Part 12

[I]Oſep dede hiſe lich faire geren, Waſſen, and riche-like ſmeren, And ſpice-like ſwete ſmaken;

Egypt's folk "bewaked" Jacob for forty nights and forty days.

And egipte folc him bi-waken 2444 xl. nigtes and .xl. daiges, ſwilc woren egipte lages.

[Fol. 48.] The first nine nights they bathe, anoint, etc., the body.

first .ix. nigt ðe liches beðen, And ſmeren, and winden, and bi-q_ue_ðen, 2448 And waken iſ ſiðen .xl. nigt; ðo men ſo deden ðe adden migt.

The Hebrews had a different custom;

And ebriſſe folc adden an kire, Nogt ſone deluen it wið yre, 2452

they wash the body,

Oc waſſen it and kepen it rigt,

and keep it unanointed for seven nights.

Wið-vten ſmerles, ſeuene nigt, And ſiden[229] ſmered .xxx. daiges. Criſtene folc haueð oðer laiges, 2456 He ben ſmered ðor q_u_iles he liuen,

Christian folks are anointed with chrism and oil in their life-time.

Wið criſme and olie, in trewðe geuen; for trewðe and gode dedes mide, ðon[230] ben ðan al ðat wech-dede; 2460 Su_m_ .on. ſum .ðre. su_m_ .vii. nigt, Su_m_ .xxx., ſum .xii. moneð rigt; And ſum eu_er_ilc wurðen ger, ðor q_u_iles ðat he wunen her, 2464

For the dead they perform alms-gift and mass-song.

don for ðe dede chirche-gong, elmeſſe-gifte, and meſſe-ſong, And ðat iſ on ðe weches ſtede; Wel him mai ben dat[231] wel it dede! 2468

Jacob's sons kept a "wake" of thirty days.

Egipte folc aueð him waked xl. nigt, and feſte maked,

[229] ſiðen?

[230] don?

[231] ðat?

HE IS BURIED IN HEBRON.

And hiſe ſunes .xxx. daiges, In clene lif and ali daiges;[232] 2472

[Fol. 48b.] So ten weeks passed away and Jacob had no burial.

So woren forð .x. wukes gon, get adde Iacob birigeles non. And pharaon king cam bode bi-foren,

Pharaoh heard of Joseph's oath to his father,

ðat Ioſep haueð his fader ſworen; 2476 And he it hi_m_ gatte ðor he wel dede,

and gave him leave to bury his father, and to take with him "weaponed" men.

And bad hi_m_ nimen hi_m_ feres mide, Wel wopnede men and wiſ of here[n], dat[233] noman hem bi weie deren; 2480 ðat bere iſ led, ðiſ folc iſ rad, he foren a-buten bi adad; ful ſeuene nigt he ðer abiden, And bi-meni_n_g for iacob deden; 2484 So longe he hauen ðeðen numen,

They crossed the Jordan, and laid the body in a tomb, and Joseph returned to Egypt.

To flu_m_ iurdon ðat he ben cumen, And ou_er_ pharan til ebron; ðor iſ ðat liche in biriele don, 2488 And Ioſep in-to egipte went, Wid[234] al iſ folc ut wið him ſent.

His brethren came to him to seek forgiveness,

Hiſe breðere comen hi_m_ ðanne to, And gunnen him bi-ſeken alle ſo; 2492 "Vre fader," he ſeiden, "or he was dead, Vs he ðiſ bodewurd ſeigen bead, Hure ſinne ðu hi_m_ for-giue, Wið-ðanne-ðat we vnder ðe liuen." 2496

and fell down there before his feet, and he forgave and loved them kindly.

Alle he fellen him ðor to fot, To beðen meðe and bedden oc;

[Fol. 49.]

