Part 13

Pride was not so great then as now.

Pride ne cuðe bi ðat dai Nogt ſo michel ſo it nu mai). 2748 Hirdes wulden ðe maidenes deren,

Moses helped the maidens to water the flocks.

Oc moyſes ðor hem gan weren, And wattrede here erue eu_er_ilc on, And dede hem tidelike to tune gon; 2752

[256] MS. ſtalle, _corrected to_ ſtille.

[257] ſwiðe?

[258] MS. pharaum.

AND FLEES INTO MIDIAN.

And ben ſone hom numen;

They told their father

And b[i]foren here fader cumen, And gunen him ðore tellen,

[Fol. 54.] how a young man at the well had protected them.

Hu a gunge man, at te welle[n], 2756 ðewe and wurſipe hem dede;

Jethro sent after him and kept him in his house,

And ietro geld it him i_n_ eſtdede, Sente after him, freinede hiſ kin, Helde him wurðelike iſ huſ wið-in; 2760 Of ali kinde he wiſte him boren, And bad him ðor wunen him bi-foren,

and gave him his daughter to wife, who bore him two sons.

Gaf him iſ dowter ſephoram; To wife in lage he hire nam, 2764 And bi-gat two ſunes on hire ðer, firſt gerlon, ſiðen eliezer. Egipte king to late waſ dead, ðe ðe childre ſo drinkelen bead. 2768

On a time Moses went into the desert with his flocks, for rich men then kept such ware.

And moyſes waſ numen an ſel In ðe deſerd depe ſumdel, for te loken hirdneſſe fare; Riche men ðo kepten ſwilc ware. 2772

By Mount Sinai he sees a wondrous sight,

ðo ſag moyſes, at munt ſynay, An ſwiðe ferli ſigt ðor-bi, fier brennen on ðe grene leaf,

a bush burning, and nevertheless green and whole.

And ðog grene and hol bi-leaf; 2776 forð he nam to ſen witterlike, Hu ðat fier brende milde-like;

Out of that bush God's voice was heard, clear and high,

Vt of ðat buſk, ðe brende and ðheg, God ſente an ſteuene, brigt and heg; 2780

'Moses, Moses, take off thy shoes, for thou standest on holy ground.

"Moyſes, moyſes, do of ðin ſon, ðu ſtondes ſeli ſtede up-on;

[Fol. 54b.] I am the God of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham.

Hic am god ðe in min gemi_n_g nam Iacob, yſaac, and abraham; 2784

I have seen the affliction of my people,

ic haue min folkes pine ſogen, ðat he nu longe hauen drogen;

and have come down to deliver them,

Nu am ic ligt to fren hem ðeðen, And milche and hunige lond he_m_ q_ue_ðen; 2788

GOD APPEARS TO MOSES AT SINAI.

and to bring them into the land of seven kingdoms.

An .vii. kinge-riches lond Ic ſal hem bringen al on hond.

Come, thou shalt be my messenger,

Cum, ðu ſalt ben min ſondere man, Ic ſal ðe techen wel to ðan; 2792

and bid Pharaoh release my people.

ðu ſalt min folc bringen a-gen, And her ðu ſalt min migte ſen; And ðu ſalt ſeien to faraon, ðat he lete min folc ut-gon; 2796

If he refuse, I shall work great marvels,

If he it werne and be ðor-gen, Ic ſal ðe techen hu it ſal ben; for ic ſal werken ferlike ſtrong,

and cause my people to go out freely.

And maken min folc frelike ut-gong; 2800 Ge ſulen cumen wið feteles & ſrud,

As a sign, throw down thy wand." The wand then became an ugly snake.

And reuen egipte ðat iſ nu prud. Werp nu to token dun ðat wond." And it warp vt of hiſe hond, 2804 And wurð ſone an uglike ſnake, And moyſes fleg for dredes ſake;

God bade Moses take it by the tail, and anon it became a wand.

God him bad, bi ðe tail he it nam, And it a-non a wond it bi-cam, 2808

[Fol. 55.] He put his hand into his bosom and it became leprous.

