THE STORY OF GENESIS AND EXODUS, ETC. (continued 3)

3424 He taune it al hiſ ouer-man, Ai ſo forð fro man to man, Til he it here, ðe rigten can; and thence to the superior ruler.

If it ne mai or rigted ben, 3428 ſo ſal it cumen to moysen. The final appeal to be made to Moses.

He bad him cheſen ſtereſ-men Migti, ðe gode-frigti ben, ðe ſoð-faſtneſſe lef ben, 3432 And ðe niðing [and] giſcing flen. These rulers were to be able men, god-fearing, lovers of truth, and haters of covetousness.

[316]

MS. ðahankede.

[317]

ten?

THE PEOPLE COME TO SINAI.

ðiſ red ðhugte moyſes ful god, And leuelike it under-ſtod. Ietro wente in-to his lond a-gen; 3436 Al[ſ] he redde, al-ſo gan it ben. [Fol. 67.] Moses accepts the counsel.

Ðe ðridde moneð in iſ cumen, To ſynay ðiſ folc iſ numen; ðe ſeuene and forwerti dai 3440 ðat he nomen fro egipte awei, In the third month of the year Exodus, and in the forty-seventh day after they left Egypt,

Vnder ðiſ munt he funden ſteden, And here teldes ðor he deden. On oðer daiges morgen quile, 3444 God tauned^[318] moyſi quat he wile. "Sei ðiſ folc ðat nu ðolen, the people come to the desert of Sinai.

for iſ here ðhogt nogt me for-holen; 'If ye liſten lefful to me, 3448 Ic wile min folc owen be.'" And moyſes tolde ðiſ iſrael, And him heten euerilc del, ðat hem bideð, ſulen he don. 3452 God dede moyſes ðiſ bodeword on, God's message by Moses unto the people out of the mount.

"Clenſe ðiſ folc wel ðiſ to daiges, And bidde hem leden clene la[i]ges; Abute ðiſ munt ðu merke make,^[319] 3456 If erf or man ðor-one take, The people are to be prepared against the third day.

It dead ðolen, wið ſtones ſlagen, Or to dead wið goren dragen; The mountain must not be touched.

ðiſ frig[t]ful [folc] ðus a-biden, 3460 Quiles ðiſ daiges for[ð] ben gliden." [Fol. 67b.]

Ðe ðridde daiges morge quile, ðunder and leuene made ſpile, On ðiſ munt ſtod, and ſkies caſt, 3464 And dinede an migtful hornes blast; On the third day there were thunders and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount.

Smoke up-rekeð and munt quakeð, Slep ðor non ðe^[320] ðane up-wakeð; Ai was moſes one in ðis dine, 3468 ðiſ folc wende hauen for-loren hine;^[321] Smoke up reeked and the mount quaked.

[318]

? tauneð.

[319]

MS. made.

[320]

MS. de.

[321]

MS. himine.

MOSES RECEIVES THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Oc he cam faiger and fer him to,

And gan wið hem ſpeken ſo; "Ilc gure wel in herte mune, 3472 Ne iſt nogt moyſes, amrame ſune, Moses addresses the people.

ðe ge ſulen to dai here ſpeken; Oc he ðe ſlog, gu for to wreken, Egypte, an weige made in ðe se, 3476 And let adam fonden ðe tre ðe noe barg, and abraham He reminds them of their deliverance from the Egyptians,

Ledde vt in-to lond canaan; Of olde abraham and of ſarra bigeten 3480 Dede yſaac, of olde teten; ðe gaf yſaac so manige ſunen, ðe Ioſep dede ſo riche wunen; His word gu wurðe digere^[322] al-ſo lif, 3484 Digere^[322] or eiðer child or wif. and of God's kindness to their ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and Joseph.

Cumeð her forð, and beð alle reken, And lereð wel quat he ſal ſpeken." [Fol. 68.]

He ledde hem to ðe muntes fot, 3488 Non but non^[323] forðere ne mot, And on iſ broðer aaron; God bad hem ðat merke ouer-gon; ðo ſo ſpac god ſo brigt-like, 3492 ðat alle he it herden witterlike. Moses leadeth the people to the foot of the mount.

LOke ðat ðu god oðer ne make, Ne oðer ðan me ðat ðu ne take. for ic am god, gelus and ſtrong, 3496 Min wreche iſ hard, min ðole iſ long. The Ten Commandments. First Commandment.

Tac ðu nogt in idel min name[n], Ne ſwer it les to fele in gamen, Ne let ðu nogt min wurðfulhed 3500 for-faren in ðe fendes red. Third Commandment.

Min hali dai ðu halge wel, An do ðin dede on oðer ſel. Fourth Commandment.

Wurð ðin fader and moder ſo, 3504 ðat ðu hem drede and helpe do. Fifth Commandment.

[322]

= dgere = diere = dere.

[323]

? Nun.

THE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID.

Ne ſlo ðu nogt wið hond ne wil, Ne rend, ne beat nogt wið vn-ſkil; Help de nedful, ðat he ne be dead 3508 for truke of ðin helpe an[d] read. Sixth Commandment.

Oc horedom ðat ðu ne do, Ne wend no lecherie to. Seventh Commandment.

Loke ðe wel ðat ðu ne ſtele, 3512 Ne reflac, ne ðefte, for-hele.^[324] [Fol. 68b.] Eighth Commandment.

Falſe witneſſe ðat^[325] ðu ne bere, Ne wið ðe leſe non ma[n]^[326] ne dere. Ninth Commandment.

Ne giſce ðu nog[t] ðin neſtes ðing, 3516 Huſ, ne agte, ne wif, in ðin giſcing; For if ðu it gernes and giſſe, ðu tines vn-ended bliſce." Tenth Commandment.

Ðiſ for-frigted folc figeren ſtod, 3520 dredful, and bleð, and ſori mod; Herden ðat dredful beames blaſt, Sogen ðat figer, dred held hem faſt. ðo ſeiden he to moyſen, The Israelites at the foot of the mount are in great dread and fear.

3524 "Be ðu nu god and us bi-twen, Her nu quat god ſal more queðen, And tellet uſ ſiðen her bi-neðen." And moyſes ſteg up a-non, They intreat Moses to stand between them and God.

3528 God hem bad bodes manige on And lages; and hu he ſulen maken ðe tabernacle, and wor-of taken God gave to Moses many commandments and laws,

ðe gold, and ſiluer, and ðe bras, 3532 ðe ſyðen don ðor-on^[327] was, And nemeld it beſeel, instructed him concerning the making of the Tabernacle,

And two oðere to maken it wel; And gaf to^[328] tabeles of ſton, 3536 And .x. bodeword writen ðor-on. and gave him two tables of stone upon which were written the Ten Commandments.

Ðor quiles moyſes was up wið gode, And liſtenede al ðat leue bode, [Fol. 69.]

[324]

MS. for for hele.

[325]

MS. dat.

[326]

MS. ma.

[327]

MS. dor-on.

[328]

two?

THEY WORSHIP A GOLDEN CALF.

Swilc wod-hed ðiſ folc^[329] cam on, 3540 ðat he ſeiden to aaraon, The people, in the absence of Moses, said unto Aaron,

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

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

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

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

"LOruerd,^[330] merci!" quad moyſes, "get ne let hem nogt helpe-les; If he nu her wurðen ſlagen, 3560 Egipte folc ſal ðor-of ben fagen, And ſeyen ðat he ben bi-ſwiken, In ðe deſert wel liðerlike;^[331] Moses intreateth for them.

And ðenk, louerd,^[330] quat ben bi-foren 3564 Abram, and yſaac, and iacob ſworen." [Fol. 69b.]

God liſtnede wel^[332] al ðis anſwere; ðat he ðis folc al ðer^[333] ne dere. And moyſes gan neðer-ten, God listeneth to Moses, and is appeased.

