I defended so that thou wast rescued,And laboured, and great sorrow endured,Yet is it unseen (is it a secret) how I accomplished it?
I defended so that thou wast rescued,
And laboured, and great sorrow endured,
Yet is it unseen (is it a secret) how I accomplished it?
2882hidel-like(= hidingly), secretly. Cf. O.E.hidel, a hiding place (Ps. xxvi. 5).2890to gode, for good, gratuitously.2891-2 And yet they hold (keep up) the number of the tiles (bricks), and knead and bake (them), great and small.2894And to God he made his complaint (bemoaning).
P. 83. l.2900ðhunerg=ðuner; O.E.thoner, thunder.2903Min milche witter namemay signify (1) my great wise name, or (2) my merciful wise name. In (1)milche=michel=mikel, great; but in (2) it =milce, mild, merciful. See l.3603.2918Iglic=uglic, ugly, horrible.2919wiches kire, select (choice) witches.2920in sowles lire, in soul's loss.2926And the heads of them all he bit off.
P. 84. l.2934wit= we two. See Orm. vii. 73, H. i. 4, 300.2935-6 This king himself is very bitter against this folk, and of heart hard.2938And try better with this token.2947trike, a rivulet, small stream, evidently connected with the verbtrick-le.2951wreche=wreke, vengeance, plague. Cf.michelandmikel,dikeanddiche, etc.2957bot=boot, release, deliverance, is connected with O.E.bete, to amend, to alleviate.2962bi-tournen=biturnen, turn, change.
P. 85. l.2969froskes here= host of frogs.
2977-8
Pole-heads (tadpoles) and frogs, and sport of podes (toads),Bound hard Egypt's wretched folk.
Pole-heads (tadpoles) and frogs, and sport of podes (toads),
Bound hard Egypt's wretched folk.
in sile=vn-sile=vn-sele, miserable, wretched. Stratmann says thatsile=sele, epirhedium.Polheuedes(Provincial Eng.pole-head), a tadpole. Palsgrave haspolet.Polly-wigs, tadpoles. "Tadpoles,pole-wigges, young frogs." (Florio, p. 212.)Pol-wygle, wyrme, occurs in the Prompt. Parv. (Hall.);pode= Prov. E.pode,paddock, a toad (Shakespeare); W. Prov. E.padstool= toadstool. (See King Alis. 6124.)
"ðare nakyn best of wenym mayLywe, or lest atoure a day;As ask, or eddyre, táde orpade,Suppos þat þai be þiddyr hade."—(Wyntown, i. p. 15.)
"ðare nakyn best of wenym may
Lywe, or lest atoure a day;
As ask, or eddyre, táde orpade,
Suppos þat þai be þiddyr hade."—(Wyntown, i. p. 15.)
2988up-wond= up-went, but literally up-wound.2989on bite, intheirbite.2990smite, a blight, plague.
P. 86. l.3011bad meðe, entreated for mercy.3013wroð=worð=wurð, became.3014And broke them that promise (see l.3062).3027dolc= O.E.dolg, wound, ulcer. O.E.dolc= pin, tongue.3037ðe to un-frame, to thy sorrow.
P. 87. l.3045al sir=all sheer, clearly, openly.3047vngheremay be an error forundere= badly, or, what is more probable, forvngere= unready, unexpectedly,gerebeing the same asgare,yare, ready, prepared.3048bergles= unprotected, shelterless, frombergen, to protect.
3055-6
Moses, cause this weather to turn,And I shall let you out fare (go).
Moses, cause this weather to turn,
And I shall let you out fare (go).
3058vnweder, storm. See ll.3059,3061.Wederin O.E. is often used for a tempest, storm. See Ywaine and Gawin, 411; Wyntown, i. 387; Romaunt of the Rose, 72, 4302.atwond, departed = away-wound, or away winded. Cf.atinat-wot, departed, p. 30, l.1049.3065gresseopp-e, grasshopp-e-r, locust. Cf. O.E.hunt-e, a hunt-e-r, etc.
