THE PLAGUES OF FROGS AND GNATS.

And aaron held up his hond,
2968 to ðe water and ðe more lond;
ðo cam ðor up ſwilc froſkes here
ðe dede[[271]] al folc egipte dere;
Aaron held up his hand towards the water, and up came a host of frogs.
Summe woren wilde, and ſumme tame,
2972 And ðo hem deden ðe[[272]] moſte ſame;
Some were wild and some tame.
In huſe, in drinc, in metes, in bed,
It cropen and maden hem for-dred;
Some crept into houses, drink, meat, and bed.
Summe ſtoruen and gouen ſtinc,
2976 And vn-hileden mete and drinc;
Some died and stank.
Polheuedes, and froſkes, & podes ſpile
Bond harde egipte folc [[273]]in ſile.
ðiſ king bad moyſes and aaron,
2980 ðat he ſulden god bone don;
Tadpoles, frogs, and toads afflicted Egypt's folk.
And ſone ſo moyſes bad iſ bede,
ðiſ wirmes ſtoruen in ðe ſtede;
The frogs died,
And quane ðe king wurð war ðis dead,
2984 Anon ðis folc fore he for-bead.
Ðe ðridde wreche dede aaron
Bi-foren ðe king pharaon;
but the king forbad the departure of the Hebrews.
He ſmot wið ðat gerde on ðe lond,
2988 And gnattes hird ðor ðicke up-wond,
ſmale to ſen, and ſarp on bite,
In al egypte fleg ðiſ ſmite.
The third plague of gnats, small to look at, but sharp in biting.
And ðo dede men and herf wo,
2992 Anger and tene, ſorge and wo.
 [Fol. 58b.]
Quoðen ðo wiches clerkes(.) "ðiſ
fortoken godeſ gaſtes is."
The sorcerers said, "This is token of God's ghost,"
Her hem wantede migt and ſped,
2996 to ſwilc ðing cuðen he non red;
ðiſ toknes dede aaron.
for they lacked might to do this.
God ſente ſiðen hem oðere on,
for euere eld ðiſ king on-on,
3000 And wernede ðiſ folc vt to gon.
Ðo ſeide god to moyſen,
"Go ðu gund pharaon agen;
Pharaoh remained obstinate,

[271]

MS. ðede.

[272]

MS. de.

[273]

? un-sile.