When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?
Whanne thou hast bisegid a citee in myche tyme, and hast cumpassid with strengthingis þat thou ouercome it, thou schalt not kitte doun trees, of whiche me may ete, neþer thou schalt waste þe cuntrey bi  cumpas with axis; for it is a tree, and not man, neþer it may encresse þe noumbre of fiyteris ayens þee.