same entent letturs dyde he to wrytyng. And messyngers sone hath he sent unto David, of Juda kyng. He told hym holy how he ment under his bundom forto bryng All the Ebrews that with Saul went, fro Ysbosett, both old and yyng. Kyng David was full glade when thei told this tythyng, And sayd with sembland sade, “He sall have his askyng.” 628. And forto prove be reson ryfe yf he this purpasse wold persew, He sayd, “Send Mycoll, my fayrest wyfe, that homly is of hyd and hew. I luf hyr lely as my lyfe sen fyrst that I that cumly knew. Yf he do this to stynt all stryfe, then wyll I trest that all be trew.” The messyngers ar wentt to Abnare evyn agayn, And Mycoll sone was sent, and David then was fayn. 629. Abnare this forward wold fulfyll. full sone he gart togeydder call Lordes of the land, both lowd and styll, that oght myght govern, grett or small. He sayd, “Sers, tentes unto my skyll; the certan soth say yow I sall. I wott well yt is Goddes wyll that David be kyng of Ebrews all. The prophett Samuel sayd yt suld so be, And with hym wyll I dwell.” Thei say, “Ser, so wyll we. 630. “With hym to pase ware we prest, had we not bene at thi bydyng.” Then twenty barons of the best befor Kyng David con he bryng. A fyrm sewrty thore thei fest and made hym homage, old and yyng. So were all the twelfe kynredes kest with hym to hold and he ther kyng. Grett fest than mad he thore bycause of kynredes twelfe, Bot Abnare ay before was honerd next hymselfe.	Because he (Abner); woman recently did go; (t-note) He (Ishbosheth); estate (class); (t-note) hate; (t-note) such an action; (t-note) live with (be loyal to) their thoughts at once with that very intention completely; (t-note) governance; (t-note) young with a resolute countenance by ample reason Michal beautiful; skin and complexion; (t-note) loyally since at once glad pact caused to be called together publicly and privately; (t-note) anything; (t-note) attend to my counsel truth live were we eager; (t-note) firm surety there they established twelve tribes cast (t-note) feast then he made there ever before [everyone]; (see note)
[JOAB’S WRATH AGAINST ABNER (3:22–27)]
7565 7570 7575 7580 7585 7590 7595 7600 7605	631. When all was wele, thei went ther ways, ylkon to ther awn cuntré. Joab, the duke, was all ther days for errandes fare fro that cety. When he come and herd how men says of fest and grett solempnité, That purpas no thyng to hym pays: that Abnare suld so neghtbur be. He hoped he suld be nare unto the kyng all way. That mater wyll he marre in all that ever he may. 632. Fyrst he told unto the kyng, “That Abanare dose is all envy. He feynys frenschepe for nothyng bot for he wyll this land aspye How he may best hys ost in bryng so to persew thee prevely. And thou wyll trest to his tellyng, this land may so be lost therby.” The kyng wyst this was wrang; the case full well he knew, And sayd, “Wherever he gang, I trow Abnare be trew.” 633. When Joab wyst this wold not be, sone hath he soyght a sotell gyne. Fayr letturs sent he forto se with the best knyghtes of all his kyn And prayd Abnare that hast suld he to the kyng be lyve, for no thyng blyn, And speke with hym in specialté for bourdes that thei suld begyn. Abnare full sone assent to werke the kynges wyll. Wyghtly with them he went, that wold sped hym to spyll. 634. Then Joab con full grathly spye and wentt to feld hym forto kepe. He and his brother Abyghai welcumd hym with grett wrschepe. In consell thei cald hym in hy, ryght als thei for his wo wold wepe. Joab then spake full specialli and therwith wroyght hym wowndes depe. This was an evyll corde and wroyght with weked trayn. Alas that swylke a lord falsly suld be slayn!	each one; own these far from satisfies (t-note) close; (t-note) mar What; (t-note) pretends spy out army secretly If; trust in his speech goes trust Abner to be faithful cunning trick (t-note) haste; (t-note) at once; delay; (t-note) games immediately; (t-note) kill readily look out [for him] to attend to honor council; haste just as if they would weep for his woes individually plot; (t-note) wicked guile such
[DAVID CONDEMNS JOAB FOR KILLING ABNER (3:28–39)]
7610 7615 7620 7625 7630	635. So prevely his sword he drogh; the duke was dede thore sodanly. Kyng David hath full mekyll woght when he herd tell this trechery. Duke Joab made his tale full togh and sayd he had encheson why: “My brother Ayghel he slogh, and then I myght no wyn hym by.” Bot als men may suppose, he dyd yt more for drede The lordschep forto lose that he had forto lede. 636. The kyng is so with mornyng mett; hym gaynes nowder game ne glee. Unto the duke he dyd his dett: interyd hym in that same cyté. Then of this lesson wyll we let sen of this bale no bott may be, And say how fell of Ysbosett, te kyng of Israel cuntré. When he herd how men sayd that Duke Abnare was dede And trayturly betrayd, he was full wyll of rede.	much misery most arrogant tale; (see note) cause why he did it be no joy to him (see note) mourning afflicted duty; (t-note) buried cease since; sadness no remedy what befell (t-note)
[ISHBOSHETH BETRAYED AND KILLED (4:1–12)]
7635 7640 7645 7650 7655 7660 7665	637. Full grett mornyng he mad amang; so dyd all that then wore thore. Bot his lyfe lasted not aftur lang; swylke falshed was formeld therfore. To hym was wroyght als mekyll wrang as to Abnare or ellys more, Be two tyrandes and trayturs strang: of Bynjamyns both born thei wore, Rocab and Baana, as beyrs wyttenese the Boke. Thies ware the trayturs two that treson undertoke. 638. For none may bettur a man betray then he in whom his hert is trist, So prevey with the kyng war thei to com in and owt at ther lyst. Als he lay slepand on a day in place whore non bot thei yt wyst, His hed thei toke and bare away full mony myls or thei ware myst. Thei wend full well have done qwen thei this falshed fand. To Kyng David full sone thei offerd that presand. 639. With full grett gladnese thei hym grett and sone rehersed hym ther resown: “Ser, here the hede of Kyng Ysbosett that was thi foo in feld and town. Now lyfes there non thee forto lett.” He sayd, “Trayturs, full of tresown, Have ye no mynd how I hym mett that proferd me Kynges Saul crown? His hed I gart of schave, for he dyd that dyspyte. The same hyre sall ye have.” Ther hedes he gart of smytt.	mourning he made among [his people] were there due to such betrayals mentioned before; (t-note) much wrong tyrants Benjaminites Rechab and Baanah Because heart is entrusted; (t-note) privy; (t-note) desire; (t-note) knew were missed thought much good to have accomplished labored; (t-note) immediately present greeted (t-note) obstruct; (t-note) treated King Saul’s head I had cut off wage
[THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL SUBMIT TO DAVID (5:1–2)]
7670 7675 7680	640. Unto Kyng David than thei draw, lordes of ylka cuntré cleyne. And for ther kyng all thei hym knaw and makes hym homage all be dene. So was he lord of hegh and law that langed to the twelfe kynredes kene. Then loves he God, als he well aw, that so hath sett hym to be sene. And full grett sacrafyce to God thore con he make, And ylke man on ther wyse dyde the same for His sake.	every; entirely; (t-note) acknowledge; (t-note) forthwith high and low (i.e., everyone) belonged; (i.e., all Israel) ought; (t-note)
[THE CENSUS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH (24:1–9)]
7685 7690 7695 7700 7705 7710 7715	641. Sen that his enmys then ware ded that lyfand wold have done hym dere, And all ware sembled in that same stede, the kyng wyll wytt what folke thei are. He gart cownt of ylk kynred all that ware abyll armys to bere, And that hade force to fend thar hede and fals Phylysteyns forto fere. The kynred of Juda: sex thowsand and faur score, This was nowmer of tha that ware ay sett before. 642. Of the lyne of Levy, lygh als levyn, faur thowsand sevyn hunderth told. Of Benjamyn faur thowsand evyn, and then of Effraym elders old Were twenty thowsand styrd be stevyn, and aght hunderth of berns bold. Of Ysacar two hunderth to nevyn and twenty thowsand, wytt who wold. Sevyn thowsand of Symeon and one hunderth at hand. And sythyn of Zabulon lygh als ware fyfty thowsand. 643. Of Neptalim was so grett plenté, to nowmer them myght no man com. Of Aser faurty thowsand free, of Dan twenty and sevyn thowsand sum. Of Ruben, Gad, and Manasse, that ware wunnand beyond the flum, Sex hunderth thowsand had tho thre. Of all ther was a thryfty thrum. And ther ald and yeyng with wrschyp on ther wyse Raysed David to be kyng. then was he ordand thryse.	Because; (see note) harm place know how many people they are; (t-note) caused to be counted able to bear arms defend their head (leader) to frighten 6,080 those were ever lineage of Levi, quick as lightning; (see note) 4,700 altogether moved by speech 800 bold men to name whoever would know it then; quick also (t-note) manage; (t-note) 27,000 total dwelling; river (Jordan) flourishing body of people honor in their way ordained for a third time
[DAVID ANOINTED A THIRD TIME, ATTACKS JERUSALEM (5:3–6)]
7720 7725 7730 7735 7740	644. The fyrst tym was betwyx them two, the prophett Samuel and he, When God bad hym to Bedlem go, and David keped his fader fee. The secund was in Cecilla whore he wonned with his wyfes three. Thore come the kynred of Juda and made hym kyng of that cuntré. The thryd was now hymselfe in Ebron was made kyng Of all the kynredes twelfe that lyfyd to Goddes lykyng, 645. Qwylke comynly ware cald Cananews for Canan that thei dwelled in. And for Abraham thei ware Ebrews namyd with men, both more and myn. In Jerusalem then wonned Ghebesews, the fellest folke of Phylysteyn. And for thei ware so mekyll schrews, on them to were he wyll begyn. The men that thus ware mett and geydderd in grett rowte To that cyté ware sett and segyd yt all abowte.	(t-note) father’s flock Ziklag dwelled Who; Canaanites; (t-note) they lived in; (t-note) (i.e., all of them) lived Jebusites cruelest great villains; (t-note) war gathered in a great force besieged
[DAVID CAPTURES THE CITY OF JERUSALEM (5:6–8)]
7745 7750 7755 7760	646. The folke within, of felows fame, saw thei had no force to fyght. Thei toyght to gare them schon for schame; this sotelty sone have thei dyght: All the lepurs and all the lame and all the blynd that wantyd syght Apon the walles thei sett tho same and bad them crye holy on hyght: “David, that kyng is cald, for all thi brag and bost, This cety sall we hald fro thee and all thin ost.” 647. The kyng hard how the crepyls cryde and wyst yt was done in dyspytt. Therfor he wold no langer byde bot qwykly fand yt forto qwytt. Thei seged yt full sadly on ylka syde so that that cyté toke thei full tytte. Both man and page for all ther prid ther heddes full smartly thei of smytte. The kyng thus and his ost dystroyd both bred and lengh. Tho that wore maysturs most had takyn a towr for strengh.	infamous; (see note) thought to make them retreat subtlety immediately; made lepers those same [people] ordered; in loud voices army cripples cried out knew; despite wait besieged; resolutely very quickly boy heads very promptly they cut off army width and length (see note) tower (citadel) for strength
