HOW THE CHILD MOSES BEHAVED BEFORE PHARAOH.

Ghe brogte him bi-foren pharaon,She (Thermutis) brought him (Moses) before Pharaoh,
And ðiſ king wurð him in herte mild,And this king became to him in heart mild,
So ſwide faiger was ðiſ child;So very fair was this child;
And he toc him on ſunes ſtede,And he took him on son's stead (instead of a son),
And hiſ corune on his heued he dede, And his crown on his head he did (placed),
And let it ſtonden ayne ſtund;And let it stand a stound (while);
ðe child it warp dun to ðe grund.The child threw it down to the ground.
Hamoneſ likeneſ was ðor-on;Hamon's likeness was thereon;
ðiſ crune is broken, ðiſ iſ miſdon.This crown is broken, this is misdone.
Biſſop EliopoleosThe Bishop of Heliopolis
ſag ðiſ timing, & up he roſ;Saw this circumstance, and up he rose;
"If ðiſ child," quad he, "mote ðen,If this child, quoth he, might thrive (grow up),
He ſal egyptes bale ben."He shall Egypt's bale be.
If ðor ne wore helpe twen lopen,If there had not helpers 'tween leapt,
ðiſ childe adde ðan ſone be dropen;This child had then soon been killed;
ðe king wið-ſtod & an wiſ man,The king with-stood and a wise man,
He ſeide, "ðe child doð alſ he can;He said, The child doth as he can (knows);
We ſulen nu witen for it dedeWe should now learn whether it did
ðiſ witterlike, or in child-hede;"This wittingly, or in childishness;
He bad ðis child brennen to colenHe offered this child two burning coals
And he toc is (hu migt he it ðolen),And he took them (how might he bear them?)
And in hiſe muth ſo depe he iſ dedeAnd in his mouth so deep (far) he them did (placed)
Hiſe tunges ende iſ brent ðor-mide;His tongue's end is burnt therewith;
ðor-fore ſeide ðe ebru witterlike,Therefore said the Hebrew truly,
ðat he ſpac ſiðen miſerlike.That he spake afterwards indistinctly.
—(ll. 2634-2658.)