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.)
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.
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].
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]]
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.
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.)
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).
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.
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.)
Siðen for-les ðat dai is pris
Afterwards lost that day its honour.
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.
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.
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.)
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.)
"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.
"Other thou bodest cualm of oreve (orve),
Other that lond-folc wurth i-dorve."
And senkede hire hure aldre bale
= And poured out to her the bale of us all,
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.
Quat oget nu ðat for-bode o-wold
= What does now that prohibition signify?
i. e. What is the meaning of the prohibition; oget = has, possesses o wold = a wold = in force, in signification. Cp.
Quat-so his dremes owen a wold
= What-soever his dreams do mean.
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.
for is fruit sired [sireð?] mannes mood,
= for its fruit enlighteneth (cleareth) man's mind.
[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.
for to forðen is fendes wil,
for to further (do) his foe's will.
"For up he rigteð him
redi to deren,
to deren er to ded maken
if he it muge forðen."—(O.E. Miscell. pp. 5, 6.)
At he ðat fruit, and dede unskil,
Ate he that fruit and committed sin.
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
Vn-welde woren and in win
Here owen limes hem wið-in.
Their own limbs within them
Were powerless and in strife.
vnwelde = unwieldy = the S. Saxon vniwælde, heavy.—(Gower i. 312.)
"——hise limes arn unwelde."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 3.)
(i. e. weak with age); in win, in strife, conflict.
"and wið al mankin
he (the devil) haueð nið and win" (envy and strife).
(O.E. Miscell. p. 8.)
"ðis fis wuneð wið ðe se grund,
and liueð ðer eure heil and sund,
til it cumeð ðe time
ðat storm stireð al ðe se,
ðanne sumer and winter winnen (strive)."
(O.E. Miscell. pp. 16, 17.)
"Þar aros wale and win."
There arose slaughter and strife.—(Laȝ. i. 18.)
flesses fremeðe and safte same
boðen he felten on here lichame.
Lust of flesh, and shame of form
both they felt in their bodies.
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.'
ðu haues ðe sorges sigðhe waked.
Thou hast for thyself a sight of sorrow roused.
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.
"Ne maig he tilen him non fode."
He is not able to procure food for himself.
(O.E. Miscell. p. 3.)
[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.
Til gu beas eft into erðe cumen,
Till thou art again into earth come.
beas = be'st = art. The present has also a future signification.
[369] niðful = envious.
"O nyth þare springes mani bogh,
Þat ledes man to mikel wogh,
for nithful man he luuves lest,
Þe quilk he wat es dughtiest."
—(Cursor Mundi, MS. Cott. Vesp. A iii. fol. 153b.)
loð an liðer, loathsome and vile.
And atter on is tunge cliuen,
And poison on his tongue shall cleave.
[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.
"Here kirtle, here pilche of ermine,
Here keuerchefs of silk, here smok o line,
Al-togidere, with both fest,
Sche to-rent binethen here brest."—(Seven Sages, 473.)
P. 12. l. [384].
Cherubin hauet [haueð] ðe gates sperd,
Cherubim have the gates bolted (barred, fastened).
[391] swem = sorrow, grief. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. swemande. Legends of Holy Rood, pp. 135, 201.
Of iwel and dead hem stondeð greim
Of evil and death they stand in awe.
A similar phrase occurs in l. [432], p. 13. The phrase stande awe is not uncommon in O.E. writers.
"Than sal be herd the blast of bem,
The demster sal com to dem,
That al thing of standes awe."
(i. e. stands in awe of.)
—(Met. Hom. p. xii.)
"For Crist com sal be sa bright
Þat thoru þat mikel lauerd might
Him sal of stand sa mikel au,
Þat alle þe filthes of his maugh
Sal brist ute at his hindwin,
For dred he sal haf of drightin."
—(Antichrist and the Signs of the Doom,
in Jahrbuch für Romanische und Englische Literatur,
1863, p. 203, l. 408.)
"Thereof ne stod him non owe."—(Seven Sages, 1887.)
See Havelok the Dane, p. 9, l. 277.
[393] on sundri = asunder = apart, separate.
And leded (ledeð) samen gunker lif.
And lead (pass) together your (two) lives.
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.)
And sumdel quemeð it his seri mood
And somewhat it cheereth his sorry mood.
More for erneste dan [ðan] for gamen,
More for necessity than for pleasure.
P. 13. l. [417] al swilc sel = all such time.
ðan he was of is broðer wold,
When he was by his brother killed.
An hundred ger after is dead,
Adam fro eue in srifte abead.
A hundred years after his death,
Adam from Eve in shrift (penance) abode.
(i. e. on account of the death of Abel.)
"A hundred winter of his liue
fra þan forbar Adam his wiue,
for soru of Abel þat was slayn."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 8.)
See Legends of the Holy Rood, pp. 20, 21.
[431] and wurð ut-lage = and became an outlaw.
wið dead him stood hinke and age.
Of death he stood in dread and fear.
hinke = inke, doubt, dread. See [note] on l. 392.
ðeft and reflac ðhugte him no same,
theft and robbery appeared to him no shame.
Reflac = robbery with violence, rapine. (See Laȝ. i. 172, 272, 424; ii. 526.)
"Þe first sin is o covatise
Þat revis mani man þair praise,
O þis cumes blindnes and tresun,
Reuelaic, theft, extorsiun."
—(The Seven Deadly Sins: Cursor Mundi, Cott. MS. Vesp. A iii.)
[438] stonden agon = withstand, oppose. Cf. O.E. again-stande, to oppose.
Met of corn, and wigte of fe,
Measure of corn, and weight of goods.
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.
And merke of felde, first fond he,
And he first devised division (boundary) of fields (lands).
[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.
He was hirde wittere and wal.
He was herdsman wise and experienced (skilful).
See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. wale.
[457]-8
Of merke, and kinde, and helde, & ble,
sundring and sameni[n]g tagte he.
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.
"Bi a piler was he þar sett
To gleu þaa gomes at þair mete."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 40b.)
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).
Wopen of wigte and tol of grið
= weapon of war and tool of peace.
wigte = wig = war. Wigte may signify sharpness; it usually = strong, brave.
wel cuðe egte and safgte wið.
This line seems to be very corrupt and to stand in need of some emendation. I would propose to read as follows:—
wel cuðe he fegte and sagte wið
= 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.
"Þis Lamech was called Lamech þe blind,
Caym he slogh wit chaunce we find."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 10.)
Al-so he mistagte, also he schet,
As he mistaught, so he shot.
[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.
"Aswogh (in swoon) he fell adoun
An his hynder arsoun (rise of the saddle),
As man that was mate."—(Lybeaus Disconus, 1171.)
The verb to swoon occurs often in English under the form swoghen (p.p. yswowe),
"The king swoghened for that wounde."—(Kyng Alys., 5857.)
Cf. Laȝ. 130, "he fel iswowen;" i. 192, stille he was iswoȝen (the later copy reads iswoȝe).
Of his soule beð mikel hagt.
On his soul is much sorrow.—(See l. [2044], p. 59.)
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.
"Man here is nathyng elles
Bot a foule slyme, wlatsom til men,
And a sekful of stynkand fen."
—(Hampole's P. of C., l. 566.)
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.
"& att te lattste drunncnenn þeȝȝ
þa wrecchess, þat hemm trowwenn.
And at the last drown they
The wretches who them trow (believe)."—(Orm. ii. 181.)
"The see him gon adrynke
That Rymenil may of-thinke."—(Kyng Horn, 978.)
he began holy custom
Of prayers, and of god-fearing-ness,
for life's help and soul's comfort (counsel).
[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.
Wimmen welten weres mester
Women wielded a man's art.—(See Rom. i. 26.)
See Allit. Poems, p. 46, ll. 269-272.
And swilc woded wenten on,
And such madness (folly) went on.
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.)
Golhed hunkinde he gunnen don,
Unnatural lust they did commit.
Golnes = lust, lasciviousness, occurs in the Owl and Nightingale, l. 492. Ancren Riwle, p. 198. Ps. lxvii. 14.
"Non lest (listen) on man do amys
Thorȝ hys oȝene gale (lust)."—(Shoreham, p. 107.)
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).
"De quât deit, de schuwet gêrn dat licht."—(Reynard the Fox.)
[537] hun-wreste plage, wicked lust; hun-wreste = unwreste, weak, frail, and hence wicked.
"Mærling vnwærste [onwreste] man
Whu hæuest þu me þus idon."—(Laȝ. ii. 228.)
"Þenne þat hæfd (leader) is unwræst [onwrest]
Þe hæp (host) is þæ wurse."—(Ibid. vol. ii. 259.)
"Thanne aȝte men here wyves love,
Ase God doth holy cherche;
And wyves nauȝt aȝens men
Non onwrestnesse werche,
Ac tholye,
And nauȝt onwrest opsechen hy
Ne tounge of hefede holye."—(Shoreham, p. 57.)
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.
And leten godes frigti-hed
And forsook the fear of God.
And mengten wið waried kin
And intermixed with accursed kin.
Of hem woren ðe getenes boren
Of them were the giants born.
—(See Genesis vi. 4.)
Migti men, and figti, for-loren
= Migti men, figti and forloren,
Mighty men, warlike and forlorn (doomed).
[548] litel tale, little account (worth). [553] blissen = lessen = be-lessen (?) or bi + leschen, to soften. Cf. blinnen and linnen = to cease. See ll. [3653], [3803].
ðat it ne wexe at more hun-frame
lest it should grow to greater evil.
hun-frame = unframe, loss, disadvantage. [556] deres kin = animals.
P. 17. l. [560] grið, protection, safety.
"he wuneden (dwelt) seoððen (afterwards) here
inne griðe and inne friðe (peace)."—(Laȝ. ii. 50.)
"Lauerd, lauerd, ȝef (give) me grið."—(Ibid. iii. 35.)
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.
"þe firrste fetless wass
Brerdfull off waterr filledd."—(Orm. ii. 148.)
"Sex feteles of stan war thar stan[d]and,
Als than was cumand in the land
And Crist bad thaim thir feteles fille
Wit water, and thai did son his wille."
—(Met. Hom. p. 120.)
[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.
ðor buten noe(.) long swing he dreg.
Thereabout Noah endured long toil.
swing = swinc, toil, labour. [568] welken, pass away, literally to fade, wither; and usually applied to plants and flowers.
"It wites als gresse areli at dai,
Areli blomes and fares awai;
At euen doun es it brogt,
Un-lastes, and welkes, and gas to noght."—(Ps. lxxxix. 6.)
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).
"Yhet over þam þi wreth."—(Ps. lxviii. 25.)
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].
"Alle we atter dragen off ure eldere,
ðe broken drigtinnes word ðurg ðe neddre;
ðer-ðurg haueð mankin
boðen nið and win."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 11.)
[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
Often he prayed with timid prayer,
That such vengeance as God then did
Should no more on the world come,
What vengeance so ever there should be taken.
God granted it in token of love,
Showed him in the welkin above
A rainbow, they call it, red and blue.
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.
"Fourti dais he sal [tham] yate
Þat fallen ar ute o þair state
Þoru foluing o þat fals prophet,
Þat þai mai þam wit penance bete."
—(Antichrist, in Jahrbuch für Romanische und Englische Literatur,
1863, p. 204, l. 428.)
gate or yate, pret. yatte, is the Northern form of the word, the corresponding southern term is ȝete, pret. ȝette.
"& ȝho ne wass nohht tær onnȝæn,
Acc ȝatte hemm hĕre wille
& ȝatte þatt ȝho wollde ben
Rihht laȝhelike fesstnedd
Wiþþ macche, swa summ i þat ald
Wass laȝhe to ben fesstnedd."—(Orm. i. 80.)
"& þe king him ȝette
swa Hengist hit wolde."—(Laȝ. ii. 172.)
"& þe king him ȝette
al þat he ȝirnde."—(Laȝ. i. 189.)
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]:
"for al ðat nigt he sogten ðor
ðe dure, and fundend neuere mor."
