MOSES AND AARON PERFORM MIRACLES BEFORE PHARAOH.

God quað, "ic ſal hem leſen fro,
And here fon weren wið wo;
Abraham, yſac, and hiſe ſunen
2900 Woren to min ðhunerg wunen,
ðog ne tagte ic hem nogt for-ði
Min mig[t]ful name adonay;
God renews his promise by his name Adonai,
Min milche witter name eley
2904 He knewen wel, and ely;
ðat ic ðe haue hoten wel,
Ic it ſal leſten euerilc del."
which was unknown to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Moyſes told hem ðiſ tidding;
2908 ðog woren he get in ſtrong murni[n]g.
Siðen ſpac god to moyſen,
and tagte him hu it ſulde ben.
Moses told the Hebrews these tidings, and yet were they in great anguish.
fowre ſcore ger he waſ hold,
2912 And aaron ðre more told,[[266]]
Moses was now fourscore years old.
Quanne he ðat[[267]] bodewurd ſpoken,
And deden ðe firme token.
 [Fol. 57.]
AAron ðor warp vt of hiſ hond
2916 Moyſeses migtful wond,
And it wurð bi-foren pharaon
Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh.
An Iglic ſnake ſone on-on;
ðe king ſente after wiches kire,
It became an ugly snake.
2920 Wapmen ðe weren in ſowles lire,
ðe ferden al bi fendes red,
fendeſ hem gouen ſinful ſped;
And worpen he ðor wondes dun,
The sorcerers, by the devil's help, did the like.
2924 fro euerilc ðor crep a dragun;
Oc moyſes wirm hem alle ſmot,
Each of their rods became a dragon.
And here aldre heuedes he of bot;
ðog deden wicheſ ðo men to ſen
2928 On oðere wiſe or ſoðe ben;
for ðo fendes or he[m] bi-foren
Hadden ðo neddres ðider boren;
Moses's serpent bit off their heads.

[266]

At the bottom of this page is the catchword—"Quanne he ðat bodewurd."

[267]

MS. dat; see the catchword.