Chapter VI: Prepositions (5)

ðe gold, and ſilu_er_, and ðe bras,
ðe ſyðen don ðor-on[327] was, 3532
And nemeld it beſeel,

and gave him
two tables of
stone upon
which were
written the Ten
Commandments.

And two oðere to maken it wel;
And gaf to[328] tabeles of ſton,
And .x. bodeword writen ðor-on. 3536

[Fol. 69.]

Ðor q_u_iles moyſes was up wið gode,
And liſtenede al ðat leue bode,

[324] MS. for for hele.

[325] MS. dat.

[326] MS. ma.

[327] MS. dor-on.

[328] two?

THEY WORSHIP A GOLDEN CALF.

The people, in
the absence of
Moses, said unto
Aaron,

Swilc wod-hed ðiſ folc[329] cam on,
ðat he ſeiden to aaraon, 3540

"Make us gods
to go before us,"

"Mac vs godes foren us to gon,
of moyſes haue we helpe non."
Aaron and vr ſtoden a-gen,
And boden hem ſwilc ðhowtes leten; 3544
ðat wod folc ðor ur of dage

and compelled
him to make a
molten calf,

Brogten, and deden aaron i_n_ age;
Here faigere ringes he boden taken,
And don in fier, and geten, and maken 3548
An calf of gold, and [an] alter
Made ðat folc, and lutten it ðer,

which they worshipped.

And ðat calf ofrendes deden,
And made gret feſt in ðat ſtede[n]. 3552
Ðo ſeide god to moyſen,

God is angered
thereby.

"Go ðu nu dun ðin folc to ſen,
He hauen ſineged and miſdon,
Let me taken wreche ðer-on." 3556

Moses intreateth
for them.

"LOru_er_d,[330] merci!" q_u_ad moyſes,
"get ne let hem nogt helpe-les;
If he nu her w_u_rðen ſlagen,
Egipte folc ſal ðor-of ben fagen, 3560
And ſeyen ðat he ben bi-ſwiken,
In ðe deſert wel liðerlike;[331]

[Fol. 69b.]

And ðenk, lou_er_d,[330] q_u_at ben bi-foren
Abram, and yſaac, and iacob ſworen." 3564

God listeneth to
Moses, and is
appeased.

God liſtnede wel[332] al ðis anſwere;
ðat he ðis folc al ðer[333] ne dere.
And moyſes gan neðer-ten,

Moses came down
with the tables,

And Ioſu cam him a-gen, 3568
Alſ he was ilc dai wune to don,
q_u_il moyſes ðat munt was on.
Q_u_at Ioſue to moyſi,
"Ic wene he figten dun her-bi," 3572

[329] MS. has "ðiſ folc" twice over.

[330] MS. lou_er_ð.

[331] MS. liderlike.

[332] MS. wel and wel.

[333] MS. alðer.

THE IDOLATERS ARE SLAIN.

"Nai, for gode," q_u_ad moyſes,
"It iſ a ſong wikke and redles."

and seeing the
idolatry of the
people, he brake
them in pieces.

Moyſes cam ner and ſag ðiſ plages,[334]
And ðiſ calf, and ðiſ ille lages; 3576
So wurð he wroð, o mode ſarp,
Hiſ tables broken dun he iſ warp,

The calf he burnt
and ground to
powder, and mixed
it with the
water they drank.

And dede ðat calf melten i_n_ fir,
And ſtired it al to duſt ſir, 3580
And mengde in wat_er_ and forð it of,
And gaf ðat folc drinken ðat drof.
ðo wiſte he wel q_u_ilc hauen it don,
Sene it was here berdes on. 3584
ðo gredde he lude, "goð me to,
Alle ðe god luuen so."

Moses caused the
idolaters to be
put to death.

Frend ne broðer ne ſpared he nogt
On of hem ðat haued ðiſ wunder wrogt; 3588

[Fol. 70.]

Of ðo ðe weren to ðiſ red,

The number slain
were about 3000.

.xxx. hundred to ðe dead
woren ðane don ſone a-non,
ðurg ſtrengðe of moyſes and aaron; 3592
On oðer ſtede men writen ſen,
xxiii. ðhusent ðat ðor ben;

On the morrow,
Moses reminded
the people of
their sin.

Ðo woren on liue ſumdel les.
On oðer dai q_u_ad moyſes, 3596
"Michel ſinne haue ðe[335] don,[336]
Ic ſal gon ſeken bote her on."

He returned to
Mount Sinai to
seek God's
mercy.

Eft he ſteg up to munt ſynay,
for to bi-ſeken god merci. 3600
"Lou_er_d," q_u_ad he, "ðin meðe iſ god,
Merci get for ðin milde mod![337]
Or ðu ðiſ folc wið milche mod,[338]
Or do min name ut of ðin boc." 3604

God promises to
send his angel
before the people.

God anſwerede, "of ſal ic don
Hem, ðe arn nogt to ben ðor-on;
Go, led ðiſ folc, min engel on

[334] MS. wlages.

[335] ge?

[336] MS. Michel ſinne q_u_að haue ðe don.

[337] ? milde-hod.

[338] MS. moð.

THE TABLES ARE RENEWED.

Sal ic don ðe bi-foren gon." 3608
Ebrus ſeigen it waſ michael
Engel ðe ſiðen ledde hem wel.
Moyſes faſtede ſiðen to pligt
xl. daiges and xl. nigt; 3612

Moses received
other tables.

Oðere tables he brogte eft(.) writen,
And ſunne-bem brigt ſon iſ wliten

[Fol. 70b.]

ðat folc on him ne migte ſen
But a veil wore hem bi-twen. 3616

The Israelites
offer Moses gold
and silver for the
tabernacle.

Ðo waſ ðiſ folc frigti and rad
To don al ðat moyſes he_m_ bad;
Offreden him ſiluer and golde,
And oðer metal ſwilc he wolde; 3620

Bezaleel and
Aholiab are appointed
for the
work of the
tabernacle.

He it bi-tagte beſſeleel,
And eliab, he maden wel
ðe tabernacle alſ he_m_ was tagt,
Goten and grauen wið witt_er_ dragt; 3624

Seven months
they were about
it.

.vii. moneð ðor-buten he ben,
And here ſwinc wel he bi-ten;
for ſwilc huſ was ear neu_er_e wrogt,
Ne ſwilc ſafte her on werlde brogt; 3628

God taught Moses
the fashion of it.

God it tagte al ear moyſen
Wiſlike hu it wrogt ſulde ben,
Q_u_ilc ſrud, q_u_at offrende, q_u_ilc[339] lage,
And q_u_at for luue, and q_u_at for age. 3632

Aaron and others
of his kin were
appointed to
serve in the
tabernacle.

Aaron biſſop, oðere of ðat kin,
Sette he he_m_ for to ſeruen ðor-in.
Bokes he wrot of lore wal,
Hu ðiſ folc hem rigt leden ſal, 3636
Bette_n_ miſ-dedes, and clene lif
Leden, wið-uten [h]ate and ſtrif.

Twelve months
passed ere the
people departed
from Sinai.

Twelf moneð forð ben alle cumen,
Or he fro ſynay ben forð numen; 3640

[Fol. 71.]
On the twentieth
day of the second
month (in the
second year),

On ðat oðer twentiðe[340] dai,
of ðe oðe[r] moneð[341] tagte he wei;
ðat brigte ſkie bi-foren hem fleg,[342]

[339] MS. q_u_il.

[340] MS. twentide.

[341] MS. moned.

[342] MS. flegt.

THE BURNING AT TABERAH.

the Israelites departed
from Sinai,

And ðiſ folc ðor after teg. 3644
ðre dages and nigtes faren it gan

and came into the
wilderness of
Paran.

And wið-ſtod i_n_ ðe deſerd pharan;
ðiſ folc iſ after ſofte togen,

For their complaining,

And hauen ſwinc in weige drogen; 3648
for ðat ſwinc he grucheden ðor,
ðor-fore hem cam on more ſor.

the fire of the
Lord consumed
them,

fier iſ on hem bi-ſiden ligt,
fele it brende and made o-frigt, 3652

but is quenched
by the prayers of
Moses.

