Matthew(i)
1 Kynge Balthazar made a greate bancket to his thousand Lordes: with all these thousand he made great chere,
2 & when he was droncken with wyne, he commaunded to brynge hym the golden and syluer vessels, whiche his father Nabuchodonosor had taken oute of the temple at Ierusalem, that the king and hys lordes with hys quene and concubynes might drincke thereoute.
3 So they broughte the golden vessell, that was taken oute of the temple of the Lordes house at Ierusalem. Then the kynge and hys lordes with his quene & concubynes droncke oute of them.
4 They droncke wyne, and praysed theyr Idoles of golde, syluer, copper, yron woodde and stone.
5 In the very same houre there apeared fyngers, as it had bene of a mannes hande wrytynge, ryght ouer agaynst the candelstycke vpon the playne wall in the kynges palace, & the kynge sawe the palme of the hande that wrote.
6 Then chaunged the kynge hys countenaunce, and hys thoughtes troubled hym, so that the ioyntes of hys bodye shoke, and hys knees smote one against the other.
7 Wherfore the kynge cryed myghtelye, that they shulde brynge hym the charmers, Caldees and coniurers of deuyls. The kynge spake also to the wyse men of Babylon, and sayde: Who so can rede thys wrytynge, and shew me the playne meanyng therof, shalbe clothed wyth purple, haue a cheyne of golde aboute hys necke, and rule the thyrde parte of my kyngedome.
8 Vpon this, came al the kynges wyse men: but they coulde neyther reade the wrytynge, nor shewe the kinge what it signifyed.
9 Then was the kynge sore afrayed in so muche, that his colour chaunged, and his lordes were sore vexed.
10 So by reason of thys matter, that had happened to the kyng and his lordes, the quene wente vp her selfe into the banckethouse, and spake vnto the kynge, sayinge: O kyng, God saue thy lyfe for euer: Let not the thoughtes trouble the, and let not thy countenaunce be chaunged.
11 For why? there is a man in thy kingdome, that hath the spryte of the holy Goddes within him, as it was sene in thy fathers dayes. He hath vnderstandynge and wysdome like the Goddes. Yea the kynge Nabuchodonosor thy father made thys man chefe of the sothsayers, charmers, Caldees, and deuilconiurers,
12 because that suche an aboundaunt spryte knowledge & wysdome (to expound dreames, to open secretes, and to declare harde dowtes) was founde in hym: yea euen in Daniel whom the kynge named Balthazar. Let thys same Daniel be sente for, and he shall tell, what it meaneth.