And geteniſſe men ben in ebron,
3716
Quilc men mai get wundren on. | |
ðiſ folc ðo ſette up grot and gred,
And ſeiden he folwen iuel red; | The Israelites murmur at the news. |
“Betre iſ vs get we wenden agen
3720
And in egipte ðralles ben,
ðan we wurðen her ſwerdeſ ſlagen, | [Fol. 72b.] |
And ure kin to ſorge dragen;
An loder-man we wilen us ſen,
3724
And wenden in-to egipte agen; | “A captain,” said they, “we will make, and return into Egypt.” |
Ðo quad Ioſue and calef,
“Leateð ben ſwilc wurdes ref,
And doð nogt god almigten wrong,
3728
Iſ milce iſ mikel, iſ ſtrenge iſ ſtrong.” | Joshua and Caleb endeavour to still them. |
ðor ðrette god hem alle to ſlen,
If moyſes ne wore ðor agen; | God threatens them. |
Oc for iſ benes and for iſ ſake[n],
3732
get he ſal wið hem milche maken, | For Moses’ sake he spareth them. |
Oc alle he ſulen wenden a-gen,
And in ðe deſert longe ben;
And on ðe.xx. winter hold
3736
or mor ut of egipte told,
ðat hauen ðuſ often fand,
Ne ſulden welden ðat leue land, | The murmurers are deprived of entering the land. |
Wið-vten Ioſue & calef,
3740
Here rigt-wiſed waſ gode lef. | Joshua and Caleb are excepted. |
Moyſes told hem al ðis anſwere,
And he ben ſmiten in ſorweſ dere; | Much sorrow came upon the people. |
Get he ſulen.xxx.vii. ger
3744
In ðe deſert ben vten her. | Yet thirty-seven years shall they be in the desert. |
Agen he maden here dragt,
Al-ſo ðat ſkie haueð tagt.
Oſwas was moyſes eam,
3748
And chore was iſ bernteam; | [Fol. 73.] |
Ille nið iſ herte wexe on
A-gen moyſen and aaron, | Korah, with two hundred and fifty princes, rebel against Moses. |
MS. ðragen.
MS. haued.
MS. cam.