The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XXIX.

[verse 1] Who doth mercy, leeneth to his neȝhe|bore; and he that is more wrth in hond, kepeth the hestis. [verse 2] Leene to thi neȝhe|bore in tyme of his neede; and eft ȝeld to a neȝhebore in his tyme. [verse 3] Conferme a wrd, and feithfulli do with it; and in alle tyme thou shalt finde that is needful to thee. [verse 4] Manye as finding eymeden vsure, and ȝeeuen gref to them that helpeden to [Om. AEGH.] them. [verse 5] To the time that thei taken, thei kissen [kissen not C pr. m. E pr. m.] the hondis of the ȝyuere; and in behestis [the biheestis AGH.] thei meken ther voys. [verse 6] And in tyme of ȝelding `he shal aske [thei E pr. m.] delaȝing, and he shal speke

wrdis of noyȝe [ioȝe C pr. m.] , and of grucchingus, and the tyme he shal pleten. [verse 7] If forsothe he shul moun ȝeelde, he shal be enemy; vnnethe of the hoele he shal ȝelde the half, and he shal counte it as finding. [verse 8] Ellys forsothe he shal bigile hym his monee, and shal han hym enemy wil|fully. [verse 9] And repreues and cursis he shal ȝelde to hym; and for wrshipe and bene|fet he shal ȝelde to hym wrong. [verse 10] Manye, not bicause of shreudenesse, `lenten not [vsureden E pr. m.] , but to be [Om. E pr. m. G pr. m.] bigilid [begile E pr. m.] wilfulli, thei dradden. [verse 11] Neuer the latere ouer the meke in [Om. A.] inwit be thou strengere; and for almes [the almes A.] deede drawe thou not hym. [verse 12] For the heste tac to the pore; and for the myseise [myseisete E sec. m.] of hym ne lefe thou hym voide. [verse 13] Lees monee for [for thi C pr. m.] brothir and frend, and hide thou not it vnder a ston, in to perdi|cioun. [verse 14] Put thi tresor in the hestes of the heȝeste; and it shal profite to thee more than gold. [verse 15] Close almes deede in the bosum of the pore; and that for thee shal ful out preȝen fro alle euel. [verse 16] The almes deede of a man as a litil sac with hym; and the grace of a man as the eȝe appil it shal kepen. [verse 17] And afterward it shal aȝeen risen, and ȝelde to them ȝeld|ing, to eche in to the hed of hem. [verse 18] Ouer the sheld of the myȝti, and ouer spere aȝen thin enemy it shal fiȝte. [verse 19] A good man maketh feith to his neȝhebore; and he that hath lost, confusioun shal leue to hym. [verse 20] The grace [grace, or loue G sec. m.] of the borȝ ne forgete thou; forsothe he ȝaf for thee his soule. [verse 21] The synnere and the vnclene [enuyous C pr. m. E pr. m.] the aȝeen bihotere fleeth. [verse 22] Goode wrdis of the aȝeen bihotere the synnere wijteth to hym; and the vnkinde in the [Om. C pr. m. G.] wit forsaketh the delyuerende hym. [verse 23] A man aȝeen bi|hoteth of his neȝhebore; and whan he hath lost reuerence, he shal be forsaken

of hym. [verse 24] Most shreude aȝeen bihoting spilde manye loouende men, and [and in A.] `togi|dere sterede [to-sterede C pr. m.] them as the flodis [flodis, or wawis E sec. m. GH.] of the se. [verse 25] Cumpasende it made myȝti men to gon out; and wandreden in aliene folkis. [verse 26] The synnere ouer passende the maunde|ment of the Lord shal fallen into shreude [the shrewid A.] biheste; and he that forseth manye thingus to do, shall fallen in to dom. [verse 27] Recouere thi neȝhebore after thi vertue; and tac heed to thee, that thou infalle not. [verse 28] The bigynnyng of the lif of man watir, and bred, and clothing, and hous defendende filthehed. [verse 29] Betere is the liflode of the pore vnder the roof of stoodes [stoodes, or sparres C sec. m. marg. E sec. m. marg. GH.] , than plenteuous shynende metes in pilgrymaging withoute hous. [verse 30] The leste thing for grete plese to thee; the repref of pilgrimaging thou shalt not heren. [verse 31] A shreude lif, of herberewing fro hous in to hous; and wher he shal ben herberewid, he shal not feithfulli don, ne openen the mouth. [verse 32] He shal herberewen, and feeden, and ȝyue drinke the vnkinde; and to these bittere thingus he shal heren. [verse 33] Go, gest [ost C pr. m. E pr. m.] , and enourne [enuyroune A.] the bord; and tho `thingis that [Om. C pr. m.] in thin hond thou hast, feed other. [verse 34] Go out fro the face of wrshipe of my frendis, for nede of myn hous; to herberewe to me, brothir thou art maad. [verse 35] Greuous these thingus to a man hauende wit; vnder|nymyng of the hous, and repref of the leenere.