Great(i)
1 After this it fortuned, that Absalom gatt hym charettes and horsses, and fyftie men to runne before him.
2 And he roase vp erlye in the morninges, and stode in the place of the entring in of the gate. And euery man that had anye matter and came to the kynge for iudgement, him dyd Absalom call vnto hym, and sayde: of what cytie art thou? He answered: thy seruaunt is of one of the trybes of Israel.
3 And Absalom sayde vnto hym: se, thy matter is good and ryghteous, but there is no man deputed of the kynge to heare the.
4 Absalom sayde moreouer: Oh, that I were made iudge in the lande, that euery man which hath anye pleye and matter in the lawe, myght come to me, and that I myght do him iustice?
5 And whan any man came nye to hym, and dyd him obeysaunce, he put forth his hande and toke hym to hym, and kyssed hym.
6 And on this maner dyd Absalom to all Israel that came to the kynge for Iudgement, and he stale the hertes of the men of Israel.
7 And after fourtye yeres it fortuned that Absalom sayde vnto the kynge: let me go nowe to Hebron, and paye my vowe which I haue vowed, vnto the Lorde:
8 for thy seruaunt vowed a vowe (when I was in Gesur in the lande of Siria) sayeng: yf the Lord shall bringe me agayne to Ierusalem, I will serue the Lord.
9 And the kynge sayde vnto hym: go in peace. And so he arose, and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent spyes thorowe out all the tribes of Israel sayenge: as sone as ye heare the voyce of the trompet blowe, ye shall saye: Absalom raigneth kynge in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Ierusalem, that were called. And they went wt pure hertes, not knowinge of any thynge.
12 And Absalom sent also for Ahithophel the Gilonite Dauids counseller, that he shulde come out of hys cytie Gilo, whyle he offered sacrifyces. And there was wrought stronge treason. For the people went and increased wt Absalom in multitude.
13 And there cam a messenger to Dauid & sayd: the hertes of the men of Israel are turned after Absalom.
14 And Dauid sayde vnto all his seruauntes that were wt him at Ierusalem: vp, that we maye be gone, for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make spede, to departe: leste he come sodenlie, and catche vs, & bringe some myscheffe vpon vs, and smyte the cytie with the edge of the swerde.
15 And the kynges seruauntes sayde vnto him: beholde, thy seruauntes are redye, to do whatsoeuer my Lord the kyng shall apoynte.
16 And the kynge & all his housholde departed a fote. And he left behinde hym ten concubines, to kepe the house.
17 And so the kynge & all the people went out a fote, & taryed in a place that was farre of.
18 And all his seruauntes went about him. And all the Cerethites and all the Phelethites and all the Gethites (euen .vj. hundred men whych were come a fote from Geth) went before the kynge.