Moyſes it bleſſ[ed]e wið his bede,
And brenni_n_ge he calde ðat ſtede.
Here hine-folc ðe waſ hem mide,
And ſu_m_me of hem ðor ille dede, 3656

The people lust
for flesh and
loathe manna.

He gerneden after oðer mete[n],
Of manna he ben for-hirked to eten;
He greten up-on moyſen,
And he to god made his bi-men. 3660

Moses complains
of his charge.

"Loru_er_d!" q_u_ad he, "ðiſ folc iſ ðin,
And al ðis ſorge nu iſ min;
But ic haue an oðer[343] read,
Ðu ſalt me raðe don[344] ðolen dead." 3664

God commands
him to choose
seventy wise
men to help him
in the government
of the
people.

Q_u_að god, "ches ðe nu her ſeuenti
Wiſe men to ſtonden ðe bi,

[Fol. 71b.]

And ic ſal hem geuen witt_er_-hed,
And he ðe ſulen don helpe at ned; 3668
And ðin folc ſal to-morgen bi-geten
ynog fles(.) into a moneð[345] for to eten."
Moyſes was bliðe an glad[346] of ðis,

The appointment
of seventy elders.

And ches ðo men [ðe] god made wiſ; 3672
waſ here non of herte dim,
p_ro_phetis he weren and holpen him.
Fro lond ortigie cam a wind,

Quails are sent in
wrath at Kibroth-Hattaavah.

And brogte turles michel mind; 3676
It flogen longe, and ðikke, and wel
Abuten ðe folc of yſrael;

For two days the
fowls came.

Two daiges hem ben fugeles cumen,

[343] MS. oder.

[344] MS. ðon.

[345] MS. moned.

[346] MS. glað.

MIRIAM IS SMITTEN WITH LEPROSY.

So fele he wilen, he [h]auen numen, 3680
And dried and holden to eten;
Oc god ne wile[347] it nogt for-geten;

The Lord smote
the people with a
plague because of
their murmuring.

ðat gruching hauen he der_re_ bogt,
fier haueð[348] on hem ðe wreche wrogt, 3684
Brend and doluen waſ ðat folc ſoth;
ðat ſtede beð cald ðor-fore cabroth.

The people come
to Hazaroth.

FOrð he nomen to aſſaroth,

Miriam speaks
against Moses,

ðor wurð maria ſumdel ſoth,[349] 3688
for ſche ðor haueð wið moyſes fliten;

and is smitten
with leprosy.

ðor wurð ghe ðanne wið lepre ſmiten,
And vten ſundred .vii. nigt,
In grot and i_n_ ſrifte, ſore offrigt;[350] 3692

[Fol. 72.]

Moyſes bi-ſogte, and ſche wurð fer
And frend, and cam ðat[351] broðer ner.

The people remove
from
Hazaroth and
come to Paran.

FOrð nam ðiſ folc ſiðen fro ðan
fele iurnes in-to pharan; 3696
Forð waſ gon al ðeſe oðer ger,
ðo he woren at ſyon-gaber;

Men are sent to
search the Land
of Promise.

Fro ðeðen[352] he ſente forð to ſen,
Q_u_ilc ðo riche londes ben, 3700
ðat god hem ſulde bringen in;

One is sent from
each tribe.

On man he ſente of ilc kin.
xii. ſondere men ðor vte faren,
ðiſ hoten lond ðurg-vt he charen, 3704

The spies having
been away forty
days,

xl. daigeſ faren ben;
Bi ðanne q_u_anne he wenten a-gen,
In-to cades ðe folc was ſogt.
ðeſ .xii. ðider hem hauen brogt 3708

return bringing
with them of the
plenty of the
land.

Of ðe plenteð ðe god ðor gaf,
An win-grape on an cuuel-ſtaf,
And tolden hem ðe lond iſ god,
ful of erf and of netes brod; 3712

In Hebron they
found walled
cities, stalworth
men, and giants.

Oc burges ſtronge and folc v[n-]frigt,
ſtalwurði to weren here rigt;

[347] MS. wile he.

[348] MS. haued.

[349] ? sot.

[350] At the bottom of the page is the catchword—"Moyſes bi-ſogte, &."

[351] MS. dat.

[352] MS. ðeden.

THE REPORT OF THE SPIES.

And geteniſſe men ben i_n_ ebron,
Q_u_ilc men mai get wundren on. 3716

The Israelites
murmur at the
news.

ðiſ folc ðo ſette up grot and gred,
And ſeiden he folwen iuel red;

[Fol. 72b.]

"Betre iſ vs get we wenden agen
And i_n_ egipte ðralles ben, 3720
ðan we wurðen her ſwerdeſ ſlagen,

"A captain,"
said they, "we
will make, and
return into
Egypt."

And ure kin to ſorge dragen;[353]
An loder-man we wilen us ſen,
And wenden i_n_-to egipte agen; 3724

Joshua and Caleb
endeavour to
still them.

Ðo quad Ioſue and calef,
"Leateð ben ſwilc wurdes ref,
And doð nogt god almigten wrong,
Iſ milce iſ mikel, iſ ſtrenge iſ ſtrong." 3728

God threatens
them.

ðor ðrette god hem alle to ſlen,
If moyſes ne wore ðor agen;

For Moses' sake
he spareth them.

Oc for iſ benes and for iſ ſake[n],
get he ſal wið hem milche maken, 3732

The murmurers
are deprived of
entering the land.

Oc alle he ſulen wenden a-gen,
And in ðe deſert longe ben;
And on ðe .xx. winter hold
or mor ut of egipte told, 3736
ðat hauen ðuſ often fand,
Ne ſulden welden ðat leue land,

Joshua and Caleb
are excepted.

Wið-vten Ioſue & calef,
Here rigt-wiſed waſ gode lef. 3740

Much sorrow
came upon the
people.

Moyſes told hem al ðis anſwere,
And he ben ſmiten i_n_ ſorweſ dere;

Yet thirty-seven
years shall they
be in the desert.

Get he ſulen .xxx.vii. ger
In ðe deſert ben vten her. 3744

[Fol. 73.]

Agen he maden here dragt,
Al-ſo ðat ſkie haueð[354] tagt.
Oſwas was moyſes eam,[355]
And chore was iſ bernteam; 3748

Korah, with two
hundred and fifty
princes, rebel
against Moses.

Ille nið iſ herte wexe on
A-gen moyſen and aaron,

[353] MS. ðragen.

[354] MS. haued.

[355] MS. cam.

THE REBELLION OF KORAH AND ABIRAM.

Hem two .ii. hundred men,
And two[356] ðo .xl. and ten; 3752

They said they
were more worthy
to perform the
services of the
Tabernacle.

He ſeiden he weren wurði bet
to ðat ſeruiſe to ben ſet;
And two migtful he hauen taken,
Meiſtres princes he wolden he_m_ make_n_, 3756

Dathan and
Abiram were
joined to Korah.

On dathan(.) an oðer Abiron.
Moyſes it herde and ſeide a-non,
"To-morwen beð her alle redi,

Moses' directions
to the company of
Korah.

And ilc gure oðer ſtonde bi; 3760
And ilc gure hiſe reklefat,
And fier ðor-inne and timi_n_ge on ðat,
And ðan ſulde we brigte ſen,
Q_u_ilc gure ſal god q_u_emest ben." 3764
And ðuſ it waſ on morgen don,

Dathan and
Abiram would not
obey the command
of Moses.

Ne wulde he, dathan(.) ne abiron,
For orgel p_ri_de forð ðor cumen;
Moyſes wið[357] folc iſ to hem numen, 3768
In here teld he ſtonden a-gen
Moyſes and vr, [&] ne wulde gon;

[Fol. 73b.]

Moyſes ðor gret and bad iſ bede,

The earth swallowed
up Korah.

