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

CAP. III.

[This is the prolog of Genesis. δ.] SYMPLE men of wit moun be edified mych [either holpen myche ζ.] to heuenly lyuyng bi redyng and knowyng of the olde testament, for in the bigynnyng of Genesis they moun knowe, hou God made heuen and erthe and alle creaturis of nouȝt, and made man to his owne ymage and licnesse, and to haue blisse in body and soule with outen ende [ony ende δει.] . Also `men moun [me may δ. men may ι.] knowe, hou sore God punishide Adam and Eue for brekyng of his comaundement; and hou Abel plesid God by feith, mekenesse and charite; and hou Caym displeside hym by synnes, and specialli by enuye, hatrede [and hatrede ι.] and manquellyng [mansleyng ζ.] . Also hou Noe was loued of God, and al the world, outaken viij. persones, was distried [stryed β.] for synne; and hou for pride and other synnes God departid many langagis, that no man vndirstood other in the tour of Babel; and hou feith|ful and obedient to God Abraham was, that he ȝede out of his lond in to a straunge cuntre, and was redy to sle his owne sone Isaac at the wille of God, and gat therfore mich reward of God; and hou God distried Sodom and Gommor, and other thre cytees, for leccherye and

other synnes, that tho weren sunkun doun; and the dede see is now where tho [the ζ.] grete cytees weren. Also hou trewe and obedient to God weren Isaac and Jacob and Joseph, and hou God kepte [kepe ζ.] hem in alle perels. Al this proces of Genesis shulde stire [stire meche β. stire mechel ζ. sec.m.] cristen men to be feithful, and for to drede and loue God, and in alle thingis do [to do β.] his wille [Here endith the prolog of Gene|sis. δ.] . ¶ [Here . . . . . bigynneth the prolog of Exody. δ.] Also in Exodi men moun [may δι.] knowe, hou God kept his simple peple in Egipt, and encresside hem gretly in that lond, vndir the persecucioun and tirauntrie of Farao [kyng Farao βι.] , and deliueride hem by many miraclis, and punishid Farao and his peple with ten [Om. ζ.] stronge veniauncis, and fedde [thane brouȝte his owne peple thoruthe the reede see, and fedde ζ.] hem meruelously in desert xl. ȝeris, where no duelling of men was bifore, and made hem to [Om. β.] ouercome the strong peple of Amalech. Aftir this God tauȝte hem wyis gouernayle, and bitook to [Om. ζ.] hem the [Om. βζ.] ten comaundementis and other iudicials, to punishe gretly opyn grete synnes. Also [And δι.] they [this ζ.] weren ful bisy to make a costlew tabernacle to the onour of God, by his bidding and techyng, that figuride holi chirche and vertues in mennes soulis. At the laste God took gret veniaunce on [of ζ.] hem for idolatrie, whanne thei forsoken the feith and worshipyng [the worshipyng β.] of God, and onoureden ȝoten calues bi stiryng [strengthe ζ.] of the deuel. And thanne Moyses was a trewe mediatour bitwix God and the [Om. ζ.] sinful peple, and seide thus to God, for gret trist of his mercy and riȝtfulnes [for riȝtfulness δεηι.] , and for [Om. δι.] gret charite to the peple, "either [Om. δ.] forȝiue thou this trespas to hem, either do me out of thi book in which thou hast writen me;" and for this deuout preier and greet charite of Moyses God sparede the synful pepil, and distryede not sodeynly al the pepil, but took hem to mercy and grace. And this proces of Exodi shulde make men trysty [to triste ζ.] in Goddis help, and to be trewe in his loue, and eschewe his offence with al her myȝtis. ¶ [Heere . . . . . bigynneth a prolog on Leuitici and this it is. δ.] The iij. book clepid [Om. β.] Leuitici techith men sacrificis due to God, and for synnes of the peple, in the [Om. ζ.] tyme of the olde testament, and that [Om. ζ.] no man vnworthi shulde neyȝe to the seruise and sacrifice of God. These sacrificis owen not to be kept now, for tho figureden the passioun and deth [the deth βδει.] of Crist, and remissioun of synnes bi the blood and merit of Crist, in the lawe of grace. Also this book techith men to absteyne fro wedlok of nyȝ kyn and affynyte, with ynne the ij. degre [gree β.] , and ordeyneth peyne of deeth for ydolatrie, and weddyng with