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The Laws of King Alfred
Topic Started: Nov 20 2013, 02:09 AM (1,381 Views)
Matthew
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Just as a point of interest I thought I'd put these up.

Basically these are a translation of the law book compiled by Alfred sometime during his reign. The preface is included, but it seems as if not all of the original 120 laws are included.

The translations come from three sources. Sections 1 through 48 are from "King Alfred the Great and our Common Law" by Rev. Prof. Dr. F.N. Lee.

Section 49 comes from a translation by Jonathan Hall: https://sites.google.com/site/miscelleneatheologica/home/aelfredlaw.

The remainder comes from the Internet History Sourcebooks Project of Fordham University: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/560-975dooms.asp#The%20Laws%20of%20King%20Alfred

Quote:
 

The Laws of King Alfred

The Lord spoke these words to Moses, and said: "I am the Lord your God. I led you out of the lands
and out of the bondage of the Egyptians."

1. Do not love other strange gods before Me!

2. Do not call out My Name in idleness! For you are not guiltless with Me, if you call
out My Name in idleness.

3. Mind that you hallow the rest-day! You must work six days; but on the seventh you
must rest! For in six days Christ made Heavens and Earth, the seas, and all the shapen
things in them; but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord hallowed it.

4. Honour your father and your mother whom the Lord gave you — so that you may
live longer on Earth!

5. Do not slay!

6. Do not commit adultery!

7. Do not steal!

8. Do not witness falsely!

9. Do not unrighteously desire your neighbour's goods!

10. Do not make gold or silver gods for yourself!

11. These are the judgments which you must appoint. If anyone buys a Christian slave
[or man in bondage], let him be bonded for six years — but the seventh, he must
freely be unbought. With such clothes as he went in, with such must he go forth. If he
himself had a wife [previously] — she must go out with him. However, if his overlord
gave him a wife — she and her bairn [must] go to the overlord. If, however, the
bondsman then says, 'I do not wish to go away from my overlord; nor from my wife;
nor from my bairn; nor from my goods' — let his overlord then bring him to the door
of the church and drill his ear through with an awl, as a sign that he should be a
bondsman ever since!

12. Though anyone sells his daughter as a maidservant, let her not at all be a
bondswoman like other women. Nor may he sell her to foreigners. But if he who
bought her does not respect her — let her go free, [even] among foreigners. If, then,
he [her overlord] allows his son to cohabit with her — let him give her marriage-gifts,
and see to it that she receives clothes and the dowry which is the value of her
maidenhood! Let him give her that! If he do none of these things to her — then she is
free.

13. The man who intentionally slays another man — let him suffer death!
He, however, who slay him out of necessity or unwillingly or involuntarily — as
when God may have sent him into his power, and when he had not lain in wait for
him — he is worthy of his living and lawful fine, if he [the involuntary
manslaughterer] seeks asylum. But if any one presumptuously and wilfully slays his
neighbour through guile — drag him from My altar, so that he should suffer death!

14. He who smites his father or his mother — shall suffer death!

15. He who steals a Freeman and sells him, and it be proved against him, so that he
cannot clear himself — let him suffer death!

16. If any one smites his neighbour with a stone or with his fist — if he [the one smitten]
may go forth, even though only with the help of a staff: get him medicine; and do his
work for him, while he himself cannot!

17. He who smites his own bondservant or bondswoman — if he or she does not die the
same day but still lives for two or three nights — he is not at all so guilty [of death]:
for it was his own chattel. However, if he or she die the same day — put the guilt
upon him [the overlord]!

18. If anyone, while fighting, hurt a pregnant woman — let him pay a fine for the hurt,
as the evaluators determine! If she die — let him pay soul with soul!

19. If anyone puts out another's eye, let him give his own for it: tooth for tooth, hand for
hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe!

20. If anyone smite out the eye of his manservant or his maidservant, so that he makes
them one-eyed — for that, he must free them!

