Chapter XII

[Sidenote: Daniel in his prophecies tells of the destruction of
the Jews.]
Danyel i{n} his dialokeȝ de-vysed su{m} tyme,
As ȝet is proued ex-presse i{n} his p{ro}fecies,
Hov þe gentryse of Iuise & Ih{e}r{usa}l{e}m þe ryche
Watȝ disstryed wyth distres, & drawen to þe erþe, 1160
[Sidenote: For their unfaithfulness in following other gods, God
allowed the heathen to destroy them, in the reign of Zedekiah,
who practised idolatry.]
For þat folke i{n} her fayth watȝ fou{n}den vntrwe,
Þat haden hyȝt þe hyȝe god to halde of hy{m} eu{er};
& he hem halȝed for his & help at her nede
In mukel meschefes mony, þat meruayl [is] to here; 1164
& þay forloyne her fayth & folȝed oþ{er} goddes,
& þat wakned his wrath & wrast hit so hyȝe,
Þat he fylsened þe faythful i{n} þe falce lawe
To for-fare þe falce i{n} þe faythe trwe; 1168
Hit watȝ sen i{n} þat syþe þat ȝedechyas[59] re{n}gned,
I{n} Iuda, þat iustised þe iuyne ky{n}ges.
He sete on Salamones solie, on solemne wyse,
Bot of leaute he watȝ lat to his lorde hende; 1172
He vsed abominaciones of idolatrye,
& lette lyȝt bi þe lawe þat he watȝ lege tylle;
For-þi oure fader vpon folde a foman hy{m} wakned,

[Headnote: NEBUCHADNEZZAR BESIEGES JERUSALEM.]

[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar becomes his foe.]
Nabigo-de-noȝar nuyed hy{m} swyþe. 1176
He pur-sued i{n} to palastyn w{i}t{h} proude men mony,
& þer he wast wyth[60] werre þe wones of þorpes.
He herȝed vp alle isr{ae}l & hent of þe beste,
[Sidenote: He besieges Jerusalem, and surrounds the walls.]
& þe gentylest of Iudee i{n} I{e}r{usa}l{e}m biseged, 1180
Vmbe-walt alle þe walles wyth wyȝes ful stronge,
At vche a dor a doȝty duk, & dutte hem wyth-i{n}ne;
[Sidenote: The city is stuffed full of men.]
For þe borȝ watȝ so bygge baytayled alofte,
& stoffed wyth-i{n}ne w{i}t{h} stout men
to stalle hem þ{er}-oute. 1184
Þe{n}ne watȝ þe sege sette þe Cete aboute,
[Sidenote: Brisk is the skirmish.]
Skete skarmoch skelt, much skaþe lached;
At vch brugge a berfray on basteles wyse,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 73b.]]
[Sidenote: Seven times a day are the gates assailed.]
Þat seuen syþe vch a day asayled þe ȝates, 1188
Trwe tulkkes i{n} to{ur}es teueled wyth-i{n}ne,
In bigge brutage of borde, bulde on þe walles;
[Sidenote: For two years the fight goes on, yet the city is not
taken.]
Þay feȝt & þay fende of, & fylt{er} togeder
Til two ȝer ou{er}-torned, ȝet tok þay hit neu{er}. 1192
[Sidenote: The folk within are in want of food.]
At þe laste vpon longe, þo ledes wyth-i{n}ne,
Faste fayled hem þe fode, enfaminied monie;
Þe hote hunger wyth-i{n}ne hert hem wel sarre,
Þen any dunt of þat douthe þat dowelled þ{er}-oute. 1196
Þe{n}ne wern þo rowtes redles i{n} þo ryche wones,
[Sidenote: Meager they become.]
Fro þat mete watȝ myst, megre þay wexen,
[Sidenote: For so shut up are they that escape seems impossible.]
& þay stoken so strayt, þ{a}t þay ne stray myȝt
A fote fro þat forselet to forray no goudes. 1200
Þe{n}ne þe ky{n}g of þe kyth a cou{n}sayl hy{m} takes,
Wyth þe best of his burnes, a blench forto make;
[Sidenote: But on a quiet night they steal out, and rush through
the host.]
Þay stel out on a stylle nyȝt er any steuen rysed,
& harde hurles þurȝ þe oste, er enmies hit wyste, 1204
Bot er þay at-wappe ne moȝt þe wach wyth-oute,
[Sidenote: They are discovered by the enemy.]
Hiȝe skelt watȝ þe askry þe skewes an-vnder,
[Sidenote: A loud alarm is given.]
Loude alarom vpon lau{n}de lulted watȝ þe{n}ne;
Ryche, ruþed of her rest, ran to here wedes, 1208
Hard hattes þay hent & on hors lepes;
Cler claryou{n} crak cryed onlofte.
[Sidenote: They are pursued and overtaken.]
By þat watȝ alle on a hepe hurlande swyþee,
Folȝande þat oþ{er} flote, & fonde hem bilyue, 1212
Ou{er}-tok hem, as tyd, tult hem of sadeles,
Tyl vche prynce hade his per put to þe grou{n}de;

[Headnote: THE KING OF JUDAH IS MADE PRISONER.]