3568 And Ioſu cam him a-gen, Alſ he was ilc dai wune to don, quil moyſes ðat munt was on. Quat Ioſue to moyſi, 3572 "Ic wene he figten dun her-bi," Moses came down with the tables,

[329]

MS. has "ðiſ folc" twice over.

[330]

MS. louerð.

[331]

MS. liderlike.

[332]

MS. wel and wel.

[333]

MS. alðer.

THE IDOLATERS ARE SLAIN.

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

Moyſes cam ner and ſag ðiſ plages,^[334] 3576 And ðiſ calf, and ðiſ ille lages; So wurð he wroð, o mode ſarp, Hiſ tables broken dun he iſ warp, and seeing the idolatry of the people, he brake them in pieces.

And dede ðat calf melten in fir, 3580 And ſtired it al to duſt ſir, And mengde in water and forð it of, And gaf ðat folc drinken ðat drof. ðo wiſte he wel quilc hauen it don, 3584 Sene it was here berdes on. ðo gredde he lude, "goð me to, Alle ðe god luuen so." The calf he burnt and ground to powder, and mixed it with the water they drank.

Frend ne broðer ne ſpared he nogt 3588 On of hem ðat haued ðiſ wunder wrogt; Moses caused the idolaters to be put to death.

Of ðo ðe weren to ðiſ red, [Fol. 70.]

.xxx. hundred to ðe dead woren ðane don ſone a-non, 3592 ðurg ſtrengðe of moyſes and aaron; On oðer ſtede men writen ſen, xxiii. ðhusent ðat ðor ben; The number slain were about 3000.

Ðo woren on liue ſumdel les. 3596 On oðer dai quad moyſes, "Michel ſinne haue ðe^[335] don,^[336] Ic ſal gon ſeken bote her on." On the morrow, Moses reminded the people of their sin.

Eft he ſteg up to munt ſynay, 3600 for to bi-ſeken god merci. "Louerd," quad he, "ðin meðe iſ god, Merci get for ðin milde mod!^[337] Or ðu ðiſ folc wið milche mod,^[338] 3604 Or do min name ut of ðin boc." He returned to Mount Sinai to seek God's mercy.

God anſwerede, "of ſal ic don Hem, ðe arn nogt to ben ðor-on; Go, led ðiſ folc, min engel on God promises to send his angel before the people.

[334]

MS. wlages.

[335]

ge?

[336]

MS. Michel ſinne quað haue ðe don.

[337]

? milde-hod.

[338]

MS. moð.

THE TABLES ARE RENEWED.

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

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

ðat folc on him ne migte ſen 3616 But a veil wore hem bi-twen. [Fol. 70b.]

Ðo waſ ðiſ folc frigti and rad To don al ðat moyſes hem bad; Offreden him ſiluer and golde, 3620 And oðer metal ſwilc he wolde; The Israelites offer Moses gold and silver for the tabernacle.

He it bi-tagte beſſeleel, And eliab, he maden wel ðe tabernacle alſ hem was tagt, 3624 Goten and grauen wið witter dragt; Bezaleel and Aholiab are appointed for the work of the tabernacle.

.vii. moneð ðor-buten he ben, And here ſwinc wel he bi-ten; for ſwilc huſ was ear neuere wrogt, 3628 Ne ſwilc ſafte her on werlde brogt; Seven months they were about it.

God it tagte al ear moyſen Wiſlike hu it wrogt ſulde ben, Quilc ſrud, quat offrende, quilc^[339] lage, 3632 And quat for luue, and quat for age. God taught Moses the fashion of it.

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

Twelf moneð forð ben alle cumen, 3640 Or he fro ſynay ben forð numen; Twelve months passed ere the people departed from Sinai.

On ðat oðer twentiðe^[340] dai, of ðe oðe[r] moneð^[341] tagte he wei; ðat brigte ſkie bi-foren hem fleg,^[342] [Fol. 71.] On the twentieth day of the second month (in the second year),

[339]

MS. quil.

[340]

MS. twentide.

[341]

MS. moned.

[342]

MS. flegt.

THE BURNING AT TABERAH.

3644 And ðiſ folc ðor after teg. ðre dages and nigtes faren it gan the Israelites departed from Sinai,

And wið-ſtod in ðe deſerd pharan; ðiſ folc iſ after ſofte togen, and came into the wilderness of Paran.

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

fier iſ on hem bi-ſiden ligt, 3652 fele it brende and made o-frigt, the fire of the Lord consumed them,

Moyſes it bleſſ[ed]e wið his bede, And brenninge he calde ðat ſtede. Here hine-folc ðe waſ hem mide, 3656 And ſumme of hem ðor ille dede, but is quenched by the prayers of Moses.

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

"Loruerd!" quad he, "ðiſ folc iſ ðin, And al ðis ſorge nu iſ min; But ic haue an oðer^[343] read, 3664 Ðu ſalt me raðe don^[344] ðolen dead." Moses complains of his charge.

Quað god, "ches ðe nu her ſeuenti Wiſe men to ſtonden ðe bi, God commands him to choose seventy wise men to help him in the government of the people.

And ic ſal hem geuen witter-hed, 3668 And he ðe ſulen don helpe at ned; 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, [Fol. 71b.]

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

3676 And brogte turles michel mind; It flogen longe, and ðikke, and wel Abuten ðe folc of yſrael; Quails are sent in wrath at Kibroth-Hattaavah.

Two daiges hem ben fugeles cumen, For two days the fowls came.

[343]

MS. oder.

[344]

MS. ðon.

[345]

MS. moned.

[346]

MS. glað.

MIRIAM IS SMITTEN WITH LEPROSY.

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

ðat gruching hauen he derre bogt, 3684 fier haueð^[348] on hem ðe wreche wrogt, Brend and doluen waſ ðat folc ſoth; ðat ſtede beð cald ðor-fore cabroth. The Lord smote the people with a plague because of their murmuring.

FOrð he nomen to aſſaroth, The people come to Hazaroth.

3688 ðor wurð maria ſumdel ſoth,^[349] for ſche ðor haueð wið moyſes fliten; Miriam speaks against Moses,

ðor wurð ghe ðanne wið lepre ſmiten, And vten ſundred .vii. nigt, 3692 In grot and in ſrifte, ſore offrigt;^[350] and is smitten with leprosy.

Moyſes bi-ſogte, and ſche wurð fer And frend, and cam ðat^[351] broðer ner. [Fol. 72.]

FOrð nam ðiſ folc ſiðen fro ðan 3696 fele iurnes in-to pharan; Forð waſ gon al ðeſe oðer ger, ðo he woren at ſyon-gaber; The people remove from Hazaroth and come to Paran.

Fro ðeðen^[352] he ſente forð to ſen, 3700 Quilc ðo riche londes ben, ðat god hem ſulde bringen in; Men are sent to search the Land of Promise.

On man he ſente of ilc kin. xii. ſondere men ðor vte faren, 3704 ðiſ hoten lond ðurg-vt he charen, One is sent from each tribe.

xl. daigeſ faren ben; Bi ðanne quanne he wenten a-gen, In-to cades ðe folc was ſogt. 3708 ðeſ .xii. ðider hem hauen brogt The spies having been away forty days,

Of ðe plenteð ðe god ðor gaf, An win-grape on an cuuel-ſtaf, And tolden hem ðe lond iſ god, 3712 ful of erf and of netes brod; return bringing with them of the plenty of the land.

Oc burges ſtronge and folc v[n-]frigt, ſtalwurði to weren here rigt; In Hebron they found walled cities, stalworth men, and giants.

[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 in ebron, 3716 Quilc men mai get wundren on.

ðiſ folc ðo ſette up grot and gred, And ſeiden he folwen iuel red; The Israelites murmur at the news.

