CAP. IV.

[verse 1] And the Lord spak to Moyses and Aa|ron, [verse 2] seyynge, Take the sowm of the sones of Caath, fro the myddil of Leuytes, bi [verse 3] houses, and her meyneis, fro the thrytti*. [thrittith BDEH.] ȝeer and aboue vnto the fifty*. [fyftithe BDEFH.] ȝeer, of alle Page  374 that goon in, that thei stonden and my|nystren in the tabernacle of the boond of pees. [verse 4] This is the heriynge of the sones of Caath; the tabernacle of the boond of [verse 5] pees, and the holi of halowis shulen go yn Aaron and his sones, whanne the tentis ben to be moued; and thei shulen sette down*. [adoun BDEFH.] the veile that hongith before the ȝatis, and thei shulen wrap with ynne [verse 6] it the ark of witnessynge; and thei shu|len eftsones couer it with the couerynge of iacynctyne skynnes, and thei shulen strecche aboue a mantel al iacynctyne, and thei shulen lede in*. [Om. A.] the berynge staues. [verse 7] The table forsothe of proposicioun thei shulen wrappe with ynne the iacync|tyne mantil, and thei shulen putte with it the encenseris, and goldun morters, litil cuppes, and the eryd chalices to the sacri|fices of licours to ben heelde; looues euer|more shulen be in it. [verse 8] And thei shulen strecche there aboue the reed mantil, the whiche eft thei shulen couer with the couerynge of iacynctyn skynnes, and thei shulen lede ynne the berynge staues. [verse 9] And thei shulen take the iacynctyn mantil, with the which thei shulen couer the candelstik, with the*. [the BDEF.] lanterns, and her toonges, and snyters*. [liȝtters A.], and with alle the vessels of oyle, the whiche ben necessary [verse 10] to the lanterns to be maad redi; and vpon alle thei shulen putte the couerynge of iacynctyn skynnes, and thei shulen lede ynne her berynge staues. [verse 11] Also and the goldun auter thei shulen wrappe with ynne the iacynctyn clothing; and thei shulen strecche out there aboue the couer|ynge of iacynctyn skynnes, and thei shu|len lede yn the beryng staues. [verse 12] Alle the vessels, with the whiche it is mynystryd in the seyntuary, thei shulen wrappe with Page  375 inne the iacynctyn mantel, and strecch there aboue a couertour of iacynctyn skynnes, and thei shulen lede yn the ber|ynge staues. [verse 13] But and the auter thei shu|len clense with asken, and thei shulen wrappe it with a purpur clothinge. [verse 14] And thei shulen putt with it alle the vesselis, the whiche thei vsen in the seruyce of it, that is, the resseyuable thinges of fiers, fleshokis, and `hokys of thre teeth*. [brandyrys E pr. m.], and hokes, and fyre pannes; alle the vessels of the auter thei shulen couer togyder with a couerynge of iacynctyn skynnes, and thei shulen lede yn the berynge staues. [verse 15] And whanne Aaron and his sones han inwrappid the seyntuary, and alle the vessels of it, in the meuynge of tentes, thanne shulen goon yn the*. [Om. BDEFH.] sones of Caath, that thei beren with ynne wrap|pid, and that thei touchen not the vessels of the seyntuary, lest thei dien. [verse 16] Thes ben the charges of the sones of Caath, in the tabernacle of the*. [Om. BDE sec. m. FH.] boond of pees, vpon whom shal be Eliazar, the sone of Aaron preest*. [the preest E pr. m.]; to whos cure it perteyneth oyle to the lanterns to be maad redi, and the encense of composicioun, and the sacrifice that euermore is offred, and the oyle of anoyntinge, and what euer thing to the heriynge `of the tabernacle*. [Om. A.] perteyneth, and of alle the vessels that ben in the seyntuarye. [verse 17] And the Lord spak to Moyses [verse 18] and Aaron, seyynge, Wole ȝe not lese the puple of Caath fro the myddel of Le|uytes; [verse 19] but this doth to hem, that thei lyuen, and dien not, if thei towchen the holi thingis of halowes. Aaron and his sones shulen go yn, and thei shulen dys|pose the werkis of echon, and thei shulen dyuyde what eny owith to bere. [verse 20] Other thurȝ no curiouste seen that ben in the seyntuarye, before that thei ben inwrap|pid, Page  376 ellis thei shulden die. [verse 21] And the Lord [verse 22] spak to