inity Sunday unto the first Sunday of the
month of August is read the Book of Kings_.

This history maketh mention that there was a man named Elkanah which had
two wives, that one was named Hannah, and the name of the second
Peninnah. Peninnah had children and Hannah had none but was barren. The
good man at such days as he was bounden, went to his city for to make
his sacrifice and worship God. In this time Hophni and Phineas sons of
Eli, the great priest, were priests of our Lord. This Elkanah gave to
Peninnah at such times as he offered, to her sons and daughters, certain
parts, and unto Hannah he gave but one part. Peninnah did much sorrow
and reproof to Hannah because she had had no children, and thus did
every year, and provoked her to wrath, but she wept for sorrow and ate
no meat. To whom Elkanah her husband said: Hannah, why weepest thou? and
wherefore eatest thou not? Why is thine heart put to affliction? Am I
not better to thee than ten sons? Then Hannah arose after she had eaten
and drunk in Shilo and went to pray unto our Lord, making to him a vow
if that she might have a son she should offer him to our Lord. Eli that
time sat tofore the posts of the house of our Lord. And Hannah besought
and prayed our Lord, making to him a vow, if that she might have a son
she should offer him to our Lord. And it was so that she prayed so
heartily in her thought and mind, that her lips moved not, wherefore Eli
bare her on hand that she was drunk. And she said: Nay, my lord, I am a
sorrowful woman, I have drunken no wine ne drink that may cause me to be
drunken, but I have made my prayers, and cast my soul in the sight of
Almighty God. Repute me not as one of the daughters of Belial, for the
prayer that I have made and spoken yet is of the multitude of the
heaviness and sorrow of my heart. Then Eli the priest said to her: Go in
peace, the God of Israel give to thee the petition of thy heart for that
thou hast prayed him. And she said: Would God that thy handservant might
find grace in thy sight. And so she departed, and on the morn they went
home again in to Ramatha.

After this our Lord remembered her, and she bare a fair son and named
him Samuel for so much as she asked him of our Lord. Wherefore Elkanah,
her husband, went and offered a solemn sacrifice and his vow
accomplished, but Hannah ascended not with him. She said to her husband
that she would not go till her child were weaned and taken from the pap.
And after w