4 The great dragon (the Devil) watching the woman that brought forth a man child, to devour it. God took away the child to himself, and fed the woman in the desert. 7 Michael fighting with the dragon overcometh him. 13 Who being thrown down to the earth, persecuteth the woman & her seed.4 The great dragon (the Diuel) vvatching the vvoman that brought forth a man childe, to deuoure it. God tooke avvay the childe to him self, and fed the vvoman in the desert. 7 Michael fighting vvith the dragon ouercometh him. 13 Vvho being throvven dovvne to the earth, persecuteth the vvoman & her seede.✦
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.AND a great signe appeared in heauen: a vvoman clothed vvith the sunne, and the moone vnder her feete, & on her head a crovvne of tvvelue starres.✦Et signum magnum apparuit in cælo : mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus ejus, et in capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim :
2And being with child, she cried also parturiens: travelling; labouring in childbirth, and is in anguish to be delivered.& being vvith childe, she cried also traueling, and is in anguish to be deliuered.✦et in utero habens, clamabat parturiens, et cruciabatur ut pariat.
3And there was seen another sign in heaven, and behold a great red dragon having seven heads, & ten horns: and on his heads seven diadems,And there vvas seen an other signe in heauen, and behold c a great red dragon hauing seue heades, & ten hornes: and on his heades seuen diademes,✦Et visum est aliud signum in cælo : et ecce draco magnus rufus habens capita septem, et cornua decem : et in capitibus ejus diademata septem,
4and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth, and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered: that when she should be delivered, he might devour her son.& his taile drevv the third part of the starres of heauen, and cast them to the earth, and the dragon stoode before the vvoman vvhich vvas ready to be deliuered: that vvhen she should be deliuered, he might c deuoure her sonne.✦et cauda ejus trahebat tertiam partem stellarum cæli, et misit eas in terram : et draco stetit ante mulierem, quæ erat paritura, ut cum peperisset, filium ejus devoraret.
5And she brought forth a man child, who was to govern all nations in an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God and to his throne,And she brought forth a man childe, vvho vvas to gouerne al nations in an yron rodde: & her sonne vvas taken vp to God and to his throne,✦Et peperit filium masculum, qui recturus erat omnes gentes in virga ferrea : et raptus est filius ejus ad Deum, et ad thronum ejus,
6and the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared of God, that there they might feed her a thousand two hundred sixty days.& the vvoman fled into the vvildernesse vvhere she had a place prepared of God, that there they might feede her a thousand tvvo hundred sixtie daies.¶✦et mulier fugit in solitudinem ubi habebat locum paratum a Deo, ut ibi pascant eam diebus mille ducentis sexaginta.
7And there was made a great battle in heaven, Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his Angels:And there vvas made a great battel in heauen, Michael and his Angels fought vvith the dragon, and the dragon fought and his Angels:¶✦Et factum est prælium magnum in cælo : Michaël et angeli ejus præliabantur cum dracone, et draco pugnabat, et angeli ejus :
8and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.and they preuailed not, neither vvas their place found any more in heauen.✦et non valuerunt, neque locus inventus est eorum amplius in cælo.
9And that great dragon was cast forth, the old serpent, which is called the Devil and Satan, which seduceth the whole world: and he was cast into the earth, & his Angels were thrown down with him.And that great dragon vvas cast forth, the old serpent, vvhich is called the Deuil and Satan, vvhich seduceth the vvhole vvorld: and he vvas cast into the earth, & his Angels vvere throvven dovvne vvith him.✦Et projectus est draco ille magnus, serpens antiquus, qui vocatur diabolus, et Satanas, qui seducit universum orbem : et projectus est in terram, et angeli ejus cum illo missi sunt.
10Now is there made salvation and virtus: might, power, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before the sight of our God day and night.Novv is there made saluation and force, and the kingdom of our God, and the povver of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, vvho accused them before the sight of our God day and night.✦Et audivi vocem magnam in cælo dicentem : Nunc facta est salus, et virtus, et regnum Dei nostri, et potestas Christi ejus : quia projectus est accusator fratrum nostrorum, qui accusabat illos ante conspectum Dei nostri die ac nocte.
11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives even unto death.And they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe, and by the vvord of their testimonie, and they loued not their liues euen vnto death.✦Et ipsi vicerunt eum propter sanguinem Agni, et propter verbum testimonii sui, et non dilexerunt animas suas usque ad mortem.
12Therefore rejoice O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the Devil is descended to you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath a little time.Therfore reioyce ô heauens, and you that dvvel therein. Vvo to the earth and to the sea, because the Diuel is descended to you, hauing great vvrath, knovving that he hath a litle time.✦Propterea lætamini cæli, et qui habitatis in eis. Væ terræ, et mari, quia descendit diabolus ad vos habens iram magnam, sciens quod modicum tempus habet.