"And to lefe-worm þar fruit gaf he,And þar swynkes (labours) togress-hopeto be."—(Ps. lxxvii. 46.)
"And to lefe-worm þar fruit gaf he,
And þar swynkes (labours) togress-hopeto be."
—(Ps. lxxvii. 46.)
3066And what the hail then left (untouched) shall all be consumed.
P. 88. l.3075but, without exception (?).3077Hu= how?3080Erewhile alone of men wasleavebesought.3086an newe figt, inanew conflict.3087skipperes, the grasshoppers. See l.3096, whereopperesis similarly used.3088They did on grass and corn injuries.3102ðherknesse=derknesse, darkness, is a genuine form, and occurs in the Coventry Mysteries:—"Therknesse, or derknesse, tenebre, caligo."—(Prompt. Parv.)3105Many there suffered sorrow in life;bead=abead, suffered.3108sowen=sogen, saw. See l.3329.
P. 89. l.3111boden= both. Seebothenin Glossary to Morte Arthure, ed. E. Brock.3120Death shall be avenged over you.
3123-6
Said God, "Yet I shall on Pharaoh,Ere ye go out, put a plague(Now I shall into Egypt go)—Such a plague was never any before."
Said God, "Yet I shall on Pharaoh,
Ere ye go out, put a plague
(Now I shall into Egypt go)—
Such a plague was never any before."
3131-2
I shall not fail youOf what I have promised you.
I shall not fail you
Of what I have promised you.
3139Every house-folk (family) that may permit of it.
3141-3
The tenth day it should be taken,And kept on the tenth night,And slain on the fourteenth day.
The tenth day it should be taken,
And kept on the tenth night,
And slain on the fourteenth day.
3144so it noten mai, as may partake of it;noten= O.E.note,naite, to make use of, enjoy, eat.
P. 90. l.3147bred= O.E.brad, roasted. (See Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight, l. 891.)3148wreken, taken, thrown out. "God nele naȝt þet me make, his hous marcat ne boþe, huerout hewrekþo þet zyalde and boȝte in þe temple."—(Ayenbite, p. 172.)3150his owen fond, his own wants (need).3153wriðel; can it meanhaste? (see Ex. xii. 11.) At first sight it seems to be a derivative ofwirt(by metathesiswrit), an herb; but the mention ofrew mete[n]in l. 3151 renders this rather doubtful.3154bi-leuen, the remainder. O.E.lave,leve, the remainder.3155dure-tren= door-trees, posts.
"For James the gentileJugged in hise bokesThat feith withouten the feetIs right nothyng worthiAnd as ded as adore-treBut if the dedes folwe."—(Piers Ploughman, 833.)
"For James the gentile
Jugged in hise bokes
That feith withouten the feet
Is right nothyng worthi
And as ded as adore-tre
But if the dedes folwe."
—(Piers Ploughman, 833.)
uuerslagen=overslagen,ouerslage, over-piece, lintel. "Ovyrslayof a doore. superliminare."—(Prompt. Parv.)3172For their toil they now have hire.
P. 91. l.3206fro=for, on account of.3211stundendoes not mean stood, but is a vb. (formed from the sb.stund, a stound, a short space of time) signifying to delay awhile, to wait.3212How Pharaoh should act toward them.3213Pharaoh summoned (assembled) out his army;bannen= to call to arms.
"Þa bleou Brutus&bonnede[bannede] his ferde."Then blew Brutus his hornAnd assembled his forces.—(Laȝ. i. 75.)
"Þa bleou Brutus
&bonnede[bannede] his ferde."
Then blew Brutus his horn
And assembled his forces.
—(Laȝ. i. 75.)
3218of fote ren= swift of foot.
