The true copye of a prolog wrytten about two C. yeres paste by Iohn Wycklife (as maye iustly be gatherid bi that, that Iohn Bale hath writte[n] of him in his boke entitlid the Summarie of famouse writers of the Ile of great Brita[n]) the originall whereof is founde written in an olde English Bible bitwixt the olde Testament and the Newe. Whych Bible remaynith now in ye Kyng hys maiesties chamber.

¶ The thryd chapiter.

SImple men of wit moune be edified to heauēly lyue∣ing, by reading and know∣yng of the olde testament. For in the beginyng of Genesis thei moun knowe howe God made hea∣uen and earth and al the creaturs of nought, & made man to hys owne Image and liknes and to haue blisse in body and soule, wythouten anye ende. Also men may know how sore God punished Adā & Gue for brea∣kyng his cōmaundement, And how Abel pleased God by feyth, meknes and charitie: and howe Cayn disple∣sed hym by sinnes, & specially by en∣uie, hatred, and manquellinge. Also howe Noe was loued of God, and al the worlde (outakē. viii. persons) was distroyed for synne. And howe for pryde and other synnes, God de∣partyd many langagis: that noman vnderstode other in y^• tour of Babel And howe feythfull and obedyente

to God Abraham was that he yede out of hys londe into a straung coū∣tre & was redy to slea his owne son I saac, at the wil of God, & gat ther∣fore myche rewarde of God. And howe God distried Sodome & Go∣morre and other iii. Cities, for leche∣rie and other synnes, that tho were sunke downe, & the dead sea is now where tho greate Cites weren.

Also howe true and obediēt to God weren Isaac, Iacob & Ioseph: and howe God kepte hem in al periles. All thys processe of Genesis should styr christen men, to be feithfull, and forto drede and loue God: and in all thynges dohys wyll.

Also in Exodi mē mai knowe howe God kepte hys symple Puple in E∣gypte, and encreased hem greatly in that londe, vnder the persequucion & tyrantry of kyng Pharao, & deliue∣red hem bi mani miracles, & punish∣ed Pharao & hys puple wyth tenne

strong vengeaunces, and fedde hem meruilousli in desert. xl. yers, where no dwellynge of men was before, and made hē to ouercome the strōg puple of Amalech. After thys God taught hē wyse gouernaile, & bitoke to hem the ten cōmaundements and other iudiciallis to punyshe greatly open greate sinnes. And they weren ful bisi to make a costlue tabernacle to the honoure of God by hys byd∣ding & teching: y^• figured holy chirch & vertuis in mens soulis. At the last God toke greate vēgeaūce on hem for Idolatry: whā they forsokē the feyth and worshipyng of God, and honoreden yeotun caluys by styring of the deuyl. And then Moses was a trewe mediatour bytwyx God & the synfull puple: and seyde thus to God, for greate tryst of hys mercie and for ryghtfulnes and greate cha∣ritie to y^• puple. Either forgiue thou thys trespas to hem: eyther do me

out of y^• boke in which thou hast wri tē me. And for this deuoute preier & greate charitie of Moses: God spa∣rid the sinful puple, & distried not so∣dēli al the puple, but toke hē to mer∣cie & grace. And this proces of Ex∣odie should make mē cristi in godes helpe & to be true in hys loue, & E∣schew his offēce w^t al here mightes