And erðe denede[358] ſone i_n_ ðat ſtede, 3772
And opnede vnder [h]ere fet;
Held up neiðer ſton ne gret,
Alle he ſunken ðe erðe wið-in,
Wið wifes, and childre, and hines-kin, 3776
Swilc endeſið vn-bi-wen hauen;

None had need to
toil in burying
them.

darð[359] noman ſwinken hem to g_ra_uen,
ðiſ erðe iſ to-gidere luken,
Als it ne were neu_er_e or to-broken. 3780
FOr chore wel wiſte ðat

A fire came from
God,

Gret fier wond vt of is reclefat,
And of iſ fere on and on,

and burnt the two
hundred and fifty
men.

And for-brende hem ðor eu_er_ilck on; 3784
Oc aaron al hol and fer,
Cam hi_m_ no fieres ſwaðe ner;

[356] to?

[357] MS. wid.

[358] MS. deuede.

[359] MS. ðarð.

A PLAGUE SLAYS FOURTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE.

Of the censers
were made crowns
for the altar of
brass.

Of ðo Reklefates for wurðing,
Woren mad, and for muning, 3788
Corunes at ðe alter of bras,
ðe at here tabernacle was.

On the morrow
the people murmured
against
Moses and Aaron,
who fled to the
Tabernacle.

For al ðiſ, oðer day ðor waſ neſt,
Agenes moyſes and iſ prest 3792
Gan al ðiſ folc wið wreðe gon,
And wulden hem werpen ſtones on;
To ðe tabernacle he ben flogen,
ðor [h]aueth a ſkie he_m_ wel bi-togen; 3796

[Fol. 74.]
A fire slew many
of the people.

A fier magti ðat folc feſt on,
And haueð manige ðor for-don.
ðan bad moyſes aaron,
wið hiſe Rekelefat, to ðat fir gon; 3800
And he it dede[360] alſ he hi_m_ b[e]ad,

Aaron stays the
plague.

Ran and ſtod tuen[361] liues and dead,
And ðiſ fier bleſſede and wið-drog,
It [h]adde or ſlagen manige ynog; 3804

Fourteen thousand
and eighty
were thus slain.

.xiiii. ðhusent it haueð ſlagen,
And .iiii. ſcore of liue dragen.
Ðog ðiſ folc miðe a ſtund for-dred,

The Israelites do
not recognise
Aaron's authority,

ðog he ben get i_n_ ſunder red, 3808
Get he aglen on here red(.) and wen
ðat it mai loked betre ben;
ðog ðiſe brende ben for-ſaken,
ðog he wenen ðat god ſal taken 3812

but think that
others are fitted
for the service of
God.

Of ðo .xii. tribuz ſu_m_me mo,
To ben ðor he for-hu-gede ðo,
Or ynog raðe of eu_er_ilc kin,
He wile ðat ſu_m_me ſerue ðor-in. 3816
"Childre," q_u_at moyſes, "gure ſtrif

Moses addresses
the people,

dereð ðe ſowle and greueð ðe lif;
Do we uſ alle in godes red,

and directs each
prince of the
tribes to take a
rod, and to write
every man his
name upon it.

Vs ſal timen ðe betre ſped; 3820
Ilc prince me take hiſe wond,
And do we us here i_n_ godes hond;

[360] MS. ðede.

[361] MS. tiren.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON CONFIRMED.

[Fol. 74b.]

And on [ilc] wond writen ſal ben
ðe kindes name ðe ðor to tgen; 3824
God ſal to-morgen token don,
Q_u_ilc kinde he wile ðiſ meſt_er_ on.

The rods were
written upon,

ðuſ it was don, and on a wond
Wið-uten[362] ðo wrot he wið hond 3828
ðe twelfte names of ðat kin;

and laid before
the Lord in the
Tabernacle.

ðe tabernacle he dedis in,
And ðor he iſ haued god bi-tagt,
And let iſ ben ðor al ðat nagt. 3832

On the morrow
the rods were
examined,

O morgen q_u_an he com a-gen,
Q_u_at was bitid he let hem ſen;
Ilc wond he fond of eu_er_ilc kin
Alſ ſwilc alſ he iſ dede ðor-in; 3836

and Aaron's rod,
of the house of
Levi, had budded,
blossomed, and
brought forth
almonds,

Oc on, ðe was of aaron,
(Writen was name leui ðor-on),
It was grene and leaued bi-cumen,
And nutes amigdeles ðor-onne numen; 3840
ðo wiſten he ðat[363] aaron

so it was seen
that God had
appointed Aaron
as bishop.

Was hem biſſop ðurg god don;
To ſen gode witneſſe ðor-on,
ðat wond was in ðat arche don. 3844
[I]N ðe deſert he wuneden ðor

Thirty-seven
years and more
the people abode
in the desert,

.xxx.vii. winter and mor;
Longe abuten munt ſeyr,
folgede hem ðat ſkie ſcir, 3848

[Fol. 75.]
wandering about
from place to
place,

And often to ðe ſe ðor-bi,
And often to ðe munt ſynay;
Her and gund ðor he biried lin,

and all the old
ones died.

Alle he[364] olde deden ðor fin. 3852
And at ðe laſte ne-ðe-les,
Eft he come ſone to cades,

At Kadesh
Miriam died,

ðor was moyſes ſiſter dead;
ðat folc ðor .xxx. daiges a-bead, 3856
And after wune faire hire bi-stod,
wið teres, rem, and frigti mod;

[362] MS. wid-uten.

[363] MS. dat.

[364] ðhe?

THE DEATH OF AARON AT HOR.

and her body was
buried in Mount
Zin.

Hire lich iſ biried in munt ſin,
Hire ſowle iſ reſted ſtede wið-in. 3860
It bi-tidde after hire dead

The people
murmur for
water.

ðat ðis folc ſorge i_n_ ðriſte abead.
And ðer roſ wreððe and ſtrif a-non
Agen moyſen and aaron; 3864

Moses is commanded
to gather
the people before
the rock at
Meribah.

God [bad] ſemelen folc and gon,
And foren he_m_ ſmiten on ðe ſton
And ſeide, ut of ðe ſmiten ſton
Ynog hem ſulde wat_er_ gon; 3868
He and hiſ folc comen ðer-to,
Ic wene frigtlike ðat he do;
Ones he ſmot ðor on ðe ſton,

Moses smote the
rock twice, and
the water flowed
forth,

And miſte, and ſag ðe water gon; 3872
An oðer ſiðe he went iſ ðogt
Betre and ſoftere, and ne miſte nogt,

[Fol. 75b.]
and the folk and
cattle had
enough.

ðo flew ðor[365] water michil and ſtrong,
Al folc and erue a-nog a-mong. 3876

The people are
denied a passage
through Edom.

Ðvrg lond edom ne migte_n_ he faren,
ðor-fore he ſulen a-buten charen
Bi ðe deſert of arabie lond;
Long weige and coſtful he ðor fond, 3880
forð bi archim ðat meiſt_er_ burg;
ðe deſert aren he walkeden ðurg,

They come to
Mount Hor,

Til ðat[366] he comen to munt hor;
Aaron ðo wente of liwe ðor, 3884

where Aaron dies.

Eleazar, iſ ſune, him neſt
Was mad biſſop and meiſt_er_ p_re_ſt.

Thirty days the
folk mourned for
him.

xxx. daiges ðat folc in wep
Wið bedes, and gret, and teres wep; 3888
Get iſt ſene, on ðe mu_n_t on ðat ſtede,
Q_u_or men aaron i_n_ birieles dede;

The age of Aaron.

vii. ſcore ger and .iii. told,
ðor he lið doluen on ðat wold. 3892
Forð ðeðen he comen to ſalmona,

The people
murmur,

for-weried grucheden he ðoa,

[365] MS. dor.

[366] MS. dat.

SIHON AND OG ARE OVERCOME.

ðor-fore hem cam wrim-kin among,

and are plagued
with serpents.

ðat hem wel bitterlike ſtong; 3896
Non oðer red ðor don ne waſ,

They, repenting,
are healed by a
serpent of brass,

Moyſes ðor made a wirme of bras,
And henget hege up-on a ſaft,
ðurg godes bode and godes craf[t]; 3900

[Fol. 76.]

Q_u_at ſtungen man so ſag ðor-on,
ðat werk him ſone al was vn-don;

which long afterwards
was worshipped
in Jerusalem.