ynne the ij. degre of consanguynyte and affynite. At the last this book techith men [Om. β.] to kepe Goddis heestis, and for to loue her neiȝboris and to [Om. βη.] do equyte to hem, and werkis of mercy to nedy men; and comaundith iust weyȝtis and mesures, and domes; and forbedith strongly ydolatrye and wicche craftis [wicche craft δει.] and false coniouryngis; and tellith prosperite that shal come to hem that kepen Goddis heestis, and veniaunce and peyne to hem that breken Goddis heestis. And this proces of Leuitici shulde make cristen men aferd to breke Goddis heestis, and ioyful to kepe tho to lyf and deth, for [to haue ζ.] reward of God in euerlastyng blisse. ¶ [Prolog. [on Numeri] δ.] The iiij. book clepid Numeri tellith the noumbre of peple led out of Egipt, bothe of lewid men and of prestis and of dekenys; and how God kept hem longe in the orrible desert, and punisshide hem alle bi deeth, out taken Caleph and Josue, for grucchyng and mystriste to Goddis word, and punisshide Marie, Moyses sistyr, with lepre, for bacbytyng of Moyses, the mylde seruaunt of God. Also [and ζ.] whanne God wolde haue distryed the peple for grucchyng aȝens hym, Moyses preyede with al his herte for the peple that wolde stoone [haue stonned ζ. sup. ras.] hym to deeth. Also God techith there, that he that doth ony synne by pride shal be deed, and that he that brak the sabot, ȝhe by gaderyng of stickis, shulde be stooned of [ȝea of ε.] alle the peple. Also God punisshide soore Chore, Dathan, and Abyron, that weren rebel aȝens Moyses and Aaron, and made discencioun in the peple, so that the erthe openyde, and deuouride hem with here tabernaclis, and al her catel [catels β.] , and thei ȝeden doun quyke in to helle. Ȝit whanne the

peple grucchide aȝeyns Moyses and Aaron, and wolde sle hem vniustly, and God killide mony thousendis of the [Om. β.] peple herfore, Moyses bad Aaron preye, and offre encense for the peple; and so he ceesside the veniaunce. Also God techith there, that prestis shulen haue the firste fruytis and the [Om. ι.] first [Om. β.] boren thingis, and part of sacrificis and avowis and offringis; and dekenys shulen haue tithis of the peple, and ȝiue her tithis, that is, the tenthe part of tithis whiche thei token of the peple, to the hiȝest prest, and prestis and dekenys shulen holde hem apayed with her spiritual part of tithis and offryngis, and take no possessioun `in the lond [Om. δ.] of her britheren, for God hymself shal be the part and eritage [the eri|tage β.] of prestis, in the myddys of the sones of Israel. Also for Moyses and Aaron bileueden not fully to Goddis word, but doutiden of his byheest at the water of aȝenseying, God suffride not hem for [Om. δι.] to entre in to the lond of byheest, but bothe weren deed in desert. Also in this book ben told the duellyngis of the children of Israel in desert, and the batels whiche thei hadden aȝeyns hethen men; and of Balaam hou he was huyrid to curse [cnowe β.] Goddis peple, and hou God com|pellyd hym to blesse his peple, and to [Om. ζ.] seye profesie of Crist. And for the peple of Israel dide fornicacioun and idolatrie, God bad Moyses hange alle the princis aȝens the sunne, that the strong veniaunce of God were turned awey fro the peple of Israel. And for as myche as Fynees the prest killide a duke of Israel, that dide fornicacioun with an hethen womman, and dide [he dide ζ.] this for feruent loue to God, he gat of God euerlastyng presthod for hym and his [for his δζ.] seed, and turned awey Goddis wraththe fro the children of Israel. Also there is tauȝt, who shal be eyr of a man; and of halydayes, and sacrificis, and offryngis maade in tho; and whiche avowis shulen be holden, and whiche not; and of batels; and hou the preyes shulden be departid among the peple, and what shulde falle to the prest; and hou the lond of byheest shulde be departid to xij. lynagis; and dekenys shulden haue citees to enhabite in tho, and the subarbees to here sheep and beestys; and citees of refuyt shulden be ordeyned for hem that shedden blood vnwilfully, not of purpos, neithir hatrede byfore goynge; and he that is