21. If an ox gores a man or a woman so that they die — let the ox be stoned to death; but
do not let its flesh be eaten! The owner is guiltless — if the ox gored two or three
days earlier and the owner did not know about it. However, if he did know about it,
and if he did not want to impound it — and if it then slew either a man or a woman —
let it be destroyed with stones, and let the owner of the slain or the gored bondsman
be paid whatever the Council finds to be right! If it gore a son or a daughter, it is
worthy of the same judgment. However, if it gored a bondsman or bondsmen, let
thirty shillings of silver be given to the overlord; and let the ox be destroyed with
stones!

22. If anyone digs a water-pit; or unties a tied-up animal, and does not tie it up again —
let him pay for whatever falls therein; and let him have the dead one!

23. If an ox wounds another man's ox so that it dies, let them sell the [live] ox and share
its value — and, similarly, also the meat of the dead one! However, if the owner knew
that the ox was goring, but did not wish to restrain it — let him give another ox for it,
and keep all the meat for himself!

24. If anyone steals another's ox, and slays or sells it — let him give two for it; and four
sheep for one! If he does not have anything to give — let he himself be sold for the
fee!

25. If a thief breaks into a man's house at night, and he be slain there — he [the slayer] is
not guilty of manslaughter! If he does this after sun-rise, he is guilty of manslaughter;
and he himself shall then die — unless he slew out of necessity! If he [the thief] be
caught red-handed with what he previously stole — let him pay twofold for it!

26. If anyone harms another man's vineyard or his acres or any of his lands — let him
pay the fine as men value it!

27. If fire be kindled to burn right — let him who tindered the fire then pay a fine for
the mischief!

28. If anyone entrust livestock to his friend — if he [the friend] himself steals it, let him
pay for it twofold! If he does not know who stole it, let him clear himself [from the
accusation] that he committed a fraud! However, if it were quick [alias 'live'] cattle —
and if he says that the army took it; or that it died of itself; and if he has a witness —
he need not pay for it. If he, however, has no witness — and if he [the loser of the
livestock] does not believe him [the custodian] — let him then swear!

29. If anyone deceives an unwedded woman and sleeps with her, let him pay for her —
and have her afterwards as his wife! However, if the woman's father does not want to
let her go — let him [the seducer] give money, according to her dowry!

30. Don't let women live who are wont to receive enchanters and conjurers and witches!

31. Let him who has intercourse with cattle, suffer death!

32. Also let him who offers sacrifices to the gods — except to God alone — suffer
death!

33. You must not vex strangers and those who come from afar — for you were strangers,
long ago, in the land of the Egyptians!

34. You must not scathe widows and step-children, nor harm them anywhere! However,
if you do otherwise — they cry out to Me, and I hear them; and then I slay you with
My sword. Thus I make your wives to be widows, and your bairns to be stepchildren!

35. If you give money as a loan to your comrade who wants to dwell with you — do not
pressure him as one in need; and do not oppress him with interest!

36. If a man has nothing but a single garment with which to cover himself or to wear,
and he gives it as a pledge — before the sun sets, give it back to him! If you do not do
so — he calls out to Me; and I hear him. For I am very mild-hearted.

37. You may not revile your Lord; nor curse the overlord of the people!

38. Your tithe-monies and your first-fruits of things that go, and things that grow — you
must give to God!

39. You may not eat at all of that meat which wild animals leave! Give it to the hounds!

40. Do not listen to the words of a liar; nor permit his judgments; nor speak to anyone
who gives testimony in his favour!

41. Do not, beyond your right reason, wend yourself to people who are unwise and
unrighteous in their wishes, when they speak and cry out — nor to the learning of the
most unwise! Do not permit them!

42. If another man's stray cattle come into your power — though it be your foe — make
it known to him!

43. You must judge very evenly; do not give one judgment to the wealthy, [but] another
to the poor! Nor give one judgment to the more beloved — and another to the more
disliked!

44. Always shun lies [alias 'Shun thou aye leasings']!

45. You must never slay a righteous [alias 'sooth-fast'] and unguilty man!
46. You must never accept bribes [alias 'meed-monies']! For they all too often blinden
wise men's thoughts and turn their words aside.

47. Do not act in any way uncouthly toward the stranger from abroad [alias 'out-comer'];
nor oppress him with any unrighteousness [alias 'uncouthly']!

