13. But go thou thy way tyll the ende be, for thou shalt rest, and stande vp in thy lot at the ende of the dayes. (13:1) There dwelt a man in Babylon, called Ioacim, (13:2) That toke a wyfe whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helcia, a very faire woman, and such one as feared God. (13:3) Her father and her mother also were good people, and taught their daughter according to the lawe of Moyses. (13:4) Now Ioacim [her husband] was a great rich man, and had a faire orchard ioyning vnto his house: and to him resorted the Iewes commoly, because he was a man of reputation among them. (13:5) The same yere were there made two iudges, such as the Lorde speaketh of, The wickednes of Babylon commeth from the elders [that is] from the iudges which seeme to rule the people. (13:6) These came oft to Ioacims house: and all such as had any thing to do in the lawe, came thyther vnto them. (13:7) Now when the people departed away at noone, Susanna went into her husbandes orchard to walke. (13:8) The two elders seeing this, that she went in dayly and walked, they burned for lust to her, (13:9) Yea they were almost out of their wittes, and cast downe their eyes, that they should not see heauen, nor remember that God is a righteous iudge. (13:10) For they were both wounded with the loue of her, neither durst one shewe another his griefe: (13:11) And for shame they durst not tell her their inordinate lust, that they woulde faine haue had to do with her: (13:12) Yet they layed wayte for her earnestly from day to day, that they might [at the leaste] haue a sight of her. (13:13) And the one said to the other: Up, let vs go home, for it is dinner time. So they went their way one from an other. (13:14) When they returned againe, they came together, enquiring out the matter betwixt them selues, yea the one tolde the other of his wicked lust: Then appoynted they a time when they might take Susanna alone. (13:15) It happened also that they spied out a conuenient time when she went foorth to walke, as her maner was, and no body with her but two maydens, and thought to washe her selfe in the garden: for it was an hot season. (13:16) And there was not one person there, except the two elders that had hid them selues to beholde her. (13:17) So she saide to her maydens: Go fet me oyle and sope, and shut the orchard doore, that I may washe me. (13:18) And they did as she bad them, and shut the orchard doore, and went out them selues at a backe doore to fetch the thing that she had commaunded: but Susanna knew not that the elders laye there hid within. (13:19) Now when the maydens were gone foorth, the two elders gat them vp, and ranne vpon her, saying: (13:20) Now the orchard doores are shut that no man can see vs, we haue a lust vnto thee, therefore consent vnto vs, and lye with vs: (13:21) If thou wylt not, we shall bring a testimonial against thee, that there was a young felowe with thee, & that thou hast sent away thy maydens from thee for the same cause. (13:22) Susanna sighed, and saide, Alas, I am in trouble on euery side: though I folowe your minde, it wyl be my death: and if I consent not vnto you, I can not escape your handes. (13:23) Wel, it is better for me to fall into your hande without the deede doing, then to sinne in the sight of the Lorde. (13:24) And with that she cryed out with a loude voyce: the elders also cryed out against her. (13:25) Then ranne there one to the orchard doore, and smote it open. (13:26) Now whe the seruauntes of the house heard the crye in the orchard, they russhed in at the backe doore to see what the matter was. (13:27) So when the elders tolde them, the seruauntes were greatly ashamed: for why? there was neuer such a report made of Susanna. (13:28) On the morowe after came the people to Ioacim her husband, and the two elders came also ful of mischeuous imaginations against Susanna, to bring her vnto death, (13:29) And spake thus before the people: Send for Susanna the daughter of Helchias, Ioacims wyfe. And immediatly they sent for her. (13:30) So she came with her father and mother, her children and all her kindred. (13:31) Now Susanna was a tender person, and marueylous faire of face. (13:32) Therefore the wicked men commaunded to take her clothes from her face (for she was couered) that at the least they might so be satisfied in her beautie. (13:33) Then her friendes, yea and all they that knew her, began to weepe. (13:34) These two elders stoode vp in the middest of the people, & layed their handes vpon the head of Susanna, (13:35) Which wept, and loked vp toward heauen: for her heart had a sure trust in the Lorde. (13:36) And the elders saide: As we were walking in the orchard alone, this woman came in with her two maydens, whom she sent away from her, and sparred the orchard doores: (13:37) With that a young felowe which there was hid, came vnto her, and lay with her. (13:38) As for vs, we stoode in a corner of the orchard: and when we sawe this wickednes, we ranne to them, and we sawe them as they were together. (13:39) But we could not holde him, for he was stronger then we. Thus he opened the doore and gat him away. (13:40) Now whe we had taken this woman, we asked