[DAVID CHALLENGES HIS MEN (1 CHRONICLES 11:6)]
7765 7770 7775 7780 7785	648. When thei had thus that cety wun and broyght yt all under ther bale, Unto the towre thei have begun to sett and sadly yt asale. Kyng David sayd what moder sun that enturs fyrst withoutyn fale, Als most frendly he sal be fun and most cheve of the kynges consale. When Duke Joab con here the kyng gaf this decré, He wold non were so nere of his consell os he. 649. Therfor he dyd his myght and mayn that wrschep to hymself at wyn. He cast no perels ne no payn tyll he that towr was enturd in. And hastely he hath them slayn; that boldnes gart his gamys begyn. For so he was sett as soverayn of all the kynges men, more and myn, And most chefe of conselys, whore so thei gang or ryde, And ordenare of batellys to buske or ellys to abyde.	won their authority beset; resolutely assail it; (t-note) mother’s son (i.e., whoever); (see note); (t-note) held most in friendship most chief; council did hear (t-note) would have none be so near strength and effort honor shunned no perils nor; (t-note) caused his pleasure to be achieved (t-note) more and less (i.e., all of them) counselors wherever director hurry; wait
[JERUSALEM RENAMED (5:9–10)]
7790 7795 7800 7805 7810	650. Sen that place was ther best socour, to byd thore ware thei not to blame. The folke then namyd yt David Towre, and to this day yt beyrs that name. So was the kyng sett in honour and over all namyd of nobyll fame. Phylesteyns that war styfe in stowre, in this tyme thei war mad full tame And flemed fro that cyté, and Ebrews thor ordand. The kyng bad yt suld be chefe cyté of that land. 651. Thos lordes then ther levys hath tane when he was sett as soveran syre. For hym to noye then was ther none bot fals Phylysteyns, fell ose fyre. Amang all other was ther on, Aram, that was kyng of Tyre; Of syder wod had he gud wone. And that was Kyng David desyre Forto make howse in hast his Ebrews in to abyd, For that cyté was wast sere tyms befor that tyde.	haven live there were the Tower of David; (see note) bears were hard in battle driven away set themselves their leaves have taken trouble cruel as fire one [leader] Hiram; (t-note) cedar wood; plenty; (t-note) live many times
[HIRAM OF TYRE’S OFFERING TO DAVID; DAVID’S CHILDREN (5:11–16)]
7815 7820 7825 7830 7835	652. When Aram, kyng of Tyre, herd tell Kyng David in so grett degré, And that he dyght hym forto dwell in Jerusalem, that grett ceté, Grett syder treyse fast gart he fell, and bad that wryghtes bown suld be And the best masons them omel at wend to Canan cuntré. “Sekys to the kyng,” he sayd, “and werkes what he wyll bede.” Kyng David was well payd, for of swylke had he nede. 653. Then made he walles full mekyll of myght with nobyll towrs and turettes by And barrys bune with yrn and dyght forto eschew all yll enmy. Then mad he halles and howses on heyght for lordes and lades in to ly With selers semly unto syght pavyd and paynted with ymagry. Of wyfes he had gud wone, that with hym wonnand ware. A wyfe bare Absolon and his suster Thamar.	desired cedar trees did he chop down; (t-note) wrights conscripted together with them; (t-note) that would go Seek order very glad such [men] very great in strength bars [on gates] bound with iron; (t-note) wicked enemies to sleep in cellars plenty; (t-note) were dwelling Absalom; (see note); (t-note) Tamar
[PHILISTINE ATTACKS (5:17–25)]
7840 7845 7850 7855 7860 7865 7870 7875 7880 7885 7890 7895	654. Now hath Kyng David power playn of Ebrews in ylk cuntree. Bot Phylysteyns ware no thyng fayn that he suld goverand swylke degré. Thei sembled men with all ther mayn to sege Jerusalem cyté. Bot os God wold, sone was sum slayn, and sum also ware fayn to flee. That toyght them grett dyspyte; therfor thei wold not blyne. Thei gatt mo folke full tytt and new were con begyne. 655. Thei geydderd full grett cumpany that cyté oft sythys to assayle. Kyng David wold not feygh forthi or he of God had sum consayle Whether he suld have the vyctory and bettur byd in that batell. God warnd hym then full wyttly by a sygne that he suld not fayle. God bad he suld take tent and on the evynyng-tyd Lay his men in buschement under a forest syde: 656. “On the morn then sall ye fynd this tokyn trew that I yow tell. When the wod wages withoutyn wynd, wend thou then be lyve; no langer dwell. Your enmys sall ye bette and bynd and make them flee over fyrth and fell. Thei sal be lorn that levys behynd, and maystry leve thi men omell.” Os God demed, David dyde. His men sone he arayde. And all to hym betyd, als God Hymself had sayd. 657. When thei to batell bremly breyst, Phylysteyns ware full fayn to flee. The kyng with his folke foled fast and putt them down, full grett plenté. With ther pursewyt so ar thei past to Gessore, that was ther cyté. That thei conquerd and down yt cast and gat gret gud of gold and fee. Thei wan thor welth enogh, that wold to tresour tent. Hamward then thei drogh and stroyd ever as thei wentt. 658. The godes of gold that thei gat thore, that ware made for ther mawmentry, Kyng David toke them to tresour and forto menske God Allmighty. So fals Phylysteyns wasted wore that thei myght make no more maystry. Kyng David wex ay more and more with wrschep, als he was worthy. God wroyght for hym allway and made hym mekyll in price. And he honerd God ay with suyt and sacrafyce.	in no way glad (t-note) their strength; (t-note) besiege at once were some slain happy tarry very quickly war did begin many times fight at that point before perform advised; wisely take heed in the evening ambush forest shakes go; quickly; (t-note) beat field and forest killed who are left among happened fiercely broke; (t-note) very desirous followed pursuit Gazer goods; livestock won there withdrew themselves won there idolatry (t-note) honor were grew ever honor great in glory always submission
[DAVID FETCHES THE ARK OF GOD (6:1–5)]
7900 7905	659. Then toke he purpase forto ta into Jerusalem cyté The Arke of gold fra Gabatha and sett yt up in grett degré. Thryty milia gart he ga with sang and grett solempnité Withoutyn prestes and dekyns ma that abowt yt agh to be. All maner of mynstralsy was ordand for this thyng, And full fayre cumpany went before with the kyng.	take; (t-note) Gibeah 30,000 caused he to go song Beyond the priests and other deacons around it ought occasion
[UZZAH TOUCHES THE ARK AND IS STRUCK DOWN (6:6–8)]
7910 7915 7920	660. All loved thei God both loud and styll that His Arke suld lend in ther land. The Arke, als thei went down a hyll, for als yt suld be falland. On Osay went with full gud wyll to hald yt up layd on his hand. Sone sodan ded was sent hym tyll, for he therfor was not ordand. This lesson wyll us lere: non suld neght howled thyng Bot thei that have power grauntyd of Goddes gyfyng.	outwardly and inwardly remain seemed as if it would be falling Uzzah; good intention hold it up At once sudden death for that was not ordained learn; (see note) no one should approach a hallowed
[THE ARK IN JERUSALEM (6:12–15, 17–19)]
7925 7930	661. To Jerusalem that Arke is broyght with prelettes and with prophettes of price. A tabernakyll therto was wroyght, als well os werkemen cowd avyse. On ylka syde therto thei soyght with sense and solempne sacrafyce. Als thei had God Hymself thei toyght; so fayn was ylkon on ther wyse. Kyng David was full glad that hym was sent swylke seyle; Gud hope in hert he hade that God dyd ever ylk dele.	prelates; renown built manage incense As if; thought joyful was each one in their ways such good fortune part
[DAVID’S PROPOSAL TO BUILD A TEMPLE DENIED (7:1–29)]
7935 7940 7945 7950 7955 7960 7965	662. And because he swylke wrschep wan and gat to govern swylke degré, To honer God, yf that he can, in all his myght ymagyns hee. He told to the prophett Nathan that he wold make of ston and tree A chyrch that was cald tempyls then whorein the Arke of God myght be, That folke may call and knell to be assoiled of ther syn. Tho prophett prayssed hym well swylke gud werke to begyn. 663. Bot aftur, os I understode, God cald unto hym on a nyght, “David, my servand myld of mode, a howse to Me sall thou non dyght, Bycause thi handes ar full of blod of thos that thou hath feld in fyght. I thanke thee that thi wyll is gud, and therfor sall thou reyng be ryght. And aftur thee thin hayre, that sal be Salamon, He sall make well and fayre my howse of tree and ston.” 664. The prophett sayd the kyng certayn, als God had told hym under teld. Then was Kyng David ferly fayn that his heyre suld his welthis weld. He honerd God with all his mayn that hym had broyght unto swylke beld And mad hym kyng with power playn fro hyrd that keped fee in feld. He governd ald and yyng allway by consell clere; So lyfyd he in lykyng in myrth full mony a yere.	such honor won imagines called a temple at that time kneel; (t-note) forgiven That (t-note) him (i.e., Nathan) cheer not build killed in battle reign; (t-note) your heir Solomon just as; under [his] tent marvelously glad heir; wield his wealth strength such comfort from a shepherd who kept the flock in the field (t-note) (t-note)
[DAVID’S GOOD RULE; HIS KINDNESS TO JONATHAN’S SON (8:15; 9:1–13)]
7970 7975 7980 7985 7990	665. Kyng David both be nyght and days full dewly demys of ylka dede. For on poynt was he worthy to prayse: that he wold herkyn and take hede In ryght and reverence them to arase that helped hym when he had nede. For Jonatas waytt he allways yf any sewtt ware of his sede, For whyls he lyfed in land, his luf myght nothyng lett. A sun of his thei fand that heygh Mifibosett. 666. This Mifebozett was of age, bot mayned and halt was he. Kyng David putt hym into perage of bacheler, os aght to be. In Jerusalem a certayn stage was made for hym and his meneye. He held wyght men for ther wage to serve hym in sere degré. His steward con he make Cyba, that soveran was; All for his fader sake, gentyll Jonatas.	duly judges every deed one listen raise up Jonathan he watched always offspring were; seed cease found who was called Mephibosheth crippled and lame peerage bachelor, as it ought; (t-note) place company strong various means Ziba; (t-note) father’s
[HANUN BECOMES KING OF THE AMMONITES (10:1–2)]
7995 8000 8005 8010 8015	667. When this was done sone aftur this a duke, that David trysted apon, Heyght Naas, kyng of Amonys, and had an heyre, that heyght Anon. The fader was wytty and wyse, bot sythyn the sun was fon a fown. Kyng David held hym mekyll of price evyn as his awn son Absolon. Sone when he herd of this that Kyng Naas was dede, He sent wysmen of his the chyld to wysch and rede. 668. He bad them tell hym how he wold mayntein hym with all his myght And the same frendchep with hym hold that he had to his fader hyght. The messyngers, herdy and bold, to wend this way thei war full wyght. And to the yyng kyng have thei told ther resons all; thei rehershed ryght How Kyng David had sayd his frenschepe suld not faylle. The princes ware not payd and cald the kyng in consayle.	immediately trusted; (t-note) Called Nahash; Ammonites heir; Hanun clever; (t-note) afterwards; found [to be] a fool held him in much worth dead guide; counsel instructed (t-note) assured satisfied into private council