[Sidenote: Their king is made prisoner.]
& þer watȝ þe ky{n}g kaȝt wyth calde pry{n}ces,
& alle hise gentyle for-iusted on ierico playnes, 1216
[Sidenote: His chief men are presented as prisoners to
Nebuchadnezzar.]
& presented wern as presoneres to þe prynce rychest,
Nabigo-de-noȝar noble i{n} his chayer,
& he þe faynest freke þat he his fo hade,
& speke spito{us}ly hem to & spylt þ{er}aft{er}. 1220
[Sidenote: His sons are slain.]
Þe ky{n}g{es} su{n}nes i{n} his syȝt he slow eu{er} vch one,
[Sidenote: His own eyes are put out.]
& holkked out his auen yȝen het{er}ly boþe
[Sidenote: He is placed in a dungeon in Babylon.]
& bede þe burne to be broȝt to babyloyn þe ryche,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 74a.]]
& þere i{n} dongou{n} be don to dreȝe þ{er} his wyrdes. 1224
Now se, so þe sou{er}ay[n] set hatȝ his wrake;
Nas hit not for nabugo ne his noble nauþ{er},
Þat oþ{er} depryued watȝ of pryde with paynes stronge,
[Sidenote: All for his “bad bearing” against the Lord, who might
otherwise have been his friend.]
Bot for his bery{n}g so badde agayn his blyþe lorde; 1228
For hade þe fader ben his frende þat hy{m} bifore keped,
Ne neu{er} trespast to him i{n} teche of mysseleue.
To Colde wer alle Calde & kythes of ynde,
Ȝet take torkye hem wyth her tene hade ben little; 1232
[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar ceased not until he had destroyed
Jerusalem.]
Ȝet nolde neu{er} nabugo þis ilke note leue,
Er he hade tuyred þis tou{n} & torne hit to grou{n}de;
He ioyned vnto I{e}r{usa}l{e}m a gentyle duc þe{n}ne,
[Sidenote: Nebuzaradan was “chief of the chivalry.”]
His name watȝ nabu-ȝardan, to noye þe iues; 1236
He watȝ mayster of his men & myȝty hi{m} seluen,
Þe chef of his cheualrye his chekkes to make,
He brek þe bareres as bylyue, & þe burȝ aft{er},
& enteres i{n} ful ernestly, i{n} yre of his hert. 1240
What! þe maysterry watȝ mene, þe me{n} wern away,
[Sidenote: The best men were taken out of the city.]
Þe best boȝed wyth þe burne þat þe borȝ ȝemed;
& þo þat byden wer so[61] biten with þe bale hunger,
Þat on wyf hade ben worþe þe welgest fo{ur}re; 1244
[Sidenote: Nevertheless Nebuzaradan spared not those left.]
Nabiȝardan noȝt for-þy nolde not spare,
Bot bede al to þe bronde vnder bare egge.
Þay slowen of swettest semlych burdes,
[Sidenote: Brains of bairns were spilt.]
Baþed barnes i{n} blod & her brayn spylled; 1248
[Sidenote: Priests pressed to death.]
Prestes & prelates þay presed to deþe,
[Sidenote: Wives and wenches foully killed.]
Wyues & wenches her wombes tocoruen,
Þat her boweles out-borst aboute þe diches,
[Sidenote: All that escaped the sword were taken to Babylon, and
were made to drag the cart or milk the kine.]
& al watȝ carfully kylde þat þay cach myȝt, 1252
& alle [þat] swypped vnswolȝed of þe sworde kene,
Þay wer cagged & kaȝt on capeles al bare,
Festned fettres to her fete vnder fole wombes,
& broþely broȝt to babyloyn þer bale to suffer, 1256
To sytte i{n} seruage & syte; þat su{m}tyme wer ge{n}tyle,
Now ar chau{n}ged to chorles & charged wyth werkkes,
Boþe to cayre at þe kart & þe kuy mylke,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 74b.]]
Þat su{m}tyme sete i{n} her sale syres & burdes. 1260

[Headnote: NEBUZARDAN PILLAGES THE TEMPLE.]