P. 92. l.3220to werchen wi, to work war, to make war upon.3224ne gate=no gate, no ways;gateis often used by Northern writers as an affix = -wise or -ways; asal-gate,thus-gate, etc.3230On (against) Moses they setupa cry.3234Supplydonaftergu.3235dregen wið skil, endure with patience.3240That for you ways (paths) may be well prepared.
P. 93. l.3255an skige, a cloud. Cf. Milton's 'sky-tinctured' (Paradise Lost, Book V.).
"..... it ne left not askieIn al the welkin long and brode."—(House of Fame, iii. 508-511.)
"..... it ne left not askie
In al the welkin long and brode."
—(House of Fame, iii. 508-511.)
3264daiening=daigening, dawning.3271in twired wen, in perplexing doubt;twiredsignifies two-fold (doubtful) counsel.
"and [Bruttes] dudenswiðe vnwraste...... alle his haste,and weoren alletwiræde."And Brutus did very evillyall his behests,and all were of two counsels.—(Laȝ. ii. 392.)
"and [Bruttes] dudenswiðe vnwraste
...... alle his haste,
and weoren alletwiræde."
And Brutus did very evilly
all his behests,
and all were of two counsels.
—(Laȝ. ii. 392.)
3274helden, an error forholden.3275a morgen quile, a morrow while, a minute.3282wekenseems to be an error forwreken, taken (see l.3148.)
P. 94. l.3292pert=apert, open, clear.3300wlath, the reading of the MS., =lað, loathsome. Butwlach= brackish, properlywarm; cp.luke-warm.3301a funden(discovered)trew= a treewhich hefound.3310bred wantede, bread failed.
3315
Bet us were in egipte ben,It were better for us in Egypt to be.
Bet us were in egipte ben,
It were better for us in Egypt to be.
3319on-dreg= 'bear up,' endure patiently.3324so fele so, as many as.
P. 95. l.3327ðis dewes cost, the nature of this dew. For the meaning ofcostsee O.E. Miscell., pp. 12, 25; Allit. Poems, p. 66; Chaucer's Knight's Tale.3328rim frost=rime frost, hoar frost.3338for-hadede. Read ?for-hardede, hardened.3340That it gave a flavour of honey and oil.3341forbone mor, morethanwas bidden;forbonemay be an error forforbode, prohibition, command; or we may read (and the MS. will admit of it)forboue, above. Cf.biandfor-bi, etc.3345Kept it apart inaclean place.3348vten leð= in a foreign land;withouten let= without cessation.3353Soon was that water wanting to them.3354MS.haue; the rhyme requireshane;ðrist hanesignifies torment of thirst.
P. 96. l.3378here ðing, their affairs.3381Moses prayed for the folkofIsrael.3385Forleth isreadlet his.3388They supported them with a stone.3393bodeseems wanting aftersente.3394Of this occurrence to have a memorial.
P. 97. l.3398min blis. Jehovah-nissi is generally explained as "The Lord is my banner."3410stering, government, rule;sterein ll.3418,3420, rule;steres, rulers, ll.3413,3415;steres-men, rulers, ll.3417,3429.3412a meister wold, a master (head) ruler, the same asouer-man, l.3424.3413tgen=tyen, ten. See l.3418.3414Ilc here, each of them.3429-32 He bad them choose rulers, mighty, who are God-fearing, truth-loving, and who strife and covetousness forsake.3432niðingsignifies not only strife, but niggardliness, wickedness, slaughter, etc. O.E. writers usually employ the word in the sense of a coward, villain, miser, etc.
P. 98. l.3434And willingly (gladly)hereceived (accepted) it.3438is numen, has gone.3448May we not readIc wile min folc cnowen be= I will be known to my people?
3449-51
And Moses told this to Israel,And they promised him every whitWhat he biddeth them they will do.
And Moses told this to Israel,
And they promised him every whit
What he biddeth them they will do.
3453ðis to daiges= these two days.3458wið goren dragen= pierced with darts.