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
And as high the flame shall go,
As the flood flowed on the downs (hill).
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.
"Of his neose-þurles
cumeð þe rede leie."
See also Legend of St Brandan, 512.
"Þair throtes sal ay be filled omang
Of alle thyng þat es bitter and strang,
Of lowe and reke with stormes melled,
Of pyk and brunstane togyder welled."
—(Hampole's P. of. C., l. 9431.)
[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.
"ȝyf thou rewardest thyne eldrynges nauȝt
A-lyve and eke a-dethe,
That were wel besy to brynge the forthe,
. . . . . . . .
ȝyf thou hy gnaȝst and flagȝst eke,
Ryȝt hys that fendes fleathe."
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.
Thare let hur, and ðeðen he nam,
Terah left Ur, and thence he went.
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].
Of weledes fulsum and of blis Rich of (in) wealth and of (in) bliss.
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.
Each thing dieth that therein is cast.
[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.
"Ih scal iu sagen imbot,
gibot ther himilisgo Got,
Ouh nist ther er gihorti
so fronsig arunti."—(Otfried's Evangelienbuch.)
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.
He was hem lef, he woren him hold,
He was dear to them, they were true to him.
[795] sat = schat, treasure, still existing in scot, shot. [796] vn-achteled, unestimated, immense; from achtel, to estimate, reckon. See Stratmann, s.v. ahtlien.
ðor he quilum her wisten wunen,
Where they formerly wished to dwell.
P. 24. l. [813] atteð = hatteð, is called.
ðer het god abre ðat tagte lond, etc.
There God promised Abraham that promised land, etc.
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.
"Al his motinge (talk)
was ful of ȝitsinge."—(Laȝ. i. 280.)
Neg ilc burge hadde ise louereding,
Nigh each borough (city) had its lord.
[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.
"For I am a commelyng toward þe
And pilgrym, als alle my faders was."
—(Hampole's P. of C., 1385.)
"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.
"For ich am witi ful iwis,
And wot (knoweth) al that to cumen is:
Ich wot of hunger [and] of hergonge."
—(Owl and Nightingale, l. 1189.)
[851] fowre on-seken and fifue weren = four attack and five defend. on-seken = attack.
"heo wenden to beon sikere. They weened to be secure
þeo Belin heom on-sohte." when Belin attacked them.
—(Laȝ. i. 241.)
[864] witter of figt = skilled in fighting. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. wyter, and Laȝ. i. 260, 409; ii. 247.
Abram let him tunde wel,
Abram caused himself to be well surrounded (well guarded).
[869] wenden, thought.
wið-ðuten [= wiðð-uten] ðo ðe cuden flen
= except those who could flee.
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).
"Þis boc is ymad vor lewede men
vor vader and vor moder and vor oþer ken
Ham vor to berȝe vram alle manyere zen
þet in hare inwytte ne bleve no voul wen."
—(Ayenbite, p. 211.)
"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.
He froðer[ed]e him after is swinc.
He comforted him after his toil.
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."
Alle hes hadde wið migte bi-geten.
He had them all with might begotten (obtained).
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.
"Ac wih him we scullen ure freoscipe (freedom)
mid fehte bitellen."—(Vol. i. p. 328.)
"Bi-ðencheð eow ohte (bold) cnihtes
to bi-tellen eoweore rihtes."—(i. 337.)
The editor explains bitellen by to win, but regain would suit the context.
"Nu þu hauest Brutlond,
Al bi-tald to þire hond."—(Vol. ii. p. 335.)
"Nu ich mi lond habben bi-tald."—(Vol. iii. p. 258.)
Quo-so his alt him bi-agt
= Whoso them (goods) holdeth, him it behoveth (yield as tithes).
His = is = es, them. [927] gulden wel, requited well.
Of ðe-self sal ðin erward ten,
Of thyself shall thine heir come.
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.
Vndelt hes leide quor-so hes tok,
Undivided he laid them where-so he took (brought) them.
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.
"Tho Alisaundre sygh this,
Aroum anon he drow, ywis,
And suththe he renneth to his muthe (army)."
—(Kyng Alys., 1637.)
And of ðo doles kep he nam.
And of the pieces care he took.
P. 28. l. [949] kagte is wei, drove them away. kagte is the pret. of kache, to drive.
"And he ansuered als he war medde,
And said, Allas and wailewaye.
That ever I com at yon abbaye,
For in na chaffar may I winne
Of tha lurdanes that won tharinne
For likes nan of thaim my play,
Bot alle thar kache me away."—(Met. Hom. p. 151.)
[953]-954 God said to him in true dream, the future condition of his seed. beren-tem = barn-teem, offspring, descendants.
"We are alle a (one) man barn-teme."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 27b.)
And uten erdes sorge sen.
And in foreign lands sorrow see (experience).
Cp.
"Outen sones to me lighed þai,
Outen sones elded er þai."—(Ps. xvii. 46.)
"Filii alieni mentiti sunt mihi, filii alieni inveteraverunt."
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.
"He is hirde, we ben sep;
Silden he us wille,
If we heren to his word
ðat we ne gon nowor wille."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 2.)
"And child Jesus willed them fra."—(Met. Hom. p. 108.)
wiste hire drogen sori for ðrist.
Knew her to be suffering sorely for thirst.
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].
"Quen thai him (Jesus) missed, thai him soht
Imang thair kith and fand him noht,
And forthi Joseph and Mari
War for him sorful and sari."—(Met. Hom. 108.)
[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
Quoth this one, "this time next year,
Shall I appear to thee here;
By that time shall bliss befall Sarah,
That she shall of a son conceive."
And it hire ðogte a selli ðhing,
And it appeared to her a marvellous thing.
[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.)
And it wurð soð binnen swilc sel,
And it became so (came to pass) within such time.
[1035] stelen = go away stealthily or secretly.
Ne min dede abraham helen, Nor my deed from Abraham hide.
[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
ðo adde abram-is herte sor,
for loth his newe wunede ðor,
Then had Abraham's heart grief,
For Lot, his nephew, dwelt there.
[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].
Ic sal meðen ðe stede for ðo,
I shall have mercy upon the place for those (for their sake).
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.
"The first dai sal al the se
Boln and ris, and heyer be
Than ani fel of al the land,
. . . . . . . . .
And als mikel the tother day
Sal it sattel and wit away."—(Met. Hom., p. 25.)
"When this was sayd, scho wyte away."—(Ibid., p. 169.)
[1054] quake is evidently an error for quate = wait, look for.
P. 31. l. [1055]
He ros, and lutte, and scroð him [hem?] wel.
He rose, and bowed, and urged (invited) them well.
He wisten him bergen fro ðe dead.
They wished to preserve him from death.
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."
And he him gulden it euerilc del.
And they him requited it every whit.
Oc al ðat burgt folc ðat helde was on.
But all that townsfolk that were old enough.
ðat folc vn-seli, sinne wod.
That wretched folk, mad with sin.
[1076] wreche and letting = vengeance and failure.
Wil siðen cam on euerilc on.
Blindness or bewilderment afterwards came on every one.
[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.
ðat here non wente agen.
That none of them should turn back.
[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.
Ai was borgen bala-segor.
Aye was saved Bela Zoar (little Bela).
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.
"Á hundyr á thowsand and seẅyntene yhere
Frá þe byrth of our Lord dere,
Erddyn gret in Ytaly
And hugsum fell all suddanly,
And fourty dayis frá þine lestand."—(Wyntown, p. i. 289.)
The verb dinne in O.E. has not only the sense of to din, but to shake, quake. See Seinte Marherete, p. 20.
"Þe erth quok and dind again."
—(Cursor Mundi; Cott. MS. Vesp. A. iii. fol. 11b.)
[1109] Sone so, as soon as. [1110] brend-fier-rein, rain of burning fire.
Ne mai non dain wassen ðor-on,
None may dare to wash therein.
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.
So ist nu forwent mirie dale,
So is there now changed merry (pleasant) dale.
ist = is + it, is it, there is. [1125] deades driuen, held (influenced) of (by) death.
P. 33. l. [1127] They say the trees that are near it, come to maturity in time, and bring forth fruit and thrive, but when their apples are ripe, fire-ashes one may see therein. fier-isles, fire-ashes. For the meaning of isle, see Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. Vsle. [1131]-2 That land is called dale of salt, many a one taketh thereof little heed (account).
"Of thair schepe thai gif na tale,
Whether thai be seke or hale."—(MS. Harl. 4196, fol. 92.)
[1137] biggede, dwelt. It signifies more properly to build. [1139]-40 Here is an allusion to the destruction of the world by fire mentioned in lines [640]-644, p. 19. Those maidens erewhile heard some say that fire should all this world consume. [1140] forsweðen, to burn up entirely, from the O.E. swethe or swithe, to burn, scorch. See Ancren Riwle, p. 306 (footnote). Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. swythe. [1142] fieres wreche, vengeance (plague) of fire. [1143]-4 The Cursor Mundi says that Lot's daughters seeing only their father, thought that all men had perished.
"Bot Loth him held þat cave wit-in,
He and his doghtres tuin;
For þai nan bot þair fadre sau,
Þai wend alle men war don odau,
Thoru þat ilk waful wrak;
Þe elder to þe yonger spak:
'Sister to þe in dern I sai,
Þou seis þe folk er alle awai;
Bot Loth our fader es carman (male) nan,
Bot we twa left es na womman;
I think mankind sal perist be,
Bot it be stord wit me and þe.'"—(fol. 18.)
[1147] vnder-gon, (1) to go under, (2) to cheat, deceive. In line [1160] under-gon = to undertake, take up again.
Cp.
"ȝet our by-leave wole onder-gon,
That thyse thre (Persons of the Trinity) beth ryȝt al on."
—(Shoreham, p. 142.)
"Ope the heȝe eȝtynde day
He onder-ȝede the Gywen lay."—(Ibid. p. 122.)
"And tus adam he [Christ] under-gede,
reisede him up, and al mankin,
ðat was fallen to helle dim."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 22.)
[1151] eiðer here, each of them. Cf. O.E. eiðer eȝe, each eye, both eyes. [1159]-60 Now behoveth us to turn back and take up the song concerning Abraham.
Wið reuli lote and frigti mod.
With mournful cheer and frightened mood (mind).
reuli = sad, rueful, from the verb rue, to pity, compassionate, grieve for. Cf. O.E. rueness, compassion; Ruer, a merciful person; reuthe, pity.
"He saith 'we ben ybore euerichone
Making sorwe and reuly mone.'"—(MS. Addit. 11305.)
lote, fare, cheer.
"Þis isah þe leodking
grimme heore lates."
The king saw this,
their grim gestures.
—(Laȝ. ii., 245.)
"Þat freond sæiðe to freonde,
mid fæire loten hende,
'Leofue freond, wæs hail!'"
That friend saieth to his friend
With fair comely looks,
"Dear friend, wassail!"
—(Ibid. ii., 175.)
P. 34. l. [1163] Roke, East Anglian for reke, smoke. See Prompt. Parv. p. 436; Beve's, l. 2471.
And ðe brinfires stinken smoke,
And the sulphur's stinking smoke.
stinken = stinkende, stinking. [1166] him reu. The verb rewe is used impersonally in O.E. [1167] suðen = southwards. (See Gen. xx. 1.) [1171]-2 Erewhile as first Pharaoh her took, now taketh Abimelech her also. [1177] wif-kinnes, womankind. [1178] wið-helð = wið-held. [1179]-80 In dream to him came tidings why he suffered and underwent that misfortune. [1180] untiming is literally that which is unseasonable. We have the same notion expressed in O.E. unhap (mishap), misfortune; E. happen, happy, and E. hap, happen, etc. Cp. untime, in Ancren Riwle, p. 344. [1184] ðat il sel, that same time, immediately.
And his yuel sort was ouer-gon,
And his evil lot was passed.
ða ðe swinacie gan him nunmor deren,
When the quinsy did him no more vex (annoy).