[THE TREATMENT OF DAVID’S MESSENGERS (10:3–5)]
8020 8025 8030 8035 8040	669. Thei say, “Ser, beware and wytty; this is the falshed of thi foo. Thies lordans comys thi land to spy and wayte how thei may werke thee wo. Therfor, ser, sett nothyng therby, bot sen thou sees that yt is so, Lett us waytt them sum velany and send them furth wher thei com fro.” The kyng was yyng of eld, that was sone aftur sene. He lost his bygest beld, and so yt turned to tene. 670. Be this consell the kynges meneye this messyngers both bett and band And cutt ther cloghes up at the the, als foles wer served in that land; Sythyn mad ther berdes half-chavyn be and the other half styll to stand And send them so to ther cuntré and bad thei suld go tell thythand. Yf Kyng David for this be wroth, no wonnder yt ys, To see so mekyll of mys agayns his grett gudnes.	falsehood of your foe little lords come determine since inflict [on] young in maturity revealed greatest protector grief company these; beat and bound; (see note) their clothes up to the thigh as fools were presented; (t-note) Then caused their beards half-shaven to be thus the news offense
[DAVID RAISES ARMS AGAINST HANUN (10:6–19)]
8045 8050 8055 8060	671. He bad them venge this velany that under hym had his power. Joab, his steward stalworthy, sayd yt suld be boyght full dere. And his brother Abbysay sembled folk from sydes sere Anon, the kyng of Amonys, and his cuntré forto conquere. When Kyng Anon herd say of Joab entent that tyd, His folke he gart aray in batell hym to abyd. 672. Duke Joab furth his folke he led unto thei come in Amonys cuntré. He stroyd and brent all that was bred and nawder spared folke ne fee. And als sone os thei batell bed to loke who suld the bettur bee, Phylysteyns full fast thei fled and toke to Rabatt, thare ryche cyté. That cyté was so strong with guns and other geyre, Fro thei that force myght fang, thei dowtt no dedes of were.	avenge returned in full measure Abishai gathered; many at that time caused to be arrayed; (t-note) until they came destroyed and burned; abroad spared neither people nor livestock offered battle Rabbah, their; (t-note) ballistae; equipment [of war] feared no deeds of war
[DAVID FALLS INTO ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA (11:1–5)]
8065 8070 8075 8080 8085	673. Duke Joab dyght hym forto dwell and wyn that cyté, yf he myght. And in this meyntyme that I tell, Kyng David rewled hym all unryght. In awowtry fowle he fell with Ury wyf, that was his knyght. Swylke medyturs was mad omell that with hym was scho all nyght. Dame Barsabé scho hatt, that was tane under teld. Ser Urré at Rabat lay forto fyght in feld. 674. Sone on the morn Dame Barsabé supposed to be with chyld in hy. And costom was in that cuntré: whoso was tan in avowtry Suld be stoned in the same cyté. Therfor scho past full prevely And prayd the kyng hertly that he suld ordan therfor remedy. The kyng sayd, “Dred thee noyght. Thor sall no folke thee fyle.” Sone then he hym betoyght of a full wekyd wyle.	ruled himself; (t-note) foul adultery Uriah’s; (t-note) Such mediation was made between [them] Bathsheba she was called taken under tent Sir Uriah on the battlefield; (t-note) (t-note) learned at once that she was with child taken in adultery heartily (t-note) defile devised very wicked trick
[DAVID PLOTS TO BRING URIAH AND BATHSHEBA TOGETHER (11:6–13)]
8090 8095 8100 8105 8110 8115 8120	675. He thynkes in his awn entent how he suld fell all fowle defame. Aftur Ser Urré hath he sent and bad that he suld hast hym hame. And in this message hath he ment so forto scheld the wyfe fro schame. Fro he with hyr alon ware lent, of that barne suld he bere the blame. Syr Urré hast hym sone and com the kyng untyll. He wyst not what was done and askyd what was his wyll. 676. The kyng says, “Full fayn wold I fele how frendes faryn sen thei ferd us fro, And for thin awn sake, ser, sum dele that thou may rest a day or two. Thi wyfe thynkes lang, I wott full well; therfor to hyr I red thou go And make hyr solace for your sele. Yt is semly that thou do so.” Syr Urry sayd not nay, bot furth he wendys his ways, And all that nyght he lay within the kynges palys. 677. Sone on the morn the kyng beheld he was not gone his wyfe to glose, And askyd hym why he wold not yeld chere to his wyfe sen he had chose. The knyght sayd he suld byde no beld, ne be uncled of cotte ne hose, Whyls all his felows lay in feld to wyn wrschep or lyfes lose. The kyng saw his for-toyght myght nothyng stand in stede. A lettur be lyve he wroyght, qwylke sayd he suld be dede.	own intention do away with all foul rumor homeward intended Because child should he bear hastened himself immediately unto; (t-note) knew; (t-note) gladly would I learn fared since they fared from us some part know; (see note); (t-note) advise your own sake advisable went palace copulate with; (see note) give comfort; since he had chosen it abide no comfort nor be unclad of tunic nor in the field honor or lose their lives; (t-note) forethought quickly which
[DAVID SENDS URIAH TO HIS DEATH IN BATTLE (11:14–17)]
8125 8130 8135 8140 8145	678. That lettur he toke the knyght untyll and sayd, “Ser, sen thou wyll not rest, Unto Duke Joab bere this byll, as man on lyve that I lufe best, And byd hym faythfully yt fulfyll.” The knyght knew not his ded was kest, Bot furth he yode with full gud wyll; to plese Joab was he full prest. That boke to hym he bede and bad hym serve yt sone. When Joab had yt rede, he saw what suld be done. 679. And on the morn maystrys he mays als he Phylysteyns wold fere. Syr Urré sett he in swylke place whore he wyst thei suld do hym dere. And sone away fro hym he gays. Then thei within were wyse of were And sees that he no help hays; thrugh the body thei con hym bere. Thus was he saklese slayn, that shaply under scheld. The kyng therfor was fayn his wyf that he myght weld.	(t-note) letter death was established; (t-note) went carried terrify such a place knew they would do him harm goes wise of war (i.e., veteran soldiers) has in innocence; (t-note) fit man with a shield glad use
[DAVID MARRIES BATHSHEBA (11:27)]
8150 8155 8160	680. He wedyd hyr with mekyll wyn and mad hyr to be crowned qwene: All forto cover that cursyd syn that thei had done them two betwen, For the grett state God sett hym in mad hym kyng with crown clene. To greyve hym thus he con begyne, and that was on hymselfe sene. God toke not sone vengiance, bot fyrst he wyll assay Yf he with repentance wyll mend whyls he may.	much joy (t-note) (t-note) did revealed on himself immediate determine
[GOD SENDS NATHAN TO TEST AND REBUKE DAVID (12:1–15)]
8165 8170 8175 8180 8185 8190 8195 8200 8205 8210 8215 8220	681. The prophett Natan sone he sent to Jerusalem, that ryche cyté. Als God wold, wyghly he wentt both to Kyng David and Barsabé. “Ser kyng,” he says, “sen God hath lentt that thou sall deme in ylke degré, A thyng that falys to thi jugment am I comyn forto aske of thee. Als the partys hath prayd, so sall I say thee sone. And ser, when I have sayd, os thou demys, sal be done. 682. “A myghty man and mekyll drede wuned heyr besyd down in a dale. His catell was so wyd spred that of them cowth he not tale. A pure man was besyd hym sted that had no catell, grett ne small, Owt takyn a schep that he had fed upon a lamb with corne and cale. This rych man mad a fest at home in his awn hall And sloght the pure mans best to glad his gestes with all. 683. “This question that I of thee crave how this rych man is worthy mede.” The kyng sayd, “Ser, so God me save, this thynke me ryght to rede: I deme thus that the pure man have fowr for on for his nede; And the rych man that so wold rave to suffer ded for that same dede.” The prophett sayd, “Certan, to be so best yt semyd. This dome ys noyght in vayn; thin awn ded hath thou demed, 684. “Bycawse thou gart kyll thi knyght — so semly er full seldom sawyn — And haldes his wyf agayns the ryght because your syns suld not be knawn, And hath enow both day and nyght lades and lemmans of thin awn. A sodan deth suld on thee lyght, bot God has bedyn yt be withdrawn. And thus therfor sall fall, os I sall say on one, On of thin awn suns sall defowle thi wyfes ylk on. 685. “And that same sun sal be slyke, thrugh helpe and myght of other mo, To cache thee owt of thi kyngryke and make thee fayn to fle therfro. And that ylke chyld that now is like to be broyght furth betwyx yow two Dede with his strengh sall sone yt stryke that gain therof thou sall forgo. This harme hath God thee hyght forto be sent unsoyght, For thou dyssaved thi knyght that to thee trespast noyght.	(t-note) desired it to be, promptly since judge falls parties have asked as you judge, so shall it much feared lived near here make count dwelling Except for cabbage feast slaughtered; (t-note) gladden his guests (t-note) rewarded advise judge four to one death Certainly judgment your own death did such seemly [men] are very seldom seen enough lovers of your own ought on you alight desired that it be at once One of your own sons every one killed (t-note) kingship glad to flee very Death; soon; (t-note) promised undesired defrauded
[DAVID COMPOSES THE MISERERE (VULGATE PSALM 50:1)]
8225 8230	686. “And other baylys abyd thee bus bot thou to God fast cry and call.” When the kyng herd yt bus be thus, down on the grownd flatt con he fall And made Miserere mei Deus with other psalmys, sum grett, sum small, Qwylke ar now evydence to us at say to God that goverans all Forgyfnes forto geyte, yf we in care be cast, Als David dyd pennance grett and prayd to God full fast.	punishments must await you heard that it must “Have mercy on me, O God”; (see note) Which who say [them] In order to get forgiveness distress
[DAVID’S SORROW FOR HIS CHILD (12:16–23)]
8235 8240 8245 8250 8255	687. Sone aftur then by cowrse of kynd, when Barsabé delyvered was, A fayrer fode myght no man fynd of hyd ne hew then scho now has. Kyng David was then mery in mynd, bot aftur sone he sayd alas, When that he saw the chyld was pynd with payns of dede and myght not pase. Bot in his hert he toyght that he to God wold pray And mowrn all that he moght to mend yt, yf he may. 688. He dyde away his garmentes gud, and in a seke he sett hym down. He weped als he wold be wod and kest powder apon his crown. Be sex days wold he fang no fode for spech of bacheler ne barown. Ther myght no myrth amend his mode to tyme the barne to bere was bown. On the sevynt day, als swyth as the chyld lyf was ende, He bad all men be blyth sen mowrnyng made no mende.	nature (t-note) more beautiful child skin nor complexion afflicted mortal pains; live thought; (t-note) he could manage (see note) sackcloth as if he would go mad ashes For; take no food baron; (t-note) cheer; (t-note) until; child to bier was taken as swiftly; (t-note) child’s life
[BIRTH OF SOLOMON (12:24–25)]
8260 8265	689. Of David sonnes before sayd we. The first of all that hight Amon, A semely man in sight to se, and the secund hight Absalon. Now gate he anothre of Barsabee, and he was named Salamon: As wyse a man in his degree as ever God layd life upon. As Absalon was fair, so was Salamon wyse And after his fadir hair and kyng pereles of price.	(t-note) those was called Amnon beautiful Absalom begat Solomon heir unequaled in worth