48. Never swear by heathen gods; nor may you call out to them, in any way!

49. These are the laws which the almighty God himself spoke to Moses and commanded him
to keep. And after the Lord’s only-begotten son, our God, that is, the savior Christ, came to
this world, he said that he did not come to break or forbid these commandments, but with all
goodness to fulfill them. And he taught mercy and humility.
- 49.1 Then, after his passion, before his apostles were dispersed throughout the whole earth
to teach and were still together, many heathen peoples converted to God. When they were
all together, they sent missionaries to Antioch and to Syria to teach the faith of Christ.
- 49.2 When they understood that they did not succeed, they sent a letter to them. This is then
the letter which the apostles all sent to Antioch and to Syria and to Cilicia, which are now converted
from heathen peoples to Christ:
- 49.3 “The apostles and the older brethren wish you health [salvation]. And we tell you that
we have discovered that some of our comrades came with our words to you, and commanded
you to keep a harder way than we commanded them, and severely led you astray with many
commandments, and perverted your souls more than set them right. Then we met together about that,
and it pleased all of us that we should send Paul and Barnabas, men who want to give their souls for the
Lord’s name.
- 49.4 “With him we sent Judas and Silas to say the same thing to you.
- 49.5 “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us that we should refuse to impose on you any burden
other than that which you need to keep, that is, that you refrain from worshipping demons [idols], and
from consuming blood or strangled animals, and lying secretly [i.e., with someone other than a spouse].
And that what you want others not to do to you, do not do to others.”
- 49.6 From this one law one might think that he judges everyone rightly, that he need no other law-book.
Let him take care that he judge no one in a way that he did not want himself to be judged, if that one
sought judgement against him.
- 49.7 After that happened, that many peoples accepted Christ’s faith, many councils were
assembled throughout all the world. And likewise among the English, after they accepted Christ’s
faith, holy bishops as well as other distinguished councillors. They set down, on account of their
mercy which Christ taught, that the secular lords must at the first guilt, for most any transgression,
with their privilege and without sin, take their monetary compensation which they set down.
The exception is treason against the lord, to which they should show no mercy, for the Almighty
God gave none to them that despised him, nor did Christ, God’s son, to those who sold him to
death, and he commanded that one should love a lord as himself.
- 49.8 They then in many councils set down compensations for many transgressions of people,
and they wrote in many council books, here one law, there another.
- 49.9 Then I, King Ælfred, gathered these together and ordered many of these that our ancestors
held to be written down, those which pleased me. And many of those which did not please me I
threw out, with the advice of my councillors, and commanded them to be kept in other ways.
Therefore, I did not rashly presume to set down much of my own in writing, for it was uncertain
to me what would please those who come after us. But those that I found from the days of either
my relative Ine, or King Offa of the Mercians, or Æthelbert, who was the first of the English to
receive baptism, which seemed to me most just, I gathered them here and left the rest.
- 49.10 Then I, King Ælfred of the West Saxons, showed these to all my councillors, and they
said that it pleased them for all these laws to be kept.

Of oaths and of weds.
1. At the first we teach, that it is most needful that every man warily keep his oath and
his wed. If any one be constrained to either of these wrongfully, either to treason against
his lord, or to any unlawful aid; then it is juster to belie than to fulfil. But if he pledge himself
to that which it is lawful to fulfil, and in that belie himself, let him submissively deliver up his
weapon and his goods to the keeping of his friends, and be in prison forty days in a kings tun;
let him there suffer whatever the bishop may prescribe to him; and let his kinsmen feed him,
if he himself have no food. If he have no kinsmen, or have no food, let the king's reeve feed
him. If he must be forced to this, and he otherwise will not, if they bind him, let him forfeit his
weapons and his property. If he be slain, let him lie uncompensated. If he flee thereout before
the time, and he be taken, let him be in prison forty days, as he should before have been. But
if he escape, let him be held a fugitive, and be excommunicate of all Christ's churches. If,
however, there be another man's borh, let him make bot for the borhbryce, as the law may direct
him, and the wedbryce, as his confessor may prescribe to him.

Of churchsocns.
2. If any one, for whatever crime, seek any of the mynsterhams to which the king's feorm is
incident, or other freehired which is worthy of reverence, let him have a space of three days
to protect himself, unless he be willing to come to terms. If during this space, any one harm
him by blow, or by bond, or wound him, let him make bot for each of these according to regular
usage, as well with wer as with wite: and to the brotherhood one hundred and twenty shillings,
as bot for the churchfrith: and let him not have forlongen his own.