"heo beoren on heore hondegares[speres], swiðe stronge."—(Laȝ. iii. 44.)
"heo beoren on heore honde
gares[speres], swiðe stronge."
—(Laȝ. iii. 44.)
3459-60
Thesepeoplefearful thus abode,While these days forth have passed.
Thesepeoplefearful thus abode,
While these days forth have passed.
3462Spile, ravage, destruction (see l.2977).3463On this mount stood a cloud's shadow;and=an=a(see l.3475).
P. 99. l.3471-84 Each of you bear in mind, that it is not Moses, Amram's son, whom ye shall to-day hear speak, but He who slew Egypt (you for to avenge), and a path made in the sea; and who let Adam discover the tree which preserved Noah, and led Abraham out into the land of Canaan; who caused Isaac to be begotten of old Abraham and of Sarah (of old teats); who gave Isaac (Jacob?) so many sons, and who gave Joseph such rich gifts (abilities); let His word be to you as precious as life, dearer than either child or wife.
3488-9
None might go further except Nun,And also his brother Aaron.
None might go further except Nun,
And also his brother Aaron.
3489on=one. It may be an error foroc= also.3496My vengeance is severe, my forbearance is long.3497in idel, in vain;idelin O.E. signifiesempty,void.3498-3500 Nor swear it lyingly to defile in sport, Nor let thou my honour be lost in the fiend's tempting (i. e.in yielding to the devil's advice).
P. 100. l.3508for truke of= for failure of, for want of.3515Covet not thy neighbour's thing.3518Thou losest everlasting bliss.3519figeren=fiyeren=feren, afar.3533nemeld=nemend=nemned, named, appointed (?).
P. 101. l.3545-6 That mad folk there of day brought Hur (i. e.put Hur to death) and put Aaron in fear; 'to don of dawe' = to bringen of dage = put to death. (See Legend of St. Beket, l. 622; Allit. Poems, p. 9, l. 282.)
"For quen the childe es born, sal IDo it of dawsa priuely,That na wiht sal the squeling here,And delf it sithen in our herbere."—(Met. Hom. p. 167.)
"For quen the childe es born, sal I
Do it of dawsa priuely,
That na wiht sal the squeling here,
And delf it sithen in our herbere."—(Met. Hom. p. 167.)
P. 102. l.3573for godeis frequently employed by Chaucer.3574It is a song wicked and foolish.
3581-2
And mixeditinthewater and poured it off,And gave that folk that draff (dregs) to drink.
And mixeditinthewater and poured it off,
And gave that folk that draff (dregs) to drink.
Cf. O.E.draff, chaff. "Draffeor drosse, or mater stampyd, pilumen." (Prompt. Parv.) Cf. "draf-sak." (Chaucer.)
3583-4
Then wist he well who had done it (committed idolatry),Seen it (the dregs) was on their beards.
Then wist he well who had done it (committed idolatry),
Seen it (the dregs) was on their beards.
3603milche moð=milce mod, mild (merciful) mood.
3605-6
God answered, "Off shall I take them,Who are notworthyto be placed thereon."
God answered, "Off shall I take them,
Who are notworthyto be placed thereon."
3607min engel on, my angel alone.
P. 103. l.3611to pligt, fortheirsin.3614And as sun-beam bright shone his features.3624wið witter dragt, with skilful device.3626And their labour they well apply.3635of lore wal, of choice lore.3637betten=beten, amend, frombet, better.3640Ere they from Sinai forth have passed.3642ðe oðer, the second.
P. 104. l.3647This folk has after pleasure gone.3653Moses caused it to ceasewith his prayer. Seenoteonblissen, p. 182.3658for-hirked=for-irked, tired.3661Loruerd=louerd, lord.3664Thou shalt cause me quickly to suffer death.3676And brought a great mint of quails; butturles=turtles, doves. See Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 181.
