Part 14

"To-morgen ſulen greſſeoppes cumen, And ðat ail ða bileaf ſal al ben numen; So ſal ðin hardneſſe ben wreken, ðat men ſulen longe ðor-after ſpeken." 3068

[Fol. 60.]

"Goð vt," q_u_að he, "red ic ſal taken, And gu ſiðen i ſal anſwer maken."

The Egyptians advise the king to let the Israelites go.

Qvað ðiſ folc, "bet_er_ iſt laten he_m_ vt-pharen, Al ſal egipte elles for-faren." 3072

Pharaoh is at first inclined to let them go,

He calde hem in; q_u_ad pharaon, "Q_u_ilc ben ðo ðe ſulen vt-gon?"

PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS AND DARKNESS.

Q_u_að moyſes, "but alle wapmen, wið erf, and childre, and wimmen." 3076

but would only grant permission to the men.

"Hu! haue ge wrong," q_u_ad pharaon, "Gu wapmen giue Ic leue to gon; Of erf and wimmen leue ic nogt, Ear one of wapmen waſ bi-ſogt." 3080 Ef[t] ðiſ andſwere, ben vt-gon moyſes forð and aaron;

Moses held up his hand, and a southern wind uprose,

MOyſes held up hiſ hond, A ſuðen wind iſ flig[t] up-wond, 3084 And blew ðat day and al ðat nigt And brogte egipte an newe figt;

which brought the locusts.

ðiſ wind hem brogte ðe ſkipperes, He deden on greſ and coren deres. 3088

Then was the king full of woe,

ðat lond was ful, and ðiſ king wo, He ſente after ðe breðere ðo. Q_u_ad pharaon, "ic haue miſ-numen,

and besought Moses to turn from them the evil.

Wreche iſ on vs wið rigte cumen; 3092 Bi-ſek get god, ðis one ſiðe, ðat he vs of ðiſ pine friðe."

[Fol. 60b.] A western wind took away the locusts.

And ſo [he] dede, and on wind cam fro weſten, and ðo opperes nam, 3096 And warpes ou_er_ in-to ðe ſe; ðo pharaun ſag iſ lond al fre,

Pharaoh broke his covenant.

Hiſ herte ðo wurð ðwert and hard, And al he brac hem [ðat] forward. 3100 MOyſes ſiðen held up iſ hond,

The plague of thick darkness.

And ðhikke ðherkneſſe ca_m_ on ðat lond, ðat migte non egipcien Abuten hi_m_ for mirkneſſe ſen; 3104 Manige ðor ſorge on liue bead,

Many died from fear.

And manige weren rewlike dead; Q_u_or-ſo ðe folc waſ of yſrael,

The Israelites had light.

He adden ligt and ſowen wel. 3108 ðo q_u_ad pharaon to moyſen,

The king tells them to go, and

"Led vt al ðat iſ boren of man,

THE INSTITUTION OF THE PASSOVER.

to leave their flocks and herds behind.

And let her hen boden er[f] & ſep, ic wile ðor-on[278] nimen kep." 3112 Q_u_ad moyſes, "la! god it wot,

Moses will not consent to this arrangement.

ſal ðe[r]-of bi-leuen non fot, Al we ſulen iſ wið vs hauen; 'Wold,' q_u_ad god, 'wile ðor-of crauen.'" 3116 Q_u_að pharaon to moyſen,

Moses and Aaron are driven out from the presence of Pharaoh.

"Nu ic rede ðat ge flen; for ſe ic gu more-ou_er_ nu, dead ſal be[279] wreken ou_er_ gu." 3120

[Fol. 61.]

MOyſes fleg to lond gerſen, ðor wuneden hiſ kinnes men.

God tells Moses of his final vengeance upon the Egyptians.

Quað god, "get ic ſal pharaon, Or ge gon vt, don an wreche on, 3124 (Nu ſal ic in-to egipte gon,) Swilc wreche waſ ear neu_er_e non;

Each first-born shall be destroyed.