gilty of mannis deeth shal be slayn with outen ony [Om. ζ.] redempcioun. This proces of Numeri shulde stire cristen men for to loue here enemyes, and do good to [for ζ.] hem, as Moyses and Aaron diden, and to kepe Goddis heestis, and shede [to schede ζ.] not mannis blood vniustly. ¶ [Heere . . . . . bigynneth a prolog on Deutronomy. δ.] The fyfthe book clepid Deutronomye is a rehersyng and confermyng of al the lawe biforegoyng [afore goynge δει.] , and styrith [teechith δ.] men gretly to kepe and teche Goddis heestis, and adde no thing to tho, neither drawe awey ony thing fro tho; and first it techith, that wise men and myȝty shulen [shulden ι.] be maad iugis, and deme iustly [riȝtly δει.] the pore and the riche; aftirward hou the Jewis ouercamen Seon, the [Om. δ.] kyng of Hesebon, and token his lond and alle the goodis therynne in to her owne possessioun, and dedyn in lyk maner to Og the [Om. ζ.] kyng of Basan, and to his lond and goodis. Ferthermore God comaundith men to kepe hise heestis, and adde no thing therto, neither [ne ζ.] drawe ony [no ει.] thing ther fro, and that they drede and loue God of [with ζ.] al her herte, and al [of al ει.] her soule, and al her strengthe, and eschewe ydolatrie, and serue and worshipe hym aloone; and that thei teche Goddis heestis to here sones, and thenke on tho heestis in hous and weye, slepynge and wakynge. Also [and ζ.] God comaundith his peple to eschewe weddyngis of hethen men and wymmen to her children, lest they ben drawen to idolatrye, and bihetith many blessyngis to hem and miche encresyng of goodis, if thei kepen treuly hise comaundementis, and that strong veniaunce and distryyng shal come on the Jewis, if thei doen [diden ζ.] ydolatrie, and ben [veren ζ.] vnobedient to God. Also God biddith [bad ζ.] hem haue [to have ζ.] mynde, that they weldiden the lond of byheest, not for her owne riȝtfulnesse and strengthe, but for the synnes of men that duelliden therynne, and for the ooth of God which [the which ζ.] he made to Abraham and to other hooly men. And [Om. δει.] thanne God remembrith to hem many grete synnis, to make hem war that thei trespase no more, but that thei drede God

and loue hym in alle her hert and soule, kepe [and kepe βη sec. m. ι. sec. m.] hise comaundementis, and swere by his name, and loue pilgrymes either comelyngis. Eft God biddith hem haue hise wordis in her hertis and wittis, and haue tho for a singne in the hondis, and bytwyxe her yȝen, and that they teche her sones to bithenke [thenke ζ.] on the wordis [word ι.] of God euere, and that they write the [tho δ.] wordis of God on the postis and ȝatis of her hous; and tellith and ȝiueth his blessyng to hem, if thei kepen hise heestis, and ȝiueth his curs to hem, if they breken hise heestis, and worshipen aliene goddis. Also they shulen distrye the placis wherynne hethen men diden ydolatrie, and distrye her auters, ymagis, woodis and ydols; and thei shulen make her sacrifices, and offre her tithis, and the firste fruytis, and ȝiftis and avowis in the place which the Lord hath chose to his name, and this was the temple of Jerusalem. Also a prophete, either a feynere of dremys, that `wole styre [sterith δει.] men to do [Om. ζ.] ydolatrye shal be slayn, and so shal a frend either citee that doth idolatrye, eithir styrith other men therto. Also thou shalt paye tithis of alle fruytis that growen in [on β.] erthe, of whete, of [and ζ.] wyn, and [Om. δει.] of oyle, and the [of the ζ.] first boren thingis of neet and sheep; and in the thridde ȝere thou shalt departe an [of ζ.] othir tithe of alle thingis that growen to thee, and kepe it with ynne thine ȝatis, to susteyne the dekene, pylgrym outher comelyng, fadirles child either [or ζ.] modirles, and wydue, that ben with ynne thy ȝatis. Also in the vij. ȝeer shal be remissioun of dette to citeseynes and kynnesmen, netheles not to a pylgrym and comelyng, for he may be compellid to paye. Outirly a nedy man and begger shal not be among [among ȝou δ.] Goddis peple; but pore men shulen not fayle in the lond, therfore ryche men shulen helpe hem with loue, and helpe hem wilfully in here