Digere it was al ðat berem-tem,[367]
figer ſiðen in-to ierusalem; 3904
oc ſiðen it waſ to duſte don,
for ðat folc miſleuede ðor-on.[368]

The people come
to Zered.

Frigti nam forð ðis folc and bleð,
Til he comen to flum iareth; 3908
ðiſ water him on-ſunder drog,
And let hem ouer, drige ynog;

Sihon, king of the
Amorites, comes
out against Israel
and is overcome.

King ouer(.) amor(.) reos(.) ſeon,
for to figten cam he_m_ ageon; 3912
ðiſ folc him ſlog and hiſ lond tok,
Suð fro arnon, norð to iabok,
And weſten al to flu_m_ iordan;

The king of Bashan
is slain.

Oc he ſlugen king of baſaan. 3916
To lond moab drugen he ſo,
ðor nu iſ a burg, ierico.
Balaac king was for-dred for-ðan,
And ſente in to lond madian, 3920
To hiſe frend ðe ben hi_m_ neſt;

Balak sends after
Balaam,

And ſente after balaam ðe preſt,
Wið riche men an[d] giftes oc,
for to ſtillen hiſe [vn-]eðe mod, 3924
And bad him cumen for to don

to curse the folk
of Israel.

fol[c] of yſrael hiſ curſing on.

[Fol. 76b.]

Balaam wið-[h]eld him ðor ðat nagt

The failure of the
first message.

To witen q_u_at him ſal wurðen tagt; 3928
Al waſ iſ fultu_m_ and hiſ ſped

[367] beren-tem?

[368] For this see 2 Kings, xviii. 4.

BALAAM SETS OUT TO CURSE ISRAEL.

Bi-luken ille, in fendes red.
On nigt hi_m_ cam ſonde fro gode,
Agen ðiſ kinges[369] red for-bode, 3932

God forbids
Balaam to curse
the Israelites.

And ðat he ne curſe non del
ðiſ folc ðat god bliſcede wel.
O morgen ſeide he, "fare ic nogt,
for bode iſ me fro gode brogt." 3936

Balak's second
message to the
prophet.

Balaac ſente richere an[d] mo
Medes, and oðer men to ðo.
"Sondes, ſondes," q_u_að balaam,
Or he ðeſe oðere medes nam, 3940

Balaam's answer
to the messengers.

"Ðog balaac king me goue hold,
Hiſ huſ ful of ſiluer and of gold,
Ne mai ic wenden her bi-neðen;"
Godes wurd iſ cumen alſ it iſ q_ue_ðen;[370] 3944
Oc or or ge wenden agen,
ðiſ nigt ic ſal fonden and ſen."
Q_u_at tiding so it cam on ðe nigt,
On morgen, at ðe daiges ligt, 3948

He consents to go
with the princes
of Moab,

Vp-on hiſe aſſe hiſ ſadel he dede,
To madian lond wente he hiſ ride,
And wente iſ herte on werre ðhogt;
Wicke giſcing it haueð[371] al wrogt. 3952

being influenced
by covetousness.

ðuſ rideð forð ðiſ man for-loren,

[Fol. 77.]
An angel meets
him in the way.
The ass is frightened,

An angel drog an ſwerd him bi-foren,
ðiſ aſſe wurð ſo ſore of-dred,
Vt of ðe weige it haueð him led. 3956
Sellic ðogte balaam for-ði,
And bet and wente it to ðe ſti
Bi-twen two walles of ſton;

and turns aside
to the wall,

Eft ſtod ðiſ angel him a-gon,[372] 3960
ðiſ aſſe iſ eft of weige ſtired,[373]
So ðat balames fot iſ hird;[374]

so that Balaam's
foot is crushed.

And he wurð ðo for anger wroð,
And ðiſ prikeð and negt ſloð; 3964

[369] MS. ginges.

[370] MS. queden.

[371] MS. haued.

[372] ? agen.

[373] ? stirt.

[374] ? hirt.

BALAAM'S ASS SPEAKS.

The angel went
further, and
stood in a narrow
place,

forð and narwere ðiſ aſſe hi_m_ bar,
And ðe ðridde ſiðe wurð ðe angel war.
ðo ne migte ðes aſſe flen,

and the ass fell
down under
Balaam,

Ne he ne durſte forðere ten, 3968
Oc fel ðor dun(.) ðan ðis was don,

who smote her
with his staff.

Balaam it ſpureð and ſmit ðor-on;
And god vndede ðiſ aſſes muð,

God opened the
mouth of the ass,
and she spoke to
her master.

So ſoð it iſ(.) ſo it is ſelcuð. 3972
Q_u_uað ðiſ aſſe ðus wið vn-miðe,
"Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde ſiðe?"
Q_u_að balaam, "for ðu tregeſt me;
Had ic an ſwerd, ic ſluge ðe." 3976

Nevertheless this
infatuated man
was not frightened.

So was ðis were to wunder brogt,
ðhog ðe aſſe ſpac, frigtede he nogt;

[Fol. 77b.]

ðe let god[375] him ðat angel ſen,

The angel tells
Balaam,

wið ðe ſwerd dragen him agen. 3980
Q_u_að ðe angel, "ðin weige iſ me loð,

that but for the
ass he would have
slain him.

ðor-fore am ic wið ðe ðuſ loð;[376]
If ðin aſſe ne were wið-dragen,
Her ſuldes ðu nu wurðen ſlagen." 3984

The prophet
offers to return.

Q_u_að balaam, "q_u_ane ic haue miſ-faren,
If ðu wilt, ic agen ſal charen."

He is cautioned
by the angel.

"far forð," q_u_að ðe angel, "oc loc ðe wel,
for-bi min red, q_u_að ðu non del." 3988

Balak entertains
Balaam.

forð-na_m_ balaa_m_, and balaac king
Cam him a-gen for wurðing,
Gaf him giftes of mikil priſ;
And balaam ſeide him to wiſ, 3992
"Sal ic non wurd[377] mugen forð-don,
Vten ðat god me leið on."

Balak causes
seven altars to be
built.

Balaac him leddede[378] heg on an hil,
And .vii. alteres wrogte in his wil, 3996
On ilc alter fier alðerneðer,

On each altar
was offered a
bullock and a
wether.

And ðor-on an calf and a weðer,
And he bad balaac ſtonden ðor-bi,
And gede on-rum q_u_i[379] bute for-ði, 4000

[375] MS. goð.

[376] wroð?

[377] MS. wurð.

[378] ledde?

[379] q_u_ile?

BALAAM BLESSES ISRAEL.

fro abuuen cam to him bi-neðen,
Word in herte ðat[380] he ſal queðen;

God's word
comes to Balaam,

Q_u_an he cam to balaac a-gen,
Swilc wurdes he let vt-ten. 4004

[Fol. 78.]

"Hu mai ic ðat folc curſen on,

and he blesses
Israel.

ðor lou_er_d haueð[381] bliſcing don?
ðiſ folk ſal waxen wel and ðen,
And ou_er_ al oðer migtful ben, 4008
Hiſ lif beð bliðe, hiſ ending ſal,
ðe timeð al-ſo ðiſ time_n_ ſal."

Balak is greatly
displeased.

Balaac miſliked al ðiſ q_ue_ðe,[382]
And ledde he_m_ ðeðen on oðer ſtede, 4012
To munt faga, for to ſen wel
Of folc iſrael ðe oðer del.

He brings the
prophet to another
place.

He wente on oðer ſtund or ſtede,
Betre timi_n_g ðor-fore he it dede, 4016
And wende wenden godes ðogt,
Oc al he ſwinked him for nogt.

Again seven
altars were
raised, and offerings
made.

Hef[t] haueð he mad her .vii. alter,
And on ilc brend eft twin der. 4020
Gede eft balaam up on-rum,
ðo ſeide ðuſ q_u_anne hem ca_m_ dun,

The parable of
Balaam.

"ðis folc, ſprungen of iſrael,
Iſ vnder god timed wel; 4024
Al-ſo leun iſ migtful der,

Israel is compared
to a lion.

