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

CAP. XXXV.

[verse 1] These thingis forsothe spak the Lord to Moyses, in the wijlde feeldis of Moab, [verse 2] vpon Jordan, aȝens Jerycho, Comaunde to the sones of Irael, that thei ȝyuen to [verse 3] the Leuytis, of her possessiouns, citees to dwellen yn, and the suburbs of hem bi enuyroun, that thei dwellen in wallid towns, and the suburbis ben to feelde [verse 4] beestis, and housbeestis; the whiche fro the wallis of the citees with outen forth bi enuyroun ben stretchid, bi space of a [verse 5] thowsand paase; aȝens the eest, two thowsand shulen be the cubitis, and aȝens the south, also two thowsand; forsothe at the see that biholdith to the west, the same mesure shal be, and the north plage bi euen teerme shal be eendid. And ci|tees shulen be in the myddil, and sub|urbis withoute. [verse 6] Forsothe of thilk wallid

townes also to the Leuytes ȝe shulen ȝyue, six shal be seuerd into the helpes of fu|gityues, that he that shedith blood, fleeȝ to hem; and out taken hem, othir two [verse 7] and fourti wallid townes, that ben to gidre eiȝt and fourti, with her suburbis. [verse 8] And thilk [thoo C.] citees that shulen be ȝeuen, of the possessiouns of the sones of Yrael, of hem that more han, mo shulen be take awey, and that lasse, fewer; eche aftir the mesure of her [thi B.] herytage, shulen ȝyue wallid townes to the Leuytes. [verse 9] The Lord [verse 10] seith to Moyses, Spek to the sones of Yrael, and thow shalt seye to hem, Whanne ȝe goon ouer Jordan, into the [verse 11] loond of Chanaan, biholdith what citees owen to be into the helpis of fugityues, that not wilnyng [wilnnede C. willynge D.] sheeden [shedeth C.] blood. [verse 12] In the whiche whanne the forth fleer fleeȝ|ith, the cosyn of the slayn man shal not mowe slee hym, to the tyme that he stoond in the siȝt of the multitude, and the cause of hym be demed. [verse 13] Of thilk [thoo C.] forsothe citees that ben seuerd to the [verse 14] helpis of the fugityues, thre shulen be beȝonde Jordan, and three in the loond [verse 15] of Chanaan; as wel to the sones of Yrael as to comlyngis and pilgrimes; that he fleeȝ to hem, `the which [the whichith A. that C.] not wilnynge [willende C. willynge D.] shedith blood. [verse 16] If eny man smytith a man with yren, and were deed, he that is smyter [smetun E.] shal be gilti of mannus slauȝ|ter, and he shal dye. [verse 17] If a stoon he throwe, and with the cast sleeth, lijk [verse 18] maner he shal be punishid. If with a tree smyten he dye [Om. CE.] , in blood of the smyter he shal be vengid. [verse 19] The nyȝ kynne of the slayn the man sleer shal slee; anoon as he catchith hym, he shal slee. [verse 20] If bi haat eny man a man aȝen put|tith, other throwith eny thing into hym

[verse 21] bi aspies, other [or C.] whanne he were enemye with hoond smytith, and he were deed, the smyter shal be gilti of manslauȝter. Anoon the cosyn of the slayn, whanne he fyndith hym, shal kyt his throot. [verse 22] And if bi hap, and with outen haat and [verse 23] enemytees, eny thing of these doth; [verse 24] and that herynge the puple were pryuyd, and bitwix [betwe C. bytwene EFH.] the smyter and the nyȝ of the [verse 25] blood the questyoun were meuyd, the in|nocent shal be delyuerd fro the hoond of the vengesour, and he shal be brouȝt aȝen bi sentence into the cytee, to the which he fleeȝ, and he shal dwelle there, to the tyme that the greet preest that with hooli oyle is anoynt, dye. [verse 26] If the sleer out of the coostis of the cytees that to outlawis [verse 27] ben ordeynd, were foundun, and smytun of hym that is vengesour of the blood, withouten gilt shal he be that slewe [verse 28] hym; the forth fleer forsothe shulde vnto the deeth of the bisshop in this citee dwelle stil; aftirward forsothe that he dye, the mansleer shal turne aȝen in [into CE.] his loond. [verse 29] Thes thingis euerlastynge shulen be, and lawful in alle ȝoure dwellyngis. [verse 30] A mansleer vndur witnesse [witnessis CE.] , shal be pu|nishid; at the witnessynge of oon no man shal be condempnyd. [verse 31] Ȝe shulen not take prijs of hym that is gilti of blood [the blood F pr. m.] , anoon and he shal dye. [verse 32] Outlawis, and ferre fleeȝers, before the deeth of the bisshop no wise into her citees mowen [verse 33] turne aȝen, lest ȝe poluten the loond of ȝoure dwellynge, the which is defoulid bi the blood of the innocentis, ne other wayes [wei C.] may be purgyd, but bi his blood, that that [the C.] others blood shedde. [verse 34] And so shal be clensid ȝoure possessioun, me dwellynge with ȝou; forsothe Y am the

Lord, that dwelle among the sones of Israel.