Part 7

fowre on-ſeken and fifue weren, Oc ðe fowre ðe fiue deren; 852 wunded ðor waſ gret folc and ſlagen, ðe fifwe flen, ðe fowre ben fagen;

The five flee to the hills, and the four to the cities of the plain.

ðe fifwe up to ðe dunes flen, ðe fowre in to ðe tuneſ ten; 856 wifwes, and childre, and agte, and ſrud,

They led away with them Lot, his goods, children, and wife.

He ledden a-wei wið herte prud. Loth and iſ agte, childre and wif, ben led a-wei bunden wið ſtrif; 860

[Fol. 17b.]

oc on of hem, ðe flogen a-wei

But one escaped and told Abram, who armed 313 servants and pursued the enemy.

Told it abram ðat ilke deai. ðre hundred men and .xiij. wigt, Alle ſtalwurði and witt_er_ of figt, 864 wið mambre, and excol, and anel, Abram let him tunde wel; ðat hird he folged[126] alſ to ðan, On heued-welle of flum iordan, 868 ðor he wenden ben ſiker on nigt; Abram he brogte wel newe figt.

Abram found them drunk and sleepy.

He woren drunken and ſlepi, Abram[127] folc made hem dredi; 872 ſo heg, ſo long, ne ſpared he_m_ nogt,

He brought them all to ground.

Alle he ben ðor to gronde brogt, wið-ðuten ðo ðe cuden flen;

[126] folgel in MS.

[127] An _is_ is inserted by a later hand.

ABRAM RESCUES LOT. MELCHIZEDEK BLESSES HIM.

get ne migten he ſiker ben, 876

He pursued them unto Hoba, near Damascus.

for magnie[128] of ðo woren ou_er_-taken, Abram cude hem to ſorwe maken. Henden damaſk, til burgt oba, Abram hem folwede and wrogte woa; 880

Much spoil he took.

wifes, and childre, and ſrud, and ſat, He brogte agen and mikel he bat; And tol, and takel, and orf, he dede wenden hom to here ogen ſtede, 884

All this he did for love of Lot.

for loteſ luue fel him ðuſ rigt, Borwen he ben wel of dat[129] figt.

[Fol. 18.] The king of Sodom went out to meet Abram.

Sodomes king in kinge dale, Mette abram wið feres wale, 888 In ðe weie ðe ligið to ſalem, ðe ſiðen iſ cald ieruſalem.

Melchizedek brought him bread and wine.

Melchiſedech, ſalameſ king, dede ab_ra_m ðor mikel wurðing; 892 He froðer[ed]e him, after iſ ſwinc, wið bredeſ fode and wines drinc;

Abram gave him a tenth of the spoil.

Habra_m_ gaf him ðe tigðe del Of alle iſ bigete, and dede ðor wel, 896 And bliſcede dor[130] godeſ migt, ðat bargt abram wel of ðat figt;

Melchizedek was both priest and king.

for he waſ boðen king and preſt, of elde moſt, of wit hegest; 900

None knew from what family he sprung.

wiſte no man of werlðe ðo, Quat kinde he waſ kumen fro;

Some said that this king of Salem was Shem,

Oc ſu_m_me ſeiden ðat it waſ ſem, ðiſ p_re_ſt and [oc] king of ſalem, 904 or or ðe flod waſ long bi-forn of noe bi-geten, of[131] iſ wif born,

who lived until the birth of Isaac.

And fro ſo longe ðor bi-foren Liuede til yſaac waſ boren. 908

The king of Sodom offered Abram the goods and cattle taken from the enemy.

Sodomes king bed dor[132] ab_ra_m Al agte and erf, wið-uten man,[133] Alle heſ hadde wið migte bi-geten,

[128] _read_ manige

[129] _read_ ðat

[130] _read_ ðor

[131] MS. oſ.

