Study Desk

Now well than, I will synge my beloued frende a songe of his vynyearde. My beloued frende hath a vyneyearde in a very frutefull plenteous grounde.

As for the vynyarde of the LORDE of hoostes it is the house of Israel, and whole Iuda his fayre plantinge. Of these he loked for equyte, but se there is wronge: for rightuousnesse, lo, It is but misery.

In whose companies are harpes and lutes, tabrettes and pipes, and wyne. But they regarde not the worke of the LORDE, and cosidre not the operacio of his hondes.

But the LORDE of hoostes, yt holy God: shalbe exalted and vntouched, when he shal declare his equyte and rightuousnesse after this maner.

Which vse to speake on this maner: let him make haist now, and go forth wt his worke, that we maye se it. Let the councel of ye holy one of Israel come, and drawe nie, yt we maye knowe it.

Therfore is the wrath of the LORDE kyndled also agaynst his people, and he shaketh his honde at them: yee he shal smyte so, that the hilles shal tremble. And their carcases shal lye in the ope stretes, like myre. After all this, the wrath of God shall not ceasse, but he shal stretch his hode wyder.

There is not one faynt nor feble amonge them, no not a slogish nor slepery parsone. There shal not one of them put of the gyrdle from his loynes, ner lowse the lachet of his shue.

In the same yeare yt kynge Osias dyed, I sawe the LORDE sittinge vpon an high and glorious seate, and his trayne fylled ye palace.

From aboue flakred the Seraphins, wherof euery one had sex wynges. With twayne ech couered his face, wt twayne his fete, and with twayne dyd he flye.

They cried also ech one to other on this maner: holy, holy, holy is the LORDE of hoostes. The whole worlde is ful of his glory.

Then flewe one of the Seraphins vnto me, hauinge a hote cole in his honde, which he had taken from the aulter with the tonges,

Now when the house of Dauid (that is Ahas) herde worde therof, yt Siria and Ephraim were confederate together: his herte quaked (yee and ye hertes also of his people) like as a tre in the felde, that is moued with the wynde.

And therfore the LORDE shal geue you a token of himself: Beholde, a virgin shal coceaue and beare a sonne, and shal call his name Emanuel.

Beholde, the LORDE shal bringe mightie and great floudes of water vpon them: namely, ye kynge of the Assirians with all his power. Which shall poure out his furyousnes vpo euery man, and renne ouer all their bankes.

And shal breake in vpon Iuda, increasinge in power, till he get him by the throte. He shal fyl also the wydenesse of thy londe wt his brode wynges, O Emanuel.

Thus I waite vpon the LORDE, that hath turned his face from the house of Iacob, and I loke vnto him.

And therfore yf they saye vnto you: aske councel at the soythsayers, witches, charmers and coniurers, then make them this answere: Is there a people enywhere, that axeth not councel at his God: whether it be concernynge the dead, or the lyuynge?

Yf he do not this, he stombleth and suffreth huger. And yf he suffre honger, he is out of pacience, and blasphemeth his kynge and his God. Then loketh he vpwarde, and downewarde to the earth,

For thou shalt breake the yocke of the peoples burthen: the staff of hys shulder, and the rod of his oppressoure, as in ye daye at Madia.

For vnto us a childe shalbe borne, and vnto us a sonne shalbe geue. Vpo his shulder shal the kyngdome lye, and he shalbe called wt his owne name: The woderous geuer of councel, the mightie God, the euerlastinge father, the prynce of peace,