[Sidenote: Nebuzaradan burst open the temple, and slew those
therein.]
& ȝet nabuȝardan nyl neu{er} stynt,
Er he to þe tempple tee wyth his tulkkes alle;
Betes on þe barers, brestes vp þe ȝates,
Slouen alle at a slyp þat serued þer-i{n}ne, 1264
[Sidenote: Priests, pulled by the poll, were slain along with
deacons, clerks, and maidens.]
Pulden prestes bi þe polle & plat of her hedes,
Diȝten dekenes to deþe, dungen dou{n} clerkkes,
& alle þe maydenes of þe mu{n}st{er} maȝtyly hokyllen
Wyth þe swayf of þe sworde þat swolȝed he{m} alle. 1268
[Sidenote: The enemy pillages the temple of its pillars of brass,
and the golden candlestick from off the altar.]
Þe{n}ne ran þay to þe relykes as robbors wylde,
& pyled alle þe apparement þat pented to þe kyrke,
Þe pure pyleres [o]f bras po{ur}trayd i{n} golde,
& þe chef chau{n}deler charged with þe lyȝt, 1272
Þat ber þe lamp vpon lofte, þat lemed eu{er} more,
Bifore þ[e] sancta s{an}c{t}or{um} þer selcouth watȝ ofte.
Þay caȝt away þat condelstik, & þe crowne als,
Þat þe aut{er} hade vpon, of aþel golde ryche; 1276
[Sidenote: Goblets, basins, golden dishes, all are taken by
Nebuzaradan, and hampered together.]
Þe gredirne & þe goblot{es} garnyst of sylu{er},
Þe bases of þe bryȝt postes & bassynes so schyre;
Dere disches of golde & dubleres fayre,
Þe vyoles & þe vesselment of v{er}tuo{us} stones. 1280
Now hatȝ nabuȝardan nome{n} alle þyse noble þy{n}ges,
& pyled þat p{re}cio{us} place & pakked þose godes;
Þe golde of þe gaȝafylace to swyþe gret nou{m}bre,
Wyth alle þe vrnmentes of þat ho{us}, he hamppred to-geder. 1284
Alle he spoyled spito{us}ly i{n} a sped whyle,
[Sidenote: Solomon had made them with much labour.]
Þat salomon so mony a sadde ȝer soȝt to make,
Wyth alle þe coyntyse þat he cowþe clene to wyrke;
De-uised he þe vesselment, þe vestures clene, 1288
Wyth slyȝt of his ciences, his sou{er}ayn to loue,
Þe ho{us} & þe ano{ur}nementes he hyȝtled to-gedere.
Now hatȝ nabuȝardan nu{m}ne{n}d[62] hit al samen,
[Sidenote: The temple he beats down, and returns to Babylon.]
& syþen bet dou{n} þe burȝ & brend hit i{n} askes; 1292
Þe{n}ne wyth legiou{n}es of ledes ou{er} londes he rydes,
Herȝeȝ of Israel þe hyrne aboute.
Wyth charged chariotes þe cheftayn he fynde[ȝ],
[Sidenote: [Fol. 75a.]]
[Sidenote: Presents the prisoners to the king, among whom were
Daniel and his three companions.]
Bike{n}nes þe catel to þe ky{n}g, þat he caȝt hade, 1296
P{re}sented him þe p{r}isoneres i{n} pray þat þay token,
Moni a worþly wyȝe whil her worlde laste,
Moni semly syre son{e}, & swyþe rych maydenes,
Þe pruddest of þe p{ro}uince, & p{ro}phetes childer, 1300
As Ananie & aȝarie & als Miȝael,
& dere daniel also, þat watȝ deuine noble,
With moni a modey moder chylde mo þe{n} i{n}-noghe.

[Headnote: NEBUCHADNEZZAR IS PLEASED WITH THE SPOIL.]

[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar has great joy, because his enemies are
slain.]
& nabugo-de-noȝar makes much ioye, 1304
Nov he þe ky{n}g hatȝ c{on}quest & þe kyth wu{n}nen,
& dreped alle þe doȝtyest & derrest i{n} armes,
& þe lederes of her lawe layd to þe grou{n}de,
& þe pryce of þe p{ro}fecie p{r}isoners maked; 1308

[Headnote: HE PRIZES GREATLY THE SACRED JEWELRY.]

