Jeremiah · Chapter 41

[ edit] And don is in þe ſeuenþe moneþ, cam Iſmael, þe ſone of Naþanye, ſone of Eliſame, of þe kingus ſed, and þe beſte men of þe king, and ten men wiþ hym, to Godolie, ſone of Aicham, in Masfa; and þei eete þere loeues to gydere in Masfa. Ryſen forſoþe Iſmael, þe ſone of Naþanye, and þe ten men þat wiþ hym weren, and ſmyten Godolie, þe ſone of Aicham, ſone of Safan, wiþ ſwerd, and ſlowen hym, whom bifore hadde mad þe king of Babiloyne to þe lond. Alſo alle þe Jewis þat weren wiþ Godolie in Masfa, and þe Caldeis, þat ben founde þere, and þe men fiȝteres, Iſmael ſmot.

Þe ſecounde forſoþe dai, after þat he hadde ſlayn Godolie, no man ȝit witende, camen men of Sichym, and of Silo, and of Samarie, eiȝteti men, ſhauen þe berd, and þe cloþis kut, and defoulid; ȝiftus and encens hadden in þe hond, þat þei ſhulden offre in þe hous of þe Lord. Gon out þanne Iſmael, þe ſone of Natanye, in to aȝen comyng to þem fro Masfaþ, goende and wepende wente. Whan forſoþe he hadde aȝen come to þem, he ſeide to þem, Comeþ to Godolie, ſone of Aicham; þe whiche whanne hadden comen to þe myddel of þe cite, ſlooȝ hem Iſmael, þe ſone of Naþanye, aboute þe myddel of þe lake, he and þe men þat weren wiþ hym.

Ten men forſoþe ben founden among hem, þat ſeiden to Iſmael, Wile þou not ſlen vs, for wee han treſor in þe feld, of whete, and of barly, and of oile, and of hony. And he ceſede, and ſloȝ hem not wiþ þer breþern. Þe lake forſoþe in to whiche Iſmael þreȝ alle þe careynus of þe men, whom he ſmot for Godolie, it is whiche made Aſa þe king for Baſa, þe king of Irael; Iſmael, þe ſone of Natanye, fulfilde it wiþ ſlayn men. And Iſmael broȝte caitif alle þe relikis of þe puple, þat weren in Masfaþ, þe doȝtris of þe king, and al þe puple þat abiden in Masfaþ, whom Nabuſardan, prince of þe chyualrie, hadde betake to Godolie, ſone of Aicham.

And Iſmael, þe ſone of Naþanye, toc þem, and wente awei, þat he ſhulde go to þe ſonus of Amon. Herde forſoþe Johanna, þe ſone of Carae, and alle þe princes of fiȝteres, þat weren wiþ hym, al þe euel þat don hadde Iſmael, þe ſone of Natanye. And taken to alle þe men, þei wente forþ, þat þei ſchuld fiȝte aȝen Iſmael, þe ſone of Natanye; and founden hym at manye watris, þat ben in Gabaon. And whan ſeen hadde al þe puple, þat was wiþ Iſmael, Johannan, ſone of Carae, and al þe princes of fiȝteres, þat weren wiþ hym, gladeden. And turned aȝeen is al þe puple, þat Iſmael hadde taken in Masfaþ; and turned aȝeen, it ȝide awei to Johannan, þe ſone of Carae.

Iſmael forſoþe, þe ſone of Naþanye, fleiȝ wiþ eiȝte men fro þe face of Johanna, and ȝide awei to þe ſonus of Amon. Toc þanne Johanna, þe ſone of Carae, and alle þe princes fiȝteres, þat weren wiþ hym, al þe remnaunt of þe comun, þat he hadde broȝt aȝeen fro Iſmael, þe ſone of Naþanye, fro Masfa, aftir þat he hadde ſmyte Godolie, ſone of Aicham, ſtronge men to bataile, and wymmen, and childer, and geldingus, þat he hadde broȝt aȝeen fro Gabaon.

And þei wenten awei, and ſeten pilgrimagende in Canaan, þat is byſide Beþlem, þat þei ſhulde go, and weende in to Egipt fro þe face of Caldeis; forſoþe þei dredden hem, for ſmyten hadde Iſmael, ſone of Natanye, Godolie, ſone of Aicham, whom biforn hadde put þe king of Babiloyne in þe lond of Juda.