Alle he ledde hem vt forði
3220 ðat folc ebru to werchen wi.
Ðiſ godes folc waſ under-numen,
Quan he ſegen ðiſ hird al cumen,
Sore he gunen for-dredde ben,
3224 for ne cuðen ne[[295]] gate flen,
When the Israelites saw the Egyptian host they became sore afraid.
And if he ðore ben bi-ſet,
[Fol. 63.]
Ille he ſulen ben hunger gret;
He ne mogen figten a-gen,
for they were without weapons.
3228 for [he] wið-vten wopen ben;
ðanne he ðuſ woren alle in dred,
On moyſen he ſetten a gred.
"Beð nu ſtille," quað moyſes,
They chided Moses.
3232 "ðor god wile(.) iſ non helpeles;
Ge ſulen ſen ðiſ ilke dai
Quat godes migt for gu mai."
He bad ðiſ folc dregen wið ſkil,
3236 And he bi-ſogte godes wil.
Moses promises them God's assistance.
Qvað god, "quor-at calles ðu me?
Hold up ðin gerde to ðe ſe
And del it ſo on ſundri del,
3240 ðat gu ben garknede weigeſ wel."
God instructs Moses to stretch out his rod over the sea.
ðo moyſes helde up hiſ hond,
Moses did so.
A wind blew ðe ſe fro ðe ſond;
On twel[fe] doles delt iſt ðe ſe,
A wind blew the sea from the sand,
3244 xii. weiges ðer-in ben faiger and fre,
ðat euerilc kinde of iſrael
Mai ðor hiſ weige finden wel.
and twelve thoroughfares were made for the people.
ðe water up-ſtod, ðurg godes migt,
3248 On twinne half, alſo a wal up-rigt;
Moyſes bad hem, alſo he ben boren,
ðe eldeſt kindes gon bi-foren;
The water stood up as a wall on both sides.
Oc moyſes gede in bi-foren,
3252 And ðo ðe kinde of iuda boren;
On and on kin, alſ herte hem cam,
ðat folc ilc in his weige nam;
[Fol. 63b.]
Moses went first, and then the men of Judah.

[295]

? he no-gate

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]