13And after the dragon saw that he was thrown into the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child:And after the dragon savv that he vvas throvven into the earth, he persecuted the vvoman vvhich brought forth the man-childe:✦Et postquam vidit draco quod projectus esset in terram, persecutus est mulierem, quæ peperit masculum :
14and there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the desert unto her place, where she is nourished for a time and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.and there vvere giuen to the vvoman tvvo vvinges of a great egle, that shee might flie into the desert vnto her place, vvhere she is nourished for a time & times, & halfe a time, from the face of the serpent.✦et datæ sunt mulieri alæ duæ aquilæ magnæ ut volaret in desertum in locum suum, ubi alitur per tempus et tempora, et dimidium temporis a facie serpentis.
15And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman, water as it were a flood: that he might make her to be carried away with the flood.And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the vvoman, vvater as it vvere a floud: that he might make her to be caried avvay vvith the floud.¶✦Et misit serpens ex ore suo post mulierem, aquam tamquam flumen, ut eam faceret trahi a flumine.
16And the earth adjuvit: helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.And the earth holpe the vvoman, and the earth opened her mouth, and svvallovved vp the floud vvhich the dragon cast out of his mouth.✦Et adjuvit terra mulierem, et aperuit terra os suum, et absorbuit flumen, quod misit draco de ore suo.
17And the dragon was angry against the woman: and went to make battle with the rest of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.And the dragon vvas angrie against the vvoman: and vvent to make battel vvith the rest of her seede, vvhich keepe the commaundements of God, and haue the testimonie of IESVS Christ.✦Et iratus est draco in mulierem : et abiit facere prælium cum reliquis de semine ejus, qui custodiunt mandata Dei, et habent testimonium Jesu Christi.
18And he stood upon the sand of the sea.And he stood vpon the sand of the sea.✦Et stetit supra arenam maris.
Annotationsfrom the original 1582 Rheims New Testament
6The woman fled. This great persecution that the Church shall flee from, is in the time of Antichrist, and shall endure but three years and a half, as is noted v. 14 in the margent. In which time for all that, she shall not want our Lord's protection, nor true Pastors, nor be so secret, but all faithful men shall know and follow her: much less shall she decay, err in faith, or degenerate and follow Antichrist, as Heretics do wickedly feign. As the Church Catholic now in England a desert in this time of persecution, because it hath no public state of regiment nor open free exercise of holy functions, may be said to be fled into the desert, yet it is neither unknown to the faithful that follow it, nor the enemies that persecute it: as the hidden company that the protestants talk of, was for some worlds together, neither known to their friends nor foes, because there was in deed none such for many ages together. And this is true, if we take this flight for a corporal retiring into wilderness. Where in deed it may be, and is of most expounded, to be a spiritual flight, by forsaking the joys and solaces of the world, and giving herself to contemplation and penance, during the time of persecution under Antichrist. And by enlarging the sense, it may also very well signify the desolation and affliction that the Church suffereth and hath suffered from time to time in this wilderness of the world, by all the forerunners and ministers of Antichrist, Tyrants and Heretics.The woman fled. This great persecution that the Church shall flee from, is in the time of Antichrist, and shall endure but three years and a half, as is noted v. 14 in the margent. In which time for all that, she shall not want our Lord's protection, nor true Pastors, nor be so secret, but all faithful men shall know and follow her: much less shall she decay, err in faith, or degenerate and follow Antichrist, as Heretics do wickedly feign. As the Church Catholic now in England a desert in this time of persecution, because it hath no public state of regiment nor open free exercise of holy functions, may be said to be fled into the desert, yet it is neither unknown to the faithful that follow it, nor the enemies that persecute it: as the hidden company that the protestants talk of, was for some worlds together, neither known to their friends nor foes, because there was in deed none such for many ages together. And this is true, if we take this flight for a corporal retiring into wilderness. Where in deed it may be, and is of most expounded, to be a spiritual flight, by forsaking the joys and solaces of the world, and giving herself to contemplation and penance, during the time of persecution under Antichrist. And by enlarging the sense, it may also very well signify the desolation and affliction that the Church suffereth and hath suffered from time to time in this wilderness of the world, by all the forerunners and ministers of Antichrist, Tyrants and Heretics.
7a great battle. In the Church there is a perpetual combat betwixt S. Michael (protector of the Church militant as he was sometime of the Jews' Synagogue Dan. 10, 21) and his Angels, and the Devil and his ministers the perfect victory over whom, shall be at the judgement. Mark here also the cause why S. Michael is commonly painted fighting with a dragon.a great battle. In the Church there is a perpetual combat betwixt S. Michael (protector of the Church militant as he was sometime of the Jews' Synagogue Dan. 10, 21) and his Angels, and the Devil and his ministers the perfect victory over whom, shall be at the judgement. Mark here also the cause why S. Michael is commonly painted fighting with a dragon.
15To be carried away. By great persecution he would draw her, that is, her children from the true faith: but every one of the faithful elect, gladly bearing their part thereof, overcome his tyranny. At whose constancy he being the more offended, worketh malicious attempts in assaulting the frailer sort, who are here signified by the rest of her seed that keep the commandments, but are not so perfect as the former.To be carried away. By great persecution he would draw her, that is, her children from the true faith: but every one of the faithful elect, gladly bearing their part thereof, overcome his tyranny. At whose constancy he being the more offended, worketh malicious attempts in assaulting the frailer sort, who are here signified by the rest of her seed that keep the commandments, but are not so perfect as the former.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.