her what young felowe this was, but she would not tel vs. This is the matter, & we be witnesses of the same. (13:41) The common sorte beleeued them, as those that were the elders and iudges of the people, & so they condemned her to death. (13:42) Susanna cryed out with a loude voyce and saide: O euerlasting God, thou searcher of secretes, thou that knowest all thinges before they come to passe: (13:43) Thou wottest that they haue borne false witnesse against me, and behold I must dye, wheras I neuer did any such thinges as these men haue maliciously inuented against me. (13:44) And the Lorde heard her voyce. (13:45) For when she was led foorth to death, the lord raysed vp the spirite of a young childe, whose name was Daniel, (13:46) Which cryed with a loude voyce, I am cleane from this blood. (13:47) Then all the people turned towarde him, & saide: What meane these wordes that thou hast spoken? (13:48) Daniel stoode in the middest of them, and saide: are ye such fooles O ye children of Israel, that ye can not discerne nor know the trueth? Ye haue here condepned a daughter of Israel vnto death, and knowe not the trueth wherefore? (13:49) Go sit in iudgement againe: for they haue spoken false witnesse against her. (13:50) Wherefore the people turned againe in all the haste: and the elders [that is the principall heades] saide vnto him: Come sit downe here among vs, and shewe vs this matter, seeing God hath geue thee as great honour as an elder. (13:51) And Daniel saide vnto them: put these two asyde one from an other, and then shall I examine them. (13:52) When they were put asunder one from an other, he called one of them and saide vnto him: O thou olde cankarde earle that hast vsed thy wickednes so long, thyne vngratious deedes which thou hast done afore are now come to light. (13:53) For thou hast geuen false iudgementes, thou hast oppressed the innocent, and letten the giltie go free: where as yet the Lorde saith, The innocent and righteous see thou slay not. (13:54) Well then, if thou hast seene her, tel me vnder what tree sawest thou them companying together? He aunswered: vnder a Mulbery tree. (13:55) And Daniel saide: Uery well, nowe thou lyest euen vpon thyne head: lo, the messenger of the Lorde hath receaued the sentence of him, to cut thee in two. (13:56) Then put he him aside, and called for the other, and saide vnto him: O thou seede of Chanaan, but not of Iuda, fairenes hath deceaued thee, and lust hath subuerted thyne heart. (13:57) Thus dealt ye afore with the daughters of Israel, and they for feare consented vnto you: but the daughter of Iuda would not abide your wickednes. (13:58) Now tel me then vnder what tree diddest thou take them companying together? He aunswered: vnder a Pomegranate tree. (13:59) Then saide Daniel vnto him: Uery well, nowe thou lyest also euen vpon thyne head: the messenger of the Lord standeth wayting with the sword to cut thee in two, and slay you both. (13:60) With that all the whole multitude gaue a great shoute, and praysed God which alway deliuered them that put their trust in him. (13:61) And they came vpon the two elders, whom Daniel had conuict with their owne mouth, that they had geuen false witnesse, (13:62) And dealt with them euen lykewyse as they woulde haue done with their neighbours, yea they did according to the law of Moyses, and put them to death: Thus the innocent blood was saued the same day. (13:63) Then Helcias and his wyfe praysed God for their daughter Susanna, with Ioacim her husband, and al the kinred: that there was no dishonestie founde in her. (13:64) From that day foorth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people. (13:65) And king Astyages was layde with his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia raigned in his steede. (14:1) Daniel did eate at the kinges table, and was had in reuerence aboue all his friendes. (14:2) There was at Babylo an image called Bel, and there were spent vpon him euery day twelue cakes, fourtie sheepe, and sixe great pottes of wine. (14:3) Him did the king worship him selfe, and went dayly to honour him, but Daniel worshipped his owne God: And the king saide vnto him, why doest not thou worship Bel? (14:4) He aunswered and saide: Because I may not worship thinges that be made with handes, but the liuing God which made heauen and earth, and hath power vpon all fleshe. (14:5) The king said vnto him: Thinkest thou not that Bel is a lyuing God? or seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh euery day? (14:6) Daniel smyled and saide, O king deceaue not thy selfe: for this is but made of clay within, and of brasse without, neither eateth he euer any thing. (14:7) Then the king was wroth, and called for his priestes, and saide vnto them: If ye tell me not who is this that eateth vp these expences, ye shall dye: (14:8) But if ye can certifie me that Bel eateth them, then Daniel shall dye: for he hath spoken blasphemie against Bel. And Daniel said vnto the king: Let it so be, according as thou hast saide. (14:9) The priestes of Bel were threescore and ten, besides their wyues and children: And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel. (14:10) So Bels priestes