Hebrew Servants
(Deuteronomy 15:12–18)

1These are the lawes, that thou shalt laye before them.

2Yf thou bye a seruaunt that is an Hebrue, he shal serue the sixe yeares, in the seuenth yeare shall he go out fre and lowse. 3Yf he came alone, then shal he go out alone also: but yf he came maried, then shall his wife go out with him. 4Yf his master haue geue him a wife, & she haue borne him sonnes or doughters, the shal the wife and ye children be the masters, but he shall go out alone. 5Neuertheles yf the seruaunt saye: I loue my master, and my wife and children, I wil not go out fre: 6then let his master brynge him before the Goddes, and holde him to the dore or post, and bore him thorow the eare with a botkin, and let him be his seruaunt for euer.

7Yf a man sell his doughter to be an handmayde, then shal she not go out as the menseruauntes. 8But yf she please not hir master, and he haue not maried her, then shal he let her go fre: but to sell her vnto a strauge people he hath no auctorite, for so moch as he hath despysed her. 9Yf he promyse her vnto his sonne, then shal he do vnto her after the lawe of doughters. 10But yf he geue him another wife, then shall he mynishe nothinge of hir foode, rayment, and dewtye of mariage. 11Yf he do not these thre, then shal she go out fre, and paye nothinge.

Personal Injury Laws

12He that smyteth a man that he dye, shall dye the death. 13Yf he haue not layed wayte for him, but God let him fall in his hande vnawares, then wil I appoynte the a place, where he shal flye vnto. 14But yf a man presume vpon his neghboure, and slaye him with disceate, then shalt thou take the same fro myne altare, that he maye be slayne.

15Who so smyteth his father or mother, shall dye the death.

16He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, so that he be founde by him, the same shall dye the death.

17Who so curseth father and mother, shal dye the death.

18Yf men stryue together and one smyte another with a stone, or with his fist, so that he dye not, but lyeth in bedd: 19Yf he ryse, and go forth vpon his staff, the shall he that smote him, be vngiltie: saue that he shal paye the losse of his tyme, and geue ye money for healynge him.

20He that smyteth his seruaunt or mayde with a staff, that he dye vnder his handes, the same shall suffre vengeaunce therfore. 21But yf he endure a daye or two, then shall he suffre no vegeaunce therfore, for it is his money.

22Yf men stryue, and hytt a woman with childe, so that ye frute departe from her, and no harme happen vnto her, then shall he be punyshed for money, as moch as the womans husbande layeth to his charge, and he shall geue it, acordinge to the appoyntement of the dayes men. 23But yf there come harme vnto her there thorow, then shal he paye soule for soule, 24eye for eye, toth for toth, hande for hande, fote for fote, 25burnynge for burnynge, wounde for wounde, strype for strype.

26Yf a man smyte his seruaunt or his mayde in the eye, and destroye it, he shal let them go fre and lowse for the eye sake. 27In like maner yf he smyte out a tothe of his seruaunt or mayde, he shall let them go fre and lowse for the tothes sake.

28Yf an oxe gorre a man or a woman, that he dye, then shall that oxe be stoned, and his flesh not eaten: so is the master of the oxe vngiltie. 29But yf the oxe haue bene vsed to push in tymes past, & it hath bene tolde his master, and he hath not kepte him, and besydes that slayeth a man or a woman, then shal ye oxe be stoned, and his master shal dye. 30But yf there be money set vpon him, then, loke what is put vpon him, that shall he geue, to delyuer his soule. 31Likewyse shall he be dealte withall, yf he gorre a sonne or a doughter. 32But yf he gorre a seruaunt or a mayde, then shall he geue their master thirtie syluer Sycles: and the oxe shalbe stoned.

33Yf a man open a well, or dygge a pytt, and couer it not, and there fall an oxe or Asse therin, 34then shall the owner of the pytt make it good with money, and restore it vnto his master: but the deed carcase shalbe his owne.

35Yf one mans oxe gorre another, that he dye, then shall they sell the lyuynge oxe, and deuyde the money, and the deed carcase shal they deuyde also. 36But yf it be knowne, that the oxe haue bene vsed to gorre afore, then shal he paye his oxe for the other, & the deed carcase shal be his owne.