nede. Thanne God techith of thre grete solempnetees, of pask, of the feeste of woukis either pentecost, and of the feeste of tabernaclis [the tabernacle β.] ; and that maystris and iugis shulen be ordeyned in alle ȝatis [the ȝatis ζ.] either citees by ech lynage, to deme the peple by iust doom, and take not ȝiftis nether persones. Ferthermore God techith, that who euer is conuyct by tweyne eithir thre witnessis [wit|nes β.] , that he hath do idolatrie, he shal be stoonyd, first by the [Om. βζ.] witnessis [wit|nes β.] , and thanne by al the pepil. He that is proud and wole not obeye to the comaundement of the hiȝe prest, and to the doom of the iugis [iuge βζ.] , in that that [Om. βδει.] thei techen Goddis lawe, shal be deed. Thanne God techith, what maner kyng the pepil shal make, and what shal be his office. Aftirward God techith, that prestis and dekenys, and alle that ben of the same lynage, shulen `not haue [haue no ι.] part and eritage with the residue pepil of Israel, for they shulen ete the sacrifices of the Lord, and the offringis of hym, and thei shulen take noon othir thing of the possessioun of her bretheren; for whi God hym self is her eritage. Ferthermore God forbedith idolatrie, and to enquere con|iourers, and to kepe dremys and chiteryng of briddis; and comaundith that no wicche neithir [ne ζ.] enchaunter be, and that men take not [no ζ.] councel at hem that han spiritis in cloos, neithir at false dyuynours, neithir axe of deede men the trouthe. Also God shal reise a profete of her [Om. ζ.] brethir [brithren δεζι.] , that is Crist the Sauyour, and he that hath [heerith δει.] not hise wordis shal be punishid. A profete that wole speke by pride in the name of God that thing that God bad not hym, eithir bi the name [names ζ.] of othir goddis, shal be slayn. Also vj. citees of refuyt eithir [or ζ.] of fraunchise shulen be, that he [oon β.] that sleeth a man, not by hatrede but aȝens his wille, be [schal be ζ.] saued, and he that sleeth a man bi hatrede and bifore castyng, shal be slayn with oute mercy, eithir raunsoun. He that is conuict to have seid fals witnessyng aȝens his brothir, shal haue the same peyne to which his brothir shulde be put, if he hadde be gilty. Also prestis shulen coumforte hem that gon to iust batel, to haue trist in God, and drede not her enemyes, and that ferdful men, and thei that han newly byldyd an hous, eithir [or ζ.] newly plauntid a vyne, eithir [or δεζι.] newly weddid a wyf, and not vsid hir, go not to batel; and first werryours shulen profre pees to a citee, and if the citee ȝelde it self, men ther

ynne shulen lyue vndir tribute, ellis alle men ther ynne shulen be slayn; and this is vndir|stonden of tho citees that be not ȝouen in to possessioun to the pepil of Israel. And there is teld the departyng of preyes, and what trees [tree ζ.] shulen [schal ζ.] be kit doun in bisegynge [the bisegyng δει. bysekynge α.] . Also God techith what shal be doon, whanne a man is founden slayn, and the sleer is vnknowun. A child rebel to the fadir and modir, and that [Om. ζ.] ȝiueth hym silf to glotenye, leccherye and drunkennesse, shal be stoonyd of al the citee. A man shal kepe the oxe and sheep of his brothir, that is strayed awey, and bringe it aȝen to his brothir, and so of other beestis and of ech thing; and if thou knowist not, whose tho [thei ζ.] ben, thou shalt kepe tho stille, tyl [to β.] thi brothir seke and resseyue tho. Who euer doth avoutrie, shal be deed; if [and if δεηι.] a man defoulith [defoule ζ.] a virgyne, he shal wedde hir, and ȝiue l. siclis of siluer to her fadir. Thou shalt not take a seruaunt to his lord, which seruaunt fledde to thee, but he shal duelle with thee in a place that plesith hym. Noon hoore shal be of the douȝtris of Israel, neithir a lechour of the soones of Israel. Thou shalt not leene to thi brothir for vsure. If a man hatith his wife, he shal write and ȝiue to hir a libel of forsakyng; but this is forbedun of Crist in the gospel of M^t. v^to. [the fyuethe ζ.] ca^o. and `xix ca<sup>o</sup>. [the nynthe chapiter ζ.] Whanne a man hath take late a wyf, he shal not go to