Moyses, seiynge, Tak also the sowm of the sones of Gerson, bi howses, [verse 23] and meyneis, and his kynredes; fro thretti ȝeer and aboue and vnto the*. [Om. BDFH.] ȝeres of fifti, noumbre alle that goon yn, and seruen in the tabernacle of the boond of pees. [verse 24] This is the office of the meyne of Gersonytes, that thei beren cortyns*. [the cortyns E.] of the tabernacle, and the roof of the boond [verse 25] of pees, that other couertour, and vpon alle the iacynctyn couerynge, and the tente that hongith in the entre of the ta|bernacle [verse 26] of the boond of pees; the cor|tyns of the porche, and the veil in the entre that is before the tabernacle. [verse 27] Alle thingis that perteynen*. [perteyneth E.] to the auter, litil coordes, and the vessels of seruyce, co|maundynge Aaron and his sones, the sones of Gerson shulen bere; and eche shal knowe to what charge thei owen to be takun. [verse 28] This is the heriynge of the meyneis*. [meyne BDEFH.] of Gersonytes, in the tabernacle of the boond of pees; and thei shulen be vndir the hoond of Ythamar, the sone of Aaron, preest*. [the preest E pr. m.]. [verse 29] The sones forsothe of Merarye, bi meyneis and howses of her [verse 30] fadris, thou shalt noumbre, fro thretti ȝeer and aboue vnto the ȝeers of fifti, alle that goon into the office of his seruyce, and heriynge of the boond of pees of wit|nessynge. [verse 31] Thes ben the charges of hem; thei shulen bere the tablis of the taber|nacle, and his berynge staues, the pilers, [verse 32] and the feet*. [footys E.] of hem; and the pilers of the porche bi enuyroun, with her feet, and stakys, and her coordes; alle vessels and purtenaunce at noumbre thei shulen take, and so thei shulen bere. [verse 33] This is the office of the meyne of Merarytes, and the seruyce in the tabernacle of the boond of pees; and thei shulen be vndir the hoond of Ythamar, the sone of Aaron, Page  377 preest*. [the preest E pr. m.]. [verse 34] Thanne Moyses and Aaron, and the princes of the synagoge, noumbreden the sones of Caath, bi kynredes, and [verse 35] howses of her fadres, fro thretti ȝeer and aboue vnto fifti*. [the fifti BDFH. the fiftithe E.] ȝeer, alle that goon into the seruyce of the tabernacle of the boond [verse 36] of pees; and there ben foundun two thow|syndes seuen hundred and fifti. [verse 37] This is the noumbre of the sones*. [peple BDEFH.] of Caath, that goon*. [goth BDEFH sec. m.] into the tabernacle of the boond of pees; `thes noumbreden*. [this noumbre A.] Moyses and Aa|ron, aftir the word of the Lord, bi the hoond of Moyses. [verse 38] And sones*. [the sones BDEFH.] of Gerson ben noumbred, bi kynredes, and howses [verse 39] of her fadris, fro thretti ȝeer and aboue vnto the fiftith*. [fyfty BD.] ȝeer, alle that goon yn that thei mynystren in the tabernacle of [verse 40] the boond of pees; and there ben foundun two thowsynd six hundreth and thretti. [verse 41] This is the puple of Gersonytes, the which noumbreden Moyses and Aaron, after the word of the Lord. [verse 42] The sones of Merarye ben noumbred, bi kynredes, [verse 43] and houses of her fadres, fro thretti ȝeer and aboue vnto the fifty*. [fiftythe E.] ȝeer, alle that goon yn to fulfille the rytis of the taber|nacle [verse 44] of the boond of pees; and ther ben foundun thre thowsyndes and two hun|drith. [verse 45] This is the noumbre of the sones of Merarye, the whiche noumbreden Moyses and Aaron, aftir the heest of the Lord, bi the hoond of Moyses. [verse 46] Alle that ben noumbred of the Leuytes, and the whiche he dide to be noumbred at the name, of Moyses and Aaron, and the princes of Yrael, bi kynredis, and howses [verse 47] of her fadres, fro thretti ȝeer and aboue vnto the fifti*. [fiftythe E.] ȝeer, goynge into the ser|uyce of the tabernacle, and berthens*. [the berthens BDE. ther berthens F.] to [verse 48] be bore, and*. [Om. BDEFH.] there weren togidir eiȝt thowsyndes fyue hundrid and eiȝty. [verse 49] Af|ter the word of the Lord Moises noum|bred hem, echon aftir his office and his charges, as the Lord comaundide to hym.Page  378