Drought, Famine, Sword, and Plague

1The worde of the LORDE shewed vnto Ieremy, cocernynge ye derth off the frutes.

2Iuda shal mourne, men shall not go moch more thorow his gates: the londe shal be nomore had in reputacion, & the crie of Ierusale shal breake out.

3The lordes shall sende their seruauntes to fetch water, & when they come to the welles, they shal fynde no water, but shal carie their vessels home emptie. They shalbe ashamed ad confounded, & shal couer their heades.

4For the groude shalbe dried vp, because there cometh no rayne vpon it. The plowmen also shalbe ashamed, ad shal couer their heades.

5The Hynde shal forsake the yonge fawne, that se brigeth forth in ye felde, because there shalbe no grasse.

6The wilde Asses shall stonde in the Mosse, and drawe in their wynde like the Dragos, their eyes shal fayle for wat of grasse.

7Doutles oure owne wickednesse rewarde vs: But LORDE do thou acordinge to yi name, though oure transgressions and synnes be many.

8For thou art the comforte & helpe of Israel in the tyme of trouble. Why wilt thou be as a straunger in the Londe, and as one that goeth ouer the felde, ad cometh in only to remayne for a night?

9Why wilt thou make thy self a cowarde, and as it were a giaute that yet maye not helpe? For thou art ours (o LORDE) and we beare thy name, therfore forsake vs not.

10Then spake the LORDE, concernynge this people yt haue pleasure to go so nembly wt their fete, and leaue not of, and therfore displease the LORDE: in so moch, that he will now bringe agayne to remembraunce all their mysdedes, ad punysh all their synnes. 11Yee euen thus sayde the LORDE vnto me: Thou shalt not praye to do this people good. 12For though they fast, I will not heare their prayers. And though they offre burnt offriges & sacrifices, yet wil not I accepte them. For I will destroye them with the swearde, honger and pestilence.

13Then answerde I: O LORDE God, the prophetes saye vnto them: Tush, ye shal se no swearde, and no honger shall come vpon you, but the LORDE shal geue you continuall rest in this place. 14And the LORDE sayde vnto me: The prophetes preach lies vnto them in my name. I haue not spoken with them, nether gaue I them eny charge, nether dyd I sende the: yet they preach vnto you false visions, charmynge, vanite, and disceatfulnesse of their owne herte. 15Therfore thus saieth the LORDE: As for those prophetes that preach in my name (whom I neuertheles haue not sent) and yt saye: Tush, there shal nether batel ner honger be in this londe: With swearde ad with honger shal those prophetes perish, 16and the people to whom they haue preached, shal be cast out of Ierusalem, dye of honger, ad be slayne with the swearde, (and there shal be no man to burie them) both they ad their wyues, their sonnes and their doughters. For thus wil I poure their wickednes vpon the.

17This shalt thou saye also vnto them: Myne eyes shal wepe without ceassinge daye & night. For my people shalbe dtstroyed with greate harme, and shall perish with a greate plage.

18For yff I go in to the felde, lo, it lieth all full off slayne men: Yff I come in to the cite, lo, they be all fameshed of honger. Yee their prophetes also and prestes shalbe led in to an vnknowne londe.

A Prayer for Mercy
(Isaiah 63:15–19)

19Hast thou then vtterly forsaken Iuda? (sayde I) Dost thou so abhorre Sio? Or hast thou so plaged vs, that we can be healed nomore? We loked for peace, and there cometh no good: for the tyme of health, & lo, here is nothinge but trouble.

20We knowlege (o LORDE) all oure mysdedes, and the synnes of oure fathers, that we haue offended ye.

21Be not displeased (o LORDE) for thy names sake, forget not thy louynge kyndnes: Remembre ye trone of thyne honoure, breake not the couenaut, that thou hast made with vs.

22Are there eny amonge the goddes of the Gentiles, that sende rayne, or geue the showers of heauen? Dost not thou it o LORDE oure God, in who we trust? Yee LORDE, thou dost all these thinges.