And he it for-gaf[235] hem mildelike, And luuede hem alle kinde-like. 2500

Joseph waxed old;

[I]Oſep an hundred ger waſ hold, And hiſ kin wexen manige-fold;

he bad his relations come before him ere he died,

He bad ſibbe cumen him bi-foren, Or he waſ ut of werlde boren; 2504

[232] laiges?

[233] ðat?

[234] wið?

[235] At the bottom of fol. 48b is the catchword—"And he it for-gaff."

THE DEATH OF JOSEPH.

"It ſal," q_u_að he, "ben ſoð, bi-foren

and told them of God's promise to their elders.

ðat god hað ure eldere ſworen; He ſal gu leden i_n_ hiſ hond Heðen to ðat hotene lond; 2508 for godeſ luue get bid ic gu, Leſted it ðanne, hoteð it nu,

He asks them to bear his bones with them, when they leave Egypt.

ðat mine bene ne be for-loren, wið gu ben mine bones boren." 2512 He it him gatten and wurð he dead, God do ðe ſoule ſeli red!

The death of Joseph.

Hiſe liche waſ ſpice-like maked, And longe egipte-like waked, 2516 And ðo biried hem bi-foren, And ſiðen late of londe boren. Hiſe oðre breðere, on and on, Woren ybiried at ebron. 2520

Here endeth the book called Genesis, written by Moses, through God's counsel.

An her endede to ful, in wiſ, ðe boc ðe iſ hoten geneſis, ðe moyſes, ðurg godes red, Wrot for lefful ſoules ned. 2524

[Fol. 49b.] God shield his soul from hell-bale, who translated it into English!

God ſchilde hiſe ſowle fro helle bale, ðe made it ðus on engel tale! And he ðat ðiſe lettres wrot,

May God help and protect him from hell-pain, cold and hot!

God him helpe weli mot, 2528 And berge iſ ſowle fro ſorge & grot Of helle pine, cold & hot! And alle men, ðe it heren wilen,[236]

And all men who will hear it, God grant that they may dwell in bliss among angels for ever!

God leue hem i_n_ hiſ bliſſe ſpilen 2532 Among engeles & ſeli men, Wiðuten ende in reſte ben, And luue & pais uſ bi-twen, And god ſo graunte, amen, ameN! 2536

[236] MS. welin.

THE OPPRESSION OF THE ISRAELITES.

GOdes bliſcing be wið vs,

Here beginneth Exodus.

Her nu bi-ginned[237] exodus.

Under Pharaoh, and the seven kings who succeeded him,

Pharao kinges rigte name Vephres, be dede ðe ebriſ frame; 2540 And bi oðere ſeuene kinges ſel,

the Israelites increased and prospered.

Wexen he ðore & ðogen wel.

The eighth king treated them harshly,

ðe egtenede king amonaphis, Agenes ðis folc hatel is; 2544

and the Egyptians became jealous of them.

And egipte folc adden nið, for ebriſ adden ſeli ſið. Q_u_uað ðis ging[238] wið hem ſtille i_n_ red, "ðis ebris waxen michil ſped, 2548

[Fol. 50.]

Bute if we eraflike[239] hem for-don, Ne ſulen he non eige ſen uſ on."

They made slaves of them, and set them to build walls.

Ðo ſette ſundri hem to waken His tigel and lim, and walles maken, 2552 burges feten; a_n_d rameſen ðurge here ſwinc it walled ben;

Some they made to do foul work,

Su_m_me he deden in vn-ðewed ſwinc, for it was fugel and ful o ſtinc, 2556

to carry "muck and fen out of the city,"

Muc and fen ut of burgeſ beren, ðuſ bitterlike he gun he_m_ deren; ðe ðridde ſwinc was eui and ſtron[g],

and to creep along dikes.

He deden hem crepen dikes long, 2560 And wide a-buten burges gon,

The comb of the dike serves them as protection against their enemies.

And cumen ðer ear waſ non; And if ðat folc hem wulde deren, ðe dikeſ comb he_m_ ſulde weren. 2564 for al ðat ſwinc heui & ſor,

For all that labour, the folk increased and spread.

