Capitulum I. Forſoþe it is doon, after þat Saul is deed, þat Dauid is turned aȝen fro þe ſlauȝter of Amalech, and dwellide in Sichelech two days. Forſoþe in þe þridde day aperide a ȝong man, of þe tentis of Saul, wiþ to-rent clooþ, and ſprengid þe heed wiþ powdre; and as he came to Dauid, he felle vpon his face, and lowtide. And Dauid ſeide to hym, Whens comyſt þou? Þe which ſeiþ to Dauid, Fro þe tentis of Yrael I fleiȝ. And Dauid ſeide to hym, What is þe word þat is doon; ſhewe to me. Þe which ſeiþ, Þe puple fleiȝ fro þe batail, and many fallynge of þe puple ben deed; but and Saul, and Jonaþas, his ſone, han died. And Dauid ſeide to þe ȝong man, þat toolde to hym, Wherbi woſt þou, þat Saul is deed, and Jonaþas, his ſone? And þe ȝong man ſeiþ, þat toolde to hym, Bi hap I cam into þe hil of Gelboe, and Saul lenyde vpon his ſpeer; forſoþe chaaris and horſis neiȝeden to hym; and turned bihynde his rigge, and ſeynge clepide me. To whom whanne I hadde anſwerde, I am niȝ; he ſeide to me, Forſoþe who art þou? And I ſeide to hym, Amalechite I am. And he ſpak to me, Stoond vpon me, and ſle me; for anguyſhis holden me, and ȝit al my ſoule is in me. And ſtondynge vpon hym I ſlewȝ hym; forſoþe I wiſte þat he myȝte not lyue after þe fallynge; and I took þe diademe þat was in his heed, and þe beeȝ fro his arm, and I haue brouȝte it to þee, my lord, hidyr. Forſoþe Dauid takynge his cloþis kitte, and alle þe men þat weren wiþ hym; and þei weileden, and wepten, and faſtiden vnto þe euen, vpon Saul, and Jonaþan, his ſone, and vpon þe puple of þe Lord, and vpon þe hows of Irael, forþi þat þei weren faln wiþ ſwerd. And Dauid ſeide to þe ȝonge man, þat toolde to hym, Whens ert þou? Þe which anſwerde, I am þe ſone of an Amalechit man comlynge. And Dauid ſeiþ to hym, Whi draddiſt þou not to putte þin hoond for to ſlee þe criſt of þe Lord? And Dauid clepynge oon of his children ſeiþ, Goynge nyȝ fal into hym. Þe which ſmoot hym, and he is deed. And Dauid ſeiþ to hym, Þi blood vpon þin heed; forſoþe þi mouþ haþ ſpoken aȝens þee, ſeiynge, I ſlewȝ þe criſt of þe Lord. Forſoþe Dauyd weilide þis maner a weilynge vpon Saul, and vpon Jonaþas, his ſone. And he comaundide, þat þei techen þe ſones of Juda weilynge, as it is writen in þe Book of Riȝtwiſe Men; and ſeiþ, Bihold, Irael, for, þes þat ben deed, vpon þin heiȝe þingis woundide; þe noble men of Yrael vpon þin hillis ben ſlayn. What maner wiſe fellen þe ſtrengþful? woleþ ȝe not telle in Geþ, ne telle ȝe in þe gedryngis togidre of þe many weyes of Aſchalon; leſt perauenture þe douȝtres of Philiſteis gladen, ne ioyen þe douȝtris of þe vncircumcidid. Hillis of Gelboe, ne dewe ne reyn come vpon ȝow, ne be þei feeldis of firſt fruytis; for þere is þrowen a wey þe ſheelde of ſtronge men, þe ſheelde of Saul, as þouȝ he hadde not ben anoyntid wiþ oyle. Fro þe blood of þe ſlayn, fro þe talwȝ of ſtronge men, þe arowe of Jonaþas neuer turnede aȝen bacward, and þe ſwerd of Saul is not turned aȝen in ydel. Saul and Jonaþas loueli, and feyr in her lyif, forſoþe in deeþ þei ben not deuydide; ſwifter þan eglis, ſtronger þan liouns. Douȝtris of Yrael, vpon Saul wepiþ, þe which cloþide ȝou wiþ reed in delicis, þe which ȝaf golden ournementis to ȝoure worſhipynge. What maner fellen ſtrong men in batayl? Jonaþas in þin heiȝ þingis is ſlayn. I ſorwe vpon þee, broþer myn Jonaþa, ful myche feir, and loueli ouere þe loue of wymmen; as a moder louiþ hir oneli ſone, ſo Y louede þee. What maner wiſe fellen ſtronge men, and perſhiden aarmes to fiȝten wiþ in batayl?