[JOAB DEFEATS RABBAH FOR DAVID (12:26–31)]
8270 8275 8280 8285 8290	690. In all this tyme Duke Joab lay the cyté of Rabaat forto wyn. For fawt of fode thei fell down fay, Phylysteyns that ware within. When Duke Joab saw certayn day that thei thare fro suld nedly twyn, Hee sent to Kyng David forto say that himself suld com and begyn. Heyrof well payd was he, and ydder he wendes on one. Thei wan sun that cyté and gatt ther welth grett wone. 691. Anon, the kyng of Amonys, was thore owtrad and al to shent. His crown that was of grett price Kyng David has on his hed hent. The lordschepes that abowt hym lyse and burghes brode be lyve ware brent. And when all was wrogh on this wyse, to Jerusalem with joy thei wentt. The kyng made all men glade with grett gyftes or thei gang. Grett joy in hert he had, bot yt last not lang.	(i.e., beseiged) lack of food; dead; (see note) necessarily leave [the city]; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) rewarded won soon in great amounts Ammon; (see note) defeated; destroyed worth placed; (t-note) (t-note) towns; quickly were burnt wrought before they departed
[TAMAR RAPED BY AMNON (13:1–19)]
8295 8300 8305 8310 8315 8320 8325 8330 8335 8340 8345 8350 8355 8360 8365 8370 8375	692. He had a doyghtur his hert was on, heygh Thamar, os I told beforne. Scho was systur to Absolon; thei both ware of a moyder born. Hyr eldest brother, that heygh Amon, he mad mornyng myday and morn. And fowle he began to fon to have hyr lufe, or els to be lorn. Hyre on so con he thynke, and for he durst not say, He myght not ette ne drynke bot peryst and wast away. 693. A servant that was to hym nere and most of all his counsels knew, He saw his maystur make yll chere and oft sythys chaunged his hyd and hew. He sayd, “Ser, tell unto me heyre what thyng thee noys now of new. Full gud legians I sall thee lere, or ellys trest never that I be trew.” He sayd, “Thus evyll I fare, and bot I sped, I spyll, My systur, fayr Thamar, bot I hyr weld at wyll.” 694. “A ser,” he sayd, “Take myrth omell and for this ded be not adred. Feyn yow seke ose so befell, and say thou may not pase thi bed. The kyng, thi fader, when he heyrys tell, wyll come to se how thou ert sted. Pray hym Thomar may with thee dwell, for of hyr lyst thee best be fed. Full sone he wyll thee graunt or thou thi myrthes myst. And so thou sall hyr hawnt and luf evyn os thou lyst.” 695. Thys purpase was well to his pay, and sone all this was was done in ded. So Thamar was comyn on a day hyr brother frendly forto fede. Then wysed he all his men away and bad them spere all as thei yede. And to his systur con he say: “My ded ys dyght withoutyn dred. No bettur boyt may be, bot thou this grace wyll gyfe: To werke my wyll with thee, I may no langer lyfe. 696. “We ar heyr in our howse at hame, and non sall wytt this, I warrand.” When Thamar hard, hyr hert was tame, and for ferd tremled fotte and hand. Scho sayd, “Brother, lett be for schame and for wreth of God all-weldand. Well leuer me ware of lyfe be lame and lordschep lose and lefe this land. No more this mote thou nevyn, that sory and synfull ys, Bot heyve thi hert to Hevyn and aske God forgyfnes. 697. “And have in mynd, dere brother Amone, how men wold marvell, both more and myn, To here thou suld so fowly fon: thi systur forto seke with syn. Grett vengians wold be tan theron both with the kyng and our kyn. For wyst my brother Absolon, full mekyll wo yt wold begyn.” Amon wyst all was sperd; hyr sawys he sett not by. Fowle with hyr he ferd and forst hyr felously. 698. The maydyn was full maysed and mate, bot of hyr bale no butt may be. Son os a hownd he con hyr hatte and sayd he wold not on hyr see. That scho suld go wyghtly hyr gate owt of his hows then commawnd he. Scho prayd of leve tyll yt ware latte that scho myght pase in preveté. For spech he wold not spare, no lenger suffer hyr lend. Evyll hurled hed and hare; sore wepand con scho wend.	(t-note) named Tamar; (t-note) one mother Amnon; (t-note) mourning sinfully; plan love; lost; (t-note) On this because he dared; (t-note) eat perished and wasted; (t-note) (t-note) times; complexion here troubles allegiance; promise unless I succeed, I die use together deed; fearful Pretend you are sick leave hears tell [of this] are in an ill plight from her you desire most to be At once visit pleased plan; liking (t-note) (t-note) ordered; (see note) lock everything as they went death is near without doubt cure here; (t-note) know of this, I promise heard; faint; (see note) fear [she] trembled stop this almighty I would rather in life may you mention heave (t-note) everywhere sinfully behave seek vengeance; taken (t-note) If knew much woe prepared advice; naught Sinfully; dealt [with her] forced her wickedly; (t-note) dazed and dejected misery; comfort As soon as a dog; hate look (i.e., quickly leave) secrecy her to remain (t-note) weeping; leave
[ABSALOM AVENGES TAMAR (13:20–36)]
8380 8385 8390 8395 8400 8405 8410 8415 8420 8425 8430 8435	699. So went scho furth with mekyll wo tyll Absolon, hyr brother, hall. And when he saw hyr gretand go, he had ferly what suld befall. “Systur,” he sayd, “how ys it so? Who hath thee greved, grett or small?” — “My brother Amon and no mo.” Then how betyde scho told hym all. No mervell was to mene yf he in mynd ware mevyd. Bot sembland non was sene in hert how he was greved. 700. Thamar thus tuke he hym tyll and made hyr myrth with all his mayn. He leytte Amon have all his wyll os he had noyght wyst of the trayn. So all this stryfe was haldyn styll unto two yeres was past playn. And then als end comys of all yll, befell in the seson certayn That men suld clype ther schepe, and whore ther catell lendes Suld ylk man take kepe ther for to fest ther frendes. 701. Fell Absolon for this same thyng ordand a grett mangery. He bad therto his fader the kyng, bot he excused hym skylfully. He bad hym take both old and yyng of his breyther to be hym by, And frendes, als fallys for swylke doyng. And als he demed, he dyd in hy. He bad his brother Amon to se how frendes suld fare. The ded ay thynkes he on that was done to Thamar. 702. The fest was ordand fayr and fyne and purvayd in ylk poynt perfyt. Sone Absolon sayd unto his hyne how Amon had done hym dyspytt, “When ye se hym well dronkyn of wyne, his hed then smertly ye of smytt. For he mysded to me and myne, now sall I fand yt forto qwytt.” Thei dyd als he commawnd, and sone was Amon slayn. So for fowle luf in land ar men oft put to payn. 703. His brether, when thei saw this syght, and all his frendes ware fowle afrayd. To Jerusalem thei went full wyght and told how Amon was betrayd. Kyng David, qwen this dole was dyght, “Alas, both ware my suns,” he sayd, “Bot Absolon by reson ryght sall dere aby this byttur brayd.” He mornyd and mad grett mone for both thoo brether sake. So dyd his frendes ylkon and wered weked wrake.	much woe into Absalom[’s], her brother[’s] grieving; (t-note) what had happened It is no surprise moved [to action] outward sign; seen strength as if; no knowledge; betrayal kept quiet; (see note) until two years clip their sheep where their (t-note) feast their friends It happened arranged; banquet; (t-note) He (i.e., David) brothers befit haste deed always (t-note) servants harm drunk you must swiftly cut off; (t-note) repay Thus for foul love (t-note) brothers quickly (t-note) (t-note) dearly atone for; evil those; (t-note) prepared wicked vengeance; (t-note)
[ABSALOM FLEES TO GESHUR; JOAB BRINGS HIM BACK (13:37–14:24)]
8440 8445 8450 8455 8460 8465 8470 8475 8480 8485 8490 8495	704. Then Absolon was fayn to fle and sojornnd for certan tyde In Jessor with the kyng of Cirre, his syb man on his moyder syde. And thore he bod by yeres thre his fader frenschep to abyd. Then Joab toyght asay wold he to make acord, all harmys to hyd. He soyght a sotell gyn and ordand of this thyng: A woman suld begyn forto carpe with the kyng. 705. He gart a lady go and grette and ryve hyr hare full rewfully. Scho fell before the kynges fette, and “Mercy, lord!” lowd con scho cry. He sayd, “My help heyr I thee hette; tell unto me thi harmys in hy.” “A mercy, lord, my bale thou bete, for dred of thi law lorn am I. I had two suns certayn; both ware full fayr of face. On hath that other slayn as thei playd in a place. 706. “My sun that dyd yt con hym withdraw to wyldernese, full wyll of wone, For men says that he sall by law be turment, and he may be tone, And suffer ded; this is thar saw that makes me morne and make this mone. That ware to me a weked thraw, ther I had two, forto have none. Therfor this grace me gyfe sen thou all sydes may save. Say that my sun sall lyfe, I kepe noyght els to crave.” 707. The kyng in hert then had pety. He comforth hyr that men myght here. “Dame, thi sun sall lyf,” says he. “Therfor of mornyng mend thi chere.” Then yt was solace to see. Scho sayd, “Ser kyng, with crown clere, Sen thou hath grawnt mercy to me, graunt thi sun on the same manere. Sen myn sall mercy have and grace on ground to gang, Thin awn sun bot thou save, men wyll deme thou dose wrang.” 708. Kyng David to this tale toke hede. he wyst well what this woman ment, And that yt was Duke Joab dede, and therfor aftur hym sone he sent. He bad that he suld go gud sped and tell to Absolon his entent Forto com home and have no dred. The messeg wyghtly is he went. Then ware thei frendes fast, the kyng and Absolon. So was tho plenyng past for the ded of Amon.	Geshur; Syria; (see note) kinsman; (see note) dwelled await thought he would try subtle guile speak caused tear her hair feet here; assure; (t-note) relieve forlorn (t-note) (t-note) completely without hope; (t-note) be tortured; taken death mourn evil time since pity Since walk (i.e., to live) own son unless deem you do wrong; (t-note) (see note) mourning passed death
[ON ABSALOM’S BEAUTY (14:25–33)]
8500 8505	709. Of Absolon is ferly fare to fynd how fayr he was to syght, And of his makyng mekyll mare; he past all other men in myght. Of twenty libri wegh was his hare that he had on his hed on heyght. And als clerkes con yt declare, like to gold wyre so was it bryght. To no maystrys he meved whyls men dyd his desyre, Bot and he ware oght greved, then was he fell os fyre.	(see note) (t-note) pounds weight; (see note) he stirred up no violence But if; in any way grieved; (see note) fierce as fire; (t-note)
[ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY (15:1–9)]
