1 A door being open in heaven, he saw one sitting in a throne, 4 and round about him four and twenty seniors sitting, 6 and the four beasts here described, 9 which with the 24 seniors continually glorified him that sat in the throne.1 A doore being open in heauen, he saw one sitting in a throne, 4 and round about him foure and twentie seniors sitting, 6 and the foure beastes here described, 9 which with the 24 seniors continually glorified him that sate in the throne.✦
After these things I looked, and behold a door open in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must be done quickly after these.AFTER these things I looked, and behold a doore open in heauen, and the first voice which I heard, vvas as it vvere of a trumpet speaking vvith me, saying, Come vp hither, and I vvil shevv thee the thinges vvhich must be done quickly after these.✦Post hæc vidi : et ecce ostium apertum in cælo, et vox prima, quam audivi tamquam tubæ loquentis mecum, dicens : Ascende huc, et ostendam tibi quæ oportet fieri post hæc.
2Immediately I was in spirit: and behold there was a seat set in heaven, and upon the seat one sitting.Immediatly I vvas in spirit: and behold there vvas a seate sette in heauen, and vpon the seate one sitting.✦Et statim fui in spiritu : et ecce sedes posita erat in cælo, et supra sedem sedens.
3And he that sat, was like in sight, to the Jasper stone, and the sardinis: the fish; the sardius gemstone, a carnelian: and there was a rainbow round about the seat, like to the sight of an emerald.And he that sate, vvas like in sight, to the Iasper stone, and the Sardine: and there vvas a raine-bovv round about the seate, like to the sight of an Emerauld.✦Et qui sedebat similis erat aspectui lapidis jaspidis, et sardinis : et iris erat in circuitu sedis similis visioni smaragdinæ.
4And round about the seat, four and twenty seats: and upon the thrones, four and twenty seniores: elderly men; elders, ancients of the heavenly court sitting, clothed about in white garments, and on their heads crowns of gold.And round about the seate, foure and tventie seates: and vpon the thrones, foure and tventie seniors sitting, clothed about in vvhite garmentes, and on their heades crovvnes of gold.✦Et in circuitu sedis sedilia viginti quatuor : et super thronos viginti quatuor seniores sedentes, circumamicti vestimentis albis, et in capitibus eorum coronæ aureæ.
5And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders: and seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.And from the throne proceeded lightenings, and voices, and thunders: and seuen lampes burning before the throne, vvhich are the seuen Spirites of God.✦Et de throno procedebant fulgura, et voces, et tonitrua : et septem lampades ardentes ante thronum, qui sunt septem spiritus Dei.
6And in the sight of the seat, as it were a sea of glass like to crystal: and in the midst of the seat and round about the seat four animalia: wild animals; living creatures full of eyes before and behind.And in the sight of the seate, as it vvere a sea of glasse like to crystall: and in the middes of the seate and round about the seate foure beastes ful of eies before and behind.✦Et in conspectu sedis tamquam mare vitreum simile crystallo : et in medio sedis, et in circuitu sedis quatuor animalia plena oculis ante et retro.
7And the first beast, like to a lion: and the second beast, like to a calf: and the third beast, having the face as it were of a man: and the fourth beast, like to an eagle flying.And the first beast, like to a lion: and the second beast, like to a calfe: and the third beast, hauing the face as it vvere of a man: and the fourth beast, like to an egle flying.✦Et animal primum simile leoni, et secundum animal simile vitulo, et tertium animal habens faciem quasi hominis, et quartum animal simile aquilæ volanti.
8And the four beasts, every one of them had six wings round about: and within they are full of eyes, and they had no rest day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God omnipotent, which was, and which is, and which shall come.And the foure beastes, euery one of them had sixe vvinges round about: and vvithin they are ful of eies, and they had no rest day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God omnipotent, vvhich vvas, and vvhich is, and vvhich shal come.¶✦Et quatuor animalia, singula eorum habebant alas senas : et in circuitu, et intus plena sunt oculis : et requiem non habebant die ac nocte, dicentia : Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus omnipotens, qui erat, et qui est, et qui venturus est.
9And when those beasts gave glory and honour and benediction to him that sitteth upon the throne, that liveth for ever and ever:And vvhen those beastes gaue glorie and honour and benediction to him that sitteth vpon the throne, that liueth for euer and euer:Et cum darent illa animalia gloriam, et honorem, et benedictionem sedenti super thronum, viventi in sæcula sæculorum,
10the four and twenty seniors fell down before him that sitteth in the throne, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,the foure and tventie seniors fel dovvne before him that sitteth in the throne, and adored him that liueth for euer and euer, and cast their crovvnes before the throne, saying,procidebant viginti quatuor seniores ante sedentem in throno, et adorabant viventem in sæcula sæculorum, et mittebant coronas suas ante thronum, dicentes :
11Thou art worthy O Lord our God to receive glory and honour and power: because thou hast created all things, and for thy will they were and have been created.Thou art vvorthie O Lord our God to receiue glorie and honour and povver: because thou hast created al thinges, and for thy vvil they vvere and haue been created.✦Dignus es Domine Deus noster accipere gloriam, et honorem, et virtutem : quia tu creasti omnia, et propter voluntatem tuam erant, et creata sunt.
Annotationsfrom the original 1582 Rheims New Testament
8Holy, holy, holy. This word is thrice repeated here, and Isaias 6: and to the imitation thereof, in the service of the holy Church, at Te Deum, and at Mass, specially in the Preface next before the great mysteries, for the honour of the three persons in the B. Trinity, and that the Church militant may join with the triumphant, and with all the orders of Angels, who also are present at the consecration, and do service there to our common Lord and Master, as S. Chrysostom writeth li. 6 de Sacerdotio. and ho. 1. de verb. Esa. ca. 1. The Greeks call it, the hymn Trisagios, that is, Thrice holy.Holy, holy, holy. This vvord is thrise repeated here, and Esa. 6: and to the imitation therof, in the seruice of the holy Church, at Te Deum, and at Masse, specially in the Preface next before the great mysteries, for the honour of the three persons in the B. Trinitie, and that the Church militant may ioyne vvith the triumphant, and vvith al the orders of Angels, vvho also are present at the consecration, and doe seruice there to our common Lord and Maister, as S. Chrysostom vvriteth li. 6 de Sacerdotio. and ho. 1. de verb. Esa. ca. 1. The Greckes call it, the hymne Trisagios, that is, Thrise holy.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.