Ay wex ðat kinde, mor & mor, And ðhogen, & ſpredden i_n_ londe ðor, ðat made ðe kinges herte ful ſor. 2568

Then bad Pharaoh,

Ðo bad monophis pharaun wimmen ben ſet i_n_ eu_er_ilc tun,

that every Hebrew male child should be put to death as soon as it was born.

And ðat he weren redi bi-foren, Q_u_an ebru child ſuld be boren, 2572

[237] bi-ginneð?

[238] king?

[239] craftlike?

THE BIRTH AND PRESERVATION OF MOSES.

And ðe knapes to deade giuen, And leten ðe mayden childre liuen.

[Fol. 50b.] The midwives saved the children's lives,

Oc he it leten fro godeſ dred; Get ðo childre wexen in ſped, 2576 And q_u_ane he komen to ðe king,

and lied to the king, saying,

He wereden hem wið leſing; He ſeiden ðe childre weren boren

that the children were born ere they arrived.

Or he migten ben hem bi-foren. 2580 God it geald ðeſe wifes wel, On hom, on hagte, eddi ſel!

Pharaoh then bad that every "knave child" should be drowned.

Ðo bad ðis king al opelike, In alle burges modilike, 2584 Eu_er_ilc knape child of ðat kin ben a-non don ðe flod wið-in.

By that time was Moses born.

BI ðat time waſ moyſes boren, So het abrah_a_m dor[240] bi-foren; 2588 And his moder het Iacabeð, Ghe was for him dreful and bleð,

His mother hid him for three months.

wel is hire of bird[241] bi-tid. ðre moneð haueð ghe him hid, 2592 durſte ghe non lengere him for-helen, Ne ghe ne cuðe ðe wateres ſtelen;

Then she made an ark,

In an fetles, of rigeſſes wrogt, Terred, ðat water dered it nogt, 2596

placed the child in it,

ðiſ child wunden ghe wulde don,

and set it on the water.

And ſetten it ſo ðe water on;

Miriam was sent to watch what became of it.

Ghe adde or hire dowter ſent,

[Fol. 51.]

To loken q_u_ider it ſulde ben went; 2600 Maria dowter ful feren ſtod, And ghe nam kep to-ward ðiſ flod.

The king's daughter came and saw the child on the water.

Teremuth kinkes[242] dowter ðor cam, ðor ðis child on ðe water nam; 2604 Ghe bad it ben to hire brogt, And ſag ðis child wol fair[e] wrogt,

She wist it was of Hebrew kin,

Ghe wiſte it was of ebrius kin, And ðog cam hire rewde[243] wið-in; 2608

[240] ðor?

[241] birð?

[242] kinges?

[243] rewðe?

TEREMUTH ADOPTS HIM AS HER SON.

God haued[244] ſwilc fair-hed hi_m_ geuen,

but let it live for its beauty.

ðat ſelf ðe fon it leten liuen.

Egyptians wanted her to destroy the child.

Egipte wimmen comen ner, And boden ðe childe letten ðer, 2612 Oc he wente it awei wið rem, Of here bode nam he no gem.

Miriam, at Teremuth's bidding,

ÐO q_u_ad maria to teremuth, "wilt ðu, leuedi, ic go fear out, 2616 And take ſu_m_ wimman of ðat kin ðor he waſ bi-gote & foſtred in?"

fetches a "foster woman" for the child.

Teremuth ſo bad, & ſche forð-ran, And brogt hire a foſtre wimman, 2620 On waſ tette he ſone aueð lagt,

Teremuth consigned Moses to Jochabed, who returned home blithely.

And teremuth haueð hire hi_m_ bi-tagt. Iakabeð wente bliðe agen, ðat ghe ðe gildesſ[245] foſtre muſte ben; 2624 Ghe kepte it wel i_n_ foſtre wune, Ghe knew it for hire owen ſune;

[Fol. 51b.] When old enough, the child was adopted by Teremuth, who called it Moses.