The thyrde boke clepid leuitici: teacheth men sacrifices due to God, and for synnes of the puple in the tyme of the olde testament, and that no man vnworthy shoulde nyghe to the seruise & sacrifice of God. These sacrifices owne not to be kept now: for tho figuriden the passion and the death of Christ, and remissiō of sins by the bl•…•…e and merite of Christ in the lawe of grace. Also this boke te: cheth men to absteine fro wedlocke of nyghe kynne and affinitie wythin the. ii. degree, and ordeyneth peine of death for Idolatrye, and wedynge

wythin the. ii. degree of cōsanguinity and affinytye. At the last, thys boke teacheth mē to kepe Goddes hestes & forto loue here neyghboures and to do equitie to hem, and werkis of mercye to nedy men, and cōmaūdeth iuste weightes & measures & domis and for byddeth strongly Idolatrie and wytchcrafte & false coniutinges and telleth prosperiti that shal come to hem that kepen Goddes hestes, and vengeaunce & peine to hem that breaken Goddes hestes. And thys proces of Leuitici, shuld make chri∣stē men aferd to breake Gods hests and ioyful to kepe tho to lyfe & deth for reward of God in euerlastynge blysse.

The fourth boke clepid Numeri, tellethe the noumbre of puple ledde out of Egypt, both of lewde men & and of priestes and of dea•…•…enis: and howe God kepte hem lōgein y^• hor∣•…•…yble desert, and punyshed hem all

by death, outake Caleph and Iosue for grutchyng and mistrust to gods word, and punished Marie Moses suster wyth lepree: for back bytynge of Moses the mild seruaūt of God. Also, whā God would haue distried the puple for grutchyng ayens hym Moses preyed wythe all hys herte for the puple that woulde stone hym to death. Also God teacheth there, that he that doth any synne by pride: shalbe dead. And that he that brake the sabat, yea by gaderyng of stiks, should be stoned of all the puple.

Also God punished sore Core, Da∣than and Abiron, that weren rebell ayens Moses and Aaron, & maden discencion in the puple: so that the earth opneide & deuoured hem with here tabernacles & al here cattel, and they yeden downe quicke into hell. Yet whan the puple grutched ayens Moses and Aaron, and would slea them vniustly, & God kyll•…•…d manie

thousandes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Puple heerefore: Mo•…•…es bade Aaron prey & offer en∣•…•…ens for the puple, and so he ceassed the vēgeaūce. Also God techeth ther that priests shulē haue y^• first fruits & first borne things & parte of sacri∣•…•…ices, au•…•…wes & offeryngs, & dekins shoulen haue tythis of y^• puple, and yeue her tythis, that is y^• tenth part of tithis (which thei tokē of the pu∣ple) to y^e highhest priest, and priests and dekins shulen holde hem apayde wyth here spiritual parte of tythys and offringes, and take no possession in y^e londe of here brithren. For God hym silfe shal be the parte & heritag of priests: in y^e middis of the sonnes of Israel. Also for Moses and Aarō beleuidē not fully to Gods worde, but doureden of his byhestes at the water of a•…•…enseinge: God sufferede not hem to enter into the lond of by∣heste, but, both were•…•… deade in de∣sert. Also in this boke ben tolde the

dwelings of the childrē of Israel in desert and the batteils that the•…•… had∣den aye•…•…s heathen men, and of b•…•…laā how he was hyred to cursse Godes puple: and howe God cōpelled hym to blesse his puple, and to seye pro∣phe•…•…i of Christ. And for the puple of Israel dyd fornication & 〈◊〉〈◊〉: God bade Moses hang all the pri•…•…∣ces ayens the sune, that the stronge vengeaunce of God were tur•…•…id a∣waye fro the pup•…•…e of Israell. And for as miche as Phinees the pr•…•…ste kylled a Duke of Israel y^t dide for∣nication wyth an heathen wom•…•…, and dyd th•…•…s for feruēt loue to God∣he gate of Godeuerlastynge pri•…•…∣hode for hym & his scede, & turnid a∣we•…•… gods wrath fro y^e childrē of Is∣rael. Also there is taught, who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be heire of a mā▪ & of holi daies & •…•…∣crifices & offerings made in tho, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which a•…•…ows shulē be holdē, W•…•… not, of b•…•…tels & how y^• preis shulē •…•…e

parted amonge the puple, and what should fall to the prieste, & howe the lond of bihest should be departed to xii. lynages, & dekenis shoulen haue cities to enhabite in tho, and the sub∣arbis to here shepe and beastes, and cities of refuite shouldē be ordeined for hem that shedden bloude vnwyl∣fully, not of purpose, neyther hatred before goyng. And he that is gyltie of maus death: shall be slaine wyth∣outen any redemption.