Of borhbryce.
3. If any one break the king's borh, let him make bot for the plaint, as the law shall direct him;
and for the borhbryce with five pounds of maerra pence. For an archbishop's borhbryce, or his
mundbyrd, let him make bot with three pounds: for any other bishop's or an earldormans borhbryce,
or mundbyrd, let him make bot with two pounds.
Of plotting against a lord.

4. If any one plot against the king's life, of himself, or by harbouring of exiles, or of his men;
let him be liable with his life and in all that he has; or let him prove himself according to his lord's wer.

Of churchfryth.
5. We also ordain to every church which has been hallowed by a bishop, this fryth: if a fahman
flee to or reach one, that for seven days no one drag him out. But if anyone do so, let him be
liable in the king's mundbyrd and the churchfryth; more if he there commit more wrong, if, despite
of hunger, he can live; unless he fight his way out. If the brethren have further need of their church,
let them keep him in another house, and let not that have more doors than the church. Let the
churchealdor take care that during this term no one give him food. If he himself be willing to deliver
up his weapons to his foes, let them keep him thirty days, and then let them give notice of him to
his kinsmen. It is also churchfryth: if any man seek a church for any of those offences, which had
not been before revealed, and there confess himself ill God's name, be it half forgiven. He who steals
on Sunday, or at Yule, or at Easter, or on Holy Thursday, and on Rogation days; for each of these
we will that the bot be twofold, as during Lent-fast.

Of stealing in a church.
6. If any one thieve aught in a church, let him pay the angylde, and the wite, such as shall belong to
the angylde; and let the hand be struck off with which he did it. If he will redeem the hand, and that
be allowed him, let him pay as may belong to his wer.

In case a man fight in the king's hall.
7. If any one fight in the king's hall, or draw his weapon, and he be taken; be it in the king's doom,
either death, or life, as he may be willing to grant him. If he escape, and be taken again, let him pay
for himself according to his wergeld, and make bot for the offence, as well wer as wite, according
as he may have wrought.

Of fornication with a nun.
8. If any one carry off a nun from a minster, without the king's or the bishop's leave, let him pay a
hundred and twenty shillings, half to the king, half to the bishop and to the church-hlaford who owns
the nun. If she live longer than he who carried her off, let her not have aught of his property. If she
bear a child, let not that have of the property more than the mother. If any one slay her child, let him
pay to the king the maternal kindred's share; to the paternal kindred let their share be given.

[...]

Of those men who lend their weapons for man-slaying.
19. If any one lend his weapon to another that he may kill some one therewith, they may join together
if they will in the wer. If they will not join together, let him who lent the weapon pay of the wer a
third part, and of the wite a third part. If he be willing to justify himself, that he knew of no ill-design
in the loan; that he may do. If a sword-polisher receive another man's weapon to furbish, or a smith
a man's material, let them both return it sound as either of them may have before received it: unless
either of them had before agreed that he should not hold it angylde.

[...]

Of confession of debt.
22. If any one at the folk-mote make declaration of a debt, and afterwards wish to withdraw it,
let him charge it on a righter person, if he can; if he cannot, let him forfeit his angylde [and take
possession of the wite.]

[...]

Of kinless men.
27. If a man, kinless of paternal relatives, fight, and slay a man, and then if he have maternal
relatives, let them pay a third of the wer; his guild-brethren a third part; for a third let him flee.
If he have no maternal relatives, let his guild-brethren pay half, for half let him flee.

Of slaying a man thus circumstanced.
28. If a man kill a man thus circumstanced, if he have no relatives, let half be paid to the king;
half to his guild-brethren.

Of hloth-slaying of a two-hynde man.
29. If any one with a hloth slay an unoffending twy-hynde man, let him who acknowledges
the death-blow pay wer and wite; and let every one who was of the party pay thirty shillings
as hloth-bot.

Of a six-hynde man.
30. If it be a six-hynde man, let every man pay sixty shillings as hloth-bot; and the slayer, wer and full wite.