And q_u_ane it ſulde ſundred ben, Ghe bar it teremuth for to ſen; 2628 Teremuth toc it on ſunes ſtede, And fedde it wel and cloðen dede; And ghe it clepit moyſen, Ghe wiſte of water it boren ben. 2632

She brought him before Pharaoh, who placed the royal crown on his head.

An time after ðat ðiſ was don, Ghe brogte him bi-foren pharaon, And ðiſ king wurð hi_m_ in herte mild, So ſwide[246] faiger was ðiſ child; 2636 And he toc him on ſunes ſtede, And hiſ corune on his heued he dede, And let it ſtonden ayne ſtund;

The child soon threw it to the ground.

ðe child it warp dun to de grund. 2640

Hamon's likeness was thereon.

Hamonel[247] likeneſ was ðor-on; ðis crune is broken, ðiſ iſ miſdon.

The Bishop of Heliopolis saw this, and said,

Biſſop Eliopoleos ſag ðiſ timing, & up he roſ; 2644

[244] haueð?

[245] cildeſ?

[246] ſwiðe?

[247] Hamoneſ?

THE ETHIOPIANS INVADE EGYPT,

"If this child be allowed to thrive, he shall become Egypt's bale."

"If ðiſ child," q_u_ad he, "mote ðen, He ſal egyptes bale ben." If ðor ne wore helpe twen lopen, ðiſ child adde ðan ſone be dropen; 2648 ðe king wið-ſtod & an wiſ man, He ſeide, "ðe child doð alſ he can; We ſulen nu witen for it dede ðiſ witterlike, or in child-hede;" 2652

[Fol. 52.] The king offered the child two burning coals (to eat), and he put them in his mouth, and burnt the end of his tongue therewith, and spake indistinctly.

He bad ðis child brennen to colen And he toc is hu migt he it ðolen, And in hiſe muth ſo depe he iſ dede Hiſe tunges ende iſ brent ðor-mide; 2656 ðor-fore ſeide de[248] ebru witt_er_like, ðat he ſpac ſiðen miſerlike;

So fair was he to look upon, that none might be angry with him.

Oc ſo faiger he waſ on to ſen, ðat migte no_n_ man modi ben. 2660 ðor q_u_iles he ſeweden him up-on, Mani dede b[i]leph un-don In ðat burg folc bi-twen, So waſ hem lef on hi_m_ to ſen. 2664

By the time that he became renowned for beauty and strength, the Ethiopians invaded Egypt, and burnt and slew as far as the Red Sea.

Bi dat[249] time ðat he was guð, Wið faigered and ſtrengthe kuð, folc ethiopienes on egipte cam, And brende, & ſlug, & wreche nam, 2668 Al to memphin dat[250] riche cite, And a-non to ðe reade ſe;

The Egyptians ask counsel of their gods, who tell them that a Hebrew shall deliver them.

ðo was egipte folc in dred, And aſkeden here godes red; 2672 And hem ſeiden wið anſweren, ðat on ebru cude he_m_ wel weren; Teremuth un-eðes migte timen

Moses is permitted by Teremuth

ðat moyſes ſal wið hire forð-nimen, 2676 Or haue he hire pligt & ſworen, ðat him ſal feið wurðful ben boren.

[Fol. 52b.]

Moyſes was lou_er_ed of ðat here, ðor he wurð ðane egyptes were; 2680

[248] ðe?

[249] ðat?

[250] ðat?

AND ARE DEFEATED BY MOSES.

to lead the Egyptians against their enemies.

Bi a lond weige he wente rigt, And brogte vn-warnede on he_m_ figt; He hadden don egipte wrong,

He smote and slew them.

He bi-loc hem & ſmette a-mong, 2684

Many fled to Sheba.

