Part 6

THE BUILDING OF THE ARK. THE FLOOD.

And here foure wifes woren he_m_ wið; ðise .viij. hadden i_n_ ðe arche grið.[111] 560

The ark was a good vessel.

Ðat arche was a feteles good, ſet and limed a-gen ðe flood;

Three hundred ells was it long,

ðhre hundred elne waſ it long, Naild and ſperd, ðig and ſtrong, 564

fifty wide, and thirty high.

And .l.^{ti} elne wid, and .xxx.^{ti} heg; ðor buten noe (.) long ſwing he dreg,

A hundred winters was Noah in building it.

An hundred winter, eu_er_ilc del, welken or it was ended wel; 568 Of alle der ðe on werlde wunen, And foueles weren ðer-inne cume_n_

Clean animals entered the ark by seven and seven, unclean by two and two.

Bi ſeuene and ſeuene, or bi two & two, Al-migti_n_ god him bad it ſo, 572 And mete q_u_orbi ðei migte_n_ liuen, ðor q_u_iles he woren on water driuen.

[Fol. 12.] Six hundred years old was Noah when he entered the ark.

Sexe hundred ger noe was hold Quan he dede him in ðe arche-wold; 576 Two ðhuſant ger, ſex hundred mo, And ſex and fifti forð to ðo, weren of werldes elde numen ðan noe waſ in to ðe arche cumen. 580

The water springs undid their strength. Rain poured down on every place.

Ilc wat_er_eſ ſpr_i_nge here ſtrengðe undede, And Reyn gette dun on eu_er_ilk ſtede fowerti daiſ and fowerti nigt, So wex wat_er_ wið magti migt; 584 So wunderlike it wex & get

Fifteen ells it overflowed, over every hill and vale.

ðat fiftene elne it ouer-flet, Ouer ilk dune, and ou_er_ ilc hil, ðhurge godes migt and godes wil; 588 And oðer fowerti ðore-to, Daiſ and nigtes ſtodet ſo;

Then was all flesh destroyed.

ðo waſ ilc fleiſ on wer[l]de ſlagen, ðo gu_n_nen ðe wat_er_es hem wið-dragen. 592

[111] _At the end of the line in the margin_ 'Se archa Nœe.'

THE ARK STOOD IN ARMENIA.

In the seventh month and the twenty-seventh day the ark stood in Armenia.

Ðe ſeuend moned[112] waſ in cumen, And ſeuene and .xx.^{ti} dais numen, IN armenie ðat arche ſtod, ðo waſ wið-dragen ðat ilc flod. 596

When the tenth month came the waters withdrew.

Ðo ðe tende moned[112] cam in, So wurð dragen ðe watreſ win; Dunes wexen, ðe flod wið-drog, It adde leſted longe a-nog 600

[Fol. 12b.] Forty days after this the ark's window is undone, the raven out flew, and came not again to the ark.

Fowerti daiſ after ðiſ, Arches windoge undon it iſ, ðe Rauen ut-fleg, hu ſo it gan ben, Ne cam he nogt to ðe arche a-gen; 604

The dove found no clean place, and came again to the ark.

ðe duue fond no clene ſtede, And wente a-gen and wel it dede;

After seven days the dove left the ark and returned with an olive bough.

ðe ſeuendai eſt ut it tog, And brogt a grene oliues bog; 608 Seue nigt ſiðen eu_er_ilc on

Seven nights after all are let out of the ark.

He is let ut flegen, crepen, and gon, wið-uten ilc ſeuend clene der ðe he ſacrede on an aucter. 612 Sex hundred ger and on dan[113] olde

Noah looked out of the ark and saw that the earth was dry.

Noe ſag ut of ðe arche-wolde; ðe firſt moned[112] and te firſt dai, He ſag erðe drie & te wat_er_ awai; 616 get he waſ wiſ and nogt to rad,

Yet went he not out till he was bidden by God.

Gede he nogt ut, til god hi_m_ bad. Ðe toðer moneð was in cumen, And ſeuene and twenti dais numen, 620 ðo herde Noe wol bliðe bode

At God's command he and his family left the ark.

Of a ſteuene, ðe cam fro gode; He and hiſe wif wenten ut fre, Hiſe ſunes and here wifes ðre; 624

Noah made an altar and sacrificed thereon.

He made an aucter on godeſ name, And ſacrede he ðor-on, for ſowleſ frame,

[Fol. 13.] The seventh deer was offered up,

Ilc ſeuende der of clene kin, ðe waſ holden in arche wið-hin, 628

[112] _read_ moneð

[113] _read_ ðan

THE RAINBOW APPEARS IN THE WELKIN.

the others were allowed to escape alive.