Of a twelve-hynde man.
31. If he be a twelve-hynde man, let each of them pay one hundred and twenty shillings; and
the slayer, wer and wite. If a hloth do this, and afterwards will deny it on oath, let them all be
accused, and let them then all pay the wer in common; and all, one wite, such as shall belong to the wer.

Of those who commit folk-leasing.
32. If a man commit folk-leasing, and it be fixed upon him, with no lighter thing let him make bot
than that his tongue be cut out; which must not be redeemed at any cheaper rate than it is
estimated at according to his wer.

[...]

Of a holdgetael.
37. If a man from one holdgetael wish to seek a lord in another holdgetael, let him do it with
the knowledge of the ealdorman whom he before followed in his shire. If he do it without his
knowledge, let him who entertains him as his man pay 120 shillings as wite; let him, however,
deal the half to the king in the shire where he before followed, half in that into which he comes.
If he has done anything wrong where he before was, let him make bot for it who has their received
him as his man; and to the king 120 shillings as wite.

In case a man fight before an ealdorman in the gemot.
38. If a man fight before a king's ealdorman in the gemot, let him make bot with wer and wite
as it may be right; and before this 120 shillings to the ealdorman as wite. If he disturb the folkmote
by drawing his weapon, one hundred and twenty shillings to the ealdorman as wite. If aught of
this happen before a king's ealdorman's junior, or a king's priest, thirty shillings as wite.

Of fighting in a ceorlish man's flet.
39. If any one fight in a ceorlish man's flet, with six shillings let him make bot to the ceorl.
If he draw his weapon and fight not, let it be half of that. If, however, either of these happen
to a six-hynde man, let it increase threefoldly, according to the ceorlish bot to a twelve-hynde
man, twofoldly, according to the six-hynde's bot.

Of burh-bryce.
40. The king's burh-bryce shall be 120 shillings. An archbishop's, ninety shillings. Any other bishop's,
and an ealdorman's, sixty shillings. A twelve-hynde man's, thirty shillings. A six-hynde man's,
fifteen shillings. A ceorl's edorbryce, five shillings. If aught of this happen when the fyrd is out,
or in Lent fast, let the bot be twofold. If any one in Lent put down holy law among the people without
leave, let him make bot with 120 shillings.

Of boc-lands.
41. The man who has boc-land, and which his kindred left him, then ordain we that he must not
give it from his maeg-burg, if tere be writing or witness that it was forbidden by those men who at
first acquired it, and by those who gave it to him, that he should do so; and then let that be declared
in the presence of the king and of the bishop, before his kinsmen.

Of feuds.
42. We also command: that the man who knows his foe be homesitting fight not before he demand
justice of him. If he have such power that he can beset his foe, and besiege him within, let him keep
him within for seven days, and attack him not, if he will remain within. And, then, after seven days,
if he will surrender, and deliver up his weapons, let him be kept safe for thirty days, and let notice
of him be given to his kinsmen and his friends. If, however, he flee to a church, then let it be according
to the sanctity of the church; as we have before said above. But if he have not sufficient power to
besiege him within, let him ride to the ealdorman, and beg aid of him. If he will not aid him, let him ride
to the king before he fights. In like manner also, if a man come upon his foe, and he did not before know
him to be homestaying; if he be willing to deliver up his weapons, let him be kept for thirty days, and let
notice of him be given to his friends; if he will not deliver up his weapons, then he may attack him. If he
be willing to surrender, and to deliver up his weapons, and any one after that attack him, let him pay
as well wer as wound, as he may do, and wite, and let him have forfeited his maegship. We also declare,
that with his lord a man may fight orwige, if any one attack the lord: thus may the lord fight for his man.
After the same wise, a man may fight with his born kinsman, if a man attack him wrongfully, except against
his lord; that we do not allow. And a man may fight orwige, if he find another with his lawful wife, within
closed doors, or under one covering, or with his lawfully-born daughter, or with his lawfully-born sister, or
with his mother, who was given to his father as his lawful wife.

