Likewise this commandment is to be understand of household servants, whether they be men or women prentices, journey men, or hired labourers. For all these receive wages for this intent, that they should labour and work for their masters ⟨p. lxxx⟩profit, and help their masters in true getting, and faithful keeping of their goods, to the maintenance of their household. But when such servants be untrusty, negligent or slothful in doing their duty, when they wastefully spend or consume their masters goods, when they require greater wages then they be worthy to have, when they start or run from their masters, or tarry not so long as they were bound by their covenant, then they break this commandment. Thou shalt not steal, forasmuch as they withdraw from their masters that profit, which of duty they owe unto them, and do as much as lieth in them to impoverish and undo their masters. And to be short, they that pay not to their servants or workmen ⟨image 102⟩their wages in dew time, according to their covenant. They which will not at the day appointed restore that money which they have borrowed. They which can, and will not pay their debts, for their own lucre. They that do not render things which they have found, as far as they can come to knowledge of the true owners. They that do not give again such things as be committed to their custody for a time. And generally all they that do hawk and hunt for other mens goods against the will of the owners, or do hurt them in any part of the same, or else if they seek not their neighbours profit, as they ought to do. Al these (I say) are thieves before God, although the world doth not so judge them, nor punish them for the same. ⟨p. lxxxi⟩Hereby you may perceive good children, how great misery reigneth in this wretched world, and that men swim (as it were) in a flood of sin. For the world is full of privy thieves, and there is almost no state or kind of life, from the highest to the lowest, of the which there be not many that have broken this commandment. And yet we count it a villainy, to be called a these, and not with out good cause. For thieves be punished with most shameful death, hanging on the gallows or gibbet. And although they escape hanging in this world, yet many times God punisheth them, so that they live wretchedly all their life time.
Lykewyse this commaundemēt is to be vnderstand of householde seruaūtes, whether they be men or women prentises, iourney men, or hyred labourers. For all these receaue wages for this intente, that they shoulde laboure and wourke for their maysters ⟨p. lxxx⟩profyte, and helpe their maysters in true gettyng, and faithfull kepyng of their goodes, to ye mayntenance of their householde. But when suche seruātes be vntrusty, negligent or slouthful in doynge their dutie, when they wastfullye spende or consume their masters goodes, when they require greater wages then they be worthye to haue, when they start or runne from their maisters, or tarye not so longe as they were bounde by their couenant, then they breake this commaundemente. Thou shalte not steale, for asmuche as thei withdrawe frō their maisters that profyt, whiche of dewtie they owe vnto them, and do asmuche as lyeth in them to empoueryshe and vndo their maisters. And to be shorte, they that paye not to their seruauntes or wourkemen ⟨image 102⟩their wages in dew tyme, accordyng to their couenante. They which wil not at the day appointed restore that monye which thei haue borowed. They which can, and wil not pay their dettes, for their awne lucre. They yt do not render thinges whiche they haue found, as farre as they can come to knowlege of the trew owners. They that do not gyue agayne suche thinges as be committed to their custodie for a tyme. And generally all they that do hawke and hōte for other mens goodes against the wil of the owners, or do hurte them in any parte of the same, or elles yf they seke not their neighbours profyte, as thei ought to do. Al these (I saye) are theues before God, although the worlde dothe not so iudge them, nor punyshe them for the same. ⟨p. lxxxi⟩Hereby you maye perceaue good children, howe great misery reigneth in this wretched worlde, and that men swimme (as it wer) in a floode of synne. For the worlde is full of priuie theues, and there is almoste no state or kynde of lyfe, from the highest to the lowest, of the whiche there be not manye that haue broken this commaundemente. And yet we counte it a villanie, to be called a thefe, and not wt out good cause. For thefes be punyshed with most shamefull death, hangynge on the galowes or gybbyt. And althoughe they escape hangynge in this worlde, yet many tymes God punysheth them, so that they lyue wretchedly all their lyfe tyme.