"Betre iſ vs get we wenden agen 3720 And in egipte ðralles ben, ðan we wurðen her ſwerdeſ ſlagen, [Fol. 72b.]

And ure kin to ſorge dragen;^[353] An loder-man we wilen us ſen, 3724 And wenden in-to egipte agen; "A captain," said they, "we will make, and return into Egypt."

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

ðor ðrette god hem alle to ſlen, If moyſes ne wore ðor agen; God threatens them.

Oc for iſ benes and for iſ ſake[n], 3732 get he ſal wið hem milche maken, For Moses' sake he spareth them.

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

Wið-vten Ioſue & calef, 3740 Here rigt-wiſed waſ gode lef. Joshua and Caleb are excepted.

Moyſes told hem al ðis anſwere, And he ben ſmiten in ſorweſ dere; Much sorrow came upon the people.

Get he ſulen .xxx.vii. ger 3744 In ðe deſert ben vten her. Yet thirty-seven years shall they be in the desert.

Agen he maden here dragt, Al-ſo ðat ſkie haueð^[354] tagt. Oſwas was moyſes eam,^[355] 3748 And chore was iſ bernteam; [Fol. 73.]

Ille nið iſ herte wexe on A-gen moyſen and aaron, Korah, with two hundred and fifty princes, rebel against Moses.

[353]

MS. ðragen.

[354]

MS. haued.

[355]

MS. cam.

THE REBELLION OF KORAH AND ABIRAM.

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

He ſeiden he weren wurði bet to ðat ſeruiſe to ben ſet; And two migtful he hauen taken, 3756 Meiſtres princes he wolden hem maken, They said they were more worthy to perform the services of the Tabernacle.

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

3760 And ilc gure oðer ſtonde bi; And ilc gure hiſe reklefat, And fier ðor-inne and timinge on ðat, And ðan ſulde we brigte ſen, 3764 Quilc gure ſal god quemest ben." And ðuſ it waſ on morgen don, Moses' directions to the company of Korah.

Ne wulde he, dathan(.) ne abiron, For orgel pride forð ðor cumen; 3768 Moyſes wið^[357] folc iſ to hem numen, In here teld he ſtonden a-gen Moyſes and vr, [&] ne wulde gon; Dathan and Abiram would not obey the command of Moses.

Moyſes ðor gret and bad iſ bede, [Fol. 73b.]

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

darð^[359] noman ſwinken hem to grauen, ðiſ erðe iſ to-gidere luken, 3780 Als it ne were neuere or to-broken. FOr chore wel wiſte ðat None had need to toil in burying them.

Gret fier wond vt of is reclefat, And of iſ fere on and on, A fire came from God,

3784 And for-brende hem ðor euerilck on; Oc aaron al hol and fer, Cam him no fieres ſwaðe ner; and burnt the two hundred and fifty men.

[356]

to?

[357]

MS. wid.

[358]

MS. deuede.

[359]

MS. ðarð.

A PLAGUE SLAYS FOURTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE.

Of ðo Reklefates for wurðing, 3788 Woren mad, and for muning, Corunes at ðe alter of bras, ðe at here tabernacle was. Of the censers were made crowns for the altar of brass.

For al ðiſ, oðer day ðor waſ neſt, 3792 Agenes moyſes and iſ prest Gan al ðiſ folc wið wreðe gon, And wulden hem werpen ſtones on; To ðe tabernacle he ben flogen, 3796 ðor [h]aueth a ſkie hem wel bi-togen; On the morrow the people murmured against Moses and Aaron, who fled to the Tabernacle.

A fier magti ðat folc feſt on, And haueð manige ðor for-don. ðan bad moyſes aaron, 3800 wið hiſe Rekelefat, to ðat fir gon; And he it dede^[360] alſ he him b[e]ad, [Fol. 74.] A fire slew many of the people.

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

.xiiii. ðhusent it haueð ſlagen, And .iiii. ſcore of liue dragen. Ðog ðiſ folc miðe a ſtund for-dred, Fourteen thousand and eighty were thus slain.

3808 ðog he ben get in ſunder red, Get he aglen on here red(.) and wen ðat it mai loked betre ben; ðog ðiſe brende ben for-ſaken, 3812 ðog he wenen ðat god ſal taken The Israelites do not recognise Aaron's authority,

Of ðo .xii. tribuz ſumme mo, To ben ðor he for-hu-gede ðo, Or ynog raðe of euerilc kin, 3816 He wile ðat ſumme ſerue ðor-in. "Childre," quat moyſes, "gure ſtrif but think that others are fitted for the service of God.

dereð ðe ſowle and greueð ðe lif; Do we uſ alle in godes red, Moses addresses the people,

3820 Vs ſal timen ðe betre ſped; Ilc prince me take hiſe wond, And do we us here in godes hond; and directs each prince of the tribes to take a rod, and to write every man his name upon it.

[360]

MS. ðede.

[361]

MS. tiren.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON CONFIRMED.

And on [ilc] wond writen ſal ben 3824 ðe kindes name ðe ðor to tgen; God ſal to-morgen token don, Quilc kinde he wile ðiſ meſter on. [Fol. 74b.]

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

ðe tabernacle he dedis in, And ðor he iſ haued god bi-tagt, 3832 And let iſ ben ðor al ðat nagt. and laid before the Lord in the Tabernacle.

O morgen quan he com a-gen, Quat was bitid he let hem ſen; Ilc wond he fond of euerilc kin 3836 Alſ ſwilc alſ he iſ dede ðor-in; On the morrow the rods were examined,

Oc on, ðe was of aaron, (Writen was name leui ðor-on), It was grene and leaued bi-cumen, 3840 And nutes amigdeles ðor-onne numen; ðo wiſten he ðat^[363] aaron and Aaron's rod, of the house of Levi, had budded, blossomed, and brought forth almonds,

Was hem biſſop ðurg god don; To ſen gode witneſſe ðor-on, 3844 ðat wond was in ðat arche don. [I]N ðe deſert he wuneden ðor so it was seen that God had appointed Aaron as bishop.

.xxx.vii. winter and mor; Longe abuten munt ſeyr, 3848 folgede hem ðat ſkie ſcir, Thirty-seven years and more the people abode in the desert,

And often to ðe ſe ðor-bi, And often to ðe munt ſynay; Her and gund ðor he biried lin, [Fol. 75.] wandering about from place to place,

3852 Alle he^[364] olde deden ðor fin. And at ðe laſte ne-ðe-les, Eft he come ſone to cades, and all the old ones died.

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

[362]

MS. wid-uten.

[363]

MS. dat.

[364]

ðhe?

THE DEATH OF AARON AT HOR.

Hire lich iſ biried in munt ſin, 3860 Hire ſowle iſ reſted ſtede wið-in. It bi-tidde after hire dead and her body was buried in Mount Zin.

ðat ðis folc ſorge in ðriſte abead. And ðer roſ wreððe and ſtrif a-non 3864 Agen moyſen and aaron; The people murmur for water.

God [bad] ſemelen folc and gon, And foren hem ſmiten on ðe ſton And ſeide, ut of ðe ſmiten ſton 3868 Ynog hem ſulde water gon; He and hiſ folc comen ðer-to, Ic wene frigtlike ðat he do; Ones he ſmot ðor on ðe ſton, Moses is commanded to gather the people before the rock at Meribah.

3872 And miſte, and ſag ðe water gon; An oðer ſiðe he went iſ ðogt Betre and ſoftere, and ne miſte nogt, Moses smote the rock twice, and the water flowed forth,

ðo flew ðor^[365] water michil and ſtrong, 3876 Al folc and erue a-nog a-mong. [Fol. 75b.] and the folk and cattle had enough.