Of the celebration of mass-days.
43. To all freemen let these days be given, but not to theow-men and esne-workmen: twelve
days at Yule, and the day on which Christ overcame the devil, and the commemoration day of
St. Gregory, and seven days before Easter and seven days after, and one day at St. Peter's tide
and St. Paul's, and in harvest the whole week before St. Mary-mass, and one day at the celebration
of All-Hallows and the four Wednesdays in the four ember weeks. To all theow-men be given, to those
whom it may be most desirable to give, whatever any man shall give them in God's name, or they at
any of their moments may deserve.
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Matthew
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And for fun, the prologue, in the original Old English.

Quote:
 
Dryhten wæs sprecende ðas word to Moyse 7 þus cwæð: Ic eom dryhten ðin God. Ic ðe utgelædde of Egipta londe 7 of hiora ðeowdome. Ne lufa ðu oþre fremde godas ofer me. Ne minne noman ne cig ðu on idelnesse; forðon þe ðu ne bist unscyldig wið me, gif ðu on idelnesse cigst minne noman. Gemyne þæt ðu gehalgige þone ræstedæg; wyrceað eow .vi. dagas 7 on þam siofoðan restað eow: forðam on .vi. dagum Crist geworhte heofonas 7 eorðan, sæs 7 ealle gesceafta þe on him sint, 7 hine gereste on þone siofoðan dæg, 7 forðon Dryhten hine gehalgode. Ara ðinum fæder 7 þinre medder, ða þe Dryhten sealde, þæt ðu sie þy leng libbende on eorþan. Ne sleah ðu. Ne lige ðu dearnenga. Ne stala ðu. Ne sæge ðu lease gewitnesse. Ne wilna ðu þines nehstan ierfes mid unryhte. Ne wyrc ðe gyldne godas oððe sylfrene. Þis sint ða domas þe ðu him settan scealt: Gif hwa gebycgge cristenne þeow, .vi. gear ðeowige he; ðy siofoðan beo he frioh orceapunga; mid swelce hrægle he ineode, mid swelce gange he ut. Gif he wif self hæbbe, gange hio ut mid him. Gif se hlaford him þonne wif sealde, sie hio 7 hire bearn þæs hlafordes. Gif se þeowa þonne cweðe: Nelle ic from minum hlaforde ne from minum wife, ne from minum bearne ne from minum ierfe, brenge hine þonne his hlaford to ðære dura þæs temples 7 þurhþyrlige his eare mid æle, to tacne þæt he sie æfre siððan þeow. Ðeah hwa gebycgge his dohtor on þeowenne, ne sie hio ealles swa ðeowu swa oðru mennenu: nage he hie ut on elðeodig folc to bebycgganne. Ac gif he hire ne recce, se ðe hie bohte, læte hie freo on elðeodig folc. Gif he ðonne alefe his suna mid to hæmanne, do hiere gyfta: locige þæt hio hæbbe hrægl; 7 þæt weorð sie hiere mægðhades, þæt is se weotuma, agife he hire þone. Gif he hire þara nan ne do, þonne sie hio frioh. Se mon se ðe his gewealdes monnan ofslea, swelte se deaðe. Se ðe hine þonne nedes ofsloge oððe unwillum oððe ungewealdes, swelce hine God swa sende on his honda, 7 he hine ne ymbsyrede, sie he feores wyrðe 7 folcryhtre bote, gif he friðstowe gesece. Gif hwa ðonne of giernesse 7 gewealdes ofslea his þone nehstan þurh searwa, aluc ðu hine from minum weofode, to þam þæt he deaðe swelte. Se ðe slea his fæder oððe his modor, se sceal deaðe sweltan. Se ðe frione forstele 7 he hine bebycgge, 7 hit onbestæled sie, þæt he hine bereccean ne mæge, swelte se deaðe. Se ðe werge his fæder oððe his modor, swelte se deaðe. Gif hwa slea his ðone nehstan mid stane oððe mid fyste, 7 he þeah utgongan mæge bi stafe, begite him læce 7 wyrce his weorc ða hwile þe he self ne mæge. Se ðe slea his agenne þeowne esne oððe his mennen, 7 he ne sie idæges dead, ðeah he libbe twa niht oððe ðreo, ne bið he ealles swa scyldig, forþon þe hit wæs his agen fioh. Gif he ðonne sie idæges dead, ðonne sitte sio scyld on him. Gif hwa on cease eacniende wif gewerde, bete þone æwerdlan, swa him domeras gereccen. Gif hio dead sie, selle sawle wið sawle. Gif hwa oðrum his eage oðdo, selle his agen fore: toð fore teð, honda wið honda, fet fore fet, bærning for bærninge, wund wið wunde, læl wið læle. Gif hwa aslea his ðeowe oððe his ðeowenne þæt eage ut 7 he þonne hie gedo anigge gefreoge hie for þon. Gif he þonne ðone toð ofaslea, do þæt ilce. Gif oxa