Deigen ðor ſal ilc firme bigeten Of men and erf, non forgeten; 3128 Oc among gu, dredeð gu nogt, to gu ne ſal non iuel ben ſogt, Ne ſal ic gu nog[t] loten Of ðat ic haue gu bi-hoten." 3132

The year shall begin,

Siðen q_u_að god to moyſen, "ðiſ ſal gure firmeſt moneð[280] ben, ðoo gune men ðe mone ſen

when in April the new moon is seen.

In april Reke-fille ben." 3136 ðanne he lereden he_m_ newe wunen;

The institution of the Passover.

"Eu_er_ilc ger, more to munen, Eu_er_ilc huſ-folc ðe mai it ðauen

A lamb or kid of the first year is to be taken and slain by each household on the fourteenth day of the month,

On ger ſep oðer on kide hauen; 3140 ðe tende dai it ſulde ben lagt, And ho[l]den in ðe tende nagt, And [slagen] on ðe fowrtende dai; So mikil hird ſo it noten mai, 3144 Ben at euen folc ſum to ſamen,

and to be roasted whole.

And ilc folc iſ to fode framen,

[278] MS. dor-on.

[279] MS. me.

[280] MS. moned.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRST-BORN.

[Fol. 61b.]

And eten it bred, and non bon breken,

None of it is to be taken out of the house.

And nogt ðor-of vt huſe wreken, 3148 Oc ſod and girt, ſtondende, and ſtaf on hond,

It is to be roasted whole,

Ilc man after his owen fond,

and eaten with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread.

Heued and fet, and in rew mete[n], leſen fro ðe bones and eten, 3152 Wið[281] wriðel and vn-lif bread;"

The remainder is to be burnt, and the blood is to be sprinkled upon the door-posts.

ðe bi-leuen brennen he bead. "ðe dure-tren and ðe uu_er_ſlagen, wið yſope ðe blod ben dragen; 3156 ðat nigt ſal ben feſt paſche," forð-for, on engle tunge, it be.

Vengeance came upon the Egyptians.

ON midel ſel, ðat[282] ilc nigt, So cam wreche on egipte rigt; 3160

The first-born of man and beast were slain.

Ilc firme bigeten, of erf and man, was ſtoruen on morwen and dead forðan; ðo waſ non biging of al egipte lich-leſ, ſo manige dead ðor kipte.[283] 3164

Pharaoh consented to let Israel go.

ðo wurð phara[o]n nede driuen And haueð[284] hem ðane leue giuen; And egipte folc bad hem faren, And ſwiðe a-weiward hem garen. 3168

The Egyptians gave the Hebrews whatever they asked.

Q_u_at-ſo he boden, ſrud[285] or ſat, Egipte folc hem lenen ðat; Waſ hem nogt werned ðat he crauen, for here ſwinc-hire he nu hauen; 3172

[Fol. 62.]

Gold and ſilu_er_ he hauen vt-brogt,

The Israelites numbered 600,000 men.

ðe tabernacle ðor[286]-wið wurð[287] wrogt; He woren ſexe hundred ðhuſent men, wið-vten childre and wimmen; 3176 Al erf-kin hauen he ut-led, Egipte folc hem hauen ut-ſped.

Moses thought of the oath sworn to Joseph.

Almost redi waſ here fare, moyſes bi-ðogt him ful gare 3180 Of ðat ðe iſ kin haueð ſworen,

Joseph's grave could not be found.

Ioſepes bones ſulen ben boren;

[281] MS. wid.

[282] MS. dat.

[283] caught.

[284] MS. haued.

[285] MS. ſruð.

[286] MS. dor.

[287] MS. wurd.

THE ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT.

Oc ðe ail haueð[288] ſo wide ſpiled, ðat hiſ graue iſ ðor vnder hiled, 3184

A golden rod with the name of God upon it was laid upon the flood.

On an gold gad ðe name god Iſ grauen, and leid up-on ðe flod;

Moses followed its course, and thus discovered the grave.

Moyſes it folwede ðider it flet, And ſtod ðor ðe graue under let; 3188 ðor he doluen, and hauen ſogt, And funden, and hauen up-brogt ðe bones ut of ðe erðe wroken,

Some of the bones were whole and some broken.

Su_m_me hole, & ſu_m_me broken; 3192 He dede iſ binden & faire loken Alle ðe bones ðe he ðor token.