Ðvrg lond edom ne migten he faren, ðor-fore he ſulen a-buten charen Bi ðe deſert of arabie lond; 3880 Long weige and coſtful he ðor fond, forð bi archim ðat meiſter burg; ðe deſert aren he walkeden ðurg, The people are denied a passage through Edom.

Til ðat^[366] he comen to munt hor; 3884 Aaron ðo wente of liwe ðor, They come to Mount Hor,

Eleazar, iſ ſune, him neſt Was mad biſſop and meiſter preſt. where Aaron dies.

xxx. daiges ðat folc in wep 3888 Wið bedes, and gret, and teres wep; Get iſt ſene, on ðe munt on ðat ſtede, Quor men aaron in birieles dede; Thirty days the folk mourned for him.

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

for-weried grucheden he ðoa, The people murmur,

[365]

MS. dor.

[366]

MS. dat.

SIHON AND OG ARE OVERCOME.

ðor-fore hem cam wrim-kin among,

3896 ðat hem wel bitterlike ſtong; Non oðer red ðor don ne waſ, and are plagued with serpents.

Moyſes ðor made a wirme of bras, And henget hege up-on a ſaft, 3900 ðurg godes bode and godes craf[t]; They, repenting, are healed by a serpent of brass,

Quat ſtungen man so ſag ðor-on, ðat werk him ſone al was vn-don; [Fol. 76.]

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

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

King ouer(.) amor(.) reos(.) ſeon, 3912 for to figten cam hem ageon; ðiſ folc him ſlog and hiſ lond tok, Suð fro arnon, norð to iabok, And weſten al to flum iordan; Sihon, king of the Amorites, comes out against Israel and is overcome.

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

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

fol[c] of yſrael hiſ curſing on. to curse the folk of Israel.

Balaam wið-[h]eld him ðor ðat nagt [Fol. 76b.]

3928 To witen quat him ſal wurðen tagt; Al waſ iſ fultum and hiſ ſped The failure of the first message.

[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 him cam ſonde fro gode, 3932 Agen ðiſ kinges^[369] red for-bode,

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

Balaac ſente richere an[d] mo Medes, and oðer men to ðo. "Sondes, ſondes," quað balaam, 3940 Or he ðeſe oðere medes nam, Balak's second message to the prophet.

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

Vp-on hiſe aſſe hiſ ſadel he dede, To madian lond wente he hiſ ride, And wente iſ herte on werre ðhogt; 3952 Wicke giſcing it haueð^[371] al wrogt. He consents to go with the princes of Moab,

ðuſ rideð forð ðiſ man for-loren, being influenced by covetousness.

An angel drog an ſwerd him bi-foren, ðiſ aſſe wurð ſo ſore of-dred, 3956 Vt of ðe weige it haueð him led. Sellic ðogte balaam for-ði, And bet and wente it to ðe ſti Bi-twen two walles of ſton; [Fol. 77.] An angel meets him in the way. The ass is frightened,

3960 Eft ſtod ðiſ angel him a-gon,^[372] ðiſ aſſe iſ eft of weige ſtired,^[373] So ðat balames fot iſ hird;^[374] and turns aside to the wall,

And he wurð ðo for anger wroð, 3964 And ðiſ prikeð and negt ſloð; so that Balaam's foot is crushed.

[369]

MS. ginges.

[370]

MS. queden.

[371]

MS. haued.

[372]

? agen.

[373]

? stirt.

[374]

? hirt.

BALAAM'S ASS SPEAKS.

forð and narwere ðiſ aſſe him bar, And ðe ðridde ſiðe wurð ðe angel war. ðo ne migte ðes aſſe flen, The angel went further, and stood in a narrow place,

3968 Ne he ne durſte forðere ten, Oc fel ðor dun(.) ðan ðis was don, and the ass fell down under Balaam,

Balaam it ſpureð and ſmit ðor-on; And god vndede ðiſ aſſes muð, who smote her with his staff.

3972 So ſoð it iſ(.) ſo it is ſelcuð. Quuað ðiſ aſſe ðus wið vn-miðe, "Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde ſiðe?" Quað balaam, "for ðu tregeſt me; 3976 Had ic an ſwerd, ic ſluge ðe." God opened the mouth of the ass, and she spoke to her master.

So was ðis were to wunder brogt, ðhog ðe aſſe ſpac, frigtede he nogt; Nevertheless this infatuated man was not frightened.

ðe let god^[375] him ðat angel ſen, [Fol. 77b.]

3980 wið ðe ſwerd dragen him agen. Quað ðe angel, "ðin weige iſ me loð, The angel tells Balaam,

ðor-fore am ic wið ðe ðuſ loð;^[376] If ðin aſſe ne were wið-dragen, 3984 Her ſuldes ðu nu wurðen ſlagen." that but for the ass he would have slain him.

Quað balaam, "quane ic haue miſ-faren, If ðu wilt, ic agen ſal charen." The prophet offers to return.

"far forð," quað ðe angel, "oc loc ðe wel, 3988 for-bi min red, quað ðu non del." He is cautioned by the angel.

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

Balaac him leddede^[378] heg on an hil, 3996 And .vii. alteres wrogte in his wil, On ilc alter fier alðerneðer, Balak causes seven altars to be built.

And ðor-on an calf and a weðer, And he bad balaac ſtonden ðor-bi, 4000 And gede on-rum qui^[379] bute for-ði, On each altar was offered a bullock and a wether.

[375]

MS. goð.

[376]

wroð?

[377]

MS. wurð.

[378]

ledde?

[379]

quile?

BALAAM BLESSES ISRAEL.

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

Quan he cam to balaac a-gen, 4004 Swilc wurdes he let vt-ten. God's word comes to Balaam,

"Hu mai ic ðat folc curſen on, [Fol. 78.]

ðor louerd haueð^[381] bliſcing don? ðiſ folk ſal waxen wel and ðen, 4008 And ouer al oðer migtful ben, Hiſ lif beð bliðe, hiſ ending ſal, ðe timeð al-ſo ðiſ timen ſal." and he blesses Israel.

Balaac miſliked al ðiſ queðe,^[382] 4012 And ledde hem ðeðen on oðer ſtede, To munt faga, for to ſen wel Of folc iſrael ðe oðer del. Balak is greatly displeased.

He wente on oðer ſtund or ſtede, 4016 Betre timing ðor-fore he it dede, And wende wenden godes ðogt, Oc al he ſwinked him for nogt. He brings the prophet to another place.

Hef[t] haueð he mad her .vii. alter, 4020 And on ilc brend eft twin der. Gede eft balaam up on-rum, ðo ſeide ðuſ quanne hem cam dun, Again seven altars were raised, and offerings made.

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

So ſal ðiſ folc ben migtful her; ðiſ leun ſal oðer folc freten, 4028 Lond canaan al preige bi-geten." Israel is compared to a lion.

Ille liked ðanne balaac Euerilc word ðe preſt balaam ſpac. Balak was ill pleased with the priest's words.

Get he ledde him to munt fegor, 4032 And efte he ſacrede deres mor; ðor^[383] ſpac balaam mikel mor Of ðiſ folckes migt, or he dede or. "folc ebru," quað he, "ðat ic ſe, [Fol. 78b.] Balak brings Balaam to Mount Peor.

4036 Bliſced ſal ben ðe bliſcede ðe; Again he blesses the Israelites,

[380]

MS. dat.

[381]

MS. haued.

[382]

quede?

[383]

MS. dor.

BALAAM'S ADVICE TO BALAK.

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

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

Manie tiding quad balaam ðor, 4044 ðe made balakes herte ſor; Oc ðan balaam wente a-gen, Such tidings made Balak's heart sore.