[132] _read_ ðor

[133] ? nam

ABRAM COMPLAINS FOR WANT OF AN HEIR.

wolde he nogt hi_m_ hiſ ſwinc for-geten, 912

[Fol. 18b.] The patriarch would accept of nothing.

oc ab_ra_m dede ðor meðelike wel, wid-held he ðor-of neu[_er_]e on del, oc al ðat eu_er_e fel him to,

Then first began the custom of keeping the 15th year holy.

Sac-les he let hin welden it ſo. 916 Ebruiſ ſeigen, wune hem wex her To algen ilk fiftene ger, for loth waſ fifti winter hold, Quan ab_ra_m him bi-told. 920

Abel first began first-fruit.

Abel primiceſ firſt bi-gan,

Abram tithes.

And decimas first ab_ra_m; Nu iſt ſo boden and ſo bitagt, Quo-ſo hiſ alt him bi agt. 924

After this God spake to Abram, saying, "I am thy safety and thy defence, thy toil shall be requited."

After ðiſ ſpac god to abram:— "ðin berg and tin werger ic ham. ðin ſwinc ðe ſal ben gulden wel, wid[134] michel welðe in good[e] ſel." 928

Quoth Abram, "What avails wealth, seeing that I am childless, and that Eliezer's son shall inherit my wealth?"

Quad he, "q_u_at ſal me welðes ware, Q_u_ane ic child-leſ of werlde fare; Damak eliezereſ ſune, In al min welðe ſal he wunen?" 932

God said, "Of thyself shall thine heir come."

Q_u_at god, "ſo ſal it nogt ben, Of ðe ſelf ſal ðin erward ten." Abram leuede ðiſ hot i_n_ ſped, dat[135] waſ him [told] to rigt-wiſhed. 936

Abram took three deer each three years old and offered them as a sacrifice.

ðre der he toc, ilc ðre ger hold, And ſacrede god on an wold;

[Fol. 19.]

of godeſ bode he nam god kep,

An heifer, a goat, and a sheep he took, and divided them in two and set them apart.

A net, and a got, and a ſep; 940 Eu_er_ilc of ðeſe he delte on two, And let hem lin on ſunder ſo, Vndelt heſ leide q_u_or-ſo heſ tok;

The dove and the turtle he divided not.

And ðor a duue and a turtul ok 944 Sat up on-rum til heuene he tok, And of ðo doles kep he nam

Greedy fowls fell upon the carcases.

Gredi foueles fellen ðor-on,

[134] _read_ wið

[135] _read_ ðat

SARAI BEING BARREN GIVES HAGAR TO ABRAM.

ðat ðogte abram wel iwel don, 948

Abram drove them away. Then came on him fear and fright.

kagte iſ wei, quan it waſ nigt, ðo cam on him vgging and frigt;

A great and bright fire he saw glide down between the pieces.

A michel fier he ſag, and an brigt, gliden ðor twen ðo doles rigt. 952

In a dream God showed Abram the future condition of his descendants.

God ſeide him ðor a ſoðe drem ðe timinge of iſ beren-tem, And hu he ſulde in pine ben, And uten erdes ſorge ſen; 956 fowre hundred ger ſulden ben gon,

Canaan is promised as his inheritance.

Hor he ſulden wel cumen a-gon, oc ſiðen ſulde in here hond, bi-cumen ðat hotene lond. 960

Then knew Abram much more of what was to come than he ever knew before.

ðo wiſte abram wel michel mor Quat waſ to cumen ðan he wiſte or.

Sarai, being barren, gives Hagar to Abram.

Siðen bi-fel ðat ſarrai, for ghe waſ longe untuderi, 964

[Fol. 19b.]

Ghe bitagte abre maiden agar; Ghe wurð wið childe and hem two bar; forð ſiðen ghe bi ab_ra_m ſlep,

Hagar having conceived, despised her mistress.

Of hire leuedi nam ghe no kep; 968 And ſarrai wuldet nogt ðolen ðat agar wore ðuſ to-bolen;

Sarai afflicts her thrall.