P. 105. l.3688There became Miriam somewhat foolish;soth=sott, a fool (see l.3685).3710A bunch of grapes on a long pole; O.E.cowele,cowle, a coop, tub, etc.; Prov. E.cowl;cuuel-stafsignifies the staff or pole upon which the people carried their kneading troughs. This interpretation is supported by the formcowle-treorsoo-tree. Falanga, vectatorium. (Prompt. Parv.) "Phalanga est hasta, vel quidam baculus ad portandas cupas, Anglice a stang, or aculstaffe."—(Ortus.) "Courge, a stang, pale-staffe, orcole-staffe, carried on the shoulder, and notched for the hanging of a pale at both ends."—(Cotgrave.) In Caxton's Mirrour of the World, c. 10,A.D.1481, it is related that in Ynde "the clusters of grapes ben so grete and so fulle of muste, that two men ben gretly charged to bere one of them only upon acole-staff." In Hoole's translation of the Orbis sensualium, by Comenius, 1658, is given a representation of thecole-staff(ærumna), used for bearing a burden between two persons, p. 135; and again, at p. 113, where it appears as used by brewers to carry to the cellar the new-made beer in "soes," or tubs with two handles (labra), called alsocowls. In Brand's "Popular Antiquities," ii. 107, will be found an account of the local custom of riding thecowl-stafforstang(Way in Prompt. Parv.)
P. 106. l.3721swerdes slagen, slain of (with) sword.3723loder-man=lodesman, leader. A leader we will choose (take);sen=bi-sen.3730If Moses were not opposed there-to.3732milche=milce, mercy, pity. See l.3728, where the correct form occurs.3740Their righteousness was pleasing to God.3742sorwes dere= sorrow's hurt.
3745-6
Again (backwards) they made their course,As that cloud had taught.
Again (backwards) they made their course,
As that cloud had taught.
P. 107. l.3755migtfulqualifiesmeistresin l. 3756.3760-61ilc gure, each of you. Cf.quilc gure, which of you, l.3764.3761reklefat, incense vat, the vessel holding the incense, censer. See Orm. i. 2, 35, 58.3762timingeseems to be an error fortime ge, wait ye.3767orgel pride, arrogant pride. Cf.orrȝhellmod, pride (Orm. i. 216). "Ichabbe isehen his ouergart, ant his egedeorhelferliche afallet."—(St. Marh. p. 11.) I have seen his presumption and his arrogance fearfully felled.3770Instead of the reading in the text substitute the following:Moyses, and vt ne wulde gon;vrseems to be an error forvt= out. See Numbers xvi. 12.3774Held up neither stone nor grit. I do not thinkston ne gret=strong ne gret= strong nor great.
3777-80
Such destruction they have unexpectedlyNo man need labour to bury themThis earth is together closedAs it were never ere broken up.
Such destruction they have unexpectedly
No man need labour to bury them
This earth is together closed
As it were never ere broken up.
3786fieres swaðe, flame (burning) of fire.
P. 108. l.3796There hath a cloud them well girded.3802Ran and stoodbetweenthe living and the dead;tirenseems, from the way it is written in the MS., to be an error fortuen=twen, between.3807-14 Though this folk, much frightened, remained quiet for a time, nevertheless theyare yet in diverse counsels (i. e.of conflicting opinions). Moreover, they vacillate in purpose, and think that it may be decided better. Though these burnt (i. e.those destroyed by fire) are refused, yet they ween that God shall take of the twelve tribes some more to be in the place of those whom he had despised (rejected).miðeis the pret. subj. ofmiðen= A.S.míðan(pret.mád, pl.midon; pret. subj.mide), to lie hid, to avoid, omit, hide, dissemble.3809aglen=aylen=ail, become weak or foolish.3814for-hugede, despised, rejected.
"Ah Gurmund hitfor-hoȝedeAnd habbe he heo nolde."—(Laȝ. iii. 156.)