ofhnite wer oððe wif, þæt hie dead sien, sie he mid stanum ofworpod, 7 ne sie his flæsc eten; se hlaford bið unscyldig. Gif se oxa hnitol wære twam dagum ær oððe ðrim, 7 se hlaford hit wisse 7 hine inne betynan nolde, 7 he ðonne wer oððe wif ofsloge, sie he mid stanum ofworpod, 7 sie se hlaford ofslegen oððe forgolden, swa ðæt witan to ryhte finden. Sunu oððe dohtor gif he ofstinge, ðæs ilcan domes sie he wyrðe. Gif he ðonne ðeow oððe ðeowmennen ofstinge, geselle þam hlaforde .xxx. scillinga seolfres, 7 se oxa mid stanum ofworpod. Gif hwa adelfe wæterpyt oððe betynedne ontyne 7 hine eft ne betyne, gelde swelc neat swelc ðær on befealle, 7 hæbbe him ðæt deade. Gif oxa oðres monnes oxan gewundige, 7 he ðonne dead sie, bebycggen þone oxan 7 hæbben him þæt weorð gemæne 7 eac ðæt flæsc swa ðæs deadan. Gif se hlaford þonne wisse, þæt se oxa hnitol wære, 7 hine healdan nolde, selle him oðerne oxan fore 7 hæbbe him eall ðæt flæsc. Gif hwa forstele oðres oxan 7 hine ofslea oððe bebycgge, selle twegen wið 7 feower sceap wið anum. Gif he næbbe hwæt he selle, sie he self beboht wið ðam fio. Gif ðeof brece mannes hus nihtes 7 he weorðe þær ofslegen, ne sie he na mansleges scyldig. Gif he siððan æfter sunnan upgonge þis deð, he bið mansleges scyldig 7 he ðonne self swelte, buton he nieddæda wære. Gif mid him cwicum sie funden þæt he ær stæl, be twyfealdum forgielde hit. Gif hwa gewerde oðres monnes wingeard oððe his æcras oððe his landes awuht, gebete swa hit mon geeahtige. Gif fyr sie ontended ryt to bærnanne, gebete þone æfwerdelsan se ðæt fyr ontent. Gif hwa oðfæste his friend fioh, gif he hit self stæle, forgylde be twyfealdum. Gif he nyte, hwa hit stæle, geladige hine selfne, þæt he ðær nan facn ne gefremede. Gif hit ðonne cucu feoh wære, 7 he secgge, þæt hit here name oððe hit self acwæle, 7 gewitnesse hæbbe, ne þearf he þæt geldan. Gif he ðonne gewitnesse næbbe, 7 he him ne getriewe, swerige he þonne. Gif hwa fæmnan beswice unbeweddode 7 hire midslæpo, forgielde hie 7 hæbbe hi siððan him to wife. Gif ðære fæmnan fæder hie ðonne sellan nelle, agife he ðæt feoh æfter þam weotuman. Ða fæmnan þe gewuniað onfon gealdorcræftigan 7 scinlæcan 7 wiccan, ne læt þu ða libban. 7 se ðe hæme mid netene, swelte he deaðe. 7 se ðe godgeldum onsecge ofer God anne, swelte se deaðe. Utan cumene 7 elðeodige ne geswenc ðu no, forðon ðe ge wæron giu elðeodige on Egipta londe. Þa wuduwan 7 þa stiopcild ne sceððað ge, ne hie nawer deriað. Gif ge þonne elles doð, hie cleopiað to me, 7 ic gehiere hie 7 ic eow þonne slea mid minum sweorde 7 ic gedo, þæt eowru wif beoð wydewan 7 eowru bearn beoð steopcild. Gif ðu fioh to borge selle þinum geferan, þe mid þe eardian wille, ne niede ðu hine swa swa niedling 7 ne gehene þu hine mid ðy eacan. Gif mon næbbe buton anfeald hrægl hine mid to wreonne 7 to werianne, 7 he hit to wedde selle, ær sunnan setlgonge sie hit agifen. Gif ðu swa ne dest, þonne cleopað he to me, 7 ic hine gehiere, forðon ðe ic eom swiðe mildheort. Ne tæl ðu ðinne Dryhten, ne ðone hlaford þæs folces ne werge þu. Þine teoðan sceattas 7 þine frumripan gongendes 7 weaxendes agif þu Gode. Eal ðæt flæsc þæt wildeor læfen ne eten ge þæt, ac sellað hit hundum. Leases monnes word ne rec ðu no þæs to gehieranne, ne his domas ne geðafa ðu, ne nane gewitnesse æfter him ne saga ðu. Ne wend ðu ðe no on þæs folces unræd 7 unryht gewill on hiora spræce 7 geclysp ofer ðin ryht, 7 ðæs unwisestan lare ne him ne geðafa. Gif ðe becume oðres mannes giemeleas fioh on hond þeah hit sie ðin feond, gecyðe hit him. Dem ðu swiðe emne. Ne dem ðu oðerne dom þam welegan, oðerne ðam earman; ne oðerne þam liofran 7 oðerne þam laðran ne dem ðu. Onscuna ðu a leasunga. Soðfæstne man 7 unscyldigne ne acwele ðu þone næfre. Ne onfoh ðu næfre medsceattum, forðon hie ablendað ful oft wisra monna geðoht 7 hiora word onwendað. Þam elðeodegan 7 utan cumenan ne læt ðu no uncuðlice wið hine, ne mid nanum unryhtum þu hine ne drece. Ne swergen ge næfre under hæðne godas, ne on nanum ðingum ne cleopien ge to him.