Our author or his transcriber is certainly wrong about the "swinacie;" for the punishment of "lecher-craft" was meselry (leprosy), the quinsy being the penalty for gluttony. The seven deadly sins were thus to be punished in Purgatory:—
| 1. Pride, | by a daily fever. |
| 2. Covetousness, | " the dropsy. |
| 3. Sloth, | " the gout. |
| 4. Envy, | " boils, ulcers, and blains. |
| 5. Wrath, | " the palsy. |
| 6. Gluttony, | " the quinsy. |
| 7. Lechery, | " meselry or leprosy. |
[1192] ðat faire blod, that fair woman. blod in O.E. was used as a term of the common gender, as also were such words as girl, maid, etc. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s.v. blod.
Bad hire ðor hir wið heuod ben hid
= Bad hire ðor-wið hir heuod ben hid?
Bad her there-with her head to be hid,
(That is, she was to buy a veil for her head).
[1194] timing, good-fortune, happiness. See [note] to line 1180. [1195] bi-sewen, be seen. so in this line seems an unnecessary addition of the scribe's. [1197] wurd = wurð, became; on elde wac, in age weak (feeble). Woc = weak; the older form is wac. See Laȝ. ii. 24, 195, 411.
"Forr icc amm i me sellfenn wac,
& full off unntrummnesse."—(Orm. ii. 285.)
"Vor nout makeð hire woc but sunne one."
For nought maketh hir weak but sin only.
—(Ancren Riwle, p. 4.)
See O.E. Miscell. p. 135; ll. 581, 595.
[1198] trimede is, perhaps, for timede = teemed = brought forth; if not it must be referred to O.E. trumen. See trimen in l. [1024].
P. 35. l. [1200] a-buten schoren = about shorn, is merely the explanation of circumcized.
"O thritte yeir fra he was born,
was ysmael wen he was schorn."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 16b.)
[1201] lay is another form of law. Cf. O.E. daye and dawe. [1204] al swilk sel, even at such time. [1206] is told, is reckoned. [1208] fro teding don, removed from his mother's care (?). teding = tending (?), nursing, care, not teðing = teething. "fro teding don" in the Cursor Mundi is expressed by the phrase spaned fra the pap = weaned from the breast.
Michel gestninge made abraham,
great feasting or entertainment made Abraham.
gestninge (feasting) seems to be the same as the S.Saxon gistninge, a banquet. The original meaning is hospitality; O.E. gesten, to entertain a guest; S.Sax. gistnen, to lodge. See Ancren Riwle, p. 288a, 414. Laȝ. ii. 172.
And ysmael was him vn-swac,
And Ishmael was to him (Isaac) disagreeable.
vn-swac, displeasing, distasteful. There is no such word as un-swæc to be found in the A.Sax. glossaries, but we have swæc, savour, taste, from which I have deduced the meaning here given to un-swac. See Ancren Riwle, p. 48, where spekung = swekung, and cp. swæc, stenc, and hrepung, in Ælfric's Hom. i. 138.
[1213] un-framen, to annoy, from O.E. frame, to benefit, to profit.
[1216] Hir was ysmaeles anger loð, To her was Ishmael's anger displeasing.
[1217] Ghe bi-mente hire to abraham, She bemoaned her to Abraham. bimente = pret. of bimene, to complain, lament.
"bimene we us, we hauen don wrong."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 25; see R. of Gloucester, p. 490.)
[1220] dwale, complaint, grief. See l. [1037].
"Be þu neuere to bold, to chiden agen oni scold,
ne mid mani tales to chiden agen alle dwales."
(O.E. Miscell., p. 127. See p. 126, l. 414.)
[1221] rapede, hastened, hurried away. See Rich. Cœur de Lion, 2206.
"The wretche stiward ne might nowt slape;
Ac in the morewing he gan up rape."—(Seven Sages, l. 1620.)
"The king saide, 'I ne have no rape (I am in no hurry)
For me lest yit ful wel slape.'"—(Ibid. l. 1631.)
In sumertid, In egest sel,
In summer time, in the highest time (the hottest season) of the year.
Cp. 'in a hyȝ seysoun.'—Allit. Poems, p. 2, l. 39. [1228] hete gram, fierce heat. [1229] wexon ðrist. The sense requires us to read wex on ðrist, with fatigue and heat thirst waxed on them.
Tid-like hem gan ðat water laken,
Soon did that water fail them.
P. 36. l. [1238]
Bi al-so fer so a boge mai ten,
By as far as a bow may reach.
[1239] sik and sor, sighing and sadness. [1241] dede hire reed, brought her help.
An angel meðede hire ðat ned,
An angel alleviated her distress.
hire is the dative of the personal pronoun. [1244] seli timing, a fortunate occurrence. See [note] to l. 1180. [1247] nam fro ðan, went from that place. fro ðan = Sc. fra thine, from thence. [1252] mikil and rif, great (powerful) and wide-spread. [1254] In Arabia his kin dwell. [1258] kungriche = kineriche, kingdom. Cf. kungdom = kunedon = kingdom, l. [1260]. kunglond, kunelond = kinglond, kingdom, l. [1262]. guglond = kunglond, kingdom, l. [1264].
[1261]-2
His ninth son was Tema,
Wherefore is there a kingdom called Teman.
Het a guglond esten (eften ?) fro ða,
Was called a kingdom afterwards from that time.
esten fro ða = eastwards from those other kingdoms. [1269] siker pligt, firm, sure pledge.
P. 37. l. [1275] feren pligt, pledged fellows.
ðog [it] was nogt is kinde lond,
Nevertheless it was not his native land.
Richere he it leet ðan he it fond,
richer he left it than he found it.
On an hil ðor ic sal taunen ðe,
on a hill where I shall show thee.
[1292] ðat he bed him two [to ?], that he commanded him to go to. two, an error for to. See l. [3752]. [1295]-6 They say on that hill's side was made the temple of Solomon. [1295] dune-is siðen = dune-is siden, down's (hill's) sides. [1299] buxum o rigt, rightly obedient. [1301] sagt, an error for sag (saw). See l. [1334].
P. 38. l. [1308]
ðo wurð ðe child witter and war,
Then became the child wise and wary.
[1315]-20
Wonderfully art thou in the world come,
Wonderfully shalt thou be hence taken;
Without long suffering and fight (struggle)
God will thee take from world's night,
And of thyself holocaust have,
Thank Him that He would it crave (demand).
[1317] ðhrowing = throe, suffering, agony.
"ðrowwinge and pine."—(Orm. ii. 174.)
"Vor soð wisdom is don euere soule-hele biuoren flesches hele: and hwon me ne mei nout boðe holden somed, cheosen er licomes hurt þen þuruh to stronge vondunges, soule þrowunge."—(Ancren Riwle, p. 372.) For true wisdom is ever to put soul-health before flesh-health, and when one may not hold both together, to choose rather bodily hurt than, through too strong trials, soul-agony (death). [1323] Supply don after wulde. [1328] nuge = nog, now. [1331] frigti fagen may be either frigti and fagen, timid and glad, or else frigti-fagen, timidly glad.
[1332] for ysaac bi-leaf un-slagen, for Isaac remained unslain.
[1333] Bi-aften, behind, abaft.
"Tacc þær an shep bafftenn þin bacc
and offre itt forr þe wennchell."—(Orm. ii. 156.)
[1336] on ysaac stede, instead of Isaac.
P. 39. l. [1345]
Sarra was fagen in kindes wune, Sarah was naturally glad.
in kindes wune = after the manner of kinde (nature); kindes wune = kind-wise, kin-wise. [1365] semeð is an error for semes, burdens, loads, or for semed, burdened, loaded. See l. [1368]. seme is properly a load for a pack-horse.
"An hors is strengur than a mon,
Ac for hit non i-wit ne kon,
Hit berth on rugge grete semes,
And draȝth bi-vore grete temes."
—(Owl and Nightingale, ed. Wright, p. 27.)
[1372] min erdne ðu forðe selðhelike, mine errand do thou perform, accomplish successfully. forðe = forðen. See Orm. l. 1834; Ancren Riwle, p. 408; Laȝ. l. 31561. [1373] lene, grant, still exists in lend, loan, etc.
He bad hise bede on good sel,
He offered his prayer (in good time) opportunely.
P. 40. l. [1379] ilc on = each one.
Ne wor nogt so forð ðeuwe numen,
The custom had not been so forth (up to that time) practised.
[1388] bofte = bi-ofte, behoof; cf. O.E. byefþe, bi-ofþe. See l. [1408]. [1390] beges = bracelets, armlets, probably from A.Sax. bugan (= beogan), to bow, to bend. The original meaning of beg is crown. In Piers Ploughman 346, beighe signifies a collar. In the Middle High German version of the Book of Genesis (ed. Diemer) it is stated that Eliezer, for love, gave Rebekah
"Zwêne ôringe
und zuêne arm-pouge
ûz alrôteme golde."
[1391] ghe seems to be an error for he. [1394] kiddit = made it known, showed it. [1397] good grið = good entertainment. [1398] Him (the dative of the personal pronoun), for him.
Quilc selðe and welðhe him wel bi-cam,
What prosperity and wealth had well befallen him.
[1409] wið-ðan, with-that, thereupon.
fagneden wel ðis sondere man,
welcomed well this messenger.
fagnen is literally to make fain or glad, to welcome, entertain; sondere man. The proper form is sondes-man. Ancren Riwle, p. 190. Cf. loder-man for lodes-man, l. [4110], p. 117; and sander-bodes, O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 89.
P. 41. ll. [1411]-12
When God hath it so ordained,
As he sendeth so it shall be.
[1417] garen, to prepare (to set out), to make yare, to get ready.
[1419]-20
For entreaty nor meed not would he there.
Over one night delay no (any) more.
drechen is (1) to trouble, annoy, (2) to hinder, delay.
(1) "Sir Pilates wife dame Porcula
Tille hir Lord thus gan say—
'Deme ȝe noght Ihesus tille ne fra,
Bot menske him that ȝe may
I have bene drechid with dremes swa,
This ilk night als I lay.'"
—(Gospel of Nichodemus, Harl. MS. 4196.)
(2) "Quhen Claudius þe manhed kend
Of þe Brettownys, he message send
Tyl Arẅyragus, þan þe kyng
Þat Brettayne had in governyng,
For til amese all were and stryfe,
And tak his dochtyr til his wyfe,
And to Rowme þat Tribwte pay
Wycht-owtyn drychyng or delay."—(Wyntown, vol. i. p. 92.)
In the Cursor Mundi we are told that wanhope (despair) causes
"Lathnes to kirc at sermon here
Dreching o scrift (delay of shrift)," etc.—(Cott. MS. Vesp. A. iii.)
[1427] Or or first ere, i.e. before. [1428] morgen-giwe = morgen-giue, nuptial gift, the morning gift, the gift of the husband presented to the wife on the morning after marriage. See Ancren Riwle, p. 94. Hali Meid. p. 39. [1430] godun dai, good day. godun = godne, the accusative of the adjective.
"He let clipie þe saterday:
Þe freres bifore him alle
And bed alle godne day."—(St Dunstan, l. 200.)
[1434] sondes fare, the journey of the messenger (Eliezer). [1437] on felde = the O.E. afelde. [1439] Eððede = eðede, alleviated, is connected with the O.E. eþe (eað), easy, and literally signifies softened. [1440] Of faiger waspene, of fair form; waspene is evidently an error for wasteme or wastene. "He seh þeos seli meiden marherete ... þe schimede ant schan al of wlite (face) ant of wastum (form)."—(Seinte Marherete, p. 2.) "In þis burh was wuniende a meiden swiðe ȝung of ȝeres, two wone of twenti, feir ant freolich o wlite & o westum."—(St Kath. p. 69.) [1442] Here samening, their union, intercourse.
And sge ne bi-spac him neuere a del.
And she contradicted him never a whit.
bispeke in O.E. also signifies to threaten. See Castle of Love, l. 221.
P. 42. l. [1448]
Abraham dede hem siðen sundri wunen,
Abraham assigned them afterwards sundry abodes.