And ſlug ðor manige; oc ſu_m_me flen, Into ſaba to borgen ben. Moyſes bi-ſette al ðat burg, Oc it was riche & ſtrong ut-ðhurg; 2688

The king of Ethiopia's daughter, for love,

Ethiopienes kinges dowt_er_ tarbis, Riche maiden of michel priſ,

gave this rich city to Moses,

Gaf ðiſ riche burg moyſi; Luue-bonde hire ghe it dede for-ði. 2692 ðor iſe fon he leide i_n_ bonde,

who waxed mighty in the land.

And he wurð al-migt-ful in ðat lond; He bi-lef ðor(.) tarbis him ſcroð,

His sojourn there was distasteful to him,

ðog was him ðat ſurgerun ful loð; 2696 Mai he no leue at hire taken

but by craft he brought it to an end.

but-if he it mai wið crafte maken: He waſ of an ſtrong migt wiſ,

He carved upon two gems two likenesses;

He carf i_n_ two gummes of priſ 2700 Two likeneſſes, ſo grauen & meten,

the one caused remembrance, the other forgetfulness.

ðiſ doð ðenken, & ðoð[251] forgeten; He feſt is i_n_ two ringes of gold,

Moses gave her the one which caused her to forget her love,

Gaf hire ðe ton, he was hire hold; 2704

[Fol. 53.]

Ghe it bered[252] and ðiſ luue iſ for-geten, Moyſes ðus haued[253] him leue bi-geten; Sone it migte wið leue ben,

and so he came again to Egypt.

Into egypte e[254] wente a-gen. 2708

On a time he went to Goshen, and found a "moody steward" beating a Hebrew.

AN time he for to lond gerſen, to ſpeken wið hiſe kinnes men; And ſone he cam in-to ðat lond, A modi ſtiward he ðor fond, 2712 Betende a man wid[255] hiſe wond; ðat ðhugte moyſes michel ſond,

He seized the churl, slew him, and buried him in the sand.

And hente ðe cherl wið hiſe wond, And he fel dun in dedes bond; 2716

[251] ðoðer?

[252] bereð?

[253] haueð?

[254] MS. ewente.

[255] wið?

MOSES SLAYS AN EGYPTIAN,

And moyſes drug him to ðe ſtrond, And ſtille[256] he dalf hi_m_ [in] ðe ſond;

He thought that none had wist it.

wende he ðat non egipcien ðat hadde it wiſt, ne ſulde a ſen; 2720

On the second day he saw two men chiding, and reproved them.

Til after ðiſ on oðer day, He ſag chiden in ðe wey two egypcienis, modi & ſtrong, ðiſ on wulde don ðe toðer wrong; 2724 And moyſes nam ðer-of kep, And to hemward ſwide[257] he lep, And vndernam hi_m_ ðat it agte awold.

The wrong-doer thus answered him,

And he him anſwerede modi & bold; 2728

"Moses, who made thee master?

"Meiſter(.) moyſes, q_u_o haueð ðe mad? ðu art of dede and o word to rad.

[Fol. 53b.] We know well how yesterday one was slain and hid.

we witen wel q_u_at iſ bi-tid, Q_u_uow giſter-dai waſ ſlagen and hid; 2732 ðe bode iſ cumen to pharaun,[258]

Soon shall thy pride fall down."

Get ſal ðin pride fallen dun."

Then Moses fled

Ðo bi-thowte him moyſes, And his weige ðeðen ches; 2736 ðurg ðe deſerd a-wei he nam,

and came to Midian,

And to burge madian he cam, And ſette hi[m] ðor vten ðe town,

where dwelt Jethro,

Bi a welle ðo ſprong ðor dun. 2740 Raguel Ietro ðat riche man, Was wuniende in madian,

who had seven daughters.

He hadde ſeuene dowtreſ bi-geten; ðor he comen water to feten, 2744

These maidens took care of cattle.

And for to wattren here ſep; (Wimmen ðo nomen of here erf kep,