When Israel left Egypt there was an earthquake.

Q_u_ane he geden egipte fro, It wurð erðe-dine, and fellen ðo 3196

Many temples fell down.

fele chirches and ideles mide, Miracle it was ðat god ðor dede.

[Fol. 62b.] Seven score years were gone since Joseph was buried.

Gon woren .vii. ſcore ger Siðen[289] ioſep waſ doluen ðer;[290] 3200 And .xxiii. ſcore fro ðan ðat god it ſpac wið[291] abrah_ra_m.

The Israelites journey from Rameses to Succoth.

fro Rameſe to ſokoht ſtede Non man on hem letting dede, 3204 For ſwinc and m_ur_ning hem was on, fro ðe liches in-to ðe erðe don; And manige of ðo grete_n_ forði ðat he adden ben hard hem bi. 3208

From Succoth they go to Etham, and thence to Pihahiroth.

To burg ethan fer fro ſokoth, And ðeðen he ten to pharaoth;[292] ðor he ſtunden for to ſen q_u_ilc pharaon wið he_m_ ſal ben. 3212

Pharaoh called out his army.

Pharaon bannede vt hiſ here, Iſrael he ðhogte to don dere;

Six hundred chariots he brought out of Egypt, fifty thousand horsemen, and ten score thousand men of foot.

Sex hundred carte-hird i-wrogt[293] vt of egipte he haueð[294] brogt; 3216 On horſe fifiti ðhusent men, x ſcore ðhusent of fote ren;

[288] MS. haued.

[289] MS. Siden.

[290] MS. der.

[291] MS. wid.

[292] MS. pharaofh.

[293] MS. hirdi wrogt.

[294] MS. haued.

THE ISRAELITES CROSS THE RED SEA.

Alle he ledde hem vt forði ðat folc ebru to werchen wi. 3220

When the Israelites saw the Egyptian host they became sore afraid.

Ðiſ godes folc waſ und_er_-numen, Q_ua_n he ſegen ðiſ hird al cumen, Sore he gunen for-dredde ben, for ne cuðen ne[295] gate flen, 3224

[Fol. 63.]

And if he ðore ben bi-ſet,

for they were without weapons.

Ille he ſulen ben hung_er_ gret; He ne mogen figten a-gen,

They chided Moses.

for [he] wið-vten wopen ben; 3228 ðanne he ðuſ woren alle in dred, On moyſen he ſetten a gred. "Beð nu ſtille," q_u_að moyſes,

Moses promises them God's assistance.

"ðor god wile(.) iſ non helpeles; 3232 Ge ſulen ſen ðiſ ilke dai Q_u_at godes migt for gu mai." He bad ðiſ folc dregen wið ſkil, And he bi-ſogte godes wil. 3236

God instructs Moses to stretch out his rod over the sea.

Qvað god, "q_u_or-at calles ðu me? Hold up ðin gerde to ðe ſe And del it ſo on ſundri del, ðat gu ben garknede weigeſ wel." 3240

Moses did so.

ðo moyſes helde up hiſ hond,

A wind blew the sea from the sand,

A wind blew ðe ſe fro ðe ſond; On twel[fe] doles delt iſt ðe ſe,

and twelve thoroughfares were made for the people.

xii. weiges ðer-in ben faiger and fre, 3244 ðat eu_er_ilc kinde of iſrael Mai ðor hiſ weige finden wel.

The water stood up as a wall on both sides.

ðe water up-ſtod, ðurg godes migt, On twinne half, alſo a wal up-rigt; 3248 Moyſes bad hem, alſo he ben boren, ðe eldeſt kindes gon bi-foren;

[Fol. 63b.] Moses went first, and then the men of Judah.

Oc moyſes gede in bi-foren, And ðo ðe kinde of iuda boren; 3252 On and on kin, alſ herte he_m_ cam, ðat folc ilc in his weige nam;

[295] ? he no-gate

THE EGYPTIAN HOSTS ARE DROWNED.

A cloud went before them.

Bi-foren he_m_ fleg an ſkige brigt ðat nigt he_m_ made ðe weige ligt; 3256 Egiptes folc gunnen ðiſ ſen,

Pharaoh pursued the Israelites,

And wenden ðat he wode ben. Ðis bode herde king pharaon And him ðuhte ſellic ðer-on, 3260 Garkede his hird & after nam,

and to the Red Sea he came.

