A declaration of the ten holy co[m]maundementes of almighty God written Exo. 20. Deu.…A declaration of the ten holy co[m]maundementes of allmygthye God wroten Exo. 20. Deu.…

the law maker for the commune wealth / must provide / how the places of those that die / may be again furnished / that with the departure / of one / may follow the success of an other. wherefore god putteth the sixth canon / that defendeth marriage whereby is preserved this commune wealth and as godly continued as it began. the which law is not only necessary for the preservation of the commune wealth to con: but also to preserve the state present / in peace / and tranquillity. for never was there greater occasion of discord / and bate / between commune wealth / and cone wealth / prince / and prince / private persons / and private persons: than for the abuse and violating of marriage / and committing fornication / with such like vices as it is to be seen by Dinah / Gen. 34. by Tamar 2. Reg. 13. by the priests wife abused of the Reniamites Judicū. 9.20. read the place. for the rapt of Helena Troy perished. for the oppressing of Lucrece at Rome and other. Then as there be laws to preserve the persons thelfe of the commune wealth so must there be laws to preserve such goddes as appertain unto the men bres of the commune wealth. that one do no wrongs unto the other but every man be content with his own condition and proper goddes and nor to usurp authority over his neighbours. therefore the ⟨p. CXXVI⟩Eight law is concerning the defence of proper and private Godes. Thou shalt do no theft. How be it / seeing we are frail and so isle that many times / we transgress / some / or all these laws that preserveth the commune wealth it is necessary to find and prepare some remedy to have the transgressor punished and the person that is hurt and offended restored unto his right. therefore is there this clause and rule in the law. Thou shalt give no false testimony against thy neighbour: which is the Ninth commandment. and biddeth as well the superior powers to see equity and justice with out respect of persons as the cause requireth observed / as such shall be testimonies in a doubtful matter to say as they know truly. And likewise that in buying and selling and in all other contracts men use no fraud to get there goods. these laws now I will open in order as they standeth plainly and simple as I can: to the understanding of the text. as for the then the law I will speak of severally.

the law maker for the commune wealthe / must prouide / how the places of those that die / may be agayne furnishid / that withe the departure / of one / may folow the successe of an other. wherfore god puttithe the syxt canō / that defēdithe mariage wherby is preseruid this cōmune wealthe ād as godly continewid as it beganne. the whiche law is not only necessary for the preseruatiō of the cōmune wealthe to cū: but also to preserue the state present / in peace / ād tranquillite. for neuer was there greater occasion of discord / ād bate / betwene cōmune wealthe / ād cōe wealthe / prince / ād prince / priuate persones / ād priuate persones: thē for thabuse ād violating of mariage / ād cōmitting fornicatiō / withe souche like vices as it is to be sene by Dina /