8510 8515 8520 8525 8530	710. He hath geydderd of gold and fee for hym and mony other moo, And therof gafe he grett plenté and mad them frendes that ware his foo, That soverance of that same cyté and other cetys sere also. And the most of the kynges meneye ware wylly with hym forto go. So be faur yeres ware past, he had so wysly wroght: All folke ware with hym fast and to his socour soght. 711. So when he wyst both old and yyng wold holly at his ledyng lende, He asked leve at his lord the kyng unto Ebron forto wende His sacrafyce thor forto bryng, als he had heyght with hert and hende. The kyng sayd, “Sun, in my blessyng.” Bot of his cast nothyng he kend. Of charys and chyvalry grett plenté war purvayde, And furth he wendes in hy tyll Ebron, als he sayd.	gathered very generously foes rulers; (t-note) many company willing; (t-note) Thus by [the time that]; (see note) bound completely; (t-note) Hebron to journey promised Son, [go] with; (t-note) treacherous plan he knew nothing; (t-note) chariots and horses were provided goes in haste
[ABSALOM’S REVOLT AND DAVID’S FLIGHT (15:10–16:14)]
8535 8540 8545 8550 8555 8560 8565 8570 8575 8580 8585 8590 8595 8600 8605 8610 8615 8620 8625 8630 8635 8640 8645 8650 8655 8660	712. Cytes and towns, when thei herd tell that Absolon so was assent, At home them lyst no langer dwell, bot with hym holy ar thei went. And mervell had thei them omell what thyng he had in his entent. Bot his cheve counsell, Archyttofell, ther wyst no mo men what he ment. When he come in Ebron, whor hym lyked best to be, He gart tho men ylkon to hymself make sewrté. 713. Thei ware full bown to his bedyng, both knyght, swyer, knave, and page. Thei honerd hym over all thyng and sett hym up in certan stage. Then all the cuntré, old and yyng, com to hym and made homage And heyght to hald hym for ther kyng and werke his wyll withoutyn wage. When all ware same assent and mad sewrty certayn, Then told he his entent and all his purpase playn. 714. “Sers,” he sayd, “Sene ye deme me to be kyng and were the crown, Your land and yow well sall I yeme and maynten yow in all reson. My fader ys fayrest forto fleme, or yf he byde, to bryng hym down.” Thei say, “Ser, sertes so wyll yt seme; to make this bargan ar we bown.” This was a curssed cummand his fader forto spyll. And yett feyll foyles he fand that falshed to fulfyll. 715. Then Kyng David herd tythyng tell that his awn sun with sytt hym soght, And how that fals Archytofell, his counsellar, was with hym broyght. He ordand sone his men omell to remeve in all that thei moght. He sayd, “We be ded and we dwell; I knaw so wele ther wekyd toyght. And yf thei here us toke or seged this ceté, Then war over latte to loke to qwylke syd we suld flee.” 716. He bad the byschop Abyathar and his wyfes with drere mode And other clerkes that with them ware in ther sere state als thei stude To dwell ther styll for any care, to kepe the Arke of God full gud, And send hym word ay how thei fare unto the flome or beyond the flode. Ten wyfes with other frendes thor leves he sojorand so. And furth then with hym wendes sex hunderth and no moo. 717. Als he went apon a heght hyll, he saw the cyté and burghis by, Qwylke he was wunt at weld at wyll and was dyssavyd fro sodanly. Then loved he God with stevyn full styll and sayd, “This wo am I worthy.” So come a man mornand hym tyll, that cosyn was and heyght Cusy. Kyng David sayd, “I trest to thee that thou be trew. Full fayn I wold thou frayst yf that thou may remewe 718. “Archytofell, that fals is ay, oute of the counsell of my sun. He is abowt both nyght and day to werke that we in bale ware bun.” Then Cusy says, “I sall asay, for all this falshed hath he fun.” And with this word he went his way to the ceté ward, as he was wun. This mater sal be ment more furth, als yt befell; Bot how Kyng David went is fyrst now forto tell. 719. Sone on the morn with David mett fro the same cyté on Cyba, Was stewerd to Mifbosett, that was the sun of Jonatha. Both bred and wyn furth has he fett, a presand to that pepyll and ma. David asked sone, when thei ware sett, “How farys our frend that thou com fra?” He says, “Ser, sen thou went, he is abowt to bryng Sere folke to his assent and says he wyll be kyng.” 720. Kyng David says, “Sertes, that ware schame; thou wott well he may do no dede. For he is lytyll, and he is lame and nothyng lyke a land to lede. Me thynke that boy is forto blame; therfor sone sall I spyll his spede. Syba, thou sall have that same that I gaf hym when he had nede.” Then Syba went agayn; in hert he was full glade And toke all power playn that Myfbosett hade. 721. Kyng David cowd no comforth ken bot cayred furth with his cumpany. A grett mysdoer mett hym then, Kyng Saul cosyn Semey. He werred David and all his men and spytt on hym dyspytfully And stones kest and fowles fene and oft sythys sayd apon hym “Fy!” Knyghtes com fast hym to kyll, bot David bad them blyn. “I wott yt is Goddes wyll; I suffer yt for my syn. 722. “What mervel ys yt of this dede a hethyn hownd me forto hatte, Sen myn awn sun wyll have no dred me forto brew all this debate?” Bot aftur sone, os men may rede, this grome that greved hym in the gate Be David dome he had his mede and lost his lyf, yf yt ware late. In this tym Absolon, as kyng with playn power, Was comyn owt of Ebron to Jerusalem ryght nere.	determined [to go] desired completely curiosity they had all together Except for his chief; Ahithophel intended made those give allegiance prepared to [do] squire; (see note); (t-note) swore reward (t-note) Since you deem wear protect drive out remains certainly agreed (t-note) kill; (t-note) many fools he found; (t-note) betrayal news son with trouble (t-note) together if we remain thought (t-note) besieged; (t-note) Then would it be too late to look which side Abiathar dreary cheer priests bitter state safe always river concubines there he leaves 600 high towns accustomed to control defrauded of voice [Of] these woes mourning close friend; Hushai trust glad I would [be if] you try move who is ever false try committed (t-note) towards the city told (t-note) one [man named] Ziba Mephibosheth; (t-note) Jonathan; (t-note) (t-note) more; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) Many For certain know soon; end his success (t-note) command traveled misdoer Shimei; (t-note) cursed chicken shit; (t-note) many times stop surprise dog; hate own son soon after; read; (see note) fellow; road By David’s judgment; reward
[HUSHAI DEFEATS AHITHOPHEL’S COUNSEL (16:15–17:23)]
8665 8670 8675 8680 8685 8690 8695 8700 8705 8710 8715 8720 8725 8730 8735 8740 8745 8750 8755 8760 8765 8770	723. When thei ware in that cyté sett, Archytofell, that curssed knyght, He sayd, “Ser, and thou do thi dett, to David sall thou doles dyght; Gar all his wyfes furth fast be fette hym to reprove by reson ryght, And lyg by them — for no thyng lett — playnly in the pepyll syght. And therby sall thei wytt and be exempyll se That luf sall never be knytt betwyx thi fader and thee. 724. Yf any gabbers wold hym glose to say that he suld come agayn, By this syght sall thei well suppose that he sall never have myrth ne mayn. So sall he all his lordschep lose and forto flee farre be full fayn. Then of the chefe sall thou have chose that now ar to his bedyng bayn.” Full wo the wemen wore when he so wekydly wroght. That Natan told before bud unto end be broght. 725. Cusy com, Kyng David frend, to Absolon, os I sayd ayre. He haylsed hym with wordes hend and loved God fast for his welefare. Absolon asked what he mende and sayd, “Swylke spekyng suld thou spare. With David was thou wunt to wende, chefe of his counsell to declare.” He sayd, “Ser, so I was whyls he stud in degré; Now lyst me lett hym pase and lede my lyf with thee. 726. “I wott well yt is Godes wyll that thou be kyng with crown clere, And at all pepyll come thee untyll to serve thee in servyce sere. That forward wyll I fayn fulfyll with hert and hand, I hett thee here.” Absolon trowed of non yll and toke hym of his counsell nere. Cusy in cowrt sall dwell; ys non so grett to geysse All for Archytofell to make his lordschep lesse. 727. That wekyd man then went full wyght to Absolon and says his toyght: “Ser, thou sall have no rest ne ryght tyll David unto ded be broyght. Take me ten thowsand men of myght; we sall not sesse or he be soyght. We sall be nere this ylk nyght, and bot I take hym, trow me noyght.” Absolon says, “Sawyns fayle, a fayr profer thou mase.” Bot fyrst he asked counsell of Cusy in this case. 728. Cusy hath mynd both morn and noyne to helpe David in his nede. And wele he wyst, yf this ware done, he suld be dede withoutyn drede. To Absolon thus says he sone, “Ser, this spekyng may not spede; Ten thowsand folke wold be full fone into a fere land forto lede. Thi fader is wunt to fyght, and his folke er full fell. Ordand thou have more myght or thou of swylke maters mell. 729. “Send aftur all thi knyghtes kene and aftur keyn men of thi kyn, And wend thiself thore to be sene. Lett non other that wrschep wyn.” Archytofell herd how that thei mene that Cusy consell was cald in. In hert he had so mekyll teyne that langer he wold not byd ne blyn. Bot herd he con hym hy untyll his howse at hame. In anger and in envy he hanged hymself with schame. 730. On this wyse was the lordan lorn; we hope he hasted sone to Hell. And Cusy wentt sone on the morn to the Tempyll tythynges forto tell. Abyathar he fand hym beforn with mony mo mowrnand omell. He told all how he had hym born, that hanged was Archytofell. And he was of consell to byde at bed and borde. This tale fro tope to tale he told them ylka word. 731. “Werkes now,” he sayd, “by your wysdom that Kyng David may here in hy How I have ordand all and sum — I wott he wyl be fayn forthi — And byde hym flee beyond the flum for beldyng of his awn body. For Absolon his sun sall come agayns hym with grett cumpany.” Letturs be lyve thei sent; this sand was for ther sele. Wyse men so warly went; Kyng David wot ylk dele.	if; duty sorrows inflict Cause; fetched lie by them; delay know; (t-note) by reformed; (t-note) gossipmongers; flatter; (t-note) nor strength far be very glad the choice obedient (see note) Hushai came before greeted; courteous I desire to (t-note) that; unto; (t-note) various services agreement; gladly promise believed thought (t-note) death (see note) cease (t-note) unless; trust me not Without doubt; (t-note) you make midday quickly succeed too few; (t-note) far liable terrible [in might] See to it that you; (t-note) before; speak; (t-note) brave; (t-note) keen go; seen honor (t-note) anger wait or remain hard he did hasten himself home villain dead news among [them] (t-note) (t-note) beginning to end; (t-note) every hear at once glad therefore river protection against quickly message; good fortune knows each part
[DAVID’S ARMY DEFEATS ABSALOM (17:24–18:18)]