Him bi-stoden wurlike and wel,
Mourned for (bewailed) him worthily and well.
See ll. [716], [3857]. wurlike = wurðlike, worthily. [1461]-4 Long it was ere she him child bare, And he entreated God, when he became aware of it (i.e. that Rebekah was barren), That he should fulfil that promise, That he to Abraham erewhile made. [1463] fillen, to fulfil, accomplish. See Orm. i. 91. quede, promise, saying, is the same as the O.E. quede, a bequest, quide, a saying, from queðe, to say, still existing in quoth. See Laȝ. i. 38, 43; ii. 151, 197, 613 ; iii. 3; Orm. ii. 321.
[1467]-8
At one burden she bore
Two, who were to her akin of blood.
sibbe blod = O.H.G. sippe-bluot, blood relatives. Perhaps this line was inserted by the author on account of the popular belief at this time, that the birth of twins was an indication of unfaithfulness on the part of the woman to her husband. [1469]-71 Also it seemed to her day and night, As (though) they wrought in fight (struggling, conflict), Which of them should first be born. [1470] "And the children struggled together within her."—(Gen. xxv. 22.) The following curious paraphrase of this passage occurs in the Cursor Mundi, fol. 20b:—
"His wiif (Rebekah) þat lang had child forgane,
Now sco bredes tua for ane,
Tuinlinges þat hir thoght na gamen,
Þat in hir womb oft faght samen.
Swa hard wit-in hir wamb þai faght,
Þat sco ne might rest dai ne naght;
At pray to Godd ai was sco prest,
To rede hir quat þat hir was best;
Þat hir war best he wald hir rede.
Hir liif was likest to þe ded (death).
Strang weird was giuen to þam o were,
Þat þai moght noght þair strif forbere
Til þai had o þaim-seluen might
To se quarfor þat þai suld fight.
Fra biginning o þe werld
O suilk a wer was never herd,
Ne suilk a striif o childer tuin
Þat lai þer moder wamb wit-in.
Þair strut it was vn-stern stith,
Wit wrathli wrestes aiþer writh.
Bituix unborn a batel blind,
Suilk an was ferli to find.
He þat on þe right side lai
Þe tother him wraisted oft awai;
And he þat lay upon þe left,
Þe tother oft his sted him reft."
[1470] and = an = in; or else figt must be an error for fagt = fought; and nigt = nagt. [1477] Ghe is evidently an error for ghet or get, yet. liues = alive. Cf. newes, anew, etc.
P. 43. l. [1484] swete mel, sweet meal (food), not sweet speech. "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison."—(Gen. xxv. 28.) [1487] seð a mete, sod a meat. "sod pottage."—(Gen. xxv. 29.) [1493] mattilike weri = mattilike and weri, overcome (faint) and weary. Mattilike is connected with the O.E. mat, mote, faint, half dead. See Allit. Poems, p. 12, l. 386.
Iacob wurð war he was gredi,
Jacob became aware that he (Esau) was hungry.
—(See Gloss. s.v. Gredi.)
[1495]-6 "Brother," quoth he, "sell me those privileges Which are said to be the first (eldest) son's." [1499] bliðelike, quickly; blithelike has often this sense in O.E. writers. [1501] wurði wune, a worthy (high, great) privilege. [1503] offrende sel, offering time.
Was wune ben scrid semelike and wel,
Was wont to be clothed seemly and well.
[1506] dede his ending, came to his end (died). [1507] heg tide, hey (high) days. [1510] twinne del, two-fold. [1511]-12 And when the father were (should be) buried, to have two portions of hereditary property. ereward = erfeward, is properly the guardian, keeper of the erfe or inheritance, and hence the heir, so that instead of ereward riche we ought to read ereward-riche, corresponding to the A.Sax. yrfe-land, hereditary land. The -riche is the affix found in O.E. heven-riche, heaven kingdom; kine-riche, a kingdom; E. bishoprick. The -ward (in ereward) = warder, keeper, is found in O.E. gate-ward, dore-ward (door-keeper), bat-ward (boat-keeper); hey-ward (farm-yard keeper); sti-ward (steward, the officer who originally had care of the highways or sties?).
P. 44. l. [1514] then, an error for ten, to go. [1515] in wis, in wise, so that; but may we not read in-wis = i-wis, indeed, truly? See l. [2521]. [1518] Holden wurðelike, esteemed honourably, held in honour, respect; a may be for and, or for aa = aye, ever.
[1519]-20
A hundred times as much waxed his honour,
So may God prosper where he will.
Niðede ðat folk [ðat] him fel wel,
That folk envied him because he prospered.
[1522] And made him change his abode; flitten is to remove, to flit.
"O land he (Noe) had ful grette plenté,
For him and for his sons thre;
Mast to tilth he gave him þan,
To flitt þe breres he bigan;
Sua lang wit flitting he þam sloght,
Þat wine-treis he þam wroght."
—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 13.)
[1524] trewðe fest, troth-fast, pledged by troth or plighted faith; fest has usually the sense of confirming, pledging, in O.E.
"Þis neu forward (covenant) was festened þan."
—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 23.)
[1527]-28
And age came upon Isaac,
He became sightless and weak of (with) age.
elde swac = eldes wac, weak of (with) age. [1531] ðat, what. [1535] brogtes, brought them. [1536] And she well knew the father's choice; kire answers exactly to the later gloss, wune = what is chosen, selected; S. Sax. cure, choice.
"Þer stoden in þere temple
ten þusend monnen
þet wes þe bezste cure
Of al Brut-londe."—Laȝ. i. 345.
[1537] And made exceedingly good, or very opportunely, that meat; on sele = on-sele, good, literally timely, opportunely; S.Sax. on sele, safely. See [note] on l. 1542.
"Cnihtes fuseð me mid
leteð slæpen þene king
And fare we on sele."—Laȝ. i. 32.
sæ-men æfter
fóron flód-wége
folc wæs on salum.
The sea men after
marched the flood way
the folk prospered (was in prosperity).
—(Cædmon, 184, 13.)
[1539] Clothed she Jacob and made him rough. [1542] seles mel, an error for selie mel, good (timely) meal? Cf. miries dale for mirie dale, l. [1038], p. 30. See Laȝ. i. 75; ii. 173.
"And þas word saide
Brutus þe sele (the good)."—Laȝ. i. 30.
"haueð mi fader bi þære sæ
Castel swiðe sæle."—(Ibid. ii. 14.)
[1544] For he handled him and found him rough. [1545] When he knew him, opportunely he blessed him, faithfully and well. on gode sel, in good time, opportunely. See [note] to l. 1542.
P. 45. ll. [1547]-8
Heaven's dew and earth's fatness,
Abundance of wine and oil.
[1550] Supply and after migt.
[1565]-6
Quoth Esau, "right is his name
Called Jacob, to my disadvantage."
[1569]-70
Nevertheless, dear father, intreat I thee
That thou give me some blessing.
[1573] erðes smere, earth's fatness; smere is properly fat, grease, butter. In the Orm. ii. 106 it is used in the sense of ointment. [1574] granted him blessing that was precious to him; gere is evidently an error for dere, beloved, dear, precious.
[1575]-6
For Idumea, that rich land,
Of pasture good, was in his hand.
lewse, cf. O.E. leswen, to pasture; lezzer[[398]] (Shropshire), a pasture-land. (Wicliffe, 1 Kings xvi. 11; 1 Cor. ix. 7; Luke viii. 34.) "If ony man schal entre by me, he schal be saved; and he schal go yn, and schal go out, and he schal fynde lesewis." (Wicliffe, St John x. 9.) "Egipte aȝenst kynde of oþer londes haþ plenté of corn; he is bareyne of lesue, and whan he haþ plenté of lesue it is bareyne of corn." (Trevisa's translation of Higden's Polychronicon, vol. 1, p. 131.)
[1577]-8
Quoth Esau, "The time of mourning shall pass away,
And I shall take vengeance of (on) Jacob."
[1577] grot is a noun formed from the vb. to grete (to weep, mourn), just as wop is from wepe (weep). It is the same as the O.E. gret, grete, cry, outcry.
P. 46. ll. [1583]-4
"Be thou there," quoth she, "till Esau
Appeased be, who rages now."
Eðe-moðed (= eðe-moded) is literally easy-minded, humble, mild, and hence soft-mooded, appeased. S.Sax. edmod, eadmodied, edmodie. See Laȝ. ii. 554; Ancren Riwle, 246, 278. The insertion of be is necessary to the metre as well as to the sense.
[1588]-9
Esau married in order to annoy us
When he allied (himself to kin of Canaan) and is so foolish.
[1591]-2
Wherefore he maketh him stubborn and strong,
For he is mixed amongst that kin.
Ne bode ic no lengere werldes lif,
I could endure (abide) no longer world's life.
[1605] an soðe drem, in true dream. [1606] heuene bem = heaven-beam (?), the sun (?). [1610] Lened = leaned; but the MS. also sanctions leued = remained; and [Jacob] wurð ut-suuen, and Jacob became cast out of (aroused from) his sleep. [1615] i = ic, I. It is common to find i before sal, instead of the fuller ic.
P. 47. l. [1620] amongus = amonges = amongst. [1621] a-gen cumen = agen-cumen, return. [1623] for muniging = for a memorial. [1624] And get on olige = and poured on oil; olige = the O.E. olie, elye = oil; anelye, to anoint. [1636] A well well-covered under a stone. [1638] abiden (= abode) is the pret. pl. of abide. [1641] sulden samen = should assemble.
Iacob wið hire wente ðat ston,
Jacob for her removed that stone.
wið in O.E. signifies in, for, against, etc.
[1651]-2
And he made known he was her aunt's son,
And kissed her after kins-wise (as a relative).
mouies is properly a female relative; S.Sax. mawe, moȝe, mowe, and must be distinguished from mæi, mey, may, etc., a male relative. "Þis ȝet þuncheð me wurst þæt tu þe ane hauest ouergan þi feder ant ti moder, meies ba ant mehen." (St Marherete, p. 16.)
"Nu is afered of þe
þi mei and þi mowe;
Alle heo wereð þe weden
þat er weren þin owe."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 178.)
We occasionally, as in this instance, meet with the word in a more limited sense.
"Annd hire meȝhe Elysabaeþ
Wass gladd inoh & bliþe
Off hire dere child Iohan,
And lefliȝ ȝho himm fedd."—(Orm. i. 109.)
"Has þou her," þai said, "ani man,
Sun or dogter, mik or mau
To þe langand, or hei or lau."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 17.)
We even find a confusion between the two terms, as in l. [1761], p. 51, and in the following passage:
"Loth went and til his maues (sons-in-law) spak."
—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 17.)
P. 48. ll. [1655]-6 Laban welcomed him (Isaac's son travelled from afar) in friend's wise (friendly); feren = S.Sax. feorren, afar, far, from a distance. (See Ancren Riwle, p. 70, l. 3888.)
"The sonne, and monne, and many sterren
By easte aryseth swythe ferren."—(Shoreham, p. 137.)
[1658] and laban herte ranc = and Laban's heart was wrung (with pity)? for ranc read wranc = wrang. [1666] wað = quað, quoth, spoke. [1668] wið skil, in reason, reasonably.
Luue wel michil it agte a-wold
Love so great it ought prevail.
agte awold, have in power, prevail, avail. Cp. "Þerfore everyche Romayn overcomeþ oþer is overcome wiþ flaterynge and wiþ faire wordes; and ȝif wordes failleþ, ȝiftes schal hym awelde." (Trevisa's translation of Higden's Polychronicum, vol. i. p. 253.) [1676] tog = toc = took.
long wune is her driuen,
long custom is here held (practised).
P. 49. l. [1693] londes kire, custom of the land (country). [1700] caldes, called them. Cf. calde is in l. [1702]. [1706] ille bi-nam, foully ravished. [1712] charen, to depart, literally to turn. [1713] ðelde an error for gelde = should requite.