[Sidenote: Great was his wonder when he saw the sacred jewelry.]
Bot þe ioy of þe iuelrye so gentyle & ryche,
When hit watȝ schewed hy{m} so schene, scharp watȝ his wonder,
Of such vessel auayed þat vayled so huge,
Neu{er} ȝet nas nabugo-de-noȝar er þe{n}ne. 1312
[Sidenote: He praises the God of Israel.]
He sesed hem w{i}t{h} solemneté, þe sou{er}ayn he praysed,
þat watȝ aþel ou{er} alle, israel dryȝtyn;
[Sidenote: Such vessels never before came to Chaldea.]
Such god, such gomes, such gay vesselles
Comen neu{er} out of kyth, to Caldee reames. 1316
[Sidenote: They are thrust into the treasury.]
He trussed hem i{n} his tresorye i{n} a tryed place
Rekenly wyth reu{er}ens, as he ryȝt hade;
& þ{er} he wroȝt as þe wyse, as ȝe may wyt here-aft{er},
For hade he let of hem lyȝt, hy{m} moȝt haf lu{m}pen worse. 1320
Þat ryche i{n} gret rialté rengned his lyue,
[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar reigns as emperor of all the earth,
through the “doom of Daniel,” who gave him good counsel.]
As {con}quero{ur} of vche a cost he cayser watȝ hatte,
Emp{er}o{ur} of alle þe erþe & also þe saudan,
& als þe god of þe grou{n}de watȝ grauen his name 1324
& al þurȝ dome of daniel, fro[63] he deuised hade,
Þat alle goudes com of god, & gef hit hy{m} bi samples,
Þat he ful clanly bi-cnv[64] his carp bi þe laste,
& ofte hit mekned his my{n}de, his mayst{er}ful werkkes. 1328
Bot al drawes to dyȝe w{i}t{h} doel vp[o]n ende;
Bi[65] a haþel neu{er} so hyȝe he heldes to grou{n}de,
[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar dies and is buried.]
& so nabugo-de-noȝar as he nedes moste;
[Sidenote: [Fol. 75b.]]
For alle his empire so hiȝe i{n} erþe is he g{ra}uen. 1332
[Sidenote: Belshazzar succeeds him.]
Bot þe{n}n þe bolde baltaȝar, þat watȝ his barn aldest,
He watȝ stalled i{n} his stud, & stabled þe rengne;
[Sidenote: He holds himself the biggest in heaven or on earth.]
I{n} þe burȝ of babiloyne þe biggest he trawed,
Þat nauþ{er} i{n} heuen ne no[66] erþe hade no pere; 1336
For he bigan i{n} alle þe glori þat hy{m} þe gome lafte,
Nabugo-de-Noȝar, þat watȝ his noble fader;
So kene a ky{n}g i{n} Caldee com neu{er} er þe{n}ne.
[Sidenote: He honours not God, but worships false phantoms.]
Bot hono{ur}ed he not hy{m} þat in heuen wonies, 1340
Bot fals fantu{m}mes of fendes, formed with handes
Wyth tool out of harde tre, & telded on lofte,
& of stokkes & stones, he stoute goddes callȝ
When þay ar gilde al with golde & gered wyth sylu{er}, 1344
& þere he kneles & calleȝ, & clepes after help.
[Sidenote: He promises them rewards if good fortune befal.]
&[67] þay reden hi{m} ryȝt rewarde he hem hetes,
& if þay gruchen hi{m} his grace to gremen his hert,
[Sidenote: If they vex him he knocks them in pieces.]
He cleches to a gret klubbe & knokkes hem to peces; 1348
Þ{us} in pryde & oliprau{n}ce his Empyre he haldes,
In lust & i{n} lecherye, & loþelych werkkes;
[Sidenote: He has a wife, and many concubines.]
& hade a wyf forto welde, a worþelych quene,
& mony a le{m}man, neu{er} þe lat{er}, þat ladis wer called. 1352
In þe clernes of his {con}cubines & curio{us} wedeȝ,
[Sidenote: The mind of the king was fixed upon new meats and
other vain things.]
In noty{n}g of nwe metes & of nice gettes,
Al watȝ þe mynde of þat man, o{n} misschapen þi{n}ges,
Til þe lorde of þe lyfte liste hit abate. 1356

[Sidenote 59: MS. _ȝedethyas_.]
[Sidenote 60: MS. _wyth with_.]
[Sidenote 61: The MS. reads _fo._]
[Sidenote 62: _nummen_ (?).]
[Sidenote 63: _for_ (?).]
[Sidenote 64: Looks like bicuv{er} in MS.]
[Sidenote 65: _be_ (?).]
[Sidenote 66: _on_ (?).]
[Sidenote 67: _An_ (?).]

[Headnote: BELSHAZZAR PROCLAIMS A FEAST, TO WHICH KINGS AND EMPERORS ARE INVITED.]