And to ðe ſe bi nigte he cam;

In went this host after the king.

In ferde ðiſ hird after ðiſ king, And ðo ſprong ðe daieni_n_g. 3264 ðhunder, and leuene, and rein ðor-mong God ſente on ðat hird, ſtið and ſtrong;

Some were for going back.

ðo quoðen he, "wende we a-gen, An[d] iſrael folc lete we ben." 3268 ðor-q_u_iles ben ðo kinges[296] cumen

The Israelites reached the land,

Ou_er_, and hauen ðe londes numen; Egipcienes woren i_n_ twired wen q_u_eðer he ſulden folgen or flen; 3272 And moyſes ſtod up-on ðe ſond,

and God bade Moses stretch his rod over the sea.

God him bad helden up hiſ hond to-ward ðiſ water, in a morgen q_u_ile ðe ſe luked, ſo god it wile,[297] 3276

[Fol. 64.] The sea covered the Egyptians,

And on and on, ſwiðe litel ſtund, Egypcienes fellen to ðe grund;[298]

and not one remained undrowned in that salt spot.

Of hem alle bi-leaf non fot Vn-drincled i_n_ ðat ſalte ſpot.[299] 3280 Ðvs iſ iſrael of hem wreken, And here welðe iſ to londe weken, Wepen, and ſrud, ſiluer, and gold; wel hem mai ben ðe god beð hold! 3284

Moses made a new song, and taught it to the people.

Moyſes ðor made a newe ſong, And tag[t]e it al ðat folc a-mong;

Each day for a week it was sung over.

And ilke dai ðat ſeuen nigt, Ones he ðor it ſungen rigt; 3288

[296] kindes?

[297] At the bottom of this page is the catchword—"And on and on."

[298] MS. grunð.

[299] MS. ſwot.

THE SOJOURN AT SHUR, ELIM, AND SIN.

In memory of which are we wont to come seven times to the font at Eastertide.

ðor-of in eſterne be we wunen Seuene ſiðes to funt cumen. Ðor q_u_iles he weren in ðe deſert, God tagte hem weie, wis and pert; 3292 A fair piler ſon hem on o nigt, And a ſkie[300] eu_er_e on daiges ligt.

The fifth sojourn was in the wilderness of Shur;

Ðe fifte ſuriuren ðat he deden, In ðe deſert ſur, on drie ſtede; 3296

three days the people were without water.

ðre dages weren he ðider gon, ðat he ne funden water non;

At Marah the waters were bitter, but

A welle he funde at marath,[301] ðe water was bit_er_ and al wlath;[302] 3300 A funden trew ðor-inne dede

a tree rendered them sweet.

Moyſes, and it wurð ſwet on ðe ſtede.

[Fol. 64b.] The sixth sojourn was at Elim,

Ðe ſexte ſuriuren at elim, xij welle-ſpringes weren on him, 3304 An[d] then[303] and ſexti palme tren bi ðo welles men migte ſen; He maden ſiðen, fro elim,

and from thence to Sin.

Mani ſuriuren in ðe deſert ſin. 3308 Bi-twen elim and ſinay,

Bread fails them.

bred wantede, hem was wo forði; ðat was on ðe ðrittiðe[304] dai, ðat here wei fro egypte lay, 3312 ðor he woren hungur for-dred;

They murmur against Moses.

"Ille," he ſeiden, "haue we ſped, Bet uſ were in egipte ben, Bred and fles ðer[305] we muwen ſen." 3316 Moyſes wurð war ðe folc was wroð, And here gruching ðo god was loð. "ſtille," q_u_að he, "and on-dreg, Godeſ fulſum-hed iſ gu ful neg." 3320

God sends them a flight of fowls,

At euen cam a fugel-fligt, fro-ward arabie to hem rigt; ðor migte eu_er_ilc man fugeles taken, So fele so he wulden raken; 3324

[300] MS. aſkie.

[301] _read_ marach.

[302] _read_ wlach.

[303] ten?

[304] MS. ðrittide.