This processe of Numeri, shold stir christē mē, forto loue here enimies & do good to hem, as Moses & Aarō diden, and to kepe Goddis hesles, and shede not mans bloude vniustli

The. v. boke clepyd deutronomie: is a rehersynge and cōfirmyng of all the law afore going, and styreth mē gretly to kepe & teach goddes hests, and adnothing to tho, neither draw awaye any thyng fro tho. And first it teacheth, that wyse men & mighty

shoulden be made iudges, and deme ryght the pore and the ryche. After∣warde, howe the Iewes ouercamē Deon the King of Esebō, and token hys londe and all the goodes therin, into here owne possession, and dyden in like maner to Og y^e king of Basā, and to hys londe and goodes, For∣thermore God cōmaundeth men to kepe hys heestes: and adde nothynge therto, neyther drawe nothing ther∣fro, and y^• they drede and loue God of all here hert and of all here soule, and al here strength, & eschew Ido∣latrie, and serue and worshipe hym alone, and that theye teache goddis heestes, to here sonnes & thyncke on tho hests in howese and wey, sleping and wakinge. Also God cōmaūdeth hys puple to eschewe weddingis of heathen men & womē to here childer lest they be drawne to Idolatri, and bihetith mani blessinges to hem and myehe encreasyng of goodes, if they

kepē truli his cōmaūdemēts▪ And y^• strōg vēgeaūce & dist•…•…ng shal come on y^• Iues, if thei don idolatri, & bē vnobedient to God. Also God byd∣deth hem haue minde that thei wel∣didē the lond of biheest, not for here owne rightfulnes and strength: but for the synnes of mē that dwelliden therin, & for the ooth of God which he made to Abrahame and to other holy men. Th•…•…n God remembreth to h•…•…m many great sinnes: to make hem ware y^• they trespasse no more, but that they dreade God and loue hym in al here herte and soule, kepe hys cōmaundementes, and s•…•…ere by hys name, and loue pilgrimis either comelingis. Efre, God bydith hem haue his wordes in here hertes and wyts & haue tho for a signe in y^• h•…•…n∣des & bitwixt her iyen, & y^t they teach here sons to bythinke on the wordes of god euer and y^t thei write y^e wor∣dis of god on y^• postes & yates of her

house & telleth & yeueth his blessyng to hem▪ if the•…•… kepen his heestis, and yeueth his cursse to hem if they brea kē his hestes, and worshipen alien Goddis. Also they shoulen distroye the places wherin heathen men dyd∣den Idolatrie, & distrie here auters, Images, wodes and Idolis. And they shulen make here sacrifices and offer here tythys and the first frutes and yeftes, and auowes: in the place whych the lorde hath chosen to hys name, and thys was the temple of Ierusalem. Also a prophete either a feyner of dreames that stirreth men to do Idolatri: shalbe slayne, and so shall a frende, either citie, that doeth Idolatrie▪ eyther styrreth other men therto. Also thou shalt pay tythis of all fruites that growen in the earth, of wheete, of wyne, of oyle: and the first borne things of neete and shepe And in the thrid yere, y^• shalt depart another tith of al thinges y^t growen

to thee, and kepe it within thy yates, to susteine the dekin, pilgrime either comlyng, fatherlesse chylde eyther motherlesse: and wyde we that bene wythin thy yeates. Also in the. vii, yere shalbe remission of dette to citi∣sens and kynsmen, netheles, not to a pylgryme & comelynge, for he maie be cōpelled to paye. Utterly a nedye man and begar shall not be amonge Goddes puple: but pore men shou∣len not faile in the londe. Therefore, rychemen shoulen helpe hem wyth loue: and helpe hem wylfully in here nede. Than God teacheth of three greate solemnities, Of paske, of the feast of wokes either Pētecoste: of the feaste of Tabernacles, and that maisters & iudges sholen be ordey∣ned in all yates eyther cities by eche linage, to deme y^• puple bi iuste dō•…•… and take not yeftis neyther persons. Ferther more God teacheth, y^• who euer is conuict bitweine either thre