[1713]-14
Unless Laban should reward better
His service, and withhold (retain) him yet.
[1715] serue he scriðed = he entreated him to serve.
[1719]-26
Covenant is made of all sheep,
Jacob should take charge of those of one colour,
And if of those, spotted ones came,
Those should be taken for hire (wages).
Sheep or goat, speckled, streaked, or gray,
Are placed from Jacob far away;
Nevertheless those of one colour
Bore many unlike and dissimilar.
P. 50. l. [1723] haswed = haswe, "livid, a sad colour mixed with blue." It also signifies rugged, shaggy. [1726] vn-like = unlike in colour. It may be, however, an error for on-like = alike; likeles, unlike, dissimilar in form. [1729] ðe sunder bles, the diverse coloured ones. [1736] To be under him longer is displeasing to him. [1740] clipping time, shearing time. See Allit. Poems, A. 802. [1747] for-olen = for-holen, secreted.
P. 51. l. [1758]
ðus meðelike spac ðis em,
thus kindly (mildly) spake this uncle.
[1761]-2
My relative, my nephew, my fellow (companion)
Thou oughtest not to do me such unlawfulness (wrong).
mog. See [note] to l. 1651.
[1763]-4
I was afraid it might occur to thee
To take thy daughters from me.
[1765] fro an error for for (?).
Theft I deny, that is my advice,
That he be dead (put to death) with whom thou findest them (thy gods).
[1768]-9 is = them. [1771] yuel ist bi-togen, evil is there accused = wrongfully has accusation been made, i. e. I am accused of a crime. bitogen, the p.p. of biteon, signifies also befallen. bitogen may be an error for bilogen. [1772] My labour about thy property is drawn (taken up), i. e. I am troubled about thy property. [1774] And to me was thine honour dear; wurðing = honour, respect, good opinion. [1775] fend sule wit ben, friends shall we two be. [1776] And troth plight (pledge) now us two between. [1779] glað = glad. [1782] Turned backward ere it was light. [1783] of weie rad, quickly away. of liues = alive; of kin = akin. [1784] Soon was he far from Laban separated. [1786] Engel-wirð = engel-wird, a troop, multitude of angels.
"Þer wes Bruttene weored
baldeliche isomned."—(Laȝ. ii. 412.)
[1787] wopnede here, a weaponed (armed) host.
"iwepned wel alle
heo wenden to þan walle."—(Laȝ. i. 401.)
"& sone anan se þiss wass seȝȝd
Þurrh an off Godess enngless,
A mikell here off enngleþeod
Wass cumenn ut of heoffne,
& all þatt hirdeflocc hemm sahh
& herrde whatt teȝȝ sungenn."—(Orm. i. 115.)
"He comuth with so gret here
Wondur is the ground may heom beore."—(Kyng Alys., p. 91, l. 2101.)
P. 52. l. [1797]-8
And Jacob sent far before
Him rich gifts, and sundry bearers.
[1798] loac = lac, loc, a gift, present.
"ðe riche reoðeren
& scheop & bule,
hwa se mihte
brohten to lake."—(St. Kath. 63.)
"And bi þatt allterr wass þe lac
O fele wise ȝarkedd."—(Orm. i. 34.)
"Alle hii nemen þat lock."—(Laȝ., later copy, ii. 320.)
boren = bearers. A.S. bora. [1804] The sinews sprang from the limb. lið = member, limb. See Hampole's P. of C. 1917.
[1805]-6
Would they (Jacob's kin) no sinews thenceforth eat,
His own kin will not forget that usage.
[1808] Till the dawning up from the east burst. [1811] leate = lete, relinquish. [1818] How shall any man be able to hurt thee? [1826] And honoured him as the first-born; wurðe should be wurð[ed]e. [1828] ðo rew him so, then had he such compassion upon Jacob.
P. 53. l. [1829] trume, host. (See Guy of Warwick, p. 291; Laȝ. iii. 73, 107.)
"And he arayeth hare trome
As me (one) areyt men in fyȝt."—(Shoreham, p. 108.)
Cp. shel-ter = or scheltron = schild-trume. [1833] Jacob was sorrowful that he forsook (refused) them (the presents). [1835] hol and schir = whole and sound; schir = sheer, pure, undefiled. [1837] him to frame = for his own use. [1840] tgelt = tyelt = encamped. Cf. Ger. zelt; Eng. tilt. [1843] There King Emor sold him a piece of ground. [1848] She departed leave-less (without permission) from that place. [1851] Her own counsel misled (ruined) her. We might read
for hire listede hire owen red,
for her own counsel pleased her.
And his burge-folc fellen in wi,
And his people (borough-folk) fell in war.
wi = wig = war. Cf. Semi-Sax. wiȝe, battle, conflict. (Laȝ. i. 201; ii. 260; iii. 5.) wi-ax, wi-eax, a battle-axe. (Laȝ. i. 67, 96, 166, 286.) [1855] bi-speken, blamed. Cf. bi-spac, l. [1444], p. 41.
P. 54. l. [1872] Gol prenes = golde prenes = gold brooches. Prene is connected with O.E. preonne, to sew up. (See O.E. Miscell, p. 172, l. 68.) Sc. prin, a pin.
[1873]-4
Deep he them buried under an oak,
No covetousness made him weak (disobedient) in heart.
[1877]-8
For Solomon shall find them,
And his temple deck withal.
[1887] merke dede, set up a mark (monument).
P. 55. ll. [1901]-2
Of Edom so it was named then,
For it was before called Bozra.
[1906] deden un-red = committed sin; unred, want of wisdom, miscounsel, folly, wickedness. (See Owl and Nightingale, 161.)
"For unræd is swiðe ræh (rash)."—(Laȝ. i. 278.)
[1910] Brictest of waspene (wasteme), brightest of form; witter wune = skillwise, skilful, of good abilities. [1912] vn-hillen & baren, discover and lay bare (disclose); vnhillen = O.E. unhelen. (See Surtees, Ps. xxviii. 9.)
[1914] wel-ðewed, well conducted, well behaved.
for-ði wexem wið gret nið;
unless wexem = wex hem, we should perhaps read,
for-ði he wexen wið gret nið,
Wherefore they increased in great envy (jealousy).
wið = in. [1919] soren = shorn = reaped. Shear is still an E.Anglian term for to reap.
"And I sal say til men scherande,
Gaderes the darnel first in bande,
And brennes it opon the land,
And scheres sithen the corn rathe,
And bringes it unto my lathe."
—(Met. Hom. p. 146.)
[1920] here = theirs. Cf. ure = ours. [1923] hu mai ðis sen, how may this appear (be seen). [1928] siðe = siðen = afterwards. [1934] In Dothan he found them come. sogt = sought = come, arrived? [1935] fro feren = from afar.
P. 56. l. [1942] ðisternesse = cisternesse = cistern. (See l. [1960].) Cistern occurs in the Middle High German Book of Genesis and Exodus, ed. Diemer, p. 75.
"Nu sehet ze dem trômære, er bringet nivmare
Slahen wir den selben hunt,
Werfen in in der zisterne grunt."
[1942]-4
In this pit, old and deep,
Yet shall he be cast, naked and cold,
What-so(ever) his dreams may signify.
[1943] wurðe = wurð e = wurð he (?) = he shall be. [1950] derne sped = secret haste. I should prefer derue sped = derfe sped, bold (wicked) haste. [1952] spices ware = spices-ware = spicery. [1958] Than he should there die in their power. [1961] ðhogte swem = appeared grieved = was sorrowful.
[1962]-3
Believed him to be slain, set up a cry
He will not cease, such sorrow he endured.
[1962] rem, cry, outcry.
"ðanne remen he alle a rem,
so hornes blast oðer belles drem (noise)."
—(O.E. Miscell., p. 21.)
[1967]-8
In kid's blood they turned it,
Then was there-on a piteous stain.
[1968] lit = stain.
"Ah wið se swiðe lufsume leores
Ha leien, se rudie
& se reade i-litet (coloured)
eauereach leor
as lilie i-leid to rose,
Þæt nawhit ne þuhte hit
Þæt ha weren deade."—(St. Kath. l. 1432.)
"Saide Laverd of Basan torne, torne sal I,
In depnesse of þe se for-þi;
Þat þi fote be lited in blode o lim,
Þe tunge of þi hundes fra faas of him."—(Ps. lxvii. 24.)
P. 57. ll. [1975]-8
He wept, and said that "wild beasts
Have my son swallowed here."
His clothes rent, in hair (cloth) shrouded,
Long mourning and sorrow is him befallen.
[1977] haigre.
"Þai sal be, als þe appocalips spekes,
In harde hayres clende and in sekkes."
—(Hampole's P. of C., 4530.)
[1980] hertedin, consoled; literally encouraged him (to hope that his son was still alive). [1982] herting = consolation. [1989] skiuden for skinden = went. [1992] They made quickly a gainful covenant. [1995] wol = wel = very.
[1999], 2000
But he became then so naturally cold,
To do such deed had he no power.
[2004] The author of the poem seems to have confounded Potiphar with Poti-pherah, the priest of On. (See Gen. xli. 45.)
P. 58. l. [2011] an heg for and heg = and high. [2015] One and stille, alone and secretly. [2019] Provided that he would with her wanton; wile seems to be the same as wigele, to play, sport. May we not supply plaige, play, before wile? [2020] But what she desired was displeasing to him. [2024] But it was to him all alike displeasing. [2025] tgeld = tyeld = tent. Cf. tilt (of a cart). [2030] god = goð = goes.
[2031]-2
And saith Joseph would do to her,
What she might not prove (or bring) against him.
[2031] seið, says.
[2035]-6
The blame is his, the right is hers,
May God almighty discern the truth.
wite, blame, still exists in twit; O.E. at-wite.
P. 59. l. [2043] chartre for cwartre = prison.
"Forr nass nohht Sannt Johan ȝët ta
Intill cwarrterrne worrpenn."—(Orm. ii. 270.)
[2044] in hagt, in sorrow. We might translate ll. 2042-4 as follows:—"The gaoler did love him, and hath entrusted him the prison to live in care with the prisoners." [2045] on-sagen = un-sagen = O.E. mis-saw, opprobrious language. [2047] One that the king's cup presented (the butler). [2049]-50 onigt = anigt, by night; o-frigt = afrigt, in fright, affrighted. [2054] Hard (troublesome) dreams would cause that (i. e. cause them to mourn). [2057] softe or strong = pleasant or unpleasant. [2058] The interpretation will on (to) God belong. [2059] win-tre, a vine.
"Me thoght I sagh a win-tre,
A bogh þar was wit branches thre;
O þis tre apon ilk bogh,
Me thoght hang winberis inogh."—(Cursor Mundi, fol. 26.)
[2060] That had full grown boughs three; waxen = full grown, explains Shakespear's man of wax. [2061] First it bloomed, and afterwards bore. [2062] Of the berries ripe became I aware. [2073] Present my petition (intercede for me) to Pharaoh; herdne = ernde. Cf. O.E. wordle = world.
"Bute heore almesdede
heore ernde schal bere."
But their alms-deed
Shall intercede for them.
—(O.E. Miscell. p. 164.)
[2075] kinde lond, native land. [2076] And here wrongfully held in bond; wrigteleslike = wrigte-les-like, fault-less-ly; wrigte = wrihhte, a fault, crime.
"For niss nohht Godess griþþ wiþþ þa
Þatt wiþþrenn Godd onnȝæness,
Acc helle-wawenn iss till þa
All affterr þeȝȝre wrihhte."—(Orm. i. 136.)
P. 60. l. [2077] liðeð nu me, listen now to me. [2078] bread-lepes = bread-baskets. Cf. O.E. bar-lepe, a basket for keeping barley in. See Townley Myst., p. 329; Wicliffe, Exod. ii. 3. Leep, or baskett (lepp. K). Sporta, calathus, corbis.—(Prompt. Parv.)
[2085]-6
It were preferable to me (I had rather) quoth Joseph,
Tell the meaning of pleasant dreams.