8775 8780 8785 8790 8795 8800 8805 8810 8815 8820 8825 8830 8835 8840 8845 8850 8855 8860 8865 8870 8875 8880	732. When David had the letturs rede, well comforth in his hert was he. Furth over the flum his folke he led to Manahym, a grett cyté. The folke that in that sted ware sted welcumd hym with mekyll glee. And all ther beld to hym thei bed to byd whore so hymself wold be. That cyté was walled so wele, ther myght no man yt myne. Ne thei dowt no dele for gune ne grett ingyne. 733. Kyng David thore with blyse con byde and had at wyll what so he wald. Faur barons wuned ther besyde that send hym vytell all unsald. Ther helpe fro hym thei wold not hyde, bot hertly hetes with hym to hold, So that he had to tell that tyde faur thowsand, that ware knytes cald. In this tyme Absolon had geydderd grett plenté Of knyghtes that cough theron his fader bayn to be. 734. Thei rested nawder day ne nyght to thei the flum ware passed playn. When thei had of that cyté a syght, whore David wuned, then ware thei fayn. Bot he wyst wele thei had no myght to towch hym, bot yf it wer with trayn. Therfor his men arays he ryght them forto mare with all his mayn. A parte to hymself toke he and unto Joab another, And the thryd he bad suld be to Abysay, Joab brother. 735. Full fayn he wold with them have went, bot sone thei sayd hym this myschefe: “Yf thou ware in ther handes hent, then had thei gam us all to greve. And, ser, yf sum of us be shent, the remland then may thou releve. Therfor yt is not our assent that thou owt of this cyté meve.” He thanked them oft sith that shewed ther luf so large. Bot he sayd, “Lordynges lith, of a thyng I yow charge. 736. “Yf grace fall, when ye have begun, that ye the vyctory may geyte, Loke ye save Absolon, my sun, that he be nawder bun ne bette.” Thei say, “And he in feld be fun, we sall full dewly do our dette. He sal be in no bandes bun.” I hope thei held all that thei hette! Joab with cumpany os principall furth past. His brother Abysay folod on full fast. 737. Absolon on that other syd come with his folke, fell os the fend. And with them was arayd to ryde Cusy, that was Kynges David frend. Then was no bote to byd abyde, bot ylkon shope other to shend. Of all ther tolyng in that tyd ware lang to tell bot loke the ende. When David men had slayn twenty milia and moo, The remland ware full fayn with lyfes ther way to go. 738. Absolon, when he saw that syght: how that his folke ware fayn to flee, Into a wod he rydes ryght; thor trowd he best beldyd to be. The wynd heyved up his hare on hyght so that yt cached into a tre. His sted went furth his way full wyght, and by the hare so hang he. Folke fowled hym to fere and fand hym in the fryd. Bot non durst do hym no dere for dred of Kyng David. 739. When Joab herd tell this tythyng how Absolon hang by the hare, He bede a boy fyfty schylyng to sla hym, or he farre fare. Bot no man durst do swylke a thyng for David dred, als I sayd ayre. Then Joab toyght yt hard hethyng and thrugh the body ther hym bare. Thus had this man myschaunce and for non other thyng Bot for myse-governance and unlefull lyfyng. 740. Sone Joab herkynd and beheld all his enmys away wore gone. To geydder his men agayn to beld bugyls gart he blaw gud wone. Unto his hand all con thei held. That body down then have thei toyn And beyred yt fayre in the feld and mad a hyll of mony a ston. Thus ended Absolon so dyd Archytofell, And hedyd was Amon for Thamar, so we tell.	Mahanaim place were in difficulty [and] welcomed; much their protection; gave stay where well undermine Nor need they fear a bit; (see note) ballista; siege engine bliss did await desired dwelled; (see note); (t-note) victuals for free Their heartily promised (t-note) knights; (see note) gathered until; river (t-note) dwelled; glad knew well unless; betrayal he arrays destroy; strength division Abishai gladly taken would cause; (t-note) killed remnant move often times; (t-note) love so freely Gentle lords; (t-note) If by grace it happens, once achieve neither bound nor beaten If he on the field is taken duly; duty shackles bound hold [to]; promise; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) followed fierce as the devil King David’s friend (t-note) planned the other to destroy their fighting; time [to] the end [of the battle] 20,000 remnant; glad; (t-note) to leave with their lives wood believed; protected; (t-note) hair aloft; (see note) quickly; (see note) followed; defeat; (t-note) found; forest; (t-note) harm fear news; (t-note) gave; shillings; (see note); (t-note) slay; (t-note) dared before thought it very scornful bore unloyal gather trumpets he caused; in abundance taken buried; field as beheaded; (see note)
[DAVID MOURNS ABSALOM (18:19–19:10)]
8885 8890 8895 8900 8905 8910 8915 8920 8925	741. When this batell was done ylk dele, Joab sent sone a messynger: Cusy, that lufed Kyng David well, was full mery to mend his chere. He told hym all fro hed to hele how that thies folke ware hale in fere. The kyng sayd, “Say me for my sele, ys my sun hole? That wold I here.” He sayd, “Ser, I wald byd thine enmys be tyd ylkon, Als thi sun is be tyd.” Then wyst he that he was sloyn. 742. He syghyd sore and sayd, “Alas! In werld is none so wyll of rede. The wurthest wyght that ever was this day with dole is done to ded. Wold God that I with payn myght pase and to be styked thor in his stede. Whoso my sun dyssayved hath sall dere aby that doylefull dede.” He drowped day and nyght with sorow sore and sad. No myrth amend hym myght; so wex he mased and made. 743. Duke Joab and Abysay, when God to them this grace had sent, Went home with ryall cumpany, and wele thei trawed in ther entent Forto be welcumd worthyly sen thei for the kynges wrschep went. Bot ever he drowped and was drery, and for thei wyst not what he ment, Thei ware full evyll apayd; and becawse of this tythyng Ylk on tyll other sayd, “He sall not be our kyng.” 744. When Joab wyst, he was full wo; be lyfe wentt whore the kyng lendes. “Ser kyng,” he says, “why dose thou so? Thiself full shamely thou shendes. Had thou lever the lyf of thi foo then the frenschep of all thi frendes? Bot yf thou gladly to them go, all this folk fast fro thee wendes. Lett thi kyndnese be kyd and make mery chere.” Att his cownsell he dyde; so ware all fayn in fere.	(t-note) beginning to end; (t-note) strong together; (t-note) happiness slain so helpless worthiest fellow sorrow; death die; (t-note) there in his place atone for; (t-note) (t-note) dazed and mad royal believed since; king’s honor had gone very much disconcerted quickly he went dishonor (injure); (t-note) Would you prefer shown joyous together
[DAVID RETURNS TO JERUSALEM IN VICTORY (19:11–43)]
8930 8935 8940 8945 8950 8955 8960 8965 8970 8975 8980 8985 8990 8995 9000 9005 9010 9015 9020	745. The gud byschop Abythiar and Sadoch, that wytty prest be name, Thei ordand clerkes that with them ware the Arke of God to kepe fro blame And also wysmen, non wold them mare, to kepe ther kyng when he comys hame. The kynred of Juda furth con fare; thei war the fyrst soght to that same. For thei fyrst made hym kyng at home in ther cuntré, Thei went fyrst furth to bryng hym to his awn cité. 746. Unto the flom have thei soyght, thousandes mo then neyn or ten. A bryg full wysly have thei wroyt for Kyng David and all his men. Furth over the flode thei have hym broyght, and for ther kyng all thei hym kene. Thei that before faverd hym noyght ware all full fayn to folow hym then. The kynred of Juda ware next in cumpany. Therfor full mony ma ware greved with grett envy. 747. Dukes, erlys, and knythys kene, that went with Absolon, his sun, When that thei wyst withoutyn wene Kyng David suld in welthis wun, Unto hym then thei come clene and bed in bandes to be bun And mendes make, als he wold meyne, for grevans that thei had begun. He forgaf all ther gylt, when that thei mercy craved. He wold that non ware spylt that wold themself be sayved. 748. So als thei ryde rychly arayd, sodanly that man thei mett, Semey, that had hym myssayd and stoned with stonys in the strette. He knelyd on knese and mercy prayd, and his frendes fell before ther fette. Joab wold full fayn have hym aflayd, bot the kyng sayd, “Hele I hym hete. Sen God forgyfes us tyll and rychly us releves, So sall we with gud wyll forgyf them that us greves.” 749. Furth in ther pase, als thei con passe, sone Mifbosett hath thei mett. He was the sun of Jonatas, that David lufed deuly be dett. In febyll wede arayd he was, and all his face with hare umsett. The kyng sone hym resond has yf any lede his lykyng lett: “Thou hath catell and corne unto thi bedyng broyght.” He sayd, “Lord, all ys lorn and me ys leved ryght noyght. 750. “Lord, my stewerd, ser Cyba, thou toke to me, as man most wyse; My lordschep hath he tane me fra, ay redy agayns me to ryse.” The kyng sayd, “Sen I see yt sa that he hath wun lordschep with lyyse, Yt sal be parted betwyx yow two to tyme that we may us avyse.” On knese then con he fall and sayd, “So wyll not he. Gud lord, lett hym have all, I wyll wende with thee.” 751. So went thei furth withoutyn more, all that ware to his bydyng bown, To Jerusalem, and when thei come thore, thei raysed hym up with grett renown. In his astate con thei hym restore to reyn os ryall kyng with crown. Folke of Juda ware ever before to forther hym in feld and town. His wo was waryschyd then and end mad of all, As the prophett Natan sayd that yt suld befall. 752. Unto the Tempyll then con he fare; grett sacrafyce thei have begun. Prestes and clerkes, that then ware thore, thei ware full fayn that he was fun. His ten wyfes, that I told of ayre, ordand he wrschypfully to wun. Bot with them wold he mell no mare bycause of Absolon his sun. Thus was he gettyn agayn and sesyd in his kyngdom. His frendes ware ferly fayn, bot enmys had he sum.	Zadok (t-note) care for (t-note) Because; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) river; (t-note) (t-note) bridge; (see note) acknowledge very glad more brave without doubt (t-note) asked in feudal obligation; bound amends; demand (t-note) (t-note) (see note) Life I promise him (t-note) path Miphibosheth; (t-note) loved truly dutifully poor clothes was covered (i.e., his beard was untrimmed) soon asked him; (t-note) man hindered his happiness grain taken away to me is left nothing (t-note) taken ever ready against lies; (t-note) until (t-note) bound (t-note) (t-note) reign relieved (t-note) joyful before honorably deal reinstated wondrously glad enemies
[SHEBA’S REVOLT AGAINST DAVID (20:1–26)]