batel, neithir ony comyn office shal be put on [vnto ζ.] hym, but oon ȝeer he shal be glad with his wif, and take heede to his hous. He that proloyneth his brothir, which is a fre man, and sillith hym, shal [he shal δει.] be slayn. Thou shalt ȝelde `at nyȝt to [a nyȝt ι.] a [the β.] pore man his weed, and in the same day thou shalt paye to a nedy traueylour his huyre. Fadris shulen not be slayn for the sones, neithir sones [the sones ζ.] for the fadris [fadir ζ.] . Whanne thou repist corn in the feeld, and forȝetist an handful, thou shalt not turne aȝen to take it, but thou shalt suffre that a comelyng, fadirles [and fadirles ζ.] child and wydewe take it awey; and so of gaderyng of olyues and of gaderyng of grapis. Whanne twey men ben at debatyng, and the wif of oon wole delyuere hir housbond fro the hond of the strenger, and take hym by the preuy membris, sche shall leese her hond withouten eny mercy. And there God forbedith false weiȝtis and mesures, a [Om. β.] more and a [Om. β.] lesse. Also dekenes schulen pronunce and seie with hiȝ vois to alle the men of Israel, he is cursid that doth ydolatrie, eithir [or δεζι.] brekith eny comaundement of God eithir [or δεζι.] doth aȝens eny part of the lawe of God; and al the peple schal seie, Amen. Also God biheetith greet prosperite to his peple, if thei kepe his heestis, and thei schulen be blessid in citee and in [blessid in δει.] feeld, and the fruit of her wombe and the fruyt of her lond shal be blessid, and alle thingis that perteynen to hem schulen be blessid, and thei schulen haue victorie of hire enemyes, and manye prosperites [prosperite β.] of soule and of [Om. ζ.] bodi schulen bifalle to hem; and if thei kepen not Goddis heestis, thei schulen be cursid in cite and feeld [in feeld β.] , the fruit [fruytes ζ.] of her wombe, and alle thingis that perteynen to hem schul be cursid [acursid ι.] ; God schal sende hem hungir, thirst, pestilence, feuer and coold, brennynge [and brennynge δει.] and heete, and corupt eir, til thei perischen; enemyes schulen haue victorie, and conquere hem, and take hem pre|soners; and ȝit God schal punysche hem with huge veniaunce, that alle that heeren ben astonyed. Natheles if whanne alle these veniances ben fallen on hem, thei [and thei ζ.] repenten verily in the [Om. ζ.] herte, and turne aȝen to God, and obeyen to hise heestis in al her herte and al her soule, the Lord shal haue mercy on hem, and bringe hem aȝen to hire lond fro alle folkis, among whiche thei weren scaterid, and God schal blesse hem, and make hem to be of more noumbre than her fadris weren, and schal turne alle the [thes βη sec. m.] cursis on her enemyes [enemye α.] ; and God schal ȝeue to hem aboundaunce in alle werkis of her hondis, and in alle thingis that perteynen to hem. Moises spac alle these wordis to al the puple of Israel, and bad hem drede not her enemyes, for God schal go bifore [to fore β.] his peple, and ouercome her enemyes. And Moises ordeyned Josue to be ledere of the peple bifore al the multitude of the sones

of Israel. Moises wroot this lawe and ȝaf it to [Om. α.] prestis, the sones of Leuy, and to the [Om. β.] eldre men of Israel, and bad hem rede the wordis of this lawe bifore al Israel, in the heeringe of alle men and wymmen, litel children, and comelingis, eithir conuersis to the feith of Jewis, that thei heere and lerne and dreede oure Lord God, and kepe and fille [fulle β.] alle the wordis of this lawe. Moises bi Goddis comaundement wroot a greet song, and tauȝte it the children of Israel, that it schulde be into witnessing aȝens hem; and Moises clepide togidere alle the eldre men and techeris, and clepide heuene and erthe into witnessing aȝens hem; and whanne Moises hadde fillid alle the wordis of this greet song, he styede into an hil, and was deed there, and God biryede him, and man [a man ζ.] knew not his sepulcre til [Om. ζ.] into this day. Cristen men schulde myche reede and heere `and kunne [Om. δ.] this book of Deutro|nomye that [and kunne it, that δ.] conprehendith al the lawe of Moises, and disposith men for to bileeue in Crist, and heere and kepe his wordis.