Þis sindan ða domas þe se ælmihtega God self sprecende wæs to Moyse 7 him bebead to healdanne. 7 siððan se ancenneda Dryhtnes sunu, ure God, þæt is hælend Crist, on middangeard cwom, he cwæð, ðæt he ne come no ðas bebodu to brecanne ne to forbeodanne, ac mid eallum godum to ecanne; 7 mildheortnesse 7 eaðmodnesse he lærde. Ða æfter his ðrowunge, ær þam þe his apostolas tofarene wæron geond ealle eorðan to læranne, 7 þa giet ða hie ætgædere wæron, monega hæðena ðeoda hie to Gode gecerdon. Þa hie ealle ætsomne wæron, hie sendan ærendwrecan to Antiohhia 7 to Syrie, Cristes æ to læranne. Þa hie ða ongeaton, þæt him ne speow, ða sendon hie ærendgewrit to him. Þis is ðonne þæt ærendgewrit þe ða apostolas sendon ealle to Antiohhia 7 to Syria 7 to cilicia, ða sint nu of hæðenum ðeodum to Criste gecirde. Ða apostolas 7 þa eldran broðor hælo eow wyscað; 7 we eow cyðað, þæt we geascodon, þæt ure geferan sume mid urum wordum to eow comon 7 eow hefigran wisan budon to healdanne þonne we him budon, 7 eow to swiðe gedwealdon mid ðam mannigfealdum gebodum, 7 eowra sawla ma forhwerfdon þonne hie geryhton. Ða gesomnodon we us ymb ðæt, 7 us eallum gelicode ða, þæt we sendon Paulus 7 Barnaban; ða men wilniað hiora sawla sellan for Dryhtnes naman. Mid him we sendon Iudam 7 Silam, þæt eow þæt ilce seccgen. Þæm halgan Gaste wæs geðuht 7 us, þæt we nane byrðenne on eow settan noldon ofer þæt ðe eow nedðearf wæs to healdanne: þæt is ðonne, þæt ge forberen, þæt ge deofolgeld ne weorðien, ne blod ne ðicggen ne asmorod, 7 from diernum geligerum; 7 þæt ge willen, þæt oðre men eow ne don, ne doð ge ðæt oþrum monnum.
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