And in hiſe boſum he dede his hond, Q_u_it and al unfer he it fond;

He put it in again and it became whole and sound.

And ſone he dede it eft agen, Al hol and fer he wiſte it ſen. 2812

"If they believe not these tokens, pour out the water of the flood on the earth, and it shall become blood."

"If he for ðiſe tokenes two Ne liſteðe ne troweð to, Go, get ðe water of de[259] flod On ðe erðe, and it ſal wurðen blod." 2816

"Lord! I am not eloquent, and cannot speak well," said Moses.

"Lou_er_d, ic am wanmol, vn-reken Of wurdes, and may ic Iuel ſpeken. Nu iſ forð gon ðe ðridde dai, Sende an oðer; bettre he mai." 2820

Quoth God, "Who made the dumb, the speaking, the blind, and the seeing?"

"Q_u_o made do_m_me, and q_u_o ſpecande? Q_u_o made bisne, and q_u_o lockende? Q_u_o but ic, ðat haue al wrogt? Of me ſal fultu_m_ ben ðe brogt." 2824

[259] ðe?

MOSES AND AARON ARE SENT TO EGYPT.

"Lou_er_d, ſent him ðat iſ to cumen, Vgging and dred me haueð[260] numen."

"Aaron, thy brother can speak well, thou shalt meet him, and make known to him my words."

"Aaron ðin broðer can wel ſpeken, ðu ſalt him meten and vnſteken 2828 Him bodeword min, and ic ſal red Gunc boðen bringen read and ſped."

Moses asks leave of Jethro to visit his brethren.

Moyſes, frigti, ðo funden gan to ſpeken wið ietro ðat riche man, 2832 And aſkede him leue to faren and ſen, If hiſe breðere of liues ben;

[Fol. 55b.] Moses delayed until God's message again came to him.

ðog drechede he til god ef[t] bad, And brogte him bode ðe made him glad, 2836 ðat pharaun, ðe wulde him ſ[l]en, Waſ dead and hadde iſ werkes len.

Then he departed with his wife and children.

MOyſes and hiſe wif ſephoram, And hiſe childre wið him nam; 2840 And ðat on waſ vncircu_m_ciſ.

One child was uncircumcised, and the angel in the way sought to slay him.

He nam ſo forð, ſoð it is; An angel, wið an dragen ſwerd, In ðe weie made him offerd, 2844 for ðat he ledden feren ſwike, ðe ſulden him deren witt_er_like;

Zipporah circumcised her son.

Sephora toc ðiſ gunge knaue, And dede circu_m_ciſe haue, 2848 And gret, and wente frigti a-gen,

Moses pursued his way alone.

And let moyſes forð one ten. He bar hiſe gerde forð in iſ hond, And nam a weie[261] bi deſerd lond; 2852

At Mount Sinai he meets with Aaron.

To mount ſynai forð he nam, Aaron hiſe broðer a-gen him cam; Eyðer [h]ere was of oðer fagen; Moyſes him haueð iſ herte[262] vt-dragen, 2856

They come into Egypt.

And he ben in-to egypte numen, And a-mong folc ebriſſe ben cumen; Moyſes tolde hem ðat bliðe bode,

The people believe them.

And let hem ſen tockenes fro gode; 2860

[260] MS. haued.

[261] MS. aweie.

[262] MS. herðe.

GREATER LABOURS ARE LAID UPON THE ISRAELITES.

[Fol. 56.]

He redden ſamen he ſulden gon wið[263] wiſe men to pharaon.

Moses and Aaron come before Pharaoh,

"God," he ſeiden, "of iſr_ae_l ðe bode ſente, and greteð wel, 2864

and deliver their message.

ðat, bi ði leue, hiſe folc vt-fare, ðre daiges gon and ben ðor gare, In ðe deſerd an ſtede up-on, Hiſ leue ſacrifiſe to don." 2868 Q_u_ad pharaun, "knowe ic[264] hi_m_ nogt, Bi q_u_aſe read haue ge ðiſ ſowt?"

