Capitulum I. Moab forſoþe treſpaſſide in Yrael, aftir þat Acab was deed. And Ochoſias felle þoruȝ þe wyndowes of his ſoupynge place, þat he hade in Samarye, and he wexe ſeeke; and he ſente meſſangers, ſeiynge to hem, Gooþ, and counſeliþ Belzabub, þe god of Accharon, wheþer I may lyue fro þis myn infirmyte. Þe aungel forſoþe of þe Lord ſpak to Helias Theſbytes, ſeyinge, Riys, and go doun in to þe aȝein commynge of þe meſſagers of þe kynge of Samarie; and þou ſchalt ſeye to hem, Wheþer God is not in Yrael, þat ȝe goon to counſeylen Belzabub, þe god of Accharon? Wherfore þeſe þingis ſeiþ þe Lord, Fro þe bed, upon þe whiche þou ſteyȝidiſt up, þou ſchalt not goo doun, bot bi deþ þou ſchalt dyen. And Helias went. And þe meſſagers ben turned aȝeyn to Ochoſias. Þe whiche ſeyde to hem, Why ben ȝe turned aȝeyn? And þei anſwerden to hym, A man aȝein came to us, and ſeyde to us, Gooþ, and turneþ aȝein to þe kynge, þat ſente ȝou; and ȝe ſchuln to hym ſeyn, Þeſe þingis ſeiþ þe Lord, Wheþer for þere was not God in Yrael, þou ſentiſt, þat Belzabub be counſeyled, þe god of Aacharon? Þerfore fro þe bed upon þe whiche þou ſteiȝediſt up, þou ſchalt not goo doun, bot by deþ þou ſchalt dye. Þe whiche ſeyde to hem, Of what fygure and habyte is þat man, þat aȝeyn came to ȝou, and ſpake to ȝou þeſe wordis? And þei ſeyden, A rowȝ man, and wiþ an hery gyrdyl gyrd to þe reenys. Þe whiche ſeiþ, Helyas Theſbytes it is. And he ſente to hym þe prince of fyftye, and þe fyfty men þat wiþ hym weren. Þe whiche ſteiȝiden up to hym, and to hym ſyttynge in þe cop of þe hill ſeiþ, Man of God, þe kynge comaundid, þat þou come doun. And Helyas anſwerynge ſeiþ to þe quynquagenarye, Ȝif þe man of God I am, come doun fijr fro heuen, and deuoure þee and þi fyfty men. Þan fijr came doun fro heuen, and deuouride hym, and þe fyfty þat weren wiþ hym. Eft he ſente to hym anoþer prynce of fyfty, and fyfty wiþ hym, þe whiche ſpac to hym, Man of God, þeſe þinges ſeþ þe kynge, Hyȝe, come doun. Anſwerynge Helyas ſeiþ, Ȝif þe man of God I am, come doun fijr fro heuen, and deuoure þee and þi fyfty. Þan þe fijr of God came doun fro heuen, and deuouride hym and his fyfty. Eft ſoonys he ſente þe þridd prynce of fyfty, and þe fyfty þat weren wiþ hym. Þe whiche whan was commen, bowed þe kneeȝis aȝeins Hely, and preyede him, and ſeiþ, Man of God, wylle þou not diſpijſe my lijf, and þe lijues of þi ſeruauntis þat ben wiþ me. Loo! fijre came doun fro heuen, and deuourede þe two firſt princis of fyfty, and þe fyftees þat weren wiþ hem; and now, I beſeche, þat þou haue mercye to my lijf. Þe aungel forſoþe of þe Lord ſpak to Helyas Theſbytes, ſeyinge, Comme doun wiþ hym; ne drede þou. Þanne he rooſe and came doun wiþ hym to þe kynge; and ſpac to hym, Þeſe þingis ſeiþ þe Lord, For þou ſentiſt meſſagers to counſeylen Belzabub, god of Accharon, as þer were not God in Yrael, of þe whiche þou miȝtiſt not aſken a worde; þerfore fro þi bed, upon þe whiche þou ſteyȝidiſt up, þou ſchalt not goo doun, bot by deþ þou ſchalt dye. Þanne he is deed aftir þe word of þe Lord, þat Helye ſpac; and Joram, his broþir, regnede for hym, þe ſeconde ȝeer of Joram, þe ſone of Joſaphaþ, kyng of Jude; forſoþe he hade not a ſone. Þe remnaunt forſoþe of þe wordis of Ochoſie, þe whiche he wrouȝt, wheþir þei ben not writen in þe boke of þe wordis of þe days of þe kyngis of Yrael?