Tagte he balaam quat migte ben ðiſ folc to dere, and gaf him red 4048 ðat brogt iſrael iwel ſped. Balaam teaches Balak how to injure the Israelites,

"ðe ginge wimmen of ðin lond, faiger on ſigte an[d] ſofte on hond, And brigte on hewe, on ſpeche glad, 4052 Wið ðgere^[384] ſal ic ſondes ſad, ðe ðu ten vt gen ðiſ men, by sending out young women fair of face and soft of speech,

ðe cunen^[385] brewen herte-bren, wið win, and wlite, & bodi, & dwale, 4056 Luue[li]ke and wið ſpeche ſmale, who should "brew heart-burning and love,"

To wenden hem fro godes age To ði londe godes and vre lage; Bute-if ðu migt forðen ðiſ red, 4060 And hem fro godes luue led, [Fol. 79.] and so turn the people from God.

And fonde to wenden ðuſ here ðhogt, for wi ne wopen ne helpeð^[386] nogt." forð-nam balaam, ðat ille qu[e]ad 4064 ðe gaf ðiſ read of ſoules dead. For war nor weapon had no power to harm them.

ðuſ it was don, and bi ðat ſel This counsel was followed,

In ſichin ſingede iſrael, And for luue of ðiſ hore-plage 4068 Manie for-leten godes lage, And wrogten ðor ſwilc ſoules for and thus it fell that Israel sinned in Shittim,

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

[384]

gere?

[385]

MS. cumen.

[386]

MS. helped.

WHOREDOM AND IDOLATRY PUNISHED.

ðe fendes folgen and me flen, ðe bidde ic hangen ðat he ben; Ben ðeſe hangen ðe ſunne agen, 4076 ðise oðer^[387] folc ſal meðe ſen." God commands the chief men to be hanged.

Godes wreche ðor haueð of-ſlagen xx.iii. ðuſent of dagen.^[388] Twenty-three thousand were slain.

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

ðurg and ðurg boðen he ſtong 4084 wið hiſe giſarme ſarp & long. God moysen nemnen bead [Fol. 79b.] with his long and sharp pike.

Hiſ folc ðe was firmeſt fro dead, Or .xx. winter or more hold, 4088 ðe in egypte or ne weren told; God commands Moses to take the sum of the people above twenty.

On and .vi. hundred ðuſent ðor, And .vii. hundred and .xx. mor Moyſes fond and eliazar; 4092 Was non of hem told in tale or, It was found to be 601,720.

ðo moyſes tolde hem and aaron, ðan [h]e gunnen fro egipte gon. Vten ioſue and caleph, 4096 Alle elles he driuen in deades weph; Alle ðiſe wapmen ðor^[389] god let liwen, ðe lond hoten ſal hem ben giuen. God moyſes clepede and quad to him, Of those who were numbered at Sinai, all died except Joshua and Caleb.

4100 "ſtig hege up to munt Abarim, And ic ſal don ðe ðeðen^[390] ſen ðe lond ðe ſal ðiſ folc[e]s ben; ðer ðu ſalt ben of werlde numen. 4104 In to ðat lond ſalt ðu nogt cumen." "Louerd, merci!" quad moyſes, Moses being told of his death,

"Let ðu ðin folc nogt helpe-les, And good let oc ðu hem bi-ſe, 4108 Alſwilc alſ hem bi-hu[f]lik bee." intreats God not to let the people be "helpless."

[387]

MS. oder.

[388]

MS. ðagen.

[389]

MS. dor.

[390]

MS. ðeden.

MOSES DIES IN MOAB.

God hem andſwerede, "ioſue Ic wile ben loder-man after ðe; Tac him bi-foren eleazar, 4112 ðat al ðin folc wurð war, And ðine hondes ley him on, Sey him on ðin ſtede to gon." Alſ it is boden, alſo he dede, 4116 Ioſue wurð ſet on hiſe ſtede. [Fol. 80.] Joshua is appointed to succeed him.

Ðo moyſes was on abarim, ðat lond hoten god tawned him. ðor quiles him leſten liue dages, 4120 Hiſ he tagte leue lages, When Moses was on Abarim, God showed him the promised land.

And writen hem, haueð^[391] iſ hem bitagt, Bute-if he iſ loken hem beð agt,^[392] Erðe and heuene he wittneſſe tooc, 4124 And wrot an canticle on ðat booc, Moses' song, setting forth God's vengeance

ðat ðreated ðo men bitter-like ðe god ne ſeruen luue-like. ðo .xii. twelue kinderedes, on and on, upon those who would not serve Him truly.

4128 He gaf bliſcing bi-leue gon; At munt nemboc on ðat knol faſga, Wane he was ſtigen ðeðen ðoa, Sag ðe lond of promiſſion, 4132 ðurg god^[393] him was ſiðen ðat on. The blessings of the twelve tribes.

ðer he ſtarf inne. ðe moab lond, His bodi was biried wið angeles hond, Moses dies in Moab, and is buried by angels' hands.

ðer non man ſiðen it ne fond, 4136 In to lef reſte hiſ ſowle wond. Ebrius ſeigen, ðuſ waſ bi-tid, [Fol. 80b.] No man ever found his body.

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

4140 Quor engel-wird hiſ liche dede, fele ſulden him leuen on, And leten god; ðat were miſ-don. that the people might not afterwards worship it.

[391]

MS. haued.

[392]

MS. beð beð agt.

[393]

MS. goð.

MAY GOD SHIELD US FROM HELL'S NIGHT!

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

MOyſes iſ faren, on elde told fulle ſex ſcore winter old; Although Moses was 120 years old,

And ðog him leſtede hiſe ſigte brigt, 4148 And euerilc toð bi tale rigt. .xxx. daiges wep iſrael for hiſ dead(.) and bi-ment it wel. yet his eyesight remained bright, and every tooth was "by tale right."

Swilc prophete in folc of iſrael 4152 Roſ non, ne ſpac wið god ſo wel; Eſdras iſ witneſſe of [hiſ] ſage, He was wel wiſ of ðe olde lage. Such a prophet in Israel rose none.

Bi-ſeke we nu godes migt, 4156 ðat he make ure ſowles brigt, Beseech we now God's might,

And ſhilde us fro elles nigt, And lede us to bliſſe and in-to ligt; In ſwilc ðewes lene^[394] us to cumen,^[395] 4160 ðurg quat we ben to liue numen, that he shield us from Hell's night,

And in-to bliſſe wið ſeli men; Wið muð and herte ſey we, Amen! EXPLICIT LIBer EXODUS. [Fol. 81.] and bring us all into bliss. Amen!

[394]

? leue.

[395]

MS. cunen.

NOTES.

P. 1. ll. 1-2

og, another form of agh, = ow = ought. ren = run = rune, song, story.

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.)

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.

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

12 earuermor = eauermor = evermore. 14 soðe-sagen = soðe-sage = sooth-saw = sooth-saying, true saying.

15-16

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:—

23

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

thaunen = taunen, show, exhibit.

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

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.

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.

= 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

Wunder = misfortune, evil. S.Saxon wundre, mischief, hurt.

(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

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

drof = A.S. dráf, company.

105

troken = S.Saxon truken, O.E. trokie.

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.

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

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

134

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

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.

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

See Sunegie, sunehi, in O.E. Miscell. pp. 67, 68, 78, 79, 193.

173

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

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.)

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.

A passage in Cædmon's poems furnishes us with the very term ark-board by which we have rendered arche-wold.

259

266

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 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

P. 9. l. 275 ðhauen = suffer, endure, tolerate. S.Saxon ðafen, iðeuen; O.E. thave.

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

282 geuelic = geuenlic = like. Cf. the A.S. ge-efenlæcan, to be like, to imitate. O.E. euening = equal.

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

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.

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.

