Deuteronomy · Chapter 20

[ edit] If þow goſt out to batail aȝens þin enemyes, and ſeeſt rydinge, and charys, and more multitude of þe aduerſarye ooſt þan þow haſt, þow ſhalt not drede hem; for þe Lord þi God is wiþ þee, þat haþ lad þee out of þe loond of Egipt. And neyȝinge now batayl, þe preeſt ſhal ſtoond bifore þe poynt, and þus he ſhal ſpek to þe puple, Here, Yrael, ȝe to day aȝens ȝoure enemyes doon fiȝt; drede not ȝoure herte, wol ȝe not be feerd; wole ȝe not ȝyue ſted, ne drede ȝe hem; for þe Lord ȝoure God is in þe myddil of ȝow, and for ȝow aȝens þe aduerſaryes ſhal fiȝt, þat he delyuer ȝow fro perel.

Þe leders forſoþe bi alle companyes, herynge þe ooſt, ſhal crye, Who is þe man þat haþ bild a newe hows, and haþ not parformed it? goo he, and turne he aȝen into his hows, leſt perauenture he dye in þe bateyl, and anoþer parfourme it. Who is þat man þat haþ plauntid a vyn, and ȝit not haþ maad it comoun, and of þe which it is leeueful to alle men to eete? go he, and turn he aȝen into his hows, leſt perauenture he dye in bateil, and anoþer man his office vſe. Who is a man þat haþ ſpouſid a wijf, and haþ not taak hir? goo he, and turn he aȝen into his hows, leſt perauenture he dye in bateil, and anoþer man take hir.

Þes þingis ſeid, þei ſhulen adde oþer þinges, and ſpek to þe puple, Who is a man dreedful, and wiþ feerd herte? goo he, and turn aȝen into his hows, leſt he make to drede þe hertis of his briþeren, and as he by dreed is gaſt. And whanne þe duykis of þe ooſt ben ſtil, and þe eende of ſpekynge han doon, echon his companyes ſhal make redi to fiȝtynge. If eny tyme þow comeſt nyȝ to a citee to be ouercomen, firſt þow ſhalt offre to it pees. If he reſſeyue, and open to þee þe ȝatis, al þe puple þat is in it ſhal be ſaued, and ſhal ſerue to þee vndur tribute. Forſoþe if þei wolen not make couenaunt of pees, and bigynnen aȝens þee batayl, þow ſhalt fiȝt aȝens it.

And whanne þe Lord þi God haþ take it to þee in þin hoond, þow ſhalt ſmyit al þat is in it of maal kynde in mouþ of þe ſwerd, wiþ outen wymmen, and litil children, and beeſtis, and oþer þat ben in þe cytee. Al þe praye þow ſhalt dyuyde to þe ooſt, and þou ſhalt eete of þe ſpuyles of þin enemyes, þat þe Lord þi God haþ ȝeue to þee. Þus þow ſhalt doo to alle cytees, þat fro þee ben ful fer, and ben not of þes cytees þat þow art to take into poſſeſſyoun.

Forſoþe of þes cytees þat ſhal be ȝeue to þee, no man þow ſhalt ſuffre to lyue, but þow ſhalt ſlee in þe mouþ of ſwerd; Eþee, þat is, and Amorre, and Chananee, and Phereze, Eue, and Jebuſee, as þe Lord þi God haþ comaundid to þee; leſt perauenture þei techen ȝow to doon alle abhomynacyouns, þat þei han wrouȝt to her goddis, and ȝe ſynnen aȝens þe Lord ȝoure God. Whanne þow beſegiſt a citee myche tyme, and wiþ waardis enuyrounnyſt þat þow ouercome it, þow ſhalt not kyt down trees, of þe whiche may be eeten, ne bi enuyroun wiþ axes þow ſhalt waaſt þe regioun; for a tree it is and no man, ne yt may encrees þe noumbre of men fiȝtynge aȝens þee.

Forſoþe if eny trees ben not berynge applis, but wijlde, and able into oþer vſes, kit doun, and mak engynes, to þe tyme þat þow taak þe cytee þat fiȝtiþ aȝens þee.