So ſal ðiſ folc ben migtful her;
ðiſ leun ſal oðer folc freten,
Lond canaan al preige bi-geten." 4028

Balak was ill
pleased with the
priest's words.

Ille liked ðanne balaac
Eu_er_ilc word ðe p_re_ſt balaam ſpac.

[Fol. 78b.]
Balak brings
Balaam to Mount
Peor.

Get he ledde him to munt fegor,
And efte he ſacrede deres mor; 4032
ðor[383] ſpac balaam mikel mor
Of ðiſ folckes migt, or he dede or.
"folc ebru," q_u_að he, "ðat ic ſe,

Again he blesses
the Israelites,

Bliſced ſal ben ðe bliſcede ðe; 4036

[380] MS. dat.

[381] MS. haued.

[382] quede?

[383] MS. dor.

BALAAM'S ADVICE TO BALAK.

And q_u_uo-ſo wile curſing maken,
Ille curſing ſal him taken;

and prophesies
their future happiness
and greatness.

Of ðe ſal riſen ſterre brigt,
And a wond ðe ſal ſmiten rigt 4040
Moab kinges, and under-don
Al ſedes-kin ðiſ werld up-on."

Such tidings
made Balak's
heart sore.

Manie tiding q_u_ad balaam ðor,
ðe made balakes herte ſor; 4044
Oc ðan balaam wente a-gen,

Balaam teaches
Balak how to
injure the Israelites,

Tagte he balaam q_u_at migte ben
ðiſ folc to dere, and gaf him red
ðat brogt iſr_ae_l iwel ſped. 4048

by sending out
young women
fair of face and
soft of speech,

"ðe ginge wi_m_men of ðin lond,
faiger on ſigte an[d] ſofte on hond,
And brigte on hewe, on ſpeche glad,
Wið ðgere[384] ſal ic ſondes ſad, 4052
ðe ðu ten vt gen ðiſ men,

who should
"brew heart-burning
and
love,"

ðe cunen[385] brewen herte-bren,
wið win, and wlite, & bodi, & dwale,
Luue[li]ke and wið ſpeche ſmale, 4056

[Fol. 79.]
and so turn the
people from God.

To wenden hem fro godes age
To ði londe godes and vre lage;
Bute-if ðu migt forðen ðiſ red,
And hem fro godes luue led, 4060

For war nor
weapon had no
power to harm
them.

And fonde to wenden ðuſ here ðhogt,
for wi ne wopen ne helpeð[386] nogt."
forð-nam balaam, ðat ille q_u_[e]ad
ðe gaf ðiſ read of ſoules dead. 4064

This counsel was
followed,

ðuſ it was don, and bi ðat ſel

and thus it fell
that Israel sinned
in Shittim,

In ſichin ſingede iſrael,
And for luue of ðiſ hore-plage
Manie for-leten godes lage, 4068
And wrogten ðor ſwilc ſoules for

and worshipped
Baal-peor.

ðat he ðor lutten belphegor.
Ðo ſeide god to moyſen,
"ðe me[i]ſtres of ðiſe hore-men, 4072

[384] gere?

[385] MS. cumen.

[386] MS. helped.

WHOREDOM AND IDOLATRY PUNISHED.

God commands
the chief men to
be hanged.

ðe fendes folgen and me flen,
ðe bidde ic hangen ðat he ben;
Ben ðeſe hangen ðe ſunne agen,
ðise oðer[387] folc ſal meðe ſen." 4076

Twenty-three
thousand were
slain.

Godes wreche ðor haueð of-ſlagen
xx.iii. ðuſent of dagen.[388]

Phinehas kills
Zimri and Cozbi

finees waſ a ſeli man,
ðe godes wreche forðen gan; 4080
He ſlug Zabri for godeſ luuen,
Hiſe hore bi-neðe and hi_m_ abuuen;

[Fol. 79b.]
with his long and
sharp pike.

ðurg and ðurg boðen he ſtong
wið hiſe giſarme ſarp & long. 4084
God moysen nemnen bead

God commands
Moses to take the
sum of the people
above twenty.

Hiſ folc ðe was firmeſt fro dead,
Or .xx. winter or more hold,
ðe in egypte or ne weren told; 4088

It was found to
be 601,720.

On and .vi. hundred ðuſent ðor,
And .vii. hundred and .xx. mor
Moyſes fond and eliazar;
Was non of he_m_ told in tale or, 4092

Of those who
were numbered
at Sinai, all died
except Joshua
and Caleb.

ðo moyſes tolde he_m_ and aaron,
ðan [h]e gunnen fro egipte gon.
Vten ioſue and caleph,
Alle elles he driuen i_n_ deades weph; 4096
Alle ðiſe wapmen ðor[389] god let liwen,
ðe lond hoten ſal hem ben giuen.
God moyſes clepede and q_u_ad to him,

Moses being told
of his death,

"ſtig hege up to munt Abarim, 4100
And ic ſal don ðe ðeðen[390] ſen
ðe lond ðe ſal ðiſ folc[e]s ben;
ðer ðu ſalt ben of werlde numen.
In to ðat lond ſalt ðu nogt cumen." 4104
"Lou_er_d, m_er_ci!" q_u_ad moyſes,

intreats God not
to let the people
be "helpless."

"Let ðu ðin folc nogt helpe-les,
And good let oc ðu he_m_ bi-ſe,
Alſwilc alſ hem bi-hu[f]lik bee." 4108

[387] MS. oder.

[388] MS. ðagen.

[389] MS. dor.

[390] MS. ðeden.

MOSES DIES IN MOAB.

[Fol. 80.]
Joshua is appointed
to succeed
him.

God hem andſwerede, "ioſue
Ic wile ben loder-man aft_er_ ðe;
Tac him bi-foren eleazar,
ðat al ðin folc wurð war, 4112
And ðine hondes ley him on,
Sey him on ðin ſtede to gon."
Alſ it is boden, alſo he dede,
Ioſue wurð ſet on hiſe ſtede. 4116

When Moses was
on Abarim, God
showed him the
promised land.

Ðo moyſes was on abarim,
ðat lond hoten god tawned him.
ðor q_u_iles him leſten liue dages,
Hiſ he tagte leue lages, 4120

Moses' song, setting
forth God's
vengeance

And writen hem, haueð[391] iſ hem bitagt,
Bute-if he iſ loken he_m_ beð agt,[392]
Erðe and heuene he wittneſſe tooc,
And wrot an canticle on ðat booc, 4124

upon those who
would not serve
Him truly.

ðat ðreated ðo men bitter-like
ðe god ne ſeruen luue-like.
ðo .xii. twelue kinderedes, on and on,

The blessings of
the twelve tribes.

He gaf bliſcing bi-leue gon; 4128
At munt nemboc on ðat knol faſga,
Wane he was ſtigen ðeðen ðoa,
Sag ðe lond of p_ro_miſſion,
ðurg god[393] hi_m_ was ſiðen ðat on. 4132

Moses dies in
Moab, and is
buried by angels'
hands.

ðer he ſtarf i_n_ne. ðe moab lond,
His bodi was biried wið angeles hond,

[Fol. 80b.]
No man ever
found his body.

ðer non man ſiðen it ne fond,
In to lef reſte hiſ ſowle wond. 4136
Ebrius ſeigen, ðuſ waſ bi-tid,

It was thus hid,

ðat moyſes waſ hem ðuſ hid,
for, migten he finden ðe ſtede,

that the people
might not afterwards
worship it.

Q_u_or engel-wird hiſ liche dede, 4140
fele ſulden him leuen on,
And leten god; ðat were miſ-don.

[391] MS. haued.

[392] MS. beð beð agt.

[393] MS. goð.

MAY GOD SHIELD US FROM HELL'S NIGHT!

Ydolatrie, ðat waſ hem lef,
ofte vt-wrogte he_m_ ſorges dref. 4144

Although Moses
was 120 years old,

MOyſes iſ faren, on elde told
fulle ſex ſcore winter old;

yet his eyesight
remained bright,
and every tooth
was "by tale
right."

