That he schal for no drede wonde, If rihtwisnesse be withal. For god is myhty overal To forthren every mannes trowthe,[1290] Bot it be thurgh his oghne slowthe; And namely the kinges nede It mai noght faile forto spede, For he stant one for hem alle; So mote it wel the betre falle 3620 And wel the more god favoureth, Whan he the comun riht socoureth. And forto se the sothe in dede, Behold the bible and thou myht rede Of grete ensamples manyon, Wherof that I wol tellen on. [Sidenote: [STORY OF GIDEON.]] [Sidenote: =P. iii. 214=] Upon a time as it befell, Ayein Judee and Irahel[1291] Whan sondri kinges come were [Sidenote: Hic dicit quod Princeps iusticie causa bellum nullo modo timere debet. Et narrat qualiter dux Gedeon cum solis tricentis viris quinque Reges, scilicet Madianitarum, Amalechitarum, Amonitarum, Amoreorum et Iebuseorum, cum eorum excercitu, qui ad lxxxx^{ta} Milia numeratus est, gracia cooperante diuina, victoriose in fugam conuertit.] In pourpos to destruie there 3630 The poeple which god kepte tho,-- And stod in thilke daies so, That Gedeon, which scholde lede The goddes folk, tok him to rede, And sende in al the lond aboute, Til he assembled hath a route With thritti thousend of defence, To fihte and make resistence Ayein the whiche hem wolde assaille:[1292] And natheles that o bataille 3640 Of thre that weren enemys[1293] Was double mor than was al his; Wherof that Gedeon him dradde, That he so litel poeple hadde. Bot he which alle thing mai helpe, Wher that ther lacketh mannes helpe, To Gedeon his Angel sente, And bad, er that he forther wente, Al openly that he do crie That every man in his partie 3650 Which wolde after his oghne wille In his delice abide stille[1294] (3850*) At hom in eny maner wise, For pourchas or for covoitise, For lust of love or lacke of herte, He scholde noght aboute sterte, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 215=] Bot holde him stille at hom in pes: Wherof upon the morwe he les Wel twenty thousend men and mo, The whiche after the cri ben go. 3660 Thus was with him bot only left The thridde part, and yit god eft His Angel sende and seide this To Gedeon: ‘If it so is That I thin help schal undertake, Thou schalt yit lasse poeple take, Be whom mi will is that thou spede. Forthi tomorwe tak good hiede, Unto the flod whan ye be come, What man that hath the water nome 3670 Up in his hond and lapeth so, To thi part ches out alle tho;[1295] And him which wery is to swinke, Upon his wombe and lith to drinke,