THE EGYPTIAN HOSTS ARE DROWNED.

Bi-foren hem fleg an ſkige brigt
3256 ðat nigt hem made ðe weige ligt;
Egiptes folc gunnen ðiſ ſen,
A cloud went before them.
And wenden ðat he wode ben.
Ðis bode herde king pharaon
3260 And him ðuhte ſellic ðer-on,
Garkede his hird & after nam,
Pharaoh pursued the Israelites,
And to ðe ſe bi nigte he cam;
and to the Red Sea he came.
In ferde ðiſ hird after ðiſ king,
3264 And ðo ſprong ðe daiening.
ðhunder, and leuene, and rein ðor-mong
God ſente on ðat hird, ſtið and ſtrong;
In went this host after the king.
ðo quoðen he, "wende we a-gen,
3268 An[d] iſrael folc lete we ben."
ðor-quiles ben ðo kinges[[296]] cumen
Some were for going back.
Ouer, and hauen ðe londes numen;
Egipcienes woren in twired wen
3272 queðer he ſulden folgen or flen;
And moyſes ſtod up-on ðe ſond,
The Israelites reached the land,
God him bad helden up hiſ hond
to-ward ðiſ water, in a morgen quile
3276 ðe ſe luked, ſo god it wile,[[297]]
and God bade Moses stretch his rod over the sea.
And on and on, ſwiðe litel ſtund,
Egypcienes fellen to ðe grund;[[298]]
 [Fol. 64.]
The sea covered the Egyptians,
Of hem alle bi-leaf non fot
3280 Vn-drincled in ðat ſalte ſpot.[[299]]
Ðvs iſ iſrael of hem wreken,
And here welðe iſ to londe weken,
Wepen, and ſrud, ſiluer, and gold;
3284 wel hem mai ben ðe god beð hold!
and not one remained undrowned in that salt spot.
Moyſes ðor made a newe ſong,
And tag[t]e it al ðat folc a-mong;
Moses made a new song, and taught it to the people.
And ilke dai ðat ſeuen nigt,
3288 Ones he ðor it ſungen rigt;
Each day for a week it was sung over.

[296]

kindes?

[297]

At the bottom of this page is the catchword—"And on and on."

[298]

MS. grunð.

[299]

MS. ſwot.