"Ah Gurmund hitfor-hoȝede
And habbe he heo nolde."—(Laȝ. iii. 156.)
"For niss nan mann þatt uss birrþ attForrhoȝhenngod to lernenn."—(Orm. ii. 107.)
"For niss nan mann þatt uss birrþ att
Forrhoȝhenngod to lernenn."—(Orm. ii. 107.)
P. 109. l.3824. The name of the tribe whichshallthereto belong.3826Which tribe he desires this serviceto beon.
3851-2
Here and there (yonder) there they buried lie,All the old (ones) did there end (i. e. died).
Here and there (yonder) there they buried lie,
All the old (ones) did there end (i. e. died).
P. 110. l.3865-6
God bad assemble the folk and go,And before them smite on the stone.
God bad assemble the folk and go,
And before them smite on the stone.
3880costful, dangerous. See Met. Hom. p. xix, wherefar-cost= a dangerous voyage.3884wente of liwe= turned from life = died.3887in=hin=hine, him.
P. 111. l.3924The sense requires us to read,for to stillen his vn-eðe mod, for to quiet his uneasy (disturbed) mind.
P. 112. ll.3931-2
In the night a message came to him from God,And a prohibition against this king's counsel.
In the night a message came to him from God,
And a prohibition against this king's counsel.
3941me goue hold= should give me faithfully;hold=holde= faithfully, truly.3945Oc or or= but first ere.3951And turned his heart on worse thought.3958And beat and turned it to the path;sti, path, way. "ðes is forðon ðeðe gecuoeden wæs ðerh esaias ðone witgo cuoeðende: stefn cliopende in woestern gearuas woeg drihtnes, ræhta doeð [wyrcas]stigahis." (Matt. iii. 3. Northumbrian Version.)3964negt=neg+it= nigh it.
P. 113. ll.3972-3
It is as true as it is marvellous.Said this ass thus with anger.
It is as true as it is marvellous.
Said this ass thus with anger.
3976-7
Had I a sword, I would slay thee.So was this man to mischief (grief) brought.
Had I a sword, I would slay thee.
So was this man to mischief (grief) brought.
3985-6
Quoth Balaam, "since I have mis-fared,If thou wilt, I will turn back."
Quoth Balaam, "since I have mis-fared,
If thou wilt, I will turn back."
3988
Against my counsel speak thou nought.
Against my counsel speak thou nought.
3993-4
Shall I no word be able to forth-do (utter),Except what God layeth on me.
Shall I no word be able to forth-do (utter),
Except what God layeth on me.
4000-1 And went apart; why? but because from above, etc.
P. 114. ll.4009-10
His life is blithe (joyful), so shall be his ending (death),Who prospereth as this (one) shall prosper.
His life is blithe (joyful), so shall be his ending (death),
Who prospereth as this (one) shall prosper.
4015Fororreadand(?).4016He did it for better success.4022hem, if not an error forhe, stands forhe+hem.
P. 115. l.4049"The young women of thy land, fair of sight, and soft of hand, and bright of hue (complexion), of speech glad (joyous), in haste shall I set apartasmessengers; do thou send out against these men those whocan brew (produce) heart-burning with joy, with features, and with body and sin, pleasantly, with speech small (flattery), to turn them from God's fear to thy land gods and our laws; unless thou canst follow this advice and lead them from God's love, and seek to turn thus their thought, for war nor weapon helpeth not.4052ðgere=gere= haste. At first I was inclined to takeðgerefordere, so thatwið ðgere= for harm.4053ten=te(?). Or should we read,ðe do ten vt= cause those to go out.4056Luuekemay be an error forluue-like= pleasantly; or it may =luue-leke= love;-lecbeing a not uncommon ending of abstract nouns, as in O.E.feirlec, fairness, beauty.4063quad. The rhyme seems to requirequead;ðat ille quad= that wickedly spoke (advised);ðat ille quead= that wicked wretch.
P. 116. ll.4086-88