And ðog hi_m_ leſtede hiſe ſigte brigt,
And eu_er_ilc toð bi tale rigt. 4148
.xxx. daiges wep iſrael
for hiſ dead(.) and bi-ment it wel.

Such a prophet
in Israel rose
none.

Swilc p_ro_phete i_n_ folc of iſrael
Roſ non, ne ſpac wið god ſo wel; 4152
Eſdras iſ witneſſe of [hiſ] ſage,
He was wel wiſ of ðe olde lage.

Beseech we now
God's might,

Bi-ſeke we nu godes migt,
ðat he make ure ſowles brigt, 4156

that he shield
us from Hell's
night,

And ſhilde us fro elles nigt,
And lede us to bliſſe and i_n_-to ligt;
In ſwilc ðewes lene[394] us to cumen,[395]
ðurg q_u_at we ben to liue numen, 4160

[Fol. 81.]
and bring us all
into bliss. Amen!

And in-to bliſſe wið ſeli men;
Wið muð and herte ſey we, Amen!
EXPLICIT LIBer EXOD_US_.

[394] ? leue.

[395] MS. cunen.

NOTES.

P. 1. ll. 1-2

_Man og to luuen ðat rimes ren,
ðe Wisseð wel ðe logede men._

_og_, another form of _agh_, = _ow_ = ought. _ren_ = _run_ = _rune_, song, story.

"Nalde ha nane _runes_
Ne nane luue _runes_
leornen ne lustnen."—(St. Kath. 108.)

_logede_ = lay. It is not necessarily unlearned, ignorant, etc., for O.E. writers frequently use the term in contradistinction to clergy. See Ayenbite, p. 197. "Vor all manere of volk studieþ in avarice, and (both) great and smale, kinges, prelates, clerkes, an _lewede_ and religious."—(Ayenbite, p. 34.)

"And bathe klerk and _laued_ man
Englis understand kan,
That was born in Ingeland."—(Met. Hom. p. 4.)

3 _loken_, to take care of oneself, to direct one's course of life, keep from sin. See Ayenbite of Inwyt, pp. 1, 197, 199, 201.

"Ac alneway hit is nyed to leawede men
that hi ham _loki_ vram þise zenne (avarice)."—Ayenbite, p. 31.

10 _ðund_ is evidently an error for _gund_ = yond, yonder, over. Cp. gu for ðu, ll. 365, 366.

"& _þeond_ þat lond he heom to-draf (B. & ouer al þat lond he drof
heom)."—(Laȝ. i. 68.)

12 _earuermor_ = _eauermor_ = evermore. 14 _soðe-sagen_ = _soðe-sage_ = _sooth-saw_ = sooth-saying, true saying.

15-16

_Cristene men ogen ben so fagen,
so fueles arn quan he it sen dagen._

Christian men ought to be as fain (glad)
As fowls (birds) are when they see it dawn.

17 _telled_ = _telleð_ = telleth. 20 _devil-dwale_ = devil-deceiver, devil-heretic = arch-deceiver, arch-heretic. See l. 67. Cf. _maȝȝstredwale_ = master heretic = arch-heretic, in the following passage:—

"Off all þis laþe læredd follc
Þat we nu mælenn ummbe
Wass _maȝȝstredwale_, an defless þeww,
Þat Arrius was nemmnedd."

Of all this loathsome learned folk
That we now talk about
Was an arch-heretic, a devil's serf
That Arius was named.
—(Orm. i. p. 258, l. 7454.)

23

_til god srid him in manliched_,
till god shrouded (clothed) himself in manhood.
_srid_ = _sridde_.

24 _bote and red_, salvation and counsel. 25 _And unspered al ðe fendes sped_ = undid all the fiend's successful work (luck). 26 _halp_ = Old and Middle Eng. _holp_ = helped, assisted.

P. 2. l. 27 _Biddi_, an error for _bidde_?

31-34

_ðu giue me seli timinge,
To thaunen ðis wer[l]des biginninge,
ðe, leuerd god, to wurðinge,
Queðer so hic rede or singe!_

Give Thou me a propitious opportunity
To show (declare) this world's beginning,
Thee, Lord God, for honour,
Whether-so-ever I read or sing!

_thaunen_ = _taunen_, show, exhibit.

"Ful wel he [Crist] _taunede_ his luue to man,
Wan he ðurg holi spel him wan."
—Bestiary (O.E. Miscell. p. 24, l. 767.)

The word is very uncommon in O.E. writers. Cp. O.Du. _tônen_, to show. See ll. 1022, 2034. _wurðinge_ = for worship, honour. _wurðinge_ is a noun, not a participle or gerund. See l. 133. 38 _Ear ðanne_ = ere that.

41

_ðo bad god wurðen stund and stede,_
When God bad exist time and space.

43 _ðrosing_ seems to be an error for _ðrosim_ or _ðrosem_ = fog, mist, chaos. Cf. _waspene_ in l. 1440, p. 41, where the correct form is _wasteme_. _aðrusemen_, to suffocate, occurs in Ancren Riwle, p. 40.

wíte þoliað
hátne heaðo-welm
helle to-middes
brand & bráde lígas
swilce eác þa biteran récas,
_þrosm_ and þystro,

torment they suffer
burning heat intense
amidst hell,
fire, and broad flames;
so also the bitter reeks
smoke and darkness.
(Caedmon, p. 21, 18.)

45 _ðu wislike mune_ = do thou wisely bear in mind. 47 _hin_ = _hine_ = him. 48 _or_, another form of _ar_, = ere, before. 49-56 The meaning of these lines may be expressed as follows:—"And of them two [God the Father and God the Son] that dearly love, who wield all here and above, _proceeds_ that holy love, that wise will [the Holy Ghost], that wieldeth all things with right and skill [reason]. Might bad with word light exist; also that might [the Holy Ghost] wieldeth _holy consolation_, for there are three persons and one counsel, one might, and one godhead." 54 _Hali froure_ = holy comfort, an allusion to the office of Holy Ghost as the comforter.

"Hire uoster moder wes an þe _frourede_ hire."

= Her foster mother was one who comforted her.—(St. Marherete, p. 8.) 58 _o sunde[r] sad_ = _on sunder shad_, i. e. a-sunder shed = divided apart, separated. It still exists in _water-shed_, Ger. _wasser-scheide_. Cf. l. 116. See Hampole's Pricke of Conscience, p. 271, l. 32. Cp. "the _schedynge_ of tonges." (Trevisa's Translation of Higden's Polychron., p. 251.) "The longages & tonges were _ischad_ & to-schift."—Ib. p. 251.

P. 3. l. 63 _ðis walkenes turn_ = this welkin's course. See l. 79. 64 _quuad_ = _biquuad_ = bequeathed, ordained. See l. 117.

69

_And euerilc wunder, and euerilc wo._
And every evil and every woe.

_Wunder_ = misfortune, evil. S.Saxon _wundre_, mischief, hurt.

"hare lust leadeð ham to wurchen to _wundre_."
= their lust leadeth them to work to mischief.—(St. Marh. p. 14.)

(See Sir Gawaine and the Green Knyght. Ed. Morris, l. 16.)

71-72 Our ancestors had some strange chronological theories. In the Cursor Mundi we read that Adam was made at _undern-tide_, at _mid-day_ Eve was drawn from his side, and at _noon_ they both ate the apple, and were thus only three _tides_ in bliss.[396]

73

_ðis ik_ (ilk?) _wort in ebrisse wen._

This same word is in Hebrew opinion (tradition). The true form is _wene_, "_a wene_" = in supposition. See Laȝ. l. 18752; Orm. l. 4326; Owl and Nightingale, l. 237.

77 _a-gon_ = _agen_ = again. 78 _a-gon_ = gone. It is our word _ago_. Grammarians, therefore, altogether err in making the _a_ in _ago_ = the prefixal element _ge_ (y) as in yclept. _agon_ and _ago_ = the A.Saxon _agán_ = _af-gán_, gone by, past. We have abundant examples in O.E. writers of the verb _agon_ (ago) = to go. The past participle is _agon_ or _ago_, in conformity to the rule that the past participles of verbs with this prefix do _not_ take the initial _y_. 81 _o france moal_; in French speech; _moal_ = _mel_ = speech. S.Saxon _mælenn_, to speak. See Orm. vol. i. l. 99, 253. _mol_ also signifies tribute. See O.E. Hom. 2 S. p. 179; O.E. Miscell. p. 151, l. 161. 87 _tellen_ = reckon. 88 _or_ = _ar_ = first.