Ghe held hire hard in ðralleſ wune, And dede hire ſorge and anger mune; 972

Hagar flees from Sarai into the desert homeless and weary.

ðo fleg agar fro ſarray, wimman wið childe, one and ſori, In ðe diſerd, wil and weri, And an angel cam ðor hire bi, 976 wiſte hire drogen ſori for ðriſt,

An angel commands her to return and be buxom to her lady.

At a welle q_ue_mede hire liſt, And bad hire ſone wenden agen, And to hire leuedi buxum ben; 980

He tells her of her child.

And ſeide ghe ſulde ſunen wel And timen, and clepen it ſmael,[136]

[136] A metrical licence for "iſmael."

ISHMAEL IS BORN. CIRCUMCISION IS INSTITUTED.

And he ſulde ben man migti, And of him kumen folc frigti; 984

Hagar returns, and Ishmael is born.

Ghe wente agen, and bar ðat child, And abra_m_ wurð wið hire milde.

Abram was then fourscore and six years old.

lxxx. gere and ſexe mo Hadde ab_ra_m on hiſ elde ðo, 988 And .xiii. ger ðor after told,

When Abram was ninety-nine years old God changed his name to Abraham.

ix. and nigneti[137] ger he waſ old,

[Fol. 20.]

Q_u_uanne him cam bode in ſunder run, fro gode of circumcicioun. 992 His name ðo wurð a lettre mor, Hiſ wiueſ leſſe ðan it waſ or, for ðo wurd abram abraham,

Sarai's name is also changed to Sarah.

And ſarray ſarra bi-cam; 996 And al ðat eu_er_e ðe lou_er_ed bad, dede abraham redi and rad.

Circumcision is instituted.

He him ſelf wurð ðanne circu_m_ciſ, And yſmael hiſ ſune iwiſ; 1000 And of iſ hird eu_er_ilc wapman wurð circu_m_ciſ, al-so he it bi-gan,

Whoso bore not this mark upon him was to be cut off from God's folk.

Q_u_uo ne bar ðanne iſ merk him on fro godes folc ſulde he be don. 1004

Afterwards in the dale of Mamre Abraham saw figures three, seemly messengers from God.

Siðen, in ðe dale of mambre, ſag abraha_m_ figures ðre, Sondes ſemlike kumen fro gode; Abraha_m_ he broghten wel bliðe bode. 1008 Abraha_m_ he[m] ran wel ſwiðe agon,

Abraham entertains the angels.

And of ðe ðre he wurðede ðe ton, ðe god him dede in herte ſen, ðe waſ wurði wurðed to ben; 1012

He set before them calves flesh, bread and flour and butter.

bred, kalueſ fleiſ, and flures bred, And buttere, hem ðo sondes bed;

What he offered with a free heart his guests took in charity,

for ðat he bad wið herte fre, He it nomen in charite; 1016

[Fol. 20b.] though it was but as a drop of water in a fire.

So malt ðat mete in hem to nogt, So a watreſ drope in a fier brogt.

[137] _read_ nigenti

ABRAHAM IS PROMISED A SON.

Abraham ſtod and q_u_amede hem wel, Hiſ good[e] wil was hem good mel. 1020

Abraham is promised a son.

Q_u_uad ðiſ on, "ðiſ time oðer ger, Sal ic me to ðe taunen her; Bi ðan ſal ſarra ſelðe timen, ðat ge ſal of a ſune trimen." 1024

Sarah heard the words of the Lord.

ðanne herde ſarra ſwilc tiding, And it hire ðogte a ſelli ðhing, for ghe waſ nigenti winter hold, Abraham on wane of an hundred told; 1028

She did not believe them.

Ghe glente and ðhogte, migte it nogt ben, And ghe ðat ſulde her wið childe be ſen;

Abraham, however, trowed it full well.

And Abraham trewid it ful wel, And it wurð ſoð binnen ſwilc ſel. 1032

Then the three went towards Sodom.