[2086] rechen = recken = to tell, explain; swep = force, stroke. Cf. the use of bond, wold, ll. [2114], [2122]. [2088] ben do[n] on rode, be put on the cross (be crucified).
[2089]-90
And fowls shall tear away thy flesh,
That no wealth shall be able to save thee.
[2094] wið-uten erd, in a foreign land. [2105] On a bush full grown and very beautiful (seasonable? well-seasoned, prime?). [2107] welkede = withered. drugte numen, seized with drought (dryness).
P. 61. l. [2114] Who could explain the meaning of these dreams. [2119] ðo hogt. Is hogt an error for logt = lagt, taken, or for sogt = sought? [2122] ðis dremes wold = this dream's meaning. Wold signifies (1) power, (2) force, (3) meaning. [2130] nedful = grievous; the O.E. ned often signifies grief, trouble. [2132] rospen and raken, rasp and rake, diminish and scatter. The Swedish raka signifies to clip, shave, shear. [2134] laðes, barns. (See [note] to l. 1919.) Chaucer uses the word in the Reve's Tale. "Berne or lathe, Horreum."—(Prompt. Parv.) [2136] hungri gere, famine years. [2146] so to-bar, so falsely accused him. (See baren in l. [1912].) In the Castle of Love to-beren = disagree; to-boren, at enmity, l. 49.
P. 62. l. [2153]
The seven years of plenty pass away.
Joseph himself knew how to provide beforehand.
[2161] for nede sogt, sought, come by compulsion. (See l. [2165].) [2163] he lutten him, they did obeisance to him.
[2167]-8
Joseph knew them all in his thought (mind),
He made as if he knew them not.
[2176] For hunger doth (causes) them (Jacob's sons) hither to come.
[2178] bi gure bering, by your behaviour. [2181] For seldom betideth even any king.
P. 63. l. [2190] ða = ðat; pore is evidently an error for gure = your.
[2191]-2
For then was Joseph sore afraid
That he were also through them deceived.
[2196] ðe ton = the one. [2198] to wedde = in pledge, as hostage.
"He said, 'Forsothe, a tokyne to wedde
Salle thou lefe with me.'"—(Sir Perceval of Galles, p. 19.)
[2204] Wrigtful = sinful. (See [note] to l. 2076.) [2209] For we denied him mercy; werneden = denied, refused.
"God schewes in his godspelle
Of þe riche man and laȝarus,
How þat he warned him almus,
Þarfor God warned him agayne
A drope of water, to sloken his payne
In þe fire of helle when he was þan."
—(Cott. MS. Tib. E. vii., fol. 37.)
[2214] pilt = O.E. pult, thrown, placed (R. of Gloucester, 3376, 459; Lay le Freine, 136).
P. 64. l. [2219] ouer-ðogt, over-anxious. [2224] ðo agtes = the monies. [2232] Death and sorrow come on me; segeð = sigeð, cometh, alighteth, falleth.
"& þi wracche (wretched) saule
[Scal] siȝen to helle."—(Laȝ. ii. 186.)
[2233] bi-lewen = bi-liuen = remain.
[2235]-8
Then quoth Judah, "It will go hard with us,
If we do not keep our agreement with him."
Famine increased, this corn is gone,
Jacob again biddeth them go again (to Egypt).
[2241]-2
Then quoth he, "When (since) it is necessary,
And I know no better plan."
[2249] God grant that he may be kindly disposed (towards you); eði-modes = eðe-moded (see [note] to l. 1584). [2252] ligt = soon; literally easily, without difficulty. [2254] Kind thought (natural affection) was in his heart then; ðag = ða = ðo = then, is necessary for the sense and the rhyme.
P. 65. l. [2255] gerken = O.E. ȝarke, Mod. Eng. yark, prepare, get ready.
"He lætte bi sæ flode
ȝearkien scipen gode."—(Laȝ. i. 111.)
[2258] None of them had then merry cheers (countenances). [2262] ur non, none of us; ur should be properly ure. Cf. l. [2260], where we have gur for gure.
[2267]-8
Very glad (fain) he was of their coming,
For he was held there as a prisoner.
to nome may have the same signification as the phrase to wedde = as hostage, as security; nome (nom?), derived from nimen, to take, capture, signifies seizure. Cf. wop from wepe (weep), grot from grete (lament, cry), lop (flee) from lepe (leap, run), etc. [2269] vndren time = A.Sax. undern-tid; vndren is the Prov. aandorn, oandurth, orndorn. It literally denotes "the intervening period, which accounts for its sometimes denoting a part of the forenoon, or a meal taken at that time, and sometimes a period between noon and sunset."—(Garnett.) [2275] And he willingly accepted it. [2279] Know I that none of them but what trembles.
[2287]-9
Soon he went out, and secretly he wept,
That all his face became wet with tears.
After that weeping, he washed his face.
P. 66. l. [2295] of euerilc sonde, of every dish, of every mess; sond signifies a dish, mess, meal. S.Sax. sonden, sunde, viands.
"wanliche (bad) weoren þa sonden."—(Laȝ. iii. 32.)
"þas beorn þa sunde
(þes beare þe sondes)
from kuchene to þan kinge."—(Laȝ. ii. 611.)
"Hwer beoð þine disches
midd þine swete sonde?"—(O.E. Miscell., p. 174.)
[2297] In abundance they became glad. [2302] ðeden = peoples. [2311] weren ... went = had gone. [2316] vn-selðehe = vnselðe, misfortune, evil.
"Her waas unnseollþe unnride inoh
Till an mann forr to dreȝhenn."—(Orm. i. 165.)
"Ah ich heom singe, for ich wolde
That hi wel understonde schulde
That sum unselthe heom is i-hende (near)."
—(Owl and Nightingale, p. 43.)
Later writers use the word in the sense of wickedness. (See Shoreham's Poems, p. 43.) [2314] bi-calleð, accuses. See Ywain and Gawin, p. 21, l. 491. [2318] gure on = one of you. [2320] vp = vpe = upon.
"Moni of þisse riche
þat wereden foh and grei,
An rideþ uppe stede
and uppen palefrai,
Heo schulen atte dome,
suggen weilawei."—(O.E. Miscell., p. 164.)
P. 67. l. [2335] Provided that thou spare Benjamin. [2341] so e gret = so he gret, so he wept. [2342] That all his face became wet of (with) tears. See l. [2356]. [2354] sundri = on-sundri, apart. [2356] Ilc here, each of them.
P. 68. l. [2367] twinne srud, two changes of raiment. [2369] fif weden, five garments. [2373] wið semes fest, with burdens loaded. [2380] He knew not who they were (on account of their princely garments). [2384] All Egypt in his power is placed (fixed). [2390] or ic of werlde chare, ere I from the world go (turn) = ere I die.
P. 69. l. [2399] derer, an error for derë = beloved. [2400] How many years are on thee. [2403] fo = few; O.E. fowe. Cp. Northern fon, few, in Hampole's P. of C. [2404] Although I have passed (suffered) them in woe. [2406] her vten erd = here in foreign lands. See l. [2410]. [2412] seli mel, good sustenance (food). Cf. l. [1542]. [2416] y-oten = y-hoten, called.
[2427]-31
So was it pleasing to him to be laid,
Where the Holy Ghost secretly had said
To him and his elders, far ere before,
Where Jesus Christ would be born,
And where be dead, and where be buried.
P. 70. l. [2435] Or ðan = ere that.
[2441]-3
Joseph caused his body to be honourably prepared (for burial),
To be washed, richly anointed,
And with spices to be scented.
Smaken usually signifies to taste, savour, but here means to scent, to be scented. Smac in the Owl and Night., 821, is used for scent, while in the Ayenbite of Inwyt it has the sense of flavour.
"Zalt yefþ smac to þe mete."
See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s. v. Smach.
[2444]-9
And Egypt's folk him bewaked,
Forty nights and forty days,
Such were Egypt's laws;
The first nine nights the bodies they bathe,
And anoint, and shroud, and bewail
And watch them afterwards forty nights.
[2451]-5
And Hebrew folk had a custom,
Not immediately to bury it with iron,
But to wash it (the corpse) and keep it right,
Without anointing, seven nights,
And afterwards (keep it) anointed thirty days.
[2452] yre = iron; O.E. ire, iren (Owl and Night. 1028). The form ize, iron, is also met with in O.E. writers. (See Ayenbite, pp. 110, 133.) [2454] smerles, ointment, belongs to the same class of words as feteles, a vessel, reckeles, incense, etc. "þe smeryels ne is naȝt worþ to hele þe wonde ne non oþer þing þer huile þet þet yzen is þerinne."—(Ayenbite, p. 174.)
[2459]-60
For truth and with good deeds,
Done is then all that watch-deed.
[2460] wech-dede, vigils. [2463] And some every year as it happens or comes round. [2465] Do for the dead church-going; chirche-gong = church-going.
"Þe gret cyte of Medes suþþe afure he (William) sette,
Vor me (one) ne myȝte non chyrche gong wyþ out lyȝte do."
—(R. of Gloucester, p. 380.)
[2467] And that is instead of the vigils.
P. 71. l. [2472] daiges is evidently an error for laiges, laws. See l. [2456]. [2479] wis of here[n], skilful in arms. [2487] ouer-pharan = ouer-faren, pass over or beyond Pharan. [2488] in biriele don, put into the tomb. "And whanne Jhesus hadde comen over the water at the cuntre of men of Genazereth, twey men havynge develis runnen to him, goynge out fro birielis (tombs), ful feerse, or wickid, so that no man miȝte passe by that way."—(Wicliffe, St. Matt. viii. 28.) [2498] To beðen meðe, to supplicate for mercy; beðen may be an error for beden, to entreat, bedden oc = beoden oth = to offer oath [of obedience].
P. 72. l. [2505]-12
"It shall," quoth he, "be fulfilled
What God before hath to our elders sworn;
He shall lead you in his hand
Hence to that promised land;
For God's love I yet entreat you;
Perform it (my prayer) then, promise it now
That my petition shall not be lost (sight of);
With you let my bones be borne.
[2510] Lested = lesteð, perform. [2514] God bring the soul into bliss. [2516] egipte-like, after the custom of the Egyptians. [2521] to ful in wis = to ful-iwis, very full (completely), indeed. See l. [109]. Orm uses the word fuliwis, ful iwiss, fuliȝwiss, in the sense of certainly, truly. See Gloss. to Orm, s. v. fuliwis. [2524] for lefful soules ned, for the need of faithful souls. [2528] May God help him kindly (joyfully). For the meaning of weli see Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s. v. wely. [2529] And preserve his soul from sorrow and tears. [2532] God grant them in his bliss to have pleasure; spilen signifies to sport, live pleasantly.
"Þan was Uortigerne þa king
in Cantuarie-buri.
Þer he mid his hirede,
hæhliche spilede (nobly diverted themselves)."
—(Laȝ. ii. 153.)
"dâ was spil unde wunne
under wîben unde manne.
vone benche ze benche
hiez man allûteren wîn scenchen:
Si spilten unde trunchan
unz in iz der slâf binam."
—(M.H.G. version of Genesis and Exodus, ed. Deimer.)
P. 73. l. [2544] hatel, severe, cruel. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s. v. Hatel. [2546] seli sið, prosperity. [2547] Quoth (spoke) this king with them, secretly, in council. [2548] michil sped = great speed, rapidly. [2553] feten seems to be an error for seten, made. [2555] vn-ðewed swinc, unaccustomed (extraordinary) labour; vn-ðewed also signifies immoral, wicked. See Orm. i. 74, Allit. Poems, B, l. 190. [2556] fugel = ful, foul, loathsome. [2560] They caused them to creep along (or through) dikes; dikes = O.E. diches, may here signify subterraneous passages, burrows; or perhaps dikes = sewers, from the allusion to muc and fen. "And Jhesus said to him, Foxes han dichis, or borowis, and briddis of the eir han nestis, but mannes sone hath not where he reste his heued."-(Wicliffe, St. Matt. viii. 20.)