Moses says that he is well known to the Egyptians,

Seide moyſes, "ic am ſonder man, Egipte folc me knowen can, 2872 for ic am ðat ilc moyſes,

having delivered them from the Ethiopians,

ðe egypte folc of ſorge les, ðan ethiops woren her cumen; ic warc al ðat ðu was binumen, 2876 And ſwanc and michel ſorwe dreg,

and that he brings God's message from Mount Sinai.

Get iſt vnſene hu ic it bi-teg? Ic haue ben ſiðen at munt ſyna, Godes bode-wurd bringe ic ðor-fra." 2880

Pharaoh chides Moses,

Qvað pharaun, "ðu art min ðral, ðat hidel-like min lond vt-ſtal; Sum ſwike-dom doð it nu ben, ðat ðu beſt cumen nu eft agen; 2884

and declares that the Israelites shall suffer still greater woe.

ðiſ folc, ðat ðu wilt me leden fro, ſal ben luken i_n_ more wo."

[Fol. 56b.]

Ðe king it bad, and [it] wurð don;

More labour is laid upon the Israelites.

More ſwinc ðo was hem leid on. 2888 Hem-ſeluen he fetchden ðe chaf ðe men ðor hem to gode gaf, And ðog holden ðe tigeles tale, And elten and eilden,[265] grete & ſmale. 2892

Moses complains to God.

Ðo fleg ðiſ folc wið moyſen, And [he] to god made hiſe bimen. "Lou_er_ed, q_u_i waſ ic hider ſent? ðin folc iſ more in ſorwe went." 2896

[263] MS. wid.

[264] MS. ic hic.

[265] ? eldren and children?

MOSES AND AARON PERFORM MIRACLES BEFORE PHARAOH.

God renews his promise by his name Adonai,

God q_u_að, "ic ſal hem leſen fro, And here fon weren wið wo; Abraham, yſac, and hiſe ſunen Woren to min ðhun_er_g wunen, 2900 ðog ne tagte ic hem nogt for-ði Min mig[t]ful name adonay;

which was unknown to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Min milche witt_er_ name eley He knewen wel, and ely; 2904 ðat ic ðe haue hoten wel, Ic it ſal leſten eu_er_ilc del."

Moses told the Hebrews these tidings, and yet were they in great anguish.

Moyſes told hem ðiſ tidding; ðog woren he get in ſtrong murni[n]g. 2908 Siðen ſpac god to moyſen, and tagte him hu it ſulde ben.

Moses was now fourscore years old.

fowre ſcore ger he waſ hold, And aaron ðre more told,[266] 2912

[Fol. 57.]

Q_u_anne he ðat[267] bodewurd ſpoken, And deden ðe firme token.

Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh.

AAron ðor warp vt of hiſ hond Moyſeses migtful wond, 2916 And it wurð bi-foren pharaon

It became an ugly snake.

An Iglic ſnake ſone on-on; ðe king ſente after wiches kire,

The sorcerers, by the devil's help, did the like.

Wapmen ðe weren in ſowles lire, 2920 ðe ferden al bi fendes red, fendeſ hem gouen ſinful ſped; And worpen he ðor wondes dun,

Each of their rods became a dragon.

fro euerilc ðor crep a dragun; 2924 Oc moyſes wirm hem alle ſmot,

Moses's serpent bit off their heads.

And here aldre heuedes he of bot; ðog deden wicheſ ðo men to ſen On oðere wiſe or ſoðe ben; 2928 for ðo fendes or he[m] bi-foren Hadden ðo neddres ðider boren;

[266] At the bottom of this page is the catchword—"Qua_n_ne he ðat bodewurd."

[267] MS. dat; see the catchword.

THE WATERS ARE TURNED INTO BLOOD.

Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go.

And pharaon ſtirte up a-non, And for-bed ðiſ folc to gon. 2932 ÐO ſeide moyſes to araon, "Q_u_at redeſ tu, broder, ſule wit don? ðiſ king him his[268] wel wiðer-ward Agen ðis folc, and herte hard; 2936

Moses and Aaron again came before Pharaoh.