Fro mambre dale wente ðo ðre, to-ward ſodome geden he; Q_u_ad ðe lou_er_ed, "wile ic nogt ſtelen,

The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham.

Ne min dede abraham helen; 1036 Ic cume to ſen ðat ſinne dwale ðat iſ me told of mirieſ dale."

He is in great grief on account of Lot.

ðo adde abram iſ herte ſor, for loth hiſ newe wunede ðor. 1040

He intercedes for the wicked cities.

"Lou_er_d," q_u_ad he, "hu ſaltu don, If ðu ſalt nimen wreche ðor on;

[Fol. 21.]

Salt ðu nogt ðe rigt-wiſe weren, Or for hem ðe toðere með beren?" 1044

God promises to spare the cities for the sake of five righteous.

Q_u_ad god, "find ic ðor ten or mo, Ic ſal meðen ðe ſtede for ðo." Durſte Abraham freinen nu_n_mor,

Abraham departs sore at heart.

Oc wente agen wið herte ſor; 1048 And god at-wot in-to hiſe ligt, ðo to gon to ſodome rigt.

At even two angels came to Sodom.

Sunne iſ weſt under erðe numen, Q_u_ua_n_ne he ben to ſodome cumen; 1052

Lot sat at the city's gate, and seeing them,

Get ſat loth at ðe burges gate, After ſum geſte ſtod him quake;[138]

[138] _read_ quate

LOT ENTERTAINS TWO ANGELS.

He roſ, and lutte, and ſcroð hi_m_ wel,

he invited them to his home to stay with him that night.

And bead hem hom to iſ oſtel 1056 To herbergen wið him ðat nigt, ðo ſwete angeles, faier and brigt; And he ſo deden alſ he hem bead, He wiſten him bergen fro ðe dead; 1060

Lot served his guests fair and well.

And loth hem ſerued faire and wel, And he him gulden it eu_er_ilc del. Oc al ðat burgt folc ðat helde waſ on, ðe migte lecher crafte don, 1064

The wicked Sodomites beset Lot's house.

To lothes huſ he cumen ðat nigt And bi-ſetten it redi to figt;

They bade him bring out the strangers.

He boden him bringen ut o-non, ðo men ðat woren ðidir in-gon. 1068

[Fol. 21b.] Lot offered them his daughters.

Loth hem bead iſ dogtres two, for to friðen hiſe geſte ſwo; Oc he ne wulden hiſ dogtres nogt,

The wicked folk sought to harm Lot.

for wicke and feble waſ here ðogt. 1072 ðat folc vn-ſeli, ſinne wod, ðo ſori wrecches of yuel blod wulden him ðor gret ſtrengðe don, Til wreche and letting cam hem on. 1076

The angels drew Lot in.

ðis angels two drogen loth in, And ſhetten to ðe dure-pin.

Blindness came upon the Sodomites,

Wil ſiðen cam on eu_er_ilc on, ðo wrecches ðe wið-vten gon, 1080 for al ðat nigt he ſogten ðor

and they sought the door in vain.

ðe dure, and fundend[139] neu_er_e mor. ðo ſeiden ðiſ angeles to loth wið ſped,

Lot is commanded to leave the city with his friends before daybreak.

If ðu frend haueſt and wi[l]t don red, 1084 Bid him, or day, redi ben, And ſwiðe ut ðiſ burgeſ flen, elles ſulen he brennen and for-faren, If he ne bi time heðe[n] waren. 1088 Two ðor werren q_u_am hi_m_ ðogte ear To wedden hiſ two dogtres ðear;[140]

[139] So in MS.

[140] _read_ dear

THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH.

Lot warned his sons-in-law in vain.

Loth hem warnede, wiſlike and wel, Oc he ne troweden hi_m_ neu_er_e a del. 1092

The angels led Lot and his family out of Sodom,

On morgen quan day ca_m_ he_m_ to, Loth and hiſ dogtres two

[Fol. 22.]

Ledden ðiſ angeles ut in ſel,

and bade them turn not back.