"And because that he saw that she was troubled at his word, he took to comfort her anon." Southern writers, by metathesis, formed from dreuen (dreue) the vb. deruen (derue), thereby confounding it with another vb. deruen or derue, pret. dorue, p.p. doruen (A.Sax. deorfan, pret. dearf, p.p. dorfen), to labour, perish, be in trouble. Dreue is a transitive vb. of the weak conjugation, while derue is intransitive and of the strong conjugation, nevertheless we find derue (pret. dorue), taking the signification of dreue. "Stute nu earme steorue ant swic nuðe lanhure swikele swarte deouel, þat tu ne derue me na mare."—(Seinte Marherete, p. 12.) "Stop now, poor stern one, and cease now at once, deceitful swart devil, that thou harm me no more." In Laȝamon we find not only pret. drof = distressed, but derfde, and the p.p. iderued. In the Owl and Nightingale (ed. Wright), p. 40, we find the p.p. idorve = troubled, injured.

322

i. e. gave her the cup of sorrow, of which we all drink; senkede = schenkede, to pour out, to give to drink, to skink. See Orm. ii. 181. Laȝ. ii. 202, 431; Alys. 7581; Owl and Nightingale, p. 70.

324

i. e. What is the meaning of the prohibition; oget = has, possesses o wold = a wold = in force, in signification. Cp.

In ll. 1671, 2122 wold occurs as a noun = interpretation, meaning. The connection between the idea of power, and meaning, interpretation, is not, after all, so very remote. Do we not speak of the force of a word, its power, use, etc., in an expression? See Ormulum, p. 56, l. 11815.

327

330 witent for witen it = know it. 333 on hire mod = in her mind. 339 scroðt = scroð = solicited; the pret. of scriðe. The original meaning of the verb is, (1) to go; (2) to cause to go, to urge; (3) to solicit.

341

342

unskil, literally, signifies indiscretion, folly, and by an easy transition, sin, crime. (See Ormulum, vol. i. p. 12. Cf. O.E. unskilwis = irrational.)

P. 11. l. 345 Vn-buxumhed = disobedience; but in line 346 it signifies weakness, un-lithesomeness.

347-8

vnwelde = unwieldy = the S. Saxon vniwælde, heavy.—(Gower i. 312.)

(i. e. weak with age); in win, in strife, conflict.

349

fremeðe seems connected with fremen and frame. In the translation I have connected fremeðe with O.E. frim, vigorous; but it may be another form of O.E. frumðe, beginning. Then the translation of l. 349 would be 'the beginning of flesh and shame of form.'

360

sigðhe = sight, but if it be an error for siðhe it will signify adversity, mishap. 362 ut luken = shut out. 363 tilen ði mete[n] = earn thy food. tilen (till), earn, procure.

364 wid = wið, with. swotes teres = tears of sweat, i. e. drops of sweat. We may, however, by spoiling the metre, read swotes & teres, for in O.E. writers swot is frequently used in the singular and makes the plural swotes.

365, 366

beas = be'st = art. The present has also a future signification.

369 niðful = envious.

loð an liðer, loathsome and vile.

372

373 san = schand, disgrace, shame. Did the scribe originally write sam = shame? 377 pilches. This word answers to the "coats of skin" in our English version of the Scriptures. In modern English pilch is merely the flannel swathe of an infant, but it formerly signified a fur garment. Cf. Ital. pellicia, pelizza, any kind of fur; also Fr. pelisse (pelice), a furred garment.

P. 12. l. 384.

391 swem = sorrow, grief. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. swemande. Legends of Holy Rood, pp. 135, 201.

392

A similar phrase occurs in l. 432, p. 13. The phrase stande awe is not uncommon in O.E. writers.

See Havelok the Dane, p. 9, l. 277.

393 on sundri = asunder = apart, separate.

398

leded = ledeð, is a verb in the imperative mood; gunker, the A.S. incer (dual) = your two, of you two. Cf. ȝunkerr baþre = of you both.—(Orm. i. 214.)

408

411

P. 13. l. 417 al swilc sel = all such time.

420

421, 422

(i. e. on account of the death of Abel.)

See Legends of the Holy Rood, pp. 20, 21.

431 and wurð ut-lage = and became an outlaw.

432

hinke = inke, doubt, dread. See note on l. 392.

436

Reflac = robbery with violence, rapine. (See Laȝ. i. 172, 272, 424; ii. 526.)

438 stonden agon = withstand, oppose. Cf. O.E. again-stande, to oppose.

439

The only objection against explaining fe by goods or money is that in the poem it signifies cattle, the proper term for goods, etc., being agte. In Laȝamon fe, however, has the meaning of goods, money.

440

444 at ðe sexte kne = at the sixth degree. Kne in this sense is used by Robert of Gloucester, p. 228:—"He come of Woden þe olde louerd, as in teþe kne" (i. e. tenth generation). 450 On engleis tale = in English speech.

P. 14. l. 451 kire, modesty, purity. See Laȝ. l. 8077. K. Horn, l. 1446.

456

See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. wale.

457-8

He taught of (concerning) the character, breed, age, colour [of cattle], the keeping them asunder, and the matching them together. merke refers, perhaps, to the form, shape, etc., of the cattle, and kinde to their pedigree. 459 glew, music, still exists in glee, gleeman, etc., O.E. gleowinge = singing. gleu, to amuse by singing.

Cf. gleo, music.—(Laȝ. i. 298.) gleo-cræften = glee-crafts, arts of music.—(Ibid. i. 299.) gleo-dreme = glee-sound.—(Ibid. i. 77.) gleowen, gleowien, to chant, play.—(Ibid. ii. 382, 429.) 466 a sellic smið, a wonderful (rare) smith. 468 To sundren and mengen = to separate (the ore from the dross) and to mix (alloy).

469

wigte = wig = war. Wigte may signify sharpness; it usually = strong, brave.

470

This line seems to be very corrupt and to stand in need of some emendation. I would propose to read as follows:—

= well could he fight [i. e. with the wopen of wigte] and heal with [the tol of grið]. If this interpretation be right tol of grið would refer to some curative agents. 472 wurð bisne, became blind.

475

477 wende = weened, thought. 480-481 Cain unwarned, received it (the arrow), groaned, and stretched (fell prostrate), and died with that (immediately). unwarde may be an error for unwarnde = unwarned, or for unwared = A.S. unwered = unprotected. 484 dedes swog = death's swoon. Swog = O.E. swowe, swoughe.

The verb to swoon occurs often in English under the form swoghen (p.p. yswowe),

Cf. Laȝ. 130, "he fel iswowen;" i. 192, stille he was iswoȝen (the later copy reads iswoȝe).

486

The literal signification seems to be thought, care. (See Agte in l. 3384.)

P. 15. l. 490 or or, etc. = first ere, etc. = first before, etc. fen = mud, dirt.

See R. of Gloucester, 6; Ps. (in Surtees' Psalter) xvii. 43. 492 drinkilden = were drowned; drinkil is a derivative of O.E. drinke, to drown, a softer form of which is drenche, which often signifies in O.E. a drink, potion (R. of Gl., p. 151; Ayenbite, p. 151, deaþes drenche), as well as to drink and to drown. See Laȝ. i. 64.

494

500 alied = halihed = holiness; toch = toc = took. 501 fro mannes mene, from man's fellowship, society. The usual form of mene in O.E. is ymene, ymone = common, general. 503-510 From Hampole's Pricke of Conscience, pp. 122-126, we learn that both Enoch and Hely (Elijah) shall come before doomsday to turn the Jews from following Antichrist to the Christian law:—"For 1260 days, or three years, shall they continue to preach. Antichrist, in great wrath, shall put the two prophets to death in Jerusalem, where their bodies shall lie in the streets for three days and a half, after which they shall ascend to heaven in a cloud. After their death Antichrist shall only reign fifteen days, at the end of which time he shall be slain before the Mount of Olivet." Some "clerks" affirm that he shall be slain by St Michael in Babylon, "that great hill." (See "Antichrist and the Signs before the Doom," in Jahrbuch für Romanische und Englische Literatur, 1863.) 517 Metodius. In the "Polychronicon Ranulphi Higdeni," p. 23, ed. by Churchill Babington, 1865, amongst the "auctores names" we find mention made of "Methodius etiam martyr et episcopus, cui incarcerato revelavit angelus de mundi statu principio et fine." 518 sighe sir = sigðhe sir = sheer insight, clear fore-knowledge.