witnesses, that he hath do Idolatri: he shal be stoned, first bi y^• witnesses and than by all the puple. He that is proude and wol not obeye to the cōmaundemente of the hygh prieste and to the dōe of the iudgis in that thei teachē gods lawe shal be deade.

Then God teacheth what maner kyng the puple shal make: and what shal be his office. Afterwarde God teacheth that priestis and dekynys, and all that bene of the same linage: shoulen not haue parte and herytage wyth the residue puple of Israel. For thei shoulen eate the sacrifices of the lorde, and the offrings of him and thei sholē take none other thinge of the possession of here britherne. For whye, God hym selfe is her he∣ritage. Ferthermore God for bideth Idolatry, and to enquyre cōiureris: and to kepe dreamis and chiteryng of byrddis, and cōmaūdeth that no •…•…ytch neither enchaūter be, & that

mē take not coūcel at hem y^e han spi∣rites in cloos: neither at •…•…alse diui∣ners, nether axe of dead mē y^e truth. Also god sh•…•…l reise a prophete of her brethrē, y^e is Christ y^• sauioure: & he y^• heareth not his words, shal be pu nished. A prophet that wil speke by pride, in y^e name of god y^t thing that god bade not him, either by y^e name of other gods: shal be slaine. Also. v•…•… cities of refuite either of fraunchise, shullen be: that he that sleeth a man not by hatred but ayens hys wyll: be saued. And he that sleeth a man by hatered and byfore castinge: shal be slain wythoute mercie either raū∣som. He that is cōuicte to haue seide false wytnes ayens his brother: shal haue the same peyne to whych hys brother shuld be put, if he had be gil tie. Also priests shoulē cōfort hē that gone to iust batteil, to haue truste in god & drede not here enimies. And y^e •…•…erdful mē, & they that han newil bil

ded an house, eyther newly plante•…•… a vine, or new•…•… wedid a wyfe, & not vsed hyr go not to batteil. And first warriers shulē profer peace to a city And if y^e citie yelde it self: mē therin shulē lyue vnder tribute, else al men therin shoulen be slayne. And this is vnderstōdē of tho cities y^t bē not ye∣uun into possessiō to y^e puple of Is∣rael And ther is told the departyng of preyes & what trees shoulē be kit downe in the bysegyng. Also God teacheth what shalbe done: whanne a mā is founden slaine, and the slear is vnknowē. A child rebel to the fa∣ther and mother, & that yeueth him∣selfe to glotonye lecheti•…•… and drūke∣nesse▪ shalbe stoned of al the citie. A man shal kepe the oxe & shepe of hys brother that is straied awei: & bring it a•…•…en to hys brother, & so of other beasts & of eche thyng. And if thou knowest not whose tho ben: y^• shalt kepe tho stil: til thi brother seke and

receiue tho. Who euer doeth auou∣trie: shal be deade. And if a man de∣foul a virgin: he shal wedde hir, and yeue fifti sicles of siluer to hir father Thou shalt not take a seruaūt to his lorde: whych seruaūt fledde to thee, but he shall dwel with the in a place that pleaseth hym. None whore shal be of the doughters of Israell: nei∣ther a lechour of y^• sonnes of Israel Thou shalt not lene to thy brother for vsurie. If a man hate his wyfe: he shal wryte and yeue to hyr a libell of forsakyng. But this is forbedun of Christ in the gospel of Mathew, in the. v. and xix chapter. Whan a mā hath take late a wife: he shal not go to bateil, neither any commune office shal be put on him, but •…•…o yere he shal be glad with hys wife, & take hede to his hous. He that proloineth hys brother, whych is a fremā, and seleth hyin: he shal be slayne.