And leten ðe oðre to liue gon, of hem ben tudered manigon.

Noah besought God that he would no more send such destruction upon mankind.

Often he [bad] wid[114] frigti bede, ðat ſwiulc wreche ſo god ðo dede 632 Ne ſulde more on werlde cumen, Q_u_at wreche ſo ðor wurðe numen.

God granted his request, and shewed him the rain-bow as a token of His love.

God gat it a token of luuen, Taunede him in ðe wa[l]kene a-buuen 636

The rain-bow is called red and blue.

Rein-bowe, men cleped[115] reed and blo;

The blue denotes the water that drowned all flesh.

ðe blo tokeneð de[116] wat_er_es wo, ðat iſ wið-uten and is gon;

The red betokeneth the destruction of the world by fire.

ðe rede wid-innen[117] toknet on 640 wreche ðat ſal get wurðen ſent, wan al ðis werld wurðe brent; And al-ſo hege ðe lowe ſal gon, So ðe flod flet de dunes on; 644 fowerti ger or domeſ-dai, ðiſ token no man ne ſen mai.

From Noah and his three sons all mankind have come.

Of[118] noe ſiðen an iſ ðre ſunen, ben boren alle ðe in werlde wunen, 648

Before his death his family were widely spread.

And or he waſ on werlde led, His kinde waſ wel wide ſpred; Al it iſ writen ic tellen mai Of his kin bi hiſ liue dai; 652

[Fol. 13b.] They numbered, excluding women and children, 24,000 stalworth men.

vten childre and vten wi_m_men, wel fowre and .xx. ðhuſent men woren ſtalwurði boren bi tale, wið-uten wif-kin and childre ſmale; 656 .ix. hundred ger and fifti told, or or he ſtarf, noe waſ old.

Nimrod had dread of water, so he advised his followers to make a tower high and strong.

Nembrot gat hiſe feres red, for ðat he hadde of water dred, 660 To maken a tur, wel heg & ſtrong, Of tigel and ter, for water-gong;

Seventy-two men were employed about it.

Twelwe and ſexti men woren ðor-to,

[114] _read_ wið

[115] _read_ clepeð

[116] _read_ ðe

[117] _read_ wið-innen.

[118] Oſ MS.

CONFUSION OF TONGUES. ORIGIN OF IDOLATRY.

Meiſt_er_ men for to maken it ſo. 664

All spoke one speech before.

Al waſ on ſpeche ðor bi-foren,

Now sundry tongues arose and sorely terrified the workmen.

ðor woren ſundri ſpeches boren; ðo wurðen he frigti and a-griſen, for dor[119] waſ ſundri ſpecheſ riſen, 668

Seventy-two land-speeches were then spoken.

Sexti lond-ſpeches and .xii. mo, weren delt ðane i_n_ werlde ðo.

That tower was called Babel.

Babel, ðat tur, bi-lef un-mad,

The folk became scattered afar upon the earth.

ðat folc iſ wide on lon[de] ſad; 672 Nembrot nam wið ſtrengðhe ðat lond, And helde ðe tur o babel in hiſ hond.

Belus was Nimrod's son, and after him reigned Nilus, who set up an image in remembrance of his father.

Beluſ king waſ nembrot ſune, Nilus hiſ ſune gan ille wune; 676 Belus wurð dead, and nilus king Made likeneſſe, for muni[gin]g[120]

[Fol. 14.]

After hiſ fader, and he ſo dede, He it ſetten on an mirie ſtede; 680

Nilus rewarded all that honoured this likeness.

Eu_er_ilc man he gaf lif and frið ðat to ðat likeneſſe ſogte grið; for ðat frið ðat hem [gaf] ðe king, He boren ðat likneſſe wurðing, 684

They called it Bel, after Belum.

Calden it bel, after belum; After ðis cam ſwilc oðer ſum,

Many made likenesses of their friends.

Manie man, iſ frend for to munen, Made likneſſe after ðe wunen, 688

Bel was the first, and hence the names Bal or Balim.

Bel was ðe firſte, and after him Sum higte beland, ſu_m_ balim, And ſu_m_ bel, and ſu_m_ bal; fendes fleiðing wex wið-al, 692 To wenden men fro godes reed, To newe luue and to newe dred;

Thus was idolatry introduced, by which many are destroyed.

Ydolatrie ðuſ waſ boren, for q_u_uam mani man iſ for-loren. 696 Of ſem, and of ðe folc ðe of hi_m_ cam, luue and dred under gode nam; Of ðis kinge wil we leden ſong,

[119] _read_ ðor

[120] see l. 1623

ABRAM LEAVES MESOPOTAMIA.

Cristes helpe be us amonge! 700

The family of Shem.

