An abridgeme[n]t of all the canonical books of the olde Testament written in Sternholds meter by VV. Samuel minister. The names of the books are in the next leaf following.

The xviij. chapiter.

ALl the Leuites the whiche were préest{is}, might no possessions haue: All sorcery they must auoid, their liues to kéep and saue. Moyses tolde then of Christe to come, and bad them him to hear: The Prophet false they must not way, nor all his dooings fear.

The xix. chapiter.

BEcause that murther might be doon, against the dooers minde: For refuge, Citties were set out, and there vnto assignd. The false witnes must haue the stone, return to his owne brow: An eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, the law did them alow.

The xx. chapiter.

CHuse out for warres what men they should this chapter dooth expresse: The law of armes to them is tolde, to vse in war or peace. The Cananites, the Pheresites, the Iebusites also: With Heuites eke they must destroy▪ not letting one to go.

The xxj. chapiter.

DEcrée did God a goodly law, for him that was found dead: And how the Iew should him behaue, a gentile for to wed. The first borne sonne he must possesse, the heritage and land: The childe that parent{is} dooth not fear, must die euen out of hand.

The xxii. chapiter.

EChe man must help his neighbours Asse although he be vnknowne: The man denied the womans tire, shée to go in her owne. Lin••••e wolūe might not be worn, the adulterer must die: And order taken for that man, that with a maid did lie.

The xxiii. chapiter.

FOrbidden was the gelded man in Christes churche to dwel: The harlots bird dooth God commaund, that they should quite expel. There might no whore among thē bide, the Lord did so decrée: The loue of things is there denide, to lend on vsury.

The xxiiii. chapiter.

GIue leaue did Moyses to deuorce, for causes that were light: The newly spousd they might not force in battaile for to fight. For money lent and seruant{is} hire, a goodly lesson tolde: Some leysing left in féeld and town, for poore folke yung and olde.

The xxv. chapiter.

HOw many stripes the trespasser, should haue for wicked life: A man that died without a sonne, his brother should wed his wife: That weight{is} & mesures should be iu••••, read ye the chapters end:

Who so dooth vse the contrary, shall come to wicked end.

The xxvi. chapiter.

IUstly must they now pay their frutes, that first to them did fall The tithes they were commaunded to, they should then pay them all, Unto the préest{is}, the fatherles, the straunger and widowe: Such goods were then the poores of right how so they vse them now.

The xxvii. Chapiter.

KNowledge was had the people the•• an aulter vp to rear: Afore that Iordane they did passe, or came the land so néer. The curses then that Leuy was commaunded for to speak: Against all those that did delight, Gods wil to burst or break.

The xxviii. Chapiter.

LOuingly the Lord did blesse, the kéepers of his wil: To stablishe them in their good mindes to kéep them in it stil.

And curse dooth hée the contrary, with cursings very great: Those that him looue he dooth them blesse his haters hée dooth threat.

The xxix. chapiter.

MOyses then went and thus he spake, vnto the people all: Saying to suche as feareth God, the Lord defends them all. But they that not regard his wil, suche plagues on them shall come: As like hath not béen séen on earth, from rising of the sonne.

The xxx. chapiter.

NOt far from them that doo it séek is Gods almightie woord: Those that it loue and it obay, are saued from the swoord. Within our mouthes and in our hart{is} the woord is alway prest: Those that it kéep are sure at length, for it they shalbe blest.

The xxxi. chapiter.

OLde was Moyses and so did chuse, then Iosue in his stéed:

To whom he said sée thou be strong, and haue no fear or dread. This book he wrote and did it giue, into the Leuites hand: And chargde that they the same should read, when they came to the land.

The xxxii. chapiter.

PLesantly then did Moyses sing a goodly song of praise: Unto the Lord for all the acts, that he had wrought alwaies, And vp he went vnto a hil, to look on Canaan: God bad him there to run the race, that all his fathers ran.

The xxxiii. chapiter.

QUietly Moyses did prepare, to sléep his fathers sléep But this he said before he went, that God his saints dooth kéep. Also he blessed all the tribes, afore his dying day: And tolde how they should rule & reign, if they did God obay.

The xxxiiii. chapiter.

REst from his woork did Moyses then and so gaue vp the ghoste: At his departing they did wéep euen throughout all the hoste. And Iosue did his roum possesse as Moyses had it wild: And ruled all the Israelites, in Cittie and in féeld.