Thou shalt yelde at nyght to a pore

man his wedde: and in the same dai thou shalt paye to a •…•…edy traueilour hys hyre. Fathers shoulen not be slaine for the sonnes, neither sonnes for the fathers. Whan thou reapest corne iu y^• feeld, & foryetist an hādful thou shalt not turne ayene to take it: but thou shalt suffer that a comling, fatherles chylde, and wydowe take it awaye. Aud so of gatheryng of o∣lyues, and of gatheryng of grapes. Whan tweyemen ben at debating, and the wife of one wole deliuer hyr housband fro y^• hond of the strōger and take him by the pryuimembres: she shalleese hir hond withouten ani mercie. And there God for bydith false weightes and measurs, a more and a lesse. Also dekinnis sholen pro∣uoūce and seye wyth hygh voice to all the men of Israell. He is curssed that dothe Idolatrye, or breaketh any cōmaūdement of God, or doeth ayens any part of the lawe of God:

and al the puple shal sei•…•… A men. Also God bi•…•…teth greate prosperitie to his puple if thei kepe his he itis, and thei shulē be blessed in citi & blessed in fielde & y^e fruit of here wombe, & the fruit of, here lono shal be blessed, & al thynges that pertein to hem shulē ve blessed '& they shulē haue victorie of here enemies, and mani prosperities of soule & body, shulē bifale to hem. And if they kepe•…•… not goddis hestis: thei shulen be eurssed in citie & felde. The frute of here wombe, & al thin∣ges that perteyne to hem, shulen be curssed. God shal sēde h•…•…m hunger thryst, pestilence, feuer, & colde and brenning, and he ate & corupte ayer, tyll they perishen. Enemyes shulen haue victorie, & conquere hem, and take of hem prisoners. And yet God shal punishe hem wyth huge venge∣aunce that al that hearē be astonied. Nethelesse, if whā al these vengeaū∣ces ben fallē on hem, thei repēten, ve ryli

in y^• here & •…•…utnen aythe to God & obeien to his hestis in al he•…•…e herie & al here soule: y^• lord shal haue mercy on hem, & brynge hem ayene to here lōde fro al folkes amōg which they werē scatered. And god shal bles hē & make •…•…em to be of m•…•…re nūbre, thā hete fathers werē: and shall turne al y^• •…•…uisses on here enimies. And God shal yeue to hē abūdāce in al wer kis of here hands & in al thi•…•… os that per teyne to hem. Moses spake all these words to al the puple of Israel and bade hem dread not here enimies for God shal go befor his puple, & euer come here enimies. A•…•…d Moses or∣deined •…•…osue to be leader of the puple before all the multitude of the sons of Israel. Moses wrot this law and af•…•…it to priests y^• •…•…ons of Leui, & to the eldermē of Israel & badehē rede y^• words of this law bifore al Israel in y^• heating of al men & womē little childrē and comlings ether cōuersis

to the feith of Iewes: that thei hear and learne and dread our lord God, and kepe & fyl al the wordes of thys lawe. Moses by goddis cōmaunde∣ment wrote a greate songe & taught it the childrē of Israel, that it should be into wytnessynge ayens hem.

And Moses clepyd togithere all the elder mē & teacheris: and clepid hea∣uē and earth into witnessyng ayens hem. And whan Moses had filled al the wordes of thys greate •…•…oung: he styed in to an hyl, and was deade there, & God buried hym, and manne knew not his sepulchre tyl into thys daye. Chrystē men sholdē mych read and heare & •…•…un this boke of Deu∣tronomi, that comprehendeth all the law of Moses: & disposeth men for to beleue in Christe and heare and kepe hys wordes.

Notes

• Deutero∣nomi.