quede?

[383]

MS. dor.

BALAAM'S ADVICE TO BALAK.

And quuo-ſo wile curſing maken,
Ille curſing ſal him taken;
Of ðe ſal riſen ſterre brigt,
4040 And a wond ðe ſal ſmiten rigt
Moab kinges, and under-don
Al ſedes-kin ðiſ werld up-on."
and prophesies their future happiness and greatness.
Manie tiding quad balaam ðor,
4044 ðe made balakes herte ſor;
Oc ðan balaam wente a-gen,
Such tidings made Balak's heart sore.
Tagte he balaam quat migte ben
ðiſ folc to dere, and gaf him red
4048 ðat brogt iſrael iwel ſped.
Balaam teaches Balak how to injure the Israelites,
"ðe ginge wimmen of ðin lond,
faiger on ſigte an[d] ſofte on hond,
And brigte on hewe, on ſpeche glad,
4052 Wið ðgere[[384]] ſal ic ſondes ſad,
ðe ðu ten vt gen ðiſ men,
by sending out young women fair of face and soft of speech,
ðe cunen[[385]] brewen herte-bren,
wið win, and wlite, & bodi, & dwale,
4056 Luue[li]ke and wið ſpeche ſmale,
who should "brew heart-burning and love,"
To wenden hem fro godes age
To ði londe godes and vre lage;
Bute-if ðu migt forðen ðiſ red,
4060 And hem fro godes luue led,
 [Fol. 79.]
and so turn the people from God.
And fonde to wenden ðuſ here ðhogt,
for wi ne wopen ne helpeð[[386]] nogt."
forð-nam balaam, ðat ille qu[e]ad
4064 ðe gaf ðiſ read of ſoules dead.
For war nor weapon had no power to harm them.
ðuſ it was don, and bi ðat ſel
This counsel was followed,
In ſichin ſingede iſrael,
And for luue of ðiſ hore-plage
4068 Manie for-leten godes lage,
And wrogten ðor ſwilc ſoules for
and thus it fell that Israel sinned in Shittim,
ðat he ðor lutten belphegor.
Ðo ſeide god to moyſen,
4072 "ðe meſtres of ðiſe hore-men,
and worshipped Baal-peor.

[384]

gere?

[385]

MS. cumen.

[386]