[2561]-2
And wide about (through) the cities to go,
And come where none had been before.
[2564] comb, crest or top (?). [2567] ðhogen = ðogen, throve. See l. [2542].
P. 74. l. [2575] But they disobeyed from fear of God. [2578] They defended themselves with lies.
[2581]-2
God requited it these women well,
On their homes, their wealth, a happy time.
eddi sel is, literally, pleasant time, but may here denote prosperity, success, etc. [2583] opelike = openlike, openly. [2588] Abraham is an error for Amram, i.e. Amram was Moses' first name. [2590] dreful and bleð, sorrowful and afraid; bleð. In A.Sax. bleað = gentle, slow; blæt = miserable; the S.Sax. blæð = destitute, poor; bliðere, cowardlier. [2594] Nor could she take him stealthily (secretly) of (from) the water; or stelen may signify to still, to quiet. [2595] rigesses = rushes. Cf. Sc. reesk, reyss. [2596] terred = tarred, pitched.
P. 75. l. [2609]-10
God had such beauty him given,
That the very foes let him live.
[2611]-5
Egypt's women came near,
And bad her leave the child there,
But she took it away with a cry (scream);
Of their command took she no heed.
[2613]-4 he = ghe = she. It cannot be the plural he = they, for this would require namen instead of nam. [2621] On whose teat (paps) he soon hath seized. [2629] on sunes stede, instead of a son. See l. [2637]. [2639] ayne [= ane] stund, one minute. [2644] ðis timing = this occurrence, this timely assistance.
P. 76. l. [2647]-8
If help had not run between
This child had then soon been killed.
[2650]-8 He said, "The child doth as he knows (i. e. acts according to the extent of his knowledge); we shall now learn whether it did this wittingly, or in childishness." He offered this child two burning coals, and he took them; how was he able to bear it? and in his mouth so deep he placed them, that his tongue's end is burnt therewith; therefore said the Hebrews truly that he afterwards spake indistinctly. This legend is thus given in Lady Eastlake's Life of Our Lord:—"Therefore when he (Moses) was three years of age she (Thermutis) brought him to Pharaoh, who caressed him, and in sport, put the crown on his head, when the child eagerly pulled it off, and dashed it to the ground; for it is said that the crown was engraved within with figures of idols, which Moses instinctively abominated.... Those around Pharaoh looked upon it as a bad omen, and they counselled the king that he should be slain; but another counsellor said that he should be pardoned, because he was too young to know right from wrong; and a third counsellor said, 'There is in this child something miraculous and uncommon. Cause, therefore, a burning coal and a ruby ring to be set before him; and if he take the ring it will show that he knows right from wrong, and then let him be destroyed, lest he spoil the kingdom of Egypt. But if he take up the burning coal, it will show that he is too young to know right from wrong, and then let his life be spared.' Then the king said, 'Let the hot burning coal and the king's signet ring (which was a large shining ruby) be placed side by side, and we shall see what he will do.' And immediately the child stretched out his hand to take the signet ring; but the angel Gabriel (who instantly took the form of one of the attendants) turned his hand aside, and the child Moses took up the burning coal, and put it to his mouth, and his tongue was burnt therewith, so that he was unable afterwards to speak distinctly, even to the end of his days." [2652] childhede; "ac zeþþe ich com to elde of vol man, ich vorlet alle mine childhedes."—(Ayenbite, p. 208.) [2653] brennen = brennende, burning; to = two. [2654]-5 is = them. [2658] miserlike = S.Sax. misliche, variously, differently; and, hence, thickly, indistinctly. The form miser-like may be a corruption of the A.Sax. missen-lic, dissimilar. Misliche in Owl and Nightingale, l. 1771, signifies erroneously. [2662] bleph = bi-lef, remained.
[2665]-8
By that time that he was a youth (young man)
With (for) beauty and strength renowned,
The Ethiopian folk on Egypt came,
And burnt, and slew, and vengeance took.
[2675]-8
Teremuth scarcely might bring it about (prevail)
That Moses shall with them forth-go,
Ere she have her pledged and sworn,
That to him shall be borne (kept) honourable faith.
[2676] hire, an error for hem, them. [2677] he = ghe = she. [2680] were (a substantive from weren, to defend), a defender, protector. Cf. dere, harm, from deren, to hurt.
P. 77. l. [2682] vn-warnede, unexpected. This enables us to correct the reading unwarde in l. [480]. [2688] ut-ðhurg = out-through, throughout. Cf. O.E. ut-with, without, in-with, within, etc. [2696] Nevertheless that sojourn was very distasteful to him. [2701] meten is the p.p. of mete, to measure. [2702] This causes remembrance, the other causes forgetfulness. [2703] He fest is = he fixed them. [2704] Gave her the first gem; he was kind to her. Two lines seem missing after this line. We might supply the following:—
And quan awei nimen [faren] he wolde
Gaf hire ðe toðer, he was hire colde.
And when he would go away, he gave her the other gem, and was distasteful to her. [2708] e = he. [2712] a modi stiward, a moody (proud) steward. [2714] That seemed to Moses a great shame.
P. 78. ll. [2718]-20
And secretly he buried him in the sand,
He weened that no Egyptian
Had known it, or should have seen it.
[2720] a sen may signify 'have seen.' Northumbrian ha, to have; but more probably we should read a-sen, to see, the infinitive being required after sulde, so that sulde a-sen = should see. In the Romans of King Alysaundre asen occurs as the p.p. of a-see, to see. Cf. our modern words wake and awake, rise and arise, etc. These double forms were far more common in O.E. writers than in the modern stage of our language. [2727] And enquired of him what it should mean. [2730] to rad, too hasty. [2736] his weige ðeðen ches = chose (took) his way thence.
P. 79. l. [2757] ðewe and wursipe, courtesy and honour. [2758] estdede, kindly deed (actions). (See Owl and Nightingale, l. 997.) Esste mete occurs in the Ormulum for delicate meat (food), etc.
"Ac thar lond is bothe este and god."
—(Owl and Nightingale, p. 36, l. [1029].)
[2764] To wife in law he her took; in lage = in law, in marriage, is an early use of a common phrase. [2769] And Moses had gone on a time. [2771] To look after the condition of the herds. [2775] brennen = brennende. See l. [2653]. [2776] And nevertheless green and whole remained. [2783] in min geming, under my care (protection). [2788] milche, milk; queðen, to promise.
P. 80. l. [2789] an = in. [2790] on hond = on-hond, soon, speedily. Ger. in die hand. (See Laȝ. vol. ii. pp. 96, 106, 251, 264.) [2792] to ðan, to that = for that purpose. [2797] If he refuse it and be there-to contrary. [2803] to token, for a token (sign). Cf. to wedde, for a pledge, etc. [2812] fer, sound, and hence unfer (l. [2810]), diseased. (See Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight, l. 103; Ormulum, i. 41, 153, 212.) [2815] get = pour (see l. [582]). [2817] wanmol = un-eloquent; wan occurs in O.E. wan-hope, despair; wan-trauthe, disbelief; mol is the same as moal (speech) in l. [81], p. 3; vn-reken = un-ready, slow. (See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s. v. reken.) [2822] Who made the blind, and who the looking (seeing)? [2824] fultum, aid, assistance.
Þa cristine liðen after,
and heom on læiden,
& cleopeden Crist, godes sune,
beon heom a fultume.
The Christians pursued after,
and laid on them,
and called Christ, God's Son,
To be to them in aid (to help them).
—(Laȝ. ii. 264.)
P. 81. l. [2828] vnsteken, disclose. See Gloss. to Allit. Poems, s. v. Steke. [2830] Gunc = you two. See Orm. i. 301; ii. 98. [2831] funden; O.E. founde, to go, occurs in Allit. Poems, p. 63, l. 903. [2834] of liues = alive. [2838] is werkes len, reward of his works. [2845] feren swike, unfaithful companions, that is, his two sons who were uncircumcised. he = they, refers to Moses and his wife. [2847]-50 Zipporah took this young lad, and made him to have circumcision, and wept, and turned back frightened, and let Moses forth alone proceed. [2855] Eyðer [h]ere = each of them. [2856] haueð is herte vt-dragen = hath his heart out-drawn. Cf. our expression, to unbosom oneself, with the Ger. sein herz anschütten.
P. 82. l. [2876]-78
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?
[2882] hidel-like (= hidingly), secretly. Cf. O.E. hidel, a hiding place (Ps. xxvi. 5). [2890] to 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. [2894] And to God he made his complaint (bemoaning).
P. 83. l. [2900] ðhunerg = ðuner; O.E. thoner, thunder. [2903] Min milche witter name may 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]. [2918] Iglic = uglic, ugly, horrible. [2919] wiches kire, select (choice) witches. [2920] in sowles lire, in soul's loss. [2926] And the heads of them all he bit off.
P. 84. l. [2934] wit = 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. [2938] And try better with this token. [2947] trike, a rivulet, small stream, evidently connected with the verb trick-le. [2951] wreche = wreke, vengeance, plague. Cf. michel and mikel, dike and diche, etc. [2957] bot = boot, release, deliverance, is connected with O.E. bete, to amend, to alleviate. [2962] bi-tournen = biturnen, turn, change.
P. 85. l. [2969] froskes here = host of frogs.
[2977]-8
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 that sile = sele, epirhedium. Polheuedes (Provincial Eng. pole-head), a tadpole. Palsgrave has polet. 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 may
Lywe, or lest atoure a day;
As ask, or eddyre, táde or pade,
Suppos þat þai be þiddyr hade."—(Wyntown, i. p. 15.)
[2988] up-wond = up-went, but literally up-wound. [2989] on bite, in their bite. [2990] smite, a blight, plague.
P. 86. l. [3011] bad meðe, entreated for mercy. [3013] wroð = worð = wurð, became. [3014] And broke them that promise (see l. [3062]). [3027] dolc = O.E. dolg, wound, ulcer. O.E. dolc = pin, tongue. [3037] ðe to un-frame, to thy sorrow.
P. 87. l. [3045] al sir = all sheer, clearly, openly. [3047] vnghere may be an error for undere = badly, or, what is more probable, for vngere = unready, unexpectedly, gere being the same as gare, yare, ready, prepared. [3048] bergles = unprotected, shelterless, from bergen, to protect.
[3055]-6
Moses, cause this weather to turn,
And I shall let you out fare (go).
[3058] vnweder, storm. See ll. [3059], [3061]. Weder in 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. at in at-wot, departed, p. 30, l. [1049]. [3065] gresseopp-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) to gress-hope to be."
—(Ps. lxxvii. 46.)
[3066] And what the hail then left (untouched) shall all be consumed.
P. 88. l. [3075] but, without exception (?). [3077] Hu = how? [3080] Erewhile alone of men was leave besought. [3086] an newe figt, in a new conflict. [3087] skipperes, the grasshoppers. See l. [3096], where opperes is similarly used. [3088] They did on grass and corn injuries. [3102] ðherknesse = derknesse, darkness, is a genuine form, and occurs in the Coventry Mysteries:—"Therknesse, or derknesse, tenebre, caligo."—(Prompt. Parv.) [3105] Many there suffered sorrow in life; bead = abead, suffered. [3108] sowen = sogen, saw. See l. [3329].
P. 89. l. [3111] boden = both. See bothen in Glossary to Morte Arthure, ed. E. Brock. [3120] Death 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."
[3131]-2
I shall not fail you
Of what I have promised you.
[3139] Every 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.
[3144] so it noten mai, as may partake of it; noten = O.E. note, naite, to make use of, enjoy, eat.
P. 90. l. [3147] bred = O.E. brad, roasted. (See Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight, l. 891.) [3148] wreken, taken, thrown out. "God nele naȝt þet me make, his hous marcat ne boþe, huerout he wrek þo þet zyalde and boȝte in þe temple."—(Ayenbite, p. 172.) [3150] his owen fond, his own wants (need). [3153] wriðel; can it mean haste? (see Ex. xii. 11.) At first sight it seems to be a derivative of wirt (by metathesis writ), an herb; but the mention of rew mete[n] in l. 3151 renders this rather doubtful. [3154] bi-leuen, the remainder. O.E. lave, leve, the remainder. [3155] dure-tren = door-trees, posts.