And boden hem and tagten wel, 1096 ðat here non wente agen, for non ðhing he migte ſen.

Lot thought the way to the hills hard and strong.

Loth waſ wanſum, and ðugte long vp to ðo dunes ðe weie hard and ſtrong; 1100

He intreated that he might dwell in Segor.

"Lou_er_d," q_u_at he, "gunde under dun, mot hic ben borgen in ðat tun!" ðo angeles ſeiden, "we ſulen it ſren,[141] ðor quile ðu wilt ðor-inne ben; 1104

This city was safe while Lot abode there;

Ai waſ borgen bala-ſegor ðor q_u_ile ðat loth dwelledde ðor;

when he left it, it was destroyed.

Oc ſiðen loth wente ut of hine, brende it ðhunder, ſanc it erðe-dine. 1108 Sone ſo loth ut of ſodome cam,

Sodom was destroyed by fire,

brend-fier-rein ðe burge bi-nam; Hardere wreche ðor waſ cumen ðan ear was vnder flode numen; 1112

for sin and "unkind deeds."

for men ðor ſinne un-kinde deden, ſo for-ſanc and brente ðat ſteden; So bitter-like iſ it for-don, Ne mai non dain waſſen ðor-on; 1116 So for-ſanc ðat folc ſinful ðor, ſwilc ſinful ſinne wex ðer nu_n_mor.

Lot's wife turned back, and "went into a stone."

Ðo lotes wif wente hire a-gon, Sone ghe ſtod, wente i_n_ to a ſton; 1120

[Fol. 22b.] Thus is this merry dale turned into a swarthy lake.

So iſt nu forwent mirie dale In to dririhed and in to bale, ðe ſwarte flum, ðe dede ſe, Non fiſ, non fuel ðor-inne mai be. 1124 ðat water iſ ſo deades driuen,

Nothing may live therein.

Non ðing ne mai ðor-inne liuen;

[141] ? fren

THE BIRTHS OF AMMON AND MOAB.

Men ſeið ðe treen ðat ðor henden ben

Trees on its banks produce apples,

Waxen i_n_ time, and brimen, and ðen, 1128 Oc q_u_ane here apples ripe ben,

which contain ashes only.

fier-iſles man mai ðor-i_n_ne ſen; ðat erd iſ oten ſaltes dale, Maniman ðor-of holdet litel tale. 1132

Lot soon left Segor.

Loth wuned litel in ſegor, for he dredde him for to forfare ðor; Wið hiſe two dowtres ut he teg,

For fear he fled to the hills, and dwelt in a cave.

And for dred to ðo dunes he fleg; 1136 And ðor he biggede i_n_ a caue[n], ðe waſ ðor i_n_ roche grauen.

Lot's daughters thought _all mankind_ had perished, and that, unless they had children, the world would come to an end.

ðo meidenes herden q_u_ilu_m_ ſeien, ðat fier ſulde al ðis werld forſweðen, 1140 And wenden wel ðat it were cumen, And fiereſ wreche on werld numen, And ðat man-kinde wore al for-loren but of hem ðre wore man boren. 1144

They consulted as to what was best to be done.

ðis maidenes redden ſone[142] on-on Q_u_at hem two wore beſt to don,

[Fol. 23.]

Hu he migten vnder-gon

They made their father drunk so that he wrought the deed, and each begot a child.

Here fader, ðat he ne[143] wore ðor gon; 1148 Wið wineſ drinc he wenten iſ ðhogt, So ðat he haueð ðe dede wrogt, And on eiðer here a knaue bi-geten, ðiſ ne mai nogt ben for-geten. 1152 ðiſ maidenes deden it in god dhogt,[144] ðe fader oc drunken ne wiſte he it nogt.

The first bore Moab, the other Ammon.

ðe firſte him bar moab ðat ſune, Of him beð folc, [in] moab it wune; 1156 ðe leſſe him bar a ſune amon, Amonit folces fader on.