saide, Lo, we wyl go out: & set thou the meate there O king, and poure in the wine, then shut the doore fast, and seale it with thyne owne signet: (14:11) And to morowe when thou commest in, if thou findest not that Bel hath eaten vp all, we wyll suffer death: or els Daniel, that hath lyed vpon vs. (14:12) The priestes thought them selues sure inough: for vnder the aulter they had made a priuy entraunce, and there went they in euer, and did eate vp what there was. (14:13) So when they were gone foorth, the king set meates before Bel: Now Daniel had commaunded his seruauntes to bring asshes, & these he sifted throughout all the temple, that the king might see: then went they out and sparred the doore, sealing it with the kinges signet, and so departed. (14:14) In the night came the priestes, with their wyues and children, as they were wont to do, and did eate and drinke vp all. (14:15) In the morning betimes at the breake of the day the king arose, and Daniel with him. (14:16) And the king said: Daniel, are the seales whole yet? He aunswered: yea O king, they be whole. (14:17) Now assoone as he had opened the doore, the king loked vnto the aulter, & cryed with a loude voyce: Great art thou O Bel, and with thee is no deceite. (14:18) Then laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in, and saide: Beholde the pauement, marke well whose footesteps are these? (14:19) The king saide: I see the footesteps of men, women, and children. (14:20) Therefore the king was angry, and toke the priestes, with their wyues and children: and they shewed him the priuie doores where they came in, and dyd eate vp such thinges as were vpon the aulter: (14:21) For the which cause the king slue the, and deliuered Bel into Daniels power, which destroyed him and his temple. (14:22) And in that same place there was a great Dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped. (14:23) And the king said vnto Daniel, Sayest thou that this is but a god of brasse also? Lo, he lyueth, he eateth & drinketh, so that thou canst not say that he is no lyuing God: therfore worship him. (14:24) Daniel saide vnto the king: I wyll worship the Lorde my God, he is the true lyuing God: as for this, he is not the God of lyfe. (14:25) But geue me leaue O king, and I shal destroy this Dragon without sworde or staffe. The king said: I geue thee leaue. (14:26) Then Daniel toke pitch, fat, and heary wooll, and did seeth them together, and made lumpes thereof: this he put in the Dragons mouth, and so the Dragon burst in sunder. And Daniel saide: Lo, there is he whom ye worshipped, (14:27) When they of Babylon heard that, they toke great indignation, and gathered them together against the king, saying: The king is become a Iewe, and he hath destroyed Bel, he hath slaine the Dragon, & put the priestes to death. (14:28) So they came to the king, and saide: Let vs haue Daniel, or els we wyll destroy thee and thyne house. (14:29) Nowe when the king sawe that they rushed in so sore vpon him, and that necessitie constrained him, he deliuered Daniel vnto them: (14:30) Which cast him into the lions denne, where he was sixe dayes. (14:31) In the denne there were seuen lions, & they had geuen them euery day two bodies & two sheepe: which then were not geuen them, to the intent that they might deuoure Daniel. (14:32) There was in Iurie a prophete called Habacuc, which had made potage, & broken bread in a boule, & was going into the fielde for to bring it to the reapers. (14:33) But the angel of the Lorde saide vnto Habacuc: Go cary the meate that thou hast, into Babylon vnto Daniel, which is in the lions denne. (14:34) And Habacuc saide: Lorde, I neuer sawe Babylon, and as for the denne I know it not. (14:35) Then the angell of the Lorde toke him by the toppe, and bare him by the heere of the head, and through a mightie winde set him in Babylon vpon the denne. (14:36) And Habacuc cryed, saying: O Daniel thou seruaunt of God, haue, take the breakfast that God hath sent thee. (14:37) And Daniel saide: O God, hast thou thought vpon me? wel, thou neuer faylest them that loue thee. (14:38) So Daniel arose & did eate. And the angell of the Lorde set Habacuc in his owne place againe immediatly. (14:39) Upon the seuenth day, the king went to beweepe Daniel: and when he came to the denne, he loked in, and beholde, Daniel sate [in the middest of the lions.] (14:40) The cryed the king with a loude voyce, saying: Great art thou O Lorde God of Daniel, and there is none other besides thee. (14:41) And he drew him out of the lions den, & cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the denne, and they were deuoured in a moment before his face. (14:42) After this, wrote the king vnto al people, kinredes and tongues, that dwelt in all countries, (14:43) Saying, Peace be multiplied with you: My comaundement is in al the dominion of my realme, that men feare and stand in awe of Daniels God, for he is the lyuing God, which endureth euer: (14:44) His kingdome abideth vncorrupt, and his power is euerlasting: (14:45) It is he that can deliuer and saue, he doth wonders and meruailous workes in heauen and in earth: for he hath saued Daniel from the power of the lions.