P. 16. l. 525 quat agte awold = what should happen. 526 water wold, destroyed by water. wold may = walled, flooded, from wallen. 530 hore-plage, whore-play, whoredom. Cf. O.Sax. hor-uuilo; O.H.G. huorgilust. In O.E. hore (not whore) was an epithet applicable to men as well as women. It occasionally signifies adultery. It is found in combination as a qualifying term in hore-cop, horesone, a bastard; hore-hous, a brothel. The O.E. horwed, defiled, unclean; horowe, foul (Chaucer); hori, ouri, dirty; Provincial E. horry (Devonshire), seem to belong to another family of words.

532

See Allit. Poems, p. 46, ll. 269-272.

533

woded = wodhed. Cf. alied = alihed = holiness (l. 500, p. 15). "Þe oþer ontreuþe þet comþ of prede is wodhede, me halt ane man wod þet is out of his wytte, in huam skele is miswent."—(Ayenbite, p. 12.)

534

Golnes = lust, lasciviousness, occurs in the Owl and Nightingale, l. 492. Ancren Riwle, p. 198. Ps. lxvii. 14.

hunkinde = unkinde, unlawful, unnatural. 536 quad mester, wicked craft (practices). See Allit. Poems, p. 46, ll. 265-268. Quad takes several forms and meanings in O.E.; as qued, wicked (Kyng Alys., 5619; evil, 4237); the devil (R. of Gl., 314); quead, wickedness (Ayenbite, p. 4); quathe, wothe, wathe, evil, harm (Hampole's P. of C., 2102, 4558; Allit. Poems, B. 885).

537 hun-wreste plage, wicked lust; hun-wreste = unwreste, weak, frail, and hence wicked.

See Orm. i. 168-9. A.Sax. Chron., 1052. Wright's Lyric Poems, 37. Kyng Alys., 878. Owl and Night., 178. 538 A ðefis kinde = in thief's kind, in sodomy. thief in O.E. was a general term of reproach. Perhaps in ðefis we have an allusion to Cain.

542

544

545

546

554

hun-frame = unframe, loss, disadvantage. 556 deres kin = animals.

P. 17. l. 560 grið, protection, safety.

Cf. greth, quarter (Sir Cleges, 292). grith-bruch, breach of the peace (Owl and Nightingale, 1043). grith-sergeant (Havelok, 267). 561 feteles, a vessel, a fat or vat.

562 set, made, formed. limed, daubed, pitched. 564 sperd, sparred, barred. See Orm. D. 261; H. i. 142, ii. 68; Havelok, 448. spere or sparre signifies also to lock, shut up. Chaucer, Troilus and Creseide, v. 455; Bone Florence, 1774. ðig = ðic, thick.

566

swing = swinc, toil, labour. 568 welken, pass away, literally to fade, wither; and usually applied to plants and flowers.

See Hampole's P. of C. l. 707. 576 arche-wold. See note to l. 255. 582 gette or get, poured down. gette is the preterite of geten or gete. See l. 585. Cf. O.E. yhete (ȝete); pret. yhet; p.p. yhoten (iȝote).

See Ps. xli. 5, lxxiii. 21. Percy's Reliq. vol. ii. 81. Cf. "a metal geoter," a metal caster, Kyng Alys. 6725. out-yhetted, poured out, Hampole's P. of C. 7119. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. Gote. 592 moned = moneð = month.

P. 18. l. 598 dragen by metrical license for wið-dragen, withdrawn. ðe watres win = the water's force (strife). Winne in O.E. has the signification of to fight, contend with, strive, and hence to get. Cf. O.E. wunne, victory; wan, contrivance, remedy. See l. 347.

607 est = east. Probably only an error for eft = again. 614 arche-wolde. See note to l. 255. 617 Rad = hasty, rash. Literally it signifies ready, and frequently occurs in O.E. writers with this meaning. Cf. O.E. gerâd, rædlîce, rædliche, radely, radly, promptly, quickly, suddenly. See l. 2481, and Owl and Nightingale, ll. 423, 1041, 1279; Laȝ. 25603; St Marh. p. 10; Avow. Arth. xix. 6.

P. 19. l. 630 tudered (see note to l. 164).

631-637

so after swiulc is a true relative, as in the oldest period.

635 gat = granted. It is the preterite of a verb gate, to grant.

gate or yate, pret. yatte, is the Northern form of the word, the corresponding southern term is ȝete, pret. ȝette.

See Seinte Marherete, p. 18. Allit. Poems, p. 17, l. 557. a = an = in. 637 men cleped = one calleth it; cleped = clepet = clepe + et; et = it. We have a similar construction in l. 1082:

fundend = funden + ed = founden + et = found it. The author of the poem constantly joins the pronoun et = it to the preterite of weak verbs. See line 479, where letet = let it. 590 stodet = stod it = it stood. 1654 kiddit = kidd it = showed it. As the plurals of the present indicative do not end in -eþ or -et in the poem, but in -en (-n), cleped may be an error for clepeð or clepeth = calls, and men = O.E. me = one. See line 750.

643-644

lowe, a northern term (of Norse origin) for flame, the southern form (of A.Sax. origin) is leie. Religious Songs in Old Eng. Miscell., pp. 67, 182.

See also Legend of St Brandan, 512.

653 vten = wið-vten, without, besides. See l. 656. Cf. l. 596, with l. 598. 655 bi tale, in number.

P. 20. l. 676 gan ille wune, began wicked practices. 678 muni[gin]g = remembrance. 692 fendes fleiðing, fiends' strife. Probably fleiðing = flitting, contention, strife. The phrase fendes fleathe = ? fendes fleiðing, occurs in Shoreham's poems, p. 97.

P. 21. l. 713 hicte = higte, was called, named. 724 wol wel = wel wel = very well, extremely well. Cf. the O.E. expressions wel ald, wel lang, etc., very old, very long, etc.; wol wel corresponds exactly to the O.H.G. and M.H.G. vil wol; Mod. Ger. sehr wohl. See Erec. (ed. Haupt. 1839), 2017.

725

let (pret. of lete) = left; nam, literally took, and hence took the way, departed, went. See ll. 744, 745. 727 burgt, an error for burg.

P. 22. l. 743 for, went. See l. 763.

748

weledes is an error for welðes; it may = werldes = world's; fulsum = rich, plenteous, bountiful, occurs in O.E. fulsumhed (see l. 1548), fulsumly.

749 ist = is it, is there.

751

753 ðus it is went = thus is it turned or changed. 754 brimfir, if not an error for brin-fire (burning fire; see l. 1164), signifies wild-fire, i.e. brimstone. Cf. A.Sax. cwic-fyr = fire of brimstone. 763 hunger bond. We ought, perhaps, to read hunger-bond, corresponding to the German hungersnoth, famine, dearth. Cf. luue-bond, l. 2692, force of love. 764 feger = feyer, far. 767 to leten = to lose.

P. 23. l. 787 erdne = ernde, errand, prayer, petition, message.

to god erdne beren = to intercede with God. Ernde occurs in Lyric Poetry, p. 62, in the sense of to intercede. 792 arsmetike = arsmet[r]ike = arithmetic.

793

795 sat = schat, treasure, still existing in scot, shot. 796 vn-achteled, unestimated, immense; from achtel, to estimate, reckon. See Stratmann, s.v. ahtlien.