"For James the gentile
Jugged in hise bokes
That feith withouten the feet
Is right nothyng worthi
And as ded as a dore-tre
But if the dedes folwe."
—(Piers Ploughman, 833.)
uuerslagen = overslagen, ouerslage, over-piece, lintel. "Ovyrslay of a doore. superliminare."—(Prompt. Parv.) [3172] For their toil they now have hire.
P. 91. l. [3206] fro = for, on account of. [3211] stunden does 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. [3212] How Pharaoh should act toward them. [3213] Pharaoh summoned (assembled) out his army; bannen = to call to arms.
"Þa bleou Brutus
& bonnede [bannede] his ferde."
Then blew Brutus his horn
And assembled his forces.
—(Laȝ. i. 75.)
[3218] of fote ren = swift of foot.
P. 92. l. [3220] to werchen wi, to work war, to make war upon. [3224] ne gate = no gate, no ways; gate is often used by Northern writers as an affix = -wise or -ways; as al-gate, thus-gate, etc. [3230] On (against) Moses they set up a cry. [3234] Supply don after gu. [3235] dregen wið skil, endure with patience. [3240] That for you ways (paths) may be well prepared.
P. 93. l. [3255] an skige, a cloud. Cf. Milton's 'sky-tinctured' (Paradise Lost, Book V.).
"..... it ne left not a skie
In al the welkin long and brode."
—(House of Fame, iii. 508-511.)
[3264] daiening = daigening, dawning. [3271] in twired wen, in perplexing doubt; twired signifies two-fold (doubtful) counsel.
"and [Bruttes] duden swiðe vnwraste
...... alle his haste,
and weoren alle twiræde."
And Brutus did very evilly
all his behests,
and all were of two counsels.
—(Laȝ. ii. 392.)
[3274] helden, an error for holden. [3275] a morgen quile, a morrow while, a minute. [3282] weken seems to be an error for wreken, taken (see l. [3148].)
P. 94. l. [3292] pert = apert, open, clear. [3300] wlath, the reading of the MS., = lað, loathsome. But wlach = brackish, properly warm; cp. luke-warm. [3301] a funden (discovered) trew = a tree which he found. [3310] bred wantede, bread failed.
Bet us were in egipte ben,
It were better for us in Egypt to be.
[3319] on-dreg = 'bear up,' endure patiently. [3324] so fele so, as many as.
P. 95. l. [3327] ðis dewes cost, the nature of this dew. For the meaning of cost see O.E. Miscell., pp. 12, 25; Allit. Poems, p. 66; Chaucer's Knight's Tale. [3328] rim frost = rime frost, hoar frost. [3338] for-hadede. Read ? for-hardede, hardened. [3340] That it gave a flavour of honey and oil. [3341] forbone mor, more than was bidden; forbone may be an error for forbode, prohibition, command; or we may read (and the MS. will admit of it) forboue, above. Cf. bi and for-bi, etc. [3345] Kept it apart in a clean place. [3348] vten leð = in a foreign land; withouten let = without cessation. [3353] Soon was that water wanting to them. [3354] MS. haue; the rhyme requires hane; ðrist hane signifies torment of thirst.
P. 96. l. [3378] here ðing, their affairs. [3381] Moses prayed for the folk of Israel. [3385] For leth is read let his. [3388] They supported them with a stone. [3393] bode seems wanting after sente. [3394] Of this occurrence to have a memorial.
P. 97. l. [3398] min blis. Jehovah-nissi is generally explained as "The Lord is my banner." [3410] stering, government, rule; stere in ll. [3418], [3420], rule; steres, rulers, ll. [3413], [3415]; steres-men, rulers, ll. [3417], [3429]. [3412] a meister wold, a master (head) ruler, the same as ouer-man, l. [3424]. [3413] tgen = tyen, ten. See l. [3418]. [3414] Ilc here, each of them. [3429]-32 He bad them choose rulers, mighty, who are God-fearing, truth-loving, and who strife and covetousness forsake. [3432] niðing signifies 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. [3434] And willingly (gladly) he received (accepted) it. [3438] is numen, has gone. [3448] May we not read Ic 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 whit
What he biddeth them they will do.
[3453] ðis to daiges = these two days. [3458] wið goren dragen = pierced with darts.
"heo beoren on heore honde
gares [speres], swiðe stronge."
—(Laȝ. iii. 44.)
[3459]-60
These people fearful thus abode,
While these days forth have passed.
[3462] Spile, ravage, destruction (see l. [2977]). [3463] On 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.
[3489] on = one. It may be an error for oc = also. [3496] My vengeance is severe, my forbearance is long. [3497] in idel, in vain; idel in O.E. signifies empty, 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. [3508] for truke of = for failure of, for want of. [3515] Covet not thy neighbour's thing. [3518] Thou losest everlasting bliss. [3519] figeren = fiyeren = feren, afar. [3533] nemeld = 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 I
Do it of daw sa priuely,
That na wiht sal the squeling here,
And delf it sithen in our herbere."—(Met. Hom. p. 167.)
P. 102. l. [3573] for gode is frequently employed by Chaucer. [3574] It is a song wicked and foolish.
[3581]-2
And mixed it in the water and poured it off,
And gave that folk that draff (dregs) to drink.
Cf. O.E. draff, chaff. "Draffe or 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.
[3603] milche moð = milce mod, mild (merciful) mood.
[3605]-6
God answered, "Off shall I take them,
Who are not worthy to be placed thereon."
[3607] min engel on, my angel alone.
P. 103. l. [3611] to pligt, for their sin. [3614] And as sun-beam bright shone his features. [3624] wið witter dragt, with skilful device. [3626] And their labour they well apply. [3635] of lore wal, of choice lore. [3637] betten = beten, amend, from bet, better. [3640] Ere they from Sinai forth have passed. [3642] ðe oðer, the second.
P. 104. l. [3647] This folk has after pleasure gone. [3653] Moses caused it to cease with his prayer. See [note] on blissen, p. 182. [3658] for-hirked = for-irked, tired. [3661] Loruerd = louerd, lord. [3664] Thou shalt cause me quickly to suffer death. [3676] And brought a great mint of quails; but turles = turtles, doves. See Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 181.
P. 105. l. [3688] There became Miriam somewhat foolish; soth = sott, a fool (see l. [3685]). [3710] A bunch of grapes on a long pole; O.E. cowele, cowle, a coop, tub, etc.; Prov. E. cowl; cuuel-staf signifies the staff or pole upon which the people carried their kneading troughs. This interpretation is supported by the form cowle-tre or soo-tree. Falanga, vectatorium. (Prompt. Parv.) "Phalanga est hasta, vel quidam baculus ad portandas cupas, Anglice a stang, or a culstaffe."—(Ortus.) "Courge, a stang, pale-staffe, or cole-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 a cole-staff." In Hoole's translation of the Orbis sensualium, by Comenius, 1658, is given a representation of the cole-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 also cowls. In Brand's "Popular Antiquities," ii. 107, will be found an account of the local custom of riding the cowl-staff or stang (Way in Prompt. Parv.)
P. 106. l. [3721] swerdes slagen, slain of (with) sword. [3723] loder-man = lodesman, leader. A leader we will choose (take); sen = bi-sen. [3730] If Moses were not opposed there-to. [3732] milche = milce, mercy, pity. See l. [3728], where the correct form occurs. [3740] Their righteousness was pleasing to God. [3742] sorwes dere = sorrow's hurt.
[3745]-6
Again (backwards) they made their course,
As that cloud had taught.
P. 107. l. [3755] migtful qualifies meistres in l. 3756. [3760]-61 ilc gure, each of you. Cf. quilc gure, which of you, l. [3764]. [3761] reklefat, incense vat, the vessel holding the incense, censer. See Orm. i. 2, 35, 58. [3762] timinge seems to be an error for time ge, wait ye. [3767] orgel pride, arrogant pride. Cf. orrȝhellmod, pride (Orm. i. 216). "Ichabbe isehen his ouergart, ant his egede orhel ferliche afallet."—(St. Marh. p. 11.) I have seen his presumption and his arrogance fearfully felled. [3770] Instead of the reading in the text substitute the following: Moyses, and vt ne wulde gon; vr seems to be an error for vt = out. See Numbers xvi. 12. [3774] Held up neither stone nor grit. I do not think ston ne gret = strong ne gret = strong nor great.
[3777]-80
Such destruction they have unexpectedly
No man need labour to bury them
This earth is together closed
As it were never ere broken up.
[3786] fieres swaðe, flame (burning) of fire.
P. 108. l. [3796] There hath a cloud them well girded. [3802] Ran and stood between the living and the dead; tiren seems, from the way it is written in the MS., to be an error for tuen = twen, between. [3807]-14 Though this folk, much frightened, remained quiet for a time, nevertheless they are 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). miðe is the pret. subj. of miðen = A.S. míðan (pret. mád, pl. midon; pret. subj. mide), to lie hid, to avoid, omit, hide, dissemble. [3809] aglen = aylen = ail, become weak or foolish. [3814] for-hugede, despised, rejected.
"Ah Gurmund hit for-hoȝede
And habbe he heo nolde."—(Laȝ. iii. 156.)
"For niss nan mann þatt uss birrþ att
Forrhoȝhenn god to lernenn."—(Orm. ii. 107.)
P. 109. l. [3824]. The name of the tribe which shall thereto belong. [3826] Which tribe he desires this service to be on.
[3851]-2
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.
[3880] costful, dangerous. See Met. Hom. p. xix, where far-cost = a dangerous voyage. [3884] wente of liwe = turned from life = died. [3887] in = hin = hine, him.
P. 111. l. [3924] The 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.
[3941] me goue hold = should give me faithfully; hold = holde = faithfully, truly. [3945] Oc or or = but first ere. [3951] And turned his heart on worse thought. [3958] And 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] stiga his." (Matt. iii. 3. Northumbrian Version.) [3964] negt = neg + it = nigh it.
P. 113. ll. [3972]-3
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.
[3985]-6
Quoth Balaam, "since I have mis-fared,
If thou wilt, I will turn back."
Against my counsel speak thou nought.
[3993]-4
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.
[4015] For or read and (?). [4016] He did it for better success. [4022] hem, if not an error for he, stands for he + 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 apart as messengers; do thou send out against these men those who can 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. [4052] ðgere = gere = haste. At first I was inclined to take ðgere for dere, so that wið ðgere = for harm. [4053] ten = te (?). Or should we read, ðe do ten vt = cause those to go out. [4056] Luueke may be an error for luue-like = pleasantly; or it may = luue-leke = love; -lec being a not uncommon ending of abstract nouns, as in O.E. feirlec, fairness, beauty. [4063] quad. The rhyme seems to require quead; ðat ille quad = that wickedly spoke (advised); ðat ille quead = that wicked wretch.
P. 116. ll. [4086]-88
God bad Moses number
His folk who were first preserved from death
Either twenty winters or more old,
Who in Egypt were not before numbered.
[4096] All others were driven in death's web. [4106]-8 Leave thou not thy folk helpless, and do thou, O God, cause them to be governed just as it may be advantageous for them.
P. 117. l. [4110] loder-man. See [note] on l. 3723.
[4119]-22
Whilst to him lasted life-days,
Them he taught precious laws,
And written hath committed them to them,
Unless they them keep, on them shall be sorrow (misfortune shall befall them).
In line [4121] the first hem should be omitted.
P. 118. l. [4143]-4 Idolatry, that was pleasing to them, oft out-wrought (effected) for them sorrow's trouble, i. e. brought sorrow and trouble upon them.
[4159]-60
In such virtues grant us to come;
Through which we shall be to everlasting life taken.
See "The History of Our Lord," vol. i. p. 53.
The Northumbrian version reads gedroefed, from which the O.E. vb. drove.
Written leasowe.