P. 4. l. 102

_It hiled_ [= hileð] _al ðis werldes drof._
= It surrounds (encloses) all this world's drove (assemblage).

_drof_ = A.S. _dráf_, company.

105

_Til domes-dai ne sal it troken._
Till doomsday it shall not fail.

_troken_ = S.Saxon _truken_, O.E. _trokie_.

"Ah for nauer nare teonen
Nulle we þe _trukien_."

But never for no injury
Will we fail thee.

—(Laȝ. i. p. 186.)

"Ah nauest þu neuere nenne mon.
. . . . . .
Þe cunne wærc makien.
Þe nauere nulle _trukien_."

But thou hast never no [any] man
. . . . . .
Who can make a work,
That never will fail.

The later copy reads "þat neuere nolle _trokie_." See St. Kath. 1814.

107 _suuen_ = _shoven_, i. e. thrust, prest, driven.

111 _oo_ = O.E. _aa_ = _ai_ = ever.

119 _birðheltre_, fruit tree, from _birðel_, fruitbearing. Adjectives in _-el_, _-ol_, are not uncommon in O.E. See O.E. Hom. 2 S. p. 131.

Cp. "ðare bwys bowys all for _byrtht_."
Their boughs bend all for fruit.—(Wyntown, i. p. 14.)

124-5 _fodme_. When we find, as on p. 2, l. 43, _ðrosing_ for _ðrosim_, we must not be surprised at learning that _fodme_ is an error for _fodinge_, production; A.S. _fadung_, dispensation, order, production, from _fadian_, _gefadian_, to dispose, order, produce. "Hwæt is se Sunu? He is þæs Fæder Wisdom, and his Word, and his Miht, þurh þone se Fæder gesceop ealle þing and _gefadode_."—(Ælfric—"De Fide Catholica"—Thorpe's Analecta, p. 65.) "An Scyppend is ealra þinga, gesewenlicra and ungesewenlicra; and we sceolon on hine gelyfan, forþon þe hé is soð God and ána Aelmihtig, seðe næfre ne ongann ne anginn næfde, ac hé sylf is anginn, and hé eallum gesceaftum anginn and ordfruman forgeaf, þaet hí beon mihton, and þæt hí hæfdon agen gecynd, swa swa hit þære godcundlican _fadunge_ gelicode."—(Ibid, p. 63.)

125 _quuemeðen_ = _quemeden_, pleased. See l. 86.

P. 5. l. 133

_walknes wurðinge, and erdes [erðes?] frame._
welkin's glory and earth's advantage.

_frame_ = advantage, gain, profit. See Handlyng Synne, ll. 5, 4249.

"Twifold forbisne in ðis der [the fox]
To _frame_ we mugen finden her."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 14, l. 425.)

"Summwhatt icc habbe shæwedd ȝuw
till ȝure sawle nede,
ȝiff þat ȝe willenn follȝenn itt
& ȝuw till _frame_ turrnenn."—(Orm. vol. i. p. 31.)

"_Manne frame_ = men's advantage."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 2, l. 39.)

"Jhesu, do me that for thi name
Me liketh to dreȝe pyne ant shame
That is thy (the?) soule note ant _frame_,
Ant make myn herte milde ant tame."—(Lyric Poetry, p. 71.)

134

_He knowned (= knoweð) one ilc sterre name._
He alone knoweth each star's name.

135 _He settes_ = He set (placed) _them_. Cf. l. 156, where _wroutis_ = wrought _them_. The pronoun _is_ or _es_ = them. See Prefaces to Ayenbite of Inwyt, O.E. Hom. 1st and 2nd SS. 136 _ðis walkne went_ = this welkin's course. See l. 63. 141 _bi mannes tale_ = by man's reckoning. 143 _egest_ = _hegest_ = highest. _ðe sunnes brigt_ = the sun's brightness. 145 _moneð met_, measure of a month. Cp. O.E. _metwand_. 148 _Reke-fille_ (see l. 3136) = _reke-filleð_ (cp. O.E. _winter-fylleð_ = October. See Menologium, p. 62, ed. Fox), April (the vapoury or watery month).

155

_wel wurðe his migt lefful ay._
Well worth his might ever holy!

Cf. "_wo worth_ the day!" etc. _lefful_ = O.E. _geleáfful_, faithful, holy. O.E. Miscell. p. 23, l. 713. 160 _eruerilc_ = _eauerilc_ = every. 162 _his flotes migt_ = his floating (swimming) power. Cp. "_a flote_," _a float_, Rob. of Brunne, p. 169, l. 13. 163 _ðen_ = to prosper, be successful. Cf. the O.E. phrase, "so mot I _the_." 164 _tuderande_ = propagating, fruitful.

"Þa gyt drihten cwæð
. . . . .
wórd to Noe
tymað nu & _tiedrað_."

Again the Lord spake
. . . . .
words to Noah:—
Teem now and propagate.
—(Cæd. p. 91.)

"I was borenn her
Off faderr & off moder.
. . . . .
Þa þeȝȝre time wass all gan
To _tiddrenn_ & to tæmenn."

I was born here
Of father and mother.
. . . . .
When their time was all gone
To propagate and to teem.
—(Orm. ii. p. 284.)

See O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 177, where _tuder_ = offspring.

168 _So_, an error for _ðo_?

P. 6. l. 169 _wrim_ = _wirm_ = reptiles. 170 _Qwel_ = _qwelc_; _quilc_ = which.

172 _singen_, to sin. It is not an error for _sinnen_, but a genuine form (contracted from _sinigen_), and not uncommon in O.E. writers. See _sineged_ in l. 3555, p. 101.

"He _su[n]ggeden_ and sorgeden and weren in ðogt."
They sinned and sorrowed and were in thought.
(O.E. Miscell. p. 22, l. 682.)

"Þe verþe manere to _zeneȝi_ in chapare is to zelle to tyme."
—(Ayenbite, p. 33.)

"Alsuo may he mid his oȝene wyue _zeneȝi_ dyadliche.—(Ibid. p. 36.)

_Sunegi_ = to sin, occurs in the "Owl and Nightingale," 926.

See _Sunegie_, _sunehi_, in O.E. Miscell. pp. 67, 68, 78, 79, 193.

173

_to fremen and do frame_,
to serve and do good.—(See l. 133.)

"Heo scullen me mon-radene mid mo[n]scipe _fremmen_."
They shall me homage with honour perform.—(Laȝ. ii. 586.)

See St. Kath. 288; Anc. Riwle, p. 284.

_Freme_ and _frame_ are radically the same words, the former being of A.Saxon and the latter of Norse origin. In the Ayenbite, p. 91, _vreme_ = _freme_ = _frame_ is used exactly in the sense of _frame_: "We wylleþ wel þet we be yvonded (tempted) vor hit is oure _vreme_ ine vele maneres, vor we byeþ þe more ymylded and þe dredvoller and þe more wys ine alle þinges and þe more worþ and þe more asayd." 197 _oc_ = _og_ = _ow_, ought.

P. 7. ll. 204-6

Whilst it (the soul) followed holy will,
God's self the while is pleased,
And displeased when it loves sin.

_un-lif_ is evidently an error for _un-lief_ = displeased = O.E. _unleôf_. In the MS. the _f_ has a long tail, and might almost stand for an incomplete _k_. 217 _kiegt_ = _hight_ = threatened, literally promised. 222 _ilc here_ = each of them. Cf. the expressions _her non_, _non her_ = none of them. 228 _sib_ = akin, related; still preserved in _gossip_, originally _godsib_. See Ayenbite, p. 36. 230 _wrocte_ = _wrogte_ = pret. of _worken_, to _ache_, _pain_, _hurt_. Cf. A.S. _rop-weorc_ = stomach-ache; _weorcsum_, irksome. In the Reliq. Antiq., p. 51, a receipt is given "for evel and _werke_ in þe bledder." On p. 54 of the same work we have a receipt for the "seke man" whose "heved _werkes_." 234 _ðurte_, an abbreviated form of _ðurfte_ = behoved. This verb is used with the _dative_ of the pronoun. (See Handlynge Synne, l. 5826.)