[305] MS. der.

THE MIRACULOUS FALL OF MANNA.

and on the morrow a dew,

On morgen fel hem a dew a-gein. firſt he wenden it were a rein, knewen he nogt ðiſ dewes coſt;

like rime frost;

It lai ðor, q_u_it als a rim[306] froſt, 3328

"Man-hu," said they, wherefore they called it Manna.

He ðe it ſogen,[307] ſeiden, "man hu," Manna for-ði men clepeð it nu.

[Fol. 65.]

Q_u_ad moyſes, "loc! her nu [iſ] bread, Ille gruching iſ[308] gu for-bead." 3332 A met ðor was, it het Gomor,

Each man gathered an omer of it before the sun shone,

Ilc man iſ he bead, and nu_n_mor, Hi_m_ gaderen or ðe ſunne-ſine, Elles he ſulden miſſen hine. 3336

for it melted at the sunshine.

for it malt at ðe ſunne-ſine, Oc oðer fir for-hadede hine.

When ground and made into bread, it tasted like wafers made with honey.

To duſt he it grunden and maden bread, ðat huni and olies ðef he bead; 3340 Q_u_o-ſo nome up forbone mor, it wirmede, bredde, and rotede ðor.

Moses filled an omer of the manna,

Moyſen dede ful ðe gomor, In a gold pot, for muning ðor. 3344 Held it ſundri in clene ſtede,

and placed it in the tabernacle.

And in ðe tabernacle he it dede. Wið ðiſ mete weren he fed, fowerti winter vten leð,[309] 3348 Til he to lond canaan Comen(.) ðat god hem giuen gan.

Forth came this folk, and came to Rephidim,

Forð nam ðiſ folc, ſo god tagte him, to ðe deſert of rafadim;[310] 3352

where they murmured for thirst, and did chide with Moses.

Tidlike hem waſ ðat wat_er_ wane, ðor he grucheden for ðriſt hane;[311]

[Fol. 65b.]

Harde he bi-haluen ðer moyſes, And to god he made is bi-men. 3356 "Lou_er_ed," q_u_ad he, "q_u_at ſal ic don? He ſulen me werpen ſtones on."

God sent him for water to a rock in Horeb.

Q_u_að god, "go ðu to erebiſ ſton, And ſmit wið ðin gerde ðor-on." 3360

[306] MS. rin.

[307] MS. logen.

[308] ? ic.

[309] led?

[310] MS. rafaclim.

[311] MS. haue.

THE ISRAELITES OVERCOME THE AMALEKITES.

It was a ſtede henden ðor-bi,

Moses smote the rock,

On a ſyde of munt ſynay; And he ſmot wið his wond ðor-on, And water gan ðor-vten gon; 3364

and the people had enough to drink without toiling for it.

Anog adden he ðanne drinc, Redi funden wið litel ſwinc;

This place was called Temptation.

ðat ſtede waſ cald temptatio, for he ðo god fondeden so. 3368

Amalek comes to war against Israel.

Amalec, yſmaeles ſune, Was ðor hende rafadim[312] wune, He welte ðor ſtone and iaboch, ðat herdes folc him lou_er_d toch; 3372 Wopened he ben a-gen iſrael.

Moses sends Joshua with the army to fight with Amalek.

Moyſes ear it wiſte wel, And ſente agen hem king ih_esu_m, w_i_ð folc iſrael wopened ſum; 3376 He let bi-aften ðe[313] more del,

Moses, accompanied by Aaron and Hur, goes up to the top of a hill, and prays for the folk of Israel.

To kepen here ðing al wel. He, and aaron, and hur ben gon, Heg up to a dune ſone o-non; 3380

[Fol. 66.]

Moyſes bad [for] folc yſrael, And hiſe benes hem holpen wel; Ai q_u_iles he up iſ hondes bead,

Amalek is overcome by the holding up of Moses' hands.

Amalechkes folc fledde for agte of dead, 3384 And q_u_ane he let[314] iſ hondes niðer, Amalech folc fagt hard and wiðer; Q_u_ane it wurð war, vr[315] and aaron He iſ under-leiden wið an ſton, 3388 Til ſunne him ſeilede in ðe weſt;