Noe, ſem, arfaxath, ſale, Heber, phaleth, ðe ſexte iſ he, Reu, ſaruch, nacor, thare, ðiſ iſ ðe tende fro noe. 704

[Fol. 14b.]

Ðis oðer werldes elde iſ ſo, A ðhuſent ger ſeuenti and two.

The third age of the world began when Terah begat Abram.

ðe ðridde werldeſ elde cam, Quanne thare bi-gat abram; 708 for he bi-gat a ſune aram, Nachor midleſt, laſt ab_ra_m;

Haran begat Lot and Sarai and Milcah.

Aram bi-gat loth, and ſarray, And melcham, and waſ ſort leui 712

They dwelt in Ur of the Chaldees.

In lond caldea, hur hicte ðe tun, Q_u_or deades ſtrenge warp him dun;

Much strife was there between father and brother, children and wife.

ðor fader, and breðere, and childre, and wif, Him bi-ſtoden wið ſorwes ſtrif; 716 ðo ðogte thare on hiſ mod,

Terah did not care to remain long in this town.

long bigging iſ here nogt god. Nachor he gaf wif melcam, And trewe ſarray abram. 720

Abram having no children adopted Lot as his son.

Q_ua_nne abram wurð wiſ and war ðat ſarray non childre ne bar, He toc him loth on ſunes ſtede; He waſ hiſe neve, wol wel he dede. 724

Terah left Ur and came to Haran in Mesopotamia.

Thare let hur, and ðeðen he nam, And wulde to lond canahan, Cam i_n_to a burgt[121] ðat het aram, In londe meſopothaniam. 728

With him he took his sons and daughters.

Wið him ledde he nachor, melcam, Sarray, loth, and abram.

[Fol. 15.]

Tho[122] hundred ger and fifue mo,

Terah died when he was two hundred and five years old.

Thare waſ old, ſtarf he ðo. 732 Tereſ gliden for herteſ ſor fro loth, and abram, and nachor;

He lies buried in Haran.

Thare lið biried in aram.

[121] _read_ burg

[122] _read_ two

ABRAM REACHES CANAAN. HE GOES TO EGYPT.

God ſeide wurd to abram:— 736

God then commanded Abram to leave Haran.

"Abram, ðu fare ut of lond and kin To a lond ic ðe ſal bringen hin." Sex ger and fiftene mo, Adde Abram on iſ elde ðo. 740

He departed, taking with him Lot and Sarai.

Abram tok loth wið ſarray, Hiſe agte, and erue he ledde hi_m_ bi, For in to lond cananeam,

First he came to Sichem,

And i_n_-to ſichem, a burgt, he nam, 744 And ðeðen he nam to mirie dale; fif burgeſ were ðor-inne bi tale,

and afterwards to Pentapolis (the five cities of the plain),

ðer-fore it higte pentapolis, Of weledeſ[123] fulſum and of bliſ, 748 Nov iſt a water of loðlic ble,

where now stands the Dead Sea.

Men callið it ðe dede ſe; Ilc ðing deieð ðor-inne iſ driuen; Ne may no fiſ ðor-inne liuen; 752

The cities were destroyed for man's sin.

for mannes ſinne ðus it iſ went, brent wið brimfir, ſunken and ſhent. God q_u_ad to abra_m_, "al ðiſ lond ſal cumen i_n_ to iſ kinneſ hond." 756

[Fol. 15b.]

ðor god him taunede, made hab_ra_m An alter, and fro ðeðen he nam.

Abram raised an altar between Bethel and Ai.

An oðer alter abram ſeli Made bi-twen betel and ai. 760

Damascus was the third place where Abram dwelt.

At damaſke iſ ðe ðridde ſtede, Quer abram iſ bigging dede, And ðeden for he, for hunger bond,

Famine drove him to Egypt.

feger ut in to egipte lond; 764 ðor he ſeide ðat ſarrai

To save his life he said that Sarai was his sister.

waſ hiſ ſiſter, al for-ði for he dredde him to leten iſ lif If he wiſten ghe wore iſ wif; 768

Sarai was fair and Egypt's folk were lecherous.

for ghe waſ fai[ge]r witter-like, And ðat folc luuede lecherlike. Quan ab_ra_m was to egipte cumen,

[123] werldes?

PHARAOH TAKES AWAY SARAI, AND IS PUNISHED BY A PLAGUE.

Soon was Sarai taken from Abram, and brought to king Pharaoh.

Sone him waſ ſarrai binumen; 772 Sone him waſ ſarray bi-lagt, And [124]pharaon ðe kinge bi-tagt;

God plagued the king with sickness.