9025 9030 9035 9040 9045 9050 9055 9060 9065 9070 9075 9080 9085 9090 9095 9100 9105 9110 9115 9120 9125 9130 9135 9140 9145 9150 9155 9160 9165	753. Syr Cyba, that I of ayre sayd, was lord of Myfbosett land. Full ryally he hym arayd and full grett felnes furth he fand. A grett geydderyng sone hath he grayd of Ebrews, that he had at hand. And felous poyntes hath he purvayd that David in strengh suld not stand. “Was he not Gesse sun and of Bedlem bredyng? Whore has his fader fun that he suld be kyng? 754. “Sat he not als a sympyll page on feld to fede his fader fee? And aftur when he come of age cayred abowt in sere cuntree? And sythyn in were for his wage wrogh mekyll woo, this wele wott we, Yf yt suld go by herytage, then am I neghbour nere then hee. Therfor I wold we wentt his forsce sone forto shend.” Thei sayd all, “We assent evyn as thou wyll to wende.” 755. Kyng David herd tell tythyng then how Cyba soght to do hym dere, And all on what wyse he began to gedder folke hym forto fere. He cald his cosyn Amasan, a duke that was full wyse of were. “Wende furth,” he sayd, “full wele thou can, to the folke that our frendes ere, The kynred of Juda, that ever wyll us releve, And say them how Cyba ys ordand us to greve. 756. “Bot loke thou be by thre days end with all thi men at me agayn That thou then with my men may wende to mare that traytur of his trayn.” Amasan wold no lenger lend; he soyght on ylk syd certayn Folke that he wyst was David frend; to fech them furth he was full fayn. In all that ever he moght that space he sped and spend, Bot agayn com he noght when thre days was ende. 757. The kyng toygh he dweltt full lang and dowt Cyba suld them schame. He bad Joab, his stewerd strang, take the knyghtes he had at hame Agayn Cyba fast forto gang: “Duke Amasan, he dose the same. When ye ar mett your men amang, gos both togeydder in Goddes name!” Duke Joab sone was dyght in all that he myght hy, And furth he rydes full ryght with full clene cumpany. 758. So in his way, as he was sett, Duke Amasan sone can he see With full fayr folke that he had fett and samned owt of sere cuntré. He toyght, “Bot I this lordschep lett the kyng sall prays hym more then me.” Therfor he menys, when thei ar mett, with sum debate his bane to be. Duke Amasan lyght down to com his cosyn untyll. Duke Joab mad hym bown his falshed to fulfyll. 759. In a fayr medew con thei mete. Joab fard all with faygyng fare. His sword owt of his sheth he lete, ryght os yt noyght his wytyng ware. To Amasan spake he wordes swete, and com als he suld kyse hym thare. He toke the sword up at his fette, and throgh the body so he hym bare. Two dughty dukes of dede so had he murtherd than, And all for erthly mede: Abnar and Amasan. 760. When folke fand this felous thyng, thei weped and had full mekyll wo. Duke Joab fenyd a fals lesyng and bad thei suld not sorow so: “He was traytur unto the kyng; and I was sent hym forto sloo. To beryall lett his men hym bryng, and hast we fast to fell our foo.” He gart a man of his hyde the cors owt of the way, So that men suld hym myse and make no more daray. 761. So went thei furth to seke Cyba and with ther forse to fell his pryd. Thei soght in towns to and fra and in cytys on ylka syde. In a cyté, that heygh Abelay, thore had he beld hym to abyd. For yt was wardyd and wallyd swa, thei dred no tene that myght betyde. Joab and his meneye to wyn yt ware in no dowt. Thei seged that ceté with bold men all abowt. 762. Thei sett a sawtt with gunys gud, with bowes and with alablawsters blend. The folk within sone faled fode and had no forse them to dyffend. A lady that was myld of mode thore in that same cyté con lend. Apon the walles yeply scho yode and carped to Joab, that scho kend: “Ser, thou suld with reson the kynges folke fend fro noe, And here thou makes thee bown with strengh them to dystroye, 763. “Forto dere thies here thou dwelles that suld maynteyn theym morne and none.” Joab takes tent how scho hym tellys, and to hyr thus says he sone: “Madame, to mare yow no man mellys. This is our wyll with wordes foyne: Forto noy Cyba and non ellys. Delyver hym us, then have we done.” That lady wysly wroyght; scho saw qwat suld befall. Weyle lese perell, hyr toyght, to lose oon then all. 764. A commyn consell cald scho tyte and told them holy as scho ment, And how Cyba was worthy to wyte of all the harme thei had thore hent. Smertly thei gart his hed of smytt, and unto Joab thei yt sent. Hee remeved then withowt respytt, and to Jerusalem sone he went. The kynred of Juda, that were ay frendes of old, Went whore thei com fro and wrogh whatever thei wold.	Sheba, whom I spoke of before; (see note) steward of Mephibosheth’s royally fierceness; (t-note) gathering; made wicked found feed; flocks traveled; many then in war we well know; (t-note) nearer power soon to destroy; (t-note) (t-note) desire to do news harm ways; (t-note) gather; defeat Amasa war Go (t-note) (t-note) harm; for his treachery (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) ready haste fetched assembled; various countries Unless; hinder intends dismounts (t-note) ready fared; flattery knowing; (t-note) (t-note) rewards (t-note) discovered this wicked much falsehood (t-note) slay; (t-note) burial; (t-note) caused [to] hide the corpse disturbance Abel(a) lodged; to dwell sorrow; occur beseiged began an assault; ballistae arbalesters mingled lacked food; (t-note) moderate of cheer; (see note) did live quickly she went called; knew (t-note) harm ready discomfort; (t-note) (t-note) takes heed harm; intends few destroy (t-note) Far less peril, she thought (t-note) immediately suffered; (t-note) off (t-note) retreated ever; (t-note) where; (t-note)
[FAMINE IN ISRAEL (21:1–14)]
9170 9175 9180 9185 9190 9195 9200 9205 9210 9215 9220 9225	765. Now is Kyng David broyght to rest and rewlys his reme with ryalté. He ordand all thyng at the best, os gud consell bad yt suld be. For hym and his court he kest gud servytours semly to see And for his land by est and west gud governers in sere degree. All folke ware fayn to plese and heyld unto his hand. Bot sone fell sodan dysese over all in his land. 766. Brede and wyn both wex so dere that sympyll men myght no socur gete. The pure perysched fare and nere both for defawt of drynke and mete. The kyng of God oft con inquere the cause of all that hungur grete. Natan the prophett con apere and sayd for forfaders forfett, “The gud Duke Josue heyght and ensured theron That peyse suld holdyn be with the folke of Gabaon. 767. “For he ensured them on swylke wyse, all ware thei folke Phylisteyn. He fended them from ther enmys, evyn als thei Ebrews had beyne. He sayd no man suld them surpryse agayns the trews tan them betwen. Kyng Saul savyd not that assyse; therfor now comys the hungur keyne. And, ser, it sall not sesse bot rayke abowt be ryght Tyll thei be sett in pese and mendes therfor be dyght.” 768. Kyng David, when he herd of this, sent fast for the folke of Gabaon And sayd, “Sers, I wyll mend all myse that ye wyll rekyn by reson.” “Syr Josue heyght for hym and his to send us pese in all seson, And Kyng Saul, the sun of Cys, with his batels he bare us down. That was noyght lafull thyng; therfor vengance we crave.” Therto answers the kyng, “What vengance wold ye have?” 769. Thei say, “Us nedes noyght of thi gud, ne of thi catell kepe we none. Bot that ar born of Saul blod, delyver us them ylk on.” When Kyng David this understud, thei soyght and sone gate gud wone. Tho folke, that were in wyll full wode, sessyd noyght tyll thei were sloyn. Ther cause then thei relessed and hyed them home agayn. And so the hungur sessyd, and then the folke ware fayn.	realm; (t-note) ordained (t-note) various submitted to sudden famine; (t-note) grew so rare poor; (t-note) food did beg (see note) Joshua; (see note) promised peace should be held Gibeon Philistines defended as [if] they had been Hebrews compact taken preserved; agreement sharp cease go made (t-note) troubles (t-note) goods those [who] are each one a good number; (see note) (t-note) (t-note) hasted
[WARS AGAINST THE PHILISTINES AND DAVID’S HYMN OF PRAISE (21:15–22:51)]
9230 9235 9240	770. Then in the Bybyll may men see the kyng was oft in careys kest. And sythyn when he had playn pawste and all his perels war over past, Diligam te, Domine, this salme he sett and sayd yt fast. That menes: “Lord, I sall luf thee lelly whyls my lyf may last.” With swylke prayers of price he honerde God ever more And with sere sacrafyce, os costom was then thore.	(t-note) troubles later; full power (see note), (t-note) psalm loyally many sacrifices
[DAVID’S CENSUS AND GOD’S PUNISHMENT (24:1–25)]
9245 9250 9255 9260 9265 9270 9275 9280 9285 9290 9295 9300 9305 9310 9315 9320 9325 9330 9335	771. Bot afturward he dyd a dede that was full grett for Goddes aw: To nowmber, when he had no nede, the folke of God agayns His law. For Moyses told, yf he toke hede, that no man suld the nowmber knaw Of Goddes folke for dowt and drede that God suld vengance schaw. For that law lett he noyght bot gart seke on ylka syd, Joab the nowmber broyght and told to hym that tyde. 772. He told hym of the kynred ten, that so many were sett in that syght: Aght hunderth milia feyghyng men that ware in armys wyse and wyght. Of the kynd of Juda myght he ken fyfty milia rekynd ryght; Of Levy ware non rekynd then, for thei ware no folke forto fyght. For orderd all ware thei unto the Tempyll at tent And for the pepyll at pray that thei no harme suld hent. 773. When this was done, the kyng sone knew that God was greved in this degree; That rekynyng suld hym full sore rew, and mercy oft sythys asked hee. Bot Gad, that was Goddes prophett trew, he sayd hym sone how yt suld bee, For he had nowmberd so on new. God bad he suld chese on of thre: Enmys on sydes sere sevyn yere to were allways, Or have hungur thre yere, or pestalence thre days. 774. Kyng David toyght here full herd chose, for all thei grathed folke unto grave. Full loth he was his land to lose, and fro hungur hymself myght he save. And ded, he wyst wele, wold not glose, ne take reward to knyght ne knave. And in God con he grace suppose; therfor ded asked he forto have. Sone on the morn was told amang the kynredes twelfe: The folke dyed so thyke fold that non myght other delve. 775. Kyng David in his towre con stand, and sone he saw a selcowth syght: An angell in the ayre fleand, that feld the folk withowtyn fyght. He hasted hym with hert and hand to save the cyté at all his myght. Full low he kneled down on that land, wheron he saw that angell lyght. He prayd to God of Hevyn to byd that vengance blyne, And sayd, with sympyll stevyn, “Lord, I dyd all this syne. 776. “The pepyll unto Thee trespast noyght that suffers ded thus sodanly. Bot I am he that wrang hath wroyght, and all this wo I am worthy. Let all the bale on me be broyght and spare them that ar not gylty.” Then God of Hevyn, os Hym gud toyght, gaf them grace and graunt mercy. He sent His prophett Gad to say what he suld do, And evyn os God hym bad, he told Kyng David to. 777. He sayd, “Thi myse forto amend God wyll that thou werke on this wyse: In the feld, wher the angell dyscend, thore sall thi ryghtwysnese upryse. Thou sall do make thore with thi hend an auter for prayers of price.” In the same place, ose clerkes have kend, made Abraham fyrst his sacrafyce. And sythyn in that same stede, as boke wytnese therby, Was Jesus done to dede and cald the Mownt of Calvery. 778. And in that same place fyrst was fun a tempyll folke in forto pray, For the qwylke Kyng David hath begun in ylka poynt forto purvay And sythyn Kyng Salamon, his sun, raysed yt up in ryght aray And was cald Tempyll of Salomon and yett is so, os we here say. Forther who likes to loke how all that werke was wroyght, Go to the Bybyll boke; thor may thei see unsoght.	take a census; (t-note) Because; hindered him not but [he] ten tribes; (t-note) 800,000 fighting strong tribe 50,000; (see note) counted attention; (t-note) suffer; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) ofttimes; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) choose one many; (see note) years to war against thought; hard; (t-note) brought people (t-note) death, he knew well; comfort; (t-note) death (i.e., pestilence) bury strange air flying killed; (t-note) (t-note) whereon; alight make; cease (t-note) (t-note) sins desires hand altar (see note) place books death founded (t-note) (t-note)
[DAVID GROWS OLD AND FRAIL (3 KINGS [1 KINGS] 1:1–4)]