Go we and ſpeken wið hem get, And fonden wið ðiſ token bet."

[Fol. 57b.]

And ſo deden [he] ſone a-non, And comen bi-foren pharaon, 2940 Quad aaron, "nu ſaltu ſen Q_u_ilc godes migtful ſtrengðes ben."

Aaron smote on the flood with his wand;

He ſmot on ðat flod wið ðat wond,

soon anon it became blood,

Sone anon blod men al it fond; 2944

and the fish in it died.

And ðe fiſſes, in al ðat blod read, floten a-buuen and wurðeden dead;

In every well and pool blood was found,

In eu_er_ilc welle, in eu_er_ilc trike, men funden blod al witterlike, 2948

except in Goshen.

But-if it were in ðe lond gerſen, ðor-inne woree[269] ðe ebriſſe men. ðis wreche, in al egypte rigt,

This plague lasted seven nights.

Leſtede fulle ſeuene nigt; 2952 ðo waſ ðiſ king ſumdel for-dred,

Pharaoh then promised that the Hebrews should depart.

And het he_m_ he ſulden vt ben led; And moyſes ðiſ pine vn-dede, And water wurð on blodeſ ſtede. 2956

When the plague was removed he would not release them.

ðan pharaon wurð war ðis bot, ðiſ folc of londe funde_n_ ne mot; Iannes and mambres, wicheſ wod, Him ðhugte he maden water blod; 2960

Mad sorcerers misled the king.

It waſ on fendes wiſe wrogt, for to bi-tou_r_nen[270] ðe kingeſ ðogt. Moyſes lerede god, ſpac hi_m_ mide, Al ðat iſ broðer aaron dede. 2964

[Fol. 58.]

Eft he comen to pharaon, And he wernede ðiſ folc ut-gon.

[268] _read_ is.

[269] woren?

[270] MS. bitou_er_en.

THE PLAGUES OF FROGS AND GNATS.

Aaron held up his hand towards the water, and up came a host of frogs.

And aaron held up his hond, to ðe water and ðe more lond; 2968 ðo cam ðor up ſwilc froſkes here ðe dede[271] al folc egipte dere;

Some were wild and some tame.

Su_m_me woren wilde, and ſu_m_me tame, And ðo hem deden ðe[272] moſte ſame; 2972

Some crept into houses, drink, meat, and bed.

In huſe, in drinc, in metes, in bed, It cropen and maden hem for-dred;

Some died and stank.

Su_m_me ſtoruen and gouen ſtinc, And vn-hileden mete and drinc; 2976

Tadpoles, frogs, and toads afflicted Egypt's folk.

Polheuedes, and froſkes, & podes ſpile Bond harde egipte folc [273]in ſile. ðiſ king bad moyſes and aaron, ðat he ſulden god bone don; 2980

The frogs died,

And ſone ſo moyſes bad iſ bede, ðiſ wirmes ſtoruen in ðe ſtede;

but the king forbad the departure of the Hebrews.

And q_u_ane ðe king wurð war ðis dead, Anon ðis folc fore he for-bead. 2984 Ðe ðridde wreche dede aaron Bi-foren ðe king pharaon;

The third plague of gnats, small to look at, but sharp in biting.

He ſmot wið ðat gerde on ðe lond, And gnattes hird ðor ðicke up-wond, 2988 ſmale to ſen, and ſarp on bite, In al egypte fleg ðiſ ſmite.

[Fol. 58b.]

And ðo dede men and herf wo, Anger and tene, ſorge and wo. 2992

The sorcerers said, "This is token of God's ghost,"

Q_u_oðen ðo wiches clerkes(.) "ðiſ fortoken godeſ gaſtes is."

for they lacked might to do this.

Her hem wantede migt and ſped, to ſwilc ðing cuðen he non red; 2996 ðiſ toknes dede aaron.

Pharaoh remained obstinate,

God ſente ſiðen hem oðere on, for euere eld ðiſ king on-on, And wernede ðiſ folc vt to gon. 3000 Ðo ſeide god to moyſen, "Go ðu gund pharaon agen;

[271] MS. ðede.