801

P. 24. l. 813 atteð = hatteð, is called.

827

tagte = bitagte, literally, assigned, appointed. 832 giscinge of louerd-hed = desire of lordship, greed of dominion. Giscinge = covetousness; the correct form is gitsing (ȝitsung, ȝittsung), but ȝissinge is found in Laȝ. ii. 227. Cp. yssing, O.E. Miscell. p. 38. icinge, Ayenbite, p. 16, and see Orm. i. 157.

833

834 kumeling is literally a stranger, foreigner, but here signifies a king or ruler not of native blood, one of foreign extraction. See Comeling in Prompt. Parv. p. 89.

"Wande ein chomelinch ih bin mit dir unde ellente also alle uatere mine."—(Wendb. Ps. xxxviii. 22.)

P. 25. l. 842 ferding stor, a great army. See O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 189.

844 gouel, tribute, tax. Later writers use the word gauel or gouel in the sense of usury. See Ayenbite, p. 35; O.E. Miscell. p. 46. Cf. gaueler, usurer. Ayenbite, p. 35; Ps. cviii. 11. 847 haued = haueð, hath. 848 here-gonge, invasion.

851 fowre on-seken and fifue weren = four attack and five defend. on-seken = attack.

864 witter of figt = skilled in fighting. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. wyter, and Laȝ. i. 260, 409; ii. 247.

866

869 wenden, thought.

875

P. 26. l. 882 bat = bad = bead = literally offered, and hence restored. bat = bette occurs in Legends of Holy Rood for amended, restored, p. 210, l. 6. 886 Borwen, delivered, rescued, the p.p. of bergen (O.E. berȝe, berwen).

"And huo þat agelt ine enie of þe ilke hestes him ssel þer-of vor-þench, and him ssrive, and bidde God merci yef he wyle by yborȝe."—(Ibid. p. 1.) Orm uses berrȝhenn, to save, preserve, from which he forms the derivative berrhless, salvation. 888 feres wale, brave companions (allies). Wale signifies select, choice, worthy, and hence brave. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. Wale.

893

Herbert Coleridge (Gloss. Index, p. 33) connects froðere with the A.Sax. frofrian, to comfort. Of course there is nothing to be said against the interchange of f and th (cf. afurst, thirsty; afyngred, hungry, etc.); but the A.S. freoðian, to protect, render secure, is nearer in form, and there is the O.E. vreþie (Ayenbite) to prove that this verb had not gone out of use. 895 ðe tigðe del = the tenth part. tigðe = tithe = tenth. 898 bargt = barg (the pret. of bergen) preserved. 910 wið-uten man = except the men. The rhyme seems to require us to read nam; the meaning would then be "without exception or reserve."

911

hes = he + es = he + them. The combination hes occurs again in l. 943. es or is = them, as in l. 949. See Note to l. 135, and Preface to O.E. Miscell. p. xv, and O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. xii.

P. 27. l. 913 meðelike wel, with great moderation, very meetly. Cf. unmeaðeliche in Seinte Marherete, p. 10. meðeliche in O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 7. meðleas, Ancren Riwle, p. 96. 918 algen = halgen = hallow. 920 bi-told (rescued) should be the pret. of a vb. bitellen, but no such word occurs in the poem. See O.E. Hom. 1st S. p. 205. Owl and Night. l. 263. Laȝamon uses bi-tellen, to win.

The editor explains bitellen by to win, but regain would suit the context.

924

His = is = es, them. 927 gulden wel, requited well.

934

erward = eruweard, heir. 939 nam god kep = took good heed to, attended carefully to. kep = care. See R. of Gl. 177, 191. Owl and Night. l. 1226. Hampole's P. of C. ll. 381, 597. 941 Euerilc, each, every one. euerilc is the same as the O.E. euerich, Mod. Eng. every.

943

This line refers to the "duue and a turtul," in the following line. See Genesis xv. 10. 945 on-rum the same as a-rum, apart, aside.

946

P. 28. l. 949 kagte is wei, drove them away. kagte is the pret. of kache, to drive.

953-954 God said to him in true dream, the future condition of his seed. beren-tem = barn-teem, offspring, descendants.

956

Cp.

Cf. uten stede, l. 1741. O.E. utenlande, a foreigner. Havelok, l. 2153. 958 Hor = or, before. 960 ðat hotene lond, that promised land. 964 untuderi, barren. The usual O.E. term is unberand, unbearing. See O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 177. 965 abre = to Abram. 969-971 And Sarai would not suffer it, that Hagar were thus swollen (with pride). She held her hard in thrall's wise (treated her as a slave). 974 one and sori, solitary and sad. 975 wil and weri, lonely and weary. Wil literally signifies astray, wild, from the verb wille, to go astray. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. Wyl.

977

drogen may be an error for drogende = suffering. sori as an adjective is not sorrowful, as most editors interpret the word, but heavy, painful, and hence anxious, etc. See l. 974.

978 quemede hire list, satisfied her desire.

P. 29. l. 984 folc frigti, formidable folk, frigti does not here signify, as in other parts of the poem, afraid, but to be feared. 991 in sunder run, secret speech or secret communing, private conversation. See O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 29. 1010 ðe ton = the one. ton = that one the first; toðer = that other, the second.

P. 30. l. 1019 quamede = quemede, pleased.

1021-1024

1026

1028 on wane, wanting one, i.e. one less. "In þis burh was wuniende a meiden swiðe ȝung of ȝeres, two wone of twenti."—(St. Kath. 69.)

1032

1035 stelen = go away stealthily or secretly.

1036

1037 sinne dwale = complaint of sin (see l. 1220); dwale may be taken as an adj. = grievous, mischievous. 1038 miries dale, an error for mirie dale = pleasant dale. See l. 1121.

1039-40

1041-4 "Lord," quoth he, "how shalt thou do (this), if thou shalt take vengeance thereon; shalt thou not the righteous protect (spare), or for them (for their sake) to the others mercy bear (show)?" með beren = to bear mercy, to show mercy to. See ll. 1046, 1242.

1046

Meðen signifies to use gently, act with moderation towards any one, to compassionate, to show mercy to. (See Allit. Poems, p. 45, l. 247; p. 51, l. 436; p. 54, l. 565; O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 153.) 1049 at-wot, departed. There is no such verb as æt-wítan, to depart, in Bosworth's A.Sax. Dict. The only meaning given to atwiten by Stratmann is to reproach, twit. At-wot may be a blunder for at-wond, departed. See l. 3058. Laȝ. l. 87. We have the O.E. at-flegen, at-gon, at-scape, etc. The simple verb wite is not uncommon in Early English authors.

1054 quake is evidently an error for quate = wait, look for.

P. 31. l. 1055

1060

bergen is literally to preserve, but it may be here used passively, as the infinitive often is by O.E. writers, and we must then render the line as follows:—"They wished him to be preserved from death."

1062

1063

1073

1076 wreche and letting = vengeance and failure.

1079

1082 fundend = funden + id = funden + it = found it. 1084 don red = do (obey) counsel, i.e. take advice.

P. 32. l. 1095 in sel = in time, timely, opportunely.

1097

1101 gunde under dun, under yond hill. 1103 sren, if correct, might signify screen, but it seems to be an error for fren, to set free, and hence to save.

1105

See Gen. xiv. 2; xix. 20, 22. 1107 hine = him, the name of the town being regarded as of the masculine gender. 1108 erðe-dine = earthquake.

The verb dinne in O.E. has not only the sense of to din, but to shake, quake. See Seinte Marherete, p. 20.

1109 Sone so, as soon as. 1110 brend-fier-rein, rain of burning fire.

1116

dain, if not an error for darin = daren, dare, venture, may = ðain, a man, a servant, or = duen, avail. 1119 wente hire a-gon, turned her aback. See l. 1097. 1120 wente in to a ston, turned into a stone.