9340 9345 9350 9355 9360 9365 9370	779. And for Kyng David had warnyng by sere exempyls forto see That Salamon his sun suld be kyng, on mony wyse hym warned hee To honer God over all thyng and to his bydyng bowsom be, And forto governd old and yyng ylkon dewly in ther degree, And sayd his lordes ylkon, fro tyme that he ware dede, To socour Salamon at stand furth in his sted. 780. Kyng David wex then all unweld, no wounder was withowtyn wene, For he was gone in full grett eld and bressed in batels ther he had bene. Of kynd was his compleccion keled, and cold come on hym wonder kene That in bed myght he have no beld for no kepyng with cloghes clene. Physissiens com hym tell be all the wytt thei wote That a yong damsell ware best to hald hym hote. 781. And sone unto that same entent to hym was soyght a madyn swete. On nyghtes he hyr in armis hent, and unto hym scho held gud hette. In that maner no myse thei ment, for unto myrth was he not mete. Bot lenger lyf was to hym lent and fuller forse fro face to fete. That byrd was not to blame, for fawt myght no folke fynd. Abysag was hyr name and comyn of gentyll kynd.	(see note) many signs (t-note) obedient everyone befitting their status dead help feeble; (t-note) doubt age injured nature; cold very sharp comfort (t-note) wisdom they knew girl keep him hot virgin held heat sin they intended (i.e., they did not have sex) inclined; (t-note) from [his] face to [his] feet girl Abishag
[ADONIJAH’S STRUGGLE TO BE HEIR (3 KINGS [1 KINGS] 1:5–53)]
9375 9380 9385 9390 9395 9400 9405 9410 9415 9420 9425 9430 9435 9440 9445 9450 9455 9460 9465	782. He had a sun, heygh Adonay, that fast begane a fowle debate. To his brother he had envy that he suld come to kynges astate. He chese to hym grett chevalry, qwylke he hoped wold his brother hate, And sayd to them, “Next hayr am I, for I am elder, all men wele wate.” Of his assent then war Duke Joab, that gentyll Jew, And the byschop Abyathar that David trest for trew. 783. Sadoc never to them assent, ne Natan, ne Naomy and other ma, Bot with Kyng David ay thei went; so dyd the kynred of Juda. Adonay to fulfyll his entent made a grett fest not fare ther fra, And all that of that mater ment war fayn unto that fest to ga. And thore assented thei all holy to this thyng, In all that ever thei may, that Adonay suld be kyng. 784. When Natan herd ther werkes wyld, he went belyve to Barsabé And sayd, “Thi sun sal be begylyd bot thou hym helpe by red of me. Go tell the kyng with wordes myld how Adonay ordance kyng to be And how he heyght unto thi chyld that non suld have the crown bot he.” Scho went and asked this bowne as woman full affrayd, And he come aftur sone unto the kyng and sayd. 785. He sayd, “Ser, is this with thi wyll that Adonay be kyng on dese? All yf thou wold that fare fulfyll, thou wot that God another chese.” The kyng lyked his lesson yll and sayd, “Go sone, no lenger sesse. Tak Salamon my sun yow tyll with all my knyghtes hym to encrese. Rydes throwgh this cyté and says with solempne crye That Salamon sal be kyng of all the Jury! 786. “Anoynt hym to that same entent at the well that is named Wyon. Then Adonay and his convent sall fynd how that thei fowly fon.” When Natan herd how that he ment, he mad no poyntyng ther apon, Bot aftur Sadok sone he sent forto anoynt kyng Salamon. Barons and knyghtes kene that of that cowrt ware kende And burgeys all be dene full sone war aftur send. 787. Thurghoute that cety solemply thei went with cumpany full clene. At ylke corner gart thei cry that Salamon suld kyng be sene. When tho that ete with Adonay herd nakers, trompes, and clarions keyne, Thei sent fast forto spyre and spy what all that melody myght be meyne. When Salamon was led and sett in the kynges stede, That feleschep fast fled for dred forto be dede. 788. Duke Joab then that fest forsoke and wyst wele that thei rudly rave. Abyathar, byschope with boke, was then set os a sympyll knave. And Adonay the Tempyll toke for sewrty so hymselfe to save. He held hym be the auter noke, for thor he hoped his hele to have. Salamon then he knew for his kyng and his lord And send fast to persew for frenschep and acorde. 789. He sayd he wold amendes make for that wrang that he had wroght. Then Salamon for Goddes sake sayd no vengance suld be soyght; Bot unto trews he con hym take be this assent that he suld noyght Wayte hym with more wrangwyse wrake, ne do hym dere in ded ne toyght. So Salamon was sett in cowrse, os kyng suld be, And all ware frendes mett, both his brether and he.	Adonijah quickly selected; knights heir know it well (t-note) (t-note) Zadok Nathan; Benaiah; others more; (see note); (t-note) ever feast not far there from; (t-note) glad; go; (t-note) completely quickly to Bathsheba unless; counsel plans at once (t-note) dais; (t-note) chose soon; delay Jews Gihon; (see note) company behave foully comment Solomon as king (t-note) straightway (t-note) those who ate; (t-note) drums; trumpets; sound look might reveal feast forsook wrongly (t-note) (t-note) protection altar’s nook health (i.e., life) Ambush; unjust vengeance harm in deed nor thought; (t-note) (t-note)
[DAVID’S DEATH (3 KINGS [1 KINGS] 2:1–12)]
9470 9475 9480 9485 9490 9495 9500 9505 9510 9515 9520 9525 9530 9535 9540 9545 9550 9555 9560 9565 9570 9575 9580 9585 9590 9595 9600 9605 9610 9615 9620	790. Kyng David then full clerly kend how that he chaunged hew and hyd. His messyngers full sone he send to cetys sere on ylka syd. The lordes that in his land can lend, he bad thei suld not blyn ne byd Bot hast to hym befor his end to here hym tell what suld be tyd. The messyngers ar gone this forward to fulfyll. And sone thei come ylkon and thus he told them tyll. 791. “Sers,” he sayd, “the suthe ye see: day of my ded begynys to draw. I have yow governyd in degree lely to lyf after your law, And ye have bene gud men to me and dewly done in dede and saw. Now wyll I consell here that ye luf ylkon other os ye aw. Yf ye be fast in fere, foyce sall ye fynd bot foyn. And yf ye sonder sere, sone sall ye be for done. 792. “With bandes of ded so am I bun that both me fayles flesch and bone. Ye sall have Salamon, my sun, to govern yow when I am gone. And as I have yow frendly fun, so, sers, beseke I yow ylkon That ye wyll with hym wend and wun so that he wax not wyll of wone. God hath ordand hym kyng, therfor I pray yow all To bow to his bedyng and com unto his call. 793. “He sal be wyse in werld allways dewly to deme of ever ylk dede, And peyse sall be in all his days; therfor to helpe hym, sers, take hede The Tempyll of God ryght forto raise, als I have layd the lenght and brede. I have ordand what so men says that of no thyng sall he have nede. Of metall, tre, and stone is purvayd grett plenté And werke men full gud wone to sett in sere degree. 794. “He sall fynd all ordand at onys so that no more nedes to be boyght: Gold enogh ryght for the noyns, and sylver sall he have unsoght. Besandes, pyrry, and prescius stonys ar plenté to that bygyng broyght; Swylke welth os sal be in that wonys ayre in this werld was never wroyght. Both wryghys and masons fyne therto have tane ther merkes And taylurs of engyne and joners gentyll of werkes.” 795. When he had warned them on this wyse and ordand all in gud degree, To God thei mad gret sacrafyce of bestes and gyftes full grett plenté. And Salamon, that prince of price, then sett thei in his fader see, And mad to hym sewt and servyce and homage, als yt aght to be. Kyng Salamon mad that day grett fest to folke in fere, And then thei went ther way and parted to placeys sere. 796. Then David in his bed con ly; he had no forse to flytt ther fro. He cald his sun to byde hym by and sayd to hym betwyx them two, “Sun, I sall wend heyn in hy the gate that all our elders go, Whor we sall have, both thei and I, als we ar worthy, wele or wo. The law that God hath lent loke thou never yt forsake, And trewly, sun, take tent His hows fayr forto make. 797. “Sen God wold noyght gyf leve to me at make His howse and have my med, Bot sayd thou suld the maker be and lely lyf His laws to lede, And I have ordand in all degré that specially the werke may spede, Layt no defawt be fun in thee forto make endyng of that dede. And fand forto socour thi men with all thi myght. Then wyll thei thee honowr and reverence in all ryght.” 798. Also, he sayd, “My sun, beware for Joab that with fals envy Slogh Amasan and Duke Abnar, the gentylest of all Jury, The fals byschope Abathyar, that forsoke me for Adonay. Take vengance, dere sun, when thou dare, of them and als of Symei That agayns me con com and dyd me grett dyspyte Before I past the flome. Fand thou yt forto qwyte! 799. “And, sun, loke thou that thi fayth be fyne to oon that I then fand my frend. That was the baron Bersylyne. When I in this land durst not lende, He maynteyned then both me and myne agayns my sun that wold me shend. And, sun, yf that he be ded sythyn, to the ayrs of hym loke thou be hend. When I was fled and flemed and all this myrth con myse, No socur to me semed bot only of hym and his. 800. “And hertly, sun, that thou thee hast to helpe all that of helpe has nede, So that thies wordes be not in wast that I have spokyn here for thi sped.” In bandes of ded then was he brast that unto Hele he toke no hede. So unto God he gaf the gast furt at His lykyng forto lede. For he of mercy ment and end in trawth trewly, We trow his sawle went unto clene cumpany. 801. Then the lordes and lades dere and all his meneye grett mornyng makes. For he was prince withoutyn peyre wher so he past in ylka place. God was ay hend hym forto here, for yf he spend of myse his space, He syghyd ever with sympyll chere tyll he had grauntyng of sum grace. Whyls he in lyf can lend, he ordan ylk thyng, Begynnyng, myddes, and ende, alon to Goddes lovyng. 802. A feller knyght was never before, ne that fro yre so sone wold slake, Ne never man gat so grett thressour as he geydderd for Goddes sake. Now of hym wyll we make no more; on mold he was withoutyn make. Of Salamon werkes how thei wore, sum sall we tell who sotent wyll take. And heyre our story twynes with the Secund Boke of Kynges, And the Thryd Boke heyre begynnys. God graunt us gud endyngys!	(see note) many cities wait; (t-note) hear; happen truth death loyally deed and word (t-note) love; ought; (t-note) strong together foes; few sunder apart defeated the bonds of death; bound; (t-note) I fail in both (t-note) found (t-note) live and dwell grows not dismayed judge; (t-note) in abundance right indeed Bezants, jewels building place before wrights; (t-note) taken their ingenuities joiners seat suit together many places did lie strength to flee there from bid him goodbye go hence (t-note) weal or woe take heed to make; reward; (t-note) loyally live; (t-note) Let; be found (t-note) Jews (t-note) also river Try found; (t-note) Barzillai (t-note) destroy dead later heirs; gracious driven away aid [the] bonds of death; bound Hell; heed gave up the ghost; (t-note) away truth believe (t-note) company ever gracious (t-note) (see note) braver (t-note) (t-note) gathered on earth; peer (t-note) whoever will take heed here; ends; (t-note)

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