God ſente on him ſekeneſſe & care, And lettede al his lecher-fare. 776 Sarray liuede in clene lif,

Pharaoh at last became aware that all this strife was on account of Sarai,

And ðe king ðholede ſorges ſtrif Til he wiſte al ðat ſtrif Cam him on for ab_ra_m wif; 780

so he restored her to her husband,

ðo ſente he after abram, And bi-tagte he him iſ leman,

[Fol. 16.] and gave Abram land and cattle.

And gaf him lond, and agte, and fe, And leue, ðor q_u_iles his wille be, 784 To wune egipte folc among, And friðen him wel fro eu_er_ilc wro_n_g, Bad him to god hiſ erdne beren,

In Egypt the patriarch abode in security.

ðat ywel him ſulde nu_n_mor deren. 788 ðor wunede abra_m_ in welðe and i_n_ frið,

Egypt's clerks held him in high honour.

Egipte clerkes woren him wið, And hem lerede, witt_er_like, Aſtronomige and arſmetike; 792 He was hem lef, he woren him hold.

God greatly increased his riches.

God gaf him ðor ſiluer and gold, And hird, and orf, and ſrud, and ſat, Vn-achteled welðe he ðor bi-gat. 796

Out of Egypt Abram went to Canaan, and abode between Bethel and Ai.

Vt of egipte, riche man, Wente abram i_n_ to lond canaan; And loth hiſe neue and ſarray bileften bi-twen betel and ay, 800 ðor he q_u_ilum her wiſten wunen, Or he weren to egipte cumen.

Strife arose between Abram and Lot's herdsmen.

So wex here erue, and ſo gan ðen An twen here hirdeſ ſtriui_n_g gan ben; 804

Lot, by leave of his uncle, chose the plains of the

Loth him cheſ, bi leue of abram, ðat herðe hende ðe flu_m_ iurdan;

[124] _w_ in MS. But the _w_ is much like _p_.

ABRAM DWELLS AT MAMRE. LOT IN SODOM.

Jordan for his dwelling-place.

In mirie dale hiſe bigginge he ches, ðat he ſiðen twie for-les. 808

[Fol. 16b.]

Abram let loth in welðe and wale,

Abram dwelt in Mamre-dale, towards Ebron.

And ferde a-wei to mambre dale; ðor wunede abram henden ebron, ðat burge an oðer man lið on, 812

This city is called Kirjatharba, _i. e._ four cities.

It atteð cariatharbe, On engle ſpeche fowre cite; fowre arbe cariatht arn in,

Four lie buried there.

for ðat fowre biried ðor ben; 816

There was laid Adam and Eve, Abram and Sarai, Jacob and Leah.

ðor waſ leid adam and eua, Abram ſiðen and ſarra; ðor yſaac and rebecca, And iacob and hiſe wif lia. 820

Mamre, Eschol, and Aner were sworn brothers with Abram.

MAmbre, wið excol and anel, ðor luueden Abram ful wel; He woren breðere of kinde boren, And abram woren he breðre ſworen. 824 Q_u_or abram wunede, ðor wex bi An ok' ðat waſ of gibi,

God promised that Abram's seed should possess the land wherein he was a stranger.

ðer het god abre ðat tagte lond Sal cumen al in hiſ kinneſ hond, 828 And eſt and weſt, and ſuð and norð; Al ðat god wile ſal wel gon forð.

Then was pride widely spread, and desire of sovereignty.

Ðo wurðen waxen ſo wide and ſpred, pride and giſcinge of lou_er_d-hed; 832

Nearly every city had its ruler.

Neg ilc burge hadde iſe lou_er_eding, Sum waſ king, and ſum kumeling;

[Fol. 17.]

Sum waſ wið migte[125] ſo forð gon, ðat hadden he under hem mani on. 836

The five cities of Pentapolis, ruled over by their own kings,

Fif burges of pentapoliſ, Adama, bala, Seboyſ, And ſodoma wið gomorra, ðe kinges welten burges ðoa, 840

[125] The MS. has migt; but migte is at the bottom of p. 16 b in the catchwords—"Sū waſ wið migte."

THE BATTLE OF FOUR KINGS AGAINST FIVE.

were conquered by Chedorlaomer, and paid him tribute.

On-kumen was cadalamor, king of elam, wið ferding ſtor;

Twelve years they were under his hand.

.xij. ger he weren under iſ hond, And gouen him gouel of here lond; 844

In the thirteenth they rebelled,

.xiij. ger gan ſo forð gon wulde he giuen him gouel non;

Chedorlaomer and other three kings made war upon the cities.

ðre kinges haued he wið him brogt, wið here-gonge hiſe gouel ſogt; 848 He ben cumen to mirie dale, An ðere he werken ſckaðe and bale;

Much sorrow they wrought. The four kings conquered the five.