[272] MS. de.

[273] ? un-sile.

PLAGUES OF FLIES, BOILS, AND BLAINS,

Sei him, if min folc ne mote gon,

and was punished by a plague of flies.

fleges kin ſal hin ou_er_-gon, 3004 And al hiſ lond to ſorge ten; Oc lond gerſen ne ſal non ben."

Then gave he them leave to depart,

And ðuſ[274] it was, and al ðiſ ſor Sag pharaun, and dredde hi_m_ ðor. 3008 He gaf hem leue ðo vt to faren wið-ðanne-ðat he to londe ef[t] charen; And moyſes bad meðe here on,

and the flight of flies was removed.

And ðiſ fleges fligt vt iſ don; 3012 And pharaon wroð[275] herte on hard, And vn-dede hem ðat[276] forward. Moyſes ſpac ſiðen wið gode,

Message comes to Pharaoh of a great plague.

And he brogte pharaun ðiſ bode; 3016

[Fol. 59.]

"To-morgen, bute he mugen vt-pharen, Egyptes erf ſal al for-faren."

The murrain among the cattle.

He wið-held[277] hem and, al-ſo he it b[e]ad, Al ðe erf of egipt wurð dead; 3020 And get ne migte ðiſ folc vt-gon, ſwilc har[d]neſſe iſ on pharaon. After ðiſ time, it ſo bi-cam, ðat moyſes aſkes up-nam, 3024

The plague of boils and blains.

And warpes vt til heuene-ward; ðo wex vn-ſelðe on hem wel hard, dolc, ſor, and blein on erue and man;

The sorcerers hid themselves, and would not come before Pharaoh,

ðe wicches hidden hem for-ðan, 3028 Bi-foren pharaun nolden he ben,

so loathsome were they to look upon.

So woren he lodelike on to ſen; At laſt, q_u_an it waſ ou_er_-gon, Hadde moyſes ðo leue non. 3032 Siðen ſente ðe lou_er_d gode,

God's message to Pharaoh.

bi moyſes, to ðiſ king bode; "for-ði lete ic ðe king her ben, Men ſal, ðurg ðe, mi_n_ migte ſen, 3036 And knowen ſal ben, ðe to un-frame, In eu_er_ilc lond min migte name.

[274] MS. duſ.

[275] worð?

[276] MS. dat.

[277] MS. wid-held.

HAIL-STORM, AND GRASSHOPPERS.

He threatens the king with hail-storm.

ſwilc hail was her or neuere nomen So ſal ðiſ ſel to-morgen cumen; 3040 Do men and erue in huſe ben, If ðu wilt more hem liues ſen."

[Fol. 59b.]

ðo men, ðe weren in eige and dred, ben borwen, and erue, ðurg ðiſ red. 3044

On the morrow came thunder, hail, and lightning.

O morgen, al ſwilc time al ſir, ðhunder, and hail, and leuenes fir, Cam wel vnghere; al ðat it fond

It slew many men, broke down trees, grass, and corn.

Bergles, it ſloge i_n_ ðat lond; 3048 Treeſ it for-brac, and greſ, and corn, ðat waſ up-ſprungen ðor bi-foren; Oc ðe ebrius in lond gerſen ne derede it, coren, ne erf, ne men; 3052 ðo ſeide ðe folc to pharaon,

The Egyptians beseech Moses to remove this plague.

"Nu ic wot we haue miſ-don; Moyſes, do ðiſ weder charen, And gu ſal [ic] leten ut-faren." 3056 Moyſes gede vt, helde up iſ hond, And al ðiſ vnweder ðor atwond,

The storm ceased,

And wurð ðiſ weder ſone al ſtille, And al after ðe kinges wille. 3060

but though the weather was soft, the king's heart was hard.

ðiſ weder iſ ſofte, And ðiſ king hard, And brekeð hi_m_ eft ðat forward. MOyſes ſiðen, and aaron,

Then said Moses,

Seiden bi-foren pharaon, 3064

"To-morrow shall the grasshoppers come into the land."