"Whyne had God made us swa
Þat us _thurt_ never haf feled wele ne wa."
—(Hampole's P. of C. 6229.)

P. 8. l. 240 _seli sped_ may be regarded as a compound, and printed _seli-sped_ = good speed, prosperity. Cf. l. 310, where _iwel sped_ = _iwel-sped_ = misfortune. Cf. O.E. _gode-happe_, prosperity, and _ille-happe_, mishap. 247 _seuendai_ = _seuend dai_ = seventh day. 250 _newes_ = _a-new_, a genitival adjective used adverbially. Cf. our modern adverb _needs_, O.E. _nedes_, of necessity; _lives_, alive. (R. of Gloucester, 301, 376. Owl and Nightingale, 1632.) _deathes_ = dead. (R. of Gl., 375, 382. Owl and Nightingale, 1630.) 255 _rode-wold_ = rode tree. I have printed _rode-wold_ and not _rode wold_, because the two expressions are widely different in meaning. In the latter phrase the word _wold_ = put to death, slain; in the former it is a suffix = -tree, -beam; so that _rode-wold_ corresponds exactly to the O.E. _rode-tre_ = _rood-tre_ = the cross.

"Þe ille men in manhed sal hym [Christ] se,
Anly als he henged on þe _rode-tre_," etc.
—(Hampole's P. of C., l. 5260.)

Cf. _dore-tree_, Piers Pl. 833, and the phrases "hanged on a _tree_," "the gallows _tree_," etc. O.E. _Tre_ = _tree_ = wood, beam (and _treen_ = wooden), still existing in _axle-tree_, _saddle-tree_, etc. The _-wold_ in _rode-wold_ must therefore = _-tre_ = wood, beam, which we still preserve in _threshold_. O.E. _threshwald_, _threshwold_ (A.S. _thersc-wald_, _thyrscwold_). The affix _-wold_ fortunately occurs again in lines 576 and 614 in the word _arche-wold_ = ark-board.

Sexe hundred ger noe was hold,
Quan he dede him in ðe _arche-wold_.—(l. 576.)

Sex hundred ger and on dan olde
Noe ſag ut of ðe _arche-wolde_.—(l. 614.)

A passage in Cædmon's poems furnishes us with the very term _ark-board_ by which we have rendered _arche-wold_.

"Læd swa ic ðe hate
under _earce-bord_
eaforan þine."

Lead so I thee hete (command)
under the ark-board
thy progeny.
—(l. 23, p. 80.)

"Him þa Noe gewat
swa hine nergand het
under _earce-bord_."

Noah then departed
as him the preserver bad,
under the ark board.
—(l. 4, p. 82.)

259

_Siðen for-les ðat dai is pris_
Afterwards lost that day its honour.

266

_And seli sad fro ðe forwrogt._
And _the_ righteous separated from the wicked (accursed).

_Seli_ constantly occurs in O.E. writers in the sense of _good_, and _unseli_, with the opposite meaning of _bad_, _wicked_. At first sight it would appear that the _for_ in _forwrogt_ is the same prefix which we have in _forbid_, _forsake_, O.E. _for-worth_, "good for nothing;" but _forwrogt_ in O.E. = overworked, and, hence, fatigued. _Forwrogt_ seems to be connected with the O.H.Ger. _foruuerget_, cursed; O.E. _weried_, cursed. The first interpretation, however, is supported by the Goth. verb _fra-vaurkjan_; Ger. _verwirken_, sündigen.

271

_Ligber he sridde a dere srud._
Lucifer he shrouded (clothed) in dear (precious) shrouds (vestments).

_Ligber_ is evidently _Ligtber_ = Lucifer. It occurs in the Ayenbite, p. 10:—"And verst we willeþ zigge of þe zenne of prede, vor þet wes þe verste zenne and þe aginninge of alle kueade, for prede brek verst velaȝrede and ordre, huanne _Liȝtbere_ the angel for his greate vayrhede and his greate wyt wolde by above þe oþre angeles and him wolde emni to God þet hine zo vayr an zuo guod hedde ymad."

272-276

And he became in himself proud,
And with that pride upon him waxed envy
That evilly influenced all his conduct;
Then might he no lord tolerate,
That should in any wise control him.

P. 9. l. 275 _ðhauen_ = suffer, endure, tolerate. S.Saxon _ðafen_, _iðeuen_; O.E. _thave_.

"Þe sexte bede þatt mann bitt
Uppo þe Paterr Nossterr
Þatt iss, þatt Godd ne þole nohht
Ne _þafe_ laþe gastess.
To winnenn oferrhand off uss
Þurrh heore laþe wiless."

The sixth petition that one prayeth
in the Pater Noster is that God should
not suffer nor permit loathsome spirits
to gain the upperhand of us
through their loathsome wiles.
—(Orm. i. p. 188.)

"& Hengest hine gon werien.
& nalde it noht _iþeuen_ [þolie]."

And Hengest gan him defend
And would not suffer it.
—(Laȝ. vol. ii. p. 215.)

276 _ðhinge_ = place, office, duty; it seems to be here used adverbially in the sense of "any wise," "at all." 276 _grauen_ is perhaps an error for _þrauen_, to compel, control. Cf. _gu_ for _ðu_, p. 11, ll. 365, 366, and _ðund_ for _gund_. If _grauen_ be the original reading then it is equivalent to _greven_. O.F. _grever_, Lat. _gravare_, to injure, grieve.

278

_Min sete norð on heuene maken._

"Sette," he (Lucifer) said, "mi sete I sal
Gain him þat heist es of alle;
In þe _north_ side it sal be sette,
O me seruis sal he non gette."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 4b.)

282 _geuelic_ = _geuenlic_ = like. Cf. the A.S. _ge-efenlæcan_, to be like, to imitate. O.E. _euening_ = equal.

"And ðeðen he sal cumen eft,
and thence he shall come again,
. . . . . .
for to demen alle men,
for to judge all men,
oc nout _on-geuelike_.
but not a-like."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 23.)

"It (the law) fet ðe licham and te gost oc nowt o _geuelike_."
It feedeth the body and the spirit but not alike.
—(Ibid. p. 10.)

295 _ðis quead_ = this wicked one. In Early English writers we meet with several derivatives of this word, as _kueadliche_, wickedly, _kueadvol_, sinful. (See Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 4, and extract in Note to l. 271, p. 125.)

301

_Euerilc ðhing haued [haueð] he geue name_,
To everything hath he given name.

309-310 Yet I ween I know of a device, that shall bring them misfortune.

P. 10. l. 314 _ðor buten hunte_, there without search, or hunting, without delay; _or_ thereabout to _hunt_ or search. 316 _bilirten_, to deprive of by treachery, to cheat a person out of a thing.

"ða herodes gesægh for-ðon bisuicen
[& _bilyrtet_] wæs from dryum, [& tungul
cræftgum] urað wæs suiðe."
(Matthew ii. 16, Northumbrian version.)

"Listneð nu a wunder,
ðat tis der doð for hunger:
goð o felde to a furg,
and falleð ðar-inne,
in eried lond er in erð-chine,
forto _bilirten_ fugeles."

Listeneth now to a wonder,
That this deer (fox) doth for hunger:
Goeth a-field to a furrow,
And falleth therein,
In eared land or in earth-chink,
For to deceive fowls.
—(O.E. Miscell. p. 13, l. 403.)

318 _dreue_ = trouble, disturb. Cf. O.E. _drove_, to trouble, _droving_, tribulation. "Þa Herodes þæt gehyrde, þa wearð he _gedrefed_,[397] & eal Hierosolim-waru mid him."—Matt. ii. 3.

"& for-þi þatt he sahh þatt ȝho
Was _dræfedd_ of his spæche
He toc to froffrenn hire anann."—(Orm. i. p. 74.)